The tall woman's delicate fingers released the fabric that hung before her window. Beyond the wooden thatch pattern dripped a mild rainstorm whose sound soothed her ears. A gentle breeze sifted in from outside, and it rippled the magenta curtain she had previously touched.

Upon a small table beside her right thigh was a large bowl filled full of fizzing water. When she looked down into it, however, she didn't see her own reflection, but one of an elf of average height running at breakneck speed through a crowded street. Her crimson painted lips pulled wide in a smile.

"Lai*," her strong voice commanded without lifted her eyes from the bowl. The woman's fingertips began to caress its edge and sides as she continued to observe the elf from afar.

From the corner's shadows stepped a tall, muscled man, his hands behind his back. His long black hair was tied in a tight ponytail at the base of his neck. His red eyes, like his pointed ears, were sharp and they narrowed as they rested on his summoner.

"Yes, Lady Chai?"

The woman's head lifted, and she tamed long locks of blue black away from her oriental face. "Ready yourself, for she comes swiftly."

The male stiffened, his lips flattening into a thin line as he sucked in a breath. Could it be? At long last..."

"You're sure..?" he asked, his voice filled with more anticipation than he would have liked for his mistress to hear. One of Lady Chai's eyebrows piqued on her porcelain forehead, causing no wrinkle, as if it had just decided to change location.

"You question my abilities" After all this time under my tutelage, perhaps I've expected too much of you.." The male lowered his head in subservience.

"My apologies, Lady Chai, I....Forgive me, I was overwhelmed with emotion." Her full lips puckered in distaste

"Well, get rid of it. Emotions are-" she began.

"-useless and have nothing to do with furthering oneself," the male finished with a tight smirk. Although he didn't want to interrupt her, he felt it prudent. Her throaty chuckles confirmed that. "I wouldn't ever forget your wisdom, Lady Chai."

"I should hope not. But if you need verification....this girl you have been tracking, she goes by the name of Lain?" He nodded. "And she has been also known to use strange words?" Once more, he nodded. She returned her gaze to the bowl where the crystal blue eyed elf was wiping her face. Lady Chai sneered at the tears. "She doesn't match your description exactly, but she can be no other, come have a look," she said, gesturing to the bowl. The male stepped back quickly.

"I no longer doubt your judgment, Lady Chai. If you say it's Lain, I will believe you. When will she arrive?"

"Within a week's time," she said down into the bowl. She then straightened, and passed her hand over the surface of the water. The images faded, and it calmed instantly. "Who is she to you? Even after all of these years, you've been adamant about withholding that information from me. This is upsetting." Her silk kimono rustled around her body as she moved slowly in the male's direction and cupped his cheek once she was close enough. He smiled to her gently, nodded, and stepped further away. Lady Chai watched him like a hawk stalking its prey from above.

"My apologies once more, Lady. I shall be carrying out your orders immediately." He bowed and turned on his heel, striding briskly from the room. As he slid the fusuma door closed behind him, Lady Chai returned to her window, her fingers pulling back the silken drapes and holding them there as if she had never moved, although her mouth now held a cruel smile.

*Author's Note - 'Lai' means 'Come' in Chinese.

Author's Note - This post comes with a song! Get it HERE!!! ]

"COME ON, LAIN, GET UP! GET UP, NOW!"

...

"GET UP!" The boot sailed into her already bruised ribs, her mouth and chest. "YOU DON"T GET BREAKS IN THE REAL WORLD, PRINCESS; IT"S ABOUT TIME YOU WOKE UP!"

Through the blood in her eyes, she saw Flint sprint into the room, trying to hold off his muscled twin with spindly arms. He was thrown away like garbage.

"GET UP!" Another kick to her gut. "COME ON!" Her eye. "FIGHT BACK, YOU WORTHLESS, INCAPABLE PIECE OF TRASH!" Ribs, legs, mouth.

...

"STOP IT!" She heard the loudest shout in the room coming from her, and they spiraled through the air away from her to collide with the far wall and slide down it in a pathetic heap.

...

Her hair snaked in knotted tendrils over her bleeding forehead, and she stared murder at the small group, silver eyes flashing white off and on like a broken light bulb. Weapons from the tables rattled and floated into the air and flipped around so their sharp edges were aimed at everyone.

Tick scowled. Flint swore. Flick smiled.

"THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!"

She was standing up, moving, meeting Flick's venomous gaze. The weapons rocketed through the air"

"NGH!" Lain jerked awake to the sound of pounding at her door, but she didn't get up to answer it. The wide open window to her left allowed a cool breeze to flutter the lace curtains. A crescent moon glowed a gentle blue in a rather pitch black sky.

She groaned, and pulled the covers over her head once she realized whoever her visitor was wasn't going to stop knocking anytime soon.

"Miss" Miss, are you alright' I heard odd noises coming from in there." Lain's closed eyes rolled.

"I'm fine," she called, although not loud enough it seemed. Because they kept at it. A demon, from what she could tell, but with a ruddy mixture of older magic. She was usually wary about those that went to great magical extents to try and hide who they were, so the fuzzy uncertainty of her first glance analysis bothered her.

Rather than yell, Lain threw the covers from her sweaty skin and rolled out of bed onto her feet. She scaled her small inn room in three strides and wrenched the door open, screwing up her face into an annoyed look that she would have recoiled at had she seen it.

"What." She swallowed at hearing her own voice. It cracked and broke like she'd been crying. Bringing her fingers up to her eyes, she found that she had without knowing it. It didn't help her mood.

"I-I uh..." For a demon, he was unusually lacking in the suave department. He wasn't overly tall, about six one, she'd guess. His long black hair was tied back in a tail at the base of his neck, and his bright red eyes were blinking like crazy as he tried to muster up a fragmented sentence that she figured wouldn't be coherent to begin with.

"You what, spit it out already, I've got sleep t'be doin'."

"I'm....I apologize. Like I said before, I heard strange noises coming from this room." Lain massaged her temple as she leaned into the door frame, her sleepy eyes still trying to adjust to the spill of light the open door made.

"Did'ja ever think I might not'a been alone in here?" The man's face flushed a gentle pink, and he straightened, clearing his throat.

"They were not that form of noise, if I may say so."

"Oh, I see," Lain muttered, her irritation increasing. "So yer th'type'a dude who goes around fricken listening to other people's walls fer yer kicks, huh?"

