Okay: it is currently 11:39pm and I have worked on this translation for two f*ing days. But I think it's even better than my French version (too bad for you pals!) so no regrets! So enjoy.
As always, I thank the beta-readers who helped me with this one.
He walked eagerly, with long and bored steps, all by himself among the crowd. He walked, surrounded by strangers, slashing them like the monsters of before; yet they continually reformed in his back. Since his body had become its own and only sword, he could not admit the vanity and void he was stirring in. He was but a revolting and agonizing instinct, dangerous like a wounded animal- while every painted mask he saw on the scrolling faces around him had submitted him to doubt, annoyance.
Going through this life, looking for angels
People passing by, looking for angels
A young girl, hiding herself from his view, clung herself to his path and put everything she had not to lose it against this human tide. She didn't want to have fallen for him for nothing. Her chest, filled like a sail by this very-well remembered wind, kept pushing her near to him. Nonetheless, whenever a hand of hers was able and about to grab his body, she brought it back to her side immediatly, shaken by the waves becoming harder on her while the memories of some unbearable past and despair crawled into her mind. Then she glanced up to the sea that forbid her fingers to catch his own, and let her chance of change flow away from her embrace. And everything is to be done again.
'But that's the point! I'm tired of pretending I don't care about those ugly looks they're all giving me! You think I need you but I don't need you! I'm going to prove how strength of my passion, how serious I can be! Stand and watch you morons!'
Walking down the streets, looking for angels
Everyone I meet, looking for angels
She moved forward, looking for a way to take Ichigo and herself off the presence of the crowd. She found it, as her eyes fell upon a lane entrance a little before them. Ichigo was about to pass it. – 'I'd better hurry!'
The girl stomped faster but silently, like a panther toward her prey, pushing through and shoving people out of her way. Although she didn't give a shit about it. She managed to approach nearer than ever, then she bent her arm and caught his wrist right when he was crossing the alley. She pulled him with her and took them off the human tide.
"Hey! What-…!"
Riruka led them deeper within the lane's shadow, willing to hide their bodies in the invisible and isolate their souls from the outside world.
She stopped walking and, without revealing her face to him, made his body to face hers against the hard wall. Both of her arms extended on each of his side and her hands locked. He was trapped, just as good as hers.
Eventually, Ichigo managed to recognize his kidnapper when she remained steady around his shoulders.
"You! What the hell has gotten into you?! Let me go you bats!"
The bats seemed not to pay any attention to his protest. Her face stayed turned suspiciously toward the amount of people still flowing in the main brighted street, untroubled like a powerful river. He found out her eyes, still half-hidden behind her fringe and half-closed in a threatening mood, her eyes were really big and bright. Her skin was quite pale, almost white: he could see it in the dark. She looked like a grunting animal, something between an angry wolf or felin.
He saw her flip her gaze to the other side of the lane, then upwards, her small nose pointing toward the free sky above their corridor.
"It appears to me that I asked you to get off" he said harshly.
"Shut up," she whispered. Her voice was clear and calm which, even though he had only met her a little ago, the teen knew was quite unusual for her. "Stop complaining you dumbass."
She muttered something else, anyway Ichigo was already giving up on her.
"Don't expect me to follow you into one of your stupid tricks again."
He saw her sigh and say "Not here" absently.
She pulled his wrist along again as they ran out of the dark lane and into the fiery sunset; the afternoon was coming to an end.
"Hey-? What are you doing? I said let go of me!"
He looked up to her, struggling not to stumble: her fully opened eyes were still staring forward. Her fingers were tight around his wrist.
"The heck you are pulling me to?!"
Riruka didn't answer, only her grip on him tightened to chain him up at her race against humanity.
I'm everything you've wanted
I am the one who's haunting you
Riruka and Ichigo continued running for around ten minutes; it was all the time they needed to reach the nothern-east part of Karakura Town.
An abandoned neighborhood which had been once supposed to become a new residential suburb. Everything in this place was but a mere reflection of what it should have been: half-finished apartment blocks and scaffoldings stood up like empty corpses and skeletons, shattered windows and spread rumbles had once cried before lying along tagged walls, and wide torn plastic tarpaulins had fallen on the ground like flags that only the wind lifted up sometimes. This blissful whisper was now the only resident here. Workers had long since left the battlefield. Gangs and dealers had stolen what should not have been theirs.
