A/n: This is the begining of where we start to see a rift between what is said to happen and what actually did happen. I also threw an intresting idea that's been bouncing on my head since my english teacher explained something about the capitalists trying to remove the monarchs out of power. Now I have a feeling that some idiot is going to flame me about this, so read this note, read this chapter, then read the note at the END of this chapter.

Thank you. Enjoy the Chappie, and remember, me no ownie.

The Lithium Flower

By: Jun-kei

Chapter 6: Dreams

"Yuri, you're such a brat." The boy called out to the girl with long violet tresses, she pouted, sapphire eyes narrowing. He laughed, his green eyes narrowing too as his spiky black hair was thrown back.

"I dare ya to say that when Akiharu's around!"

"No way, he'd kick my ass. Anyways, happy birthday, Yuri." He handed the girl a card, and she examined it closely, and then scowled. "What now?"

"I didn't ask for anything." She mumbled.

Kadaji frowned. "You're always complaining!"

"Not really." Yuri leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"You know, if Aki finds out, he might be jealous."

Yuri scowled. "That comment was of a sick twisted humor, only you would enjoy and find in jokes about stuff like that."

"Aw, come on, Yuri! You guys would make a good couple, and besides, you guys are only half-siblings! Besides, with the way he looks at you and wants to protect you, outsiders like Minamoto-san could easily – ouch! What was that for!?"

A very-red-in-the-face Yuri sat back down abruptly, her fist now sore as Kadaji rubbed his head. "… Gross…" She murmured.

"But you two are so perfect for each other!"

"Yuri and who?" A voice belted. Both Yuri and Kadaji turned, almost cowering in fear. Yuri was the first to calm down.

"Akiharu-nii-san!"

Said brother currently stood in the doorway, his mixed hair of golden brown, honey blond and highlights of black accenting his godly appearance. He leaned casually on the doorframe dressed in black jeans and a white button up shirt. As usual, the gold dragon print shirt was left wide open, showing off the hardened muscles of his chest, that though he was young, looked taut and strong.

He held a parcel in his hand, which was limply at his side. "Are you two going to talk, or what?" He teased.

"Well, Kadaji-kun said that he thought we would –mfff!" Kadaji placed a hand over Yuri's mouth. Then he shrunk, feeling the godly boy who was three years his senior as he stared at him. He hated the feeling of those aquamarine eyes when they glared at him.

"Kadaji-kun, leave Yuri-chan alone." He warned darkly. Kadaji nodded and backed away to create distance. He didn't like it when he gave him that look. It made him feel trapped, as though he was some sort of creature that Akiharu had ensnared.

Akiharu smiled after a long pregnant silence. "So Yuri, I must say, the new look suits you." He stated as he walked towards his sister and his friend. "It's different to see you with those eyes and not your glasses... never mind the hair…"

"You really think so!" Yuri squealed as she tugged on her purple hair. "Dad was shocked… he didn't like it."

Akiharu chuckled as he gathered his sister in a one-arm hug, kissing her forehead gently. "Come now, it's not every day a kid wants that for their birthday." With that, and the scene before him, Kadaji slowly and unnoticeably left the room.

Yuri blushed, a small frown tugged at her lips. "But,"

"Hush now," Akiharu whispered, his forehead leaning on hers. "By the way, I got you a present." He set Yuri down on her feet and smiled. Yuri wasn't the type of girl who loved flowers. Rather, she was competitive and loved anything having to do with kendo, gymnastics and recently, technology in general.

Yuri nodded and ripped open the package to view the contents. In it was several different parts: mother boards, computer chips, and tools. And of course, the usual present of a longer bokuto for her to use in kendo. She looked up to Akiharu with a questioning glance.

"Well, rather than hacking into people's computers and messing around, I thought the best way to keep you occupied was a good healthy dose of Kendo and if you could keep your hands busy with building things." Yuri nodded, looking at the random pieces.

"Some of those parts were expensive and hard to find, so use them well, ok?"

