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Dream Keeper: Okay, you know the drill. *clears throat* I do not own Blue Seed. *sniffs* I wish I did but I don't. The blue seed boys and girls all belong to their respectable owners. I am only borrowing them for this twisted fic and promise to return them, only slightly worse for the wear, when I'm through with them.
Christa: With that said, this chapter may get a bit confusing.. We haven't exactly figured it out yet ourselves..
Dream Keeper: You mean _you_ haven't!
Christa: *sticks her tongue out at Dream Keeper* Your point?
Dream Keeper: *sweadrop* Okay, just ignore her please. Anyway, lets get on with the fic!
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Naya woke to the sweet sounds of birds chirping somewhere nearby. {Huh? What happened? Where am I?} Naya thought as she cracked open one eye to look around. She saw immediately that she wasn't at the apartment or the underground as she'd expected, but somewhere totally foreign and yet familiar to her. She sat up slowly and looked around to get her bearings.
{Hey isn't this. Yes, this is the Kushinada's house!} Her eyes widened with the realization and she flopped back down on the bed. {How did I get here?} She searched her memory for the answer, but the last thing she remembered what saying something to. Kusanagi. {That's it. He must have brought me here.}
She waited for the familiar hatred of the man to flood her systems, but she felt nothing but gratefulness at his kindness towards her. {What? What is wrong with me? I hate him! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! He nearly killed Murakumo and I'm feeling GREATFUL!?} Familiar self-loathing filled her being.
{I'm not worthy of even thinking about Murakumo if this is the way I feel. I have to kill him! I have to!} she screamed at herself in her mind, but her heart told her differently. It was like it was whispering, "Its okay! Disobey Murakumo! He's not your master! You're not his slave!"
"So, you're awake huh?" Someone taunted from the door. Her head snapped towards the sound and she found herself looking directly into the eyes of Kusanagi. "I was wondering if you'd ever wake up. You've been sleeping like the dead." He chuckled a little. Naya just stared at him. She couldn't seem to grasp the fact that he wasn't being hostile to her. Quite opposite in fact.
"How long have I been asleep?" Naya asked carefully as she raised her head off the pillow.
"Huh? Oh, about three days. You were in pretty bad shape for a while. Weren't sure if you were going to make it."
Naya groaned and let her head fall back, closing her eyes. "You should have let me die," she muttered. "Just kill me now and rectify your mistake."
"What? Are you crazy?!" Kusanagi yelled as she lay wallowing in self pity. "I saved your life. Don't throw that gift away!"
"You wouldn't understand." Naya muttered. Her throat tightened and she tried to swallow the lump that seemed to have made its home there.
"And just why wouldn't I?"
{Should I tell him? Well, there's no point in lying about it now. Its not like I can pay any higher a price for my mistakes.} "I failed my master." She managed to whisper.
"Murakumo?" Kusanagi asked quietly. Naya nodded. "What mission did you fail?"
"I failed to kill you."
***
Kusanagi stared at the young woman who lay on the bed before him. He remembered the woman who'd fought the Aragami almost to her death in an effort to protect Aiko. The woman who lay before him was not the same person she'd been. She looked childish and vulnerable. And what he'd originally thought was self pity was beginning to show itself as complete and total fear.
"You failed to kill me?" he echoed. {I need to find out why. Should I press the advantage while she's like this or should I wait?}
"I know you're brimming with questions. Ask them. I'm your prisoner after all."
"What?!" his head jerked up as he looked towards her. "Prisoner? What makes you think that?"
"Why else would you want me? I'm no good for a ransom. Murakumo wouldn't care."
"Look kid, err, Naya, you're not our prisoner. If anything you're a guest. I owe you Aiko's life."
"She's the Kushinada. The Aragami was going to kill her without putting the ceramic field around her and I didn't want to get sent back to the underworld. That's all." Naya said offhandedly. Kusanagi gritted his teeth. {Oh how I'd live to slap that girl. But I think getting my hands around her neck and slowly wringing the life out of-whoa! Hold that thought! She saved Aiko's life. I shouldn't be thinking things like that!}
"Naya!" two voices shouted in unison. "You're awake!"
