A/N: Yay! I'm updating! Anywho, this chapter jumps a bit between past and present, and after this someone might be ready to kill me lol

But everything will be explained, right May?

May: Jun you're cruel...

Jun: You were suppose to do the disclaimer!

May: Fine! I Mayuka Kusanagi, my ever so adorable,clone Yukiko, and all others (please I'm not saying their names) whom I've never mentioned, and any characters thataren't apart of Ghost in the shell (except for Shinyuu, he's a character from 2nd gig, Jun just made a name for him cause he has none...see epi 17.) belong to my detes-

Jun: Ahem...

May: (rolls eyes) Ok, my loveable creator Ms. Jun-kei. As well as the ideas for the story. Other than that, she's just a penniless teenager who happens to be an (over) obsessive fan.

Jun: Over? I'll get you for that later. (claps hands) On with the show!

The lithium flower

Chapter 3: Haunted

Jun-kei's eyes darted back and forth from him back to the computer screen, her mind still in shock and disbelief. "Come again…I could have sworn I misheard you…"

"The message came from 'Kage'!" Yukimura replied hotly.

"But how…she's dead!"

"D.I.A. technically!"

"Jackass. I made the call myself. And take great pride in knowing that it's rare for me to be wrong about things. Even if it means that my friend's death is final."

"You have no proof!"

"Do yourself a favour and drown that false hope before it kills you idiot. You'll live longer. Especially if you stay away from her lot."

Yukimura blinked. "Her lot…? Like family? She never said she had family other than her sister."

Jun-kei sighed. "You truly are a fool…or maybe you've just been deceived like the others."

"What?"

Jun shook her head. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to warn you that if you keep poking your head out where it doesn't belong, it might just get blown off."

The older woman stood up and sighed before walking out of the room, but not before pausing again. "And another thing…" She paused her statement before continuing. "I don't know why, but you became an obstacle to her. And that girl is known to destroy any obstacles in her path. That's why they nicknamed her 'The demon' as the Americans called her. But our view of her as Japanese was different. "Kage no hakai." Shadow of destruction… But she never chose that name for herself. Which is why that letter wouldn't be from her. Because WE named her Kage, she never named herself that. We just came up with the title, and forced it on her."

"So then…what are you suggesting?"

Jun smiled. "In Taiwan they have numerous attacks involving one named 'Kage' done in a gorilla type style of hacking that the police force claims is only capable of the likes of people like Mayuka, who would actually have the guts to use such methods to execute such movements…."

Yukimura blinked. "Then…. then you mean that all of this…is just…" He stopped, finding the words were caught in his throat.

"Mori-san! Are you saying this is another 'Stand Alone Complex'?" Ayame's voice rang from behind of her brother. The younger sibling quickly ran to Jun, staring her face to face.

"Hmm…Stand Alone Complex… Numerous copies…without an original…it could be. If, you can find out if there's more than one person behind the veil called 'Kage'." Jun smiled. "I know you're quite capable, Ayame-chan, so I'll leave it up to you." Jun slowly turned away from her and waved goodbye. "Well, that's it for me! It's been a long day, and I'm looking forward to getting a little bit of sleep tonight. See ya in the morning!"

"See ya Mori-sama!" Ayame called out watching the older woman leave, noticing her brother stayed utterly quiet. Yukimura remained silent as he thought over the one question that Jun said to him over encrypted cyber-com.

'What I want to know, Takeda, is what the hell she saw in you that made her decide to spare your pitiful life!'

Yukimura frowned at the thought, vaguely remembering something Mayuka herself had said to him back when Takemura began harassing her to ghost hack people.

'You know, there are several good reasons why I should hate your guts, wish you to die and rot in hell.' Mayuka muttered as she sat in the chair by the computer and crossed her legs on the table as she leaned back, her hands behind her head.

'Huh? How come?' Yukimura asked, shocked.

'You really are clueless aren't you? Firstly, I have you to blame for dragging me here. Then there's the past, Takeda. Though you may have forgotten, I haven't. Back in the past, before we knew each other as well as we do…before I became who I am, you killed someone dear to me. I should hate you for it…but I can't.'

