Me: I would like to announce that I have offically confused and tortured some reviewers to the point were they have a major headache (lol, Kiki) And some of them are just Kyo-crazed (lol, Ghsneko)
SWD: And why is that good?
Me: It's satisfying to play with their minds! Okay you guys, I'll tell you now... Soon enough... In over 10 more chapters -
SWD: (rolls eyes) Ten, as usual.
Me: ...Isuzu shall make her big appearance! And that will explain Hatsuharu's reasons for protecting Rena, and how his powers came to be.
SWD: Anything else?
Me: Yes... Two of three more things. Okay, I know that some of you are wondering how come Itachi isn't "inside of" Akito like Inami is "inside of" Rena. Well, there's an EXTREMELY good reason for that. I will tell you know, since this won't really be explained for a while - Itachi was resurrected by Akito. Inami's consciousness and soul was resurrected into Rena's body. A lot of this is explained in a flashback, when Momiji admits to Hatsuharu that he saw something Itachi and Akito did to Rena that he shouldn't have. It also explains where the Symbol of Collision comes from.
SWD: Next?
Me: Oh yes... Kei-chan... Well, obviously, Kei and Kakeru have some sort of connection to Rena. Kei is a mysterious character that you won't nessecarily "meet" until an event happens when Kakeru is taken over by the Darkness and forced to fight Rena and the others... And it just might be the death of him... (grin) I'm evil. So, whenever Rena starts thinking about the Kei person, just pay attention to what she says. Eventually, she'll explain it to everyone, followed by a flashback. Telling you now, she's gonna lose it when Kakeru joins the Dark side (though they don't know he's being controlled at first). I think I might get his girlfriend mized up in this, JUST to cause more confusion... lol
SWD: She's an evil authoress, isn't she?
Me: Yeah, I know (smiles) Okay... Um... Well... I think that's it for right now...
SWD: Btw, there will be a kinda sorta spoiler in one of EGP's chapters, explaining how the Juunishi came to be. She did some researching and looked ahead. She already knows who the whole damn series is gonna end. (glares)
Me: (shrug) Internet, my child, is a useful things. Reading parts from Mangas that haven't been released yet help with story inspiration.
SWD: Whatever. At least she's spoiling a few things for us...
Me: I think that's it... So... Let the chapter begin!
SWD: ElementalGuardianProtector owns nothing but her characters and this story.
Me: Also, sorry for the delay! Long story short: I made a mistake, and it was fixed. And, I've been writing a few other stories and stuff, so I've been a bit busy. Here you go.
Chapter Twenty Six
"Sensei." Hatsuharu knocked on Shigure's front door, out of breath and his energy fading. "Yes? Who is it - " Shigure opened the door to see a badly wounded and bleeding Hatsuharu holding a bruised and unconscious Rena in his arms.
"Here. Take her." Hatsuharu handed Rena to Shigure before falling to his knees, trying to catch his breath. "Hatsuharu... You're wounded... Did you - "Shigure was interrupted by Hatsuharu replying, "I did my job, okay? I got her back here. I didn't leave her side."
"Hell, how could I have? She was suffering in that damned cocoon..." "Even saying that... Deep down... I know I only saved her for my own selfish desires. Me wanting to protect her was a part of it, And and her being a close friend was too, but the biggest part of it... Was Rin." Hatsuharu thought.
"If Rin wasn't a part of this... And if I didn't have to do this for Rin's sake... I don't think I would've tried so hard to save her. Even if... Rena is important to me. Rin... Is my life."
"I wonder if Rena would get upset if I told her I was partly using her... Yeah, I guess she would... Maybe that's why... I feel so much guilt when I think 'I was able to save her'. Because..."
Hatsuharu was knocked out of deep thought by Shigure calling for Hatori and Ayame. The first to arrive at the door as Ayame, naturally. He rushed down the stair and up to Shigure.
"Shigure? What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"This is what's wrong." Shigure turned, letting Ayame see the injuried and unconscious light hime. Ayame's eyes widened. "Rena..." He whispered.
