I came back

DISCLAIMER: same as always.

Chapter Three

The days flashed by for Yae, the ritual drawing far too close for her comfort. Itsuki still hadn't talked to them. She was beginning to panic.

They still didn't have a way out. Nor a plan to get out.

Yae sighed, stared up at the sky. The priests' whisperings were still ringing in her ears. The rumblings from the abyss were getting louder. They needed a kusabi soon, or otherwise...

Sae would die.

Yae swiped angrily at her eyes, trying to keep her face as dry from tears as possible. The attempt was to no avail. The tears just kept coming. She stopped her feeble attempt at drying her tears, and just allowed them to fall.

In her sorrow, she never heard the footsteps coming towards her.

"Excuse me, miss? Why are you crying?" A male voice softly spoke. Hearing his voice, she jumped, startled, and spun around. She was met with warm brown eyes, shining with worry for her. Yae cast her eyes down, trying to hide her now puffy deep violet eyes.

"I... was crying for my friend. He died recently." It wasn't completely a lie. She had lost Mutsuki. The man sat next to her, offering a silent type of comfort. He held out his handkerchief to her, which she graciously accepted, and used to dry the tears off her eyes.

"I'm really sorry, miss."

Yae gave him a weak smile.

"It's alright. I'm just being a big baby."

She got up in time to see her sister running towards her, motioning her over.

"If you'll excuse me, it's been nice chatting with you." Yae gave back his handkerchief and walked over to her sister. Sae took Yae's hand, casting a glance over at the strange man.

"Yae," she whispered "We have guests. Father bids us to help welcome them."

Yae squeezed Sae's hand.

"Then we had best not make Father wait. Let's go."

---

Ryokan looked at the two strangers before him. They had come at the perfect time. It almost made him smile. Shaking it off, he noticed his daughter arrived behind him, indicating to him that it was time for introductions.

"Welcome, outsiders. Welcome to All God's Village. I am Kurosawa Ryokan. And these," he steps aside, displaying the twin girls behind him. "Are the pride of the village. My daughters Sae and Yae."

The girls bowed, in which the outsiders returned. The elder one finally spoke up.

"Arigato, Ryokan, for letting us into your lovely village. I am Makabe Seijiro, and this is my assistant, Munakata Ryozo."

"Pleased to meet you, Makabe-san, Munakata-san. Now, let's get you rested, shall we? You have had a long journey and surly you must be tired. Sae and Yae will show you to your rooms."

---

Sae and Yae looked at each other, as if telling one another to be careful. Yae walked over to Ryozo.

"Shall we, Munakata-san?"

"Kurosawa-san, onegai, call me Ryozo." Ryozo lifted his bag and followed Yae to the house.

"Then, onegai, Ryozo-sama, call me Yae. Being called 'Kurosawa-san' makes me feel old." She smiled and held one of the large doors to the house open. He returned the smile, and walked inside.

"As long as you drop the '-sama'. It makes me feel old, as well."

Yae giggled and closed the door, leading the way down the hall to the guest wing.

"Oh, but Ryozo-sama, you are old."

She earned a laugh from him for that.

---

It was late at night, long after midnight. The stars dotted the sky, bathing the village in their soft glow. Yae laid in the yard behind the storehouse. It was by far the most peaceful place to be. No priests to bother her, no people to beg her to save the village, no Ryokan to tell her over and over 'It's your destiny'. And, most of all, no guilty thoughts on her having to kill her sister. It was just her, the stars, and the butterflies. She averted her gaze from the sky diamonds to the butterflies lazily flitting around the open storehouse window.

'Wait a minute... How did that happen?' She got up to investigate 'It's not supposed to be open....'

The butterflies gracefully glided away, one landing to prettily decorate her hair. She peered into the storehouse to see a wooden, gated off room. It had a desk, among other things, in the room. A white haired boy was sitting at the desk, with his back faced towards her, writing something.

'Wait a minute... I recognize that person...'

"Itsuki..?"

I was gunna leave it at that, but I'm not that cruel XP Too bad, I love cliff hangers. Especially when I'm the one writing them.

The boy jumped and spun his head around so quick a nasty 'crack!' was heard. He rubbed his neck, wincing, and came over to the window.

"Yae? Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Yae smiled. "Itsuki! It really is you! I was just admiring the stars back here. Why are you in the storehouse?"

Itsuki's face slipped from that of a happy smile to a sad, but determined frown.

"They shoved me in here for not turning Mutsuki into a butterfly..."

Yae frowned and reached through the barred window to cup his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Itsuki..."

Itsuki caught her hands, gazing intensely at her.

"It doesn't matter right now. You and Sae have got to get out!"

TBC!!

WOOO!!!! Finally, a long(er) chapter! I am very proud of myself for being able to make at least one of my chapters a bit longer. It just means more details, dialogue. Ugh. It's so much work x.x I have loads of homework (especially since I was sick yesterday, which is when I did most of this chapter) and then I have to work on the weekends. Things aren't looking up for this little work of "art". Hopefully, I'll be able to come up with another chapter. Better than this one, because I know this isn't one of my best works ever. x.x it's really random.

ANYWAY!!! Onto the reviews (the only things that keep me going 3!)

disilluzional88- Thank you!! I hope I met up to your standards on a longer chappy. If not, I'll just have to try harder!

Sakura-chan- Oh, thank you! I wish it were longer, too. That's why I forced this one into being a bit longer than the rest. To be honest, I was about to end it after Yae and Ryozo chat, but I felt that the chapter just wasn't over, and was missing something. I am very flattered that my writing inspired you to want to write, too. That's the best part about being an author, I think. The people you inspire make it so worthwhile!

And, oh god. I really wish all the breaks were here already! Endless breaks from school, all to waste on writing this lovely fic. That'd be great. Now, if only I could see my future husband-in-law. Then everything would be great!

Koori no Miko/ Rose of the Dragon- Thank you for reviewing! I'm very, very grateful you find this interesting. When I first posted this up, I was worried that people would find this a bore.

Now, to all my lovely readers out there, if you'd like me to e-mail you to chat, alert you of when I update, etc etc, I'd be more than willing! Just e-mail me at: (my extra-special only-for-fan stuff e-mail address) and I'll get back to you!

Now, please please please, for Itsuki's sake! Click the button!