#and i wanted to shout my nonsense into the void to shut my brain up for a minute

[napping-sapphic]

Love is so freaky and messed up to the point that sometimes i do wish and hope SO badly that no one ever has to suffer being in love with me specifically because it honestly sounds absolutely unbearable

[moeruhoshi]

I've been watching anime all day so here's a late nalu day gift

Lucy slammed her bedroom door and flopped down on her bed with a weary sigh, weeping into her pillow as her day finally came to an end.

The open door of her patio allowed her to hear the neighing of carriage horses taking away her most recent suitor, a man who barely knew what the meaning of personal space was.

Just how many princes and dukes had to waltz through their gates before the princess’ father realized that they had no interest in adequately courting her? It was painfully obvious how the lot of them were only interested in her well-displayed décolletage over her personality and spent more time schmoozing up to the king instead of trying to win her favor.

What hurt, even more, was knowing that she could never be with the one who was truly meant for her.

She stared at the red string tied to her pinky, the fiber ending far off in the distance where it connected to her destined partner. It calmed her in some ways, allowed her to feel a sense of clarity, knowing there was at least one more person out there who could give her the true love she craved.

She hoped every day, when Spetto called her down to meet another suitor, that it would be him, the one on the other end of her string, waiting to hold her as she wanted to hold him.

They could instead be a peasant, she thought as her hopes for him to visit one day were beginning to fade. Not that she cared about that kind of thing, but it meant that they didn't have the means to enter the castle easily. Or maybe they were somewhere in a neighboring country, too far away to find her. Maybe he hadn't been gifted the power to see the string and didn't know she was waiting for him but felt just as empty without her by his side.

She was sure if she voiced her knowledge of the red string to anyone else, they would call doctors from all over Earthland to analyze her cognitive function. 

But she desperately wanted to tell everyone that she had no intention of selecting a suitor through their gaudy traditions. She would instead venture out into the world to find her soulmate, the person at the end of her red string of fate. But knowing her father, he would only let her marry with the promise of the expanded wealth she would gain him from a political marriage.

"Miss? Are you still awake?" Spetto knocked lightly, the princess holding in her sniffles to hear what the maid had to say. "I'm sure you are…but I won't bother you. Your father wants you to know that he'll be inviting the Duke Cream from Veronica for another visit tomorrow. He's eager to correct his…insolent behavior from the last time he saw you."

The princess didn't bother answering and instead let out a frustrated sigh as the sound of her maid's footsteps echoed down the hall. The setting sun illuminated the crimson strand and her fingers loosely wrapped around it, her weak pout quivering as she tugged on the phantom satin.

"I'd rather have you, whoever you are..."

~000~

"The princess!" Spetto screamed as she ran into the King's throne room. Jude was sat upon his seat with the Duke at his side, their conversation halting at her interruption. "She's gone!"

"What in the world do you mean, woman? I'm sure that no good daughter of mine has just buried her nose in one of those god awful fairy tales again. Have the guards search the library for her," He gruffed, rolling his eyes as her demeanor became more hysterical and shaken.

"I have, your highness! The princess has run away, she's truly nowhere to be found!"

"And just when I was about to be introduced to my bride," The Duke frowned and tossed his bleached hair aside. "Send hounds after her, why don't you? I will not let this girl make a fool of me on this glorious day."

"Go on, then," The King glared at his guards standing nearby who quickly rushed out the door. "I should have known that girl would be trouble. Her mother had always filled her head with nothing but pure nonsense."

Lucy lifted her billowy skirt as she ran through the woods, deep within its darkness, trying her best to ignore the now wailing trumpets of distress audible in the distance. She knew it wouldn't have been long until someone noticed her absence, especially after having heard the reality behind Duke Cream’s visit.

It was by chance, an incident that occurred while she was passing her father's office the night before. Lucy heard the plans he made to arrange her marriage to the Duke, ensuring that their kingdom would absorb the principality. This meant her father would have an entire stronghold on the country of Fiore.

A life with that obnoxious and narcissistic Duke was not one she wanted, nor could even stand the thought of.

So, in a panic, she made plans to run away, leaving when the guards wouldn’t be around, going as far as she could go without any clear signs of which direction she'd taken off in. She persevered through her tiredness with the lone thought of her meeting her soulmate who was sure to greet her with a wide smile and open arms.

"This way! C'mon now, you'll never make it running without anywhere in mind!" A voice tinkled through the line of trees, halting the princess in her place as she breathed harshly and darted around scared eyes.

"Who's there! I-I'm not going back to the castle!" Lucy shouted as she turned about in circles, shrieking as a short blonde girl suddenly appearing from thin air

"Did I say I was trying to take you home? No! Now hurry it up! You'll never make it there if you make stops like this, follow me!" She instructed, turning toward the trees and beginning to run.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked between pants as she followed the shorter blonde, mesmerized by the trail of sparkles she left behind her, and the cute wings peeking out from beside her ears.

"A friend," She smiled as she continued maneuvering them through the woods. "And a guide! You’ll never get where you need to go without my help,"

"So you know where I'm going? You can see my string too?"

"Well, sure! I let you see it after all. Boy, was he worried when I told him you were stuck out here without your magic. Idiot almost killed himself trying to find his way through, but it can't be done by anyone but a spirit." She sighed and shook her head, rambling as they avoided a patch of bramble bushes 

"My soulmate...? He was looking for me too? Really?" Lucy felt her heart swell, beating stronger even as she ran, a dazzling smile taking its claim of her lips.

"Yup! You have a very loyal man waiting for you," She giggled. "He can't wait to meet you, said he'd get his house ready and everything while I was out looking for you. I apologize for taking so long, moving around in this realm isn't easy, there’s barely any magic in this land!”

"Magic? Like in books? Isn't that practice all made up?" The princess quirked a brow as the strange girl only giggled again and slowed her movements as they found purchase under the wide berth of a willow tree.

"It's quite amazing someone like you was born here when your home is with us, in the right Fiore. Now, come on! Everyone's waiting!" She grinned, ignoring Lucy's confusion as she pulled them through the hanging branches, the two suddenly falling into the void of the trunk.

"E-Eh?! W-Wha…!" Lucy fell to her knees as she suddenly felt queasy, holding a hand to her head and waited for her headache to subside. She looked up to see where the other blonde had gone, not finding her anywhere and instead met a new and sunny skyline. "Wasn't it…night just a moment ago?"

She stood to her shaky feet, finding her body no longer weighed down by exhaustion, tears, or dirt on her dress. Whatever was in the air made her feel light as, well, air. She'd never felt so amazing before! Just where had she gone when they fell through that tree?

Taking some small steps through the field in front of her, she looked down to her finger, the red string extending into the distance behind her.

