Well, it's been a while. Sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I made it longer then usually to make up for the wait. And there's a little fluff. Anyway... Enjoy!

PS: Thank you so much for the reviews and support. Really greatly appreciate it. It's nice to know people enjoy this fic.

Chapter 13

When the Strings of Fate Change

Previously:

"Wha-what happened here?" I stuttered out. I couldn't understand why but I felt my heart ache as we continued to walk through the broken gates to the temple. Something did not feel right.

Continuation:

"Well, isn't that a depressing sight", a familiar voice spoke.

"What are you doing here, Hajime?" I questioned as I turned around to look at the older boy as he looked at me with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm shocked. Hyakkimaru must have known I've been following you. Strange he didn't tell you."

I turned to Hyakkimaru. Why hadn't he told me? Why had he allowed Hajime to follow us? I just couldn't understand him anymore. And he wasn't about to start helping me understand as he remained silent.

"Maybe he realized that he can't protect you on his own."

"I didn't ask for your protection." I could still remember him trying to take me away from Hyakkimaru.

He raised his hands in surrender, "Hey, now. I swear I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to protect the only person in this godforsaken world that is like me."

"I'm nothing like you."

"Harsh. But you know what I meant. We have to find a way back to our time. And you know that. But seeing as you refuse to leave this half-man's side, I will just have to protect you until you are willing to find a way back home with me."

He really knew how to get under my skin. But I knew he was right. I couldn't stay in this time forever. I didn't belong here. That fact really hurt. This world was full of danger and I did miss the simplicity and safety the modern world had but my heart would always belong in this time because this is where Hyakkimaru would have to remain.

I sighed, "Yeah. I know. But," I walked to him, slapping him in the face, "Don't you ever get in the way of Hyakkimaru again and you better start treating him with respect. I won't allow you to say anything negative about my friend."

Hajime rubbed his cheek, "Right. Sorry."

I shook my head, "I'm not who you should apologize to."

"Wow," I heard Dororo say in awe. I supposed he was impressed with the fact I had slapped a ninja, in training or not.

Hajime bowed his head to Hyakkimaru, "My bad, bro. I will respect you from now on. And I will protect Amahi for you so you can focus on getting your body back." He looked at me with a smirk, "I know how much of a distraction she can be."

I frowned at him.

I'm a distraction? Am I just holding him back?

"To think I would meet travelers here. What a curiosity you are," I turned around at the entrance of the temple to see a man with a vacant expression on his face. Goosebumps formed on my arms. "You must not have known, but it's dangerous here at night."

It was this man that made me feel as though I were in danger.

I watched as the man moved towards the burned down temple with flowers in hand. "A ghoul haunts this place."

If that were true, Hyakkimaru would have done something.

"Come to my house if you'd like. I wouldn't like to hear of people being eaten in my mountain village."

The man turned around to look at us. Dororo suddenly moved to hide behind Hyakkimaru in fear. I could understand why. There was no expression on the man's face. And there was something about him that gave off a bad vibe.

Hajime moved so that his body shielded me from the man. I guess he took his job as my new bodyguard seriously. Was it selfish of me to have wanted Hyakkimaru to do this instead? To show that he was the one that worried about me instead of Hajime? But Hyakkimaru did not move at all.

I was lost in thought that I did not listen to whatever else the man had to say. I just vaguely remember walking with my friends to the Lord's home. As stupid as that choice would prove to be.

"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Dororo questioned.

"About the ghoul, no," Hyakkimaru answered as everyone was getting ready to go to sleep on their own mats.

"No way that man was telling a shred of truth," Hajime said as he laid down with his arms crossed behind his head from the far left side next to Dororo. "I'd say he was the one who burned down that temple. Why? Probably because he allied with a demon and needed human sacrifices."

"That's awful…" Dororo mumbled.

I had to agree. Whatever was the truth, it must have been terrible. That man really seemed to be someone that had lost his soul. Maybe Hajime was close to what had actually happened to that temple.

"Amahi, are you okay? You haven't said anything since we arrived here," Dororo turned to his right to look at me.

I felt three pairs of eyes stare at me. I looked past Dororo to see Hajime looking at me with a frown on his lips. Dororo looked at me with worry. I turned to my right and Hyakkimaru was also looking at me.

