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A/N: The following is considered canonical by me for the backstory of two of my characters.


Several years ago

"Shut up! I told you, I'm not doing it!" a young boy yelled, moments before a fit of coughing overtook him. Two nurses rushed forward to hold him down as the doctor loosened his shirt a little, clearly somewhat nervous. Not for his safety, of course; a child was a child, and not a serious threat at the moment, even with the needles and such that were actually in the room.

"Red-kun, please, listen to reason." the doctor said patiently. The boy just glared at him. "I know it's hard for you to understand, but your body can't support your hearts... rather, your hearts won't be able to support your body. They're too small, since they don't have room to grow anymore, and once you get bigger they won't have the strength to support your body." the boy just growled, deep in his throat. "We have a surgical procedure for this. It's true, there's only a sixty percent survival rate, but it's a better chance than leaving you as you are. You know I just want to help you."

"And your idea of helping me is cutting me open and pulling out an organ?" the boy answered. "What's the point? I'm not stupid. I know that I'm going to be on medication for the rest of my life, no matter what happens. I'll probably be in here all the time, too, and I've already spent weeks listening to dying people tell their stories. Do you have any idea how similar they all are? That's all I have to look forward to! I'm not doing it, and that's final!" the doctor sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. Such an irksome child, who refused to get the surgery he needed. They happened now and then, with somebody who needed a reason to live. Mostly, it was with children who were frequently in the hospital for care, who didn't know what it was like to run and play. If Rednal ran too hard, it would probably kill him. His two small hearts could get blood through his body, a minor miracle in itself, but beyond a certain point, it was expected that they simply couldn't pump hard enough, and would fail. Speculation, of course, but based on experience and research. Nobody really wanted to test it. The true problem was that the hearts couldn't grow anymore; they were fighting each other for space, and they definitely couldn't support an adult's body.

"Your parents will be very sad if you leave them. I'll come again tomorrow." the doctor said gently. "Arika, Marina, let him go." the nurses obliged, and the three quietly filed out of the room, leaving behind a scowling and entirely unhappy boy.

After a few long minutes, Rednal got up again and padded out the door. He knew the layout of the entire hospital; a trait that came from living in it for years. Before long, he was at the wing reserved for the elderly and the dying, most of the time having people who were both. "Hi, Grandpa." Rednal said as he entered one of the rooms. The old man wasn't actually related, of course, but the people seemed to appreciate being called a grandparent. "Tell me a story."

"They asked about your surgery again, hmm?" the old man answered, chuckling slightly. "Hmm. Let me think. There was once a young Emperor, who took the throne after his father died. Now, his people had loved their old Emperor, for he was a fair and just ruler who brought both peace and prosperity. He had his faults, as all men did, but he was as good a ruler as one could hope for. His son, however, was not so experienced, so understanding. Unlike the old Emperor, who had travelled the world while young and experienced many things, the young Emperor had been held safely in the palace, where he wanted for nothing but freedom. He had never even been outside the walls, and so as fantastic and as beautiful as the palace was, the young Emperor could see none of it. And he asked himself why. Why was he doomed to live in this pretty cage? Why was he not like the peasant children, who could play as much as they wanted while he was stuck making them happy? He didn't know. Finally, he could stand it no longer. He stopped working. 'I shall not sit here as your toy!' he cried, scattering the papers before him with one sweep of his hand. With that, he gathered his things and strode into the city. Awed at his presence, the people bowed to him as he passed. The Emperor liked this, and soon, he spent every day walking through the city, and then the rest of his country. But slowly, before his eyes, things began to change. Where first he was greeted by cheers, soon there was silence. Where there were once smiles, he began to see sorrow. 'What is this?' he asked. 'Why are my people sad?' His assistants looked at each other. 'Will no one tell me!?' the young Emperor roared. Then, a small child came out from the crowd. 'I will say it, Emperor!' the boy squeaked, younger even than the ruler. 'You don't do any work, so nothing gets done! The people can only be happy when everyone does their part. You just walk around every day, and so the Empire is falling apart.' The Emperor's eyes widened upon hearing this, for he hadn't known. He ran back to the palace as fast as he could, demanding that items of important be brought before him immediately. His assistants were much relieved, and it was done. The Empire was soon back on the path to prosperity. The Emperor had learned his lesson; he could take breaks, on occasion, but he chose to do so only when there was little work to be done. Being selfish was a poor choice for him and what he cared about; it was only when he gave that he was able to receive." the elderly man smiled indulgently as he watched the boy think about the story. "But this grandpa is tired now. Be a good boy and let him rest, all right?" Rednal nodded and left the room, rather deep in thought. He barely noticed the increased bustle around the hospital when he went back to the corridors; it happened all the time. Idly, he wandered down to the first floor, where he saw a certain pair of doors rush open.