"Shen, Aiko, didn't I tell you to leave her alone?" Kusanagi scolded but his children ignored him and ran strait to Naya's bedside.
"We were so worried about you Naya!" Shen exclaimed.
"Thank you so much for saving my life." Aiko said quietly. Naya looked at them sadly, saying nothing, and rolled over to where her back faced them.
{Why that no good little snob!} Kusanagi thought. He hated the hurt look he saw on the kid's faces. But he immediately realized that children are not deterred so easily. They both moved to the other side of the bed.
"Here you go Naya. Mommy said we could pick this for you." Aiko smiled as she held the prized yellow rose out towards her.
Kusanagi knew that Naya's icy attitude melted the moment that she smiled and sat up, patting the bed beside her. Neither child wasted any time climbing up to sit next to her. Naya took the rose from Aiko and sniffed it.
"That smells wonderful Aiko, thank you, and you too Shen." She said as she set it aside on the table next to the bed. Then, without warning, she enveloped them in a hug.
{Huh, Aiko wasn't lying. She wouldn't hurt them. I don't think she could if her life depended on it.} Kusanagi smiled in spite of himself, but his smile faltered and his expression changed from wry humor to shock when he heard Naya sniff. He looked over at her and saw silent tears gliding down her cheeks. {What in the world? I never thought she'd.. but then again, she's no longer the faceless monster I thought she was. She's human alright.} When she let go of Aiko and Shen she put her hand to her cheek and it came away wet. {You'd think she's never cried before.}
***
Naya wrapped her arms around the two children and the lump in her throat seemed to grow bigger as an unfamiliar sensation stung the back of her eyes. A moment later her cheeks were wet. She opened her eyes and let go of the Kushinada children. Gingerly she touched a hand to her cheek and it came away wet.
{What's happening to me? What is this? I've never done this before. Oh, why does my heart hurt so? What is this wetness?}
"Its okay Naya. That mean lizard thing's gone. It won't hurt you anymore." Shen said.
"Are you okay Naya? Do you still hurt?" Aiko asked with concern.
"Naya, if you're in pain I can give you something for it." Kusanagi offered.
"Pain is irrelevant." She replied absently. Then she shocked them all when she quickly levitated and flew over to the open window and out of it into the fresh morning air before any of them could move.
"Naya!" Shen cried, startled.
"Wait Naya! Come back!" Aiko cried as she ran to the window. Kusanagi was right on her heels.
***
{Where the heck is she going?! She's still in pretty bad shape, so why is she running away like this?} Kusanagi wondered as he stepped past his kids and onto the window ledge. As an afterthought he turned to them and said, "Tell your mother that I went after Naya but not to worry." The kids both nodded and looked after him as he jumped out the window. They both expected him to fly but instead he jumped from branch to branch across the trees away from the house.
***
{Why in the world did I do that? I probably would have been safer there than at the apartment. When Murakumo gets to me I'll die anyway, but there I'd at least have a little protection. Huh, why am I afraid of him all of a sudden? And why does my heart ache so?} She pondered as tears continued to fall. A small sob escaped her and she decided to land in the forest away from the town instead of going straight to the apartment.
Her feet touched gently down on the ground but it seemed that her knees wouldn't hold her and she collapsed to the ground. Instead of picking herself up she lay on the ground and wept. For what, she didn't know, but as sob after sob wracked her slim body a memory surfaced that was long ago repressed.
(Flashback)
"Naya! Naya you slacker! Get over here! Don't try to hide from me you little wretch! I'll hunt you down and you know what'll happen to you. Don't make me hurt you again! NAYA!" Murakumo bellowed as he searched for his stray servant. Naya stayed hidden in a small alcove at the back of their dwelling. She knew she'd be in trouble but that was better than what Murakumo had wanted her to do. She wasn't going to fight him when he was drunk. It was better that she waited for her punishment later.
