How to Ignore a Burden [P]

The sands of suspense and unease blowing through the winds of the barren wasteland known as the Wind Country were finally starting to die down as the man that had been a focal point for what stood between life and death, good and evil, and kinship and broken bonds. This man trudged through the sand as the sands whirled around him in a light yet still annoying fashion, trying to dry out his eyes and scratch them right out of his sockets, tear the flesh off of his very bones, and pry loose the grip of the young woman he carried in his arms that very moment. But he neither cared for or felt those sands that tried to stop him from progressing, nor did he even notice that they were finally giving up and started to clear. The most surprising thing about this was his resolve to move forward that showed in his eyes, and also his attire, or rather, the lack of it. His eyes were squinted into fierce determination, and his attire consisted of nothing more than his pants and shoes. Yes, even now as he walked through these twisting turning and ripping sands, dying down yes, he was not wearing a shirt, exposing his bare chest to these harsh sands. But why was he so foolish as to do this? The answer was simple. In his arms laid his shirt, wrapped around the body he was holding completely, shielding it entirely from the sands while he took its full force of attack.

His destination came into view after a few minutes of walking without stopping and without a break, his breath remaining constant all the while, never changing or wavering. His destination was now only but a few yards away from him: A medium sized stone hut jutting out of the sand like an igloo in the ice, even shaped as such. Covering its entrance was a thick and heavy sheet to keep most of the sand out of the inside of the hut, so that those inside would not be bothered from the dangers that lingered outside. His footsteps only slowed as he approached the entrance, ducking just a little to push his way through this sheet and enter the partially lighted hut. It was actually rather light in there, not so dim that one could hardly see, but not so bright that someone would have to blink constantly to get accustomed to it. The hut was circular, and contained a few things. To the left of the entrance was a decent sized pile of bags, packs, and camping equipment. Directly in front of the entrance along the wall to the right rested two makeshift beds, and supplies to make up to two more makeshift beds. However, on the far right there was a bed already occupied by the crimson headed woman known as Rose, fast asleep, as she had been for the past three days since she collapsed on his shoulder back in the outskirts of Konoha.

Ookami smiled slightly upon looking at her, happy to see she was perfectly fine and still sleeping soundly rather than having trouble. He walked over to the bed next to this, on the wall directly in front of the entrance, and laid the young woman down on it, and removed his shirt that was covering her. Underneath the shirt was none other than Sakuya Ukiku, his own daughter. Unlike Rose, her situation wasnt quite as desirable. She looked more dead than alive, being knocked out of consciousness with a head pouring blood. Around her head, as if to prove this statement, was a large wrap of bandages, a small blotch of faint blood coloring its white look at the impact point. His smile remained as he stroked her cheek gently, glad to know that she was alright despite the huge conflict that had gone on a few moments ago. But where was her ever faithful son Shouta? In truth he was out searching for a hospital or other kinds of medical supplies to further treat Sakuya in her condition, an act done according to Ookami's request.

Looking away from Sakuya, he reached over to the pile of bed supplies in order to build himself another makeshift bed, when he noticed something. Laying on top of the soft and comfy supplies was his most faithful wolf, Alpha sound asleep as well on top of his supplies. Noticing the way his ears twitched, Ookami was relieved to know that if any movement other than those obviously caused by himself occurred, he would quickly wake up and confront them himself. He couldnt help but chuckle just a little at the wolf, stroking his fur ever so softly as it slept. He wasnt exactly sure what he should do now, as there wasnt anything more he could do with Sakuya with his current utensils, so he decided the best thing to do was to pass the time until something happened. Whether it be Sakuya waking up, Rose waking up, or Shouta returning. To do this, he walked over to the left side of the hut, and dug in his pack for a book, sitting down in a nearby chair. From here, he simply began to read...

It seemed like she could sleep forever, but the darkness of her dreamless sleep gave her no comfort. Then the scent of blood made her break out in a cold sweat as her mind snapped back into consciousness. The red-headed woman's eyes shot open, and she sat up abruptly. If only to have her head swim with star's and make her lay back down as she coughed, closing her eyes again. Rose had no recognition of this place. She didn't remember falling asleep at all, in fact. Let alone in the desert, she thought. The scent of Ookami made her remember. But there was someone else here. Someone....

"Sakuya..."

Her voice was hoarse and she coughed again as she sat up much slower, crimson eyes looking over to where the woman was on the floor near her. A painful look crossed her face as she noticed the red bandages around her head. Looking up to find Ookami holding a book, she guessed he must have been reading, and pulled herself up further. She found it harder to move than normal and wondered just how long she had slept for.

"Ookami...what...what happened to her?"

Ookami flipped through the pages of his book rather quickly, reading each page in as little as ten seconds, taking a total of twenty seconds before flipping over to read the next set of pages. The book itself looked decently thick, and the words scrunched together so that a lot filled up the single page. Thats not to mistake him for being an extremely fast reader, because this was not the case. He was good at reading, this is true, but not so good that he could speed through such a book at such speeds despite the fact that such a thing would have fitted him. In truth he was barely skimming over the words and sentences, most of them not really even occurring to him as he more looked at the pages than actually read them. This was a sign of his impatient attitude for the time being, willing something to happen so that he wouldnt have to sit there for so long doing almost nothing. Its not unheard of that if he actually read the book, he would certainly become interested and get lost within the story, and find that time was actually passing rather quickly. But he never bothered to try this out, his mind was racing to much.

