And Now For A Disclaimer:  This stuff is owned by other people, except
for the stuff that isn't.  If you own the stuff I've used, please do not
sue me.  Firstly, if you do own any of it chances are you already have =
one hell of a lot more money than I do.  Secondly, I have close personal
friends in hell.

The Legacy of Kain - Chapter Seven (Parting)

     The night was deep and warm, lit only by a few scattered stars that =
winked on the horizon.  The gentle breeze, bearing the faint scent of =
cherry blossoms, drifted amongst the valleys, stirred the dust on the =
steps to the shrine, played breifly in Funaho's branches, and at last =
wound its way towards the house proper, skimming the rooftop and =
ruffling the hair of the lone figure who sat, an unopened bottle of sake =
and a silent cd player at its feet, solemnly regarding the night sky.
     "Crap," muttered Kevin Walker.
     "Miya?"
 Kevin blinked and looked down at Ryo-Ohki, who was watching him with a =
distinctly concerned look on her face.
     "Oh.  Hi," said Kevin wearily.  "Nice to know someone around here =
is still talking to me."
     "Miya!  Miya miya," she huffed.  Kevin, despite his mood, grinned.
     "Thanks for the vote of confidence, sweetie, but...the whole house =
is none too pleased with me at  the moment.  Can't really say that I =
blame them, either."  He sighed, lit a cigarette and leaned back, =
watching the moon rise.  "I seem to have botched it.  And at this point, =
it doesn't look like there's anything I can do to make things better."
     Ryo-Ohki hopped up on his stomach and nuzzled him worriedly.  Kevin =
absently scratched behind her ears.
     "I didn't want to threaten Tenchi like that, you know," he said =
absently.  "I wish I could have thought of another way - if there had =
been more time, maybe, but...they were ready to kill me the instant I =
gave them the opportunity.  Even..."  He sighed.  Careful not to disturb =
the cabbit on his belly, he reached over and tapped the play button on =
the cd player he'd brought up.  The soft, mournful sounds of Enya's =
Boadicea began to drift into the night.
     "Oh, Ryo-Ohki," he sighed, "what am I going to do?  They're all =
down there...right now... passing judgement on me.  Coming to a verdict =
on what to do with me.  I...I don't want to leave. I've never had =
friends like you guys before.  I've never...I've never been..."
     "Miyaa..."
     "Huh.  I wish I had your confidence, fuzzball."
 Kevin took a deep breath.  He stopped, sniffed the air experimentally.  =
There was a new scent here, something...vaguely spicy...
     "Hello, Ryoko," said Kevin, not turning around.
     "Hey," she replied, floating down to settle beside him.
     "So.  What's going on down there?"
 She shrugged.  "It's come down to a vote.  Everyone else is still =
wrangling and arguing...got pretty boring.  I just threw in my vote and =
left."
     "Ah," said Kevin, hesitating.  Ryoko threw him a wry grin.
     "I voted in favour of your staying, if that's what you're trying to =
ask me.  I-" she found herself cut off as Kevin enveloped her in a =
massive hug.
     "Thanks," he whispered, releasing her abruptly.  Ryoko, blushing a =
little, just nodded.  Kevin, clearing his throat, turned his gaze back =
towards the stars.
     There was a long moment of silence.
     "Um...Kevin?" said Ryoko.
     "Yes?"
     "We've all heard your story.  Since we've got the time, would you =
like to hear mine?"
     Kevin smiled.  "Yeah," he said.  "I'd like that a lot."
     "It's, uh...some of this will be a little hard to get through, but. =
 Well."
     So Ryoko told her story.  There were times when she didn't think =
she could go on, expecially when speaking of her years with Kagato.  =
During these times Kevin's hand would find hers and squeeze gently, and =
that one small gesture gave her the courage to continue...to happier =
times.  Her release from the cave, meeting Ayeka and the others...by the =
time she was finished, Kevin was in helpless throes of laughter.
     "Time for today's lesson, schoolboy!'  That's priceless," Kevin =
chortled, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.  "I wish I could =
have seen the expression on his face..."
     "He was petrified!" Ryoko grinned, thinking back.  "Then, terrified =
as he was, he stood up and challenged me anyway.  And won."
     Kevin smiled, a little sadly.  "He's...quite a guy."
