Disclaimer: I don't own Weiß Kreuz. I probably never will, no matter what I do. sobs

Author's Note: Okay, I hope I made Akurei a bit happier with this chapter. As I recall, she got really angry with poor little Yohji (little? Oo) for being straight. Don't worry, the story isn't over yet.

Hope you guys like this chapter. Have fun!!!

Summary: Ran's sister, Aya, gets ill after their parents have died in an accident. But no doctor in Torlossen can help Aya. So Ran decides to undertake a journey through the Stolen Land to Onafross, in hope the doctors there can help him. Will he ever get through the Stolen Land alive?

Warnings: R, Hentai, Alternate Universe, Yaoi

Pairings: So far only Yohji/Aya(Ran)

Character's thoughts

//…// = telepathy

Chapter Six: Listen To Me

Schuldich wandered through Torlossen. People let him through, respectfully stepping away when he passed by. Some greeted him, but most of the common people just stared at him in fear. That was how he had wanted it, to be treated with a mix of fear and respect. Most Perfects didn't understand it, didn't understand the meaning of power. They were happy with the right to vote, to argue endlessly about fair systems of welfare for everyone. But those things would change soon.

He stopped before a door in the visitor's quarters. This was the room where Aya-chan was lying. Schuldich smiled. That overprotective, righteous Sublime wasn't there. He wondered how the kitten had managed to get his help. Probably fallen in love with the girl. The Sublimes of nowadays… were nothing but a pathetic bunch of lovesick people.

He opened the door and stepped inside. He glanced around. Visitors' rooms were always the same. Even the Unstatused had a better living. He shrugged, not really caring about that fact. If it were up to him, everyone lived like animals. Apart from those in power, of course.

"Hello, sweetie," he said to the comatose girl. He sank down on the bed, watching the girl. "Hey, has anyone ever told you you're pretty?" She didn't reply. "Oh, of course, you can't talk. Doesn't matter, I guess the little kitten has told you over and over again how pretty you are. Too bad he's dead now. No one will ever say that to you again."

He paused, staring through a window. "Well, apart from me of course," he noted thoughtfully.

He focused his thoughts back on the girl. "You should be happy at least one person in the world finds you attractive. It's quite an honour to be loved by a Perfect… The Vows of Celibacy won't apply on me for much longer."

He got up. "See you later, sleeping beauty."

* * * * * * *

He hadn't spoken about the incident that night and I didn't ask. Well, I tried to, of course. But curious as I was, I didn't get much answer to my questions. After several attempts, I gave up. He had clearly decided not to trust me. Even though I did nothing, there seemed to be no way to gain his trust.

No way? What if you've told him about your story? He doesn't know anything about you either.

I looked towards the redhead, who stared blankly through the window and considered the option. I wondered what he was thinking of. Since he had decided to stay in my wayhut until we reached the border between Onafross and Vivirjosa – or the Stolen Land – he had stared through the window, always remaining quiet. When I talked to him, I rarely got an answer back. Would it be wise to tell him my story?

"Why do you call this wayhut Koneko?"

I startled, realising this was his first question he'd asked since he got here. Well, his first real question. For a moment, I speechlessly looked back at him.

"Koneko is short for Koneko no sumu Ie," I finally answered.

"Why have you given a wayhut a name?" The questions were short and spoken out flatly.

I hesitated before answering him. "Because this is not a wayhut anymore," I replied carefully. "And I like cats." Asuka had loved cats, especially the younger ones. I remembered picking up a stray kitten once. It couldn't stay at my house – my mother didn't allow it – so I had to find a nice shelter for it. Asuka had offered to hide it in her house. We both had looked after it.

Thinking of Asuka brought an image of her on the walls. I quickly removed it, but it was too late. Aya had already seen it.

"Who's that girl?"

"Which girl?" I tried to sound cheerful and innocent, but his steady gaze broke through my mask. My smile dropped and I lowered my head. The image once again appeared on the wall before me and I gently touched it.

"Asuka," I said softly. "Murase Asuka."

Telling him my story? Yes, that was what I desperately wanted right now. I had never told it to anyone before, knowing they wouldn't have listen. They would have come up with answers like; it was Ama's will or that I shouldn't question the motives of a God. But he… he didn't seem to be like one of those fucked up Perfects with their endless speeches about Ama.

"I don't believe in Ama."

I turned around. "I'll tell you what happened," I said slowly, "to Murase Asuka and Kudou Yohji." I took a deep breath, then started to tell my story.

* * * * * * *

I listened, rather reluctantly, 'cause I didn't want to hear his story. But that was the price I had to pay. So I listened. Yohji told me about a small boy from an unimportant family, who grew up with the noble girl, Asuka. They were always together, and one would think they were brother and sister.

When they got older, their relationship changed into a deeper one. Neither of them wanted to be separated from each other and they promised to get married and live together forever.

"Then one day," Yohji said, his tone bitter, "Asuka came to me. I had never seen her crying before, not even when she had broken her leg. But now she did. She would reach her adulthood soon, and therefore her parents were looking for her a good husband. Yet, a poor boy like me, who had lived his entire life on a farm wasn't good enough for her. She was forced to marry with some noble's son, who was well-known for his aggressive behaviour."

