Rossiu paused, clutching the sheaf of papers in tense fingers as he glanced down along the long cluttered meeting table. "I've discussed the housing situation with Dayakka-san, who's agreed to take responsibility for calculating the resources needed and putting together a feasible roster. The waiting list still needs to be updated though, and we need to be sure to be fair and adhere to it--"
"--I'll do that," Kidd interrupted, half raising his hand, "I've been keeping track of it anyway."
"Okay," Rossiu's look of worry eased a fraction, and he fumbled with his papers, trying to force his tired mind to move onto the next issue; trying to ignore the exhaustion and lingering headache.
This wasn't what he should be doing, leading their meetings like this. Research and general administration - that's what he'd expected. He was younger than most of them, yet here they all were, staring at him like they expected him to provide the answers.
It wasn't fair. But he did it, had made it his life over these past four years, because he loved this fledgling city of theirs and it was necessary.
All the while their leader, their figurehead... well. Rossiu tried to stem the bitterness, always tried to remind himself of what he'd done, everything he'd achieved in the past... but, this. This wasn't leading.
"So what do you think, Kamina-san?" he suddenly said roughly. Rossiu stood up and fisted his hands against the table, objectives-for-the-day crushed between his fingers. There was an abrupt deathly silence, but Rossiu continued desperately, blindly hoping that perhaps today would be the day that--
"About what?"
The casual question came from the head of the table where Kamina sat looking vaguely bored, slouched back in his chair. Simon was beside him; Rossiu didn't think he could ever remember a time this had not been the case. It seemed Kamina didn't even bother pretending to be interested, these days.
"...about the current issues facing the city," he said carefully, trying to keep his voice even. Rossiu was aware of all eyes around the table glancing between him and their leader, anxiously observing and praying for a peaceful outcome. He set his jaw and continued, determined not to back down this time. He'd had enough. "What we should do about the food troubles, for example. The logistics are--"
Rossiu broke off, shocked, as Kamina shrugged. In fact, Kamina looked vaguely resentful, and was currently stabbing the nib of a pen repeatedly into the table in front of him; anything to avoid looking at Rossiu, it seemed.
This... wasn't right. Rossiu's hands were trembling slightly, and when he blinked again he realised he didn't recognise any of these people. When had this happened? This couldn't be their Kamina, leader of the Dai-Gurren Dan, who had once captured even Rossiu's skeptical heart with his inspiring speeches and never-failing courage. This... this couldn't be their Kamina, who sat looking so out of place without his crimson cape, spiky sunglasses and bared tattoos.
This Kamina was now staring obstinately at the ceiling, oblivious, and no-one seemed to mind.
"How... how can you not care?" Rossiu's voice broke slightly, and without even realising it he was suddenly shouting, all the disappointment and betrayal that had been building up inside him manifesting finally as rage. "How can you sit there and shrug, when this city can barely support itself?! I can't believe--"
"Don't say things like that!" A quiet, determined voice rang out, silencing him.
Of course. Rossiu took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, noticing the grateful look Kamina threw Simon.
"Why not?" He whispered, mouth dry, hating that he had to be the one to say these things.
Simon was looking at Kamina as he spoke, and it was a clear gaze of unwavering loyalty. It made Rossiu feel faintly ill. "Because Aniki is Aniki. He's the reason we got to where we are today; how can you say he doesn't care?! He's always looking out for us, even if you can't see it--" Simon turned and cast Rossiu an almost pitying look. "You have no right to speak to him that way."
Simon's words fell clearly across the meeting room, though he hadn't raised his voice at all. Rossiu sat down, suddenly losing the will to object; how could it be worth it, when everyone else seemed to be looking at the two of them so proudly, and with such faith?
Why couldn't any of them see the truth?
"We're outta here," Kamina announced, a strange expression in his eyes that Rossiu couldn't quite read. He was probably daring him to object. "Let's go, Simon."
The only sound was that of the scraping of chairs being pushed back, and then the echoing footsteps of their mighty leader and his loyal shadow leaving. Heavy doors banged shut.
Rossiu only permitted himself a split-second of panic and internal chaos, before lifting his head determinedly and smoothing out his crumpled papers against the table. Control, he needed to be in control. How else could he look after this city?
"Returning to the food issue..." He slipped back into the familiar role so easily, reeling off where he suspected the problems lay, and how likely it was to get worse if nothing was done about it.
It was Kittan who gave him a reassuring grin - (almost pitying, and Rossiu raked a hand through his dark hair) - and said he'd take care of it.
He couldn't quite bring himself to smile, but Kittan seemed to sense Rossiu's relief and gratefulness, and waved it off, already scribbling on the writing pad which lay before him. Kittan was dependable; he'd get good people working on the right things, Rossiu knew.
A little of the weight lifted from his heart. "Good work, everyone," he said automatically, standing up and beginning to collect together his things, "this concludes today's council meeting."
A low buzz of conversation started up all around him as the others got to their feet and began to filter from the room; he wasn't even trying to listen but could still pick out his own name, and Kamina's being mentioned - the gossip would no doubt get even worse now. It was his own fault, he knew; Rossiu made little effort to hide how he felt about Kamina's current role.
But the rumours of a divide in the council had been lingering for months now, and he was quickly realising that he needed to put a stop to them before they became too damaging.
