A/N: Short today.

DIS: Don't own Kingdom Hearts. Wish I did. Same goes for Hiei and Kenshin. v_v

Hiei: This is becoming annoying.

Kenshin: That is true.

THANKS:

Ozric 750

Leann-chan- I'm glad you do!

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Experimental

Beginnings: Part Four

Egress

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~~ A hallway, well lit

Neko slips out of a wall, followed closely by a scowling Oni. His eyes burn black, his hair black touched red. What previously appeared to be a short, tattered black cape reveals itself to be small bat wings as they flutter with distress behind him.

"NEKO!" He grabs her wrist, and she turns on him, hissing, her brightly flashing silver claws fully out. Her slightly pointed teeth and ears are clearly visible, and her pupils slit, making her lavender eyes sinister. He wisely lets go of her, but Neko's eyes don't return to normal above her six tiny but dark freckles reminiscent of whisker spots.

"Don't. EVER. Touch. Me." Neko hisses out between clenched teeth.

Oni almost backs up a step as a single white stripe flashes in his hair. Almost. "Neko, if they see you, what will they do? You're not exactly NORMAL." The last word is laden with anger. "And you only make one first impression- I know you won't be able to get in control before they come."

Neko glares at him. Her claws retract into human (If sharp) fingernails, her eyes return to normal, and a barely perceptible sheen of ice fades from her hair and charcoal grey clothes. "You were saying?" she asks with an angry look.

Oni blinks once in almost-surprise. "But it isn't time yet..." he says quietly, almost to himself. His wings fold in around his shoulders and his eyes fade to the stormy grey of confusion and worry. Neko looks askance at him.

"Time for what?" she asks.

Oni shakes his head. "Nothing." He growls harshly. "Nothing you need to know about yet.

Neko's ears twitch as Oni's eyes darken back to black. "Someone's coming. Are you staying or going?" Her eyes clearly state that SHE would prefer going. Oni growls again and slips back into the secret passage. He nearly runs into a calm-looking Anzu.

The youngest flinches as her mind brushes his. She wishes that she knew how to control how her emotions showed.

In the brighter corridor, every orange-apricot feather on her oversized-looking wings clearly shake with tension and fear.

::Neko'll protect me,:: Anzu thinks desperately. But she still couldn't banish her worry that it might not be Aerith or Yuna who found them, but a scary one- Sephiroth or Cloud.(1)

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(1): Sephiroth came to the Hallow Bastion with assorted other FF characters. And even though he's not EVIL anymore, he's not the nicest guy on the block. And Cloud... You have to admit, he MIGHT be scary for a timid six-year-old.

480 Words! Whoopee! Not.

Reviews? Please? (Hopeful look)

BTB, the poll is still going.
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