"Get a pumping machine up here immediately!" the head doctor barked to an assistant. "This girl's losing blood fast; her heart's totally failed!" the stretcher moved straight past Rednal, and as it went, he saw a girl about his own age on it, a breathing mask fixed over her mouth and a gaping hole in her small chest. The girl was covered in blood, and it looked like it was all her own. He winced slightly, then began to follow the stretcher, making his way through the tangle of people and straight into the operating room. It didn't take the doctor long to notice him. "Red-kun, I don't have time to talk to you; go back to your room! This girl is dying!" Rednal watched, blinking, as the doctors hooked up a strange machine to the girl's arm.

"Doctor, it's not going to hold her for long. She's already lost so much blood." one of the nurses said.

"I know that! Why!? Why do these things have to happen to children!?" he slammed a fist into the side of the room. "And we don't have any of those artificial hearts here. Prep her for surgery; let's see if we can rig up something that will at least let us keep her alive until we can get something permanent. Yuyuki, send a request to Shirana Hospital for one of their artificial hearts, as fast as they can get it here. Flown, if possible." the nurse nodded and left the room.

"Can you use one of my hearts?" Rednal asked. It took a few moments for his words to penetrate the thoughts of the medical staff, several of whom actually turned to look at him. "We're about the same age, right? So one of my hearts should be able to be placed in her body."

"Can't be more than twenty percent..." the head doctor whispered.

"It's a better chance than leaving her as she is, right?" Rednal answered stubbornly. The doctor stared for a moment, then nodded curtly.

"I don't like the chances, but the kid's right. Get Red-kun prepped for surgery immediately; we're going to transplant his right heart into the other patient!" the nurses practically dove at Rednal, and in remarkably short order, the boy was lying shirtless on another operating table. "You're sure?" the head doctor asked.

"Do it." Everything went dark.



The first thing Rednal noticed was warmth, encompassing his body. Groaning, he tried to open his eyes, then promptly shut them again and fell asleep once more, still heavily sedated. This process repeated several times over the next hour, until finally his body had processed enough of the anesthesia that he had regained some semblance of consciousness. He realized that he was in a hospital room, and that there was some kind of heated blanket on top of him. What had...? Oh. Right. The surgery. Slowly, Rednal looked around some more, until his gaze came to rest on a small girl with vividly pink hair who was lying mere inches from him, on what looked like a bed they had pushed next to the one he was on. Or maybe his bed was the one that had been pushed. Moments later, he realized that they were holding hands, and he was hearing steady beeps from two machines.

"Goodness, you're awake!" one of the nurses said, bending over him. "Rednal-kun, can you understand me?" the boy groaned slightly; his body still wasn't responding well. "If you hurt anywhere, try groaning once. If you're all right and can understand me, groan twice." Groan groan... "Wonderful. The surgery was a success; your heart appears to have been compatible with the other patient, perhaps since you are both so young. Just rest for now and don't push yourself; your body has only half as much pumping power for blood as it did before, so you're going to be very weak until your heart can grow out some more." Rednal tried to mumble something, failed, then nodded slightly and fell asleep once more.

The next time he awoke was the next morning, and the drugs had finally worn off. He opened his eyes to find the pink-haired girl staring at him. After a moment, she leaned forward and kissed him. "The doctors told me what happened." the girl said as a faint flush rose up in her cheeks. "You saved my life by giving me a heart." slowly, Rednal nodded. "Then I'm going to be your friend and by your side forever, since my heart belongs to you. I'm Keira Gayuno. Though I'm unworthy, please treat me well."