I am the eyes inside of you
Stare back at you
Glancing one more time to these bouncing pink tails in front of him, Ichigo at once felt something strange. Wasn't it quite surprising to see Riruka coming to a gruesome place such as this one? Recalling her temper, he would have never expected it from her.
Yet, recalling her temper, he found out this place suited her well. He couldn't say why, it was like a secret, something she could be hiding away. It was like exploring the empty depth of a crying and open chest, through the dead walls of an unborn future. Maybe she liked this place, and led him there, because, somehow, she felt connected to it. Exactly as himself thought she did.
Turning to the right, sometimes to the left, she seemed almost lost, looking for her way on crossroads. Maybe she had forgotten she was still holding his hand.
And although it was awkward, the young man found her alluring.
There's nothing left to lose
There's nothing left to prove
Soon they arrived in her alcove of brics and dust; thus Riruka put an end to their course. She took a couple deep breaths to calm down her powerful and eager heartbeats, trembling on the edge of her chest, then allowed herself to turn back and face him.
Who was still held by her clawed hand, as if it wanted to meet his own.
Surrender your love
It's all you can do
An siren wailed in her head and entire body, making it all heat up and redden suddenly while expelling through every of her chemicals the last steam trails of her melting and sinking mind and soul. Instinct brought her limbs to action when she pulled away and scolded, "Don't come t-to any weird ideas!"
.
.
.
"YOU IDIOT!"
Ichigo didn't hesitate to let his temper flare either. "You are the one who brought me here you imbecile! And I'm not going to wait for long so if I were you, I'd hurry telling what I have in mind. Stupid rabbit."
.
.
.
Hard it is to describe the violence with which Riruka launched one of her booted feet into his damn hot face. Imagine how a man would feel being slammed by a damn sow.
"Stop being rude at me. I did not give you the honor of escorting you here in order to hear insults coming from your mouth! You moron."
"What?! Who said anything about an escort? I'd rather call it a freaking kidnapping! You could have rounded up the cops you-… !"
"Silence!"
He fell silent, but only owing to the trembling tone in her voice. She had turned her back to him and crossed her arms. She looked like a sulking child.
And right behind her was the sunset sky. Long thin clouds stained the blurred canvas; they seemed trapped, and trying to escape the end swallowing the already fallen star. He felt it there. He felt it again. Riruka was exactly where the world most suited her.
Right before her was the eaten sky. Tears of light reflected on the scattered glass, waiting for her to join. Devoured by the devilish world, this broken day was dying off. She could only wait for another dream to come.
"I will be the one talking and you are going to listen." She turned back to him. "Don't you dare interrupt me."
What you got, what you want, what you need!
Gonna be your savior
Riruka swallowed hardly. Her heart was beating so loudly; the whole damn universe would hear it! It was so fast her chest was shaking, her hands quivered and she struggled hiding her trembling knees.She shut her eyelids and breathed. Opening her eyes one last time again, she stared at him as deeply as she could. She forgot herself; she just felt her lips parting, ready for her vochal chords to stir.
Ichigo was staring back at her, invicible and handsome. He was waiting for her to say something too.
Everything's gonna crash and break!
Your savior!
Say something, she had to say anything! To tear apart the stifling waiting:
"Stop looking at me like that! I… I can't remember what I wanted to say dammit! It's your fault staying stupidly like this! Y-You look super idiotic and you're making me uneasy!"
The young man could have lost his nerves too. But he knew reacting as she had done would not help his situation, nor hers. So, tired of his day and tired from the mystery she was making around the reason of her kidnapping, he chose to leave and answer, hands in pockets: "If you've led us here just to pass the time, don't expect me to play your stupid game." He turned back on his way home. "Stay here if you want to, I'm off."
"Hey-! B-but wait! You're not even sure you'll be able to get out of here without me!"
He said nothing and disappeared behind a wall.
"Ichigo!"
"Go fuck yourself!"
