DISCLAIMER: Same as b'fore~ Iifa belongs t' me, an' Nagasaki belongs t' Adan~

Sapphire Of Serenity - Thanks fer the review~ 'M glad ye like eet~ :3

The Fragile

Her pale hands, which had once been perfectly peach but now sickenly white from blood-loss, shakily put fake flowers in his now red hair while he lay his head in her lap. His face too, was pale, but for a completely different reason, a beautiful snow-white, his eyes now golden-yellow.

"I do hope you can remember what happened the last time you put flowers in my hair..."

He said, very tiredly, his black gun slipping lazily from his fingers.

"Yes... I remember... But He wouldn't be very happy if it happened again, would he~?"

"No, I don't think so."

Tears welled up in her eyes, though she silently refused to let them fall. What had happened to them~?

She couldn't tell whether she was brainwashed or not, as odd as that sounded in her mind. At the same time, it made perfect sense.

She often wondered about him. Not Him, but the one who lay his head in her lap, the one just dozing off with the blue, yellow, white, and pink flowers in his hair. He seemed to live with whatever it was that they where doing, despite the fact that he was sometimes beaten by Him and the others, but not as much as she was, and she was glad. He wouldn't suffer the pain that she had to go through. Though, sometimes, she could hear him weeping at night. Whether he was crying for himself and her or the one that got killed or both, she did not know.

Another thing that concerned her was that he seemed to be getting brainwashed. He followed orders obediently, killed without remorse, and other out-of-character things. He was starting to act just like the others, psychotic drones who followed others like sick dogs, who never believed in themselves or what they wanted to believe in... They only did what He wanted them to do. And then it was the end.

She was beginning to think that she was the only one who contemplated this, who only pretended to act like the others, but, sometimes, she felt like she wasn't pretending. Sometimes she felt enjoyment from killing and obeying, no matter how hard she tried to pull herself away from it.

Was she, too, finally succumbing to the terrible mind control, worse then the kind you read about in newspapers or see on talk shows, the beatings, and the threats of rape, and all the other horrific acts~? She no longer felt like herself, nor did she feel like she would get out of this terrible place and be the happy woman she once was. Thinking about the wonderful life she had only made things worse, but it was too late now. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, and she started sobbing.

He sat up, stared at her for a moment, and then understood, despite how confused a person he was becoming, and got up, flowers still in his hair, and held her tightly.

She wept for a long time. Neither of them could tell whether it was daytime or not.

--

"Hm~? Who are you~?"

"My name is Nagasaki Iaejoken."

"Well, nice to meet you. My name is Milly Thompson."

Nagasaki smiled politely at the tall, brown-haired woman, sitting between Iifa and the other insurance girl Meryl Stryfe, across from Kagome, Inu-Yasha, and the preist Wolfwood, and was first to notice the very tall, blonde-haired man come into the dining room, dressed in red and an apron that had the classic yellow smiley-face on the chest, carrying a large tray with seven white bowls placed neatly on it. He carried it with both hands, hands covered with light blue oven mittens.

"'Ere ya go~!" - And he set the tray on the middle of the table - "That'll keep ya busy 'till I fix up the chicken teriyaki-stuff."

The man left the room, and, less then a minute later, he started singing deep from within his throat, almost like he was trying to opera sing, but he was really just trying to be silly. And he succeeded in making Milly giggle, who had sat down and taken her bowl of soup.

Meryl took hers, stared at it, and dipped her round spoon in it.

"Um, Vash... What is this~?"

"That's egg-drop soup. It's really good."

The black-haired woman looked at it strangely, and took a sip, obviously deciding that she liked it, and took another sip.

Nagasaki was enjoying his, but felt his heart jump at the name 'Vash'. That man in the kitchen was Vash the Stampede, the man they where looking for. He then realized, with a burst of excitement, that if he where to manage to somehow get Vash to the man clad in white (i would not be suprised if he was still waiting on that cliff), then the village as well as himself would be free. Despite how these thoughts made excitement vaguely rise up in his chest, he kept his face straight, and avoided narrowing his eyes. Though, he didn't notice Vash putting the plate of delicious steaming chicken teriyaki in front of him.

--

Iifa had asked the black-haired man to come to her room after dinner, and entered the room slowly, finding the black-haired girl laying on one of the beds with her forearm over her eyes, still dressed in her burgundy-brown outfit.

"Iifa~? You wanted to talk to me~?"

The girl made a small 'Mm' sound, and quickly sat up, and then stiffened up in pain, crying out a bit.

