Disclaimer: I do not own the song Falling, again this is another song done by Lacuna Coil (I suggest you pick up a few of their CD's.)

Her Return

Chapter Eight

Areiko was still out cold on the ground. Her head resting against a tree root in which was popped out of the ground. A few deer came walking passed her, sniffed her and quickly leapt off going on they're own way. But one deer was curious about her. He started sniffing her face which caused Areiko to stir rolling onto her other side.

"You guys are on in two minutes!" came a random woman from the hallway. "Hurry up!"

Areiko was seated on a couch tuning the acoustic guitar in her lap. She was wearing a tight jean skirt that hugged her legs together. She wore a black t-shirt with a red rose on it with the word "Love" written under it. The rose and the word shined in the light becuz of the glitter. Once she was done tuning her guitar, she wrapped the strap on her shoulder then stood up doing her makeup.

Trigger was located in the back of the room looking over a few sheets of paper. She was tapping her fingers in the air as if she was going over a few music notes in her head. She was wearing an electric blue shirt with black letters across her breast that spelt "B.I.T.C.H." and underneath each letter was the word or words that they stood for. Babe In Total Control of Herself. Her black jeans were tight around her thighs but curved off towards her feet hiding her silver heels.

Pyro was located leaning against the wall with a red electric guitar hanging from its strap on his shoulder. He silently played the tune on the guitar memorizing it. He had a white button up shirt. The last two buttons were left alone revealing a slightly built chest. That revealed a sea shell necklace. His sea blue jeans had a tint of tan in them and his shoes were white South Poles.

He looked up at the two other women in the room and smiled. "You guys ready?"

Areiko turned her head looking at Pyro nodding. "Yup!"

"You're not nervous Lekira-chan?" Trigger asked approaching putting the papers down on the couch that Areiko was once seated upon.

Areiko shook her head, "nope. Let's just go." She grinned, "I'm actually very excited."

"Come on you guys!" the woman came back opening the door talking to them. "You're up."

The three of them filed out of the room and followed the woman that was wearing the headset. She spoke into it telling the host that the next band was ready. They finally arrived at the side of the stage looking at the host of the club.

"Now everyone," he began holding the microphone to his mouth. "We got a special guests here tonight. This is their first time playing for us so go easy on them. They're so new, that they don't even have a band name.

"Well, here they are! Lekira, Pyro, and Trigger!" The man put the microphone back on the stand and walked backwards off of the stage as Areiko, Pyro, and Trigger stepped on.

Trigger seated herself at the piano towards the right as Areiko approached the microphone towards the audience. Pyro was standing on the left looking at Areiko as he placed his foot onto the peddle that he was allowed to used. Areiko plugged in her acoustic guitar to the amp and looked out into the crowd placing a smile onto her face.

"Good evening everyone." Areiko started placing her hand onto the microphone as she lowered it a little bit. "This song we're about to play for you is called Falling. I wrote this a few days ago, so it's kind of personal. Well," she glanced over at Pyro then Trigger and to the audience once more. "Here we go."

Pyro stepped onto the amp peddle and began to pluck at the bottom string of his guitar. Trigger slowly started pressing down on the lowest and highest key on the piano. Areiko closed her eyes listening to the music as she began to slowly run her pick up and down the strings of her guitar.

She then opened her eyes and began singing in a beautiful, yet a little high, voice. "I stand, look in my hands. I talk with these lines. It's not the answer…" She glanced down at her guitar then up again closing her eyes feeling the music. "I'm crying and now I know.

"Looking into the sky, I search an answer. So free, free to be… I'm not another liar! I just want to be myself…"

Pyro played a few more strings.

"Myself…"

Trigger started to play a the middle keys of her piano, looking at Areiko who was still stringing the strings on her guitar.

"And now the beat inside me, is a sort of a cold breeze and I've never had any feeling inside… around me I bring my body…"

Pyro began to pluck at the his bottom string again.

"Carry it into another world. I know I live… but like a stone I'm falling down."

