Delinquent 7

by TheCatsMeow16

Some believe they're Godly, others believe they are mere delinquents. When Sakura is admitted to facility for the Divine – beings with violent and inhuman abilities – she bonds with a tortured Syaoran and the most evolved threats to humanity. As Clow's prophecy of a great calamity approaches, they must decide; are they subjects of a horrid mythology, or an evolution to be corrected

6. Da-Yinghua

The Book of Kalium

- A reading from the Histories of Clow according to a servant of Libra

The Light – First Divine of Clow Reed has revived the mortals faith in the Gods.

Prayers and offerings have returned to us in a way a mere servant such as myself has never had the joy of witnessing.

I understand it now – Clow's creation.

The mortals lost faith in us because we – the Gods and their servants - failed them. We forced them to fight in wars against Yuna, to sacrifice what little they had so that the Gods could feed and remain in glory, only for them to be doomed to more death, plague and loss.

I had hatred them once – the mortals.

The Light was a gift to them. A demi-God of Clow's creation bestowed on the mortals who were worthy. The Light granted mortals worthy motrals with a drop of Godhood power. This doorway into the light of their creators spurred the mortals to pray and revive their faith through it – and then The Light would return and release those prayers for the Gods to feed on, thus restoring them to their unchallengeable state.

It has occurred to me recently, that despite the countless statues erected, the poems and songs created in the name of The Light, and the jewels and silk draped among the divinity's white hair... what is it...other than a vessel?

A tool for extracting prayers to feed the Gods they once – and perhaps still – despise?

The Divinity has eyes, a voice but...I don't believe it possess the understanding to question it's purpose. It is not made of the same greed as the Gods.

That's what Clow says.

But as much as I have faith in him...my master... he has grown somewhat attached to the Divinity. I catch him speaking to it...conversing with it, even. The Divinity speaks with a hallowed voice when first manifested. But now it speaks with a gentle, but gradually growing confidence. Stranger, more defined...regal...

I found Clow Reed in the sacred Library of the Gathering speaking to The Light. He expressed concern for its wellbeing. I found it so peculiar I could not resist asking why he would do such a thing.

He said, this creation is my child. A father should always protect his child, shouldn't he?

I still find myself trying to understand his words.

I still find myself trying to understand the Divinity.

But perhaps the latter is a waste of time.

Afterall, it is only a vessel.

x x x

RECORD #044

CATEGORY: CONDITION

NAME: EMPREE-IMMUNITY

IT BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR DURING THE LATTER HALF ON INTENSE DIVINE RESEARCH THAT THERE EXISTS A SMALL POPULATION WHO SHOW GREAT RESISTANCE TO THE INFLUENCE OF AN EMPREE. DURING TESTING WHERE INDIVIDUALS WERE PLACED IN THE SAME VICINITY AS AN EMPREE OVER VARIOUS AMOUNTS OF TIME, THE ABOVE MENTIONED INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCED LITTLE TO NO CHANGE IN MOOD, FEELINGS OR DESIRES IN COMPARISON TO THE OTHER SUBJECTS, WHOSE SYMPTOMS INCLUDED HALLUCINATIONS, INTENSE FEAR, ANXIETY AND/OR ANGER, WITH SOME MANY CLAIMING THERE WAS AN 'INSECT WALKING ACROSS THEIR BRAIN AND EATING THEIR HAPPINESS'

THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE CLASSIFIED AS EMPREE-IMMUNE AND ARE IN HIGH DEMAND FOR EMPLOYMENT AMONG THE DIVINE FACILITIES.

IN THE YEAR 1926 IT BECAME A MANDATORY REQUIREMENT FOR STAFF OF THE DIVINE RESEARCH FACILITIES WHO WORK WITHIN A CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE DIVINE TO TEST POSITIVE FOR EMPREE-IMMUNITY.

THERE IS NO KNOWN VACCINE OR MEDICAL INTERVENTION TO CREATE IMMUNITY.

X x x

"It's unacceptable."

Eriol's voice was barely restrained. He took his glasses off and wiped them with small rage. Kaho knew he only did that when he was bubbling with rage.

She stood beside Yuktio, who was watching with some sort of curiousity and, as usual, not adjusting his manner to the situation at hand.

"Someone could have been killed. I already have the Council breathing down my neck, there's a holdup on Erinium steel, our Shylde's are not working how they should be and you two - " He stabbed a look at the pair. "Are just doing whatever the hell you want? Is this all a joke to you?"

Kaho clenched her jaw. It was bad enough that Eriol had them both standing in his office being diciplined like school children, the rethorical questions were not necessary.

"Is this facility your personal playground?"

"No but I have put in the request for one to the planning-"

"It was best to take the opportunity to examine Syaoran while his alter ego seemed more alert." Kaho interrupted. Eriol was already on edge, enraged even. Yukito's comments would only fuel that unecassarily.

"And what exactly were you hoping to achieve that you haven't achieved before?" Eriol asked.

Kaho's eye twitched and she had to press her mouth into a hard line. They were married long enough for her to read between the lines. For months Eriol had been trying to take Syaoran from her as a patient, but she refused to release him over to her. Of course as her boss he could have simple ordered it.

But being the wife of the director gave her leeway she took advantage of.

His little comments eluded to her lack of success with Li, of understanding him and why he want to hurt the way he does. While Eriol had a schedule of heavy medication and surgery as his resolution, Kaho disagreed.

And so she held on strongly to Syaoran and Meiling.

"The inmates respond calmly to Li's influence." Yukito said when the silence became awkward. "This may be something we can leverage in the event of any future outbreak of facility-wide rages."

"And exactly how are you going to do that?" Eriol replied, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Have you suddenly won him over? He's now willing to cooperate with us? If so, I will take back all I've just said."

When neither of them replied, Eriol shook his head. "When was this authorised? I didn't see any paperwork cross my desk."

Yukito sighed. He didn't expect this impromptu experiment to go so horribly wrong.

Don't do it, don't do it. Kaho thought repeatedly and felt it bubble in her chest.

"I authorised the paperwork." She lied. "There's been a lot on our plate lately, as you know. I haven't gotten the chance to file everything. It will be on your desk tomorrow morning."

Yukito blinked and looked over to Kaho, who would not meet his eyes. She kept her stony face which she had practiced for so many years.

Eriol physically tensed with anger to hear this. When he looked at her, her heart thumped. Sometimes she forgot – forgot what he used to be like.

No, not use to - he can still be like this. It's just a part of him.

"I won't write either of you up." He said finally. "But another incident like this," He then shot his glare towards an unfazed Yukito. "It will reach the board."

They both nodded and turned to leave.

"Dr. Mizuki," He called. "A moment, please."

Yukito looked back and saw Kaho's face drop as she slowly turned back towards his desk, her spine slumping slightly as the door closed.

"Eriol-"

"No." He said cutting her off sharply. "Do you have any idea what a disaster this could have been. I can't watch over you all the time Kaho-"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child, Eriol." She said angrily. "Experiments go wrong all the time. We underestimated the conditions needed. That's died."

"That's all?" He replied, matching her tone. "If that's what you really think Kaho then you've lost your grasp on your responsibilities here."

A deep burning arose in the pit of Kaho's stomach.

No, not now. She pleaded internally.

"I know exactly what my responsibilities are here. I don't need you to remind me."

"You're pushing yourself beyond what you can handle." He continued as if not hearing her at all. "You're trying to reach your fathers level which is more than you can handle-"

"Don't you dare!" She snapped which finally caused him to stop. Her breathing was ragged. The burning in her stomach had rose to her chest now and was circulating painfully. "Don't diagnose me, Eriol. You know I hate that and you know I hate it when you talk about my father."

The muscles in her neck were tense from the rage and the pain of surpressing it inside her. Eriol peered down at her before deciding to back off.

He sighed. "Kaho," He went to place a hand on her shoulder but she turned away from his grasp. "You know I just worry for you. We can't afford to make these mistakes. We're under a lot of pressure and set back like this could set us back months."

He reached out to her and grazed his fingers on her shoulder. "Whatever our disagreements, neither of us want that. We both want to go home, to see our daughter."

The burning momentarily ceased when he mentioned Ruby.

"Then stop questioning my methods, and I won't question how you address your patients."

It was Kaho now, who was insinuating more than her words said.

Kaho was surprised when she left his office to see Yukito waiting in the main lobby. He perked up when he saw her and gave a non-chalant wave. "Whew, he seems tenser than ususal-"

"You need to get your shit together." She hissed. "I am sick of covering for you, Yuki. Eriol would use any excuse to kick you out of here and make sure you never with in Divine-research again."

Yuki looked down in a rare moment of guilt.

"I know...thank you for covering for me."

"Don't expect me to do it again. And for the love of all things Divine – take a shower and cut the booze. You smell like a fucking bar."

Yukito looked down with shame as she stalked away.

The lobby to her office felt like an eternity away and Kaho struggled to keep herself together. The annoyingly loud whistling of an inmate passed her but she paid no attention and charged on until she was back in her appartment just outside the facility.

When the door shut behind her she collapsed to her knees and let a cry escape her throat. The swirling inside her coursed through her veins and pulsated in her chest. She hugged her knees in and cradled her hand which tingled twitched. Sweat formed on her forehead and she didn't know how long she stayed that way.

Why did he have to mention her father? Mizuki Yuto had been dead and buried years ago. She gieved, she moved on, it was over. She no longer had to suffer under the comparison anymore.

That's what she told herself.

But when she was able to get back on to her feet once more, it was dark again.

Slumping into a living room, she glaned out her window.