'Why?' Mayuka gritted her teeth. Sometimes he could really be an idiot.

'Because, in the end, I'm just as foolish as you are.' She replied, looking into his eyes before looking away again.

Yukimura shivered at the memory of those words. Even now, many years after she said those words, he still didn't understand what Mayuka meant by them.

"Yuki-o-nii-san?" Ayame stared at him with growing concern. Yuki blinked twice, expression puzzled.

"Hmm?" He asked, snapping out of his reverie.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh…nothing, just thinking, that's all."

Kage sighed, noting that Shinyuu had wandered away to look around the lobby as she settled everything. She leaned heavily on the counter as the associate came up to her.

"How may I…oh? Ms. Yui! It's been a while since you've last been here!" The associate said, bowing graciously. "Thank you so much with that tip you gave us. We're very grateful."

"It was no problem at all. You guys deserve it." Kage said, smiling. "I really enjoyed my stay. Tell me, do you have that Suite open again?"

"By matter of fact…" The woman double-checked the computer. "We do!"

"Excellent. I would like to stay in there again." The woman nodded.

"Ah, Yui-sama, are you here on business again?"

Kage nodded. "Yes, I just got in from the flight. So, I would like to catch up, but I am very tired. And tomorrow, I have several meetings to attend to."

"That's too bad."

Kage nodded in agreement. "As well, that boy over there," She pointed to Shinyuu. "That boy is my adopted brother, Yui, Shinyuu. He'll be coming with me."

"Understood ma'm…and for the fee, is it the same as always?"

"Yes, you can charge my father's account." Kage then looked up to Shinyuu. "Shin! Let's go!"

'Our cover here is that you're my adopted brother kid. So when we're in there, address me as o-nee-sama, ok?'

'Hai Kage-san!'

"Hai o-nee-sama!" Shinyuu replied as he was told to before entering the building. Kage nodded and smiled as she led the way to the elevator.

"So where are we going o-nee-sama?"

"Top floor, Suite number nine."

"You mean…you've got a suite on the top floor of a place this elegant. I thought you were trying to keep a low profile."

Kage smiled. "For being the one he sends out for all his dirty work, Mr. Yui gave me a fake I.D. to pose as his kin, in case I need any resources. As a result, Mr. Yui himself pays all expenses. All I have to do is pose as his alleged daughter, and complete any task he gives me. And that isn't as simple as it sounds. I only make it look easy…trust me, it's not easy."

Kage suddenly stopped as she took out the keys and opened up the door to the suite. Shinyuu's eyes widened. It was a large room, with a bathroom on the side, a closet space, a couch and living room area and a large King sized bed. Kage smiled.

"You like it, don't you." The boy nodded dumbly. "Well enjoy it, cause it's ours for the night. I'm going to take a shower."

With that she turned to the closet and began grabbing towels, a bathrobe and a first aid kit. "I'm going to be a while in there. I'm sure the reason for that is obvious."

"Are you sure you don't want help...with you're arm I mean…" Shin felt like hitting his head, it was a stupid question to ask Kage, of all people, if she needed help.

"I'll manage." Kage started for the bathroom before she stopped right outside the door, her right hand gently wrapped around the handle trying carefully not to drop the items that were under her arm. "One more thing kid, don't get used to the bed. Cause tonight you're sleeping on the couch."

With those words she pushed open the door and walked in, shutting it behind her.

Mayuka looked at the wreckage behind her that used to be the warehouse. She didn't know for how long, but she passed out shortly after making it out of there. Sighing, she slowly lowered the unconscious Motoko to the ground and took a long glance at her 'handiwork'

"Damn…there goes the warehouse…" She muttered, squeezing her eyes shut, as she pulled out the shrapnel that was lodged in her left arm. "And there goes having any arms that aren't awkward to maneuver." She scowled, knowing that the reason that her body was feeling so numb was probably not a good one. She didn't have to look down to see the growing pool of crimson beneath her to know it was there…she could smell it, and feel as the ruby coloured liquid trickled out of her body.

