Hollows Eve

Eve of Starry Skies

.: HOLLOWS EVE CHAPTER 13 :.

An extinguishable flame has been ignited, as the tides of battle & bloodshed have washed the world of the hollows in the sky. It still was a very bloody red, and it seemed like the red sky wouldn't go away for quite a while, as the atmosphere still grazed the ground of Purgatory with its crimson glow. All the while it seems things were getting even more interesting.

With the new introduction of the demon princess, who calls herself “Blood Rose" , our reaper girl Kaila Amiyuki has her work cut out for her, literally. And after hearing Amuki's story, it seems that she's more determined than ever to do right by her chosen fate and reap the soul of the evil rozen maiden that is Ōkinaruba Akubane. With every step though…. Does she grow stronger? Or does she continue to get swept up in the tangled web of madness that is frightening afterlife? With that being said, we welcome you back into the world of the hollows, after such a hard fought battle, Kaila is given virtually no time to gather her thoughts…. As she is right in the middle of a battle with her supposed “Teacher” Jack Von Lantern.

Two scythe blades clashed, creating vivid orange sparks between both blades. On one side you have the black tattered, pigtailed, yellow-eyed beauty known as Kaila Amiyuki. Then on the other side, staring her down with a disturbing grin on his face is the pumpkin-headed monster hollow known as Jack Von Lantern. The two of them broke the clash and then swung at each other fiercely with Jack swinging from his left, and Kaila swinging from her right. They kept this up for quite a bit, swinging back and forth at each other at an extremely rapid pace. In fact the pace was so rapid you couldn't even see their scythe swings!

“Ah, so your up-in' the anti eh Midnight?!” Jack said while fiercely swinging his scythe at her. “Let's try this again! HAH!” Jack swung his scythe with the base end up first instead of the bladed end, knocking Kaila off balance.

Kaila quickly flipped backward and regained her balance, but Jack then started to glow black and quickly moved himself towards her like a shadow of some sort, which puzzled Kaila to no end.

“What the?... AHHH!!” Jack jumped out at her and brought his scythe down, causing a crashing mini-pillar that broke the ground apart, but she managed to dodge it.

Kaila stopped for a second, startled that Jack would catch her off guard like that, but she didn't mind it. She came running right back at him and brought the reaper claw back to her left side. Jack re-formed back from his “Shadow-ish” form and then leaned back a bit in order to anticipate Kaila's attack. She swung at him with enough brute force to knock his scythe right out of his hand, then swung at him 2 more times but Jack managed to dodge.

Jack didn't try to dodge her next shot, instead he blocked it with one hand, causing a mighty gust of wind that indicated Kaila's seriousness. “Your becoming predictable….” Jack said, as he got into her personal space in order to give her the next lesson in combat….. “You don't wanna become predictable. Always usin’ your right instead of your left or down under, or up above……That's a bloomin’ invite to lose.” Jack then screeched in Kaila's face causing her to back away in fear. Jack's always pulling something to his advantage in order to shake things up.

Kaila backed away from him in fear, but still braved her way to keep her stance up. Jack then breathed inwardly, which Kaila didn't even know he was breathing considering he doesn't have lungs. She had a slightly puzzled look on her face, but that look changed to outright terror when jack puffed out a massive stream of flames all around her, causing her to not only lose track of him but cover herself enough so that she could slice through the flames and look around so she could spot him.

“Hehehehehe….” His voice echoed malevolently, but he couldn't be found anywhere. “I didn't know you had the ability to spew flames out of your mouth!!!” She said while frantically looking for him amidst the scorching heat.

“Hehehhe…..I'm full of surprises midnight…..” Jack said as he walked out of the flames with his hands behind his back. He still had that grin on his face that rubbed Kaila the wrong way, the fact that he's walking out of the flames that he created makes it even worse.

Kaila slightly backed away, she couldn't help but be afraid, but she wouldn't just quit right then and there. “I can't quit now….i'm in this for my dearest friend Amuki…I have to get stronger….and if that means facing my fears….” She said inside her mind. “So be it!!! HAAAAHH!!!” She said out loud, while running at him in a mass rush.