His hasty thoughts and attitude was not reflected in his actions once movements within the room were taken. At the same time as his wolven companion Alpha raised his head to look up, Ookami took his eyes off of the book and looked over the top to look over at Roses bed once she shot straight up so quickly he was surprised she didnt pass out again. He lowered the book down onto his lap and looked at her curiously yet patiently, waiting for her to get situated and perhaps ask a question before speaking to her as she laid back down and coughed while doing so. He frowned ever so slightly at the sound of Rose's voice, hoarse and strained as she called out his daughter's name. So she had quickly noticed the young woman's presence in the room along with his. As difficult as it must have been for her, he was happy to see that she was able to sit up, even if in a slow manor accompanied with a cough in doing so. After calling out the name, she seemed to take notice of him completely as she sat up almost straight and looked at him, noticing the book. But looking at her face before she did so, the pained look she took once noticing Sakuya's wounded state was not a pleasureful thing to see for either of them.

But then he was being spoken to, her voice not getting much better from her first word in three days. The question made him frown on the inside, but he was able to keep a straight and calm face as he looked over at his daughter, sleeping so uneasily. For a moment he was quiet before he finally gathered the courage to tell her. "Ryuk." He said, the word seeming to take on its own kind of darkness and forbearance, that word alone being the only kind of explanation that was actually necessary. They all knew what Ryuk was. It was the thing inside Ookami, and inside Rin that seemed to torture and strain them ever so. It was obvious though, that this time Ryuk had taken action through Rin's body. "She took a blow directly from him on the top of her head before I could do anything...Her skull isnt cracked though, thankfully." The words seem to die in the air as they left his lips, possibly leading to a long and awkward silence. That much, was up to Rose.

The sands whipped about him, seemingly amplifying his mood, angry, yet, blindingly darting about in a haste of sorts. His emotional dilemma, however, was not shown physically. In fact, the young boy remained so impassive; his demeanor was nearly empty with the lack of emotion visible. He raced forward about the desert-like village, darting from store to store; buying whatever was necessary with the money his Grandfather had provided him. Several pairs of eyes could be felt following him, with every little motion he made, seemingly glued to him.

What, the humans in Suna had never seen a vampire?

His boyish bangs shadowed over his eyes as he slowed his pace down to a mere fast walk, with his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his black shorts, he kept his gaze locked onto the ground. Tears fell, purposely unnoticed, from his bright, tired crimson eyes. Just like in the Snow Country, he wore nothing to cover his chest or feet, just a pair of loose black shorts. Many different scents of blood flowed about him as he pushed through the crowds, but he just kept thinking back to Ryuk and its puppet, his Grandmother, Rin Ukiku.

‘Damn!’ the boy thought, his steady stride never faltering as he bared his fangs slightly.

Witnessing everyone around him in such pain constantly had taken a toll on the boy. He was no longer just a happy young boy. Growing accustomed to seeing Sakuya in turmoil, it hadn’t affected him all that much, as far as him being able to bounce back to himself, because Shouta could actually help his mother, it may not have been outstanding improvements, yet, bit by bit, they were becoming happier. The young woman relied on the only thing that had kept her alive to even see Rin and Ookami again to make her smile, seeing as nowadays, no one else could. Now he was beginning to understand where she came up with the idea that she’s useless. When everyone around you is suffering, and most of them tell you to just sit back and watch, it’s hard not to feel useless.

His mother had been in pain for as long as they’d been together, which he was guessing by now, would be a little over 2 years, only counting when he was brought back with her as she returned to her former life near Kohona. The child couldn’t even begin to imagine how long she had been like this, even when she still lived in Leaf. It made him cringe just thinking about it. Sakuya used to be exactly like the boy, optimistic, happy, though even the highest and brightest of souls would eventually start to crack under such pressure. He now understood why she would not listen when everyone kept telling her over, and over: ‘You’re not a burden Sakuya, you never were..’ It wasn’t even the principal of being a burden, it was the principal of feeling like one.

When someone you love is suffering right before your very eyes, of course you feel the need to help, but you don’t, because they tell you ‘you can’t,’ or ‘not to worry.’ You feel the need to help, yet, you restrain, simply because you don’t want to disobey that loved one, and want to please them.

So what do you do?

You sit in silence, forcing that smile just for them on the outside, all the while, you’re cracking from the emotions built up on the inside. If not already dead, you’re dying on the inside.

Images of his beloved wounded mother lying there, looking like nothing more than a living corpse flashed through his head, from the very moment she was struck, to her horrifying scream, then..the blood. A clawed, bone white hand shot up from his pocket, clamping tightly over both his nose, and mouth. Crimson eyes widened in pain as the images kept coming, the rich scarlet blood pouring endlessly from her scalp. It had covered his body as he held her close, trying to figure out exactly how to keep her alive.

