SK here once again with yet another requested fic. This one was ideas from both Silver Angel Mako, and Tess. This is the third, and final, instalment of “Star Crossed.” Mako had suggested a plot line that took two fics to fill, and Tess suggested I bring in Seisen and write from his perspective. Some of it will be from his first person, others will be normal third-person style. The second scene, in the room, was based on a real life event, so if anyone has questions, email. It’s important that you read “Toujours” before you read this fic. Otherwise, you won’t understand it. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank my friend Eni, the human encyclopedia, for proof reading just about ALL my fics. As always, I’m open to comments and so on at Saturn_Knight@hotmail.com	

 

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 “Bless this soul away. Please lovin’ sister, don’t show me no pain...

 Just turn up the joy on this dyin’ boy....

 Funny how the good ones always seem to destroy...”

 

 

 “Some Rise by Sin : Silent Knight”

 

 

 A story... What makes a good story? Well... define what makes up a story? It’s a collection of events told by someone of a happening, either true or made up, that has characters with endearing human-like qualities. Be they the ancient Roman or Greek gods who represented the different aspects of the human civilization, or even the comic books you come across with their cast of various, but still remarkably emotion-evoking, characters. Still, what makes a story more likable is what happens within the plot, and how it makes us feel. People vary on what they like to feel extrapolate from a story. Some like drama, some like comedy, some like to know that someone else feels the same pain and despair they feel. But, regardless of what the story is about, there’s only one real facet of what makes a tale good. It may make you happy, sad, angry, laugh or even cry. There is no wrong way to react to a story. That’s what makes them so important to the daily lives of people. Everything is a story. The way you lost your book, or broke your favorite CD, or even the way you loved and won, or loved and lost.

 The human mind wasn’t built to remember every single nuance of the make up of the world. Humans often forget the things that weren’t important. That’s where the whole aspect of the story comes into play. We remember, and look back fondly on the times were we were happy, smile at the way your lover’s eyes twinkled when you stared into them after your first kiss; even the way you were too excited to sleep due to the promise of Christmas morning’s bounty. 

 Then there are the bad times. I’m not going to get into them, since you know exactly what I’m speaking of. The times we’d rather not remember at all are always the things we remember best.

 Anyhow, you’re probably wondering who I am, and why I’m telling you all of this. I have the distinct feeling we’ve met before, and that you have me at a disadvantage. 

 I am Seisen. And this is one of my stories.

 

 

 	As the final rays of the sun stroked it’s warm hand over the earth below, a comforting caress to the people of Tokyo, promising the night will not reign forever, I stood atop the church’s tallest tower looking down at the city below. So many people scurried about, their minds no doubt wrestling with the joy of the season, and the misery it causes. Christmas was right around the corner once more, bringing families together in warmth and good tidings. Singing carols, decorating the tree, screaming at one another, fighting, crying, and wondering why this happens every time while basking in a little too much 80 proof Christmas cheer...

 

 	I suppose it’s to be expected. Humans are by nature flawed. It’s what makes them seek out each other to find someone that completes the areas they are missing. Some are lucky enough to find that one person, others spend their entire lives looking. While even more try to force-fit a reluctant match, all the while denying the inevitable realization that the mold isn’t defective, it’s the material. That is what Christmas is all about. That, and the presents. Children are said to benefit most from this holiday, while they are often the ones most scarred when the promise of happiness goes unfulfilled. 

 	Anyway, I’ve gone off topic...

 	The horizon was beginning to bend it’s knee to the oncoming darkness, the bravest of the stars shimmering despite the vain attempt of the light to continue its comfort until its last. The time that is not quite night, but not quite day, the few minutes in which both exist in perfect symbiosis. My time of day. I began down the numerous steps of the now antiquated steeple tower, pigeons being the only life that the old building had seen in some time. The structure itself seemed grateful for a presence, the door to the sacristy opening by the wind as if to welcome me into it’s care.

