Disclaimer: Shadow Hearts belongs to Aruze, God love 'em. They're promising us Shadow Hearts 3 in 2006 here Stateside. Yippee. You'll love it!

Part 15

The sun had set and the crickets were out in the garden, their gentle churr a pleasant sound to Karin's tired ears. She sat in the chair by the bed, her body aching and wanting a bath more than anything else right now, but not wanting to leave the man lying there, unattended.

I should call Lucia, she'd watch him while I bathed, she thought, or even Gepetto. But he's always been there for me - I can wait for him. There was a scratching at the door and Blanca pushed the bedroom door open with his nose and walked in, crossing the wooden floor to sit by the bed; he was followed by Gepetto. The old man had cleaned up and changed clothes, buying a newer coat from the Mazymell's stall. He carried Cornelia in his left arm and tottered over to the bed, looking down at Yuri.

"How is he?" he asked.

Karin shook her head slowly. "No change. He's sleeping. Or unconscious," or in a coma, she thought. No, he'll sit up; he'll wake up, sit up and tell me to get out of his bedroom. And I'll take him in my arms and hold him so tight... Blanca sniffed at Yuri's hand that had slid down over the side of the bed before lying down with a grunt, the hand brushing his ears.

"Well, why don't you go get some rest, then," Gepetto said. "Cornelia and I can stay with him," and he set Cornelia down on the bed, her little blue skirt with its white lace looking so new and crisp.

"Is that something new?" she asked.

Gepetto nodded, smiling. "Yes, from a picture Yuri drew. Not a very good drawing, but Pierre was able to make it for my Cornelia." Karin rose from her chair and stopped at the bedside, touching Cornelia's golden locks held back by a blue ribbon. Gepetto made the marionette curtsy on the bed, blue eyes blinking largely and Karin smiled, letting her fingers trace the soft looking cheeks and chin of the doll.

"She's so cute," she said then turned to leave.

Karin descended to the kitchen for a quick meal then headed for the bath. To her surprise, Anastasia and Lucia were both soaking in the big wooden tub and, after washing, Karin put her hair in a towel and joined them. The water was hot, and Karin felt her skin tingle at the sudden warmth, and she stretched out her legs and felt the water lift her up, relaxing her.

"How is Yuri?" Lucia asked after a few minutes. "Any change in his condition?"

Karin sighed softly. "No, he's still sleeping or unconscious."

"Do you think he'll ever wake up?" Anastasia asked. The little Russian princess was sitting on a stool in the big tub and her chin was barely above the surface.

"I don't know; I hope so. He's lost so much, it would not be fair for him to lose just now, with so much yet to do." Silence reigned for a while and Karin let the heat and the lapping of the water on the side of the tub lull her to near somnolence. It wasn't until princess Ana decided to leave the tub and splash everyone else with water that she opened her eyes.

"Well I think he should just wake up," Anastasia said. "You don't see Kurando lying about all day."

"Anastasia!" Lucia exclaimed, her own eyes sparking with distress. "You can be so tactless." Ana turned with a towel wrapped around her and put both fists on her hips.

"Well it's true. Why doesn't he wake up? It's not like Astaroth hurt him or anything! He's probably just faking it!" abruptly she turned and fled the bath, the door tapping against the wall in the silence remaining. Finally, Karin opened her eyes, seeing Lucia's stricken expression and sat up in the tub.

"It's all right Lucia. She's just upset. She doesn't understand and – it's not just because she's royalty," Karin said softly. Lucia's eyes widened and she swiped at a tear trying to escape down one cheek.

"I'm the one usually saying doom and gloom and here it is la principessa piccola del fiore who has said it," and she sighed. "I believe in Yuri. I believe he'll come around. I don't have to see it. But Karin," Lucia took a cloth from the side of the tub and dunked it into the water before using it to wipe her face.

"Yes?"

"Will you tell him what Kato said, before he left with Ouka and the others?"

Karin looked down at the water, small tendrils of steam rising from the surface and clouding the otherwise clear water. Kato had held Ouka in his arms even as he killed Nicholai. He had held her as he pronounced the desire to see Yuri, should he recover.

"Tell him, should he live, to meet me at the foreigner's cemetery in a week's time."

"I'll tell him I suppose. It can't hurt – they were friends," Karin said slowly, thinking each word as she said it. Lucia splashed a little as she rose from the water and stepped out, taking a towel to wrap around herself.

"I have a bad feeling, Karin. I won't talk about it. But there are tears to come. And ..." Karin looked up at Lucia's words and caught the look of sorrow on the lovely lady's face. "I'll be here if you need me."

Lucia's words proved prophetic. Yuri awoke later the next day, having slept for three full days. Groggy and aching, he sat at the kitchen table shoveling in food while Karin filled him in on what had happened. He told her they would go to Yokohama when he was done and Karin bit her lip. She felt a sudden frisson down her spine and Lucia's words came back to her, but she merely nodded and went to inform the rest of the group.