She tried swiping at him but she missed as Jack turned into a shadow and then was right behind her. “Awwww come on Midnight…. That can't be all you have now is? What's the matter? Scared again……?” He said to her with his taunting words.

“Shut UP!!!” She yelled at him while swiping from behind with her scythe, but this proved ineffective as Jack simply shadow-dodged it again, but this time he followed up with a scythe strike from the side, then in seemingly a flash, another strike from the side. Kaila blocked both strikes, but it seemed like he was slashing at her from all directions and angles at this point.

“URRGGHH!!! Where are you?!?!?” She said, as Jack played with her mind. “I'm everywhere. Your right there. C'mon then midnight….focus. Otherwise…. Y'head goes off a pop cap like this.” And then suddenly, in a quick moment, Kaila's shoulder was clipped and slashed with blood streaming down her arm. “AAAAHHH!!!” She held her arm in pain and grimaced while trying to stomach it, but then she quickly regained her strength and slashed all over at him, trying to sense him.

“C'mon then…. Focus……FOCUS….You'll never catch me if ya' don't….nor will ya' live to see tomorrow…..Heheheheh….” His laugh echoed in her head, and it reminded her of Blood Rose's laugh. But then Kaila raised her scythe up high and brought it back behind her as she prepared one last attack to end it all in one shot.

“Reaper…..” Jack's laugh got louder and louder, as the thought of Blood Rose coming through the same fires and heading right for Kaila became reality right in front of her. She was absolutely livid upon blood rose entering her sight….. “GGGGRRRHHH……CLAW!!!!!” She then swished her scythe and a stream of black & orange reishi came out in the form of a claw, which then proceeded to disperse the flames and end the battle, as well as the illusion of Blood Rose actually being there.

Afterwards, Kaila was visibly enraged as well as tired beyond belief; her heavy breaths were a clear-cut indication that her rage could also be used to overcome her fear. Jack came from a puff of smoke after she dispersed the flames with his hands behind his back, his weapon was gone but he had his hands behind his back in a congratulatory way.

“I'm impressed…..your quite the hothead aren't ya' lass?” Jack said while walking towards her. Kaila still breathed heavily, but then she spun the reaper claw around and made it disappear using shokanju. “You could've told me you were able to spew fire out of your face…..” She said with her hat down.

“Where's the fun in that Midnight Bliss? Hehehehe….. You're gettin' betta’. But this is only the beginnin' ….though I wonder, what's got you so riled up? Your usually a scaredy cat 'round 'ere.” Jack said to her.

“Nothing……it's just….after dealing with Blood Rose…..I felt……angry with myself.” She said to him without looking at him.

Jack's eye raised slightly with a rather puzzled look on his face. “Hmm?”

“I felt extremely angry because….I was put in a position where I could've done something to help……I could've helped Amuki out of her silent pain and anguish……she almost went completely insane in Blood Rose's presence…..and it nearly cost her her life…..”

Jack's smile turned into a frown, he then gripped his fist in slight anger. In a way she was correct, she was in a position to do something and just stood there on her knees doing nothing. He was pretty angry at her for not doing anything to protect Amuki.

“And all I did…was sit there on my knees…..afraid…..I don't ever want to be in that position again….I don't ever want to be in a position where my loved ones are in danger and I can't do something about it…..i've been through that too many times….I won't go through it again!” She got up and stood on her feet with her scythe re-appearing, battle ready and willing.

“So let's go again!” Jack raised his hand to stop her. “Huh?! Jack what…..What are you doing?!” Jack had his eyes closed, but as he put his hand down, he opened them and spoke to her earnestly. “ That's enough. This trainin' session's over.” He said to her with his smile now completely taken away.

“What?! But Jack I-“ He cut her off. “I SAID that's enough!” He said with his arms folded, causing Kaila to jump back a bit. “If you keep trainin' like this, your gonna run yourself ragged. Over trainin' defeats the purpose of trainin' to combat the enemy in the first place. If you wanna reap her soul and overcome your fear, let me tell ya' somethin’ about fear.” He walked up close to her, causing her to step back on her feet a bit, backing away from him.

