part 6

New characters: Janne Da Arc, all of Raphael

(I, as the author, would like to personally apologize for Yasu's behavior. He's just been a little stressed lately.--Matrim)

***********

Friday, April 7 7:00 pm (television studio--backstage)

Shinya stared glumly at his makeup case. Manami was missing all week and there had been no task on Monday. Ordinarily, he'd have been overjoyed but this time he was worried. Was this it? Did Manami leave already? He was done? He glanced at Kyo. That was really impolite to leave and not say goodbye to him, Kyo, Toshiya, Kaoru, and Die. He stood and began to pace a little while limping. That gash on his leg was still healing. Maybe the angel was in trouble. He sighed.

"Shin-chan," Toshiya said, "Sit down, you're making me nervous."

Shinya did so but after a few seconds, stood up again to pace.

"Daijyobuka?" Kaoru asked. Shinya nodded hastily. Toshiya glanced at him again, stood up, grabbed his hand and dragged him out into the hall.

"What's going on?"

"Manami has been missing all week and I didn't get a task on Monday." Shinya replied.

"Maybe that was your last one. Maybe she left."

Shinya shook his head, "No. I still have a couple left."

"One left, right? Last week, you had two."

"I don't think God counts that as two. I think that counts as one."

"Maybe you should ask Kyo if she's staying over at his place." Toshiya said and Shinya rushed back into the dressing room. He tapped the singer on the shoulder.

"Nani?"

"Is Manami staying over at your place? I haven't seen her all week!"

Kyo placed his eyeliner down on the counter, "No. I thought she was avoiding me." He looked at Shinya's face, "Is there something wrong? Are you saying she's in trouble?"

Shinya shrugged, "I really can't say! I haven't seen her all week!"

"Does she have a phone?"

"No."

Toshiya shook his head, "Probably the only one in Japan who doesn't have mobile phone."

Kyo had a distant look on his face, "What if she's hurt? At the bottom of ditch with a broken leg and she's crying and no one can hear her! 'Tasukete! Oh, help! Kyo--'"

He came back to himself to see all of his band members staring at him with the kind of look that says, "Please get a life before you hurt yourself."

"Sorry."

"I don't think you should worry, Shin-chan," Kaoru said as he stood to join Toshiya. "She's old enough and besides, I don't think she gets into trouble."

"If she's anything like her cousin, I'd be worried," Die said.

Shinya turned to give him a look, "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." He said with a teasing tone but Shinya wasn't in the mood to tease back.

A producer came in, "Five more minutes and you're on." They nodded and he left. The door opened again and Manami stood there with her every present reflective blue sunglasses.

Kyo, Die, Toshiya and Shinya breathed a collective sigh of relief. "See, I told you not to worry about her." Kaoru said with a smile of satisfaction. Toshiya, Die and Shinya ran and hustled her off into the hall. Kaoru and Kyo looked at each other confused. "I'll see what's going on," he said and ran after them.

"Manami," Shinya said, worriedly, "I have a problem! I didn't get a task this week!"

Die looked at him, "You didn't get a task this week?"

Toshiya explained, "Maybe it's because Manami was missing all week that the task didn't come. Maybe whoever was giving it sensed that the angel was missing and didn't want to give it to Shinya because Manami wasn't there to explain it to him."

"I really think that you should tell me what's going on," said a new voice and they all looked at Kaoru who looked slightly annoyed and curious. "You've been acting wierd for the past five weeks."

"Can I tell him, Manami?" She nodded.

They looked at Kaoru then dragged him off to a more remote part of the hall. "Okay." Die, Shinya, Toshiya and Manami looked at him again and said in chorus, "Promise you won't think he's nuts?"

Kaoru sighed. "Okay."

"Say it." They said.

"I promise I won't think Shinya's nuts."

"Okay." Shinya took a deep breath, "Manami here isn't my cousin. She's an angel. My guardian angel. And she says that I have to perform certain tasks by an appointed time and day or I die. Instantly."

Kaoru took a deep breath, looked Toshiya, Die, Manami and Shinya then said, "You sound pretty serious, so I'm going to be supportive here."

"Hey, that's what I said," Die and Toshiya said.