He fell silent and I thought this was the end. I took a deep breath, realising I had been holding my breath while listening to his story. Then he continued. "I didn't want to marry someone else, so I chose to become a Sublime, and became a Sublime guard at the palace of Onareyru. I still saw Asuka nearly every day, and saw how her happiness faded away. There was almost nothing left of the cheerful girl I once knew. She sometimes wore blue marks on her arms and face, a result of the frequent beatings from Michio, her husband. After a few months, she committed suicide. Since there was no reason for me to stay anymore – and I had made myself quite unpopular by holding speeches about Ama's existence, declaring he didn't exist at all – I ran off into the Stolen Land after the funeral."

I remained quiet as I gazed at the blonde man, feeling a sudden sympathy for him. It was hard to lose someone you love and it was even harder to see their lives slipping away, and you could do nothing about it. Just like he had watched Asuka died. I realised I would have face the same tragedy if I didn't reach Onareyru in time to find someone who could help my sister.

"I suppose you're not considering to tell me your story, are you?" Yohji asked, suddenly cheerful and grinning again. But I now saw it was just a mask, a way for him to forget his past. Still, I couldn't help glaring at him. I wasn't planning to tell him anything, unless I really had to.

"There's nothing to tell."

Yohji laughed. "Of course there is." He bent forward, until his face was only a few inches away from mine. I could feel the heat of his skin and I smelled the spicy scent that always surrounded him, as I looked into his jade eyes.

"Tell me, how was your life in Torlossen? Did you like it? Or did you get to hear you were a freak, a demon every day?"

I froze. "There's nothing to tell," I repeated flatly.

"Sure, sweetie," he grinned. Then he got up and started working on the meal. I watched him silently, not knowing if I should be glad or not that he didn't push any further.

* * * * * * *

The silence during dinner and afterwards, worked on my nerves. I glanced from time to time at the redhead leaning against the wall, gazing outside. I studied his profile, something I'd done continually since he had entered the Koneko. I had the feeling I knew exactly what he was like, how he acted. I admired his calmness, and felt my heart skipped a beat when he raked his hand through his hair, trying to push back his bangs, which always immediately fell back. If I had to describe him in one word, I think the words 'adorable', 'cute' and 'attractive' would be the first ones entering my mind. I couldn't help but to be fond of him, even though I knew he didn't like me.

He was worried about something; I could see it clearly in his eyes. Those cold amethyst eyes would suddenly be clouded up in distress, softening the look on his face. I knew it was a mask he was wearing, just like the one I bore on my face. Curiously, I tried to find out what was wrong, but yet he never confided with me.

I started crushing the red flowers of the Eldur, feeling two violet eyes piercing in my back. I ignored it. If he had wanted to know what I was doing, he could always ask me. It wasn't such a huge secret after all. Of course, I hoped that, by forcing him to talk, he would say more about his own problems.

"What are you doing?"

I almost dropped the stone I used for crushing the flowers. I hadn't expected he would walk over to stand next to me. Scents of flowers, of red roses, drifted into my nose, making me feel giddy, as if I'd been drinking too much alcohol. I'd done that once on a party. But this felt ten times better.

I avoided his gaze and tried not to touch him as I turned around. He stood so close to me, I could feel the warmth of his body, could feel his breath tickling on my face. Those beautiful orbs forced me to look at him. I smiled rather shakily while my knees feel weak. What was this feeling I have?

"I'm crushing flowers. You did notice that, didn't you?" I tried to be cheerful, but he didn't see the fun of it. My smile slowly faltered and I started fidgeting with the stone. "This is the Eldur," I lamely explained. "The Eldur contains certain powers I need for moving the Koneko. By crushing them and then mixing them with sour milk, I can free those powers, using it."

I could tell by his face he didn't believe me.

"You may try it, if you like," I offered.

His eyes widened in fear as he hastily stepped back, shaking his head in refusal. I simply shrugged, though I was curious why he was afraid of this little plant. Probably because of some superstition or so. He was still an Amaian, no matter what he said.

I glanced at him. He leaned against the wall, on a safe distant, watching every movement I've made. A sudden feeling of love came to me and I had to suppress the urge to hug him, to tousle his hair, to kiss him tenderly. Kiss him tenderly? I was certainly getting insane if I started to think of kissing him. I'd seen it happening before, of course, usually among Sublimes. But I… I didn't belong to them anymore, right? I couldn't love a guy…

I tilted my head as a familiar feeling overwhelmed me. I put my hand on the wall and the soft whisper confirmed my suspicion. They had found us…

* * * * * * *

Damn that magician and his stupid habits. I hated him, I wanted to get away from him, but that would mean leaving the safety of the Koneko and with that, a chance to survive. And now he tried to poison me. I knew I couldn't trust him. At least I was warned now.

A sick feeling overwhelmed me, mixed with a feeling of dismay, as a notion came to me. I never checked what had been in the meals he prepared for me. They had tasted good and seasoned, but who knew he had been poisoning me from the beginning?

