What Is Love?

Hikato stared at Ebirai, he looked lost in thought. She peered down for a moment, watching the river, the lifted her head hearing his voice. "Any is fine with me..." She said after a moment of thought, after all she could change her appearance, and she did have fake .I.D. for her other appearance. She smiled at Ebirai, the smile was a gentle one. Then she looked down, shadows falling across her face.

She had never thought about being close to someone, not when most of her life so far had been, heal this, heal that. But, she didn't mind taking care of Ebirai, not in the slightest. He seemed different than the other people... He was honest to her. Honesty was something that would make Hikato as happy as anything... After all it had been liars that threw her life into chaos...

She tore her gaze from the river, and smiled warmly up at Ebirai.

Returning her smile with a similar one of his own, Ebirai rubs his neck and laughs. "Any? Well, I don't see that as such a good idea. Are there any near here where you wouldn't have to disguise yourself?"

Hikato smiled, "Some small ones, yeah." She nodded her head, there were a few villages she knew of that no one knew of her so she was safe. She enjoyed those places too for the silence and the peace she got. "Well, I guess, we should go then." She said brightly.

Nodding, Ebirai's grin grows. That was good; it would be kind-of odd talking to her if she wasn't a girl... Then again, why would that matter? It hadn't ever mattered before... Snapping back to reality once more, he grins. "After you, Hikato! I uh... don't really know my way around here... Eheheh... I used to live near the Cloud, after all..."

Hikato looked at Ebirai with a grin, then nodded her head. She leaped to another tree, waiting for Eibrai, they wouldn't have to go too far. There were a lot of small villages around after all. She paused looking toward the sky seeing where the sun was in the sky and reading the time of day, they could get therein an hour or less.

Leaping by Hikato's side, Ebirai smiles at her. Honestly, he'd only known her for a short while, now. But even then, there was no one he would rather be with than her.

Hikato grinned now, "Okay let's go." She said, and then picked up her pace moving between the trees with ease. She never knew what it was like to have a friend... To be honest Ebirai would be her first friend... Which was sad considering she was eighteen... But for her it was a nice feeling, to have someone that would be there for you if you needed them.

Ebirai nods and leaps from branch to branch next to Hikato, making sure to match her speed. She meant a lot to him- She probably had no idea, either... Of course someone like Hikato must have had many good friends before, like Ryoh and that other guy... But Ebirai had been alone, and had only ever placed his trust in one other person... But he had been betrayed...

Shaking his head, he looks back up, half expecting to see a tree limb right in his face. Luckily, there was only a tree to his left, an tree in front of him, and Hikato to his right. Smile fading, he thinks of something he hadn't ever thought of before... He debates asking, but... No, it was stupid. Besides, why should it matter to him? Sighing, he decides it wouldn't hurt to ask. "So... Uh... Do you have... a... You know... Do you have a..." Sighing, he looks ahead. "Nevermind."

Hikato stares at Ebirai, this time it was her that got hit in the head with the stick... She fell backwards, and caught herself on the branch below chuckling. She was blushing, she couldn't believe she had smashed her head off the branch... She pulled herself back up, and then looked at Ebirai with a massive grin, "Eh, do I have a what?" She asked now, looking interested in what he was going to ask... Then he said never mind.

"No, don't never mind me! I wanna know what you were going to ask." Hikato said firmly nodding her head.

"Eh..." Blinking, Ebirai looks at her, concerned. Of course, it was nothing if he hit a branch and fell to the ground. He couldn't give a damn less. "Um... Are... Are you alright, Hikato?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he grins and laughs nervously. "Eheheh... Um... It really wasn't important, Hikato... I just... I wanted to know... If maybe... there was someone..."

Hikato grinned, "Yeah! I'm fine." She chuckled, and then grimaced. "I can tend too run into things." She said after a moment, there was no pain from hitting the tree branch, that had just been embarrassing... She smiled slightly, and then stared at Eibirai as he rubbed his neck for a moment. "Someone...?" She cocked her head to the side, and then her eyes went wide as she understood.