The moons, Senza and Dorcha, like two wtherial eyes, watched her as she fell to sleep.

X x x

There were so many steps.

Sakura followed the guard silently from the infirmary to the North wing where she was informed she would be staying permanently with her room-mate who she had yet to meet.

Her legs felt heavy, as did her head and she rubbed the back of her neck where Yukito had sedated her after the incident in the experiment room.

Even when she woke up back in the infirmary, again, her first thought was of him. Two eyes – amber and meek – looking down at her, followed by their piercing glare.

What was that? She asked herself for the hundredth time today. Who was that?

Though the experience might have scarred her, she found herself curious to know more.

Sakura huffed as they ascended the seventh flight of stairs. She peered over the railing and down at the countless cells lined up beside each other on each floor. Each cell door was open and she saw the inmates move in and out with somewhat leisure. She found herself instinctively glancing down at their armbands when she encountered one. She had finally figured out most the colour scheme.

Red symbolized Malar. She recalled Meiling – the one they called the 'Argead Dia', who wore one which matched her red eyes perfectly.

Blue was for Mielu's. The tall, slim man – Yamazaki bore one as he peered down at her with that spine-chilling grin that day in the courtyard. Then there was Sakura's – which was white to symbolize Dae'er – the lowest ranking of them all.

No wonder non-Dae'er inmates paid her no heed.

Once on the seventh floor, the cells were spaced out more and were larger.

"We're here." The guards said in a bored voice.

Sakura squeezed the nightclothes and uniform they had handed her closer to her chest. She was weary about being alone. In a strange way she had become accustomed to Abouse and his ranting ways, and to Naoko with her give-no-shits-ness. Now, alone, Sakura felt worry bubble within her once more.

The guard threw her head in to the open cell, looking for something. "Looks like your room-mates not in. Get settled. Dinner is in an hour. Any tardiness with result in punishment. Understood?"

Sakura nodded. Her heart punched her ribs. She clutched her uniform and took a hesitant step into the cell. It was not as grotty as she had imagined it would be. There was a wooden desk fastened into the ground to render it unmovable, a partially hid a grey toilet sat on the opposite side to the sink and a smudged mirror.

She hovered over to the desk to where some papers and colouring pencils lay. Sakura squinted and made out some repetitive symbols, circles and lines, although it was difficult to tell if this was intentional or not as they were overlain with awkwardly drawn flowers and stick-like figures with disproportioned limbs which only made Sakura conclude it must have been a child's drawing.

The drawings had spilled from the pages and onto the desk and onto the concrete wall. A tall figure with an indistinguishable shape was blackened into the wall with chalk. Sakura found it an eerie contrast to the pink and yellow flowers that remained onto the page.

She turned away and walked over to the bunk beds which sat pressed up against the wall. She frowned when she saw the top bunk – which seemed to have been claimed already – was hoarding pillows, blankets, and even a second mattress.

The bottom bunk sat empty except for a single sheet crumpled up at the bottom. Sakura clutched her uniform and sat down on the empty bed and let the reality of her situation settle in. Feeling something uneasy around her, her eyes wandered back up to the indistinguishable figure drawn into the wall across the room. Though it's frame was slender yet lumpy, and there were no distinguishable eyes – Sakura felt something in that direction was watching her.

She sighed then shook her head. She didn't want this place to begin seeping it's claws into her psychological state this soon. When she glanced back at the figure her blood iced immediately.

Now, there were two eyes looking back at her seemingly jumping from the shadowy drawing. The two floating neon dots seemed to hover inches from her face. Only when they blinked did Sakura thrust herself into the back wall with a frightened shout. They eyes panicked and retreated upwards behind the top bunk. Sakura hunched down in the bottom bunk – too afraid to leave in case whatever was watching her was waiting to pounce as soon as she left.

They she heard something shuffle above her in the top bunk. A lock of ashen blond hair flopped down from the top bunk and was slowly followed by two pale hands hands that clutched the bottom of the top bunk one after another. A well-worn band aid circled it's pinky finger.

Sakura gasped again when the two eyes returned to peek down at her. But this time, a head was visible, and a buttoned nose. Sakura's heart rate relaxed when she realized the thing looking at her curiously upside down was a girl.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak but the girl retreated back to the top bunk quickly. Sakura shook her stiff legs free and clambered slowly out. The girl had hidden herself under several blankets and was both pouting and glaring at Sakura.

"H-how did you do that?" Sakura asked and took a step forward which caused the girl to pout harder. "You weren't here when I came in. And you didn't come in after me-"

"This is Akiho's room!" she said.

Sakura blinked and looked around, seeing no one else there but the two of them.

The girl shook off her blanket and held it tight while point at the pillows. "Akiho's pillows, Akiho's blankets, Akiho's colours."

"Oh," Sakura said. "So you're my room-mate?"

Sakura placed the girl as only a few years younger than her yet her mannerisms reminded her of a child.

Sakura smiled. "I'm Sakura." She tilted her head to the side. "I guess we're going to have to try and get along."

Akiho crossed her arms. "No. Dr. Yuki said not again. This is Akiho's room only." Blond strands fell over her once neon but now pale blue eyes. Static from the blanked had frizzed some hair strands upwards.

When she crossed her arms in her oversized uniform, Sakura noticed a bright yellow armband. "You're...divinity. I'm guessing you can...teleport or something? Invisibility?"

Akiho turned her head away and crossed her arms tightly with an "Hmpf." to signal the conversation was over.

Sakura scratched her head, feeling very awkward and at a loss.

A subtle knock at the door drew both their attention to the woman who had silently appeared during Sakura and Akiho's discussion.

"Akiho?" She said in a soft and smooth voice.

Sakura did not move for a few seconds as her eyes adjusted to the woman. Sakura had never in her life seem such ravishing beauty. Her lilac eyes and lavender hair almost seemed to float with her grace.

"Tomoyo!" Akiho said giddily and hoped off the bed. Her feet just barely hit the floor before she skipped over to the woman. Tomoyo returned a smile and began to sooth down the static strands of Akiho's hair. "Tomoyo, are you feeling better? Are you still all foggy and spacey?"

Sakura was puzzled by the stark contrast in the girls behaviour. Akito's eyes widened with concern as the woman brushed the girls hair from her face. "Yes, much better. Have you been good?"

Akiho nodded eagerly, oblivious to Sakura' presence.

Tomoyo looked over to Sakura.

A sudden wave of uneasiness washed over Sakura in that moment. She narrowed her eyes and felt her chest tighten. An unexplainable emotion bubbled within her stomach.

Tomoyo parted her lips, sensing something off. As soon as the sensation came, it left Sakura.

"Is this your new room-mate, Akiho?"

Akiho snubbed Sakura and looked away. Tomoyo's eyes floated to the bunk bed and she frowned. "Akiho, that's not very nice. You have to share, ok?"

Akiho went to protest but decided not to last minute and nodded in a sulk.

"Good. I'm sure the two of you will get on just fine." There was something hypnotic about Tomoyo's voice that both allured Sakura and induced anxiety in her veins. Sakura saw the purple armband on Tomoyo's arm. She didn't know what that one represented.

"Syaoran's out today. Why don't you go find Yamazaki and Meiling and we can go see him together?"

"Syaoran's out of the pits!?" She squealed and spun around in a dance.

"Don't run, ok?" She called to Akiho as she dashed out of the room.

Alone with just Sakura and Tomoyo, even the noise from the other cells seemed to have quietened down.

"I'm sorry about that." Tomoyo said and smiled and walked over to the bunk beds.

Sakura walked around, the hostile feeling inside her seemed to still be present. What is wrong with me? Sakura thought. Why am I being like this?

If Tomoyo noticed Sakura's peculiar behaviour, she choose not to attract attention to it. She plucked the pillow and blanket from Akiho's bed and spread it evenly onto Sakura's bunk. "Akiho can be a little...sensitive with her things. Her last room-mate was a rather aggressive Mielu and also very territorial. It didn't really...end well..."

Sakura watched as Tomoyo smoothened out a crinkle in the bed. Tomoyo spoke so softly one could think she was a dream of a voice inside your own mind.

"We told her...she needed to stand up for herself more." Tomoyo continues with an airy chuckle. "But we didn't exactly mean this. She's...a very kind girl... as are you, I'm sure."

Tomoyo clasped her hands and offered Sakura a soft smile.

"How would you know that?" Sakura asked in a tone that was colder than she meant it to come out.

Tomoyo showed no offence and replied. "I just...have a feeling about people."

Sakura scratched her head and scolded herself for her random rudeness. "I'm sorry... thank you. I don't know why I was so..."

"Do not apologize." Tomoyo said and began to walk towards the door. "I understand how...stressful it is coming to this place...one does need to be weary of who they become close to. May I ask your name?" Tomoyo stopped in front of Sakura.

Sakura looked up and saw white lines etched into Tomoyo's collar bones. They disappeared under her uniform. "S-Sakura."

She felt herself in a trance in her soft eyes she didn't notice Tomoyo's hand suddenly rest on her shoulder.

"Please don't be frightened, Sakura. It is not as bad here as most make it out to be."

Sakura felt her shoulders relax and the hostility she felt before had suddenly left her.

As Tomoyo left Sakura's eyes followed her. When the muscles relaxed on her face she realized she had been gritting her teeth.

What...was that? Sakura asked herself.

As Tomoyo descended the steps she could not take her eyes over her hand – the one that had touched Sakura. She could read nothing unusual from the girl, yet the moment she stepped into Akiho's cell she felt the gravity suddenly pull her away – a sensation she hadn't felt in years in her Empree life.

Her hand tingled. She must have misread something.