"But why are you getting all these tasks, Shinya?"

"I--I--why am I getting all these tasks?" He asked Manami.

Manami replied, "God says you have to fix your life before he has a tragedy on his hands. That's all I can say for now." She looked sad for a second as she examined her scars.

"So, what's the problem?"

"I didn't get a task this week. I usually get them on a Monday."

"I don't know what went wrong," Manami said, "You should've gotten one."

"Sumimasen?" came a voice interrupting their conversation. A young secretary stood there with a white envelope in her hands. "I have message for Shinya of Dir en Grey."

Manami,Die,Toshiya,and Kaoru ran and Shinya limped towards her and snatched it out of her hand. They fought over the envelope until Shinya yanked it away from everyone and glared at them to back off. The secretary (suitably freaked) ran away.

"What's it say?" asked Die.

"By 10:00 p.m., Shinya must make the correct decision or he dies." he read. "That's really cutting it close!"

"Oh, we can do it!" Manami said, airily.

"Make the correct decision?" Kaoru asked.

"Doesn't Shinya always make the correct decision? He's thoughtful." Die remarked.

"Really? Then how'd he end up with you?" Toshiya asked.

Die glared at him, "You should talk. You were lucky Kaoru tamed you long enough to--"

Toshiya leaned in, smiled flirtatiously, and brushed Die's lips with his fingers, "Who said I was tame?"

Shinya reached over without taking his eyes off the message and pulled Toshiya away from Die. Kaoru shook his head as Toshiya giggled. Kyo popped out of the dressing room just as the producer came. "Okay, you guys are on. When they announce your name--"

"Yeah, yeah, we know--we go onstage," Die waved him away and Kaoru shook his head as Die's bad manners. "Oi, Shin-chan put that away. We've got to make an appearance."

Shinya gave the message to Manami who shoved it in her pocket.

*********

7:30 pm

Die stared at the back of Ka-yu's head and played with the fingers of Shinya's left hand. Toshiya bounced around in his seat, Kaoru behaved as usual and Kyo tried not to fall asleep. Shinya turned around to have a brief conversation with Yukito from Raphael about his skateboard and about forgetting it and then it ended by Yukito saying that he could wait, he was patient. Boring was the word that ran circles in Die's head. He took Shinya's left hand by the wrist and shook it. It flapped around lazily and Die took a look at its owner. Shinya stared at him with an eyebrow raised. "Are you enjoying yourself?" The drummer mouthed.

"Not half as much as I'd like to," Die replied in the same manner. He let go Shinya's wrist and caught his hand by the palm. He pressed the back of Shinya's hand against his cheek and smiled at Shinya, who tried not to smile. He kissed it and Shinya bit his lip but a giggle escaped. Shinya shook his hand to get Die off but he held on. He wove the fingers of his right hand in Shinya's. "A perfect fit," he mouthed.

Shinya shook his head and tried to shake him off again but Die caught him by the wrist again. Kaoru hit Die. "Knock it off," he whispered. Die only pouted at him, then turned Shinya's hand over and kissed the palm of it. He heard Shinya sigh with resignation. He smiled at Shinya slyly, kissed his palm again, stared at it--then licked it.

Shinya tried not to squeal but he did jump. Kaoru hit Die again. "Stop it!! Do you want him to get killed or what?"

Die smirked and used Shinya's hand to address Kaoru, "Don't tell me what to do!" He whispered, shaking it at him "I'll behave myself!" There was a giggle behind him and he turned to see Yuki and Kazuki laughing at them. "Sssh!" He told them, "Or Kaoru's going to get on my case." He took Shinya's hand and closed all the fingers except for the middle one and shook it at Kaoru.

"Die!" Kaoru whispered, furiously and Shinya's hand turned against him and slapped Die softly on the cheek. Die felt his jaw drop as Toshiya, Kaoru, Kazuki, Yuki and Hiro tried not laugh. Shinya used the distraction to pull his hand back and rested it on his own right leg.

Damn, he thought, but he perked up when he heard the word, snake. He sat up with interest as Toshiya fidgeted. "Snakes are bad," he heard the bassist whisper.

"Snakes?" Kyo asked.

"What about snakes?" Die asked.

