A/N: Sorry for the wait, this chapter is not long nor was it updated faster and I'm very sorry for both. There won't be to many chapters left after this, since the story is coming near to it's climax.
Please review, they help me judge how people are taking the story, and whether or not it's understandable. Thank you so much for reading thus far. I hope you all of a wonderful day! :)
Natsuki felt her body falling. Snapping her eyes open she saw bright sunlight. She didn't understand what was going on, am I actually falling? Natsuki twisted and saw the water coming up to her fast. Brining her arms up she braced for impact. A pair of arms wrapped around her body tightly right before she crashed into the surface below.
Water rushed passed her ears as she kicked with her legs to pull herself and companion back to the surface.
Shizuru and Natsuki broke through the water, both gasping for air. Shizuru spluttered, she couldn't remember the last time she craved oxygen. Was this body weaker? Shizuru snapped out of her mussing when she felt the tugs coming from the dark haired woman she was still holding onto.
The current was pulling them, and Natsuki was trying to drag them both to shore. One long arm let go of the slim waist and began to aid in Natsuki's attempt to pull them to land.
Her feet connected with small pebbles as she pulled the smaller woman with her. Trees pushed out over the river, taking away any kind of beach. Shizuru reached the embankment; it rose out of the water only being held together by roots and bushes. Placing her hands on Natsuki's waist she hefted her out of the water.
A sharp pain pulsed through Natsuki's body as she was lifted. She tried to ignore it by grabbing onto some roots and pulling her the rest of the way up. But the burning pain continued to spread to the rest of her body.
Flopping gracelessly on the grass further up the bank Natsuki stared up at the light. The shadows danced across the streams of light, but did not block out the sun entirely. Hearing Shizuru come up beside her Natsuki closed her eyes tightly. She did not want to see her. She couldn't see her. If this was not real, if she had made it all up to escape her pain she couldn't continue.
Shizuru scrunched her eyebrows in confusion when she saw Natsuki squeeze her eyes shut.
"Ara, does Natsuki not want to see me?" She questioned lightly. She tried to hide the pain from her voice. Staring down at the figure she tried to force the doubt out of her mind but what if Natsuki didn't want too. Did she only want Shizuru Fujino? Shizuru remembered everything from this life, she remembers Natsuki all those years ago, the pale face under the hood. She was exactly the same as when she first met her, but she hadn't remembered.
Shizuru sunk down till she was lying next to the dark haired woman. She stared up at the sky, had Natsuki really changed so much? Her reaper was a human now; she had never known what she was like when she was only human.
What if Natsuki wanted a normal life, could she give that to her? Shaking her head slightly, Shizuru knew she could not.
"I'm-I'm sorry". The voice broke Shizuru out of her musings. She looked at the woman lying next to her. Her eyes were still clenched shut. "Please forgive me! I can't-" a chocked sobbed cut off her sentence.
Shizuru rolled onto her side gazing at the young woman next to her. Her body was tensed; hands clenched turning her knuckles white. "Shizuru…are you real? This isn't made up is it? I can't have this be my mind creating thins!" Natsuki sobbed.
Shizuru reached her hand out placing it on Natsuki's cheek. "Natsuki…" She said softly. The green eyes refused to open. Shizuru felt her heart tug in sadness. "I am real Natsuki." She said, hoping that would gain more of a response.
Wind blew through the trees above them. The rustling the only nois that was heard, the two women lay on the ground soaking from their plunge into the river. Natsuki's body began to shiver. The warm hand placed on her cheek the only think keeping her from succumbing to the absolute darkness pressing in on her.
Warmth traveled from the hand placed on her cheek through her body, causing tingles to spread through her. Natsuki opened her eyes still refusing to turn over and face what she had lost. Looking up into the canopy of trees was relaxing her stiff body.
The shadows were fighting against some invisible force, with every push from them dragged them further and further out of her line of vision, scurrying to the dark recesses of her mind. For the first time Natsuki was curious as to what they were. They couldn't be the souls she released from the physical body she knew. But then what or who were they?
"Natsuki…" A soothing voice said
The voice was tugging at her heart. She could not resist, that voice was safe and secure. Finally rolling over, her emerald eyes took in the woman in front of her.
Natsuki felt an ache in her chest, as if something was trying to push out of her and reach for the woman before her. The soft features lay before her, light hair splayed on the ground in waves. Natsuki reached up with one hand, running her fingers through the soft tresses.
Shizuru's eyes slid closed. She hummed in contentment. She had Natsuki with her again, after what felt like ages.