"What the fuck was I thinking?" She muttered. 'No, wait…I have a feeling that I don't want to answer that…' She snapped out of her thoughts when a gun rang out and pain shot through her left shoulder. 'Always the frigging shoulder…' Her mind growled. 'This is just what I need…' Mayuka reached out, grabbing onto her gun and taking cover behind some wreckage as she looked around.

"Where is he…. where the hell is that bastard!" Mayuka paused as she checked the ammo and instantly regretted it. "Shit…one bullet? What the hell am I going to do with one bullet? This bloody thing's a handgun, not even a sniper from a distance this great would get him in one bullet!" She sighed. 'There's always sneaking up on him…' Looking back, she immediately revoked the idea. The trail of blood would give her away. 'Well, sitting still and dying slowly is an option. But that's painful, so what'd be the fun in that? If I'm gonna die might as well raise hell with me…' An impish smile founded its way on Mayuka's features. "Of all days I didn't ask Kaisuke to give me my brother's gun…damn."

The gunshots halted and Mayuka smiled, double-checking to make sure none had hit Motoko, she turned on her thermo-optic camouflage and began to slowly move. 'If I don't stay put, only a bit of blood will be visible.' She stalked away from her cover, moving towards the sound until a shed was visible in the distance. On it stood a man, Hikaru Mehiji. 'Old fool ceases to amaze me…whatever, a headshot is what I need…. how's the problem.'

Hikaru turned in her direction, and Mayuka froze. 'Did he see me?' She silently wondered. The same question she inquired when she hacked into Karou in attempt to kill Hikaru. If that worked, she sure as hell wouldn't be here now. Hikaru soon looked the other way, and Mayuka restrained herself from sighing in relief.

Silently moving like an assassin, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her, waiting to claim her as their prey. She swallowed hard in attempt to ignore the feeling. Mayuka leaned against the shed, on the side that Hikaru was currently ignoring. Leaping up like a cat that is hunting, she stepped closer, until her gun met his head, execution style.

"What the-"

"Any last words?" She smiled, happy that she reached her goal.

"I'm surprised after all that you're even standing." Hikaru smirked.

"Don't tempt me old man!"

"You're half-dead already girl. I'm surprised that my backup didn't shoot you yet." Hikaru turned to face her finding only air. "Ah, the thermo-optic camouflage. So he can't see you." He smirked. "But shoot me, and he'll know you're there. Then it's bye-bye Mayuka Kusanagi…or should I say Miss. Um-?"

"What! How the hell do you know about that?" Mayuka's grip tightened.

"Ah, now make sure it counts. Cause if you miss me, not only will you die, but my finger might 'slip' on the trigger and kill your sister down there."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't test me, you know I'd do it. Ooh! Even more fun! I'll give you five seconds before I pull the trigger. Five…four…three."

The sound echoed across the area as Hikaru's headless body fell down, the trigger remained untouched. "Stupid old man…you're not afraid to die are you?"

'Wait a second…didn't he just say there was another person here?'

Mayuka looked up, panic overcoming her features as she saw Takemura. Frozen, she felt pain rip through her chest before she was able to pick up the other gun to retaliate. Stumbling, she fell off the rooftop of the shed and landed hard on the cold ground.

"D…damn it…"

"PUT THE GUN DOWN MEHIJI!" A voice boomed before three shots sounded. "Minamoto, you dumbass! I know this isn't you're style of dealing with things, but help me damn it!"

"I've got you covered Jun!" A male voice replied.

"Don't just stand there! There might be others o-baka!" Jun-kei screamed back.

"You'll pay for this Mori!" Takemura screamed, as he held his now bleeding hand that was shot by Jun mere moments ago.

Jun jumped on the roof, pointing the gun at him. "I'm sure I will knowing your lot. But you need to pay for more that one thing. A friend of mine named Aki, is a prime example."

"Him…" Takemura laughed. "I didn't know you cared Mori."

Jun glowered and began shooting at his limbs until there was no possible way to move them. "Even with pain receptors off, you're not going anywhere." She then walked over towards the gun she had shot out of his hand, and picked it up. "And I'm taking this for good measure. The police can round you up when they come."

