If you want to see the disclaimer, go back to the first chapter!

Chapter 8: Are You Ready?

"I wish I could have…" Mikomi began, but she stopped herself and wiped away her tears. She peered out of the shrine, only to see that there was only yellow tape across her door. "Hi everyone, I'm home."

Mikomi sighed and jumped up to her bedroom window, it was still open. She climbed inside and fell asleep on her bed.

Rekka crawled out of the well, and was surprised to find himself in Mikomi's time! He gasped and quickly fought to find her scent. Hers was basically new, he followed it and gasped when he saw her asleep on the bed. He sat in the tree and watched over her.

"Ack!" Mikomi yelped as she woke up. Another one of her nightmares… she began to cry. "I'll find whoever killed you, mother… father… Unca Sota… I promise."

Rekka stared at her and felt his heart ache when he heard her make that promise. He thought she would go back to sleep, but she didn't. She grabbed a hat and put it over her delicate ears, she went where he couldn't see her! He began to panic and he quickly opened the window, and dived into the room. His senses going into overdrive, he followed her scent into another room…

"HIYAH!" Mikomi leapt from behind the doorway and stopped when she saw Rekka staring at her. "Rekka, what are you doing here?"

"I followed you," he blinked in surprise.

"Why?" Mikomi asked.

"Because I wanted to know what the promise that you made was," Rekka snorted.

"But… how'd you get through the well?" Mikomi asked him.

"I don't really know or care," Rekka shrugged.

"The beads! I'm really forgetful to have forgotten that part of the story!" Mikomi sighed.

"You didn't answer my question," Rekka frowned.

"I know…" Mikomi replied. "I have to find the person who's killed my family, I owe it to them."

"That was your promise?" Rekka asked.

"Not all of it. Do you understand what I will do when I find the killer?" Mikomi asked.

"Yes," Rekka sighed.

"I know, that whoever killed them, is after me… and tonight is the new moon…" Mikomi sat on the floor and held her knees.

"So, what happens on the new moon?" Rekka asked.

"I turn human," Mikomi sighed, "I won't have any protection, except for what my father taught me…"

"I change as well," Rekka sighed. "It's a nuisance."

"Rekka, I really didn't want to leave…" Mikomi buried her head into her arms.

"Why?" Rekka asked.

"I don't know," Mikomi replied softly, her tears falling.

"I'll stay with you," Rekka smiled at Mikomi.

"Thank you, Rekka," Mikomi smiled and looked up at him, tears still falling. Rekka knelt next to her and dried her tears with his hands. He took her into his arms and held her close.

Mikomi woke up to someone's arms around her and she was very comfortable. She looked up and saw a boy with dark hair with green eyes. He looked down at her, and saw a dark haired girl; she had bright purple eyes. "Rekka?"

"Mikomi," Rekka replied.

She hugged him and sighed, "Thank you, Rekka."

She got up and went back to the room from earlier. Rekka began to follow but she wagged her finger at him and told him, "I'm going to take a shower, then I'll get some breakfast while you take one."

"A shower?" Rekka asked.

"A bath," Mikomi stated and sighed when he blinked in surprise.

As soon as she was out of the shower and dressed, Mikomi showed him which knob was hot and which was cold, and how to turn the shower on and off. She told him to undress once she left, and when he was done, he could use a towel to dry off on, and then get dressed and join her for breakfast. As soon as she left the room Rekka sighed with relief, he thought she wanted him to undress in front of her!

"Hey Rekka," Mikomi called through the door. "I'd hate to have to come in there and have to give you a bath myself!"

"Shit!" Rekka threw off his clothes and jumped into the shower. Mikomi took his clothes, washed and dried them, and put them back in the room. When he was done, he smelled the clothes; they didn't smell like his clothes. "MIKOMI! WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES?"

"I washed them, those are them on the counter!" Mikomi called back to him.

"They're mine?" Rekka blinked and quickly put them on. He then rushed downstairs where Mikomi was making something that made his mouth water.