"I just can't wait to be out of here."

"Heh. Me too. Though, the food wasn't so bad," Hajime said.

I laid down as Dororo and Hyakkimaru also settled in their mats.

"You don't think the demon will come here do you?" Dororo asked.

"It's likely we are on the menu tonight," Hajime answered, "They fattened us up well enough to feed us to the demon."

Dororo moved. He shifted closer to my body.

"I'm not scared. It's just cold here."

"Oh, really? You're cold?" I smiled. I pulled the boy closer to my body and wrapped my arms around him. "Is that better?"

"Y-yeah," he said as he snuggled in my arms.

Adorable.

"I'm cold."

"Shut up, Hajime," I shout back, causing him to laugh.

A noise woke us up in the middle of the night.

"Stand back," Hyakkimaru told us as he slashed at the caterpillar-like demon.

Hajime stood in front of Dororo and me to protect us with his blades up and ready. It was as Hajime had predicted. We were on the menu tonight. Thankfully my companions weren't so weak.

"Everyone alright?" Hajime questioned, removing his hand from my mouth. He covered me with a mask when a moth-like demon came rushing to save the caterpillar demon. "You didn't breathe any of that, did you?"

I shook my head. Hajime had been too quick to cover me from it.

"Dororo?" I asked the small boy.

"I think I'm fine. You don't think it was poison, do you?"

"Wash it off," Hyakkimaru said to us.

"No need to do that," Hajime said. "Besides, we have a lady with us. It wouldn't be proper to strip naked here. Or have her do it."

Hyakkimaru's body tensed with Hajime's words.

"I think I know what it was. It's a powder venom that will only produce a painful sting. It's not fatal. Plus I have medicine that will counteract almost every poison. It's useful to be trained as a ninja," he pulled out the medicine from seemingly out of nowhere.

Well, at least I don't have to get naked.

But the bitterness of the medicine wasn't anything to laugh at.

"I think it best if I take Amahi away from here," Hajime told Hyakkimaru. "I'm sure you'd agree that her protection is just as important as you killing that moth demon. I'll make a camp for us a safe distance away. You and Dororo can meet us there once you're done with your business." He turned to me, "That alright with you? It be better to stay out of his way. If you are around he will be worried for your safety and not fully focused on killing that thing."

As much as I wanted to protest, Hajime was right.

"How do we know you won't hurt Amahi?" Dororo questioned, "Or take her away?"

"Because I need her help and she won't help me if I hurt her or make her come with me by force."

"Wow. You are learning," I joked.

"What do you think, Hyakkimaru?" Hajime asked.

Hyakkimaru nodded his head.

"It's settled then. I will go talk to the villagers to get answers about the temple. Aniki will follow Lord Sabame. And Hajime will take Amahi away and protect her until we are done."

I'm so useless.

"You should get some sleep," I heard Hajime say from the other side of the fire.

"Not tired."

"Bullshit."

I just kept my eyes on the flames, worried about my friends. I hoped that they would be alright. I had never felt as useless as I did at that moment. I wasn't skilled enough to handle demons or ghouls. A couple human men, maybe. But I was just not strong enough in what really mattered in this mission.

Truth be told, I was at a loss of what to do. Was I just a burden to Hyakkimaru now? Should I have just gone back home when I had the choice back then? But I selfishly wanted to remain by his side.

I heard a sigh, "You barely ate all day. Or even talked. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing."

"Tch. You are a terrible liar. Listen, your friends will be fine. They will probably be here when you wake up in the morning. Hyakkimaru will have my head if you look sick. So, please just sleep."

I wasn't sure that Hyakkimaru even cared about my wellbeing anymore. He just passed me off to Hajime to take care of. I felt my eyes sting but I wouldn't allow myself to cry.

I'm not in this time for romance.

I kept telling myself that I was only here to help Hyakkimaru anyway I could. I wasn't here for love. Besides, I wasn't from this time period. We couldn't be together anyway. No matter how much I just wanted to be with him. He was just my first love. That was all. I was still young. Right?

Who am I kidding?

My heart didn't belong to me anymore.

"Fine. You left me no choice." Hajime was suddenly in front of me and blew something in my face. "Sleep well, Amahi."

Bast...ard…

I was wrapped in dreamless sleep.

