Author's Note: I want to first thank everyone that's left a review, fav or follow! I love seeing them, and I love seeing that people are liking this story. This chapter is about as long as the last one. I had a lot to write about, and I hope that it leaves all of you wanting more! I will say, there may be some OOCness in this chapter, it felt like it to me, but I hope that it can be explained as you read through. I am glad that this chapter is finished, because I'm really looking forward to writing the next one.

Chapter 5 Into the Nightmare, Part 1

The first thing that Mahiru noticed upon waking up was the fact that he was in a dimly lit room. It was difficult for him to make much of anything out, but there was one thing for certain; he was no longer in his bedroom. "Kuro?!" he called out frantically. Mahiru couldn't help but to start panicking a little when he heard nothing in response from his Servamp. It was deathly silent and the only thing that he could hear was his frantically beating heart. He could feel it beating so hard that it felt like it was going to burst from his chest!

'Okay…calm down, Mahiru. Panicking will not help you get out of here. First, I need to find my way out of this room and then I need to find Kuro. We'll find some way to escape after we find each other,' he thought as he took a few deep breaths as he tried to calm his racing heart. Once he felt that he had things a bit more under control did he look around the room that he found himself in once again. He couldn't see any visible windows or doors leading outside, and apart from where he was standing the rest of the room was blanketed in darkness. It did little to boost Mahiru's morale about getting out of this place. "Right… I won't get out of here by just standing around. Time to look for a way out," the Eve said to himself as he started to move toward one of the walls that he could vaguely make out.

As he approached it, however, Mahiru was able to faintly make out some kind of swirling black mist that covered part of the wall. He got a bad vibe from just looking at it, and he knew that he did not want to enter through it. He turned around, intent on trying a different wall, but startled slightly when he saw what was standing in front of him. There, swaying and dancing slightly in front of him, was the little cat-like creature that he had previously met when he had received his weapon. It's stitched mouth spread widely into a grin that made Mahiru feel a bit nervous as it spoke to him. [Welcome, welcome, Mahiru~]

Mahiru took a moment to get his bearing's again when he saw it. Things were starting to get strange. He just wanted to get out of this place. Maybe the cat-creature could help in that regard? He didn't know if it could, but it was a part of Kuro, and he trusted Kuro. "You're…a part of Kuro, right?" he asked, wanting to make sure.

[That's right. I control Kuro's power~] it replied in its eerie sing-song voice. [My goodness, I never expected to see you here~] it continued.

"Uhm…where is 'here'?" Mahiru tried to question.

The little creature laughed at him softly before it turned around and started to skip away from him. [This way, this way~] it beckoned

Having little choice, Mahiru decided to follow after it. He didn't know where it was leading him (hopefully out of this place) but it was better than standing around and floundering on his own. "So…where am I, exactly…?" he tried again.

[Did you know that there's a bond between an Eve and a Servamp?] The little creature questioned back.

Mahiru thought that that was an obvious question, but answered it regardless. "Of course I know. But, what does that have to do with where I am?"

The little creature seemed to ignore Mahiru's question again as it continued to skip and prance in front of him. [If a bond is strong enough a connection can form between the two.]

"A…connection…?"

[That's right. You usually see it in its physical form, as a chain, linking you and your Servamp. In some instances though…a connection will form between the two without the chain.]

Mahiru was even more confused than what he had been a few minutes ago. "…Okay… And…what does this connection have to do with where I am…?" he tried one last time.

The little creature stopped in front of him before turning to face him again. Its little arms waved around in a morbid kind of fashion as it spoke to him. [A connection is what allows for a Servamp to read what his Eve would like for him to do~ It's a mental pathway, connecting the two minds together on some level~ When a bond is strong enough, sometimes an Eve will accidentally slip into his Servamp's mind while sleeping~ Happy Birthday~]

"Wh-What?! You mean that I'm in Kuro's mind again?!" Mahiru exclaimed, startled by this sudden revelation.

[That's right~ Kuro can't tell that you're here~ Wanna look around~?]