And when Yuri had finished, the group grabbed up Roger and his plane and headed for Yokohama and the cemetery. Yuri left the group at the entrance, insisting on speaking to Kato alone and then returned to the plane, showing Roger the Émigré Manuscript. Kato had returned it, making a cryptic remark while telling him where to find the mastermind behind all the violence and subterfuge in Japan and Russia. Yuri couldn't wait to get to him and Karin, following behind, wished he wouldn't.

When they finally located Ishimura in his headquarters, and after fighting through two floors of soldiers, Yuri was ready to see blood. He interrogated the man, an old, sick man, and when he didn't get the answers he wanted, he beat him. Karin, in shock and dismay, turned away until she heard him fall to the carpet. She turned to see Yuri beating his fist into the floor, head bent to the carpet and tears streaming down his face. He looked as broken as the old man lying in a pool of blood at his feet.

They returned to Inugami Village and Yuri made straight for the cliff, refusing to speak to anyone. Karin tried to get him to cheer up, to stop brooding over what he had done but he ignored her. She felt it was probably just as well as her words of encouragement were choking her. She leaned against a nearby rock, watching Yuri sit and stare at the clear blue of the sky and wanted to kick him, hug him, and throttle him all at the same time.

How could he beat that man? she asked herself. Not just beat him, but do it in front of the man's grandson? Didn't he just make a lie out of his own words? Didn't he abuse his power the same way Ishimura had done? She stayed against the rock until Roger came tottering up the path looking for Yuri. He looked pointedly at her and told her to leave it to him, so she turned back toward the village. It wasn't a far walk but she stopped nervously several times when wind and wing caught her attention in the trees. Alone, she didn't wish to run into those pesky Tengu's that so fascinated Anastasia.

Once back at the village, she spent time at the store, buying supplies and a few knick-knacks that caught her eye, until she saw Yuri coming back through the woods alone. He walked past her like she was invisible and headed straight for his aunt's house. The look on his face, both determined and hopeful, left her feeling suddenly very nervous. Something had changed. And indeed something had, for when she caught up to him, he was telling everyone they were leaving for Wales.

Roger had promised to bring back Alice, and as Karin thought about it, she knew that Roger's words, spoken later – words of warning – were a gloss. Yuri would do anything, risk anything, to be with his dead love, even to crossing the line into the path of hell.

Karin could feel the cold metal of the door eking into her skin through the thin cloth of her blouse. She had volunteered to wait, to sit watch over the process, to lend her support and be there should they need an executioner. But she didn't like it. She knew Yuri loved Alice; he obsessed over her constantly. Even though Karin had confessed her love for him, even though there were plenty of beautiful women in the world, he still thought of her – the one who saved him from his darkness. Not a day went by that he didn't pause and look at something, a wistful look in his crimson eyes and Karin knew he was thinking about Alice. When he bought armor, he looked at protection for light class before putting it aside and moving on to fire or dark. It was as if she was still here, in his company, in his life. And a little part of her was jealous.

Jealous over a dead girl. How pathetic, Karin, she thought.

Strange sounds were coming from the sealed room now, and vibrations through the metal floor. Karin pulled up her knees to rest her head on them, not wanting to think about what was going on in there, but deadly curious as well. Roger had explained that the crystal, which they had retrieved from Queen Victoria's summer palace in Scotland, would be used to create a body for Alice. They would then summon her soul back to inhabit that body. The danger was that no magician, living or dead, had ever succeeded in bringing back anything but a monster, or turned themselves into monsters, in the attempt.

What if they succeed in bringing her back? she wondered, picturing in her mind the little exorcist as recreated by Gepetto's doll, Cornelia. Yuri would stay with her of course. Would he pursue his vendetta with Kato? Would he even want to? Yuri had not told anyone what their conversation had been about in the foreigner's cemetery, so Karin was feeling it out by cryptic remarks. Roger said that the Émigré would also reveal Kato's plans. Karin wished they'd all just send telegrams instead of all this subterfuge.

The vibrations had become a steady hum and another sound was rising and falling above the sound of machinery. Karin sat up and put her ear to the door, hearing Roger's voice as it intoned a ritual.

So, it's begun. She leaned back against the cold metal door and closed her eyes, the sound grating on her nerves, her brows pinching slightly with the onset of pain. If this does work, Yuri will be happy, she thought. I want him to be happy. Dear Gott I want him to be happy. But I want to be happy too. Where is my happiness in all this? A lone thought crept into her mind, a dark whisper that made her sit up and scan the anteroom. No one else was there, the others having gone back up to Roger's house. But what if it fails?

They had gone through so much to get to this point. Confronting Nicholai had brought pain and sadness to both Yuri and Karin and Karin regretted the necessity more than any one else. They had confronted Ishimura, and faced the hidden mysteries in Queen Victoria's palace. Why go through all that, if it meant failure?

No, no, we won't lose – he won't lose, she thought and drew strength from her resolve. Roger's a good magician, not like Rasputin. He'll succeed where others have failed. I have faith in that; I have faith in Yuri.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden change in the sounds from the sealed room and Karin rose to her feet, turning toward the barred door. The floor's vibrations changed from a steady thrumming sound to a deep groan of machinery gone wrong. Suddenly there was a loud explosion and Karin flung herself at the door, her cheek pressed against the metal, her hands flat on either side, her whole body anxious and listening. She could only make out the increased noise as machinery went wild before shuddering to a stop, and then, faintly, barely audible through the doors she heard a voice speaking. The voice was neither Roger's nor Yuri's. And then, there was silence.