"I said I was sorry but you did need sleep."

"You don't just drug someone!" I yelled. I had finally woken up in the early morning and I was seething with anger at Hajime for what he had done.

"I- Well… Okay. I'll never do it again," he said, looking remorseful.

"I'm not ready to forgive you."

The fact that he could put me to sleep like that was alarming to me. I didn't feel any changes to my body so I knew he didn't do anything while I was knocked out but still. How do you trust someone who could do that?

"Hm?" Hajime's attention was pulled to the side, "I guess they are finally back."

"Huh?" I turned my gaze to where he was looking. Dororo and Hyakkimaru figures finally came to view through the trees. "What happened?"

I quickly rushed to Hyakkimaru's side to help him walk as I noticed his prosthetic leg was missing. I looked at Dororo's sad expression. Had they lost?

"It was… It was…" Dororo's voice broke as he began to cry.

I turned to the boy I was holding up as his arm wrapped around my shoulder for support. He looked as stoic as ever. I could see blood in some areas. He was injured again.

"Okay. First, let's bandage Hyakkimaru and then you can tell me everything."

"I see…"

My heart was heavy with the information that Dororo had given me. He told me what had really happened to those kids and that temple. It was almost exactly as Hajime had said. It was something I hoped he was wrong about. But it turned out to be true.

Those poor kids.

I couldn't imagine what I would be like to lose everything and then be sacrificed as food. To be eaten alive. I did my best to stop my tears.

"That village had it coming for what they did. Karma," Hajime said.

"But there were kids in that village," Dororo said, looking upset. "And now they won't survive. They lost everything because of us."

Hajime shrugged, "We won. Hyakkimaru killed the monster. Got his spine back. And those villagers sinned. Why feel bad about that? They shouldn't have sold their souls to demons."

Dororo didn't seem to feel any better.

"How are you feeling?" I asked Hyakkimaru after finishing bandaging him up.

He pulled his clothes back to normal, "It's not my concern."

Dororo yelled before getting up and storming off into the forest.

"Dororo?" I turned to Hyakkimaru, "Did you two have an argument?" He didn't answer me. I sighed, "Hajime-"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll go get the brat," Hajime stood up, leaving in the same direction Dororo had gone.

"Now then," I started, grabbing Hyakkimaru's face with both my hands to force him to 'look' at me. "What happened between you two?"

"The villagers… Not my concern…"

I get it. Dororo must feel bad that because of killing that demon the village got destroyed and those villagers will most likely die now. And Dororo is upset because Hyakkimaru isn't thinking about the villagers' lives and only thinking about killing demons. And now they are at odds with each other.

"Is it so wrong to feel compassion towards someone else that you don't know?" I asked him, moving my hands away from his voice.

"Compassion?"

"Yes. Concern for the suffering of another person," I grabbed his hand. "Dororo is a very kind boy. He cares a lot about people and feels deeply for them when they have suffered. He suffered too and doesn't wish it on other people. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I'm wrong?"

I shook my head even though he couldn't really see me, "I know that you really want your body back, Hyakki. I want that for you too. I don't want you to suffer anymore. I want you to be happy. But I worry about you. I don't want you to lose your humanity along the way. You have always been kind to those around you. Jukai who took you in. You have been protecting me ever since I came to this time. And you have protected Dororo. Mio and the orphans and so many others. You have so much good in you. I just… I don't want that part of you to disappear." I grabbed his other hand and pulled them close to my chest. "Please, don't lose yourself in the process of regaining your body. I couldn't bear it.I don't want to lose you, Hyakki."

I was being selfish. I knew that. But I could see him losing himself. I wanted to support him but at the same time. I didn't want him to welcome the darkness that was threatening to take over him.

His expression turned from stoic to a look of surprise. My eyes widened as I was suddenly pulled into his body. I no longer held his hands as his arms were wrapped around my body. My chin rested on his shoulder as he held me tightly but not enough to hurt me.

"Amahi."

My heart was thundering in my chest. Cheeks heated up. I was in a state of shock at the sudden affectionate hug. It was a hug I really needed.

I shifted in his arms. Moving my own arms and snaking them around his shoulders and he held my waist. I tried not to think about the fact I was now straddling his lap. I would just enjoy the warmth of his body pressed against mine for the small amount of time I could.