"It's hard to tell if she's stil alive, because I couldn't feel her pulse or hear her breathing, but somehow, her heart's still kinda beating. It's really weak, thought." Hatsuharu told Ayame.
"She just might die."
"Don't say things like that. She... She won't die. She won't." ayame insisted, sounding more like he was pleading than he was sure.
"...Here, Aya. Maybe you want to take her while she's still... You know..." Shigure trailed off, handing Rena to Ayame. "Rena..." Ayame stared down at Rena, his body starting to feel weak.
"Ayame, don't... Blame yourself for this. It was destined to happen to her. She was born to endure great pain and to be sacrificed. Don't worry about it so much, though. I have complete faith in her. She won't die... Especially not on you." Hatsuharu muttered before passing out, hitting the ground hard.
"Yuki!" Ayame called on his younger brother. "What is it, Nii-san?" Yuki came down from upstairs. "Take Hatsuharu into your room and let him rest up a bit. He's in bad condition." Ayame ordered.
Yuki glanced at Rena. Knowing that this was not a good time to argue or ask questions, Yuki nodded, helping his cousin. He got the unconscious Ox up onto his feet, threw one of his arms around his shoulders, and dragged him to his room.
"Hatori must still be upstairs in Kyo's room watching over Momiji, Uotani-san and Hanajima-san with Tohru-kun and Kyo." Shigure turned to Ayame.
"Yuki's got Hatsuharu covered... What are you doing to do with Rena?"
"I'll take her to her and Tohru's room. It would do her good if I just let her sleep until Hatori is able to take a look at her, since I have no idea what to do." Ayame replied.
"Oh, and Aya? I kinda went through Rena and Tohru's stuff and redecorated." Shigure told Ayame. "Tell me what you think of their room!"
"I just hope you didn't make her room too girly. Or too pink. Pink's her least favorite color. She'll only tolerate it if Tohru-kun likes it, y'know. And still, she'll hurt you." Ayame walked towards the stairs.
"Ooops. I guess I'd better start praying really hard then, huh?" Shigure scratched his head, grinning. "Yeah, I think you should too. She just might kill you when she wakes up." Ayame smirked.
"Well, in case I die, Aya, just know that I want you to make sure my beautifyl house stays nice and clean, and doesn't break!" Shigure exclaimed.
"Of course Gure, I will carry on your legacy of a cleans and unbroken house!" Ayame exclaimwed back. "Oh, and make sure you buy milk for Kyo-kun too. He gets even grumpier when he doesn't have any milk to drink." Shigure added.
"Well, call me when Rena-chan wakes up."
"IF she wakes up." A nega tive thought came to Ayame;s mind. Ayame quickly dismissed the bad thought, hoping he would soon forget about it. He didn't want to even start to think that way.
Shigure opened his door and entered his room, leaving the lights off. Staring into the dark room, Shigure saw Shire sitting on the floor against the wall near the window, the light seeping in from it being the only source of light in the dark room.
"I assume the Dark Collision took place?" Shire asked. Shigure nodded. "Yeah, and they're all in pretty bad condition. Rena and Hatsuharu are the worst. The others just passed out, with major headaches or something."
"Will Rena and Hatsuharu be okay?"
"Well, Hatsuharu need rest and to have his wounds tended to, but... I'm pretty sure he'll be fine."
"And Rena?"
"...We're... We're not too sur eabout her yet."
"If the Dark Collision started... Then that means she must've ran into Akito. That bad, bad boy. When will he learn - It's not nice to send people into painful dark collision. Especially not his princess lover." Shire scolded teasingly.
"Or maybe his arch nemesis.. Which ever comes first!"
"If Akito-san at the main house, then Kureno's probably not too far away. Usually, he sticks wit hAkito. Does he know anything about Akito's next plan?" Shigure trailed off thoughtfully.
"Probably not. If Akito hasn't told us, then he probably hasn't told Kureno. But I see where you're coming from. Akito seems to trust Kureno more than he trusts us. But still, I doubt Kureno would be of any use to us." Shire replied.
