Nightmare Fighter Yumeko
http://www.chaoseed.com/btr/
2/5/01
Started by: John Evans

9:  Whispers
by: Chandra Rooney
cdrmoon@uniserve.com

=

	The sun had sunk below the horizon and twilight spread across the streets.  
The boy sighed wearily, watching as the elderly man made his way to his home.  
Perhaps it was the longevity of the day or perhaps the poor lighting, but the boy 
looked twice his age, as stress rested heavily on his small shoulders.
	Hiro raised his eyes, staring off into the distance for a moment as he tilted 
his head to the side.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  Just one more, thankfully, for 
surely he'd been away from her side long enough.  Certainly, she was capable, 
strong and wilful, but didn't they all start that way?  When did they become 
broken?
	Or was it he who was the broken one?  Sighing again, he shook his head.  
Nothing good came from thinking of it.  What mattered now was that there was 
but one last victim to attend to.  Readying himself, Hiro took a deep breath... and 
stopped as it caught in his throat.  The white feather floated down to his feet, 
glowing softly like an apparition that might waver out of reality at any point.
	"It's not real," he whispered, quietly.  "It's just a memory.  It can't be real."
	Then he heard the tinkling laughter like small bells ringing, like crystal 
goblets knocking together in a toast.  Hiro squeezed his eyes shut and clenched 
his fists.  "It's just a memory," he repeated.  A fleeting dream that would pass if 
he waited it out, just as it always had before.
	Yet the laughter persisted, and he could almost smell her.  That perfume 
that belonged to her alone, and if he listened her footsteps fell lightly as she 
danced towards him like a feather on the wind.  He tried not to listen; he tried to 
concentrate on other things.  Miwako needed him now and this ghost did not.  
Another deep breath and Hiro nodded to himself.  Just a dream.  It was always 
just a dream.
	He opened his eyes and noticed that the feather was gone.  Allowing 
himself a small smile, he prepared to take to the air.  Miwako had asked for his 
help, and he needed to do what she asked.  He needed to be needed.
	"Will you leave so soon, pretty boy?" the husky voice asked.
	Hiro turned on his heel.  The woman stood a few feet away from him, 
playing with a familiar white feather.  Her silvery-blond hair fell in wild curls 
about her face, and her blue eyes were wide and childlike.  The white dress she 
wore seemed more suited for a summer afternoon, as it was too flimsy and light 
to keep out the cold of the impending nightfall.  She smiled at him and laughed 
again as she turned about in a pirouette.  Her hair swirled around her as she 
stopped, raising her arms towards him.  "Would you leave me?" she asked.  
"How rude!  How," she licked her lips, "naughty."
	Hiro swallowed.  "Do... do I know you?"
	"You've been so very naughty while I was away.  They tell me--" she 
broke off making a face.  "So many things they whisper!"  She took a step closer 
as if to confide in him.  "You hear them whisper, don't you?  Whisper, whisper, 
whisper!"  She waved her arms.  "Always, always in Chie's head they are!"
	Chie?  Hiro jerked as if he'd been slapped.  "Chie?" he whispered.  
"You're... Chie?"
	Chie nodded, grabbing his arm.  "Whisper," she hissed.  "Whisper." She 
tilted her head to the side, eyes widening.  "Oh, they whisper your name to me 
now," she told him, breathless.  "Hiro, Hiro."  Slowly her hand crept up his arm 
towards his face.  "Oh, Hiro, it's been so very long, hasn't it?"
	Hiro blinked stupidly as Chie's arm encircled his neck and her fingers 
found their way to his hair.  "We should say hello right and proper," she 
whispered, and drew him close for a passionate kiss.
	Hiro spluttered as she pulled her lips away; he twitched as he tried to 
shake free of her embrace.  "This... this isn't right!" he managed, staring at her.  
"This wasn't how it was before--"
	"Oh, pretty boy," Chie pouted, tilting her head.  "Are you worried because 
Chie is older than you?  Chie doesn't mind."  She giggled.
	"It's not," Hiro spluttered.  "It's-- We--"
	"Is pretty Hiro not happy to see Chie?" she asked, suddenly.  Her eyes 
grew wide and her lip trembled.  "But they whispered, oh they whispered that 
Hiro would be happy.  Oh so happy.  Things can be made right."
	"Yes," Hiro nodded.  "Yes, things can be like they were.  Like they 
should be."  He removed her arm from around him and took a step back.  "I am 
happy to see you, Chie," he assured her.  "I'm very, very happy.  I just haven't 
been myself without you, but now you're back and everything will be right 
again."  He nodded.  "You and I will lead the Dream Warrior and reclaim the 
stolen power from the Nightmare Fighter."  He nodded again.  "There won't be 
three.  We'll see to it that there isn't three."
	Chie tilted her head again, looking at him from out of the corner of her 
eye.  "Nightmare Fighter?" she repeated.  "Dream Warrior?"
	"Yes, yes, you remember," Hiro nodded.  "The Dream Warrior, the one 
that protects the Dream Realm.  We help her," he reminded her.  "Like we always 
have.  Together we'll see that what happened before doesn't happen again."
	Chie laughed.  "Silly, pretty Hiro," she murmured, patting him on the 