She looked down at her guitar and began to play gracefully. Pyro and Trigger slowed down on their playing allowing the audience to hear Areiko's guitar play. She then looked up making eye contact with the audience. Trigger began to play the two lowest keys and Pyro began to play all of the strings on his guitar gently.

"Damned, looking into the sky. I can feel this rain…" Areiko carried out the note that rain was on for a few seconds, "right now it's falling on me…" she did the same to the word me. "Fly, I just want to fly!

"Life is all mine, some days I cry alone, but I know I'm not the only one. I see that another day is gone. I don't wanna die…" she sung that sentence again but held the note longer, "Please! Be here when I arrive, don't die… please…"

Pyro and Trigger stopped playing completely as Areiko began her solo. She looked down at her guitar and slowly slid her fingers up and down the neck of the guitar to get the notes to the song.

"And now the beat inside of me! Is sort of a cold breeze! And I've never had any feeling inside… around me I bring my body, carry it into another world!" Again she held that note. "I know I live… but like a stone I'm falling down…"

Pyro leaned towards his microphone. "Falling down…" he sung softly.

Trigger then leaned towards the microphone on her piano. "Falling down…" she sung the same note.

"But like a stone…" Areiko ran her pick down her guitar strings, "I'm falling… down…"

Pyro picked up his solo, and a few minutes later he finished by running his pick down the center of his strings.

The audience in which they were playing for stood up and began clapping. Areiko smiled lowering her hands away from her guitar. She turned looking at Pyro and Trigger who smiled back at her. The host of the club came back onto the stage.

"Wow! That was amazing was it not?"

The crowd cheered.

"I completely agree!" the host wrapped his arm around Areiko's shoulders. "What a voice on her! How old are you?"

"I just turned sixteen yesterday," Areiko answered truthfully. The host turned to Pyro and Trigger.

"And you two?"

"I'm nineteen." Pyro answered.

"Eighteen." Came Trigger's response.

"Whoa! All so young!" The host looked back at Areiko. "And you, Lekira, you have such a wonderful voice. Tell me, what was that song about?" the host held the microphone to her lips.

Areiko looked at the microphone and then to the audience. "It's about my past life with my family and everything," Areiko sighed a little. "It's a little complicated."

"Well, whatever it is! We're amazed with the three of you, hopefully you will come back and sing for us again."

Areiko, Pyro, and Trigger walked off stage. They headed back to their room and started laughing. They were glad that that show went perfectly well.

"That was awesome Lekira-chan!" Trigger shouted hugging Areiko tightly. "That was your best performance ever!"

"Trigger," Pyro started, "it was also her first." Trigger grinned letting go of Areiko looking at Pyro.

"I know that," she replied. "The first performance is ALWAYS the best one."

Areiko just grinned. Suddenly there was a knock on their door. "I'll get it." Areiko said approaching the door. She answered it and there stood a little boy with a camera and a picture in his hand.

He instantly blushed when he saw Areiko. He held the picture up to her hiding his blushing cheeks from her. Areiko blinked a few times as she then took the picture and looked at it. There they were, all three of them up on stage. Areiko in the front, Pyro to the left, and Trigger to the right. She grinned looking at the little boy.

"Did you take this?" Areiko asked.

The boy nodded.

"Nice shot." Areiko said pulling five dollars out of her pocket and handing it to the boy. The boy looked at the money and grinned. He took it from her, hugged her, and then skipped off happily.

Areiko looked at the picture and mumbled to herself, "this is a keeper…"

Aya hit a building in the back. The building collapsed causing people to run for their lives. Kira approached Aya slowly then stopped letting her stand up.

Aya stood up brushing herself off of any traces of dirt and dust, maybe a few pieces of debris. She glared at Kira who laughed wickedly baring her fangs at Aya. She suddenly disappeared and appeared behind Aya.

