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But Shiori's grip only tightened further. "Perhaps you should give me another few minutes with Aled-kun." she suggested, trying to find an excuse. "We were in the middle of discussing something important... I have a few more questions for him I need answered. Besides, why worry about treatment here if we're going to Earth eventually anyhow?" she shook her head. "Iie, iie, daijoubu, daijoubu..."
She glanced up at Aled a few times, eyes trying to communicate that something was off.
She didn't want to speak for fear of being overheard by the wrong people.

"I suppose not... but perhaps that change includes me getting fired." Yuki bit her lip. "I'll trust your advice, you know better than anyone... so... arigatou gozaimasu, Hapushi-chan... I won't give up, I promise."

"Something isn't right." Shiori shook her head, looking up at Aled. "Something, isn't, right. I can't put my finger on it, but he's hiding something, something's off..."
She removed her headband to reveal her eye once more, biting her lip. "I've been watching you the entire time... Watari-san too.. I just have a really bad feeling about leaving you today. Something's wrong. If I leave you, something bad will happen, I know it..."
She clasped Aled's hands in hers, forcing him to look at her. "He wasn't himself. This place isn't safe... I can feel it in the wind..."
Wind???
There were only two people he knew connected to wind...
"We shouldn't be here." she shook her head. "Don't leave me, onegaishimasu, don't..."

Yuki smiled softly. "Yare yare..." she shook her head gently, "You really want me to persist here, huh?? I bet you could beat him up easily. Watari-san isn't much of a fighter..."

Yuki shuddered. "I certainly won't let THAT happen." she clasped the woman's hands, bowing her head. "Arigatou gozaimasu... I... I really don't know what I might've done without you, Hapushi-chan."

Shiori shook her head. "Iie. The scientist is off, I can tell, Aled..." she gently tapped on her eye, the lid closing for a moment. "Nervous about something, he isn't telling the entire truth. Something isn't right. We need to get out of here. We need to find your son.... Or your grandson."

Shiori seemed to be calm until the last statement.
It wasn't hard to see the light dawning on the woman, her uneasy glances to the door. She certainly seemed paler and most certainly alarmed.
Her hand was growing icy despite having additional warmth from Aled's, fidgeting as she rose to her feet.
She helped him up also, before looking around for anything she could use as a weapon; a long chain or whip or something of that nature would work. She could use it the same as she did her poi dancing.
She trusted her gut, it was the only thing that had allowed her to survive this long.
"Get ready." she whispered. "Hurry. We don't have much time...!"
Even now she was feeling colder than usual; like she had said before, it was something in the wind.

Yuki nodded. "Perhaps we should find your oniisan then." she suggested, starting for the door. "I have a feeling I'm going to need to scold him anyhow."

"Why aren't you listening to me?!" Shiori looked at him, shaking her head. "Do YOU have a third eye?? He IS uneasy about Yuki, he already said so, he wasn't lying about that. But he isn't here JUST for checkups." she insisted. "Listen to me!"
She had found some curtain cords with heavy metal spheres and tassels on the end; it wasn't as durable as chain, but it would have to work.
"I wish I had my poi stuff..." she cursed under her breath. "Damnit, damnit, damnit..."

Yuki nodded. "Of course, which is why I'm going to make sure he's bedridden for the next few days."
She was using this as incentive to be more aggressive and strong, or at least trying to.
She started off into the hall, headed towards Aled's room.
Sure enough, on the way, there was the wheelchair.
"Kisama..." she shook her head, "You're in SO much trouble..."

"He's going to wish he was dead." Yuki promised. "He hates sitting still? Fine. He can stay in bed for a few days and watch me work."
Dangling much desired food in front of a hungry, caged animal was certainly ample enough punishment.
"He's lucky he isn't already, given all his mishaps..."
She eventually spotted him, arms crossed and scowling.
She had brought the wheelchair.
"Watari-kun-no-baka!" she shouted, kicking the wheelchair down the hall.
It rolled to a stop near him.
"I lectured you for how long and you LIED to me?!!"
She looked absolutely crushed and furious. "YOU don't sleep because it's part of your abilities----I don't sleep because you're making me worry to death!"
Guilt Trip Surprise was a meal that sank to the bottom of one's stomach and made them sick.
Yuki preferred to serve it like a Baked Alaska: cold on the inside, flaming hot on the outside---hell, maybe even literally lit aflame.
"I want a raise if I have to play nurse to keep you from killing yourself!" she grabbed him by his ear, forcing him to sit down. "You're not getting out of bed for the next three days! I've had enough!"

Perhaps the best way to get Watari to stand up for himself was to forcefully humiliate him?
Granted, this wasn't Yuki's aim in the slightest, but if she managed to accomplish it, she managed to outwit the guard that had tortured him...
Or Ainsu's Muse and his attacks...
Or Aoki and his attacks, for that matter...


Shiori shook her head. "Not attacking Watari. Aoki's around. Trust me on that. I don't think he's in Watari-san anymore... I'm NOT leaving you Aled-kun." she shivered a bit. "What if he takes me hostage and uses me against you?"

Shiori seemed relieved at this, watching Aled closely. "Thank you..." she whispered, before quickly kissing his cheek. "For everything."
She blushed; apparently this was awkward for her. "Ano.. we... we should probably get out of here." she glanced up at him briefly, before looking to the door. "Where is Ainsu and Kaguyo???"
Or anyone else that could help them, for that matter?

Yuki shook her head. "Iie, you're in trouble!" she started to wheel him down the hall, obviously upset. "You can act as self-righteous as you want, but people WORRY about you! Do you realize I spent four days WITHOUT SLEEPING just to make sure you even LIVED? I even tested healing injections on myself to try and speed your recovery without following procedure, had to lull you to sleep so you didn't die IN the rejuvenation chambers, and here you're going to LIE to me?!"
He was lucky she was wheeling him around, because otherwise he wouldn't be able to walk a step without falling over a guilt trip.
Just looking at the woman at this point was enough to stop his arguing; she really did look exhausted, to say the least. "Unlike you, I DO eventually need sleep, but at this rate, with all the anxiety attacks you're giving me, the only sleep I'll get is when I'm dead!"
If only she knew about Aoki's proximity, she would have realized how much of a test that statement was.