Chapter 12: Facing Fear
(AN: I know I update this every once and a while, I do apologise. This chapter is short, and as soon asI have more time, I will edit it. Thanks for all the reviews and e-mails,they mean a lot to me, and this fanfic will be finished sometime soon. Onto chapter 12, enjoy!)
It took Himeno several hours to finally managed to fall asleep. Her eyes opened and closed as she lay in her bed finding every attempt to fall asleep, more and more difficult. Staring into the space, as the room began to grow lighter as daylight began to show more. Her head was full of thoughts of what had happened in the past 24 hours. The dream. Leafenia. Sasame arriving. Hayate. That kiss. Yes, even when she got home, Hayate was still on her mind. Her worry, and anxiety over his safety was the only thing she cared about. That, and defeating Fenrir.
As Himeno, slowly drifted off to sleep, her amber eyes slowly closing as she moved her body one last time to get comfortable. As soon as Himeno was asleep, she began to dream. Not any normal dream, but another nightmare. Once again, Himeno found herself surrounded by a thick cloud of smoke. She sat up slowly from the stone cold floor she was lying on, and knew straight away where she was.
"Another dream…" she whispered to herself.
Slowly, she began to stand up. The thickness of the smoke swimming around her body that she could not see her feet, legs or torso. Everywhere she looked was white. She could see or hear nothing. But before Himeno could blink, a piercing sound came to her delicate ears that they began to sting with the loudness. Laughter. That's all she could hear. A familiar, stone cold, laughter that had every trace of evilness imprinted into every sound she heard.
"She's here" Himeno thought to herself. "I can feel it"
A rush of coldness surrounded her body. Fear had entered her mind, body and soul as she stood her ground not knowing which way to turn. Whether she should hide, or scream, or whether she should do what deep down in her heart she really wants to do: confront Fenrir. On her own. With no help from the Leafe and no help from Hayate. Gulping silently to herself, Himeno breathed in slowly, and began to walk through the smoke and follow the trail of harsh, roaring laughter.
Every step Himeno took, the laughter grew stronger and the more it surrounded her. Himeno knew Fenrir was teasing and taunting her, but didn't show any sign of frustration or displeasure. Instead, she slowly kept walking and her face and body remained composed and unthreatened. As she kept walking, the laughter grew and grew. Himeno, trying really hard to contain her patient, suddenly felt her rage and frustration bubbling in her chest. After walking for several minutes, with nothing but laughter and coldness around her, Himeno snapped.
"WHERE ARE YOU?" she roared into the atmosphere. The laughter still continuing and growing as she stopped dead in her tracks looking around. "I'M HERE SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!"
The laughter stopped. Right out of nowhere. It did not grow silent, it stopped like a record.
"I'm here…" said a dark voice behind Himeno.
Himeno quickly turned, and could see two piercing yellow eyes popping through the smoke, followed by a long purple garment and long, flowing black velvet hair.
Fenrir. Himeno was finally face to face with her on her own once again. Fenrir smirked at Himeno, waiting for her to speak. However, Himeno just stood there, looking at her with both fear and anger. She couldn't control her emotions, and she couldn't control herself. Her hands twitched slightly as she clenched her fists hard, thinking Fenrir would see she was feeling unstable. As they both stared at each other, not saying a word, Fenrir began to react by letting out a loud sigh.
"Aren't you going to greet me, Himeno? Y'know it's awfully impolite not to greet people you don't…expect, heh" she said smirking.
Himeno glared at her even more. Her face beginning to frown even more, as she breathed heavily in annoyance. Much to Fenrir's amusement, she let out her annoying laugh, still standing in front of Himeno's viewing range.
"Not speaking? Pfft!" began Fenrir as Himeno continued to stare "Suit yourself. I see you came back…and….without your special guest…"
Himeno's eyes flinched. She felt cold. Her body beginning to shake slightly, as she tried to control her physical and mental state.
"She's teasing you…don't let it get to you, stay focussed….stay focussed, you must stay focussed!" Himeno thought to herself.
"Tell me, Himeno…" said Fenrir, as Himeno snapped out of her thought. She began looking at her intensely as she began to speak again. Fenrir, not looking back at Himeno, looked at her hand as she examined her long, fingernails with great interest. "How is Hayate"
Himeno flinched again. Fenrir still not looking at her but Himeno knew she could sense her discomfort. Her mouth felt dry and roar, as she began to answer.