She chopped at the base of her neck. But Aya didn't fall unconscious; she just stumbled forward rubbing her neck. She then appeared in front of her kneeing her stomach and elbowing her back at the same time. It looked as if Aya was being held in a pair of tongs. Aya clenched her eyes shut as blood splattered out of her mouth and onto Kira's clothes. She then pulled her knee away from Aya's stomach and suddenly Kira backhanded Aya in the face.

Aya rolled against the concrete of the road. She came to a stop on her stomach with her eyes still tightly clenched. She allowed the pain the rush through her right cheek that was beginning to swell.

Kira sighed, "why is it that I think I have a good challenge and I managed to prove myself wrong?" Kira asked out loud.

Aya didn't answer. She just stood up and wiped her mouth clean of the blood that was trickling down the side of her mouth. She stared at Kira as she stood there looking at Aya.

"You know," Kira started crossing her arms. "You kinda look like Vegeta."

Aya growled.

"You kinda stand like him when you're pissed." Kira tilted her head a little bit. "Yeah, you definitely stand like him."

Aya clenched her fists. She then growled a little more at Kira. Kira smirked. "What's the matter? You don't like my compliments?"

"You're being sarcastic you bitch!" Aya bellowed, "now where's Areiko?"

"For me to know… and you to find out." Kira replied. "And if you kill me, you'll never know." She tilted her head back. "Hmph, not like you're ever going to find out."

"And why is that?"

"Because you'll be dead by the time I'm done with you!" Kira vanished.

Aya's eyes widened as she suddenly felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She looked down and there appeared Kira's hand pressing a ki beam into her stomach. Aya could feel the energy burning away at her skin trying to enter and kill her.

"Aya!"

"Oof!"

Aya was now able to move. She bent backwards allowing the ki beam to pass right above her. She hit the ground and then quickly stood up looking for the person who saved her life.

Wrestling on the ground with Kira was Vegeta. Vegeta was seated upon Kira's stomach holding onto her wrists tightly. Kira hissed and growled trying to fight out of his grip. Suddenly a burst of energy surrounded her throwing Vegeta off and onto the ground. Aya ran to him sitting him up slowly. But he just stood up like nothing had happened.

"Where's Goku?" Aya asked.

"I came in contact with him earlier." Vegeta replied. "You and I are too fight her off while Kakkarot searches for the real Areiko."

"So then you know that this isn't—"

"Of course I know." Vegeta turned his head looking at Aya, "I may not like Areiko, but I can tell when it's her or not. The real Areiko would've known what she had done and snapped out of this quickly. And her energy doesn't match at all."

Kira sighed, "I can never hide anything from people anymore." Kira shape shifted back to her normal self. Her cat like eyes narrowed down on the prince and his adoptive daughter. She smirked wickedly baring her fangs at the two of them.

"Who are you?" Vegeta asked growling lowly. Kira smirked as she lifted up her feet from the ground and levitated in the air sitting Indian style in the air.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kira replied with a smirk.

Aya looked at Vegeta, "she said that her name meant shape shifter in saiyan."

Vegeta glanced at Aya, "shape shifter?"

"What's the matter?" Kira asked looking at Vegeta. "Been living on this planet to long that you don't even know your own language."

"No," Vegeta answered. "Your name's Kira."

Kira smirked, "well, looks like you fooled me." Kira bobbed up and down in the air. "Let's see… you managed to figure out my name, but what about Lekira?"

Vegeta paused for a moment, "Lekira?"

Kira nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you know who she is." She paused. "I was just in her form a few moments ago. I'm surprised that you haven't taken a guess at what her name means."

"I know," Vegeta stated with Aya looking at him. "It means killer."

"Or monster." Kira added. She smirked, "Don't you think it fits perfectly?" she questioned him. "You remember the flashbacks that she's had in the past correct?"

Neither Aya nor Vegeta replied.

"I'll take your silence as a yes." Kira turned laying down, but still levitating. "I think it's a perfect match," she turned on her side resting her head in her right hand. "I mean think about it. Perfect after all the killings she's done. Father picked a good name for her. And for me as well."

"Father…?" Aya repeated softly. But Kira's sharp hearing picked up on her repeating that word.