"Oh wow…" When Lucy turned around, she was met with the image of a town she had never seen before, curiosity pulling her towards the bustling streets.

It was as she always imagined the streets of the village she ruled above looked; stalls serving food and selling fresh produce, children running and laughing, patrons bartering and making light conversation, happiness in everyone's eyes. Their smiles created her own, and she followed the string eagerly, feeling just right in the Fiore she’d been led to.

She worried this would all turn into a dream soon enough, there couldn't possibly be another Fiore…or the existence of magic at that. Her steps quickened as she feared Spetto would be in at any moment to wake her, feet carrying her towards a patch of woods that broke off from the town.

It would’ve made nice for a peaceful walk if she didn’t think the calm scenery before her would disappear.

“Oi, Gray, watch it!” A sharp voice boomed from the nearby distance. 

“Shut it! I know what I’m doing, it ain’t hard to paint a wall, flame brain!” 

“Don’t start a fight! We had to rebuild that side of the house five times because you two keep knocking it down!”

Lucy slowed down her pace as the volume of their argument increased but kept her eyes on the string that told her he was just ahead. 

Her eyes landed on a red-haired girl pointing a large sword at two boys who kneeled respectively in front of her, bowing their heads as she scolded them. 

Breaking through the line of trees, Lucy smoothed down her stray hairs and dusted off her dress, holding herself nervously as she continued forward.

Each step closer made her legs feel like jelly, flushed her cheeks, and made her heart beat a million times faster, her fingers twitching as she held her hands together. 

“U-Um...excuse me…?” Lucy’s voice was shaky as she approached the three, her eyes watery as she stared at the pink-haired boy who raised his head at the sound of her voice. The string fell into his lap; he was her soulmate.

The red-haired girl turned to face her first, eyes concerned as they fell on her disheveled appearance. “My goodness, are you okay? You’re not lost, are you?”

“N-No...I—“ 

"Oh, crap! It's you!" 

"Don't say that to a girl, idiot! You have no idea who that is!" The raven-haired boy threw a glare at the pink-haired one who quickly stood up.

“Mavis didn’t tell me when you’d get here, I would’ve come to pick you up if I knew you were...oh, hey, don’t cry, okay? Um, here,” He quickly took the end of his scarf to wipe her tears, feeling a knot in his throat as she gently fell against his chest. "It's gonna be okay."

"I just...I just can't believe…" She shook her head, not minding the stain she created on his shirt. "That you're real...that you were waiting for me."

"'Course I was! Having a new family member is always exciting, and my hearts been leapin' like crazy waitin' for you! You were stuck out there all alone and I couldn't come find you. I'm sorry it took so long." 

Erza forced herself and Gray to look away as the blonde hastily kissed their wild companion, his shock present in the stiffness of his back.

He was startled by the sudden action but felt himself melting into the touch, desperate as well to be close to his soulmate.

"I'm home," Lucy laughed with a bit of surprise, Natsu's eyes widening along with his grin. 

"Yeah! Welcome back!"

[consentaclecthulhuwrites]

Free Bird, Chapter 6

The next time Revali saw her was at the informal ordination of Link as her sworn protector and chosen knight. The ceremony had supposedly been crafted to be uplifting, and a symbolic beginning for the dangerous journey upon which they were all about to embark. However, if this ritual was meant to set the tone for the entire mission, Revali could only dread the outcome of the plan.

The commentary while Zelda stood above her chosen knight suggested Revali was not the only one with this sense of foreboding.

“Gee, this is uplifting.” Daruk sounded disarmingly sarcastic. “She’s making it sound like we already lost.”

Revali piped up, “Wasn’t this your idea? You’re the one who wanted to designate the appointed knight with all the ceremonial pomp, grandeur, and nonsense we could muster. And if you ask me, the whole thing does seem to be overkill. I think I’m on the same page as the princess regarding… this boy.”

“Oh, give it a rest,” Urbosa sighed. “That boy is a living reminder of her own failures. Well, at least that’s how the princess sees him.”

Her own failures? Revali didn’t understand what Urbosa could have meant. From what he knew of her, Zelda was an accomplished scholar and the pride of the Hyrule legacy. She had modesty, charity, and chastity. She was elegant, well-spoken, truly kind, and carried the weight of royalty like it were gossamer. There was something weighing her down to be sure, but Revali couldn’t imagine it had anything to do with her royal lineage.

Especially around the boy, she seemed more distraught than ever. What was it about this chap that got so under her skin? All the boy had was a stupid destiny. Unlike some people, the champions actually had to work for their skill, for their place in this league of future legends. It was apparent that Zelda had more than earned her reputation as one of the foremost scientific minds Hyrule castle had to offer, as well as a devoted acolyte. Sure, the murmurings made her sound more fanatical and eccentric than anything, but Revali chalked that up to shallow minds with shallow thoughts. It was the squabble of the little people, and what did they know or matter? It was their ignorant hides that needed saving.

After the ceremony had concluded, the champions were allowed time to explore the grounds of the castle. Link had gone to the stables with Mipha, Daruk was off near the armory, Urbosa was in the dining hall carousing with some of the younger soldiers, and Zelda had supposedly returned to her quarters. Revali observed that the princess had slipped out of sight rather swiftly, and none seemed eager to attend her despite what was clearly a downtrodden appearance.

He wondered...

Zelda hunched over the desk in her lab, scowling down at her journal. Why did she ever listen to Daruk? He was such a blockhead sometimes. She appreciated his sentiment; for a man of stone, he certainly had a warm heart, but the ceremony had been an absolute disaster. All the muttering amongst the champions while she spoke the ceremonial script… She caught bits here and there.

“Already lost…”

“Overkill…”

“Failure…”

Her face burned with shame. She wanted the ceremony to be meaningful, positive, and give hope to everyone. She should have known that endeavor would fail. Zelda had no hope herself. Since childhood, the inkling of the goddesses, the innate sense of their presence, just did not exist for her. Her prayers were answered with silence. Her fasts were met with ravenous spiritual hunger. She even offered up plants as sacrifices, then cried with guilt for wastefully plucking them without result. For whatever reason, the goddesses found her… unworthy.

She scribbled hastily, trying to put down the words as fast as they entered her brain. On the verge of tears, she noted, “It is as if there is a great chasm between the goddesses and I. I shout and shout for them to hear me, but only my voice bounces back from that deep, unending void.”

She heard a noise and snapped her journal shut. Someone was clearing their throat. She whipped back to the doorway, but no one was there upon opening the door, nor waiting at the end of the bridge that led from her scientific tower to her bedchamber.

She began checking the windows and at last, she saw a fierce green eye surrounded by blue feathers floating within the frame of one of the slit-sized windows.