Once he got up close her, he then grabbed her by the neck without choking her and his eyes glowed yellow. “Rage is not a suitable replacement for bravado. If anythin' it'll be the death of ya', whether it be rage directed at someone else, or rage directed at yourself. A person can channel their inner rage in order to overcome fear, but they lose themselves in the process. You need to face them head on without losin' your mind. Otherwise…..getting angry at the thing you're afraid of is just a more violent way of showin' you're afraid of it. Only DEMONS do that…….” He said to her while looking inside of her eyes…..

Her body shook with fright, but she instantly changed her attitude and decided to take his words to heart. She had nothing to lose with words like those….. “Take a breather. Steinman's gonna decipher that riddle pretty easily in about a day or two give 'er take.” Jack turned around and put his cape back on, as he started to head out of the chamber of Tomorau. “So why don't you go back home & see your li'le friends. You could use the comfort……” Jack said to her as he started to leave.

Kaila had no real words, but she held her hand to her heart and gripped her fist. She knew he was right in a sense….and if she didn't want to be put in a position of powerlessness…..then she'll have to measure and take things a lot slower. At least if she doesn't want the thought of revenge to overwhelm her….

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A day later, we come back to the world of the living and are welcomed with a change of sky. The sky changes from a dreary blood red with the grey moon still intact, to the shining white sun with a gorgeous blue sky & white clouds. After a part of the city of Kyoto is seen, Kaila and her friends are seen walking down the street, coming home from school.

“Seriously Kai, what IS the deal? You've been MIA for the past few days several times by now.” said Reyabe, dropping a serious bomb on Kaila in the midst of their walk without hesitation, that's her honestly speaking about the situation Kaila's been thrust into though, she has a tendency to be honest.

“I'd kinda like to know that as well. Are you okay?” Even Gajenma chimed in with his asking of where Kaila's been. Surprisingly, Tomomi wasn't with them. He was absent from school today due to a distinct emergency within the family that he had to handle.

Kaila kept on walking and looked down slightly. “Nothing, nothing's wrong you guys really. Besides I'm only gone during the night. It's not like I'm going anywhere dangerous or scary.” The irony in that statement is palpable.

Reyabe raised her eyebrow and stopped walking. “Alright Kai…tell us what's up. Right now.” They were once again right under the shade of the tree of life, their usual meeting spot.

“Huh? What do you mean?” She said, growing more and more nervous with every sentence exchange. “I MEAN what have you been doing taking these nightly escapades?! Have you been doing something that was shouldn't know abooooout? …. Do you have skeletons in your closet?!” Reyabe comedically got in Kaila's face with a vein mark on the left side of her forehead, visibly annoyed with Kaila's dodgy-ness.

Kaila put her hands up and blinked once. “Uhhh…no?” She said while on the hot seat. “Oh yeah? You haven't been out late at night partying without me? Or goin' out to participate in Origami underground tournaments?! Or maybe you've been out playing with naginatas again in your sleep?!?! You have been sleepwalking, so where have you been walking too HMMMM?” She said interrogatively.

“I swear…I haven't been walking anywhere.” Kaila said while waving her hands back and forth. “Besides why would I go to a party without my best friend? I'm not even fancy for parties……” Gajenma gasped at the thought of Kaila in a party dress, or even a party outfit. “Kaila in party clothes?” He began to once again let her imagination run wild, as he imagined her in several “Party Girl” Outfits, all complete with sexy poses. Gajenma imagined her in a biker girl outfit looking to attract people at the bar complete with fishnet stockings and a hat that had a fitting black skull on it, a club outfit with a short jean jacket & booty shorts, as well as a simple black dress that fit her curves perfectly. “NO…..THAT'S TOO MUCH!!!” His face turned red and steamed from his ears and nose. “NOOOOOOOO!!!! Kaila-Chan please tell me you haven't been out partying with other guys?!?!?” Gajenma said while grabbing her hand.

“No! For god's sakes!” She then snatched her hand away at Gajenma's ridiculous claims. “Will you two chill? I'm not doing anything at night!!!” Kaila was now visibly annoyed by their accusations.

