CHAPTER FIVE 1/2
                         THE END OF THE NIGHT                          

                        "And so it happened..."

 “Feeling better?”
 The voice came out of the blue for Arashi, and she spun about,
searching for the person.  Once again, though, she reminded
herself that the only threats in this castle were invisible, and
looking with the eyes was idiotic.
 Besides, judging from the look on Hiko's face, the words were
not meant for her.  Though they had found her a fine dress of
purple, she still persisted in wearing that gray jacket edged
with red.
 “Much drier,” she replied.  “Thank you for your concerns, and
you...jacket.”  She cast about for him, finding his figure in a
matter of seconds.  “Would you like it back now?”
 “As I said before, I have many such jackets.  Keep it, Lady,” he
replied, the quasi-tender voice of Jade.  She wondered if this
apparent act of kindness was honestly kindness, or something more
dangerous.  Despite the good nature of these men, she still held
her reservations about them; it was her way.  It helped, of
course, that she knew where they were despite their invisibility. 
It was kinethstetics, spacial relationships--knowing by her
fighting senses where someone was at all times.  She had wondered
why her teachers had spent so much time on it, though now she was
grateful, almost relieved, that she had perfected them.
 “Again, thank you,” the woman replied quietly, and Arashi felt a
grim look come over her face. <Trouble,> gritted out one thought,
but before she could think on it more, they came to the
infirmary.
 Naosu's annoyance at their presence was clear once they stepped
into the room; his scowl could almost be heard.  “You should go
wait,” he snapped at them, a compress moving onto Aiko's head.
 “We don't have the time,” she replied shortly.  “The Princess
has gone missing, as you know, and we need all available people
to search for her.”
 There were a few moments of silence, and Hiko caught her eye. 
She seemed to be trying to shut her up, but Arashi didn't really
care.  This was the Princess of the Moon, their Princess, and
she'd be damned if she was going to let something happen to her. 
 “Our Prince has gone after her,” Jade said slowly.  “I think he
wished to undertake this alone.”
 “That's as foolish as Serin going alone,” she snapped back.
 “Yes, but...” Jade started, then stopped.  The compress moved
again, to dip into a darker fluid, be wrung out, and placed once
more.  Aiko stirred faintly, trembling, and then went still.  “We
have to stay concerned with what's here,” came his voice again,
softer.
 She felt her conviction tremble a bit, especially at Aiko's
looks.  She moved closer, fist tightening; finally, she said, ”We
have to help her.”
 “Yes, we have to help her.  And her.”  This from Naosu, and she
could feel his stare.  “But we don't need to do something that
the Prince has taken care of.  He is a hunter, and he has taken
Qu'r.  If that pair cannot find her, then no one can.”
 “What is Qu'r?” she demanded.
 “One of the Prince's gifts, m'lady,” Jade replied.  “The story
is long, but the point is she is magical, and adapted to
searching.”  He stopped, and they watched a few of Aiko's hairs
move away from her forehead, the compress shifting. “They will
find your Serin.”
 “Hiko...” she pleaded, turning to her friend.  Yet she held her
hand up to stop her.
 “The gentlemen speak true, and with knowledge that we do not
have.”  Her eyes were fixed on Aiko's table.  “It would be best
not to go against them.”
 She nodded, teeth and fists clenching.  “Then I shall have
to...” she began, turning to walk out of the room.
 “Oh no you don't!” came a resounding voice from the doorway.”
 “Wha...”
 Two presences came into the room, flanking her and Hiko.  She
turned towards it, but Hiko touched her arm.  “Kishi and Ryu,”
she said.
 “How...” she started, but Naosu's voice cut her off again.
 “Where have you been?”
 “We tried to follow our liege, but he...wishes to go by
himself,” Kishi said, and she could feel him look to her.  The
final nail hit home on her argument, and she sagged ever so
slightly before catching herself.
 “How...how are they?” Ryu asked, voice soft.
 “Well, that's the golden question that I've been waiting for,”
Naosu snapped.  A bottle moved closer to them, and he answered,
"Aiko is in shock, obviously--plus, she has lacerations and
bruises on her arms, shoulders, and chest.  As well, there were
some head problems."
 "What?" Jade asked, fingers in her hair.  Arashi was no sure at
his concern; she seemed peaceful enough, her head the only thing
showing beneath the dark blanket, a snip of hospital gown above
that.
 "If you'd hold on for a minute, I will tell all," Naosu snapped
again.  "She has a mild concussion, as well as some cuts to her
scalp.  However, it is Kiri," his voice seemed to change at the
sound of her name, "that interests me." 
 Arashi and Hiko exchanged glances, and both moved closer to her. 
She lay on a table a little further from Aiko, and was pale, pale
as foam, a blanket of green-gray over her form.  Her lips
trembled with every slow breath she took, her skin was cold to
the touch as she felt her forehead.  Hiko took her hand, and a
startled look came into her eyes.
 "Why?" Arashi asked.
 "I...I am not sure.  She seems completely unaffected by the cold
water, but her body temperature is low, and there are signs of
great fatigue," he replied, voice careful.  "In fact, I am still
unsure as to why she even fainted in the water." 
 "She is fragile," Arashi admitted.  
 "Is she?" he asked.  "If she is tough enough to swim the Rush,
she is anything but fragile."
 "Have you warmed her internally?" Hiko asked.  "Given her any
teas?"
 "Another versed in herbs, eh?" he asked, still apparently moving
over Aiko.  "I have started the water bubbling, but Aiko's care
has taken up much of my time."  A pause.  "As well as this
intrusion into my infirmary."