"Ga... chan..." Rednal said slowly. The other girl smiled happily. "I'm... Rednal Ak'Thias. You'd better take good care of my heart, all right?"

"Ak... Aku... Akchi... Akmmph!" the girl winced and clapped her free hand to her mouth; the other arm was gently held up by a support of some kind and full of IV needles. "Bi' 'y 'ongue..." the girl said, eyes watering.

"Just call me Rednal, Ga-chan." Rednal said as the girl nodded weakly. He hugged her as best he could, which wasn't very well considering the fact that he was hooked up to a lot of machines as well. "I've never really had a friend my age before..." the girl merely smiled, then slowly relaxed, and the two small friends, hands clasped together once again, drifted back towards sleep as they both knew they weren't alone. And maybe, just maybe, he did have something to look forward to after all.

"CUT!"

"Whew." 'Raidou' said, wiping off her forehead and standing up from the hot springs. The 'towel' that was part of her bodysuit remained exactly where it was as the young actress started to squeeze water from her hair. "Man, these shoots are pretty tough."

"True." 'Soji' acknowledged, pulling off his wig to reveal his short, black hair. Much like the actress playing Raidou, he too had on a flesh-colored bodysuit, though while the girl had 'towels' wrapped around her waist and neck (to provide the required censorship for the show; the actual character wouldn't have bothered), he only had one designed to go around his waist. Well, his character was the number-one player in Inaba, according to the writer, so he needed to show some sort of skin. "Thanks for the hard work, everyone."

"What is it with you people?" another actress grumbled. "I've hardly gotten any screentime lately, and it's been one unflattering event after the next. I'm getting kidnapped, and you're getting to show off in the hot springs. Man, I need a drink..." 'Yuno' strode towards the doors as the other members of the hit television series' cast unwound from the day's filming, though the young girl who played the distinctly feminine Faust rushed after 'Yuno'; even in real life, the two were good friends. En, the Executive Producer, had driven everyone as hard as always, though he mentioned that there was a new comic relief character who would be showing up soon. It would probably be fun to have a character like that around; most of the actors had already seen the script, and admitted that they didn't have anyone quite like her; the girl was brilliant even in real life, apparently, and not just able to act like she was. Something that looked much like a wolf came up a moment later, and the head popped off to reveal a tough Norwegian man whose accent gave 'Fenrir' his distinctive norse-deity voice. A smaller Japanese man separated from the back; it was a two-person costume.

"All right, everybody." 'Raidou' said, clapping her hands to get attention. "As you all know, En-sensei has decreed a certain level of plot advancement in the next few episodes, and so that's what we'll be doing. There's going to be a decent bit of action, I bet, and maybe a few changes to the script that he's deliberately avoided telling us. But I know you're all capable of handling it. Let's just take it as it comes, and do our best to bring his vision to life. In the meantime, we have some shooting to do in the early morning hours tomorrow, so get to sleep early tonight. Dismissed!" the actors and support crew slowly started to move off as 'Raidou' headed towards the locker rooms to change into something a little more decent. Even if it was a skin-colored bodysuit, she was feeling too much like her character. But the demon-transformation suit was even worse... well, that sort of appeal helped at times, she supposed. "Good night!"

"Good night!" people chorused back.

[[Considered canon by author.]]

A/N: Canonical for Raidou.


Thunder roared overhead as more and more power was brought to bear on the four warriors fighting for their lives. "We're going to Pacify it into my daughter!" Raidou Kuzunoha the XVIII called. "Geirin, Kyouji, hold it off!" there was no complaint from the two named, who redoubled their efforts as they called forth their most powerful Summons to strike at the rampaging deity. Between the Four Great Summoners, all of whom were present, there was trust of the highest grade. A young, pale girl stared upwards as the battle against a deity continued to be fought. "Can you sing the Key, girl?"