Her fingers grazed her Shylde – perhaps it was throwing her Divine abilities off, perhaps she was wrong.

Her flawless brow creased slightly in worry.

Tomoyo the Empree was never wrong.

X x x

ARCHIVES FROM THE TOMOEDA FACILITY OF DIVINITY RESEARCH

RECORD #017

CATEGORY: DIVINITY

NAME: SHADOW

SHADOWS ARE THE FIFTH DISCOVERED DIVINITY AND AMONG THE RAREST OF DIVINITY ON THE CONTINENT. AN INTERNAL CELL PROCESS GIVES SHADOWS THE ABILITY TO CAMOUFLAGE AMONG THEIR SURROUNDING AREA, MAKING THEM IMPOSSIBLE TO DETECT FOR BOTH THE DIVINE AND THE UNDIVINE.

THE MOST PROFICIENT OF THIS DIVINITY CAN BECOME COMPLETELY INVISIBLE AND PASS THROUGH SOLID STRUCTURES. THE EBBA REGION CONTAINS THE HIGH POPULATION OF SHADOWS, HOWEVER THEIR NUMBERS HAVE DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST DECADE DUE TO PERSECUTION OF THIS KIND BY THE YUNA CLAN. THE YUNA'S RATIONALE BEHIND THIS IS STILL UNKNOWN.

SHADOWS ARE THE ONLY ABILITY DAE'ER ARE UNABLE TO REPLICATE OR DETECT. THIS CAUSE OF THIS IS STILL UNKNOWN.

DESPITE BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION FROM THE EBBA FACILITY OF DIVINE MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF LURINIUM SHYLDES TO STOP THE PROCESS OF INVISIBILITY OF SHADOWS.

ALL DIVINE RESEARCH FACILITIES MUST BE EQUIPPED WITH THERMAL CAMERAS AND A MINIMUM OF ONE GUARDIAN FOR DETECTION.

SHADOWS ARE FITTED WITH A LURINIUM SHYLDE. LURINIUM SHYLDES EMIT SMALL VIBRATIONS IN A PATTERN THAT DISRUPTS THE CELLS AND THUS PREVENTING AND/OR HINDERING THE ABILITY TO CREATE INVISIBILITY.

CASE STUDY: SHINOMOTO AKIHO

A MEMBER OF THE SO-CALLED 'DELIQUENT 6' – SHINOMOTO DISPLAYS AN INCREDIBLE PROFICIENCY IN SHADOW DIVINITY. BEFORE HER SHYLDE FITTING, SHINOMOTO CAN COMPLETE FULL INVISIBILITY, AVOID DETECTION FROM THERMAL CAMERAS, AND PASS THROUGH SOLID SURFACES.

SINCE HER ADMISSION INTO THE TOMOEDA FACILITY, SHINOMOTO HAS NOT DISPLAYED ANY VIOLENT ACTIVITY. HOWEVER PSYCHO-ANALYSIS SUGGESTS SHE IS EXTREMELY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE INFLUENCE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF DELINQUENT 6, AND IT IS POSSIBLE SHE HAS CARRIED OUT CRIMES UNKNOWINGLY OR UNWILLINGLY. IT IS SUSPECTED SHE IS CONCEALING HER TRUE POTENTIAL AS A SHADOW UNDER THE ORDERS OR SYAORAN/LI AND/OR DAIDOUJI TOMOYO. THIS CAUSES CONCERN AND QUESTIONS THE EFFICIENCY OF LURINIUM SHYLDES.

THOUGH THE YOUNGEST OF THE DELINQUENT 6 WITH AN AGE THAT OF SIXTEEN – SEVENTEEN, NUMEROUS THERAPY SESSIONS SUGGEST HER MENTAL STATE IS THAT OF TEN – ELEVEN WITH AN INABILITY TO ACT INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT THE REASSURANCE OF DAIDOUJI TOMOYO. I SUSPECT EXTREME PAST TRAUMA IS THE SOURCE OF HER CHILD-LIKE RESPONSES AND INTERACTIONS. DESPITE THIS, SHE HAS A KIND AND WARM NATURE.

RECOMMENDATION: FURTHER THERAPY

FURTHER COMMENTS: SHINOMOTO IS A SHADOW OF HIGH CALIBRE, HOWEVER I AM EXTREMELY AGAINST FITTING HER WITH ANOTHER SHYLDE AS THIS, IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION WOULD BE DEEMED EXCESSIVE. HEAVY MEDICATION WOULD ALSO INTERFERE WITH HER PROGRESS.

PATIENTS IN-CARE THERAPIST: TSUKISHITO YUKITO

SIGNED: Tsukishiro Yukito

x x x

Sakura craned up on the balls of her feet.

Her eyes glanced over the book titles that carried long and complicated names she didn't recognise. Dr. Tsukishiro's office was like him – large evidence of intelligence, but cluttered with disorganisation.

He had folders stacked up and tipping dangerously over the side of one desk. Copious cups of coffee sat on almost all surfaces in the room.

Sakura bit her lip to cope with the bubbling anxiety in her stomach.

Dr. Tsukishiro had requested her to his office. She wondered if this was her chance to prove herself innocent of her accused crimes.

She had been left alone in his office for fifteen minutes now with a guard waiting at the door.

Her eyes spotted a framed photo sitting at the edge of his desk. Checking there was no one entering the room, she quietly approached it. She recognized Dr. Tsukishiro in the black and white photo. He held a beaming smile as he stood beside a man who could have almost been his twin. The other man stood taller and had white hair that fell to his shoulders. Perched on his shoulder was Kero in his false form.

The mystery man in the middle also held a smile but it did not seem to reach to his eyes. Sakura felt a great sadness on his face.

A shuffle behind her made her spine snap straight in fear that she had been caught. A drawer had opened by itself and from it, Kero floated upwards with an exaggerated yawn. He paused at her eye level, blinked twice and jolted back when he realized he had been caught.

"What are you doing here? Spying on people!"

Sakura's eye dropped to the drawer he emerged from.

"Awh," She gushed, ignoring his tone and pointed in at it. "You have a mini bed in there. That's cute."

"I am not cute!" He barked and burst into his full form.

He bared his fangs at her. "I am a royal guardian, descendant from the Kingdom of Cl-"

"Grumpy kitty." She said and started petting behind his huge ear.

"Stop tha-"

His anger dispersed when she scratched the sweet spot behind his ear, causing him to purr so loud it was deafening.

Yukito pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

I have to stop being so rash. He told himself. "I can't keep letting Kaho take the fall for me. At the same time...should I care?"

The guard stepped back when Yukito approached his office. He looked down at his folder which was sparse with details of the inmates accused of the Tomoeda Massacre. He was obsessed with it. He had to know what happened.

Or else it would be hard to stay one step ahead...

"Sorry to keep you waiting." He said as he opened the door. "Hope you weren't bored for too long-"

Yukito looked up in shock. The 'mighty' Guardian Kerberos was on his back, four paws pointed up while Sakura was providing belly scratches.

They both looked up at him. Kero rolled over onto his paws. "She barged in here!" He said to his defensive.

"Snitch." She replied to him.

"Well then," Yukito said with some amusement as Kero restored himself to his fake form with a pout and slightly red cheeks. "You seem to be more comfortable now than before."

"Do you know anything new?" Sakura asked, hopping to her feet and following his around to his desk. "When do I get to go home?"

"How are you feeling?" He asked lightly. "Since the incident? You're bruises look like they're healing nicely."

Sakura grazed her fingers against her neck where the man had grabbed her. Violent images of him flashed before her, but always ended with the relief in his eyes, when he saw she was alive.

"I'm fine." She replied. She was amazed at how quickly she was healing. But increased recovery was apparently a side-effect of being a Divine. "Is he ok?" She found herself asking.

Both Kero and Yukito gave her a strange look when she said that.

"Um...don't worry so much about him." Kero answered.

"He seemed like he was in pain." Sakura said, her voice falling at the end. "I just wanted to check..."

The sincere concern in her eyes froze Yukito in his place for a moment. His eyes flickered down at the photo on his desk where Yue's eyes reflected a painful sadness. He didn't know why her reaction to the violent incident she suffered was so...empathic, but it sent a very brief warmness to his heart.

"Anyway," Yukito said in an attempt to move off the subject quickly. "What are we going to do with you, that is the question."

Sakura narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "I need to go home. Aren't you going to help me?"

Yukito sighed and leaned back in his chair. He gestured her to take the seat opposite his desk and she did so quietly.

"So..." He began. "Ms Sakura, is that the name we're sticking to?"

Sakura replied with a puzzled look. "That's my name, what are you talking about?"

"And do you have a last name to accompany the first?"

Sakura remained silent.

"Ah, but you 'know' you're from The Arva, is that still the same?"

"Yes!" She replied. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because, Ms. Sakura, from The Arva with no last name, no known family, claiming of possessing no Divinity and no idea of how she ended up in the epicentre of a massacre," He clasped his hands and leaned in with kind eyes. "I don't know if I believe you."

"Why would I lie!?" She exclaimed and threw her arms out. "I don't remember everything. I swear it. I'm trying but all I know if my name and The Arva. I can't explain how I got to the other side of the Continent, I can't explain what happened that night – honestly I can't – but," She groaned out, annoyed.

"Well," He said after a moment. "Funny that. Because you seemed to remember a lot that night you were taken from the city." He held up a folder.

"What?" She answered, remembering none of this either. "Well what does it say?"