 "We shall take care of Kiri, and you and the others can attend
to Aiko," Arashi said bluntly.
 "Are you saying I cannot take good enough care of your Lady
Kiri?  Am I not well trained enough?" 
 She felt a reply about to slip out, but Hiko quietly said,
"Forgive the Lady Arashi, Lord Naosu.  She means no disrespect to
your skills, but is just eager to help Kiri.  As well, it would
allow you to tend fully to Aiko...which would clear your
infirmary."
 She thought she could hear him blink, the air was so quiet;
finally, he said, "Well said, Lady.  Well said."  The bottle
moved.  "Tend to your friend, and I will see to Aiko."
 "Thank you, Naosu," she replied, and the bottle moved away. 
Hiko's deep purple eyes turned to Arashi, and she added, "And
that, my friend, is tact."
 "You and Aiko have the silver tongues; I much prefer to hold
steel," she replied.  Her voice dropped, and she added, "Now,
what is wrong with Kiri?" 
 "Her...her ki," she said softly.  "It's...very low."
 "Infusion?" she asked quickly.
 "I dare not.  The /Kage/..."
 She nodded briskly, and then turned and pulled up a chair. 
Positioning herself next to Kiri, she rolled up her sleeve,
emerald eyes giving Hiko a "don't argue" look.
 "I'll get the tea ready then," she said.  "Be careful."
 "I am always in control," she replied calmly, rubbing her hand
across the exposed skin to warm it, increasing blood flow.  When
warm to her satisfaction, ,she reached up and took Kiri's hand. 
The cool, near lifelessness of it shocked her, and she massaged
her hand within her grip to warm it.  There was very little
response, and her brow furrowed in worry.
 <Gotta do it,> she thought, forcing all from her mind.  A quick
glance about revealed that nobody's attention seemed to be on
her; she felt about her, and there again seemed to be no one. 
Focusing her attention back on Kiri, she took a breath, tightened
her grip, and punched open the point on her right arm.
 The energy immediately began to flow, and flow fast, to Kiri. 
She felt her extremities cool quickly, and soon wished she wore a
thicker dress.  Yet, only she could truly give to her, for they
were semi-compatible ki type.  Electricity and water were
compatible, as were electricity and fire; Aiko sat in the
toughest spot, since technically she could not interface
compatibly with anyone but Serin.  Hiko could force a bridge, but
it would only supply a rudiment, and not enough to revive a
person.  Plus, the process was painful...
 She felt her eyelids begin to droop, and alarm spread through
her.  She pressed her thumb against the point, and slowly made a
circle.  At the same time, she began to let go of Kiri's hand.
 The woman gripped her hand tighter, and /drew./
 Arashi nearly tumbled out of her seat, and it was only her sheer
strength that kept her conscious.  She looked about feverishly
for Hiko, yet it seemed that every movement she made was twenty
times as slow as she made it.  She could almost see traces, the
patterns of the moving people in the room...people...
 A hand pressed upon her then, and she looked towards it.  Her
eyes widened as she looked up into flickering brown eyes.  They
were all she could see, and the look of shock within mirrored her
outer feelings.
 She felt her body sag, and she lifted her hand--their hands--
up.  It looked pale, too pale for her, and fear swept over her. 
She gritted her teeth, and then used her strength to reach over
and punch the point closed.
 The world slowly cleared into focus, and she found herself
halfway hunched over, hands still gripped tight.  Immediately she
pulled away, rubbing at her clammy skin and shivering.  Her
fingers and toes were chilled, and a course of violent shivers
wracked her form as she pushed down her sleeve.
 "Here, have this," said a voice, and a cup was pushed into her
hand.
 "Thank you, Hiko," she replied, taking a sip.
 "For what?" asked the woman, looking up from where she was
stirring a broth for Kiri.
 "Didn't you...YOU!" she said, trying to look over and up at the
saucer that hung in the air.  "Which..?"
 "Kishi, Lady," he replied quietly.  "I've been watching you."
 "With brown eyes?" she asked quietly, taking up her teacup.
 "What did you say?" he asked, voice low and hoarse.  
 She took a sip, and then heard a gasp.  Quickly she turned
again, tea sloshing in her cup.  Hiko was smiling, not her usual
slight smile, but the really full smile of happiness.  She rose
to her feet, cupping her tea cup, and looked down upon Kiri's
opening eyes.
 Despite herself, she, too, smiled.
 At that moment, Jade exclaimed, "Good evening, sunshine!"
 "Aiko's up," Hiko said, voice soft and dark.
 "And so is Kiri," Naosu said, coming over with a towel.  "Well
done, Ladies.  You have to tell me how you brought her back so
fast."  Abruptly, he took the broth from Hiko, and pointed the
dripping spoon at her.  "But later--later!  They're both up now,
and I intend to keep them that way."
 "Are you..."
 "Get out," he said plainly, a sneer in his voice.  "You too,
Kishi."
 "As you say, Lord Naosu," Arashi bowed, moving away.  She smiled
at Hiko, eyes saying, "Okay, occasional tact."  Hiko almost
smiled in reply, and moved with her; the saucer also followed. 
They went up the passageway until they reached the waiting room
where Kishi abruptly said, "Lady Arashi, a word."
 "It'll take more than that, and you'd better have a club just in
case," Hiko replied dryly.
 "Especially if you want to convince me of something," Arashi
added matter-o'-factly.
 "I will take my chances," he replied.  "Lady?"  He gestured with
the saucer, and she walked in.  Taking a slug of tea from the
sip, she found a seat on one of the wicker couches.