cheek.  "I'm only here for you.  No one else."  She playfully poked his cheek.  
"Just my Hiro."
	Hiro frowned, catching a hold of her wrist.  "No, Chie, you're here to 
protect the Dream Realm," he told her, sternly.  "It's what we do.  It's what we've 
always done in the past."
	"Past is past," she chirped.  "Now is now.  Chie is here so Hiro can forget 
all about any other pretty girls."  She laced her fingers through his and smiled up 
at him.  "Yes?"
	Hiro yanked his hand free and shook his head.  "No!" he protested, 
vehemently.  "I can't forget about Miwako.  It's my duty as her spirit guide to 
protect and help her.  _You're_ supposed to help me do that.  How could you 
have forgotten how things used to be?" he demanded.
	Chie yawned.  "Hiro talks too much of how things used to be," she told 
him dancing back a few paces.  "It is not as it 'used to be', it is now."  She 
stamped her bare foot against the asphalt.  "Now, now, now!"
	Hiro stared at her, trembling.  This wasn't right.  Whoever had granted her 
return... they must not have done it right.  It had hurt her somehow; made her 
think the strangest things.
	Chie twitched, peering at him.  "Hiro thinks the whispers lie to Chie," she 
began, darkly.  She tapped her finger to her lips, smiling secretively.  "Chie 
knows this because Hiro whispers to her, too."  She took a tentative step back 
towards him.  "Whisper."
	"What are you talking about?" Hiro demanded.  "I didn't say anything to 
you.  I didn't--"
	"Whisper," she repeated, stopping and putting a hand to her ear.  " 'I'm so 
scared,' Hiro whispers.  'Please help me, Chie.  I can't do anything without you'."
	"I'm not scared!" Hiro snapped, clenching his fists.  "And I managed 
without you," he added, quieter.  "I took care of a lot of Dream Warriors all by 
myself."
	"Too many," Chie told him, smiling sadly.  "Far more than you would 
have if Chie had been here."
	Hiro bit his lip and stared down at the ground.  It was true; there had been 
a lot of failures recently.  Kyoko would have certainly never given up if Chie had 
been there.  No one had ever given up when he and Chie had both been there.
	Chie smiled and stepped closer to take him in her arms.  She laid his head 
on her shoulder and gently brushed his hair from his face.  "Yes," she told him.  
"Yes.  Hiro will come with Chie and return to those who whisper.  Then 
everything will be all right.  Chie will take care of Hiro."
	"Who are 'those who whisper'?" Hiro asked, softly.  Part of him screamed 
that this was wrong, Chie had distracted him from something important.  Yet, the 
larger part was wholly content to rest in her arms and feel needed.
	Chie lifted his chin so he could look into her eyes.  "Hiro is meant to be 
here with Chie.  Chie needs Hiro and Hiro needs Chie."  She brushed her lips 
over his again and then whispered in his ear.  "Say that you need me," she told 
him.  "Tell me that you'll always stay with me.  Say you'll be mine to the end of 
the Gods and beyond.  Mine and mine alone."
	"I..." Hiro began.  "I'll stay with you..."
	"Yes, yes," Chie urged.  "And together we'll help the Loki Cult to remake 
all the worlds!"
	Hiro's throat froze.  "L-Loki Cult?" he repeated.  "What do they have to 
do with us?"
	Chie tossed her head.  "Loki Cult brought Chie back for Hiro.  So Hiro 
and Chie will help the Loki Cult."  She stepped back, still hanging onto his hand.  
"Come on, Chie's Hiro, we'll go back to those who whisper now."
	"The Loki Cult are the ones who whisper," Hiro concluded.
	Chie nodded.  "Yes, yes, and now we hurry home."
	He slipped out of her grasp, stepping back.  "No," he told her, shaking his 
head.  "No.  The Loki Cult is evil.  I will not help them."
	"Silly!"  She tossed her head again, laughing.  "There is no evil," she 
replied.  "There is no good.  The only thing that can matter is that we are together 
now."
	"I can't go with you, Chie," he replied, looking away.  "I can't."
	Chie laughed again.  "Where will you go, pretty Hiro, if you don't come 
with me?" she appeared beside him, staring up into his eyes.  "Will you go to this 
silly little Miwako?"
	Miwako.  He'd forgotten Miwako, but the mention of her name brought 
him back.  Miwako was counting on him.  He couldn't let her down.  Hiro 
nodded.  "Yes, I'll go back to Miwako."  He paused.  "She _needs_ me."
	Chie scowled.  "No one but Chie needs Hiro," she told him.  "Chie is the 
only one who knows how lonely Hiro is."
	"I'm not lonely," he protested, weakly.  "I have Miwako."
	"For how long?  How long before Miwako grows bored of Hiro?  Only 
Chie _knows_ Hiro.  Hiro is alone without Chie, just as Chie was so alone 
without her Hiro."  She stopped and hugged herself.  "So alone," she repeated.  
"So very alone.  Not even any whispers to keep me company."
	Hiro stopped.  Chie's tone had changed, her voice taking on the clarity of 
reason.  Chie stepped back.  "All alone in the darkness for an eternity," she 
continued.  "And then the Loki Cult whispered to me. Told me they could free 
me, bring me back so that I could be with you."  She looked up at him, her eyes 
clear and glittering with tears.  "All I thought of while I was in that place were 
our days together Hiro.  Don't you think I had enough time to realize that we 
were meant to be?"
	"Meant to be what?" Hiro asked, confused.
	Chie gave him an exasperated look.  "All I've thought since I was brought 