"Bitch."

Jun smirked. "Why thank you. I have great pride in the fact that my efforts are recognized."

"Heh, you and that filthy, no good-"

"Talking about my father there Takemura? If I recall correctly, Mayuka just killed yours, and you despise her as if she was the dirt underneath those d-"

"JUN! We've got a problem! One the boss will claim our heads for!" Minamoto screamed from below. "I'm doing all I can…but it might be a fatality!"

Jun's eyes widened. "What…" Forgetting her current conversation, Jun jumped down the building rushing towards her older brother. 'Damn it…if she dies, old man Umeyda's gonna have my head for not bringing her back…'

Jun suddenly came to a halt when she saw Minamoto standing there over Mayuka. She cringed, noticing the growing red pool beneath her.

"Damn it! Why the hell are you just standing there?"

"There isn't much we can do Jun. She has a wound to the chest cavity and we have no ambulance near by." The elder sibling replied, wiping his bloodied hands on his suit pants.

"Keep talking like that and I swear I'll rip your lungs out!"

"Getting angry at me won't help." Minamoto replied. "Instead of wasting time, call the ambulance."

"Way ahead of you." Jun passed him the cell phone. "But she's not going there." Jun crouched down so she was closer to Mayuka. "Hey, wake up."

"Who…said, that…I was…asleep?" Mayuka stated, coughing feebly.

"Don't think you're getting the hero treatment this time too dumbass! Now do yourself a favour and stay still, but don't close your eyes idiot. I'm taking you to my emergency clinic."

"Sounds like…fun…" Mayuka struggled until she was sitting up, much to Jun's dismay. "If it gets here soon…" Mayuka muttered before coughing up blood.

"Didn't I tell you to stay still?"

"You know…that I hate…doctor's orders."

"Idiot!" Jun looked over her shoulder. "Damn it! Minamoto, do you have any morphine?" Her attention quickly shifted as she felt something dropped in her lap. Looking down, she saw May's C-Z 75.

"Take good care of it…that gun used to be…Kadaji's. I kept mine but never used it…and old man Kaisuke," She was interrupted by her own inability to breathe properly, and the blood she coughed up due to internal bleeding, but eventually continued. "Old man Kaisuke…has…Akiharu's…gun…"

"Hey, wait! Mayuka, stay awake!" But it was if the light had been stolen from her eyes for after those words she spoke, her sapphire eyes seemed dull, soulless before she finally closed them.

"Jun…"

Jun growled as she pulled out her own gun shooting Hikaru Mehiji's corpse. "Damn bastard's luck he's not alive." She muttered to her brother who stared wide-eyed at her.

"Her breathing stopped, and I can't find a pulse. Jun, you're the one who practices medicine; I'm just the lawyer. Do you want to check to be sure?" Minamoto called from behind her. "Oh man, Kaimaru will not be pleased."

"Old man Kaisuke will talk to his older brother for us. Besides…" Jun walked over to the silent form of Mayuka. 'I can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right here.' Jun frowned as she noticed that Mayuka's wounded form no longer shuddered with the labor of breathing. Kneeling down, she checked for a pulse, and found none.

"Besides what Jun?"

"Nothing for you to worry about." Jun scowled. "None. No breathing, no pulse…" Shaking her head she looked up at her brother. 'Yet I get a feeling that something's not right. Just what did Shion teach her when she was little? Shion's known to deceive death, but does that mean that her 'protégé' knows how to perform 'imitation death' as well? No, that'd be impossible!'

"Minamoto. I'm taking her to my clinic. Please deal with the legal aspect of this brother." Jun carefully picked up Mayuka and headed towards the road where her car was pulled over. "And they'll be here soon. I can already hear the police cruisers."

"But wait! Ju-"

Before he could protest his sister had taken off like a bullet.

"So that's what happened, eh Ms. Mori?" Kaisuke asked as he wiped a freshly washed glass while standing behind the bar of the Gin.

