Favourite Spot

Aka and Akane were indeed smart. Ayame smiled to herself seeing cats observing her from her favourite place. They felt she would come here. Throwing shoes on roof she jumped up and catched lowest branch of old tree leaning on the building. She climbed up and sit still for a moment. Thigh jeans were highly uncomfortable, and her feet suffered from scratches she gained walking barefeet from club. But she felt happy.
She climbed to next branch and standed there balancing with arms. Then she jumped down, landing on slant roof, near high-heels she throwed there earlier.
It was her favourite spot. Roof of closed down newsstand. Only way to get there was from tree lealing on it's wall, but not many people though of that. Also, when she sitted there not many people were noticing her. People don't look above she though lying down comfortably and allowing Akane to lie on her stomach.

Tsukiyoko took a deep breathe to try and stop wheezing as she reached the front entrance of the park. Running all this way had not been the best of ideas and now she was paying for it. She looked around and saw an open bench. She smiled in relief and went over to it to sit down.

She sighed in bliss as she sat down and gently tried to rub some of the muscle pain out of her legs. She really needed to start thinking before she acted. Even if it was an emergency, she wouldn't be of any help to anyone if she just fell over unconsicious like she had after May's dad had attacked her in the park the other night.

She tried to rest a bit before she continued to try and find Ayame. She gently tugged on their thread to see if she was headed in the right direction. She smiled when she felt that Ayame was close by.

She settled back down in her bench to get back some of her strength. It was at times like this that she hated being ill with a passion. It always got in the way.

Ayame felt her name tickling. She opened eyes staring at sky but didn't move an inch. Tsu's looking for me? she asked herself petting Akane sleeping on her stomach. "Well, she will eventually find me, won't she, Isa?" she said closing eyes again. Let's see if she look above~ she smiled slightly crossing legs and listening to voices of people in park.

When she had recovered a bit from her run, Tsukiyoko got up to return to her search. She looked around what she could see in the Park where she stood and found that she couldn't see much. So she began walking down the path, tugging lightly on their thread as she did so to make sure that she was going the right way.

She looked around as she walked but didn't see anything. She stopped for a few seconds by a tree to think about where Ayame might be. She had no idea but kept looking anyway.

She walked by an old newspaper stand and heard a cat's meow. Ah ha! So that's where she was or at least it was good guess.

" Aya-chan, are you up there?" she called out. She tugged on their thread and it said that Ayame was here. She was fairly certain that she had found Ayame since she hadn't had much experience with using their thread to locate her sacrifice, she couldn't be certain.

Ayame rolled on stomach, hanging head and arms from edge of roof. Akane and Aka in synchro looked above edge to see who disturbs their rest.
As she lazily leaned chin on edge she looked at her fighter. Followed thread she though yawning. That was actually annoying that she was found ... it was annoying that she was found when she actually didn't want to.
"What do you want?" she smiled slightly watching Tsu from above. It was usually reversed ... Yeah, watching from above was definitelly weird after usually she was one watched from above ... the worst is Zain, he practically bend down to hear me every time I said something ... do they all are taller than me? Well, no, May is shorter ... That's kinda relief since she's younger ... Curious if they already visited 7 Moons? They better not think they can do as they want with Ritsu~ such a sly guy ... letting her thoughts drift she nearly forget about Tsu.

Tsukiyoko smiled when she heard Ayame's voice. She felt her worry decrease even though it did not completely fade away. She climbed up to where Ayame was. She smoothed down her skirt and sat down next her.

She took a deep breathe and asked," Do you know what Ritsu has planned for May-chan and Kyo-san?" She looked very worried at the thought of what he could be planning.

Ayame knew how much she disliked Ritsu and anything that he was involved with.

Ayame yawned rolling on back with head and arms still hanging down from roof. She really didn't wanted to talk at the moment. Just plotting as he's used to ... they care too much. "I don't care what he planned." she said closing eyes. Though it's obvious, he's going his usual path. Scare, try, meet, add. Well, Tsu never was in that situation since we visited him on our own ... "Enlarging collection. Saw his butterflies, didn't you? But that's not his only collection." Aka purred jumping onto Tsu laps. Akane ignored surrondings and went to sleep.
Ayame stretched arms and sit up. It was situation in which she should ask 'how do you know about Ritsu chasing May and Kyo?' or maybe 'don't worry, he won't harm them.' or one of those calming-starting conversation sentences ... but why should I? she though looking at the sky. There wasn't stars yet, but it was dark already.