"N-Not really… Now that I know that I'm in his mind…I feel like I'm violating his privacy," Mahiru replied. While he had wanted to get to know Kuro better, this was most certainly not the way that he wanted to do so.

[Kuro won't tell you anything, you know~ He likes to keep everything all bottled up, the silly cat.]

Mahiru looked down slightly when he heard that. "Even if that's true…it's not right for me to go looking through his mind without his permission. I don't want to drive him away from me."

Mahiru heard the creature laugh at him again before he felt it suddenly sitting on his shoulder. Startled, he looked at it as it began to speak to him. [You won't drive him away~ The poor little kitty is too fond of you to stay away for long~]

Mahiru shook his head slightly. "It's still not right!"

[Aren't you the least bit curious~? You don't have to step into any memories, but looking around can't hurt, am I right?]

"Well…it is true that it can't hurt to walk around… I need to find a way to return to my own mind at any rate. …I doubt I can do that by just standing around here… You don't happen to know how I can return…do you?" Mahiru asked hopefully.

[Nope~! This is our first time that an Eve has slipped in~] the little creature replied with a smile that told Mahiru that it probably did know but was refusing to tell him.

Mahiru sighed loudly before he looked around him again. The area was still a bit dim, but at least now he could see a little bit better than before. Maybe it had to do with the little cat-creature, or maybe it was because he was in a new area, but regardless, he could see now and that was what was important. The cat-like creature had settled itself on his shoulder now, and didn't seem intent to lead the way anymore, which left it up to Mahiru to try and find his own way out. As he walked forward, he glanced around him. Kuro's mind was so…dark. It was hard to see where he was going, and the little creature was being of no help whatsoever. As he walked though, he did start to notice more and more of those swirling black mists. He had his suspicions as to what they were, but he wanted to double check. "What are those?" he asked quietly as one of the mists swirled past him.

[Those are Kuro's memories~ When he's sleeping, they escape from the confines that he puts them in~] the creature replied before it jumped off of his shoulder.

"His…memories…" Mahiru repeated quietly. 'So, I was right in thinking that they were either memories or thoughts… I'll have to be careful not to accidentally touch one then,' he thought before looking for the cat-creature again. It wasn't long before Mahiru spotted it up ahead of him. It was jumping up and down, flailing its little arms around. If it wasn't so creepy looking, Mahiru probably would have admitted that it was kind of cute. As he neared it, however, his eyes widened slightly as he saw just what it was doing. There was a memory hovering above the little creature as it tried to swat at it. Mahiru didn't know what would happen if the creature touched it, and he didn't want to find out. "Stop that! Don't touch it!" he called out.

The little creature stopped its jumping and flailing to look over to Mahiru. [It's a happy memory, Ma~hi~ru~ It's the first one, the first one~ Wanna see~?] it asked.

It gave Mahiru no time to answer as it jumped up again and used its tail to fling the memory at him. Mahiru wouldn't have been able to avoid it if he wanted to. There had been a few other memories pretty close to where he was, and he hadn't wanted to accidentally bump into one. 'I'm sorry, Kuro,' he thought as he closed his eyes. 'I don't want to see your private memories without your permission…but…your little cat-creature made the choice for me…'

Mahiru could feel as the memory passed over him. It felt strange…like he was passing through a wall of water. The sensation only lasted for a moment before Mahiru became aware of the fact that he could now hear birds chirping in the distance, he could feel a slight breeze blowing through his hair, as well as feel the soft grass under his bare feet. 'Maybe if I just keep my eyes closed and don't really watch anything, then Kuro won't be too mad when I tell him what happened…'

Mahiru was all set and fully intending to do just that when he felt a weight on his shoulder again. [Don't you wanna watch~? We're already here, may as well see what happened. It's a happy memory~]

"It's bad enough that you forced me into the memory in the first place. I don't want to invade his personal memories," Mahiru replied, annoyed with the being for putting him into this situation to begin with.

[Ah but…I'm a part of Kuro. If I give you permission to watch, doesn't that mean that he is too~?]

