General Director Kurama stood on a cliffside of an island facility that did not officially exist, watching a sunset that should not have been able to be viewed. There were times in his life, times like this moment, where he wondered if what was happening was real. He'd felt that way when he'd discovered about Diclonius, about his family's death, about discovering psychic phantoms, and now this. How had things gotten so out of hand? He tried focusing on the sunset, it's hazy rays spilling warm colors across the sky. He remembered that he'd picked up the habit of watching sunsets shortly after the death of his family. He'd thought that a pretty view would give him something else to focus on, but the truth was a bit more poignant than that. The weakened rays of the sun made it seem as though it was in mourning for him. As if there had been an event so tragic, that it had caused the normally blinding rays of the great burning ball to dim in sympathy. And it felt good, it felt calming, to believe that something as bright as the sun would dim it's rays in grief and understanding.

"Sir?" Kurama didn't know how long Shirakawa had been standing behind him. Long enough, he reckoned.

"What is it, Shirakawa?"

"I've been looking for you everywhere in the research institute. I hadn't thought to check the cliff sides. The...incident with no. 7, I've filed a report to the director."

A pause before Shirakawa spoke. "Do you regret your decision, sir?"

An even longer pause before Kurama answered. "Regret is a luxury for people who have a right to look back at the past."

Shirakawa sighed. "It's all so strange, sir. Lucy and Alma, I mean."

"Yes."

"They're both monsters, but at the same time, there's this...connection between them. You remember how Lucy pined for her back when she was captured. And that Alma would cause so much damage for her. It's an element that almost seems...human."

She expected her boss to lash out at this, maybe even explode, but he just kept staring out at the sunset, and when he replied, his voice was calm.

"We can't let empathy deceive us, Shirakawa. The body count between the pair of them is far too high. Lucy is a Diclonius, the greatest threat to our species. What Alma is…" he thought of Nana and his hands tightened to fists, "There are no words."

Kurama finally turned to face his secretary. "Have you heard back from Armacham?"

"Not yet, sir."

"You have been using Alma's name, right?"

"I have. I've also been sending them the casualty reports from three years back, and estimated figures for the foreseeable future."

Kurama scowled. "They're probably preparing whatever excuses they have for letting their freak out of the cage." As should we, he thought silently. "Just keep pressing them. They'll meet us eventually. I imagine Kakizawa might even get off his throne to come talk with them himself."

Shirakawa didn't know what to say about this. She just continued watching her boss, as he continued watching the mournful rays of the sun.

The next day, Mayu walked through Maple House, relying more on familiarity than sight to find her way through. Her sight was focused on the small scrap of paper that she was reading with a worried frown.

Thank you very much for everything. Dinner was delicious, but if I stay any longer, I know I'll just be trouble. I'll pay you back for my hospital bill as soon as I can, I promise. I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything. -Mayu.

A door opened from Mayu's bedroom, and Nyu stuck her head out. Ever since returning, the pinkette had been afraid to sleep alone, and had been sleeping in Mayu's room. Whatever reason she had must have surely been concerning. Mayu had meant to do...something about Nyu's fear. But now she had to deal with this. It was giving her a headache that Kurama would have been familiar with. As she walked down the hall in search of Kouta, Nyu headed toward her in pursuit, but stopped in front of the grandfather clock, perhaps caught by whatever interest Kouta had with it the day before. She stared at the clock face, studying her reflection the way an animal in the woods might look at a mirror if you left it out in the wild. Seeing the moving pendulum and gears, she opened the glass door to reach out and touch them, then paused.

Nyu's current mental state didn't leave her as the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she retained enough mental cognition to realize that there was something wrong with this place. A same something that grabbed her leg from beneath her bed. But at the same time, there was something else that kept drawing her back to this place with its inhabitants, those who were seen, and those who were not. And, as strange as it seemed, there was a muted part of the pinkette who felt an odd sense of empathy with the malevolence in this house. It made her want to reach out and touch the gears, even if it meant that a gray hand might reach out from beneath the clockwork to grab her once more. Making up her mind, Nyu reached forward and touched the pendulum.

Nothing.

