"Is… there something wrong with your head?" Kyoko stared at Hikaru with the same level of confusion she would were she watching a duck ride a crocodile while tugging a carriage across the river. She did this because it's how she would have responded if Hikaru's question wasn't true. "I'm a commoner, remember? Prince Kuon would never have chosen me as a wife. Plus, he's… no longer here. Remember?" She broke eye contact. "He's gone."

"S-sorry!" Hikaru immediately started back peddling, blubbering through excuses as to why he assumed such a strange thing. "I didn't mean to bring up such a… I just thought since Cain loved you, and it was too soon- since I know you dislike love so much- but you seem to love Cain, and then there were the rumors… ah." Hikaru managed to clear his throat, gaining control of his mouth to shut it tightly.

"What rumors?" said Kyoko curiously.

Hikaru swallowed. "That Prince Kuon became an Accursed."

The rumors had made it out here. She knew they would since it was the truth. People had seen him come out of his transformation. They'd chased them out of the palace.

Kyoko's head throbbed at those memories. They were accompanied by an empty sickness in her stomach that always cropped up when she through back on that night. She still wasn't over what had happened. No wonder she was having nightmares.

Don't think of that, she thought. Remember what you shouldn't know. How would you have reacted in the past? Insulted? Angry that someone associated you with the L word? Except now you are supposed to be in love. Hikaru doesn't know what happened. You could have fallen in love with someone else. How did our fake backstory go again?

"Lady Kyoko?" said Hikaru. "Are you okay? You look really pale."

"I'm okay," said Kyoko, putting a hand to her head. It was shaking. "It's just… Kuon didn't love me, so Cain can't be him."

Hikaru looked unconvinced. "But I thought he was fond of you. Weren't the two of you close?"

"No. By the time I left, Kuon and I had drifted apart." That was the story they would go with. It would explain everything.

Hikaru's expression was impossible to read. Kyoko was trying hard not to look guilty, but it proved impossible under those honest eyes. She chose to look anywhere instead, using her fatigue as an excuse to take a few steps back and sit on the patient table.

"Lady Kyoko," said Hikaru slowly. "Do you remember why I'm here in the first place?"

"To see me?" said Kyoko.

"Not here. Here. Like, in this city. Instead of the palace where I was originally."

Kyoko's eyes widened. "You broke me out of prison so I could help save Kuon's life."

"That I did," said Hikaru, a smile tweaking his lips as if he had confirmed something. "The only reason I did that was because I believed in you. I knew that someone who flew from the side of her guard to save someone else's life, and constantly proved to me what a good and genuine person she was could not be capable of that sort of malice. I knew you were good, Kyoko, and I staked my life on that."

Heat slowly rose to Kyoko's face. She had no idea Hikaru saw her like that. It was both flattering and humiliating. Like she didn't deserve such praise, especially when she was trying to lie to him.

"That's, um." Kyoko was unsure how to answer, opting to twist her skirt in response. It seemed Hikaru wasn't done because he took a step forward,

"After moving here, my life has changed," he said. "My career has flourished. I am prouder of the work I do here than anything I did at the palace, and it was because I followed your example." He was only a step away from her now, Kyoko sitting on the patient bed, Hikaru, only half a head taller than her. His smile was too full, too open and honest for her lying words. "I see you and I see that all you've done is grow as well. So, knowing that, knowing that you would never be capable of purposefully doing something selfish, I know I can trust you, even if you don't tell me the truth."

"But I am telling the truth," she said, the fight dying from inside her. She hated lying to Hikaru. "Cain is not Kuon."

"If that's the way you need it to be, fine," said Hikaru with a shrug. "I'll trust you."

Kyoko blinked at him for a full five seconds, her mind humming. Then it melted, because it was completely overcooked with information, misinformation and false doors that lead down stupid stairs where you fell and broke your face on the landing. She had no idea what had replaced her carefully blank expression.

"I trust you too, Hikaru," she said. "But it's not just me… There are so many things going on. So many secrets."

Except at some point, she'd need to spill. If they were to get help, they'd need others to understand what they were looking for. And wouldn't Hikaru be a good first trial? They could use the help.

Kyoko let out an exasperated breath. She was annoyed more than anything now. All her hesitance morphed into irritation. This was just way too tiring.

Hikaru's expression froze in a stretched smile, his eyes wide. "Um, Lady Kyoko?" he said.

"Forget this," she grumbled. "I don't want to keep things from you." She sat up, shoulders back as she addressed Hikaru. In response, the man sat up straight as well, lips drawn into a nervous line.

"Yes, Cain is Kuon," said Kyoko.

Hikaru swallowed. "Does that mean…?"

Kyoko hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, he became an Accursed."

Hikaru let out a slow breath. Kyoko gave him a moment to gather himself. News like this was not digested quickly. While he may have suspected the possibility, having it confirmed was something else entirely. How could anyone imagine anything but evil from an Accursed? Would he be afraid?

