A/N: Here's chapter two! Please review and let me know what you think!

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The Final Piece
Chapter Three

"Did you find her?" Himeno gasped, trying to jump out of bed. The room began to spin as soon as she stood, and she would crumbled to a heap in the floor, had not Hayate been there to catch her before she fell.

Sasame shook his head vigorously. "No, I'm sorry. She is gone. She is nowhere inside the mansion, nor on the grounds anymore." He reported.

"It was her…" Himeno whispered to herself. "She was my friend. How am I supposed to go to school if she's there? It's too dangerous. Everything is too dangerous…" she shivered.

"Calm down, Himeno. It will be okay…" Hayate smiled.

Himeno looked up towards her bedroom door. She closed her eyes, nodding, and took a deep breath. "Dad! Mom! Mayune! Mawata!" she screamed. "I need you all to come here!" she called

Several of the knights jumped back in surprise when Himeno yelled. Seconds later, the rest of her family was standing in her room.

"What is it, Himeno?" her father asked, looking concerned as usual.

She sighed deeply. "I have decided something." She looked up at the knights as she said this and smiled.

"What's wrong? What is it?" frowned Mawata, studying her stepsister for clues as to what she was about to say.

"I figured out who ordered the attack of the demon larva today when Mawata and I went with Hayate for ice cream." She announced. "It is someone from school."

At this, everyone but the Leafe knights standing behind her gasped in surprise. Himeno took another deep breath, and continued. "I have decided that it is too dangerous. I cannot remain here where she knows how to get to me. I have decided…to leave Awayuki and the school. Maybe then she will have no reason to come after any of you…" Himeno whispered.

Her stepmother nearly screamed. "Leave Awayuki? Leave school? But Himeno!" she gasped. "You would…"

"She would stay in Leafenia with us." Sasame spoke up. "If she was there, we would be able to protect her, and she would be able to protect you without getting you involved. I think that is what she is trying to say…" he finished, nodding.

Himeno shook her head quickly. "Yes, that's it."

Her father blinked several times. "You're going to leave us, Himeno?" he finally managed to choke.

"She tried to kill me at school, dad. She knows where we live. Everyone does. Don't you understand? If she comes after me, I do not want any of you to get hurt in the process. Last time this happened, we came dangerously close to losing Mawata. I love you all, and I don't want you to go through it again. I can handle this…and the Leafe knights will help me." She smiled in confidence.

"You're sure?" her father nodded.

She wrapped him in a hug. "Yes, I'm sure." She whispered.

"All right, Himeno. I trust your judgment. But please…be safe." Her father sighed.

"I still don't approve of your leaving school, Himeno." Her stepmother said in a scolding tone. "But I will say nothing further about this, except that I want you to be careful, and I expect you to return home when this whole mess is over."

Himeno smiled. "I will." She promised.

Mawata said nothing, but smiled and wrapped her stepsister in a tight hug. Mayune cried, but recovered quickly. "I'm…going to miss…you." She managed, wiping her tears away quickly and taking a deep breath.

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Mawata dropped a shirt and a pair of jeans into a small suitcase on Himeno's bed, and sat down quietly. Himeno looked up.

"What is it?" she asked. "Is there something wrong?"

Mawata smiled. "No, I was just wondering is all. I mean, you're going off to live by yourself…and…someone tried to kill you yesterday. Aren't you scared? Even a little? I would be."

"And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't." Himeno admitted. "But I have the knights to help me through all of that. They swore to protect me. And Hayate…"

"Hayate?" Mawata repeated, questions in her eyes. "You know what I think, Himeno? I think you like Hayate a lot more than you are willing to admit. I think you have for a while. And I think he likes you as well. So of course he would want to protect you!" Mawata smiled as her stepsister blushed feverishly.

"Sh! He may hear you!" she warned. "He doesn't need to know everything. Even if I do."

Mawata blinked. "And why not?" she demanded.

"For the same reason that I am leaving this place, Mawata. It is a weak spot. Understand?" she explained.

The reply came from outside Himeno's window, rather than from her stepsister. "Perfectly…"

"All done!" Himeno announced happily.

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"Everything is going to be all right, Himeno. This will all be over soon if we have anything to say about it…and then you can go back home safely." Hayate promised.

"That's good." Himeno nodded. She stopped. "She can…she can get to Leafenia, can't she?"

Hayate paused. "No…not unless one of us brought her there…"

Himeno sighed with relief. "Then I am doing the right thing." She nodded, more to herself than to anyone.

