Chapter 35: An Empty Sky

"Oh here you are. I haven't seen you all day, baby." Machida came alongside Haru, slinging one arm around her waist.

Haru flinched and moved away. "Don't call me that," she murmured. "Please."

"Why not?"

His hand was still around her waist. She squirmed a little more in his grip. "I just don't like it," she muttered.

"Relax," he lulled. "You're so uptight currently. Is something up?"

"No, everything's…" She had been going to say "good" but the word refused to come. "No, everything's… everything's fine," she finally managed to say. Machida still had his arm around her. It was bothering her.

"What are you doing up here anyway?"

Haru gave up trying to ease herself out of his grip. "Does it really matter? I just wanted to get away for a while."

"Away from what?"

Haru gazed out before the scenery before her. She had wandered up to one of the turrets of the towers and was now standing on a modest balcony. A slight breeze rippled through her dark hair; she could feel that in the Human World it was currently night.

"You know, just away," she answered ambiguously.

Machida took her chin, forcing her to look up at him. It wasn't a gentle movement. "Haru, is something up?" he repeated. "Something I should know about?"

She broke his hold. "No, why would you think that?" She looked back out to the countryside beyond.

Machida didn't answer instantly, but instead eyed the young brunette, as if trying to read her emotions. Eventually he just let it go.

"Look, tomorrow's the last day I'll spend here," he started, "and there's a feast to bid the young king off, maybe–"

"I don't know. Feasts aren't really my thing," Haru responded shortly.

"You don't even know what I was about to suggest."

"I wasn't planning on going to it, to tell the truth."

"But it'll be the last time you'll see me for a while."

"I… I know." Haru hung her head guiltily.

"And?"

"And what? Look, Machida, perhaps we took this too fast; perhaps some distance will do us some good," she insisted, her voice almost breakable. "Can you understand that?"

"What's brought this change around?" His own voice had hardened in contrast to Haru's.

"N-nothing has, it's just–"

"Baron?"

"What?"

"Is it Baron?"

"Machida," Haru cut in curtly, "can you just let it go?"

"Is it Baron?" Machida ordered tightly.

"Why would it matter to you?"

"Haru!"

"I chose you Machida, isn't that enough?" demanded Haru, spinning round to face him. The stress was cracking across her face, contaminating her maple eyes.

Her shout seemed to snap him out of whatever mood he was in. He smiled and ran one finger along her face, ignoring or failing to notice the cringe that ran through her at his touch. "So you did," he agreed silkily. "So you did."

Her heart hammering, she turned her head away.

A hesitant expression passed Machida's face. Then he laughed. "Don't tell me you still harbour feelings for that half-cat."

Haru's gaze flickered guiltily down to the floor. She did not speak, but her silence said volumes.

Machida made a face. "But he's... he's..."

"Not even human," Haru supplied miserably. "I know."

"But if you chose him then..."

"I know."

"You'd be fine with living out the rest of your days as a half-cat freak?"

Haru backed away, not wanting to answer. "Machida..."

"Just answer me!"

Her back hit the wall, jolting her body and mind. "Look... I..."

Machida followed her and placed his hands on either side of her. Suddenly she was blocked in. "Why can't you just answer the question?"

"Because I don't know anymore," she whispered.

"How can it be a difficult decision?" he hissed.

"Maybe it's because I'm finally seeing more than just what's on the outside."

He smiled, but this smile wasn't a pleasant one. "Well, let me tell you something, baby." He moved closer and Haru thought he was going to kiss her, but then he moved to her ear. "What you think doesn't really matter anymore, because you made your decision. And you can't take it back."

Haru tried to move away, but Machida pinned her with one hand.

"I own you." She saw him grin again. "From now on, your choice is either me or Shirou. Baron doesn't come into it."

"That's what you think," she muttered furiously.

They were so close now, but unlike with Baron, all she felt now was fear. Shivers ran along her as she wished Machida would back away. He was too close, much too close.

"No, that's the way it is, sweetie." The last word was mocking.

He moved in, this time for another kiss, to assert his claim on her. At first her mind was in too much turmoil to respond, but this time the mental fog cleared a lot quicker than the first time. She realised two things. One, that he hadn't even given her warning. Two, that she had no wish to have his tongue inside her mouth.

She jerked her head back and instinctively slapped him. This was enough to make him release her.

"You're wrong," she growled. "I haven't chosen."

She slipped out of his grasp and fled down the stairs.

Machida stood there for a few moments, rubbing his cheek where she'd slapped him. This action was done in an almost thoughtful manner, as if unaccustomed to such a response.

"I told you she wouldn't choose you," said a dry voice from the doorway. A shadow was blocking the light from the passageway beyond.

Machida didn't turn immediately. "How long have you been listening, Louise?"

"Pretty much the entire time."

A white half-feline slowly entered and stood adrift across the room.

"Didn't Haru see you?"

She laughed a brief, sure laugh. "What's the use of magic if it doesn't come in handy on occasions such as these?"

"So she has no idea you were there?"

"None. Did you?"

"Not until you revealed yourself."

"You should really practise your magic more often," purred Louise, coming up alongside him. "I'm sure you would find a use for invisibility."

"I'm sure I would."

She was beside him now, and her expression turned serious. "Haru hasn't chosen you," she told him. She leant her silky fur-covered arms over the balcony rail and stared out across the Refuge. Her sapphire eyes took in the dusky land before her in an almost possessive gaze. Ever since she had left the Cat Kingdom, the Refuge had become her realm. It was hers. And perhaps one day her and Baron would rule it together.