Nagasaki was quickly at her side, stopping her from falling off the bed, which would've been quite painful, for the two beds where rather close to one another in the small room, which was lit orange by the small lamp on the desk.

"Ooh..."

"What's wrong~?"

"I... I was shot earlier this week. In the back."

This caused a small pang to go through the shinobi's heart. She was shot the same time the new one was ordered to go out and 'Get rid of some bothersome garbage', as the man in white had said... It could've been a coincidence. Or was it~?

"I am very sorry."

"It's alright... The doctor said I'm getting stronger every day..."

Nagasaki quirked an eyebrow at this, for if he had been shot in the back, he would be down for a while.

But, then again, he had the strongest feeling that Iifa was no ordinary girl. Her tail and feathers had given him that impression.

"You wanted to talk to me~?"

"Well... Uh... I... You see..."

She acted like she couldn't look him in the eye, something he had noticed back at the saloon. He then realized how painfully shy she was.

"It's alright."

That was all he needed to say, and, with only a little bit of effort, she looked up at him, and he then noticed how incredibly blue her eyes where, perfectly matching her beautiful round face and midnight-black hair...

Now he was the one blushing a bit, but she didn't seem to notice.

"I'm sorry... I tend to be very shy."

Iifa acted like something was bothering her, like something bad had happened to her in the past, and Nagasaki - Who felt slightly worried, which was very strange for him - Couldn't help but ask, "Has something happened~?"

She was quiet for a moment.

"I've been shy since I was a little girl. My family and I used to go out all the time, but... Everytime somebody saw me, like the time we went to Mei City, the townspeople would get upset, and sometimes, we had to leave. So, we stopped going out except for a few places, and everytime somebody came up to us, i'd hide behind my father's legs. I was the same way when I met Vash..."

She smiled, but it was sad.

"That was when my mother and father disapeared... I woke up one morning, and they where gone... I was alone for a few days... Then, like a miracle, Vash came for a visit, and after I told him what happened, we started traveling together. We've been together ever since. I'm still looking for my parents..."

That sad smile was still there. It made Nagasaki feel like he had wandered into a place he didn't belong.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have asked."

"No, it's alright. I'm... 'Dealing with it. I know i'll find them someday."

"That's good." Though, there was something about Iifa's appearence that made him think of one of the new ones... But what was it~?

It then struck him that both the taller one and Iifa had the the exact same face. He never got to take a good look at him, but was it possible...~? He didn't want to think about it now. Despite how sad Iifa seemed to be, she created a very peaceful aura in the room, peace being something Nagasaki had not felt in a long, long time. Not since Legato silently threatened his already troubled village...

(what's happening with me~?)

Iifa's soft voice broke off his thoughts.

"W-what I was going to tell you... Was... Uuh... I wanted to stay in here with you... For a while."

She said the last part quickly, as if she where embaressed. Her cheeks where turning red, and she was looking down at the ground.

Did she feel the same way~? When he had caught her when she fell at the saloon, and happily spent the day with her, he noticed how pretty she was, and admired how kind-hearted she was (i can't be). It was a strange feeling, his heart fluttering...

(love)

He hadn't noticed that Iifa had lay back down, most likely due to the pain in her back, sighing.

This time, Nagasaki lay down as well, right next to her, and wrapped his strong arm around her waist. She did not stiffen up - Well, maybe a bit - Nor did she try to break away, infact, she melted into him. She felt the same way.

The shinobi felt elated, for the first time in God only knew how long, and held her closer without a word, though he let out a small laugh when he felt something furry wrap around his leg, and remembered the girl's black and silver tail from earlier, swinging from here to there.

Iifa let out a small laugh as well, her voice a little louder, now that the two where right next to each other.

"It has a mind of it's own sometimes."

This time, her voice was happy, ringing like a bell, warm and peaceful.

She then shifted her position, facing him now, and wrapped her thin, delicate arm around him, pressing her soft lips against his, more lighter then a butterfly. They continued into the fading sunlight outside.

--

Nagasaki was the first to awaken that morning, slowly opening his eyes when the sun sent a blast of red through his eyelids, and took a tired breath, his arm wrapped around Iifa, her's draped lazily over his bare chest.

She made a small noise, and he looked down at her, the light-purple night-gown she was wearing blending with her hair.

He then remembered what he had to do, feeling his heart sink, for he did not want to get up from this moment with Iifa.

As if on cue, she snuggled up further, and started making strange motions with her hand on his shoulder, much like the way that black cat that had randomly jumped into his lap did. He smiled at that, though he still had to wake her.

"Iifa... Iifa, wake up."

She made that small noise again, and sleepily opened her eyes, blinking twice.