Nyu blinked once. Twice. Perhaps this was something that prefe-

She nearly screamed when a ghostly hand reached out from within the gears. The cogs somehow shifted away to make room for the haggard limb. Nyu felt her heart leap up into her throat. Her eyes were bulging, and her legs were jelly.

Calm down. You know me.

Nyu's body began to quiver in reaction to the words in her head. Words that no mouth had spoken.

We promised we'd never leave one another. We'd always be best friends.

A yellow eye shone through the clockwork. It's gaze had the same hollow stare, but there was a pleading note in it as well.

You have to remember!

Nyu's head was beginning to ache. It was either the eye, or the arm, or the words in her head, or the effort she was making to try and remember something. Something on the tip of her mind.

Remember!

Nyu was beginning to struggle against the arm, but before she could try and yell, a door opened nearby, and Kouta stepped out. The arm instantly retracted.

"Nyu, are you okay?"

Nyu whirled around, as if expecting for Kouta to grab her arm as well, but he didn't. He just looked at her and frowned.

"You look stressed, Nyu."

"...Nyu."

"Yeah," he replied, maybe more to himself than to Nyu, "There's a lot of that going around these days."

He went back down the hall, leaving Nyu to look back at the clock, as well as the single burning eye that was still staring at her with fierce, pleading intent.

You have to remember!

Kouta looked at the letter Mayu had given him, his face set in a worried frown. Mayu stood beside him with a similar expression.

"I found the letter in her room," she said, "When I came to wake her."

"I guess she must have had a very serious reason to do something like this," Kouta mused."

"But what should we do?"

Kouta took a second to think. "Maybe she should move in here."

Mayu started in surprise. "Move in here?!"

"Well, we can't just abandon her. I know you're worried about her, too."

"I know it's dangerous on the streets, but...will she be alright here?" She didn't elaborate any further. She didn't have to. They both knew what she meant, or partly knew anyway.

"There are more dangers living out on the street then there are living here," Kouta said, sounding more confident than he felt, "We've been holding up well enough in here, haven't we?"

Yuka nodded, but did not look her cousin in the eye. Kouta noticed she was rubbing her arm again.

"I...guess you're right. And besides, there's more than enough room."

"But we should check to see if there's someone else who's meant to be looking for her. A legal guardian, or whatnot."

Yuka was startled once more. "What are you saying?! She can't go back to her home! Why do you think she ran off in the first place?!"

"Do you know why?"

"No, but whatever it is, it can't be any good." She stood up suddenly, with a take charge expression that Kouta was familiar with. "We have to find Mayu and bring her back, so get dressed."

Kouta, knowing better than to argue, headed to his bedroom to find some clothes. While he was getting dressed, Mayu sought out Nyu who was still staring at the clock in the hall.

"Nyu, we'll be heading out for awhile. Will you be alright?"

Nyu looked over at the other girl with detached interest, then went back to looking at the clock, as if she thought it would spring to life at any moment. She didn't say a word. Yuka thought this was odd, but she still needed to find Mayu. She'd worry about Nyu when they were all safe.

Mayu stood on the beach, with her little dog Wanta in her arms. She stared off into the sea, not really seeing the view or hearing the waves. Her mind was elsewhere, focusing on the two people who had treated her kindly. It had been a while since she'd known such kindness from strangers. Even the baker, who gave her and Wanta bread crusts, would never have considered letting her into her home to bathe and spend the night. It had been nice, though. A sort of refresher to help her through her life.

"They really were nice," she sighed, "I wish everybody was as nice as they are." But of course, she also wished she wasn't homeless, or that she had more than one outfit to wear, or that her stepfather hadn't-

She winced. No. Don't go there. It was all in the past, anyway. She had told herself that she would be strong, and with Wanta-

"James!"

Mayu blinked as Wanta was promptly plucked from her arms. For a moment, Mayu simply stared at her arms, as if the tiny dog had simply turned to smoke in her arms. Her head slowly turned, taking in the woman beside her. The woman who had Wanta in her arms, and was smiling at him with the familiarity that an owner would give to her pet.

"Oh, James!" she said, giving the little dog a squeeze, "I was looking everywhere for you!"