Sobs came from the boy as he fought with a demon of his own. His bloodlust. Running over the items he had already acquired from the medicinal shops in his mind, he knew that would be enough to get the girl on the road to healing. Frantic, he dashed away from the village, toward the camp that had been set up, originally for Ookami the woman known as Rosaria. His pace slowed gradually as he had decided he was far enough away to rest. Dropping to his knees, he still held his hand firmly over his mouth and nose, the other hand now resting against his abdomen as he retched painfully, his sobs almost elevated to screams.

It hurt like hell.

“O-Okaa-sama!” he called out weakly, knowing very well that she was still unconscious. His form shook violently as his claws dug firmly into the blazing sands, retching over, and over.

Rosaria looked down at Sakuya again as Ookami said the one word. And by the time he started to speak again she was already reaching for the pouch she normaly wore at her waist. She found it sitting at her bedside instead. Going over what she had learned from being in the village and around Mitsu, she thought she could at least keep it from getting infected and dull the pain a bit for her. It was the least she could do. Rose moved to her side and sat on her knees, wincing slightly as she studied the whiteness of her face. It looked as if she was already gone, but she could see the small rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Working delicately, she proceeded to replace the old bandages with the new ones that seemed to have some kind of herbal smelling powder on them.

Sighing slightly, she remember the first day she had met Sakuya. Coincidentally, it was the first day she had met Ookami as well. A small sad smile touched her lips. Despite Rose's rudeness to the younger girl, Sakuya had insisted on helping her. Ever since then, they'd been friends. And even considered each other sisters. But she always had took it for granted. In the haze of her mind over the past years, there were times when everything was in better clarity then ever before. Those were the times that were most painful for her. Those were the times when she looked back on her life and could see all the mistakes she made, and how they ultimately led to her condition now. It was true, if she had stayed instead of leave, maybe someone would have found a cure. But the thing that scared her was, that if they didnt find one, she might have died under the gaze of all her loved ones. It always led to more questions then there were answers when she thought of what could of been if she had stayed in Konoha. Though she never doubted there wouldnt be such tragic reunions as there were now. It was apparent as she sat back on her heels and studied the bandages, brushing hair away from Sakuya's eyes.

She opened her mouth to speak but instead looked outside of the small hut. There was a sence that someone was near. Crimson eyes squiting to peer through the cloud of sand picked up by the wind. Then she just barely heard something, though to far away to be a definite thing she hadn't imagined. Turning to Ookami, her face showed her concern.

"Did you hear that?"

Ookami only took the time to watch Rose as she went about fetching her medical pack and looking Sakuya over before he took his eyes off of her. Not because he didnt want to look at her, but simply because he was concerned about Sakuya more. As selective as it might sound, he had good reason. He was well aware of Rose's condition, and in no way put Sakuya first. However he was able to realize that for the time being Rose was able enough to look after herself and therefor didnt need his total attention in that sort. On the other hand, Sakuya was a different story completely. She looked as if she were already dead, and if it wasnt for the small rise and fall of her chest as she lay was he not quickly by her side checking her pulse to make sure she was still okay. His attention was on her, the book now discarded and placed on the floor as he walked over to crouch next to Rose as they both examined the body laying on the makeshift bed.

His thoughts were mixed but mainly centered around Sakuya as he looked at her, feeling helpless as Rose was certainly more trained to do these kinds of things than he. Sure, he knew a small amount of medical ninjutsu himself, but it was nothing in the face of what Rose must have witnessed Mitsuhide do countless times. For the time being, Rose was Sakuya's last sliver of hope. His face remained thoughtful but slightly sad as he looked at her, his gaze actually seeming to be looking past her as if he was looking into space, his mind and thoughts in another world completely. This was partially true, as his hand only idly and by itself moved to brush up against Alpha's hide as he slowly padded over and brushed up against him to look down at the wolf's daughter with the same concern they all shared. Alpha however, looked more knowing than them all, but still watched and waited hoping for the best to come, nuzzling against Rose in a way of letting her know that he believed she could really do something, just as Ookami did.

But then there was a sound, a sound that was far off and very weak, almost non-existent, yet it sounded like something that needed inspection as soon as possible. In response, his ears along with Alpha's shot straight up and both of their heads turned in perfect sync out of the doorway towards the direction of the sound. He turned to face Rose a second after she turned to look at him, his face serious as the question he was about to ask her rolled out of her mouth. In response he simple nodded briskly, and looked down at Alpha who was know looking at him as if awaiting a command. He could see it in the wolf's eyes, it wanted to go and see what was wrong for them. Ookami made a strange sound and a movement in his neck, and the wolf sped out of the hut towards the sound, and towards Shouta. Both of them knew what it was, it was Shouta. Ookami believed that the boy was strong however, which was why he sent Alpha, a simple pick me up he was to serve as, letting him know that they were both there for him should he need it. At the same time, the wolf would help him. But of course, if the wolf alone wasnt enough for the young vampire, he would signal for Ookami who would be out and helping as fast as his swift legs would carry him.

Glancing up at the rapid, soft padding sound of the wolves feet hitting against the sands, he sighed heavily. His chest heaved with his uneven, sketchy breathing as he retched a few more times, looking back up to see the large silver wolf by the name of Alpha, staring right back at him with a sense of comforting and overall wisdom. The boy was thankful that it didn’t look over him with any emotion of pity, but rather, worry.

