Ch 4

Omi was petting Faithful and speaking to him in a low voice when Manx and Birman entered his room, each women wearing an expression that meant they were bearers of bad news. Even Faithful reacted badly to their presence, his young black fur sticking up and his whole body tensing. Still, nothing could have prepared Omi enough for the news that was about to come.

It was a definite shock and he felt numb for hours after it.

He was out of Weiss for who knows how long.

He was off the field.

He was going to be on review.

Omi closed his eyes.

Well. Aya and Yoji would have their wish fulfilled. No more brat hanging around them. No more of him meddling into their affairs or trying desperately to make them into a family. No more of it at all. He wondered if Yoji had known that this was happening when he'd come to see him earlier that morning. Had Ken known? Was that why he hadn't come yet to see him?

The questions his mind asked, he had no answer to. And it drove him mad. They began to eat away at the numbness that surrounded him and it became hard to breathe.

He no longer had a home.

Where the hell was he gonna stay? But that was a dumb question and he knew it. He'd be back in Kritiker's main base where he'd been trained in the first place. Omi shivered. He hated that place. The shivering continued. He didn't want to go back there.

He never wanted to go back there again.

The shivering got worse until it was tugging at the I.V's in his arm.

He hadn't done anything wrong! So why were they doing this to him? Why?

But that answer he knew at least. The accident looked suspicious; the reasons behind it were unclear. And though it truly had been an accident and there hadn't been any reason behind it—they still thought it could be a suicide attempt. Mentally unbalanced.

A sharp pain made him yell out and he looked on in amazement as little pearls of blood came from two little wounds on his hand where Faithful had just bitten him.

'Are you quite done with the bout of self-pity?' The kitten's tail swished angrily from behind the small body. He must have seen something in the boy's large blue eyes that answered him 'cause Faithful sniffed loudly and then went on to add something else. 'Good. You have company.' That statement caused Omi to snap his head up and straighten his shoulders. He looked at the door and had to wait a few minutes before it actually opened. When it did, it revealed an angry looking Ken with a harassed looking Yoji trying to placate him and the ever so unshakable Aya. He blinked at them with incomprehension. What were they doing here? Didn't they know? Hadn't they been told? If he was gonna be on review than they were no longer permitted to see him.

"Are you ok?" Ken demanded. If he was here to be comforting, the tall brunet had a strange way of showing it, thought Faithful as he decided it was high time for him to go perch on Omi's good shoulder. He made his way there, expertly jumping and landing on the boy's young and slim shoulder without causing the boy pain or needing help. From there Faithful blinked large violet eyes and watched the scene unfold.

"Ken-kun?" Omi asked, unsure of how to answer. He was pitifully trying to get a smile back onto his face. "I'm all right. Are you ok though? You seem," Angry? Pissed as hell? "…troubled." Faithful snorted in Omi's ear at the boy's insistence of downplaying the whole event while just moments ago he'd been in a cloud of depression. Humans and their logic!

"Troubled isn't the word I would use." Yoji muttered tiredly as he dragged a chair up to Omi's hospital bed. He sat on it the wrong way so that he could rest his chin on the back of the chair while still look at the younger assassin's face. "Raging lunatic is more like it. He nearly attacked Manx and Birman this morning, afternoon— whatever." He waved his hand lazily. It did nothing to lessen the heavy atmosphere or the feel of tight anger that laced his own voice.

"They're wrong!" Ken hissed. "They have no right to do this to you…"

"Oh." Omi said quietly. All failed attempts of smiling were pushed aside. "So you have been told."

"Yes." It was Aya's turn to join the conversation. He had been glaring at the cat before hand and truth be told hadn't found a need to say anything. Still didn't.

'Then don't.' The kitten thought loudly, fur standing on edge at being looked upon with such… such…impudence! Alanna's descendent needed a good speaking to!

"It won't be forever." The boy said weakly avoiding their eyes.

"Damn straight." Ken muttered darkly and without giving anyone much warning, he wrapped the younger assassin in his arms. Omi's eyes widened in pain and shock. Faithful hissed as he was rudely pushed off his perch. The kitten fell onto the bed, barely able to stay on its four paws. "It's not even going to take place…" The words the brunet spoke then were soft and Omi was only able to hear them through the other's screams because Ken had whispered them directly into his ear.

"KEN!" Aya and Yoji screamed at the same time. "ARE YOU CRAZY?" Yoji stood up and went as if to grab the other. He stopped when a gentle glow started to surround the two on the bed. Only Faithful saw past the glow of magic to see Numair's spirit behind Ken's form, his own descendent. The mage winked at the cat before fully turning his concentration at his present task.

'Took you long enough.' The cat muttered more to himself than to anyone else.

"What the hell is going on?" Yoji asked. He turned to Aya for help but saw at the ashen colored face, that the redhead didn't know how to react either. Both men were being closely watched by Faithful who was ready to stop them at any cost if they tried to interfere with the healing. "Aya…" The glowing started to dim and Omi was released from Ken's hold. But Ken was not the one who looked up and spoke next.