"Yes Father," Kira sat upright sitting in Indian style again. "You fought him three years ago, when Sister Lekira killed him."

Vegeta's eyes widened a little. Kira spotted this, and then smirked. "Yes, I'm another one of his creations." Kira then started to count on her fingers. "There are a few more of us actually."

Vegeta and Aya stared at her. They couldn't believe that there were more of them. They thought that Areiko was the only that Orx had created. But they thought wrong. Suddenly then began to ponder about how many more of them there are. They knew that Kira would spill the information, maybe not about how many there are of them, but when they will come to earth.

"My siblings will only be awakened if I fail this mission." Kira stated looking at her claws, "if you were wondering."

"Then they better start getting the next one ready," Vegeta stated getting into his stance, "because you'll die here today."

Kira smirked finally placing her feet onto the ground staring at the prince and the short eighteen year old. "Are you challenging me?"

"Maybe." Vegeta answered smirking.

Kira laughed wickedly as she then got down into her stance glaring at the two of them. "If you wanna die young, then come on."

"Areiko!" Goku was now over the Mount Paoz area. "Areiko!"

He got no response. The only response he got was his own echo. He glanced around and then stopped. He looked behind him sensing two power levels sky rocketing to their highest. He automatically knew that Aya and Vegeta were engaged in battle with the imposter Areiko.

"I better find Areiko quickly before Aya and Vegeta lose their lives." Goku told himself turning back around. "Areiko!"

He took off.

He flew for what seemed like hours, but he knew were only minutes. He quickly looked down at the ground, with his perfect vision, Goku spotted something rolling across the ground as the wind blew. He blinked and lowered himself to the ground.

Now levitating, Goku found a crumpled up picture on the ground. He reached down grabbing onto the crumpled picture. He slowly placed his feet onto the ground as he then carefully uncrumpled the picture.

Then he was looking into the face of Areiko. She was standing on stage with her eyes closed looking like she was singing. There was a boy to the left with a guitar and a girl to the right at a piano. He stared at all three of them.

"I didn't know she liked to sing…" Goku mumbled. He then looked up feeling someone's energy drop a little low as if they were knocked unconscious. "Damnmit I gotta hurry!"

Goku the suddenly sped off as fast as he could.

"Areiko!... Areiko!..."

Goku's voice rang in Areiko's ears but it did not wake her up. She just stirred once more. The deer that was sniffing her earlier left and came back once more. Its head was perked up along with its ears looking at Areiko instantly knowing that something that she was dreaming she didn't like or want to remember.

Areiko flew away from West City and Mount Paoz. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself pulling her shirt closer to her chest. She didn't look back once as her two favorite places began to fade away into the distance. She kept her eyes locked on the ground. Suddenly she began to cry. She then quickly wiped her eyes.

"No crying…" Areiko told herself as she continued to wipe her eyes. "Crying won't solve anything… plus, this is the right thing to do… that way… no one gets hurt, because I won't be around."

Areiko left with nothing but herself and the clothes on her back. She didn't want to bring anything with her that would remind her of everyone she left back at home. It would've been better that way, at least that's what Areiko thought.

Areiko flew for a whole week straight. She didn't even stop to eat or get a drink. She just continued to fly away from the place she used to call home. Areiko landed on the ground. She looked over her shoulder in the direction she thought West City and Mount Paoz were located. She couldn't sense anyone, and she liked that idea. She wanted to be far away enough where she couldn't sense anyone and no one could sense her.

She went to walk forward. But her legs didn't move. Areiko collapsed onto her stomach laying there in the pine needles. Her stomach began to growl as she started to drift in and out of consciousness.

"Pyro! Pyro!"

"What is it Trigger?"

"There's a girl over here! She's no older then fifteen or sixteen."

"Let me see."

Areiko lifted up her head to see a blurry vision of two people standing in front of her spreading apart a bush. Before the two people could ask Areiko any type of question, she passed out.