Kaoru rolled his eyes, "If you had been paying attention, Shinya won a rare snake as a pet."

"I what?"

"Does it bite?" Kyo and Shinya asked, except Kyo looked rather eager about it and Shinya looked frightened.

"I don't know."

Kyo waved his hand up in the air, "Yes, Kyo-kun?"

"Does it bite? Is it poisonous?"

"Yes, but an antidote comes with it."

"Where is it?"

"Backstage in a glass case in a safe area so no one gets hurt," the host laughed at Kyo's enthusiasm. "It will be given to Shinya after the show ends."

"Are they sure about giving some poisonous snake to a me?" Shinya asked. "I mean, it's not as if I want it. I've got Puppy at home. I don't like snakes too much."

"I'll take it," Kyo said, "Do you think they'll let me have it?"

"I don't know." Kaoru shrugged. They stood as the show ended and bowed and exited.

*******

7:50 pm
Backstage

The snake in question was kept in a glass aquarium. It was on the ground far away from the hazards of people kicking it. A drunk technician staggered into it. He stared down at it, pissed off, and kicked at it, not knowing the danger inside. He then stumbled away. The snake flicked out its tongue and noticed a change in the air. It tasted strangely of freedom and slid away.

Five minutes later, fourteen J-rockers walked past the broken aquarium without noticing it. "We should get to know each other, y'know." Die said, conversationally, "After all, we are going on tour together." (Remember the tour they won in the Kendo match? Yeah, well, they decided to invite Janne Da Arc and Raphael to tour with them. Ah, the benefits of knowing Kendo.-Matrim)

"Party at your dressing room?" Kazuki asked.

"Is it big enough?" Die asked Kaoru, who glared at him. He was still kind of angry about Die's antics.

"Pretty much," Kyo said, who had located Manami and was dragging her along with them. "We've got some stuff to drink in there, I hope it's enough."

"That'll be good. Arigato, Kyo-kun," Yasu said as they followed Kaoru and Toshiya to Dir en Grey's dressing room. They managed to find enough room to sit down and an impromptu party began.

Shinya sat gingerly next to Die and then wondered out loud, "Wait a minute. Don't I get a snake?"

They all stared at him curiously. "Oh, yeah, you won one, didn't you?" Ka-yu said.

"It's my snake," Kyo said, "You don't really want it, do you, Shinya? You'll give it to me, right?"

Kaoru, Die, Toshiya and Manami stared at the drummer.

Correct decision, Shinya thought and put a hand to his head. "Do I want to give a poisonous snake to Kyo or keep it?" He asked. "Oh, which is the better choice?"

"You really want to give a poisonous snake to Kyo?" Kaoru asked.

"Do you want keep the thing and have an accident at your house, resulting in the death of Puppy?" Manami asked.

"Kyo might bring it to a concert and it might bite him and result in the death of Kyo." Toshiya warned.

"Or you might just get bitten while you're feeding the thing," Die suggested.

"Or the snake might get loose away from Kyo and bite a fan in the audience," Kaoru continued.

"Or you might get bitten in the night after Die accidentally breaks the glass case when he gets too--excited," Manami finished diplomatically. Toshiya and Kaoru held back laughs as Die and Shinya glared at her, "What?"

"What's the matter with you guys?" Kyo demanded, "You act like I'm the most irresponsible person in the world." He shrugged, "It's only a snake. How hard is it to take care of a snake?"

"A poisonous snake," Kaoru corrected.

"Causes death," Toshiya added.

"That's why I want it," Kyo said with a sadistic grin. "What's Shinya going to do with a snake?"

"And what are you going to do with the snake if I give it to you?" Shinya returned. "I don't think it's something that impresses girls."

"Why should I use it to impress any girls? I've got a koibito and that didn't require a snake," Kyo said and smiled at Manami. Everybody stared at her as she avoided their gazes.

"No, he used his incredible ability to drink to impress me," she said. "And how many times do I have to tell you, I'm not your koibito!"

"Ah, but who's wearing my scorpion ring?"

"I thought it was mine."

"So it is," Kyo said with a smug smile.

Manami cast a look heavenward, "I think I lost." She stared at the vocalist, "You know you're going to hell, right?"