"No there isn't someone." She said admitting it.

Ebirai blinks. "Um... Are you sure, Hikato? That looked like it hurt..." Grinning, he laughs a little. "I guess it was your turn, huh?" Letting his arm fall to his side, he looks up at the clouds as a small frown spreads across his face. "No?" It didn't make much sense to him; She was kind, beautiful, smart, young, thoughtful... Hell, she was strong enough to kill an entire clan! What wasn't there to like about Hikato? It was an odd thought...

In fact, the more he thinks about her, the more he tries to understand why she didn't have a boyfriend, the more he realizes that the reasons why she should have a boyfriend were only the reasons why he liked her. But... He didn't really care about anything- He never had. His life and religion had taught him that all life was frail and fleeting, and that it was insignificant. Her life was no different... But... Her's was different. Jashin did not allow his followers to grow attached to others, for one could only achieve immortality through true strength, through bloodshed and indifference towards all life. Because of this simple 'fact', he would remain eternal, for Jashin supplied his strength. But... If he had grown to like Hikato... Did that mean... Was there no Jashin?

But... That touch; that single, brief embrace had shattered the beliefs he had held since he was a small child, alone, sifting through the clothes of the dearly departed for what small trinkets might be worth enough to continue his meaningless existence. What was eternity if no one could share it with him? Suddenly overflowing with new thoughts and emotions, Ebirai lightly holds his forehead and looks down at the ground. It had never bothered him before, but an overwhelming sense of loneliness claws at his chest. What was his the worth of his endless, meaningless existence? What had he achieved? What help had he given for a cause other than the suffering of others? What was the point of everlasting life if he had to be cruel and alone?!

A sad smile on his face, Ebirai over at Hikato. Eternity be damned! It was worthless to him now. He must have looked extremely stupid... Standing there, looking at her... He wanted to say something, to tell her what she meant to him... But no words came... Still smiling sadly, he looks back to the sky. Once again, he found it odd... He'd faced countless terrible things, the slaughter of innocents, great beasts able to swallow him in one gulp, terrible fiends only the darkest of nightmares could produce... And he'd never felt a speck of fear or doubt. And here Hikato was, the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, smiling sweetly at him... And she had taken his world, turned it upside down, and shaken it to see if anything would fall out; without even having a clue that she had done so.

How ironic... For the first time since he was a small child, he felt fear... Fear of being alone forever. Grin growing, he starts to laugh quietly. What a fool he'd been... His entire life was entirely meaningless... Killing... Stealing... What was the point? A cheap thrill, adrenaline, lasting for an entire three seconds. That had been his entire reason for living. Realizing this, he had no reason to live. He'd never had any reason at all that he should be on this earth... Yet he would never leave it, and he would never have a chance to... to try...

A small grin on his face, he stares at a small, grey cloud. "I'm sorry... You must think I'm crazy... Well, I'm definitely crazy- There's no doubt... Not after today... but..." He rubs the back of his neck again and smiles at Hikato. "I know... that we haven't known each other for very long... But I feel... Heh... That's just it. I feel. I don't suppose I've ever truly done that, before... before I met you... but..." He starts to laugh. "I'm sorry... We should get going again before the trackers decide to come looking for you, again. And it was stupid of me. To think..." Shaking his head, he jumps to the next tree and smiles at her sadly. "Come on, Hikato."

Hikato stared at Ebirai, she watched him look at her then look away. Something felt odd, she was concerned for him, was something wrong? Her green eyes held a soft look to Ebirai, but then she turned her gaze away. "You feel?" She asked after a moment, her voice was soft as she peered at him. Why did he think that this was not good enough to talk about? A frown crossed her face, was something wrong with her that he did not want to tell her.

"If the trackers come I'll kill them." Hikato murmured, a sudden look of anger passing through her eyes, "I'll try things your way, by offing them." She now shook her head, her bangs falling over her eyes. "Ebirai..." She spoke his name softly, and then smiled weakly. Just saying his name made her feel something she hadn't felt before, compassion, and love.