He waved his hands frantically, which had been clasped behind his back since the start of the conversation. "No no no! That's not what I meant!"

"Sure it's not. Look man, as you can see I'm fine, I aint' dead'r doin' whatever th'hell else you thought you heard, schway' Good night." Lain stepped back and moved to slam the door, but the man wedged himself between the door and its frame, and stopped it easily with one hand. She blinked as she saw a shadow pass over the scowl he gave her. Something about it seemed incredibly familiar...

"It appears we got off on the wrong foot," he said gently, but his expression didn't change. Her hand tightened around the door handle as she readied herself to put this freak out of his misery.

"It ain't gonna get any better if you don't get th'hell outta here." There was a brief silence.

"Is there a reason for all of this hostility?"

"Yeah, it's completely fricken justified. You dunno how t'keep yer nose outta other people's business and then think it's fun t'not let'm sleep." He chuckled.

"No faith in your fellow man, I take it." Lain shook her head, but it was more of a movement to toss her bangs aside as they slipped across her forehead.

"I was taught never to trust anyone. Guess it sorta stuck."

Why would she say that.." She had inadvertently detailed a good portion of her past to some random, peeping Tom weirdo who was all but forcing himself into her room.

But it seemed to work. He blinked, and his hand slipped from the door in surprise. In fact, his whole face wore a look of shock that she didn't bother to try and think on.

The door finally slammed shut like she'd wanted it to, and she threw every lock it had into action before belly flopping on her bed. Her hands slipped beneath her pillows and closed around the tiny green device that Flint had gifted her. Long fingers gingerly pushed the ear buds deep into her pointy ears and she punched the touch pad, causing the thing to light up and cast ghostly shadows over her face.

Lain laid her head onto the plush pillows as a loud guitar screech erupted in her ears. Tired as she was, she couldn't let her eyes drift shut, and she watched the curtains flutter like a dress as she listened, for the first time in years, to the song that launched her from nobody status into the Schwayer.

" ...I thought he wasn't able to make it..."

As tears stabbed the corners of her eyes, she buried her face in her pillow, and cried.

It was no use. She couldn't get a wink of sleep.

Crystal blue eyes drifted slowly open above dark circles and stared at the bathroom ceiling, although not really seeing it. The stiffness had settled into her limbs, and she forced them to move. Her knees poked through the surface of the water, droplets trailing down her skin and causing goosebumps to form.

How long had she been lying here" Five hours" Maybe six"

Her shiver was the final straw, and she heaved a sigh, wasting no time in toweling off and throwing her wet hair up in some manner of style. She stepped out of the bathroom, over to the small vanity by the door, pulling a simple snug tank top and flannel bottoms on as she went. The pile of jewelry on the dark cherry wood surface glittered in the morning sun. She stared into the mirror at the shadow of her face, her thin hands performing the mechanical motions of sliding on her bracelets and rings. When finished, she flexed her fingers and rubbed her eyes.

"Ahhhhhhh, I look like crap." Lain laughed softly at that. It was the first time that she'd really made any sort of comment about her looks with any sort of interest. She brushed the large garnet earring in her left ear, one of a pair, the other of which was on Tenzo's ear someplace. "Wow, is it a good thing he ain't here t'see.." She managed a few more moments' worth of preening and then still grinning, slipped a red button down shirt around her torso and padded out of her room.

Like the Red Dragon at this early hour of the morning, the small inn was quiet with the faint scent of cinnamon rolls and toast its only occupants. As if a testament to that, a huge silver platter with sticky buns gleaming with slick frosting all but dragged her over to the counter. She made a beeline for them, punching herself gently in the stomach when she heard it growl in response.

"Ah, I see I am not the only Early Bird," came an amused voice, and Lain looked up, one cinnamon roll hanging out of her mouth and another in her hand, at the same demon guy from the night previous. His long hair was still tied back, and he wore a simple and tight sleeveless top and pants. He exited the kitchen carrying a plate of toast on one palm and a few jars in his other hand and he gave her a smile as he settled those alongside the cinnamon rolls. "How do they taste" I'm afraid my culinary skills are slightly out of practice."

"Oomayveez?" she asked heavily, pointing to the roll clutched between her teeth. He seemed to have no problem discerning it though. And his smile never wavered.

"Yes, I did. I found myself quite bored this morning, and figured I was behind on my five minutes of charity for the year."

"Seriously.." They're good," Lain nodded as she swallowed and brushed crumbs off her face and fingers. Which proved to be more difficult than she first thought because of the frosting's addition and the fact that she only had one free hand. Noticing her issues, the demon quickly retrieved a clean plate and rag, a combination she'd never seen before at any inn. "Dang....never thought clean things fricken existed in a place like this, man?" she said chuckling. Although, this inn was surprisingly comfortable, calm, and quiet. Why wouldn't she expect cleanliness" She stacked her cinnamon rolls onto the plate and grabbed the rag with a muttered 'thanks'. Lain was glad that guilt wasn't an everyday emotion for her, because if it was, she'd go insane. While one hand slid the wadded up rag forward on the gleaming counter, the other lifted to the green guitar pick at her neck and began to maul it relentlessly. "Look, about last night-"

"What kind of morning beverage do you prefer?" he asked turning suddenly away from her and casting his red eyes over the shelves behind him. "I believe we only have coffee, tea, fruit juices, and water available. The more exotic drinks, well....I haven't been able to locate them." Lain blinked. He didn't seem to have heard her, though something about him made her think that he was avoiding the subject. For what reason, she had no idea. She wasn't THAT intimidating last night. She'd hardly even tried. Maybe she'd discreetly humor him.

"What no ale" Pssh. S'fricken unschway, that."

"Yes, but note the lack of mess and passed out, smelly, grotesque individuals," he said as he waved an open hand towards the rather spotless interior without turning around. "I daresay other establishments should take a leaf out of this one's book."

"Either that or they're way too damn uptight," she said, tearing off another piece of her cinnamon roll and tossing it up into the air. It landed neatly into her waiting mouth, and she smiled, proud that she was able to do that when she was running on less than half of her normal energy. The demon chuckled and glanced at her over his shoulder.

"So what shall it be?"

"Uh....like, coffee" I guess."

"Coffee it is. The usual accoutrements?"