"I've made my decision," Shinya said, dragging everyone's attention back on him. Manami, Kaoru, Die, and Toshiya held him as he closed his eyes and said, "I'm keeping the snake." They braced themselves as if waiting for something to happen but nothing did.

"Well, you didn't die so I guess you made the right choice," Kaoru said slowly.

"It's only a snake," Yukito interrupted, staring at them as if they had all lost their minds.

"Shinya-kun!!" the producer popped his head in through the door in a fearful way, "I have some bad news."

"Nani?"

"Your snake is missing. We found the glass case broken and it's missing." The producer smiled nervously as he saw everyone's gaze on him and explained hurriedly, "Don't worry!! We're on its trail! None of you will get bitten tonight!" With that he closed the door.

"I made a decision for nothing--I don't even have a snake anymore!" Shinya pouted.

********

8:00 pm

The snake found it's way into a big room filled with many people. It slithered around looking for a way out into the cold night air that it was used to. It wondered if it would find it here.

********

Shinya sat listening to Shuji (JDA) tell a story about one of their concerts. Everyone was laughing and having a goodtime and suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He scratched at it then forgot about it as he listened to Shuji again.

Suddenly, there was a scream. Ka-yu jumped up, "I've been bitten! Goddamn snake bit me! Why me!!" Everyone jumped up and tried to look for the snake as well as avoid it.

Yasu leapt up as he and Hiro ran to the door to get the producer. "Tasukete!! Ka-yu's been bitten!!"

"There's an antidote! Wait, I'll get it!" The producer ran away and came back with the vial in his hand. He was about to hand it to Ka-yu but tripped over something unseen. It flew from his hands.

"Somebody, catch it!!"

Yuki and You dove for it but it fell short from their grasp. They fell as it shattered five inches away from their hands. "Holy crap," Yuki squeaked.

"Oh, no," You breathed.

Ka-yu wailed, "Oh, no!! Somebody take me to a hospital! Now!!"

*******

8:15 pm

"Is he going to make it?" Yasu asked.

"Stop talking about me as if I can't hear you!" Ka-yu returned, slightly breathless. His eyes were half-closed and he didn't look so well.

"Only if he can get the antidote in time. He's got two hours. The wound on his leg will tell us how much time we have left. It will turn purple and blue around the bite like a bruise, then turn black. When the black disappears from the wound, then we have run out of time and he dies." the doctor said calmly.

"Ah, mou!" Ka-yu moaned. Yasu bit his lip and took his hand.

"It'll be okay."

"I can aquire an antidote from a reptile and amphibian specialist. I just called him to see if he had one and he does. Problem is that since he's old, he can't really come here, so I need a volunteer to pick it up." The doctor said.

Yasu and Shinya stepped forward, "I can do it," they said at the same time. "Why are you going?" Yasu asked.

"It was my snake," Shinya replied, with his eyes downcast.

"Great," the doctor said, "On your way buy a bottle of wine. The old man's stubborn and won't give it up unless he has one." He gave them directions on a slip of paper. Now go!!"

They ran out the door as everyone stared at Ka-yu worriedly.

*******

"Car or train?" Yasu asked, hurriedly.

Shinya thought as quick as he could as Yasu squirmed with impatience, "Car!" He chose and was glad when he didn't die immediately. They ran to Yasu's car.

Yasu started it. He went on the freeway and suddenly he asked, "Which way would be faster--above or below?"

Shinya chewed on his lip, closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Above--above!!" Yasu nodded and took the above cut off. They drove on in silence and then suddenly another question came.

"Should we get the wine now or later?" Yasu asked.

Shinya groaned inwardly. Too much decisions--I don't know--"Now!" He said and Yasu swore. Shinya looked at him curiously.

"Sorry. We're on the wrong cut off but that's okay. Getting the wine now would save time." Yasu switched lanes and pressed hard on the gas pedal. Shinya's head fell back against the chair from the momentum.

********

"He's getting worse," Yuki observed.

"Isn't there anything the doctor can do now to lessen his pain--just a little?" Toshiya asked. He hated seeing others suffer. Ka-yu tossed his head back against the pillows.