 "So," she said, swallowing.  Immediate warmth filled her, and
strength fired her veins.  "What is this?"
 "One of Naosu's more potent tonics, good for when one has
depleted their physical strength...or ki," replied the saucer,
still standing.
 She bit her lip.  "You knew."  No question, just a statement of
fact.
 "I don't think even Ryu would've noticed it--your transfers are
so much less strong than ours," he replied.  "However, I wanted
to talk to you about what I heard."
 She took another sip, and swallowed carefully.  She thought she
could taste ginseng strongly, but wasn't sure if that was even
available here.  "What do you mean?"
 "Your comment about brown eyes."
 She drank again, looking into the black of the tea.  Again, she
was unsure if what she had seen had actually been there.  Anyone
who knew of ki transfers knew they could bring about strange
effects--visual effect, sudden sounds, and the like.  Her brother
had once sworn that he had seen the spirits of the dead surround
him; some of the tales she had heard were even wilder.
 "I don't know," she replied.  "I saw...it was a ki transfer,
Kishi.  The only thing you can trust then is your sense of
touch." 
 "Not taste?"
 She grimaced.  "You have no clue of some of the stories I've
heard."  She stood.  "Is that all?"
 "Well, actually, I did want to talk with you more about this..."
 "I don't trust anything I saw."  She let her voice harden
dangerously.  "So if that's all..." She began to walk out the
door.
 "You're from Jupiter, aren't you?"
 She froze in her steps and turned, eyes wide.  "What did you
say?"
 "Talk with me more, Lady Arashi?"
 "Perhaps, Lord Kishi, perhaps..." she replied, turning her cup
in her hand.  "However...I have to tell you, I am much better at
fighting than talking."
 "Yep, that's a Lady of Jupiter.  You've got the royal eyes,
too," he replied, and she could hear a smile.  She also had the
good sense to blush a little, though it wasn't as fake as most
others she'd seen.  "But...if you insist on fighting me, then
tomorrow I shall show you the training room.  If..."
 "If?" she asked, holding in the sprig of joy she suddenly felt.
 "If you allow me to escort you to dinner," he replied.  
 She nodded demurely, offering her arm, and he smiled to himself
as they moved out into the hallway.  <Her eyes,> he thought
softly, <could outshine the stars.>

 Naosu moved about the room quite easily; <as if he knows exactly
what he's doing,> Aiko thought as her eyes tracked him--or
rather, what he carried--about the room.  He had fixed her up
well, she thought; his bandages were of a quality Kiri would
drool over--<should she do such things,> came the grinning
thought--and they were wrapped tightly and scented with medicks
she knew well.  It made her smile, somewhat ruefully, at the fact
that she knew this scent so well, for she had been injured a lot
during her first fighting days.
 A cold step on the stone made her start, and Naosu looked away
from the still down Kiri.  Oh, she was awake--just not
functioning as well as she could.  "I thought I told you to
leave," he said sharply.
 "I have nowhere to go, nothing to do, my friend," came the
almost gentle, almost soft voice of Ryu.  "And I need to be here,
for I must speak with Aiko."
 "Do NOT badger her, Ryu.  I've watched you interrogate before,"
Naosu replied, voice menacing, item raised in a threatening pose.
 "I have no intention of badgering her, Naosu," he replied, voice
equally as stern.  "Those people were guilty; Lady Aiko is a
victim.  Trust me, my approach will be different."  While his
tone was hard, there was a peculiar note there, a softening she
did not quite understand.  
 "You know, Ryu-kun, I hate when you ask me to 'Trust You'."
 "But you will."
 He sighed.  "No, great one, I do.  I do."
 She wondered if he smiled; she did.  The steps moved closed to
her, and she felt a hand on hers.  Automatically she looked to
him, offering him a smile.
 "Hello," she said quietly.
 "Hello," he replied, for a moment gentle.  "How are you
feeling?"
 She touched her arm bandage, and felt her cheer fade.  "I
am...pained, but will be all right," she said, the tiredness
creeping into her voice.
 "Perhaps you will feel better once you have dressed and ate," he
replied.
 "Perhaps, my lord," she replied.  "But I feel I will feel
complete when I find the force that did this to me."
 "That is what I have come to ask you about, Lady.  I want to
know all that happened to you out there, starting from the time
you arrived."
 "I understand," she replied, drawing her blanket about her
tighter, pulling on her inner strength as she did, becoming more
Venus than Aiko.
 "So, when you arrived..."
 "When we arrived, Kiri, Hiko, Jade, Naosu, Kishi and I went down
by the river," she began, and slowly outlined the rest of the
day.  She found herself smiling as she spoke of the words between
Jade and Naosu, and of the delightful cool of the Rush.  The
scene seemed to shine before her eyes, and it was almost as if
she could feel the breeze in her hair and the water's kiss on her
legs.
 "And then what, Lady?" he asked quietly, clearly able to see it
all.
 She closed her eyes, and softly replied, "Hiko called out a
warning.  I guess she sensed it before it happened.  I turned a
little and suddenly the water knocked into me, and I went down
into the Rush.  I hit hard, and for many moments..." she paused,
trying to bring a jumble into the clear.  "I fought to the
surface, fought for air and my life, and as soon as I had air, I
looked for something to stop me."  She again rubbed her arms, and
drew the blanket even closer.  "That is how I earned most of my
injuries, really.  I finally was able to keep my hold on a large
rock, and soon after Kiri appeared.  However...the water had
taken its toll upon my body, and I was freezing, in much danger
of passing out.  Which I eventually did, soon after Kiri saved
me." Her earnest blue eyes reopened, and looked up at him.