It took her a moment to figure out that he was asking if she wanted cream or sugar. "Nah, need it black t'day, man." He nodded and began the preparations, choosing a huge, dark red mug from one of the shelves. Lain continued to munch at her breakfast as she claimed a stool, watching him as he worked because he was the only other thing besides her that moved in the commons. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about him seemed strangely familiar. His mannerisms, his appearance. Even the smooth, graceful way he moved as he took his time boiling the water and pouring it over a filter filled with ground coffee beans. The sweet smell of it began to waft into her nose, mingling with the scent of cinnamon, and she felt a good amount of tension in her shoulders melt away.

She hadn't ever sensed him before, that part she was sure of. Usually when she met someone who housed stores of magic, she was able to remember their feeling, but this guy....He was different. Still, she couldn't help ask.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" His broad shoulders stiffened, his head tilting. He seemed to be thinking it over.

"Not unless you've met someone named Kilf before. Have you?" he inquired, turning around with two large mugs in his equally large hands. Lain shook her head and tore off another hunk of roll. She didn't eat it right away, just sat playing with it. Her gaze lifted when he moved to stand before her.

"Nah, thought so, though. Cuz you seem damn familiar t'me, and I dunno why."

"Oh, so I'm not the first to try and barge into your room during the early hours of the morning" I'm hurt." He feigned a pout and she snorted as she finally nibbled at the mangled pastry between her fingers. He slid her mug to her, and gave her an upnod that she didn't see. "You were saying....about last night."

"Huh' OH! Right uh....Yeah, I.." Wanted to apologize fer that. I ain't been havin' th'best'a days lately, schway' And you did mean well, right?" One of her dark eyebrows arched as she asked, and he gave her a smooth grin that reached his crimson eyes. He took a drink from his own mug first, and Lain saw the thin string with a tag attached indicating he chose tea instead. He was fast. She didn't even tell that he'd made anything for himself

"I assure you that my intentions were most honorable."

Lain nodded several times, sweeping up her own mug. The coffee burned her tongue, mouth, and nose, but she savored it anyway, feeling it tear at her insides when she swallowed. Lain cleared her throat and made a show of digging the tips of her fingers into her eyes to hide the fact that it had caused them to water. It'd been a whiiiiile since she'd done that.

Kilf chuckled. "A little too toasty, I presume?"

"Just a bit," she said grinning. The silence descended on them like a blanket, and she found herself twitching and swaying in her chair while she ate. The only noises that permeated it were sips, swallows, and the sound of her own mouth chewing in her head. Rhythmic thuds emanated from below the bar as she kicked her heels against the rungs of her stool. Thud, thud, thud.

"It sure is quiet.

"Tch, yeah, I'll say. 'S'freakin' me out, too. I hate silence," she muttered, scowling. She clacked the thick rings on her fingers against the handle of her mug and it created a merry little tune with the accompanying thuds.

"Well then, what better way to avoid it than conversation, mm' Tell me, where are you from?" Both of her eyebrows rose in unison.

"Like originally'r where I was b'fore I came here here."

"Either or, or both if you like," he said with a gentle shrug. He crossed one arm over his stomach, and propped his other elbow upon it, holding the large mug of tea lazily between his fingers. Somehow, he seemed to muscular to fit that pose.

"Ah, gotcha." She leaned her elbows into the counter, poking at the other, uneaten roll still on her plate. It'd be cold by now, not nearly as good. "Rhy'Din city. S'like....couple'a days worth'a journey that'a way." She jerked her head towards the western windows, and he followed the gesture.

"Do you like it there?"

She blinked. "S'alright, I guess....It ain't no B-Town, that's fer sure. Cuz there, right' There, turkey sandwiches'r only fer eating."

His expression suggested he was lost. "And this....B-Town, that is your hometown?"

Lain upnodded at his correct guess. "Yeah. S'right on th'border b'tween Urth'n th'Lands. Waaaaay too many fricken Roundies, uh, humans," she clarified, and Kilf nodded, "fer their own good, schway' But it's a good place, always alive, too much noise'n crap t'do'r run away from t'be bored, really."

"Ah, I see. You do seem to abhor silence," he paused to sip and savor his tea, and even though she wasn't looking up at him, she felt his intense eyes boring a hole into the top of her skull. Lain shifted in her seat and tugged her loose shirt more closely about her. He was quiet for so long, it made her jump when he finally spoke. "You are of the musical sort, right?"

All she was able to manage was a nod, and she busied herself with sipping from her coffee. She heard him lean, and was soon face to face with his inspecting gaze.

"A guitar player, I see. Yes....I never learned to play that instrument, I didn't have the fingers for it," Kilf said wistfully. He held up one of his hands, fingers splayed, and Lain saw that unlike her own thin, long, nearly delicate hands, his were broad and beefy with short fingers that resembled sausages. She snorted.

"Ya never know. Anyone can be taught t'do anything if they have th'patience for it."

"Yes, although that is something I was lacking of in my youth. In my later years I discovered a talent with the piano, and not only did it make beautiful music, but I found it rather relaxing."

Lain grinned, thankful that her nerves were starting to unwind from the tight ball in her chest they were beginning to form. No doubt the black coffee didn't help that at all, but she prided herself in keeping well away from being effected by beverages.

"So what uprooted you from your hometown" You seemed to rather enjoy it there."

She trace the rim of her now half full mug with a few long nails as she thought over her answer. Thoughts of B-Town ultimately led to thoughts of the only home there she'd ever had, and now wasn't allowed to set foot in ever again. Her teeth grit together and she swallowed the building lump in her throat. Kilf, who was ever surprising her in how much close attention he was paying, stiffened and cleared his throat.

"My apologies, I had no right to-"

"Nah, no....it's fine." She was able to produce a convincing enough smile, and the fact that she was met with a genuinely concerned expression on his part made that a whole hell of a lot easier. "I ain't th'typical chick who got upset with how mom'n dad were runnin' things'n then got all mixed in with th'wrong crowd'r whatever. I dun'really have a family, just'a lotta close friends'n..." It was her turn to pause, and Kilf waited expectantly, silently. "S'kinda a lie, schway' I had a couple'a brothers." Flicking her eyes off to the side and out the window as she was, she didn't see the color drain from Kilf's face, nor the severity that his crimson eyes hardened to.

"What do you mean....'had' a couple of brothers?" She could tell that he didn't want to tread into something else that may be none of his business, but there wasn't going to be any helping it if he continued asking those kinds of questions. If he was curious, and he seemed like he was, she was going to have to tell him off some time.