Tsukiyoko gently began to pet Aka and thought for a moment while watching Ayame sleep. Ayame didn't seem too concerned but this was Ritsu they were talking. Mr. Super Creepy Hidden Evil Plans guy. How could she not be? But then again, Ayame knew more about Ritsu than she did, so she would trust Ayame's judgement on this one. Just like she always did come to think of it. She wondered when that had happened. Tsukiyoko used to be very independent. ' Oh well,' she thought with a shrug. It didn't really matter in the end.

" All right, since you're not worried about him then I won't be either," she said suddenly and little strangely betraying her statement for the lie that it was. She was worried but realized that she wouldn't be able to do anything about it if Ayame didn't want to help.

She looked out over the park and watched the clouds go by silently when something occured to her." Hey Aya-chan, I've got a question.," she asked," If Ritsu ever tried to take me away from you and give you another partner like that because he thought I wasn't good enough......." she trailed off for a minute as she got up the nerve," what would you do?"

She had always been curous about it since he had pretty much said that when they had met. She never would be because of her illness. In his view, a sick fighter, especially as sick as she was, is the worse kind of handicap for a sacrifice. Ayame had been quick to defend her. It had surprised her at the time since they had only met recently but now she knew that her illness didn't bother Ayame. She had even said once, that it was a sign of how strong she was that she was still here at all and that strength made her a perfect fighter. Plus, she had added, it will make people underestimate you and that will let us win.

Thinking back on that afternoon made her smile. Tsukiyoko believed that was when she had fallen in love with her sacrifice. No one had ever said anything like that to her before.

"Oh, hmm? Another partner?" she stretched again feeling uncomfortable stiff. "He tried last month." she said scratching head. "Or two? Anyway it's taken care off, and Ritsu never tries same trick twice." of course he don't. Next one will be worse. she added in thoughts smiling. Game they had last 2 years already. She escapes, he tries to catch her, like in childlish play ... only much more violent and dangerous. Ritsu hated to give up, but it was same for Ayame, so game last. And will last until one of us give up. she though giggling, and asking herself with how many people beside her Ritsu played tags.

Somehow, she wasn't to surprised that Ritsu had tried to replace her. He had always disliked her for some reason even before they had told him about her illness.

She flicked some her long purple hair over her shoulder that had fallen out the messy bun that she had put it in. She was would fix it later because she didn't really feel like it right now.

" Who'd he pick to be my replacement?" she replied nonchantlantly. It didn't really matter but she was curious," Was the same girl he suggested when we went to see him that one time?"

She wasn't sure if Ayame knew that she had known about her. Ritsu had kept Ayame back and tried to get Ayame to take the other girl. She been just down the hall so she had seen it all happen.

" Besides, why did you fight him anyway? I thought you want someone who followed your every whim," she said with a teasing smile. She just couldn't resist teasing Ayame sometimes.

"Hmm? You don't follow my every whim?" she asked with wintry smile ignoring previous questions. Talking about Ritsu bored her.
Ayame turned slightly and started to play with whisp of Tsu hair that had fallen out of her bun. She especially loved it's color, and since long hair were always attracting her, she couldn't resist playing with hair of her fighter every time they meet.
She winded purple whisp of hair around finger, and kissed it. "I love it." she chuckled still holding Tsu hair near lips. "Besides, you smell like pizza. That spoils mood~" she let go of other girl hair and lied down putting hands under her head. Aka jumped over her to join Akane. I hope Chief didn't chase Nana out yet ... Ayame though staring at sky. That's not good, I won't find cutie like him at this hour~

Tsukiyoko laughed when she heard that. It made her feel better in way that Ayame had fought to keep her. At least, in her own way anyway.

" Yeah I guess it does but if I didn't work at the pizza shop then where would you get all that free food?" she replied with a smile.