I missed his affections more than I first thought.

"I don't… want to lose you… either," he said to me, holding me to him as if he were afraid I was going to disappear the moment he said that.

His words held so much meaning. He knew that I didn't belong in this time period. He knew that Hajime was here to try to find us a way back to our time. He knew I couldn't stay. I would have to leave someday.

Part of me was happy that he wanted me to stay with him. But most of me just believed he had just grown attached to me because I was his first friend. It wasn't anything romantic. He wouldn't even know anything about romance or dating anyway. But I had to be content with the fact he saw me as a precious friend he didn't want to lose.

And then there was another part of me that was sad and felt guilty. I wanted nothing more than to reassure him that I'd stay by his side. But I couldn't. I wasn't even sure that I'd have the choice to stay when that day came.

"Oi. Get a room."

And everything was ruined by one guy by the name of Hajime.

I hate you, Hajime.

(3rd POV)

"Now then," Hyakkimaru heard Amahi. He was surprised that she grabbed his face in between her soft, warm hands."What happened between you two?"

"The villagers… Not my concern…"

Hyakkimaru couldn't concern himself with other people. With strangers. What really mattered to him was to get his body back and try to get the girl he loved. Yes, strangers meant nothing to him compared to Amahi. She was the only one that truly really mattered to him. Sure, he cared about Jukai and Dororo. But Amahi was like the sun that was warm and brought him to life.

"Is it so wrong to feel compassion towards someone else that you don't know?"

He felt upset that she stopped touching him. He wanted to feel her hands again.

"Compassion?"

He wanted to understand what she meant.

"Yes. Concern for the suffering of another person."

He felt her grab his hand. He couldn't exactly feel her soft skin now but he remembered it from just a few moments ago on his face. He imagined that feeling with his hands and he felt his heart beat faster in his chest. He loved it when she touched him.

"Dororo is a very kind boy. He cares a lot about people and feels deeply for them when they have suffered. He suffered too and doesn't wish it on other people. There's nothing wrong with that."

He didn't understand. Was she saying that she wanted him to show compassion towards others?

"I'm wrong?"

He watched as the pure white flame of her gorgeous soul seemed to shake its head, "I know that you really want your body back, Hyakki. I want that for you too. I don't want you to suffer anymore. I want you to be happy. But I worry about you. I don't want you to lose your humanity along the way. You have always been kind to those around you. Jukai who took you in. You have been protecting me ever since I came to this time. And you have protected Dororo. Mio and the orphans and so many others. You have so much good in you. I just… I don't want that part of you to disappear."

Her words filled his heart. She worried about him. Did she care for him even though he was a monster now? He didn't understand. He was trying to be fully human for her. But she was saying he was becoming less human. He wasn't sure what to do.

He felt her grab his other hand and pulled them close to her chest much to his surprise and enjoyment. They hadn't been so affectionate lately. This was welcomed.

"Please, don't lose yourself in the process of regaining your body. I couldn't bear it.I don't want to lose you, Hyakki."

His expression turned from stoic to a look of surprise. His heart was beating steadily in his chest through his ears. She did not want to lose him. Her words left a need in him. It was engraved in his heart. In his whole being.

Without thinking, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her petite frame. He wanted her close to him. To feel her body against his. The warmth of her body soothed him but left him wanting more. He just didn't know what the 'more' was. It was like an instinct that told him that it existed. And he yearned for it.

"Amahi."

He let out a plea. He did not want her to push him away. He was begging her to let him hold her just like this for as long as possible.

He felt her shifting in his arms. He worried that she was about to pull away from him but instead he felt her arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling their bodies closer together. She was sitting on top of him. Her chest flushed against his.

Kiss.

He wanted to kiss her again but he was too afraid she would reject him. He would just have to enjoy this while it lasted. He would be grateful for whatever affection she would allow him.

"I don't… want to lose you… either," he said to her in desperation, pulling her closer. He wanted to memorize this feeling to never forget it.

"Oi. Get a room."

Hyakkimaru was disappointed and felt anger towards the older boy that had ruined their moment together. Amahi had detached herself so quickly that he felt the cold once her warmth was gone.

More. I want more. Amahi, will you allow me to hold you again?