.hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ Sakura Blossoms ❯ Chapter 7

 

 

"Be careful, Kayane," Rena warned. She stood to the left of Kayane and back a little. Balmung was still walking up, quite fast as if he didn't want Kayane to touch it at all, like it was some sort of disease that might hurt her. And it did.

 

As soon as Kayane's right hand fingertips barely touched the ribbon, it seemed to explode like a bomb, propelling her backwards. Kayane's surprised scream rang out through the area loudly, echoing distantly.

 

"FUCK!" she shouted angrily and in surprise when she landed. The ribbon was clutched in her hand, as if her hand had curled into a fist through reflexes. Immediately, as fast as she could she let the ribbon go and her left hand grabbed her right arm. Kayane sat two feet away from the ribbon, staring at it in awe. Glaring, was the more accurate term. She was panting, leaning over the ribbon even though pain was still present in her arm and studying it. "What the hell?!" she gasped. As soon as she put her head down and closed her eyes, she realized that the red collar had looked familiar. From somewhere recently.

 

"Are you all right?" Balmung asked, being the first to her side and to even talk to her. He didn't pay any attention to the ribbon.

 

Kayane only nodded her head. She couldn't take her eyes away from the ribbon. She understood even more why Anissa had been so badly injured when they arrived. And, damn, did her arm hurt really badly. She could barely hold in the 'ow's she wanted to at least whimper if not scream. She was sitting on the cold floor, on her knees, right arm in her lap as she leaned forward to where her bangs were touching the floor easily. Dammit, dammit, dammit, it hurts! she wanted to scream to them, to Balmung. Her arm felt like it was broken into many pieces, only worse, and Kayane knew what a shattered arm felt like and she wished that was all she felt.

 

Balmung kneeled down in front of her, ignoring her nod. On Kayane's arm was crimson vein-like lines. What the hell is that? he thought. Kayane leaned into him and he set his arms around her shoulders.

 

"What happened?" Rena asked, sitting down next to Kayane.

 

"I don't know, I just barely touched it then it, I don't know, exploded or repelled me."

 

Balmung turned around to the ribbon and eyed it suspiciously. He would have to make sure that the area was blocked off. The ribbon was too dangerous for anyone to even know of its presence.

 

"Kayane, I'm so sorry! I forgot to tell you! I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I'm so sorry!" Anissa cried, walking over to her with Shugo's help. The ribbon must have sent a stronger jolt of pain through her than me since she is a lot stronger than I am, Anissa thought. It was her fault again. She didn't mean to that time either. "I'm so sorry!" she choked. Kayane was on her knees, leaning over as if she couldn't take the pain. She had held the ribbon in her hand, more than Anissa had even come close to. She barely touched it at all.

 

"Don't be. I deserved it after all the stuff I haven't done for you. And for letting you get hurt," Kayane murmured lowly. It sounded like she had her teeth grounded to together as she spoke.

 

Anissa knelt down to her sister and hugged her the best she could with the position Kayane was in. A few moments ago, Kayane was the one holding her, now she was returning the favor. "No, it wasn't true, what I said. It's not your fault I was hurt, it's whoever sent him." Anissa felt the rise and fall of Kayane's upper body as Kayane took the best breath's she could in the minutes that passed after she spoke. She wondered what her sister was doing at her father's. If she was even controlling the controller still. Kayane hadn't done or said anything since she last spoke.

 

Kayane fisted her right hand, to keep her hand moving to circulate the blood more. The faster blood got to her hand, the faster the pain came and went. She stood up when she could bear the pain without putting on a pained expression, reaching out her good arm when Anissa jumped in surprise and fell to the ground. "Sorry."

 

Anissa stared up at her sister. Her face looked completely normal. Except for the pain in her eyes. She's forcing herself to bear the pain, she thought. "Kayane, don't," she said commandingly, a glare aimed at her sister. "If it hurts, don't make it hurt more."

 

"I'm not. If I don't move my arm, the pain subsides. I can walk, my legs aren't hurt."

 

"You use your arm to balance," Anissa snapped.

 

"I don't need to."

