"Shit!" Mayako cursed as the knife slowly came down at her, her arms weren't going to make it in time "Shit, I'm going to die..." she thought as the knife grew closer Mayako shut her eyes and waited but, she heard something zoom past her then a scream fallowed by a shout of pain. Mayako opened her eyes and couldn't believe what she was seeing, Arita was standing before her he had the thug by the throat and was chocking the life out of him, "Let me go please!" the thug begged in chocked breathes Arita growled, he squeezed harder on the thugs throat. The thug gagged, he still had the knife gripped tightly in his hand, his arm shot up and quickly came down "Arita!" Mayako shouted Arita clicked his tounge and threw his arm in front of him the knife stuck into his arm Arita had a pained look on his face but,he endured it the thugs hand loosened from the knife handle and fell to his side.

"Arita!" Mayako shouted and she rushed over to him, she pulled the knife out his arm and ispected the wound she sighed in relief when she saw the knife hadn't gone that deep she then heard the thug gagging harder she looked and saw that Arita was tightening his grip on his throat. The thug had tears rolling down his face, his eyes were turning red, his eyes drifted to Mayako, they seemed to be calling out for help that combined with the constant gagging made Mayako grumbled. "Arita! Let him go! Your killing him!" Arita didn't even budge, it was like he was in his own world, "Arita! Do you here me! Stop!" again nothing happened, Mayako growled and she looked at Arita she was about to yell at him to stop until she saw the look of utter rage on his face. It was no question about it, Mayako was scared of Arita, his face contorted in rage paired with the gutterel growl coming from him.

Mayako felt she wasn't looking at Arita but, at a monster, Mayako growled "I said let him go god damnit!" she then layed a loud smack of a slap across his face, his head slowly turned back and he eyed her, when he saw the angry look on Mayako's face the rage on his face vanished and was replaced with that of relief. "Mayako, your okay" he smiled Mayako grumbled "Yes yes! Now's not the time for that you need to let him go!" Arita raised and eyebrow "Let him go?" Arita soon felt the weight in his hand, he looked and gasped in surprise when he saw the thug gagging and gasing for breath. Arita dropped the thug to the ground and he preceeded to hack and wheeze as air filled his lungs once more, "What the hell?" Arita seemed to be put off by what he had seen "What the hell happened?" Mayako clicked her tounge "That's what I want to know!" Arita looked at Mayako and then at his hand that was around the thugs throat.

As he stared at his hand it slowly came back to him, "I was checking the big guy, I heard you shout, I looked back and I saw the bastard coming at you with a knife.." Arita looked at Mayako "I...I saw that you wouldn't be able to defend yourself, I don't know what came over me, by the time I knew it I was up and running towards you" at that moment it all came to him. Arita gritted his teeth as he remebered it all, "I didn't want to see you die, I didn't want him taking you away from me" he clenched his fist "I got angry, I blacked out, the next thing I know you slap me across the face and I'm chocking the life out of the bastard" he looked at the thug who was breathing regularly. Mayako's face softened "Arita", Arita looked at her "I didn't want to lose you" out of nowhere he grabbed Mayako in a hug, "I'm so glad I made it in time!" Mayako gasped "A-Arita!" her face turned red.

She tried to wrench herself free but Arita would hug her tighter, Mayako had no idea why, but for some odd reason she liked having Arita hold her, it sent her heart pounding having him hold her so tight her face grew redder, but, then something crossed her mind, Keishi. Mayako snapped out of it and started pushing Arita "Okay! Okay! Let me go!" Arita gasped and he turned red when he realized her was hugging Mayako "Sorry! he let her go and turned his back to her Mayako sighed "It's alright, I don't mind" Arita looked back "Re-really?" Mayako nodded "Yeah" she smiled. Wait? What was going on, she should't be alright with Arita hugging her like that, she had Keishi yet, why did it feel so good to have Arita wrap his arms around her, why was her heart still pounding? Arita could see the distressed look on Mayako's face, "Hey, you okay?" Arita touched her shoulder which made Mayako jump.

She saw the concerned look on his face and her face flushed red "Yeah, I'm okay", what the hell was she doing? Why was she blushing at just his touch? Arita smiled, that sent Mayako's heart pounding she didn't understand, why was her heart pounding as she looked at Arita's relieved smile? Mayako's mind was and heart was a warzone, two names were fighting for a place, Keishi and Arita. Arita was about to say something when suddenly they heard a shout ring out "Attention citizens!" a look of surprise came to their faces, "We are with the Elder Council!" Mayako and Arita cursed at the same time "We are on the search for a certain monster" Mayako gritted her teeth. "Monster..." she whispered, Arita grumbled "Let's go" Mayako looked at Arita he could see the anger in her eyes "I know, you want to go beat their asses" Mayako's face showed that Arita was right "But, we have no idea how strong they are or how many there is" Mayako groaned, she hated to admit it but Arita was right.

Mayako sighed, "Alright, lets get out of here" Arita smiled but it was soon erased by what they heard next, "We got word that the monster was in this town and have operitives surrounding the town!" Arita grumbled "Surrounded..." he muttered, "What are we going to do?" Arita saw the concerned look on Mayako's face. Then they heard the worst thing they could hear, "The Elder Council is willing to reward anyone who presents the monster, here is what it looks like!" Mayako growled she knew that would get the townspeople to look for her, Arita grumbled "We have to hide! Fast!" in a flash Arita took hold of Mayako's wrist and started running leaving her no time to grab her duffle bag she had thrown to the ground, "Woah! Arita wait!?" Mayako shouted as she tried to stay upright. Arita ran down the street pulling Mayako with him, he was looking everywhere for somewhere to hide in so that they could come up with a plan he saw an old house that didn't seem to have anyone living in it he gave a smirk.

He ran over to it and he busted open the door, he threw Mayako inside and he shut the door and started to look for things to block the windows as he did this Mayako was panicking, "What are we going to do! The whole town saw us! They know what we look like!" Mayako started to tap her foot. Arita was busy looking for things to block the windows as he did he spoke "Don't worry, we'll hide here and come up with a plan" Arita found some old pieces of wood and had fixed them in the windows. Mayako groaned nervously, "But Arita, what if they find us, I don't want the Elder Council to get me!" Arita turned to Mayako,a serious look on his face, "Don't worry, I'm not going to let them take you!" Arita pointed his thumb at his heart "I promise, I'll get us out of here, I'm not going to let the Elder Council have you as long as I live!" Mayako blushed.

There it was again, the same feeling she had earlier, that she wanted Arita to protect her, something was telling her that Arita would keep her safe but, Keishi entered her mind, what was going on with her? Mayako unconciously nodded, "Alright, what's our plan?" Arita smiled but then his smile tunred to pain, he held his arm that he had gotten stabbed in. "You okay?" Arita heard Mayako say, he looked and she was looking at him concerned "Yeah, I guess my adreniline wore off, I'm starting to feel the pain" great, not only were they in a town surrounded by Elder Council operarives but Arita was also hurt "We better come up with a really good plan" Mayako said to herelf. [Ch.22 Part 3 END]