She tore her gaze from the ground to his face, "It's not stupid of you to think anything! Don't say that!" She said looking at a loss for words. "Nothing you've done is stupid! Don't you understand that?" She said now looking at him with a pleading look, she wanted him to understand his thoughts weren't stupid. He shouldn't of said that. If there was one thing that annoyed Hikato it was people saying their thoughts were stupid....

She stared at him, and then turned from him. "But you're right we should go." her shoulders slumped slightly, and she shook her head. "But next time, tell me your thought." She said simply, glancing at him.

Hearing her words, Ebirai frowns, horrified. Her words, though not meant to harm him in any way, stab at his heart each one like a dagger. He was a monster, a demon! Nothing that could make her think like that deserved life! The anger in her eyes... He knew it well... He'd coldly taken the lives of many with that same look... But for what purpose?

As she continues, his frown disappears, replaced by a small smile. For some odd reason, her words filled him with a joy he'd never felt, a feeling he'd never known. This feeling... This feeling was worth more than the rest of his life together...

Moving himself quickly in front of her, he takes Hikato in his arms and stares into her beautiful eyes. "Please... Don't talk like that. When you said you'd kill them... It's not you, Hikato. I don't want it to be you." He lets out a little laugh as he draws closer and holds her tight, staring into those deep, perfect green eyes. "Hikato..." Such a beautiful name... Saying brought him that joy, that strange new feeling... "I'm sorry, Hikato... I think... No, I know... I..." His smile grows, his voice now strong and resolute. "I love you, Hikato."

Hikato looked surprised as he moved in front of her, so he was a quick bugger! And she was the slow one... She realized this just by the slight movement of him cutting her off. But a smile tugged across her face, she never had someone embrace her before... Her eyes locked on his but there was a nagging thought in her head... There was Ryoh still, they couldn't commit to feelings the group came first. But she didn't want to say something cruel, no she liked him a lot... Why did things have to be so hard? Of course the group came before personal feelings.

She tore her gaze from his eyes and then let out her breath. "Ebirai..." She said his name, searching for something to say. She didn't know what to say! Jeez... She shook her head, "Ebirai, you haven't know me long enough to know you love me!" She said now, her gren eyes held a dull look to them. "Do you even know what love is?" She asked now her voice hollow...

This hurt her a lot, she wanted to love him. She trusted him, and her feelings were the same as his own... But, he knew nothing of her, she wanted him to understand where she was coming from. Her hands tighten around his back as she hugged him. Then she slipped out of the embrace, "Come on, we should find some where safe." She said after a moment, gazing at the ground This was killing her, but she'd survive... She hoped he wouldn't be hurt...

From the moment she tears her eyes away, he knew it wasn't meant to be. She didn't love him. She... she didn't... The thought echoes through his head, tearing at his heart. As she speaks, the light slowly leaves his eyes. The happiness, the joy of those few moments... They were all meaningless and fake... Without them, and without whatever meaningless reason he had to live before... He now had nothing. Absolutely nothing.

She was right. That was all there was. Pure and simple. He didn't know what love was. He'd never even spoken the word before then. "I... But I... But..." Eyes and hands shaking, he nods... He was hollow, empty.... Her words, as harmless as they had meant to be, had taken everything from him. Life was meaningless. She was his future... He had no future. This was Jashin's lesson. He had doubted his existence, he had dared to hope for more... And this was his punishment. He had nothing, now... And that was his destiny.

Nodding again, he pulls his kasa forward and lets his head droop to avoid her gaze and... and to hide his empty tears... "Of... Of course, Hikato. Lead the way." Saying her name... It now brought only a small ghost of the joy it had moments before... A ghost that clung to his heart and ripped it happily to shreds. Not wanting to make any sudden movement to give away his weakness, he can make no move to stop a few tears from falling onto the branch beneath his feet. Hoping she didn't notice, he turns away and nods again. He wouldn't be able to face her... Not now... "Please... Lead the way." Wishing he had never said anything, Ebirai thinks longingly back to only a few minutes before. They had friendship, a beautiful thing. And now...