 	But, I would not be staying long. It knew that when the day takes its leave, I do the same. The sky began to rumble uneasily, the moisture-swollen clouds unable to maintain their holds for very much longer, giving the warning of rain. Or snow. I much preferred either to the dryness. As the first of the precipitation began to fall onto the hollowed grounds around me, I pulled on my mask, tying the thin straps behind my head as my thoughts once more were on the girl. It had been some time since I could work up the courage to see her, instead spending my nights on a thankless, anonymous patrol to eliminate potential dangers...not because I wished to keep the people safe, but because of what they say about idle hands.

 	My weapons came next, as well as my equipment that some may consider cybernetic, secured around my body and locked into place, though this night they were more for peace of mind than aggressive action. I was going to go see her. 

 

 	The trip to her home was uneventful. The rain had turned to a slush that was quickly becoming hazardous to the drivers that were either too busy, too desperate, or too foolish to stay in the safety of their homes. No one paid attention to a man in a long coat and mask. I looked up at the tree that had become my preferred perch when I dared venture into her world, and with a quick leap I was steadying myself on the limb nearest to her window, keeping myself in the shadows long enough to focus and slip, full body, into the astral plane before walking along the branch and into her room. 

 	Cowardice it may have been, but I chose to make myself unseen rather than to introduce myself to her, knowing that doing so would not only bring suspicion my way, but most likely the full fury of the Senshi against which I stood no chance of survival. I would bring myself to her attention when the time was right. Or so I kept telling myself.

 	She sat at a desk, her brow furrowed deeply in thought while she chewed the end of a pencil, mulling over a rather advanced looking book. The light of the room was provided by a series of strategically-placed lamps, rather than a single, harsh source, though there was a bulb in the fixture. It fit her personality. She had the ability to blind the world with her power, but instead held back for the benefit of peace and tranquillity. The girl was deep in thought; not even the tapping of the freezing rain against the single window distracted her. That is, until a bright flash of lightning struck just beyond the block, illuminating the night. The force of the blast rattled the house as a fierce roar sounded. The darkness quickly recovered, though it was now filled with the startled wail of car alarms that had been shocked into action.

 	She jumped, as did I, surprised by Mother Nature as she tested to see who was on their toes. Her right hand went to the left side of her chest, just over her heart which was no doubt running by leaps and bounds if it was anything like mine. She only recently was able to remove the sling, though the brace remained. I recovered much more quickly than she, who was starting to tax for breath. Her hand clutched at the black sweater that covered her upper body, violet eyes darting around the immediate area most likely for a rescue inhaler. I hesitated, very much concerned, but waiting to see if my assistance was indeed needed before I intervened. The girl’s free hand pulled open the two drawers of the desk, which I noticed were very neatly organized supplies for art, writing, school work, and amusement activities, but there was no inhaler to be seen. It was across the room on her night stand, and she was too preoccupied in her desperate search to see it.

 	I took advantage of her distraction and, risking becoming visible to her for a few seconds, picked up the inhaler and rolled it along the floor, hoping that it would appear to have fallen out of a drawer. She was very sensitive to the change in energy of the room, and cast a glance in the direction I stood, a second after I managed to slip back into the astral plane. Fortunately, the girl spotted the inhaler on the ground and I was forgotten. 

 	She leaned down, a little wobbly, and plucked the small plastic tube from the floor, opening and manipulating the medicine’s container with a practiced hand. Soon, she was inhaling the powder-like spray and holding her breath, as well as closing her eyes, waiting for the fast-acting agent to take affect. I could do nothing but watch her. It may have been a relatively minor event for most, but you must understand that she is the only person I’ve ever felt any kind of connection to. I’ve seen her sick, certainly, but it was never something so immediately dangerous. I can’t describe the feeling of helplessness as I paced at the foot of her bed, watching her intently for any sign of trouble or relief, and was very much at ease when I saw the latter. I sat down at the edge of her bed and put my head in my hands. I was.... shaking?