back is being with you again," she told him.  "Now we're finally together and you 
want to leave me all alone for this Miwako girl?  How can you do this to me?"
	"She's the Dream Warrior," Hiro repeated.  "I'm her spirit guide.  She 
needs me to guide her."
	"No, I _need_ you to guide me," Chie corrected.
	"But you're not a Dream Warrior," he protested.  "What use would you 
have for a spirit guide?"
	Chie threw her hands in the air.  "I don't want a spirit guide!" she 
screamed, frustrated.  "I want you!"
	Hiro shook his head.  "I'm sorry, Chie, I don't understand.  But I have to 
go now.  Miwako is counting on me."  He turned his back on her to begin the 
transition from flesh to feathers.
	The sharp pain ranked down his back and Hiro stumbled forward, turning 
back to see Chie holding a small three-pronged weapon made of glistening black 
metal.  "Chie?" he looked from the blood dripping from the prongs of the weapon 
to her narrowed eyes.  "Did you attack me?"
	"Those who whisper gave this to Chie," she told him, all traces of sanity 
gone from her voice.  "They thought that it would keep Chie safe.  But Chie 
thinks it will help best to teach the naughty boy a lesson."  She brandished the 
weapon.  "So very naughty, wanting to leave Chie all alone again."  She leaped 
forward, stabbing at him.
	Hiro cried out, trying to dodge as best he could.  The prongs dug into his 
arm and he cried out as she twisted the weapon, creating a larger wound.  As she 
pulled back the trident to strike again, Hiro backed away quickly holding his 
wounded arm close to his body.  Chie waved the trident at him as if waggling her 
finger.  "So very, very naughty!" she cried.
	His eyes darted from side to side, searching desperately for an escape 
route.  There wasn't one, and then another dodged swing backed him against the 
wall of a nearby building.  Chie advanced, tapping the trident against her palm.  
"Naughty boys get punished," she told him.
	Hiro sucked in panicked, rapid breaths.  This couldn't be happening!  
Everything about it was so _wrong_.  His former partner about to kill him-- with 
a weapon given to her from the Loki Cult, no less.  With his wounded arm, he 
couldn't even hope to fly away.  Slowly his breathing calmed.  "Chie," he began.  
"Chie, you don't want to do this.  It's wrong, Chie, can't you see that?"
	"No talking," she hissed, smacking him with the side of the trident.
	There in the moment preceding the end, Hiro felt a sense of calm.  He 
raised his face and looked at Chie.  "The Loki Cult is evil," he repeated.  
"Because only evil would do something like this."  He nodded firmly.  "The 
Dream Warrior will stop you!" he declared.  "I know she will."
	Chie stopped, looking at him sideways.  "Oh, pretty Hiro," she whispered.  
"Chie sees the error of her ways."
	"You do?"  Hiro blinked.  Was it really that easy?  Maybe Good really did 
always triumph over Evil.  Well, if this wasn't a great restoration of his faith--
	"Yes, Chie does," she nodded.  "Chie was punishing poor misguided 
Hiro.  When she should punish the Miwako girl for lying to Hiro!"  Chie laughed 
merrily.  "Yes, yes!"
	"No!" he protested.  "Chie, Miwako hasn't been lying to me.  How could 
she--"
	"She's taken you away from Chie," Chie nodded.  "Chie must teach her a 
lesson.  Punish the naughty Miwako girl for taking Hiro away from Chie!"  She 
laughed again, backing away from him.  "Hiro be a good boy and stay here until 
Chie comes back," she told him.
	"Chie, wait!"  Hiro lurched forward from the wall, grabbing at her arm.
	She laughed and disappeared in whirlwind of feathers.  The white bird 
flapped its wings hovering above Hiro in the air.  "Hiro will stay!" she 
commanded, swooping down and scooping the trident off of the ground with her 
talons and then taking to the skies again.
	"Chie!" Hiro shouted, cupping a hand to his mouth.  "Chie!"  Too late, 
she was already gone.  Moaning Hiro rubbed his face and then looked down at 
his arm.  Damnit!  If it wasn't for this wound, he could follow her, stop her.  As it 
was he was going to have to find Miwako travelling by foot -- and it was miles to 
the school if he recalled correctly.  Hiro swallowed, his stomach knotting.  He 
relied on flight to travel, and all the landmarks he knew to guide him looked 
different from the ground.  Could even he find his way back to the school?  What 
was he supposed to do?  He couldn't just leave Miwako, but he had no way to get 
to her and--
	"Hey, you're right," a voice broke through his thoughts.  "It does look like 
Takeda Hiro, Keiji."
	Spinning around at the mention of his name, Hiro noticed two familiar 
looking boys standing a few paces down the street from him.  After a moment his 
frantic thoughts slowed long enough to supply the reason why he should 
recognise them.  They were Kaito Takuya and Kanamori Keiji, students at the 
school.  He'd seen them speaking to Miwako before, hadn't he?  Hiro nodded to 
himself.  Yes, he had, but he'd also seen Kanamori speaking to the Nightmare 
Fighter.  They were likely associates-- 
	Pain seared up his arm and derailed all other trains of thought.  The 
darkness gathering in the corners of his vision crept steadily closer.  As he 
sagged to his knees, he thought he could hear someone frantically calling his 
name...



