Chapter 8: Rose

o-o; Hehe, I know, I take forever to update. I can only seem to update at the oddest times (Right now I should be starting my online driving course) Well, enjoy this chapter! Please review when you're done!

Miu

Satoka and I followed Reiji's nod. Then we saw it. A gentle gasp escaped from my throat without my permission. There it, no she was. A figure was there, suspended just as we were, floating around in a small area. A pink aura surrounded her, letting off a light glow against the blues of the world.

Though Satoka was usually the first to speak, Reiji commented before she could accumulate the strength to form words on her tongue. I was in a daze as Reiji spoke; his words hit me and vanished into my mind. I was immune to his speech, yet still faintly heard what he was saying.

"Is that it? Is she the one? Yes, we've found it, the key to our defeat of the Invaders."

His words escaped me, for none of my attention was focused on the criticalness of this speech. All I could see was the girl's light. It was beautiful, and I felt drawn to the dull glow that the figure was letting off like a moth is drawn to a lamp. It was so gentle and warm. Satoka seemed to be the same way, as she too began sliding forward as I had been. Reiji stayed back, watching us with an acute curiosity as we went towards it. I couldn't hold back. All the fear I had ever had of the unknown was totally gone. There was something about her that made me happy, made me really believe that the world was a great place.

I reached out to her as I drew closer. Her image was so soft, so gentle, that I wanted know what something that kind to the eyes felt like. As my head grew cloudy from sheer amazement, I was confronted by two piercing green eyes, and my hand slipped though her figure and out into the space behind her.

Reiji, as if suddenly awakening from a trance, jerked his head towards Miu, who had just fallen though the girl. Both Miu and the girl gasped, Miu's high gasp mixing with the girls weak one echoed off the unseen walls of the Gate of Wind. The girl, finally noticing them, floated backwards swiftly, her eyes glowing with an angered flash, "You! You mean people shouldn't be here! This is my place! How did you get here?"

"We should be asking you that…" Miu's voice trailed off as she attempted to grasp what she could of reality. I went through her. Satoka glided over the girl, "You know kid, this is a Gate, you're the one who shouldn't be here."

The anger in the girl's eyes became inflamed, "This is my place! I don't care what you call it! Get out!"

Reiji, who had been carefully watching the girl, glanced at his watch, his expression changing, "Satoka, Miu! We need to get back to Ayane!"

Satoka looked over at the girl, "Listen kid, you need to come with us now."

The girl looked at them again, the anger in her eyes suddenly softening. "Can- can you people take me to mommy and daddy?"

"Your mother and father?" Miu's small voice drifted over to her, "You're looking for your parents?"

"Uh huh, I don't think they know me, so maybe if you take me, they'll know who I am."

Ayane

Where are they? I've never felt this way before… I can literally feel my gate closing inside of me, pulling myself with it. I still don't understand the dynamics of this. How did Reiji use a gate engine to draw us all in to my gate? This is stupid; insane at that matter.

"We have to leave now! The energy field that the machine opened in Ayane's gate is going to collapse. We'll all be trapped if we don't leave soon. And if Ayane's gate collapses, who knows what will happen to her."

Reiji's words echoed peacefully around them, slowly fading in the breeze. The girl was looking at the three of them desperately, "It's nice here, but I'm lonely. Can you take me home?"

Reiji answered swiftly, "You can never go home. But I can assure that you're never alone."

The small girl winced slightly at his reply, here green eyes darting back and forth between Miu and Satoka. Miu nodded at her in a dazed manner while Satoka cocked her head to the side and began gliding backwards towards Reiji. The girl studied them quickly, "My name is Rose. I'll come with you, if you promise I'll never be lonely or ignored again."

Satoka

Why do I feel so happy? It's like everything is perfect and peaceful. I want to smile and never stop. It's like that Rose girl makes us all happy. But who is she? How the hell did she get into Ayane's gate? Why does she claim that she is alone? I'm so confused. I knew I should have gone home.

The four of them glided through the gate, their sight set on Ayane. Reiji was panicked. He could faintly hear Ayane's moans of pain as her gate grew more unstable. Hold on Ayane.

Her eyes flashed with the rare look of relief as she saw the four of them growing closer. She was suddenly taken over by a new wave of pain. Her eyes narrowed and she screamed in pain. "I can't take it anymore! Just end it now! This is not worth living through!"

Ayane

I've never been so happy to see people. But as they came, I felt an amount of pain I though impossible. My gate was engulfing me. It just all seemed to fade. Nothing was worth living for this much pain. For the first time, I felt true fear. It wasn't the fear that had overcome me in the warehouse. It was more a fear of what was happening. If I was to die, it would be alone. I wasn't planning on taking others with me. Especially that girl that is with them. I don't even know her. Do I?

Satoka gasped, "She's giving up! We've got to do something. We'll all be stuck if we don't!"

Reiji turned to Rose. He laid a strong gaze on her small form. "Rose"-his voice was firm, but unusually soft-"I need you to use your gate on Ayane."

"But-", she stuttered, looking terrified. Her eyes met Miu's. She was scared, scared for Ayane, and it was obvious to all who looked. Rose closed her eyes tightly, "Okay."

Rose clamped her hands together across her chest, her small dress flowing around her. "Gate-!" Her head jerked up, "Open!"

Her eyes flung open, pink circles glowing in each of them. In a small flash of warm pink light, Rose was gone.

Just a note- if you want me to put an 11th chapter that explains everything that goes on in this story, please include that in a review and what you want explained :)