 "And you have no other recollection until you arrived her?"
 "Uh-hum...yes," she replied.  "Nothing until I woke up here."
 "Thank you, Lady, for all of your time and information.  I have
but one more question for you."
 "I will answer to the best of my ability, m'lord Ryu."
 "I thank you ahead of time, Lady."  He shifted near her, and she
thought he might be steadying--readying?--himself.  "How would
you describe the force you felt?"
 "That is usually not my job, m'lord, but I shall do my best." 
She let her eyes fall closed once more, and took a small breath. 
"I had a sense, just before it hit...malevolence.  Darkness.  The
need to hurt...to hurt, to prevent something by..." she shook her
head, eyes tightening, as if straining to bring the memory to
full.  "All of it...seemed to hate it...all of me."
 "Thank you very much, Lady.  You have given me much."
 "I wish I could help you more, Lord Ryu.  Probably the best
person to speak with next, though, is Hiko.  She had the
impression before I did, and will be able to describe it better,"
she replied, eyes slowly opening.
 "Do not declass your impression because you are unused to
feeling it.  I doubt Lady Hiko will be able to supply me with a
better one."
 "You flatter me, Lord Ryu..." she replied, looking down coyly, a
blush staining her cheeks.
 "You deserve every word, Lady," he replied, voice tight as if
strained.
 "...but you do not know the Lady Hiko as I," she finished
quietly.
 "Yes...well, we shall see," he replied.  "Now, if you will
excuse me..."
 "Yes. You may.." she said quietly, trailing off as his footsteps
moved away.
 "Wait, Ryu!" Naosu suddenly called out, and more footsteps
sounded out.  Aiko just sat there on the padded table, blanket
wrapped about her still shivering form, and wondered what he had
meant.  She, deserve the compliments of me?  Now, when she was
injured?  What did this mean?
 <It means he's being kind,> she thought, a touch bitter.  <All
those who give bedside compliments are doing so out of pity.  If
I could've seen his eyes, they would've dripped with such.> Yet,
despite the memories this forced to the surface, she found she
could not believe her own reasons.  There was a quality of
honesty about Ryu--about all of them, actually.  <I suppose
living here for years make one forego some courtesies, and the
first ones to go are the fake ones,> she thought, relaxing her
guard a bit.  It would be different for her, raised on the high
intrigue of Venus, and quite the star within the court of the
Moon, but it would also be a nice break.  A time to let her hair
down, so to speak.
 <That's the way to think of it, Mina,> she congratulated
herself, swinging her legs around and slipping off the bed.  The
stones beneath her feet were sharp and cold, and she winced. 
<It's a vacation.  Yea, a vacation in a secluded castle with your
friends and four invisible men...>
 <Just stick to the vacation idea,> she cut off, and for the
first time since early that afternoon, she let go of a true
smile.  She pulled the blanket tighter, shivering a little in her
thin hospital gown.  She admired Naosu's medical practice, but
she wished he had been more practical with these and made them
thicker.  It took a few shuffling steps to get to Kiri's side,
taking up her hand.  It was cool, but not to the point of a
frightening chill; at her touch, the woman's eyes flickered open.
 "Kiri, it's me," she said.  "Aiko."
 "Aiko...you're...all right?" came the her voice, low and soft.
 "Yes.  Bashed, but all right."  She shifted her grip.  "And
you?"
 "Exhausted.  Arashi gave me...ki, but..."
 "She kaserned?" It was a one of her playful twists on words,
made from "ki transfer," and eventually adopted by the group when
they wanted to keep it quiet.
 "I helped."  The tone was sheepish.
 "That's odd.  You usually don't pull so much." She searched
about, and found a nearby stool.  "Hold for a moment."  She
stretched herself out and snagged it, quickly pulling it back to
sit on it.  "There, much better," she sighed, settling on the
hard seat.
 "Yes, it was...odd.  But...I used SO...much...to save you," she
replied.
 "Ah yes...thank you very much, Kiri," she replied, voice very
soft. "Though, honestly, I wonder why you would risk your life
for mine.  It doesn't...matter that much."
 "Aiko," Kiri sighed, a rather melancholy and despairing sigh. 
As a leader, she was excellent; her self-esteem and views of
herself, though, were distorted.  Privately, she had often
wondered if anyone else understood the fragility of her, like a
fine, thin crust of ice, which looks all right to step on, but
gives way beneath you.  "You know you'd do it for all of us.  You
have."
 "I don't mind the bruises so much, but you...honestly, Kiri,
even being who you are, how could you be sure?" she replied,
pleading.  "Please, don't take anymore unnecessary risks like
that again."
 "I will take risks like that if I choose and I chose, Aiko." 
her eyes did the pleading her voice could not.
 "But...Kiri, you..."
 "I wasn't totally in my element, yes.  I understand that now,
and I did then."  Her voice was so soft, yet fierce in tone, and
she quickly added, "Nor will I swear an oath to safety or any
such nonsense I can already feel you concocting."
 "But it would be..."
 "I chose.  I CHOSE."
 "And look where it got you," she whispered.  "A bed in the
infirmary, weak with exhaustion, and a doctor who is as stubborn
as you are."
 "Is that such a bad thing?" Kiri responded lightly.  "He is
rather interesting, and I approve of his treatments."
 "He's interesting?  Kiri..."
 "Aiko, stop looking for intrigue where there is none to be
found," she replied.  Her grip on Aiko lessened, and the woman
smiled.
 "Why should she?  There is more intrigue here than either of you
realize," came the smooth voice of Naosu.  Aiko whirled to a
stand, and Kiri sat up, their hands still together. 
