A New Light
Chapter 53

Painless Part 3 Final

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Drifting….

Drifting….

Asuna drifts in space like none other.


A feeling of loneliness.

A feeling of power…or lack of.

The darkness around her only reminds her of the recent events that occurred.

Sakura in tears.

A shout that involved Keitaro and a hospital.

And confusion.

Uncertainty and guilt sweeps through her being.

………………

But a voice calls out to her.

A voice that sounds so familiar yet so different.

"So……we meet. Hahahahahahaha"

The voice and it's giggling echoes everywhere.

Asuna looks around. "Th-that sounds like……me."

"You lost the bells didn't yyyyyou."


"The bells?"

"Thought so."

Asuna looks behind her to see a mirror.

She shuffles in the darkness towards the reflecting piece of glass.

"Took you long enough." The voice emits form the mirror and Asuna looks closer. But she steps a back from surprise. For a pair of red hot eyes stare back at her. Piercing her with a gaze that feels like the fire and sting of one of her own attacks.

"Wh-who are you…."

"Don't you recognize the voice fool. Hehehehe."

Asuna frowns. "Yes. It sounds like me…..so? You're not me."

"Stubborn and logical. That's how he made youuuuu."

"He?"

"Tsk. Your father of course. Or more specificallyyyy, ourrr former fatherrrr…"

"………Who are you?"

"We back to that sillyyyyy question. Fine I'll answer it."

The mirror warps and starts to come inside. Imploding. The red hot eyes still staring at the girl.

"I am an entityyyyy that's been with you since the time you've been born."

The mirror disappears completely and only the eyes remain.

"I am the reason you live."

Legs start to form. First the feet materialize and start to work its way up.

"I am the person who's been sleeping, preparing, and lurking inside of you. Feeding off of you and letting you feed off of me. Especially when you have to fulfill yourrrrr destinyyyyy."

The eyes close and the legs completely appear. A naked mid-section and the chest areas slowly follow suite as well. Newly formed arms hang from her side. Then the neck form……then the chin.

"I am the person who's been waiting. Waiting for a dayyyyy like today. Where you would slip up. Loose yourrrrr guard. Be exposed. This of all days. I've been waiting for it."

A mouth appears.

"The feeling of loosing anotherrrr and the feeling of failing a dearlyyyy beloved that is welled up in you as we speak."

Then the cheeks…..

"Don't deny it. Your fear. I can tassssste it. It rattles all over your thoughtssss. What if Sakura won't forgive youuu. What if she's going to cry foreverrrrr. And Keitaro. Papa. Is he dead? You don't know. And its tearing you in the inside with the bare thought of another guardian dying."

…….Then a steady face forms behind its closed eyes and Asuna finally gasps. Stepping fearfully back when a full head of blonde hair finishes of the body.

"It all helps in making the barrier disappearrrrr. The same barrier that separates you and me. Its diminishing even more after you lost the charms. You want to ask me who I am? Welllll…."

Asuna stutters. Even more confused. As she clearly sees the figure in front of her. "Yo-you are…!" She points with a shaking hand at the person…the person that looks exactly like her.

The 'Asuna' smiles wickedly and opens her red eyes. "I'm YYYOU!"

The naked red eyed 'Asuna' lunges at her with cold fingers.

Asuna winces and….

---------------------------

….jolts in bed. Her body sweating. Her mouth panting. Her mind frantic. Her eyes flailing every wince way.

Darting from the window curtains, to the bed, to the floor, to the lights, but she suddenly stops.

For a hug from behind stops her and calms her down. Her wet eyes look back to see a worried Keitaro.

"Asuna. Its alright, I'm here. I'm here. Ssshhhh. It's all right."

Asuna looks around to see Suu, Sara, Shinobu, Makie, Eve and Sakura around the bed they lay on.

"As-Asuna?" Sakura worriedly yelps soundly. Inching closer to the bed.

