I walked down the stairs into a long wooden floored hallway. It was dark and I couldn't see much but I knew the layout almost perfectly.

I've been here before...

The air is cold and thick with tension. I breathed in and out, trying to release myself from the choking feeling these walls give me. I know this place, I swear...

Suddenly I bumped into someone in the darkness.

"I'm so sorry... Are you... Okay? " I said timidly.

I heard no answer.

When I looked up, I immediately started crying.

Though I couldn't see the person's face, I felt the same sense of kinship with the person like I did with the hallway.

I felt a hand brush against my face and I held it while smiling.

I know you.. I love you... My dear... Don't leave...

Then we were enveloped in flames. Our screams echoed through the hallway but no one came for us.

+-+-+

I sat up suddenly in bed, sweating and panting in fear.

W-What was that?

Somehow, even I was dying in the dream, I felt so happy.

I looked at my hands. I'm still alive...

Calm down, me.

I looked around at my unfamiliar surroundings and last nights events came crashing into my head.

After we went inside, Ayani took me upstairs to my new room and said I should get some rest. I changed into some of Ayani's old pajamas and crept into bed and that's the last thing I remember.

I felt the bed move a little and jumped. Looking next to me, I realized Ayani was asleep next to me.

She was tired too...

She looks so peaceful when she's sleeping... Gone is the ferocity and power she showed yesterday protecting me. I wonder what happened to make Ayani who she is. She seems to know so much about me. Even though she doesn't hide her emotions whatsoever, she has a certain sense of clandestinty about her.
She looks so fragile right now...

I brushed her cheek with my hand and she swatted it away in her sleep.

That made me giggle.

Then I had a big idea.

I started tickling her stomach and she started moving around like a worm.

I tried tickling her armpits and her eyes slowly opened.

"Suu? " she said.

I grinned and jumped up and down with excitement.

"So, you think you can tickle me and get away with it? " she said.

I nodded yes.

"Okay, that's it... You are just asking for my wrath. " she said and sat up.

I scooted away but she grabbed me around my waist and started tickling my neck.

I started laughing like crazy and fighting back but she just kept tickling me.

This continued with each of us getting tickle revenge on each other over and over.

I started tickling Ayani on her foot and she jerked back immediately, making the sheet I was on go forwards, pushing me backwards.

I would've fallen off the bed and probably injured myself if Ayani hadn't have wrapped herself around me as I fell.

When we hit the ground, Ayani was under me.

"A-Ayani?! Are you okay? " I said.

I'm so sorry... It's my fault... I shouldn't be having fun anyways... I'm so sorry...

"Suu? I'm okay, you know?"

I snapped out of it and stared at Ayani's smiling face.

She keeps hurting herself for me...

I hugged Ayani tightly, surprising both of us.

"I'm not going anywhere, Suu. " Ayani said jokingly.

"I-I know. It's just... You're important to me, Ayani. " I said.

When I let go, I saw Ayani was crying.

"Ayani? Did I say something wrong? Did I hurt you? " I said.

"No, no, nothing like that. I'm just very happy I got you out of there. " she said and got up off the floor.

I did too and she took a rubber band off her wrist and put her long brown hair up into a ponytail.

When she turned back around to look at me, her tears were gone. As if they had never been shed.

She took her glasses off the nightstand and put them on.

"Today's the real battle, Suu. I've gotta settle things with the Takagara family, Ayakashi Hall, and my boss. "

I sat down on the bed.

"But you got me out... Why do you have to settle things? " I said.

Ayani sighed and went into the closet to go change.

"You don't understand. " Ayani said.
"It's not that easy. I said that deals like this don't always go over so well. At least, I think I told you. Whatever, when it comes down to it, your freedom rides on whether your parents are willing to fight to get you back or not. "

Hmm... So basically, you kidnap someone with the kidnapees permission. If they are stolen back, then they stay. If they are kept by the kidnapper, then they stay there.

