Too Close To Tell You

AN: Nope not mine stop asking. Well the writing is, but hey who's complaining… oh the lawyers… (Scamper away and hide in the corner)

Chapter 4 -Cruelty or Kindness?

He walked quietly through the woods, the love of his life hanging limp over one shoulder. He had no doubt that he was being followed, and it didn't help that he had no idea where they were. He ambled his way through the snowy woods careful not to trip on the sleeted ground.

For half the night he followed the North Star hoping that it would lead him and Anastasia some where safe. He forced his tired legs on, pushing himself harder. He would never rest until his Anastasia was safe. 'TOOOOOOOOOOT!' The noise rang out in the air like a sharp blade.

'A train!' He cried out surprised. He wondered what a train could possibly be doing out in the wilderness, but then again he was out there too.

He started to jog towards the sound, even though it felt as if his heart would explode. He begged his legs not to give out on him, not yet. Not until his Anastasia was safe. The small open platform was crowded with people pushing to get on board. A young man with the brightest blonde hair he'd ever seen was ushering people on board. 'Hurry, 'fore them Germans see us!' He yelled.

He fell to his knees as he reached the platform. 'No…' He breathed. He had pushed his body to the limit and it had finally given in on him.

'Oi! Gimme a hand you lugs…' A voice said as his eyes closed, an exhausted sleep getting the better of him, no matter how hard he tried to fight it.

He was awoken by a large trembling, his eyes focused and he realized he was on the train. Who had helped him and Anastasia on board? Wait! Where was Anastasia? He stood up quickly, instantly regretting it. The ache in his legs, back and shoulders reminding him of the struggle he'd been through.

'Oi, you awake?' The blonde man asked, throwing him a bit of bread. 'Eat it; you need to get your strength back up.'

Kurando put it down and turned to look for his Anastasia.

'Don't you speak any English?' The guy said picking up the bread and handing it to him forcefully, receiving only a blank stare back. 'Geez. You… Eat… Food…' His hands flailing around as if he was a simpleton.

Kurando pushed the bread back. 'Not until I know Anastasia is safe!' He answered, searching in ever possible corner for her.

'That pretty girl you came with?' He asked, 'She's resting in the cabin. C'mon I'll take you to her; she had a nasty fit of shivers as we were bringing her onboard.'

Kurando followed the blonde man. 'Thank you, you have my gratitude.'

He nodded. 'Names Halley didn't catch yours.'

'Kurando.' He answered. They stopped near a small dirty door.

'Sorry the room ain't exactly the cleanest, but it's got no leaks and it's warm.' Halley answered pushing the door open. Anastasia lay in the bed wrapped in blankets, she looked paler than usual.

Kurando kneeled beside the small bed and rested his hand on her forehead. She had a mild fever, but seemed all right.

'She hasn't regained consciousness. The doctor had a look at her, said she had a serious head injury, but she'd live.' Halley said. 'Any way I'll be back later.'

'Wait.' Kurando asked, 'Where is the train headed?'

'Dunno, far from the Germans if possible.' Halley answered. 'The nearest station at the last checkpoint is Zurich. As far as I know, this train is going all the way to Paris.'

Kurando nodded his appreciation. He sighed relieved that she was all right when Halley left the room. Soon his eyes closed again, exhaustion taking over his body again, but at least he could rest if only for a little while knowing she was safe. 'Anastasia…' He whispered as his slipped into that dark peaceful abyss.

It was dark and the screams of lost souls cried out inside of his head. The ground was rocky and hard and tombstones drifted into endlessness. 'Where am I?' He asked turning around.

'The Graveyard in your mind.' A familiar voice answered.

'Yuri?' He asked looking for his lost cousin.

'Yep, one and only.' The voice answered. Within the blink of an eye his cousin was standing in front of him. 'The most fatal place for a harmonixer, and yet the only place that you ever truly feel safe.'

'I've never been here before.' Kurando mused looking around. 'Why am I here?'

'Kurando, you have the harmonixer spirit and it's vital that you learn how to use the graveyard.' Yuri said putting his hands up behind his head. 'You still fear Jutendouji don't you?'

He said nothing, just looked down in response.

'It's all right. I was scared of my fusions too. Never knowing whether or not they were going to steal my will away.'

'Was? So you really are…dead?' Kurando asked feeling sad.

Yuri shrugged. 'Yeah, but I'm happy cause I'm free, so don't worry bout me.'

Kurando smiled weakly. 'I'm happy for you then.'

'Thanks…' Yuri grinned. 'But that's not why I'm here.'

He looked at his cousin puzzled. 'Why are you here then?'

'Gonna teach you how to use the souls that you've taken and fuse with them.' Yuri answered smugly, 'and don't give me that crap that you have too much Inugami in you to do it! You're a Hyuga too.'

