Chapter 20: Intel
Karo was sitting in Shisuta's Altar room.
He often did this when he'd had a particularly bad day, and needed a place to be alone, or with Shisuta.
He had been having a lot of bad days.
He still cooked for the refugees, but it wasn't the same. Ever since Nina became whole, she'd caused so many messes for the others and him to clean. They had survived two horrible plagues, and several attacks. Shisuta nearly died from the second plague...
Karo didn't want to remember it, her face looking dead before she had started to fade. Every day the same deal, only kept physical by his magic until she got better...
Eiji and Hiro were gone.
Haku and Chihiro were beside themselves with grief, as were Kuhn and Linn.
The gods were against us, and we were all at each other's throats from the stress.
The world as they knew it had gone to hell... And the world they know now wasn't far behind.
Shisuta walked in, and saw Karo sitting on the floor. His back against a bookshelf.
She walked over, and sat next to him.
She sighed. "Another bad day?"
He nodded. "Yeah... Sorry I get this way so much now. I wish I could be more for you..."
She shook her head. "Karo, you are amazing, and kind. I know that this has been hard for you."
She gave him a kiss. "I will not stop loving you, simply because of your mood."
He kissed her softly, then more passionately.
He had needed this, because he rarely got this alone time with her anymore. What good was Karo's mind filter, if he could never be with her anyway.
They moved to Shisuta's room, which was connected to the Altar room by a door.
He held her close, his hands sliding up her shirt, and grabbing her chest. His lips trailed across her skin, and he breathed heavily as he kissed her furiously.
"I need you..." He whispered.
He nipped her ear, and slid off her shirt, biting and brushing his lips against her chest. Her head tilted back as she moaned.
They moved to the bed.
He grabbed her, pressing her body against his...
Feeling her breath tremble as she moaned under him...
How she moved... Like a dance...
Their bodies filled with ecstasy, letting out soft cries of bliss.
He layed on his side, facing her. His hands stroking hers.
He let out a happy sigh. "You're beautiful." He said softly.
She smiled. "Have you forgotten the person lying next to me?" She teased.
"There's someone here next to you!? I had no idea!" He said, feigning a shocked expression.
She laughed. "Yes, and his wings are moving the covers."
He looked behind him, and his wings were flapping softly.
He went red. "Oh... So they are."
She grinned. "Karo, it's fine. It just means you are happy... Like a dog wagging his tail."
He his his head under the covers. "It's not that bad is it?" He asked.
She laughed loudly. "No! No, it's not bad! I find it endearing..."
He poked his head out.
He sighed. "You pick on me too much..." He said.
She leaned in close to him. "But you like it..." She whispered.
She gave him a soft kiss.
He shook his head. He really did like it, more than he'd like to admit.
"Maybe a little..." He said softly.
She looked down. "I am worried about... Well, everything, but... Kahn. How could he tolerate such a horrible woman?"
"She's a bit twisted, that's for sure." He agreed.
Shisuta scoffed. "A bit!? That woman truly is the living embodiment of Lilith!"
He laughed. "Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Wait... You sounded serious."
She went red.
His eyes widened. "Shisuta! You should have said something sooner! Now she's the one getting our Intel, and Kahn's all wrapped up in it!"
She looked down. "Kahn was wrapped up in her games long before any of this happened... He begged me not to tell anyone, so I promised I wouldn't."
He groaned. "Shisuta... Does she know you know?"
She nodded.
His eyes became worried.
"This put's you in danger... Now, I know one day we'll lose each other..."
His lower lip was trembling.
"But... I want to have you as long as I can."
He breathed slowly, and a tear slipped.
Shisuta leaned into him. "I know..." She sobbed.
"I'm sorry... I wish I..."
She started to cry.
So did he.
"I love you..." He said softly. His breath was trembling.
Shisuta regretted this next part.
"We have to get up." She said.
"I don't want to, but Nina will be back soon, and we will start our next mission."
"You mean Lilith." He said darkly.
She nodded. "Yes, but call her Nina. She does not know that you know."
He sighed. "Fine, but we can't follow her orders forever."
They stood, and got dressed. Preparing themselves for the trials that were laid ahead.
...
Eiji was training his threads again. He had learned to puppet and release in less than a split second. His magic control was nearly flawless, and his thread control was flawless. The treads were like an extension of his thoughts, moving to the exact rhythm of his mind.
"You're getting really good at that." Said Hiro from behind him.
He blushed. "Well, I have been practicing... And..."
Eiji turned more red.