"Well…maybe… But I'd still rather hear it from him," Mahiru replied. His eyes were still shut, so he couldn't see anything. He couldn't hear anything other than the birds, so he could only conclude that the Kuro that was in the memory was sleeping.

[Silly Mahiru~ The fact that you were able to slip into Kuro's mind in the first place shows just how strong your bond is~ He doesn't know that you're here~ His mind is completely at ease with you being here~ If I were you, I'd take this chance to learn more about him~]

The little creature did make a strong argument, but it still didn't feel right to Mahiru. "I can't. I want him to keep trusting me, and I fear that I'd lose that trust by viewing his memories," he replied.

Mahiru felt the little being shift slightly so then it was closer to his ear. [What if I told you…that the only way to return to your own mind…is to view a memory~? If Kuro wakes up…and you're still here…you'll be trapped here…for all eternity~ Happy Birthday~]

Startled at that, Mahiru's eyes flew open to look at the little cat-like creature, but it was already gone. He sighed heavily as he tried to process what he had just learned. He really did not want to violate Kuro's privacy but…if the little creature was telling him the truth, then he'd have to do just that to be able to return to his own mind. It had said that this was a happy memory so…this one should be all right to watch, even if he really didn't want to. 'I'm really, really, sorry, Kuro. I'll definitely make this up to you.'

Now that he had little choice but to watch the memory, did Mahiru look around himself. He was currently standing at the edge of a thick looking forest as it over looked rolling hills of fields and rice patty terraces. The sky was a clear deep blue and the sun was shining brilliantly. It looked peaceful. It was little wonder that Kuro was here. There probably wasn't anyone around for miles to disturb his slumber. Speaking of Kuro, Mahiru looked around and tried to locate him.

It actually didn't take Mahiru long at all to find him. Kuro had only been a few feet away from where he had been standing. The Servamp was sitting underneath a rather large tree that cast a good amount of shade, protecting the vampire from the sun's harsh light. His legs were drawn up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them while he looked up at the sky. His clothing was vastly different from what Mahiru was used to seeing. He still had black boots, but these only went up to his mid shins, instead of up to his knees, while his pants were a medium brown color and made from a material that Mahiru couldn't identify. His shirt was nothing more than a simple light blue tunic, with the collar dipping down into a low "V". It was only partly laced up. Mahiru could also just barely make out a black choker on him, as most of it had been covered up by a small black scarf that he had around his neck.

What was most surprising to Mahiru, however, was how young Kuro looked. He knew that vampires didn't age, and Kuro had said it himself that he had a baby face, but this was something else completely. He still looked the same as the Kuro that he knew, but something was definitely different about him. He looked so…so…peaceful. He didn't have his usual annoyed or bored expression on his face, nor did he look so jaded against the world. He…he didn't have that weary, distrustful look to him…nor did he look about ready to collapse from exhaustion. He still had a sleepy air about him, but it was far more tranquil feeling than the sheer exhaustion that Mahiru was used to.

Mahiru watched as Kuro seemed to have heard something. The vampire had shifted slightly to look back behind him, but he must not have deemed it a threat because he went back to looking at the sky a moment later. It didn't take long for Mahiru to hear what Kuro had heard, or rather, the someone that Kuro had heard.

"Ash! Sleepy Ash! I know that you're around here, so answer me you lazy cat!" Mahiru couldn't help but to smile slightly when he heard that and saw Kuro sigh in resignation of having his peaceful quiet time disrupted. While he was still feeling guilty for viewing any memories, he had to admit that it was nice seeing Kuro like this.

It wasn't much longer before the person that was looking for Kuro came into view. It was a young woman, though she was definitely older than Mahiru. If he had to take a guess, she looked to be in her early twenties. Her clothes were similar to what Kuro was wearing, but her shirt was a deep red color and the "V" slit was much smaller and laced up fully. Her medium length black hair was done up in a messy braid that hung over her shoulder. Mahiru couldn't help but to notice the way that her hazel eyes softened slightly when she finally found Kuro. The stranger (for that's what she was to Mahiru, he didn't know her name) approached Kuro and lightly patted his knee that was the closest to her. Kuro seemed to understand what she was asking, for he moved his arms away and relaxed his legs slightly. The young woman smiled at him before making herself comfortable in his lap. Judging from the fact that Kuro only shifted slightly to get into a more comfortable position, Mahiru concluded that this had to be common between the two.

