Alice 19th

(c) Yu Watase

"YOU CRAP-HEAD OF A SISTER!" "WELL, IF I'M SO STUPID, WAKE UP YOURSELF FOR ARCHERY!" The fighting between Alice Seno and Mayura Seno continued. Both of them had woken up late for archery, so now they were fighting...again.

"Girls, please settle down up there," said their exhausted mtoher. Mayura and Alice raced down the stairs for their breakfast. Alice swiped up a piece of toast and an egg. "Dat's all I'f goot twime fo'. See ya mwam," Alice said through mouthfuls. Mayura daintily picked up her toast and ran out the door.

"Those two are so energetic, but I hope that'll come in handy one day," said their mom. Meanwhile, Mayura and Alice ran as fast as they could.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK!" screamed Mayura. Many people turned their heads, and started to point and laugh. Alice sighed, ''Geez Mayura, could you be any more loud?" She turned her head to look at her sister behind her.

"Alice! Watch out!" she yelled. Alice turned her head again and saw a little girl on her tryclcle. ''EEEP!" shrieked Alice. She shut her eyes and braced herself for the hard cement. She could feel herself falling when and hand grabbed her hands. ''Huh?" she said turning her head.

Behind her was Kyo Wakamiya. He smiled and pulled Alice up farther. "Hey Alice. How's it going?" Alice and Kyo had only been on a few dates, and she still was shy around him. ''Thanks for saving me, Kyo." She could feel her face getting redder by the minute.

Kyo must've noticed this, because he said, "Do you have a fever? Your face is awfully red," he said, putting his forhead ontop of hers. ''K-K-Kyo! What're you doing?" she shrieked.

"I'm checking for a fever," he replied calmy. Mayura had been watching this whole time. "AHEM, AHEM, AHEM. Not to spoil the moment, but we're already 30 minutes late for archery, sis!" she complained. Alice pulled her head away from Kyo's. "Okay! Okay!" she said. ''Kyo, do you want to walk with us?" Alice asked. Kyo smiled and grabbed her hand. "Sure."

The threesome walked down the sidewalk and towards their school. Kyo's hand was warmly clasped around Alice's. Her face was beat red now, and it wouldn't stop getting more red and red. Mayura didn't even look at them, the only thing she would say now and then would be, ''Hurry up slowpokes," or ''You're taking forever!'' Alice glanced up at her sister. I wonder if it's still hard for her to see Kyo and me together. They finally made it to the archery room. ''What's the deal Wakamiya? Coming to school with BOTH Seno's?'' sneered one of the boys. Kyo grabbed Alice's hand and ignored them as he went into the equipment room. ''Sorry Kyo. It might've been better if I didn't ask you to come with us. Rumors will probably start spreading again." Kyo stared at her. "No, I'm sure they won't."

Archery class ended and Alice left for her math class. Mayura stayed behind to help Kyo with the equipment duty. "So...how have things been between you and Alice?" Mayura tilted her head down. "Heh, I remember when you took me to that coffee shop at the edge of town. That was really fun." Kyo looked down at Mayura. "Listen, Mayura. It might be hard now, but I'm sure it'll get better." Mayura stared up at him. "Yeah...sure. Maybe." And with that she ran out of the room.

Alice plopped down in a desk and pulled out her books. "Good! I made it in time!" she cheered. Oishi came and sat by her. "You're so lucky Alice! You and Kyo make such a cute couple!" she smiled.

Heh. I guess things are getting better. But I hope that they can keep going this way. Who knows when Mara or something new will appear. Alice fidgeted in her seat.

After all of the morning classes, Alice walked with Kyo to a resturant for lunch. Kyo didn't say a word to her as they walked, and Alice was starting to get worried. "Hey, Kyo. Are you okay?" Kyo's head shot up. "HUH? Oh, yeah...sorry. I'm fine." They walked into the resturant a took a seat. She walked up to the counter and ordered for them. When she brought back their two sandwiches, Kyo was squirming around in his seat. He grabbed a hunk of his hair and started playing with it. Alice munched on her sandwhich as she watched Kyo. He fiddled with his hair, fidgeted in his seat, and continued uncomfortable gestures. Alice really couldn't stand see him so upset anymore. Plus, she was getting peeved.