The young girl could have lost her nerves a second time. And, well, she did: "That's it! Go away! I had nothing important to talk about anyway! - she swallowed sadly, offended – AND I DON'T NEED YOU TO GET MYSELF OUT OF IT!"
She listened to his steps as he was moving out of her reach once again.
"STUPID STRAWBERRY HEAD!" she shrieked with all her might, and turned her back to him once more.
Your touch, your ways
Leave me dumb without reason
Your love, my cage
My prison so pleasing
She waited for him to come back, trying to reassure herself that he was not serious, that this was but the way they played as usual. She watched the corners of the walls, the holes of the windows… But nothing changed.
Worried, she hoped he would still be there in deed. She walked slowly, silently, to the large street where he had escaped her. But it was empty on her right, as well as on her left.
Angry, she let out a grunt, coming back in front of where she had seen the sun vanish. Nothing had changed. She walked off, until the top of her boots stood hanging in the void below her. Again, it was trying to take her down. Riruka saw it: the rumbles stacked beneath wanted to climb and reach her like a zombie mob. The outside world was full of people like that.
Despairing, she moved her glossy eyes up to the foreign town's evening. The glassy looks waited for her everywhere, and she looked for them despite herself. Again, they screamed with ugly voices that the igniting passion in her chest… another failure. One of those failures that the more you attempted to escape, the more you felt it weigh heavy on your heart. And the more she felt them within, the more Riruka wanted to let go of everything that was in her. She dreamed she could extend herself over the world. To open her heart was her utopia, her way to retaliation. She seeked salvation and yet she had closed its door herself.
Cries of rage tore her voice apart.
I spend my days
Tangled in thoughts of you!
Stuck in this place
Resigned to be your fool!
Ichigo heard the echo of this shout as it died on his heels. He wondered wether it came from Riruka or someone in this place. But, he wandered away.
Whereas Riruka ran back in order to get definitly hold on what she would not let go anymore.
I recall going madly in love with you
And I remember this
How could I forget?
Not wanting to stop, to think about what she was doing, the young girl stepped onto every path the pulse of her breast pushed her to. She craved so badly for breaking out of this mess of dust and brics: it put her ill-at-ease.
'Forget it, recall what it is to move forward for once!' She said to herself, shaking those thoughts off.
Her soul, it needed to be saved. And she knew she could have it. She could keep everything she loved. Couldn't she?
Take my pain… and numb me from this!
She felt the urge to call at some stupid fate, thank it out loud, when she discovered the tall figure of her red prince on a bridge leading to the city-center. Taking her last deep breath in the cold world she was about to leave, she hastily made one last move toward her new sun.
Over the cabblestones, her boots thudded like some eager clock that gave away her identity to Ichigo. He waited until the moment she would tackle him, try to shoot his head or simply overcross him.
She chose to pull at his wrist again, forcing him to turn half-way toward her. He watched as she had difficulties to catch her breath and speak, her tiny shoulders moving up and down, her lowered face completely hidden by her magenta hair. He contemplated boldly throwing her into the cold water.
"Huf…huf…You-pfuf…huf…"
Then again, finding her fingers tied up so near his own, she blushed, stopped breathing, and jerked backwards.
'Here we go again…'
"Come on, say what it is you're tryin' say so we can move on." He calmly said, simply tired of her unchanged behaviour.
Nonetheless, Riruka had not let go of his arm. Now, the big eyes of hers stared into his as they had done earlier. She looked truly intimidated, dare he say, afraid. Besides, in the last hint of the sunlight that was about to be overtaken by night, there was a redness on her face; it lighted the heavy sky.
Seeing him turning entirely toward her, Riruka started to take a step backwards. But, suddenly she knew she had to make a stand if she really craved for him.
Leaning on his strong glance, she use dit to shut her mind and make a move forward.
Love is all around you now,
So take a hold
Hidden in our words,
It sometimes ain't enough
She yanked him down, having Ichigo to lean closer. He could now feel her soft and shy breath strew on his lips. Her fingers opened in his hand and clung to his fingers, asking them tightly to close on her hand. He saw her shut her beautiful eyes, then-
On this bridge, the young woman took the plunge and threw away all the thoughts of consequences, of regrets – how could they be real now that she was against him? – that had tormented her. They seemed so far behind already, she forgot them all the moment her mouth found his own.
