Hi ya'll,
	Sorry it took me so long to get the next part out....

Hidden Fires part 4

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

	Murakumo studied the five humans in front of him. Each person's
face was blank; the red mitama buried in each of their foreheads glowed
slightly. "You've done your jobs fairly well, considering how inferior you
humans are," the Aragami said, slipping out a long platinum blade from his
forearm. "Now you can have your eternal reward.... Kiyah!" There was a
flash of silver, and five severed heads tumbled to the floor. Murakumo
studied the carnage blandly as he withdrew the blade; in his hand was the
five red mitamas that has previously been within the humans. "Soon,
Kushinada," he smirked as he walked away, "soon we will be rid of you
forever...!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

	The infirmary was deathly quiet inside; the only sounds were of
the monitors gently clicking and humming. Momiji could barely hear
Kusanagi's labored breathing over the machines. She hesitated just beside
the door, then forced herself to step further inside. *Kusanagi,* she
thought, *what happened to you? It hurts so much to see you like this....*
	A low groan snapped her out of her thoughts. She instantly threw
aside her fears and rushed to his side. "Kusanagi?"
	There was no answer; the teenager leaned forward slightly, for the
first time actually seeing the extent of his injuries. His bronzed skin
was several shades lighter than normal, the result of prolonged blood
loss. His gaunt face was battered and bruised. A blood-stained bandage
wound around his right shoulder and continued around his abdomen. The
mitamas on his chest throbbed with a sickly blue glow. Momiji gently
reached out and brushed aside a stray lock of his hair; the heat of his
skin was intense, almost scalding. She abruptly withdrew her hand. *What
am I doing? If he caught me-* The thought was broken off by another glance
down on him. His face was contorted in pain, yet behind the pain seemed to
linger a type of sadness that made her heart ache. "Oh, Kusanagi.... I'm
so sorry...."
	A tear slipped down her cheek and splashed onto the man's bare
chest. She loved him so fiercely that it made her soul ache; seeing him
now was almost more than she could bear. Momiji leaned forward slightly,
hesitantly, her lips trembling. "I love you, Kusanagi..... please be all
right...." Trembling even harder, she took one of his hands in her own and
laid it against her cheek, letting her tears run against it. "Please..."
	Outside the windows of the TAC, a single cherry blossom drifted in
the wind.

to be continued....

Note: I'm sketching out a few portraits to illustrate the story at the
moment (and this is likely to take about two or three story arcs to
finish); hopefully I'll have them scanned and on the web soon. If you're
interested, just e-mail me....

Jess, the LilTigre =^_^=