"Not that Akito should trust us, after what we did. I'm surprised he still even assosiates with us." Shigure responded. "Yes, but our punishment was that we moved out of thr Estate, so I guess he's still a little mad." Shire laughed.
"You know, Shire... I wonder about Rena sometimes. In more than one way she reminds me of Akito. Not the way they act or anything - It's just their eyes. They're both so... Fragile. So... Secretive. So... I can't really describe it." Shigure trailed off.
"They'r eboth so... Mysterious."
"Yes. They certainly are. And they both hide many secrets." Shire agreed. "Just as everyone else does." "Shire... Do you know anything? About Rena-chan's secrets?" Shigure inquired.
"Me? I could never be expected to know such a thing. Hatsuharu knows a fragment of them, and our Yuki knew a good deal of them, but the only person that knows everything... The one person that she cannot kept a secret from... Would be the one who she fears most - Akito."
"Ah. So his name is being brought up once again." Shigure mumured. "It's funny how two people who hate each other so much are so invovled in one another's lives."
"I can only pray from Rena-chan... That things don't fall apart for her... Like they did from him." Shigure thought.
--
"So? How are they, Hatori-san?" Tohru asked the family doctor worriedly. "...They seem to be okay. They all must've suffered from a serious migraine, but other than that... They're fine." Hatori answered, puttting up his material.
"That's a relief..." Tohru sighed a sigh of relief. "Tohru-kun... Can you tell me what happened?" Hatori inquired. "Hm? You mean what happened to Momiji-kun, Uo-chan, and Hana-chan?"
"No Tohru, he wants to know what happened to that empty head of yous." Kyo teased. "Speaking of empty heads... Where'd Kagura go?"
"Kagura-chan? Um, I think she went to get some more medicine." Tohru answered. "Medicine?" Kyo raised an eyebrow. Tohru nodded.
"It's for Uo-chan, Momiji-kun, and Hana-chan, of course! And Rena-chan and Hatsuharu-kun, if they might need it. I hear they got hurt really badly." Tohru explained.
"Why would they need medicine? They're not sick - They passed out. And besides... I like them much better this way. They're not nearly as annoying."
"Kyo-kun, that's not nice!"
"Tohru... I'm not nice."
"Yes you are, Kyo-kun! You're really nice! So you should say and do nice things!"
"So you mean you want me to plaster a smile on my face and be happy all the time, say nice thing to Momiji, Yuki, and that Ya... Uotani... AND try to get along with them?"
"That's exactly what I mean!"
"Ha ha, I don't think so."
"WHY NOT?!"
"Ahem," Hatori cleared his throat. "Back to my question please." "Oh yeah! Gomen ne, Hatori-san! I almost forgot! Okay, well we had just finished our Super Duper Extravaganze Fun Day, and our Sugar Fest Picnic - " Tohru was dicontinued by Hatori raining a brow and repeating dully, "Super Duper Extravaganze Fun Day? Sugar Fest Picnic?"
"Momiji came up with both names." Kyo replied. "That explains everything. Go on, Tohru-kun." Hatori turned back to Tohru. "...And we were waiting for Rena-chan to return with Momiji-kun's prize that see was trying to find, because Kyo-kun has thrown it - "
"It was a freakin' bottle of purple nail polish! I had to! The boy's already corrupted enough! And wit hthat damn Bunny Society crap, it's only getting worst! I swear, one of these days, that little brat's gonna wake up a girl!" Kyo exclaimed.
("Bunny Society?" Hatori repeating in the same dull tone of voice, blinking with a blank expression)
"...But she never came back. That's when Uo-chan, Momiji-kun, Hana-chan, and Hatsuharu-kun started acting weird..." Tohru stopped a second before telling Hatori exactly what had happened.
Beginning of Flashback
"Rena-chan sure is taking a long time to find Momiji-kun's prize..." Tohru trailed off, worried. "We should go get her. I'm ready to crash at Hana's place right about now." Arisa stood up.