"Ah," He said and winced apologetically. "Now see, the issue is, Tomoeda City is full of Divine criminals. Forged identities isn't difficult – especially for a Dae'er. A case of 'mistaken identity' would be rather convenient for you. Whatever is in this folder should already be in your memory. Unless you...lied? If not, your story will coincide with the one you told the police the night you were arrested."

"Then take me home! Someone will recognise me!"

"Well I would...but..." He gave her another apologetic look. "We don't have the resources to go around verifying everyone's identity. And the fact is," His face fell to a serious expression. "You are an undocumented Divine, present at a massacre that has shocked the continent. Even if you are Sakura Somebody from The Arva...we can't legally release you. Not yet."

"Not...yet?"

"Well, if after some time I assess that you are not a threat to the Undivine population, and indeed did not play a role in the massacre...I may be able to release you."

Sakura felt some hope finally shine through. It was small, but it was something to hold onto.

"But," He said suddenly smacking his hands together and recalling a cheerful grin. "That won't be for some time. So you might as well get use to the place. How are you getting on with Akiho?"

Sakura saw Yukito place the folder with her statement back into the drawer. That's something she told herself not to forget in the future.

"Oh," Sakura hesitated. "Um...fine." She lied, not wanting to recall the strange encounter.

"I see." He replied. "Akiho is a sweet girl, it just takes time. I'm hoping you two will get along." He scratched his head and thought of Akiho, who had been under his care for almost a year now.

"Oh, want a candy?" He asked and pulled out a lollipop from his top drawer. "Akiho loves these. I'm convinced it's the only reason she comes to our sessions willingly."

Sakura gave him a perplexed look and took it from him anyway, mumbling an awkward 'thanks'.

He changed the subject. "So, can't have your young minds turning into mush here, let's put you into one of our work projects here. " He produced a clipboard. "Let's see... you're a bit small to be put into our forestry project...and the Malar have the monopoly there, don't want them bullying you out of it. Do you like cooking? There's some free spaces for canteen duty?"

"'Cooking' is a generous word for what happens there." Kero commented.

"I'm not much of a cook... I think." She answered honestly.

"Hmm...how are you with sewing? The hours are nice and there's no Malar allowed in there?"

Sakura shook her head. It didn't feel like something she wanted to spend her time doing.

"Ok...Storage duties doesn't seem to have a lot...how about the library? Your room-mate Akiho likes it there."

"I like...gardening." Sakura felt herself saying as she rubbed her fingertips against each other as if calling back a memory. "Flowers and stuff..."

Yukito's face went stern for a second before breaking into a dark grin. "Hmm...I know the place to trial run you so. Let's go."

Sakura jumped to her feet and followed both him and Kero.

Kero had a worried look on his face as he flew up to Yukito's shoulder and whispered.

"Is this a good idea? He tried to kill the girl for Divine's sake."

Yukito responded by waving him off his shoulder. Kero retreated and cast his eyes back at Sakura, who looked onwards with blissful ignorance.

X x x

Syaoran rotated the pot in his hand disappointingly.

The leaves had begun to crisp at the tips, and the stem had thinned despite his best efforts. His sigh went unheard by the few people in the greenhouse – deliberately so.

He tilted his head and squinted at the brightness beaming down at them. Though the greenhouse ceiling was around twenty meters high, he could still make out the dirt and dust that had made it home in the window panes.

A shuffle to his left brought his attention back. A young Dae'er boy had wheeled over some potted plants and a watering can. He stopped four feet from Syaoran and placed them on the table and gave him a subtle nod before withdrawing and shielding the little bit of fear in his eyes.

They allowed a handful of inmates to work in the greenhouse with him. For that he was thankful. He leaned back closed his eyes, listening to the soft sounds around him. The almost silence relaxed him...and worried him.

It had been almost two days since Li spoke to him. Syaoran knew he was there...somewhere slumbering in the far corners of his mind. Whatever they had injected into Syaoran had knocked him out cold. And when he awoke, he couldn't locate Li anywhere. The only indication of his existence were the foggy groans that resonated now and again.

The gas always effected him worse than Syaoran. He was thankful it was rare occasion when that happened.

Syaoran revealed in having his own thoughts for the moment. With Li's existence alongside Syaoran spanning for many years by now, the time when only his mind was present seemed like another lifetime.

A door opened at the entrance of the greenhouse. He didn't turn around as two sets of feet closed the gap towards him.

Syaoran turned his attention back to the open book and studied the pictures again. The plant – a Da-Yinghua plant from a distant land should have fat, curved petals of pink. Or orange? The book was so old he could only take the pictures as a loose interpretation. But the thing in his hand was displaying nothing but browns with patches of greens. A bud at the tip was just about holding out.

He would have read the text...if its language was one he recognized.

He slumped his shoulders and placed it back onto the counter. In reality – he didn't care about the plant, or his responsibilities in the greenhouse. But it was one of the few things that kept his mind occupied – and normally Li didn't engage with this.

It was Dr. Mizuki, actually, who brought this plant back after Syaoran had mentioned in in passing. She sourced it from afar she said, some sort of reward for Syaoran's good behaviour. But of the seven she had brought in, he failed to bring five into bloom, and number six was failing.

Syaoran winced as a pain rippled throughout his left shoulder. After the incident with the girl with the green eyes, Eriol has overruled Kaho and mandated another Shylde be fitted onto him.

Moving around was proving quite painful for him. But worse than than, it served as another reminder that he had failed to keep Li under restraint.

And so he saw this as a deserved punishement.

"Ahem."

Syaoran turned around slightly startled.

Yukito stood with a strangely pleasant smile as always. A small movement beside him drew Syaoran attention to the girl to his right.

Syaoran felt his heart begin to race in panic. He recognized those eyes. They were the first thing he saw as he woke up. He tried to forget it, he felt shame in the pit of his stomach when he thought of how quickly and easily he lost control to Li. It sickened him.

She didn't look back at him with fear or horror as he expected she would.

Yukito looked from Syaoran to Sakura. His smile flattened in to a tight one as he peered over his glasses. "Are we going to have a problem here?"

Syaoran waited for a noise or something to stir in his mind, but Li remained silent, barely there.

Eventually, Syaoran shook his head.

"Good." Yukito said cheerily and clapped his hands together. "Then I'll assign Sakura to Greenhouse duties for the week as a trial." He then turned to her. "Be good, Kero,"

Kero hopped of his shoulder and transformed into his true form.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep an eye on him – and her." He said and eyes both Sakura and Syaoran. "I'm off to do rounds." He stalked off to prowl around the greenhouse which put the other inmates on edge.

When Yukito left, an awkwardness descended upon them.

X x x

Yukito's footsteps echoed into silence.

Sakura gulped and picked at the cuff of her sleeve. Syaoran held the pot close to his chest and cast his eyes over her face briefly before looking away shyly.

She looks so small. He thought.

He could barely recall the last time they were in a room together. If she looked fragile now, he didn't want to think of how horrified she must have been as Li stood before her, twice his size with rage consuming the air around them.

Sakura tilted her head to the side and wondered if she had imagined the events barely two days ago. Syaoran avoided her eyes as thin arms held a pot of a dying plant – not at all like the man who wanted her dead. For the few seconds he looked at her, there was a softness she recalled in the midst of the chaos.

One thing that was bothering her since entering the greenhouse was the smell. Not a particularly bad one – not even one single smell. Her nose was slowly being assaulted by a myriad of scents both sweet and sharp. She winced and rubbed her eyes.

She offered a meek smile and parted her lips to say something.

But as soon as she did Syaoran had swiftly turned his back of her. Sakura blinked and looked around awkwardly. There were not many inmates in the greenhouse but those who were moved about lazily carrying out their tasks with ease. It was surprisingly tranquil.

Syaoran ducked his head down as turned some pages of his book.

The girl was fine, Li had not killed her. He felt relief set in. He didn't need any follow up. He just wanted her to go away now.

Sakura eyed the plants on the table. Syaoran twitched uncomfortably when she appeared beside him.

She leaned over and turned her eyes up towards him, making it difficult for him not to notice her.

"So... need any help?"

The chirpiness in her voice unsettled him further. Hi eyes widened in a panic and his ear twitched, listening for signs of Li to awaken and try finish what he started. But his mind was silent.

He gave the girl a strange look and turned away.

Sakura straightened up with a frown. Her head suddenly spun again, the smells were intensifying.

Not knowing what to say, and her unwillingness to to just let things be prompted her to blurt out "So um...thanks." She said louder. "for not, you know..."

Syaoran felt his chest tighten with shame. He didn't want to be reminded of that event. Though he supposed an apology was warranted – he was determined to put distance between himself and that girl who sent Li over the edge.

He was painfully aware that Li was due to awaken at any moment.

Syaoran glanced back at her. She was suddenly behind him and looking up with huge, sparkling green eyes. He had wondered why he had remembered her eyes – an odd detail to retain. He would have stepped away again but he was wedged between her and the table.

He gripped the pot in his hand and gave the briefest of nods as a weak acknowledgment.

"I'm Sakura. Do you-"

"I prefer to work in silence." He said suddenly and harsher than he wanted. With a calmer voice he added. "And alone."

Sakura blinked before she retreated with an awkward laugh and scratched her head. When Syaoran did not return a friendly gesture her shoulders dropped. She noticed he would not meet her eye. Had he acted somewhat normal, Sakura would have been convinced it was not him at all who attacked her. He clung to the pot as if it were the only thing he could defend himself against her with.

His hands, which had been around her neck, were softer now, dirtied with soil. And his eyes which raged with unknown anger had softened into a shyness she thought bordered on shame.

She frowned, this man in front of her didn't want to hurt her. Something else did.

With an internal sigh, she turned to leave him in peace.

