I opened my eyes early the next morning. I was smiling. I put a hand to my neck to play with my necklace, but it was gone!
I sat straight up. Where was it? I must have left it in the woods last night!
It's over for you now. I'm going to have my revenge.
That's when I blacked out.
Nadia remained in Kristine's form. It would be easy to deceive Rin this way.
She got up and went to Sketching. She sketched quietly next to Rin.
At the end of class, she tapped Rin on the shoulder. "Rin…I wanted to talk to you, it's important, so…can you meet me on the bridge after dinner?"
"Sure, Kristine," Rin replied. "Are you alright? You seemed so tired last night…and you seem different this morning."
"I'm fine," Nadia said in a cheery voice, trying to hide her disgust. Oh, how she hated that boy. He had successfully ruined all of her plans…then again, without Kurama's help, he was barely a demon…and she could handle that, couldn't she? She smiled, and turned and went down the hallway alone, but ran into Hiei.
"Nadia," Hiei said without pretense. That hateful Jagan saw through her disguise. "What have you done to Kristine?"
"Nothing," spat Nadia. "Stupid girl tapped into her Sacred Maiden abilities. She didn't even know what she was doing. Her power split the necklace's chain right in half. Too bad…"
Nadia smirked. "Poor Rin…trapped with a monster inside him…"
"Stop it!" Hiei said, strongly wishing to hit her. He looked upon her like she was somehow important to him…and she knew why.
Nadia got closer and whispered to him, "I can give you what you want, you know…forever."
Hiei pushed her away and left down the hallway.
Nadia laughed. Like I would ever give that to him. Even I know that would be foolish. Hiei would only destroy if he didn't have something he valued to hold him back. I would need a means to seal Rin…the necklace!
Nadia turned and headed for the forest. It wasn't long before she found the circle of blue feathers and the broken necklace.
She took the necklace into her hands, and put it in her pocket before it had a chance to deflect her.
Still, there were burns on her hands. Have to fix that later.
She was running late, and when she got to the bridge, Daisuke was already there.
"Kristine! I thought…you weren't coming…" Rin muttered, looking embarrassed.
For a moment, Nadia hesitated. Can I really break the demon boy's heart like this, pretending to be Kristine? Will this really make her see the light? No…this is the only way.
"Rin…I know that last night I told you I liked you…but…we can't be together," Nadia said.
To her own surprise, she got no happiness out of seeing the boy's hurt and confused expression.
"Why?" he asked.
"Nadia will kill you," Nadia choked out. Why is this so hard? I hate anyone who threatens Kristine's freedom, right? So why…does…this…hurt…so…bad?
She transformed suddenly, into her own angelic form. She looked at Rin.
I have to do this, she thought. I have to give my tamer freedom. I must…it is my destiny.
She spread her blue wings, and rose into the air. "Rin…I'm afraid this is the end for you."
She pulled a blue feather out, and shot it at Rin's chest. He was suddenly and violently separated from his powers and flames.
Nadia sighed…time for the grand finale. She pulled out a knife, and stabbed it directly into Rin, narrowly missing his heart-on purpose, she couldn't bring herself to kill him.
He gasped, a strangled sound came from his lips.
Kurama and Hiei ran over, their anger was unbound.
"What's the matter with you?" Kurama snarled. "Why did you do that?"
He shot vines at Nadia, and she absorbed it, but it knocked her backwards, causing her tamer to pull into conciousness.
"You can't trick me by turning into Kristine this time!" Kurama exclaimed, advancing on her.
Xxx
I looked around. It was evening now, I blacked out this morning…Kurama is about to kill me…what has Nadia done? I looked over, and to my dismay, saw a body, and then I realized…it was Rin's!
"NO!" I screamed, head in my hands. "Kill me…just kill me, Kurama, please…"
Kurama stopped. "Kristine…I don't think he's dead…"
I stood, and walked over to Rin and knelt down, and checked his pulse. "H-He's still alive…but just barely…oh…what have I done…"
Tears were falling from my eyes onto Rin face. I swiftly removed the dagger from his chest.
Hiei leaned down, and took my chin in his hands, forcing me to look at him. "Don't think for a second that this was your fault, Kristine. Nadia outsmarted all of us."
"Then…why is she…as sad as I am?" I wondered, the pain tearing at my chest like a tangible thing.
Why have you done this? Don't you see that happiness is sometimes more important than freedom?
I…understand now. I know now why you feel the way you do. I'm-I'm sorry!
It's too late. Look at him!
I'm sorry…
"Rin…I know you told me not to…but I can't let you die, so I have to try it, okay?" I said softly, and pulled off his shirt to expose the wound, then I placed my hands on the wound. I took one last look at him…and felt how much I cared for him, how much I wanted to undo this…the feather tattoo appeared and began to glow…and I felt myself weaken, and spots danced before my eyes.
"Kristine! Don't! Stop!" Hiei said, grabbing me and pulling me back. "You haven't yet learned your own limits, have you?"
I passed out.