"Good morning."

She then stretched, almost cat-like, and he felt her relax against his body again.

"I have to get going."

"Hmm~? To where~?"

"I've... Got an appointment with someone. It's very important. I'll come back."

"Mmm... Okay."

And with that, she rolled off of him, having to pull her tail to get it to uncurl from his leg, and settled back into bed, obviously still asleep.

Nagasaki had given Iifa a quick kiss on the cheek after he found his long-sleeved, black shirt, and left the room. Iifa watched him exit the door and close it softly behind him.

The Half-breed could hear the others, bustling about in the kitchen, Meryl getting upset over something about pancakes, Vash trying to settle the little despute, and Inu-Yasha talking lowly to someone. Probably Wolfwood.

"I hope they don't mind another guest." Was Iifa's last thought before slipping into sleep.

--

Nagasaki had gone all the way out of town, up to the sandy, rocky cliff that he had been up yesterday morning. That felt so long ago, now that he had met Iifa...

His mind should've been focused on other things, but he was thinking of Inu-Yasha and Wolfwood's conversation that he so briefly heard.

"...I know what they where doing last night."

"What~? You mean...~?"

"No, not like that~! They just stayed in the same room together..."

"Well, that does sound a little strange... Really isn't that hard to fall in love nowadays..."

"Yeah..."

And that's when he saw something white atop the cliff.

Legato.

(did he wait for me that long~?) Possibly. Legato was a very patient man, he knew, and could have waited for days on that cliff if he wanted to, like a hungry cat stalking it's prey.

The blue-haired man was looking right at Nagasaki, but did not move or call out to him. He almost looked like a statue, and could have been mistaken for one if it weren't for the color of his short hair.

The shinobi jumped skillfully from rock to rock with no effort at all, almost like he was flying, and landed in front of the man. That's when he straightened up, his eyes narrowing. He always felt so closed up around Legato...

"I see you have not followed your orders."

"Yes... But I have good news. I have found Vash the Stampede."

The only motion Legato made was the spark in his yellow eyes.

"I see.. Well... That makes things more interesting, doesn't it~?"

Nagasaki did not answer, but he wasn't expected to.

"Entertain them for a little while longer."

The blue-haired man then turned, and began to walk away. He was most likely going to gather the other now.

The black-haired man also turned and jumped down the cliff, his heart pounding, like it had done earlier yesterday.

--

He came back to find Inu-Yasha still sitting beside Wolfwood, though everyone else seemed to have gone off somewhere.

"Uh... Where is everyone~?"

"Oh... They've gone out to town. They seem to be doing that alot lately. Iifa's having her massage."

"Hm. Thanks."

When Nagasaki left the room, Inu-Yasha opened his yellow eyes.

"I don't think he's the right type for Iifa. He's too darn stiff... Didja see the way he was actin' last night~? Then he went into Iifa's room..."

"Love works in mysterious ways..."

Wolfwood was nodding off.

Nagasaki came into Iifa's room to find her laying on one of the beds in only a sheet (Which covered her body), a man in a white coat massaging her back, most likely because of her gunshot wound. Milly was sitting on the other bed, watching intently.

"I'd like to learn how to do this. Oh, hello, Nagasaki."

The young man nodded once at her, noticing that Iifa didn't open her closed eyes, and realized that she had fallen asleep. She was also purring, very loudly, which made him smile. She looked beautiful right then.

She then swished her tail twice, lazily, and opened her eyes, blinking twice, like she had done this morning.

"Nagasakiii...~"

She yawned, stretching, and closed her eyes again. the way she was acting reminded him of a cat.

"Would you like to sit down~?"

Milly asked, scooting over to the other side of the bed, making room.

"Sure."

Nagasaki sat down beside the insurance girl, watching Iifa get her massage.

Speaking of, Iifa had opened her eyes, and watched people bustle about and talk outside the window. The blinds where open just a bit, letting in a small ray of sunlight, and from where she was, she could see outside the window.

All she saw where townspeople, some she had seen before, doing the same thing she saw them do everyday. She was about to go back to sleep when she spotted a flash of black, red, and white. She had no idea why, but she felt like she was connected to those colors, as odd as that sounded. The colors were dissapearing, and quickly. It then hit her, making her heart leap.

Quickly, she got up, accidently knocking the doctor down, and wrapped the sheet around her naked body, dashing towards the closet.

"Iifa~! What are you doing~!? I'm not finished~!"

"I'm sorry~! Something important has just come up~!"

She grabbed her burgundy outfit, the one Milly, Meryl, and Kagome had bought her, and was gone.