Eventually he spoke, Kyoko hanging on his every pause and breath.

"How, I mean… how is it even possible?" said Hikaru. "I just can't imagine a good Accursed."

Good Accursed.

Knots untwisted themselves in Kyoko's stomach. If he could say those words, then maybe he really could be convinced that Cain was still good.

"The Accursed are a little more complex than just being bad," said Kyoko eagerly, trying not to trip over her words in her haste. "They are just people who made a wish with the Dark Djinn. He then gives them the power to accomplish that wish. The dark power then amplifies negative emotions, particularly the one that drove the desire in the first place."

"So what you're saying," said Hikaru slowly. "Is that it's possible to be an Accursed but not evil?"

"In theory," said Kyoko. "What gave us the biggest hope was an Accursed that betrayed and actively fought against the Djinn. Because of him, we were able to save the light tournament and the Capital."

Who knew what Reino's desire had been, but his ability to rebel had been the biggest hope to Kyoko. If an Accursed could turn on the Djinn, then it meant Kuon had a chance as well. He still had a choice.

"Being an Accursed changes you, there's no denying that," said Kyoko, thinking about the changes in Cain. About the things he said and how he now saw the world. It felt so dark. "But with the proper direction, it's possible to fight that pull and keep your mind."

Hikaru suddenly smiled. "That makes sense. A lot more than the other stories you've made up. After all, you were the one that helped Prince Kuon's mood so soon after arriving at the palace."

Heat flushed Kyoko's cheeks. Gosh, it was still embarrassing to hear others point out what she meant to Kuon/Cain.

"So," said Hikaru, scratching at his hair. It flopped around his face, a little longer than it had been at the palace. "What's the plan then? How can I help?"

Hikaru would never understand how grateful she was to hear those words. To feel his sincere aura. He wasn't scared of her or angry or anything else. He was trusting and wonderful. It was with difficulty that she managed to hold back tears and talk through the relief.

They stayed there for the next hour, going over what had happened. She explained the attack on the palace, Rosa's death, the Accursed and their powers, and their desire to break the contract with the Dark Djinn. Hikaru listened attentively, giving several comments and derailing the story several times, but they managed to get through it.

Maybe telling Hikaru everything would prove to be a bad thing in the end, but Kyoko was willing to take that risk. She was unable to stop her word vomit in the face of his sincere concern and interest. It felt so good to have someone else to talk to about all this, especially her worries about Cain.

"What does the darkness amplify for him then?" said Hikaru.

"Anger," said Kyoko.

Hikaru whistled. "That's not an easy one to dampen."

"It's not," said Kyoko, lowering her head. Hikaru had taken a seat beside her on the patient bed, a fact she was glad for. It felt nice to have him by her side. "Everyone gets angry at some point, though I almost think Cain is perpetually angry. It's always at a simmer, waiting to boil over. And it comes out so easily if I'm hurt or threatened... I'm scared to leave him alone but I'm also a danger because I might get hurt. It's hard to know what to do, I'm just so worried about him."

A small tear rolled down her cheek. She'd been holding her worries for so long they'd built up to escape through her eyes in a small trickle. Each tear carried with it hours of concern and sleepless moments she'd held close to her chest.

I wanted to help, she thought dully. Not be a burden. But now I'm just stuck here trying to get better. How exactly is this being his light when I can't even be around him to dampen the darkness?

Hikaru jumped to his feel, floundering around the room to try and find a tissue.

"Please don't cry Lady Kyoko," he said. "We can help him. I'm sure he's doing much better with you here than he could have done by himself. Ah. Here's a tissue."

He brandished it at her, and she took it with a throaty chuckle.

"Thanks," she mumbled, blowing her nose.

"It's the least I could do," said Hikaru. "You've both had it hard, but I'm really glad you talked to me."

"Me too," said Kyoko. She felt a ton better. Like these last weeks and bumps in the road were finally behind her. She could move forward from this point.

Hikaru suddenly knelt in front of her, head bent and sword held out with one hand on the ground.

"Hikaru, wha-"

"I pledge again to help you, Lady Kyoko," said Hikaru. "Both you and Prince Kuon. I will do everything I can to protect and assist the two of you."

This was not what she had expected. She had gotten a listening ear, understanding and acceptance from him. Never could she have expected a pledge.

Once the shock lessened, a scene flashed into her mind where Hikaru had promised to protect her after the fiasco at the stadium. Her heart warmed as she swallowed down her initial floundering and accepted the sentiment behind the gesture. Dismissing or scolding him for such an action would not be right. It would be denying his promise. Denying his desire to help.

"Please rise," she said. He did so, and she bit her lip as she scrambled for the right words. What should she say? Hikaru stood straight before her, jaw firm, no laughter in his usually twinkling eyes. Just a strong determination. While she saw a friend, she also saw a devoted soldier and a man who stood for his kingdom and followed his heart.