“Sorry Kaila….we're just worried about you. You're not telling us anything. Are you sure everything's ok?” Reyabe said to her.

“Yes. Everything's fine I promise. I have nothing to hide….” She said while closing her eyes and folding her arms. But behind her came a familiar voice…..

“Are you sure about that?” Tomomi was walking up right behind her. He then covered her eyes from behind as a playful joke. “Ah! Hey get off of my eyes you jerk!” Kaila said playfully.

“You've gotta guess who's going to ask you the next million dollar question!” Tomomi said with a chuckle.

“Is it my annoying best friend?” Kaila said with a slight smile on her face.

Tomomi uncovered her eyes, which were closed for some reason. “DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!” Reyabe & Gajenma chuckled at Tomomi's silliness. “Where have you been Dragonborn? You haven't been at school all day. Don't tell me you skipped out?” Reyabe said with her hands on her hips looking straight at Tomomi.

“Nah, I had a family emergency. Grandpa recently kicked the bucket….I had to pay my respects.” Tomomi uncovered his friend's eyes and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“But of course I wasn't gonna miss out on seeing my pals. That includes little Midnight Bliss.” Kaila looked back at him with a smile on her face, but then backhanded him causing him to fall over.

“Ow! What was that for?!” Tomomi said rubbing his nose. “For not showing up at all! I totally missed my best friend. Seriously Tomomi no calls or nothing?” She said with her hands on her hips. She then offered her a hand up and Tomomi took it and got right back up.

“Hey, last time I checked I'm not your babysitter.” He said in a joking way. “Well next time, at least tell me where you're at.” She said while folding her arms and walking off, intending for Tomomi to follow her.

“What? And you won't spill the beans when we knock on your door about your nightly escapades?!... Hey! This isn't over! Get back here!” Tomomi said, continuing to chase after her as Kaila walked off.

“Well BYE! See you two idiots later!....” Reyabe said with Gajenma saddened that Kaila is walking off with Tomomi AGAIN. “Oh…just one day…One day I'd like to be able to walk her HOOOOME!!! AHAHAHAHHHHH….” Gajenma whined.

“Oh shut up Gajenma, you had your chance. You should try expanding your horizons and go for other girls.” Reyabe said, as she also started to walk off with her hands behind her head.

Gajenma blinked twice as he watched her walk off and started to follow right behind her. “Hey! Reyabe, wait!”

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As both Kaila & Tomomi continued to walk and enjoy the bright and beautiful sunshine, they started to traverse the path that leads towards the outskirts of the town of Kyoto and near the mountainous path.

“So that's what happened. I'm sorry I didn't really call or anything. I knew you'd be pissed so I came running to find you.” He said while walking with her.

“Oh…I'm sorry about hitting you in the face then.” She said while looking down, feeling a bit shameful that she would that.

“I hope so, you nearly broke my freakin' nose!” Tomomi said once again jokingly.

“Oh come on! I didn't hit you that hard.” This elicited a chuckle from Tomomi. “Yeah I know I'm just messin' with you. Recently grandpa had passed on….his death came at a surprise so I've been steadily trying to get over it while keeping my head up.” He said to her, lowering his tone of voice.

“Wow….your taking it surprisingly well for someone that just lost their grandfather. How long ago did he pass away?” She asked with a rather concerned look on her face.

“It was over a week ago…. He was a spiritual, just like ah-ma. But, his lifespan was as long as his career as a shaman. He lived to be about 63 before he died off. I'm sorry, this is depressing let's talk about something else! Like the sakura trees that you see every time we walk up the path!” said Tomomi, trying desperately to change the subject just so she won't bum Kaila out about death. But….. she knows the feeling of losing loved ones, and how much pain it brings….

“Tomomi….” She then grabbed his hand in a comforting way and gave him a reassuring smile that Tomomi returned with unbridled warmth. However their travels came to a stop once Tomomi came to a gate with steps that lead up the mountain right behind it.

“Speak of the devil!” Tomomi said, Kaila let go of Tomomi's hand blushing, but they once again exchanged smiles and Tomomi escorted her up the steps. “After you.” He said being a gentleman.