Why do always do that now!? It never used to be that way!
...Oh well. A subject change is in order.
He turned around. "Yeah, says the 'Queen of Clubs'. That title just stuck Huh?"
They had made a new title for Hiro. When they were in a fun mood, they would call her, 'A Mistress' Serious and formal, was Mistress Hiro. When they were feeling more mischievous, or more casual minus some insanity, her title was 'Queen of Clubs'.
He smiled as he remembered how she had gotten that name...
"Yes!" She laughed. "And what about you? 'Prince of Rain'? That title stuck too!"
Eiji went beet red. "Hey... That wasn't my fault! I had to go, and I couldn't find the bathroom yet..."
She shook her head. "Why do they only have one? You'd think they'd installed more, with 949 residents and all?"
The two children and the hoard of Leviathans had managed to salvage the rest of their brethren from the Kurayami's cold and wicked grasp.
...Besides the ones who had already fallen of course. As wonderful and heart warming as that was, it caused many problems for the young 'Prince'.
Eiji laughed. "I stopped asking questions like that a long time ago!"
She laughed. "Yeah, you're right! Bathrooms? PAH! Who need's em anyway! ...Prince of Rain..."
He laughed. "Okay! I get it!"
"I REMEMBER THAT!" Max screamed.
"It was GLORIOUS! ...Then it was salty... And THEN THERE WAS LAUGHTER!"
He began to laugh maniacally. Hiro laughed with him.
Eiji shook his head and laughed with them. They would never let him forget that... Never.
Max had gotten his claw tattooed since Hiro had signed it. He would shine it every day and watch it sparkle in the lights.
There were floating lights in the pit, Hiro said they reminded her of floating paper lanterns, or what giant fireflies should look like.
At night, they would float and dim the light. They looked almost like stars... Eiji thought they were even more beautiful than stars.
It was starting to get dark now, and the lights had already started to rise.
Max sighed. "I love the floating lights... They make me smile to my toes..."
Hiro laughed. "Max, you don't have toes!"
He smiled. "Oh yeah..."
He ran off, laughing and screaming.
Hiro and I sat, watching them rise.
"I never get tired of this..." She said. Her expression was peaceful and happy.
I sighed happily. "Yeah... Neither do I..."
She looked at him. "Um... Eiji?"
"Y-Yeah...?" He asked.
"I just wanted to tell you... Um..."
"Well what is it?" He asked curiously.
"You know you can tell me anything."
"Your... My best friend." She said.
Eiji knew that wasn't what she'd wanted to say, but he let it slide.
"Yeah... You too." He said. "But sometimes I wish..." He trailed off.
"...A wish?" She asked.
He jumped. "Oh, what?"
She smiled. "You said that I was your best friend, but sometimes you wish... And you never finished!"
He blushed softly. "I guess I forgot..."
She laughed. "You're so spacy sometimes!"
He smiled. "Yeah, my mom was also..."
He looked down darkly, his expression was cold.
"They're both horrible." He said.
She put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry..." She said softly.
His face softened. "No, it's not your fault..."
"I just get upset about them sometimes... All my life they'd been codling me, but it always goes too far. They should have just let me train, and not betray me. They could have been here if they had just... NO! No..."
He clenched his fists.
"They can never come here. This is OUR sanctuary!"
She nodded. "I know. It's not like they'll find us..."
He shook his head, and tears began to fall.
He only let himself go like this in front of Hiro.
She wrapped her arm around him.
"I know they hurt you... I wish they hadn't too..."
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.
"Eiji... I wish I could have..."
He sobbed. "I keep saying it's not your fault!"
He hugged her. "You really are an angel, always worrying about me..."
She shook her head. "I'm not an angel."
He held her hands and looked at her.
"Yes you are. You're more of an angel than any of the angels I knew."
She didn't look convinced.
"You always say that, but how am I an angel?"
He smiled. "Well, your kind, comforting... Always there to cheer everyone up. You always try to do what's right..."
He got lost in his own thoughts.
"And... Angels are beautiful... So you've got that covered."
"Eiji...? You just said..."
He looked at her, she was blushing.
"Oh! Did I just...?" He hung his head.
"You probably think that's pretty weird."
She leaned in, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Nope, not weird." She said with a smile.
He turned wine red.
She stood, and looked back at Eiji.
"I'm gonna get some sleep, see you."
She skipped off, and turned the corner that lead to our house.
Eiji sat there, his face still red. He lifted a hand to his cheek...
Well... That just happened.