Alice stood up and grabbed her bag. "I guess we should get going," she said, smiling at him. Kyo stood up and grabbed his bag too. He fidgeted as they walked out of the store. Alice couldn't bear it any longer. "KYO! What's the matter!" she shouted. Kyo looked at her, there was a sad expression on his face.

"It's just, I think Mayura's in agony. She doesn't seem to be herself. I see her, and she's sad whenever she's around me. I can't help but feel guilty. Maybe, maybe it would be better if she never knew of me. I wouldn't be causing you this pain. I' m sorry." Kyo turned and started to walk away. Thunder clouds rolled in, and drips of water splashed on Alice.

"Kyo, wait," she called to him. Lightning flashed in the sky. RRRRRRUUUMBBBLE, came the thunder. Alice dropped her umbrella from her hands and dashed after Kyo. "WAIT! Kyo, please wait!" she shouted. Kyo turned around. The expression on his face had not changed. "Don't be so dramatic! That's just Mayura!" Alice raced toward Kyo and threw her arms around him. "Kyo! Please, it's okay! Really! She does this sourt of thing alot! I'm serious!" Alice cried into his shirt, and squeezed him tighter. Kyo looked down at Alice, feeling sorry for what he had put her through. He lifted his arms up from his side and hugged her back.

"I'm sorry. I guess that's just me to. I don't mean to hurt you." The rain started to pour, and Alice gripped Kyo tighter. "Kyo, I--I--" Alice lost her grip and her head started to burn. "I..." Alice fell over onto the ground. She inhaled and exhaled hot breaths. The sweat was dripping down her face.

"Alice!" shouted Kyo. He took off his bag and pulled out his rainjacket. Wrapping it around her, he lifted her up and ran towards his house. He barely noticed the faint glow on her arm, but he dismissed it as nothing. Kyo gripped onto her shoulders tighter, and ran down the streets. Spectators were staring to gather. Kyo finally reached his street and dashed into his house.

"Alice!" he said shaking her. "Alice! Wake up!" Walking now over to his couch he set her down. He grabbed a rag from the counter and ran the hot water. He looked back at her and saw that the air coming out of her mouth was now cold. You could see her breath. "It must've been the rain," he wandered to himself.

Pouring steaming water onto the rag, he set it gently on Alice's forhead. "Oh crap," he blushed. Alice's clothes were drenched in sweat. "Now what?" he whined. Covering his eyes with a blindfold, Kyo grabbed his pajama shirt and replaced her school uniform with it. "Good, now that's over with," he said untying the band. Kyo stared at his braclet and remembered a Lotus word he had learned. "Jiva." His stone glew and Alice's sweat and the redness in her face began to disapear.

Alice's eyes twitched and opened. "Mmh?" she muttered. Her eyes opened more wide and she turned her head to see Kyo. "Oh Kyo, I'm so glad that you're okay. I wasn't sure how you would end up when I fainted. I'm sorry to be such a burden." Alice lifted herself up. "Is it still raining?" she smiled.

"Um, uh... Alice, you can go take a bath if you want. I promise I won't peek," Kyo sputtered, his attention more focused on her sweaty state then the weather outside. Alice's face was pink, not from the fever, but from the line that came out of Mr.Dense's mouth. "I promise I won't peek."

"Sure, um...which way to the bathroom?" she murmured. Kyo pointed down the hall, blushing.

"It's the third door to the left," he said. Alice grabbed a towel off the rack in the hall next to the dorr and went in. The bath was planted into the ground. She turned the handles and watched the water pour into the bathtub. While she waited, she thought.

The mara hasn't shown in a while. I wander how long it'll stay hidden. Kyo and I both know it won't hide forever. But we try to hide that. We try to hide our feelings toward Mayura. We're still a bit scared of her. We still hope that the Mara will leave her alone. But if it does come, I know Frey will be here. Heh, Frey. I haven't seen him in awhile. It'll be nice when he comes back. He'll joke about me still being his bride. He'll try and scare Kyo away...again. Hehehe...Frey always made me laugh. It's diffrerent without him around here.