"I… would be proud and honored to have your help again," said Kyoko. It was an understatement. It also seemed to be the right thing to saw because Hikaru's expression broke into a large smile.

"I promise, the honor is all mine," he insisted.

"Leave some for me," said Kyoko. "And Cain. He would probably like some."

Hikaru laughed, and Kyoko joined him, her headache gone as they continued to chuckle in delight.

The sound of Kyoko's laughter was a balm to Cain's dark heart. He smiled, the floor the only witness to his moment of peace. The hall was empty, people avoiding the area due to his presence. Cain didn't mind. It allowed him to eavesdrop unhindered on Kyoko and Hikaru's conversation.

After getting his first week of pay, he'd gone to pay what he could at the front. It wasn't much, and the collector had nearly died in shock at seeing Cain actually pay anything, but the gesture was important in keeping the peace. Done with that, he'd gone to Kyoko's room only to find it empty. He'd used the spell in her necklace to seek her out.

That's when he'd happened upon Hikaru and Kyoko talking about him. About the Accursed and everything. He'd kept the door open a crack, listening to their conversation rather than interrupt. Kyoko needed this. She needed a friend that could listen and help her through this. He couldn't be that right now. Not with the pain his aura and current state brought her.

When she'd spoken of her worries for him, he'd gripped his forearms to prevent himself from barging in. He didn't want her to worry. It hurt, listening to her divulge these feelings to another person, but there was nothing he could do. It was impossible to stop her from feeling that way. He'd have to carry that weight as well as everything else. The difference was, he was glad to carry it. It was his responsibility and his privilege as her lover.

Their voices drifted closer and the door opened as the two stepped out. Kyoko jumped, and Cain was delighted to see her face erupt into a cute pink color. He loved that she still blushed at the sight of him, even if in this case it was from surprise.

"C-Cain, w-when did you get there?" she stammered.

"A while ago," he said, pushing off the wall. His steps were involuntary as he moved to her side and sought her warmth. "I didn't want to interrupt."

Kyoko quickly glanced to Hikaru, no doubt concerned how he would feel about divulging so much information.

"I'm sorry for not asking you first," she blurted out. "But I think— no, I know that Hikaru can be trusted. He can help us."

"Do not be upset with her," said Hikaru. "I knew before she admitted to it,"

Cain quirked an eyebrow. "And how did you know that?" It was important to know how his suspicions had changed into knowledge.

"She said the two of you had gotten farther apart," said Hikaru, motioning between them. "Her and Prince Kuon I mean. Except every time she said Prince Kuon's name, she kept saying it without a title. I realized she had to be lying as she would never say your name unless you have given her permission and she felt comfortable enough to say it. And if she was lying about that, she was probably lying about everything else too."

Kyoko and Cain stared at him, then looked to each other. He saw her incredulity and embarrassment at being so informal. Cain couldn't help it. He grunted in amusement.

His beautiful lover was instantly by his side, smacking him and grumbling at him to 'stop laughing so hard.' He couldn't help it.

"Then it seems our secret is fine," said Cain. No one else would suspect Kyoko's informal address was anything but normal. He'd discovered that most people didn't bother with his title unless they were face to face.

"Do not worry Kyoko," said Cain. "I am will be happy to have his help in this matter."

Kyoko squinted at him, obviously not taking his word at face value. Did she think he had another agenda? Either way, Hikaru had already voiced these suspicions to him earlier. He was surprised it had taken the man this long to ask her about them.

Except now Hikaru was giving him a very similar expression. Why didn't people trust him? Hikaru smiled a second later, bowing his head.

"I'm happy to be of service!" he said with eagerness. "If I'm guessing correctly, you're here to get help from Hiroaki for the contract?"

Kyoko nodded.

"Alright," said Hikaru, "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Not really," said Kyoko. "We thought the fig tree might help in some way, but we're not sure. We really don't have any good leads on how to break it."

"The tree…" murmured Hikaru. "I have a few things I could look into that may help. It will take me a while, but you want to get Hiroaki's trust to eventually tell him the truth of what you're looking into?"

"That's the plan." A weak one if they were honest, but it was what they had.

"Then it's a good thing you have me," smiled Hikaru. "We're not terribly close, but I think he has some respect for me. If I'm there when you talk to him it may prevent him from panicking. He's… a little on the delicate side when it comes to those sorts of things."

Cain grunted in answer, not truly listening. His attention had wondered to Kyoko where her now blush-free cheeks had dulled to an unnaturally pale color.

"You need to go back to bed," said Cain.

Kyoko's head snapped up to protest. "But-!"

Cain pointed mutely down the hall. Kyoko grumbled but listened, a sign she really did need the rest. He followed, Hikaru striding beside Cain.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have kept her up so long," said Hikaru, ducking his head in apology.

Cain shrugged, showing he wasn't upset. Kyoko would not have been able to rest until they'd finished their conversation anyway. The girl liked to wind herself up with worries until they were taken care of.