 										

 ***

 

 

 

 	The sudden roar of thunder struck the studying girl off-guard. She jumped in her chair, one of her hands clenching on the already-chewed pencil hard enough to make a small crack in the wood. The shock caused her breath to leave her, tightness replacing it in her chest. She knew an asthma attack was coming. She sighed. They had been happening a lot lately, as the drought had dried out everything, only to have it supersaturated by the sudden downpour and raise the humidity high enough to trigger asthmatic episodes. 

 	Her eyes casually looked about her, her breathing becoming slightly thick, making her put a little more effort into respiration but she was nowhere near danger. Not finding what she was looking for, the pencil was set down and she paused to draw her dark onyx hair behind her ears before her slender hand extended to grasp the small, brass drawer knob and give it a soft tug to draw it open. Then moving into the interior of the open drawer, her fingers moved deftly over the supplies inside, bringing pens, pencils and other things to one side to give herself view beneath them only to hear something hitting the floor as she got the sudden, powerful feeling of someone watching her. She could sense the shift of energy in the room and quickly turned to glance behind her, but saw only another flash of lightning followed by the inevitable growl from the sky. 

 	She guessed was just her imagination; maybe she was studying too hard, or too tired, or maybe her slightly taxing aspiration made her mind play tricks on her. It didn’t matter. Hotaru gave another quiet sigh as she opened the mouthpiece of the medication, and drew it to her lips. After pressing the canister and taking a deep breath, she leaned back in her chair, taking another look around the room as she heard a soft rustling near the foot of her bed. Though a rattle of the window as a gust of wind hit the side of the house made her question if she had a draft somewhere. She’d have to take a look later to be sure. Another breath of the pressured albuterol and she closed the cap on it, slipping it into the still-open drawer and shutting it with her elbow as she stood up. 

 	Soft pops and cracks were heard from a few stiff joints, a slight wince coming from Hotaru as she gave her entire body a long, well needed stretch just as a voice came from downstairs, “Dinner time, little girl!” Michiru called from the foot of the steps, walking back to the kitchen without expecting an answer. 

 	Giving a last look around the room, Hotaru shook her head once to dismiss the thought of something, or someone, being in her room, and chalk it up to fatigue. She walked the few paces to her door and pulled it open, the slight temperature difference between the warmth of her room and the chill of the unheated hall struck her immediately, and she hurried down the steps to get to the table before she was called again. 

 	Seisen’s eyes followed her, his reaction to her very minor episode a little much. He didn’t know how to deal with the idea of people he maybe cared about being in danger.

 

 

 ****

 

 	There were four of us in the dining room. Michiru and Haruka sat at opposing ends of the elegant wooden table, it’s fine grain polished with a laquer finish. Hotaru sat opposite of where I stood, all of them eating while carrying on a conversation about the previous day’s race, which Haruka had, of course, won with great ease. The two older Senshi did most of the talking, Hotaru simply listened and gave a nod here and there, very rarely offering a one or two word reply to her parents’ conversation. If it were anyone else, some might be concerned that something was wrong with the child, though with Hotaru, it was to be expected that she had very little to say. No one thought a thing about her silence, as there was no reason for concern. 

 	“We haven’t heard from them in a while...” I hadn’t been listening to them really until that point; my attention had drifted out the window to the storm’s increasing power. Perhaps I was thinking too much into things, but I had always wondered about the rain and about nature herself. Kind and cruel at once. The rain came down in near-frozen sheets; it’s force causing the soaked ground to flood, turning the yard before me into a frozen swampland. Watching a colony of ants struggling in vain to escape the frigid deluge before it swallowed them up. 

 	Nature ended their time on earth, and who knows how many others that I did not witness, though the same water that took their lives provides others with life. The sacrifice of the few for the good of many. I shook my head, clearing it, not wanting to distract myself from something potentially important that’s being passed from one of the lovers to the other. 