 In their vision floated a platter, steaming pleasantly, along
with what Aiko was sure was a grin that would've merited a smack. 
Still, as Aiko released her hand and sat down again, she noticed
Kiri's smile...just a slight one.  But it was there.
 <Great.  How am I supposed to take THAT?>
 "Lady Aiko, you should be in bed," said another voice, coming in
with a light step.
 "My thanks, Lord Ryu, but I am fine," she replied, a touch of
chill in her voice.
 "Actually, Lady, he is right.  You may say you feel fine, but in
truth, Lady..." replied Naosu, his platter moving over by Kiri.  
 "No need to continue, m'lord; I'll go back to bed," she replied,
offering him a small smile.
 "Good, Lady, because your dinner is over here," Ryu said,
setting down her food.  "And I am sure you are hungry after your
ordeal."
 "He forgets to mention that dinner is being served upstairs, and
after that, the kitchen usually closes," Naosu added dryly.  "So,
whether you are hungry or not, it matters not; you'd better eat."
 "I prefer his sentiments to yours, Lord Naosu," she replied. 
"And honestly, it's very sweet of you both to bring dinner to us. 
After all, infirmary food is the worst."
 "Aiko!  You never complained before!" Kiri replied, shooting her
a rare angry look. 
 "Lady Kiri, I am sure you understand that already," Ryu replied. 
"Not even Jade has the spark enough to insult his physician."
 "Oh, he has enough fire to, Ryu," Naosu replied  "Just enough
sense..." he trailed off into quiet chuckles, and Ryu even
managed a few before clearing his throat.
 "My pardon, ladies.  Inside joke," Ryu said.
 "No problem," Aiko replied as she settled onto the table once
more.  Her eyes widened as she looked upon the platter. 
"But...do you honestly think we could eat this much?" She
gestured at the second plate.
 "It's not polite to let ladies eat alone," Naosu replied. 
"Besides, I need to keep an eye on the both of you."
 "You're...eating with us?" Kiri asked, voice soft.  "I..."
 "Lady Kiri, do not fault me, for it was Ryu's idea," he quickly
replied, sitting down with her.
 "No, no, it's quite all right!" she reassured quickly, with a
soft, almost needy look on her face.  He nodded back at her.
 "You wanted to eat with us?  Why?" Aiko asked.  She had a rough
feeling that he sat below her, the wooden chair pulled up next to
the table a wonderful confirmation.
 "Well, Lady, I oft take my meals at other places besides the
table--it's a dinner custom of mine dating back aways.  However,
that is not the complete truth of the matter, for here I enjoy
the company as well."  His voice was smooth, mellow, and a trifle
warmer than it had been.
 "Why...I...um...I'm flattered that you would consider me such
wonderful company.  I hope..." and now she stopped, for swiftly
she sensed that he was looking upon her, studying her in some
way.
 "You hope..."
 "I hope that I can live up to your expectations," she finished
quietly.
 "You do," he said, voice again a trifle warmer.
 The dinner went well, with Kiri and Naosu plunging back into
their conversations of medical lore and diseases and wherever it
lead, while Aiko and Ryu just ate with each other.  It wasn't
lively nor boisterous--both understood their fragile condition,
or at least their assumed fragile condition--but comfortable. 
Yes, comfortable.  And when it came to an end, it was extended,
for Naosu brewed an herbal tea for the ladies that went
splendidly well with a course of small crackers Ryu produced.  It
was like an extremely late tea, and the four of them used it to
chat about...nothing.  Well, herb teas bled into teas which bled
into talk of snack foods which bled into artistry which bled into
sketches and portraits...and so on.  Aiko related a story about
the five of them going for portraits, and the painter being so
distracted by one that he couldn't seat the others, and when he
finally got over it, the appointment was nearly at a close.
 "It wasn't funny at the time," Kiri said quietly.
 "Actually, we were all..." Aiko began, but a large and quite
unladylike yawn erupted from her.  Her eyes widened and she
hastily covered her mouth, apologizing from beneath her hands.
 Ryu couldn't help himself; a large, brilliant smile broke out
over his face, one that attracted Naosu's attention.  Kiri even
spared a few giggles for her, and Aiko shot her a look.  "It's
not that funny," she said, then yawned again.
 "I do not think so either, Lady, but they both do," Naosu
remarked.  He left Kiri's side, saying, "Come Ryu...you've done a
mite too much socializing for this night.  It's made you giddy."
 "Lord Ryu, giddy?  You've got to be kidding," Aiko replied,
looking at him.
 "How else to explain the smile on his face?" Naosu replied.  He
turned to Kiri and made an unseen flourish, saying, "Goodnight,
Lady Kiri.  I hope a night's sleep leaves you feeling better."
 "Then we are to sleep down here?  Alone?" she asked, tone a
touch frightened.
 "Fear not, Lady.  There will be ones to watch over you down
here.  Quite unseen, mind you, but they will be here," he
replied, tone turning to soothing.  He patted her hand gentle,
and then took up the platter.  "Ryu?"
 "Sweet dreams, Lady," he said.  
 "Same to you, Lord Ryu."
 He felt a queer feeling inside as he took up his trencher and
walked out.  A sort of...not quite sureness, a queasiness.  He
quickly shook it off, shoring himself up inwardly, putting on a
grim countenance and walking out with Naosu.
 "Congratulations," the man said softly as they made their way up
the barely lit corridor.  
 "On what?"
 "On making it through a meal without some razor remark that cut
one to ribbons," he replied, voice steely.