“Y-You know I can’t go back there with her smelling that.” He told it, with a weak, but, humorless chuckle of how he’d made the woman sound. It was as if she was some kind of bio-hazard instead of an off-limits meal. But then again, that didn’t sound any better. “Even with Ookami-san, I don’t know if/how long I can handle it..” he whispered, raising a hand from the golden sands, pushing up onto his legs to stand once again. He hoped that what he was about to say wouldn't alarm the large wolf, because he had no intention of harming it, though, if he didn't find a source of blood soon, there was no telling what he would do.

"I don't smell anything but humans for miles, you're the only scent that stands out, as far as animal blood."

For a moment, she turned her head back and watched the wolf disappear into the sands. Then she looked away and began putting her supplies back in the pouch. There wasn't much dout to her, even when she barely knew what was going on, that it was Shouta. At the moment she thought of the boy, and how he was handling seeing his mother like this, she thought of Hana. It was no wonder she joined Akatsuki and distanced herself. Rose didn't notice she had stopped, but as soon as she did, her fingers tightened on the bangages in her hand before she rolled them up and put them back in their proper place.

She stood then, and, setting the bag next to Sakuya, walked to stand just inside of the entrance. Staring out into the seemingly endless shifting sands. It looked as if she was looking for the wolf and the boy, but she already forgot why she had walked there. Her mind was drifting in another tie, her eyes blurred as she looked partly over her shoulder to Ookami. It might have sounded random, but it bothered her as looked down at Sakuya again then to the sky outside.

"Ookami..do you...do you think things would have been different if i had stayed in Konoha?"

The first, instinctive reaction that Alpha gave as a result of the request Shouta had subtly made was to take a defensive stance and let out a low yet forceful warning growl to tell him to back off. It was self defense, to warn an attacker as soon as threat was obvious. And Alpha was a full, nature grown wolf. He had not been with Ookami his entire life, just since he was a pup until he was an adult. Since then, they had parted ways and only just now come back together as long time friends. This instinct almost overwhelmed him and caused him to act in such a way, but he had been with Ookami for long enough now, and knew what kind of people he chose to associate himself with. Something, while not exactly regular, was nothing to be afraid of. It wouldnt be anything he would regret doing...and he knew that the young boy would not tear him apart in getting what he wanted. It was still instinct, so Alpha still found himself taking a defensive stance and tensing up, however he refrained from growling, overcoming this instinct and thinking instead.

The old yet wise wolf looked at the boy as he stood there, looking quite literally like a piece of crap. Alpha was not familiar with vampires, but it was obvious to him now that without blood...well this is what happened to them. The old Alpha would have simply turned and left the boy to his own problems, but he knew he couldnt. He was with Ookami, and the well being of this boy was very important to Ookami...and therefor important to him too. His body softened as he slowly, his head bent down, walked towards Shouta. Once he was close enough, he turned to the right slightly and laid down, resting his head on the hot sands and closing his eyes, his way of telling Shouta he may do whatever he wanted.

Back in the land of the resting dead, Ookami continued to crouch down next to Sakuya with Rose still next to him, watching her as she worked as well as watching Sakuya's condition. Suddenly Rose began putting things away back into her bag, actions Ookami inferred had a meaning that for the time being, Sakuya should be fine. When she stood up and began walking towards the entrance, he bent his head and looked at the ground between his legs. He was in a rather weird situation, he had to admit. But it certainly wasnt one he couldnt handle, not at all. It was weird, but he was happy to be in it. Rose might have been feeling bad, and Sakuya may be half dead right next to him, but he was still surrounded by loved ones. No matter how much he hurt, no matter how much he suffered for whatever reason, that was the only thing needed to go on. In truth he never noticed the pain though...He knew it himself that he had a knack for taking other people's complications away from them and carrying them himself, but did that make him hurt? One would think so, but it never actually did. He was so focused on making sure everyone else around him was as happy as could be, and so happy himself when he knew that they were, he never noticed his own pain, or rather, he knew it was there, it just didnt bother him at all. He didnt feel it. If everyone else was happy, he was happy...no matter what the unseen variables to this situation included.

Lately he had been doing a bad job at this though. In truth by disappearing on everyone for so long, he had only hurt them even more. But now, now he could fix all of that. He was here to stay, and the haze of Ryuk was gone from his eyes. He could focus completely and entirely on doing the right thing, and making up for all of his past mistakes, even those that he couldnt remember. He picked up his head and looked at Rose who was now looking over her shoulder from where she stood, in the doorway of the stone hut. He noticed her gaze shift from him, and then Sakuya, and finally at the sky outside. But then she asked him something he wasnt expecting, and it took him a small moment to understand where she was coming from with it. But then it occurred to him, and he picked himself up, and began walking to stand next to her. His footsteps stopped when he was standing a few feet away yet still next to her, looking up at the sky as well. "Yes, things would have been different..." He said with a soft voice. "Every choice will end in a different location than the other...But whether or not you would be better off, I'm not sure." He looked at her now, simply turning his head. "Maybe a cure would have been found, or maybe not. Even if not, at least in the end you would have been surrounded by those you loved. They would be the last thing you saw before slipping away into final slumber. Saddened or not, isnt that better than dying cold and alone with all the bonds you shared with those people completely broken? I dont want to sound as though you made the wrong choice...either one was right, because look. If you had stayed, you would be surrounded by your family right now, with or without a cure. But even though you left, your still not alone. You have me and Sakuya, and no matter what were not leaving your side." He moved a little closer now and put a hand on her shoulder, his face softening into a caring smile. "In the end, whichever path you chose, the scenery may be different, but the end is still the same. Your surrounded by those who love you, all the way until the end. And as certain Mitsu would have found the cure to your disease, I'm one-hundred percent sure I'll figure it out to. I'll make sure you live Rose, I promise..."