{Its not very often. I'll find another hiding place. Its not like he'd kill me. Would he?} A shudder of fear swept down her spine. {It only happens once a year, that's all. Only one day a year. He'll be himself tomorrow and maybe he'll see what he was going to do to me and not punish me.} She didn't allow hope to rise in her though, because she knew it was a futile hope.
"Naya! I've taken care of you all your life you ungrateful cur! Get out here now! I know you failed your mission! You might as well take what's coming to you now instead of later when I've had more time to invent a torture for you!"
Naya shivered again, but this time a sob escaped her before she could muffle it. She sensed Murakumo's head swing around towards her hiding place. Then his footsteps got louder and louder as he approached it. It was the one place he'd overlooked. He'd thought Naya, at nine years old, had been too big to fit into the small hole in the wall, but somehow she'd managed it.
Naya screamed when he reached in, grabbed her hair, and dragged her out by it. Then he proceeded to carry out his threat. {Why? Why am I such a disappointment?!} her mind screamed.
Naya lost some of her innocence that night, and every year after that she was sent away to watch the Kushinada's on Murakumo's night of remembrance. Just as a precaution and to make sure he didn't kill them himself..
(End flashback) ***
Kusanagi watched from above as Naya crumpled to the ground and lay there sobbing. His heart ached right along with hers. Ever since he met Momiji he couldn't stand to see a girl cry, not even if they'd tried to kill him. {Why do I feel like I owe her so much? I saved her life, which's enough repayment for Aiko's life, but why? It seems like. I'm not sure. Like our fates are bound up together.}
He jumped down from where he'd been sitting, watching her, and moved over towards her. He didn't try to conceal his approach because he knew from experience that a person trained like her would strike out at whoever approached.
Gently he laid his hand on her shoulder and felt her stiffen as if expecting a blow. "Naya, its okay. You don't have to be afraid of me." He said softly, trying to ease her fears. After sitting down beside her he started to pull her up into a sitting position.
She stiffened again and started whispering something. Kusanagi had to lean closer to hear and he was appalled. "No Murakumo, not again. Please don't hit me again. Please." {How could someone do that to their own child? That's just disgusting! You don't lay a hand on your child in anger!} He felt himself grow cold. {Most of her icy attitude must be because of the way she was raised. I think deep down inside she's still a child, waiting to be loved. Is that why she's crying?}
He tried to pull her into a sitting position again, this time managing it. But much to his surprise, instead of trying to push him away she clutched at his shirt lay her head on his shoulder, still crying. He stroked her hair and whispered comforting nonsense to her like he did to his own children.
He held her like that for most of an hour before her sobs finally subsided to soft sniffles and her breathing became normal instead of jerky. When he looked down at her she seemed to be asleep. {Huh, well, that's that I guess. Leave her? No, better stay until she wakes up.}
He laid her down on the ground on her side. He was about to go sit up in a tree again when he saw the edge of a wallet sticking out of her back pocket. He gingerly reached down and quickly tugged it free.
Naya Yoshioka age 25 Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 Eye color: green
{Twenty five? Yeah, and I'm the king of England. Five nine? I'd say more Five six myself. 140? Huh! Maybe 120 but nothing over.. all this is a load of bull. Must have been made by Murakumo or something. I bet this is his vision of a "perfect soul." Well, at least it has her address. Might as well take her home.
***
Naya woke a second time that day in a familiar yet foreign place. She instantly recognized it as her apartment but she'd no idea how she got there. Going back over the time in her head she remembered Kusanagi, again, and that little bout of near hysterical weeping. {Why in the world does he keep doing this to me?}
'You awake Naya?"
"Yes, I-Thank you for bringing me back here." She said haltingly.
"Don't worry about it. I must say though, I've never seen anyone carry on like that before!" He tried to make it into a joke, but he realized Naya must have no sense of humor because she blushed deeply and wrapped her arms around herself. "Um. that was suppose to be a joke."