"Sa-Sakura?" Asuna looks back at a smiling Keitaro. "Papa? You're……okay!"

Keitaro nods. "Yes. I'm just fine. How about you?"

"……….."

Everyone tilts their heads at a sudden pause.

Then a sniff……and another sniff….

"A-Asuna?"

She looks up with tear filled eyes. Something Keitaro never thought he would ever see again since the death of her real father. For she was usually such a stoic girl.

"Th-thank god…" She instantly hugs her father, and buries her face into his hospital gown covered chest. Crying her eyes off.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!.!.!"

Keitaro could only smile, and let Sara, Sakura, and Shinobu join in the hug. Wrapping his arms over them and rubbing Asuna's head reassuringly.

Makie and Suu stay at the sidelines of the room.

Looking at each other with a smile.

Eve couldn't help but cry silently.

She writes and hands it over to Makie.

"I think I'm going to like it here."

Makie nods. "Yea. If you get past the fiction part of everything in the dorm."

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Naru leans on the hospital wall.

The door to Keitaro and Asuna's hospital room just besides her.

Mitsune leans besides her as well. The two of them closely listening in before a large cry came from the room.

"Heh. Looks like Asuna's awake. And crying up a storm."

Naru playfully bonks her friend over the head. "Don't make fun of Asuna. You were almost balling tears when Keitaro was in that blast."

"Same should be said to you Naru."

Naru blushes and looks away. "Yo-your crazy! I knew he would be alright he's Keitaro!"

Mitsune sighs and leans further on the wall. "What ever Naru."

Naru looks at Mitsune, pauses and continues. Worried. "But…….even if he is Keitaro……it still makes me wonder how he can survive-"

"Your punches Naru?"

"No. The blast from the train."

Mitsune shakes her head. "I still think that fails in comparison to your punches."

"Sh-shut up!"

"Hahaha. I'm just kidding…..kinda. But seriously. I don't know either Naru. I just do not know. He can survive intense heat and pain like its nothing. Wait. Correction. He can absorb it. Like it's nothing."

"Absorb it?"

"Didn't you see it. He was practically engulfed around that, only had burn marks on his clothing and third degree burns in his exposed arms and legs but they quickly healed in a few hours. No scar. No nothing. And second, he protected Sara completely. Sara didn't even get a scratch on her…."

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Keitaro took of his jacket, wrapped it around Sara, and hugged her from behind protectively.

"Papa?"

-Beep-Beeep-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-Click-.

-PHWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMB!.!.!.!.!-

The discus exploded in a display of fire and light.

A wave of chaos and heat pounded Keitaro's back first then envelops over his exposed body.

Keitaro screamed but Sara could only see his anguish for her ears were deafened from the explosion itself.

All she could do was hug Keitaro through the jacket around her. She felt nothing at all. Only the warm embrace of her foster father. As if the heat hadn't reached her nor the jacket. But she still could see Keitaro's face. Grunting in pain.

-PHWOOOOOOooooooooooommmb-

The flames died down.

Keitaro exhales and opens his eyes towards Sara.

"You okay?"

"Ye-yea." She meekly stuttered. "Are you?"

"Yea. Just….da…..ndy."

Keitaro fainted to the side. His back with wisps of smoking rising, and his arms with patches of hot blisters.

"Papa!" Sara cries as she tried to touch him but instantly pulled away from his hot skin. "PAPA!"

She was then joined up by Mitsune and Naru. Along with Eve worriedly rolling next to them.

All of them shocked and confused.

---------------------------------

"……He can withstand a full blast explosion from a bomb. A mile drop from the sky into flat ground. A Fifty mile per hour punch and slashes from metal swords. Keitaro is a piece of work……what can hurt him."

"It's good that he is imperious to death itself….isn't it."

"Of course. But isn't there always a catch?"

"…………….."

"…………….."

"Who did you call earlier today anyway Mitsune."

