` The Curseds' Misfortune • • •

[Naze]

It would be a safe accusation to state that it had been a good month or slightly more that Ayane and Crescent had stayed in each other's company. Of course, in truth, not all of it was spent traveling or completely within each other's light. When the two had reached the hospital, it turned out that she had twisted and nearly broke one of her bones which was simply blamed upon a wild Pokemon rather then Crescent's Espeon. Even though Crescent had insisted on staying with Ayane by her hospital bed, it had turned out that half way through the week the nurses and doctor caring for her had him nearly banned from the room entirely, allowing him only average visiting hours. Which was perfectly understandable, her injuries were nothing life threatening but still Crescent couldn't help himself from sneaking into her room in the late, still hours of midnight in order to check on her condition without any further issues from the hospital staff [despite the fact that she was one the third floor].

Eventually, after what surely had seemed similar to an enternity for them both, Ayane was released with good health and perfectly healed injuries. The only scar that remained was a mental one upon them all of the Espeon's violent action that had made Crescent choose Puru mostly for the few training pratices they had gone through the past week. Espeon rarely was released from it's confines now, bound to it's Pokeball with only few sessions between trainer and Pokemon in the later hours of nightfall while Ayane slept. Crescent seemed determined to never allow such a misfortune to befall them again while the Espeon could only have resentful yet sorrowful eyes with each practice they preformed. And the Pokemon Crescent had recently added into their team was little relief to his former closest companion. 'The Count' as the new Pokemon was once known when it accompanied the trainer's dearly deceased trainer ; the Lord of The UnderWorld and his guard dog that just happened to be a Charizard rather then any form of canine. Though Count seemed to deem the same title down upon Crescent, the trainer obviously did not take the 'crude' gesture kindly.

Trading Count from the PC for Mareep, Crescent now used that Pokemon to travel through the frozen heights rather then ride upon Ayane's Salamance that still felt uncomfortable with the other trainer. There was also an obvious wariness that Ryuu and Count had against each other ; both as over protective as the other yet neither had bore fangs down upon each other's scales which was a relief upon both trainers when first introducing the two Pokemon with obvious similarity in their personality traits.

Maybe it was the constant late night training session with Espeon, the tension between Count and Ryuu, or the general traveling that had little rest involved that had led Crescent to the current point he was at now though he could not recall when he last started to feel this way.. A week ago possibly? Yes.. Yes that was probably accurate enough though right now it was no doubt that his thoughts were easily lost within a hazey fog that enveloped his consciousness. Ayane.. He had left her without a clue to where he had gone.. It haunted him with a horrible smog-like feeling but ultimately it was only for the best and Crescent only prayed that she did not see it as any sort of deceit or betrayal..

A week ago was when the signs of an upcoming catastrophe appeared with as little as a few sneezes which were simply blamed upon seasonal allergies and the fact that they were within a forest filled with pollen, mold, ragweed, and all the like that even caused his companion's allergies to show themselves in the wake of oh so beautiful allergy season. Even though it was believable at the time, these symptoms only elevated to the aching of his muscles that only worsened with time, sleepless nights that led to clammy sweats despite the fact that the farther North they aimed towards the further the temperature dropped. And in the later days, Crescent's glow that seemed to come when the moonlight greeted them had faded away into nothing but a sickly glimmer. The color he had in his already pale skin has seemed to dissipate, leaving the man looking like he had just recently crawled out of a coffin after a few years under a tombstone. So now, as Crescent could only feel his symptoms of illness worsening, he had allowed himself to slink away with only the dimly lit crescent moon as the witness to where he lay now.