"Solidarity..." he murmured quietly to himself, shaking his head a little and taking a step forwards straight into Kittan. "Ah!" Rossiu jumped back and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry, I should've been paying attention..."
Kittan laughed and then paused, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, evidently hesitating about something. Rossiu stepped around the other man and began to walk, looking back curiously, "something I can help you with?"
He heard Kittan hurrying to follow him, and they fell in line as they reached the large doors leading out to the main corridor. "Ahh, sorta..." Rossiu studied Kittan out of the corner of his eye as they walked; he, too, looked much older - the stress of this new life had taken its toll on most of them, and Kittan had been an integral part of getting things up and running. He had, Rossiu thought pointedly, certainly been much more responsible than Kamina. "You're goin' to the lab now, right? I wanted to speak to Kinon, haven't seen much of her recently with everything that's been going on."
"Oh, of course." Rossiu pushed his hair out of his eyes and didn't say anything else; whatever it was Kittan really wanted to get off his chest would be better said without prompting.
"Solidarity..." Kittan finally mumbled, and Rossiu turned sharply.
"What?"
"That's what you said, isn't it?" Kittan shoved his hands deep into his pockets and stared out of the passing windows as they walked. "Did you mean it?"
They stopped outside a lift, Rossiu absently pushing the call button. "Of course I did."
"I think you're a good kid, Rossiu," Kittan suddenly said roughly, looking a little embarassed, "and you're great at what you do. But what was that in there today? Goin' off the rails at Kamina ain't gonna achieve anything. And like you said, we all need to be on the same side here."
A musical chiming noise sounded, and the doors next to them slid open silently.
Oh. Kittan, too.
"I..." He hesitated, stepping into the lift and blindly reaching for the button which would take them down to the lab's level. The artificial light was harsh, and Kittan was watching him with a guarded look in his eyes, waiting. "I admit, that was perhaps the wrong way to go about it..."
At that the other's expression relaxed slightly, as though Rossiu were some kind of blind fool who couldn't see the practicalities of the situation. Even Kittan thought that little of him.
"However, for all intents and purposes, I still stand by what I said." He folded his arms and had to look up a little to meet Kittan's gaze defiantly, suddenly feeling their age difference acutely. "I just... I just don't understand why you all simply accept the way Kamina-san behaves."
Kittan's hand came down upon Rossiu's shoulder heavily, gripping reassuringly. The doors slid open again and Kittan flashed him a quick grin, before releasing him and strolling out. "That's because you don't understand Kamina," he called out behind him lightly, "try talking to Simon about it, why don't ya?"
Rossiu stared after him, and soon he was alone in the thin, shadowed corridor. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, head connecting with a gentle thump, eyes closed. Perhaps he should speak to Simon at that. If anyone knew why Kamina was acting this way it would be him - though Rossiu suspected it would be all too likely for him Simon to be on the defensive, and refuse to tell him anything at all.
But this was hardly a new problem, so perhaps it was already too late. Now that Kittan had pressed the idea upon him, though, he was sure that Simon could be the key...
He felt a flicker of guilt for thinking this way, as he still considered Simon a friend. Not that they spent much time together, these days. Rossiu found he regretted it, and bit his lip as he fought the urge to go searching for Simon right then.
No. There was work to be done.
"Rossiu-san!" He started as Kinon's familiar voice echoed down the hallway. She was hurrying towards him, cheeks flushed and glasses slipping down her nose. "There's - there's an incoming call from Simon and the Commander, I really think you need to come and hear it!"
"What about?" He followed her a little further down the corridor into the main communications center, where Kittan was standing and staring at a monitor avidly. "Oi, where've you been? Look at this!"
"They've found something," Kinon elaborated, sounding more matter-of-fact as she calmed down a little, "no, someone."
Rossiu stopped beside Kittan, exchanging a quick glance before speaking up, "go ahead, Simon-san--"
"We found her in a box!" Simon's concerned face filled the screen, and he glanced behind him, peering out of Lagann, "but she won't wake up, I think she's in a coma. Aniki's got her, she's still breathing."
Rossiu stared, trying to process this strange news, "definitely not a beastman?"
"Nope," Simon confirmed, "she looks completely human... we're gonna bring her back, okay? We'll explain more when we arrive."
He felt inexplicably wary of this news, but refusing to allow them to bring her here would be unjustifiably callous. And Simon was watching him carefully, as though expecting him to object... "all right," he agreed cautiously, "but we'll take care of her in confinement until she's better."
For the first time in months, Simon gave him a genuine smile, and Rossiu felt his heart lift.
"Gotcha -- Aniki!" Simon's voice became faint as he moved away, "we're taking her back!" Rossiu watched him glance back at the communicator and give it a loose, casual salute before he cut the connection.
Kinon was quiet for a moment before speaking up, concern evident in her voice as though she already knew what he was thinking, "so what can it mean?"
Kittan looked lost in thought, and Rossiu stared up at the dark blank screen from where Simon had smiled at him only moments before.
"I think," he said heavily, "it might mean trouble."
------------------
Next time: So where did Kamina and Simon go? What's with the mysterious girl in a box, and how is Rossiu planning to use her?! In chapter 2: "You're a strange chick, you know that?"