"I....ah.." slowly, she lifted her right hand and cradled her cheek in it, keeping her gaze trained out the window. Several large, dark birds flew by, and her eyes rolled in their sockets as she followed them as far as she could without turning her head. "Well, one disappeared....a long time ago. And th'other.." We dun' get along really that schway anymore."

That was all she was able to say about that, and quite abruptly, Lain pushed herself to her feet and smoothed her damp bangs behind her pointy, decorated ears. It was only then that she saw Kilf's ashen expression, his gaping mouth, and noticed that he was dangerously nearing the point of dropping his mug.

"Ya schway man, ya dun' look too good.."

Kilf snapped himself back from his daze with a rough shake of the head, and took a long gulp from his tea. "Yes, I am, thank you," he mumbled, but it sounded rather forced to her. His head tilted in question, then. "Are you, though' I'm afraid I've stumbled upon a rather sensitive subject."

"Yeah," she nodded slowly. Her attentions were caught by both the mountain of cinnamon rolls to her left, and the fact that another patron had just entered the commons via the front door, and proceeded to cough up, what sounded like, the entirety of his inner organs. "I'll be fine, thanks Kilf. Fer these." Lain flicked a curled a finger at the plate of rolls and a couple separated themselves from their fellows and landed neatly onto her plate. She swiftly took hold of it and her coffee mug and shuffled to the stairs.

"W-wait!" he called suddenly, and she froze, her leg lifted in midstep. As her head turned to regard him, she felt the fatigue of last night return full force, and fought to keep her balance. At least she knew she'd get some sleep now. "What's your name?"

"Lain. Or Schway. I respond to both," she said, giving him a weak smile. She was all too aware of the old man trudging into the room and eavesdropping, because hell....what else was there to listen to besides them.

"Lain....I really am sorry."

She bit the side of her tongue as she noted the amount of remorse lacing both his voice and face. She lost herself watching him for a few seconds, then chuckled. "I'schway Kilf. I'll see ya 'round."

"Yes....I do indeed hope so.."

Lain disappeared up the stairs with the soundtrack of the old man heckling suggestively echoing in her mind.

It was a good thing that the porch to the Lucky Lotus bar and inn was large enough to store her bike. After a few hours of undisturbed sleep, she awoke to the explosions of thunder and lightning through a pale gray sky and in the end was relieved. It saved her from reliving her dreams, which had begun to grow steadily worse as time went on. She was greatly considering injecting herself with coffee so that she wouldn't have to deal with it.

She got a few looks as she strode outside with nothing covering her but a couple skin tight wife beaters and baggy jeans. Most of those people were human, and didn't possess a lick of magic. Or they just thought she looked weird. Lain had given them bright smiles just to freak them out further.

Currently, she sat on the porch before her bike, a brown cinnamon-scented clove dangling from her lips and spewing blue smoke to the now gentle, lethargic rainstorm. The aroma of woods, water, and dirt canceled out the sweet tang of her cigarette. Next to her were two bottles of beer: one empty, one half-empty, one of those infamous clean rags from beneath the bar, a fork, a spoon, and a large rubber band. Lain leaned back against the wall of the Lucky Lotus, her knees propped up, and her elbows resting atop them. Even though there was hardly any light, the lonely glass ring on her left ring finger seemed to shine, mocking her, telling her to look at it....and remember what was inside. She chose to close her eyes and hang her head instead.

And she had only just done so when she felt rather than saw him join her.

"I take it your ride has chosen to be difficult with you."

Lain chuckled and forced her head back up. Her damp hair clung to her forehead and cheeks, and her earrings clattered when she rested the back of her head against the wall. Her eyes felt sticky, and she found it hard to just open them, let alone move them so she could see Kilf standing beside her.

"Ahh, I see you've located some of the more exotic beverages."

"Beer's not th'same as ale, but it'll do," Lain said quietly, her voice like a gravel road: uneven, scratchy, rough. She cleared her throat and plucked her cigarette from her mouth, freeing it of the collapsing castle of ashes. "So what?s up, dude" 'ja wanna see th'storm too?"

Kilf nodded his head. He had changed, she noticed, into a rather beaten up tee shirt and jeans, and it did absolutely nothing to conceal his muscle mass for he still looked bulky and way out of place. Like her, he was barefoot, and the hem of his pant legs were dark with water. "May I?"

"Yeah sure, dude." Lain found it weird to be asked permission. She didn't think she exuded that type of aura. Pushing aside her pile of treasures, which resulted in the empty beer bottle falling over and rolling off the porch, she scooted over a bit and knocked on the bit of porch beside her. The bottle was given a look, or at least the place she assumed it fell. Like hell she was going to pick it up.

"So what?s wrong with her?" He cleared his throat loudly, and Lain jumped, twisting her head around ad warp speed. A chunk of her hair whipped across forehead and stuck there. She hadn't seen Kilf's gesture towards the bike. Lain scoffed.

"Hell if I know. Maybe it hates rain. S'not even mine, anyway if ya know what I mean." Kilf laughed and scooted his way over to one side of the bike, the one opposite Lain, and reached between the wheels for her pile of makeshift tools. He chose the fork, and started to tinker.

"So you've just been stabbing at it with anything you could find then?"

"Pretty much," she said through a sigh. Her ass was cold and numb from sitting on the porch for this long, and a jolt of pain shot through her tail bone, making her wince. She plucked up her half empty bottle as she shifted around, and tipped it up to her lips. "Hey look, dude, not that I dun' appreciate the midnight call, and the breakfast, and the whatever th'frick you think yer gonna do to my bike....why are you doin' this" You dunno me from a hole in the wall."

There was a lengthy chuckle, and a loud metallic POP before he continued. She watched his hand snake out between the wheels and grab the spoon.

"You remind me of someone. My sister to be exact. She was a lot like you."

"Was?"

"She died. A long time ago."

Lain winced. "I'm sorry, man.."

Another loud POP. "It's perfectly alright, you didn't know. But yes, she was a lot like you. Very strong, very independent. She did what she wanted when she wanted, and she acted like a royal pain just for kicks but....deep down, you knew she was good; honest."