	"Hiro!"
	He blinked, shrugging his shoulders and looking about.  Chie gave him a 
look of disapproval.  "Lost in dreams?" she asked, laughing as her frown melted 
into a warm smile.  "Hurry, Hiro, the rest of the Council members are waiting for 
us."
	"Council?" Hiro repeated.  He looked around but his surroundings were 
misty, obscured by some sort of grey fog.  Blinking, he rubbed at his eyes.
	"Yes, the Council of Birds," Chie continued, patiently.  "We didn't travel 
all this way to fall asleep soon close to the gate."  She walked back to him, 
straightening his tunic, pulling at his sleeves and fixing his hair.  "Whatever am I 
going to do with you?" she asked.
	"What do you mean?" he asked, the last remnants of sleep fading from his 
mind.  "Hey," he pulled away from her.  "Stop that, Chie.  Why are you--" he was 
cut off as she pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping at his face.
	"Hiro, you need to learn to take more care in the appearance of your 
form," she told him.  "We're two of the Six Birds so you need to always look 
your best."  She put the handkerchief back into the bodice of her white dress.  
"Now, when we go in there, tell the others what happened just the way you told 
me."  She patted his shoulder.  "Don't worry, it's going to be all right.  Together, 
the six of us shall find a way to deal with the rogue Dream Warrior that's arisen."  
She took his hand and began walking forward through the mist.  "Don't let go of 
my hand, Hiro," she warned.  "I don't want to lose you in the Mist."
	"Won't they be upset that we allowed it to happen?" he asked, allowing 
her to lead them through the grey haze.
	Chie laughed.  "Don't worry, Hiro," she looked back at him, smiling 
knowingly.  "The others will understand that there wasn't anything we could do 
to prevent it.  It happened without warning.  You really need to learn to stop 
getting so worked up over everything, or you're not going to last very long in this 
position."
	"Chie, you don't think I'm a terrible spirit guide, do you?" he asked.  She 
didn't reply, and they continued to walk forward at a steady pace.  Hiro looked 
from side to side and still saw only the grey nothingness that pressed in on them 
from all sides.  "Chie wouldn't it have been faster to just fly to the Council?" he 
asked, trembling a little.  "I don't like walking through this.  There's something 
unnatural about it."
	Chie's voice sounded far off as she replied.  "You wouldn't want to fly 
through this, Hiro.  In these forms we can maintain contact, so we lessen the 
chance of being separated."  She squeezed his hand reassuringly.  "It's just a little 
way further and then we'll be at the gates."
	He nodded and continued to follow her.  The mist seemed thicker now, 
and it pulled at his legs as if it wanted to drag him into the ground.  But that was 
silly, it was just mist... nothing to be afraid of.  Sounds echoed eerily and vague 
shapes brushed past him.  They tugged at him, chilling him to his bones.  His feet 
seemed like they had rooted themselves to the ground.
	He began to feel the strain of keeping his hand in Chie's.  "Chie," he 
began, as a dull ache coursed up and down his arm.  "Chie, wait--"
	Chie's voice returned to him, but her words were muffled and 
unintelligible.  Her hand slipped from him and he cried out as he fumbled for her.  
Her fingers seemed just beyond his reach, and he strained reaching through the 
cold mist as his arm cried out in protest.
	"Hiro?" she called from far away.
	"Yes, Chie, I'm back here!" he cried.  "Please, I can't move-- I'm stuck!"
	"Hiro, can you hear me?" she asked.
	"I hear you, Chie, please don't leave me!" he called.  "Chie, come back!"
	"Hiro?" the voice sounded closer.  "Hiro, are you awake?"