 "True," he replied as they turned into the Wicker Room to drop
off the trays.  "True."
 "Can it be that the infirmary mellow you out?  Or is it the..."
 "Perhaps our long stay, Naosu, has tempered me," he shot back.
 "A touch defensive, but much more like the old Kunzite."
 "Forget ye the Silence?! That's quite unparanoid of you."
 "Perhaps I have been tempered as well."
 "Oh, I doubt it.  You drugged them, didn't you?" His voice held
no malice, just knowing.
 "Ahh, that is Ryu! Only he could've seen through my subterfuge,"
the man replied almost gleefully.  "Yes, I drugged them both--a
brew of valerian hid under the apple touch of chamomile.  They
should sleep right well."
 "Will you be on watch, though?  Or are you going to leave it to
the others downstairs?"
 Naosu snorted.  "Jade and Kishi?  Those..."
 "Not them, Naosu."
 He shook his head.  "No.  I will come down later to watch them
myself.  They, after all, are my patients."
 "Yes, yes of course," Ryu muttered back.  A sly glint came into
his eyes, and he added, "Only because of that?"
 "What sort of fool do you take me for?  Yes, only because they
are my patients!" The two emerged from the hallway, and without
another word Naosu headed straight towards the their rooms.  Ryu
grinned at the man's distress, but quickly put it away as he
himself rose from the floor.  And though he headed to the roof to
watch, a part of him remained in the basement.

 In contrast to the low key scene downstairs, dinner upstairs was
an almost tense affair.  Although at first Arashi and Kishi
talked, their conversation vanished over food, and any attempt at
another start was dissipated by Jade and Hiko.  Both seemed so
troubled, and it was catchy; both women became troubled by the
swift dark outside, and thoughts of the Princess, on top of the
emotional fallout generated by their day.  Jade was quiet,
unusually so, and this led Kishi into thoughts of Ryu and the
Prince, and ever back to Naru.  So, despite the warm environment-
-for the room in which they dined was cheerfully designed--and
good food, the air hung thick about them all.
 It was almost a relief when the ladies excused themselves,
Arashi wanting to make a visit to the kitchens, and Hiko pleading
exhaustion.  That Jade could not doubt; he'd felt her expend so
much power just a short while ago.  Or was it short?  These
people had thrown off his whole cycle, he realized through
gritted mind.  And yet...was it so bad?
 "Silver for your thoughts?"
 "You know they aren't worth that much," he replied with a laugh,
trying to look at Kishi.  The man was floating near the ceiling,
holding a glass of fine red and looking as regal as ever.
 "Again with the downside, Jade?  You must be thinking of
something serious," he replied, slowly drifting down.  Jade found
himself drifting upwards towards him, and they met fairly close
to the middle.
 "What is on your mind?"
 He flicked a dismissive hand at the way Hiko had gone.  "These
women.  What they're doing, what they've done."
 "Ahh...I understand.  And it troubles us all, I believe."
 "All of us?  Naosu...well, he seems more set against them then
anything.  His remarks the other night show that." 
 "He and the Lady Kiri seem all right."
 "He'll be fine with anyone who will play him at chess," Jade
snapped.  "Besides if you're thinking of any romantic
inclinations..."
 "I know, I know.  He has denounced the tender side of life,
somewhat like Ryu."
 "Ahh, but for Naosu it comes naturally.  He doesn't put himself
through penance and rigorous training and..." he let off with a
sigh.  "Sometimes I wonder about our Commander, Kish...whether or
not his mind his unbalanced."
 "Not unbalanced.  Just heavy with the load he bears, and always
so full of thought."
 "In a way not unlike the Prince."
 "Very much unlike the Prince, Jade.  Very much so."  He sipped
at his wine, savoring the chilled liquid, as Jade shook his head.
 "You enjoy proving me wrong, don't you?" he asked with a grin.
 "No.  I do, however, enjoy debating with you," the man replied. 
"And, of course, helping to expunge these dark thoughts from you. 
Leave that to the rest of us."
 "Ahh, yes, there always has to been one bright spot in this
moody bunch," Jade replied, somewhat sarcastic, and yet very
true.  <We have all gone so deep in ourselves,> he thought, <that
it is a wonder if we'll ever get out.>  A chill he could not stop
rippled through him.
 A soft footfall broke on his ears, and the two turned to see
Naosu enter the room, obviously frustrated.  The two exchanged
looks and he called out, "New crossword tomorrow?"
 The man didn't stop, but haltingly joined them in the air.  Of
the Four Lines, Naosu's had always been so much more tricky and
intricate than the others, much more of a thinking than doing
magic.  It didn't make him weaker, just...less smooth. 
"Perhaps...if you can finish this one.  I'm doing a magic
series," he replied upon reaching them, words not as cool as they
usually were.
 "Sounds like something I should be able to do," he replied.
 "In other words, you are going to consult with Lady Hiko," he
replied.
 "What?  Do you think I am incap..." he cut off to glare at
Kishi, who was laughing quietly into his glass.
 "I'm afraid he's got you there, Jade," he replied.  "Besides, it
could be a chance for you to learn more of the Elements.  You
still haven't finished the first one."
 Immediately the paper stretched into existence, and indeed, it
was not finished; however, more was done that either had
expected.
 "Your little talk helped, Kish," he said, "but I still don't
know what these are, or what they have to do with anything.  The
Five Rings?  Metals?" He studied it for a bit.  "And of course,
the 'bastard language' question."
 "Not very nice of you to refer to Nisp that way," Naosu
observed.  "It's my home language."
 "Some of us have problems with it."