Later on up the mountain, just as Tomomi & Kaila are reaching the top, we see the sakura petals from the cherry blossom trees fall down near Tomomi's official place of residence, the same place where Grandma Takuro resides. The 56-year-old woman was inside wearing a red Kimono with blue and yellow flowers on it. She sat in a meditative position in front of what looked to be a sword held up on a samurai rack.

“Ah-ma!!!” Tomomi called out to his grandmother. “I'm home!” Grandma Takuro opened her eyes and then got up to meet Tomomi outside, but before that, she bowed before the sword. “Gomenasai…. Domo arigatou gozaimasu…” Grandma Takuro began to say as she prayed to what looked like herself, but in actuality, she was praying to the sword on the rack. The sword didn't really look like anything spiritual or noteworthy, it was just seemingly an orange sword with a red hilt. But afterward, she left the praying chamber she was in and then went to the front of Takuro Gardens to meet Tomomi & Kaila.

“Ahhh Tomomi-san! You've come home, and you brought little midnight!” She said to her, running to them.

“Hi Grandma Takuro.” Kaila said while bowing. “It is great to see you again after a while. I'm sorry about the death in the family you had.” Tomomi tensed up and his hands shuttered. “Kaila you're not supposed to mention that out loud!” Kaila looked out him as if to say “Oops”. But this elicited a chuckle from Grandma Takuro.

“It is quite alright….I've managed to adapt to Sanji's death. I would not let his passing disrupt my inner peace. He died from an apparent illness, so he was doomed to part with the world very soon. Anyways, it is time for “you know what.” Grandma Takuro said to both of them.

“Wait… you just brought me up here for the usual?” Kaila said.

“Well…yeah kind of. She said there was something she wanted to look at with you specifically. So she told me to bring you up here to train.” Tomomi said.

“Well…ok. But you could've at least told me before making me walk up all those damn stairs.” She then painstakingly rubbed her ankles, as they ached with intense discomfort after walking up so many stairs.

“Tch, you've been through worse.” Tomomi slaps Kaila's back lightly and then walks inside of the gardens. “Walk it off!” Tomomi said as Kaila growled lowly and watched him walk inside the gardens with a smirk on his face.

“Oh he is so going to get it when we spar.” She said to herself. Afterwards, Kaila turned her attention to Grandman Takuro. “So what will we be doing in this session Grandma Takuro?” Kaila said to her.

Grandma Takuro raised her eye ridge and motioned to the inside of the garden's doors. “Come and find out.” She said to her, leading Kaila inside.

Tomomi's grandmother, or his “Ah-ma” as he likes to call her, led both of them to the inside of the open training grounds of the gardens, where several trees bloomed and a very large open space that was perfect for practice and sparring was located. Grandma Takuro had a nearby room full of weapons of all kinds, from naginatas to simple katanas in place. She even had Kendo sticks & bokken swords, of which she grabbed a kendo stick & a Kaido staff specifically for sparring.

“Ha!” Kaila had the Kaido staff while Tomomi wielded the Kendo stick. She swung the top half of the stick overhead with a come from behind roundhouse swing that Tomomi blocked easily with a well-placed parry, as they continued to spar.

“Remember Kaila, keep your stance up and focus on your movements. Naginata is a martial art that only works if your focused and in tune with the fight itself. And keep in mind the range you have compared to a sword.” Grandma Takuro spoke out to her while watching from the sidelines.

“Ha! Hyah! Tse! Haaah!” Kaila issued a double swing from both sides and then spun the staff around in her hands like she would the reaper claw, coming from under with an uppercutting hanja strike. Tomomi managed to dodge and reciprocated the attack.

“Ha!!!” He spun around and attempted a side attack with a “back of the hand” swing, but Kaila blocked it and noticed the bottom half of her Kendo stick was very close to the bottom of his feet, so she tripped him up and took him down onto the ground, pointing it at his neck and pinning him.

“Very well done……” Grandma said while clapping for her.

“Heh….You've been getting better I see.” Tomomi said as he smirked a prideful smirk and was helped up by his friend, who offered her hand to help him up.