The boy bowed his head slightly in respect toward the aged wolf; this was exactly the kind of reaction he had hoped to avoid. It continued to hold up its guard, feet spread apart, fur bristled, and head lowered a bit, yet, no growling. Holding like that for several minutes, Shouta then proceeded to take away small step back, his eyes showing no fear for the animal, though, the last thing he wanted was to start something so unnecessary, especially while his mother was injured. He opened his mouth to apologize, when Alpha did something really unexpected.

The boy watched as the wild dog rested atop the searing hot sands, revealing his neck. He smiled slightly. “It’s..really caring of you, to respect Grandfather this much.” He spoke, knowing that the wolf probably would have left him to go off on a rampage if it weren’t for the man. “Willing to support such a vile creature’s repulsive needs just for him.” He continued, his tone taking on a deadly edge. It was perfectly clear now how much the child despised what he was, but he didn’t blame Sakuya at all. She was a beautiful, just simply wonderful person. He blamed his biological father, Kohaku, if it weren’t for him violating her in the most vulgar ways, he wouldn’t be here with her and the others.

That was the one, and only thing Shoulta had to thank him for.

Staring at the wolf with a deep, agonizing guilt, he fell to his knees, saying one last thing before lunging his fangs into its neck: “F-Forgive me..” Tears built up in the boy’s bloodthirsty eyes as his fangs pierced the wolf’s neck, hands forming fists as they buried themselves in its thick, silver coat. He was trying to make this as painless as he possibly could manage at this point, trying not to tear anything physically or internally. He shook with silent sobs as he drank Alpha’s blood, it was almost like taking Rin’s or Sakuya’s, something his could not bare on his mind. After a minute or so, the child removed himself with a great amount of force, staring at the old dog with a anguished expression. “N-Nothing..Nothing but a damn monster!” he yelled, falling into the animal sobbing.

Back with Ookami and Rosaria, Sakuya lie motionless upon the makeshift bed upon which she was placed, with only the soft rise, and decline of her chest to indicate she was still alive, no matter how much her appearance told otherwise. She had been lying there, in a coma like state ever since getting struck by Ryuk. It seemed as if she would never wake up, to be in the deep trance that was unconsciousness forever, when suddenly she stirred ever so slightly at the occurance of something. That something was the scent of wolves blood. Distorted voices fell upon newly listening ears as she lie there with her eyes still unopened, getting clearer and clearer as the seconds flew by. She was still out of it, the scents around her had changed, the air about her was different, and the pain crashed down upon her head with so much force, she almost blacked out again. Instead, a wave of nausea passed over her, and she suddenly found herself vomiting to the side. Her eyes were opened, though everything was spinning, and horribly unfocused.

Rose went quiet at his approach, listening to his footsteps drawing nearer. Her crimson eyes downcast to the ground now. She raised her eyes only when she felt his hand on her shoulder, but still didn't meet his gaze. The things he said were true. They were always true. And they were things she seemed to be blind to. She was silent for a few moments and ran his words over in her head again. Then she sighed and looked over at him, the persistant strand of her hair falling over her face yet again.

"And i'm so....glad to have you and Sakuya with me it's just....I wish we hadn't all been brought together on this basis..."

Once again she looked back to Sakuya laying on the mat. Most things would have been better to meet on than this. If only she had had some say in it, both this time and that last. If only she had had a say in alot of things, it wouldn't be this way. Or maybe she did, but never saw it. Yet again blinded to it. Hugging her arms to herself as if she was cold, Rose began to speak again.

"Ookami, theres something i-"

She stopped when she heard the rustle of clothes behind her. It took her only a moment to reach Sakuya's side, her hand light on the woman's shoulders as she pulled her hair back with the other one. Something strange crossed her face before it contorted into pain and the hand on the woman's shoulder twitched back before she steadied it and made her face impassive. There wasn't time for that now, she had to make sure Sakuya was alright.

Ookami nodded very slowly at Rose's words as she finally responded to what he had said, remaining just as silent and very patient as she took her time looking forwards and probably thinking about what he had said. He understood and respected this, and would not allow himself to be rude by being impatient or in any other such way disruptive. It wasnt like him to do so anyway, he was a wolf and wolves were both wise and patient to situations such as these. Not only did he understand the large gap in time, but he also understood where she was coming with the statement in general. In truth, while he had no idea that the two of them had met previously, he picked up certain signs given off by Rose that they had, and things were not as good as they could be between them. He did realize though that this was mostly his fault, he had forced the two of them into the same room, even though it wasnt his intention. He had no idea that upon going to see Rin and Sakuya that he would find her with her head split open and requiring medical attention.