"Hmm, is your older brother already bugging you about it Kaisuke?" Jun asked sarcastically while watching as Kaisuke placed a glass in front of her and filing it with Sake. "So now what, you have Kadaji and Akiharu's gun. What a shame."

"True. But after those two joined the war, Kaimaru was a little less than pleased with his wife's stepson, and his nephew. And if that wasn't enough, his step daughter had to be a fool and chase after them."

"Ah yes…Yuri is known for being headstrong. I wonder how Kaimaru would respond if we told him the truth behind everything, including his step daughter's dissapearance."

"Well considering she was missing for years before this, I'm sure Kasumi wouldn't be happy. And if his daughter isn't happy, Kaimaru isn't a happy camper either." Kaisuke sighed heavily. "Well, I guess her own gun will have to do. If, and when she comes back I'll give the guns back to her."

Jun nodded. "That's all I needed to know." She leaned back, sipping on the sake before speaking again. "But now, we have more of a nuisance to deal with…Takemura."

"Ah yes. The fun of dealing with a criminal whose about to be released…oh joy."

Shinyuu watched with increased interest when Kage finally came out of the bathroom, neatly folding the clothes as best she could despite her arm that compromised her. He noticed that the left arm was no longer in a sling, but couldn't see where she placed it. Kage looked up at him."If you want to take a shower, the things are in the supply cupboard."

He nodded. "Ok…but your arm…doesn't it hurt?"

"Kid, I can't even move the damn thing slightly without immense pain, of course it hurts." Kage grimaced, remembering how she had to clean the bathroom after she was done just because the wounds still bled, despite it being nearly two weeks ago since.

"Then how come the bandages are so tight?"

"It's shattered. The bones are shattered. The only problem with that is that the bone structure is prosthetic. So it won't heal on it's own. Only the skin will, but I keep pushing my luck with it so much that it won't be happening anytime soon. So the tight bandages are to clot the blood." Kage shook her head. Luckily for her, the main artery in the arm barely avoided being punctured, or she'd be dead from blood loss by now.

"I see…" Shinyuu was now at the closet and was taking out towels before heading in the bathroom. Sighing to herself, Kage ran her right hand through her damp hair as she slowly walked towards the bed, moving the sheet over she climbed in, and slowly took out her gun out of the robe's pocket, checking the ammo and making sure that the safety was still on. She placed it back. Lying on her back she strained to move the damaged limb so that it was laying straight out, her hand across from her head. And with that she closed her eyes, allowing herself to rest.

"Are you sure…I mean, after all Motoko, it's my own fault for missing you guys when you went there yesterday. You don't have to come if you don't want to." Kurutan said as she and Motoko continued to walk towards the graveyard.

"You were called in for an emergency shift. It wasn't your fault." Motoko replied hotly, evicting a heavy sigh from Kurutan.

"I know. But ever since May…well, you haven't exactly been yourself."

"I haven't been myself, how?"

Kurutan shook her head. "Usually you act like your married to the job. But now it's just gotten plain ridiculous. You're rarely home now, and when you are you're probably just there to sleep so you can have the energy levels to get through the next day. I can never call you without getting the damned answering machine now!"

Motoko remained silent for a while before Kurutan's expression darkened.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I was just looking out for you, that's all."

"No, no. It's quite all right. It's only natural for you to be concerned." Motoko replied as both she and Kurutan slowed down their pace.

"Well were almost there." Kurutan stated a moment later, but heard nothing from her comrade. Looking up, she saw Motoko, frozen in shock.

"What is it?"

"Look."

Kurutan gasped as she looked up towards where Mayuka's gravestone was. On it sat a child, a teenaged girl who looked to be around fourteen to seventeen years old. She wore a lilac coloured kimono, with a violet obi. The young girl gingerly sat with her legs crossed. And in her hand, she held a long handled sai, what most would call a scythe similar to what the grim reaper would carry, leaning against her shoulder.

What surprised her the most was whom the child looked like. She had long, dark, violet-blue hair that was tied in two ponytails, and reached down below her knees. And though she wasn't looking at them, her eyes surprised them the most. They looked like an iced blue, a strange shade obtained by mixing sapphire and silver.