 

"Yes, you do, that is your… most used… arm. Are you hurt outside of the game?" Anissa replied, crossing her arms in a silent dare to oppose her.

 

"I'm fine." Kayane glared at her sister. She stalked pass Anissa and left the area.

 

"I swear, she is gonna hurt herself permanantly one of these days," Rena sighed, following Kayane a moment later.

 

Shugo and Anissa exchanged glances then sighed loudly, following the two of them. Balmung behind them.

 

Anissa and Shugo groaned when Kayane was standing in Sakura Blossoms, completely drenched in water. Anissa buried her head in Shugo's chest, frustrated that Rena constantly used the same tactic on whoever spaced out on her. "Shugo, why, why does she do that?" Shugo chuckled, setting his arm around her shoulders and resting his chin on the top of her head lightly. She was cute when she was frustrated, that she was.

 

"Rena, you didn't splash her, did you?" Shugo asked, hoping to here a negative answer, a hint of amusement still in his voice.

 

"Yeah, she was staring off into space again. She doesn't usually do that and with her arm and all, I didn't want to take the chance that it was that red collar thing," Rena explained.

 

"I saw someone, okay?" Kayane said dryly. "The player we saw earlier today, Kara. She was over there, sitting, and was looking straight at me when I teleported here."

 

Rena gave Kayane a quizzical look, then raised an eyebrow at her. "I didn't see anyone, Kayane. Are you sure?"

 

Kayane rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am sure. If you want proof, she walked behind the cluster of low willows over there." Kayane pointed over Rena, who was in front of her, to where they had hidden behind earlier.

 

"Fine then, we'll go look and if she isn't there," Rena remarked, waving her finger in Kayane's face. "We'll… uh, lets hope we don't find out what we will do to you if she isn't there."

 

A blank and unamused expression adorned Kayane's face. "Wonderful," she dead-panned. She watched as Rena walked over to where Kayane pointed then turn around when she was almost there.

 

"If this is some kind of joke to get me back for splashing you, you had better run now."

 

Kayane rolled her eyes widely. "Do I look like I am playing a joke on you, Rena?" she asked seriously.

 

"I wouldn't know. You don't look like anything except killer mode or nothing mode. I can't tell."

 

Kayane sighed and turned around, her foot tapping in annoyance. "Rena," she warned.

 

"All right, all right, I'm going. Sheesh, you'd think she'd have more patience. OI!"

 

Kayane stared at Rena's back as she continued on her way, mouth slightly open. "I'm not even going to justify that by replying to that. Nope, not a word," she said quietly, blowing out at the end of her sentences. Kayane turned around and started thinking about whatever came to her mind. Akani Nami, Anissa's ambush, the red ribbon, Kara, how alike they looked. Wait. Kara. What she looked like…

 

Anissa was sitting on the ground, legs crossed. Leaning back into Shugo's arms. Anissa had sat down, tired from the battle and Shugo sat down behind her. When he first did, Anissa could not help but think about how cute and romantic it was. Then, when Kayane had mentioned Kara, the player from before, her mind drifted off to how alike she and Kayane were. Apearance wise, any ways. The crimson ribbon from before kept coming to mind and she didn't know why. Crimson… crimson… where have I seen something crimson before? she asked herself. And what does it have to do with Kara reminding me of it?

 

She looked up when Rena came back around, pulling Kara along with her by the wrist. Her hand came up and she rested her chin in the palm. Anissa looked at Kara's clothes and then her sword. I like her outfit. It's a dark blue. The best kind of blue. Anissa thought absently. But the red ribbon on the handle of her sword doesn't look good with it. Anissa lifted her head up off her hand. Red ribbon?!

 

Kayane stared at Kara's nearing figure. Automatically, she looked to where her sword was, so she knew when she was reaching for it. Her eyes rested on the handle and what adorned it. A red ribbon. A crimson ribbon. "Rena, move."

 

"It isn't safe." Anissa was thankful that Kayane was smart and didn't have to explain her reasons of distrust.

 

Kayane glanced at Anissa out of the corner of her eye. And some people can't tell the similarities between us, she snorted in her mind.

 

Rena stopped, blinking in surprise. "What? Why not?" she asked, dumbfounded.