	"Hiro?"
	Hiro opened his eyes to see the concerned face of a middle-aged woman 
looking down at him.  "Your name is Hiro, isn't it?" she asked.
	Slowly, he nodded.  She smiled.  "Takuya said it was," she replied.  "I'm 
Kaito Megumi, Takuya's mother."
	Hiro looked around at the bedroom he was in.  The walls were covered 
with various posters, curious things with odd-looking people on them.  The 
phrase 'Final Fantasy' was written on a few of them.  Hiro blinked at them.  Was 
that some sort of music group?  He looked around, seeing a computer at a messy 
desk and a few clothes strewn over the floor.
	"Kaito-san, where am I?" he asked, turning his attention back to Megumi.
	"This is Takuya's room," she told him.  "Please excuse the mess, Hiro-
san, my son loathes cleaning his room."
	"How did I get here?"
	"Takuya and his friend Keiji found you passed out on the sidewalk a few 
blocks from here," she explained.  "They brought you back here.  You're a very 
lucky young man.  The scratches on your arm and back aren't nearly as serious as 
I first thought.  I cleaned the area and dressed them as best I could, but you 
should still have them looked at by a doctor."
	Hiro stiffened.  "No," he shook his head.  "No doctors."
	Megumi regarded him, carefully.  "All right," she said after a moment of 
thoughtful silence.  "I suppose I can't force you to go, but I _highly_ suggest it.  
If you were my son, I'd have taken you straight to the hospital--" she broke off.  
"Oh my, your mother must be worried sick about you."  She stood.  "I'd better 
call her and let her know where you are."
	"That's not necessary, Kaito-san," Hiro protested.  "I've troubled you 
enough.  I'll be on my way now."  Taking a deep breath, he got to his feet.  His 
legs wobbled unsteadily for a moment and then he straightened and bowed 
deeply to Megumi.  "Thank you, Kaito-san."
	"You're welcome," she replied.  "But I really would feel better if I called 
your parents.  I know I would be worried sick if Takuya failed to return home 
from school, especially with all those strange attacks that occurred this 
afternoon."
	"Strange attacks?" Hiro asked, jerking his head up to look at her.  The 
Loki Cult attacks had made the news?  That wasn't right, the Loki Cult was 
usually good at covering their tracks.  They'd been doing it for so long...
	Megumi nodded.  "What's your home phone number, Hiro-san?" she 
asked.  "I'll go and call your parents and you can say goodbye to Takuya and 
Keiji."
	"My parents are dead," Hiro replied, quietly.  "They've been dead for 
quite some time."
	Megumi swallowed.  "I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." she trailed off.  "Is 
there anyone that I can call?  Surely there's someone that would want to know 
where you are?"
	Hiro frowned.  Why was this woman so concerned for him?  He looked at 
her carefully.  She didn't appear to be anything more than a simple human... 
could she be working for the Loki Cult?
	"Hiro-san?" she prompted.
	"Arai Miwako," he replied, cautiously watching her reaction.  "She's my... 
cousin.  She just transferred here."
	"That name sounds familiar," Megumi replied, then sighed and smiled.  
"Well, Takuya's probably mentioned her.  It's so hard to keep track of all the girls 
he talks about.  You know how it is."
	Hiro blinked.  "I do?"
	Megumi smiled faintly but the expression seemed less sincere.  "Why 
don't you come into the kitchen and phone Miwako?" she suggested.  "I'm sure 
she'll be relieved to hear from you."
	Hiro nodded.  "Thank you, Kaito-san."
	