" I called Haruka. Thought she might want to know what's going on and I told her to bring an extra pair of Asuna's bell bowties in to the hospital."

Naru nods in agreement at the course of action and peers into the room shyly.

Mitsune joining her from behind.

"And for Asuna, they tell me she went berserk this afternoon."

"She did when he was at the club sparring match. When she heard the news she went haywire and attacked relentlessly at her opponent."

"Must have been quite a shock."

"It had to be. She didn't know what was going on so my guess is she just snapped somewhat. Her powers just released itself. Without restraint."

"Thank god the opponent managed to beat her at that sort of state."

"She must be stronger then your punches to do that."

"He-hey!"

"Hahaha. All this talking and stress in this damn hospital is getting to me. Want to join me for a drink."

"Sure. A little water would do me some good."

"Who said anything about water?"

"Me. You can go drink your sake. I ain't payin."

"Who said you had to ." Mitsune pulls a sake bottle randomly out of her bag.

"………….you had that the whole time."

"Of course."

Naru sighs.

Footsteps…

The two look back to see a familiar face roll in quietly.

"Mo-Motoko! Back from your trip!"

In her tank top and jeans Motoko stands before them a bit worried. Only a backpack slings over her shoulders and a muddy pair of sneakers on her feet.

"No. Just here to check up on our favorite dorm manager. He okay?"

Mitsune snorts a bit. "Take a wild guess with Keitaro."

Motoko exhales a sigh of relief. "That's good news."

"Are you coming back Motoko?"

"Unlikely. I have some business to take care of first."

"Oh. So when do you think your going to be back."

"I dunno. Just tell everyone I'll be back soon. I'll try to."

"Did you hear about your apprentice?"

"No. What happened."

"Seemed like she was in a middle pf a spar when she went berserker all of a sudden."

Motoko squints her eyes. "Berserk?"

Naru waves her hand. "Don't stress about it. She's fine. She was just a bit surprised when she heard the news. That's all."

"Hmm….I'll check on it when I get back. But for now take care of them while I'm gone."

Naru nods. "I will."

Mitsune salutes. "Yes Ma'am!"

Naru shakes her head and Motoko smiles.

"I better take my leave. Bye." And with that, she vanishes down the hallway.

With a rather quick pace under her feet.

-------------------

"ZZzzzzzzzz!"

A middle aged man sleeps soundly on his desk. Pictures of awards, and templates of recognition hang all over the white walls of his office. His white doctors coat covers him like a lazy blanket as drool oozes out of his mouth. His whole head is covered by his arms while only the sound snoring could be heard in the room with the ticking of the clock to the side. He has a sturdy build, and looks rather tall when he's still slouching on his desk, sleeping like a baby.

The door slowly opens to reveal a rather cute nurse. Her ears perk like a kitten's through her thick brown hair as she steps into the room. "Doctor Himura. Are you here?" She steps in more and finally sees the doctor on his desk. In dream land. She pouts. "Sleeping again. Doctor wake UP!"

Her last shout at the end instantly wakes him up.

"Wha? Who? Emergency? HOT GIRLS? GIVE ME CPR STAT!"

The nurse blushes. "D-Doctor!"

The nurse's voice forces the doctor to come back to reality.

"K-Kimi-chan?"

"Its me Doctor. I shouted cause you were sleepin again!"

"Oh. Hehe. Sorry about that Kimi-chan. I was dreaming about you in a hot beach with….well….oops."

"Doctor! Jeez. Well. I brought the lab sheets from your two patients." Kimi quickly dumps a several pieces of paper on his desk and turns to leave. "And why do you always have to be so perverted."

"I'm just speaking my mind."

"Tsk. Speaking your mind. Good one." She sticks her tongue out and leaves.

"Hahaha." Doctor Himura chuckles for a bit then refocuses back on his papers. "The miracle patient." He says as he picks up a paper with Keitaro's name as part of the heading. "Haven't seen a case like this….ever! What a miracle indeed. No permanent scars, instantly healed. Practically immortal."

