No Prayer For Peace (Ami Yuuka)

Seeing her break at long last, Brother Light pulled the girl close and held her, silently rubbing her back as she cried against him.



"It will be alright," he promised at length, "We have weathered the greatest storms this life has to throw at us, and we will stand against this as well. Times of peace are always divided by war. Such is life, no matter who you are."

Ami cried for a long while, letting tears that had long since built up in her body flow free as Brother Light held her close. When at last the tears slowed she mumbled, "I know I know is it just so much to ask for? Just some peace long enough to live a happy life?"

"Ironic," he muttered, his own eyes far away as the memories drifted back to him, "I spent the majority of my life looking for peace within the walls of this church, and now that I've been outside them for a time, I realize I was more at peace on that airship than I had ever been here."

Ami wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned closer to Jordan. "Really?" She sniffled.

Leaning back just enough to look her in the eyes, he nodded, "When you asked me why I didn't expose you, my answer was only a half-truth. I am not one to judge others, but I also sensed something familiar in you and felt I needed to reach out and see if... if..."

"If what?" Ami asked her wet eyelashes leaving miniature lines under her eyes.

"...if that something was reaching back for me as well," Light looked away, a blush flashing across his cheeks. It was out now.

A slight smile played across Ami's lips. "Yes." She said simply.

Immediately looking back, the priest's gaze met with that of the former assassin's. There was a mingling of fear and hope in them but his hand had slid into hers all on its own, holding tightly as if she might vanish with the moment.

Amis eyes melted as she looked at Jordan. She leaned her head on his shoulder. Her hand gripped his as tightly as he gripped hers. She sighed happily.

As they held each other, Light found his body at peace, but his mind raced with a million questions. Most were personal inquiries, none were appropriate for a clergyman to be asking, but occasionally golden memories trickled in.



"Who's she Brother Light?," a girl interrupted his thoughts from where she stood a little ways down the path, her tone clearly laced with jealousy.

"Hello Chiki," the priest replied with mild exasperation.

Ami turned her glossy hair spinning on her back, her eyes a piercing violet. "Hello. I'm Ami Yuuka. You are?"

"I'm Chiki!," the girl, who couldn't have been more than twelve, motioned to herself with a confident grin, "I lead Brother Light's Sunday School class, which as you probably know, is the most devout in the city."



"Speaking of which, we're a bit far from the church for it to being this late in the day," Brother Light gently but firmly reminded her.

"Yes Brother Light," Chiki looked down, a bit embarassed.

"Please run back to the temple and tell the others we'll be preparing dinner soon," he suggested.

"Right away!,' she nodded and ran off in the direction of the church.

Amis glare softened as she watched the girl go. "I wonder how long she's been there..." She mumbled.

"Probably the entire afternoon," he sighed and shook his head.

Ami sighed again. "So...dinner then?"

The dinner hall was spacious enough. Just what would have been expected of this type of place and a firm testament to why its star priest was so eager to get away again. The many long oak tables with their decorative chairs would soon be filling with priests, priestesses, those would be either someday, and a steady stream of guests from the homeless to the curious.

As Jordan sat down at last to eat, Ami at his right, she couldn't help noticing that the clergyman's schoolgirl fanclub seated in one corner was glaring daggers at her.

Ami sighed and rolled her eyes. Shadows started to creep across the floor towards the girls. They were harmless, just meant to scare. "Don't overreact to this alright? Just let me have a bit of fun. It wont harm them...I promise." She whispered to Brother Light.

As the girls let out a blood-curtling scream at the sight of the shadows, Brother Light started to stand, but another, bespectacled member of the clergy rose first.



"Leave it to me, brave Brother Light!," the priest strode boldly forth to exorcise the evil shadows, followed by a steady succession of imitators from among the clergy.



Sitting back down without an argument, Brother Light shook his head and grinned, "I only stand on formality it seems these days."

Ami waved the shadows away under the table before the priest could get close. "Oh that was so satisfying." Amis mumbled to Jordan with a grin.

"Your attention please," Brother Light struggled to keep a straight face as he tapped a fork on a glass, immediately bringing the eyes of the fold back to him, "As many of you know, there will be a tournament held tomorrow at the Phoenix City Arena."

As mumbling rose amongst the group, he waited a moment before continuing, "While we do not, as a religion, condone violence, we do observe sport, and thus sporting combat, so any of you who wishes to participate are welcome to do so."

This brought even more chatter amongst the group, causing Light to tap louder on the glass to quiet them, "And for this same reason... I will not be available tomorrow BECAUSE I AM GOING TO SEE IT. ...Thank you. Let us say grace."

Ami smiled innocently at the girls. When all of their attention was on her innocent smile, she winked. "We're going to see Knuckles in the tournament?" She asked Jordan excitedly.

"Oh yes," Light nodded gravely, "I actually tried to talk him out of it because the reasons he is entering are purely self-destructive, but to no avail. He is determined to avenge her..."

For their part, the girls seemed too badly shaken to notice the smile, still whimpering amongst themselves at their "ordeal" as the priests attempted to comfort them.

"Her?" Ami asked tilting her head. "Who's...her?"

Looking around to see that the congregation was distracted, Light motioned down the hall, "Please join me for a walk and I'll explain."