Title: Thy Lady o' Salvation and Liberty

Summary: Who knew schizophrenia was this beautiful? Atobe certainly didn't. But of course, it takes an equally mental person to fall in love with a schizophrenia patient. AtobeOC

A/N: I told my teacher (by accident) that I write stories in my free time. Said teacher is currently bugging me to get me to show her. I look at my (fan)fiction. Hell no. On a the other hand, maybe if I show her, she won't come bugging again.

I used to turn all my OCs into Mary-Sues. If you find me doing the same thing, TELL ME. I created Kazuna to avoid a Mary-Sue.

On an entirely different note, today's chapter consists of lots of foreshadowing and a bit of bad news. Not much of a plot, but action will come in the next chapter.

For all schizophrenic patients in the world, I mean no disrespect to anyone. REVIEW.

"Just last month, the Tokyo Psychiatric Ward was forcibly made independent of the Sannomiya Group, meaning that...this institute no longer holds any sort of relationship with the Sannomiya Group."

Atobe froze. "What do you mean? Ore-sama heard nothing of this."

"This isn't official yet, but the institute is currently running on its own revenue, and nothing else. The Sannomiya Group withdrew its funding last month."

Atobe set his fist on the table. "This can't be kept up for long. Why did the Sannomiya Group stop the funding?"

Doctor Kazuki narrowed his eyes, gripping his hands in silent anger. "It is a tactic to get me to leave the institute. My father wishes for me to take his place as the CEO, but I refused him. He promises to resume the funding as soon as I return to his side. But I do not intend leave Kazuna alone here. The fact that the Tokyo Psychiatric Ward has been made independent will be made public next month. I am merely giving you an advanced notice, Keigo-kun."

There was absolutely nothing Atobe could do. He had no power to make any sort of decision. "Very well. This is a matter to be discussed with my father. Thank you for informing us in advance." And without another word, Atobe stood up from his chair and left the institute abruptly.

"Atobe-kun! What a pleasure to meet the young heir!" A woman holding a bottle of champagne exclaimed delightedly as she spotted Atobe in a corner. He forced a weak smile on his face as soon as he realized who it was.

He heaved himself up from the marble wall in a weak attempt to appear presentable. "It is an honor to finally meet the first lady of the Kirishima Financial Corporations, Miyazaki Miyuki-san, or should I say, Kirishima Miyuki-san?"

The woman - Miyazaki Miyuki - let out a hideous giggle, sending shivers down Atobe's spine. "Oh please, simply Miyuki would suffice. But my, aren't you a bit too handsome for a fifteen-year old?"

Miyazaki Miyuki. Atobe couldn't even stand to look at this woman and not imagine how she heartlessly left Kazuna and Doctor Kazuki to fend for themselves. But he did not have the luxury nor authority to spit at this woman, who was now the much adored wife of Kirishima Haruhiko, one of Father's newest and most promising clients. Atobe immediately regretted coming to the company's annual gala. "You flatter me, Miyuki-san. Though I must say that you are certainly as lovely as the rumors say you are."

Miyazaki passed the bottle of champagne she held in her hand to a nearby waiter. "Dear me, how charming of you." She smiled, and Atobe tried to gape at how strikingly similar her smile was to Kazuna's. "Haruhiko's told me all about you. I wish my daughter will grow to become as competent as you, Atobe-kun."

Atobe froze, clenching his fists. "Your daughter, you say? You certainly don't look old enough to be a mother yet."

Miyazaki giggled again. "Gosh, Atobe-kun. You keep making me feel younger than my age. At any rate, I cannot reason with my daughter at all. She's so temperamental I can't even hold a decent conversation without either of us slamming the door at the end of it."

Atobe dug his nails into his palms. "Do I, by any chance, know her?"

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, you might. You go to Hyotei, don't you? My daughter used to go there, until she transferred."

"What's her name?" He held his breath.

"Kirishima Haruna. She turned ten last week. Used to go to the elementary section of Hyotei. She's in France right now." Atobe found himself breathing a small sigh of relief that Miyazaki wasn't talking about Kazuna.

A daughter other than Kazuna. A ten-year old. Miyazaki had her when Kazuna was five, way before the divorce. That was it.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know a Kirishima Haruna. But I do know a Sannomiya Kazuna of the Sannomiya Group. Would you happen to know her as well?"

At this, Miyazaki visibly paled, and her knees trembled a bit. She fiddled with her small purse, and tugged her hair nervously. "N-no. Of course not. I apologize, but if you would excuse me, I believe my husband is looking for me. It was a pleasure talking to you." Ducking her head, she hurried away. Atobe looked at her as she made her escape.

What a spineless coward. The caning from this morning still burned his back. Atobe regretted not putting on ointment immediately when he could.

