"Ah, Rikuo-sama! Good morning!"

I heard a voice greeted as I stepped out of my room to meet the morning sun. "Morning." I greeted to Tsurara who was standing beside me. "Rikuo-sama, breakfast has been prepared." "Ah, thank you…" I said, trailing off as my hazel eyes drifted around.

"Where's Tama?"

"Yama's by the sakura tree again." Tsurara replied. With a smile, I walked around her and down the long hall. I slowly glanced up at the clear sky, a smile planted on my lips.

Today will be another beautiful night with a full view of the moon.

"Tama."

I called, turning around the corner as I walked into the garden where the sakura tree stood. I stared up at the sakura tree that was in its 4th day of full bloom.

"Tama." I called again, my eyes locked against the ball of fur that was on the branch. Knowing that he didn't hear, I picked up a pebble. With a flick of my finger, the pebble soared through the air and hit against the bark of the sakura tree. At the noise, Tama jumped in shock.

"Rikuo!" Tama gasped, turning to me as I smiled up at him. "Haven't I told you many times you can't climb this tree, Tama?" I said to him. I watched as Tama slowly get up, stretching his long body with a yawn before kicking off the branch.

He gracefully leaped over the pond and landed soundlessly before me. "But you often sit on this tree yourself." Tama complained. His ears then twitched as a soft growl erupted from his throat. "And my name is Yama." "I like Tama better." I replied as I scratched the back of his neck.

"Tama, did you grown again?'

"What brought that up?" Tama asked as I touched his head.

"I don't need to lean down to scratch you now."

"Wasn't it always like that?"

"Was it?" I chuckled before looking up at the sakura tree before me. "When Miu left you to me you were just a handheld kitten." I said and at the mention of Miu's name, Tama's tails flicked.

"Miu-san hasn't come." He mumbled with a sad tone. "It's only the fourth day." I told him, my eyes drifting back to the sakura tree.

"Was it you?"

I gasped upon the voice that suddenly spoke within my mind. I whirled around, my eyes quickly scanned over the garden. "Rikuo?" Tama spoke as I felt him nudging against my hand.

"Something wrong?" He asked as I slowly turned back to him. "Tama, did you hear something just now?" I asked as Tama looked around. "No, why?" He said as I glanced around the garden again.

"Rikuo-sama, Tama." A voice that belonged to neither of us spoke. Recognizing that voice, I turned to see Kubinashi and Kejourou.

"Good morning, Rikuo-sama." Kubinashi greeted as I smiled. "Morning." I greeted back before noticing the barrel of sake in his arms. "Is that for the sakura viewing?" I asked as Kubinashi smiled. "We were taking it out of the storage in preparation for tonight, Rikuo-sama." Kejourou replied as I noticed her carrying another barrel with her hair.

"Rikuo-sama, why are you here so early in the morning? Did you have breakfast yet?" Kubinashi asked as I smiled. "We were just going to." I said, about to walk off when I felt a shock of pain stabbed through my brain.

"Were you the one who took her from me?"

Drip

"What's that?" Kejourou said, looking towards the pond that was wavering from a droplet of water.

"Isn't it just Kappa?" Tama asked. "If it's Kappa, he went out just a bit before sunrise." Kejourou replied when another droplet of water fell from the sky and landed upon Kubinashi's shoulder. "Is it raining?" Kubinashi mumbled to himself as his detached head turned up to the clear sky.

"What are you talking about? It's a clear day." Kejourou said as gently brushed a finger over Kubinashi's shoulder.

"Where did this droplet-wait…what's this?" Kejourou mumbled when she noticed how the raindrop seeping into the green fabric was leaving behind a strange black stain. I stared at the stain on Kubinashi's kimono before I felt something cold dripped onto my cheek.

I looked up onto the sky that was freed of cloud. "Strange…" I mumbled as I used the back of my hand to wipe the droplet of water away. When I pulled my hand away, my eyes widened to find that what had fallen against my cheek wasn't water.

"This is…" I whispered, as I stared at the crimson liquid that smeared the back of my hand. "Rikuo-sama, that's blood." Kubinashi whispered in shock. I quickly looked up into the sky, but could see nothing within that vast blue.

"No! It…It's not…!"

I heard Tama's shuttering voice as I turned to him. His pupils were more dilated than usual, his body trembling. "Tama, what's wrong?" I asked. Obviously something was off with him.