He shuffles through and smiles as he sees the results from Keitaro's check up. His eyes become a bit tired but never the less he puts the paper down and focuses on the others. What caught his attention though was the word 'Asuna.'

He looks strangely at the piece of paper.

"No. It has to be a different Asuna."

He moves a hand and picks it up. The patient's name happens to be 'Asuna Urashima.'

A sigh of relief.

"Heh. I'm getting a bit paranoid here. There's abound to be some people with the same name as hers and they would be one of my patients." He studies the papers as he should, being a doctor and all. "I don't remember Urashima having a daughter…"

He reads down more. Takes a sip of his coffee, and sees a special note.

"Previously know as Asuna Natsuki. The daughter of Tenshi and Kaiko Natsuki. For more records on this patient, look up Natsuki instead of the patient's current adopted name."

Doctor Himura's eyes widen, and his grip on his coffee cup loosens.

-SPLAT!-

His coffee spills on the floor everywhere.

But he doesn't notice.

"Well I'll be damned…What the hell is going on."

-------------------------

"So. Eve's going to be a new tenant in our dorm Papa?" Asuna questions as she leans on his lap on bed.

"Yup. She needs a place to stay and so she gets to stay in out vacant dorm."

Sara pokes Keitaro's arm. "Even though it has some empty rooms, it is far from vacant if you ask me."

Makie yawns. "No one asked you then."

"Humph."

Everyone giggles in the room. But Eve writes and hands it to Sakura.

Sakura interprets. "She says she is thankful again for letting her in."

"Don't worry. I said that already didn't I Eve. Haha. Just let me take care of the rest."

Shinobu inches up on the green haired girl. "Keitaro-nii-chan will take good care of you. Like he is with me."

Eve looks confused.

"Oh. Keitaro-nii-chan helped me with my family's money problem by letting me cook. In return I pay less rent so my parents who is….a bit unstable right now, don't have to worry about money hassles right now."

Eve mouths an 'oh' and smiles. She starts to write something down. But her face winces in pain. She moves her arms up and down along with her hands.

Keitaro notices, but Makie announces it. "We really have to learn how to hand sign. Making you write is too much of a hassle."

Everyone nods in agreement.

"I got an idea!" Suu hyperactively yells. "I got an AWSOME idea!"

"Oh great."

"Here weeeee go again."

"Don't tell me you already forgot what you did yesterday!"

Eve looks weirdly at everyone. Thinking what that forgotten thing was.

Sara notices and waves a hand.

"You don't want to know."

"?"

"No. I didn't forget! But this is different!"

"One. It's your inventions. Two. Its your mind it came out of. Three. You are about to make it…….I think it's the same thing."

"I said it isn't!" Suu pleads.

"Come on girls. Let her speak!" Keitaro says.

"Yay! Well. I think I have a way to make her talk!"

"Eh?"

Shinobu clasps her hands together. "That would be great….but wait? How?"

"With out going technical. I can actually make a replacement voice box for you. Because of your illness, your real voice box is crippled. Am I right?"

Eve nods.

"Well, After when I'm done with the device. It can be attached to your neck and actually feed off of the electric signals that go to your vocal cords when you want to speak. The device will then approximate the desired voice and language you want to speak in and presto! You got your self a voice. An artificial voice but a voice none the less! Oh this is goin to be fun."

Asuna sweat drops. "With out going technical she says….."

"But it made Eve happy."

Everyone turns to Eve who seems to be a few shades brighter then usual.

"It sure did."

-Knock-Knock-

Everyone focuses back at the door.

Keitaro leans over form his bed. "Come in."

To Eve, when she first looks at the woman with an apron coming in from the door, she felt a sort of respect towards the woman. Her every footstep that she made as she came further into the room suggests to Eve that she was a part of this Hinata-sou family. With her brown short hair, and tender face Eve could also only assume that this woman was related to Keitaro somehow. She would be correct.

