Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to SIU. Except for my OCs.

6th floor

"You guys really made a mess," Endorsi sighed, taking a knee to help bandage Shun's arm, "deciding to fight in the middle of the night and waking all of us up." Hatz was on the other side of Shun disinfecting some small cuts and wounds. Endorsi had to admit, he was less injured than she initially thought, way less than how the crocodile looked. There were only some big bruises left around and a few cuts here and there. Maybe getting beat up so often was helping his durability somehow.

"…sorry about that." Endorsi narrowed her eyes at Shun's response. His voice was quiet and completely flat, as if someone had ripped out his vocal cords and replaced it with a tiny metal pipe.

"Say that to me in the morning, I'm not feeling so forgiving right now." Endorsi rolled her eyes.

"Shun, why were you guys fighting?" Hatz asked as he finished his side of wounds.

He didn't answer immediately. His head started to sway side to side lifelessly, like a ragdoll learning movement for the first time. Eventually he took in a deep breath. "I don't really know. He just pissed me off."

Endorsi pursed her lips. As her legs were about to fall asleep, she stood up, with slight pins and needles running down. "We're not going to get anywhere with this," she said under her breath, before turning to the swordsman. "Hatz, could you let Khun know that we're all done here? And you mind as well go to sleep too, I'm sure you're tired as well."

"Weren't you the one who couldn't wait to go back to bed?" Hatz did not look impressed. "I'll clean up things here instead, you can go to sleep."

Endorsi felt an ear twitch. Her patience was already reaching a limit, and Hatz's stubbornness wasn't helping at all. She pulled her weight to one leg and crossed her arms while Hatz placed a finger on the hilt of his sword and started to tap it. Neither of them seemed willing to back off.

"I'm doing you a favor here," Endorsi grinned, "go to bed Hatz."

"Don't need the favor. Take the rest of the night to yourself, princess." She didn't know why he was so adamant about staying with Shun, but reason was starting to lose itself on her. Her temper was never something she was good at controlling.

"Hatz," Shun said, his weak voice filling the air, "it's fine."

Vindication filled Endorsi's smile. "Well, there you have it. Off you go," she snarked at him. He glared at her but stopped tapping his sword. After a few moments, he reluctantly made his way toward the door and closed it behind him.

"I don't get that guy. Why be a prick, now of all times?"

"We're alone now, what did you want to say Endorsi?" Shun asked bluntly, not humoring her in the slightest.

She frowned. Something about seeing Shun so lifeless, so bereft of energy compared to how he was on the floor of tests, was unsettling to say the least. Not that she didn't understand that Bam's death had caused all of them to change in some way, but too much had changed within Shun. The fight in the woods was just one of the things that showed that.

She thought about what she wanted to say, tapping her foot on the ground slightly. There was a lot she wanted to ask, about Shun, and what happened to him, but she reminded herself who she was. She wasn't some meddling princess. Rather, she was… a royal who had been rubbed the wrong way from what some regular had said. Yes, that's right. And she had a right to confront him.

"You think you don't belong to this tower?"

He didn't respond.

"Are you an irregular, like Bam?"

"No, I'm not."

"So, what are you?"

Something in the air changed. It was only a small change, and if Endorsi wasn't paying attention, she wouldn't have noticed it. Was it… the temperature?

"I'm…" He trailed off. His bottom lip quivered as he struggled to get any words out. "You should probably go Endorsi. Get some sleep while you can."

She sighed. Normally, she would've taken that action, but instead she flopped onto the bed, causing it to creak a bit. She placed her arm on her knee and rested her chin on her hand to get a good look of Shun. He glanced at her for a second before moving his gaze toward the floor again. The entire time they were nursing his wounds, Shun had his head hunched over, his eyes covered by his thick brown hair.

When's the last time he slept? she caught herself wondering. His eyebags were probably the first thing that everyone noticed whenever they looked at him ever since they had left the 3rd floor. He joked a little about it at first, but quickly dropped it. His eyes, even though they were grey (a far contrast from Bam's golden eyes), reminded her of him. It was the same look that Bam wore when he first found out that Rachel could no longer walk.