"Faithful. It has already begun." The voice was the same one Ken had spoken in the night before and Aya felt goose bumps rise upon his flesh as a chill took over him. "The two worlds are merging as the barrier between them weakens. Already he was able to perceive the immortals." Faithful snapped his head at that, his young fur rising at the mere thought of those creatures loose once more. Numair sighed behind Ken. "Your task is great. I…I am not yet able to cross over to this world. Please, teach him and the others as much as you can." The cat bowed its head gently. "I sense the magic that runs through my own veins in him. And perhaps, a touch of wild magic in the boy you chose. As for Alanna's heir…" Aya took a step back as Ken turned to look at him. A strange smile touched the soccer player's face. "I'm sure you already know that he is exactly like our dear friend." The smile disappeared and the face resumed its previously serious look. "When I come, she will be at my side. Never fear Faithful, help will soon come." And then Ken dropped to the floor. The three other assassins who had all been frozen suddenly found themselves able to move. Omi was out of his bed, IVs coming out of his arms and making blood drip from the wounds he created. He sank to the ground where his friend lay.

"Ken-kun!" Faithful walked to the side of the bed.

'He's fine.' The cat purred gently. 'He is simply tired. Healing you has cost him much energy.' Omi blinked at the cat with fear in wide blue eyes.

"What are you?!" He cried. Omi gently placed Ken's head in his lap, cradling it as if it was the most precious of things. Yoji came to the boy's side shakily, his hand coming to reach for Ken's neck to check for a pulse. Faithful did not blink as he stared into the eyes of his chosen.

'Faithful.' The cat said softly. 'Simply Faithful…'

"How is this possible?" Omi started weakly. He looked at Ken's pale face and the image blurred from the tears that were threatening to spill over. "He healed me…Yoji-kun…" The boy looked at the older man who was leaning against the nearest wall, breathing a sigh of relief and then Omi looked at Aya who was still where he had last stood. "Aya-kun, Ken…Ken-kun healed me." Yoji pressed his hands to his forehead.

"That's not possible, Omi." The older man whispered, his nerves totally shot. He wanted a goddamn cigarette. Aya took a step forward as he saw the stubborn look make its way on Omi's face. The small boy started to remove the bandages that hid his injuries from the rest of the world.

"Om—" The redhead started. But it was too late. The white and red bandage fell to the floor and revealed flawless skin. There was no trace of the accident left on Omi's small body. Aya felt a headache coming.

"This isn't happening." Yoji muttered.

'But it is.' The two older men paled even more as they suddenly heard the kitten's 'voice' in their heads. 'Get him onto the bed Omi. It will be an hour or two before he wakes.' The little black bundle of fur hopped off the bed and looked at the three, expecting to be obeyed. 'You should lay next to him as well and get some sleep. Even if he healed you, your body will be tired.' The small tail swished slightly back and forth. 'Once the both of you wake up, we will need to leave this place. It will no longer be safe.' Aya rocked back on his heels, feeling distinctly overwhelmed. It was Omi who reacted first, eyes wide as his hand left Ken's temple to reach out for Aya.

"Aya!" His call seemed to reach the taller man and snap him out of whatever state he'd been diving into. "Aya…Yoji…"

"We're fine." Aya muttered, answering for both of the older men. "We're fine." He went over and heaved Ken off of Omi's lap before placing the brunet on the bed. "Get in bed, Omi."

"But…"

'Omi.' Two pair of amethyst colored eyes turned to glare at him. 'In bed.' Meekly, the younger boy did as he was told, carefully curling himself next to Ken. His back was touching the other man's body and the simple contact and warmth it brought him, made his body relax. The kitten hopped onto the bed, misjudged the distance and was hanging on the side. Aya reached and grabbed it carefully by the skin behind its neck. He brought it up to his face for a moment and found himself the recipient of one mighty glare.

"You have some explaining to do." He said coldly before letting the furred thing fall onto the bed where Omi scooped it up. Faithful would have shaken himself if it hadn't been for the boy taking him into his arms and petting him.

"You're talking to a cat." Yoji muttered. The man hadn't moved. "A cat, Aya. A fucking cat."

"Shut up Kudoh."

A slight violet light surrounded Omi who yawned. The sound drowned the purring noise. And Aya felt another headache coming on. Why hadn't they seen it yesterday? How could they have missed it? The man took a step away from the bed, again and again until his back hit the wall. It seemed so obvious now, the cat always in direct contact with Omi and the boy always relaxing or looking better because of that contact. And then Ken… Aya's gaze shifted to the soccer player.

What did all of this even mean?

The light around the child faded and the kitten shook himself free of Omi's sleepy hold, as comfortable as it was. The redhead, Alanna's descendent was right.

There was some explaining to do.

He hopped over Ken's prone body and then sat itself down at the edge of the bed. Daintily the kitten picked up one paw and licked at it carefully.

'What would you like to know, Alanna's little one?'

To Be Continued…