"A joke?" she echoed. {What's a joke?}
"Yeah, you know, funny, ha ha.. laughter?"
"Laughter."
"Okay, we have got to work on your sense of humor. But hey, we've got time."
"Time.." {Time is one thing I _don't_ have.}
"Hey, are you okay? You haven't tried to kill me once yet today. In fact, instead of trying to kill me, you were crying on my shoulder. Is there something wrong?" Kusanagi mentally kicked himself. {Oh, yeah, state the obvious. Of course there's something wrong you idiot! Sheesh, you're acting exactly like you did when you were first around Momiji.} he thought.
"Crying? Is that what its called?"
"What? You really didn't know?" Kusanagi asked, very much surprised.
"No, I've.. never done that before. I came close once when Murakumo- Murakumo! Please go Kusanagi! He'll be here soon! Please go! You haven't got much time!" She said as she gestured wildly at the window.
"Whoa, hold on! I'm not leaving without you. I've got some questions I want to ask you first of all, and second, well, I'd rather not know why you're so afraid of him."
"Please go Kusanagi, he's going to kill me! He'll kill you if he finds you here!"
"Your own father would kill you?!"
"Yes, but, I-" she stopped for a moment, collecting her thoughts before she continued, "I don't know why, but ever since I met you I've been questioning my worth, and my existence and. never mind. You need to leave. He knows where I am no matter where I go."
"Finish what you were saying first." Kusanagi urged.
"I'm.. I'm not sure that he's really my father."
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Dream Keeper: *evil laughter* That's where we leave you!
Christa: *echoes the evil laughter* Aren't we cruel? We'll try and post the next part tomorrow.
Dream Keeper: *evil grin* Sorry, but we didn't want to give too much away in one chapter.
Christa: Okay, well, we appreciate REVIEWS so please R&R. That means read AND REVIEW!!!
Dream Keeper: Thank you! Oh, and flames are accepted. Also corrections about things we messed up. Okay, bye!
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Dream Keeper: Okay, you know the drill. *clears throat* I do not own Blue Seed. *sniffs* I wish I did but I don't. The blue seed boys and girls all belong to their respectable owners. I am only borrowing them for this twisted fic and promise to return them, only slightly worse for the wear, when I'm through with them.
Christa: With that said, this chapter may get a bit confusing.. We haven't exactly figured it out yet ourselves..
Dream Keeper: You mean _you_ haven't!
Christa: *sticks her tongue out at Dream Keeper* Your point?
Dream Keeper: *sweadrop* Okay, just ignore her please. Anyway, lets get on with the fic!
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Naya woke to the sweet sounds of birds chirping somewhere nearby. {Huh? What happened? Where am I?} Naya thought as she cracked open one eye to look around. She saw immediately that she wasn't at the apartment or the underground as she'd expected, but somewhere totally foreign and yet familiar to her. She sat up slowly and looked around to get her bearings.
{Hey isn't this. Yes, this is the Kushinada's house!} Her eyes widened with the realization and she flopped back down on the bed. {How did I get here?} She searched her memory for the answer, but the last thing she remembered what saying something to. Kusanagi. {That's it. He must have brought me here.}
She waited for the familiar hatred of the man to flood her systems, but she felt nothing but gratefulness at his kindness towards her. {What? What is wrong with me? I hate him! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! He nearly killed Murakumo and I'm feeling GREATFUL!?} Familiar self-loathing filled her being.
{I'm not worthy of even thinking about Murakumo if this is the way I feel. I have to kill him! I have to!} she screamed at herself in her mind, but her heart told her differently. It was like it was whispering, "Its okay! Disobey Murakumo! He's not your master! You're not his slave!"
"So, you're awake huh?" Someone taunted from the door. Her head snapped towards the sound and she found herself looking directly into the eyes of Kusanagi. "I was wondering if you'd ever wake up. You've been sleeping like the dead." He chuckled a little. Naya just stared at him. She couldn't seem to grasp the fact that he wasn't being hostile to her. Quite opposite in fact.