Yuri nodded. "Okay…and Akiharu…?" Akiharu bent down to her level. Yuri threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thanks!" With that she ran off as Akiharu stood up, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The roar of the engine kept Shinyuu alert, but he wasn't concerned about that. It was the motorcycle driver that concerned him. "Haruka! They're gaining on us damn it!"

It was nearly a minute after before she responded. "Shoot the wheels, then hold on."

"You certainly picked bad timing for a day dream…"

"I know kid… but that wasn't a dream… merely a memory…" Haruka muttered, glancing back. Shinyuu looked on as well. For someone with a badly damaged left arm, she somehow had managed to get it to grasp the handle.

"I thought you couldn't use your arm." He mumbled.

"I'll be getting myself the painkillers later. But there is enough undamaged bone cartilage and muscle to manage turning the steering mechanism." Haruka looked back to the road, her eyes watching the mirrors, narrowing in contempt. "Persistent bastards." She growled.

"What now?" Shinyuu asked. A string of curses flew out of Haruka's mouth.

"Figures you'd be such an idiot to not shoot their tires!" She yelled back, hitting the accelerator, only to break when one silver car aggressively pulled in front of her. "Damn it, they're trying to squeeze us to death!"

Sure enough, a car pulled up behind them and on both sides. "They're aiming for us!"

"I know." Came the response as Haruka look to her left.

"What are – "

"Pass me the gun." Shinyuu complied as she barely managed to grasp it in her right while steering. "Watch your leg there, I'm gonna try something."

Shinyuu complied finding balancing with both legs on the right side difficult. It was made more so when Haruka tilted the bike dangerously low to the right, swerving swiftly. She almost collided with the blue sports car on her right before, forcing the driver to back away in surprise, before he began to try and squeeze them back into that four-car box. The engine revved, the sound of the accelerator being hit again as she swerved to the left, actually colliding with the sports car on the left.

He saw her arm as the friction tore bandages to shreds; unlike the rest of her, which was a well-toned tan, it was pale, and in another second it was quite bloody. Her mouth was set in a firm line. But he could have sworn he heard her whimper slightly in pain.

"Take the right side of the steering before we fall!" He complied, allowing her first to let go; her sapphire eyes almost squeezed shut from pain. When the motorbike steered an inch from the car beside them she sighed in relief. She turned slightly, her arm around his torso as to make sure he didn't fall, the gun was tightly in her grip that had it been natural, it would have been blue from lack of circulation.

He heard the gun go off, a tire pop, and squealing from the car behind them. Another shot went off, but just as it did, the bike swerved to the right dangerously. Carefully, he tried to regain its balance. The gun went off and another of the car's tires went out. Then a crash as the driver overcompensated and collided into his ally on the right.

"Mount…the bike…properly." She whispered that he barely heard him.

"Haruka-san, are you al - ?"

"You should be damn well smarter to know not to ask me questions right now!" Haruka snapped. "Mount the damn bike!"

He didn't dare complain. After all, she was doing him a favour: The bike would move much faster with one person. He nodded, placing his left leg back over the left of the motorcycle. The bike swerved with another gunshot as he awkwardly controlled the right side from behind Haruka. He heard the gun go off once more, and the car on the left crashed into the concrete siding, its driver dead.

"They'll be more so the sooner we're out of here the better!" She tucked the gun back into the holster awkwardly, unbalancing the bike before her right hand took control again. "Hold on tight kiddo!" The bike did a wheelie, balancing on its back tire like one would on a unicycle.

Catching up to the silver sports car in front of them, the front wheel came back down, and they rode over it. The bike hit the ground hard and fast as Haruka proceeded to break more traffic laws as she cut in between other vehicles getting far ahead of the Yakuza tailing them.

"Where to?"

"That's for me to know. Now shut up." Haruka glanced at the fuel gage. "Damn thing, we've only got forty minutes of fuel." The engine roared,

'Almost as if it were agreeing.' Shinyuu noted amusingly. Haruka sped up to break neck speeds.

"We'll lose them. It's either do or die." She mumbled. 'So let's make the best of that fuel, ne?'

"Are you serious…" Yukimura muttered, half to himself.

Motoko glared. "As far as I'm concerned she lied to us all. We don't even know who the hell she really is."

