Guilt

Rikka: So Taiki also followed you?"

Sora didn't even turn around, but I could feel that he was furious.

Rikka: No worries, I didn't listen in on your conversation, I respect peoples privacy and past. Mostly.

I smiled and stroked Shade who was sitting next to me on the couch. In a way I was angry myself, but I kept it inside. I was good at hiding my true feelings.

Rikka: I guess I should apologize, I should have seen him following you, that bastard.

Sora kept silent. I hated it when I didn't know what he was thinking or feeling. I felt guilty, for letting my feelings go through with me and making me careless, I should have known better.

Rikka: If you want I can contact home and find out some information on him?

Holding in everything.

I turned around as Sora entered the council room, before bowing low.

Takumi: Sora sama... you've returned.
Sora: I told you not to call me "sama" when we're alone.
Takumi: But..
Sora: And that is an order.
Takumi: Yes... Sora.

I tried not to smile as I looked at him when he sat on the window-still. To anyone else, he seemed cool, and unconcerned. However, I knew him far better than that. He was upset, his eyes glazed over. I pushed my glasses back up onto the bridge of my nose.

Takumi: I take it things with Asuka-san didn't go so well?
Sora: What do you think?

I knew better than to press the matter further. However, there was something I had to tell him.

Takumi: I spotted Taiki only moments ago. He seemed to have come from the same direction as you. I fear he may have overheard something.
Sora: .... WHAT?!!

He sat bolt upright, his fists clenching. He glared at the wall for a moment, and I shivered as I felt the anger and power radiating from him.

Sora: Find out everything he knows Takumi.

I smiled and bowed before exiting the room.

Takumi: That is my job, Sora-sama.

A past better left forgotten

So where did I leave off again? Oh that's right, I was falling, falling from the clocktower after making my dramatic exit. And while I was falling I saw three small ants. These ants consisted of Takumi, Sora and, well well, Asuka chan.

How interesting. Well it seems like they're talking about something, I just don't know what. Hmm but from they way her lips are moving I think she wants to have a talk with Sora?! Very interesting.

I was so interested in fact that I decided to follow Asuka after she had finished talking to Sayuri chan. But how to go unnoticed. Well for now I'll just follow. And so I followed, making small pockets of compressed air as steps as I went. A neat trick if I do say so myself.

Well as I was hopping along I noticed another peculiar sight, Rikka chan and her cat. Were they curious too? Well not like it matters. I then noticed Asuka chan enter a small thicket. And right on her heels, Sayuri chan. Well I don't blame her I'm doing the same thing too.

I followed the path and found right in front of me a large open green field and, what's this... a barrier? I see, so he can do those things can he. Well it wasn't a surprise, it's pretty obvious that he wants their conversation to be private. I opened a small rift in the barrier and slipped in undetected. Temporal Space Distortion, a neat trick my master taught me, quick, easy and undetectable no matter how powerful you are. Even Sora wouldn't be able to tell.... i hope.

Sora: Brings back memories doesn't it...
Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.
Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.
Sora: Guess we'll share this story some other time... So, what is it you want to talk about?
Asuka: I want you to stay away from Sayuri.

Obviously. Well, I've found what I wanted so i'll just be-

Sora: It's not my decision to make... It's hers

Hmm? The barrier broke...

Asuka: Wait!!!

What the- I turned around and nearly crashed into Sora, but I quickly leapt out of the way. But he looked sad... He spun around and his eye glanced at my direction as if he had seen me. But that wasn't possible...

More mysteries to unravel

I hid behind the field of sunflowers. It was tall enough to hide me, and i cast a cloaking spell. Peering through the green stalks, I gazed upon the duo standing under the sakura tree. The scene seemed somewhat.. sad.

Sora closed his eyes and I felt a barrier form around them, just narrowly enclosing behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief. A barrier would be hard to penetrate without alerting the person casting it. Then I paused.

Wait.. how was he able to form a barrier..? My ears pricked up as I heard Asuka's voice.

Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.

Asuka? She used to be that close to Sora? I looked at her turn away slightly, fists clenched as though remembering a past better left forgotten.

Asuka: Shh-hut up. You know why I called you here...
Sora: Far too well... it's about Ms. Outori isn't it. I'm sure she has informed you about the Council, but I gave her some time to decide.

I sighed. I knew Asuka would do something like this sooner or later.But.. why now?

Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.