 	“I’m starting to wonder if no news is good news,” Michiru spoke aloud, her elegant manner of speech and movement seemed so effortless, something not lost on those who enjoyed her music. Thin, nimble fingers set down the pair of mock-ivory chopsticks, ends facing left, on the small, sea-green rest that sat just to the side of her wine glass which was picked up. “But I’m never quite sure what to expect from them.” It was understood that they were talking of the Inner Senshi, and their apparent lack of communication with the Outers. After Michiru took a careful sip from her wine and set it back on the table, one of her fingers reached up to trace a slow circle around the rim of the crystal glass. “Then again, something may be wrong...” The two women gave a quiet look at each other before Michi’s eyes returned down to look at her glass. 

 	My gaze moved from one to the other, mirrored by the girl’s eyes who did the same serve and return as they spoke, listening well to the tone of their voices for a glimpse of their thoughts. With a purse of her lips and a comforting smile, one of Haruka’s hands extended across the small length of the table, sliding along it’s mirror-like surface until it reached her love’s, locking together as if they were made to fit each other. And maybe so. 

 	Just as the blonde was going to reply to the woman across the table, the hair stood up on the back of my neck... Something was coming.  Straightening my back, my eyes darted about the room, scanning hurriedly to find what was amiss.  Instinctively, my hand reached up for my weapon and my fingers curled around the ebony hilt, ready to draw. I had hoped to avoid combat, but I would protect them with my life... even if I couldn’t bring myself to even allow her to see me, I would not allow harm to come to her, or the others, as long as there was life in my body. It would do no good, however. 

 	It was an electrical charge. The lights began to flicker sharply before completely shutting off, the bolt of lightning that caused the whole ordeal striking it’s glistening blades into the large tree in front of the home, my perch, as the house around us began to groan and violently shudder from the massive shock of thunder that followed the sky’s assault on the tree. Having been prepared for some kind of attack, albeit not from Nature again, I was less shocked than the other three. The girl bore the brunt of that, she not having been expecting something as her parents may have been.

 	They immediately began asking each other if any harm had come to them, they were all ok, save for the slowly passing fright. The complete darkness, as any streetlights had been overloaded due to the severe stress on the power grid, prevented them from quickly locating a flashlight or other form of light not dependant on the electric system. This cover allowed me to once more be of assistance to the girl, and her family this time, and as I knew where the flashlights were kept I headed towards that part of the kitchen while still in the plane of the spirit walkers.

 	“I guess we wait until the power comes back on?” Haruka said aloud as she blindly picked up her glass, not so much as spilling a drop of the wine in the process. “Maybe tell a few ghost stories.” Michi laughed softly at the suggestion, smiling into the darkness while my hand reached to touch the side of my head and push my eye-piece into position as I slipped into the physical, tangible world. 

 	It activated automatically, giving my right eye a view of a jade world. Everything was various shades of green, though it allowed me to see in the darkness as I made my way toward the corner cabinet to retrieve a light. Taking the light from the shelf was quite easy, as there were no lights to reveal me, and since they were all recovering from the mild fright of the sudden lightning strike, it was doubtful they could feel my presence. 

 	Giving them the light was going to be more challenging. I could not just walk up to the table and set it down, and dropping it would not be wise as the light may be damaged, or the girl may tell them something similar happened with her medicine. A flash of lightning again provided a brief source of light in the darkness, and as the thunder sounded, I opened the pantry door and slid inside to wait for the next strike. 	

 	It didn’t take long before I saw the familiar bright flash, then heard, and felt, the growl of thunder that always followed. This time, I set the flashlight down right in the middle of the front shelf, making it impossible to miss, then pushed a can off one of the lower shelves just before the house ceased it’s shaking. Crude as it may have been, and greatly uninspired, at least it would be effective. 

 	Not wanting to waste time, I immediately returned to the spirit’s realm as I heard footsteps carefully approaching the door, most likely from fear of tripping over something rather than of what may be lurking in the pantry. Just as the door opened, another, very conveniently timed, flash lit the sky and made the large Maglight visible. Haruka blinked quickly at the sight of the metal bodied light sitting in such easy view, as well as a can of tomato sauce laying on the floor. 

