Frail
'It has been over a week since the Leafe Knights started to guard me around the clock. I do not understand why are they doing this.' The young Pre'tear thought as she relaxed in her bath tub. Sadly this is the only time that she has to herself any more. The Disaster Princess has been launching all out attacks on her and the knights all most nonstop. It has been affecting her school work, it has been affecting her health, and it has been affecting her fragile relationship with her new family. Himeno scrunched down lower into the bath tub. "At times like this, I wished I had someone to talk to." Himeno knew that she could always talk with Yayoi, her friend since middles school. But some things she felt that she had no one to talk to about those things. Times like this Himeno missed her mother. Himeno felt that she could always talk to her mother about anything, even though her mother has been dead since she was four. "Mum, I miss you so much." A salty tear fell from a crimson eye mingling with the warm bath water. "I feel so alone." She wiped the tears away. Himeno sat there and cried hugging her slim legs and reflecting her life.
'Is this how Takako felt when she was Pre'tear? Is this pain I feel the same as hers? Will I become what she is now?' The last thought Himeno had made her shudder. "No, I could never destroy life, could I?" She whispered to herself. "Miss Himeno, I have brought you some fresh clothes." The maid called, pulling Himeno out of her train of thought. Himeno called through the door "Thank you, you are too kind I could have gotten them myself. I really don't mind doing it." The princess with the hair the color of a sunset climbed out of her nice safe bath tub and put on a simple spaghetti strapped sundress while she dried her hair. She left her bathroom drying her hair with a small fluffy towel. "Here are your clothes miss Himeno." The maid bowed and handed Himeno her clothes. Himeno was sure to thank the maid as the maid left her large room.
The next day, Himeno and Yayoi were talking about how Himeno has seemed to lose some of her sparkle last few days. Himeno explained it was because of all of the demon larvae that had been appearing and the fact that the Knights have been guarding her twenty four hours a day. Causing Himeno to not be able to get a good night sleep. This of course caused Yayoi to go into one of her romantic fantasies. "It's not at all like that." Himeno growled. She began to talk about the Leafe knights and how she believes they think of her as. "It is almost like a one sided love, isn't it?" Yayoi enquired. Himeno started to agree when she was interrupted by the Leafe Knight of Sound, Sasame. "Who has a one sided love?" he grinned. This made Himeno blush, allot of things that Sasame did made her blush. He was just so kind and gentile unlike a certain other Knight she knew of. Himeno's train of thought wondered over to Hayate, she wondered if he was truly the boy that was kind to her in the past. Himeno continued to stay very quiet and very deep in thought all the way to the radio station with Sasame.
The Pre'tear sat outside the sound proof box while Sasame recorded his show for the evening. One post card that the Knight of Sound read caught Himeno's attention. 'That person seems so lonely, just like I am.' Himeno lessoned to Sasame's song and it calmed her. The show was over and the princess started to relax on how the Sound Knight's song comforted her. She explained how lonely she is at times. The Leafe knight listened to the sad words of his princess. "Himeno, would you like to come to our world? You can live with us in Leafeania. I'm sure everyone would be happy to have you there." Sasame gazed into Himeno's eyes. Himeno put her attention on to the cup of tea she held in her hands. 'Sasame seams to truly care about me, but to just up and leave my family just like that…' Himeno looks up to Sasame "You're so sweet Sasame. I am really happy you care so much, and I do want to go with you… However, there is no way I can run away now." 'Who am I kidding Sasame is only this nice to me because I am the Pre'tear. Everyone needs me because I am the Pre'tear. If I was not the Pre'tear nobody would care about me. 'I am not even brave enough to find out if this is true. I don't have the courage to ask. Because I'm too scared to find out what I think is true.' "You are so strong, Himeno." Sasame admitted. 'Me strong? What a laugh.' "I'm not strong at all, because I'm…" Himeno was cut off by Sasame's Producer. Sasame left with his producer to discus his up coming shows. Himeno sat down her tea and walked into the woman's restroom.
Himeno stood in front of the mirror in the restroom and gazed sadly on her reflection. 'I should ask him and be done with it. But what if he does not answer my question? What if it is true? What if they don't accept me for who I am? Why am I so scared of their answer? Am I afraid of getting close to them? I only want them to accept me for who I am not what I am.' Tears began to flow out of Himeno's jewel like eyes. 'I just need to ask one of them it will make me feel better to get that off my chest. Even if it is bad I will try and accept it. I'm going to ask him.' Himeno decided and washed the tears from her face. She walked out of the restroom to go in search of Sasame, when Himeno noticed all the lights in the building were out. It was entirely pitch black where she stood. Not even the emergency lights were working. 'I'm scared. Something is not right here. It's too quiet and way to dark in here.' Himeno began to feel the walls in hope to find her way out. 'Sasame, Hayate where are you? Why are you not here when I need you?' Himeno began to shake when she saw a female figure come towards her in the distance of the pitch black halls. 'Why is it I can only see her? It is like she is made up of the blackness. Could it be the Disaster Princess? Who is…?' Himeno gasped as she recognized who was in front of her. "Mayune?"