Konichiwa minna-san~! (Hello everyone!) Gomanasai! (Sorry!) I know I haven't updated for a while! A bit stuck that's all... Sorry for this chapter being short...

The Wolf who fell in Love with Red Riding Hood

Broken Strings and the Fallen Body

Once upon a time, there existed a puppet, a marionette. For many days and many nights, that puppet had allowed its master to control its strings, its very actions. Its life soon became very dull. It had no will over itself, it had no control over its emotions… a lifeless marionette.

I…I want to be free it thought I want to laugh and smile when I want to. I want to enjoy life. I-I want to love someone.

This marionette soon realized the price it had to pay to gain its desired freedom; its body along with its life.

"NOOOO!" screamed Rui.

She fought against the force of her strings.

Must stop him…

She could feel the strings cutting into her skin. Suddenly…

SNAP!

The strings broke. Rui felt a small smile spread.

Take me to him…

And she disappeared.

Rei brought the axe down. Rin's eyes widened. Red splatters were reflected in her pupils and splattered on the grass.

Rin chocked back on a scream.

Len stared straight ahead. His eyes were wide too and his face had become pale.

Rei drew a sharp breath as a black feather fluttered past his face.

To everyone's astonishment, Rui had suddenly appeared in between Len and Rei. She had her arms spread out protectively, with her back facing Rei. The axe had impaled Rui on her bare back.

A black swan?! Rin thought.

"Don't pull it out!" she cried.

But she screamed it out too late. Rei had done just that. Rui gave a gasp of pain as more red flowed out.

"Rui!" Len yelled.

Rui staggered, her thin legs struggling to keep her up. Blood ran down her back, staining her black tutu. Rei's mouth was trembling but no words came out. The axe slipped out of his trembling fingers and clattered to the ground. Rui's gold eyes were already becoming dull.

"I'm…so glad I made it in time…," she whispered.

Rei's eyes widened as he watched Rui's body slowly fading into black feathers.

"Rui!" Len cried again.

Rui turned to him, "It's alright," she smiled, "We're creations…of her. I don't really feel…much."

Her? Len thought

She turned to Rin, "You must be Rin, Red Riding Hood," she uttered. She softly chuckled, "You're as pretty as Len said you would be. Take care of him…"

Rui finally turned to Rei. Tears shone in her fading eyes. "Please…be free," she said softly, "Break your strings…"

She suddenly staggered forward and collapsed into Rei's arms. Rui looked up into his matching wide eyes.

"We're…made from the shadows of those two…," she sniffed, "So…please, let them keep living." A tear ran down her cheek. "I've…always loved y-"

Rui dispersed into black feathers. A pure white feather hovered in the place where Rui's heart had been located. Rei reached out and grabbed it. Then he gave a cry of anguish.

Suddenly Rin and Len felt the pain in their chest vanished and they could move again. Rin hurried over to the boys.

"Len, are you alright?!" she gasped.

Len gave her a nod and they turn to Rei. Rei had his head hanging down. His trembling hand held the white feather until it faded away.

"I'm…sorry," he muttered.

Rin and Len stared at him.

"Please forgive me…"

"It's alright," Len replied.

Rin noticed Rei's shoulders were hutched up and his fists were clenched so tight, they've gone white.

"Rei?" she whispered.

"Please excuse me," he said suddenly with his head still down, "I must go."

The woodcutter quickly existed the clearing. All of Rui's presence there in the clearing had vanished; the black feathers disappeared, even her blood stains had faded away. Only the blood stained axe remained, the weapon that had ended the Black Swan.

Zatsune held the wooden control bar with bits of string dangling down like broken strands of a spider web. The Rui puppet lay lifeless and still on the cold stage.

"Impossible," she gasped, "Impossible. A puppet broke its strings."

Zeito picked the Rui puppet up in his hands.

"What do we do with this?" he asked.

Zatsune placed the other puppets down. "Throw her away," she said simply, "The Black Swan wasn't of any use to me from the beginning."

Zeito bowed his head.

The wolf and red riding hood had no choice but to leave the strange clearing. They walked beside one another in silence for a bit.

"Who was Rui?" Rin asked.

"She took the role of Odile, the Black Swan," Len replied, "She was a friend of mine."

Rin nodded taking this in consideration.

Someone who is willing to jump in front of an axe to protect their friend is a truly loyal person.

"Rei looks awfully upset," she muttered, "I hope he'll be okay…"

Len nodded.

"Rui was about to say something before she…," Rin paused, "…Unfortunately she didn't get to finish it."

"She also mentioned that she and Rei were 'creations'," said Len, "She also said 'break your strings'."

"Breaking strings, huh?" Rin muttered, "It kinda reminds me of marionettes."