The walk to Kyoko's room was mostly quiet, which was surprising considering the looks Hikaru kept giving Cain. A mixture of awed devotion and glee.

"Is there something you'd like to say?" said Cain.

Hikaru shook his head.

"Well, thank you again for lending us your rooms."

"Of course," said Hikaru enthusiastically. "Anything to help Lady Kyoko. And of course you, but I didn't know how you were but I'm glad I could help out."

"You really have been too good to us," gushed Kyoko. "I heard you stuck your neck out for us and got Cain his work."

"I wasn't the only one," said Hikaru, looking embarrassed but happy. "Murasame put out a good word for you as well. He agreed to take you under his wing."

"I doubt he did it happily," said Cain. The man certainly hadn't looked happy when Cain had shown up at the beginning of the week for work. He'd immediately barked orders before explaining anything, then complained when Cain hadn't listened. The week had been full of patrolling, paperwork and scaring the living crap out of people with his mere presence. People had already started whispering about the demon taking orders under the new leadership. Murasame had responded with more grumblings and shouting at everyone.

Had Cain not been so wholly uninterested in Murasame's life, he would have found it funny the reputation his association with Cain was giving him. People couldn't determine if Murasame was very brave or very stupid for having Cain in their mix. Hardened soldiers they may be, but even grown men could be scared of a monster lurking in the day. Harassment had decreased significantly in their region along with crime. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of Cain's glare as he bore down on people for pushing others away from the fig tree.

Good work it may have been, but Cain felt his skills were being wasted here in the city. He could have been out on the perimeter destroying monsters and reinforcing the city. In an uncharacteristically understanding moment, Murasame had assigned Cain to patrol the streets. "To stay near your sick wife."

Cain had agreed immediately, though he ached to be fighting out there. It might help with his growing anxiety.

"Murasame is a funny man," said Hikaru. "I offered to take you, but he declined. He really has taken a liking to you."

Cain chose not to offer the slew of evidence that suggested otherwise. Murasame liked him a far as he could throw him, which was not at all because Cain would probably break his arms if he tried.

They arrived at Kyoko's room. The woman in question spun around with hands on her hips, her show of irritation more cute than it was intimidating.

"I'm here, you happy now?" she said.

"No," said Cain. "Not until you get in bed."

Her pout increased tenfold in cuteness. "But I was looking forward to talking to you."

That wasn't playing fair. He really needed more Kyoko-exposure than he got. Cain bent forward, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. To his great triumph and surprise, she erupted into a furious blush. Her eyes darted to Hikaru as she shook in erratic minute twitches. Why was she self-conscious? Plenty of people had seen their affection before and she had never cared this much.

"In. Bed. Now," he said, face straight. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Fine," she grumbled, leaving quietly, but not before sending him one of her golden smiles. The one that reminded him of all things good in the world. The glow of that look lingered even as she shut the door, leaving him out in the hall with Hikaru.

It swiftly lessened when he turned and saw the expression on the soldier's face. He was dazed, eyes lingering where Kyoko had been. While Cain had agreed to Hikaru's help, he still didn't exactly like how close the two were. Especially with how much Kyoko liked to hug him. What was Hikaru's motivation for helping? If it was sweet feelings toward Kyoko, then those would not be tolerated. Kuon had been a greedy man, but Cain was even more so. Hikaru needed to be made aware of his place.

Before Cain could speak up, Hikaru spoke.

"I know things are bad," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I shouldn't be happy, but it really is great. I was afraid Kyoko had married some random dark stranger. It feels so good to see the two of you together again, sire." He suddenly chuckled to himself. "She looks more like a princess every time I see her. She will make a wonderful queen."

At the sight of those twinkling eyes, Cain's misgivings fizzled and die. He stared at Hikaru, bewildered by the man's faith and loyalty. Hikaru, a man who Cain barely knew still saw him as a prince. Miraculously enough, Hikaru saw the potential for greatness in both Cain and Kyoko. He saw them becoming king and queen.

"We're fighting for it, aren't we?"

Kyoko had been right, as always. It was still his kingdom. They were still his people. They were out there depending on him to put this situation right again. He just needed to figure out how to accomplish that while keeping Kyoko safe.

"Careful of your tongue," said Cain, glancing around. No one was near, as per usual. But all it took was one person to hear the strange address to start raising questions. "This is not a very secure place."

"Sorry," said Hikaru, but he didn't seem too worried. He still had a nervous energy around him. Like a boy meeting his childhood hero.

Cain took that responsibility and added it to his motivation. It settled perfectly beside the other ones, Kyoko the main glue to his sanity.

"What is your idea for helping us?" said Cain.

Hikaru waved his hand, and the two of them started walking again. The crowded clinic parted as they passed, the movement trained into the occupants from daily exposure to Cain.