She snorted good and hard to that, finding herself laughing for the first time in who knows how long. Sticking what was left of the brown clove between her teeth, she held that grin. "Tch, I dun' think so, man. Whoever yer sister is, she ain't nothin' like me, schway?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm one of those chicks yer warned about, but never really meet. An ACTUAL badass who ain't just lookin' fer th'right guy t'come along and straighten me out. I've lost.." Heh...I've lost everything that I'd ever considered important to me, and now" I don't care what the hell happens to me....I doubt yer good sister was one'a those."

"And that includes your trust issue?" She could tel lhe was speaking through a smile.

"Yeah, if you must know." Lain swapped her clove for her beer and finished it off, tossing the butt into the bottle with a gentle flick of a slender finger. They sat in silence for a while, but the rain was enough to keep her from completely losing it.

"Do you believe in God?"

Lain just stared at him, with gaping eyes and mouth alike.

"Alright, perhaps not....Then I should ask have you ever heard the Idiot story?"

Lain shook her head violently with a jingling of earrings, and slid her gaze over to her bike. She could see his curled legs and a bare foot between the wheels. "Dude, man, I've met a lotta fricken idiots in my time, so yer gonna hafta be more specific'n that."

Kilf laughed. "Alright, alright. But from your answer, I deduce you haven't heard my version," he said lightly, clearing his throat and sucking in a long breath.

"Long ago, in a poor village, lived a young man in a house he built. One day, a terrible storm swept up, and his roof caved in. His neighbor came rushing by with supplies to fix it, and pleaded with him to let him help. 'No,' the young man said, 'I'm waiting for God to help me.'

"Some hours later, because of that hole and the torrential rains, the water began to rise in his house. Another neighbor came by on a horse, pleading with him to get on, and that he'd help him to safety. 'No,' the young man said again, 'I'm waiting for God to help me.'

"Finally, the water rose in his house to the point that if he was nearing the roof. Yet another neighbor came by in a boat with his family, and reached out to the young man, wanting to take him with them. 'No,' the young man said again, 'I'm waiting for God to help me.'

"He drowned."

She blinked owlishly at Kilf, shifting around as she listened, ignoring the second jolt of pain climbing its way up her spine. A series of metal crunches and pops were heard from his end of the motorcycle.

"When he got to Heaven, he was pretty angry with God, and started to argue with him. 'Why didn't you help me"!' he shrieked in God's face. 'I was waiting for you to help me!'" Lain jumped in surprise at the ferocity his tone took on. She could only imagine the expression on his face. Her only thought was that he was getting too into telling this story. "God said 'What do you mean' I sent you the supplies, the horse, and the boat, what more did you want from me"'" Kilf stood with a groan, and stretched, dropping the spoon and the fork to the porch with a resounding clatter. "Do you know why that young man was considered an idiot, Lain?"

She wrapped her arms loosely about her bent knees and thought for a second. "To not fricken depend on something else to help you outta a mess?"

"No," Kilf shook his head, and leveled his a crimson glare upon her that made her feel small. "Your way of life is fine, trust no one but yourself. Because, usually, you will always wind up with that in the end, but..?" He curled his fist and smashed it against the seat of the motorcycle. Immediately, it roared to life, and Lain jolted to one side, staring incredulously at the machine, then the demon. "There's nothing wrong with accepting help when you need it. You can not trust someone, but still take what they offer from you."

"Huh.." she expelled in what she hoped was a thoughtful tone. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she settled a hand to it as she pushed up to her feet. Kilf reached over and coaxed the engine off.

"You're heading towards Yasuo, correct?"

Lain nodded, and began to fiddle with a lock of blue black before pulling it behind one ear.

"I live near the Barrier. You see, magic is not quite....abundant there, and as such, a being like myself must abide by that. I would be more than happy to travel with you so you both do not get lost, and will have some company. Besides, it would only make sense. We're going in the same direction, after all."

"Nah, man you don't have to, i'sch-!" Her hands stopped mid-wave once she caught his expression. 'Remember the story' it said. But that thought was unnerving. Did he tell her all of that just to get her to agree to this? If he wanted to come along, why didn't he just ask, she would have turned him down in the same way anyway. "You know what? Why th'hell not. Cuz it ain't like I'm gonna enjoy th'fact that yer followin' me at some distance." She shrugged her shoulders, and folded her arms. Kilf's lips spread into a broad, handsome smile, and he nodded his head deeply.

"Thank you, Lain. I look forward to this journey."

She waited until the heavy door had closed behind him, still following him with a crystal blue, knife's width stare. "Yeah. Me too."

July 27th to add in missing pieces that could very well changes perspectives. ]

"COME ON, LAIN, GET UP! GET UP, NOW!"

...

"GET UP!" The boot sailed into her already bruised ribs, her mouth and chest. "YOU DON"T GET BREAKS IN THE REAL WORLD, PRINCESS; IT"S ABOUT TIME YOU WOKE UP!"

Through the blood in her eyes, she saw Flint sprint into the room, trying to hold off his muscled twin with spindly arms. He was thrown away like garbage.

"GET UP!" Another kick to her gut. "COME ON!" Her eye. "FIGHT BACK, YOU WORTHLESS, INCAPABLE PIECE OF TRASH!" Ribs, legs, mouth.

...

"STOP IT!"

"HAAAAAH!" Lain snapped to attention, her dream ripped from her mind, and repeatedly drove her fist into the chest of her attacker. What kind of numbnuts was this" Attacking while she was sleeping. A smart numbnuts, but a numbnuts none the less. Whoever they were drew back with a yell, and she curled her legs, thrusting her heels into them next. They were propelled backwards, and landed in the campfire that was still burning brightly. Smoky the Bear would not have been amused.

Adrenaline singing in her veins, Lain pulled one of her black Manaforge weapons from the depths of the pack she was using as a pillow, and fired a neon pink round into the creature's chest. It screeched like a banshee and waved its skeletal arms and legs. Moments later, the power crystal was licked by the flames, and they exploded, blasting her from her laying position backwards a fair distance away.

"LAIN! LAIN"! WAKE UP, COME ON!"

"That voice.." So it wasn't just a dream....he was really yelling at her. It was coming from the shadows. Just out of the campfire's reach. She heard grunts and meaty thuds. Kilf was fighting another one of those....demons....she'd killed. Bare fisted. She stayed on the ground, and watched as the bone thin, dingy brown demon stumbled into the light. Now that she saw it properly, she reeled. From its nose and up, its head had been cut off, leaving disgusting muscle and dark blood out in the open. Kilf ducked numerous clawed swipes with ease. She thought she even saw a smirk on his face.