The girl nodded curtly. With a roar, Raidou the XVIII pushed as much power as he could stand into his hands, then dashed forward. The girl quietly got to her feet and watched for a moment as a small army of spirits backed up the greatest Summoners in the world as they fought to keep a deity contained. A massive runic circle appeared moments later as the girl lightly touched her throat, then began to sing in an ancient language.

"Wee ki ra chs Chronicle Key en grandee sos dius yor."
For the sake of protecting you, my precious person, I shall turn into the Chronicle Key.

"Wee ki ra araus tes soare an giue mea iem."
In exchange for the sacrifice of my body, now I shall offer this song.

A torrent of fire shot past the girl as the deity began thrashing violently once the power of the song began to take effect, and it slowly started trying to move towards her, to stop the power it could feel gathering to oppose it.

"Was au ga whai pauwel ferda enter whou na nedle sor?"
Why does power dwell in unselfish people?

"En whai pauwel gaunji yasra whou na cenjue sor tou zuieg?
Why does strength torment kind people who wish not for dispute?

An angel of a high order flew backwards and smashed against a cliffside, not getting up when it fell to the ground, broken and bleeding. Such spirits could usually take more than a small beating. Despite the power pouring from the deity, though, and the rising fear of it that threatened to overwhelm her, the girl didn't stop singing.

"Was au ga, Diasee, Pauwee..."
In this sadness, oh, Child of God, Child of Power...

"Aiph yos delij zuieg, en nedle eterne falfa..."
If you detest the fighting and seek the eternal peace..."

The girl ducked and grabbed her head as a burst of power flew past her. But... she could sing. She could still sing. A smaller runic circle appeared around Raidou the XVIII as he chanted his own spell.

"Slepir tes pauwel an hyzik..."
I shall send to sleep your power and your body...

"Fatere tes pauwel chs deleir, en ousye yor."
Or the power will turn into a calamity that will bring ruin upon you.

The fourth of the Great Summoners fell to the ground, his body blown half away by one of the deity's attacks. His Summons faltered, then vanished, unwilling to stay in the area any longer, not in a fight against something that had just slain a Kuzunoha.

"Wee ki ra selena anw yasra wiene..."
I shall play a gentle melody...

"En chs Chronicle Key sos yor."
And turn into the Chronicle Key for your sake.

The power being put against the deity intensified as one of its limbs blew a hole through Kyouji Kuzunoha's chest, and the creature started to scream. However loud the battle grew, however, the song swept over it. Raidou the XVIII finished his call, and four Fiends burst out of a Tube, the Riders of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death, among the most powerful spirits that existed... spirits that would be given the right to destroy a large portion of the world, though they ultimately served the side of good, despite how some saw them. The Four Riders began to strike, and strike, and strike with all the power they possessed, which was not an insignificant amount against any opponent... but the deity kept moving.

"Wee ki ra araus tes soare an giue mea iem."
In exchange for the sacrifice of my body, now I shall offer this song.

"Was au ga whai pauwel ferda enter whou na nedle sor?"
Why does power dwell in unselfish people?

"En whai pauwel gaunji yasra whou na cenjue sor tou zuieg?"
Why does strength torment kind people who wish not for dispute?

A brilliant flash lit the area as a powered-up Megidolaon smashed into the deity, sending it staggering. Its wound began to heal before their eyes, however, even as the Four Riders threw everything they could at it. Step by step, moment by moment, it was gaining ground as it sought to reach the singing girl and crush her, to force the life from her doll-like form and drop the mangled body into the Abyss.

"Was au ga, aiph yos delij..."
If you detest...

"...en nedle eterne falfa..."
...and seek the eternal peace...

Geirin hit the ground a moment later, the warmth leaving his body, putting only Raidou Kuzunoha the XVIII in the way of the nigh-unstoppable deity. Tears filled up the small girl's eyes. Maybe they could have lived, if they hadn't given her so much of their energy to use. But they were dying, all of them, for her, and she watched as the Riders were swept aside like insects.

"Slepir tes pauwel an hyzik."
I shall send to sleep your power and your body.

"Was ki ra, grandi en eterne slepir."
For the sake of protecting you, I shall grant you eternal sleep.