	Hiro finished leaving a message on Miwako's voice mail and hung up the 
phone with a sigh.
	"No answer?"  Hiro turned to see Takuya and Keiji standing behind him.  
Takuya smiled faintly.  "Maybe she's out with some friends," he suggested.
	"Kaito-san, Kanamori-san," Hiro blinked.  "I didn't realize you were 
there."
	"Well, it is my house," Takuya joked.  "Are you all right, Takeda-san?"
	Hiro nodded.  "Yes.  I understand I owe you for that."
	"It wouldn't have been right to just leave you there," Keiji told him.  "It's 
a good thing that you were so close to Takuya's house."
	"And that my Mom's a nurse," Takuya added, still grinning.  "It would 
have been a long walk to the hospital."
	"Thank you," Hiro replied.  "I'm sorry to have troubled you."
	"You didn't trouble us," Keiji told him, quickly.  Takuya looked like he 
wanted to protest but Keiji silenced him with a look.  "I guess you were attacked 
by whatever hurt all those other people," he remarked.  Hiro made a 
noncommittal noise and focused on the kitchen floor.  "Well, the important thing 
is that no one was seriously injured," Keiji continued.
	"Yes," Hiro agreed.
	Keiji frowned.  "Takeda-san, what's wrong?" he asked.  "Is there some 
reason that you don't want to talk to us?"
	Hiro jerked his gaze up from the floor.  "I-- no," he spluttered.  "I'm just 
very worried about Miwako."
	"I'm sure she's fine," Takuya assured him.  "Miwako strikes me as 
someone who can take care of herself."
	"Well, yes, she _is_ very capable, but I still don't like being separated 
from her," Hiro looked nervously around the room, his eyes darting between the 
Takuya and Keiji.  "What if she needs me and I'm not there?"
	"She did fine before she transferred here, didn't she?" Keiji asked.  Hiro 
didn't look convinced.
	"You can keep trying to call her," Takuya added.  "Give her a few 
minutes and then try again if it'll make you feel better."
	"I should go look for her.  I was looking for her before--" he stopped, and 
shook his head.  "Just in case she needs me."
	"Come on, Takeda-san," Takuya chuckled.  "Don't you have anything 
better to do?"
	Hiro stared at him.  'Anything better to do?'  What else was he supposed 
to do?  Miwako was his charge, his responsibility, his sole purpose was to guide 
her.  "Kyoko--" he began and stopped.  He had been about to say that Kyoko 
failed because of him, hadn't he?  What was he doing telling these two 
_strangers_ about Kyoko?
	"Hey, Hiro," Takuya rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.  "Look, I 
didn't mean that... I just..." he looked helplessly at Keiji.
	"Sometimes Takuya can be a real jerk," Keiji replied.  "Don't take it 
personally, Hiro."  He stepped closer, and Hiro twitched and stepped to the side.
	"Miwako is my ch-- cousin," he said, looking agitated.  "Why shouldn't I 
be worried about her?"
	Takuya looked at Keiji.  "Well, it seems like you're always with her," 
Keiji began slowly.
	"She's my cousin," Hiro repeated firmly.
	"Well, yeah, but you don't seem to talk to anyone else at school," Takuya 
began.  "Don't you have any friends?"
	Keiji made a face.  "Takuya--"
	"No, I don't."  Hiro hesitated for a moment and then continued.  "I have a 
job.  It keeps me very busy."
	"Oh," Takuya blinked.  "Well," he scratched his head.  "Just don't let the 
school find out you're working part time.  I think it's against school policy so they 
might expel you."
	"We won't say anything," Keiji added.  "So you don't have to worry."
	Hiro looked at the two of them for a moment.  The tension seemed to ease 
from his small frame as he relaxed his shoulders and nodded.  "Thank you, 
Kaito-san, Kanamori-san," he said finally.  "Please forgive my rudeness, I'm just 
very concerned with all the attacks recently.  It's my responsibility to take care of 
Miwako, so if something should happen to her and I wasn't there to--"
	"It wouldn't be your fault.  Some things just happen," Keiji replied, 
looking over at Takuya.  The other boy nodded.  "There's been so many strange 
things happening lately," Keiji continued, "it's put everyone on edge."
	"But you should try to relax," Takuya added.  "Acting all worried and 
twitchy won't help anyone."  He gestured to Hiro's bandaged arm.  "You're hurt, 
you should just take it easy so you can heal faster."
	Hiro looked down at his arm.  "I suppose..." he began.  "But I still should 
go home," he continued, looking up.  "I've imposed on your family for too long, 
Kaito-san."
	Takuya shrugged.  "I get the feeling I can't change your mind," he replied.  
"And you're smart to go before my mom comes down and decides it's best for 
you to spend the night or something."  He grinned.
	"Oh," Hiro blinked.  "Yes."  He nodded.  "Thank you and your mother 
once again, Kaito-san."
	"You can call me 'Takuya', Hiro," Takuya told him.
	Hiro blinked again.  "Oh.  All right."
	"I'll show you to the door," Takuya said, stepping out of the kitchen.  
Keiji and Hiro followed him.  "So, Hiro, since we're such good buddies," Takuya 
began, "I feel like I can ask you now."
	"Ask me?" Hiro repeated.
	"Yeah," Takuya nodded solemnly.  "What kind of guy does Miwako 
like?"
	Hiro stared blankly at him.  What sort of question was that?  How was he 
supposed to know what Miwako liked?  Did it matter?  A Dream Warrior had to 
be focused and dedicated, she didn't have time for 'guys'.
	Takuya sighed.  "Well, it was worth a shot," he muttered, then smiled.  
"Don't worry about Miwako," he told Hiro.  "She's fine."
	"How do you know?" Hiro asked, as Takuya opened the door.
	"Gut feeling," Takuya replied.  "I'll see both of you at school tomorrow."  
He gestured to Hiro's arm.  "Keep that wrapped up and try not to use it if you 
can."
	Hiro nodded.  "Yes, thank you, Takuya."  He stepped outside.  
"Tomorrow," he said, and began walking.  Takuya waved and stepped back 
inside.
	Hiro proceeded down the street, looking about in confusion.  As if things 
hadn't been hard enough in the early evening, now darkness had swallowed 
Tokyo.  He sighed.
	"Hiro!" Keiji called, running up beside him.  "Mind if I walk with you 
until my street?" he asked.  Hiro shook his head.  "Great," Keiji smiled.  "Look, 
Hiro, I wanted to talk to you.  Takuya is a nice guy and he jokes around a lot.  
Don't be upset at anything he said.  He was just being Takuya."
	Hiro took a deep breath, letting it out in a frustrated sigh.  It appeared that 
he 'walking' with Keiji was going to involve more than just putting one foot in 