"How long have I been asleep?" Naya asked carefully as she raised her head off the pillow.
"Huh? Oh, about three days. You were in pretty bad shape for a while. Weren't sure if you were going to make it."
Naya groaned and let her head fall back, closing her eyes. "You should have let me die," she muttered. "Just kill me now and rectify your mistake."
"What? Are you crazy?!" Kusanagi yelled as she lay wallowing in self pity. "I saved your life. Don't throw that gift away!"
"You wouldn't understand." Naya muttered. Her throat tightened and she tried to swallow the lump that seemed to have made its home there.
"And just why wouldn't I?"
{Should I tell him? Well, there's no point in lying about it now. Its not like I can pay any higher a price for my mistakes.} "I failed my master." She managed to whisper.
"Murakumo?" Kusanagi asked quietly. Naya nodded. "What mission did you fail?"
"I failed to kill you."
***
Kusanagi stared at the young woman who lay on the bed before him. He remembered the woman who'd fought the Aragami almost to her death in an effort to protect Aiko. The woman who lay before him was not the same person she'd been. She looked childish and vulnerable. And what he'd originally thought was self pity was beginning to show itself as complete and total fear.
"You failed to kill me?" he echoed. {I need to find out why. Should I press the advantage while she's like this or should I wait?}
"I know you're brimming with questions. Ask them. I'm your prisoner after all."
"What?!" his head jerked up as he looked towards her. "Prisoner? What makes you think that?"
"Why else would you want me? I'm no good for a ransom. Murakumo wouldn't care."
"Look kid, err, Naya, you're not our prisoner. If anything you're a guest. I owe you Aiko's life."
"She's the Kushinada. The Aragami was going to kill her without putting the ceramic field around her and I didn't want to get sent back to the underworld. That's all." Naya said offhandedly. Kusanagi gritted his teeth. {Oh how I'd live to slap that girl. But I think getting my hands around her neck and slowly wringing the life out of-whoa! Hold that thought! She saved Aiko's life. I shouldn't be thinking things like that!}
"Naya!" two voices shouted in unison. "You're awake!"
"Shen, Aiko, didn't I tell you to leave her alone?" Kusanagi scolded but his children ignored him and ran strait to Naya's bedside.
"We were so worried about you Naya!" Shen exclaimed.
"Thank you so much for saving my life." Aiko said quietly. Naya looked at them sadly, saying nothing, and rolled over to where her back faced them.
{Why that no good little snob!} Kusanagi thought. He hated the hurt look he saw on the kid's faces. But he immediately realized that children are not deterred so easily. They both moved to the other side of the bed.
"Here you go Naya. Mommy said we could pick this for you." Aiko smiled as she held the prized yellow rose out towards her.
Kusanagi knew that Naya's icy attitude melted the moment that she smiled and sat up, patting the bed beside her. Neither child wasted any time climbing up to sit next to her. Naya took the rose from Aiko and sniffed it.
"That smells wonderful Aiko, thank you, and you too Shen." She said as she set it aside on the table next to the bed. Then, without warning, she enveloped them in a hug.
{Huh, Aiko wasn't lying. She wouldn't hurt them. I don't think she could if her life depended on it.} Kusanagi smiled in spite of himself, but his smile faltered and his expression changed from wry humor to shock when he heard Naya sniff. He looked over at her and saw silent tears gliding down her cheeks. {What in the world? I never thought she'd.. but then again, she's no longer the faceless monster I thought she was. She's human alright.} When she let go of Aiko and Shen she put her hand to her cheek and it came away wet. {You'd think she's never cried before.}
***
Naya wrapped her arms around the two children and the lump in her throat seemed to grow bigger as an unfamiliar sensation stung the back of her eyes. A moment later her cheeks were wet. She opened her eyes and let go of the Kushinada children. Gingerly she touched a hand to her cheek and it came away wet.