 

"Just trust me, Rena," Kayane demanded. "Move away."

 

Rena looked at Kayane, not understanding. Her hand let go of Kara's wrist without her knowing, giving both Kayane and Anissa what they needed. If Rena was still holding Kara's hand, she might move away and pull Kara with her or the opposite, which was worse. Kara pull her.

 

Kayane moved to run toward Kara and was picked up from behind. She growled, knowing it was Balmung who she thought didn't know why or what she was doing. Kayane's heart started to beat quickly when he had spun her around after setting her on her feet. She gasped when he grabbed her shoulders then gave her a short, yet hard, shake.

 

"Don't attack her!" he said loudly enough for Kara to hear. "Yet," he added, in a whisper. "What's your problem?" Balmung shouted once again. "Keep it quiet. Don't let her know till we find out why she is here," he whispered. His voice raised again. "Why are you so hostile lately? Did you eat something or what?"

 

Kayane sighed quietly when she realized it was just a show. "Would you back off?! I wasn't thinking, so sue me! You don't have go all rough on me for it!" She played along, a blush rising to her cheeks when his eyebrows raised in surprise and his mouth quirked in a small smile.

 

"I'm not being rough!" Balmung had to admit. Acting the way he was at the moment was pretty fun. And Kayane wasn't a bad actress, either. "If you would start using your mind, maybe I wouldn't be doing this!"

 

Kara stared at the two arguing, eyes wide. She looked down at Rena. "Are those two going out or what?"

 

"NO, of course not!" Rena smiled. "But they do like each other, just are too stubborn to admit it."

 

Kara nodded her head in understandment. "Ok, cool." Kara watched as the two of them argued, understanding. Maybe there was more to these people than she thought… more to Kayane…

 

"I am using my mind! If I am standing here, using my mou-"

 

"Don't you get fucking wise with me, Kayane!" Balmung let out a stifle of laughter at Kayane's face. He didn't know what it was he did or said but it shocked Kayane. He could see it on her face.

 

"Did you just say fucking?" she asked, her voice a little loud from surprise, eyes wide. "You never say fuck, I've never heard you say fuck!"

 

Balmung bit his tongue to keep from laughing. She's amazingly adorable and beautiful when she's surprised and smiling, he thought with a smile. He froze, back-tracking on his own thoughts. What had he just said in his mind? "I'm no angel, Kayane," he smiled.

 

Kayane rolled her eyes. "What about your wings?!"

 

Balmung looked over his shoulder at his wings. "They don't count! They aren't real!"

 

Kayane regarded him seriously. "Then how did you get them?"

 

Balmung didn't say anything at first, taking a minute to think. "I didn't. I got them automatically when I first signed up," Balmund replied.

 

"It's proof enough for me," Kayane admitted without thinking the words in her head. She clamped her jaw shut and did not breathe. She had caught in the moment, hadn't thought and been guarded with her words as she usually was. Maybe the was something wrong with her.

 

"You don't need wings to be an angel. I can take one look at a person and know she's an angel just by her eyes."

 

Kayane, in return, narrowed her eyes in confusion. What was he talking about? "What?"

 

"You heard me." Balmung was no longer raising his voice. He was talking quietly and not moving his eyes away from Kayane's.

 

"Yeah, I want to know what you mean!" Kayane shouted. Thoughts were whirling in her head about nothing and was unsure of Balmung's meaning behind his words. She did have an idea though.

 

"You know damn well what he is talking about." A new voice entered the conversation. One that only person knew out of all of them and another who vaguely did.

 

Kayane gasped and spun around, surprised that anyone had snuck up on any of them. Balmung shoved her behind him protectively, hand on the hilt of his sword prepared.

 

Anissa and Shugo stood up quickly, both of them with their twin-blades out and ready. They had been completely ignoring Kayane and Balmung and talking themselves about nothing in particular. Anissa had not be able to even move into a position to jump at Kara as Shugo's arms were around her already. He turned her on his lap and hugged her, making it seem like she was just leaning forward to change postions on his lap. When Anissa heard the voice, and Kayane's loud and sharp gasp, she jumped off of Shugo and scrambled to her feet, Shugo standing in front pf her by the time she turned around.

