DarkTaoAngel: Half way done after this chapter! And hopefully none of my readers have deserted me by now. I have only one request this far into the story; please submit a review after you are done reading this chapter!
Not far off Ren was on his way to check up on Pirika again. It was becoming quite routine to him by this point, though he did still mind it as a treat. He neared the Inn to find Pirika in a state of disarray, with none other than Hao Asakura sitting beside her. He cursed himself under his breath for having let this happen to her in the first place. He had helped in the destruction of Hao, but somehow he had survived, as he always seemed to find a way out of all things that he disliked.
Ren neared even closer to Pirika's room to find her in worse shape than he had ever imagined. She was sitting on her bed, clutching her legs to her chest, and sobbing so hard it could be heard for many yards. Tears flowed from her eyes, leaving behind red blotches under them, and staining her clothes with the saline substance. Her face was red from having screamed into the night, and it was easy to see that she was suffering immensely, due to the way she was rocking herself back and forth.
Ren wanted nothing more than to be there, to comfort her, to tell her that she would be alright. He had never been able to do such things, and as far as Pirika was concerned, he had, and never would love her. So why, Ren asked himself, was she crying? It must be because of someone else, but then why would Hao be there? Ren had absolutely no idea as to why, but he knew one thing; he had to save Pirika from whatever Hao was plotting, and for that he had to come back to life. But what if Pirika did not love him? Then he would just have to stick to his plan, and tell her what he felt about her. Only she could decide what happened here, but he had hoped it would be easier than this. He chanced a quick glance at Hao, so as to not present himself to such an evil and all-powerful man as he.
Hao appeared to have remained completely unchanged over all of these many encounters. He was still the heartless devil that he was when they had apparently finished him off the first time. He was talking to Pirika, and only when Ren got closer still was he able to hear the full extent of what they were saying.
"I know what you want, and I intend upon giving it to you. But I must ask you one last question before we proceed; is this what you really want?" Hao was just toying with Pirika, watching her struggle with an air of pure enjoyment.
Pirika thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion, which took her quite some time, and she still was not completely sure of herself. "Tell me your conditions first, then I will decide for sure." Even her voice was good to hear, after Ren had not heard it in the longest time, and he missed the sweet melodic sound to it.
Hao just laughed as his first response, making the entire scene uncomfortable, leaving Pirika edgy, which went on for some minutes before subsiding. He then turned back to her before continuing, with his still malicious voice, now so more than before.
"If you chose as you said you would, I will bring back what you have lost; but a small price will come to such a gift. You will be allowed but one day to spend with him, and then I am afraid your soul will be mine to keep.
"If you chose the other choice, however, I will be forced to take your brother with me on my way out." Hao called forth the Spirit of Fire to reveal Horo, Pirika's brother, bound and blindfolded, laying in the spirit's fire-red hand.
"You put him down! This had nothing to do with him! Take me if you want, just don't hurt my brother!" Pirika shouted, now on the breaking point, tears still rapidly filling her eyes.
"It's either your brother or your precious boyfriend." Hao said, taking in the scene with joy. Pirika blushed crimson red before continuing.
"He is not my boyfriend! Ren is…." She seemed unable to find the right way to put what she wanted to say, so she stopped in mid sentence.
Ren was shocked when he found out that it was he who Pirika wanted to revive. Though it was a put out that she did not find him as a boyfriend to her, she still cared about him, even now. He could tell how hard this was for her, having to choose between him and her brother, whom she cared about more than any other.
And what was worse, the result for her either way ended in death for her, and Ren did not want that, no matter what it took him to prevent it. He did not care what happened to him now, it was his fault that this was going to happen to Pirika in the first place, and he had to get her out of it.
Even if his soul remained trapped, he would expose himself, just to save her. It was his turn to do something to show he how much she meant to him, and he knew exactly what to do. He had to tell her what to do, because there was only one way for her to get out of it, and the only way to do this was by telling her how he felt about her.
He would save her even if his soul had to remain encased in this prison-like way, not able to depart from this world, he had to help her. She meant that much to him.
DarkTaoAngel: Well, that was chapter ten! I did not like it much, but I had to write it to continue. The next chapter is really climactic, with lots of Ren x Pirika! Please R&R!