Yuri slept on the plane trip back to Japan. He had looked dejected and worse when the duo had left the sealed chamber, and refused to look at anyone or even speak. Karin gathered that the attempt to resurrect Alice had failed, but that somehow, through some miracle, she had spoken to Yuri from beyond the grave. Roger did not speak more on that, but had been most talkative about his interpretation of Kato's plans. Karin stopped listening after a minute and watched Yuri from beneath her lashes. He stood silent while Roger spoke then walked away, heading for the hangar and the plane. Now, laid out in the back, he slept. Karin had forgone her usual seat with Lucia, opting to sit closer to Yuri and she took a blanket from the plane's onboard stowage to cover the sleeping fusionist. After a while, she too slept.

They met Kato at the Asuka Platform, an ancient site just out of Nara and a half-day's walk from Inugami Village. Standing face to face at that ancient site, the small village of Asuka lost in the wooded hillside behind them, Karin prayed fervently that Kato would change his mind, refuse to walk down the path of hatred and bitterness; but even as she prayed, she heard his deep voice resonating around the stone pillars, echoing his words through the valley and her heart fell. He would summon up some eldritch device from beyond time; summon it and use it to lay waste to the world as she knew it. And she knew in her heart that Yuri would accept his challenge.

The sun was setting, laying low along the horizon, scarlet and yellow light washing over the forested areas beyond the stone archway. Seconds ticked by as the great globe lowered, then finally touched the horizon. Light streaked along the valley, piercing the stone pillar and suddenly the earth shook, the ground splitting open beneath their feet. Everyone moved, jumping for safety - everyone but Kato and Yuri, who stood face to face, oblivious to the chaos around them. Then Kato left, the dust settling on the plain as, in the air above, a phantom tower appeared. Yuri looked up at it before making his way to the transport circle while Karin and the rest followed slowly behind. This was beyond comprehension, beyond all hopes and feelings. They were following him like Gepetto's puppets, and Karin felt none of them knew what they were doing. And, looking at them as they stepped onto the brightly lit circle, she felt the same.

"The Vessel of Yoriwara, he called it," Yuri supplied them when they arrived at the first level of the machine. "It's some crazy alien temple again, but I don't care. It's comin' down." He spoke with confidence, much as he had before taking on Rasputin. His friends stood around him and he pointed at the center of the first floor. The walkway was a series of slipways, narrow paths that crisscrossed the area. However, only one or two actually touched, allowing passage, and none of them led to the next area across the floor of the vessel. It stood in darkness, surrounded by nothing, and there was no way to reach it.

"Maybe we move these rings," Anastasia said, pointing up at the circle of lighted concentric rings in the pathway ahead. Yuri shrugged.

"Might as well try." They made their way down the path, approaching the rings and hearing strange sounds all around them. Karin thought of alien machinery, humming and thrumming to itself, but when she looked down, over the edge of the walkway, the area below was dark, while above them the sky turned in stellar patterns.

"Constellations?" she asked Lucia who walked next to her. Lucia looked up and paused a moment.

"Yes, Orion," she supplied.

"Never mind the star gazing, let's get moving," Yuri said from ahead of them and moved off.

"He's in a rare mood," Lucia commented as she and Karin walked on together. "Did something more happen between you two this morning?" Karin blinked, looking at her friend before turning away with a shake of her head. "Something did, didn't it?"

"I – I, no, nothing happened," Karin said but knew in her heart and mind, that she hadn't fooled her friend. Lucia knew she was lying but she was not ready to talk about it. Not now. Not while they had this puzzle to solve. Maybe later. When it was all finished. Maybe when we've solved this puzzle and convinced Kato not to go through with this madness. And, maybe when I've found a way around the fate that is my burden as well.

However, Lucia would not let it lie, pulling Karin closer as they walked slowly up the path.

"What is wrong, Karin. What is wrong with you – and Yuri?"

"No-nothing," Karin said and shook her head. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling lost right now."

Lucia looked at her, taking her elbow in her arm and holding her close.

"I know better. I know and you know that something has happened with Yuri. Ever since Wales. He won't talk about it. Neither will you. And you," she paused as they stepped onto the next platform, then bent closer to whisper into Karin's ear, "you're letting what happened eat at you. I'm here for you. Don't forget that."

Karin nodded, her concentration fragmented by Lucia's words and the distractions of the Vessel. The others had gathered at the glowing column of four concentric rings and Gepetto was tapping at it, carefully poking at joints and joins. It didn't do anything but the tinging sound made Karin jumpy. Oddly, Blanca solved the puzzle. He jumped up onto one of the rings, and his large paws struck some hidden control and one of the glowing rings rotated in its socket. Startled, the wolf yelped, jumping back, his hackles raised, while everyone laughed. Suddenly the tension was broken and even Yuri was shaking his head. Karin moved over to gentle the wolf, smoothing his ruff with one hand.

