Time steadily marches on, and Shine eventually gets back to his classes, and gets through them. Their were no clubs today that had interested him, and so, he found himself leaving school straight away, and heading towards his little sanctuary, the shrine.<br/><br/>The walk was always long, but enjoyable. People generally left him alone, and he was moving at a steady clip without slowing. Once he had arrived, he spent some time walking around the shrine grounds, checking things out. Nothing was wrong, nothing was out of place, everything seemed fine, and for that, he was grateful.<br/><br/>It's not that he minded taking care of the place. If he did mind, he wouldn't bother with it. But it's nice when the place is just fine. He settled down under the cool shade of the tree he loved so much, and just rested there. It was always nice and quiet here. Tranquil. Serene. He felt safe here, felt like he would be alright while he was here, which only made what happened next all the more horrifying.<br/><br/>A familiar, cloying scent stung his nostrils. The perfume... what was it, lilac..? Yes, that was what it was. Lilac perfume, mingling with the smell of pickled plums.  So familiar, so alluring, so arousing. He frowned, and bit at his lip. Why was she here?<br/><br/>He opened his eyes, and he could hear her laughter, so musical. Was that the zither he heard? She was always a wondrous player of that instrument. He shook as he stood up, and knew this was wrong, knew this shouldn't be happening, knew she was gone, but gods be damned, it was happening again. Why? Why did she have to do this to him, why couldn't she just leave him alone... why couldn't he just leave himself alone..?<br/><br/>He had to follow it, he had to see her again, or else. He knew he had to confront this problem of his, had to do something. He can't just close his eyes, and wish it all away, it never worked, never helped, never did anything.<br/><br/>He saw her in that lovely, torn, bloodstained kimono he had bought her once, at a festival. She was beautiful, her black hair tied back in a bun of some sort.  And there she was, playing the zither in the shrine, the sweet melody lulling him... no, no, he can't. Can't get lost here, he reminds himself, can't lose it, it has to end, it has to end, it has to end!<br/><br/>"You're dead, Shiho." He said, as strong as he could,  but his voice faltered, and his lips quivered. "It's time to move on...y-you can't stay here any longer..."<br/><br/>"But we promised, Shine. Always. Together forever. I'll always be here for you, always be watching you, always playing...remember how we would play together? Do you remember the song?" The ghost whispered coyly to him.<br/><br/>"This isn't right." He mumbled half-heartedly. "This is all wrong..."<br/><br/><strong>"Wrong!?" </strong>The zither produced a shrieking, wailing sound as it was suddenly splintered beneath her furious fists. "Wrong! You tell me of what is and isn't wrong? You left me! You said you would stay, but you didn't! That was wrong! You're wrong! Wrong,<strong>wrong, WRONG!</strong>" Her words echoed, turning into a painful litany that would not end, not even when he covered his ears with his hands.<br/><br/>He cried, and faltered as he fell under her verbal assault, fell under the crushing pain of the guilt he still felt. He felt so... ironic. Maybe even hypocritical. He had lashed out at Vergil for having a guilty conscious, and look at him here. He had his own skeletons in the closet...