I am drowning in this pouring rain which chokes me Bringing dark clouds upon my sanity

A chill that breaks my bones and steals my soul Where is the smallest of light to penetrate me To lift this doom, gloom and boom

Electricity like a lightning bolt Tearing through my brain with pain Shocking me and shocking me I feel I could be reaching insanity

Dark shadows are following me Mocking me everywhere I turn Do they want me in an early grave? To torment me more for all eternity With unlimited uncertainty

The irrational mistrusting voice codes I hear Disturbs the chance for peace of mind Believing all the things it tells me Becoming my one and true reality

Kyoya was off in the bushes the path, investigating an unexpected autumn flower, when Benkei and Demure gave a little gasp, Nile widened his eyes in a little shock and Bones said, "Well, well, well, look who it is."

"Tch." Kyoya glanced at Bones and Nile.

"Madoka and Ryuga. How nice."

Team Wild Fang had been hurring back to B-pit from an afternoon stroll around the lake. They had lost track of time, and the wind was already picking up, building towards the dark clouds scheduled for later today. The other pair had just come into view around a bend in the forest path, coming in the opposite direction. As they drew near, the wind shifted, and a scent stronger than that of the wet leaves decaying along the path drifted over Team Wild Fang, as if Froggy Bottom Bog were just around the bend.

"Hey, Madoka..." Benkei said. The corner of Madoka's mouth turned upwards at Benkei's words, tearing tiny cracks in the unbending lips. "Out in this damp wind, without so much as a scarf? Aren't you..." He trailed off. Madoka looked down and slowly shook her head.

"Cold, you say?" Ryuga asked. "It's not a problem, I assure you! Madoka Amano is an all weather girl now. Aren't you, Amano?" He stroked her brown hair, and a few fingers off the end of her googles. She shook it out slowly, and the bits of ice tinkled onto the path at her feet. She smiled again, her lips rising higher then before, and the cloudiness in her eyes cleared slightly as she leaned up against Ryuga's shoulder.

"Just a little game we play." Ryuga said, patting her on the head. "We've had to find some new ways to play together since... the accident." He paused Uncharacteristcally, his usually-animated features drooping like soft clay into a stare molded by an amateur potter. He lifted his hands from Madoka's head and clenched it absently. For just a moment his face betrayed the centuries behind it.

"But I gotta say," he resumed, his eyes lighting up again, "I think we're coming along quite well, just quite well. That's what you were going to ask, isn't it?"

Kyoya growled quietly, which had fallen open as she stared deeply at Madoka.

"Yes, of course!" Demure said hastily. "You took the words right out of my mouth."

Ryuga smirked, peering into Kyoya's face. "Why are you wrinkling your nose like that? Brimstone on my breath again? You know you can tell me. We're buddies now!"

"Nothing!" Demure said, pulled Kyoya away. "He wasn't wrinkling, we were sniffing!" He inhaled through his nose. "I love the smell of autumn leaves! After we've shaken them from the trees and they lay in the lanes, moulder-um, changing color-I mean-" He stopped, smiled widely, took another deep breath, and gagged.

"Forgive me, Madoka Amano. You are so right." Ryuga took a deep breath, seemingly oblivious to the smell, and sighed contentedly. "Amano has taught me to love the fall! A time for digging burroes, stocking up food. Fattening up." He grasped his waist with both arms and began to draw in a huge breath. As he did his midline began to balloon out, pushing Team Wild Fang away, until he looked like a zeppelin. Then he bent over unceremoniously and the air burst out the other end, sending him whipping around them like a balloon until he drifted back to the ground next to Madoka.

He put an arm around her and continued as if nothing at all had happened. "Madoka Amano calls it cozy season. I like that." He turned to look down and wink at the mechanic. "Let's go get warm, Amano."

Madoka turned her head slowly and looked up at Ryuga with unblinking eyes. He offered her his arm, and she draped one arm over it.

"Until we meet again, Tategami." Ryuga called. The pair walked off, Madoka's slow, jerky gait matched to his usual ungainly waddle.

Team Wild Fang watched wordlessly until Kyoya lay down on the grass and whispered, "I can't take this much longer."

Out of nowhere, Demure walked slowly pass the three teammates, who seemed only mildly startled at this flaunting of the laws of time and space. "But they make such a cute couple." He turned to watch their silhouettes shrink. "See how she leans up against his neck?"

Kyoya stared at the dark clouds silently.

"Kyoya, come on," Benkei said. "If she didn't, well, she'd ... she'd..."

"She'd fall like a rotten flower." Kyoya finished.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Bones said. "How can she be rotten when she's so sweet?"

Kyoya chuckled a little. "All I'm saying," he replied, "is she just not the same since she died."

Thank You For Reading.

Goodbye.

- Lily Eclipse