"Haruka-Obaa-SMAACK!-"

A red pendant comes smashing into Keitaro's face interrupting him.

Eve winces but the others laugh.

"What did I say Keitaro."

"I know. Just wanted to see what you would throw at me…..what did you throw at me?"

Keitaro fumbles around to recover the object. It was his keepsake. The red ruby pendant.

"Hmmm. Must have forgotten it."

"Of course you forgot it." Haruka explains. "That's why your always in trouble. That thing is somewhat of a good luck charm. Don't' forget it again."

Shinobu tilts her head. "Haruka. I didn't know you were superstitious."

"I'm not."

"……….oh………"

Keitaro runs a hand through his hair and puts the pendant on. "Thanks again, Haruka." He turns to face Sakura. "Do you have your pendant?"

Sakura nods, and reveals her red and blur pendant.

"Good That's good luck too. I can feel it."

Sara turns to Haruka. "Did you get an extra a pair of bow ties for Asuna too?"

Haruka digs in her bag and reveals a new set of bells. "Yea. Its one of your spares." She tosses it to the Asuna. "Catch."

Indeed Asuna catches them. "Thanks." But she takes a while…looking at them.

Sara blinks and looks up at the woman again. "Do you have money for me?"

"Nice try."

Sara depressingly falls to the bed. "Poo."

Then from the door way. Another person comes marching in. The doctor.

"Hello everyone. My name's Himura Nano and I was the one who examined the both of you today. You can just call me doc or doctor." He greets. Walking at the edge of the bed and offering a hand.

Keitaro sits up more and shakes his hand.

"Glad to met you doc. So you think we can get out early today?"

"Well. That's why I'm here. You and your daughter seem fit to be discharged today." The whole room went down a notch tension wise. "You of course was a miracle, while Asuna here only got knocked coconscious. No permanent or temporary harm done. So I see no reason why we have to keep you all here."

"Thanks Doc. So can we leave now?"

"Sure. Just go to the registration to be discharged and your all set and done." He moves out towards he door but glances quickly at Asuna. "And just be sure to be safe. We wouldn't want anything like this to happen again."

"Sure thing Doc."

And he was gone.

"……………. Lets go home."

"Finally!"

"Yes!"

"Who's making dinner?"

"Is it Shinobu?"

"Shinobu isn't. I am this time!"

"Makie?.! NOO!"

"Wh-what are you implying!"

"That your food sucks more then Naru's."

"………."

"RUN! SUU! RUN!"

"Waaaah!"

"COME HERE!"

A mute giggle comes out of Eve as she and the others head out the door….

……except for Keitaro and his daughters.

"What's wrong Asuna?"

Asuna shakes her head as she finds out she was staring intently at her bell bowties. "Oh. Um. Nothing. Lets just go home."

Sakura and Sara both tackle her on bed.

"Just dress up Asuna. We'll let you rest at home."

Asuna meekly nods but was rattled by Keitaro shaking her shoulders.

"The Asuna I know is more stern then that!"

Asuna smiles and looks up at Keitaro. "Your right. Thanks Papa. Where's my-Swick!-"

A school uniform introduces itself on her face.

She slowly takes it off, and glares at her two sisters.

But they weren't there no more. Instead their heads peep out from the hospital door. Their tongues sticking all the way out.

"Very….funny…"

"Hahaha!

"Hahaha!"

Asuna sighs.

Keitaro stands, undresses from his hospital gown, and starts to put on his own clothes.

"Asuna……now that we're the only two here….tell me what's really on your mind."

Asuna jumps a bit. "P-papa! I said I was fine."

"No. No your not. You should know by now Asuna. You can't fool me that easily."

Asuna glances away.

"……"

"First you wake up, a bit rattled, and you cry. I haven't seen you cry since the first time I met you. Second your composure seems way off. Your mind seems to be preoccupied when it's usually calm and collect like Motoko's. Was it a bad dream?"