He spoke now, speaking of such things on his mind. "I know what you mean Rose, this is indeed an undesirable situation this reunion has been established on...But everything cant be perfect. The best we can do is make the best of whats here and try not to let the negativity of it get to us." Then he looked back at Sakuya as well, a small smile on his face. "Besides that, if I know the two of you, things will get sorted out here and now. Some sparks may fly, but in the end things will be for the better." he finished, the words dying in the air as he became silent, looking at his sleeping daughter on the makeshift bed he had assembled.

He turned back to look at Rose when she began speaking again, his attention taken by what it was she said. His face took a curious look at the little she was able to get out of her mouth, but his ears suddenly shot up at the small sound of movement. This sound was something as small as eyes opening wide and fast, and he picked up on it instantly, turning his head and running to Sakuya's side as she was waking up at the same time Rose did. He was there before she began to vomit, and instantly went for a pail he had found lying in the sand not to long ago which he had planned on using to get water if he could find a nearby oasis. This may have been its purpose, but now it was going to hold puke instead of water. He placed a light hand on her shoulder, easing her back to lie down in the bed. He could tell just by looking at her eyes that she was disorientated and confused, and therefor needed to lay down. "Sakuya?" he said in a soft voice, looking down at her. "How are you?" he said, finding this the best thing to say first. The question was important, as was trying to see if she could actually understand or hear what he was saying, which was also an intention of his.

Everything was gradually becoming clearer as the voices kept talking. Though, she didn’t know where she was, she remembered all-too-vividly what had happened beforehand. She made nothing more than a slight motion of her upper body, and suddenly found herself vomiting into a small pail over the side of the makeshift bed she was laid upon. Her eyes grew wide with panic as she felt two gentle hands rest on each of her shoulders, another holding back her loose white hair as her chest heaved with coughing up nothing more then a mixture of digested fluids. She jerked away with haste as one of them spoke to her calmly, a familiar voice, obviously a male. The words which had formed on his lips, rolled of his tongue, exiting his mouth were not ones that she understood, simply because she was not coherent enough to process them correctly. Looking at the two with bright alarm in her features, it took her awhile before she recognized them, and when she did, her face fell into a relaxed expression, though she did not return to moving closer to them as she was.

Instead, she sat watching their concerned faces, as her own kept catching in grimaces of pain from the persistent throbbing of her head. Her nose caught the scent of wolves blood, mixed in with Shouta general scent, and her eyes once again grew wide, scanning wildly over Ookami’s form, but then she discovered it wasn’t coming from inside the sheltered space, it was coming from outside. She caught the faint scent of saltwater, her worried expression becoming emphasized, as her eyes grew even wider. Trembling lips silently formed one word, before shaken hands began to form rapid handsigns, a clone popping up at her side. ‘Shouta.’ Without a word, the clone followed the unspoken command that the woman had instructed, carefully moving her limp legs in synch with the woman rotating her upper body, so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs bent so that her bare feet were flat on the floor, though, as always, nothing was felt under them. The nerve endings in her legs were frayed beyond repair, preventing even the slightest feeling from being felt. Her bones were also broken in her legs, although, due to the nerve endings, she didn’t feel a thing.

Slipping her arm about the clone’s neck, she proceeding to stand up, leaning all of her weight against it, seeing as it did the majority of the work. Fortunately, Sakuya didn’t weigh much more than 100lbs. At the motions, despite how careful, or slow, her eyes couldn’t help but roll back into her head slightly from the pain, and as Rose and Ookami began to stop her, she released a dark, low warning growl, snapping harmlessly at the man, just enough to get the point across. The woman was still in survival mode, hell, she never came out of it, there were times when she lowered her defenses, but never completely willing away that wall of barbwire that protected her from getting herself killed. Even around her beloved family, she still put those animalistic behaviors before her own actions, to be absolutely sure. Going back to bare instincts, they had been what she relied on ever since Kohaku. She didn’t know any better, or any different than to be the demonic creature she was, or had been “turned in to.” With her legs dragging limply behind her, the clone gently lugged her to the door, dispersing as it was struck by her lightly clawed hand.

Closing her eyes, she now sat with her legs underneath her, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe, pulling her arms up to her chest to clutch at the comforting crane statue that hung about her neck. “I’m sorry..” were the words that were finally spoken. “I-I just..I don’t understand.. ” she continued, the words slowly dying with the silence that followed. She didn’t expect a reply, or even consoling, seeing as she was the one who had caused all of this from the beginning, interfering with everyone’s life, altering everything from the very start. Looking down at her lap, her bangs shadowed heavily over her eyes, bits and pieces dyed crimson due to the dried blood. “And Father’s right Rose, it’ll all get better..”