Reito watched, as Takeda was lead into the room. His skin looked a sticky grey colour, causing the scar on his face to stand out even more distinctly.
Stepping forward he closed his eyes. He could feel his mind stretching, searching for a singular soul. He felt Natsuki's presence but not her location. The souls attached to her began panicking. They feared him.
He searched through the many lost ones attached to her. Finally finding the one he was seeking. Mentally reaching out he grabbed the dark soul, as it squirmed and struggled against his grip. Forcibly pulling it from Natsuki's mind.
The soul was being pulled through a mirror plane of existence to him. If things went according to plan this soul would know where Natsuki was and remember the way it had come. Bringing his hands up he felt the cold, clammy body in front of him. Placing one hand on the side of the head and the other over it's chest, he pushed the soul back into the physical body that was known as Takeda.
The eyes flew open, giving Reito a haunted look before slowly focusing on the person in front of him.
"Takeda, where is Natsuki?" Reito's calming voice said.
Takeda hesitated, his brows scrunching in confusion before springing up in recognition "Natsuki…"
"Yes, where is Natsuki?"
Takeda stepped back; spinning in place he began walking toward the tunnels entrance.
Natsuki felt a pull from her mind, as if something was being taken from her. But just as it had come it was gone, her head suddenly felt lighter as if the thing taken was dragging her down. Shaking her head she continued forward, albeit a bit confused.
Shizuru walked beside the other woman. Her hand tightly clasped by the paler one. After seeing the recognition in Natsuki's eyes Shizuru's heart had soared.
Their pace was slow; the dark haired woman's feet were dragging across the moss-covered ground, only picking up when there was a fallen tree or branches in their path.
A rustling sound came from their right. Natsuki jumped between Shizuru and the bush. Only to see a small bird fly out of it's branches. Visibly shaken Ntasuki quckly began their trek.
"Natsuki, where are you going?" She said warily.
Glancing back at her the dark haired woman shrugged her shoulders. Turning back around "I'm not quite sure, we just need to get as far away from those caves as possible".
"But if we are in hell then we are trapped…"
"This isn't hell." Natsuki spoke assuredly. Trudging forward at a steadier pace.
"That demon said we were, if not then where are we?" Shizuru was becoming worried. Her adrenaline from the escape had worn off, leaving only confusion.
"We can't be in hell. A human body and soul are unable to remain together on any other plane of existence." She said, while glancing around them nervously. "And since you and I are both humans we wouldn't have survived the trip".
"Ara-can Natsuki really consider me a human still?" Shizuru asked, feeling sad at the thought. Even if Shizuru did have her memories back of her past life, she still was human, but what she had been able to do back in the tunnels only lead to doubt.
Natsuki came to a stop; she had heard a slight waver in Shizuru's voice. Turning to face her fully she pulled Shizuru into a tight hug. Shizuru's arms tightened around her waist.
"I don't know what is true…" Shizuru sighed out. "My memories have to different lives, but I don't know which one is me" Shizuru's thoughts were warring over each other all fighting for dominance. "I feel as if I'm loosing myself to instincts rather then thoughts. It's all so confusing." She pulled away from Natsuki. "I want to kill that demon with my bare hands for what she did to you" Shizuru shook her head slightly as if trying to rid herself of such ideas. "Deep down I want to see its bloody and broken body laying in front of me…"
Natsuki stated at her in understanding. Her two lives were at contrast. Shizuru from this time had never fought, or seen many of the gory things her past life had. But with these tom memories coming together she's frightened of what she wants.
"You are human, and I'm a half crazed monster-I"
"You are not a monster, nor are you crazy. It doesn't matter to me whether you are human or not, you are my Shizuru! And I finally have you back!" Natsuki said, cutting Shizuru off.
"How? I got us stuck out here. I can't even protect you!" Shizuru took anther step back.
Natsuki growled in frustration, stepping forward she grabbed Shizuru by the face " I don't need your protection, I just need you!"
She pulled Shizuru down as she rose up on her toes. Natsuki crashed her lips against the taller woman's trying to press as close to her as possible.
Takeda walked quickly through the forest, sometimes speeding up to a jog only to slow to a stop, look around then start walking again.
Reito's pace was calm and controlled; following at a short distance so as not to distract Takeda from is mission.
A voice broke Reito out of his musing, "Natsuki, she will be with me again?"
"Of course" spoke Reito "You will have her for all eternity"
Takeda smiled, but it dropped from his face when voices drifted to them. Takeda broke into a run. Crashing through the undergrowth he broke out into a clearing where Natsuki and Shizuru stood pressed against each other.