     "He is, is he not?" said a new voice.  Kevin and Ryoko span around =
to see a lone figure silouetted in the light pouring from the door that =
led into the house.
     "Lady Ayeka." said Kevin.
     "Hello, Walker.  Miss Ryoko." she looked down at her hands for a =
moment before looking back up.  "I came to tell you that the voting is =
over and we have reached a decision.  Walker.  I am sorry, but you will =
have to leave."
     There was a moment of silence as this sunk in.
     "What!?" exploded Ryoko.
     "Well," murmured Kevin.  "I suppose that's that.  I'll go pack."
     "Waitaminit!  Kev, I'm sure-"
     "I'm afraid not, Miss Ryoko," cut in Ayeka's voice.  "You may ask =
the others, if you doubt my word.  Good evening."
     "You cold little-" Ryoko snarled.  Ayeka spun around.
     "Why, you...you..." she composed herself.  "The decision is made, =
Ryoko.  Blaming me will not help matters."  With that, she spun on her =
heel and walked back into the house.
     "Ayeka...I swear..." hissed Ryoko from between clenched teeth.  She =
felt a hand on her shoulder.
     "Ryoko," Kevin said, sounding tired, "just let it go, all right?"  =
He turned and walked into the house, down the hall and into the small =
guest room he'd been staying in since his arrival.  Only two months, he =
thought...seems like forever ago.  And like no time at all.  He began to =
pack, haphazardly stuffing clothing and oddments into his oversized =
rucksack.  Ryoko hovered in after him.
     "How in the hell can you be so calm about all this?" she asked =
incredulously.  Kevin sighed and continued packing.
     "What's the point?  You heard her.  The decision is final, their =
minds are made up, and I'm outta here.  Hysterics on my part won't help =
a whole lot."
     "But...Kevin, I...I don't want you to leave, not now.  =
You're...you're my best friend."
     Kevin looked up, an unreadable expression on his face.  He steeled =
himself.  Now or never, he thought.
     "Ryoko," he began as he shoved the last sweat shirt into the sack, =
closed it and pulled it over his shoulder, adjusting the collar of his =
trench coat as he did so, "I don't want to leave either.  In the time =
I've been here, you...uh, all of you have come to mean more to me than =
anyone I've ever met.  More than I dreamed possible, for someone like =
me.  You're genuinely good people."  He sighed.  "You've got to =
understand that I'm not a good person.  No matter how much I try, no =
matter how much I push him down, he's always there.  Always.  Even now, =
I can feel him, the ebb and flow of his thoughts, whispering how easy it =
would be to put my hands around Ayeka's scrawny little royal neck and =
just squeeze..." he grit his teeth, and relaxed with visible effort.
     "I'm a monster, Ryoko.  I'm everything they say I am, and more.  =
Give me enough time, sooner or later I probably would lose control, and =
I can't bear to think of what might happen then.  This...this is for the =
best.  Really."
     He turned towards the door, stopped, hesitated and turned back.
     "Ryoko, I...want you to have this.  As a way of saying thank you."  =
He fished around under his shirt, pulling out a leather thong, on which =
was a beautiful silver ring, etched with hundreds of tiny symbols that =
Ryoko couldn't decipher.  He tugged it off and looked at it, an odd =
smile playing over his face.
     "It was my mother's.  The writing is High Jurian, hasn't been in =
use since before the Rift...it's been passed down in my family for as =
long as anyone can remember."  The smile vanished as he closed his =
fingers over it.  "There...won't be any children.  No more of my race. I =
won't allow any more children to suffer like we have.  When I die, Kain =
dies with me."
     "Oh, Kevin..." faltered Ryoko.
     "Shh." he took her unresisting hand, dropped the ring into it.  =
"I'd like it to be passed on one day.  Okay?"
     Ryoko, stunned, could only nod.  Kevin smiled, touched her cheek =
breifly. =20
     "Be well, Ryoko," Kevin said, and walked out the door.
     Ryoko's knees finally gave out on her.  She sat heavily on Kevin's =
futon and slowly began to cry in wracking, ragged sobs.
=20
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Finally finished this one.  Comments and criticisms are =
invited, nay, imperatively demanded.  I'm at kakapo101@hotmail.com.