“Champion Revali, I believe it was you who reiterated that it was rude to eavesdrop when we first met.”

He hoisted himself up to where he was fully visible in the window frame, flapped his wings, and gave a bow. “My sincerest apologies.”

“Also, do you not think it inappropriate to come see a member of the royal family in their private chambers?”

“But I’m not in them, now am I?”

Zelda laughed. “Are you in need of something, master Revali?”

He offered a gallant smile. “Perhaps your majesty would care to join me for a walk on the grounds. I can see everything up here, but I’ll admit… Hylian structures are baffling to me. I wondered if perhaps you would be willing to educate me.”

The warmth of the smile that grew on her face told Revali he had succeeded in breaking her out of whatever dismal reverie she’d been in when he peered in at her, scowling at her journal.

Zelda met Revali at the base of the stairs. They began to explore the walkways leading down the primary battlement of the castle with a leisurely gait.

“Here we have the entrance to our library.”

“Library?”

Zelda blinked in surprise, then ushered Revali inside.

“What in Hyrule…” His eyes widened as he glanced around the massive room filled wall-to-wall with books.

“Surely you know what a library is, Revali.” Zelda giggled.

Revali rolled his eyes and ruffled his feathers, then said, “Of course I know what a library is… I’ve just never seen one this massive. There is no actual library in the Rito village.”

The princess’s head cocked to the side. “Why not?”

The Rito raised his wing up to the princess’ field of vision and wiggled the most controllable, dexterous portions of his wing, which still looked wildly unwieldy.

“Oh… penmanship and flipping pages must be difficult!”

“Only disciplined Rito, dedicated to the art, actively pursue reading and writing beyond a primary education. We are creatures of oral tradition and have little use for books, though some of the oldest legends are inscribed on tablets of stone.”

“Is it mostly birdsong?”

“Yes. Why would we speak about the legends of the Rito when we could sing the ballads of heroes, the laments of our tribe, the lullabies our fathers learned from their fathers?”

Zelda pondered this for a moment. Then asked: “Do you sing, Master Revali?”

“I can, but I generally do not.”

Zelda had led Revali up a cascading set of stairs and was clearly determined to show him a specific volume. She was scowling and tracing her fingers along titles as she walked along the upper level of the library.

“I could have sworn it was in this section… Found it!” She pulled out a broad but thin volume, clearly weighted, almost square enough to be used as a breastplate for armor fitted to the girl. A harp was crested into the volume’s cover, gilt in gold.

“This is a musical volume of songs from Hyrule’s history. Do the Rito use notations like this?”

She showed him a page with a simple melody. The notations were similar but…

“We use lines like this but typically our musical staves are much larger…” He squinted at the page and then pulled back. “Our notes are not all round. We use shapes and lines to indicate different note lengths…”

“Fascinating! Could you read a melody like this?”

“I am not well-versed in musical notation. We received basic training in childhood, but after those initial years, my studies were dedicated elsewhere. However, this melody is similar to one we learned as nestlings. The Ballad of the Goddess, I believe?”

Zelda laughed with excitement. Revali could not help but notice her laugh was high and sweet, almost birdlike with a chirpy nature.

“Would you sing it for me, Revali?”

“I would rather not.”

The disappointment that fell across her face was immeasurable. It nearly ruined Revali’s day to see her so put out; he felt he had to explain, even if the reason was made up on the spot.

“I do not like the way I sound when I sing from prescribed notes; the planned nature feels stifling. I would rather you not insist.”

“Oh. I would never dream to impose upon you. I’m sorry!”

Revali turned very stern, and gazed at her directly. “Do not apologize. It is not for someone of your position.”

Zelda was a bit taken aback by this admonishment. Most did not speak to her in this blunt fashion. No one but her father had spoken in unfiltered directives. She understood the Rito were a singularly bold people; perhaps tact was not really part of their vocabulary. Her facial expression betrayed her utter bafflement. She nodded sharply.

“You’re right, Revali.”

At that moment, a member of the royal guard emerged at the top of the stairs and was clearly headed in their direction. Revali moved from the princess’ side just as the guard focused his attention on her and said, “Your presence is requested by his majesty King Rhoam.”

Zelda turned to speak with Revali, but he was already taking a bow.

“Till we meet again, your highness.”

The guard extended his arm, and Zelda passed him by, where he took up her rear as he escorted her from the library, following her quite closely.

Revali watched as she disappeared down the staircase, the royal guard following behind her. Why send a guard? Why did he follow her with so little space between them? What an incredible sign of disrespect. It’s as if they expected her to give chase if they even dared to blink. He hoped nothing was amiss. But he couldn’t help to wonder, yet again…

~*~*~*~*~

Link to Chapter 5 HERE

Link to Chapter 4, Part 2 HERE

Link to Chapter 4, Part 1 HERE

Link to Chapter 3 HERE

Link to Chapter 2 HERE

Link to Chapter 1 HERE

[caroline18mars]

A Man On Fire - Chapter 53

“Mmmm, go to bed with me” she licked her lips and flapped her eyelashes so seductively when she said that, spontaneous combustion? Definitely! “your wish is not my command, because I want it as much as you do” he breathed in her ear before he pulled her out of sight from the fans, she was cute enough to give them a little wave before she was whisked away. Clothes were being ripped off of her body, dropping wherever they decided to fall, teeth were biting, tongues dancing, hands were squeezing like they were finding new territory, please don't let this be over in a rush was all she could think when they stumbled onto the bed and his hands squeezed tightly around her full breasts “forget about foreplay, I'm ready”. He was being pushed down, her nervous hands fiddling with his belt and zipper when she swung her leg over and straddled him, his hands instantly kneading her thighs, rubbing them up and down. “You do realize you came this close” her thumb and indexfinger nearly touched “to losing this” as soon as his cock sprang free she impaled herself on it with a deep growl “forever”, the words slowly drifted through his blissed out brain. “I know..I know..you're my only one..I couldn't go on if I had lost you” he breathed. Their eyes locked and a deafening silence fell..silence before the storm, a storm that was gonna take them both to impossible heights if the unbearable tension in her abdomen was anything to go by “then don't give me any reason to leave, if you wanna show me how much you want me and want me to stay, then do it right here and right now” her voice was hoarse with anticipation. She was gonna think about herself first and let him extinguish the fire in her belly, not the other way round, she wasn't gonna take it, he was gonna have to give it to her, stop wiggling your hips, stay perfectly still. Don't torture me babe, get those wonderful hips moving..when she just kept staring at him squinting a little bit, he couldn't hold back any longer and started rocking his hips, wanting to push himself further up inside of her. Yessss nice..she couldn't help moan and lick her lips as the friction of him moving gave her tingles all over. Soon she took over the rocking motion, it became too hard not to, this was going to be the ride of her life and the swollen, hard intruder inside of her was going to show her places she had never been.