I glanced a bit scared at the blonde. No, everything seemed all right. If anything, my host had proven to be over-concerned and curious. But that could very well be an illusion. I suddenly understood it. He didn't want to help me. He never had that intention. He just worked for the Unseen. After all, what could be another reason for his admiration for these demons? I, with my cursed violet eyes, would be a gift to them. He only needed to poison me until I was almost dead and then deliver me to the Unseen. But I would stop him. I would kill him. I only needed to find my katana…

"Blast it!" Yohji suddenly cursed, stepping back from the wall. His expressive green eyes revealed a great deal of fear and a hint of irritation. Had he found out about my plans? Was he a telepath, like the Perfect Aya and I had faced on the night of our escape? But if he knew it, why was he afraid? I was just a boy with a katana. He was a magician.

"Dammit! Damn the Unseen!" He hurried to another room, leaving me confused behind. What was going on? I looked through the window, noticing we went faster. I got the impression we were running away from something. Were the Unseen behind us? But how did he know that?

Yohji came back with a bewildered look, muttering to himself. I tried to catch a few words, but all I heard was, "They're everywhere." I tried to remain cool and distant, though I was getting very curious now. Why was he so afraid of the Unseen, assuming it were the Unseen?

The blonde grabbed a cup, pouring some sour milk in it and added a bit of powder of what had once been a red flower to it. It was the same stuff he had offered me only minutes ago and he drank it without hesitation. I started to doubt. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps he didn't try to kill me. Only a fool would poison himself.

Yohji sank down on the ground, closing his eyes, his face twisted in concentration. I looked at him for several seconds, then demanded, "What's going on?"

"Unseen… Loads of them… Be quiet."

I did as he said, looking at his face. Whatever he was doing, it cost him a lot of concentration. But hadn't he told me he needed the powers of the little red flower to let the wayhut walking? Perhaps running cost more energy than walking. It made sense.

I looked from Yohji to the cup with red powder and decided to help him. It wasn't really an act out of friendship; it just seemed the right thing to do.

I poured some sour milk in another cup, like I had seen Yohji doing, then added some crushed flower leaves to it. I picked the cup up and hesitated. By drinking this, I would break all the laws of Ama and let Sudema in. Perhaps Ama didn't exist, but Sudema and the Unseen were as real as it could be.

One look, however, at Yohji was enough to remove any doubt. I drank the mix of sour milk and crushed flowers, surprised to find out it tasted nice and spicy. Then I sank down before Yohji, even more surprised I didn't feel anything special or weird.

Yohji's eyes went open and the blonde looked at me in surprise. Then he nodded slightly and told me, "Think of the Koneko. I'll do the rest. And give me your hands." He grabbed my hands, closing his eyes again. I closed mine as well, trying to think of the Koneko. It was the hardest thing I had ever done and the circumstances under which I had to learn the process weren't really the best ones.

Slowly and gradually, I felt my conscience moving and I could see the Koneko clearly. Not only the Koneko, but the scenery passing by as well. Before I could ask something, the scene changed again and now I was the Koneko. I was running very fast, my four legs moving and I could sense the Unseen gathering behind me.

"Did you do this?" I asked, sounding slightly awed.

"No. This is the work of the Eldur. You do it yourself. Now, I'd really love to explain it all to you," Yohji said, "but we've got a bunch of Unseen behind us we really have to shake off. Let me do the rest."

My hands started to tingle and it seemed as if some of the energy flowed from me to Yohji, the magician. I got rather excited by this, though I remained calm and level headed by telling myself this was not a game, but a deadly serious matter.

They had surrounded us now, though we tried to step over them with our long legs. But the Unseen weren't called the Unseen without a reason. We never knew exactly where they were, we could only guess and hope it was correct.

The Koneko staggered, leaning over to one side. Speed reduced quickly. Something was hanging on one of the legs, bringing it off-balance. Trying to shake it off didn't help. The slowing down gave the other attackers a chance to climb up as well.

Yohji opened his eyes; so did I. We looked into each other's eyes, no explanation was needed. If they managed to break through the door, we were doomed. Needless to say we were doomed anyway. The walls and the door had been designed to keep the Unseen outside, but it would only delay them. They would have, in the end, no trouble in getting in.

"It's you they're after," Yohji finally said.

"Hn."

"If you escape," the blonde continued, "then there won't be any need for them to stay."

"Hn." He had a point there. "What are you planning to do?"

His jade eyes flashed for a moment, and a broad grin appeared on his face. "Creating a way for you to escape."

Before I could say anything, the world around me turned crimson red, then bright white. Still too dazed of what had happened, I heard a window being broken. Someone – must've been Yohji – grabbed my wrist and pushed me through the window. I had to fall a few yards, but I didn't. Neither had I landed on the ground. I was floating in the air. I was flying.

Behind me, I heard Yohji's last words. "Run. For the Gods' sake, run Aya." A strangled sound emerged from the wayhut as I fled into the dark night. I did not look back. I knew the Unseen had gotten him.

* * * * * * *

Far away, in the corrupt city of Torlossen, two bright blue eyes opened and the owner smiled. "It seems the fun has only started," he noted.