With his last block, he caught a hold of the demon's arm and swerved to the side, forcing his elbow into its diaphragm. There was a crispy crunch, and Kilf's arm came back drenched in black blood. He threw the demon's arm from his grasp, delivering punch after punch at lightning speed; so fast she could hardly see, so fast the hits sounded like a drum roll. A terribly fast roundhouse kick had the demon's half of a head spinning around on its neck and flying off into the distance. The body crumpled like a wet noodle; lifeless and bloody. Kilf had barely broken a sweat. But Lain was drenched.

She forced herself to her feet and entered the halo of firelight surrounding the first trashed corpse. It smelled vaguely of frying bacon, and oddly enough, was making her hungry. Crystal blue eyes were fixed on her companion, and when he turned, she lifted her gun. She had only seen moves like that from two other men. One of them, she'd buried. The other was Flick.

"Who the hell are you. Really. And don't try to lie, schway' I'm in a trigger happy mood." She licked her lips and tasted blood. That thing must have cut her when she was sleeping, or it happened when she was thrown back. Either way, she paid it no mind.

"Lain, thank god. When I went to get more firewood and returned to find the Kla'dega near you, I nearly-"

"Answer the question, Hellspawn, or I'm'a fricken take that mouth'a yers right out!"

"Lain, calm down, please.." He had raised his hands before him, trying to plead with her. But she wasn't going to buy it.

"That's strike two. One more, and yer out, Bucko." Her gun whined in her hand as the internal power core whirred to life. Her index finger was tightening on the trigger. Just a few more seconds...

"WAIT! Wait, no don't. I'll tell you whatever you need to know.."

"That's better."

"I was sent to come and get you....by your brother."

"You're lying." It was barely a whisper, but she got it out. Lain squeezed the Forge gun's trigger in rapid succession, plunging round after round of crystallized magic into his chest. Dark cherry blood spurted into the air and splatted on the ground. Kilf fell to his knees, bringing his shaking hands to his wounds. "I changed my mind. You can't come with me. Thanks for th'cinnamon rolls."

Lain heard him groan and fall forward, but she didn't spare him a glance. For some reason, killing him seemed easy. Too easy. She didn't hold any remorse at all. It was just something she'd done.

She shoved her gun back into her bag, shouldered it, and jumped on her bike. It roared to life at her touch, and she revved the engine. Seconds later, the wheels ground into the dirt and left ditches in her wake. The wind dried the blood and sweat on her body as she sped towards Yasuo's dark shadow with moonlight her only beacon.

"For a minute there, he looked like my brother.."

It rained a lot in Yasuo. That was her only explanation. Either that, or the weather decided to mirror how she felt. Normally, she thought such ideas were weak and useless. Now she couldn't care.

Soaking wet, her clothes and hair clinging to her, Lain left her motorcycle against the dark red torii style gate and strolled into the cobblestone courtyard. The woods still bloomed up and around the random architecture. Before her were tall, nearly black double doors set within a white cement stucco wall. It stretched in either direction as far as she could see. On the left side, mounted on the wall, was a plank of polished wood with Oriental symbols carved into it and inked black. She reached out and traced them with her fingers, not even needing to double check it against Flick's note to know that they would match.

She was in the right spot. After fifty years of not even giving a damn about it, she had to wonder why she was even trying in the first place. What was she expecting to find; Flick welcoming her with open arms" Or a ghost' Or some fricken answers as to why Kilf said he knew her brother" The last would have been an easy explanation as to why he seemed familiar.

Lain smacked herself in the head with one hand, and forced the gate open with the heel of her other closed fist. It opened with an ominous squeak to a picture perfect, postcard rendition of a Japanese garden. Cobblestones led up to the steps of the two level wooden and fusuma mansion before her. Cherry blossom trees, sans their blushing pink flowers, spotted the front lawn which was plush and green. Two fountains made of rocks overflowed with the added water from the rain. Even with the gorgeous setting, she scowled, and cast a wary glance around her. Demonic residue was flooding her senses.

The wooden porch before the main circular door stretched all around the sides of the mansion, and squeaked loudly with her applied weight. She rapped her knuckles against it, and it was opened immediately by a tiny, waif-like woman dressed in elegantly hued and embroidered silk.

"U-uh....hey there, this is gonna sound janky but um....I was kinda sent here by my brother." To her surprise, the woman pulled the door wide open, and motioned her in. Lain felt kind of bad, being a drowned rat and being ushered into a clean house. "You don't have a place I could like....dry off, do ya?"

"Hai. Douzo....kochira e." As she followed the woman down one of the many halls between the fusuma walls, she caught a glimpse of a fluffy white cat slink away and hide.

Author's Note - This post comes with a song! Get it HERE!!! ]

Lain tentatively peeked out into the hallway and turned her head all around, searching. There were two other magical presences in the house. One was clearly demonic, and the other.." She couldn't be sure. She hardly had any care to find out.

She slipped out of her room in stocking feet, and pulled a second hoodie around her. She had been able to draw out at least five buckets of water from herself and her bag, and she tossed them out the open window before she'd gone to start exploring.

Since it was still pitch black out, the halls and rooms were lit with candles and tiny paper covered lanterns. It had an eerily peaceful quality to it that made her feel on edge and calm at the same time. Lain scratched her head, and ran her fingers through her hair. Some strands broke off, and she shook them to the ground.

Tenzo had told her stories of how the homes in his village had been crafted. 'This is what they must have looked like,' she thought to herself, drawing back door after door and inspecting the tiny rooms within. She was lucky enough to not have barged in on someone sleeping or worse. 'They're so pretty..'

"Hello..?" Her voice carried through the thatch walls, and she winced. "Whoops.."

"Omataseshimashita. Douzo, kochira e.." Lain jumped in the air and whirled around to the sound of the small woman's voice. Her sparse knowledge in Japanese couldn't help her at this point.

"You scared th'fricken crap outta me.." The woman looked behind Lain, probably seeing if she was serious, then motioned to the circular archway some ways down the hall. Lain followed her reluctantly, a hand settled onto her chest and trying to calm her nerves.

"Douzo.."

The room was incredibly spacious, and in the center of the floor, with two small steps leading down to it, was a shiny piano, on top of which sat a bowl of green tea and a plate of sushi. The smell of fish hit her in the face as she stepped over the threshold.