”Hmmm, you ok?” he slipped out of her after their set of earthshattering orgasms and kissed his way up to her face, she was so quiet, “I need a cigarette” she sighed running a hand through his hair when he kissed her collarbone, while the other hand reached for her bag on the floor. “Non-smoking room” he casually grinned, “not to worry” she shrugged and quickly shot up from the bed to disarm the smoke detector, opened a window and slid back in bed with him, lighting up that so much needed cigarette, “Yummm” she exhaled in bliss, smoke curling up around her damp face. “Have I told you that you make me wish I still smoked?” Jay curled up to her, nuzzling her shoulder and kissed it, “here” she held the cigarette in front of his mouth and he quickly took a drag “I guess I just love smoking, it's horrible and fun at the same time”. Time just stood still and he knew that this was image gonna be imprinted in his mind forever, the way she lay there, her hair strewn across the pillow, her body relaxed and completely naked like she was meant to wear nothing else than just her soft skin. “I love you..” he breathed against her skin, “I know you do and I love you too but I'm gonna be honest with you..if any of this nonsense had been true then you would have never seen me again, it would have been the end..and the same goes for the future” she pulled up her legs and scrunched up her nose taking a few nervous drags of her cigarette. “I know..there are no more skeletons in my closet, I told you everything..I haven't been with anyone else since we met, I swear” he hastened to say “but what about you? Are there any skeletons in your closet?”. Harper almost felt offended but quickly realized that it was a valid question, why would she be off the hook? “Nope! The only thing I'm guilty of is that I can't commit, I'm a serial one-night-stand type of woman..well I was, before I met you..I slept around for a long time and then I didn't..guess I was trying to fill a void or something, guess I didn't want to be lonely but with every night I gave away I realized that I felt lonelier then ever..sad really..old habit”. He was breathless by her honesty, it just wasn't the way he knew her, yes she was a sexy beast that hadn't exactly lived like a nun, it was obvious from the way she knew her way around a man's body, she knew exactly which hidden button to push to blow his mind “give it up, the old habit, you don't need to look any further..I'm here now”. Harper's ears tingled, “ok I give up the booze and the one nightstands and you drop the Russian tarts and groupies” she took a last drag from her cigarette and pushed it out on a saucer on the nightstand before she extended her hand to shake on it but instead he leaned on his elbow and closed the deal by kissing her and crawling between her legs again, another round of heavy fucking would surely convince her.

��Shhh” he slowly looked behind him, thank god that knock on the door hadn't woken her up “Harper's still sleeping” he whispered, look at her, just look at her sleeping on her stomach, her beautiful back bare, the sheets discretely covering the gorgeous curve of her butt..turn around Jared, or you'll never get out of here. “So? From the looks of it, things between you two back to normal?” Shannon glanced at his brother “I mean that looked like things got pretty hot last night” seeing a grin appear on Jared's face was confirmation enough. “How can we go back to normal when nothing between us has ever been normal? It was phenomenal..just phenomenal” Jared checked his phone “by the way, how's that new personal assistent thing coming along?”. Shannon bit his lip, if only this was gonna go down the right way “it's not that easy..but I think there's a solution” he slowed down, making Jared frown “well? I don't care who it is, as long as she/he gets things done”, Shannon swallowed hard, here went absolutely nothing “if you don't care who it is, then you don't care that I got Shayla back on board”. Jared froze on the spot “what? Please tell me you're kidding?” not Shayla, goddammit, didn't I say I didn't want trouble anymore? “I'm not kidding, Jay..she knows the business..yes she made a couple mistakes but she can start straight away if we want”. Goddammit! How could he..”so basically you're asking me if I want to get into a whole lot of trouble again? Calling my girlfriend an attention seeking diva? And I don't need to remind you that Sean is back on the tour as well” he raised his voice in complete shock. “Are we still on the same planet Shannon? I mean, why? First you dump me in the middle of a hurricane with letting Val come on tour? Then you hire Sean and Shayla again? I mean, is there something you want to tell me? Like another bomb you've been wanting to drop?” he stopped, realizing he was starting to shout. “I don't want to dump us into anything..it's just that we desperately need an assistant..and Shayla knows this kind of work like the back of her hand” did that frown on his brother's face mean that he was at least considering it? “we can put a special clause in her contract about Harper and we'll do the same for Sean..what do you think?” Shannon's cool remained impressive, was he really giving in?. “I think this whole idea stinks!..but you're right about needing an assistant, so I'll talk to one of the lawyers about that clause, one word about Harper, no, even to Harper and she's out!” keep your calm, just keep calm, it's too early to get worked up and especially after the night he had, everything he had hoping and longing for was given back to him last night so there was absolutely no way he would allow anyone or anything to disrupt that.

Stretching and yawning, where was she?..home..Italy..the tightness in her abdomen betrayed a whole lot of action last night..Jay..mmm, where was he? Her arm fruitlessly went searching around the empty spot next to her and her eyes fluttered open..did she dream it all? Slowly she sat up and looked around the room..what? Oh god, she definitely wasn't dreaming..like an arrow out of a bow she jumped out of bed over to the series of spanking new, blank canvases leaning against the wall, what were all these boxes standing next to them? Surely not?..she quickly opened a box and what she saw brought a tear to her eye, a myriad of colours, crayons and paint greeted her, the heady scent of oil paints and new brushes was almost too much to bear. Engrossed in all that beauty she didn't hear the door open behind her “ah, you already found them I see” grinning from ear to ear he threw the keycard on the dresser together with his wallet, just in time to grab her as she ran up to him and jumped in his arms “IloveyouIreallyreallyloveyou” she breathed, kissing his face up and down with tears streaming down her face. “You happy? I didn't know what you normally use, so I took a bit of everything.I..I hope I got it right” he giggled as she kept smothering him with kisses and hugs, “it's perfect..it must have cost you a fortune, I'll pay you back and..” she rattled but he quickly shut her up with a blistering kiss. “You've already paid me back a thousandfold just by being here with me..I know you left everything you love doing back in NY just to be with me, so I thought I'd do something in return, now you can stay with me and paint at the same time, one thing doesn't have to rule out the other” he whispered against her lips. One last smouldering kiss and Harper slowly let go, the need and the curiosity to check out her new gear was just too big and his heart melted when he saw her eyes glaze over again fondling and stroking brushes and canvases, this was passion, unbridled, intense, beautiful, pure passion and it had been a really long time since he had seen such a thing, someone who'd forsake everything and everyone just to follow a dream, so rare and so absolutely beautiful and breathtaking to watch. “Do you think you can tear away yourself from the paint and the brushes to have breakfast with me?” he grinned, “Only if I can pay for it, it's the least I can do, all this stuff must have cost you a fortune, I know I'm repeating myself, but I just can't get my head around it” she slowly put the brushes down “I'll pay you back..I swear..I” she tried to explain but he stopped her again “let's just start with breakfast, alright? All that action last night must have gotten me famished..oh speaking about action, I you really want to insist on paying me back, that's definitely another fine way to be paying me back, what do you think? Just a suggestion”he wiggled his eyebrows. “just a suggestion, huh?” her indexfinger traced his jaw and she pretended to think about it for a second “yep, I can definitely do that! But first a shower and clothes and we're off, won't be long” she kissed the tip of his nose and hopped to the bathroom giggling. This was the fun part, the difficult bit was for later..the return of Shayla..how was he gonna convince her if he wasn't even convinced himself? Don't think about that now, she was all that mattered, Harper, Coco, Harper Coco, lover, best friend, love of his life, babe par excellence, staywithmestaywithmestaywithmefortherestofourlives, should he ask her? God no, not that he didn't want to, because he did but she would definitely run if he popped the question, she just wasn't the type..didn't matter, not now anyway, later maybe, hopefully! The door opened and out she came with her beautiful thick hair pulled up in a high ponytail that bounced with every step, a killer outfit that hugged every curve “Ready?”, for you woman, always!.