The last currently living Kuzunoha smiled slightly as the deity screamed once again. Yes... his daughter was going to grow up to be a truly great Summoner. In the midst of all of this horror, she was singing the Key. It was a shame he wasn't going to live to see it.

"Presia aterra cremia sos viuy lonfa..."
Please, accept the salvation of your darkened soul...

"Yehar lamenza der soare mea!"
And let the deep laments you have crafted be freed by my prayer!

As Raidou Kuzunoha the XVIII fell, his remaining power flooded into the singing girl, she who would soon become Raidou Kuzunoha the XIX. And with the conclusion of the song, the holy spell was complete. The creatue, which had been mere feet from the girl, screamed in rage as its body and power twisted out of control, flooding into the small girl and bonding to her very soul, the key that would keep it bound. And when the girl passed on, so too would the deity. For now, however, the girl merely slumped down as she stared across the battlefield, a blood-soaked wasteland devastated by a deity. Even the spirits were unmoving, save for one. Eventually, a spirit that looked like a little girl walked up to the exhausted Summoner. Alice, a Fiend allied with the Raidou, quietly sat next to the sobbing human child and gently stroked her hair. The girl had lost more than a little today. Her family, her friends, and much of a future. For now, Alice knew, the girl needed to let it out. Only then could she begin to rebuild, though some things were never going to come back. They had achieved victory, defeating a deity that put Shinado to shame, but the cost had been more than high. The Yatagarasu was not going to recover from this very easily, and in truth, neither was the human girl. Not for many years, until she could find somebody to understand her.

Hobby...?

XXXXX Peace and quiet, just like a gloriouse summer day at his own private summer home in guam, litsening to the ocean silently and peacfully brush against the shore, the birds would sing, the tree's would rustle all just so natural and soothing... Hikaru was remembering his last vacation in the summer as he was lost in his book but as the time went by He was mot able to hear the loud thud comming by his door and a loud screeching noise. DOOOOOOG~! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!? Her scream immediately made him jump and fall back from his chair, My Island, My comfort, My Next CHAPTER! Hikaru got up as the young girl also known as The Devil aka: Megumi came by and sat down with tea. Sitting back up Megumi opened her mouth Hikaru quikly covered his ears as he knew that a screach were to come out, waiting 2 or more second there were no screaming, no violence used...was Megumi sick? Is something the matter? Hikaru asked afraid of what the answer may be. Oh! I just wanted to know what you like, rather than books... It was true that Megumi never had the slightlest intrest in his hobby never less his life but really his hobby... We;; I like to Singing, Acting, Performing, and reading Novels... Hikaru was very shaking not only was this megumi different but she was being "Nice" gasping in his mind how can this be she is never nice to anyone! with another comment Are you feeling alright, Megumi? he asked afeardly. Hmmm... mediocre, ordinary, 2nd rate, and half decent, Hearing Hikaru asking the next question she continued the sentence with... Yes why? IS THERE SOMETHING A MATTER? She said as her appearance to Hikaru grew 10 times a basketball players height, Y-yes! He said as his heart skipped in a timid fraidyness... What kind of novels? Megumi asked out of random. Well I read any novel wether boring or interesting....oh I discovered a novel with pictures in it the other day! Hikaru chuckled it was his new hobby to read the novels with pictures as he took more sips of his tea, Those aren't novels, there comic books, or manga! Infuriating speaking she was irritated with Hikaru by alot and not that he could change that Hikaru just plainly kepe smiling and ended the conversation with But its a Graphic Novel.

A House Work Is Never Done!?