"I-It's not…it's–…it's not just blood…"

"What do you mean?" I asked softly as Tama slowly took a step back. "T-That blood…it…smells just like…" His trembling voice trailed off as I took noticed of strange shadows moving at my feet. At that, I lifted my head only to see feathers raining down upon us.

My eyes widened in horror as a single piece of feather drifted by my eyes. I immediately recognized it…the colour of the feather, the length, the shine…and what's more, the blood that stained each and every one of them.

"Were you the one?"

The voice spoke within my mind again. I slowly lifted my head further up, my eyes glued towards sky. There was nothing within that sky when I lasted looked. But within the sea of feathers that clouded my sight, I spotted something, someone, falling towards us.

"Were you the one who stole…"

Even in this distance, I was able to recognize the silhouette of the figure. That usual long hair, a wing that stretched from the back of the falling body…

"Miu!"

"My bride?"

"Kubinashi!" I called as Kubinashi quickly dropped the barrel of sake. With a swift movement, Kubinashi quickly wrapped the entire area within his thread almost likea web. I quickly jumped onto Kubinashi's thread, catching Miu's body just in time as the force of her fall slammed down on me.

"Ah!" A cry escaped Miu as she spat out a mouthful of blood, her fragile body unable to take even the slightest pressure.

I clenched onto her, my back colliding against the thread that was cushioning and absorbing the impact. "M-Miu-san!" Tama shouted as Kubinashi slowly lowered us onto the ground.

"Miu? I thought she disappeared 8 years ago!" Kejourou gasped, recognizing Miu immediately.

"Miu…!" I called out to her softly, careful with my voice as I was handling her.

"Miu-san!" Tama gasped, quickly running over to us as he nudged Miu. "Miu-san! Miu-san!" Tama called, but she didn't respond. She was breathing out heavy paints with droplets of sweat rolling down her forehead.

She was wrecked.

Her fair skin was filled with cuts and bruises, and what's more…her back.

The back where she carried those two beautiful swan-like wings were now reduced to only one. The place where her left wing was supposed to be was now nothing but an empty hole.

"R…Riku…" I suddenly heard a soft, nostalgic voice coming from the limp body I held. I quickly pulled my eyes back to her face to find a pair of half opened silvery eyes, weakly staring up to me.

"Miu-…" I stared at her, unable to say anything to those eyes. Miu's eyes weren't in agony…or in pain. She was staring at me with a gaze reflecting pure shock as well as fear.

Something was wrong…

"W-Why are you…?" She slowly lifted her trembling right hand and reached towards me. Her fingers slowly brushed by my cheek…and what came next was an ear piercing scream erupted from her throat.

A large cut suddenly tore through her forearm. Fresh, crimson blood flooded out of her newly made wound and splattered over my horrified face.

"So you are the one."

"Miu!" I gasped; ignoring the voice within my head as I quickly caught her falling hand and held it tightly within my grip. "This is…" I gasped, staring at the wound that just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"What I consume, what damage I get will be reflected upon my real body and vise versa." I remembered the words she said to me. The words Miu gave me when we parted ways 8 years ago.

"M-Miu-san…!" Tama whimpered in the side.

"Rikuo-sama!"

"We heard a scream! Is everyone alright?"

"What is this?"

"Isn't that Miu?"

I heard voices began to gather around me, but I ignored them all.

"Miu, can you hear me? Miu!" I called through the sound of her heavy pants. "Miu, is something happening to your real body? Who did this to you?" I whispered beside her ears as her eyes weakly opened.

"Who...knows…?" She mumbled out, and at her respond, my eyes narrowed into a glare. "This isn't the time for this, Miu!" I shouted at her, I tightened my grip over her body and hand that I still held onto.

"The…sakura…" She whispered softly…before I noticed a strange look within her lifeless eyes. "Miu?" I whispered softly as her body began trembling. "A-Ah…!" She gasped, her grip tightening over my hand as I heard a strange crackling sound that was emitting from her body.

"R-Rikuo…! Miu-san's w-wing!" Hearing Tama's voice, I quickly pushed Miu's body against me to get a clear view at her back. It was then when I saw. The joint at Miu's wings was slowly twisting…and she wasn't the one doing it.

"AAAAH!" Miu's cry pierced my ears as I quickly realized what was going on.