 	“Well, here’s the light...” She spoke over her shoulder giving it look over before shaking her head , apparently not too concerned that it wasn’t where it should have been. Not everyone puts everything back in the ‘right’ place. Shrugging, she pressed the small black button, causing the light to shine through the kitchen as she returned to the table with the other two. I decided to go take a look outside, there may be a way to repair the damage without having to wait for a crew to arrive. 

 

 ***

 

 	“What would you like to do as we wait?” Michiru asked her lover and her daughter, getting a quiet shrug out of the two. “No suggestions at all? Maybe a board game? Cards? Or we can just talk?” That gave Haruka an idea, both she and Michiru had been tiptoeing around Hotaru’s injury, never directly asking her and she never volunteered information. Both the older Senshi had discussed it in private, after Hotaru had gone to sleep or when she had gone to visit Chibi-Usa, whom she had been seeing quite a lot of lately. 			

 	“Hotaru, can I ask you something?” Haruka’s question caught both of the others off guard, neither having expected those words, though as soon as she heard them Michiru knew exactly what she was going to ask. After an uncertain nod to her ‘father’, Hotaru caught her eyes on her braced hand and she too knew what was coming. “How did you injure your hand? You never really told us...”

 	Hotaru squirmed lightly in her chair, not knowing exactly how what she was going to tell them, and how much. If she told them everything, she didn’t know how they would react. On one hand, they may be happy and supportive that their daughter found someone to love, and that makes her happy. But, there were a lot of things they could be, and rightly so, concerned with. 

 	They were both young, granted, which was something that Hotaru thought about quite often, but she couldn’t help how she felt. There was no denying her feelings, she tried that, it only led them to become bottled up and burst forth, injuring her in the process. She might be able to explain their age away, after all some people marry their kindergarten crushes. 

 	Next, came the fact they were both female. They may think that she is taking after them, or that she didn’t know better. Maybe the older Senshi didn’t want Hotaru to experience the same trails and tribulations that they had to endure. The points, the stares, the laughs... but then, that helped shape them into the strong women they were today. An argument she was fully prepared to use against them. 

 	After stalling in silence for a few moments, Haruka’s insistent eyes on Hotaru’s averting gaze drew a long, controlled breath from the younger girl. “Well...” With a last fidget, she just decided to spill everything out. There was no use hiding it, she knew everyone would find out sooner or later, and if they knew she had kept it from them...

 	“It... it’s a long story...” Hotaru looked down at the table, her left hand making random patterns along its surface as the other two gave a glance to each other. Any statement beginning with those words can not be good. It’s the equivalent to a relationship’s ‘We need to talk...’

 	“Go on, sweety.” Michi encouraged her daughter, a hand outstretching to settle on the upper forearm on Hotaru’s right, just above where the black brace ended. Inwardly, Michiru was readying herself for awful news of her beloved child’s blackouts returning, or someone being hurt and she not remembering it, leaving herself injured in the process.

 	“Well.... Me and Chibi-Usa are good friends... and..” The hand that had been tracing along the table was taken by Haruka, a light squeeze showing that no matter what it was, they were there for her. “We were at the park, and it was cold out... and I didn’t have my jacket...” With two of her parents trying their best to comfort and show their support for her, she felt a little better about telling them. “I.. Kinda fell asleep while Chibi-Usa was hugging me...” It was nothing new the two girls often exchanged gestures of affection, and often her parents joked privately about the two of them looking like a couple. They exchanged a glance before looking back at Hotaru.

 	“And... when I woke up, I said I was sorry for falling asleep, and Chibi got a little upset because she thought I was sorry I fell asleep on her, and I was scared that she was mad at me because I did...” She paused, licking her lips nervously, the next few sentence put all the cards on the table, “She started talking about Helios... and every time I hear about him, I just get so jealous... and I never knew why for a while, and she kept talking about the wedding and the honeymoon... and I just couldn’t take it and I hit my hand into the ground... I didn’t know I was doing it....” Hotaru’s head lowered and her eyes averted to the floor, waiting for some kind of response.

