Seventy-Two days

= pure little raven =

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Summery: Ruriko has died and Shun is devastated. A strange new Gate Keeper appears and tells him he can see her again, but only for seventy-two days. Shun takes her up on this offer. ( not a very good summery )

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Disclaimer: I do not own anything save myself and by ideas.

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Chapter One: Gone and Found Again

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"Shun?"

Why was everyone bothering me? Couldn't they just leave me alone? Ruriko was gone. One of the three women I cared about most in the world was gone. I turned around. There was a girl, maybe a few years older or younger then me. It was had to tell. She looked mature, and yet so innocent. She had pale pink shoulder length hair, and had the same color eyes to match. She wore a red Chinese vest, and had gray fatigue pants. Who was she? And why was she bothering me at a time like this? "What do you want?" I said my voice filled with the bitter sorrow that only one who has lost one dear to them could feel.

"I- I just wanted to tell you that you can see Ruriko again."

I knew that my eyes widened with interest. I could see her? How was that possible? I-I saw her killed myself! I saw her turn and look at me before she was destroyed. It wasn't possible. And yet, I wanted to believe that I could see Ruuiko again. "Who are you?" the words came out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"My name is Kogun. I'm another Gate Keeper."

When she said this, I knew that she was crazy. Wouldn't AEGIS know of there was another Gate Keeper? Despite my doubts, I continued to listen to her.

"I control the Gate of Destruction. I can destroy anything, or recreate something that has been destroyed. But only for seventy-two days. After that, the person or thing that I recreated will just fade away into nothingness. I don't know what happens to them after that."

I felt my eyes fill with tears. Was this girl joking? Could she really bring Ruriko back, even if only for seventy-two days? I had to take the chance. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. I just don't think that it would fit the leader of the Gate Keepers to drown." As if knowing that I was about to ask about the comment of drowning, she spoke again, almost reading my mind.

"Drowning in sorrow that is. I'll bring her back, but remember, after the seventy-two days, she will dissolve and there is nothing that you can do about it. Just remember that. She can't stay forever."

She put both arms together, and made a straight horizontal line with them. I could see in her eyes that she was hardly lying when she said she was a Gate Keeper. As her gate opened, I hear what she was saying even though her lips were moving. Everything just seemed to be fading in to black. Was this how her gate worked? Was this just a scam? Was I going to die, and never be able to see my mother, my little sister, or any other of the Gate Keepers? As every thing was engulfed by the darkness, I welcomed the warmth of sleep that the memory of Ruriko had deprived me of for so long.

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"Damn! Where is everyone? They should have been here by now!"

"Shun, don't worry! I'm sure that they'll be here any second now!"

"But still! Don't you think that it is even the tiniest bit strange that only you and me are here, Rurippe?"

"Don't call me that! And we can hold off the Invaders until they get here anyhow."

"Whatever Ruriko."

"Shun! Don't be so careless! That last attack could have killed you!"

"I can take care of myself you know."

"Just be more careful, okay Shun?"

"Fine. I'll be more careful, Rurippe."

"Don't use that tone with me, Shun! And don't call me Rurippe!"

"Sheesh! Lighten up a little!"

"Just grow up Shun!"

"Fine! Hey, Ruriko, don't walk away like that! Ruriko! Watch out! Ruriko!

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I blinked my eyes. Sunlight was pouring through the window like milk put of a pitcher and blinded me. Was it just a dream? The Gate Keeper Kogun, did she really exist? Was she a part of my mind that was trying to make me get over Ruriko? I felt my eyes water again and my arms closed tighter around an envelope of heat that was sharing my bed. I heard a murmur come from the warm body.

"Shun-"

Kogun wasn't just a figment of my imagination! That soft voice belonged to Ruriko. My love had indeed returned. But what was Kogun trying to tell me when she opened the gate? It bothered me that I could be missing some type of important information. My troubles melted when my only love shifted in my arms, and twisted to face me.

"Good morning Shun. Did you sleep well?"

I was engulfed in the warmth and love in her eyes. But something was wrong. What was it? Something about her made me slightly uncomfortable. And I couldn't put my finger on it. Had something happened to her? I kept feeling like something was missing.

"Shun? Is there something wrong?"

I heard the caring in her eyes, and everything else in my mind slipped away. Ruriko was here with me, and nothing else mattered.

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The week passed by so quickly. And the strangest thing was, not once in those seven days do I remember seeing another person. Ruriko and I went to a movie, and a park. But mostly we just sat around and talked. I can't remember a time that I enjoyed myself more. Yet that tiny voice in the back of my mind kept whispering with out stop. "Something is wrong. Don't trust her. She is not Ruriko." But everything that I knew about my beloved was present in this being that never left my side. Everything I loved about her was there. But that voice never once stopped. Whenever I held her fervent body in my arms, or placed a kiss upon her soft lips, it just kept murmuring in that soft voice that only I could hear. "It isn't her. This isn't Ruriko. I'll show you it isn't her. Just watch." Little did I know, ignoring that minuscule voice, would be the biggest mistake in my life.

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Did you like it? I was quite disappointed because my fic "Hello Moon" only got two reviews. Maybe this fic will be more popular? Even if you are reading this fic now, how about giving "Hello Moon" a shot? I will only know if you reviewers actually like my stories if you press the little purple button and type what you think. (hint hint) Well, I hope you liked it.

= pure little raven =