He'd gone and smothered it. A bitter smile on his face, a few more tears splash onto his feet. "Lead the way..." He'd certainly lived up to his name. He really could kill anything...

Hikato stood there, her eyes closed for a moment, "Ebirai..." She spoke his name, and then stepped back from him. What had she done, moments before he had been so happy... She had held meaning to him, and now... Maybe it was for the best. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then let out a very soft sigh. When she opened her eyes she caught sight of the tears that had fell. Her heart, she could her it throbbing through out her. It ached, and hurt. Tears showed in her own eyes...

"I don't deserve to be your friend..." She said now, pain went through her. "I don't like how much I hurt you." Her voice shook, and then she turned away from him, her green eyes seemed to darken from the bright joyful green into a deep forest green. She let out another sigh, her frail form shook for a moment. Then she leapt to another tree, this time she put pace behind it.

She had hurt him? And for what? You know what she realized, after she went and hurt him? She wanted a perfect world, with him by her side. She would make it up to him some how, she silently vowed this. Some how she would fix this.

Her words hurt him just as much as than the last, but for a different reason entirely. She was blaming herself! For his stupid... emotions! These tears... He wipes his finger down the right side of his face and stares at the glistening tears on his gauntlet. He hadn't cried... Period. As an infant, he had cried non-stop. But early on in life, he learned that tears were a sign of emotion... of weakness... He hadn't cried since he was three years old... Of course she didn't love him...

Ebirai is suddenly filled with intense waves of self-loathing. Of course she didn't love him. No one could- Ever. He wasn't human. He was a monster, a demon, a beast. He had had no restraint, no emotions, no pity, no mercy. He was cruel, heartless, selfish... There wasn't a single thing he could think of that he liked about himself. He'd never done anything but kill, but cause pain. That was all he could do. His sole use. He wasn't any more human than a sword. He was a weapon. Killing was all he knew, his only skill, his only purpose. The only thing he could do now was be Hikato's arm, to serve her the best he could. She would never return his love, but he couldn't go back to being nothing. Anything was better than nothing.

Wiping the rest of his tears with his sleeve, he appears next to Hikato, face hard and emotionless. However, his eyes, lost and forlorn, gave him away, so he avoided her gaze by staring in front of him. His voice is indifferent, but there was no way he could keep the pain from his voice. "I'm sorry. I... That was completely out of line. I realize now that there is no way anyone could ever hold such feelings for something like me. But... I hope you will still be my friend, Hikato, and that you will allow me to follow you to the ends of the earth." As he says this, a single tears falls from his right eye, which he quickly wipes away. "I'm sorry for my weakness. It won't happen again."

Hikato listens, and then shudders faintly. Not from being repulsed, tears showed in her eyes. "YOU'RE STUPID!" She shouted suddenly whirling around to face him, "I do love you! I do!" She said now, trying to keep the pain from her voice. "You think that someone can't love you?" She asked, her voice was very soft, her body shook. The anger returned to her eyes, "Do you really think I don't love you? Really?" She asked him now, moving toward him with a cat like look in her eyes.

She shook her head, "You don't know what love is? I sure bet you do, and for you to say you won't say it again..." Hikato suddenly felt so useless. Would he truly never say it again? She frowned, "Ebirai." She said his name frowning, and then placed her hands on either side of his shoulders. "I may not seem dangerous but I can be when provoked." She smiled a sad smile, and then stared up at his face.

"Please don't ever say something so cruel about yourself..." She whispered gently.

Startled from the sudden yell, Ebirai turns to face her. "But... I... You do?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. It filled him with hope and joy, but also pain. He had quite obviously upset her, and he couldn't bear it. As she advances towards him, he tries to take a step backwards, almost falling off the branch. "I... You said..." She hadn't ever said she didn't love him... He'd thought that's what her words meant, but... She had never said she didn't...

Looking up at her, he gazes into her eyes. Could she... could she really love something... no, someone... like him? He was completely confused, he had no idea what was going on, what had happened, or why. But, after shaking his head, a small smile appears on his lips as he looks into her eyes again. "I... I'm sorry. I do know what love is, Hikato. I do know. I love you. I know I do. But... If you love me... Why? Why, Hikato?... Why would you say that? Why would you cast me aside like that?" He longs to hold her in his arms, to hold her tight, but he restrains himself. "I love you, Hikato..."