"It's not a big secret or anything," said Hikaru as they walked. "But there's a tunnel that leads to the tree's roots. The light magic is said to be strongest there and the city used it constantly for different festivals, studies and other things like curing magical maladies. There's even rumored to be a dryad living among the roots."

Sounded exactly like the thing they needed, except Cain had noticed Hikaru's use of the past tense.

"What happened?" said Cain.

"We're not sure," said Hikaru. "But one day we couldn't reach the tree roots. People who went down never came back. Soon after, the tree started wilting and the rot grew worse without the tree's healing aura."

"When did this start to happen?" said Cain. He couldn't help his suspicions growing with every word.

"Right after I was relocated here," said Hikaru, rubbing his chin. "I think it's been like, a month? Give or take. Either way, the area is currently barred from anyone even getting near it. The rot grows worse when you're within a certain distance of it. I've been there before and I can tell you the aura around there is terrible. It's part of what Hiroaki's studying. Find a way around the dark energy and get to the roots."

"Dark energy?" said Cain. "Do you mean, dark magic?"

Hikaru frowned as if just realizing something. "Wait… you don't think…"

He couldn't say it while surrounded by workers and patients, but Cain saw the question as Hikaru's eyes flickered to Cain's right wrist. The Relic.

Cain placed a hand on it, feeling the muted evil aura, and nodded. If there was dark magic, it was possible the Accursed were involved.

Hikaru swore under his breath. "Well," he grumbled. "That would explain why information about that area is confidential. I can't believe… does that mean they're doing something to the tree?"

"I don't know," said Cain. "I don't even know what their goal is anymore."

They'd reached the outside of the clinic and stopped. Hikaru would go down one corridor and Cain would take another. He'd grown a lot since Cain had last seen him. Not in height, as that was still lacking, but in presence and mind. He'd taken in all this new information without a single stumble while simultaneously offering suggestions and solutions. That was not something a normal soldier could do. Having him in the know could be a major advantage in many ways.

The Colonel shifted his feet, a sword strapped to his side rather than the spear he'd carried in the palace. His 'brothers', as he had called them, would be hard-pressed to recognize the man before him.

"I'll see what information I can dig up," said Hikaru, shaking his head. "I'm sorry I can't do more, but maybe I can get permission for you to go near. I bet you could learn things others couldn't."

"The sooner the better," said Cain. "The second Kyoko is well enough, I'm getting her out of here."

"What about your contract?"

"I'll find a different solution. My top priority is keeping Kyoko from contracting the rot."

Hikaru nodded, though he did so reluctantly. "I see. Wow. Things are just too crazy. It's hard to keep track of it all."

That was the hope, but Cain was not optimistic. Kyoko still was too weak for his liking. Maybe he should shorten the length of his visits. Or stop them all together.

Based on how much darker the world instantly turned at just the idea, that was probably not an option. He needed Kyoko to keep light in his vision, but she needed him away to get better. They needed to stay to get help from Hiroaki, but they needed to leave to prevent Kyoko from getting sick, if she wasn't already. Too many things balanced on the edge of a knife.

Kyoko felt guilty thinking of all the patients she had scolded for not getting proper rest or ignoring her treatment plan. 'Course, not so guilty that it was going to stop her from doing what she had to.

Hiroaki had ordered her bed rest. Lay there and stare at the ceiling as life and time ticked by? No, thank you. Kyoko would rather get something done.

She'd tried working at the clinic, and that had gone well for a while… but after having to sit down quickly a few too many times she decided to turn her attention to a more realistic job—paperwork.

No matter the size of a workplace, it was the one constant that never died. Hours of records that needed to be sorted, managed and regulated. With so many new patients, the staff was having a hard time keeping things in order. Not to mention limited room and resources. They'd started storing older records into gems to make room for the new ledgers. A tedious and monotonous job that no one wanted.

It was the gap she was looking for. She gladly volunteered, if not for something to do that allowed her to sit, but because she could glean more information without arousing suspicion. At the desk of the calm records room, Kyoko had found a table and a stack of ledgers to sort through. It was quiet in here, the rustle of papers and occasional hum of magic calming compared to the static tension that resided in the clinics. It was what her essence needed.

Kyoko wove a long ruby embedded scanner over the ledger, the words being recorded into the gem. She read as she did so, eagerly lapping up as much information as she could find. So far, her efforts had proved fruitful. She'd learned a lot about the Shuemans rot and the fig tree's effect in treating it.

According to what she had found, there were four stages of the disease. The first included mild fever and the characteristic dark splotches on the skin. The marks were hard, tough, and if spread far enough, caused loss of function.

The second stage was characterized by a spread of the marks to twenty percent of the body. Irritability, fatigue, and fever were among the most common side effects. The third stage included hallucinations, high grade fever that led to organ failure and marks that covered up to fifty percent of the body.

The last stage was death.

Another casualty from the rot, thought Kyoko, turning to the next page. It described in detail the different stages this person had gone through. Poor soul. She'd barely lasted a day after the first signs. That was unusually fast.