front of the other.  He scratched at his arm, frowning at the bandage.
	Keiji whistled.  "I guess it's been a bad day, huh?" he remarked, looking 
at Hiro.  "You seem like a rather private person, Hiro, and I really don't mean to 
seem like I'm prying.  It's just what you said back at Takuya's, about not having 
any friends--"
	Hiro scowled.  "My responsibilities are very important," he told Keiji, 
shortly.  "Why is that so hard to understand?  Even Miwako doesn't take it 
seriously," he muttered.
	"It's none of my business," Keiji replied, "but I think Takuya might have a 
point.  You're only in high school once, so you might as well try to have a little 
fun while you're at it.  You've got your whole life ahead of you to be grown up," 
he shrugged.  "But, hey, you wouldn't be the first person who told me to butt 
out."
	Hiro took another deep breath.  "Kanamori--"
	"Keiji," Keiji corrected.  "You can call me 'Keiji', Hiro."
	"Keiji, why does my welfare concern you?" Hiro asked bluntly.  "I can't 
understand why you or Takuya would care if I was having a bad day.  Or why 
you would help me.  It's not your responsibility."
	Keiji gave him a funny look.  "I guess we're just a couple of nice guys," 
he replied.  "Wouldn't you have stopped to help someone on the street if they 
were in trouble?"
	"If I could help them," Hiro replied finally.
	"Exactly," Keiji replied.  "So why is it so hard for you to understand why 
Takuya and I would help you?"
	Hiro shrugged again.  "I don't know," he admitted.  They walked on past a 
few more houses in silence.  "Keiji," Hiro began, "why is it important to have 
'friends' at the school?"
	Keiji sighed.  "I told you," he moaned,  "don't take Takuya so seriously."
	"It's not important then?" Hiro asked.  He frowned.  "Miwako has 
friends," he remarked.  "I thought they distracted her from her responsibilities."
	Keiji shrugged.  "Sometimes people need to be distracted," he replied.  
"Why is it important to have friends?  To have someone to hang out and have fun 
with, someone you can talk about your worries or problems with."  He sighed.  
"Or so I've always thought."
	"To be needed," Hiro said suddenly.
	"Yeah, I guess that's a way of putting it," Keiji agreed.
	Hiro tilted his head and looked at Keiji sideways.  "Why are you walking 
with me, Keiji?"
	"Well, it was time for me to go home and with the attacks it's probably 
safer to walk with someone."   Keiji gave him a sheepish smile and rubbed the 
back of his neck.  "And you looked so... lonely.  I guess you sort of remind me of 
my friend, Kobayashi Yumeko."
	Hiro bristled.  He reminded Keiji of the Nightmare Fighter?  How could 
he possibly be anything like the Nightmare Fighter?  He was good and she was... 
_wrong_.
	"I've known Yumeko for as long as I can remember," Keiji continued.  
"She acts like she doesn't need anyone, but I don't believe it.  I think she's just 
scared to admit it.  She's afraid she'll get hurt."  He shrugged.  "I don't know, 
maybe I'm only seeing things I want to see."
	Hiro bit his lip.  "So you think deep down she's a good person?" he asked 
carefully.  Impossible... The Nightmare Fighter had spurned his guidance, 
aligned herself with the dark part of the dream realm...  
	Keiji frowned.  "I know she is," he said quietly.  "It's just that... things 
have been really weird lately.  She's changed... and she's keeping something from 
everyone, even Misako.  That's her best friend," he added at Hiro's confused 
look.  "I get the idea that she doesn't want anything to do with me now."  Keiji 
shook his head.  "She's different now.  She's not the way I remember her being."
	Hiro stopped dead in his tracks.  "Things aren't the way they were 
before," he said slowly as he turned to look at Keiji.  "Something's been broken."
	"Something's wrong that's for sure," Keiji agreed.  "And I want to help 
her, you know, but I don't know how and she doesn't want me to.  She seems to 
think that she's okay."  He stopped.  "I'm sorry, Hiro, I didn't mean to dump all 
this on you."
	Hiro shook his head.  "I understand how you feel," he replied.  "I-- I know 
someone like that.  There's this someone that I worked with -- an old friend.  She 
thinks she's all right, but I know she's in trouble."
	Keiji regarded Hiro thoughtfully.  "So what do we do?" he asked.  "How 
are we supposed to help someone who doesn't want to be helped?"
	"I won't give up on Chie," Hiro said, sternly.  "There has to be a way to 
reach her."
	Keiji nodded.  "Yeah, I feel that way about Yumeko."
	Hiro considered this.  Was it possible that the Nightmare Fighter could be 
helped?  Perhaps if she returned the stolen dream sceptre...
	"Well, this is my turn," Keiji remarked, indicating the street corner.  "I 
guess I'll see you at school tomorrow, Hiro."
	Hiro nodded.  "Yes, at school tomorrow," he agreed.  "Thank you, Keiji, 
for your help."
	Keiji smiled.  "No problem, Hiro."  He started to walk away and then 
turned back around.  "Why don't you and Miwako eat with Takuya and I 
tomorrow?" he suggested.  "I know Takuya would love the chance to talk to her, 
and maybe we could talk some more."
	Hiro blinked and then nodded.  "All right, Keiji.  I'd... like that."
	Keiji waved.  "Right, tomorrow then.  Goodnight, Hiro, and good luck 
with your friend.  Maybe the answer will be clearer if you sleep on it."
	"Maybe," Hiro replied, and then added, "good luck to you, as well, Keiji."
	Keiji smiled and nodded, then he disappeared around the corner.
	Hiro sighed and shook his head.  What was he doing?  Now, more than 
ever, he needed to be fully alert and dedicated to his job as a spirit guide.  He 
didn't have time for friends and distractions... or did he?
	Sighing and shaking his head, Hiro unwound the gauze from his arm.  He 
held the limb up to the streetlight, inspecting his injury.  The wound had already 
closed, but the angry red welts ran the length of his arm remained.  He tested it, 
bending it and flexing his fingers.  Aside from an expected tenderness around the 
wounds themselves, it seemed fine.  Well, fine enough to manage a flight home.
	As he dropped the bandage to the ground and took to the skies, the spirit 
guide found himself struck by a final nagging curiosity.  There had to be some 
ultimate reason that Chie had been brought back, and he doubted it had been just 
to torment him.  He wasn't an essential in the equation, after all.  So, what was 
the Loki Cult planning to need a spirit guide for?  