[shinkanefanatic]

One Last Time Ch 2, a Shinkane (Psycho Pass fic)

Read chapter 1 here:

Chapter 2: One Last Time

_________________

"Sorry, Inspector. Looks like I won't be keeping my promise again."

"Kou...gami..."

Akane's entire vision was warped beyond repair, the horrifying scene before her filling up every one of her senses. Her mind tried desperately to process what had just happened, but no matter how much she tried to get her brain around it, the Inspector could barely fathom the events that had just transpired.

One moment Kougami was right there, touching her, pushing her out of the way and speaking to her as she saw his smiling face fade away. The next minute, the only thing Akane could see was a literal rain of crimson and broken flesh. Some of the sticky red liquid had covered her face and torso- the disgusting scent of it burning her nose painfully.

She gave little thought to her body's negative reaction to the smell or sight before her though. All she cared about was one thing that she desperately needed an answer for: what in the hell had just happened and why?

Akane's eyes were blank and empty, unsure of anything. Her ears continued ringing loudly, the sound of the dominator firing off still pounding away at her eardrums, making it difficult to hear anything. Unknown to the young detective, a frantic Ginoza was shouting at her as he steadfastly approached her, meanwhile Kasei cackled amusingly in the background.

After a few seconds, the ringing sound finally dimmed down inside Akane's head, giving her some form of hearing back. When Gino's voice finally reached her, Akane tried to turn around towards him. However, instead of meeting the sight of Ginoza, the shadow of a different person suddenly loomed right in front of her gaze. A female in a suit with dark brown hair tied back in a scrunchy stood before her- wearing a look as heartless as the devil himself upon her freckled face. Akane glanced from the other Inspector's familiar face than turned her gaze to the dominator in the woman's hand, noticing it was set on lethal eliminator mode.

It took a moment before the short-haired female's brain put the pieces together. From the gun, Akane turned her eyes back to the spot soaked in an ocean of blood and bone. Suddenly, everything clicked.

"Why..."Akane mumbled, her sight locked onto the matter that had once been Kougami Shinya.

Her teeth clenched together tightly as she choked on a giant lump that had formed in the center of her throat. Akane's eyes shook wildly in her sockets, her face flushing red in fury. Without warning, the brunette jumped up and took hold of the other Inspector's collar as hard as she could.

"WHY DID YOU SHOOT?!" Akane was more furious than she ever had been before. More than when Makishima had murdered her best friend right in front of her. More so than when Sibyl had revealed the truth of the system to her. Even more than when she was handed her grandmother's ear in a box during the Kamui case. Her blood literally felt as if it were boiling; her insides on fire as her heart felt like exploding at any moment. Akane began shaking the person she held onto violently, her very soul feeling nothing but a intensely burning hatred as she locked eyes with the Inspector, "Tell me why...Shimotsuki!"

Ginoza could do nothing but watch as he stood a few feet away from the two, his face paler than a ghost's and despair making up his entire face. Like Akane, he could hardly believe what had just happened. For a minute he thought Akane was escorting Kougami to the vehicle to transport him back for interrogation. A moment later he saw Akane being pushed to the ground, followed by the sound of a dominator screaming out Just as the Enforcer had made his way over to get a clear view of the situation, only one thing caught his eye before he felt his mind go blank. Kougami's body, expanding, twisting around violently before exploding in all directions, his flesh ripping apart allowing blood and organs to fly out and onto the pavement near where Tsunemori laid.

Now there he stood, having flashbacks to the last time he had seen Akane become this angry, only this time, it was far worst. He could tell by Akane being hardly able to catch her breath , possibly hyperventilating after witnessing such a thing. Ginoza hated to admit it, but he was well aware of how much Kougami meant to her. Now, the worst possible thing had happened. What should he do? Was there really any way to comfort Tsunemori at this point? Would there be any way to calm her? Hell, even he wanted to go over and shout at Shimotsuki Mika. But more than that...

Ginoza turned his gaze upon a smiling Kasei.

More than anything, he wanted to demand answers from the very woman who had sworn to allow Kougami's escort back to the PSB.

"Why,why,whywhywhywhy-" Akane continued to shake Inspector Shimotsuki as hard as she could. All the while, Kougami's face flashed over and over like a movie in her mind. When Mika didn't supply an answer after five minutes of endless shaking, Akane tore her hands away from her and spun around. The 26 year old stumbled back and forth, caught between trying to regain the ability to breath and to scream out as hard as she could. Her mind swirled around like a vortex inside her head, her pupils insanely dilated.

Ginoza became unable to bear the sight any longer and began stepping carefully towards the distressed woman, unsure of what to do. All the Enforcer could think of was to try and call out to her. Hopefully then she'd be brought back to realty enough to take at least a breath.

"A-Akane...hey."

However, Ginoza's efforts had the opposite desired effect.

Instead of responding to him, Akane seemed to fly even deeper into her panic episode. She grabbed her head and stumbled further towards Kougami's remains. Once her shoes were stepping in the pool of blood, the Inspector fell to her knees and began shouting again,

"He broke it...he broke it again. Kougami promised-" In chocolate orbs reflected the images of flesh, eye balls, and organs all souped together. Her stomach churned violently but she didn't throw up. Instead, the screaming continued. Soon, Akane's cries were so wild, they were completely inaudible to everyone around her.

Akane's reaction felt like an iron fist had stuck straight into Ginoza's gut. The man shook in his boots as he watched the woman he cared deeply for fall completely into the worst state imaginable.