Syaoran tensed in embarrassment as she left. Why did I say it like that? He sighed. What else can I say, really? He glanced around.

All the other inmates knew to leave him alone. This was just the way things were done. There was fear in the eyes of the other Divinity. Fear and admiration. He knew how they glorified Li – the so-called Arch-Dae'er – and his abilities. Syaoran kept his friends to a minimal, but lately he even felt they were drifting away from each other.

The six of them had entered the facility as a unit. Now they stood as individuals – even more broken and lonely than before.

Sakura halted beside one of Syaoran's failed attempts. Though crisped and blackened, Sakura recognized the Da-Yinghua's leaves clinging to a skinny stem. She saw another tucked in discreetly under the table, and another lying on its side.

"They don't grow alone." She said and hoisted one in the air.

Sakura didn't know exactly how she knew that. Again, her memory was trying to recall things that were familiar.

Syaoran widened his eyes as she rotated his primary work over the past few weeks. "Also, they're over-watered."

Syaoran looked around to check if anyone was looking. He shuffled over to her wearily, crossing his arms stiffly as if to keep Li from bursting through at any moment. Upon a high beam, he was aware of Kero watching them with his large and watchful eyes.

"How do you know that?" Syaoran asked, seemingly to the wind.

Excited he spoke to her with some restraint, she smiled. "They're everywhere in The Arva – kind of like weeds really. But they don't grow in isolation. You need to plant them in two's at least. Otherwise they'll wither and die. It says it here-"

She pulled the book towards her and pointed at the text. She knew this text. It was as familiar to her as her name. Though how she knew still eluded her.

"You...can read this?" He asked with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"It's in Mahr Brethain. Not so much spoken in The Arva, but we can still read it. Oh-"

The booked slipped from her fingers and she gripped the desk for support. Her nostrils flared with an irritation that was getting worse. The floral scents were attacking her now and her brain began to spin.

Syaoran put his hand out as she swayed dangerously to one side. He froze then retreated his hand back. She steadied herself and placed a hand on her head. "Sorry...I eh...the smells here are really strong..."

A door opened followed by strong whistling.

The sharp whistling disturbed the peaceful rhythm. A few awkward stares followed Yamazaki as he wheeled the trolley through the aisles of greenery.

Syaoran sighed, knowing Yamazaki's presence had to be some sort of spectacle. Sakura retreated as parked the trolley between herself and Syaoran.

Yamazaki un-hunched his back and stretched his limbs out wide. Sakura's neck strained as she looked up at his tall frame which seemed to dwarf even Syaoran in front of him.

"Welcome back!" He said and slapped a hand on Syaoran's back. "Almost thought the two of you were making a permanent residence down in the Pits. You look...thin."

Syaoran returned a weary smile. "Thanks, it was...one of the rougher stints."

"I'll say. the guys were worried. It's not easy being the one they depend on in your absence." He said with a smug grin.

"Well, thanks." Syaoran replied. "How's..."

Yamazaki's mouth tugged downwards. "Oh..well," He replied, knowing immediately who he was referring to. "You know Tomoyo. She was worried about you, let's say."

Sakura began sweeping nearby and her ears peeled back towards their conversation.

Syaoran offered a nod in return. He was barely there when in Tomoyo's presence last. Whatever Li had said to her had resulted in an Empree wave so furious both he and Li were left shaken for days after.

But as usual, Li remained tight-lipped about that incident – and he decide not to bother Li about matters concerning Tomoyo.

"How have you been?" Syaoran asked and began to lift the pots from the trolley to the counter.

"Ugh, you sounds like Hiiragazawa." Yamazaki replied and leaned against the counter.

By now the sensations in the greenhouse were becoming nauseating to Sakura. She found herself leaning against the broom for balance, the floor was blurring in and out of clear vision.

"Sorry," Syaoran said with. "Feels like the only normal thing to talk about around here-"

A thud behind them drew both of their attention.

"nnghh..." Sakura moaned after her balance failed her and she slid ungracefully to her knees.

She struggled to regain her balance. Syaoran took a hesitant step forward before stopping himself. His chest tightened painfully and doubt seized his muscles.

Help her for crying out loud. He told himself, but his body stood still and watched her find the shelves with her hands and climb up.

Yamazaki leaned back with an amused expression. "That's why you take the meds after mealtime." He called out to her, followed by a snicker.

Syaoran turned away from her and bit the inside of his mouth with guilt.

Don't get involved. He repeated to himself.

Sakura took in deep breaths. Sweat started to form on her brow and palms. Her fall didn't arouse too many spectators or observers as the other inmates carried on their activities peacefully. If an embarrassed blush flushed her cheeks she was sure if merely blended in his her already fervently high temperature.

"Well, best be off!" Yamazaki said and slapped in his hands together. "The group still meeting here later?"

Syaoran shrugged and tapped the side of his temple. "He's not awake yet. But let's meet anyway."

Yamazaki began to make his way out.

"Yamazaki-" Syaoran whispered.

Yamazaki stopped mid-step and looked back. "Yeah."

"Will you..." Syaoran's gaze flickered from his to Sakura who was struggling to maintain balance and sweep again. "Can you help her? I think her senses are overwhelming her."

Yamazaki raised and brown and scratched the side of his Stahlinium plate.

"You mean the Dae'er?" He said and threw his finger at her.

"...yeah. Otherwise she'll just cause hassle." He mumbled.

Yamazaki blew hot air from his cheeks and shrugged. "Fine."

"Oi," He called out to her.

Sakura thought she'd tip backwards by the time she looked up at Yamazaki's pale-lime coloured eyes leering down at her with an unimpressed slanted mouth.

"You're Dae'er, right?"

Sakura managed a nod.

He raised his hand and pointed to his sinuses. "You need to close off a portion of your olfactory senses. If they're exposed you're gonna get overwhelmed with all the scents, especially around here. Didn't you get taught that before being locked up here?"

Sakura straightened up. "Oh, how do I do that?" She asked and rubbed the side of her nose.

Yamazaki rolled his eyes. "Just, you know – concentrate."

When Sakura didn't respond he grunted. "Close your eyes and focus you breathing. When you breath in, regulate what you allow in."

Sakura tried to follow his instruction. She breathed in through her nose with more purpose and found a twitching deep in her nostrils began to filter the scents, making the air less nauseating to her. This was her first taste of Divinity.

"T-thanks." She said and felt her balance return.

Yamazaki gave a loose shrug. "Don't thank me." He replied and nudged his head back to Syaoran, who had kept his back to them, working quietly.

Her eyes scanned past Yamazaki to Syaoran and she smiled meekly.

"Um..so Mielu's, they've other Divine abilities right? Like hearing? Can you show me that-"

She was cut off when Yamazaki's eyes widened – alerted.

His ear twitched. He could hear her.

A very, very faint sniffle. He filtered out the other noise until small cries and quickened footsteps became audible.

Sakura went to call his attention again but he suddenly took off.

In the silence, she swept the spilled soil on the floor and concentrated hard on blocking out the strong scents around her. She realized then that she had never explored these 'abilities' of hers. A very vague welcome leaflet offered to her by Dr. Tsukishiro explained her the abilities that came with being Dae'er.

Mielu sensory, Empree's influence, Malar's metal, along with improved stamina, resistance... with those powers she thought she should have felt invincible. She looked at the cuff on her left wrist. The consistent burning underneath was something she had become used to.

That small cuff was muting her ability to express any of these abilities.

At the same time, as Kero kindly told her – Dae'er were the bottom of the barrel. Any abilities she and her rank possessed would be lesser than any Divine of a single rank.

She peaked behind her at Syaoran.

I wonder what he is? She thought. She swept nearer him and glanced at his wrists. His jumpsuits was cuffed tightly around his wrists, rendering her unable to decipher if they were the same rank. In fact, he was barely showing any skin with his collar buttoned high.

But out of all the inmates, he was the only one with an armband coloured black.

No...she thought. We are not the same rank. What he was back then...

She just couldn't help herself.

"So..."

Syaoran flinched again, slightly irritated at her ability to suddenly appear behind her.

She cocked her head to the side and leaned against the broom. "You kinda...wanted to kill me last time."

Syaoran's heart rate began to quicken. Despite the gravity in her words, there was a softness in her eyes and a curiosity that was unnerving to him.

He stuttered and then gulped, feeling his mouth go dry with shame. He stupidly thought she might have forgotten about that.

What do I even say? He thought in a panicked state, and then was baffled that he even cared. Divinity were both fearful but also in admiration of him. Not him, of Li.

But this was different. It was the first instance of rage Li had against another Divinity that wasn't part of Yuna.

"I'm sorry you were hurt." He said quickly.

She shook her head. "Just a bump on the back of my head. But you..." She furrowed her brows together in a concern he didn't understand. "You looked like you were...in pain."

Syaoran took a step back very sharply.

When Sakura followed him he shot his arm forward to stop her. Syaoran winced.

His vision blurred as a weight pulled at the back of his head, followed by a very faint groan. Li was waking up.

"Just..." He sighed. "Keep a distance, please." He walked away leaving Sakura perplexed.

She breathed in. She had never met someone so politely rude. Though he had put some distance between them, she could smell him.

He smelled like earth,

and Da-Yinghua.

X x x

The Book of Kalium

- A reading from the Histories of Clow according to a servant of Libra

The vessel knows its a vessel.

It knows it is the anchor for transferring the mortals faith into food for the Gods.

It addresses the Gathering of Gods directly now, looking only to it's creator, Clow, for guidance. The Light tells us of the mortals woes, fears and frustrations.

The Gods care not for this.

They only want to feed.