The nurse shook his head and the producer sobbed. "Oh, it's all my fault! I shouldn't have gotten that snake!"

"Stop beating yourself up about it! What's done is done," Die told him.

"Yeah--let me...do it! I'm...the one...who's..dying over here..." Ka-yu managed. "I'll...teach you..to mess...with the lives of others..."

"Hush, Ka-yu!" Toshiya tried to soothe.

Hiro agreed, "Yeah, don't talk. Don't waste your energy. Just relax until Yasu and Shinya come back!"

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll kick the producer's ass for you," Kyo said with a grin that didn't suit the situation.

Ka-yu laughed then coughed, "Promise...to let me...watch?"

"Sure!" Kyo grabbed the producer and punched him in the stomach. Ka-yu began laughing and then coughed as Die and Kaoru pulled Kyo off of him and the nurse began to lecture Kyo.

"Oh...why'd you stop...he was making me feel better!" Ka-yu whimpered and clutched at the sheets. He was beginning to feel cold. You reached over and touched his head.

"I think he's got a fever." The nurse came over and touched it as well and confirmed it.

Yukito looked at his watch. It was 8:30. "I hope Shinya and Yasu make it!"

"Angels!!" The producer wailed and Manami straightened and looked at him. "Please watch over us!! Watch over, Ka-yu! Make sure he stays safe!" Die, Kaoru, and Toshiya looked at Manami, who shook her head.

"I can't do that. He's not my responsibility. Shinya needs me!" She muttered and ran out of Ka-yu's hospital room.

********

Yasu and Shinya stared at the wine. "White or red?" Yasu asked.

"White or red," Shinya repeated and tried not to think too hard. The shopkeeper waited patiently for them as he held them out. Shinya closed his eyes. "Ano. . .w-w--which is right?"

"It doesn't matter--just choose one!!" Yasu snapped. "How hard is it?"

"Why don't you choose one?" Shinya demanded, "Why are you asking me to choose all the time?"

"I can't choose while I'm in this state! Ka-yu's dying in a hospital bed and we're being asked which color wine we want and it's not even for us!! Though I could sure as hell use a glass!!" Yasu complained. Shinya dragged his mind back to the task and stared at the wine. He closed his eyes. He was starting to feel a little weak.

"Red!" He blurted out and Yasu sighed with relief. The shopkeeper rung it up and wrapped it as Yasu paid for it. With that done, they jumped into the car and went on. It was quiet until Yasu turned to him.

"Are you going to be like this the whole night?"

"I hope not."

"Neither do I." Yasu said, coldly. His eyes scanned the road ahead as he took the cut off that lead to the road on the bridge. He glanced at Shinya, "But if you do anything that contributes to the death of Ka-yu, I will never forgive you." Shinya stared at him in shock but Yasu smiled, quickly, "That's for another time, though."

"So, you got the wine, huh?" Came a voice from the back of Yasu's car and both J-rockers jumped. Manami appeared and Shinya breathed a sigh of relief.

"What is Kyo's koibito doing here?"

"I'm not his koibito!" Manami said, cheeks red with embarassment and anger. "Anyway, where are we going now?"

"To the old man's house," Yasu replied and then swore, "Crap. We're running out of gas. Should we refill the tank or should we just chance it?"

Shinya decided quickly, "Stop for gas."

Yasu looked at him as if he were insane, "We don't have enough time! And we just got on the freeway!"

"Chotto! You asked!" Shinya returned, offended and impatient, "Besides what if we had a couple of more miles to go and you ran out of gas? Then what?!"

"We shouldn't stop! We don't have enough time!"

"Yasu-kun, do what Shinya says! Onegai?!" Manami pleaded and Yasu gave a frustrated sigh and turned off the freeway to find a gas station. It was 9:00.

*******

It was 9:00. Die stared at Yukito's watch fretfully. "Arigato," he told the young musician and walked back to check on Ka-yu. He had stopped speaking a few minutes ago. He only said a few words now and again and most of them made no sense. Ka-yu once grabbed Yuki and thought he was Yasu and told him he loved him. Yuki blushed furiously and it took Hiro and Kaoru awhile to get Ka-yu to release him.

