Richard Lawson wrote a story with soul.

	My candle burns at both ends;
	It will not last the night;
	But, ah, my foes, and oh, my friends--
	It gives a lovely light!

		Edna St. Vincent Millay

I used this quote before in a light hearted moment.. I use it again
because it captures how I feel about this story. 

Questions of existance and humanity are always knotty.. but Natsume
Atsuko as you have depicted her is more human... more _humane_ than 99%
of the worlds population.  

Human is as human does.

Don't change a word of it! (Aside from spelling ^_-)

I won't be deleting this one.. another for the 'GOOD' file!

-- 
Barry Cadwgan ( BCADWGAN@FL.NET.AU )
"The end does not justify the means.  
 The end is the sum of the means,
 as the road travelled determines the destination." 
Valijon Starbringer (Hellflower Trilogy, Eluki bes Shahar)