XXXXX Margaret as always sitting in the velvet room, with her posture straight head tilted by a slight inch watching the compendium of Soji's grow, Does he catch an Intrest to you, Igor? She asked directly to Igor cocking her head slightly to himm looking at him with his piercing eyes. Intrested? No, just curiouse of what destiny brings forth. Igor simply answer sitting down with his hand on his chin as if he was thinking to himself. Igor quikly lifted his head I must be going now Margaret. He said taking a spare key and walking out of the Velvet Room. Sticking his head back in he smiled peculiarly and opened his mouth Now you know what to do Margaret. Nodding his head leaving this time with his hat and cane. I wonder how he gets around with his nose? she thought to herself as she looked at Igor before he left Yes, Igor. She simply replied taking out an apron and a vacuum cleaner and started to clean the room. Finishing up cleaning the floor, she proceeded in with washing the windows as she used her favorite miracal foam spray to clean windows of the room All done. She stated as she saw Soji walk in on her. Ah- A vistor I have here. Welcome to the Velvet Room. Putting away the vacuume cleaner and the window washer in a drawer she put in an air freshiner to keep the smell of chemicals away from the room, looking at Soji with her usual face expresion but she completly forgotten about the house wife apron she was wearing looking at Soji in a questioning way. Are you in need for an assistance? she asked soji in worried look. So this is what you do when you're alone in the Velvet Room. He said with a sweat roll down his head looking at the apron she was wearing. Umm...I shall be leaving. He said leaving the room. Such a Strange Boy. She said commenting as she procceded to dusting the room.

Possible Future

Faust flinched as he saw the girl in front of him,
giving him a fractured glare. Naomi was staring
at him again, with the same cold glare as before.

Well, almost the same.
"Fausty, you'd better put up a fight this time." She called, sharply. "Or I'll actually kill you this
time."

Faust gave her an indifferent glance.
"I...I won't hurt you..." he called, lightly. "I
promised I wouldn't.... And I.."

He was cut off by a kick to the stomach, as
Naomi glared at him.

"Shut up!!" she called, loudly. "I don't want to
hear it anymore. I promised I wouldn't do it either,
but I did. So, it's only natural you do the same."

Faust got up, feeling a little worse for wear.
"N-no..." he called, weakly. "I won't hurt you....I
won't.."

Naomi moved forward again, and aimed another
kick, this one coated in flames at Faust.
The kick connected solidly, and left several
burns, going straight through Faust's shirt and
blazer.

"I..I mean it Faust." she stammered, sharply. "Fight back, or you're going to D-die!!"

Faust raised his head, as he looked at Naomi.
"I won't hurt you.." he called, in a weaker tone. "You're my friend...and I won't lay a hand on you... I promised then, and I'm promising now.."
Naomi paused, as a voice echoed in her head.
'Do it Naomi.' she heard a voice call. 'End his life, to prove your loyalty to Hetero.'

She paused, as she focused more strength into
her legs, as she looked up at Faust.
"This is your last chance, Fausty-senpai.." she called, sharply. "Fight back, or you will die.."

Faust shook his head.
"N-no.." he called, as he stood, shakily. "I won't...do..it.."

Naomi paused, as she started to lunge forward.

However, as she did, another figure came into focus, and a blade ran through Faust.
"Thought I'd give you a little help." Mamoru called, before pulling out his scythe from Faust's body, now coated in blood.
"You never know how these people will act."

Naomi froze, as Mamoru came closer, and patted
her on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's go back to Master Hetero." he called as he started to move, expecting to hear Naomi's steps beside him.

When he noticed she wasn't, he paused. "What's up Naomi?" he called. "Hetero's going to think you couldn't do the job if we take much
longer. I'll just say that that Faust kid was more trouble than.."

"Shut up..." Naomi called, quietly. Mamoru
turned.

"What?" he called. "what did you.."

"SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!!!!" Naomi called, as the flames started to spread around her again, as they threatened to engulf Mamoru. He backed up.

"Wh-what's gotten into you, Naomi?" he called, confused.

Naomi turned and glared at Mamoru.
"LEAVE!!" She yelled. "LEAVE OR I'LL KILL YOU, GOT IT?!!!"

Mamoru paused, as he fell back, the flames still roaring loudly.

"Damn.." he called, as he backed up, knowing he
couldn't just charge towards her now, until the
flames died out, or someone else came by to extinguish them.

Naomi moved over to Faust's body, as she knelt down.

"Fausty-kun-senpai..." she called, as tears
started to cascade down her face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
She leaned down over his body, as she cried

over him. "I never wanted to kill you. I just wanted you to love me. I wanted you to look at me the same way I look at you..And now...And
now..."