"Where the hell are they?" Shuji wondered as he and Die paced around the room.

The doctor checked his wound, "The blue and purple is starting to fade. It's beginnning to turn black." The others gasped.

Die's phone ran and he answered it, "Moshi moshi? Shinya? Where are you?" Everyone scrambled around Die to hear. "You're at the gas station? What are you doing--aren't you wasting time? Oh. Oh, I see. Yeah. I'll see you later." He blushed and realized that everyone was watching him. "Hai. Die mo Shinya ga daisuki." (Yes, I love you too.)

The others smirked but didn't say anything except, "So what's going on?" Toshiya asked.

"They're at the gas station filling up and Shinya's trying not to make the wrong decision. They got the wine, though."

Die took another look at Yukito's watch. It was 9:15.

********

They had been riding along smoothly for some time now. Until Yasu got a flat. All three occupants of the car swore and they got out. Yasu stared at Shinya. "Should we fix it or take a cab?"

"Fix it."

"Fuck that! It'd be faster to take a cab!" Yasu strode around the side and tried to flag one down. Manami and Shinya looked at each other and got the jack out of the car and began to fix the tire themselves. "Nani o suru?" Yasu demanded.

"Yukito-kun said that whenever you want to go somewhere in a rush, a cab is not the way to go! They always go slower than you want them to!" Shinya responded and dragged the spare tire out of the trunk. Yasu only shook his head and continued what he was doing.

Manami took a look at her watch. "We don't have much time left, Shinya! Are you sure this is the right choice?"

"Don't confuse me now, Manami! It has to be! Yukito-kun takes the cab most of the time, he should know!" (Note: It's true, Yukito does take a cab all the time. He doesn't have a license.) Shinya scrambled to remove the original tire and put the other on. "And I can't stop now, what if this is the right choice?"

Manami stared at him with something akin to respect and pride in her eyes. She helped him with the tire and they finished. She put all the equipment back just as Yasu hailed a cab. "Oi, Yasu! It's been fixed!"

"But I just--"

"Get in here and drive, dammit!" The angel snarled and Yasu jumped and bolted into the car. He started it as the others climbed in and they began there journey again. Shinya blinked a little. His vision was getting blurry and he--he--God, he was getting cold. "Shinya?"

Yasu glanced at him, "Daijyobuka?"

"Yeah, I just feel weak and sick a little. It's cold, too." He managed.

Yasu looked at the road then looked back at him, "You don't look too well. You almost look like Ka-yu when--oh, no. Shinya, didn't get bitten, too, did you?"

"I--uh--don't know. I did feel a sharp pain on my ankle, though."

"Adjust your chair so it leans back, Shinya," Manami ordered, "Let me take a look at that." He did so and Manami switched seats. She leaned over and took a peek at his left ankle. "Oh, no."

"Is he bitten?" Yasu asked, worriedly.

"Hai. And it's beginning to turn black."

"Oh, crap. Hold on, Shinya. We're almost there. Hopefully, he'll have two antidotes and we don't have to worry anymore. Just hold on." Shinya nodded. He felt a little worse than before. He was starting to get weaker.

Suddenly, on the radio he heard, "The railway is closed due to a train being repaired. The lower half of the freeway has been closed also due to an accident." Yasu stared at Shinya.

"Wow, you were right." They drove on and saw the cab that Yasu had hailed down and lost. It was overturned. "This is getting creepy."

It was 9:25.

*******

"The whole wound's black," the doctor said. No one replied. Ka-yu had gone unconscious a couple of minutes ago and was starting to look paler. His breaths came shallowly and You, Shuji and Kiyo had their hands clasped as if in prayer. Die and Kaoru paced. Kyo stared. Yuki, Kazuki, Hiro and Yukito tried to keep calm.

Die's phone rang and he answered it. "Moshi moshi?"

Everyone turned their attention to him. "Nani?" He felt the world drop out from under him and he leaned against the wall to steady himself. "No. Not my Shinya. You're lying." He placed his against the wall and bit his lip to keep his emotions in check. "No. Are you sure? Are you almost there. Good, good, that's good. Manami, please take care of him. If you're really an angel, protect him now." He hung up and gave a loud laborious sigh of pain.