Mayu felt an all too familiar pit form in her stomach. It was the feeling of loneliness, and it was positively unbearable.

"Ma'am!" Mayu cried out, and the woman turned to her, finally registering the small girl that stood before her.

"Ma'am, are you his owner?"

"Yes, I am," the woman already had an impatient expression on her face. Not a good sign.

"Uh...well...do you think I could maybe visit your dog sometimes? I could walk him even." She managed to muster up a hopeful smile.

Wanta barked happily, as if he was fine with the idea. The woman's expression, however, showed that she was far from happy.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked, conveying a tone of the utmost offense, "You're filthy!" She abruptly turned and headed away at a brisk pace, Wanta still in her arms, looking back at his former owner.

Mayu wanted to cry. She wanted to run after the woman, throw herself down at her knees, and beg her to let her stay in touch with her one and only friend. She didn't do any of this, however. She'd known, ever since she'd found Wanta on the beach when she was walking out toward the waves, that he might have another owner. She also knew, deep in her heart, that if Wanta hadn't shown up at that moment, that she would have kept walking, until the cold tides had consumed her, drowning out her miserable unhappy life.

"I'm happy for you," she said, watching the woman take her friend, "You get to eat good food from now on." Mayu closed her eyes, trying her best to keep tears from falling. She was starting to shake slightly, and wasn't even aware of it.

"I'm happy."

In the distance, a girl in red was watching.

Nyu stared with intent concentration at the strange beings before her. In all of her life, she had never recalled seeing such an odd, grotesque creature before her. It was mind boggling. The jutting mouths, the bulging eyes, the cold, gritty skin-

"Nyu, stop staring at those fish," said Kouta, "It's weird."

The three of them-Kouta, Yuka, and Nyu-were at the local food market, where every range of fruit, fish, and fowl were on display for today's range of consumers. Kouta and Yuka had been out for hours, asking if anyone had seen a young girl in a pale sweater with a little dog. Nyu, with a hat covering her horns, had accompanied them, though she hadn't spoken, simply looked around at all the various sights and structures. She also kept looking over her shoulder nervously, as if making sure that they weren't being followed.

She's getting as paranoid as Yuka and I, he thought, But it isn't all paranoia, is it?

He looked back at Yuka, who was busy talking to a woman. He felt a small smile form. His cousin had been so persistent, as usual. Her tenacity had carried them throughout the day, as they went from one vendor to another, looking for details about Mayu's whereabouts. And it hadn't been entirely in vain, either. People had recognized Mayu's description. Apparently, the girl and her dog had frequented the market, never buying anything, but not stealing anything, either. A lot of people were fond of her, and had even given her and her dog the occasional free piece of chicken or fruit, so at least she was scraping by.

Yuka and Kouta were now talking to a local baker, a kind woman who'd apparently been giving bread crusts to Mayu to feed her dog.

"She didn't come in, today," the baker spoke with honesty, "Are you all her friends?"

"Something like that…" Kouta admitted sheepishly.

"Well, let me know if you find her. There's no telling what a young girl like her might get up to."

Mayu sat in her shelter, by the old fishing huts on the beach. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, and in fact didn't fully remember making her way back here, but the sun had set, and it was beginning to rain, the droplets making soft wet sounds as they struck the sand. Mayu tried to focus on the sound and nothing else, most notably how her life had been completely and utterly ruined. Her mom had been so happy when she'd found a new husband, and Mayu had been happy for her. Her new step-father had also been happy to meet Mayu, but not in the way Mayu had expected.

Those...moments...were difficult to remember. Mayu reckoned that her mind had shut out those memories because they were too painful to bear. She'd read somewhere that such a thing was possible, and she was grateful for it. Those had been horrible times. Sometimes, in her nightmares, she could still see him leering down at her, could picture herself down on all fours, naked and afraid, could feel his-

NO!

She shut her eyes as tight as she could. It was over now, it was all over! She'd said as much to him before she'd turned and fled. She'd met Wanta soon after, and life had been bearable. But now? Now…

"I just remembered it was my birthday today," Mayu said aloud to no one in particular, "If Wanta was with me, I'd be bragging about turning fourteen today."

