I'm so sorry for the delay. I've had a lot of school work just piling up and I needed to get all of it done before I even thought about writing another chapter. This chapter is slightly shorter than the rest but it's worth the reading. I've also been busy reading 'real' books. I highly recommend "Twilight" by Stephinie Meyer. I've been completely wrapped up in that book since I first read the back of the book. It's one of the best books I've ever read so if you get a chance, read it and you'll see what I mean. Anyhow, I hope you all like this chapter and I hope most of my readers still continue to read this story.

Disclaimer: No I do not own S-Cry-Ed or any of it's characters. But I do own a character that will appear later in the story.

"Don't Give Up Hope"

Chapter 3

Asuka still had a questionable look plastered on his face even after he had watched the door slide closed after the Heiress. His head, on instinct snapped towards Ryuho who was absently staring at the monitor in front of him. Should he? 'Well, it's worth a try…'

Clearing his throat none too loudly Asuka began to make his way to the Ryu Heir in search of answers. "Uhm… Ryuho?"

"Yes Tachibana, what is it?" Ryuho asked while still staring at the monitor in front of him, fiercely typing in numbers and codes.

Asuka figured it was better not to beat around the bush when it came to Ryuho so he just cut to the chase. "Just out of curiosity Ryuho, what happened between you and Miss Mimori? She seemed pretty tense."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the Heir replied non-too enthusiastically, "I also don't see why it is of any concern to you, Tachibana."

Asuka almost fell over when he heard that last part. What is this guy dense? Obviously he's going to ask about his friend if he assumes something is wrong. It's only concern for her well-being for Christ sake. "I was just concerned about her, that's all. She was fine until we got here… I just assumed something was wrong."

"I assure you Tachibana; I have not spoken to Miss Kiryu in anyway to upset her. Don't assume things you know nothing about."

"Ah… yes, sorry about that Ryuho. I didn't mean to accuse." The purple-haired young Alter User said apologetically. 'Well that was embarrassing… I questioned him before thinking about all the possibilities...'

Ryuho just slightly nodded while he got up from his seat, "If you'll excuse me Tachibana, I need to have a word with Miss Kiryu."

Tachibana quirked an eyebrow at the emerald-haired teen as he made his way to the room that Mimori had entered just moments before. 'Just don't makes things worse Mr. Tairen. We all know how you can be.' He thought to himself before taking the seat that Ryuho had left vacant.

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"Aspirin, aspirin, aspirin…" Mimori chanted to herself over and over again, looking through a variety of disorganized cabinets and drawers. "You would only think that since I packed all the boxes into this damned truck by myself, that they would at least organize everything. But no, they just put things wherever there's space."

Leaning over to reach for the next cabinet door, Mimori unintentionally knocked over one of the glass test tubes that were placed hazardously on the counter top. Startled by the sudden shatter of glass against the tile floor Mimori shrieked.

Looking towards the source of disturbance the raven haired woman frowned at the fallen, now broken, test tube. Forgetting about her now splitting headache and hunt for aspirin, she slowly bent down to pick up the broken shards of glass. "Could I be anymore clumsy?" she asked herself while picking up the largest piece and placing it on the counter top. She bent to retrieve the remaining pieces but a knock at the door stopped her.

She placed her hand on the counter to pull herself up, momentarily forgetting about the glass which resulted in a not-so-good feeling in her hand. She whimpered as she felt the shard of glass slice into her palm. The world was just out to get her hand these days it seemed.

More knocking brought her back into reality. "Just a minute," she replied quickly, while scrambling to find a cloth to clean her now bleeding hand. It was starting to drip on the floor and she knew she had to stop the bleeding or at least slow it.

Spotting a small towel near one of the sinks she hastily retrieved and wet it, then placed it over her cut.

The Kiryu Heiress walked over to the door and pressed a button which made it slide open. To say the least, she wasn't expecting to see Ryuho standing on the other side.

"What brings you here, Ryuho?" she asked, unconsciously titling her head to the side in confusion.

Ryuho said nothing as he noticed the blood on the floor behind her. Noticing his distant stare over her shoulder she glanced back to see what caught his eye. She gasped. She had forgotten about the blood that dripped on the floor.

She turned back to him and shifted uneasily under his demanding gaze. "I uh- well- I was picking up a broken test tube and forgot about the piece I placed on the counter… and when I heard a knock at the door I put my hand on the counter to pull myself up… and it cut my palm. I was just about to clean it…"

Ryuho's gaze shifted to her cloth-covered hand and observed the blood starting to seep through. If she wasn't out putting herself in danger she was injuring herself in the stupidest ways possible. Damn this girl and her inability to be responsible.

"You'd better get that cleaned and bandaged Miss Kiryu." It was more like a demand rather than a suggestion.

The Heiress nodded and walked back towards the counter where the fallen test tube was. She had to clean that up first. She couldn't afford another accident. Ryuho walked into the room after her and stood patiently.

Picking up the glass first, the Heiress placed it on the counter careful to avoid the piece already there. Having not seen another cloth in the room to clean up the blood on the floor, she unwrapped the cloth from around her hand and hastily cleaned up the blood before more had a chance to fall from her sliced palm.

Walking over to the nearest sink she wet the towel trying her best to rinse off the germs she knew would be on it from the floor, then began to dab it against her palm as she pulled out the first aid kit she had ironically seen while shuffling through the drawers and cabinets.

"Alcohol… Neosporin… Gauze… Medical tape." She said mainly to herself as she pulled up her sleeve and began to clean and bandage her palm.

From where Ryuho stood he could see the gash and took note of its length. It was obvious it would take a long time to heal.

"So what did you need, Ryuho?" the raven haired Heiress asked as she wrapped the gauze around her palm, sealing it with the medical tape.

"I'm sure you already know we'll be encountering some dangerous Native Alters and-"

Mimori frowned. "And what? You want me to stay out of your way? Don't want me to jeopardize your mission?" Ryuho looked a bit taken aback by her sudden out burst, but she kept on. "Save it for someone who cares, Ryuho. I'm not here to get in the way. I have a job to do also. And I'm not- I'm not here to argue with you either." She said the last part softly after noticing how she had spoken to him.

Ryuho narrowed his eyes, angry at her for speaking for him. "Don't get in the way, Miss Kiryu." He sneered then harshly walked out of the room, leaving her to regret how she had sunk to his level. 'I could have been nicer…' she thought as she watched his retreating form.

"Ryuho," she called, running after him.

He kept walking. He had a job to do.

"Ryuho!" she said with more force.

"Miss Kiryu, I have a job to do." He said icily, continuing on his way.

"Ryuho Tarien, stop acting like a child. I just wanted to apologize for speaking to you that way." She scolded, hating how he could act just as he had when they were younger.

The Ryu Heir glared at his seemingly burden-like acquaintance. She had scolded him just as his mother used to when they were younger. God did he hate how she could remind him of his childhood with just a simple sentence. Something had to be done about her.

"Miss Kiryu, I will tell you again and for the last time, I have a job to do, stay out of my way." And with that being said he turned and walked away from the now baffled Kiryu Heiress.

Well that was beyond rude. She comes to apologize and he disrespects her for it?

"I'm starting to doubt that he is entirely sane…" she declared, walking the opposite way as he had.

End of Chapter 3

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