"What's wrong?"

Die turned to look at his bandmembers and his friends, "Shinya's been bitten, too. His wound's black. They've just gotten to the town where the reptile guy lives." He put a hand to his forehead and Toshiya ran forward and embraced him.

"Daijyobu ne, Die-chan? Shinya'll be alright. He's made through the past five weeks okay." Die nodded but somehow didn't know if he coud believe him.

It was 9:30.

********

"Okay, we're here!"

They made it up the steps with Manami supporting Shinya by half dragging him and half propping him up. Yasu was in the lead and he rang the doorbell. An old man answered it. "Yes?"

"Yeah, we're here from the hospital. We've come for the snake antidote."

"Where's my wine?" The old man demanded. Yasu took the wrapped box away from Shinya and gave it to him. The old man removed the wine, inspected it and smiled. "Very good. A red wine--my favorite and a good company. Come in."

They followed him into the lab as he took out the antidote from the refridgerator, placed it into a special bag that kept it cool and gave it to Yasu. "Is this enough for two?" asked Yasu, worrying about Shinya and Ka-yu.

The man shook his head, "No. Only for one."

Yasu looked back at Shinya. "Do you want to take it or do you want Ka-yu to have it?"

Shinya sighed, looked at Yasu. There was something about him that reminded him of Die. It was his eyes. Love for Ka-yu. "No. We came here for Ka-yu. We should give it to him."

Yasu gave a forlorn look, "If you say so, Shinya. If you say so."

It was 9:45.

*******

Die's phone rang again. He answered it immediately. "Hai?" He dropped to his knees. "Oh, God, no. Don't say that!! He chose to--?! Give the phone to him!! I'll kill him. Demo--demo--" He burst into tears and hung up the phone.

"Die-kun, what's wrong?" Yuki asked.

"There's only enough for one person. And Shinya chose to give it to Ka-yu."

Toshiya embraced him, "Die, take it easy."

"I think he may have made the wrong choice."

The doctor looked at Ka-yu's wound. "It's beginning to fade. There's another way to cure this bite but it's too bad he's not here."

"Nani?" Die's head shot up. "What did you say?"

"There's another way to cure the poison. It's to recieve the bite and poison of the tarantula that will counteract it." the doctor explained, "But the doctor in charge of that's on vacation in Brazil. He was supposed to come back today but his plane got delayed."

"Do you know where the clinic that he works at is?"

"Yeah, sure, just down the street." Die stood and ran out of the room. There was still a slim chance.

It was 9:50.

*******

"Turn here." Shinya muttered.

"Nani?" Yasu stared. "This is a U.S. airbase! We're not allowed in here!"

"Yeah...but," Shinya hung by a thread, "We can't reach the hospital in ten minutes in this car. Just ask for help." Those words took the strength out of him and he closed his eyes. No more talking. He was too tired.

Yasu turned in and was stopped. Manami and Yasu argued with the soldiers in Japanese until an officer came out who could speak the same language. They explained the situation again and the officer was about to say no, despite Manami carrying Shinya in her arms until she did something. "Look I don't have to take this--" was all she said and her voice changed so that it sounded more like thoughts than words, "YOU WILL MEDIVAC US TO THAT DAMN HOSPITAL. BY THE POWER OF GOD AND LOVE, YOU WILL DO AS I SAY." For a second she looked as if she glowed but Shinya thought that was just his delirium setting in.

The officer nodded, blankly and soon, they were on the helicopter.

It was 9:52.

********

At the same time, running like he never ran before was Die, and he reached the clinic by slamming into the door. He gasped for air as he called out, "Sumimasen? Sumimasen? Doctor?! Doctor?!" he ran from the doors to peek in the windows but no one was there. "Doctor? There's someone who's in dire need of a tarantula!!"

No one answered him and he leaned against the wall and slid down, breathless and in tears. "Excuse me, can I help you?" asked a voice. Light shown on him and Die opened his eyes. It was the doctor, in his traveling clothes with his luggage.