 "Yes, I know.  Slaughter of thousands as cries rang over the
hillsides.  But you cannot blame the tongue for the faults of
those rebels who spoke it."
 "Rebels?" Kishi asked.  "By God, if those were the rebels, I'd
hate to see the actual army." 
 Naosu gave him a thin lipped smile.  "No, you wouldn't," he said
quietly.  "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I should go back down
and see my patient."
 "Patient, Naosu?" Jade asked, penciling in another word.  "There
are two..." he looked up, smiling.  "Or are you simply fixed upon
one?" 
 Naosu's smile turned to a sneer.  "You sound like Ryu."
 "Why?" Kishi wondered, finishing off his glass.
 "He also accused me of fraternizing."
 "Are you?"
 "I am treating the both of them, not making court," he said,
voice almost a snarl.
 "Temper, temper Naosu," Kishi admonished.  He smiled lazily. 
"Your protests reveal you."
 "What?  I mean..." and swiftly all the bristle and growl faded
out from him.  His eyes and skin cooled as if he surpressed the
life within him, and the one clutched hand relaxed.  It would've
been remarkable had they not seen it before.
 <I wonder if he will let himself out,> Jade thought, somewhat
sadly.  <Or if repression will  be his way of life.> 
 <We are all repressed here,> his mind whispered, and another
shudder jarred his frame, for that thought had been too cold. 
Now, though, Naosu was completely hardened, saying, "Why say you
such?"
 "He that denies so fervently is trying to cover something,"
Kishi replied.  
 "Sounds right," Jade smiled, eyes hidden by the crossword.
 "Now you truly sound like Ryu," the man grumbled.  "I am glad he
went to the roof--taking it from the three of you would be
downright annoying."  He whirled in the air thrice, power
encasing him, and in a trice he was gone.
 "It's not raining," Jade said, crossword vanishing as concern
marked his features.  
 "He could be going to watch for the Prince and Princess."
 "Why didn't I think of that?! Ah, I am..."
 "Perhaps."
 Jade looked to him quickly.  "Perhaps?"
 Kishi looked at him, his whole air converting from
lightheartedly serious to deadly serious.  "You must speak to
him."
 "What? Why?" 
 More wine appeared in Kishi's glass.  "A moment."  He took a sip
of his wine, and then laid out the story of their chase after the
Prince.  He felt his eyes widen at the story; <Kunzite, what is
wrong?> he wondered.  <What could trouble YOU so?>
 
 The rooftop was pleasantly warm for this time of night; the
storm which had threatened earlier had given way to a humid,
foggy darkness.  Ryu, eyes now a pleasant shade of crimson, was
bothered not at all by either fact.  He was already cloaked in
his fog and shadows, the Gray Ghost of the Manor.  <Or whatever
they call me,> he thought, a touch of bile on his mind.  Though
he many not have looked it, he was experiencing an upsurge of
anger.  Anger at life, the world, this castle, this curse...
 He looked down at his hand, slightly clenched, and the crimson
of his eyes flared.  There was a warping for a moment, and then a
blue shade flared about his hands.  He clenched his fist and felt
the energy pulse through him, sluicing across his body like the
wet rain that had nearly come.  The rooftop fog thickened and
began to form itself into a shape, the thick mist swirling slowly
about him.  He let his eyes close and the energy flow, revealing
his stress as his powers parted the fog and shaped it, silent and
clear hands working phantomly from the blue.
 In her bed downstairs, Hiko sat up, let the soft maroon blanket
fall from her robe swathed form.  She reached out with her senses
and felt the brush of incredible power upon her, caressing her
from above.  Yet, it was a familiar brush; she only had to think
for a moment before she realized it was Ryu's.  Thus comforted,
she slid securely back under the covers.
 Jade looked up to the ceiling, feeling the flow.  <There you
are,> he thought, and took to the air, power seething from him.  
 In the basement, Naosu looked up as well.  Recognizing it
quickly, he went back to his work.  
 What he didn't notice was Aiko rising from her bed, from her
drug induced sleep, to part the privacy curtain that had been
drawn about her and look out, eyes a soft, hazy blue.  Her feet
hit the cold stone floor without a wince, without a blink or
stirring from the rest of her.  Silently the figure slipped into
the shadows and out the door, all before Naosu finishing mixing
his first medick.
 Up top, amidst the shaping fog, came, "You sculpt, too?"
 Power and fog dissipated in a snap, and Ryu looked about him. 
"Jade?" he called out.
 "Here," replied the man, appearing amidst the mist in a blue
sparkle.  He stepped down from the air to the hard rock roof,
eyes studying his friend.
 "How long have you been here?" he asked, voice guarded.
 "I just appeared, following your energy sig here," he replied,
still studying him, voice light.  "You were barely shielding."
 "Who needs to shield about this place?" he asked, turning his
back to the man.  
 "Ryu..."
 "Do we, Jade?"
 "We should with these women about," he reminded him.  "They
are..."
 "Powerful, extremely so.  Wonderfully strong and quite capable. 
Magnificent," the man replied dryly, still looking out, eyes
softening to a deeper pink.  "Gorgeous."
 "Excuse me?" Jade asked, moving closer.  "Did you say,
gorgeous?"
 Downstairs, Aiko emerged from the hallway, and raised her eyes
to the ceiling.  A shine passed over them, a gleam, and then she
shuffled towards the far door, passing through it silently.
 "Hmmm...what Jade?"
 "You said gorgeous, Ryu," Jade said, slowly grinning. 
"Gorgeous!" And with that, he began to laugh.
 "What?" the man growled.