I feel something shudder lightly on my loyal bones, when I see it follow Clow unwaveringly, not like a humble servant...but like a prowling and beautiful Guardian.

Perhaps it is the way in which The Light looks at them – Thee Gods with that hint of distrust, disdain...superiority? Or perhaps it is the long absence as it descends out to the mortal plain...answering prayers, bestowing Divinity or...something else...

How can we know?

With all those prayers and powers feeding into the deity...what shall happened if the The Light no longer wishes to be a mere vessel?

My Lord Clow dismisses my fears. He looks to it as a child. He is fearful of the strain of countless souls prayers will have on his beloved creation. Like a father worries for his child.

It is with this thought alone,

he returns down to the depths of creation from which he created The Light.

He draws a new thread, as black as a mortal night,

and begins to weave

x x x

"Blue folders go here, alphabetically. Only four trays can be placed on the trolley at once when transporting medicine from the office to storage for inventory, please. If an inmate is assisting, please make sure they sign in on your supervisory form-"

A muffled sneer from behind her momentarily distracted her. She gulped but did not dare look up from her clipboard to the line of women behind her.

"A-and do not leave inmates working in storage unattended, please."

When she turned around she saw the trainee nurses were barely paying attention, with two of them chewing on gum and staring at the ceiling rather than their induction notes and the others were exchanging looks to each other which confirmed to Chiharu that they were sneering behind her back.

"Can you repeat that last part, please." Said the pretty red-head – the one who seemed to be the ringleader – mocking Chiharu's over politeness.

Chiharu recalled her name was Hisa. She remembered seeing her at their first induction day. Chiharu was awed by the way she was witty and commanded the attention of the room. Of course, she was pretty, far prettier than Chiharu thought she could ever be. In her mind she imagined they'd become best friends. Hisa would look up to Chiharu, respect her, and then...people would like Chiharu more...

Chiharu clutched her clipboard to keep her nerves from being visible. She was so excited to be in charge of trainees. Finally, a position of power bestowed to her by Head Nurse Matsomoto. The truth was, in the three years Chiaharu was here, the nurses had come and go in a blur and Chiharu was one of the most loyal who stayed, earning her a promotion by default.

Had Chiharu not burned every bridge possible when she left her home town, she would have packed her bags a long time ago.

Unfortunately it wasn't going well.

"Nurse Chikaku?" Nurse Hisa asked.

"Chiharu." Chiharu corrected too softly for the junior nurse to hear.

"Um," They sneered exchanged smirks to each other. "How eh, close can we get to the inmates?" She kept her smirk despite some giggles around her.

Chiharu blinked in surprise. "Eh, well...there are security around high-risk so, you should worry but keep a sensible three feet-"

"I heard," She interrupted. "Some nurses can get, extra close..."

The statement lingered in the air and when the penny dropped Chiharu felt her face turn beet red.

"I-I don't think it's wise to do that-" Chiharu turned sharply to escape her embarrassment but bumped against the trolley, spilling bottles of medicine and scattering pills around her.

The girls laughed loudly – an eerily familiar feeling to Chiharu. Suddenly she was back in her hometown – respected by none, mocked by many.

"I didn't mean to fluster you, Nurse Chiharo." Hisa said with feigned embarrassment and lapping up the giggles she caused around her.

"P-please gather your things are return to assigned posts." She said keeping her eyes averted speedily exiting the room before tears flooded her eyes.

She kept her head low and masked sniffles under her palm.

Chiharu made no eye contact as she trudged down the steps and into the warehouse where the North Facility's supplies were stored. The workers there were mainly inmates. No Malar were allowed. Their main jobs were to take stock of the massive inventory, unpack deliveries and transport stock from each of the facilities sectors.

She pounded her feet, her steps getting blotted out by the hustle of the warehouse. She took a sharp right turn into a back room that stored tinned foods.

She managed to make it to a dirty corner of the empty room where it was an acceptably place to cry. She pulled out an old handkerchief and wiped her eyes. She clenched her fists. The frustration inside of her was gradually building and building.

Her weak fists wished nothing more than to lay themselves into the fresh faces of the trainees, and perhaps something more violent for the ever condescending Head Nurse Matsumoto.

I DESERVE respect. She thought angrily. I paid my dues. I was supposed to be MORE in this place-

Her furious ruminating stopped when she felt a presence behind her.

Spinning around she shuffled nervously under Yamazaki's sudden stare.

Her heart shot to her throat. When he stretched his long arms above his head and leaned them against the door frame he was a giant.

"Yamazaki." She said and smoothened her apron down. "I didn't know you were working today." She peered behind him and saw the nearest security guard was some distance away, barely trying to conceal a yawn. Not that she was afraid, but after the trainees comments earlier today, she had to be careful of who she was seen with.

Yamazaki was silent for an awkward length of time. His eyes, both green and seemingly neon in the darkened room pierced through.

Yamazaki sharpened his eyesight and observed the moisture around her nostril, the puffed and reddened patched under her eyes. Her heartbeat was light but quick – all classic signs after someone has been crying.

His intense stare broke into a grin. "Well, there's not much else to be doing in this place, is there?" He said cheerfully and dropped his arms to his side.

Chiharu bit the inside of her lip as he approached her slowly and peered down at her – careful to maintain the two and a half meter mandated distance between staff and inmates.

She nodded and looked down shyly.

"You should go back to your-"

"Who upset you?" He asked suddenly, maintaining his cheery grin but his tone carried an edge.

She gulped. "N-no one." She said unconvincingly. "It's not something you need to be troubled by."

"Of course it troubles me." He said and took a step closer. He bent down and she could see a reflection from the Shylde on his left temple. "I can't imagine anyone...wanting to upset someone like you. It makes me..."

His fists clenched, she noticed that.

"...It baffles me."

Chiharu felt dizzy. The guard had left his post and she saw him walking away to do the round, away from them.

"W-why?" Chiharu said looked down coyly. "I'm...useless, and stupid and..." She frowned and narrowed her eyes when the red headed nurse came into her mind. "and ugly."

Chiharu managed to stifle her shriek when the back of Yamazaki's finger grazed Chiharu's reddened cheek.

"Please don't say those things." Yamazaki said with unusually angered eyes and a gritted jaw. She looked back at him with a bewildered expression. Yamazaki had always felt like a giant, but with Chiharu's tiny frame he looked as tall as a tower. Even his hand against her cheek, he could have smothered her with that hand alone

She backed away instantly, hitting the shelves behind her.

"Yamazaki!" She hissed. "You cannot touch staff."

Yamazaki looked at his finger where he had touched her. A moment passed and he snapped his back straight with with a laugh. "Oops, I must have gotten carried away. I just don't like Ms Chiharu believe such nonsense. Such...lies."

Chiharu's scratched her arm nervously. "You don't think...that I'm ugly?"

"Ms Chiharu, you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." As usual, Yamazaki was unabashed by his own declarations. "In fact, if there weren't countless armed guards, a cocktail of heavy medicine in my system, a Guardian prowling about able to rip my throat out and," He pointed to the side of his Shylde on the side of his head. "this attractive headpiece," Another step he took closer. "Why, I don't think I could...restrain myself."

Through the muffled noises outside Chiharu could hear something heavy, wheezing even. She realised it was his breathing, jagged and edged. A chill shot up Chiharu's spine and, despite his ominous tone, it was followed by unexplainable butterflies in her stomach.

"You're just saying that because I dish you medicine. You wouldn't say that if it were one of the other, younger girls..."

Yamazaki heard her heart racing and tiny droplets forming on her forehead. He knew he was flattering her. "I wish, I could show you exactly how genuine I am."

Her chest swelled as she a deep breath, followed by a small and inappropriate jolt between her legs.

A clanging noise outside the room shook her back to reality of how close he was. She cleared her throat. "I best be going."

Yamazaki's hand rested suddenly on her shoulder. He angled himself down, almost trapping her exit. "I'd really like to know...who hurt you. Was it Matsumoto?"

His grip did not hurt, but had enough pressure for Chiharu to wish that the guards or someone, anyone would spot them. Whatever excitement she thought she felt moments ago was replaced by a growing fear.

Divinity were unpredictable, brutal and...dangerous. Her training had come back to her tenfold and she realized she really should not be here...cornered...with him.

She shook her head and her mouth went dry.

Then, as if on cue, Chiharu spotted her through the ajarred door. Her red hair almost glowing with its vividness.

Chiharu made the mistake of glancing, just for the briefest of seconds. But microscopic action would never go unnoticed to Yamazaki's eyes. His head followed the direction until he saw her too.

He'll want her now. Chiharu thought bitterly, and jealously and...inappropriately.

His eyes peeled back to hers and he dropped his hand. He stretched and let out a yawn while scanning the room. "Hmmm, I don't come in this room often. It's nice and...private." He smiled, reverting to his former cheerfulness. "We should meet here again, I like to listen to you, Chiharu."

Chiharu stuttered. "W-why would you want to do that?"

He shrugged and left the room, casually. "I wouldn't want to be doing anything else."

He strolled out, leaving Chiharu both worried and frazzled by him. He was to far away to ask why he wasted to know about Hisa.

Her hand touched her shoulder where he had touched her. Her breathing was excited, despite the moment of fear.

As she dropped her hand she grazed her breast and moaned very solftly, wondering what it would be like if his intense stare was on her naked body.

Yamazaki whistled as he strolled towards the exit's back door, deliberately. Hisa was walking towards him in the opposite direction. Her curvy hips attracted nearby attention of inmates and guards alike. As he approached her he said with a wide smile. "Good morning!"