"Good boy, Blanca. You're a smart one," she said and looked up at Yuri.

"Don't even say it," he remarked, looking back at her with a smile curling the end of his mouth.

Karin laughed softly and waited as Yuri checked the area. Finally, he pointed at a transport point across the great dark expanse.

"We'll have to hoof it over there," he said and sighed. "Man, it's never easy," he grumbled.

No, Karin thought, it was never easy. It was never easy growing up in a family of lesser nobility, poor but proud. It was never easy joining the military – so many officers thought she would earn her rank on her back – how surprised they must have been. It was never easy when she lost a battle and had to face those same officers and their gloating attitudes. And, it was never easy traveling with Yuri. There had been good times, and bad times, and lately those times had melted into some muddled mess that Karin had no hope of ever untangling, for she loved that crazy fighter, with every fiber of her being; she loved him and wanted him and would protect him with her life. And he knew it. And they dealt with it, the two of them, silent in their affection for each other, until this morning. This morning, everything changed.

Yuri had slept through most of the trip back to Japan and, when he finally awoke, he refused to say anything, preferring to fiddle with his fighting claws. His companions respected his silence and, when they arrived back at Inugami Village, he and Kurando disappeared into the nearby woods. Karin new he was going to work off his frustration on the local fauna.

Pity the Tengus, she thought with a smile.

The next morning, early, she went downstairs for breakfast and found Yuri making a mess in the kitchen. He was standing at the stove in a summer yukata, trying to cook, and had managed to burn the eggs and bread. Laughing, she shooed him away and cleaned up the mess to start again. Yuri laughed at himself and sat at the table watching her. She could feel his eyes following her as she moved around the room and they weren't his usual empty crimson stare. She caught his glance, and his appreciative eye, and was reminded of his comments in Mt. Fuji. So he does see me as a woman, she thought. He's not oblivious – just obsessed with Alice. But she... she's not here and never will be. The thought of Roger's abortive attempt to bring back Yuri's lover made her shudder, and when she turned toward the table, she met Yuri's eyes.

"Will you stop staring at me, you're making me nervous," she finally said as she put two plates on the table. Yuri snatched one plate and tucked into the food with relish, his appetite returned at last, and Karin couldn't stop her grin of delight. "Glad you like my cooking," she said. Yuri nodded, his mouth too full to respond, and Karin chuckled softly as she too sat to eat.

Once the meal was consumed, they sat drinking tea.

"Did you find what you were looking for yesterday?" she asked, thinking about the Tengus.

Yuri nodded. "If you mean ticks, fleas, gnats and other assorted bugs, then yes," he replied with a grin. "I spent the night scratching the itch."

Karin frowned and looked at the young fighter; there wasn't a mark on him from bug or bite. She knew that beneath his protective clothing there were scars aplenty – he often laughed about the one running up one arm to his elbow and she caught a glimpse of the puckered line as it moved above the sleeve of his robe.

"That one taught me to wear padding on my forearms. You shoulda heard Alice that day. She yelled so loud you could hear her in France. 'Course, we were in Wuhan at the time." Yuri's grin was infectious and Karin found herself smiling with him. She had treated his wounds right along with Lucia and knew most of the scars by sight. The only one she hadn't been able to heal was the one on his heart.

"I'm sorry about the other day," Karin said suddenly. "I mean, Alice..."

Yuri looked up from his tea and caught her grey eyes. She had learned over the weeks and months to read those eyes, and knew that he still felt great pain over her loss, but there was something else there now, some firm resolve.

"I thought I heard..." she began and Yuri gestured with one bare hand.

"No, it's all right. She spoke an' I had a chance to see her – in here," he said and tapped his chest. Karin remembered that time the two of them had ventured into his heart, to free his fusion Amon, and knew he meant he'd returned there, somehow.

"She was in ... there?"

"Yeah," he said softly. "On the train we took from Paris. I know what I have to do now. Soon it will be all settled."

"I'm glad," Karin said, and hoped that, maybe now, she'd have a chance. She rose, removed the dishes to the nearby sink, and returned to offer more tea, leaning closer as she poured, feeling the heat of him. She was biting her lip and her pulse was quickening. Dare I say something? Dare I? She set the teapot down on the table, hesitating to move. Yuri cupped his tea with his hands, but made no effort to drink. He seemed to be thinking, his head tilted to one side, his eyes half-lidded.

"Karin."

"Yuri."

They both spoke at once and Yuri laughed softly, his voice deeper than usual. Karin's laugh was breathy and she clasped his shoulder with one hand, feeling the muscle beneath the light cotton cloth.

"You go first," he said and Karin felt a blush rising on her fair cheeks. She fanned herself with one hand, looking down at Yuri who now stared up at her, unmoving, almost challenging.

"I- I…" I don't know what to say, she thought, and felt her heart crashing hard against her ribs. She stood looking down at him, her mouth open with no words coming out and she felt like a total fool until he moved beneath her hand, rising from the table. He turned to face her, looking through his bangs.