"You must admit there are loop holes in everything." Jun-kei stated. "So I ask you again, 'Major' Kusanagi, is this your final conclusion, or are you open to the prospect of changing your mind?"

"By whose authority?" She growled. "She duped us. Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi – which by the way Takeda isn't her real name – used us for her own purposes. I am pissed? Hell yes I'm pissed!"

"That doesn't make Mayuka our enemy!" Yukimura protested.

"What proof do we have that she was our ally. As far as I can tell, she may have just co-operated because if she didn't she would be dead."

"Funny, I could have sworn you, Aramaki and Kayabuki signed the DIA papers, so why the present tense?" Jun-kei noted, a sarcastic bite filled her voice. "Unless… oh my, does the emotionless "Major" Kusanagi actually have some feelings? Cause it seems as if she doesn't want to admit that this 'dangerous, and deceptive hacker who can't be trusted' is legally dead."

"You're stepping out of line Mori."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Motoko narrowed her eyes. Clearly Jun wasn't. "I never knew there was a line to step out of. Then again, what is this line? You say you don't care, yet you couldn't even go to the funeral, you were too depressed, weren't you little Motoko? Or am I mistaking that for more of your nonchalant 'I don't care, never did' attitude?"

Motoko became silent for a while before she spoke up again. "And what of all this do you know, 'Sergeant' Mori?" Silence filled the air.

"Just what are you suggesting… that Mori knows something?"

"Hush now, Takeda." Murmured Motoko as she turned her back to Jun-kei.

Jun-kei stared at her. Ruby eyes searched ones of burnt sienna for something, and then awkwardly fled the sight as though the owner has been burned. "D-don't look at me like that!"

"Why, and for that manner, how come you're trying to evade my question?" Motoko inquired coldly.

'Stop looking at me like he would!' She thought in retaliation. Jun-kei wished for that look of intensity to pass the Major's eyes, but instead the air to her felt thick and heavy from it. 'I'm trapped' She thought, unknown to her, her breath seemed a bit more laboured.

"She'll have my head for even telling you anything you know." Jun chuckled. It was a hollow sound. "Though calling her "Woman whose name is not Mayuka" won't work, will it?"

"Explain?" She arched an eyebrow.

"My ghost whispers, so all I am entitled to say is that "Mayuka Yukiko Kusanagi" is alive, and perhaps not well, but she is heading back to Nii-hama Shi." Jun-kei smiled. "I'll explain… both of us will – under one condition…" Jun dared.

Motoko scowled. "So even you are in this little story?" She sighed. "I should have you removed, but I'll hear this 'condition' first."

"I tell you, I'm nothing like her." Jun defended bravely. "I refuse to stoop that low, but all I ask is that you save her ass again – Mehiji won't rest until he has her dead body as his trophy. And heaven forbid! If Umeyda finds her, Kasumi will be happy, but he'll –!"

"Wait… Umeyda, you don't mean that Umeyda!" Yukimura interrupted. "As in the CEO of –!"

"The very same." Jun mumbled.

"Yukimura, mind filling me in?" Motoko asked. Yukimura shifted.

"Well… Kaimaru Umeyda is a business man."

"I figured that much."

Yukimura sighed. "He's in cahoots with my old man – Wait! Why would Mayuka have ties with him?"

Jun shifted uncomfortably. "Well… I can't answer that right now…"

"Jun!" Yukimura glared. Jun turned to leave to find Motoko in her way.

"I already said too much!" She said fearfully. "Don't make me say anything more until Yuri gets ba – shit!" Jun-kei slapped a hand over her mouth. 'I'm such an idiot.'

"Mayuka is… Yuri Umeyda?" Yukimura deduced, hearing every word.

"So she has ties to the Yakuza herself…" Motoko observed.

"Yes… and not willingly Motoko." Jun-kei whispered.

"But… everyone thought that after her mother and older brother died – when she ran away – that she committed suicide or something. She was so close to them. Some people say that she was even in love with Akiharu…" Yukimura mused. "There's no way. She acts nothing like Yuri."