Opening his crimson optics that had also seemed to ultimately lose their dazzling sparkle, Crescent met with darkness that was faintly lighted due to the shattered window he laid by, the moonlight only seeming to make the deserted and supposedly haunted hospital even more eerie. Through the week, Crescent remembered that he had never admitted his sickness to the female companion.. She didn't need to know such details that would only cause more delay and trouble in their travels. "The only hope that I have is that she does not contract it.." the male muttered under his breath in order not to break the comforting silence that night offered. It was then maybe, in that moment of silence, that Crescent became aware that he was not simply laying flat upon the floor by rather his head was rested upon the velvety soft fur of the legendary Pokemon he had seemed to meet quite awhile ago ; the embodiment of the Northern Wind, Suikun. The dog carefully watched it's master with calm azure eyes, only sending wary glances towards the Pokemon that also accompanied the dark hallway ; the loyal Count that watched over it's Lord with harsh fire red eyes that contained a slight sense of worry as Crescent slid back into an unconscious state induced by fever.

With that, Suikun directed his gaze to Count with a slight growl to capture the Charizard's attention. ~ This man travels with another, does he not? ~ the beast inquired with a wise voice that was gained through many centuries yet the legendary only received a disgusted glare from Count before a reply came, ~ The Lord does travel with another, a female near the same age as himself. He has left her side in order to protect her recently restored health and quite possibly to perish in peace.. ~ The Count stated without hesitation, closing his eyes for a moment as if already mourning the loss of their trainer which only caused the Suikun to narrow his slender eyes at the fire Pokemon. ~ This boy will not meet his end. This hospital may contain many souls but his will not join them tonight. You have little faith.. ~ he began to speak calmly though with a hint of aggravation that was brought forth by concern.

[Crappy crappy crappy.. -Headesk- ]

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[яєmoяsє]

It had been quite a while since the feminine had received an injury and placed the blame upon a wild Pokemon, rather than her companion's lavender one. Her concern, almost empathy, for that Pokemon was greater than the need to place the blame upon the true culprit. And though it did not frighten her in the slightest, she knew that the boy would be thoroughly concerned about her, and lately, she had been pondering his turning down of her offer when they first met. Did he feel that he passed his misfortune onto her? It would be a pointless thing to attempt to convince her.

However, at the moment, Ayane was not occupied with those thoughts. Rather, she was asleep, but it was not a very pleasant rest. When she reached the age of twelve, she never seemed able to dream anymore, not even daydream; it was as if those abilities had been taken away. However, lately, she had nightmares, and though they were very short, their scenes were clear; Crescent was dying, in all of them. And it had begun when she grew suspicious that he was growing severely ill. She had seen his condition, and she was too experienced not to know how one appeared when they were growing sick, and she knew when one reached the point of severity. And this nightmare seemed to be saying that, if she were to keep from doing her best to calm the sickness down, he would certainly perish.

It had only been in her mind; she had not known that she was shifting uncomfortably in her sleep. Ryuu had awoken from it, and Ankoko had as well. After all, the winged beast had slept closely beside his master, while her head rested upon her faithful bakeneko creature. It took a few moments before they both decided that something was wrong, and the Umbreon lowered her head to her master's, while the Salamance raised his cranium into the air and seemingly attempted to figure out if anything was wrong; soon enough, Ankoko pitched in, and immediately caught a sickened kind of scent, and it was mingled with the other trainer.

Yes, Ankoko had been very wary when she was first introduced to him, but, like her master, she was one to appear void. And, though protective, it was logic that her master was comfortable, so she had no need to suspect anything until anything that would cause discomfort arrived. So far, there was nothing, so she cared for his own health; not to mention, she knew that Ryuu and Batsu also noticed there was a bond between the two trainers.

The dragon Pokemon approached his trainer, nuzzling her carefully, before releasing a kind of grunt. Immediately, Ayane opened her sapphires, and she noticed that she had been clenching her fists to the point where her nails dug deeply into her palms. Now awake, she opened her fists, and without examining the red marks she left, she sat up, placing a hand over her face to calm herself down somewhat. When she saw the scene of him hacking up blood, even though she knew it was very unlikely, she felt the most powerful emotions she had ever experienced, and they were chaotic. Taking deep breaths, she calmed down, placing on an emotionless exterior again, before glancing up at her dragon.