Hisa's porcelain face cracked into an unimpressed frown as she marched by him, not even giving a second look.

"Freak." He heard her say under her breath.

He grinned and eased his Mielu senses.

She smelled like a dying peony, and sounded like a bitch. His Divinity allowed him to store those two things.

It made it far easier to track her.

X x x

Sakura looked over at him again.

She could hear the murmurs, whispers and occasional grunts of annoyance coming from him. She pretended to sweep the same spot she had been glued to for the past two hours and watched Syaoran.

She wanted so terribly to ask him who he was speaking to, but it seemed obvious given that no one was around.

It's the other one. She mused and shuddered.

Watching Syaoran's shoulders scrunch with annoyance and peeled down in his internal argument confirmed to her that she hadn't been imagining it – there was in fact, a second person there.

The one that wanted to kill her.

This time Syaoran could sense her behind him. He looked down at her.

"My shift is up I think. Do you need any help?"

Ngghh...uhhhh...

Syaoran's soil-stained hand gripped the counter as Li awoke.

"No. You don't have to ask me that." He replied in annoyance.

"Oh, ok." She smiled nervously. Syaoran gave her a strange look when she lingered.

"Something you need?" He asked, again, his tone was harsher than he would have liked. A strange blend of himself and Li seemed to come out around her.

She clasped her hands looked at him. In the greenhouse full of struggling and weeping plants, her eyes were so lush and fresh. He found himself looking into them too often for the second time today.

"Thank you," She said. "For eh..." She pointed to her nose. "For helping me with that earlier."

"That wasn't me." He said shyly.

"I know...but thanks." Her eyes scanned behind him and she smirked to see he had combined both the Da-Yinghua plants into the same pot.

When she turned to leave. "Wait."

His voice was so soft and unsure she thought she had imagined it. When she turned back to him he was holding a book open in his left hand. His face was turned away, too shy that he reached out for help.

"Can you read this?"

Sakura's wide eyes floated down to the open pages in front of her. Taking the book into her hand her eyes scanned over faded writing. Though parts of it were unreadable, and the letters ink were blurring into each other, it was obvious it was written in the ancient language of Mahr Bretain, the language of her home in The Arva.

"Some of it." She replied. "The rest is too blurry...why?"

Her own question was answered when she glanced past him and saw what seemed like an abandoned project of failed plants.

"Oh, I see." She grinned. "Looks like we have a project on our hands."

Syaoran stuttered. He had no intension of a we.

"Ah...W-where are we...?" Li groaned in his mind, waking up finally.

Panic shot through Syaoran as he looked for an escape route, fearful if Li's rage would set off again.

The greenhouse entrance opened, followed by footsteps.

Some of the inmates had turned and whispered as Meiling, Tomoyo, Yamazaki and Akiho entered. Sakura felt something ripple up her spine.

As she turned around she used her new-found olfactory senses and was overwhelmed by the smell of lavender. The smell was pinpointed to Tomoyo, who was approaching with a giddy Akiho in hand. Both Meiling and Yamazaki breezed by her. Yamazaki did not give her a glance despite their earlier interaction.

"You survived." Meiling said with the closest thing to a smile as she ever allowed herself.

Syaoran returned a weak smile before his eyes rested back on Sakura. He squeezed his arms across his chest and looked away uncomfortably.

Meiling tossed her head back to Sakura and narrowed her eyes. "Beat it."

Feeling uncomfortable, Sakura began to withdraw. As she put some distance behind her, she felt a familiar intensity as she approached Tomoyo.

Tomoyo too, felt the muscles at the back of her neck contract – a sign that a threat lay ahead. Yet ahead of her only lay Sakura. Akiho squeezed Tomoyo's hand.

"Be nice, Akiho." Tomoyo said.

Sakura – suddenly aware that she was the only one outside the so-called 'Delinquent 6' present in the greenhouse – sensed she was unwanted.

"Sakura." She heard. "Did you enjoy your first day of service?"

Sakura pushed down the uncomfortable feeling that had arose around her before and pushed a smile to her lips and mumbled something vague.

Akiho's eyes poked from behind Tomoyo to regard Sakura with caution.

"Akiho, say hello." Tomoyo prompted, which only received a small grunt from the girl.

Suddenly remembering something, Sakura dug into her pocket and produced a lolly that Dr. Tsukishiro had given her earlier. Akiho's eyes widened and she tightened her grip on Tomoyo's hand with excitement as Sakura gave it to her.

Akiho snatched it as if Sakura would suddenly rescind the offer. Despite the warning tingling inside Tomoyo, she smiled. "That's a really lovely gesture, isn't it, Akiho?"

Akiho bounced giddily and spurted a quick 'thank you' before dashing ahead.

"She'll appreciate that." Tomoyo said kindly.

Sakura hesitated. "What's your armband represent?"

Sakura saw Tomoyo blink and gulp slightly as her pale arm went to cover the armband.

After an awkward silence, Sakura followed up with "I just haven't seen that colour on many inmates."

Tomoyo responded with a hesitant smile. "I'm an Empree. But..." She touched the white silver against her collarbone. "It's not something you should worry about."

Sakura returned a look of confusion, not understanding why she should be particularly worried about a Divinity type she hadn't heard of.

Deciding the encounter was growing awkward, Sakura excused herself. As Sakura left, Syaoran subtly flickered his eyes towards her as she exited.

"Hello?"

Syaoran brought himself back to the conversation.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Meiling rolled her bright, red eyes and repeated herself. "I said, is there anything you or Li wanted to speak to us in particular about?"

"I sense a shift across the continent..." Li rasped, still not having regained his full self. "Senza's eclipsed has dissipated the natural flow of Divinity...I worry for state of the vessels-"

"No, he was just worried about you." Syaoran said.

"Do not para-phrase me." He grumbled.

"Well the, get to the point quicker." Syaoran mumbled.

"Syaoran! Li!" Akiho pounced and threw her arms around Syaoran's waist and hugged him as tightly as her thin arms could. "I prayed to 'The Shadow' and had a dream I was in a world full of circles!"

"That's great." He said and patted her head lightly.

"You shouldn't encourage the child's delusions." Li said.

Syaoran ignored him. A winced didn't go unnoticed on his face. Tomoyo's hand instinctively flew to her shoulder.

"Oh Syaoran...another one?"

Syaoran was about to deny it. He didn't want the pity they always showed. But when it came to sensing pain, nothing escaped Tomoyo, no matter how high-tech her Shylde was.

"It's nothing." He replied with a feigned smile. "I think Hiirigazawa is just a little Shylde-happy lately."

"Prick." Meiling spat which earned a sidewards look of disapproval from Tomoyo. "Lemme have a look."

"No Meiling, it's fine-"

"Shut up and just lemme look while there's no guards about."

Syaoran sighed and zipped down his jumpsuit to mid-chest level and peeled away carefully the top layer to reveal a bloodied bandage wrapped around his shoulder.

"Oh fuck..." Yamazaki said and hissed to imagine the pain.

"These sick freaks are just getting more and more creative." Meiling said with restrained anger.

Meiling hovered a hand above the newly fitted Shylde that was biting deep into Syaoran's left shoulder. Though his skin had tried to regenerate around the edges, it throbbed with heat and rawness.

"I don't understand." Tomoyo said softly. "Shouldn't you have healed a little more than that?"

Upon hearing Tomoyo's concern, Li stirred in Syaoran's mind.

"He hasn't come back to his full self." Syaoran explained. "He'll heal it once he does."

Tomoyo nodded but the worry remained in her eyes.

Syaoran bit back another sigh. Though he was registered as Dae'er – or some stronger variant of it – his healing and any other Divine power was linked to Li. When Li was unconscious, Syaoran was completely and utterly, Undivine – and vulnerable.

Human, even.

Thus, the frustrating dependence on Li, and Syaoran to carry his consciousness, left them in an unwilling co-dependence.

Meiling closed her eyes. The Erinium black plates in her palms were vibrating with resistance against her powers.

"Erinium." She mumbled. "With part Stahlinium. I can retract the area to loosed the pain, but they've fused the Shylde to the bone, which will be tricky."

"Whatever you can do." Syaoran said.

Meiling hovered her other hand over the area. The Shylde's in her palms were fighting her and causing a nauseating feeling in her stomach but she pushed through. Despite the circumstance, this was what she loved.

She loved the feeling of metal as it bent to her will, flowing and changing shape more like water than metal. As she worked to ease the grip the Shylde had on him, Yamazaki asked something that was playing on his mind.

"So, Syaoran and/or Li." He leaned back onto the counter and folder his arms across his chest. "Why did you lose your shit and try strangle that girl to death? Just, you know, curious." He said casually and pointed to where Sakura had left.

"Don't be insensitive Yamazaki." Tomoyo scolded.

"Well," He said shrugging. "Li is the one telling us to keep a low profile until who knows when and for reasons he doesn't seem to want to share with us, and meanwhile he's picking on the puniest of Divine. Just thought it was, you know, odd."

They had all remained silent. Of course, the thought had crossed their minds too.

Syaoran squirmed under their stares. He loathed this. They were looking at him...but were looked to him.

"Li... isn't fully back yet." He said meekly.

A disappointed look fell over their faces.

"Convenient." Meiling retorted which was followed by a sharp 'click'.

Syaoran grunted when Meiling finished realigning his Shylde to a more comfortable.

None of them were happy with Syaoran's reply. His heart sank. They all looked in different directions, not meeting his eye.

It never use to be like this. There was a time where they knew each other so well. There were no secrets and no ambiguity. But now, he could see it. They were becoming so distant...the only true family he felt apart of.