She reached up and pulled out the pin that held her bun in place. 'No better time to fix it than now', she supposed. She put it in her teeth and reassembled her bun to make it look more neat. She took the pin and placed it back it her hair to hold it. She checked to make sure that it was all right and it was.

She got up and brushed off the back of her skirt." I've got to run to the store for a bit. Mom wanted me to pick up something on the way home and since I took the day off, no better time than now to go," she told her as she started to climb down from the roof top.

However, before she left she couldn't resist one last chance to tease Ayame. She smiled and said,"Plus I can change clothes and get rid of that nasty pizza smell that you hate so much." She wasn't really going to change her clothes since it was a useless anyway. Nearly all of her clothes smelled like pizza by now.

She climbed down and jumped the rest of the way to ground. She walked down the path and found her way out of the park.

[Tsukiyoko has left the Park and is going to the STREETS: SUPERMARKET]

"And so my pizza girl has left." Ayame said don't bothering with moving or even opening eyes. Wind brushed her messy hair slightly. It was so cold ... But she didn't wanted to move. Injured joint in shoulder hurted like hell. On weather like that she was always getting rheumatism in this shoulder. "Go to hell." she mumbled rubbing shoulder to ease pain. Because of her own meds for shizophrnia she wasn't allowed to use any painkillers. Go home? To Chief? her thoughts were popping out and dissapearing too quickly making her head hurt, making her feel as if her head was going to burst. Dry throat, and dry eyes. Her name was itching slightly announcing that there are another units in park. Units she didn't meet before. Ayame hided face in hands happy that Tsu had left. Her thoughts were spinning. "Great ... I'm in deep shit now." she laughed still hiding face in hands.
Voices. There were those voices around, whispering, screaming, coming closer and going further. Such an easy to understand words they were saying, so convincing and rational. "Go away." she whispered trying to cover ears. Not that it could make them shut up. "Just go away."
Even if everyday she looked just like ordinary human, even if she behaved surprisingly rational as for shizophrenic, she still was shizophrenic. All meds in this world couldn't stop or prevent this attacks.
She sit up biting lips. Voices screaming in her head. She was so sure everyone in park could heard them ... "No, no. Noone is hearing that. Noone ... " trying to control her own mind was impossible. Her nails scratched roof on which she was sitting. She never informed Tsu or any of her friends about that attacks. Wasn't it better if they didn't know that she could loose control over her own mind and body anytime, without reason?

Tsukiyoko tried to get to where she had last seen Ayame as quickly as she could but her body refused to make it easy on her. The pain in her chest only grew as she got closer but she wasn't going to give up. Her body was definately punishing her for disobeying Ayame's orders but she had to make sure that Ayame was ok.

She quickly climbed the up to the roof of the newspaper stand. She was glad that she had come when she saw the state that Ayame was in. ' I knew that something was wrong. Why wouldn't she let me help her?' she thought sadly.

She went over to Ayame and gently placed her hands over Ayame's and tried to soothe her sacrifice pain. " It's all right now Ayame. I'm here," she said sweetly but her voice was raspy and weak from lack of air," Tell me what's wrong. I can't help until I know what's wrong."

Ayame fingers twitched as first nail break from scratching roof too hard. But it wasn't important. Screaming in her head was so loud, too loud ... suddenly everything fall silent. Completly silent, leaving her head light and empty. Someone touched her arm. "It's alraight, you're dying, now Ayame. I'm here to stop you from running." She stiffed and slowly turned head. This person touching her arm was Tsu ... no it wasn't Tsu, she just had left ... Tsu knew not to come close ... But she looked just like Tsu, her voice was the same. "Tell me what's wrong, aside from fact you will die. I can't help until I know what's wrong. Or maybe you're just afraid since you saw it once?" No, no, that wasn't Tsu, she never knew about that ... or did she? Ayame moved back. Tears run down her cheeks, but she didn't noticed it, as well as heart beating so hard as if it was going to burst. Face of that person wasn't face of Tsu. It was mask, she saw it melting, as It tried to act like Tsu ... It's hallucination, it's hallucination she thought in panic.
Her body was so heavy ... making every move was as hard as if she was stuck in cement.
Concentrate, concentrate. It's just imagination, just imagination ... she thought swallowing tears. But she couldn't believe in her own words. Her body was going crazy, screaming about danger. But she couldn't run away. She couldn't move, only stare at this thing before her.