Suddenly, Mika broke her silence. What she said instantly made Nobuchika become seething with fury.

"Oh, would you stop with the drama, Inspector? You need to grow up!"

Gino's teeth pressed together as his brows furrowed together. His bright green spheres burned brightly.

Mika walked towards Akane who was doubled over, her face nearly sinking right in the blood she lay in. The younger Inspector clicked her tongue in absolute disgust and shook her head as if completely appalled at the sight,

"My god, and you call yourself a detective? He was just a pile of trash threatening our society. The Chief already told you- that Kougami Shinya would be erased tonight. What else did you expect?"

Akane didn't respond and continued to wallow in misery as she began gripping at parts of Kougami's clothing that had somehow survived the annihilation.

Mika grunted loudly and turned away. She couldn't stand to look at her senpai anymore. It was so completely pathetic. However a pathetic excuse of a woman like Akane had made it to Inspector status remained a complete mystery to Mika, even now.

It was at that moment Gino's temper finally rose to the surface. Of all the things Mika had said to Akane over the years, this took the cake. He could no longer sit idly by and allow this.

"With all due respector, Inspector...!" Ginoza growled at he approached her, ready to give her hell.

Mika showed no interest and simply shot him a glare back, "Enforcers have no right to speak before Inspectors tell them too, Ginoza. So shut up and stay out of it."

As the Inspector and Enforcer went at it, Akane tuned out the yelling and was left alone feeling not misery or despair anymore, but emptiness instead. Tsunemori sat there, her eyes completely devoid of any life or emotion as she stared down at the bloody box of spinels she had found among Kougami's remains. She gently traced the corner of the damaged box with the tip of her finger. As she did so, Akane spoke quietly to herself,

"I...should try lighting one...if I do, he'll show up..." Akane gripped the box tightly and held it to her chest, "Kougami will show up...just like always..."

Akane decided to do just that and dug around in the pocket of her skirt for a lighter she often kept with her for such an occasion. After pulling it out, she removed one of the cigarettes from the box and proceeded to try and light it. She kept flicking the lighter again and again, waiting for the smoking stick to light. In the empty void that were her eyes the sparks from the lighter flew one after the other. Eventually, it finally worked and the cigarette lit. The familiar scent emitted the air around her, pleasing her senses.

The smell traveled over to Mika and Gino. The moment the two smelled the cigarette, both stopped with their banter and turned to Akane. Mika spouted some angry nonsense about the action, while Ginoza frowned deeply as he watched Akane stare at the spinel in her hand quietly.

The smell traveled over to Mika and Gino. The moment the two smelled the cigarette, both stopped with their banter and turned to Akane. Mika spouted some angry nonsense about the action, while Ginoza frowned deeply as he watched Akane stare at the spinel in her hand quietly.

"...Hey...Tsunemo-" Gino tried to place a hand on Akane's shoulder but froze when he saw her suddenly turn back towards him.

"Ginoza," The Inspector's eyes carefully darted from Gino to the empty areas around him, almost as if she were searching for something. When she didn't find it, Akane forced herself up, took hold of Gino's jacket and looked up at him with her desolate eyes, "...He's not coming."

"...?" The Enforcer's brows creased in concern. He reached down and gently gripped Akane's hand with his prosthetic, "What do you...?"

"Kougami...he's not showing up. But he always shows up when I light one." Akane held up the cigarette and tilted her head slightly. Her voice was as monotone as could be as she spoke, "...Do you know...where he is, Ginoza?"

Nobuchika's eyes widened slowly. He tried to call out to her again but felt his voice catch in his tightening throat. The 34 year old was forced to swallow as he let her continue.

"Did he get away again? I had my eyes right on him, so I don't understand..."

Gino's eyes trembled painfully as his grip on her hand grew, "Akane..."

"Why won't he come..." Akane's face fell, her bangs covering her eyes. The cigarette that was held between her two fingers dropped to the ground and into the blood at her feet, "I don't understand...he always..."

Akane's hand slipped out of Ginoza's as she dropped back to her knees. Gino fell down with her this time, worried beyond belief for her.

"Akane, please..."

However, it now seemed that said woman was once again deaf to anything else around her. She continued to ask for Kougami over and over as Gino tried to gently snap her out of it.

Mika stood there, arms crossed, looking fed up with the situation. She let out a large sight and turned back to Kasei who was now standing with the rest of division 1 that had been called back from their posts. Like Ginoza, each member of division 1 looked completely disturbed by the events. Yayoi especially, considering she had known Akane, Kougami, and Ginoza the longest. It was unusual to see Yayoi with anything but a poker face on but at the moment, her face was clearly beyond upset. Mika felt one little pang of guilt at the sight of the woman she actually cared for but put it out of her mind the moment it surfaced. Ignoring it, she made her way back to the Chief to ask for further orders.

Kasei patted Shimotsuki on the shoulder and mumbled a "Good work, Inspector." before walking over to Akane and Gino.

When he sensed her presence looming over them, the Enforcer decided it was time for answers. Gino removed his hands from Akane and stood up. He turned to Kasei, took a deep breath and braced himself as he spoke out strongly,

"Why...did you go back on your word, Chief? Please explain your actions here tonight."

Kasei raised a brow curiously at the hound dog's question, "My word? I don't know what you mean, Enforcer Ginoza."

It took all the man had now to plow his fist into the old woman's face. Gino breathed deeply, "You had specifically ordered we in division 1 to assist with arresting the fugitive Kougami Shinya. I believe you even told Tsunemori you'd agree to allow her arrest him. So, I ask again, why? Why did you allow Inspector Shimotsuki to kill him?"

The MWPSB boss kept to herself for what seemed like the longest time; when finally, her lips curled up into a disturbing smirk, "I see there was a misunderstanding here, Enforcer, so I shall- No, I will allow the Inspector to clear up any questions on this case." Kasei turned to Mika who quickly followed over.

Mika nodded and locked eyes with the latent criminal in front of her, "You seem to think the Chief ordered you all here to help arrest that man. That, is a mistake on your part, Enforcer."

Gino clenched his teeth together furiously, "Then why the hell did we come here, Inspector?"

"What you all came here for tonight was to fulfill one thing- To make sure Kougami Shinya didn't leave this place alive."

Akane's body could barely been seen jolting in the background.

Out of no where, Yayoi jumped in, hoping Mika would give a better explanation to her at least, "Wait, that wasn't what our orders were." The black haired woman looked towards Kasei and then to Gino, "We were all there. The Chief's orders were 'Surround the area where Kougami Shinya was spotted and await his arrest.' You told us we would only kill him if he tried to resist."