The water was near the top when Alice snapped out of her zone. "Uh-oh." She walked towards the handle and turned it off. She slid in and turned on the whirpools. The bubbles they created covered anything that certain Kyo's might try to sneak a peek at. (Even though Alice highly doubted it.)

The young girl glanced to the side of the tub where she saw a bottle of soap. She shrugged, finding no point in simply rinsing off, and squeezed the soap into her hand and began washing off her hair. It was after she had began rinsing off her hair that she realized it. It was faint, but her eyes widened nonetheless.

Nyozeka had repeatedly gone over the Lotus and Maram words with Alice, but she had never listened. It had been after she had resolved to become stronger that she had finally decided to pay attention. However, her attention had been given to Chris (much to her bunny guardian's disappointment). She had memorized a few of each word and their character, so that she would have been able to remember them should someone bearing them come along. She vaguely remembered this one, but she hoped she was wrong: the final Maram word in its alphabet, Vina. Rejection.

Alice's eyes widened. It was very faint, but it did look like the character. She rubbed on it, but nothing happened. "Oh...my...gosh..." she stuttered. Her mind went numb, at least it seemed like that. It might've been the shock, but she had a particular flashback. It wasn't even hers, but she could see part of Mayura's life. She was sitting in Kyo's aunt and uncle's resturant, and she saw Kyo in front of her.

"Kiss me," came out the words from Mayura's mouth. Kyo had a look on his face. He was going to reject her. He just sat there, averting her gaze. "Why won't you kiss me!" demanded Mayura.

"Mayura, you're still upset. Try to calm down," Kyo said soothingly.

"Don't you like me, Kyo!" Mayura cried.

"I didn't say that, it's just..." Kyo stammered.

"Just what! You guard your feelings like delicate treasures! But I hold nothing back from you! Open up to me, Kyo! Let me see who you are!" Alice's chest tightened up. Is this how Mayura felt at the time?

"Mayura it's...not that easy. What do you want me to do? I don't know...what you want from me." Alice's head started to spin, and she had an even tighter pain in her chest.

The sound of a rapping on the window came to their attention. Kyo whirled in the direction of the door to see Alice, an umbrella slung over her shoulder to keep the rain from reaching her. His eyes widened in realization.

"Alice!" he cried, making to open the door.

"But... you open up to her," Mayura's voice was quiet and malicious as the pain of rejection overtook her.

"What?"

"You let ALICE see the real you." Mayura's voice became fainter, and the agony of rejection seemed to be sweeping over her. Everything became fainter...

When Alice came to, she was back in the tub. The water had grown cold over her time in there, and she shivered. Lifting up her hands, she saw how wrinkled they had become. "I better get out," she murmured. "Alice! You've been in there forever! Are you okay?" Kyo's voice became louder as he ran down the hall.

The door slid open as Alice hopped out the tub. Kyo's face became beat red and he whirled around. "S-S-Sorry Alice!" he ran down the hall and into the family room. Alice stood still for a few minutes. She had hardly noticed Kyo's disturbance, because she had still been focusing on "her" flashback.

Was that how Mayura felt when she was rejected by Kyo? Is that the pain you went through? Alice thought as she put the p.j. shirt back on. She went out into the hall and took a seat on the couch. Should I tell Kyo? Or shouldn't I? This might be important...I don't know what to do!

Kyo walked up from behind Alice. "Hey, Alice...I've been thinking, you know how before they left, Frey, Billy, Mei Ling, and Chris all said we would get invitations all around the world to come to Lotus branches? Well, I got one from Norway, so...do you want to come with me?" Alice turned around and smiled.

"Sure." Maybe I can tell someone at the shrine there about this character. "How will we avoid school though? The semester's only just begun, and we can't just ditch it at the beginning."

Kyo said, "The Norway branch will school us so we can be up to date with the Japanese school's. I already told the principal this, and she understands."

So he was expecting me to say yes...heh. Alice smiled at Kyo. How could she deny him? "Okay, Kyo! Norway it is then!"

To be continued...