"Hey, is someone gonna-" Lain began, but turned to find herself alone. "Well great. It's a real good thing that doesn't freak me out anymore!" Her voice echoed to no one, and she scoffed, padding her way into the room. Someone else was here if they were serving her food. Either that, or the chick was just being nice. But she doubted it. She'd taken too long, and because of that, Lain figured she went to go and tell her master all about their visitor.

The piano bench squeaked as she sat down upon it. She could see her reflection in the polished wood, and she scoffed again. Hands ran through her hair a couple more times, then rubbed at her face as she tried to coax color into her skin. When she dropped then, they banged into the keys and made a horrid sound that shredded her eardrums.

Pianos were never her thing. Flint always took over the boards whenever they were on stage together, which was rare. He didn't like to be in the spotlight much. Lain tilted her head and dragged her nails along the keys. They clicked rhythmically, and the ivory felt cool against her fingers. Without knowing it, she cracked her knuckles, and set her hands firmly against them. Sad notes spiraled out into the air as digits moved deftly over the keys, black and white alike, like she had been playing forever. Like music always did, it formed a tight ball in her chest, and made her adrenaline pump. The song was sad, but it made her smile. In some screwed up way, it was therapy.

She hit the keys harder and harder as she played, aggression working its way into her fingers. Anger slowly took over depression, and in a defeated motion, she slammed her palms onto the keys, and the same horrendous sound pierced the air. Somewhere afterwards, she heard a chuckle to her right, and her head spun around.

"The last time I heard you play that song was on your guitar. You never told me you played piano, Lain..."

She stood so fast the bench toppled over behind her, and stacks of sheet music spilled onto the tatami floor. Kilf strode forward with his hands held up, dressed in dark clothes, clean....Like she hadn't even shot him. Lain felt the color drain from her face, and she shuffled back, already digging within her pockets for a collapsible staff. Her mouth was dry. She couldn't say anything, couldn't even swallow.

"Do you finally remember me..?" There was a rustle of movement, and suddenly he was no longer by the door but right before her. Her knees bent, and she sprung into the air, the hard punch he delivered sliding right beneath her stocking feet. In the next instant, Lain shot her leg out, and her shin hit his jaw with a metallic CLANG, and his head jerked to the side as he flew backwards. He landed on the tatami floor with a thud and a grunt. But he laughed. "You've gotten better."

After what felt like forever, the eight way emotional tug-of-war finally ended in her chest, and she landed with a thud, shooting him a grin.

"Always one t'not give enough credit where it's due, eh, Flick?"

It all happened so fast, she didn't know what to do. She was running now, running for her life. But every corner she turned down looked the same as the last....Just how big was this house"

It was the cat that clued her in....a flashback to those horrid days as a feline. At least she finally had her explanation.

But then came the voices.

'Flick was the one that turned you into that, do you remember.." Battery acid for saliva...red eyes...You almost lashed out at him, didn't you.." What would you have done if you did.." Alexander already hated you, what if you made him despise you...'

"STOP IT!!" Lain lashed out, and the fusuma walls tore with a unanimous shredding noise and fell to the floor. Flick was blasted from his feet, but somehow, the only things on Chai that moved were her hair and clothes. The cat, too, stared at her with eyes like his mistress; blood red, spliced vertically by fiery yellow. The same eyes she'd had...

Lain stumbled to her feet, and found Flick with her angered gaze. Her dark hair whipped about her in a breeze that wasn't connected to the storm now raging around them.

"You kept this from me.." After all you've done.." AFTER EVERYTHING YOU PUT EVERYONE THROUGH"! WHERE DO YOU GET OFF"!"

She was so angry....All the pent up rage that had festered in her chest exploded in that single instant. Towards Flick for his pile of complete retardation, towards Chai for her intrusion into her mind, towards Aka for killing Alex, towards Alex for letting himself be killed and for leaving her, and lastly for herself. For not being there to even try to do anything.

'That's right Lain, it is all your fault. Maybe if you were better than this, he wouldn't have had to leave.." It was your fault that he did, you know.'

"HE CRIED FOR YOU FOR A WEEK!" The porch beneath them split, jagged fissures surging down the planks of wood with sickening cracks; straight for him. Although somehow, they stopped before they reached his fallen body, and the eruption that was meant for her brother created a crater in the porch and took a massive bite out of the overhanging roof. The instant confusion took over her annoyance at Chai's continuous prods.

"You....whore!" He was too fast. She could see him, but she couldn't do anything about it. Flick zipped to the left, then the right, and his meaty fist sailed right into her mouth, knocking her back and off her feet. She'd landed with a thud, and dented the porch even further. Chai, who had simply moved out of the way of her falling body, gave her a sneer. Lain had barely gotten a spellstaff out of her pocket and extended before he was on top of her, trying to force it down into her throat.

She would never forget his face. Beet red, contorted in rage. His demonic eyes were ablaze, pointed teeth coated in bright yellow acid that dripped down onto her face and burned it.

"EXCUSE ME"!" Chai was saying things to him too, she could feel it. Lain flicked a look up to the Oriental through slitted eyes while she forced Flick's legs apart with her own. Her hands were busy holding the staff across her body, trying to keep him at bay. She had no choice but to accept the headbutt to her already bleeding mouth, but she retaliated by jutting her knee upwards into his groin. He screamed and spat, but she was able to get out from under him. He grappled a hold of her ankle and she cried out as she fell with another metallic thud. He began to drag her back to him, claws now extended from his fingertips digging through her jeans into her skin. Growling, she twisted, and swept the staff in an arc that ended in a hard crunch when it smashed into the side of his head. Blood spewed from the point of impact and splashed onto the porch. Lain clawed at the ground, scrambled up to her feet, and began to run.

'So this is how it's going to be, Lain" Will you run away' Don't you want to get revenge for everything he has done" Or are you still that weak....Perhaps you are, perhaps you did not deserve all that you had.'

"HE'S YER FRICKEN RESPONSIBILITY NOW!" Lain screamed behind her. Chai's voice still echoed in her head, striking chord after chord with each syllable of her lilting words.

She was running now, running for her life. And she had been running for the past ten minutes. For some reason, nothing she could even attempt to do worked against him now. She should have seen it. He wasn't the same as before, obviously. Hell, he had the residues of countless black magics on him, and she couldn't tell where the half-blood ended and the demon began.