"That..." Mika trailed off as she turned away, unable to look Yayoi in the eye, "...Look, only Inspectors were privy to the entire truth of this case. We needed the Enforcers to come along in case things got...ugly. That's all."

Yayoi and Gino along with Hinakawa and Sugo standing beside them all fell silent. For a moment all that could be heard between the group was the low rumbling of the wind. The next moment, a deep laugh began to sound. Everybody turned to Ginoza who was holding his face in his hand,

"I see...I see now. Fine then," Gino's laughter slowed down, his face still hiding his face as he addressed Kasei again, "I have just one more question, Chief."

Kasei's grin had blown away with the wind, "...Go ahead."

Nobuchika's hand slowly moved away, revealing a frightening scowl that was enough to make Mika jump in her shoes, "Why the hell did you lie to Tsunemori then? What was the point?"

"It was a test." Kasei's grin returned.

"A...test?" Sugo questioned.

"What...? What sort of...test?" Hinakawa mumbled anxiously.

Kasei turned her attention back towards Akane who still sat on the ground, her hunched over back the only thing facing them. The old woman began taking steps towards the young detective. With each movement, the Chief explained,

"Over the several years as an Inspector, Tsunemori Akane's hue has never once hit critical levels. Over the MWPSB's course, I've noticed it common that with time, many Inspector's minds start to become...warped, after a certain period of time. It happens more often then not, you see." Kasei now stood right behind Akane. She pulled her dominator back out and aimed it right at the back of the woman's head, acting as if she were going to fire it again, "...However, there is an exception to this commonality."

Gino neared jumped out of his skin at the sight of Kasei's hand on the dominator's trigger as she held it nearly against Akane's head. Before the tall male could object, his boss' explanation continued,

"Inspector Tsunemori here is that very exception. This was the final test, to see if my theory was truly correct. And as luck would have it..." Kasei's eyes glowed a bright turquoise as Sibyl scanned over Akane's hue. Once the results displayed themselves on the holographic screen, mad laughter echoed once again among the group. This time, it's source being Kasei.

"I always knew it would turn out this way." Kasei continued to chuckle to herself, leaving not only the Enforcers at a loss, but Mika as well.

Shimotsuki was somehow afraid to address the Chief but gathered the courage to do so anyways. She inched a little more towards Kasei, trying to get a glimpse at her face, "Um...Chief?"

Between her cackles, Kasei seemed to mumble to herself. All the while, Akane didn't move one inch from where she was sprawled.

"Even after watching Kougami Shinya, the man you valued more than anyone else, die from before your eyes..."

Akane began to turn towards Kasei. As she did, the old woman's grin widened until her face was practically twitching from the excitement.

"Your psycho pass, it's..."

The moment the rest of division 1 saw the look painted upon Tsunemori's face, each one of the hell caught a horrifying chill down to their very bones. Kasei practically cried out insanely,

"Her psycho pass is as clear and pure as ever! Completely clean! So clean, it's disturbing!"

As Kasei's maddening laughs went on, Gino could barely believe what he was baring witness to. He had always known Akane's mind was one of the strongest he'd ever come across. It shouldn't have seemed so unusual now. Although...the fact that her crime coefficient was an actual 0, his thoughts were only reminded of one thing. Makishima Shogo.

Kougami had been murdered, violently, suddenly, right in front of her. It was Akane's worst fear come true. She had even broke down and screamed, freaked out. Despite that, her hue seemed to have, if anything...relaxed. It didn't just not increase. It wasn't simply a matter of her hue not changing at all. No, it had actually gone DOWN. An action that only happened when people became relaxed or...in the rare case that they were unable to be judged properly by Sibyl. The only times Gino had seen such a thing was with Makishima Shogo and Kozaburo Toma. Both were criminals the PSB were left unable to judge.

One thought ran through Nobu's mind right then.

Why is Tsunemori...like them...?

Akane didn't react to any of Kasei's laughing or the concerned looks of her coworkers. She simply watched back at them, her face as blank as a sheet of paper. No tears ran down her cheeks. There wasn't any sign of her crying at all actually, despite her earlier wails and anger. In the brunette's eyes were a reflection of her hue, clear as could be.

"I always knew you were like us." Kasei whispered, careful not to let the others behind her hear. The Chief then extended her hand towards the Inspector, "I think it's time you've stopped putting it off, don't you, Akane."

Akane silently reached out and took the hand held out to her. She was pulled up and stood there, almost mechanically like.

"Come now," Kasei placed her other hand on Akane's shoulder and gripped it firmly. Her lips fell down towards Akane's ear, "You've always mentioned your desire to protect this society and its people. I know you were against it before, but Inspector, you must realize by now that joining Sibyl is the best thing for you. As well as Japan. So, what do you say?"

Akane said nothing. Her heart felt as empty as an eternal abyss. There was nothing in the world that mattered to her anymore. The Inspector felt only one thing as she nodded her head at Kasei without any reluctance- and that was exhausted. She just felt, so damn tired.

Kasei grinned triumphantly, "Wonderful. You have no other attachments after all, right?"

Akane glanced over her shoulder at the remains one last time. At that, the girl barely managed a mere, "No."

While it was true Akane still had her parents, Kaori, and her friends left in her division there for her, it never once crossed the detective's mind. Not even once. The exhaustion she felt, halted all of her senses and thoughts. All she wanted was to go to sleep. For a long, long time.

"Well then, shall we go?" Kasei turned to Mika and ordered her to escort the rest of the division back to the PSB. Meanwhile, Kasei and Akane climbed into the escort vehicle after having a nearby police drone clean up Kougami's body, or what was left of it.

As Akane got into the car, Gino began desperately asking Shimotsuki questions. What was happening now? Why? Where was Tsunemori being taken, and for how long? Anxiety swirled around the center of the male's chest as bad feelings took over every fiber of his being. In his mind, he saw his old self- the version of himself who still wore glasses and held the scowling demeanor.

His old self adjusted his glasses and shot a glare at him, "What are you doing? The Chief's word is absolute, so don't you dare try to interfere. Just stay back beside your master, like the hunting dog you are."

Meanwhile, another reflection of Gino appeared before him, but this time it was that of the current time. His expression was filled with sorrow and fear, "Don't let the Inspector leave! If you do, Tsunemori will...!"

The two versions of Gino internally fought back and forth before finally, the Enforcer took hold of Mika's arm.

The woman nearly flew out of her skin at the feeling of being touched by a man, and a latent criminal at that. She wrinkled her nose up in disgust, "Would you give it up already! I told you, the Chief is taking Tsunemori somewhere only Inspectors are allowed to know about. Hunting dogs have no need to know so just shut up!"