The woman leaned back against Kuro slightly before she spoke up, "Watching the sky again, Ash?" Kuro didn't respond, but the woman understood his silence regardless. "Do you miss being able to walk in the sunlight?" was her next question.

"…Sometimes…" Kuro replied softly before he sighed in annoyance. "It's a major pain not being able to though."

The woman laughed at him slightly for that response. "But you make for such a cute kitty when you're in the sun!"

"I'd rather just stay in this form all the time. It's uncomfortable being a cat for too long."

The woman took hold of one of Kuro's hands and gave it a gentle squeeze, signaling that she understood where he was coming from. The two were quiet for a while longer before she spoke up again. "You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" she asked softly.

Mahiru blinked in confusion at the sudden turn in their conversation. Obviously he wasn't getting the full story, and now his curiosity had been piqued. 'He who?' he wondered.

Kuro was silent for a long moment before quietly replying, "…always…" He sighed slightly before continuing. "It's just…today and…tomorrow…" he started before trailing off into a heavy, pain filled sigh.

"I know, Ash… I know… I'll be here for you, always," the woman replied. She definitely understood what Kuro was talking about.

"Can we…just stay here for a few days…? …Please…?"

She smiled at him again before replying. "Of course we can, Ash. We're partners after all. We can't be partners if everything is one-sided."

Mahiru watched as Kuro relaxed more at that response. It clicked for him a moment later. 'She's his Eve. No wonder he's so comfortable around her… He's so…trusting of her… This memory…must be quite old… The Kuro that I know is not trusting or open at all…' he thought as he took everything that he knew about Kuro, which admittedly wasn't much, into consideration. Just seeing Kuro this relaxed and at ease with another person really pushed home to Mahiru that the vampire had been through a lot. He thought back to the hug that he had given Kuro earlier that day. The Servamp had went absolutely rigid. He had been tense and unsure of what to do…but here…in this memory…it looked like Kuro welcomed the contact. '…Kuro…you must have gone through hell and back several times to tense up at a simple hug… …I'm willing to bet that…you've also had some nasty Eves that treated you horribly and as if you were less than a person...'

"Ash…" the female Eve spoke up after a few more minutes of silence had passed, "…how many times am I going to have to tell you before it penetrates your sleep addled mind that what happened…wasn't your fault."

Mahiru watched as Kuro's gaze lowered from the sky slightly. He could see anguish and guilt reflected in his red orbs, and suddenly, the once calm and peaceful atmosphere vanished, and left behind in its wake was nothing but bitter regret and a sense of self-loathing. "…but…it was my fault," Kuro replied as his tone of voice took on a dangerously icy edge.

The woman obviously picked up on the vampire's change in demeanor and grabbed both of Kuro's hands, giving them a squeeze. It seemed to help, because Kuro refocused on her, even though it was clear that she had been the one to touch a nerve.

Suddenly…this memory no longer seemed happy and peaceful to Mahiru. It was tense, and it left him with a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. The way that Kuro was glaring at the woman sitting on his lap was enough to unnerve Mahiru. He had seen a similar look on Kuro's face only once before, and that had been when Kuro had been about to bite into Belkia's neck when they had fought against him.

"Tell me, Ash, what the last thing that he said to you was?" the woman challenged, not backing down from the obviously irate vampire.

Mahiru could only watch as Kuro's anger suddenly left him at that question. He didn't respond, but the woman didn't seem to expect him too. Her grip on Kuro's hands loosened, but Mahiru could see Kuro hesitate in letting go himself.

The woman's tone softened again, "Ash…you know why he did what he did. And you know, deep down in your heart, that he would make the same decision every time…especially if it concerned you."

"…but…" Kuro tried to say before he stopped. He took a deep, shuddering breath before he tried again, "…but… I… I was the one that was supposed to…" he said before trailing off again.