Next they started sparring with each other, trading blows back and forth with the same mix of Isshin-Ryu, Aikido & Kickboxing fighting styles. Kaila attempted to go in for a straight palm to Tomomi's chest to knock him off balance and floor him once again, but this time Tomomi was prepared as he intercepted and grabbed her arm, issuing the same attack to Kaila's chest.

“Ggh!” Kaila was then turned around and taken down as Tomomi threw her over his back and on her belly, putting her in an armlock with one arm while he held down her legs with his own and his other arm.

“Tch…..” Kaila looked up at him and then smiled while glaring at the same time. Tomomi returned this with the same look and narrowed his eyes at her. This continued for a while as their training sessions seemingly always go the same way. The two of them get very competitive and try to out-spar each other during the first round of training. Then in the second round, Grandma Takuro will train them with age-old strength, focus and balance exercises, such as holding up pots in your hands while balancing a Buddha statue on their heads.

“THIS….ALWAYS HURTS!!!” Kaila said while walking through the forest VERY slowly.

“YOU….SAID IT….” Tomomi said, feeling the intense pain in his arms from carrying such heavyweight, he was hurting so much his face nearly turned red.

There were also basic exercises like calisthenics, which explains Kaila's well-toned figure and then there's body exercises like target practice with a wool dummy or basic stretches while in-tune to the radio. That's actually something that is done in the city, but Grandma Takuro prefers a more “Free” approach to expand the mind.

They then meditate during the 3rd round amongst the serene and quiet atmosphere of nature. It lends its ears to them and they achieve a great amount of peace and focus through constant meditation. Afterwards, some simple strength training and drills in their key fighting styles and it's off to lunch for the day!

You could see Kaila smile amongst the table as they continue to eat Grandma Takuro's amazing cooking. “I still can't believe that happened. He's really that scared?” Tomomi was referring to Kamina. Anyone remember a couple chapters ago?

“Yeah, he won't even come to school anymore. It's weird though, I don't know what he's so terrified of.” Kaila said while eating her miso soup made by Tomomi's grandmother.

“Oh c'mon don't kid yourself. You must've pulled something scary good to get that loser spooked.” Tomomi said while egging her on to tell him by scooting closer to her. “C'mooooon…Tell me! I promise I won't tell Gajenma or Reyabe.” He said to her.

Kaila blushed a bit upon him getting a little closer, but then closed her eyes and re-opened them. “Alright… but you have to promise not to tell!” She made him promise and Tomomi nodded. The two of them sealed the deal by pinky swearing.

“Pinky swear?” Kaila said while wrapping her pink around his. “Pinky swear.” He said back to her. “Now spill the beans midnight! What did you do to that poor sap?” He said, sounding generally curious.

“Well… "Scary” is the word of the day that I would use. Let's just say…. I pulled a really scary prank on him with a friend. You remember that foreign exchange guy from Australia? Jack?”

“Yeah I remember him. Why?”

“Well he sort of dressed up in a Jack O' Lantern Costume that…seemed a little too real. It was like we were playing Halloween before it even came. I know this is gonna sound ridiculous, but I basically cornered him in a dark alley, and threatened him to never come after my friends ever again using the darkness to my advantage.” Tomomi laughed upon hearing this.

“Hahahahahah!!! I can't believe it! He was scared of that guy?! AND scared of you? Oh man that's rich! What a loser!! Hahahahah!!” Tomomi laughed hysterically, it didn't seem like he believed her at first, but Kaila's straight poker face determined she didn't know what to make of his fit of laughter. So a beat of sweat dropped down the side of her head and she just silently agreed with him by uttering an awkward chuckle. “Heheheh…Yeah….”

“Tomomi! Silence now.” Tomomi stopped laughing upon Grandma Takuro entering the small room near the kitchen where they were seated on the floor ready to eat some nice Teriyaki rice.

“Aw Teriyaki! My favorite!!! Thanks Ah-ma!” Tomomi dug into the Teriyaki like the main lead to a shounen anime and started scarfing the Teriyaki down. Kinda ironic isn't it?