Her sobbing was cut a little short, as Faust's eyes opened.

"Na..omi...?" Faust called, weakly. Naomi leaned in closer.

"Fausty-senpai?" she called, frantically. Faust paused, as he winced.

"I....was...so stupid.." he called, slowly. "I....I...never knew....you actually....cared about me like that...."
A single tear ran down Faust's cheek, as he coughed, blood coming out of his mouth.

"Don't...Don't leave me..." she called, as she gripped Faust's hand, tightly. "Don't...."

Faust smiled painfully, as he looked at Naomi.
"Can.....can you ever forgive me....Naomi....san?" he called, weakly. Naomi shook her head.

"No Fausty-senpai, you shouldn't be asking me for forgiveness..." she called, sharply. "I just wanted your love and....and..."
She started to cry again, as Faust's hand went up to her face, holding it lightly.

"Don't....don't cry....Naom...i..san.." he called, weakly. "I....I don't want......my last memories of you......to be of you... crying...."
He started to close his eyes again, and his hand started to droop.

"No, Fausty!!!!" Naomi called, as she leaned in, holding the blood-coated boy, and pressing her lips to hers. She didn't.....she didn't want him to die.

She wanted him to Live. She wanted to be with him, more than anything in the world. She wanted to be with him, for all eternity.

Apparently, her body had started to react to this, as the familiar purple aura started to surround her, and Faust.

Something was happening, through Naomi's sheer force of will, and strong desire.

A short while later, Faust's eyes opened again, to see Naomi, with her lips pressed to his.
What was more surprising, however, was that something about her seemed....different.

When she opened her eyes, he could tell immediately.

Her eyes were no longer the piercing Yellow, but her familiar brown.

"F-Fausty....kun...senpai.." she called, as her eyes began to water again. "You're.....you're alive....."

Faust paused, as he noticed this too. He didn't feel the same hole in him, given a few minutes earlier. Nor did he feel the burns or pains from her kicks.

"N...Naomi-san?" he called, lightly. "Did...did you do this?"

Naomi nodded, and smiled lightly.
"I...think it was..." she called, looking at the green haired senpai. "I....I just wanted you to live... I wanted....you to be okay.....No matter what..."
Her skin was paler, much paler. It didn't take Faust long at all to realize what had happened.

"Wait...you didn't..." he called, his face starting to shift in realization. Naomi smiled weakly, and nodded.

"I did..." she called, lightly. "I....I just wanted you
to be okay.... I wanted you to live...so you could forgive me.."

Faust's eyes teared up, as he looked at Naomi.
"Why?" he called. "Why did you do it?"

Naomi closed her eyes, as she looked at Faust. "Because.....I love you..." she called, weakly. "I.....I always loved you....and I always will...." She pressed her hand to Faust's exposed chest,
over his heart. "And....this way....." she added, weakly. "I....I can
always....be with you...Fausty-kun....sen...pai.."
She then fell forward, into Faust's arms.

"N-Naomi-san.." he called, as the tears ran down his face.

"I....If you don't mind...." she called, raising her head to Faust. "Could.....could you say you love me too? Even if it's a complete lie.......and you never...felt...anything for me?"

Faust sobbed, as the girl made her request to him, as he leaned in closer.
"Naomi-san..." he called. "I've always loved you...Maybe not in the way you wanted, but I..."

Naomi smiled, as she looked Faust in the eyes.
"Don't cry Faust..." she called, weakly. "I don't want my last memories with you to be you crying..."

Faust had to hold back a new flood of tears at this, as he held Naomi.
"N-Naomi....." he called, as he looked at her.

"F....Faust.." she called, as she started to feel herself fading away. She then felt a foreign warmth come across her lips, causing her to
smile internally.

Th-that's a nice last memory.... She thought, as she felt the last of her life draining out of her, and her body fell limp, heading on to the next world.

Faust's tears started to flow again, as he felt Naomi grow cold and lifeless in his arms.

She....she was dead...
She sacrificed her life...for his....

The tears kept flowing, as he leaned over her body.
"No....No...." he called, as he held the cold lifeless corpse of Naomi. "Naomi...."