{What's happening to me? What is this? I've never done this before. Oh, why does my heart hurt so? What is this wetness?}
"Its okay Naya. That mean lizard thing's gone. It won't hurt you anymore." Shen said.
"Are you okay Naya? Do you still hurt?" Aiko asked with concern.
"Naya, if you're in pain I can give you something for it." Kusanagi offered.
"Pain is irrelevant." She replied absently. Then she shocked them all when she quickly levitated and flew over to the open window and out of it into the fresh morning air before any of them could move.
"Naya!" Shen cried, startled.
"Wait Naya! Come back!" Aiko cried as she ran to the window. Kusanagi was right on her heels.
***
{Where the heck is she going?! She's still in pretty bad shape, so why is she running away like this?} Kusanagi wondered as he stepped past his kids and onto the window ledge. As an afterthought he turned to them and said, "Tell your mother that I went after Naya but not to worry." The kids both nodded and looked after him as he jumped out the window. They both expected him to fly but instead he jumped from branch to branch across the trees away from the house.
***
{Why in the world did I do that? I probably would have been safer there than at the apartment. When Murakumo gets to me I'll die anyway, but there I'd at least have a little protection. Huh, why am I afraid of him all of a sudden? And why does my heart ache so?} She pondered as tears continued to fall. A small sob escaped her and she decided to land in the forest away from the town instead of going straight to the apartment.
Her feet touched gently down on the ground but it seemed that her knees wouldn't hold her and she collapsed to the ground. Instead of picking herself up she lay on the ground and wept. For what, she didn't know, but as sob after sob wracked her slim body a memory surfaced that was long ago repressed.
(Flashback)
"Naya! Naya you slacker! Get over here! Don't try to hide from me you little wretch! I'll hunt you down and you know what'll happen to you. Don't make me hurt you again! NAYA!" Murakumo bellowed as he searched for his stray servant. Naya stayed hidden in a small alcove at the back of their dwelling. She knew she'd be in trouble but that was better than what Murakumo had wanted her to do. She wasn't going to fight him when he was drunk. It was better that she waited for her punishment later.
{Its not very often. I'll find another hiding place. Its not like he'd kill me. Would he?} A shudder of fear swept down her spine. {It only happens once a year, that's all. Only one day a year. He'll be himself tomorrow and maybe he'll see what he was going to do to me and not punish me.} She didn't allow hope to rise in her though, because she knew it was a futile hope.
"Naya! I've taken care of you all your life you ungrateful cur! Get out here now! I know you failed your mission! You might as well take what's coming to you now instead of later when I've had more time to invent a torture for you!"
Naya shivered again, but this time a sob escaped her before she could muffle it. She sensed Murakumo's head swing around towards her hiding place. Then his footsteps got louder and louder as he approached it. It was the one place he'd overlooked. He'd thought Naya, at nine years old, had been too big to fit into the small hole in the wall, but somehow she'd managed it.
Naya screamed when he reached in, grabbed her hair, and dragged her out by it. Then he proceeded to carry out his threat. {Why? Why am I such a disappointment?!} her mind screamed.
Naya lost some of her innocence that night, and every year after that she was sent away to watch the Kushinada's on Murakumo's night of remembrance. Just as a precaution and to make sure he didn't kill them himself..
(End flashback) ***
Kusanagi watched from above as Naya crumpled to the ground and lay there sobbing. His heart ached right along with hers. Ever since he met Momiji he couldn't stand to see a girl cry, not even if they'd tried to kill him. {Why do I feel like I owe her so much? I saved her life, which's enough repayment for Aiko's life, but why? It seems like. I'm not sure. Like our fates are bound up together.}
He jumped down from where he'd been sitting, watching her, and moved over towards her. He didn't try to conceal his approach because he knew from experience that a person trained like her would strike out at whoever approached.
Gently he laid his hand on her shoulder and felt her stiffen as if expecting a blow. "Naya, its okay. You don't have to be afraid of me." He said softly, trying to ease her fears. After sitting down beside her he started to pull her up into a sitting position.