Die jumped up and hurriedly explained the situation, and the doctor unlocked the door and ran in. He located the spiders in the lab and gave it to Die. If Toshiya saw this, he thought, he'd scream. There was two. "The one with the red spot--" the doctor began but Die ran out. The doctor sighed. "I was about to say that only the female's venom will work. And it was the one with the red spot." He sat down and shook his head.

9:54.

*******

They landed and Yasu ran out as he thanked the officer. Manami gave him a smirk and said in the same voice she convinced with him, "NOW HEAVEN OWES YOU A FAVOR GAIJIN. ARIGATO." She jumped out after Yasu with Shinya in her arms.

"Are you sure you don't want this, Shinya?" Yasu asked.

He shook his head. "Just save Ka-yu, Yasu. He means a lot to you. He means a lot to the band. He means a lot to everyone. Save him." He rested his head on Manami's shoulder, "And tell Die that I love him. I will always love him." Yasu bit his lip and nodded. He ran off into the direction of the hospital.

"Shinya, I'm so sorry," Manami murmured and stroked his hair.

"Daijyobu, Manami." He said a little too quietly. She sat on the ground and laid him down but still held him. "I'm sure it'll all find it's way in time."

"I didn't know you knew Tori Amos."

"I constantly surprise you, don't I?" He managed and smiled up at her. "Was I good human to look after?"

"You weren't easy, but you were fun. Why are we talking in past tense?" Manami demanded. "We still have six minutes left!"

"Do you think Yasu made it in time?"

"I hope so. Your wound--the blackness is disappearing." Manami said worriedly and cradled him as gently as she could. "Oh, I hope something good happens." She looked up at the starry sky, "Heaven! Why do you have to be so cruel?!" She demanded.

"Don't shout, Manami. You're hurting my ears." He sighed, "Ne, Manami. Since I probably won't make it through this, will you tell me about yourself and why you were chosen to look after me?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Manami said, through tears. "Okay. Do you know the scars that I have on my arms?"

He was silent until he managed, "Yes?"

"I--"

Sudden shouting made them look up. Die ran towards them carrying a terrarium with two spiders. "Shin-chan!! Shin-chan!!"

"I'm going crazy. I think I hear Die." Shinya told her.

"You're not going crazy. It is Die!" Die reached them and struggled to catch his breath.

"Here. The doctor said that there was another antidote and that is to get bitten by a tarantula," Die said through gasps. He sat heavily on the ground and placed the container in front of them. "Problem is--I don't know which one."

********

The doctor injected the antidote into Ka-yu. Everyone watched with baited breath as to what was going on. They looked at Ka-yu's vitals and sighed with relief when it began to pick up to a more normal pulse.

It was 9:57.

*********

"Quick. Choose. We don't have much time left," Manami told him and patted him on the shoulder. He stared at the spiders. If Toshiya saw this, he'd scream, was what he thought. He dragged his mind back to the task. He had to choose.

"He said something about the spotted one." Die said, vaguely. Shinya stared at his koibito and took a deep breath. He kissed Die's hand swiftly (it might be the last thing he did) then chose. They brought the case closer to him and he reached in grabbed it. He brought it to his neck and winced as it bit him.

"I hope that was the right choice." Manami whispered.

It was the spotted one and Shinya began to feel a little better. He opened his eyes a little wider. They were focusing better now. He raised his hand. Not so weak as before. He sat up a little straighter. He nodded. "That was the one. I feel a lot better now."

Manami checked his forehead then his pulse and smiled. "CUT!" she yelled out, then checked her watch. "Whoa! You're getting better! You had one minute left!"

"Shinya!!" came shouts down the road. Ten J-rockers came running toward them, with a panicked tone to their voice. "Shinya?! Daijyobuka?" They slid to a halt near him and Shinya smiled up at them.

"Die saved me. Again." He said and Die smiled with relief back.

"Just stop trying to scare me, Shinya. You're starting to make me think that you don't want to be with me," he teased.

"Don't joke about something like that," Shinya said, but kept smiling.

"Yatta!!" Toshiya said and jumped up in the air. Then he noticed the spiders. "Gyaah!!" Everyone laughed.

Shinya and Manami smiled at each other. "Told you we could do it."

"Hai, hai. Just let me sleep off all this excitement. And tell Kyo he can keep the snake."

End of part 6

++

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