Len suddenly came to a stop. Rin stopped as well.

"Len?"

"Did you experience…a puppet-like…sensation?" he asked.

Rin stared at him.

Is he referring to the strange painful sensation?

She stiffly nodded.

Len stared back at her. Their blue eyes locked onto one another.

"What if…," he softly began, "What if…we too, are marionettes?"

Rei stumbled through the overgrowth. All of his limbs felt weak and heavy. His head was spinning uncontrollably. And his breaths came out sharp and quick. Rei tripped over an uprooted root of a tree and landed hard on the ground. Grasping the rough trunk, he forced himself to stand. Rei stared at his trembling hands with wide gold eyes.

The memory of the blood splatters and Rui's stained, pale face flashed across his mind.

Rei clawed at his head. Every time he thought about it, his head buzzed. Only one thought was stuck in his mind.

I killed her. I killed her. I killed her with these very hands…

Rei broke into a run. He ran blindly through the forest with his hands clamped over his ears.

Get out of my head! Get out!

He burst out of the forest and found himself at the lake. Rei let his hands fall to his sides, as he stared at the glittering body of water. Sparkles danced on the surface as sunlight shone down.

The image of Rui, dancing on the lake's surface greeted his mind. Her warm and gentle smile every time she saw him… Her graceful movements every time she danced… Her joyful face every time she waved to him…

Rei slowly walked down to the bank of the lake. He could almost see Rui's figure gliding across the surface. Suddenly he felt wetness travelling down his cheeks. Tears were flowing out of his eyes.

"I've…always loved y-"

What was she going say?

Rei fell to his knees. Rui's sweet voice echoed.

"Rei! What brings you here? You don't usually come and visit me!"

More tears came down.

What have I done? She always greeted me with a smile and I shrugged her off with a cold shoulder…

He buried his face in his hands and sobbed bitterly.

Len escorted Rin back home through the falling rain. Walking through the rain wasn't easy for the rain had blurred some of their vision and their surroundings. Suddenly Rin slipped on a muddy unlevelled piece of ground.

Len swiftly grabbed her arms to support her. Rin stiffened when she felt his clawed hands on her skin.

Realizing what he had done, Len immediately dropped his hands.

"S-Sorry," he mumbled.

"N-No! It's alright!" Rin blushed, "T-Thank you for h-helping me."

They continued walking. The rain started to come down heavier.

"A-Are you warm with just your hood?" Len quietly asked.

Rin looked at him with slightly pink cheeks. "I-I'll be fine," she shyly replied.

Finally they came to the village. It was desolated since of the rain.

Len pulled his hood over his head, "I'll walk you to your house," he said bravely.

Rin stared at him. Len hadn't been to her house ever since her mother discovered Len as his wolf form and swatted him out.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Len nodded. Rin smiled a bit.

It's nice that he's willing to go back there to ensure my safety…

She watched as Len shoved his hands into his pockets when they approached the door. Rin opened it.

"I'm home!" she called, "I've brought company too, Mother!"

Rin's mother rushed out then stopped when she saw Len. He gave her a crooked smile.

"Len walked me home Mother," Rin explained.

"Ahh…"

Len bowed his head, "I'll be off," he announced.

"See you Len!" Rin waved.

He gave her a nod and walked off. Rin noticed at her mother was staring after Len with a perplexed expression.

"Mother?"

"Oh, sorry dear," her mother said, "It's just…I felt as if I've seen him before…"

Rin blinked.

Rin's mother silently added; "When Rin's father…"

Rei sat at his table in his small hut. The fire crackled softly. His hand tightened. He was clutching a pair of sharp scissors. Its metal surface gleamed in the orange light of the fire.

"Break your strings…"

Taking a deep breath, Rei raised the scissors so that is point faces him. His hands trembled. Suddenly Rei swiped the scissors above his head. A sound like a strong wire snapping was heard. Nearly invisible strings fell to the ground.

The scissors slipped out of his hands and clattered loudly on the floor. Rei stared at his hands. He moved his arms, shrugged his shoulders and raised his knees. Those movements felt…free. No sense of control, just freedom. His body felt lighter as well.

Rui's warm and happy face came to his mind.

He placed his hand on his chest. Rei smiled.

Thank you, Rui.

So our girl puppet ended up being useless and our boy puppet had broken his strings. What a miraculous event…yet so dull. There are no puppets left. No marionettes toy the story with. Oh wait. A skilled puppeteer doesn't just have two puppets…but many more…

I keep getting reviews saying 'DON'T KILL LEN!' but no one said 'DON'T KILL RUI!' I'm right, right? Please, if anyone, ANYONE has some ideas please, please share them! Thank you! (review too please~!)