Momiji grabbed the cooler and the blanket. "Alright! Let's go and find out lost Tsuji-chan!" Momiji began to march forward. "Momiji," Kyo began, but was discontinued by a long, high pitched , ear-splitting scream filling the air.
"That... That sounded like Tsujitani-san...!" Yuki's eyes widened. As though painful pulsations at attacked their brains at full force, Hatsuharu, Momiji, Arisa, and Hanajima all fell to their knees simultaneouslym each one yelling in pain and clutching their heads.
"Hatsuharu-kun? Uo-chan? Momiji-kun? Hana-chan? What's the matter?" Tohru asked, panicking. "It's the darkness... The Angel of Death... Is being... Disturbed..." Hatsuharu managed to say through gritted teeth.
"So much pain... So much darkness... So much hatred... And sorrow..." Hanajima clutched her head even tighter. "I can feel it... The Dark Collision... Is about... To begin..." Arisa gasped for air, breathing heavily and unable to move.
"Someone, please... Stop it... Stop the three powers from colliding... Please, somebody help her...! Rena-chan!... I can't see... I can't breathe... I can't..." Momiji exhaled, passing out.
End of Flashback
"And that's when Hatsuharu-kun ordered us all to go home and ran off somewhere." Tohru finished. "...The Dark Collision... Is Rena downstairs?" Hatori asked.
"I'm not sure. That might've been why Shigure-san called you to come downstairs." Tohru suggested. "If Rena's not here... Then that's bad. VERY bad..." Hatori muttered.
"Why?" Kyo demanded. "Because if shedidn't return... That means the Angel of Death was awaken and tok her life. And if that's true... Then Akito is on the road of invincibility..."
"Please excuse me. I must go check if Rena is her or not, and if she is, if she's okay." Hatori stood up and walked towards the door.
As soon as Hatori opened the door, he was face to face with a suprised Ayame that was about to knock on the door. "Um, hello. Hari. I was just about to ask if you were busy." Ayame blinked a few times.
"No, I'm not busy right now. Why?" Hatori inquired. "I need you to look at Rena. She's... Not in good shape/ I think she might be... Dying.' Ayame told the Dragon.
"She's... Half dead, if not more."
"Rena? D... Dying?" Hatori's eyes widened. "She's in her and Tohru's room." Ayame took a step back, letting Hatori out. "Tohru, Kyo, you two watch over Momiji and the other two. I'll be back soon enough." Hatori ordered, walking down the hall with Ayame.
"Rena-chan's... Half dead?" Tohru whispered, unable to believe it. "What happened to her?" Kyo wonder out loud.
--
"Uggghhh... Where am I?" Hatsuharu groanwed, sitting up.
"You shouldn't be trying to get up now, Haru. I just finished dressing your wounds."
Hatsuharu turned around to see Yuki behind him.
"And besides... You need your rest. You'll only open your wounds up even more if you move around." Yuki added. "You dressed my wounds, Yuki?" Hatsuharu blinked.
"Aww, I knew you still loved me."
"How many times do I have to tell you - Save those lines for Rin please." Yuki sighed.
The gauze that Yuki had attempted to dress the wounds on Hatsuharu - mainly his back and chest - slid off of him and into his lap and around his waist.
Hatsuharu stared blankly at the bandages. "You really suck at dressing wounds, y'know that Yuki?" Hatsuharu told the Rat with a straight, blank face.
"But that's okay, I still love you."
"Please stop with the love remarks." Yuki groaned. All of a sudden, all of Hatsuharu's wounds disappear. "Unlike Tohru, who has the ability to heal both hers and others wounds, and Rena who can only heal others wounds using a large amount of power, I have only the power to heal my own wounds." Hatsuharu explained.
"...What was the point of me attempting, and failing miserably, to dress your wounds if all you was gonna do is make the wounds disappear?" Yuki muttered.
"Is... Is Rena alright? The last I saw her... If something wasn't done, she would've died..." Hatsuharu murmured. "I'm... Not sure about Tsujitani-san." Yuki admitted.