Maybe she should try going back out into the sea again. There'd be no little dog to draw her away from the black tides. A brief discomfort, but then she could rest for all time. She certainly was tired.

"And cold," she murmured, "I'm so, so cold." A brilliant, bright glare suddenly fell upon her, and she winced in confusion.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" Mayu didn't recognize the voice, but the authority behind it was familiar enough. It was a policeman.

"I was...nothing!" she hastily said.

A second light shone on her. A second policeman. "We've got a report of a girl your age loitering here. Come out here, we need to talk to you."

Mayu instantly began to panic. If these men called her parents, then...She got up with a start and bolted. The two policemen were momentarily startled by the sudden actions of the small girl, enabling her to rush between them. Then they began to run as well.

"Hey, get back here! Cut her off!"

"Yes sir!"

The voices were close, but Mayu only faintly heard them. Her mind had gone back to her stepfather, and what he'd done to her. She wouldn't go back there. Not ever. She continued running out of the huts, going up to the streets of the city. Rain pelted her face as she kicked up puddles with her shoes. In the distance, she could make out two or three figures with umbrellas.

"NO!" she yelled instinctively, "I don't wanna go home!"

"Mayu."

Mayu froze up, and not entirely in dread. That voice. She recognized that voice. As the figures came closer, there forms began to take shape. Caring eyes and kindful expressions. It was Kouta, Yuka, and Nyu. Mayu had no words.

"What a relief," exclaimed Yuka, "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

This broke the lock on Mayu's tongue. "Looking for me?"

Footsteps made her turn around. The two policemen had caught up with her. Mayu's stomach lurched.

"Who are you people?" asked one of the officers, "Are you friends with this girl?"

"Yes," said Mayu, her face full of confidence.

"Actually," said Kouta, "She's our family."

The officers weren't expecting that. "Family?"

"Yes," said Kouta adamantly, "We had a fight, that's all. But our family has a bad habit of running away when they're upset." This wasn't entirely untrue. Yuka looked annoyed, as if this had been a jab at her, but her cousin had been thinking about Nyu, who was looking at the policeman with the curiosity of a puppy. Mayu wasn't sure if this was real, or if it was a fever dream.

The officers exchanged glances, then stood down. "Well, keep a better eye on her next time."

"We will," exclaimed Kouta happily, He turned to Mayu with a cheery expression. "Now let's go home!"

"Darn it, James, why did you have to run off?" "James" wasn't in much of a mood to bark a reply to his previous owner, not that she was much of an owner to begin with. All she did was tie him up in the yard, with a leaky little doghouse serving as the only shelter for rain. She even forgot to feed him on some days. His other owner had been kinder, had actually looked upon him with genuine love.

The woman angrily frowned at the rain pouring down around them. "Of all times for it to rain! It's a long trip back to our house. Do you know that, James?"

He did indeed. He'd wanted to put as much distance between himself and that leaky doghouse as he could. His fur was beginning to get soaked, and Mayu's scent was getting weaker in this rain. He began to whine.

"Oh, be quiet, James. This is your fault for running away!"

Then another scent punctured the dog's little nostrils, and his whining turned into a keen. The coppery, salty, bile-like scent was here, and it was getting closer.

"Quit struggling, James. We've still got a long walk ahead of us." But "James" was beginning to realize that their walk was over, and if they didn't get away now, there would be no more walks. Ever.

"Who's there?" His owner had noticed someone. A figure standing in the pouring rain. The dog began to struggle in her arms.

The woman couldn't quite make out that exact details, but the figure was small. Just like that girl who'd been with her dog. "Is that you, again? I told you, you can't have my dog, so get lost!"

The figure started walking closer, and now the woman could see that it was indeed a young girl. A young girl wearing red. She opened her mouth to say something, but in that instance, her dog peed in her arms. She dropped him with a curse.

"James, you filthy mongrel! When I get my hands on youUUAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Wanta felt monstrous heat bake against his hindquarters, but he looked back no more than Lot looked back at Sodom. He just ran and ran and ran.

Mayu wasn't sure how to act. This all seemed too good to be true. Yuka was holding her umbrella over them both while Kouta kept an eye on Nyu, who seemed more prone to wandering than Mayu.