Let the world crash, Love can take it
Let the world come crashing down,
Let the world crash, Love can take it
Love can take a little
Love can give…
A sudden and strong wave of warmth hit her whole being immediatly. It bristled the hairs on her neck, made her limbs melt in his, filled her stomach and swept her thoughts away. She drowned into the sweetest sensation she had ever experienced.
Riruka shivered with pleasure, at first doing nothing but put her lips between his own. However, feeling the kiss falling to an end, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her open mouth against his one more time. Her tongue stretched to meet his lips, his own tongue hit hers awkwardly. Still their tips joined when the kiss started again and again, with their lips landing against the other's in muffled moans and exhalations.
Those first clumsy kisses continued until both of them finally ran out of air. Then they parted, slowly, as if they were carrying crystal.
…a little more
Blindly feeling his soft breath on her tearful lips, Riruka carefully recovered her vision. At once, she fell into his sweet languorous glance. Chocolate. She wanted chocolate.
She and Ichigo remained silent, motionless, dumbstruck and troubled by the sudden turn of their future. At the same time, they fancied and feared something to fall and break their neck if they stood back up. So they continued staring at each other, expecting everything, or nothing.
The last glimmer of daylight faded, and had the girl swallow and look down. She glanced at her feet then turned toward the blind horizon. She didn't want him to see the tears dangerously pooling in her eyes. Of course he had responded, but what now? Would they part just as before?
She looked up on him, wondering if she could show him her fears. Ichigo was sweetly staring down on their hands. His gentle smile made her realize there was nothing to worry about.
Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
She saw his lips part slightly as he was surely about to speak; she gave into the decision to flee. She would keep the kiss they had shared and forget about any future.
"Where are you going? Riruka!"
He called after her but let her go. He wanted to head back home and rest.
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
Riruka left the bridge and ran to her room in the HQ. She hid her lips with her hand to protect the warmth she was stealing from his mouth. The taste of his inner flesh sent a chill race down her spine.
Ichigo saw her disappear after turning at a crossroads, then smiled. His thoughts still lacked order, so he let his instinct lead his steps back to the clinic.
I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
I'm ready when you're ready for me
The pink-haired woman crossed the still half-full and artificially lighted streets, running as if her heart depended on it to continue beating. She thought she would have died a hundred times on her way back home; every time she feared Ichigo to magically appear before her, she moved faster and closed her eyes.
Barely able to dodge a dog or a street lamp reopening them.
Tell me when I'm gonna live again!
Her euphoria was fantastic when she recognized the door of their HQ, comfortably resting in the shadows. By gripping the handle, she at last felt safe and secure.
Tell me when I'm gonna breathe you in!
Slightly out of breath, she paused and inspected her surroundings. Night had completely covered the city with its dark and deep veil, and under the yellow glow of a street light, the last passer-by had disappeared.
Tell me when I'm gonna feel inside!
Happy, joyful and brightening with proud victory, Riruka finally smiled, opening the door and shouting, "GO FUCK YOURSELVES YOU ALL! THIS IS END THE END OF THE SHOW!"
She entered the warehouse, which looked at her awkwardly.
As invincible as she was, she merely scolded at their stupid staring faces by heading up to her quarters, "Got a problem? Then take a rendez-vous you weirdos!"
She disappeared up the staircase, her pigtails dancing gleefully.
Tell me when I'm gonna feel alive!
And while Ichigo arrived home with light thoughts in his heart, greeting his family with a smile, Riruka put on her pyjamas, literaly jumped to bed, then forgot herself under her sweet sheets, among her beloved plushes, and within the secret and invisible fantasies that stroked her all night long.
Right now!
How was it? Please let me know any impression you have!
For those who like healthy rock of 2000, here are the tracks I've inspired myslf with (ranged by appearing order in the text):
1)"Looking for Angels" 2)"Savior" 3)"My Obsession" 4)"Forsaken" 5)"A Little More" 6)"Yours To Hold" 7)"Rebirthing" - they all belong to Skillet okay? (Comatose and Collide albums). If you are interested, listen to them, I feel like they suit this prairing very well.
Goo' night y'all!