"If you don't say something…" he threatened and Karin felt herself snap. One hand reached up to his head, grabbing a handful of shaggy locks and pulling him down to her, her lips seeking his, tasting him for the first time, his lean, muscular body pressed to her soft breasts and his mouth open beneath hers. He tasted nothing like Nicholai, all cool and minty; instead, he was warm and hard, like rock candy – sweet and pungent at the same time, like bitter chocolate and her mouth devoured him, her tongue darting in to taste his breath.

Yuri's arms snaked around her, holding her firmly, caressing her, one hand sliding up into her short skirt and Karin felt the fire ignite within, wanting him now more than ever, wanting to do more than taste his kisses. She let her lips drift softly down, her tongue a sliding blade of fire down his throat to suddenly dart in, moving past the yukata and nipping him, sucking the nipple beneath the soft cloth. Suddenly he moved, pushing her back against the table, one chair toppling to the floor. Her skirt was pushed up and his hand was pulling down her panties while the other one had slipped under her halter and yanked, tearing the cloth and lace before moving around to grab her forcefully, pushing her down onto the tabletop.

"Yuri," she gasped and realized he had now taken control, his crimson eyes burning with an inner fire that was frightening. He did not look like the Yuri she knew, like the man she'd fought beside, laughed and cried beside - he looked possessed. His strong, calloused fingers were rubbing her breasts, pinching a nipple between thumb and forefinger, while he shrugged his shoulders to loosen the ties binding the belt of his yukata and Karin, her back pressed to the table, let her eyes rove over his well-developed torso and down to the red loincloth beneath the summer robe. She chuckled softly, amused by the change of clothing that Yuri often teased Kurando over, and the definite strength of his arousal, which showed in the rising cloth. But her light laughter seemed to bring out the suppressed need in Yuri and he moved her legs aside, pulling her closer and she let her hands reach out to caress him and tease him, letting her fingers nip at his breast and run, like fire, down his chest, circling lazily around the sharply defined muscles.

Yuri's eyes were blazing and he moved closer, lowering his head to capture her breast in his mouth, one firm globe filling his mouth and the heat of his tongue on her flesh sent shivers down her insides to join the fire burning at her middle. This is what she wanted; this is what she had wanted and needed for all these months. Not the cold ice of the exorcist. No. No, she wanted the fire and shadow that made up the young harmonixer and she ached to feel him in her, filling her, and capturing her with more than his hands or his tongue.

She curled her fingers in his shaggy hair, holding his head down as she arched up, offering more of her breast to his perusal and curling her legs up and around his back. This was awkward, this was rough and a little painful, but Karin didn't care – what were a few splinters to finally holding Yuri in her arms, feeling him press forward to enter her and hearing the childish cries of Anastasia and the others coming down the stairs.

"Oh shit," Yuri said, pulling back and Karin felt her desire, her longing for him melting away as they both realized company was coming. "Shit," he said again and stood up, pulling off his yukata and tossing it onto Karin's naked body. "Here, cover up," he said.

Her breath still coming quickly, her mind more on him than on the others, she fumbled the light summer robe until she managed to get it around her. "What about you?" she asked, seeing him clad only in the loincloth.

Yuri chuckled, a tinge of color in his cheeks, very much aware he could not hide his reaction right now. "I'll head for the bath," and he dashed out the kitchen door. Karin stood, straightening the robe and tying the sash as Anastasia came bustling into the small kitchen.

"Hey! Karin, you're up all ready?" the boisterous teenager cried and Karin, blushing as scarlet as her hair, mumbled something incoherent and fled the room only to run into Lucia on the stairs.

"Karin? Are you …?"

"I-I'm fine," she said trying to slip up the stairs but Lucia's arm reached out, holding her.

"Isn't that Yuri's robe? I would swear he was wearing it earlier," the dancer said and Karin felt those large eyes boring into her and her face scarlet.

"Yes, he let me borrow it. Please, Lucy." Lucia nodded and together they climbed back upstairs to their bedroom.

"So, the kids interrupted something?" Lucia asked as she silently closed the door and leaned on it. Karin stood in the middle of the bedroom, the window open to the early breeze and carrying the scents of blooms from the garden.

"Uhm," was all she could muster before finally sitting on the end of the bed. "Oh darn," she muttered and swiped at her face as she felt hot tears suddenly well up and slide down her flushed cheeks. A moment later Lucia was next to her, pulling her close and holding her.

"You didn't get to," she asked, and Karin shook her head, her already mussed hair coming loose and falling around the tanned arms of the Italian beauty. "I'm sorry. I know how much you've wanted to."

"He… we…" Karin found she couldn't put words to her feelings of loss and disappointment, burying herself instead in her friend's warm embrace and letting the tears silently flow.

"Things will work out, Karin," she said.

Karin did not reply right away but then asked, "Do you ever see things for people, Lucy? I mean, predict things for them?" She felt Lucia's nod.

"I did once, for Ana," Lucia replied and Karin felt the breathy chuckle. "It was more for me than for her I suppose, as I never actually told her anything." Karin did not reply, but thought about asking her, then changed her mind.