/those italics in what Tsu said are things Ayame heard even though Tsu didn't said it in reality./

Tsukiyoko was surprised when she saw that all she done was make it worse. She tried desparately of what she could do to calm Ayame down. She could feel the pain in her chest growing and now it wasn't just from the punishment her bady was trying to inflict but now it was also in her heart. It hurt her to see Ayame so afraid.

Tears welled up in her eyes, she gently layed down beside her, slowly so she wouldn't scare her anymore. " I'm sorry that I can't help. I'm such a lousy fighter. I can't seem to be of any use to you at all, can I? " she said more to herself than Ayame.

She gently tugged on their thread to let her know she was real and not something figment of her imagination. " I love Aya-chan. Please, I'm right here with you. I won't leave you. Not now, not ever," she wasn't sure she could reach her but she had to try.

She reached into her pocket and tried to find some of Ayame's medication that she had given her just in case. She took the bottle out. She would give her one when she had calmed down enough to even take it from her.

Tsukiyoko doubted that she would take it from her in the state that she was in now.

It's voice was nothing more than mumble, blabber. She couldn't understand a word. But it was saying something, and Ayame eyes desperately trying to read from her lips movement, translated few words. "Not now, not." such a sly words, filling her heart with pure fear as her mind thought about every possible meaning. She whined shutting eyes close, still trying to struggle. But now she was just helpless observer in her body.
As Tsu got closer she stiffen. Blank and completly black eyes calmly watched girl getting closer and pulling something out of her pocket. Before she saw what it was her body acted like brainless beast, jumping forward and pushing girl down. Before fighter could utter another word beast struggled and bited. Teeth penetrated flesh on base of neck, just above collarbone. Blood quickly filled beast mouth so it bitted harder, ignoring girl struggle. It nails ripped cloth and skin on Tsu arm.
Something break in her brain. She felt it snapping and world went dark before her eyes. Then she was conscious again, with mouth full of blood, sucking it from Tsu neck like some crazy vampire ... she jumped back feeling she ripped her fighter skin even more. Blood, so much blood, flowing over her hands, running from her mouth, and all of that wasn't Ayame blood. She whined, her hands were trembling, she was scared, wanted to cry, to dive in pity for herself ... and then she hitted herself hard enough to leave clear mark on cheek. Like whining could make anything better. Kneeling beside her fighter and taking off shirt to stop bleeding with it she noticed her fingers still trembling. Again, I did it again she though trying to wrap shirt around Tsu neck that way it could stop bleeding. Or at least make it smaller.

To say that she had been shocked when Ayame attacked her would have been an understatment. She had no idea how to react but she stayed perfectly still, she hadn't even twicthed. She hadn't even let out a sound except for a small whimper of pain when Ayame had bitten her. That had hurt more than she thought it would.

When Ayame seemed to return to her right state of mind, she looked so horribly sad. Her sacrifice tried to stop the bleeding but it wasn't slowing just yet.

Tsukiyoko took Ayame's hand from her neck and gently placed it back on her lap. She ripped off the ruined sleeve of her once white shirt and tended to Ayame's bleeding fingers.

" Are you all right now Ayame. You aren't hurt are you?" she asked with a sweet and soothing smile, completely forgetting her own injuries. Her pain wasn't important to her. She just wanted Ayame to be all right. Nothing else mattered to her at the moment.

Ayame cursed and snached her hand from Tsu hand. "You fucking idiot. Why didn't you listened to order?" she was really angry. Holding back, struggling to keep her mind under control ... was it even necessary? She turned head form her fighter running her fingers through red hair. She didn't bother with weeping blood from mouth, only unconsciously licked part of it. She still clearly remembered feeling of someone else blood flowing to her mouth, feeling of flesh between teeth. Disgusting, yet fascinating ... something snapped in her when she though that. "Come." she whispered through dry throat. It was not right, as if there was something choking her, dissalowing her to talk normally.
She jumped down from roof and looked around, waiting for Tsu to come. It was late. People either was far away, or didn't see them in darkness. Even Aka and Akane dissapeared somewhere. Probably scared by fight ...