"Man, those two cops didn't know what to think, did they?" said Yuka, grinning mischievously.

Mayu looked at her with an expression of abject wonder. "But, why...Why did you do it?"

"Lying to the cops?" Yuka shrugged, "I just figured it would be easier than having to explain everything."

Mayu frowned. "That's...not what I was asking. Why did you come looking for me?"

The looming figure of Maple House soon came up to them. Mayu looked at it with some fascination. She never thought she'd see this place again, or that she'd miss it so much...Was this how it felt to have an actual home?

They headed up, Kouta having to lead Mayu along a little. Once inside, she was dried off, and given some fresh new clothes to wear. She accepted it all in a daze, as if unsure as to whether or not to accept this new reality. Once she was dressed, (It felt good to finally be wearing pants.) she headed toward the main room where Kouta, Mayu, and Nyu were waiting for her at a table in one of the many, many rooms. There was a large box on the table, and from there expectant expressions, Mayu surmised that it was for her.

"We don't know where you're running from," explained Kouta kindly, "But you're more than welcome to stay here until you've figured things out."

"What?" Mayu asked in awe. "Stay here?"

"Of course," exclaimed Yuka cheerily, "It's how Nyu came to stay with us, after all. Isn't that right, Nyu?

"Nyu!"

"By the way, the baker made this for you. Happy birthday, Mayu!"

Yuka gestured toward the box, which Mayu carefully opened with trembling hands. Inside was a small cake, topped with strawberries and whipped creme. Mayu felt her eyes sting with repressed tears.

"Th-this is for me?"

"Yep," explained Kouta, "Happy birthday, Mayu."

Mayu didn't know what to say, but in that instance, Nyu went dashing out of the room.

"Oh, come on, Nyu. Not again!"

Yuka got up to follow, only for Nyu to run back into the room with a bowl of steaming rice in her hands. She set the bowl down next to Mayu with eager enthusiasm...maybe too eager. Quite a few cooked grains tumbled out of the plastic bowl.

Mayu looked at the bowl with some confusion. Yuka looked confused as well, but then snapped her fingers in realization. "Oh, that's right! Mayu, you had rice last night with us! You were so happy to have it! Nyu must have remembered how happy you were, too!"

Understanding dawned on Mayu's face. She turned towards Nyu, who was watching Mayu with the eagerness of a puppy dog.

"Thank you, Nyu."

"Nyu!"

A scratching sound could be faintly heard. Mayu looked up in surprise, not noticing the quiet expressions of dread on the other three.

"Was that the door," asked Mayu, "Maybe we should see who's there?"

"I'll answer it!" said Yuka, speaking a bit too loudly and a little too quickly. She got up to answer the door, with the rest of the group following. At the door, she paused slightly, as if to gather courage, then opened the door a tiny bit. A tiny bit was all that was needed for a tiny figure to dart through. Yuka's first thought was that she'd just let a rat into her house, and this caused her to shriek. The tiny creature ignored this outcry, and ran leapt up into his owner's arms.

"W-Wanta?"

As if this magical night couldn't possibly get any more wonderful, it was indeed Mayu's tiny canine friend. He let out a loud bark, and began to affectionately lick the tears that were now streaming down Mayu's face. Kouta and Yuka looked on in wonder, while Nyu let out a cheer; she'd always liked that dog.

"I-I'm so glad you're back!" Mayu cried. She couldn't remember having ever felt this wonderful. "It's okay, Wanta. Everything is going to be okay."

Happy birthday.

Mayu started. Had Yuka just said? Had Kouta?

"Is everything okay, Mayu?" asked Yuka.

"I'm fine," said Mayu calmly. She looked down at Wanta, who had stopped licking Mayu's face, and was now quivering in her arms.

He's shivering from the cold and the rain, she thought...but was that really all of it? Looking up, Mayu registered that the door was still open. Outside, the rain continued to mercilessly pour down. The floor of the entryway was already beginning to get soaked. Wordlessly, Mayu went over and closed the door. She had spent a while living in a place without doors, but knew well enough that you should never leave them open. It could let in all kinds of creatures.

Creatures more harmful than her little dog.