She barely noticed Ookami was next to her until he spoke, and even then her worried eyes stayed on Sakuya as she called a clone and rised. Rose took a step forward, her lightly clawed hand reaching out to try an get her to lay back down. And then Sakuya growled at her, and her outstretched hand drew back to her chest. The look on her face showed she was watching something else behind her eyes as she did that. And what she was seeing was when Hana growled at her when Rose tried to help her, to convince her to give up Akatsuki for good. The tears welled in her eyes and her hands fell to her sides as she looked away from them both. Hoping the shadows hid her expression on a different kind of pain then before. She listened to Sakuya as her clone brought her to the door, and wondered if she would leave now. If that was the case, and Ookami went after her, then she'd leave then as well. But instead Sakuya sat down, by the sound of it. Rose was still and silent long after she finished her words. Then her voice broke the silent, but it was barely a whisper.

"Why?"

And then she was standing just behind her, crimson eyes shining with the tears she tried not to free. Dropping to her knees, Rose wrapped her arms around Sakuya and placed her head lightly on her shoulder, her face hidden from the one she loved like a sister. Being careful not to cause her head any more pain. She absently thought that the medicine in the bandages should start kicking in any moment now, though maybe she hadnt used enough of it. And she spoke again, her words whispered as she wondered if it should have been something she asked herself.

"Why are you sorry, when you have no reason to be, Sakuya? No one can ever understand anything completely. And it's ok if they don't, because they tried to. That's what matters more. That's all that matters to me, anyway."

Rose hugged her tighter and then let her go, leaning back on her heels as she went to stand up again. She would rather have Sakuya hate her then feel sorry about something she didn't need to. She would rather die cold and alone and able to remember their smiling faces instead of their faces contorted in pain and scowls. It was then that the even the heat of the desert didn't make her feel any warmth, and she swayed slightly before dropping back down on her knees a few feet from Sakuya. She stayed there a few moments before the tears started to fall from her crimson eyes as she closed them. It was hummiliating, to be here like this, around people who shouldnt worry about it.

That scent of blood and wolf never seemed to die down, never seemed to blow away even in the churning winds and the thousands of sand particles all around them. Despite the gusts and gales that made this country so very famous for its dry stature, the scent remained strong and apparent, never blown or carried away by these winds, as if they were meant to suffer through its exposure constantly. Were they really downwind for this long? Or did downwind and upwind not even exist for them. Perhaps it was a scent that would never go away, even after they had left the country, a curse to haunt them the rest of their lives. He grimaced as he thought about the source, the scent alone more than enough to give him a perfect, livid vision of what was going on but a mile or so away. It had been up to five minutes since it rolled into the stone structure, and was still as strong as ever. 'Focus Shouta...Focus...' he thought to himself, silently praying that the young vampire could tame himself and get the job he was assigned done before Alpha was dead.

But his attention had to be elsewhere now, directed at the events that would occur in the same room he sat in. He had not expected an immediate response from Sakuya, and therefor took the time to send Shouta his silent and most likely unheard message while he waited on her to make some kind of action. Her first actions were not those of words, but rather of straight movement. He tried to hide his grimace from Sakuya when he noticed her concerned face, for he knew she was thinking the same thing he was. Shouta was...struggling with the wolf he took his meal from, feeling pathetic for what he was all over again. This was very obvious, but it still did not need their attention. This was something Shouta had to work out on his own, and Alpha trusted the young boy enough to let him try, with his life on the line. Therefor they should not be interrupted. It was for this reason that Ookami took a step forward to stop Sakuya when she began walking towards the door, carried by the clone she had used to support her. What he received in return for his attempt was a growl and a snap, telling him to back off as though he were some minor and unimportant puppy.

He noticed that Rose had done the same thing as he, but quite possibly for a different reason. He saw the pain in her eyes even though she tried to hide it from them, and he read it all to well. He was aware what this had to have reminded her of, and the depression caught him as well as he gave in to Sakuya, and simply looked at the ground sideways rather than forcing her to stop moving anyway. Considering the events that whirled around him now, he seemed to think deeply on the kind of people he was keeping himself attached to. Rose and Sakuya...both of them with devastating problems and issues due to horrible events of the past, helpless and almost uncared for by the rest of the world due to their severing actions to those who would try to aid them. But they pressed on, lived their lives just to survive day by day, but their resolve was obviously weakening until their existence, in their eyes, became nothing more than a burden alone. And who was he? A random male thrown in the mix with his share of problems, yet coming on top with more strength than any of them. What was his job? To carry them, release the burden they believed themselves to be from their shoulders so that they may be free and happy, and carry them himself with the strength he had achieved. It was his job to make their lives enjoyable and...worthwhile, even if it harmed himself in the process. That was all he cared about.

The words and statements floated in and out of his head while he held the position he had kept when Sakuya snapped at him, thinking. If all this was true, was he really doing a good job? As much as he believed himself to be the carrier, what was he really carrying at all? Selfishness maybe. If he had done his job right, Rose wouldnt have started crying, not just because she wouldnt find the reason to, but also because Sakuya wouldnt be so confused and...hurt that she would snap at her in the first place. He had had a pathetic start, failing almost completely at his endeavor to cure these people of their troubles. But he would change that...he would make it his resolve to do this better now. He could never rest, never die until these people were smiling happily again. His attention was drawn forwards, away from the ground as Rose stood from apparently hugging Sakuya. He had missed everything the two of them said, and just looked on like an idiot, wondering what had even happened. But then their words were repeated in his head, as if they had entered and stayed on the sidelines of the whirlwind that was his thoughts for the moment, and became apparent as soon as the storm had settled.