"But no, I don't like to do it. Carla gets mad because I won't charge my friends," and Lucia laughed again. "But you see I don't want to tell people what I see. I see so many things, about today, and tomorrow - how this will all end. But if I say something, it could all change." Karin pulled away, letting Lucia's hands fall to her lap before reaching out and holding them in her own hands. The dancer's long white nails were a thing of artistic beauty and Karin often wished she could manage to keep her own nails so long.

Lucia continued. "But you see, telling people what to do, how things will work out – that's the same as controlling them. That's what Veronica tried to do. I know better. I know that, in the end…" she paused and smiled down at Karin. "In then end, we'll all die."

"Just not today, right?" Lucia's smile widened and her eyes sparkled.

"No, not today."

"Thank you Lucy, for being a friend," Karin said and then rose, pulling the yukata tighter. "I've got to find some clothes to wear now. Mine got- a little ruined," she finished and turned to smile at Lucia. The tall beauty rose and gestured toward the closet.

"Let's see what we can find, shall we?"

The transport points turned out to be exercises in futility. None led to the central column. Each time they used one, they would end up in some dark corner of the vessel and wander from passage to passage, fighting monsters along the way. They were rewarded for their tenacity with occasional chests with treasure, but after the third such attempt they were royally fed up – at least the Grand Duchess Anastasia was.

"If you don't get it right next time, I'm going to scream," Anastasia said at the top of her lungs and both Gepetto and Kurando winced while Blanca's ears lowered and the wolf whined softly.

"Ana, please," Karin said, "we're all getting tired of this but screaming isn't going to make things better." Anastasia stood, hands on hips, and surveyed the dark passage with royal ire in her green eyes. Behind them, Yuri had found another chest. He rose and, as he passed Karin, he gave her a poke with his elbow, and she wondered what he was planning. Then she saw what was in his hands. He had found an article of clothing and displayed it for the group, holding it up to his waist and turning a little, prancing a few steps in front of the Russian aristocrat. At sight of the little red loincloth, Ana turned scarlet to her ears and turned away, covering her face. Laughing, Yuri tossed it to Kurando.

"Here, you take it. Red's not my color."

"Yuri!" Karin exclaimed but couldn't mask her laughter and she was relieved to see the others laughing as well until she saw the look of embarrassed ire on the young swordsman's face.

"What?" the black-clad fusionist said.

"That was cruel," Karin said.

"Hey! He's the one with a naked fusion."

"Oh? And what is Dark Seraphim may I ask?"

Smirking, arms crossed on his chest, Yuri replied, "Oh, well that's different. Seraphim's not a demon, he's a god," then he turned to saunter back toward the transport point. Karin watched in mixed amusement and horror as Kurando raced down the passageway after his cousin, their voices suddenly raised with what Karin knew was very heated and angry cursing.

"I don't understand those two sometimes," Joachim said quietly from next to them and Karin looked up at the giant wrestler. Joachim, for all his naive simplicity, was their anchor and Karin appreciated his ability to placate Anastasia. Suddenly Karin realized Ana was no longer with them and she looked up to see the diminutive Russian princess running after the two fusionists.

With a sigh, she indicated the passageway. "We'd better hurry up before she kills them," she said.

"Before she kills Yuri you mean," Joachim said and Karin saw Lucia give the big man an appreciative smile.

Those two deserve each other. Patience and love and not an evil thought in their minds, she thought. Love – how I wish I could find mine.

Lucia had resorted to Saki for clothing for Karin. Nothing in the closet would allow the scarlet tressed woman to fight, and the outfit she had obtained from Roger Bacon - he'd called it Margarete's dating outfit - Karin had utterly refused to wear.

"It's nothing more than two pieces of cloth pinned together! I am not wearing that!"

Looking at the little scraps of red cloth, Lucia had not blamed her. But Saki had found a more demure outfit, a feminine summer yukata in a pale pink that Karin could wear over her short skirt. Tying back the sleeves, she was able to move easily, much as the swordsman Kurando could. Karin looked at herself in the mirror and frowned.

"Well, it's better than the halter," Lucia said hopefully. Karin shook her head.

"Let's shorten it and lose the sleeves, shall we?"

"But your arms?"

"I'll stop at the vendor's for some protective armor – and make Yuri pay for it," she said and didn't quite stifle her soft laughter.

Lucia, taking scissors to the yukata, laughed. "Well, he did ruin your clothes. And it's a woman's prerogative in these circumstances..."

"It is?"

Lucia finished cutting the sleeves and quickly threaded a needle, stitching a small hem for each armhole.

"I don't know, but it sounds good," she replied.

Karin chuckled, coming to sit next to Lucia as she did the sewing by the window.

"You're good for me, Lucy. You make me remember to laugh sometimes." Lucia nodded, her snood-wrapped hair rubbing the back of her dress.

"And you remind me that life isn't as bad as I sometimes see it. I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too."

Once the adjustments were made to the garment, Karin put it on, adding her cuffs and strapping on her sword sheath.