It was supposed to be different....She was supposed to find her brother, and get enough answers for Flint so she could finally wash her hands of this whole mess and just....wither away in peace. Tenzo deserved better than this. She felt terrible for how she was with him, and it only made the lump in her throat grow.

Feeling heat at her back, she whipped around, and found herself face to face with two vicious dragon heads, wreathed in flame. Their roars sounded like a raging blaze put up to a microphone. They ate the walls and floor as they undulated and curved around each other to get to her.

Lain about faced and stood her ground, fists clenched. The air before her rippled with the heat, but also with the beginnings of a shield. If her magic wouldn't work against him, she knew it would work for her.

But just before she was baptized with Hell's fury, a hand jutted out through a small portion of still intact fusuma, and yanked her through it. Her stomach jumped into her throat, and that same hand smothered her screech of terror back into her mouth.

I knew she was my sister the day she appeared outside my shop. Half drugged, and the other half drunk. Sure, she was skinnier, had black eyes. And was obviously possessed, but....she was still my little sister.

Back when we were younger, she used to talk to me about everything. Our Father was a high ranking noble who was obsessed with reputation and upholding the family image. And even though our Mother was kind and gentle to us kids, she was the same way. Our older brother Vantrir, named after Father, was like his clone, and thus really couldn't be talked to about anything that didn't concern court or business. 'You're being Human,' he'd say, and wave his hand at her. So she turned to me.

She used to tell me how much she'd miss Father when he went away, or ask me if I had ever met a Human before. She didn't carry the resentment that the rest of our race had towards them. She always thought it was beautiful how they came in so many different colors and us" We just looked like walking snowstorms - all crystal, gray, blue.

'Why"' she always asked. 'Who says I have to wear these ridiculous clothes that make everyone look fat anyway, or keep my hair long, or attend these stuffy parties" Why am I not able to speak with anyone who isn't a True" We are our own people, and we should get the chance to choose how we want to spend our years. Especially if we have so many of them.'

She didn't just tell me, she told anyone who would listen. Everyone saw her as a brat for thinking such things. But they didn't see her like I did. She accepted everyone for who they were and never questioned them. When others were ridiculed, she opened her arms to them. And to our parents' dismay, this behavior was also extended towards humans.

When she met our Grandfather, things got worse.

In fact, I didn't know that we even had a Grandfather until Lain located him. He called himself Papa Tras, lived down in Bordertown, and was ostracized by Father. Or so the story goes.

I remember the very night my sister ran away from home. Because that was the day our family broke apart.

She looked at me, her face contorted with rage. I was her confidant. How could I do this to her" How could I tell Mother and Father about her frequent trips beyond the Border" She was so much smaller than me, but she slapped me, and I fell. It tore me to pieces inside, but....I could remember thinking that this was for her own good.

'This family is not a family,' she hissed while grabbing our brother's sword from its sheath hanging on his hip. No one dared stop her, because I figured they all thought she didn't have a clue what to do with it. Her specialty was always the staff. She took a hold of her hair, which was waist length at the time, sheared it off, and threw it at us. 'You don't care about anything aside from yourselves, and yet you blame me for doing the same. No....you're just too damned scared that I'll ruin the pristine Amthras name. What name do we have" You, Father" You're a fricken mama's boy. You disowned your own Father because he did not comply with your goals. And Mother" I see you're still waiting on the spine to replace the pole stuck up your ass, because that is only thing that's keeping you upright. Vantrir, you would marry your reflection if you had the ability, and Shalleia..' She turned to me, and her silver eyes were filled with so much hatred and malice, I shrunk back.

'You disgust me to my very core. The only true members of this family are the twins, and one day, you'll not have them anymore..' She stormed out moments later, and that was the last we would ever hear from her. Her statement about our younger siblings Naeren and Naemil didn't ring true until they both disappeared about a month after she did. No one knows what happened. Rumors circled that Lain had killed them, but I didn't believe a word of that. There wasn't an evil bone in her body, and she was the best parent to them than Mother and Father had ever been.

I left too, directly after Mother passed. I wanted to find my sister, and find out what exactly was so damned great about these Humans that she would choose them over her own flesh and blood. Over her people. After whoring her description out to any I came in contact with, I finally found her playing guitar in a nightclub with a Halfbreed. Come to find out, she had been the upstart named 'Schway' that everyone was so jazzed over.

I stared at her, seeing her for the first time in two years, but at the same time really seeing her. She shined on that stage. I hadn't ever seen her so elated before. She smiled so wide, I thought her face would break, and it nearly did as the crowd erupted in applause and arm waving. All for her. I smiled, and clapped my hands along with them, waiting for the chance to get to talk to her, finally. Had she forgiven me.." Or did she still hate me.." What I was met with floored me ten thousand times over.

'Who're you.." You wanna autograph.." Yer totally gonna hafta wait in line like everyone else, yanno"'

I gaped at her, and she gaped at me. We each thought the other was completely insane. And then she was led away by the Halfbreed.

I didn't know if she had actually forgotten about us, or was just being the biggest bitch on the planet. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed plausible that it was the latter. I didn't even bother to try and read her mind, mostly cuz I wasn't as skilled a telepath then as I am now. So I just let it go, figuring that hell.." It had been what she wanted, right' To be totally free, talk to whoever she wanted, do whatever she wanted, not be tied down" Fine. Let her have her fun. I walked out of her life from that point on.

So the question remains....why would her big sister want to, after all these years, after helping her in the first place, want to kill her"

Well, you see....I didn't help her. The way she died was no coincidence like our meeting was. Killing the Entity would mean killing herself" Heh. There were better ways to exorcise Entity from her body, many resulting in no side affects whatsoever. But I chose the one that would surely end in death.

Cuz what she didn't know, and what she didn't see....was that Father worried himself to death within three months. Because, suddenly, three of his children were gone. He was inconsolable for the first two, and apathetic towards everything up until the end. Mother strung herself up from a chandelier with her own bedsheets a year later. Vantrir was distraught, and turned into a sniveling, spineless abomination that still, to this day, is trying to salvage a reputation that means squat back in the Lands. No, Lain didn't see that. She left to pursue greater things. Tch, yeah right.

I used to think she was something grand, and someone who would amount to great things one day. Now....now that I held her with one arm, and was nearly smothering her with my other, my mind could only register one thing.

I hate this little bitch. And her suffering is now my responsibility.