But before he could make sense of them, he swiftly moved behind Rose as she collapsed, intentionally falling onto her knees but instead falling onto him as he caught her. His arms were wrapped around her form, coming together just below her chest. He looked at her face by peering over her shoulder, wondering if she looked back at him. Either way, he would be able to see the tears that were threatening to pour at any given moment, and only held her tight to his body, looking at her intensely as if showing her the resolve that had just been renewed within him. He then looked over at Sakuya, his eyes drilling into her back with a caring yet thoughtful expression, and he spoke softly. "The world is filled with things we dont understand, and so are people. Nobody can or should completely understand anything. Whats important is that we dont let our lack of knowledge come between any of us. Stick together and it doesnt matter, share the comfort and share the confusion. Break apart, and fade away to nothing..."

She said nothing, did nothing once Rose had wrapped her arms about her, eyes remaining closed as she rested her head upon her shoulder. She could tell without having to look that her hair was shadowing over her face, most likely to hide her expression. Words were spoken, with the obvious intent of easing her mind, though they only proceeded to hinder her spirits more, as they were soon accompanied by the distinct scent of saltwater. She had made her sister cry. Her features were soon caught in a look of disgust for herself, gone presumably unnoticed by her beloved family, being with her back to them. Images of Rin’s tear-stained face suddenly entered her thought as she whimpered slightly, raising her arm to press her palm against her firmly against her eye, the other arm reaching to grab at her abdomen, or rather, her seal. “What, you aren’t going to get the abomination..?” she spoke, her voice bitter, though amused. The voice indeed originated from Sakuya, though, it wasn’t her who was actually speaking.

It was the demon known as Shi Kita, the demon who inhabited her broken form, known for its infamous attitude and thirst for chaos. An indifferent twisted smirk crossed her lips, revealing her fang-like teeth slightly as the woman resorted to silence, just as she did most times when the weak creature chose to speak aloud. “You know he’s going to end up killing the wolf, Sakuya-san, so why don’t you do anything?” the voice went on, causing the sickly smirk to gradually grow wider. “Is it..because you can’t..because it reminds you of that sorry excuse for a mother? Or is it because..you can’t chance losing another child like you lost her..?” At that, her eyes shot wide, that smirk falling into a snarl, deep growls rolling over in her chest. “Shut your filthy mouth!” Sakuya hissed, with her hand falling away from her face, and into her lap, her voice returning to that velvet, icy tone. “You have no right to disgrace Rin’s name..or mention my children in such a manner..” she spat lowly, “When it comes down to it, you yourself are no better than Ryuk.” The fact that she was speaking out loud for Ookami and Rose to hear didn’t come across to her as odd, and by now, her beloved father should have come to the conclusion that his daughter shared her mind, and physical body with the nekomata, for reasons none other than selfishness, to escape her anguish.

Absolute silence followed after those harsh words, her eyes eventually softening as she looked back at the two. “ It seems all I’ve been doing lately is making the one’s closest to me shed tears of the pain that I’ve inflicted” she whispered in a sigh, a broken smile taking her lips as she stared at Rose. Reaching an arm up, she unlatched two of the delicate chains that hung about her neck, holding the necklaces up in the air before her, revealing two different charm connected to them. One resembled a carefully detailed flower, the other a wolf, in the stance of sprinting in determination toward something unseen, similar to the one Shouta had given his Grandmother beforehand. “I presume Shouta has already given Rin hers?” she asked, slightly rhetorical, while tilting her head a bit with that same sad smile. “We had these made while I was still..together with his father, though I wasn’t very confident in ever seeing you again..” she continued, forcing a light laugh as if to make a joke out of the hell she was trapped in, hiding the fear that attempted to swallow her expression when she talked about it. She opened her mouth to speak again, but then something unexpected happened. Rose began to fall to the ground as Sakuya’s eyes grew wide with a slight gasp, and an “oh dear” muttered almost inaudibly as Ookami caught her.

This motion caused the woman to look away, not being strong enough to handle the pain she witnessed in her sister’s eyes. Not being strong enough to handle any of this, coming back, Rose, Ookami, Rin, Mitsu, Shouta..any of it, this all was becoming too much to bare. However, this fact remained hidden from the people before her, they undoubtedly had been through much more than she had. Sakuya Kobayashi-Ukiku, always complaining.

Shouta continued to cry into the old wolf, the hot sun affecting the both of them. His blood could be smelt from miles away, which meant his Grandfather knew what had taken place. Minutes felt like hours as they passed, tears streaming nonstop down his bone white face. He was young, with a clear, innocent mind, so he shed tears for the sin’s that weighed heavily on his mind and heart, just as his mother had done when she was younger, which ultimately lead to her spiral. Standing up shakily, his head was lowered as he helped the wild dog up gently, saying: “She’ll heal you once we get back” obviously referring to his mother. His hand rested on the wolf’s back as they began walking, ready to catch him if he fell. Dark spots dotted the bloodstained sands with the tears falling onto the soft, hot sands.

“I’ll carry you if needed..”