"I'll leave when I get an answer," she said.

Shun slowly circled the back of his hand with his thumb. "I think I'll have to leave you guys. My… being, I guess, is slowly being worn away, and if I'm gone… you guys might be in danger."

Endorsi was about to retort but she had to admit that the way that shinsu treated Shun, it felt dangerous. Even with people who were very blessed with shinsu (including herself), it would follow them naturally like a tail. But with Shun, it seemed like the shinsu would be dragged, forced, pulled in by something. This kind of shinsu control, it felt cold.

"This body," Shun continued, "might not be mine. I can't answer you, and if I were able to, maybe I wouldn't be here."

"Where will you go then?"

"The middle area, 10th floor. And… that will be all I guess."

His voice. Endorsi hated the tone. She hated his words.

"Were you lying then? About having business on the upper floors?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah, I was."

Endorsi wanted to leave. She really did. Every part of this conversation, his dismal replies, the dead tone, the way that he hung his head as if he was already one foot in the grave, she hated it. So why didn't she listen to herself and leave?

"What if we stop you?" she asked.

"Please don't ask that," Shun breathed out loudly, "just let me be. I'm sure there will be other fishermen you guys will meet. Hell, you guys don't even need another one. Just keep going up the tower."

"That's not-" Endorsi cut herself off. Her breath was wasted at this point.

"Was that enough of an answer? If it was, I'd like to get some sleep now." He was lying, she could see that much. He obviously didn't believe his words, and if she had to guess, he'd probably lie on his bed awake or go out for another walk once she left.

"Turn towards me, Shun," Endorsi instructed. Once he moved his head, Endorsi cupped his forehead with a hand.

"What are you-"

"By changing some of the flow of shinsu in your head, weaving it together like a cushion, it allows your head to relax," Endorsi explained while concentrating on manipulating some of the shinsu in his head. "You haven't been able to sleep at all recently, right? I did this when I was younger, whenever I couldn't sleep."

Shun started to protest. "It's fine Endorsi, don't worry about me." He raised a hand, but it didn't make it anywhere far as Endorsi caught it with her free hand.

"Just stop talking you idiot. It'll only take a few minutes." There were a couple more moments of resistance, but she held on tight. She could see his eyes weaken and his hand grew heavier until finally, he fell onto the bed. Endorsi let out a sigh and took a look at his window.

"Damn it," she grumbled as light started to creep through.

Beneath the 2nd floor

Hwaryun walked into the cave holding a small potted plant. It wasn't anything extravagant, with only four thick leaves coming out from the stem. No flowers or buds. She placed it beside Bam's bed where two more pots were settled.

"More plants? Won't Hansung realize that you've been taking them from his office?" Jinsung Ha raised an eyebrow. He was leaning on the back wall of the cave, watching Bam and the tentacle tattooed ranker engage in a light spar. Maybe the word 'spar' was being generous, it was more like Bam launching himself at the man while he corrected some of his approaches by hitting him. He had a lot of fundamentals to work on.

"I'm sure he won't. I'm also sure that he wasn't the one to put these in," Hwaryun replied, "maybe Evankhell had a hobby of taking care of plants before they left."

"That's a thought."

A gust of air caught their attention, and they turned their heads to see Bam strike the ranker with a flare wave explosion. The man didn't react to the blast, but instead turned his head behind him to look at Jinsung Ha. Bam, breathing heavily, stepped to the side, and attempted to strike him again. But his hand was caught by the ranker, and he flipped Bam over, causing him to fall flat on his back.

"Well, that was interesting." The ranker pulled out a cigar from his shirt and placed a finger under it, lighting it with shinsu. His gruff voice resounded throughout the cave. "When you're right, you're right, old man."

"Thanks for the help, Dunsar," Jinsung Ha nodded towards him as he walked towards them to grab his black jacket.