She stiffened again and started whispering something. Kusanagi had to lean closer to hear and he was appalled. "No Murakumo, not again. Please don't hit me again. Please." {How could someone do that to their own child? That's just disgusting! You don't lay a hand on your child in anger!} He felt himself grow cold. {Most of her icy attitude must be because of the way she was raised. I think deep down inside she's still a child, waiting to be loved. Is that why she's crying?}
He tried to pull her into a sitting position again, this time managing it. But much to his surprise, instead of trying to push him away she clutched at his shirt lay her head on his shoulder, still crying. He stroked her hair and whispered comforting nonsense to her like he did to his own children.
He held her like that for most of an hour before her sobs finally subsided to soft sniffles and her breathing became normal instead of jerky. When he looked down at her she seemed to be asleep. {Huh, well, that's that I guess. Leave her? No, better stay until she wakes up.}
He laid her down on the ground on her side. He was about to go sit up in a tree again when he saw the edge of a wallet sticking out of her back pocket. He gingerly reached down and quickly tugged it free.
Naya Yoshioka age 25 Height: 5'9" Weight: 140 Eye color: green
{Twenty five? Yeah, and I'm the king of England. Five nine? I'd say more Five six myself. 140? Huh! Maybe 120 but nothing over.. all this is a load of bull. Must have been made by Murakumo or something. I bet this is his vision of a "perfect soul." Well, at least it has her address. Might as well take her home.
***
Naya woke a second time that day in a familiar yet foreign place. She instantly recognized it as her apartment but she'd no idea how she got there. Going back over the time in her head she remembered Kusanagi, again, and that little bout of near hysterical weeping. {Why in the world does he keep doing this to me?}
'You awake Naya?"
"Yes, I-Thank you for bringing me back here." She said haltingly.
"Don't worry about it. I must say though, I've never seen anyone carry on like that before!" He tried to make it into a joke, but he realized Naya must have no sense of humor because she blushed deeply and wrapped her arms around herself. "Um. that was suppose to be a joke."
"A joke?" she echoed. {What's a joke?}
"Yeah, you know, funny, ha ha.. laughter?"
"Laughter."
"Okay, we have got to work on your sense of humor. But hey, we've got time."
"Time.." {Time is one thing I _don't_ have.}
"Hey, are you okay? You haven't tried to kill me once yet today. In fact, instead of trying to kill me, you were crying on my shoulder. Is there something wrong?" Kusanagi mentally kicked himself. {Oh, yeah, state the obvious. Of course there's something wrong you idiot! Sheesh, you're acting exactly like you did when you were first around Momiji.} he thought.
"Crying? Is that what its called?"
"What? You really didn't know?" Kusanagi asked, very much surprised.
"No, I've.. never done that before. I came close once when Murakumo- Murakumo! Please go Kusanagi! He'll be here soon! Please go! You haven't got much time!" She said as she gestured wildly at the window.
"Whoa, hold on! I'm not leaving without you. I've got some questions I want to ask you first of all, and second, well, I'd rather not know why you're so afraid of him."
"Please go Kusanagi, he's going to kill me! He'll kill you if he finds you here!"
"Your own father would kill you?!"
"Yes, but, I-" she stopped for a moment, collecting her thoughts before she continued, "I don't know why, but ever since I met you I've been questioning my worth, and my existence and. never mind. You need to leave. He knows where I am no matter where I go."
"Finish what you were saying first." Kusanagi urged.
"I'm.. I'm not sure that he's really my father."
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Dream Keeper: *evil laughter* That's where we leave you!
Christa: *echoes the evil laughter* Aren't we cruel? We'll try and post the next part tomorrow.
Dream Keeper: *evil grin* Sorry, but we didn't want to give too much away in one chapter.
Christa: Okay, well, we appreciate REVIEWS so please R&R. That means read AND REVIEW!!!
Dream Keeper: Thank you! Oh, and flames are accepted. Also corrections about things we messed up. Okay, bye!
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