"Glad to see you got out of the shower!" Mikomi laughed as she saw his wet hair. "I've just finished breakfast, and I can dry your hair, if you'd like."

"My hair?" Rekka blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, it's wet," Mikomi smiled. "Eat up! I fixed some of my father's favorites! Scrambled eggs, ramen, bacon, and fruit!"

"All of this?" Rekka blinked in surprise.

"It's not going to bite you," Mikomi muttered, she prayed and began to eat. Soon Rekka copied her and enjoyed the strange dishes.

"How can you get my hair dry?" Rekka asked.

"Easy!" Mikomi smiled, "Do you want me to mess with your hair?"

"Only if I can play with yours later," Rekka stated.

"Fine," Mikomi smiled, "Just... don't be afraid. If something loud goes off, that's the hair dryer."

"Oh, what's a hair… never mind," Rekka replied. Mikomi smiled at him and began to brush his long black hair. She let it flow over her hands as she picked up the hair dryer and turned it on. Rekka jumped and was about to try and kill it when he saw Mikomi smile at him. He blushed and sat back down. She dried his hair and he seemed to purr as the warm air touched his hair. When she turned it off, he frowned. She pointed to him in a mirror and began to brush his hair. He was shocked at how he looked! Strong, muscular, kind, patient, and nice.

"Well, what do you think?" Mikomi asked.

"It was nice. Now, can I play with your hair?"

"Fair is fair!" Mikomi shrugged and sat on the bed, and motioned him to sit behind her. Rekka blinked in surprise, on a bed, she was letting him touch what no woman in his time would let others touch.

"Mikomi… it's soft…" Rekka smiled as she let her silky strands fall over his hands.

"…" Mikomi blushed, no guy had ever asked to feel her hair, because she always wore a hat to school, but this felt so nice…

There was a noise at the front door! Mikomi was so startled that she backed up into Rekka's lap. Rekka blinked and listened. There were footsteps! He picked Mikomi up, grabbed her stuff, and went to her room, where they jumped outside, into the tree. They shimmied down it and she took hold of his hand once they were on the ground. She led him away from the house and into a place filled with trees.

"Mikomi, where are we?" Rekka asked.

"A park, its right behind my house, and this place has always been my secret place," Mikomi smiled at him.

"Why are we here then?" Rekka asked.

"If it's a secret, no one will look for us, here," Mikomi blushed.

Rekka smiled at her, "Why don't you show me your world?" Rekka laughed as she grinned happily.

"Okay," Mikomi replied happily. She led him far away from the secret hiding place, into a place that was crowded and filled with people. "This is my city, many people live here…"

"Hey sweety, want to take a ride with me?" a boy with green hair on a motorbike smirked.

"No thanks," Mikomi growled back and tried to walk away with Rekka, but the guy had grabbed her wrist! "Rekka!"

"Leave her alone!" Rekka growled and knocked the guy's arm off of Mikomi.

"What, she your sister?" the green haired guy laughed. "Or is she your girlfriend?"

"She's my friend," Rekka glared angrily at this punk, who was definitely older than Mikomi or himself.

"Rekka!" Mikomi yelled for help.

"Mikomi!" Rekka ran and punched the two men holding Mikomi. "I SAID LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"…Rekka…" Mikomi clung to him tightly as he picked her up and carried her away from the man on the motorbike.

"It's okay, Mikomi, it's okay now," Rekka reassured her.

"Are you okay?" Mikomi asked him.

"I'm fine," Rekka smiled at her.

Mikomi looked up at his solemn face, "Thank you, for saving me."

"You're welcome," Rekka replied. The man on the motorbike laughed at them and drove off. "You never said it was dangerous enough that you might be picked up by samurai."

"He wasn't a samurai, he's a biker," Mikomi replied still holding onto him tightly. "He rides that bike of his, and has a gang. They do terrible things to girls… and they're dangerous!"

"Almost sunset," Rekka smiled as Mikomi walked next to him. She held his hand and their arms brushed constantly, but he didn't mind.

"Yeah," Mikomi sighed as they reached the safety of the secret place.