He flicked his tail, careful not to hit anything, and the black and yellow furred Pokemon rose to her paws, beckoning their master to follow. She had a bad feeling, thus she hurried, summoning her feline Pokemon; her icy blues clearly stated for the dragon type Pokemon to remain guard over her blanket and Pokemon food suppl - yes, they had restocked after she had healed - while the cat would follow her and the dark Pokemon. It was for the best, she supposed. Then, without hesitation, she signaled for the dark one to lead them, grabbing her bag. The Pokemon obeyed, without hesitation; it was hardly a second before they broke into a run.

It may have taken almost a while, but the champion soon spotted three figures, near a shattered window. If she were not able to distinguish the flame of a Charizard, or the form of a Suicune, she would probably be one of the worst champions the world had ever known. But she was not idiotic enough to dwell upon that; making her steps as quiet as possible, she sprinted over to them, careful not to provoke the two Pokemon that her companion had summoned. Her own were behind her, Ankoko standing for additional guard, while Batsu followed his master to Crescent's side.

"Baka..," Ayane whispered, placing her hand gently upon the unconscious male's forehead; it was very, very hot. At first, she figured it was like any normal flu or fever, one that would pass - but it had worsened in the past week, rather than begun to heal. Why did he leave to make sure I wouldn't get sick? He could die from this.. Her free hand clenched into a fist, her other hand still gentle upon his forehead. Then, a moment later, she took out a water bottle, quite cool from the way she kept it; she kept the package of Aspirin within her bag for the time being.

Placing it beside him, she glanced at the other Pokemon. Her eyes clearly requested, 'May I stay here until he wakes?' At the moment, she did not wish to risk waking him up by moving him onto the Persian's back. It was best to remain, and she could only hope his Pokemon did not reject her.

[Naze]

Light as they may of been, the Earth still signaled with perfectly accurate vibrations into the soil that the three were approaching. Though the scents were familiar enough to not raise a complete alarm, the Suikun directed it's azure eyes that seemed to flow as freely as the vast sea ahead and down the hall, his vision piercing harshly through the darkness. However, Count still focused his firey optics upon their master that laid partially upon Suikun, his upper body resting upon the beast's slightly exposed stomach ; the sickening smog Crescent currently kept about him despite other wishes worsened with the moonlight illuminating their presence and seeming to caress the last known living Illuminati with a celestial farewell. As the female Champion began to approach the small trio, the lupine guardian allowed his silvery dagger-like claws to spike from their sheaths within his paws in an audible 'chink' against the frozen floor of the long abandoned hospital.

However, Count did not move a single muscle in his enormous body. If it had not been for the flame flickering strongly upon the tip of his long, orange scaled tail the dragon-like monster might've very well been mistaken for a misplaced statue. It had been how his previous master brought him into mature age that allowed his obedience. To Count, the scent was entirely familiar ; the female that his Lord had obviously deemed to be a worthy companion, the feline with a creamy pelt that had much too large an ego, and the bake-neko that he had bore witness to very little. On an average basis, the male Charizard would have blocked their path yet an order from his current Lord remained unscathed within his durable memory ; "You are not to act in any violently manner towards my companion and friend, Ayane." The order had been strict and in perfect clarity thus Count would not bar their way nor allow Suikun to act in unnecessary violence in an already distressing situation. Thus as Ayane came into his line of vision and even crouched beside Crescent, Count was forced to restrict the want to widen his wings in both a whole-hearted threat and as a symbol of protection or spit a growl at the three.

The Suicune on the other hand had no order engraved into his mind nor care for such things. As Ayane neared and made the slight physical contact with Crescent that she did, the embodiment of the Northern Wind began to allow a deep growl to rumble without his chest and become audible. Though his mouth was not open to bare the tows of fangs that he was well prepared to use, it was clear that he did not wish for the female's presence so near the human that Suikun lay 'in-debt' to. Yes, her scent may have almost constantly mingled with Crescent's, due to their lack of introduction Suikun had no form of stable bond with the Champion save one of distrust deemed upon every human as well as the emotion of slightly anger ; if Crescent's connection to her was so great, with such immense trust, then how could one who supposedly shared these emotions allow their counterpart to become half-buried within their own premature grave? By Suikun's terms, it was nothing short of careless ignorance. So it was to expected when the Suicune tightened it's protective curl around Crescent, beginning to crane his head downward with threatening eyes that did not dare leave Ayane's gaze ; countering her fairly calm stare with one of century old wisdom and a harsh spark that was kindled by his thoughts. And with the transparency that Suikun purposely held within his optics, it would be simple for someone like Ayane to read the creature's true thoughts that wished to be heard.