"Yes…it's very noble of you." Hayate agreed.

Himeno blushed.

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Kei and Goh were waiting for them in Leafenia. The three youngest of the Leafe knights were nowhere to be seen. Leafenia looked normal…how it had looked before the Princess of Disaster had stolen so much of its energy. Himeno thought it was the most beautiful place…and it was safe, like Hayate said. Maybe Yayoi could get to her, but at least she wouldn't have any reason to go after her family.

She smiled at Kei and Goh. "Hi there! Where will I be staying?" she asked them quickly.

"The same place you were supposed to stay before I destroyed it the last time," smiled Takako, who had just walked up, arm in arm, with Sasame. "It has been rebuilt and repaired, and all of your things are there already. We all hope you like it."

Himeno nodded. "Thank you, everyone."

Takako had not been lying. Inside the small house were all of Himeno's things from her room. It was as if the knights had somehow transplanted her room from the Awayuki mansion into this small little house. She thought it was lovely.

She yawned. "Wow…" she frowned. "I didn't realize that I was so tired. There has been so much excitement lately. Maybe a nap would be a good idea?" she suggested, talking to herself.

"Yes, rest would be good. You should get as much rest as possible while you can." Sasame agreed.

"I'll make sure no one bothers you, Himeno. You can sleep safely." It was Hayate.

Himeno nodded, blushing slightly, and went into her room in the small house. Almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, her eyelids became very heavy. Soon enough, she was deep into a nightmare-filled sleep.

"Hayate? Sasame? Kei? Goh? Mannen? Hajime? Shin? Anyone? Where are you? I'm…I'm all alone. Where have they all gone?" Himeno screamed into the darkness.

She was in Leafenia. That much she could tell. But this time, it was different. The sky was black, and she could hear nothing. There was no sound of animals, people, or water.

"Hayate?" she called again. "Someone! Something is wrong!" she yelled.

Then she heard it. The laughter was high-pitched, but yet so familiar. She looked around, but could still see no one. All she could hear was the laughter. It was her laughter…the laughter of the person who had caused all of this to start all over again.

"Yayoi? That's you, I know it is!" she called. "Show yourself! What have you done with everyone, huh?" she demanded.

She still could not see Yayoi, but she got a reply. "Do not worry, Himeno. They are being put to good use. I promise you that…"

Himeno gasped. "Put to good use?" she repeated. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Again, the laughter started, and finally, out of nowhere appeared Yayoi, with a large demon at her side. She continued to laugh as Himeno watched the horror unfold. The demon held within its tentacles six of the seven Leafe knights. They were being sucked dry of their Leafe…their life energy. Himeno saw all but Hayate among them.

"Stop it!" she cried. "You'll kill them, Yayoi! Please! Put them down! Your fight is with me!"

"I will put them down in just a minute…"

Himeno paled. She felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. First, Mannen disappeared, then Hajime and Shin. She screamed.

"No! They were only children, Yayoi! How could you? How could you do that to little children?" she sobbed, dropping to her knees.

Kei was the next to disappear, followed closely by Goh, until only Sasame remained. Himeno, still sobbing, screamed. "Sasame! Kei! Goh…" She took a deep breath. "Damn you, Yayoi! Why? Why did you do this? Why?" she screamed as she watched Sasame fade.

Yayoi only continued to laugh. "Aw. Does it hurt, Himeno?" she smirked. "Well, then I imagine this will sting quite a lot…" she smiled evilly.

That was when Himeno caught sight of Hayate. She ran forward, but was quickly thrown back by Yayoi as the demon picked up Hayate in its grasp. Himeno screamed. "Hayate! No! Don't…" she cried. "Hayate! Yayoi! Please…please stop!"

"This a classic romance tragedy, Himeno! One of the main characters always dies!" she smirked.

"No! Yayoi, please!" Himeno screamed, once again trying to run forward and being thrown backwards. She stood, just as Hayate disappeared. He was gone. Everyone was gone…and she had not been able to do anything about it…

"No! Hayate!" Himeno jumped out of bed, and straight into Hayate's arms. She blinked. "It…it was only a nightmare. Then…then, everyone's okay? It was so horrible!" she cried.

Hayate pat her on the back, and kept her close to him. "Shh…it's all right. Everyone is fine. Nothing is going to happen to us. We'll be all right, Himeno. We're all going to get through this…" he whispered soothingly.

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A/N: Ha! Well, I have to leave that one there, but if you review, I will update as soon as possible! Hope you liked it!