"Good, now I can fight." Together they descended to the main floor. "Any idea where I might find Saki or Yuri?" she asked as they entered the kitchen.

"When I saw her earlier Saki said she was going to the shrine," Lucia said. "And I think Yuri has long since left the bath," and Lucia swallowed her giggles. "Maybe the village somewhere. Meanwhile, I'm going for more rice cakes."

Karin laughed as she left the house and, descending the long grass-lined stairs to the village, she could hear Anastasia's strident voice. Listening she could just make out the young aristocrat's demands for the purse. Ah ha! Shopping! And Yuri has the purse. She grinned as she quickened her pace to catch up with them at the vendor's wagon. There she saw Yuri teasing Anastasia by holding the money pouch over her head; the young Russian refused to jump for it and Yuri was laughing at her, teasing her like an older brother. Anastasia was not amused and was calling him names he, fortunately, did not understand. Karin decided she would take sides with this and slipped in behind the fusionist and snatched the purse from his hands.

"Hey! Give that back!" he yelled and Karin skipped quickly out of the way.

"No, no, Yuri," she said laughing. "You owe me a new top."

"You've got one," he said, indicating the pink yukata.

"Yes, but now I need armor and you are paying for it," she replied.

A small frown creased his forehead and he pursed his lips.

"Why am I paying for it?" he asked.

"Because you ruined my halter," she replied and when Anastasia looked from one to the other, she stared at the young lady. "Never mind Ana, you weren't there. Come on," she said, jingling the money pouch, "Yuri's buying."

"God damn," Yuri swore softly but shrugged, knowing he'd lost the argument as well as the money.

Karin bought a new armband and a small ring shield; these she put on and showed them to Yuri. He nodded acceptance of her choice and then watched as Anastasia bought an egg. He moaned at the extravagance of the thing, coming up to haggle with Gerard about the price. He pointed out that Ana already had a perfectly good egg and really only wanted it to complete her set, but that only made Gerard up the price 10 percent.

"Ah man!" Yuri cried and, slapping his hand to his forehead, he turned away, kicking at the grass along the dirt track. Karin shook her head then, feeling a little sorry for him, and approached Gerard for some additional supplies. The merchant happily complied but then the smile on his old face fell as Karin displayed her discount card.

"Fifty percent?" he shrieked but Karin did not back down, in fact she batted her eyes at the man and he demurred. Afterward Ana, egg in hand, pointed back at the twin entrepreneurs.

"You know, he doesn't like girls," she said innocently.

Karin smiled, looking down to admire the purchases made with her successful discount.

"That doesn't mean I can't distract him," she said. "I'm heading for the shrine, I'll see you later."

Karin wanted to speak to Saki one last time before they ascended into the Vessel to confront Kato. She liked the older woman; her beauty, her wit and her sense of humor. She hoped that Saki, being Yuri's only family, would be able to shed some light on him; Yuri already knew her feelings for him, and he possibly felt something for her. Well, just because he wants sex, that doesn't mean he cares, shethought. But, it's a start… And she wanted to tell her that she intended to try to win him over.

The Shrine was full of rainbows when Karin entered, the light streaming in from above and the mist of the waterfalls adding a dimension of mystery to the already mysterious pool. Karin paused to breathe in the cool, moist air and listen to the sound of the falls; the gentle tinkle of bells could be heard over the sound of rushing water and Karin looked up to see a breeze moving the paper tokens above the shrine. Below, standing with her back to the entrance, was Saki; she was looking down into the dark waters and Karin wondered if she was seeing the future.

"Excuse me, Saki?" she moved forward, coming to the edge of the pool but stopping just short of the pathway.

"Karin. I'm glad you came," Saki said and her voice was warm and rich with emotions. She turned to face Karin and her eyes, as red as Kurando's – as red as Yuri's – looked at her with warmth, and something else that Karin could not identify. Was it… friendship?

"I didn't mean to disturb you; we'll be leaving later today and I wanted to see you one last time."

Saki smiled, lowering her eyes to look into the dark water at her feet.

"I thought I heard Yuri before; how is he doing?"

Karin blinked, surprised at the question. Didn't she see him already? Perhaps not, if she were here before Yuri and I… "He seemed all right; he was just teasing Anastasia."

Saki nodded, a small smile playing on her full lips. "That's good," she said and looked down at the dark water again. "That boy was born under a strange star. His whole life he's been fighting his destiny. No matter what he does, he cannot escape," she said and then looked up at Karin. "You too Karin."

"Me?" Karin was surprised, watching Saki as she spoke to the water, she had felt a tingle in her spine but now her words seemed cryptic. Saki reached into her blouse and withdrew something, and Karin felt a frisson move up her spine.

"I wanted to show this to you Karin," she offered it to Karin and the young swordswoman saw that it was a photograph on heavy paper. One corner was bent and the photograph looked well handled with several places rubbed nearly gone. Turning it over Karin looked at the picture and her world stopped.

"You were born with a heavy destiny as well," Saki said. "It's a photo of him from just before he went overseas with my brother and his wife. I thought you might like to see what he looked like as a child."