"Motoko…is that…"

"No, she'd be too young."

"But she looks just like May…"

The young girl's clouded eyes focused again, her back still to the two some as she lifted her head. She patted the gravestone she was sitting on gently and smiled. "Oka-sama, we have visitors." The girl turned around to face them and smiled. "So, she's your sister, ne?"

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Kurutan yelled.

The girl frowned. "Quiet! You'll disrupt their sleep!"

"Who?"

"The dead." The girl smiled. "They don't like it. One time a guy came here yelling, and a few days later he came back to apologize cause the dead wouldn't let him sleep or eat." The smile gained malice and she continued. "Better apologize now, o-baka."

"I don't like this kid one bit." Kurutan muttered.

Motoko pulled out her own gun and trained it on the girl. The girl blinked. "That's not very nice you know."

"Quiet. I have a few questions for you."

"Heh, we never thought in a million years that you'd be this stupid. And with the praise they gave you, I would have expected you to be some sort of genius there, 'Kage.'" A man in a mecha suit threatened Kage who stood unarmed.

Kage sighed. "You guys really don't give up…" She muttered, running her left hand through her long, violet coloured hair.

"The boss will be out of jail soon. He said he wanted you alive, but that doesn't mean I can't have my fun with you. Exciting, isn't it?"

"Bleh…pig…" She reached out under her cloak with her left, bringing out her gun, keeping it at her side. Kage taunted him, waving her hand to tell him to come on. "Come if you dare!"

"You're funeral." The suit punched wildly, barely dodging she rolled under the giant fist and to it's left. "You little freak! I'll get you!"

"Hah! Just try!" He punched again, missing her as she ran away from the suit. Angered he began running after her.

"Quit it now Kage! This isn't a stupid cat and mouse game. You know you'll get caught. There's no way your natural body can keep up with an exo-suit!"

"You know I'm famous for tempting faith. So prove me wrong!" Kage called over her shoulder, only stopping in pure shock when he said the words:

'But I don't have to.'

"What is he…?" She turned to face in front of her, shocked to see another minion in an exo-suit as well. She cursed the seven hells for this damned day as she pulled out her gun to fire, but was beaten when it launched a missile that exploded two meters in front of her, throwing her backwards. Landing head first, when she finally regained her senses, she looked up to see the first exo-suit standing above her; her gun skidded far out of reach. She realized this after reaching for it, only to her dismay.

"Shit."

"Heh, the boss has a message for you." The man glowered. The suit's giant foot raised off the ground, then pounded back down with a force twice of what it originally had, on Kage's arm. The man plugged his ears as she screamed out in pain. Breathing heavily, and within an inch of unconsciousness, she looked up at him.

"What the hell…does Takemura want from me?"

"He wants to give you a message. The message is: All traitors die. It's only a matter of time until he personally sees that you join them."

"Kage! Wake up! Come on Kage!" Shinyuu shook her lithe form violently in order to get her up, but it wasn't working. Kage moaned as she clutched onto her left arm.

Shinyuu slowly reached for the covers. Suddenly, Kage's eyes snapped wide open as she quickly sat up. He heard two faint clicks before her right arm emerged from the covers holding her gun as she shot it off, barely missing his head. "That was a warning sh-"

"Kage!" Shinyuu slowly backed away in fear as the young woman sighed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She growled.

"I could ask you the same question! Who in their right mind sleeps with a gun in her hand?"

"One who's used to being ambushed. It's self-defense, and if you like living I suggest you never do that again!"

Shinyuu nodded dumbly. "But I was only trying to get you up, you were moaning in your sleep."

Kage looked at the boy, then down at herself, noticing how her clothes hung on her because they were now damp with her own sweat. "Damn…" She muttered.

"Has this happened before or something?"

"Sort of." She answered curtly. 'I feel faint, but it's not like I have a fever…is it…?'

Kage stood up, quickly heading for the washroom. "Hey wait, Kage-" She ignored him, slamming the door shut behind her. As more of a habit than anything else, she turned on the water in the sink, over laying the sound of her own coughing, as blood appeared in lungful after lungful.