Dunsar grunted in response. "I think I'll be heading off soon. Some of the elders want me posted up on the higher floors."

Jinsung Ha chuckled. "They're working you like a dog. First, they send you all the way down here just as a precautionary measure, then they want you to come back immediately. I'm sure someone of your strength could handle some pressure if you don't listen to them."

"Gah," he waved his hand in the air, "I don't really care about all that. Let them do as they please. S'ides, it's only been a few months. If you don't think about it too hard, only feel like a few hours. I'll catch you later old man." Patting Jinsung Ha on the shoulder, Dunsar leisurely walked his way out of the cave.

"That was his name?" Hwaryun commented.

"Was this when you learned that?" Jinsung Ha cracked a small smile.

"I didn't feel like asking, and I figured that if I needed to know, you'd tell me." She shrugged.

A pocket blinked itself into visible mode beside Jinsung Ha. "Ah, one of my associates finally got back to me. Even with all the strings I pulled, that Serow is a hard man to contact. Thankfully, he's been in the game a long time, if he wasn't, we'd probably have no luck in getting into contact." He looked down at Hwaryun who tilted her head away. "I know that you aren't one to go back on your decisions, but are you sure about this?"

"Just do it," her eyes softened. It was too late to look back now.

He paused for a moment, before scratching his head. "Flowerless garden, 10th floor, was it?"

She nodded.

As he shrugged and started to relay the message into his pocket, Hwaryun started to get anxious. Staying still wasn't doing her any good, she needed something to occupy her.

She ended up finding herself in front of Bam, who was still lying flat on the ground. He was breathing hard, with an arm over his face to cover his eyes. He grimaced in pain.

"Are you alright, Viole?" she asked, kneeling down.

He didn't reply immediately.

"Do you need some coffee?" she went on.

"Hwaryun," he said with a weak voice, "did Rachel really betray me?"

"Is that still a question in your mind? Why else would you be down here Bam?"

"But she… she reached out for me. I remember it so clearly. She-"

"And yet, you are still down here," Hwaryun interrupted. "You were abandoned, left here so that she could chase her ideals. She chose her stars. And you weren't one of them."

Bam bit down and his mouth started to tremble. "She wasn't the one who pulled me down."

Hwaryun sighed. He was being so stubborn. If only that stupid girl kept her promise. "Does it make a difference? You aren't important to her. She won't be coming back for you Bam. Stop living in a delusion of your own making."

"Don't you think you've had enough Hwaryun?" A voice came up behind her. Jinsung Ha put a hand on her shoulder. "Leave the boy alone."

"And let him wallow in a fantasy? He should know that whatever might have happened, it doesn't change what has happened. That she betrayed him. It's cruel to let him question that." She kept her eyes on the sad boy beneath her. His shaking got more violent, and his tears started to wet the ground.

"This is unlike you." Jinsung Ha's voice grew gentle. She could feel his gaze burning on her back. "When have you been so careless to allow so much emotion to seep into your voice?"

Her blood froze and tingling sensation went down her body. His voice suddenly felt very far away.

"Maybe those words aren't for him."

In that instant, she snapped upward, brushing her former teacher's hand off. Her nails dug into her palm, and all the blood that froze rushed to her face. Every hair on her body wanted to escape.

And she listened. She didn't so much as look at Jinsung Ha's face before stomping off past him.

Jinsung Ha stared at the redhead storm out of the cave with a pensive gaze. Once she was out of sight, he let go of the breath he was holding and took a seat beside Bam, resting his arm on a raised leg.

"Sorry about that. She doesn't usually lose control like that," Jinsung Ha explained.

Bam stayed still for a moment to stifle his sobs. "Why is she…?" He trailed off.

The ranker blew out a trail of smoke. "You want to know why? I couldn't tell you. It's something I'm trying to figure out myself."

They sat in dulled silence, the darkness of the cave seeping into their bodies.

