Don't Let Go
By Starian Princess

Chapter 3- Help Me

"Yuya, what are you thinking about now?" She turned to stare at her friend curiously. What had prompted her to ask such a question? Akane never asked random things, that washer job. Nevertheless, she answered truthfully to avoid further inquiring.

"I'm thinking about that person… you know; the one whose name is in my notebook."

"Kyo-san? Ah, him. But you said you didn't know who he was."

"I don't. It's just that I must have been in a daze or something, to have written his name so many times. Ne, Kane-chan, why are you suddenly asking about this?" Her friend just smiled.

"You look as if you're about to faint or something. You don't usually let things get to you so I was just wondering." And to this, she in turn gave a wide smile.

"Thanks Kane-chan, for worrying about me."

"You idiot, that's what friends are for."

"Where do you suppose we are?" He rubbed his head. Indeed, the same question was running through his mind. Everyone was looking around in awe; there were trees but not as much to say that they were in a forest. There were mountains but somehow something was distinctly lacking. He turned around to find everyone shifting their attention to the supposed town below. It certainly didn't look like a normal town because for one thing, there were gigantic tombstones everywhere. He vaguely remembered seeing the same tombstones when he had fought with Nobunaga. So this was where Yuya had gone to.

"Do you think that Yuya-han is there, Kyo-han?" He looked to Benitora with his trademark smirk.

"There's only one way to find out of course."

"Kyo, we shouldn't too hasty. Yuya could be anywhere. Maybe we should split up into smaller groups and-"

"And what? We don't have a means of communication now, do we?" The bastard was being a pain as usual. What did he expect? To find Yuya before anyone else then take her back? He'd drop-dead before that happened.

Kyoshiro was glaring in his direction and this only fueled his ego.

"Kyo-san, Kyoshiro-san, now you shouldn't be arguing. Remember we have a date to meet so we must put our heads together to find Yuya-san. She's counting on us ne?" Yukimura smiled as that seemed to hit the right spot. The two swordsmen immediately stopped glaring each other down and resumed looking at the town they were headed to.

"I think that we should all stay together. There's no telling what kind of things we'll find in this world." Migeira was leading the group, closely followed by Akira and Saizo. Yukimura stood beside Sasuke while Benitora trailed behind along side Kyoshiro. And then there was Kyo, who stood at the very back. To anyone who didn't know who they were, they would have looked like a normal class on a morning field trip- albeit looking quite different though, in their unusual attire. But they would learn soon enough.

"Are you going to stop by the dojo today?" Yuya paused as Akane opened the door to the compound.

"Yeah, I guess I will. You'll come with me too, won't you?" Akane smiled mischievously.

"Of course! I'd never give up a chance to be able to beat you at sparring." The same twinkling look grazed her emerald eyes and Yuya nodded.

"I'll race you there then." And with that, the two girls ran off.

After a few minutes of taking turns left and right, they stopped into front of an older-looking compound. The sounds of clapping could be heard as wood hit wood, and the sounds of padding resounded through the walls as Yuya could make out some fancy footwork happening behind the doors. It had always been music to her ears; she loved the sound of fighting- it was rather sadistic in a sense but it calmed her. Of course the clanking of real swords made her feel even more at home. For some reason though, she didn't know where she had gotten the fetish. It simply seemed like she had been born with it.

For years, it had been a mystery. Even if Akane never asked, even if no one ever asked, it had always remained a question in her mind. Who was she really? Where did she come from? And why did she have all these dreams at night? They were hardly that disturbing. Most were about her, running in a forest, holding what looked to be a revolver in her hand, and she would be wearing a kimono. The setting no doubt was sometime in the past. Then in some dreams, she would be joined by a group of people. There was a man with a striped bandana on his head and a very playful smile, a man with dark hair and a calming voice, a child with silver-gray hair and intense golden eyes… but what would captivate her most was the man standing beside her. He had dark hair too and a cynical grin, eyes so blood-red she always felt herself getting lost in them. But she didn't know these people, so how could she be dreaming about them?

In the very depth of her heart though, she was certain she had met him before. She had met this man with a dark look around him, she had craved for him, wanted him there with her… even if she didn't know who he was. Inside her heart, she knew she was looking for him; a man who looked as if he were a… demon.

"Kyo."

He jerked his head. He was sure he had heard it; her voice, somewhere out there she was calling for him. He could sense it, practically taste her on the tip of his tongue, he could feel her in his arms. If he could just reached out-

"Kyo, what's wrong?" He turned to stare blankly at Yukimura, who was looking at him curiously. "You look like you were daydreaming."

Damn, how annoying this ninja was. The moment was broken. The connection was broken.

"It was Yuya, wasn't it?"

They all turned to Kyoshiro, who had crossed his arms against his chest and was leaning against a tree.

Kyo remained silent, watching his nemesis fix him with an almost amused smile, looking as if he should know what Kyo was thinking; what he had just heard. It was unnerving and Kyo's frown deepened. He absolutely hated the Mibu at that very moment, more than any other.

"I heard it, too."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, it was Yuya. Kyo, you were a part of me and since you are somehow connected to her, I am as well. I heard her voice."

He didn't know what to make of the situation. So Kyoshiro could hear her in his thoughts? That bastard… Yuya was trying to communicate with himnot with Kyoshiro, and the idiot thought that he could just perceive those calls as his own? He had to get away from him right now.

"Kyo, where are you going?" He heard Akira's question as he stalked passed them all, but did not bother to answer. He could still feel her and if he listened hard enough-

"Help me!" He broke into a run. That was her scream. She needed his help. He didn't know exactly where she was but he could hear her, feel her pulling him closer. That would lead him to her. All he had to do was follow her aura, follow the mere thought of her thinking of him. He would find her, before that Mibu even got a chance to see her. Shiina Yuya was his.

-TBC-