Tsukiyoko climbed down as quickly as she could after she picked up the bottle and put it back in her pocket. Most of the pain in her chest was gone now that she wasn't disobeying an order.

She took a few deep breathes before she answered," I know I was supposed to follow your orders but you needed me so I came. What was I supposed to do? Let you suffer all alone, I won't do it. I JUST WON'T," she screamed the last sentence in her dispair. Ayame didn't understand how much pain she had been in too. Nothing was more painful to her than Ayame in pain. Her sacrifice had needed her and she wasn't sorry that she had come.

" I can't stand it when you're in pain. I just can't," she said quietly as tears flowed down her cheeks, " You can punish me all you want but I refuse to just stand there and let you suffer. You can beat me or even kill me but I won't do it. I love you too much to do that."

Ayame turned from Tsu. Love ... who cares about love. Love hurts. Leave deep wounds and then can't heal properly, opening with slighest touch. "Well, I was close to kill you." she whispered with her dry voice. She still couldn't say anything louder than that. Again, she nearly killed she didn't wanted to. Selfish. Your love is just selfish. she though glaring at her fighter over shoulder as she started to walk slowly waving hand to call Tsu after her. Stand there and let you suffer ... but didn't use brain to realise why did I ordered it. How much would it hurt if I would really killed her. she rubbed her eyes trying to remember when she last sleep. Too long ago. Her head hurted from migraine. "I need you to follow my orders, not brainlessly run around and get hurt acting on emotions." she hissed feeling something snapping in her throat. Just don't argue anymore. I'm tired. she though looking down at her bleeding fingers.

" I only wanted to help. We're supposed to help each other after all. Besides it's my duty as your Fighter to protect you even if that means getting hurt in process," she replied as she walked behind Ayame sadly. She hadn't seen Ayame this mad in long time but back then it hadn't been directed at her. She sighed,' I guess I had better apologize after all.' She just didn't want Ayame to be mad at her anymore.

She walked faster until she was in front of Ayame. She bowed deeply and said in voice devoid of all emotion execpt sadness," I'm sorry Ayame-sama. I will never disobey you again. Please forgive me for acting without your permission. I will never do so again."

She straighted and looked Ayame in the eye. The bleeding had stopped by now, she noted to herself. That was good. "Will you at least let me stop your fingers from bleeding?" she said holding out her hand in order to take Ayame's if she would let her.

Ayame nodded head. That was what she wanted to hear. And hopefully she will fulfill this promise she though putting bloody finger in mouth and bitting it. Bitting fingers or nails was so strong habit she was doing it unconsciously, even if that meant making pain in fingers worse. She opened mouth to said something but no sound came. She opened eyes wide touching throat and laughed soundlessly. Now her name was fitting her as hell. For some reason she wasn't able to make slighest sound, as if someone cut her tongue off. Well ... she though taking Tsu hand. ... what should I do now?

Tsukiyoko lightly held Ayame's hand in hers for a moment as she thought about what to do. It seemed Ayame had lost her voice but how, she hadn't been screaming during.....what ever it was that had happened. At least she didn't seem mad anymore.

She came up with an answer quickly, " If you don't mind answer a lot of awkward questions, we could go to the hospital and find out where your voice went? Plus, I should probably get this looked at" she suggested and placed her free hand on her neck where the bite was. She winced a bit as she did so. Now that all the excitement was over, it was really starting to hurt.

She doubted Ayame would agree to her suggestion but it was worth a shot.

Ayame shruged her shoulders and squated down pulling Tsu after her. Then she started to write on path with some stick she found. "If they realize I bited you I'll got locked up in hospital. Let's go to my home." she smiled slightly looking at what she wrote. Tsu didn't, but she suspected what happend to her voice. Isa squated next to them. You know, don't you? she whispered to red haired sacrifice ear with familiar voice. Wasn't it right after all? If Ayame lost voice, Isa was getting her voice back. Though doctors were explaining it in other way ...
Something dripped on her hand. She looked down and noticed blood, what made her realize she didn't weep Tsu blood from face. So ... I look like kind of werewolf after meal? she though giggling as she weeped face in her blouse.