"This sounds extremely medieval. " I said.

Ayani laughed from the closet.

"I know right? But this is the best tatic the SS has for situations like yours. Usually, parents of GT children are rich and traditional. War-minded, but chivalrous. Give them a game, they'll play it. Win the game, they'll back down. " Ayani said.

This brought a question to my mind.

"Ayani... You said that your parents are both genetic throwbacks. Were they treated like me?" I said.

Silence. Then...

"Yes. Both of them. But before you ask, I'm not a part of the SS because of them. " she said and came out of the closet wearing a business like suit and tie.

She had some clothes in her hand and held them out for me to grab.

"Try these. If my old jammies fit you that well, these probably should too. " she said and threw them to me.

I caught them and started to take off my pajamas.

"Whoa! Whoa! Stop! " Ayani shouted and I stopped.

"What's wrong? " I said.

Ayani's face was bright right and she was trying to hide it.

"Umm... See... Don't change in front of me!"

"Why? "

"Well.... "

"Why? "

"Just don't! "

"We're both girls... Or did I do something weird again? I'm sorry, I-"

"It's nothing like that. I-I'll just turn around. Continue." Ayani said and turned around stiffly.

I wonder... Does Ayani have a fear of getting undressed? But she was just fine changing her own... Maybe it only activates around other people?

Hmm... This social interaction thingy is complicated. Understanding how others think, I'm really good at that. My problem is understanding how people feel.

I changed into the black tights, white skirt, and black and white sweater as quickly as I could so Ayani wouldn't be scared anymore.

"I'm done. " I said and she turned around and smiled.

"They look awesome on you! I knew it. Black and white are your colors. " she said.

I blushed.

It looks that good on me?

"Really? " I said.

"Really. You look absolutely gorgeous. " Ayani said and brushed a hand on my cheek.

I froze, remembering my dream.

I looked into Ayani's emerald green eyes.

Why does my heart beat so fast when she touches my skin? Why is she giving me that amazing expression? Graceful, blushing, a little sad, very happy, and most importantly - loving.

It like she's...

Knock. Knock.

We both snapped out of it and Ayani answered the door with a gun in her hand while I hid behind her.

Creak....

The door opened up and Ayani put her gun down.

"Ayani, why did you do it? Hey, wait, is this the girl?!" a tall man with black hair said.

I studied him quickly, writing down notes on him in my head.

Pressed suit, very well ironed. A bowtie shows he's either getting married, eccentric, or doing stand up comedian work. His bread is shaven clean and his mustache is well groomed. His hair slicked back with an enormous amount of hair gel. Dimples. Sly smile. Loafers. Golden watch.

My deduction : either a con artist or a boss you want to get fired.

"She's not "the girl". Her name's Suu. " Ayani said.

The man stepped into our room and slammed a pile of papers on a table in the connected kitchen.

"50 pages! 50 pages of paperwork I had to do because you went an broke every rule! "

Ayani balled up her fists and tried to calm herself down. It didn't work.

"So what if I broke every rule in the non existent book! They had her locked up in a room all by herself! "

"But you kidnapped her! "

"She's skin and bones, Shou! "

"That doesn't give you the right to kidnap her! "

"Then what was I supposed to do, huh? Leave her there?"

"No, you were supposed to follow protocol-"

"They literally ordered the maids not to even acknowledge her existence! "

"This is the problem with you, Ayani! You get too emotionally attached! This is a mission! She's an objective, not your friend! "

"She's a human! Flesh and blood and bone. She has feelings, thoughts, needs, wants, hates, loves, desires, memories - everything! And you're telling me that I should've devalued her in a mission that involves rescuing her? That's idiotic. It's like telling someone their family member died and expecting them not to cry. "

"That's what you signed up for. "

"I didn't sign up for Bitch 101, thank you. I'm not made out of steel, and I can't do much for the SS as a human, but at least I have feelings! So, sort things out and deal with it! I started this, I know, but you agreed to be the one to end it, remember? "

The man stopped talking and Ayani grabbed him by his shoulders and dragged him out the door and shut it with a slam.

