Note from author:

Honestly, I tried not to break the flow of Kary's original story.

Then again, now that I look, the difference is obvious. Oh well,

we're two different people. Kubota and Tokitoh are different people,

so there. It works...sort of...I guess. It's not much, but feel free

to comment and/or criticze.

Here it is. Enjoy!

Hazy Stars (Kubota)

(Sequel to Dependence/Withdrawal by Kary)

by: Ame

//A castle in the stillness only for you...//

It's a nice night tonight. Pretty, a bit cool, but pretty. The city's

half in darkness. Blackout. Very empty. And I like it. A star here. A

star there. (At least I think they're stars) No longer flooded out by

the city lights. Simple, but far- just like every living thing

in this world. Everyone and everything is just simply...distant.

That's why its so easy to kill people. No one mourns a supernova

light years away, no matter how bright. One less star to wish from,

but then again, pick another.

Now, if the sun suddenly explodes, that's a different problem

altogether. No thinking required, you're dead. Or better yet, you

never existed.

Nobody's around. Not surprising, especially in this neck of the woods

at this ungodly hour. My footsteps echo on the pavement, still a bit

wet from yesterday's rain. I can't see shit. I sometimes have to take

my glasses off when I read, or else they bug me. But what's even

worse is when you take them off, walk out of the bookstore at closing

hour, then realize ten minutes too late that the damn lenses are

still propped up on the New Fiction shelf.

I remember all right (not that it really makes a difference) - right

between 'A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius' (Heh, I almost

bought it because of the title)and the strangely misplaced 'Astrology

for Idiots.' I'm a Libra, by the way...

Oh come on, admit it. It's hard to resist looking yourself up

whenever the opportunity arises. What do you think those Chinese

restaurant place mats are for, anyway? Diversion. Time killing.

Fate's had it in for me from the very beginning. Blind justice.

Honestly, I should have been home well over an hour ago. But the

going's been slow. Tokitoh's gonna...I swear though, he thinks I'm an

angel or something so good like that- taking him in, giving him food,

my clothes, my bed, me...

I smile, almost idiotically. Maybe I'm not so much an angel when it

comes to things like that. He likes it too. But to be frank,

sometimes I feel like I'm time-sharing a halo.

No long term benefits, though the short term ones are pretty

gratifying.

At least somebody's home when I get there. Somebody says my name.

Somebody complains. Somebody pouts. Somebody kisses me where I like

to be kissed. Somebody with no other reason for anything but me. God,

you'd think I was sunlight or something.

So, here I am, ambling along through this myopic blackness. Tripping

here, almost slipping there. How long have I been wandering? Now that

I think about it, it really is pretty damn cold.

The wind rips like a ghost through these empty streets, but the

night's still nice. Then there's the promise of getting home and

sleeping. An even nicer thought.

Two blocks up. Past the sign post. Turn left. Pass two alleys, right

at the convenience store, then forward. At this point, I could close

my eyes. The streets by now are all too familiar. But I look skywards

instead.

Was that a shooting star? What should I wish for, hm?

"Kubo-chan! Where the hell were you?!"

//I guess you could say I've a call...to the same place, the same

face...//

(Note: Same author quoted by the way.)