Sora

Sora cleared his throat to swallow the laughter that was building up in his throat, "I wasn't laughing...", He said, struggling to keep a straight face.

Do you feel any better?

Sora looked back to Ana, "Y-yeah...The scratches have probably started to heal. My body has always been able to heal small injuries faster than even most Hybrids. Whether that makes me weird or unique is a different story altogether..." He placed his hand on his chest, to gauge how much pain he was still in. A bit, but getting there. His eyes moved from the earthbound angel to the clock, "Hey, it's getting quite close to lunchtime..." He had definitely slept for a while...

"Oh?" Anastaisa said in surprise, her gaze following Sora's eyes to find the clock. It was later than she thought it had become. She wondered how long she had slept in the tree, or if time was just moving faster lately. She could not decide the answer. "Are you getting hungry? I could warm something up. Maybe Minako is getting hungry too? Where is she?" she questioned, wondering what the Inu could have had for breakfast.

Naoya looked up when Ana asked where Minako was. He had brought the Inu into the house when it had started raining and she was still asleep where he had left her: curled up in an armchair with a blanket draped over her. She looked adorable like that, and he almost reached for his sketchbook, so he could capture the image...then he remembered his injury...he wouldn't be drawing again for a long time...the thought depressed him, and he sighed. This was going to be difficult.
"She's over there. I brought her in when she fell asleep. She needs it, I think.", he explained, with a slightly sad tone in his voice. This was gonna be a long month, if he couldn't even go half an hour without wanting to draw...How was he going to cope until he healed?

Anastasia looked to where Naoya motioned and sure enough the Inu was sound asleep. "Oh, well I don't want to wake her. Maybe if I start warming some things up she will smell them and decide if she wants to wake up or not." Anastasia nodded to herself, settle on that was a good plan. Her gaze flickered to Naoya, frowning at his distress as she noticed his hand twitching. Drawing was his comfort. She chewed on her lip, trying to consider some other activity the Neko would enjoy. Failing to think of anything at the moment, she went into the kitchen and began warming up the oven to reheat the left overs.

Sora noticed Naoya sadden when he looked to Minako, probably because of his wrist. Then an idea came to his head, "Why don't you try and teach yourself to draw with your other hand? Even if the drawings don't come out as good as your normal drawings, at least you won't be tearing your hair out bored..." Sora tried to sit up a little but knew that his body had other ideas so he let himself drop back onto the sofa gently...

Naoya instantly brightened at Sora's idea. If he could still draw to some extent, he certainly wouldn't be as stressed out. Although the fact that the pictures wouldn't be as good might actually stress him out even more...While he pondered this he noticed Sora try to sit up, and he felt that he should help. But that might cause even more damage...
Screw it. I'm helping. he decided as he went over and helped the Kitsune sit up. If anything, it would save Ana the trouble, though she might not like the fact that Naoya had risked damaging his wrist even more.
"I'll try that...though it might frustrate me even more if the drawings are crap. It's a good idea though.", he said, giving the Kitsune a small smile. It was kind of forced though, lifting Sora had made his wrist hurt again, despite the painkillers that Ana had given him. He had barely moved it though, it just proved how much damage there was. Naoya was good at hiding pain though, so that's what he did. He didn't want to make the others worry.

Sora was thankful for Naoya's help, but he managed to catch a quick look of pain, so, without it being obvious, said 'sorry' with his eyes. Before he could speak, he caught a flash out the side of his eye. He knew what was about to happen, so he flattened his ears against his head to block out as much noise as possible. Before Naoya had realised and done the same, the clap of thunder reached them. Both Naoya and (the now awake) Minako had their hands on their ears out of fear...

Naoya let out a quiet whimper when the thunder hit, he really hated storms. Really really really hated them...He was aware that Minako had woke up, and that she was huddled into him, obviously just as terrified as he was. "Make it stop...", he whined as another crash of thunder hit. Storms. Are. Bad. Things.

((This has to be my shortest post...Ever.))

Anastasia sighed and looked into the bowl of batter that she was mixing. Everyone seemed so stressed out that she thought the chocolate delights might be able to calm everyone's nerves. In her focus, she did not realize the ominous cloud that floated outside. At the crack, she shrieked once and dropped the metal mixing bowl of batter that she had been in the process of carrying over to the stove. Her eyes widened slightly as her body involuntary froze at the second crack. Thunder was not her friend. As a child, Anastasia had snuck out of the house as a child only to a trapped in the woods by such a storm. Although it had only taken an hour or two for her father to find the girl huddles underneath a bush, it had mentally frightened the child to such a degree that she became paralyzed at the slightest sound. She covered her ears and sank down to the floor, attempting to block out the disturbing sounds with her hands and humming. As usual, it failed.

