By the time I appeared on the other side of the gateway, I only happened to see Sara, Azalin, and Juuji standing not that far away. Kaori and Seiji were no where to be seen. Sara was staring at Juuji with a suspicious look on her face, but he didn't seem to mind. That carefree expression on his face proved that. Only Azalin seemed to be looking around. There was a focused expression on her face as she scanned the area. I frowned and put away the hair piece. From there, I slowly made my way over.
The first to react was Juuji. "DARLING !", he had shouted as he walked over to me and embraced me into a hug. I looked up and took a deep breath, trying to pretend to flinch from the pain. Before I had entered, I had eaten one of my sweets. It was disgusting. At the moment, my pendant was hiding behind my jacket. "OI OI OI. JUUJI GET OFF OF HER", Sara had shouted as she tried to pry him off of me, "CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHES COVERED IN WOUNDS !????" I reluctantly grinned and stared at Azalin for help. I knew that she had seen me, but she made no effort to help. How kind of her. "I'm not an idiot", I heard Juuji say sharply, "Of course I can see that my darling is bleeding." "What the hell Juuji !", Sara snapped, "Why're you even here !? I thought you were working with Seiji !? Moreover you were one of the reasons to why she's like this !!" Juuji, who had his arms still wrapped around me scowled at Sara. "Were", he said bitterly, "I was. But I changed my mind the moment I saw the uneasy expression on my darlings adorable face." "What !?"
Ah, so he noticed.
"Why do you keep calling her darling !?", Sara hissed, "Thats creepy ! Don't you know that she's-" "Sara", I said, cutting her off with a faint smile, "We should start looking for Tsukiya now. Maybe even Izumi, if she's here." At first, she stared at me, slightly confused before she regained her composure. She sighed and turned away to face Azalin. "Good grief", she huffed, as she crossed her arms, "You're such a pain in the ass Juuji." "Why thank you", he replied with a smile. We watched as she made her way over to Azalin. "So tell me", Juuji said with a mischievous tone, "Why did you stop her at the good part ? Who was she talking about ?" "Juuji", I said, staring straight at the place that we had come from, "Would you like to do your darling a quick favor ?" "Anything", he replied. "I want you to accompany Sara and Azalin in finding Tsukiya and Izumi." Juuji's head suddenly drooped onto my shoulder. I could feel him breathing. "Jeez", he mumbled, "Of all things, you bring up another guy. Do you know how that makes me feel ?" I reached over and patted his head. "Please ?", I asked softly. Juuji sighed and let go of me. He took a step in front of me and lightly caressed my cheek. "I hate you", he said. I smiled. "I expect good things from you", I said. In a way, as he walked off, he sulked. I found it amusing when Sara looked over to me with a look of disbelief. In return I grinned.
Pretty soon, the three of them disappeared. I walked over to the place that we had come from and stood in front of it. If I was correct we were currently in the Gandara territory... The one that Yomi was looking over. I took out the hair piece but didn't move. I stared at it as I heard movement not that far away from me. "Is that a human ?", someone says. There are more than three of them. I took a deep breath and sighed. "It is !", another says enthusiastically, "And it looks weak !" "What good timing", a third voice says, "I was just getting hungry." I glanced down at my blood stained clothing. "It doesn't look like it's noticed", a fourth voice says. "Quick, surround it before its noticed !" Their chuckling reminded me of hyenas. It was slightly agitating. As they moved closer, I slightly raised my guard and waited for one of them to attack first. When that happened, I turned around.
Oops, my hand slipped.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This place hasn't changed. It's just as dark and gloomy as the last time I saw it. How disgusting.
As I stood on one of the buildings, I glanced down at the wound that she had received from that man known as "Seiji". It wasn't bleeding anymore, but that idiot failed to realize that she got stabbed with poison. And in this case, it's not just any type of poison. Even if she ate that medicine of hers to forget the pain, that poison was still in effect. There was also that wound on her shoulder. That was probably why she finally collapsed. She's sleeping now. For the first time in so many years, it's finally happened. She probably knew. She probably knew that this was going to happen to her. Although she should know better than to go and risk it. She's such a fool. What a simpleminded fool.
If recall, this "Seiji" person was aiming was to merge Makai and the Human World, was it not ? At the moment, I was supposed to be looking for those three people that she had been with. Those three demons. If I recall, they were asked by her to look for someone known as "Tsukiya". That other person as well, the one known as "Izumi." She's decided to overlook something. I'm well aware.
She's asked this question to me before. When she finally manages to find Seiji again, what will she do to him ? Would she kill him ? Would she allow him to live ? What choices will she have.
I was merely a reflection. Another existence. Although similar, we both stood as opposites.
She, who avoids staining her hands, and I, who thinks nothing of it. Doesn't she know what she's risking from this point on ? She's shortening.. that time. By entering Makai, she's...
When she was fighting those demons not that long ago, she was hesitating. I could see her struggling to keep up to her usual pace. She wasn't playing at her usual game. She was making sure that she didn't kill any of them, even when she was leaving herself wide open for more wounds. If that had been me, I would've killed them all. I would've made sure that they wouldn't be able to wake up. But she... she doesn't do that. She allows herself to get hurt. However, even I know that getting wounds mean nothing to her. We've been hurt too badly to feel it anymore.
That seal is beginning to break. I wonder if she's realized. It's starting to be more dangerous now.
In the near future, we both know that we won't be able to see what'll happen the longer things continue this way. Of all things, I just hope for something that won't erase. We've been delaying things for too long. Time has finally caught up to us. Perhaps karma will appear to us soon ?
The life that she longs to live. I want her to see it through. To flourish.
However... I'm beginning to have my doubts. Is this what we really want ?
[Shiori, you fool, do you know what you're doing ?]