 "It just strikes me as funny that you would be...distracted by
their looks and not by what other dangers they may harbor," he
replied, moving forward to lean against the edge.
 "Jade, Jade," he sighed, "it is our biggest problem.  They are
all so appealing..." and now he turned slightly, eyes darker
crimson, "...and we are all so invisible  Advantages can be
taken..."
 "And you are the only one thinking about it," Jade broke in. 
"Are you so concerned that you will lose your mind upon gazing
upon the attractiveness of one of these ladies that you will..."
 "No, Jade, NO!  I do not feel that I would force one of these
ladies..."
 "So you're worried about one of us, then?" he asked, turning
around and slipping onto the edge, back out to the drop.
 "No," he replied fiercely, "that is not it at ALL!"
 "Then, Ryu, what troubles you so?" Jade asked softly.
 Aiko made her way up the stairs, and looked up once again.  A
thought seized her notmind--what if she skipped all of these
levels?  She knew she could do it; she knew she could..
 Hiko shot up in bed.  <Oh no,> she thought, and gathered her own
energies.
 "I am not sure," Ryu finally sighed.  "I thought I had
it...but..." He sighed again.  "It is something...something about
these ladies.  Especially...well, especially..."
 At that moment, the fog began to glow, first gray-white and then
yellow and then a shade of orange-pink that Jade had only seen in
sherbet.  Ryu's eyes widened, and he bolted away from his ledge,
blue trimming his hands once more.
 "Ryu!" Jade called as his Commander disappeared into the mist. 
<Ahh...he has no clue what he's up against!>
 Ryu's mind hardened as he raced towards the ever brightening
light.  His eyes shaded lighter, and his vision turned better,
and so he came to the site...
 ...completely unprepared for what he saw.
 It was a figure, shrouded in the sherbet tints that had come
through the fog, not completely there but noticeably outlined. 
It was female, with long strands of hair that swirled about her
figure like a blanket--they seemed to sparkle gold, a darker hue
than that of the cloud.  As the figure began to turn, delicate
facial features began to appear...
 "Ryu, what is it" Jade asked, and then he, as well, was stopped
in his tracks.
 ...eyes framed by tendrils of hair, eyes the color of...
 Suddenly a dark tendril of crimson tore into the cloud of light,
and the figure inside seemed to shriek.  The two stood stock
still, paralyzed, as more crimson shredded the field of sherbet
light.  The figure cowered away, and yet...another figure
appeared and embraced the first.  There was a bright flash...
 ..and then the roof was the roof once more, dark stone and fog
beneath a dark and humid night.
 "What...what..." Jade started, looking to Ryu.  Yet the man
seemed not have heard; his eyes faded back to their normal gray,
and a sort of odd, tranquil expression came over his face.  He
knelt down to touch the stones, and then looked back up.
 "Stay here," he warned; his eyes flared blue, and his form
disappeared.
 He reappeared in the basement, and Naosu looked up from his
bench.  "Checking up on me?" he asked icily.
 "No, your patients.  Have any of them disappeared?" he asked,
sweeping around the room.
 "Disappeared?  Ryu, don't be foolish.  I wouldn't..." he
replied, coming over to the man.  "Why...Lady Hiko!?"
 The woman looked up from Aiko.  "Am I disturbing something?" she
asked quietly, holding Aiko's hand.
 "Lady Hiko, what are you doing here?" Ryu asked, voice hard.
 She sighed softly.  "I am sorry, m'lords, but I just couldn't
sleep.  I felt a disturbance," her eyes strayed to Ryu, "and, as
I hadn't been able to see her earlier, I thought..."
 "It's all right, Lady," Naosu interjected.  "I just...didn't see
you come in."
 "Of course you wouldn't, Lord Naosu," she replied.  "I came by a
shadowy way."
 "Yes, of course," Ryu replied.  "Good night, Lady Hiko...Aiko." 
He turned away.  "Good night, Naosu."  He stepped away, sweeping
his cape about him and disappearing.
 "No offense, Lady, but please make it quick," Naosu said, voice
sharp.
 "Of course, Lord Naosu.  Of course," she replied.  He turned
away, and she let her aural vision drop, her whole body slumping. 
She leaned over Aiko, and whispered quietly, "Do you know what
trouble you cause?  They already have their suspicions..."
 Aiko stirred a bit, and let out a soft moan.  Hiko straightened,
and carefully let go of her hand.  "But you have enough on your
mind, don't you?"  She leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on
the forehead.  "Good night, Aiko," she whispered, and then made
her way out of the cordoned off section.
 "Lord Naosu?"
 "Yes?" he replied, looking up.
 "Look out for these two," she said quietly.  "Aiko can sleep
walk, and Kiri...Kiri may cry out."
 "Lady?"
 "Oh, it is infrequent now, but still, I thought you should be
warned."
 "I see..." He paused for a moment.  "Good night, Lady."
 "Good night, Lord Naosu."
 She walked out of the room, and made her way carefully up the
ramp, even though no torches lit the passage.  At the top of the
hall, she paused, looking about her, and then touched her wrist. 
A flare of dark red encompassed her, and swiftly it shrank down
before whirring its way through the castle, streaking red as she
made her way to the Hall of Flowers.  She slipped 'neath her
door, and then reformed, tiredness staining her features.  Once
more she slipped beneath her covers, pulling them up to her chin
and letting her eyes close.
 <Oh Aiko, if they had seen all of you,> she thought, <what trouble it could've been. 
Especially since Jade was there...his eyes see more than we know.>  She snuggled down
more, and felt sleep rush upon her, thinking at the last, <Serin, come back
safe...Serenity...>