Kyoko waved the humming recorder, the history slowly disappearing into the device to leave a blank ledger. These occurrences were few and far between, but they were too often for her liking. What caused the rot in the first place? Based on what she could tell, it seemed to be airborne. If so, then why did some contract it when others didn't? How could someone like Hiroaki work in close proximity with infected patients and barely have a spot on him? There was too much information she didn't have access to.

At least the tree has been able to help, she thought. There were consistent records that showed close proximity to the tree could reduce, and sometimes alleviate all symptoms of the disease. At least, for a time. It would come back, sometimes worse than before.

After another hour of scanning, Kyoko was sure she'd gotten as much info as she could from patient records. She placed the scanner down, peering at another desk with stacks of paperwork to be sorted through. That was where research was being recorded. It was also where she could learn the most about the tree and the possible cures they'd already tried. Her offer to help in scanning those files had been denied at first. Based on the expression on the worker's face, she doubted it would be denied a second time.

Kyoko made of show of stretching, standing up to place her tower of ledgers away.

"Paperwork just never ends, does it?" said Kyoko, forcing herself to sound casual. Conversational. It was important to not look too eager.

The worker just grumbled in response, trudging through another stack. He wasn't wearing a pin. Not a physician then.

"How long have you been working here?" asked Kyoko, trying to get him talking.

"A month," he said. He was talking! Success. "You'd think I'd be above doing paperwork at this point."

"After only a month?" said Kyoko with a frown. "I've seen assistants who have worked for the same physician for years still doing paperwork."

The man groaned, waving a scanner in the air in sharp jerking motions. It looked like he was having trouble with the spell. "Are you serious? I thought this job was a step up, not down."

"It's a step sideways, if it's anything," said Kyoko. She casually walked around him, coming to stand behind him next to the shelf. It held hundreds of gems, each filled with thousands of records over hundreds of years of research. One of the closer draws was open, labeled as data from this past month. That was the information she needed.

Her eyes stayed focused on the worker, conscious of the guard stationed at the door. He was there to stop people from doing exactly what Kyoko was trying to do. Get information on the research. Except he wasn't paying attention. It would be so easy for her to reach in and take something without being detected.

Kyoko shook her head violently. No. She couldn't steal. That was wrong. How could she betray Hiroaki's trust like that?

Then again, she needed that information to help Cain.

Kyoko's stress level rose. She gripped her head, losing balance for a moment

… and crashed into the shelf.

Kyoko yelped, the open drawer falling to the floor with a clatter. Gems scattered across the ground in a glittering mess. Paper joined it as the assistant jumped up in surprise and knocked over a pile of ledgers on his desk.

"What are you—ah, nuts. Look at what you did."

"S-sorry!" cried Kyoko, scrambling to grab the gems and thrown them back into the box. She was such a clutz! The man got down on his hands and knees, helping her stuff the gems where they belonged.

With a heart stopping realization, Kyoko froze, gems in hand. How much easier it would be to snatch one up? The guard couldn't see them behind the desk, and the worker was more concerned with scolding her than paying attention to what she was doing. Her hand tightened around the gems as she took in the papers as well.

Cain needs help, she thought. Anything related to the tree could help me find a cure. But what if they need that research? What if I took something and they to need find a cure for the rot? Or what if I managed to get Hiroaki's trust and he gives me access? What if I don't? What if I get caught?

Her grip on the gems hurt.

"What's going on here?"

Kyoko looked up. Iizuka was there, looming over the desk with a snarl on her face. Her black hair was done into a tight bun today that looked like it was hurting her head. Kyoko followed Iizuka's line of vision. It was trained on Kyoko's clenched fist. Iizuka eye's narrowed.

"What are you doing?" she said, her tone accusatory.

"N-nothing!" said Kyoko. She threw the gems back into the box, snatching a few more and shoving them in for good measure. "I just stumbled. I was helping with the patient documents."

Iizuka seemed unimpressed. "Why are you always causing a scene everywhere you go?"

Kyoko gave a weak laugh. The assistant was still scurrying on the floor to get the ledgers. Kyoko bent down to help with those as well. Iizuka snapped a finger toward her.

"No, you're leaving," said Iizuka. "I've been looking for you for the last fifteen minutes. You're not supposed to be down here. You're supposed to be where the other patients are."

"But, I'm helping," said Kyoko. She looked to the sand clock. Oh dear, she'd been here a lot longer than she thought. She really was bad at watching the time.

"You're causing trouble," said Iizuka, motioning to the mess. "Out! I've got better things to do than deal with you."

Chagrined on many levels, Kyoko hopped across the pile of papers, sending a brief apology to the assistant. His answer was a grunt. Yikes, he wasn't happy with her. Neither was Iizuka. She was by the door, waiting for Kyoko. The second Kyoko passed the entrance, she slammed the door shut.