 	That was quite possibly the most either of the two older Senshi had ever heard Hotaru say at once. It surprised both of them not only in its length, but what she had spoken. Why was she jealous? Haruka was about to ask something, but Hotaru began speaking again without looking up.

 	“And... Chibi-Usa asked me why I was upset... and I said because that she liked Helios better than me, and she asked why I was jealous... and...”  This was it. Biting her bottom lip, she lay herself vulnerable and open for whatever slings and arrows may follow, “And I told her it was because..... I was.... I was in love with her...” 

 	Silence...one could hear the angel’s tears dropping onto the roof and tapping against the window, but nothing more. What could they say to that? Their daughter was in love.... with another girl. The older Senshi looked at each other again, both still speechless as they tried to sort out their feelings. The quiet was getting to be too much to handle. Hotaru wished that they would say something, even yell at her, but the silence was just unbearable.  Lucky for everyone, Haruka managed to speak finally. 

 	“Are... are you sure of your feelings, Hotaru? Are you certain that it’s not just that she’s your on– your best friend.” She had to stop herself from saying that Chibi-Usa was Hotaru’s only friend, though it was basically true. Hotaru didn’t seem to be upset about it at all, she knew that she was very unpopular. It would have bothered her before a little, but now that her best and only friend has become something much more, she was happy.

 	“I’m sure, Haruka-papa... I’ve never been more sure about anything. I thought about it lots, and I tried to picture life without her... and...” Hotaru wasn’t able to finish the thought, her head having started to shake ‘no’ on it’s own.  “Are you... mad..?”

 	“No, of course we’re not mad at you honey.” Michiru assured her daughter, one of her slender, violinist’s hand raising to draw through Hotaru’s smooth raven hair. “We’re just.... concerned that what you feel may not be love, or that you are just taking after your father and I because you may think that is the ‘correct’ way. We also don’t want you to have to go through what we went through when we realized we were...” She had never really used any words that would refer to her lesbianism, to them it was just natural as breathing. It’s not like heterosexual couples sit and talk about being straight. Why would they discuss being gay?  “When we finally knew that we were, undeniably, lesbian.” They both looked at Hotaru to see if she would understand the word.

 	“That means... a girl that likes girls and not boys, right?” The violet eyed girl asked her parents, getting a nod from each of them in reply, “Then... then I know I am a lesbian...like you are...” She wouldn’t let her parents cut in when they had a reply for her, something which surprised them both. “I love her... more than I can even explain or anything... the thought of her marrying Helios just... I felt like my insides were being torn apart and my heart was being crushed...” Hotaru spoke with her hands on her chest, trying to keep it from splitting. She needed her parents to understand that this wasn’t just a crush, and it wasn’t even something she could help if she wanted to. Her heart wouldn’t listen to reason, it would not ever change, it was set on loving Chibi-Usa, even after it had ceased to beat. 

 	This left both of her parents again without words. What could they say to that? No? How could they tell their daughter that what she felt was wrong when they had no idea that she felt so strongly, or that she even could love so surely. Any denial of her desire to see, and be Chibi-Usa’s girlfriend would only result in alienating Hotaru, and bringing strong feelings of resentment. Acceptance would bring Hotaru and her parents closer together, and allow her to be happy. If the others, especially Usagi could except it.  She had enough trouble finding out Haruka was a woman, how could she handle the fact her daughter was gay, or at the very least bisexual? All three of them knew that it was going to be like pulling teeth.

 	“You seem quite... certain of your feelings, Hotaru.” Michiru said softly as she lowered her velvet fingered hand to slide down her daughter’s face and cup her cheek. “Then we’re happy for you that you have found someone to love.” Haruka gave her nod of approval to the words of her lover, even though she had a few reservations about all of this, she had very little in the way of choice. Besides, it wasn’t her place to tell Hotaru who she can and cannot love. Fate does all of that on it’s own. There is no resisting.