"………."

Keitaro finishes dressing up, sighs, and pats her head. "I'll leave it alone for now. But when you want to talk. You know where I am. Right besides you. So dress up. I'll leave you alone." He turns to make his way out but a someone slings on his shirt sleeve. He turns around to see Asuna unconsciously holding on to his sleeve.

"Asuna…."

"It…..it was just a bit of a nightmare Papa…I was just thinking about it too hard…But I know that your safe now and…. you just stay with me……please?"

Keitaro doesn't say a word. Instead his actions yell everything. He faces her, takes the bowties from her hand, and start to make two cute pony tails out of her hair. He finishes, strokes Asuna's hair fatherly, and kisses her on the forehead.

"If you want. Of course I'll stay with you. You should know that also by now. Now get dressed, everyone's waiting."

"O-okay."

------------------------

…………..

The sun's long day over Japan ends as it disappears over the horizon. The room turns dark and with one flick of a switch, the lights turn on. In comes a teenaged girl, and her bag limply held at the side of her body. She tiredly slumps on the sofa. Letting her face sink into the cushions and her red ruby like colored hair fall over her back and towards the ground. She reaches a hand over her head and takes off her brown beret.

"What a day…."

"Akari…"

The girl looks up to see her gothic friend hovering besides her.

"Kanako. Not nowwwww. I'm tired."

"No. Now. I have no clue how Onii-chan is doing and you're the only way I can know."

"I'm sure Kei-kun is fine Kanako. Seta said so himself when he left."

"Don't call him that" Kanako states.

"Right. Don't want to call your Oniiiii-chan so informally so as not to invoke his sister's immortal wrath from the heavans."

"…….."

"It's a joke. A joke. Sheesh, cheer up Kanako. Besides, Kei-kun doesn't have the necklace on. So I have no idea how he's doing."

"Then why is your necklace glowing."

"Huh?" Akari sits up and looks down her shirt. In fact, her own red ruby incrusted necklace was indeed glowing a hue of crimson. "Oh. Didn't notice that. He must have put it on now." She clasps her hands over the glowing jewelry, closes her eyes, and concentrates.

"………….."

"OH MY GOD!"

Kanako's eye's widen. "What?.!"

"He's alright."

"……………"

"Hahahahahahaha! Gotcha!"

Kanako bonks Akari over the head lightly.

Akari sticks her tongue out as the gothic girl leaves the room.

A bit more reassured.

Akari is now alone.

"……..Thank God your alright Kei-kun….Thank God."

----------End of Chapter 53----------

…………………

………………..

…………………

…………………

Mana walks down a foggy alleyway.

The dirt and grim stick to walls like beetles on corpses. Relentless sounds of murder and sirens echo through the small space of travel. With brave steps she ventures further down a trodden path. Until she sees a figure up ahead.

-Click-Click-

Her duel D. Eagles were up and running. Facing toward the faint silhouette of a man in the distance.

Foot steps grow louder and the figure becomes invisible.

"Yo."

Seta waves a friendly hand.

"……" Mana relaxes and holsters her weapons. "I'm just here to say yea. I'll join you guys."

Seta smiles. "Was it about the attack this afternoon that finally made you trust us."

"………" Mana stays silent.

"Well. At least you joined us. That's what counts. We're going to need some healthy and capable hands for some of these assignments later on. So you did provide your skills today. Do you want to be paid today?"

Mana holds a halting hand up. "There will be no need for that. I did it on my own accord today. And you can cut my payments in half from now on."

"Oh really. What a surprise. Heh, why the change of heart."

"Because they did something without a second thought on the civilians this afternoon. And it happened near my home. I can't just let that go. They need to be taught a lesson."

"They sure do." Seta reaches a hand towards the gunslinger. "Welcome."

"……." Mutely. She complies and shakes his hand. "Glad to be here."