“Uhm…Grandma Takuro? Can I ask you something before I start eating my Teriyaki?” Kaila spoke to her.

“Of course child, what can I do for you?” She responded with her old, yet beautiful and radiant smile. Her smile too was also very reassuring, it's amazing she's able to keep such an amazing warmth and youthfulness to her visage at the age of 56.

“How….Well……” Kaila hesitated to get the words out, she didn't exactly know how to speak the question she had in mind without sounding offensive or re-opening old wounds.

“Yes child?” She continued to speak.

“…N..Nothing. Never mind.” Kaila dropped the question as Tomomi continued eating. She looked down and had a slight look of discontentment on her face, but then looked at Tomomi eating his food. Tomomi responded by stopping for a second to give her a smile back. And Kaila’s eyes narrowed slightly with a slight smile, generally feeling good that at least he's fine with what has transpired in his life recently, she often finds comfort in his happiness.

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Pretty soon, the shining, glistening radiance of the sun turned into the dark, luminous glow of the moonlit sky. It was night time again and Kaila and Tomomi were outside engaging in one of their favorite pastimes…. Watching the stars together. This is something that they've been doing ever since they were kids, as they laid back to back looking out into the stars just watching them and forming constellations for fun.

“What do you see?” Kaila said as she looked out into the nighttime sky. The sky was a lit with several beautiful stars shining in the sky.

“I dunno about you but I see the tail of a dragon….or HEY! What about that one?” Tomomi pointed what seemed to be a different constellation.

“That's the same one Tomomi.” Kaila said while looking back at him.

“Wait what? How? I'm pointing to the one right next to it!” Tomomi pointed out to the constellation next to the dragon's tail.

“Connect the dots and you'll see. That's Cetus, a constellation next to Aquarius. It looks like a dragon because it's right under Pisces and is to the left of Aquarius & Fomalhut.” Kaila said, flexing her knowledge of stars & constellations.

Tomomi did exactly as she told him too and discovered….she was right. “Oh… Well look at you little Ms. Astrologist. You sure you want to be a musician? You could probably tell people's futures from these star signs.” Tomomi chuckled.

“Hehehe…Nah I'm sure of what I want to do. And the stars don't tell the future, dad always told me they tell stories. Like this one. Cetus is a sea monster who ate a princess who's attitude was way too big for her britches.” Kaila said while looking back at Tomomi. Tomomi turned his head to her.

“Hah. Kinda reminds you of someone we know huh?” Tomomi jokingly referred to Kamina again.

“Well they say that when you mess with the bull, you get the horns. And when you mess with the queen….guess what happens next?” She asked him while smiling, Tomomi smiled back at her and they offered the key phrase that relates to the queen.

“OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!! Hahahahaha!” They both shared a heart-warming laugh together, they always had such fun just looking out into the stars together sharing stories, though their laughter died down afterward, as they simply stared out into the atmosphere.

Tomomi looked back at Kaila with a change of face though, still somewhat concerned for her well-being. Considering that she's been apparently running around during the night while “Sleepwalking”, Tomomi thinks that's not exactly the case. So he tries to sneakily bring up Kaila's nightly escapades in order to get to the bottom of them.

“Hey Kaila?... You mind if I ask you something? What were you going to ask ah-ma in the garden house?” He said to her. Kaila blinked once upon hearing the question.

“Uhm…I..I don't want to say.” She said while looking down.

“Nah, it's okay I want to hear it.” Kaila constantly brushed the question off, afraid to answer it.

“No no no, trust me you don’t wanna hear it.”

“Awww come on! Don't be so shy. You can tell me anything. You know that don't you?” Tomomi's hand moved closer to hers in order to provide her with warmth and openness. Kaila did feel like she could trust her best friend of 10 years.

“Ok…..I was gonna ask her….how does she…and more importantly you….manage to keep such a smile on your face when someone you love leaves you?” Tomomi's eyes widened slightly upon hearing the question she asked, struck by the realism.

“I mean….Tomomi I know you've always told me being positive is the key to staying happy….but death is not something that I think is….ever positive. How do you manage to deal with it? How can you remain so peaceful when someone leaves you?” Kaila said with her back still on his own back.