As he stayed, hunched over her body, rain started to fall on the area, dousing the remnants of the flames Caused by Naomi.

She....she was gone...

"Do you mind telling me what the hell that was all about Naomi?" Mamoru started. "Master Hetero's not going to like...."
He then paused, realizing that it wasn't Naomi he saw hunched over a corpse, but the Faust kid she was supposed to have killed.

"You..." he called, sharply, as he raised his scythe. "What did you do to Naomi?"

Faust turned, looking at the person, his eyes red from crying.
"What did I do?" Faust called, in a sad tone. "I....I made her fall in love with me..."

Mamoru scowled, as he lunged forward.
"Well Love won't save you from this!!" he called, as he swung his scythe, aiming to decapitate the green haired junior in one blow.

However, as he did, a sound similar to glass shattering echoed out, as Faust's persona emerged with it's chains.

However, as it emerged, the chains wrapping around it were gone, and the bandages were lossened, as a pair of wings emerged from the
back of the bandages.

Wings....that were on Naomi's shadow-persona..
"Leave..." Faust called, as his persona caught
the Scythe with ease, and the two started to
glow, encompassed in a different glow.
Faust reach at his heart, as he looked at his
persona.
"Naomi...." he called, as the bandages fell off of it's eyes, revealing them to be the same shade of brown as Naomi's were.

Faust glared at Mamoru, who was shocked at the boy's swell in power. Was it from Naomi? Did he steal her power? No, that couldn't be it. If Faust could've extractws her shadow, he wouldn't
have let her beat him up in the first place, now would He? And it wasn't like losing your shadow meant death, as evident with Hikaru and Yuuki.

A gust of wind knocked Mamoru back, as he looked at the green haired boy, and the corpse of his ally on the ground.

"Tch...." he called, as he turned around, and headed off. He would need to report this to Hetero, as soon as possible. A persona user,
taking down one of their own..

It was unheard of.

Faust moved over, as he placed his hands on
Naomi's.
"Naomi..." he said, softly as he lifted up the
corpse, and carried it off into the night.

The next morning at school, the school was at an
assembly, held in the honor of Naomi.
"And we shall mourn the loss of her, for a long time to come.." the Principal called, with the bell ringing, and dismissing them for class.

"Have you seen Faust around today?" Eoria called to Kusuri, lightly. "He never came home last night."

Kusuri paused, as she turned to the silver haired girl.

"No, I haven't.." she called, lightly. "It's odd...He's not the type to skip class, or an assembly..."

"Well, I hope he's...ooh shiny." Eoria called, as she was distracted by the handrails, having been cleaned recently, apparently.

About an hour or so after the ceremony, a lone
figure moved into the room where the service was held, silently.

"Yo..." Faust called, waving to the casket, as if it
would greet him back. He moved up to the casket, as he looked at the picture in the frame of the deceased.

"Listen..." he started, lightly. "I'm...I'm sorry for all that I've done to you. I still can't believe that you're gone, much less because of me."

His eyes dropped again, as he looked at the floor. "I must look pretty rough right now, huh? I've been at the flood plains all night, thinking. I didn't even go home last night to change."

He chuckled a bit at this, as he looked back up at
the picture.

"Listen, Naomi.." he started, lightly. "I've thought it over. Wondering if I deserved to be saved. If I deserved your love, and wondering how things would have been if I noticed sooner, and we had
gone out..."
His eyes lowered again, as he shook his head.
"But....I've decided.." he started, as a firm resolution started to form in his voice. "I'm going to live out this life you've given me. I'm going to
make sure to live enough for the both of us."

He then reach at his chest, placing a hand on his
heart.

"I know you'll always be with me..Naomi." he called, smiling. "Though it all. I want you to just sit back and watch. I'll help bring peace back to
this town, so no one else has to go through what me and you did. I swear on my life Naomi. That way, when we meet again, I can have no
regrets."

He grinned, as he looked up, as if speaking to Naomi herself. He would bring peace back to Inaba, for the sake of Naomi, and all of his friends.

So no one would ever have to go through that again.