"She looked very bad to me. She didn't have as many wounds, but she was bruised all over, and bleeding really badly. If she didn't die from bleeding to death... She could've died from heart failure. I'm not sure. But Nii-san sure has been quiet..." Yuki trailed off.
"Jees. I just hope Rena isn't dead." Hatsuharu ran his hand through his short white hair. "You really care about her... Don't you?" Yuki whispered.
"The princess is my responsibility, almost as much as she's Ayame-nii, Hatori-nii, and Sensei's." Hatsihari replied. "And... She's one of my best friends."
" I've been guarding Rena for the the last half of her life. For the past eight years... I have been her protector. Her chosen. All for Rin's sake. But... I didn't just protect Rena because Rin's life depended on it..."
"I protected her because I wanted to. Because I don't want for her to get hurt. And because... I don't want that dirty son of a bitch bastard to EVER touch her again." Hatsuharu growled.
"What... Dirty bastard?" Yuki blinked a few times. "Don't worry about it, Yun-yun. I love you too much to get you worried." Hatsuharu responded.
"Why are you calling my Yun-yun?! And stop saying things like that!!" Yuki exclaimed.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Hn? Who could that be?..." Yuki wondered out loud, walking to the front door. "Who is it?" Yuki opened the door.
"HI YA YUN-YUN!!"
Yuki slammed the door wit hall his might and locked it fast. "Who was it?" Hatsuharu asked, walking up to Yuki.
No one important." Yuki answered.
"Yun-yun? What's wrong? Why did you slam the door close? Did a bee try to get in? Are you afraid of bees, princess?" Kakeru banged on the door from the outside.
"Hey! Don't make me hit you!" Yuki threatened. Hatsuharu unlocked the door and opened it. "Yun-yun, it's Kakeru-kun. I think he's here to see you." Hatsuharu turned back to Yuki.
"Yun-yun!" Kakeru rushed to Yuki, hugging him. "Why, Haru? Why did you open the door? Why did you let him in? Why?!" Yuki groaned miserably.
--
"So? How is she?" Ayame asked the Dragon. "...Why are the walls pink with red hearts and wings and clouds? Amd why is the room bordered with gold?" Hatori suddenly asked.
"Shigure re-decortated. Now what's Rena's status?" Ayame inquired. "...It's really interesting how the blanket matches with the wallpaper. And the light pink sheets and pillow cases." Hatori changed the subject once again.
"He made their beds match the room." Ayame said impaitently. "The light pink curtains and carpet are impressing as well." Hatori ignored Ayame.
"Tori! How is she?! How is Rena?!" Ayame demanded. "Please. Tell me how she's doing. I'm... I'm desperate to know." "...She's..." Hatori sighed, walking over to Rena's bed, where she laid in deep sleep.
"I was able to stop the bleeding and heal her bruises completely. I gave her medication to help with the pain too. I made sure she would be comfortable too, so... There's not much more I can do." Hatori told the Snake.
"Is she alright?" Ayame asked.
"...I... I don't really know, Ayame. It's... Hard to tell. The only sign of life I can find coming from her is her pulse. It's... really weak and faint... And sometimes it stops for a fe wseconds... But at least it tells us she's still somewhat alive..."
"At first... She kept calling out for everyone - You, me, Shire, Momiji, Haru, Tohru, Kyo, Kagura, and Kyo. She... Was crying in her sleep. It hurt to watch her... In so much pain. Eventually, she fell silent, and that's when he body temperature started to drop dramastically."
" She's trying to fight it. For all of us. So if she doesn't make it... Don't take it too hard on yourself. There's nothing you can do. Whatever will be, will be. Whatever won't, won't." Hatori walked past Ayame and towards the door.
"I'll... Leave you alone with her for a while, seeing your more... Attached... Literally... To her than the rest of us are. Call me if you need me for anything." Hatori left the room, closing the door behind him.
Ayame sighed, pulling a chair up to Rena's bed and sitting down in it. "Rena... Ayame bent ober and took Rena's hand into his own.