"What do you mean?" Jun growled.

"Yuri was graceful, elegant. Mayuka is too, but she's clumsy sometimes. But I must admit that the few times that I did talk to her they think in very similar ways. Then again, Yuri had that air around her. Unlike her little sister and her older brother she seemed to enjoy being aristocratic. Like everyone was below her or something."

"Get to the point, both of you!" Motoko snapped them out of their trip down memory lane.

"H-her name is Yuri Yukiko Umeyda. She's twenty-seven years old, is an illegitimate child and when she finds out I told you all this she'll be my murderer." Jun-kei took a staggering breath. "Her last name is incorrect – but her real father rotted in jail – Kaimaru is her stepfather, Kasumi her half sister – they all had the same mother." Jun sped through the rest of this, making words hard to discern and the meaning unclear. Her face was pale by time she finished. "Please don't make me have to tell you everything…"

Motoko dismiss this. "Yukimura, I want a file on Kaimaru Umeyda and Yuri by noon…"

He nodded as he watched as Motoko left the room. Shortly after, Jun fell harshly to her knees. "She seemed so much like Akiharu with that look in her eyes…" She whispered. "I know I shouldn't have said anything, but… she scared me – that memory scared me." She gasped for air she didn't even know as being deprived from her lungs. "If it was Yuri, I would be pissed… but with her, I just feel – just feel numb."

(Be quiet.) Her voice whispered over a link. Shinyuu complied silently, watching her lithe form as they hid in the alleyway. The bike had been long ditched making them almost untraceable as they ran through the streets. But the Yakuza were catching up – slowly but surely.

Her chest heaved and out of a muscle spasm, her arm twitched. A small cry of pain escaped from her mouth before she silenced it with clenched teeth. She stopped breathing for a moment, observing – just simply observing.

(One of them might have heard me.) Haruka concluded as she looked over to Shinyuu, then to the man in a button up shirt and ripped black jeans look around the area curiously, his baldhead gleamed when sunlight caught it. (We move now.)

Shinyuu followed her with that same urgent, silent, yet quick manner. Haruka checked every road before they went through, the eye with the scars over it occasionally going out of focus. She had replaced the gun with a simple switchblade. Her reason was that it was quiet, or so she said.

They turned quickly, and though he didn't know the way she did. Two men stood, their backs to them as she snuck up. Shinyuu stood behind. In an instant, the blade was placed at one of the guards' jugular.

"You're aware of the increased amount of Archangels lurking around here, are you?" Haruka murmured, unfazed as the guard's partner pointed a gun at her. "State who you're allied with."

"Well, well, good to see you too Kage-san." Replied one guard.

"You're Yui's goons?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't trust you. What's the code?" A long pause between the three of them, as Shinyuu decided they exchanged something through the cyberbrain link. "Very well. Is the old man in his mansion here, or is he back in Japan?"

"He's here, Kage-san." One guard replied.

"Fine. Escort me and the boy there… then deal with the Yakuza problem will you?" The guard nodded, looking at her arm.

"You'd usually shoot them dead, but I guess that's your reason."

Haruka glared. "I'll talk when I know I don't have to worry about being shot."

He accepted it at that and began leading her and Shinyuu to the mansion, leaving his partner to call for back up.

"Yuri Umeyda?" Batou replied.

"What… you seem almost familiar with the name." Motoko mumbled.

"From what I heard she caused lots of trouble for her 'daddy Umeyda'" Replied Ishikawa from the corner. "Was known rather well for that mind of hers."

"And you know this how?"

"Yukimura was mumbling something about this so I checked her criminal record." Came a curt reply.

"What did you find?"

"A surprise. I'm shocked Umeyda would keep a time bomb like that around him – three assault charges, all against him."

Motoko narrowed her eyes. "Well someone loves their step-daddy."

"Maybe Yuri, for whatever reason, really, really wants him dead." Ishikawa concluded.

Motoko sighed. "Now the problem comes as to what to make of all of this."

"So how come you changed your look?" Akiharu questioned, his deep voice echoed in her ear as he rubbed her shoulders. "Is the question that disturbing to you? Your shoulders are getting all tense."