Sora

Sora got more of a fright from Ana's shriek than the thunder outside. Apparently he was the only one that wasn't scared of storms. Then another person entered his mind, "Jean-Paul...Can you come up here please?" He shouted to the man that seemed to be very busy working away in the basement. Sora just hoped that he knew how to calm Ana down, at least.

He forced himself to stand, thankful more to Naoya for helping him up. He grabbed a blanket and draped it over both Naoya and Minako in an attempt to help them 'hide' from the storm. He then attempted to move to Ana, but collapsed against the sofa under his own weight. He let out a sigh and a pained called to Ana...

Minako

Both she and Naoya were scared. Very much so. Minako heard a seemingly distant shriek, that might as could have been right next to her or a few miles away, as far as she could tell. She felt a blanket be draped over her shoulders. She looked up briefly to see the Kitsune limping away towards the kitchen area, probably towards Ana. She didn't see what happened next thanks to another clap of thunder, which caused her to cower beneath the blanket...

Jean-Paul hurried upstairs and the call of Sora. In the basement he had been unable to hear the storm. "Ana," he called out, reaching the kitchen and seeing his fearful daughter. "Ana, it's all right. The storm can't hurt you now. It's just sounds."

Ana looked up and nodded. She hated the sounds, but he was right. It could not hurt her, not with so many people around her that cared for her. Her ears perked, the sound of Sora's voice calling out softly. She scooted away from her father and returned to the main room only to find Naoya and Minako in a worse condition than she was. Her attention was drawn back to Sora. "What did you do?" she asked, rushing to his side and sitting beside him on the couch. "You should not be moving. Oh Sora, I don't know what to do with you..."

At another crack of thunder, Anastasia gasped and covered her face, cowering into his chest softly so that not to hurt him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be afraid... But I am.. I sorry," she whimpered softly, closing her eyes tightly.

Yuko had somehow fallen asleep on the couch. Suddenly she was awaken by the crash of thunder. Soon after her mobile phone rang. "Hello? Yuko Takekage speaking." She said. Then a male voice said: "Yes, this is the district superintendent Kamasawa. I am here to bring some grave news. It seems that our politicians have taken a step backwards in hybrid rights. They have brought a large bill through, concerning the rights of the hybrids..." "Get to the point!" Yuko said upset by the bad news. Then the superintendent continued: "Hybrids will now go to separate schools from humans. Civil servants and other officials of hybrid origin will be laid off unless they work at hybrid schools or hybrid hospitals. Hybrids will be assigned special seats in public transportation. And the hybrid foster program has been cancelled. Humans are no longer eligible to adopt orphaned hybrids and hybrid minors who have parents will have to live with their parents even if they are poor. Your identity as a hybrid is known, but since you were a good contributor to the government and are somewhat influential, the policy makers are willing to look the other way, if you change to a hybrid school. I would give you the principal position at the local high school for hybrids." "SO THEY ARE GOING TO SACRIFICE FIVE YEARS OF MY WORK JUST TO STAB ME IN THE BACK! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!" Yuko yelled over the phone. The superintendent tried to calm her: "Please Miss Takekage, calm down. They are willing to allow you into the educational board and offer you a position as the prefectural minister of education in the next elections." "Let me think about it." Yuko said and hung up.

"I will show them how influential I can be. They will see when they all die in mysterious ways." Yuko mumbled as she was putting her phone away. Ever since college, she worked towards hybrid rights and what happened? They fell back to where they were 40 years ago. She wouldn't let them get away with this, even if she had to kill every politician and every policeman who stood in her way. She sat there and started to cry. It was truly depressing that her life's work was ruined within a single political decision.

Anastasia cowered into Sora's chest, nervous by the thunder which was only added to by Yuko's outburst. She blinked softly and clutched Sora's shirt, pulling herself up slightly to look at him. "I'm registered as a human... What if they try to separate us? And Naoya, and Minako?" she whimpered. "No, I won't let that happen. I won't let them take you from me, I won't! There must be something to make them realize that hybrids are no different than humans. Oh, Sora, I'm scared," she said softly, resting her head upon his shoulder. By this point, she had forgotten about the thunder completely.

