Chapter 8

*****************************

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!"

I landed face first in a puddle and was immediately soaked through. This would happen. I stood up and tried to wring out the water from my shirt. It didn't work. I was wearing what I would have considered very cool clothes, if they weren't soaked through. A dark green jacket that was almost form fitting and reached to my knees was open against a high necked, almost oriental-looking, blood red, sleeveless top. I wore a comfortable, knee length black skirt and black, lace up boots to my knees. However, none of that really mattered, since I was soaked through. I looked around. I was behind some houses in an alleyway, so no one saw my fall. I didn't have a clue as to where the hell I was. I realized that I was caring a purse however, and eagerly opened it. I found the vial and the key/whistle tied together with a note. Don't loose them this time –Kevy. I smiled. At least I knew where they are this time around. I found a wallet with another note. Here's a wallet with unlimited money. But don't go crazy with it. Save this world first. You can go on a shopping spree when this is all over. –Kevy

I decided to follow his advice and called a taxi.

"Where to Miss?"

"The graveyard." She does live there…. But they planned to move on. I hope I haven't missed them…I don't want to leave without them, that's for sure.

"Graveyard? No problem." He turned on his counter and turned down a road.

*********

I looked at the gravestone in front of me. Yukari and Ayame were buried here, so I knew this was the right graveyard.  I've been here for over an hour. Where is she? Why can't I find her? She must be here, the PTB would've gotten that right at least. Why hasn't she appeared? I knew why. She had no reason to anymore, but I wouldn't give up. Not now, not with so much at stake.

My head was pounding. My arm had begun to throb. I needed to save the universe and I couldn't find even one little vampire. I was soaked through, and it had begun to rain lightly. I wasn't going to be able to save this universe and everyone would die and it would be MY FAULT!!!

 I will have to say, in my defense, that this had been a very bad day, and that it had then gotten worse. Now something needed to be shot. I was not the happiest person around. I sat on the low wall beside the girls' graves and cried.

********

The little shinma's ear lifted and its yellowed, bloodshot eye grew larger and seemed to focus on something. It spoke to the girl whose lap it was occupying. "Miyu, that strange girl has stopped moving. She is crying on a wall." Miyu rubbed it's head.

"I know Shiina, I know. I can see her as well. I wonder what she is doing in my graveyard all alone for so long." It was more a statement than a question. "Perhaps I should find out."

"Be careful Miyu. There is something strange about her." Miyu's dark cloaked guardian stood behind her.

"I will, Larva. Don't worry." Miyu stood.

"Do you hunger, Miyu? You must be careful." Larva's voice was monotone.

"I will, Larva." She jumped down from her rooftop and headed for the strange girl.

*******

I wiped tears from my eyes and sniffled audibly. Pull yourself together! You still have others to save! What can you do to attract her attention? Climb on one of her roofs? Smash some gravestones? I shook my head. Are you kidding? You could never reach a roof, and smashing anything is just wrong, not to mention that it'll probably just get the police involved…Damn it! I felt another wave of despair hit me. I'm never going to finish this…Everyone will die and it's MY FAULT!!!

"Excuse me, why are you crying?" The voice was female, but my eyes were too blurry to see who the speaker was. I let my head fall back down to my hands.

"I'm sorry….You probably wouldn't believe me."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Her voice is so calm and certain, what do I have to loose?

"It's a pretty wild story….I'm here to collect two people. I have to convince them to come with me so that I can save this world. My only problems are that neither will believe me if I were to tell them, and I can't find them in the first place! I also have a huge headache, a wound that's decided to act up, and the thought that billions of people will die if I don't succeed. I'm soaked through and getting wetter. All I want is to curl up and sleep for the rest of my life, but I can't, because I promised I'd do this……."

 The girl was silent. Great…She's probably trying to figure out how to call the mental hospital without setting me off.

"How would you like to try eternal happiness?"

I sniffed. "Yeah, right. Sounds like fun. The only problem is I won't be happy until I've saved everyone….wait a minute…" Eternal happiness? That's something Miyu would say! I grabbed the last dry square of my jacket and used to rub my eyes dry. I looked up. A young girl in a white kimono stood in front of me. Her eyes were golden, and glowing, and I immediately just wanted to go to sleep and never have to worry again…I shook myself. That's her power. You have work to do. REMEMBER? I stood up.

"You're Miyu."

Miyu immediately stepped back and struck a battle position. Damn it! When am I going to learn not to do that! It always sets them off! I raised my hands and shook my head.