Count only shifted slightly to position himself at a more desirable location to stop any kind of blitz Suikun did not fear. The Count, through years of taking orders in any form possible, was also able to translate Suikun thoughts for himself. It would be no short of a lie to state that the Charizard had not allowed the thought to trespass into the corners of his consciousness but this was a situation where his personal emotions did not stand to par against well respected orders. So despite wishful intentions, Count prepared himself to widen one of his large wings in order to cease a quarrel before it could reach maturity.

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[яєmoяsє]

Their message was quite clear, even if the fire Pokemon kept any violence from arriving. The feminine understood that her presence was not wanted, and she knew that her own Pokemon understood that they too were unwanted. Also, a very good signal that it caused dissatisfaction for the Pokemon was that the creamy feline's smirk, one that was like it was born to remain on those almost cocky lips, almost disappeared; his tail flicked, almost out of annoyance.

Ayane, knowing how agitated Batsu could grow - in five seconds' time at most - when the situation was capable of frustrating many, shifted her arm to her feline Pokemon; he appeared to be attempting to get near Crescent, despite the legendary Suicune's wishes. Not to mention, the Charizard also seemed to wish their presences were nonexistent, though she guessed that the boy had ordered him not to show any violence toward her. Inwardly, she sighed; she could feel her deep concern for him.

Why had she been stupid enough not to ask him what was wrong, stupid enough not to offer help in case his symptoms grew worse? What kind of champion was she, letting a companion begin to deteriorate? She clenched her hand into a fist, but the rest of her was void of emotion, keeping her anxiety concealed; not even her eyes showed any emotion.

She took the Aspirin from her bag and placed it beside the bottle of water. Glancing at both Count and Suikun, her sapphires began to show a message; 'When, not if, he wakes up, please let him take those.' She blinked, before reopening her eyes; 'I shall take my leave, but if you wish, call for me.' She doubted they would, that they cared not to call for her. But if he was to die, she would not be the only one at fault. Turning on her heel, hiding her reluctance, she gestured for her Pokemon to follow. They obeyed, and together, they made their way to the entrance.

With her signal, Batsu and Ankoko went over to Ryuu, the Umbreon carrying their master's bag. A final glance at her Pokemon, she turned her attention to the entrance. Closing her icy blues, she sat down, leaning against the wall somewhat. She didn't want to see Crescent die; not in her nightmares, and not in reality. Clamping her eyes shut, she clenched her fist tighter, leaving deeper marks. She was a stranger to the faint emotion that was beginning to faintly lurk, but she could tell that, if she had not trained herself to wear masks since several years ago, there was a good chance that at least one tear would have escaped her eyes.

[Naze]

It was no doubt that the Reaper's scythe was prodding at the seams of Crescent's life. Maybe if he had not had his current state of mind that was stubbornly preventing what seemed like the last silk thin thread of his life to snap and allow him access to the pain that was death. Yes... Maybe, just a month ago he might've allowed, no, welcomed such agony as the cursed soul that he was. Who would want to live with that mark placed so violently upon them with so little justice that the world provided? But instead, Crescent denied any form of weakness to plague his will. Unfortunately for the trainer, there was no real choice in the matter of his physical limits and how severely this illness paralyzed him with burning agony and the fog that clouded his conscious ; threatening to drown him within the depths of his own hopelessness. But with his head slightly above water, just enough to breathe, he felt the thick fog engulfing his mind and body loosen it's choking grip upon him.. Enough for him to grasp his senses for a moment ; the feel to become aware of the emotions mingling in the near by atmosphere. Resentful hate, respect, sorrow, and a deep concern. He could slightly feel his Suikun's fur beneath him, it's icy blue, velvety bristles tickling the back of his neck and the strong undeniable presence of his proud Charizard that had supposedly been the guardian of the head Illuminatis for years.