"I can't just shut up and obey orders this time, dammit!" Gino's voice shrieked out loudly, startling both Mika and the rest of division 1. The Enforcer began to tremble all over again, all of his emotions slipping out at once. His grip on the Inspector's wrist strengthened as he peered up her between his fallen pitch black bangs, "I can't explain why I feel this way, but I know...I know if Tsunemori leaves here tonight with the Chief-"

It would be just like Kougami.

Tsunemori Akane, as he knew it, would vanish from existence.

Tears began welling up in the corners of Ginoza's eyes as he flashed back between the loss of his father and best friend. He brought a hand over his face, his face paling disturbingly white as his cheeks became wet, "I can't...Not again."

Mika just looked at the Enforcer like he had completely lost what little was left of his mind. She reached behind her and took hold of her dominator that had been resting in its holster under her coat.

Ginoza's hand covered his eyes as he stood there, utterly lost at what to do. Like Akane, he too had lost many loved ones over the years. Nobuchika couldn't take it anymore. Not again. He may have not been able to save Sasayama Mitsuru. His father Masaoka Tomomi. Or Aoyanagi Rika. Not even Kougami Shinya. If he let Akane go too...

"...I won't be able to forgive myself." Gino hiccuped as she grabbed Mika by both of her shoulders. The woman let out a shriek and shouted at the other Enforcers to get their dominators and aim at Ginoza. When they didn't, Mika began to panic. Gino paid no mind to this and pleaded, "Please, Shimotsuki! You're the only one with the power to stop the Chief! Tsunemori can't go, do you hear me?!"

Mika slithered her way out of the man's grasp and jumped back. She pulled out her dominator and pointed it right at Gino, causing it to instantly go into lethal eliminator mode again. The Enforcer continued to plead his case but it mattered not.

Ginoza was frozen silent when he heard the transport vehicle start up. As the car drove off, the 34 year old began to chase after it, as fast as his long legs could carry him. However, as the car rushed past him and just before his foot hit the road's pavement, he heard Mika shout at him,

"Make one more move, Enforcer Ginoza, and you'll be a pile of mush on the sidewalk just like your fugitive friend!"

Gino instantly stopped but breathed hard and fast, his entire being screaming out at the world to let him give chase after Tsunemori.

Mika looked behind herself at Yayoi, "Kunizuki, would you please handcuff him?"

Yayoi couldn't agree to or deny the orders given to her. Instead she walked over to Gino and patted his shoulder very gently.

"...I don't think...there's much we can do at this point."

Gino looked at Yayoi with a look of utter despair. He fell to his knees and continued to cry out the same thing over and over- Akane's name filling up the streets of nighttime Japan.

One thing plagued the emotional hunting dog as he doubled over, screaming out. Ginoza Nobuchika knew, that like with his best friend Kougami, he would never see Tsunemori Akane again.

____________________

Akane laid upon a cold table; the only thing covering her was a thin white sheet surrounding her bare body. An IV was hooked up to her arm while she awaited for Kasei's return. Only a few more minutes would Tsunemori be existing inside of her body before her consciousness was stripped away from it and joined the rest of the brains inhabiting Sibyl's core.

As the Inspector laid there, Akane thought over the last few years. She thought about her first night as a detective, and how foolish she used to be. She remembered the night she lost Yuki, and meeting Makishima for the first time. The dominator failing her when she needed it most, and afterwards, talking with Kougami about it in the hospital. Soon after, he left and she chased after him to stop him, but her efforts were simply wasted. Everything Akane had been through up to that moment, there was only one word the young woman could use to describe it all:

Pointless.

The doors to the secluded room opened and in stepped Kasei who appeared to be wearing a medical cap, mask, and shirt. The Chief approached the table and prepared to send Akane under for the procedure.

"Are you ready, Tsunemori? You're about to go from a measly Inspector to assisting in Sibyl's rule over this very country and its people. Quite the promotion, I'd say. You should be thrilled."

Akane still didn't respond. She had decided to remain unmoving, unfeeling like a broken doll until it was over.

Kasei snorted with amusement and placed a mask on Akane's face. The old woman hit a button, supplying the mask with a large amount of a sleeping drug. As it filled the detective's body, Akane felt her consciousness begin to waver back and forth between realty and sleep. While Akane's mind began to shut down, Kasei told her not to worry and promised that her brain would be safely transported over in a matter of mere hours.

Akane felt her eyelids drooping more and more. Just as she was about to allow them to close for the last time, something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. At first, she planned to ignore it but then, a familiar voice echoed right beside her. Akane felt a jolt and shot her eyes open. Her heart sunk at the unbelievable being standing right next to the bed.

Unknown to Kasei, there beside Akane was the broad figure of Kougami, all still in one piece. Akane tried to call out to him but the task soon revealed itself to be impossible with the mask on. Instead, the Inspector tried to reach out with all the strength she had left, but that too, proved impossible. The anesthesia had numbed her body from the neck down.

The only thing Akane could do was stare back at his figure while she flashbacked to the night's previous events.

Suddenly, large tears filled her eyes as regret overcame Tsunemori. She desperately wanted to apologize. She wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him and hold on tight.

Though unable to voice her thoughts, Akane fought through the drugs and began mouthing to the hallucination at her side,

"Kougami...Kougami..." Tears fell streamed down her face, emotion finally returning to the grieving Akane, "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I couldn't..." Akane caught a hiccup and pleaded out in her mind more, "Don't go...please...don't leave again...I'll do anything, so please..."

Shinya's voice echoed back at her in response. Akane's eyes widened as he seemed to lean in closer to her. His hand grasped hers tenderly. The hallucination's arm brought her hand up to his imaginary lips, placing a kiss against the top of her hand.

Tsunemori's tears fell harder when she saw a warm, loving smile from Kougami peering back at her.

Not again. Not that damn smile again. The very same one that belonged only to her. The one that never failed to make Akane feel safe, and put her mind truly at ease when things would become too hard to handle alone.

Without realizing it, Akane returned the grasp and held on as tight as she could. Uncontrollable sobs began to slow down and fade as her consciousness took its last few breathes, so to speak. Only one thought crossed Akane's mind as she fell further towards a deep slumber.

I wish...I could have held his hand like this...just once...

The last few tears fell as Akane's eyes finally closed. As they did, she saw Kougami's lips form a sentence before her vision disappeared.

At that moment, Akane fell completely unconscious. Oddly enough, a small smile had found its way onto her face as the Inspector's soul faded away into the darkness of her subconscious- all the while, Kougami's words filling her up like the sweetest melody she'd ever heard.

"You did well...Akane."

____________________

Author's comments: End of chapter 2! Only one more chapter to go. That one might take a while, but I'll try to get it up ASAP. I apologize again for any misspellings, bad punctuation, and OOCness.

PLEASE leave a review so I know what you guys thought! Please, please, please