Just as he was about to leave to entertain other guests, he spotted someone familiar talking with his father. The man had paled grey hair, a thin structure, and a pair of unmistakably cerulean green eyes.

Sannomiya Koichi, father of Sannomiya Kazuki, grandfather of Sannomiya Kazuna.

"Just last month, the Tokyo Psychiatric Ward was forcibly made independent of the Sannomiya Group, meaning that...this institute no longer holds any sort of relationship with the Sannomiya Group."

"What do you mean? Ore-sama heard nothing of this."

"This isn't official yet, but the institute is currently running on its own revenue, and nothing else. The Sannomiya Group withdrew its funding last month."

Atobe set his fist on the table. "This can't be kept up for long. Why did the Sannomiya Group stop the funding?"

Doctor Kazuki narrowed his eyes, gripping his hands in silent anger. "It is a tactic to get me to leave the institute. My father wishes for me to take his place as the CEO, but I refused him. He promises to resume the funding as soon as I return to his side. But I do not intend leave Kazuna alone here. The fact that the Tokyo Psychiatric Ward has been made independent will be made public next month. I am merely giving you an advanced notice, Keigo-kun."

So many questions went unsaid. How will the institute manage without funding? They hardly make any profit as it is. Why are you telling ore-sama this? What do you hope to achieve by telling ore-sama this? What is the point of telling of ore-sama in advance?

More than anything, he regretted not having said anything before leaving the room.

When Father hears about this next month, he will definitely cut all ties with the institute. And he will not have an excuse to visit the institute anymore. He will not have an excuse to visit Kazuna anymore. Was that something he was okay with?

Sannomiya Koichi...the one who cut the institute's funding to coerce Doctor Kazuki into returning to the company as its heir.

Of course he would be here. The annual gala invites all of the Atobe Conglomerate's clients, partners, subsidiaries, sponsors and potential clients. The Sannomiya Group definitely falls under the 'potential client' category. Father was talking animatedly with Sannomiya Koichi, whose green eyes twinkled just like Doctor Kazuki's did when he smiled.

Ho? The annual gala was turning out to be more and more interesting by the minute.

"Papa? Is Keigo coming today?"

"...He'll come when you fall asleep, love. He'll come when you close your eyes."

You liar, Papa.

Miyazaki Miyuki liked to think herself a practical woman. She hadn't been born into wealthy family, so she knew how to climb, in ways more than one.

The ladder of success wasn't exactly painless, but it gets a whole lot easier when you had someone to squash your seven inch stilettos onto when you climb.

Life isn't life when it's not exhilarating. The game becomes more enjoyable when you twist people right into your mouth, and oh, did it help to have fair hair, mesmerizing eyes and high cheekbones.

She'd made plenty of intelligent decisions in her life, if she would say so herself. Marrying Kirishima Haruhiko was her greatest achievement by far. The poor man was so sickeningly in love with her, it would have made her puke if it were any other man. It was so ridiculously easy to get him fall hard.

It wasn't always that easy. She'd made mistakes when she was younger. But she drowned them all in the past.

Until today.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know a Kirishima Haruna. But I do know a Sannomiya Kazuna of the Sannomiya Group. Would you happen to know her as well?"

Her first thought was - Oh shit it's over - because if her parents-in-law, who weren't as into her as her husband was, ever found out anything scandalous that involved her, they would have her out of their doors, barred from ever setting foot in there ever again.

And she would shrivel up and die.

She put her entire life on the line when she started seeing Kirishima Haruhiko. She made absolutely sure that Kirishima Financial Corporations would surpass the Sannomiya Group before jumping ship.

The worst thing that had ever happened to her was having a child with Kazuki. If only she hadn't had a child, it would have made it much easier to leave Sannomiya, no ties attached.

The second worst thing was waiting so long before leaving. Hesitance was what led her into this mess right now. Sannomiya Kazuna, her daughter.

Standing in front of her was Atobe Keigo, the sole heir to the Atobe Conglomerate, the most important and significant partner the Kirishima Financial Corporations had ever had the delight of making in this decade.

His knowing scowl gave everything away. Oh god, he knows.

She'd covered everything up so perfectly, stuffed people with so much money, nearly resorting to seduction to sew people's mouths shut. She made sure everyone who knew about Sannomiya Kazuna's problem had their mouths so choked with money they couldn't talk even if they wanted to. She even hired an assassin to threaten the journalist who nearly spilled the beans. Oh, she would definitely have killed him if he dared speak.

But of course, money spoke for him instead.

All that was rotting into grime and filth now.

She had to act. Quick.

"...Keigo isn't coming today either, is he, Papa?"

"Of course not, sweetheart. He'll come soon."

"...Mm."

Therapy sessions was her favorite time of the day. Although still under tight supervision, she was allowed to use real professional tools to do her art.