"Ahhhh! " she screamed into the wall and sat down on the floor.

She's really shaken up... I didn't really help. I stayed quiet the whole time he was here and Ayani fought for me without hesitation in her words.

I sat down beside her and hugged her.

"I try so hard, Suu... But Shou, everybody at SS... Thinks I'm worthless. And they're probably right. I let my emotions rule me and override logic and reason. I jeopardize my missions and I make fatal mistakes all the time. The only reason I'm still a part of the SS is my parent's reputation. But that won't keep saving my ass forever. " Ayani said, letting everything out.

I think... Ayani is really strong, not just in body, but in her mind as well. A type of strength that is a diamond in a dull stone. People are just so impatient, they never spend enough time to see the inside of the stone. That's what I infer from Ayani's situation.

"I think you're strong. " I said.

She looked at me with a smile.

"Thanks, Suu. I think we should get going. I can't let one argument with Shou get me down. " she said and we both got up.

Ayani opened the door and questions ran through my head instantly.

Is this okay? Will the people here like me? Will I like them? What's gonna happen?

"Suu? "

I blinked and I was looking at the inside of a regular hallway.

"You did that back at your old place. I didn't think much of it then but... Suu, do you have a fear of opening doors? " Ayani said.

Doors are the gateway to the unknown for me. I'm sure that after a while I'll get used to what's outside of this door but right now, everything is new. I'm scared of new things to put it bluntly. I've spent my entire life with not much change - I've become desensitized to life in a way.

"I'm afraid of... Different things." I said.

"Well, that's understandable. " Ayani said and walked out into the hallway.

"It is? "

Ayani bit her lip then leaned against the wall like she was trying to explain something but couldn't find the exact words for what she wanted to say.

"You're used to yourself. It's hard for you to understand how things work, feelings feel, changes change. I think... Your fears will go away over time. But that depends on whether you're brave enough to take the first step. " she said and held a hand out to me.

"Wanna walk with me? "

I nodded my head yes and took her hand.

+-+-+

Ayani escorted me to a table in the lobby of Ayakashi Hall and got me some breakfast to eat.

I sat down and took a bite of something strange looking.
It has a nice salty flavor and my tastebuds nearly drown in happiness.

"What is this? " I said and scarfed down more.

"You've never had rice balls!" Ayani shouted.

I flinched.

"No... Are they common? "

She gave me a duh look.

"Very. What did your parents feed you anyways? "

"Toast. Sometimes waffles. Usually toast. " I said.

"Cheap asses." Ayani said.

I noticed I was the only one eating breakfast.

"Isn't a lobby supposed to be busy? " I said.

All the chairs and tables were empty.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you! We're early! Today's the day when we rearrange the rooms and add new members. Don't worry - we're keeping our room but everyone's out getting ready so it'll be a while till you see anymore people."

"Oh. "

I was both relieved and disappointed at that.

"Which reminds me... I have some stuff I have to go do today. Will you be okay by yourself for a little while? " Ayani said.

I really want her to stay... But learning how to function by myself is a necessity if I want to live my life the way I want to. I can't use Ayani as my crutch and I can't hold her back. She saved me... I don't want to become a burden to her.

"I'll be fine. " I said.

"You sure? "

"Don't worry about me." I said and smiled.

She relaxed and pulled a small device out of her pocket and handed it to me.

"Push the red button on this if you're in any kind of trouble. And I promise, I'll be here as quick as I can. "

I held it close to my chest.

It's like I've received a gift from Ayani. That makes me really happy.

"I'll cherish it. " I said and she laughed.

"I don't think you'll ever say something that bores me. " Ayani said and walked over to the front door.

She waved to me goodbye and then left.