Fall. Black Birds.

"Alright, you all heard the question. Let's hear from..." Tenryu-san, the history teacher, took a dramatic pause, observing the class. For a couple of seconds the only sounds filling the room were monotonous ticking of the clock above the blackboard and a never-ending rain rustle behind the windows. Tokyo has been soaking wet under a heavy storm for the last four days. "Let's hear from... Innoue, you."

"The first military government, or shogunat, was established by Minamoto Yorimomo in 1192, the 7th year of Kamakura period!" Miyako rapped out.

"Very good, Innoue. And Motomiya, I may ask you next so you better start paying attention instead of staring at the window!"

"Uh?.."

Daisuke blinked, jerking himself out of the memories of last night which he spent at Yagami's.

Five days ago Hikari woke up after spending over 2 and a half months in a sleep. For the first time it wasn't accompanied by nightmares, as the girl slept quietly and peasefuly and woke up her joyful and cheery self, though weakened ever further. In fact, she was not leaving the house anymore; a simple task like getting out of bed and walking a few feet to the next room was leaving her exhausted and out of breath. She knew she was dying, but was not letting it get to her.

"Do not be sad," she told Daisuke yesterday as they were cuddling on her bed. "I believe there is nothing can do about it, and there's no sense to be upset about something that can not be changed, right? Besides..."

"LARIATOOOOO!" yelled Taichi excitedly from the living room where he was watching Dragon Gate wrestling show. Usually gloomy those days, he was back to his old cheerful and somewhat childish self whenever his little sister was waking up from the sleep. Hikari chuckled, and Daisuke, as upsed as he was listening to her talking about death, couldn't help but grin.

"Besides," she continued. "I will become a kami and still be with you. You just will not see me."

"Uh... yeah, that's... er... that's cool," he muttered, confused and feeling really uncomfortable. Yagamis were Shinto while Daisuke's family practiced Jedo Buddhism, but it had nothing to do with religion. He just hated all this talk about death.

"But Dai, may I ask you for a favor?" Hikari asked.

Daisuke sighed with releif, glad they were changing the subject.

"Your wish is my command, fairy maiden."

Hikari cuddled to him, clinging to the boy's arm with both of her hands.

"I'm not afraid of dying, but those nightmares... I'm scared." she complained. "Next time I start drifting away, can you please be there? Hold my hand or something?"

"Of course. I promise I will."

"Thanks," Hikari smiled sweetly. "You seem to chase them away, you know? Like the last time, on the beach, I started falling asleep and you were holding me, remember? I slept like a baby. Beautiful, beautiful dreams. And no nightmares."

"... Alright, next question," Tenryu-san continued meanwhile. "Innoue here told us about the establishment of Minamoto shogunat. Who will enlighten us about how did it crumble and who succeeded it?.. Kudo, please."

Daisuke decided to concentrate on the lesson and was now listening carefuly. But just when Kudo opened his mouth to answer the teacher, a cell phone in Daisuke's pants pocket buzzed, notifying about the incoming SMS. Authomaticly, he reached for it.

"Motomiya!" barked Tenryu-san. "What's that supposed to be? I thought I made it clear I want all cell phones turned off during my lessons!"

Seeing as the boy was paying no attention, a fuming teacher slammed his fist on the desk.

"Motomiya! Out of the class - now!"

Before he could finish however, Daisuke leapt out of his chair, knocking it down, and ran for the door.

The SMS was from Taichi. It only contained one word.

"Kari".

---------------------

From the moon they come down
On the shadowy wings
Black birds, the nightmares
Haunt her in her dreams
They circle above our house at night
They're after my girl, and her they will find
------------------------

After trying to grab a cab for five minutes and then failing to convince the driver to take him to Yagami's even though he didn't have enough money,Daisuke was running down the crowded street, pushing the pedastrians out of his way left and right, ignoring their angry outcries. He left his jacket in the class and now his white uniform shirt was clinging to his body, soaked wet with perspiration and rain. His destination was the nearest subway station. He was running like crazy. And running out of time.

----------------

Take all of my gold
Take all of my gold
Take all of my gold
And please go away

We don't need your gold
We don't need your gold
Your gold is rusty
Your gold is in stains

----------------

Later, in the subway wagon, squeezed in a jam, Daisuke was biting his lips in desperation, praying the train would go faster, praying he could still make it in time.

"I've promised Kari I'd be with her when she starts falling asleep. Damn, I've promied!"

He cursed under his breath, trying to get rid of the images flooding his brain. Images of Hikari tossing helplessly in the bed, groaning and crying dolefuly, tears of horror slopping from underneath her shut eyelids...

---------------------

Black birds, the nightmares, come down from the sky
With their beaks they tear out the joy from her eyes
In their black ugly claws they take it away
Leaving instead fear, sorrow, and pain
----------------------

Finally, after forty minutes, completely wet, tattered and out of breath, Daisuke came running up the stairs to the 7th floor where the Yagamis lived - he did not hit upon using the elevator - and bumped into Hikari's father. Yagami-san was sitting on the stairs near the opened door of his flat and staring blinklessly into space. An unlit sigarette was trembling intermittently in his hand.

"Yagami-san,"

"Oh, hi Daisuke-kun." the man uttered absent-mindedly. "You've come to see Kari?"

He nodded, trying to catch his breath.

Yagami-san's tone of voice didn't change as his fingers convulsively clenched, crushing the cigarette.

"I'm sorry. She passed away a couple of minutes ago."

------------------------

Take both of my eyes then
Take both of my eyes then
Take both of my eyes then
So they don't see you anymore

We don't need your eyes
We don't need your eyes
We've sank our claws into your eyes already
And took all we were looking for.

---------------------------

To be continued.