She'd taken her crayon sketches with her today. The crayoning was coming off, but she could still make out the lines.

She was completely unfamiliar with the rough texture of the pencil, scratching painfully against the canvas. She could hear the cloth screaming.

She curved his limbs to just the right angle. It felt so fluid and smooth, the whole action. Ah, and she felt it - the flow that rushed through her whenever she drew. It was a flow of gloriousness and euphoria, that sharpened her senses to the point it could pierce herself.

Everything came so naturally and fluently, like the breeze of life that danced through the bars on her windows every morning tauntingly, but never really coming in.

Ka-zu-na.

It was that annoying person again. What does he want? To torment her endlessly?

Of course not, silly. I'm on your side, remember?

Why doesn't he just go bother someone else and leave her alone?

Someone's behind that door, you know. Not one of the staff. They've come to hurt you.

Behind the door, he says? Kazuna looked around warily. He wasn't serious, was he?

Oh, you bet I am. One of them might have sneaked into this room too.

The pencil fell from her hand. One of the therapists picked it up for her. She received it cautiously.

You idiot. Don't alarm the enemy. You need to protect yourself, Kazuna. You never know who and when they will strike. The sculpting knife might be a good choice.

She refused to listen. Why should she heed someone like that? The door creaked. She froze.

It's them! Come on, arm yourself!

Without even thinking properly, she snatched the knife from the table. Nurses quickly got into positions, moving to circle her.

I told you! They're all involved, Kazuna. They're here to hurt you!

Shut up. She snarled, and the nurses grew even more wary. "We have to take her down or she'll run." One of the nurses gritted his teeth and spread out his arms in a defensive position.

Don't just stand there! What did you take up that knife for, you coward? Run!

And she did, wielding her knife in front of her as she went. The nurses dodged the knife, and Kazuna yanked open the sliding door to find her father standing there, shocked.

Che. Looks like your Papa was in on it too. Run before he catches you!

With a half-crazed look, she sped down the hallway in her bare feet.

"Wait! Kazu-" Her father's voice faded away as she darted down the emergency stairs, gripping her knife tightly.

Oh, Christ. Oh, Jesus Christ. Her heart was beating so hard from the adrenaline, and the knife was slippery with cold sweat.

Run, run faster! They're coming to get you, and you can bet they're twice as armed as you.

She wanted to tell him to stop urging her, but suddenly she went completely rigid and stopped dead in her tracks. The knife slipped from her fingers and hit the stairs with a clang that echoed down the infinite dimensions.

Who on earth was she talking to?

"Did he tell you his name?" Doctor Kazuki faced his daughter and stared into her eyes that were so like his own.

"N-no. But I know him. He's Seven."

"Seven? As in the number?" He tried to appear calm. It wasn't working.

A fearful nod. She looked around jerkily, as if Seven was hiding behind the door or something.

Another therapist cut in. "Was this the first time Seven's talked to you and told you to do things?"

Kazuna shook her head frantically. "No! I mean, yes! I mean, sort of. He normally just tells me stuff, like how someone's in the room to hurt me, or how I will n-never amount to a-a-anything." Doctor Kazuki's face tightened as his daughter looked as if she was going to burst into tears any minute now. "B-but yes, this is the first time he's actually told me to do stuff. And the f-first time I actually listened to him. I mean, he's told me to do stuff before, but I never really listened. B-but, this time, it was like I couldn't d-defy him. H-he's also usually the one who talks to me during m-my e-episodes." She shivered and trembled in fright, eyes darting everywhere nervously.

The therapist narrowed her eyes considerably. "Has he ever threatened you?"

"Th-threatened me?" Kazuna looked even more scared and confused. "No, I don't think so." The therapist's mouth set in a straight line.

"Very well, Sannomiya-san. You may return to your room with Nurse Akari."

The walls seemed much more imposing than before. Kazuna tucked herself further into the corner, curling into a ball. He was nearby.

See, darling? Didn't I tell you to run?

A/N: Italics are usually either flashbacks or voices in Kazuna's head/Seven. The voice Kazuna hears in her episodes is also Seven, though he's never been properly introduced.

For anyone who didn't fully understand: Seven is the voice in Kazuna's head that tells her horrible things and to do horrible things.

Food for thought: Who would you rather Keigo to end up with? Sannomiya Kazuna (Thy Lady o' Salvation and Liberty) or Takahata Shiori (Hardcore Fangirls Are Hard To Deal With)? Will put up a poll later. Simply for my entertainment.

REVIEW FOR MORE CHAPTERS. Secret: I haven't started my next chapter yet. But maybe if you REVIEW, I might speed up the thing a little.

Next chapter will be up by next month the latest. Earliest...it depends on you. REVIEW.