"What do you call this then?" Machida responded icily, holding up the feather necklace.

"Luck," was Louise's short reply.

"What, you really believe that, given a second chance, she'd give it to that… that…"

"I think she would certainly have trouble making the decision."

"She's made her choice; she can't go back on it."

"Not on that choice anyway."

"And what exactly are you saying?"

Louise smiled, her feline teeth glittering wickedly. "Has it not occurred to you yet? She likes Baron. She wants to be human. She can't have both. Unless… unless by the Eros-Curse some human boy chooses her and proposes to her, then she'll become human and then she can choose Baron with the full knowledge that she's gained her humanity back."

Machida's dark eyes betrayed that he'd already thought that one through.

"She keeps on saying she hasn't chosen, that she hasn't chosen me yet," he muttered.

Louise laughed the same laugh as before. "And, be honest Machida, do you love her? Enough to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"You're the one who said I would never be able to get her to give me the charm. And yet, voilà." He suspended the necklace before the half-cat. "Charm gained."

"You're not answering the question."

"I liked her, she was cute. Easily impressed, adores me."

"Doesn't look that way now."

"Yes, well something's happened to change that. Back in high school she would've given her left arm to be my girlfriend. And now… recently…"

"You know what the problem is, right?"

Machida growled under his breath. "Yeah. She's infatuated with Baron."

"You know, just because she's made her choice, it doesn't mean you have," she purred.

A half smile slipped onto Machida's face. "Yeah, that I know."

"You still have a choice… you could always propose to someone else at the feast."

He laughed. "And who would you recommend?"

Louise raised one snow-white eyebrow. "Well, I know you have a soft spot for me."

Machida regarded the beautiful half-feline and she could almost see his line of thought. She was right; in her human form she was stunning. And… she was a royal, to top it all. Powerful, beautiful… did he mention powerful?

"If you became human, I see no problem with that," he said finally.

She smiled thinly, a faint line of contempt barely concealed beneath her features. "Of course."

Machida watched her for a moment longer, then broke his gaze and wandered down the stairs Haru had fled down earlier, wishing the white half-cat a Merry Christmas. Louise didn't move though, enjoying the cool breeze on her pure fur. She gazed out and up into the grey air, taking in long deep breaths. It helped to clear her mind, to remind her why she was doing this.

Some slates from the roof above slipped, sliding past her. She registered them soon enough to sidestep them, barely batting an eyelid, but she turned to see the cause of it. When she saw a flash of black feathers, she whipped out a blue stunning spell that hit the crow firmly in the chest. There was a dull thud as the black body hit the balcony.

Louise picked him up roughly, passing an irritated gaze over the frozen body; the wings were half-outstretched, ready to fly.

"What was that for, Toto?"

Already the worst of the stunning spell was beginning to wear off; Toto moved his head to make eye contact with her. "It was an accident," he said slowly, for the spell had numbed his beak. The magic within him as part of Baron's magic allowed him to recover from such spells at a quicker pace than was expected, but he was still unable to escape Louise's grip right now.

"An accident, really?" Her voice was ice cold.

"I was trying to fly," he mumbled, "and the slates slipped."

"Fly? Fly where? To warn your precious Baron of my plans?" A hiss crept into her voice; her ears flattening against her head. "I don't think so."

He struggled weakly in her grip. "What could you possibly get out of this? You don't want Machida... Wouldn't Haru choosing Machida leave Baron to you?"

"Better safe than sorry."

Toto was placed on the thick balcony rail, the spell still strong enough to sabotage any attempt to escape. A thin smile found its way onto Louise's pale face.

"Yes..." she hissed. "Better safe than sorry."

Toto felt the sting of another spell crackling under the half-feline's palms as she ran one finger from his head and down his back. From her touch his skin felt like it was blistering and bubbling as it turned a dark grey. His muscles tightened and twisted themselves into knots as they became immoveable and his claws, which were curled around the rail, became fastened and joined with the rail itself. He half raised his wings; half opened his beak, but suddenly all movement beyond that was impossible and he was frozen in that half-alive state.

Louise leant down to examine the stone gargoyle. It was still, undeniably, a crow. And, as crows went, it still held definite similarities to Toto. She peered into its stone eyes, which, by all means of reason, should've been empty, but, defying to the last, they were glittering, almost appearing to move in the dusky light. A shot of hatred could almost be seen in the now grey eyes.

Louise smirked, despite herself.

"Try to warn him now," she growled.

ooOoo

A/N: On a formal note, I'm apologising now for any late chapters/lack of response/lack of reviews that I may fail to get around to. Unfortunately, as any student is aware of, Easter time = dreaded revision! (As well as Easter = chocolate and important time of the spirital year.) So if anyone's fuming over lack of reviews I've dished out recently (or lack of replies to reviews to this story) just think of me drowning in revision and you can understand my recent... distancing from FFN.

Hopefully, come summer (I know it's a while away; bear with me folks!) I'll be back to my usual, easily-distracted self. Updates should still be on Fridays (or close enough) since this is pre-written, so there's no likelihood of this story being shoved to hiatus. I just may be kind of absent in every other way.

With that rather boring AN drawn to a close, Happy Easter! (And I hope Good Friday today was also enjoyable/made you think/interesting; I know it's always a powerful day for me.)

Catsafari. =^^=