"Obviously…he disagreed with that, Ash."

Kuro nodded slightly at her statement. He looked lost in thought before he spoke up. "It'll…be hard…for me to let it go… To understand, and accept…that I'm not at…fault…for what happened…" he stated. "But…in a way…I'm glad that it turned out to be this way," he finished softly.

The woman looked at Kuro in confusion. "Glad? Why are you glad?"

Kuro looked at her for a moment before his gaze shifted back to the sky. "He didn't…have to become a Sin…"

"Ash…"

If Mahiru had felt lost before, it was nothing to how he was feeling now. He was missing a huge chunk of this story. There was so much that he wanted to ask and to know so he could follow what they were talking about but…that required asking Kuro more about it. It was obviously painful in this memory, and from what Mahiru could tell, this memory was an old one. There was no telling just how painful talking about it now would be for Kuro.

"The pain's still…too raw for me to deal with right now…"

"You shouldn't run away from it, Ash… You'll feel better if you face it, trust me."

Kuro glanced back to her again. "…that'll take a while… You…know what happened to me…" he replied.

The woman gave him a sad smile when she heard his response. "…I know, Ash… …Two years…isn't that long, is it?"

Kuro shook his head "no" slightly. He was quiet for a moment before he decided to say what was on his mind. "…I still wake up sometimes…and forget that I'm a vampire…until I walk into a patch of sunlight and suddenly change into a cat…" he replied quietly.

That statement saw Mahiru's thoughts come to a grinding halt, at least for a moment. 'T-Two years? Is he saying…that in this memory…he's only been a vampire for two years? Then…does that mean…' he thought before looking at the two again. His gaze sought out the woman and something that the little cat creature said came back to him, [It's the first one~ The first one~!] it had said. Was Mahiru actually looking at Kuro's first Eve? And if he was then…this memory being labeled as a happy one started to make more sense all of a sudden. 'His first Eve has to have a special place in his heart. Especially since it seems that she helped him and stood by him as he learned more about himself as a vampire… That…had to be rough on the both of them.'

As much as Mahiru wanted to get the whole back story that was between the two, he was starting to feel overwhelmed with what he had learned already. He just wanted to be back in his own mind, so he could try and process everything that he had just heard. It was a lot for the fifteen year old to take in. The memory blurred slightly and Mahiru felt the sudden sensation of passing through a wall of water again. Was he finished with the memory? He hoped so. He hadn't wanted to view any of Kuro's private memories to begin with.

It was a struggle, but Mahiru eventually managed to open his eyes. He blinked a few times and the world came back into focus, and the first thing that he saw was Kuro hovering over him slightly, with an expression that was part concern, part relief and part annoyance. It was reassuring to the young Eve to know that Kuro did seem to care about him. His brow furrowed slightly in confusion though. But wait…hadn't that cat creature said…

"Kuro…?" he questioned, a confused tone entering his voice as he tried to make sense of everything.

The vampire sighed in annoyance, "You're a major pain."

Just from that statement, Mahiru knew that Kuro knew that he had been inside his mind again. This was a fine mess that he seemed to have gotten himself in to. It was not going to be all that simple in trying to convince Kuro that he hadn't meant to slip into his mind. Nor was it going to be simple in convincing him that he hadn't meant to view his memories either.

Author's Note: Please leave a review, fav or follow if you're enjoying the story! I enjoyed writing this chapter. We're not really given too much about Kuro's back ground and past, so I'm taking liberties with it. I purposefully left the woman unnamed for this chapter (I do have a name for her, but I thought that would be better to learn at a later date). Also, going to reiterate, this story is about friendship, so there will be no pairings at all, even if it may seem that way. (I am absolutely abysmal with writing any type of romance, so don't expect it from me!) That being said, I do think that Kuro may have been a bit OOC in this chapter, but my reasoning is, at the time of the memory, he hasn't gone through everything that has made him who he is yet. He's not quite the Kuro that we know. I hope that makes some sense, and clarifies just where I was coming from. Anyways, I hope to see you all in the next chapter!