Yuri looked off into the distance as she sat in her brother's lap. "You sound like Umeyda when you speak like that." Her voice was quiet, as if anger was being suppressed. Instead of sounding calm though, her voice was acidic.

Akiharu shook his head. "I'm sorry. And it's 'Daddy' you know how he gets upset when you refuse to call him that."

"Well, I ain't his child. He just took me out of pity that –!"

"Shh… You shouldn't get so stressed out, it doesn't suit you, you little devil. Besides, I'm not his son either. His only child is Kasumi. And the way he sees things, Kasumi will be the only one he'll fully acknowledge. To him, you and I are just his wife's illegitimate bastard children." He sighed, his arms wrapping around her slim waist. "So are you going to answer my question?"

"So I don't look like Mom."

A pause. Akiharu's face twisted as he processed the thought. "I see."

"Liar." She growled.

"It's because he won't even look at you – cause you look just like his dead wife."

"A constant reminder that he just pities me." Yuri sighed. "She and I are different people. Kaimaru needs to accept that I'm nothing like my mother." Yuri scowled, moving from Akiharu's grasp she sat beside him.

"Yuri?"

"Just shut up and watch the sunset with me, brother." Akiharu nodded, complying in his usual silent manner.

"You're a mess Kage. I expected better from you." Came a booming voice. Kage glared at the older man, his silver hair hung and obscured his face. "So, what brings you on this visit." Her eyes wandered around the elaborate, chestnut coloured mansion.

Haruka scowled. "Matsu, Matsu." She growled. "I've told you once, I'll tell you again – your lack of trust in me getting my job done could lead to some… serious consequences."

"Those investigations…. And the opium and cocaine ring?" Matsu questioned.

"Shut down as you ordered. I sent you the paper work six hours ago VIA e-mail. But because I go out of my way to make it untraceable, it'll be there for you, all nicely encrypted in a few hours Haruka yawned, smothering her mouth with her right hand. "Is that all you wanted?"

"You've completed your job well as usual." He shook his head. "Name your price."

"Five billion Yen." Haruka smiled. "By the way old man, how's Haruka doing?"

Shinyuu stopped in his thoughts. "Wait aren't you Haruka?" But he received no answer.

"She's fine Yuri." Matsu replied with a weary grin. "She's in Nii-hama Shi."

"I'm heading there, so if you don't mind,"

"Not at all."

Yuri sighed, looking at her bloodied arm, which she nursed, grasping and pinning it to her body with her right. Though this was uncomfortable for her. "I'll set out in six hours. I've been up for nearly forty-eight straight playing hooky with Takemura's men… trust me, it's not fun."

"Meanwhile you should get cleaned up." Yui looked at her intensely. "I'll have one of the servants help you with your arm. Your money will be ready for you before you leave." Upon seeing her nod, Matsu turned his gaze to Shinyuu. "And the boy will have his own room. Now both of you get cleaned up. You have a long day ahead of you." His last sentence, as Shinyuu noted, seemed directly aimed at Yuri.

Yuri didn't miss this. She scowled. "Will do." She replied curtly.

A/n: If you paid attention, you'd realise that there was a hint of emotional insest (as in nothing sexual for those who don't know) in there. Yes, insest is gross. (I totally agree) But first, it's a concept I have never attempted before, so as a writer, I get past such prejudgements to challange myself. Secondly, if you have ever taken english, you may have heard that:

"Incest was brought in as a Social Construct by the Capatalists to level off the Classes"

In other words it was used to kill off the Monarchy Power by forcing them to marry those of lower stature and power. Thus over the years, the entire ordeal of incest, both of the emotional and sexual kind has been concidered Taboo by society.

Thirdly, you will discover soon enough that this Emotional incestuous love seems more one sided, and is more of a sister-complex than Emotional Incest.

And finally, Fools will be fools and I could explain until I'm old, but some won't get it. If ya flame me, I'll ignore it because you happen to be lacking in the artistic mind.

Anyways, I have an exam tomorrow, so I much leave.

Ja-ne

Jun-Kei