Kurando nodded. 'All right.'

He cried out as the floor gave way beneath him, and he was left sitting stunned in front of a huge silver gate. Yuri stood beside him. 'Don't worry that happens a lot. You get used to it.'

'Ow.' Kurando answered standing up rubbing his sore tailbone. 'Not sure I want to.'

Yuri laughed at him. 'See this gate? What does it say to you when you look at it?'

Kurando looked at it for a moment 'Gateway to Heaven, Stairway to hell.'

'Can you open it?'

The samurai pressed his hands to the silver gate and pushed with all his might, eventually it swung open with a great squeal of protest.

Kurando looked at his cousin dubiously.

'Go on.' Yuri answered ushering him forward.

He entered and for a second he thought he saw Anastasia crying, but the image was gone as quickly as it had come.

'Anastasia!' He yelled out racing to the spot where she stood. On the ground sat a pendant, the colour was a gentle blue glowing just slightly.

'This was my Periphat. It was a gift from my father, now I'm giving it to you.' Yuri said grinning as Kurando put it on, 'After all some one has to keep the worlds malice in check.'

He only received a strange look from the younger fusionist.

'When you take a soul from now on you'll be able to use its energy to unlock more strength inside yourself. All you really need is an iron will and I know you have one.'

Kurando fingered the small pendant… 'It's strange. It feels like its burning in my chest.' A few moments passed as he examined the odd item. A strong wave of energy suddenly burst through him and he cried out in pain. 'W-What's happening? Y-Yuri!'

Yuri just stood there staring at him. 'If you can handle the pain you can be a true harmonixer!'

The pain was incredible and it felt as if his chest would explode. He screamed in agony and he fell to one knee. He forced himself to bear it, standing up again he swallowed hard and suddenly the pain was gone. Only a slight ache to remind him that he had bested it.

'Well done.' Yuri said. 'I'm actually impressed.'

Kurando collapsed to the knee again clutching his chest, tears in his eyes. 'W-What was that?'

Yuri grinned. 'Congratulations, you now have a third fusion power, or demon morph what ever you want to call it.'

The samurai felt like slapping his dead cousin back into the dark ages for not telling him what he was going to go through. Yuri however just laughed and helped him up. 'When ever the Periphat glows red, you must come back here.'

'How?' Kurando asked.

'Don't worry bout that, you won't have any choice in the matter, you'll just be here. It used to happen the most when I passed out or slept. It's probably going to be the same with you.'

'Probably?' Kurando asked.

'Yeah, well um… you're different to me. It might happen differently. Hey look do you want my help or not?' Yuri asked now trying to feign innocence. 'Any way time to wake up Kurando.'

'What?' Kurando asked suddenly finding that he was fading and so was the graveyard. 'Yuri! Thanks!' The samurai yelled out hoping his cousin could hear it.

Yuri just nodded before the world turned to white.

Her eyes fluttered open as a whistle blew in the distance. She brought her hands to her head and cried out softly as she touched a tender spot. Beside slept a handsome young man, with the most beautiful almond shaped eyes. She wondered to herself what colour they were. He shuffled as if he were having a bad dream. 'Arrrgh…' He clutched his chest and began to cry out in pain as if some one had pushed a dagger through his heart. Suddenly it stopped… 'Yuri…' He muttered. 'Thanks.' All of a sudden his eyes snapped open, and the bright crimson colour seemed almost on fire for that moment. It took him a few moments to adjust to his surroundings, and then he noticed her green eyes on him.

'Anastasia?' He asked smiling. 'You're awake?'

She looked at him blank faced. 'Where am I?'

Kurando hugged her tightly. 'We're on a train to either Zurich or Paris, where ever you want to go. I'm glad you're safe.' He held her back to behold her, his eyes full of tears. 'I'm never going to let you out of my sight.'

'Pardon me for asking…but who are you?' She asked.

Kurando felt shattered. 'Anastasia..?' He asked her touching her face. 'You can't remember me?'

She looked at him with a pained expression on her face. 'Why do you call me Anastasia?'

He felt like breaking down and crying. 'You have no memory, do you?' She stared at him completely dumbfounded. It was cruel because everything he had said, every confession of love they had passed, subtle or not was lost. But maybe it was a blessing, because she couldn't remember her family and their fate. He pulled her into his chest again and held her tightly, vowing to himself that if he had to win her love again, he would.

AN: I realize that the whole amnesia thing is corny, but I think it will work really well for this story and I will try to make sure that the plot is as twisted as any shadow hearts game.

If you want me to write more please review this story! Just follow the pretty arrows!

And no flames please… I'm scared of fire!

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