 

Rena pulled out her heavy-blade and stood beside Kara. Kara had made a show of being on their side, katane drawn and leveled in front of her. She knew who it was and what her job was. Shi would not approve of her messing up directly in front of him. She would never live it down… she wouldn't live at all.

 

"Well, it seems that you are quick to react, aren't you?" he smiled sadistically. His eyes were only set on Kayane. What he could see of her, anyways, as she was partially behind Balmung. "It also seems that you were distracted easily by your hormones."

 

Anissa's eyes switched back and forth between Kayane and Shi. What is going on? Why is he talking to my sister like that? Questions buzzed in her head. "Who are you? What do you want?"

 

His attention turned to Anissa, his bright green eyes reminding her of Kayane when she had something up her sleeve. "Shi, your worst nightmare," he replied, hoping to sound as childish and cliche as he could. "I am sure you know what I want already. Or have you forgotten so soon?"

 

Anissa shrunk back visibly. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Was he here for her? Was she going to be hurt again? Have to fight for her life against another living being once more? "Me?"

 

Shi chuckled. "Close. In order to accomplish what I came here for, I may have to use you to get it." Shi grinned, showing them all his teeth, abnormally long canines that seemed immpeccably sharp.

 

"And what is it you wish to accomplish?" Balmung interrupted, eyeing the man in front of him warily. His left arm was slightly extended out to the side, to stop Kayane from moving forward. He could feel her body pressing against it, one hand on his arm to push it away and the other on her katana.

 

Kayane was the center of Shi's attention again. "Why, who else would I want? I already suceeded with the younger, there is only one more left to see." Shi grinned. Balmung had narrowed his eyes in anger and pushed Kayane back. Quite a crowd, the two hung out with, perceptive and strong. "I want Kayane 'dearest', of course."

 

Anissa's eyes widened. Kayane did the same and snarled, finding something peculiar about what he called her. Balmung lept forward attacking him. Kayane right behind him. There was no fight, Shi never moved a finger and he had disappeared. Kayane and Balmung stood back to back, looking around, familiar with the trick and waiting for him to reappear.

 

Anissa looked around as well, standing close to Shugo imstinctively. She was grabbed from behind on the neck and she shrieked, being jerked back roughly. Held by the neck and around the waist, arms pinned to her sides immovably, Anissa kicked to free herself, reaching for any part of his body she could reach.

 

By the time she was kicking, Shugo was bringing his blades down on Shi. Kayane was racing to her, Balmung beside her, Rena launching herself onto his back and Kara making it seem like she was preparing to attack.

 

Shi caught Shugo's blades with the hand that was previously around Anissa's waist and twisted his wrists to where he was bending to his knees. He let him go and pulled Rena off his back, dropping her on top of Shugo then shoving Anissa to them as well.

 

Kayane attacked Shi with her sword, swinging it down as hard as she could to his shoulder. It was hard to ignore pain shocking though her right arm but to save her sister, she didn't care how much it hurt. Shi caught the blade of her sword in his hand and pulled her forward, catching her form in his arm. A kick sent Balmung back, to the ground and Kayane kneed his most private part of his anatomy hard and twisted out of his grip only to have him appear in front and grasp her neck tightly.

 

"Not bad, dearest. I wonder how well you fight alone?" Shi smiled, his face close to hers and teleporting away before she could kick him once more and free herself.

 

Anissa jumped from where she had been laying, dazed, and tried to stop Shi and save her sister. "Kayane!" She looked around, at the others. Rena was rubbing her head, moaning about a migraine happening and how he was going to pay for it.

 

Shugo was on his stomach, still unconscious from two girls landing on him, hard and fast. He was coming to though, his fingers were twitching, waking up to push himself onto his knees.

 

Balmung was still on the ground, leaning back and resting on his elbows. His eyes were fixed on the spot where Kayane had been just a short minute before. "Kayane," he whispered, swallowing hard. "No."

 

 

To Be Continued...

 

A/N: What will happen next. R&R and maybe I will get the chapter out a lot quicker.... ^_^

 

 

 

A.N. - Arisa Niwatari