"Stay out of there," said Iizuka. "And stay out of the other clinics."

Done asserting her dominance, Iizuka turned on her heel and marched away.

Kyoko slumped in disappointment. Well, there went that option. Iizuka had been steadily booting Kyoko out of various rooms for the past month. The woman had a strong vendetta against Kyoko.

"Sorry about that," said a feminine voice. "I thought she was looking for you for a checkup, not to get you in trouble."

Looking around, Kyoko realized there was another woman standing beside the door. She was pretty, dressed in a long dress belted at the waist with a jeweled sash. Her blonde hair hung free with large hoops pierced through her ear. She seemed familiar.

The blonde gave Kyoko an apologetic smile, nodding to the hall.

"Would you care to walk with me?" she said.

"Oh, um, sure," said Kyoko. She fell into stride beside the woman, noting the guard outside the door. He gave the blonde a salute, but his eyes trailed to Kyoko as if implying it was for her as well. What was that? She'd been getting subtle salutes like that for a while now. Why were they doing that?

A pain thumped in her chest as she watched the door to the records room disappear behind them. Had she made the right choice, not taking anything? Something in there could have helped. Nothing she could do now. She was stuck walking with the random person who'd popped out of nowhere.

Something was prickling in the back of Kyoko's brain. This woman was a wealthy, a noble if she had to guess by the dress. What was she doing walking with Kyoko? And where had she seen her before?

"Iizuka isn't fond of you, is she?" said the blonde. Her eyes were bright, wide, but far from foolish. "She can be a handful if she decides you're incompetent."

"All our encounters seem to be unpleasant ones," said Kyoko with a shrug. "I don't think she believes I'm a physician."

"Then she's not paying attention to you or those rumors," said the blonde. "You are a physician."

Rumors? There were rumors about her?

"I'm sorry," said Kyoko. "You seem to know me, but I don't know who you are."

The woman's hand went to her mouth in embarrassment, a shy smile in her eyes.

"Oh, sorry, I've completely forgotten my manners," she said. "My name is Itsumi Momose. I'm a patient here… you don't remember me, do you?"

"I'm trying to place where we met," said Kyoko slowly. "Wait, did you say Momose? Then you're-!"

"The Duke's daughter, yup, that's me." She gave a bright smile, looking proud of the fact. "And we met when you came here. I gave you directions to get to Mage Ogata's study, remember?"

"That… that was you!" said Kyoko, the memory coming back to her. That's when she'd infiltrated the place as a worker to speak with Hiroaki. "Thanks for your help. I was able to find him thanks to you."

"Of course," said Itsumi. "Glad I could help."

She's nice, Kyoko decided. Though obviously not unaware, Itsumi's smile seemed genuine. It thinned to a mischievous one as she nodded to a guard in the hall.

"Seems like the guards respect you pretty well," said Itsumi. "They usually don't bother saluting unless they want or need to, even for me."

"Yeah, it is kinda odd," said Kyoko, not bothering to play coy. They'd passed another guard, this one openly saluting both of them. His companion had only nodded in respect, but it was there, plain as day. "I don't know why they do it."

"You don't?" said Itsumi. "I thought it would be obvious."

Well, it wasn't obvious to Kyoko and she'd appreciate some enlightenment. "Why do they?" she said. "I haven't asked because I feel too embarrassed."

"It's because of Coronel Ishibashi," said Itsumi.

"Hikaru?" She was stunned. "Did he tell them to salute me? He shouldn't do that. I'm not a noble or anything, they shouldn't be saluting me."

Itsumi stared at Kyoko with an unreadable expression. Some confusion was present, but something else as well. Something bitter.

"It's because you're a good friend of his," said Itsumi. "It's obvious by the way he talks about you."

That was all it was? "Wow, Hikaru really is respected," said Kyoko. He must be if just being his friend earned her respect. She couldn't help a smile thinking about him talking positively about her. "It makes sense. He's a great guy, and a wonderful friend."

Itsumi pursed her lips, her expression falling a smidgen.

"That's not it at all," said Itsumi. "It's because of what he did to save the city. Or did he not tell you how he got his position?"

"He did," said Kyoko. "Something about protecting a gap with a few men."

Itsumi shook her head, a level of fond amusement in her expression as she spoke under her breath. "Figures he let out the details, that's so like him." She cleared her throat, speaking louder and with a clipped tone. "Almost right after he got here, Hikaru saved Mosall. There was a breach in the city defenses and monsters were streaming in. The commander in charge had been killed and Hikaru assumed command. Had he not acted so quickly and assembled the men, the breach would have spread, and the city would have fallen. Not to mention he accomplished it with so few soldiers. If you talk to the ones that were there they tell amazing stories about how he fought. The man's a hero."

"Wow, he did that?" said Kyoko. Her eyes brightened as pride swelled within her. She was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. She couldn't have been happier if it had been her. "That's so amazing. The guys back home would be thrilled if they heard."