Though this only lasted for a second before the grip tightened once more, Crescent knew that the presence of his two Pokemon were not the reason for his sudden spark that fought the illness. It took a moment to claw through his own health before he had regained enough of his senses to pick Ayane's apart from the rest of them. For a moment, Crescent wondered if the reason he had not willingly tug the bait known as escape from the line of skulls and bones was his new companion. A mystery that he could not solve at the moment, his clarity through his mental haze becoming limited. And if wouldn't matter, not if he were to pass under the moonlight.

But not without confirming Ayane's presence with his eyes. With a slight shift and an agonized moan that was terribly faint, the man opened his eyes slightly. His more demonic optics had been restored to his eyes, no longer having the energy to retain their appearance, and though he could see within the deepest shadows with noticeable opacity, details in objects were quite the blur. Raising his hand weakly to rest upon his forehead, he leveled his breathing to a sturdy pace, yet it was still an unhealthy beat. Due to his lack in vision, Crescent kept his eyes open only slightly, just to allow the moonlight to illuminate his fading, now still iris. He could still sense her, his dear companion that caused his sorrow if he truly did pass this night.. Crescent most likely wouldn't admit it but, he did feel it such emotions that were quite unfamiliar with his usual set.

Count gave an approving grunt as his master regained his conscious, for however long it may be now. Hopefully, it would be longer then the few unpleasant minutes he usually spent in a waking state. Suikun, for a moment, felt a glimmer of peace, taking a glance towards the outside of the hospital to the other female trainer that this man seemed to hold to some point of high endearment. Though reluctant, the Suicune gave a beckoning growl to Ayane outside, forcing his claws back into their clear sheaths.

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The sound of the boy's moan, even if it was weak and faint, was picked up by the woman's sensitive ears, and the pain it voiced sent unfamiliar emotions surging through her, as if tearing at her heart. Her nails dug even deeper into her skin, as her fists clenched as tight as they did the night she had watched her mother and brother, covered in a white blanket on the hospital bed. It was as if she could hear her father's faint crying, and now, it was as if she could hear her own, from that long ago; bitter tears, with no sweetness in them. Would she shed them if the boy was to pass?

Ayane felt useless, helpless... until she heard that faint growl - a beckoning growl. Immediately, she reopened her sapphires, making sure she was void of the unfamiliar emotions that had bothered her moments before. She sensed reluctance in the atmosphere, that seemed almost stronger; but she ignored that, silently getting to her feet and making her way swiftly toward Crescent and his Pokemon. As soon as she reached them, she knelt down beside him.

"Why did you have you put yourself through this?" she said, her voice barely even a whisper - a whisper, with her tone betraying her; it was almost shaky, containing hints of the concern, sorrow, and fear that were lurking underneath her shield.

Extending her hand, she grasped the bottle of water, opening it as her other hand reached for the Aspirin. It was in that moment that she realized her palms were bleeding; not much, but there were minuscule smears of blood on both the bottle and the box. Inside, she sighed and shook herself; how worked up she had gotten... Ignoring that, since it was nothing compared to the situation at hand, she opened the box of Aspirin, taking out one pill; she new very well that they would run out eventually, with the instructions of dosage, but they would have to hang in there.

Reluctantly, she placed a hand gently on the back of his neck. It almost took an effort not to jerk back in not only shock, but increasing worry. It was warmer than before; already, the sickness had worsened. Forcing composure to come to her again, she lowered herself somewhat, placing the medication and water aside. "Crescent," she whispered, "Are you well enough to drink?" Despite her efforts to hide it, her voice still shook with those emotions, and that one unfamiliar feeling almost seeped through.

