Chapter Two:
The Embers Of Yesterday: Lighted

Whenever there is a spark, there is going to be fire. Where ever there is fire, it's possible for someone to get burned.

This isn't true for Ragna the Bloodedge, however. When he gets a spark of an idea forming into a full grown bonfire, he doesn't get burned. No, it's far from that.

He spreads the flames.

"Luna, Sena, I'm going out," Ragna called from the empty room, long after he recovered from his crying fit. Despite being a man of action, Ragna thinks sometimes. It is said that thinking leads to sparks. Then, fires are born.

After hearing no reply, he peaked into the closet room. Platinum had fallen asleep, her cloak wrapped tightly around her. The T.V. was still on, and it casted a white glow on her. Ragna walked over to turn it off, but ended up tripping on those nasty cables. He, of course, landed on top of Platinum.

"Shit!" he cursed. Luna opened her bright green eyes.

"Huh? Hm… Wha… What the Hell?!" she screamed, seeing at what happened. "Pedo! Get off of Luna!" She started struggling. Ragna tried to roll off of her, but couldn't. Because, well, they were in a closet.

"Get off!" Luna shouted, shoving Ragna off of her. This finally got him off of her. Ragna didn't fly back, but he was pushed hard enough to hit his head on the floor.

Unbeknownst to them, they had a visitor. Three, actually. She took a step back, and said, "Oh, my. I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?"

Still in a slight daze, Ragna opened his eyes (He didn't even realize he had closed them). "Huh? Wha?" he muttered in a dizzy spell. His head hurt. "Ra… Rachel?" Her two companions were chuckling.

"Now, who else would it be?" she said, her blood red eyes shut in agitation, but a small smile was still on her lips.

"Holy shit!" Ragna said, bolting into a sitting position, "It wasn't what it looks like!" His cheeks grew a rosy red from the embarrassment he had somehow bestowed on himself.

"I'd hardly say that myself," the vampire said, "If I was in Luna's position, you would be dead by now."

"It's just a misunderstanding!" he explained in a futile manner, "I was just going to turn off the T.V., and I tripped!"

"Ragna's so wrong!" Luna cried, "He was going to assault me! Or something worse!"

"Shut up! I wasn't!" Ragna shouted back.

Rachel giggled a little, but it didn't last long. The moment he saw her, Ragna knew something was… different. "Seeing you two bicker is quite an enjoyment, but I have a rather serious subject that I need done," she explained.

Seeing as how she really was serious, the two quieted down to listen to her. "What, bunny leech?" Ragna asked, annoyed.

Rachel hesitated. "Have you seen anything strange lately?" she questioned. She held Nago, while he was extended as an umbrella, closer to her.

"Strange? Strange how?" Ragna inquired.

Rachel was slow to speak. Alarms went off in Ragna's mind. "What!?" he exclaimed. "How?"

"It's hard to believe, hard to explain, really," Rachel said, "but it's amazing what your will can do."

Jubei-

She seems to be fine, but there's no way for knowing for sure. She's almost escaped twice. It's a shame, really, that she had to end up like him….

She doesn't look much different than before. She's still obsessing over the Azure, just like he did. She talks like him, too. Our main focus now is a cure. But Bullet, Azreal, nor Makoto had found Relius yet…

Her condition is stable. As far as we can tell, her vitals are stable. She appears to be eating and drinking and sleeping. She's more agitated that before, and turns violent at almost every sound.

There's nothing else to report.

-Kokonoe

The half cat half human scientist sat back. Was she really writing this? Was she really keeping a diary to her old man?

She sighed. Is this what she wanted? Kokonoe still questioned herself over the decision she made to move, to change. She didn't want to, but something was pulling at her to do it. And so she did.

While still commanding her laboratory in Kagutsuchi, Kokonoe now ran a factory in Yabiko, the industrial wonderland. Bullet and Makoto was with her upon their insistence, while Tager kept Azreal in check (Even Kokonoe had her doubts, though, but will gladly activate GOLDEN TAGER if needed). "Kokonoe…" Makoto started to ramble on about something, but Kokonoe wasn't listening.

"Hey…" Makoto tried to get her attention, but seeing as how her efforts were futile, stopped. Nothing happened for a few moments.

Literally, nothing happened. They just stood there.

"Can you keep watch for a while? I need to be somewhere for a few days," Kokonoe suddenly snapped. She was slightly surprised by the sudden question, but agreed nonetheless. Kokonoe left to her own bedroom quarters, and starting packing what little she had.

Something is wrong, she thought. Kokonoe had this nagging feeling at the back of her head. She thought and she thought and she thought, but nothing came to her.

Her belongings, mostly paper and research, fit smoothly into a small bag. Hugging it against her side, she went to see her.

The Sector Seven factories were something next to cold and heartless. Everything was grey and metallic, just like the labs. The air vents kept it at a cool temperature, but luckily Kokonoe always wore her jacket, even if it is opened at the bottom.

Walking down one of the many corridors, she gets to the one door she dreaded and was thankful to open. Her friend was in that room, but… that thing was not her friend! She had seen it once, but why did it have to happen to her? Why?

This is life. It's always unfair. She reminded herself.

Hearing the door open, it stirred. It was kept in a circular glass containment unit, large enough to keep her comfortable. "Ah Ah-Ah-Ah," she… it… choked.

"Please… don't hurt yourself," she whispered. Her friend started ramming into the glass with her body. "Please… please…." Composing herself, Kokonoe said, "You're the only thing I have left. Without you, my research will be nothing."

Oh holy snap. AN UPDATE!
If you keep up the reviews, I'll get to work and UPDATE! Review!