Areiko soon woke up. She blinked rubbing her eyes trying to get her vision back to normal. She glanced around the room looking at the light pink walls that were covered in pictures of people that looked like they were all very close. She sat up slowly looking down at the floor seeing that whoever slept in this room was now sleeping on the floor since there was a sleeping bag there. Areiko sighed feeling guilty since she had the person's bed.

She then sniffed, smelling something extremely good. Areiko went to get up to see what it was till the door to the bedroom opened. She looked over spotting a girl standing there.

This girl was no older then the age of seventeen. She carried a tray with soup, crackers, and a glass of chocolate milk on it. Her brown hair came to her shoulders. She wore tight black bell-bottom jeans with an electric blue flames coming up the legs. She wore an electric blue shirt with no writing on it or anything. The girl before her had a purple star that looked like it was a birth mark on the side of her face at the corner of her eye. Her eyes were a dark brown color that looked almost completely black. She also had on a jacket that had black and electric blue buttons on it.

She grinned at the sight of Areiko to see that she was awake. "Good you're awake."

"Where am I?"

The girl approached the bed putting the tray of food down by the nightstand next to the bed, "you're in New York."

Areiko turned her head looking at her. "New… York?" Areiko repeated.

The girl nodded her head, "yup! My name's Trigger."

"I'm A—Lekira."

Trigger smiled brightly. "Lekira huh? That's a pretty name." Trigger seated herself down onto the bed. "You're not from around here are you?"

Areiko shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Where are you from?" Trigger asked reaching for the bowl of soup and handing it to her.

"Mount Paoz." Areiko answered taking the bowl of soup.

"Be careful," Trigger said randomly, "it's kinda hot."

Areiko picked up the spoon stirring it. "Not really."

"So, you're from Mount Paoz?"

Areiko nodded.

"Where's that? If you don't mind me asking." Trigger said watching Areiko take bites out of the soup.

"Where is it?" Areiko asked looking at her weirdly. "You don't kno where it is?"

Trigger shook her head. "No, I never even heard of it. Is it in America?"

Areiko blinked, "no… it's in Japan."

"Japan!" Trigger repeated looking at her, "how did you manage to get from Japan to America?"

Areiko shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know if she should tell her that she flew all the way here, considering she just met this girl.

"Well Lekira," Trigger started with a grin, "take your time eating. There are some clothes in my closet over there if you wanna change out of those dirty ones."

Areiko looked down at herself to see that she really was dirty.

"And the bathroom's down the hall if you wanna take a shower too."

Areiko turned her head looking at Trigger, "I wanna know something."

Trigger was standing by the doorway as she turned and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"How long was I out for?"

Trigger grinned. "Only for about a day." She answered. "I knew you were going to wake up today."

"How?"

Trigger grinned happily. "That's my little secret." Trigger then left. Areiko smiled seeing the she liked this girl Trigger, she was really nice. Areiko watched her leave as she took a bite into the soup. She then realized that she couldn't stay here, she was going to put her in danger.

Areiko sighed turning putting the bowl of soup onto the tray. She stood up. She then noticed the chocolate milk and grinned. She picked up the cup and gulped it down in one shot. Her stomach then growled. She sighed sitting back down onto the bed picking up the bowl and began to feast on the soup.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Areiko looked up. In came Trigger with some kid following. He was wearing a yellow shirt and dark blue – almost a navy blue – colored jeans. His hair was brown and he was a little tall. He looked no older then the age of eighteen.

"Lekira," Trigger started, "this is Pyro, the man of the house."

Pyro nudged Trigger as she giggled. He then turned and looked at Areiko holding out his hand placing a grin onto his face. "Nice to meet you Lekira."

Areiko put the bowl onto the nightstand and then stood up. She then shook his hand returning the smile. "Nice to meet you too."

Pyro nodded, "you can stay here as long as you need to." Pyro said to her. "Just take your time alright?"

Areiko was stunned at his words. She just nodded and watched him and Trigger walk out of the room.

"Areiko!... Areiko!..."

Areiko groaned and rolled over not responding to her name being called.

"AREIKO!"