[Naze]

Though the male's senses were heavily dulled due to the illness steadily, even rather swiftly infesting his body like a plague, Crescent would've had to of been entirely daft not to pick up upon the female's tone. A chord that brought Crescent a sense of distress for his companion ; so far he had heard her vocal cords sound in their usual, fairly neutral tone and once her beautiful angelic voice had been tainted with slight physical pain. But this.. This brought him even further from falling back into an unconscious state once more. A shakey tone as if she was frightened for him ; a chord that he might've expected to chime when Crescent first showed her what he truly was, but not while he was as ill as he was. Concern, fearful of a possible loss of another and even a hint of depressing sorrow that made him ponder ; was she frightened of losing him? A bit shaken by such reality of any sickness maybe but, to have the sadness of losing him? At the thought, Crescent only allowed a ghost of a smile to come across his lips, the expression even fainter then previous occasions due to the lack of overall strength. Though at the moment he could not will his dry voice into properly functioning, Crescent weakly planted one palm upon the freezing cold and slightly shattered tiles of the hospital floor that burned his skin like fire might've and with a note that the intensity had increased, Crescent could no longer completely deny his true condition.

For the moment however, the trainer pushed himself upwards into a slight sitting position but he could not prevent a ripple of pain shuddering through his muscles and rattling his skin as he rested back against his Suicune once more. Glancing towards Ayane with incredibly blurred eyes, the cursed could not make out such minor detail as the slivers of crimson upon the twin bottles. However, even as Crescent's body defied him in it's agonizing pain, he could not help but smile slightly from the predicament. Even as he knew that his time may very well reach it's end, Crescent could only release a second sigh to the first of Ayane's inquiries. And with that, Crescent persuaded his vocal cords into willing onto cooperation with their 'owner'. "Ayane.. Huh.. Don't sound so saddened.." he spoke his wish to her aloud, his eyes upon her yet his pupils were not entirely focused due to the Gaussian blur the world was titled within. Yet, without relying upon his vision to confirm any such thoughts, Crescent only hoped that her facial expressions did not meet the same as her voice's drop in tone or other wise complete alterations from it's normal sets.

If he passed then that was the end of him and it was meant to be in such a manner if such a deadly viral disease was caught within him. However, Ayane's voice this time only caused a feeling of discomfort ; mostly because he was not well enough to attempt any quelling of her emotions that he may of done [or at least attempted ] in full health.

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[яєmoяsє]

There was a glimmer of hope when the boy pushed himself up, but there was also a great concern; the woman was afraid he was pushing himself closer and closer to the limits that his body had now created, due to his sickness. Even if he was cursed, he had weaknesses and limitations, and she knew too well that anything could perish in less than a second; she didn't want to suffer more loss, and even though she knew it was selfish, she didn't want to lose him. It was for his own good as well, but one may have wished for him to rest in peace - yet she, foolish as she was, hoped he would survive. There was a very good chance he would suffer if he were to continue living.

But Ayane knew the weaknesses of feeling emotions. She knew one could not escape them, and that they formed ones desires. There were times when she wished she could feel nothing, and this was one of those times; it was as if the situation was attempting to tear her apart, and to demolish her emotional barriers for good. It had been thirteen years since she last shed a tear - and that had been her first time truly grieving. She didn't want to feel that now.

Watching him with glazed sapphires, she grew even more concerned once she glanced into his crimsons. They were glazed, unfocused... Now, she knew Crescent could not see well, not at all, and that truly did bring more worry to her. His smile touched her on the inside; to smile, when you knew you were at risk of dying... She had never risked dying slowly, so she never knew what it was like to feel the urge to smile when the place you lay could be your deathbed. Her fists reformed, clenching harder than before, forcing a small amount of blood to arrive again.

And then they relaxed, as soon as he spoke. Her shield immediately shattered, as her mind whirled; her facial expression clearly contained shock, and if that wasn't enough, her jaw had slightly opened - and the faintest gasp escaped her lips. Her father, on the night that her mother and brother were dead in the hospital, had said nearly the same words. 'Ayane.. Don't sound so sad.. Don't cry.. Your mother and brother are in a better place.' She didn't listen to him back then; she didn't, because he too had been crying, mourning. And as if that moment was reoccurring again, she felt tears prick the back of her eyes. Yet there was no sound she made to reveal the pain; she knew that his Pokemon could see her emotions, but she knew her expression was not clear for him to decipher.