"I…I d-don't know" said Himeno quickly. She tried to remain casual, but was still finding great difficulty. Her body felt light and the smoke surrounding them made her feel tired and slow. Trying to snap herself out of her day dreaming state, as she tried to concentrate on Fenrir's words and movement.
"You don't?" said Fenrir, with a tut. "Well, well…that is a shame isn't it. After all he did for you…after his sacrifice to ensure to "precious" little life was spared instead of his"
Himeno began to look at the ground. She felt shame and remorse come over her, as she repeatedly told herself to get a grip and remember she is teasing Himeno. Testing her.
"Hayate is fine, Hayate is fine" she told herself
"Still…" began Fenrir looking up as she laid her eyes on Himeno with a cold, yet amused stare "…it's such a shame really you can't spare a moment to care or know about his well-being after he had done so much for you…done so much…it just proves how heartless-"
"Heartless?" replied Himeno looking up at Fenrir "Your one to talk about being heartless…"
"But that is what you are…." said Fenrir with a smirk "A heartless little girl, not even to spare a moment to know about the status the man who saved her is in. Whether he is alive or dead. Hopefully dead but-"
"SHUT UP!" spat Himeno, cutting off Fenrir's harsh speech. Her heart racing. "I should not explain myself to you. Never. Talk, talk, talk, is that all you do? Heh, where is this tough enemy act eh? Where is this tough, figure I'm hearing is so difficult to beat. But when I look at you, your like me. Flesh and blood. I doubt you have a heart, but you are not a superior being I should be afraid of"
Fenrir smirked even more "Very good Himeno" she began in a patronising tone "Been practicing your little speech, have you? Well done, well done" as she sarcastically clapped her hands together, with a maniac smile across her face. Her eyes glowing even more than usual.
"You…you have entered this dream not to talk. I know you have. You've entered to do much more than to chit chat so…come on. Let's get with it shall we" said Himeno as she stared at Fenrir with a irritated expression "STOP CLAPPING"
Fenrir suddenly stopped. Laughing a little to herself, she could see Himeno's irritation and anger building up.
"What makes you think I have come here to fight you, silly girl. I could destroy you in an instant...but I'm having too much fun of this game of cat and mouse, heh"
"You fought me last time…"
"Last time was different. I knew he'd come for you. I knew he'd want to protect you and…" began Fenrir as she looked at nails in deep thought. "Now I have no use for you, on your own.Other than to make you paranoid and sacred"
"Your not making me…."
"Oh but I am!" declared Feanrir. "Himeno Awayuki. Hear my words. I will destroy you. And your precious Leafe nights. One, by one...the day is drawing nearer and nearer."
Himeno looked shocked as she kept staring back at Fenrir as she began to laugh. And with that Fenrir clicked her fingers three time, and the roar of laughter surrounded the area louder and stronger. Fenrir's figure disappeared instantlyas her body dissolved into what seemed like millions of purple transport demons, fly in every direction. Himeno stood there confused watching them all fly away gracefully, until…
"HIMENO!"
Himeno sprang up out of bed. Feeling dazed and confused between reality and dreams, she had woken up from her dream and couldn't get her head around it. Out of her blurred and groggy vision, Himeno spotted three, small figures by her bed.
"M...Mannen?" began Himeno.
"Yep!" piped the small blue haired boy cheerfully. Next to him standing Hajime and Shin, smiling sweetly at Himeno.
"W-what are you boys doing here?" began Himeno groggily, rubbing her eyes and sitting up straight.
"You have got to come, quick! Get dressed! Get dressed!" began Shin, grabbing hold of Himeno's arm.
"Wait, wait, wait!" said Himeno, removing her arm from his tight littlegrasp. "What's going on!"
"It's Hayate!" began Hajime. "You need to come and see…!"
Himeno's heart sunk. She wasn't sure whether this was good or bad. Judging by the three little smiles on the boys faces, it must be good news. Himeno, jumping out of bed, shooing the boys to wait in the hall, as she got dressed as fast as possible.
As Himeno arrived back in the hall, the three boys were waiting in a calm yet excited way. "Come on!" said Mannen, grabbing her arm as soon as she stepped out of her bedroom door. "Sasame is in the garden, come on, come!"
Chapter 13 coming soon.