"No, no. I'm not here to fight you, in fact you're the person that I had to find. And thank God that I did!"

We both looked at the two girls who had come up to visit the graves. They were standing in front of them, and one was crying.

"Is there somewhere we could go, where we won't be heard? I need to speak with Larva as well." She studied me for a moment, than nodded. Raising her hand, she seemed to shift space, until we were both inside her own domain.

"Here?" I was surprised. I didn't think she'd want just anybody walking around here.

"No, Here." Her arm lowered and the dimension disappeared. We were back in the real world. Well, her real world. We were on the rooftop that she occupied, inside the graveyard. Larva was behind her. Shiina jumped in front of me, her eye glaring up into my face.

"You are quite strange. Why didn't you kill her? Why did you bring her here?" Shiina seemed miffed.

"I do not judge humans. You know that. She has an interesting story to tell. I wish to hear it. You will need to hear it too, both of you." Larva nodded.

"Very well. Tell us your story." I nodded, and sat on the roof. Might as well be comfortable. Well, at least a little. It was still raining.

*****

"An interesting story." Miyu smiled. "What do you think?"

"It is a story, nothing more." Larva stared out at the sky and the beautiful full moon directly overhead.

"No. She tells the truth." Shiina hopped into Miyu's arms. "So the choice is up to you, Guardian."

Miyu looked up. "What?"

Shiin jumped back into her lap. "You must decide. Will you join her and save this world? Or will you let it be destroyed? The decision rests with you."

"I….I…." Miyu seemed stunned, but it finally sunk in. She made a decision.

"I-"

"You will die. As will this world." We looked up in shock. A pale girl floated above us in a light purple kimono. "I told you that I would be back, with an even greater rage. I always keep my word." 

"Reiha." Miyu's voice was cold. "Larva." Larva jumped up and his scythe thingie appeared in his hands. He flew at Reiha.

"No, no. We can't have you interfering, can we?" She blew at Larva and a huge gust of wind surrounded him, instantly freezing Larva in a block of ice. "Now you won't escape." She giggled. "I heard what your new friend said. If I kill you both, then this world will be destroyed. I can't let a chance like this go by." She shot a blast of ice at Miyu and me, and we both jumped off the roof to avoid it.

"Die." She continued to blast both Miyu and me, sending wave after wave of snow and ice shards, which we both found were very sharp.

"Shit." I looked at the red line forming on my arm. One of those shards had grazed me. Miyu looked like she was having problems as well. I watched her jump from one roof to the next, just barely ahead of the blasts Reiha was sending her. I decided to act while she was distracted. I concentrated and the Crystal Destiny appeared in my hand. At least I know it works…I leapt up at Reiha and aimed for her head. She noticed me at the last minute and I was hit with a gale of ice and snow that slammed me into and through one of the building's walls, knocking the wind out of me.

"Just wait, I'll kill you in a moment." Reiha turned her attention back to Miyu, who was throwing fire at her for all she was worth. Did I mention that it wasn't having any effect? Well it wasn't. Reiha just stopped them with ice blasts of her own, and it was obvious who was stronger. We were loosing, and we needed help. I struggled up and looked for my purse. If I could find it, I could call Kevy with that dammed whistle. I saw it just in time to watch it be buried under half the building I had just left. Reiha laughed and I saw Miyu fall on top of the debris, then struggle up. So much for that idea. On to plan 'B'. I climbed up the debris, which made a handy ladder, and tried to avoid the blasts from the battle overhead. I climbed onto the roof of a building close by and jumped onto the floating block of Larva. I immediately began hacking at the ice with 'Crystal Destiny'. Gawd…what a corny name…From now on you'll just be 'my sword' I continued hacking, but wasn't getting anywhere, and I needed to hurry, I'd be spotted soon. I just wish this damn thing had more weight to it, like European swords. Suddenly the sword shifted and became a much larger, much heavier European style sword. What? Oh yeah…He said it'd change…Bonus for me...And Larva.

I started hacking once again and this time chunks of ice started flying every which way. Soon the ice began to crack.

"What? Why you—" Well, she noticed me…Damn. I started chopping at the ice as fast as I could. A blast of ice and snow hit me just as Larva's tomb shattered. I plummeted towards the ground.

ShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShitShit—

A black shadow covered me and suddenly I was standing on the ground. Larva stood beside me.

"Thank you for freeing me." His scythe thingie appeared in his hands once more.