For a moment, she lifted a hand, almost slowly, closer to his face. but before she was an inch from his skin, she hindered herself, retracting her hand in just a second after; she had forgotten her hands were bleeding. Taking a deep breath, she drew the bottle closer to her. Forcing composure to come again, she wiped her hands on her jacket, before grasping the bottle and shifting it near his face. Gently placing two fingers on his chin, she hoped he figured out that it meant for him to open his mouth and allow himself to drink.

"Please.. don't go..," she whispered, her voice hardly louder than that of a near still breeze; she knew how tortured her angelic voice was beginning to sound, but she couldn't help it. Not with this many emotions assaulting her at once - and not when the situation was this dire.

[Naze]

Through the deep shadows of the reaper's cloak, Crescent was not lost within the darkness of death to remain ignorant to the chaotic emotions within the air ; that of his two Pokemon companions, and his human female companion.. No, his dear, oh so dear friend. It had been years since he felt such strong emotions staining the air so visibly that not even the spiritual beings of Sanctine Hospital dared to approach the pair of humans. Yes, no sense of sight was needed to bring Ayane's true emotions into the intense clarity that such harsh, pained feels brought. With a heightened sense of all emotions, the pain that his three companions shared brought a jabbing sense of aching agony through out most of his body ; threatening to knock him away from the consciousness Crescent fought so furiously to keep. For a moment, through the darkness that viciously ravaged his physical being and possibly even his very soul if he still carried it upon his shoulders, there was an amazingly faint.. A faint, fading glimmer of hope. Life, the ability to continue living the Hell he was surely captivated within ; live and continue with daily sufferings, or perish to leave all such agony behind entirely and go to the Celestial Plains as most spirits did.. A suicidal wish and an invitation.

It was a simple question of resolve, the man's will to keep himself alive. If I.. If I die now then that will be the end of this curse.. the ill-fated trainer pondered, And if I take my stay.. It will continue ; the curse, this misfortune... To anyone, the choice was a simple one at best. But, Crescent could not bring himself to relinquish himself to such a grim fate. The absolute pain that Ayane held within her at the moment, that was what held him firmly onto his consciousness and onto his very life. The wretched life he once lived alone, without human company, no longer existed in this current time, he now had somebody that may mourn when he finally met his passing. Such a woman does not deserve such pain.. Crescent finally resolved yet, there was no more options in the matter it seemed as the Damned realized that with a jolt of emotions shooting as if a bolt of unhindered lightning through the atmosphere, he gaze attempted to focus more upon Ayane in a futile attempt to read the female.

The closest reach he would ever have to Heaven had finally faded. The ability of sight, the ability to bare espy to her dramatic almost petrified facial expression was lost. Blurred colors tore at each other in a feral manner within his line of vision and as the darkening fog which threatened to engulf him entirely dragged his conscious mind further down with superior strength there was a single fleeting question that had previously been pondered ; Would his death come here? At last, Crescent nearly found comfort in the fact that this element of nature was finally completely unwelcome. Yet, there was a firm understanding that this fate was entirely out of his control at the moment ; as much as he wished to stay with Ayane, to continue their travels, none of it mattered in this state. Nature didn't give a damn about either of their gut wrenching emotions. Though Crescent refused to come to complete terms with the fact that seemed rather obvious in this state ; he had no wish to leave this world without another word with Ayane.

Feeling himself slowly slip down within the harsh depths of the thickening fog the illness has conjured within him, Crescent's heart felt incredibly heavy with Ayane's tortured plea. And with her touch, Crescent lifted one of his hands to join Ayane's in a beautiful clash of their skin pigments. Clasping the feminine's hand in a similar fashion as they did in their first meeting with each other back in Sendai Village, fingers weaving through the crevices, the man's phantasm smile dissipated. "Please Ayane.. Live well and don't be so saddened.." Crescent spoke, his velvety tone still fairly intact though it was cracked deeply with both physical and emotional torment. No longer having the strengths to utter another word nor preform another action, the male's demonic yet truly beautiful eyes slowly closed, his pulse faltering even further.