He glanced at Meiling, his longest, oldest friend, who glared angrily at a broken pot.

He wanted to blame the Facility, or Kaho or the medication...

But really...he blamed Li.

"Well then..." Tomoyo said when the pause lasted too long. "Shall we get dinner?"

"Yes!" Akiho said punching the air and skipping ahead.

As they all turned to leave, Syaoran's body lunged forward.

An iron grip clamped around Tomoyo's wrist. She whirled around shocked. The back of her neck and spine burned hot red but she didn't need her internal warning signals to know danger when Li was staring down at her, shooting out from the depths of Syaoran's mind.

Syaoran did not even feel himself being thrust aside as his body involuntarily reached out for Tomoyo.

A tense stand-off happened as the others looked on with uncertainty.

Meiling rolled her eyes. This scene, though intense, was not unusual between Tomoyo and Li. She was so fed up with it. She was fed up with a lot really.

Akiho shuffled uncomfortably and tugged at Tomoyo's sleeve. "I'm hungry, let's gooo." She whined with the lollipop sticking our from her mouth.

When Tomoyo didn't look back to sooth Akiho's distress, Akiho's face dropped with worry.

Meiling and Yamazaki exchanged a look before Yamazaki signed, knowing what was coming next.

"Hey, Akiho." He said and bent down on one knee. "Let's play giants."

Akiho's eyes flashed from worry to delight. "Really?"

Yamazaki plastered a smile and nodded. "Yeah, come one." He said with feigned excitement.

Akiho released Tomoyo and ran over to him. Yamazaki leaned down low enough for Akiho to swing a leg over his shoulders. She squealed in delight as he stood up, raising her to nine feet high.

As they left, Meiling looked back at Tomoyo and Li. She sighed. She just didn't get it.

She just didn't understand anything any more.

X x x

When the others had left, Tomoyo finally spoke.

"Something you need?" Tomoyo asked, her tone harshening quickly.

Syaoran's body hunched over. His hand did not budge from her wrist. Her eyes had turned down at him with disdain.

When he rose, taller than before she fought against her internal urge to back away.

"I think we need to talk." Li replied with a rough edge in his voice.

"I said all I needed to say to you last time. Now let go of my wrist."

Li dropped his hand and felt a small coldness where he touched her.

"I was...concerned." He said, choosing his words carefully. "The night of Senza's eclipse, Meiling said-"

"You don't need to concern yourself with what Meiling says." She interrupted him, using a very different tone she normally held. As she said so, Li felt a pulse of anger emit from her. A warning shot only interpreted by two that possessed Empree abilities.

"Like I told you last time, what happens to me is of no concern to you."

He breathed deeply and angrily in response.

"Tomoyo, you know something has changed. The Divinity are as unsettled now more than ever. And you..."

He hesitated, something Li rarely did. He did not want to say the word distant to imply he had a connection to them in a human way.

"You are unfocused." He said, defaulting to anger.

"Unfocused?" She repeated angrily.

"You swallow whatever 'medicine' the Undivine feed you, foolishly trusting that man."

"So that's what this is about?" She said and folded her arms angrily. "Dr. Hiirigazawa? You're not concerned about me at all."

"Tomoyo-"

"Don't!" She snapped back furiously when she felt his influence touch her mind. "Don't do that. Do not try to 'calm me'." Her anger flared and Li felt it like small hot embers on his skin.

Li held back. Despite her anger he felt some sort of relief that her Empree Divinity was still there, though only a shadow of what it was.

She shook her head. "You still talk as if you're above all of us. As if you have some sort of grand plan this whole time." She laughed. "You don't even know who you are, do you Li? You still don't know why you're here. You dragged us – me, Yamazaki, Akiho and Meiling – across the continent looking for something. Convincing us we were meant to do something. You turned us into criminals." She snapped.

She turned away from him, feeling dizzy. They've had this argument so many times it was not worth wasting her breath over.

"And now, we're here." She sighed.

Li kept his composure and fought against the urge to touch her, calm her down like he witnesses Undivine do with each other in times of stress. But anything he did of that human nature seemed alien to him, and in the end, he always created more distance than there was before.

He could have simply used his own Empree abilities to calm her enough to listen to him. It would have worked on anyone else, but not Tomoyo.

He could not navigate the would of humans. He left those skills to Syaoran.

He also left the aftermath of his actions to Syaoran.

"You chose to come with me." He replied and eyed her darkly. "You may resent your decision but it was one you chose to make. Do not forget where you were when I found you."

Her eyes burned a deep purple. "Found me?" She repeated.

Li stepped towards her. "I freed you from that place. You chose to follow me."

She remained silent. She couldn't retaliate. For he did indeed free her from that former life, and he did not force her to follow. She could have went anywhere, started a new life. The continent was big enough to be a no one somewhere.

But at the time, there was no question. It was like instinct. She was drawn to him – as were the others, and all Divine who crossed his path. She wished if she could return to that time she would have walked away and onto a different path. But she knew she would have done the same thing over and over, given the chance.

And this infuriated her.

"And now I'm choosing not to." She answered. "I'm choosing to get better."

"By allowing them to put leash on you?" He said referring to her Shylde.

Tomoyo's spine sharpened. "So now you're shaming us? For wanting to not hurt people?"

"No." He said. "The others fought their Shylde fitting. But you," He approached her and lifted his hand to her cheek. An awkward motion he had witnessed other do to show concern. "You practically rolled over and volunteered." Despite his soft gesture, his words were low and venomous.

"You are becoming a shadow of what you were. Everyday...you become more and more their slave. You allow him to delude you."

When Li brushed a hand against her cheek, her aura dispersed into an overwhelming stillness which washed over them both. This feeling was unlike anything Li, or anyone - Divine or Undivine – would have felt.

Tomoyo's influence as an Empree was unparalleled. Not even Li could match her.

"Oh Li..." She said with her eyes now shining a calm lavender and a graceful smile touching her lips. She placed a hand on Li's chest. There was a warmth where her palm lay. It was rare for him to experience such a light sensation while in control of Syaoran's body.

"The only one deluded...is you." With that statement her eyes flashed wickedly.

Li was hurdled back as an intense pulse shot through him veins. Pots cracked where he landed and for a moment his lungs struggled to remember how to breath. Anxiety, fear, anger all swirled within his mind threatening to break him.

Tomoyo stood before him, watching him fight to break out of her influence. "I am nobody's slave." She said with her eyes burning angrily down at him, reminding Li of their first encounter.

As soon as her influence hit him, she retraced it. As powerful as it was, her white Shylde began to burn and sting around her collarbone – a consequence of using her abilities.

She glanced at the hand that touched him and felt the familiar tingle of power. A feeling she was trying to repress, a part of her life she despised.

Her hand formed a fist and with a pained voice she said, "This is what you do to me."

She left him there, catching his breath.

Li groaned and felt himself retreat.

Syaoran emerged from the fogginess and awoke with a headache threatening to form.

"Ugh..." Syaoran sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Li...what?" He then noticed the broken vases scattered around him. He was too foggy to argue with Li about the boundaries. Li had promised – no sudden control without permission.

The last thing he remembered was Tomoyo turning to leave – and Li shot forward to take over. The rest was blacked out. Judging by the state of him now, he didn't need to guess long.

"Why can't you just leave her alone?" Syaoran sighed and struggled to his feet.

"It does not concern you."

"Really? Cause I'm the one taking on the bruises."

"Silence!" He barked and disappeared into the back of Syaoran's mind.

Syaoran sighed. As he went to leave the empty greenhouse his eye caught sight of a tiled pot. Though some soil had spilled out it was not broken.

He cradled the Da-Yinghua plant and tucked it securely under a press.

As Syaoran staggered out, wincing at his pain as he did so, Kero purred and whipped his tail back and forth with intrigue.

"Interesting." He purred.

X x x

Hisa stretched her neck.

Her shoulders were stiff from moving inventory and she was already feeling a strain on her back from hunching over a desk filling in forms all day.

After only a few days she had concluded that working at the Tomoeda Facility was not as glamorous as the recruiting pamphlets had depicted it.

In fact, it was an utter shithole.

She had come to this realizations this after her supposed superior – nurse Chiharu - blubbered and stuttered through their orientation.

It had turned dark quite quickly outside.

The two moons – Senza and Dorcha – both shone down from a distance.

She was exiting the Eastern building towards her quarters. Most of the inmates beginning to head back to their cells. She was suddenly aware her footsteps were the only sounds.

Hisa felt a shudder rise up her spine. She whirled around, certain she heard light footsteps behind her.

Nothing.

She shook her head and continued on and quickened her steps.

This place was getting to her.

Turning sharply left she pushed through the double doors and made her way towards the staircase.

Her heartbeat quickened when the feeling of being watched crept up on her again suddenly. She held her breath for a moment, trying to decipher if her mind was playing tricks on her, but the only noise she could now here was her thumping heart.

Then she felt it. The presence of another had crept up behind her so subtly and silently.

She whirled around – or at least, she tried. Before she could catch the face of her stalker, a hand thrust against her back and she was falling forward.

When her body met the concrete steps, pain shattered throughout her. Her now limp body tumbled until it slapped the concrete floor.

The air was still, the echo rang out.

It happened very fast.

Yamazaki looked down at her, his hands dug into his pockets and an unimpressed look on his face.

Though very little light illuminated the quiet staircase, his eyes caught the small pool of blood beginning to reach out and form a halo around her red hair.

His ear twitched, her heartbeat was there – but faint.

A yawn came upon him. His stomach growled.

He stretched his long limps and turned his heels.

"The things I do for love." He mumbled.

X x x