What? What happened between them? I looked at them, staring at each other. Sora seemed somewhat sad, and Asuka, though cold seemed sad herself. She hid it well. I could feel a connection between them. It wasn't a connection of lovers, but more of close friends. I couldn't understand. How was this possible? Asuka hated all vampires with a passion... for a good reason.

They destroyed her.

The feeling of the barrier breaking caught my attention. I looked up again as I saw Sora walk away. His face was stony and tensed. 

Asuka: WAIT!!!

I looked at her face, contorted with anger, passion ... and something else. Regret? Sadness?

Sora kept on walking. But before he went back into the woods, he paused and looked back as though he saw me. I ducked my head and kept it low to hide it from view. After he was gone, I looked back up. Asuka stood there, staring off into the distance. I heard her sigh as she left aswell.

I was alone in the fields of flowers, suffocating in their intoxicating scent.

Coming here hardly answered any of my questions. They turned into even more complicated questions.

What happened between Asuka and Sora?

And more importantly... did I really want to know?

Our Secret

Through the thick forest, past the silent stream and up the deserted hill... silence.... a field of green spread throughout the lands. Wild flowers filled the place; fragile yet strong as they withstood the gentle breeze. A giant Sakura Tree stood at the center, it's majestic petals in full bloom with the scent of spring that filled the air

Under that blossomed tree... she was there waiting for me.

Asuka: You're late, Minami.
Sora: My apologies... Hold on a second... I'll set up a barrier.

I had to make sure this conversation stays private. I closed my eyes and listened to the gentle breeze. It was calm... I remember this place... The place where we first met, and the place where we ended it all. We call it our Garden of Dreams.
Sealed.... The place was locked.

Sora: Brings back memories doesn't it...
Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.
Asuka: Shh-hut up. You know why I called you here...
Sora: Far too well... it's about Ms. Outori isn't it. I'm sure she has informed you about the Council, but I gave her some time to decide.
Asuka: I won't allow her to join your kind

My kind... those words rang like a chime in the spring breeze. It happened two years ago... we were just about to finish junior high. I used to come here when the stress was too much and just lie on the grassy plains to clear my mind. We met her by accident when she stumbled upon the area.

Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.
Sora: Guess we'll share this story some other time... So, what is it you want to talk about?
Asuka: I want you to stay away from Sayuri.

Another one to bring up this matter. Why can't they accept the fact that I don't have any say in this. It was decided by the higher-ups. I turned my back on her and walked away...

Sora: It's not my decision to make... It's hers

I made my point... I released the barrier and made my escape

Asuka: Wait!!!

Before she could continue... I was gone... But, I could sense someone else was there with Asuka.. A familiar scent.

My freedom

The thing about me, I can never just relax and let everything pass by me, not when there is something nagging me, and never when something pisses me off. And I was pissed off. So I tried to keep calm and try to put up with it, never expected it to last.

I was annoyed. Since when exactly did we listen to the 'higher ups'? Truthfully. It felt as if I was let out of the loop. Not a knew feeling, ever since I moved here, I was, in a way, an outsider. It wasn't that bad, anymore.

I still missed my home, and coming here changed me. For the better or the worse, I didn't know, and frankly I didn't care for anyone elses opinion. Then again no one who knows me know, knew me from before.

I headed out of the school and towards the town a short way away. It was small... I wouldn't know, I never was in a really big city. Without really wanting to I ended up heading toward a pup/restaurant/ house, call it what you want. I knew that many students went there during school times for lunches and whatnot.

I waited and watched, hiding for view from an alley. I was naturally curious, and so was Shade. So much for curiosity killed the cat. I didn't have to wait long when I spotted Asuka riding her bike to the cafe. She parked it outside, before turning to a small, overgrown path to the right that lead into the woods, disappearing into the thick midst. I knew that path. After the thicket of the woods, it opened up to grassy plains.

It made me curious, and the feeling of annoyance joined it when Sora appeared soon after, walking swiftly down the same path. What the hell was he doing here? OK, so I already had an idea what the conversation would be about. The real question would be, why would they have this conversation, when I could almost feel the deep felt hatred between them.

Something made me leave, a darker feeling replaced any curiosity. And as I headed out of the town, I saw Sayuri also go into the thicket, almost as silent as a ghost. Not bad.
Seems like I'm not the only one curious. I almost felt sorry for her. But that feeling disappeared quickly.

I took the long route back to school, lost in thought. And I ended up thinking about home, I could see that Shade missed it too. Something was calling me back home, and I knew I had to return home soon.

But not yet.