'There are only two things that this could be from…' She looked down at the white sink, which was now tinged red. 'Either it's from the wounds I got back then, and they never healed properly…or I'm more like my mother than I thought.' Kage frowned, placing her cool hand against her forehead and sighed.

'All traitors die. And it's only a matter of time before he personally sees that you join them!'

"All traitors must die? I wonder if my sister thinks that way about me too…?"

"Who are you?" Motoko yelled to the young girl. She smiled again, and tilted her head.

"How impolite of you. Usually, most people introduce themselves before demanding a name from someone else." She didn't even blink as she stared down the barrel of the gun.

"I'm Major Motoko Kusanagi."

"Section Nine?" The child asked. Motoko in shock nodded. "Thought so."

"How do you know?"

"Mori-sama's little sister works there." The child answered. "She told me that my 'mother' also used to work there."

Kurutan blinked. "As for me, I'm Kurutan. But then, whose you're mother kid?"

The girl frowned. "When I said mother, I didn't mean in such a loving sense. That woman deserves nothing from me. But if you need to know, my so called mother is the very grave stone I'm sitting on."

"You mean that Mayuka's-"

"Mayuka…" The young girl looked down at the writing on the gravestone. "I was wondering how to pronounce her name. Unfortunately, I don't remember how to read kanji that well anymore, Mori-sama's sister said it had to do with the brain damage the coma I was in caused…hmm, but that makes sense now."

Her thoughts were violently interrupted when Motoko shot into the air three times. "Hey! I asked you who you were kid!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I almost forgot about you. You're my 'mother's' sister, right?" She sighed. "Well, technically, I'm her clone. But I'd hate to be known as 'Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi'! It draws even more attention to the fact that I'm her clone! I hate it! I also hate the name Mori-sama and his sister gave me! Yukiko Kusanagi! It disgusts me! I hate the fact that people are willing to associate me with that damned woman! I'm nothing like her!" Yukiko spat. "But unfortunately, I have no other name because of them." Yukiko's voice quelled, becoming her usual smooth as ice demeanor again.

"Then what would you rather be known as?" Motoko questioned.

The teenager's face brightened. "To you, my desired name won't make any logical sense. But in the future I'll eventually throw away that name and take hers." Yukiko gestured to the gravestone. "But I can't do that now."

"Why not, isn't she dead?"

Yukiko shrugged. "I never saw, so I will check, to see for myself."

"What do you mean?"

Yukiko shrugged. "You'll find out soon enough. But until then, Watashi wa Shikyo."

"What do you mean by 'I am death'?" Kurutan inquired.

She smiled. "Close. What I mean by that is that I want to be death itself, though you may not understand it right know. You'll know soon enough. But Motoko-sama, I have something important to share with you."

"Hmm?"

"I find it's weird for you to have never realize the inconsistencies within your own memory. But here's a hint: Kusanagi. Your own family name." Yukiko smiled, noting Motoko's confused expression. "You may not understand now, but soon you will." With that, she jumped off of the gravestone and walked away, scythe slung carefully over her shoulder as her right arm held it in place, in such a matter that she was cautious of the blade rubbing against her back and cutting her.

"Motoko…?"

Motoko shook her head. "An encrypted message. But I don't understand it."

'Soon you shall realize the truth.'

"What does she mean…the truth about what?"

Kurutan frowned. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling we won't like it…"

A/n: Yes, I'm horrible ending it there.

Yukiko's statement: 'I am death' Doesn't make sence, but the fact that she carries a scythe, and the bright coloured kimono stands for something...actually, I admit that her costume is also being mildly sarcastic about what it is that she's suppose to represent. It'll be explained. Perhaps in this story, or if there's a next.

And this is probably going to be one of the longest chapters. And I stand by it. This story is going to have more chapters then I.U. but only because they're shorter. And with good reason: Gives me time to do hmwk too.

Here we are, at the end of another chapter. I have project to do so it might be a while must do itor I'll be grounded XD

So, until next time.

Ja ne!

Jun-kei.

R&R