Something was wrong, Chichiri could feel it. There was a type of…’wrongness’ in the air, a feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Like something important happened, something that would change his life. However, Chichiri couldn’t quite place where it was coming from. Sighing, Chichiri began his nightly ritual…but then stopped, completely stunned. Asha was gone. Or, more specifically, the star that was Asha was gone. He sat up straight, eyes wide. That was what had been nagging him…but what had happened? What could have possibly caused a Nyan Nyan to disappear like that? Chichiri laid back, all sorts of causes running in his head. And, before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

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    It was warm. That was the first thought that popped into the monk’s head. It definitely wasn’t in any reality he was used to. He felt light as air as he stared at his surroundings. It looked similar to where he fell asleep, trees all around the clearing, and a small path to the main road. However, there was a crystal clear river on the right side of the clearing. However, what had caused Chichiri to stare was the sky. It was RED, it was COMPLETELY red. "Nani? Where am I, no da?"
    "I see. You still have that speech problem, ne, Aniki?" A light musical voice rang out, obviously amused. He recognized the voice…it was the voice of someone he had not seen for many years…the voice of someone he had never expected to see ever again.
    "Asha-chan?" His voice choked up a bit as he turned. And standing there, was the most recent Sainokodomo, Asha. Asha, the Nyan Nyan that he thought of as a little sister. Asha, his friend, who died…because of him. "It IS you, no da!!! But, I thought you died!!" Asha started laughing, her golden hair tumbling in short waves as her head swung from side to side.
    "That was the last thing I expected you to say, Aniki. But yes, I AM dead. This here, this is the realm of the gods…or, rather, this part is Suzaku’s domain. I’ve brought you here…so I could say goodbye."
    "Goodbye?! DAAAAA!!!" Was the only thing Chichiri could think of at the moment. "You can’t disappear!! It was because of me, you died, you can’t disappear too, no da!" Asha gave him a sad look.
    "Do you really believe that? Do you really believe I died because of you?"
    "Of course! If I wasn’t there, the demon wouldn’t have come, and…."
    "…I wouldn’t have died. Is that what you think? However, Aniki, you forget one thing. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have EXISTED."
    "Nani?"
    "Don’t you remember? We Sainokodomo are born to complete one task. My life’s task was to save you from that demon. And if I hadn’t, we would have both been dead." Seeing Chichiri’s confused look, Asha indulged a bit more. "I would have died suddenly, and without warning, if you had. Being my reason for life, my existence was tied to yours."
    "So," Chichiri stated, "I was your reason for life." Asha nodded. "And, I was the reason for your death." She nodded again.
    "Yes, but I wanted to thank you, Aniki." She gave him a sad smile as she walked closer, their difference in height becoming more and more apparent.
    "Thank me, no da? If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have been through that much pain."
    "True," Asha agreed, causing Chichiri’s spirits to start sinking. "But, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have all those happy memories. " Asha started to look downcast as she lowered her gaze, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "I was only accepted by my fellow Nyan Nyan when my mind receded, allowing me to act their level, but when my attitude, which is so much more like a human’s, they would shun me, recognizing me for the outcast I was. And, since I was mostly in my human-like mood, I only had Taiitsukun for company." She looked back up at his face, and he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. "But you were different. You accepted me for who I was, made me feel wanted." A tear raced down her cheek, even as she started to fade out. "For the first time in my life, I felt like I was truly happy…like I was truly appreciated for who I was, and not treated like an outcast. Arigatou."
    "Wait!! You can’t just disappear!! It just doesn’t seem fair!!" Asha chuckled, her tears now falling, unbidden, down her translucent face.
    "Don’t worry, Aniki, I’m not disappearing. Didn’t I tell you? I’m being reborn…" By then, Asha’s spiritual body had disappeared. "Ja ne, Aniki!!" Her voice exclaimed from nowhere. "And, please, take off that stupid mask!" Her voice faded into the night, leaving Chichiri all alone. Yet, somehow, he felt a bit more complete, almost as if a burden had been lightened. Then, out of nowhere, the landscape around him started flickering, and he found himself in the darkness once more…

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    The chirping of birds were the only thing to greet Chichiri in the morning. However, as a wandering monk, he was used to this. He sat up, feeling strangely refreshed. Standing up, he began his daily morning routine. Gathering firewood, making breakfast, and everything in between. However, he stopped and stood stock still, something was different. Then, he realized. He was HUMMING. He never hummed in the morning, and yet, here he was, humming the rhythm to some unknown, but happy, song. Shrugging slightly, he went about his chores, still humming.

‘For the first time in my life, I felt like I was truly happy…like I was truly appreciated for who I was, and not treated like an outcast. Arigatou.’ Chichiri blinked, where had that come from? For some reason, that statement had popped into his head, and he felt like it meant something. Something had happened last night, something important, Chichiri was sure of it. But, for some reason, he couldn’t remember. And so, he went back to his daily routine, with mysterious, childish laughter ringing in his head. And in a forest, not far away, the cry of a newborn rang out into the morning.

Author’s Note ~ That’s not the end!! There’s one more story, to come at a later time. I was thinking of having it in this one, but then thought the better of it, and put it in a whole other story. So, you can expect one more story from this plot line….scary, ne? ^^;;

FY belongs to Watase. And, to any other companies who’s names I’m too lazy to think of, much less type, at the moment.

~ Lady Shinnite