"Thanks for saving me from that fall." A scream overhead grabbed attention. One of Reiha's blasts had managed to catch up with Miyu. She fell from the sky onto a gravestone with an audible crack and I could see her kimono was in tatters. Larva shot up towards Reiha and I rushed towards Miyu. She was sitting up by the time I got to her.

"I'm fine." She looked up. "Larva…."

I followed her gaze and watched as Larva fought Reiha. I noticed that his scythe thingie was actually doing some damage, compared to anything Miyu or I had tried. We watched as one of Reiha's blows connected with Larva and he plummeted to the ground. Larva immediately jumped up and just avoided an ice blast. He shot towards Reiha with his scythe when she sent a blast of ice shards around him. He spun in mid-air and blocked them, but when he turned he was face to face with Reiha.

"Die." Reiha blasted him with ice shards which we both saw went straight through him.

"Larva!!!" Miyu jumped up and rushed to where he had fallen. He raised his arm to her face when she reached him. He's not dead yet…We have to stop her! I won't let her kill them! I watched Larva's arm drop.

"Larva? Larva!! You can't leave! You promised to stay with me, remember? You promised!" I ran to Miyu, my temper rising. This has to end now.

"Come on Miyu, we can't do anything for him right now. We have to stop her first." I grabbed Larva's scythe- it had been the only thing to affect her. Miyu looked up and nodded, her eyes determined.

"How sad. Come now Miyu, you don't think you can possibly beat me when I've defeated your shadow, do you? I think I'll kill you both at once. You're not much of a challenge." Reiha floated down to the ground in front of us. Somehow, she seemed incomplete without that dammed doll speaking for her. She's not so innocent anymore. That doll was her darker side, and now it's taken control of her completely.

Miyu and I took positions beside one another. "Miyu." I whispered "Distract her." She nodded, and charged Reiha, blasting her with fire at every step.

"Come now, you know that won't work." Reiha focused on Miyu, exactly what I needed. I ran around to Reiha's other side, and rushed her from her back. She turned at the last possible minute.

"What?—"

"Too late." I brought the scythe down. "NOW MIYU!"

She nodded and brought forth her flame once more. "Stray Shinma, to the Dark!" Her flame engulfed Reiha.

"No! I'll kill you Miyu! I'll—" The flames swallowed her and she was reduced to ashes.

"It's done." I sighed, then followed Miyu back to Larva. I kneeled down. "He's still alive, but won't be for long if we don't help him. Come on." I ran to a pile of rubble that was once a small building. Underneath it was my purse. Inside was the ambrosia and that damned whistle. I began to dig through the wood and shingles.

"What?…"

"Under here is something that may help Larva… if we get it in time…if it wasn't destroyed…Cross your fingers…" I continued digging. After a moment's silence, a second pair of hands joined me. We made short work of the rubble. I held up my purse.

"Here goes nothing." I opened it and looked inside. Sitting in the bottom, looking none the worse for wear, was the whistle and the vial of ambrosia. I smiled. "Good. Let's hope we're in time." We rushed to Larva and poured the ambrosia down his throat.

The world held its breath.

His hand clenched up and he coughed. We sat him up. When he regained control he asked "Miyu?"

"I'm alright. Reiha's dead." He nodded. We sat on the ground, marveling at the fact we were all alive. Shiina flew down and sat on my lap.

"You fought well. What was that sword?"

 I sighed…"Well, it's a long story…"

***

"So Miyu…Will you and Larva join me?" We were admiring the false dawn in this world. Funny, my watch says it's only 7:00 pm…Time must be different for each dimension…

"I don't know. If this world ends, there will be no more Shinma. My duty as guardian will end."

"True. But I don't think you really wish for all humanity to die. You've had chances before to allow it. Yet you did not. We all have duties to perform."

Miyu looked at me, really looked. It was as though she understood me completely. That we understood each other. "I suppose you are right. Very well, we will join you. I will save this world once again. I can bring Shiina along, right?"

"I wouldn't dream of leaving her behind."

"Damned right." Shiina jumped on my head. "Well? Let's get going already!"

We helped Larva up and stepped through the portal.

"Thank you for helping me. For saving him."

I smiled. "Anytime."

***

(Writers note: You've probably noticed I used 'building' a lot for this. Its because I haven't the foggiest idea as to what the small-almost-house-type-things-that-resemble-a-dojo-in-an-odd-way but-can't-be-since-they're-in-a-graveyard are called. If you've seen the anime and know what they're called, please e-mail me. Just for reference, they're small houses with paper walls, wooden frames and bamboo shingles. Miyu spends a good amount of time sitting on one specific house.)

**************************