"She was…exposed to a lot of things as a kid," Jinsung Ha started. He figured that it would be fine if Bam knew a little bit at least. "Around the moment her body had acclimated with the intense shinsu on the higher levels of the tower, she was met with her first path as a guide."

He shook his head softly and flicked the end of his cigarette. "And it destroyed her. Out of all the paths I've seen led by any guide, this one was easily the cruelest. She was practically a baby, barely in the tower for 20 years."

"After that incident, she ended up under the wing of FUG, and I met her for the first time about 5 years later when an elder approached me with her behind him. Since then, she's been carrying around shackles everywhere she's walked, acting as if they didn't exist at all. Everyone has their burdens, but hers are anchored, tied tight, as if the tower itself was chained to her heart."

The ranker sighed, so heavily that the cave itself seemed to move with it. "You want to know why she's so exposed right now, but I don't have an answer. I just hope you can understand that…this is all very new to her."

Jinsung Ha took a puff of his cigarette, suddenly wishing that he had something stronger. Those cigars that Madorado sold sounded pretty good right now. He was creeped out when he attacked Bam with his flare wave explosion, but even more so when he recognized the look on Hwaryun's face the moment he met her again on the second floor.

Bam wiped his eyes and sat up, hugging his legs. The dirt on his face was marked by dried up tear streams. "I don't get it."

Jinsung Ha leaned his head back to look at the boy.

"I don't understand you guys. The way you treat the tower as if it's the only thing controlling your lives, I don't get it. Do you all truly believe that?"

The ranker smirked. "That's the first thing you've said that makes me believe you're actually an irregular. Those words remind me of the first time I met Urek Mazino."

"Ms. Hwaryun," he spoke slowly, his tone unsteady. "Whatever she's going through, she's just going to let it happen then?"

"I suppose so," he shrugged.

"I don't get you people. I just don't."

Not another sound was made that night. Not even the flickering of the torches could be heard.

6th Floor

Rachel was staring at the ceiling. Again. Well, there wasn't much else for her to do. She couldn't get around without help, and visits from the other regulars were scarce. Not that she minded.

All the nothing that occupied her gave her way too much time to think. The only conversation partner that kept her company was the ceiling.

She was awoken last night when loud tremors shook her bed. Apparently Shun and that crocodile got into a fight. Rachel couldn't help but smirk at the thought. Although she wondered why he had been in such bad shape recently: getting into fights, not eating, not sleeping, it didn't stop her from feeling some gratification. Served him right after everything he's done to her.

But that feeling only lasted so long. Once she had gotten bored with that fleeting feeling of vindication, her thoughts would always wander. And more often than not, they would gravitate back to the guardian test.

There were a lot of questions that plagued her. Why didn't she push Bam off? How did it get to the point where FUG had to step in? Why, why…

Why was she so weak?

She shook her head. There wasn't a place for this in her mind. She got what she wanted; everything was taken away from that boy. And he would never threaten her dream again. Yet the chill she felt during the guardian test never fully went away. Instead, it wrapped around her heart like a coat only meant to keep the warmth out.

*vwip*

Rachel turned her head to see her pocket blip into visible mode. That was odd, she thought she only had that setting for when she received contact from a specific number.

She read the message, and as it went on, her expression hardened. She pulled her attention away from her pensive feelings, onto what she had been told.

Rachel rubbed her legs. Seems like her free ride would only last to the 10th floor.

A/N

I was holding onto this for a bit, but I'm getting occupied with the next chapter lol. Trying to polish the next one as much as possible since it's probably the biggest turning point. Hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am :p.

Reviews:

Second king: Thanks for the kind words! I really do appreciate it haha. Yeah, I am planning some things for Shun, don't know how soon it will come but it would be a little boring if nothing developed for him.

Drake D Zero: Tyty, I'll try to keep pumping out chapters lol

Howling Armadillo: You right.

GoMargikarp: Thanks! Appreciate the kind words!

Max3636: Haha trying my best to not let it die.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks for reading.