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It burned. All of it burned, whether it was physical or emotional; it was all the same, a burning sensation that tortured her. Yet, the woman could not find herself feeling selfish enough to beg for him to stay, to do all she could to keep him clinging. No, that would be too much for him, and, despite the pain she felt, she could not afford to put him through so much agony. After all, it had been all her fault, to ignore his condition, since he did not seek to warn her; yes, that had all been foolish, oh so very foolish indeed.

The touch of their skin, when he clasped her hand, was almost like two opposites joining - just like their paths. The damned, and the blessed. Now, as her thoughts began to spark more strength within her emotions, she did most of what she could to keep from squeezing his extremely heated hand. The contrast was drastic; hot like an oven, and cool like the night air. Her skin had always lacked warmth, especially at night, but it didn't help any, since his skin seemed to have a desire to burn hers. But, she didn't want him to go, she didn't want to let go. Sinking her pearls into her bottom lip, she glanced down somewhat, bangs shadowing her sapphires as her grip on his hand tightened.

Ayane felt a harsh sensation tear through her as Crescent spoke again; it was so weak, and his words did not make it much better. She began to take silent but deep breaths, attempting to calm herself down. But she knew that, in doing so, she risked shedding tears; one thing would have to occur, and it was either she showed too much emotion, or she hid it while tears would arrive. And, this being the first time she had to choose, she decided upon the latter, in the situation such as this. His words remained in her head for a moment, but she glanced up, her expression hard, but not angry, as she felt the first tear slide down her face.

Then, oddly, as if the disappearance of the boy's smile was a cue for hers, the phantom smile returned to her lips. And the tears, such great traitors, began to increase in flow, though they were still mercifully slow. A soft chuckle escaped her, and though it seemed pained, her smile slightly grew, as her expression softened. "You're such a gentle soul, dear Crescent. It's difficult not to mourn, when the world isn't fair to you."

She took a sharp breath, feeling an odd pain inside her chest; it was as if a hand had dug into her chest and began to squeeze her heart. What could she do now, that his pulse was faltering? Hope was pitiful, weak against the grasp of Death. It was a dangerous force, lurking all over and waiting to seep in and drain one of their life. Just as it did her mother, and her brother. Just as it would eventually do to her father, then her. And just as it may do tonight, to Crescent. She never felt such feelings toward one before, and she knew this loss could easily hurt her as much as it did to hear her mother and brother were killed instantly in that accident.

With another sharp intake of breath, she attempted to steady herself. "I could wish it all away, and I could hope you won't die. But what good would it do, when the chances of you going away are so much greater than a spark of hope?" She didn't expect a reply; she didn't exactly want one, either. But, something urged her, to speak so much more than she would ever do so. She knew there wasn't much she could do, that words were too weak to fight against Death. However, no matter what, she wanted to speak - and perhaps give him the privilege of hearing her voice at his last breath, if he passed.

"Emotions are our rulers, dear. We cannot escape them, especially the ones linked to darkness." She slowly, carefully, raised his hand, placing her cheek upon it, as she quietly made her way closer to the Suicune. Perhaps it would attack her, and throw her away from the trainer, but currently, she didn't quite care. "I'm beside you, dear. I'm beside you, and you'll feel my touch, whether or not you give up or continue to fight; I'm here," she whispered, her voice angelic and beautiful, her knowledge seeming to halfway chase away the pain that still corrupted her voice.

She could do nothing now, for he was too weak to do the only things she could help him with. It was his fight now, but, even if she could not fight, she would remain there, his hand clasped between hers. She would remain with him, just like the stars would accompany the moon. And here, she vowed to the moon, that he would remain with her, whether through memories and thoughts, or in reality.