Hikato stared up at him with narrowed eyes. Then tilted her head, smiling now, it was a weak smile. "You know..." She shook her head, "I though about Ryoh, and we really shouldn't let emotions get ahead of our thoughts, we should have clear minds at all times. Even if this means declining others feelings, because the goal we strive to obtain is out of reach when you let your self feel for another so easily. Does this just mean we're weak people?" Hikato glanced away now, she felt love and compassion, but maybe saying love wasn't the right thing... After all he had known her for... Only a short amount of time...

She grimaces, locking her gaze with Ebirai's. "Do you think I should cast you aside?" She asked him now, her eyes going over every feature of his face and returning to his gaze. "No, I don't want to cast you aside that would be wrong of me to wish to do so." She then steps back from him a small smile on her face.

"You're someone I hold dear toward my heart." She said with a warm smile. She wondered if he'd embrace her or just stand there.

Taking off his kasa, he hangs it on his back. "Ryoh..." Of course. While he had joined for lack of better things to do, she had joined for the cause. Feeling a pang of hatred for the man, he closes his eyes for a moment. It wasn't Ryoh's fault. Not at all. But Ebirai hates him all the same.

Opening his eyes again, he takes a step forward, desperately searching her eyes as if looking for an answer to her question. He knew he loved her. The mission meant so much to her, more than he meant to her... For that reason, he would do anything to see it to whatever end, just so that she could be happy. "You're not weak, Hikato. You're very, very strong... It's just... I shouldn't worry, but... I... I don't want..." He looks into her eyes, feeling fear once again, but a much less selfish fear. "I don't care about the mission. I never did. But I don't want to lose you, Hikato... If this is what you want, then I want to be there by your side. I want to protect you, and to do everything in my power to make your dream a reality."

Overcoming his fear, he smiles softly at her and embraces her, holding her tightly. "My emotions finally equal my thoughts- My mind has never been clearer. If you need to decline my feelings, then I will happily be rejected. But... I will never stop loving you, Hikato. I just don't want to."

Hikato looked at Ebirai, all she had to do was accept his feelings. She wanted to, she peered up into his eyes, then smiled. A faint blush ran across her face as she put her own arms around him. "Will you accept my feelings for you Ebirai?" She asked now. She wasn't sure on what to say besides this. She had never felt so safe, and welcomed in another person's arms before. But if this was the feeling that she got she would remain in his arms for as long as she could. Never before had she felt safe.

If he understood her dream meant this much to her... Maybe then her dream wasn't that big of a deal. Maybe she could love him more than the dream... She'd try and do the dream of course she would. After all a world with out liars was a paradise for her. Her eyes glittered gently, and she peered up at Ebirai.

"Will you accept me heart?" She asked him, with a grin.

Ebirai gazes into Hikato's eyes, truly happy for the first time in his entire life. No one had ever shown him much kindness... Especially no one like Hikato. There was no one else like Hikato, and there never would be. She was perfect in every possible way... Of course he would accept her feelings. But just saying it... didn't seem quite right. He couldn't possibly express his joy with words.

Instead, he leans forward and kisses her softly, something he would have easily laughed at the thought of doing earlier. After a few seconds, he pulls his head back and smiles at her warmly. "Of course, Hikato. Nothing would make me happier."

Hikato's heart raced, she had never felt so at ease. When his lips pressed gently against her own, she blushed faintly, and then felt... She felt like she never had before. The feeling was like a bright sunny day, she loved the feeling of it. "That's good..." She said after a moment, her eyes locking on his, she held him in the embrace still. "You mean a lot to me Ebirai." She murmured gently.

Then she grinned wistfully, they did all of this standing on a tree branch... Wow they were skilled. She smiled at Ebirai, it was her warm smile. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Thanks for walking into me that day." She said lightly, with her smile.