"The guys?" blinked Itsumi.

"Oh, there were two other guards Hikaru used to work with who had the same last name. They called themselves brothers though they're not actually related."

"Is that so?" Oddly, she didn't look very happy. What was up with that? Itsumi carefully pulled her expression back together, smiling again at Kyoko. "You two have a history then?"

"I guess, we've spent a lot of time together," said Kyoko, thinking back to her early concubine days. He'd been there during the worst of the bullying. He'd also seen a lot of her freak outs during that time, and he'd been there when they'd found Aya's body.

Kyoko shivered at the memory. Gah, that was something she tried hard to forget. It left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Yeah, I can see that you're both close," said Itsumi. "In fact, the two of you look…."

She stopped.

Kyoko waited.

And waited.

And then tilted her head at Itsumi.

"Um, Duchess?" she said. "Are you okay?"

Itsumi appeared to snap out of it, giving Kyoko what she could identify as a practiced smile. "Yes, I'm okay. You don't have to call me Duchess if you don't want to."

"But I do want to," said Kyoko happily. "You a noble and beautiful and most importantly, you're kind to me! Not many women are kind to me when they first meet me. I'm… kind of hopeless when it comes to making female friends."

"Really? I wouldn't have expected that," said Itsumi, her tone a little off. She stopped, forcing Kyoko to stop as well. Her posture was straight and powerful like a politician, but something in her eyes betrayed hesitance. An uncertainty.

"I guess if you want to, but I'd rather you didn't," she said finally. "I mean, you don't call Coronel Ishibashi with a title, yet he calls you with one. Are you from a noble family?"

"Not at all," said Kyoko, tilting her head as something occurred to her. "Is that why you wanted to meet me? You were curious if I was a noble? I mean, you're a duchess and you've got much better things to do than walking with me."

Itsumi raised her eyebrows. She hadn't been expected the question.

"Iizuka was looking for you and I guessed you would be in the records area," said Itsumi. "I followed to check with her and well… I just wanted to. I've been wanting to speak to you for a while but never found the right moment." She looked embarrassed by it.

"You wanted to meet me?" said Kyoko. Huh. Why would she want to do that? And how had Itsumi guessed that Kyoko was in the records area? How would she have known that? Other things in the conversation cropped up in Kyoko's memory. Little pieces of evidence that stitched itself into a curious picture.

"You wanted to meet me," said Kyoko again, this time understanding the implications of it. Itsumi must have been watching her. Observing her actions and movement. How else could she have predicted that Kyoko would be in the records room or know how close she was to Hikaru? It was that, or she had talked to a lot of people about Kyoko. Either way the result was the same. What had Kyoko done to earn such attention?

"Why?" said Kyoko. "Were you curious about my condition? Or-" Kyoko gasped. "Cain didn't do something crazy, did he? I know he's scary to look at but he has a heart of gold."

"That's not it," said Itsumi. "I'd actually like for us to be friends."

Kyoko gapped at her. Then she grabbed Itsumi by her hands, doing her best not to cry in delight. "You mean it?" said Kyoko. "You'd like us to be friends? This is most certainly an amazing day! I can't believe I've managed to make another female friend, and one so nice and refined! And we didn't have to bash heads to get to this point!" It was hard not to bounce in excitement.

Itsumi gave a broken laugh. "You certainly are interesting, that's for sure," said Itsumi. "Yes. I want us to be friends."

Kyoko beamed.

As she chatted with her new friend, she shoved down the voice in the back of her mind. The one that told her that Itsumi wanted something in this friendship. Until Kyoko knew what it was, she'd enjoy the new bond. Afterall, Kyoko had her own secrets and reasons for forming friendships. She couldn't begrudge others if they had their motivation as well.

When had she gotten this devious? Probably by necessity after everything she'd experienced. Well, it didn't change the fact that she really did like Itsumi and Hiroaki. She just also might probably possibly need their help in the future.

Her mind wandered back to the storage room and that drawer of records.

Thanks for reading.

And big thank you for Imouto who I only gave like… 8 hours to beta it for me. She's awesome and deals with my terrible schedule.

I'd like to note that I had information-storing gems in my story before the third Stormlight Archive book came out. I'm just saying, I'm not stealing his ideas. Like how Hiou's grandfather was teaching Kanae to fight before it become Cannon in Skip Beat! I'm just saying!

Also, I do not make the names. Having Iizuka and Itsumi is going to drive me crazy. Sorry if you can't keep it straight, but it's not my fault! It's the source material!

Thank you all again for your wonderful support!

Next chapter in two weeks

-Blushweaver

Meh, all I do is read it and make it a bit better. All props go to Bluchweaver who weaves those blushes! Also, I pointed out to blushweaver that Kyoko is TERRIBLE at making friends that are girls. We laughed at the accurate and fun quote; "Women only call each other sister after they've called each other a lot of other things."

-Imouto