"Stop! Stop it!" Tama shouted, running over as he wrapped his tails around the joint of Miu's wing in attempt to stop its unnatural movement. However, it didn't work. And with a forceful twist, I stared with wide eye as the joint of Miu's wing turned a hundred and eighty degree. A sickening snap emitted from her wings…before Miu's scream pierced my eardrums once more.

"Miu-san!"

Tama shouted as I tightly embraced Miu, pushing away the remaining gaps between us. I didn't say anything…I couldn't. I didn't know what to say as I listened to the soft cries that were escaping through her lips.

"Miu, who did this to you? Is it him? Tell me what's going on!" I demanded, unable to take it anymore. She was right here in my arms. She was being torn apart right here in my arm, yet I couldn't do anything. I couldn't do anything but watches her cry out in pain.

I've never felt so frustrated in my entire life.

"It–…nothing to do…with…you…" Miu panted, having no intention to reply to my question. "Miu!" I snapped, unable to hold my temper as I clenched onto her tightly.

"Where are you?"

It was always like this.

She refuses to tell me anything…and in the end, she would always leave with a ruined body.

"Miu, trust me. I'll save you." I told her. "Where are you?" I asked again as I felt her grip tightening over my hand. "I…" She began when her breath suddenly fastened again. Her eyes suddenly widened, her silver irises fixed upon the sky over our heads.

"Why…" She gasped out, her teeth gritted tightly. "Why…are you here?" She suddenly spoke but she wasn't talking to me…nor Tama.

She was talking to herself.

I followed her gaze and to the sky, but there was nothing aside from a hawk passing by our heads

"Miu-san?" Tama whispered, but I quickly putted out a hand to stop Tama.

"What…are you…planning…?" She gasped in a trembling voice, as though she was afraid of something.

It was then when realization dawned me. Could it be that…Miu was hearing the same voice as I did?

"He…He doesn't have anything to–" I watched as her irises shrunk as anger replaced the fearful look that she was carrying.

"Mouyou!" Miu screamed. It was my first time…hearing her scream with such agony and anger. I stared at her, at her silver eyes that never left the sky.

I looked up again, but just like before, there was nothing…aside from that hawk that was still there…

"Kurata!" I called, turning to Kurata who was standing behind me. "That hawk!" I commanded as Kurata quickly looked up. "Right away, Rikuo-sama." He said and quickly ran off.

"Do you love her?"

"Who are you?" I demanded, clutching Miu's trembling body against me.

"Do you want her?"

"Answer me!"

"Rikuo-sama, who are you talking to?" Tsurara asked, but her question was overshadowed by Miu's sudden scream. "Miu!" I gasped as I felt an invisible force giving her body a harsh pull.

"R-Riku…o…!" Miu gasped in a tearful voice, her hands clenched onto my kimono. "Don't–…look…" To my surprise, her voice was begging me. She was clenching onto my kimono tightly, begging for the first time since we've known each other.

I didn't exactly know what she meant…but I found out not long later as another invisible force tugged her body. My eyes quickly shifted to her wing that was moving. Her bloodstained feathers were being crumbled, as though something large was wrapped around her broken wing.

"No! Stop it! Miu-san!" Tama cried. Miu's wing slowly inched outward with blood beginning to seep through her already crimsoned dress . "Ah!" Miu screamed as I quickly grasped her wing, trying to stop its movement. At my lead, members of my

Hyakki Yakou quickly gathered around us. They all grasped Miu's wings and began pushing in the opposite direction her wing was moving in.

"It's…no use…real…body's…" Miu whispered; a soft smile growing over her lips before pain refilled her once again.

"Stop!" I screamed, my grip tightening over her wing. But it was too late.

With a fountain of blood, Miu's wing was tore out of her back.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Cracking sound of glass began running through Miu's body as I quickly looked down to see her body beginning to break apart.

"R–…Ri...k-ku…" Her voice trembled, struggling to speak out my name as cracks filled her face. A droplet of tear escaped her eye and…her body crumbled within my arms, scattering into hundreds of blood stained feathers.

"Miu-san!" Tama screamed while the others stood around us, unable to comprehend what had happened.

"S-She…She turned into feathers?" Tsurara whispered, about to come over to me when Kubinashi pulled her back. I didn't pay any attention to my surrounding. I stared down at Miu's feathers that piled over me.

My arms were stiff, still embracing the air that once had a solid structure.

Why did things turned out this way?

Why did this…

"Mouyou…" I whispered that name out.

The very name that Miu had screamed.