The photograph showed a man in a military uniform, his wife standing beside him and a small boy in front, his face all dirty. Turning the photo over Karin read the inscription, and her hands began to tremble. She looked at the picture again and gasped for breath.

No, it can't be. Mein Gott in Himmel, what is going on? Karin felt her knees tremble and give way, collapsing her to the ground. Her hands trembled and her heart faltered. This can't be true – this can't be happening. What kind of sick joke? She looked up at Saki and found the older woman had come across the rocky bridge and was standing next to her, looking down with concern and – she knew it now, love, in her eyes.

"Karin..."

"No, no, leave me alone, please," Karin begged and turned smoldering grey eyes once more onto the photograph, hearing the soft tapping as Saki's boots crossed the stones leaving the shrine. She was alone now, with only her thoughts, her feelings and... the photograph.

The man looked much like Yuri, she noticed, the resemblance was uncanny. He was handsome, looked comfortable in his uniform, and seemed happy. The little boy, his hair cut short and going every-which-way was dirty, obviously from playing, but he also looked happy, healthy, and loved. The woman, Yuri's mother Anne, looked content but with an underlying sense of resignation. Karin's eyes stared hard at the woman with her long dress, gloved hands and long hair – she had the strangest eyes and Karin knew in her heart, knew in her gut, that this woman, this Anne Hyuga, and she were one and the same. That she would some how end up as Jinpachiro's wife and... The words struggled to form in her mind and she squeezed her eyes closed.

His mother... who died... his mother...

It was getting late and the afternoon sun was slowly falling westward when Yuri entered the shrine. Karin, sitting in a state of total numbness, heard his familiar boot heels clicking on the stones and the clink of belts as he walked in, but she did not move, did not do anything except breathe. That in itself had been a labor of survival since Saki left, handing Karin her future, her fate. The shrine was dim with the slant of the afternoon light barely touching the mountaintop and the rainbow had faded into mists, which rose like a cold fog over the still pool. Karin had stared at that fog, letting the cold tendrils touch her body the way the picture had touched her soul. She did not want this, did not think she could deal with it. How could she, when just his morning she and Yuri had almost... She shook her head and let the pain wash over her with the cold moisture. She breathed in the chill and felt the gentle touch of cold drops on her cheeks, kissing her hot face. Wie könnte Gott so grausam sein? Wie könnte Schicksal mich so schrecklich behandeln? (1) And now he was here; the man she loved, and could not have. Could fate be any more cruel?

It was getting late and the afternoon sun was slowly falling westward when Yuri entered the shrine. Karin, sitting in a state of total numbness, heard his familiar boot heels clicking on the stones and the clink of belts as he walked in, but she did not move, did not do anything except breathe. That in itself had been a labor of survival since Saki left, handing Karin her future, her fate. The shrine was dim with the slant of the afternoon light barely touching the mountaintop and the rainbow had faded into mists, which rose like a cold fog over the still pool. Karin had stared at that fog, letting the cold tendrils touch her body the way the picture had touched her soul. She did not want this, did not think she could deal with it. How could she, when just his morning she and Yuri had almost... She shook her head and let the pain wash over her with the cold moisture. She breathed in the chill and felt the gentle touch of cold drops on her cheeks, kissing her hot face. And now he was here; the man she loved, and could not have

"Karin?" Yuri asked from the entranceway, his stance relaxed but cautious. Karin looked up to see the young fighter waiting for her, the young man she loved and wanted more than anything, waiting for her to speak.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I've delayed us, haven't I?"

Yuri shook his head. "No, I actually just woke up from a nap. Aunt Saki said you were still here. Karin..." he hesitated and his head tilted as if listening. "Are you all right?"

Karin climbed slowly to her feet, pulling down on the short skirt and straightening the yukata.

"I'm fine, but," she looked up at him, catching his crimson eyes with her grey orbs. "What about you? And the mistletoe?" her voice cracked on the last word and she felt warm tears begin to flow. Yuri tsked and came forward, pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"I'm okay. Anyway, I've decided that, even if I can't break this stupid curse, it'll be all right. When it happens, and my soul fades away, I know that my memories – they'll live on inside all of you," he said to her, his chin resting on her head, his lips close to her hair. She could feel his warm breath, the heat of his chest through his jacket, the strength of his arms as he held her close.

"Do- do you really mean that? How can you..." her voice choked again and Yuri rubbed his cheek against her hair, mussing it.

"Yeah. There's nothing I can do anyway. But you know what, before I lose my soul, while I'm still who I am, I'm going to settle things with him," and Karin knew he meant Kato, his old friend. "Other than that, there's not a thing that I can do about it."

(1) How could God be so cruel? How could fate treat me so horribly? (what I was trying to say in German – I hope)

Reviewers:

Puffy: Glad you like how I'm handling Lucia. I didn't like her at all myself, until Lady Bella chided me for it. Then I started using her and realized what a wonderful character she could be, provided I stayed away from those Cards of Doom! More Lucia here and in the next chapters, so stay tuned.

Aegis: Gepetto ... well, I thought about it, but the old coot is way too stubborn for his own good. hehe