Out of a sudden whim, Anastasia cupped his cheek delicately with her hand and kiss him at last, the moment both had been waiting for. "Thank you for being my friend, Sora. It means so much to me. I'm sorry you were hurt to protect me, and I'm sorry I caused Naoya's wrist to break, but I'm glad I met you." Another crack of thunder sent a ripple down her spine, but Anastasia returned this with a smile. "I feel foolish. I know with you, I will be safe. Besides, thunder and lighting aren't so frightening." She chuckled to herself and rose from the seat, slowly drifting toward Naoya and Minako huddled beneath the blanket. "Naoya, Minako, it won't hurt you, I promise. I won't let it hurt you. Won't you please come out?"she cooed to the frightened Hybrids with her hand stretched out. Her attempt of comfort was cut short by a loud bang on the door. Anastasia turned and gasped as it was kicked open and a man covered in black cloth entered with guns. She stepped back, her eyes wide in fright.

"De'Lorin residence, we here-by charge you with harboring a hybrid teenager by the name of Sora Isobe. He is to be released into our custody immediately as the Guardian program as now been terminated." The man looked around, surprised by the excess of Hybrids in the room. "You there, you must come with us also."

Anastasia's mouth dropped in horror. "No, please. Don't hurt them," she cried, stepping closer to the man.

The man shook his head, a flicker of sorrow crossing his eyes. "Sorry kid, but orders are orders. Just stay quiet and you won't get hurt.It's not you that we want, you should be glad that you are human and not one of those filthy creatures."

Anastasia continued her protest. "No, please, sir! They are my friends. And I am not a human," she said, her voice strangely calm as she pulled off her sweater, leaving only a camisole on beneath. Soft white wings, larger than before, fluttered behind her back. The man's eyes grew wide at the sight of the girl. "I beg you, do not harm them."

The man stepped back, crossing himself as he did so. Unsure of what to do as he feared what the girl could be with such pure wings, he raised the gun towards Anastasia. Guilt flooded the man. "Stay back," he cried. Anastasia remained mute, her ocean eyes focused on the man. There was a rustle from the room, a movement from someone attempting to fix the situation.

The gunman panicked and aimed his weapon into the room.

There was a flutter.

There was a bang.

There was a silence that could kill.

Anastasia gasped for air, her mouth open and closing in a futile protest as white feathers were forever dyed crimson. "Oh god, oh god, oh god. . . " Panicking, the man attempted to run from the house, tears streaming from his eyes. He was not a killer, not had he killed before. He simply had bad luck.

With wide eyes, Anastasia slowly fell forward onto her knees as her legs could no longer support her weight. She could feel no pain as a soft hum filled her ears; it reminded her of the crickets' chirps in the French countryside. The room felt silent and cold. She coughed into her hand, blood pooling into her palm as she did so. No tears entered her eyes, as she felt her surrounding dull. With empty, unseeing eyes, Anastasia turned toward the vibration of rough footsteps and smiled. She had succeeded. One life for another. Slowly she reached up to her neck and unclasped the golden wings handed down from generation to generation and placed it gently on the ground. "Keep this safe for me," she whispered, not a trace of sorrow or regret evident inside her voice. She smiled again as her body convulsed and she coughed, collapsing to the group. It was here she would sleep-- and perchance to dream-- forever more. So it goes.
~RainWish

Yuko had seen what had happened and went after the man. She grabbed him and threw him against the outer house wall. "You have comitted a murder. Hybrid or not. A murder is a murder. You are under my jurisdiction now." Yuko said. The man gasped as he saw Yukos face. He remembered her face and the connections she had with the government. He saw the angry creator of the hybrid foster system who happened to take a job as a teacher after leaving the ministry. "You know I am one of them! You didnt expect that did you? I am even willing to take out politicians to bring back equal rights for hybrids." Yuko then took out a pair of handcuffs she had on her and cuffed him to a pole. "I will come back for you!" Yuko then attended Ana. She first called the ambulance. "Ana stay with me!" She said and tried to stop her wound with a cloth. She would even hold a doctor at gunpoint to save Ana.

Naoya had peeked out from under the blanket at Ana's request, and as such saw the whole thing. The man...the gun...Ana...The man, he was still outside, wasn't he? But he couldn't do that, not even for Ana...she wouldn't like that. Instead, he went to her side, while Yuko tried to stop the bleeding. His mother had died the same way, and he was glad that, this time, someone was helping.
"Ana...come on, stay with me...Please, please Ana...don't leave us...don't leave me...or Sora, or anyone...", he pleaded, knowing somehow that it was useless. She was already gone. His angel was gone. Like everyone else. Yet Ana had died to save them, why? Saving Sora, or Minako, yes, but he should have done what Ana did, he should have realised what was going on and taken the bullet. Ana would still be here, still alive. Sure he would be dead, but was that really such a bad thing? He deserved it, in a way. All he had done was cause Ana pain. But Ana had done this for them, it would be selfish to throw that away...