"Your hand... Your skin... Your touch... It's all so icy cold..." Ayame thought. "Why is your body so cold, Rena-chan? Why aren't you breathing? Why won't you open you eyes? Your lovely, lovely eyes? Why are you so limp and motionless? Why won't you smile and say, 'I'll be alright, Ame-nii. You don't have to worry about me!' like you always do?"
"Please, Rena... Don't go. Don't leave me. Don't... Die on me. Please." Ayame whispered as he lowered his head to Rena.
Standing outside of the door was Hatori, who had been listening to Ayame. Quietly, Hatori walked away. "Rena-chan... None of us want you to die on us. But please... Don't die on Ayame, if anyone. He's lost everything he was able to obtain up until recently, when he came to the Future." Hatori thought.
"He... Was in total chaos when the Darkness took over and everyone and everything he loved died. And when... You left us to start a new life in the Future. It was all... Hardest on him, I think. So please, Rena... Wake up. Wake up and save Ayame from losing the will to smile ever again. Save him... Or he will suffer just as I have."
--
"Hey, Yun-yun, you got anything to eat around here?" Kakeru asked as he entered Yuki's room with Hatsuharu and Yuki. "He doesn't, but yeah, that's be a great installment." Hatsuharu told Kakeru.
"Kakeru, why are you even here?" Yuki sighed. "Oh yeah! That's right!" Kakeru snapped his fingers. "Mayuko-sensei, you teacher, told me to tell you guys about our field trip on Monday."
(Today was Saturday, and they have school one Saturday in Japan. Well, some schools require it every Saturday, and some, one or two Saturdays in the month.)
"Field Trip?" Hatsuharu raised a curious eyebrow. "Yeah. To Mount Fuji. Mayuko-sensei is taking a group of kids from the school. Your class, and a group of 1st and 3rd year students. Where's your orange-headed friend?" Kakeru asked.
"He's upstair withTohru and the others." Hatsuharu answered. "Call him Kyon-Kyon." "Okie Dokie!" Kakeru raced upstairs.
"...Well, it's better Kyo having to put up with him than me. He'll be the one with the head achem not me." Yuki said mostly to himself.
"Should we follow him upstairs? Just to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid?" Hatsuharu inquired.
(Coming from upstairs)
"HI YA KYON-KYON!!"
WHACK!
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!! GO BOTHER SOMEONE ELSE!! AND DON'T CALL ME KYON-KYON, DAMMIT!!"
(Back downstairs)
"It would appear so..." Yuki sighed. "We can't let Kyo kill him, sadly enough. How... Disappointing..." Yuki sighed. "... You're truly cruel to that guy..." Hatsuharu muttered, following Yuki upstairs.
Me: And thus, they save Kakeru-kun from Kyo's evil clutches!
Kyo: Who are you calling evil?!
Me: You. (smirk)
Kyo: (glares)
Me: Well, you DID hit Kakeru-kun!
Kyo: So? What's your point?
Ghsneko: KYO-KUN! KYOOOOO-KUUUUNNNNN!! runs to hug Kyo
Kyo: Damn! Another Kyo Fan Girl! (runs away)
Ghsneko: YOU CAN'T RUN FROM MY LOVE KYO. I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO LET YOU. (hugs kyo)
POOF!
Ghsneko: I love you... I love you... I love you... I love you... I love you... (hugs and cuddles Kyo in his Cat form)
Kyo: (glares) Another Kagura... Dammit...
Me: (ROFLMFAO)
Kyo: (glares at me)
Me: Sorry, couldn't help but to bring her in. She loves you.
Kyo: I DON'T CARE. GET HER OFF OF ME.
Me: Nope, I'm not about to get in between you and a Kyo-crazed reviewer. That's like, SUICIDE. lol
SWD: You're so mean to him, EGP.
Me: (shrug) Ghsneko's happy.
SWD: lol. Read and review please!
Ghsneko: (still hugging Kyo) I love you... I love you... I love you... I love you... I love you...
Me/SWD: (shakes heads) I hope borrowing you and putting you in the A/N notes out of pure humor doesn't upset you, Ghsneko!