=

When I first signed up for NFY, I approached John about writing a part that 
focused mainly on Hiro.  My reasoning was that I didn't understand Hiro, and had 
hoped through writing a chapter I might have the chance to.  This was definitely 
a positive experience, and it was good to write an Impro part that didn't cause 
more stress than it was worth.

A lot of this chapter is owed to John, and I sincerely thank him for all of his 
guidance and feedback.  Ardweden also deserves a hug, because even though she 
didn't have a chance to introduce Chie in her part, she was kind enough to set 
things up so that I could have Hiro all to myself.  ^_^

The one thing I didn't have brought up in the dialogue between Keiji and Hiro 
that should have been was to have Keiji ask Hiro what he and Yumeko had 
discussed that week ago.  Perhaps in a future part someone might want to touch 
on that.

"Chie" means 'wisdom', 'intelligence', 'idea'.  Although her dialogue reminds me 
of dubbed Shampoo, I believe it was caused by the lingering effects of having 
read Robin Jarvis's "The Deptford Mice", which contains the intriguing Madame 
Akkikuyu who speaks of herself in third person... and wasn't quite sane.  ^_^;

Lady Chaos

=

Yumeko: Hey, just a minute.

LC:  Yes, Yume-chan?

Yumeko: I wasn't featured in a single scene of this part.  I didn't even get a walk-
on.

LC: [blinks] And?

Yumeko: _I'm_ the title character.  This impro isn't called "Spirit Guide Hiro", 
after all.

LC: Gosh, Yume-chan, you're right.  I'd better make this up to you somehow.  
Would a Morphy-chan plushie suffice?

Yumeko: Do I look like Miwako?  You can't buy me off with cute plush 
characters!

LC: I see.  [ponders]  How about Hiro's dream sequence is changed to be a 
romantic fantasy all about you?

Yumeko: [sweatdrops] Er...

LC: You're right, that would too easily be spotted as a dream sequence.  How 
about I just have something tacked on to the end of the story in which you and 
Hiro cosplay a scene from Gundam Wing?  Something like:

=
The cafeteria at lunch, Takeda Hiro sits all alone at the very end.  Kobayashi 
Yumeko enters, and walks over to him.  Everyone's attention turns to the two of 
them.

Yumeko: [hands Hiro a small envelope] Here, Hiro, this is an invitation to my 
birthday party.  It would mean so very much if you came to it.

Hiro: [tears invitation in half] ...

Yumeko: [starts to cry] Why, Hiro?  Why did you do that?  Don't you like me?

Hiro: [steps past Yumeko and whispers very quietly, as he wipes away a single 
tear] I will destroy you.

Yumeko: [gasps]  Hirooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
=

LC: That would satisfy the Yume-chan screentime demands, wouldn't it?

Yumeko: [swallows] Actually, if it's all the same to you, I think I'll just take the 
Morphy-chan plushie...