 

 	Chibi’s conversation with Usagi about her feelings didn’t go quite so well. Then again, it wasn’t quite so much a conversation as a fight. She had been caught writing a letter to Hotaru on the computer, with Usagi reading over her shoulder, and as soon as she typed that she was glad they were a couple now, the blonde exploded. There was no denying it. She was caught red handed. It was a blur of arguing, screaming, yelling, finally ending with Chibi running from the house in tears as Usagi was inflexible on her position. She wanted Chibi-Usa to be with Helios, and that is the only relationship she would accept. But then, she still thought she had a choice. 												

 

 ***

 	It was nearly nine before the power had been restored to the block. I was unable make any repairs, as the transformer itself had taken a hit and exploded. I returned to the home about half an hour before, and since the three were talking in the kitchen, I let them have their privacy. I had work to do anyhow. 

 	The tree that had been struck by a bolt of lightning was very unstable, and the icy winds that blew through it’s charred branches created enough drag to eventually make it tumble. Right into the house and the windows. I had planned on getting some rope to tie around the strongest part of the tree then pull it in the opposite direction, hopefully getting it to fall into the street where the house, and it’s occupants, would be safe. I was about to set off to find some rope when two sounds caught my ear. 

 	One was of two feet rapidly splashing up the sidewalk from the east, coming towards my location, the other was of the tree starting to creak and groan. It was about to fall. I had no choice but to act very soon, or one of the tree’s branches would have fallen directly into the window. Waiting in the shadows, wanting whoever was foolish enough to be out to run by, or at least leave eyeshot of me. They did exactly the opposite at the worst possible time. 

 	The running stranger was the girl’s friend, the one with the pink hair, which was soaked through, that came hurrying up the walkway to the house. And directly under the tree. The coatless girl tripped over her own feet as she made it halfway up the cement pathway and landed with a loud yelp before she called out, screamed was more appropriate, for Hotaru for help. At first, I thought she had injured her foot, though she quickly stood again. But as the others inside came to the door, a large gust surged through and gave one of the old tree’s branches push it needed to send it toppling over just as the girl ran out to help her friend. 

 	It was going to fall on them.				

 	Her parents yelled at them to return quickly, or to at least get out of the way, but there was not enough time for the two to scurry out of the path. I had no choice. With a thought, I returned my body to the physical realm, sword drawn,  my back facing the girls who stood frozen behind me. Blade in hand, my body left the ground in a leap, the sharpened edge of the cold metal easily slashing the thick wooden branch into two pieces that fell away safely onto the ground on either side of me. 

 	As I landed, Michiru and Haruka were pulling the girls away from me and pushing them up the steps, telling them to go inside. I turned to face the two women, sheathing my sword on my back as they stood defensively, though thankfully they did not attack. I could see the two girls behind, huddled together, checking each other over for injury before turning their attention to me as I stood in the pouring rain, the wind blowing the ribbons of my mask.  

 	I had been too preoccupied with watching the two older women who appeared to be sizing me up, perhaps considering if I was a threat, why I was there, and just who I was, to know the tree behind me was again starting to fall. This time on me.

 	“Behind you!” Both the girl and her girlfriend had shouted in unison, giving me just enough time to roll out of the way as the tree slammed into the ground where I had stood. Using my hands to vault up onto my feet, I skidded to a stop about five feet away from where I had been, and a good few yards from the women at the doorway. This time, the girls saved my life.

 	“Who are you, and what do you want?” Haruka shouted over the rain and howling wind as I stood at the base of the driveway, drenched.

 	“I am Seisen...” I replied turning my head away from them to look up the road, anywhere but at them. I wasn’t very good at speaking to adults... “I don’t.... want anything.... are they ok?” My head nodded to the direction of the two inside the house. Haruka furrowed her brow at the question, and both turned to look over at the girls who nodded their answer.

 	“Yeah. They’re fine. Why do you a...” Haruka returned her gaze to where I had stood, but I was no longer in the plane that was visible to them. “Ask...” The last word of her question was spoken quietly as she realized I was gone. And gone I would stay for some time.