“Wow…your just now thinking to ask me this question? It's been awhile hasn't it?” He said to her while turning his head to look straight at her.

“Yeah it has….” Kaila did the same exact thing, as they exchanged glances and Tomomi turned his attention back to his side of the back to back and looked down at the ground with a modest look on his face.

“Y’know….personally I don't know how ah-ma does it. She always seemed so peaceful….she was like a giant tree in the middle of the forest….a tree that you could constantly beat with an axe….but never truly cut down. I think it might be experience for her…..but for me I simply decide to get over my own problems and not hold them over my head. I don't really like to live in the past, because it's behind me. If I keep it in front of me, it'll always be in the way. You have to move a boulder in order to get it out of the road, so that's what I do. Granted….when grandpa died….make no mistake I was sad….but I didn't let it get me down.” Tomomi said fully grasping Kaila's hand this time around.

Kaila blushed and looked back at him with a bashful look on her face. “I see….”

“I just let my feelings on the subject out, but I never let it get me down. Sometimes things need to get out in order to overcome them. You need to face the thing in your way to get over it. So I just get over it…..Grandpa has been dead for a week now. I think that's long enough to grieve.” Kaila couldn't believe Tomomi's emotional strength….when her father died, she was practically grieving all the time. This is entirely new to her, as it felt like he was sharing something that came out of a treasure chest of gold.

“With that being said, I'd like to ask you something midnight.” He said to her.

“What is it?” She said back.

“What's going on with the sleepwalking?” Tomomi asked flat out, with no shame either.

Kaila's eyes completely widened, but then deflated and looked down at the ground with a slight frown on her face. “Uhhhh….I don't really know. I mean…I guess maybe the nightmares I've been having are taking a form of their own?” Kaila said to her while nervously twiddling her fingers.

“Kaila…Come on. I know you more than that. You struggle with those nightmares, but they can't make you get up and start walking into town like your possessed. What's REALLY going on? I told you what's up, so now you gotta tell me.” He said while completely turning around to meet her face to face.

“I uh….-sigh- Tomomi there's nothing going on. I promise.” Tomomi blinked twice upon hearing that.

“Don't give me that. Kaila you've been gone for more than two days several times in the past month! What's going on? You’re not gonna lie to your best friend are you?” He began to push her to tell him the truth. Kaila knew there was no way out of it now….She might have to just flat out tell him where she's REALLY been, but she tried to keep as quiet as she could for the time being.

“What is there to lie about? I told you there's nothing going on! I've just been sleepwalking-“

“Stop it with that bullshit lie! People don't sleepwalk and go missing Kaila!!!” Tomomi raised his voice and start to get a little mad that Kaila was concealing the truth from him.

Kaila was taken aback by this and even gave him a rather startled look. “I…. –sigh- look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. But for god's sakes Kaila, just tell me where you've been. I'm your best friend, whatever happened to “You can tell me anything.” Huh?” He then put his hand on hers and re-assured her that he could.

“Please….i'm just concerned! Everyone is! You go places without calling or even telling your mother. Mom calls me in the wee hours of the night looking for you. This is serious Kaila, you might be alive and well, but if you go missing several times….what if there comes a time where you won't come back if you go missing again?” Tomomi's words struck a chord with her this time. She grew silent and scared….she didn't know whether she should continue lying, or if she should just tell him the truth….

“I won't be the one who lets you off the hook and then loses you for it. So please just tell me already! …..I mean…..don't you trust me?” He begs the question.

Kaila simply got up from her seat and decided…..that it was finally time for her to leave. “I trust you with my life……..” She then started walking away, as the silent shadows fell over her face, you could see visible tears fall down while she walked away without a word.

“Kaila? ….Where are you going?! Hey! Don't walk away from me!!! …..HEY!!!!” Kaila then started running away from him and grimaced the entire time, afraid to give him the true answer.

Tomomi snapped his fingers and couldn't believe what Kaila had done…..why wouldn't his best friend tell him tell him the truth?

“Kaila….why?”

.: TO BE CONTINUED :.