Sequel to Alien's Angel.
Disclaimer: Wow, it's been awhile. But I still don't own Signs, or Evanescence, Gackt, or The Music Man, or The Lion King.
Author's Note: After over a year of waiting, I have decided to make a sequel! It was kinda rude of me to leave you all hanging there when the alien spacecraft crashed, huh? Enjoy! – Daisuke Anarie
Evanescence's Fallen album blasted through the living room stereo, rattling the windows and doors. While the neighbor's may have been disturbed by the music, Rebecca went about her chores around the house unfazed, enjoying the chance of listening to something she liked while her aunt and uncle were out shopping for Christmas. As she cleaned, however, she paused to look up at the figure that seemed intent on just staring at her as if studying her. "It would be very nice of you if you'd help, Aasim," she said before returning to mopping the kitchen floor.
"I do not understand how you can listen to this music," was the reply, surprisingly in English. Over the years that had passed, Aasim had learned to speak fluently in English, although he had an accent that didn't quite fit in with any other language. He had also learned the technique of avoiding certain topics.
Rebecca just snorted. "You don't understand a lot of things I do, even though you've known me for a long time. At least I'm not playing Gackt," she pointed out frankly. "Gyah, this solution burns my eyes!" she exclaimed randomly, referring to the wash she was using to mop the floor with.
"You're not supposed to put it in your eyes, Rebecca," commented Aasim, with a smug smirk.
"I didn't! Let me rephrase: the fumes from this solution burn my eyes. Happy now?" she snapped sharply.
Her tone seemed to offend Aasim a bit because he remained silent for a few moments before answering. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, hmm?"
"Shut up."
"That's what I thought."
Now fifteen, Rebecca grew to be a nice-looking teenager. She kept her hair, which had darkened to light brown, at shoulder-length. Her skin was slightly darker, when she was around humans, at least. But, her blue eyes were just as sharp as they used to be. She was the same nearly friendless girl whose blood was tainted and altered.
Aasim hadn't changed one bit. He only had to get used to Rebecca's constant mood swings and her sudden violent tantrums, which could only be explained away. But he had the feeling that she was hiding something from him. What, he didn't know… but he was intent on finding out eventually.
Rebecca sighed to herself. What a way to spend the first day off for winter break… cleaning, ugh, she thought. Soon after finishing mopping the kitchen, she took a jar from the counter and plopped down on the nearest couch in the living room, Aasim following behind her. Opening the glass jar, she poured out a handful of nuts and shoved a few in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she held one out to her alien friend. "Want one?"
Aasim stared at her hand critically. "What is it?" he asked hesitantly.
"Almonds roasted in cinnamon. Quite good, actually," she said.
Aasim made a face that could only be translated as disgust and turned away. "Sorry, but I don't have the digestive system of a human. It could kill me."
"Aw man, too bad," she sneered. Grabbing the remote, she turned up the music as the song Hello began to play.
Aasim heaved a sigh and watched her. "Your humor doesn't make sense."
"It's called being sardonic," she explained offhandedly. "Not to be easily confused with sarcasm, though."
"Thanks for the literary lesson," Aasim said mockingly.
"That was sarcasm."
Silence.
"What's with you? You're not the same girl I used to know," Aasim finally asked, grabbing the remote from her and swiftly turning off the music. (He had learned from many experiences what button to push.)
Rebecca immediately became defensive and turned in her seat to glare at him. "Hey, I was listening to that!" she yelled, getting up and facing him.
"See? You weren't normally like this," Aasim declared, smoothly catching her wrist as she aimed a punch at him. "Don't make me hurt you!" he said, now conversing in his native language of clicks, purrs, and buzzes. He grabbed Rebecca's other wrist, keeping her from trying to lash out at him again. "Stop this, stop this right now," he hissed in a sudden serious, almost deadly, voice. This had happened before; he knew exactly how to handle it… Yet it still scared him…
Rebecca struggled against his grip, growling threats and curses, but found she was not even close to matching him in strength. Suddenly, she went limp and dropped to the ground in a heap at Aasim's strange feet.
To keep from falling over, too, Aasim was forced to let go of her wrists and just watched as the girl curled up, all of a sudden so docile. He didn't understand how she did it – one minute on an endless tirade, and the next in tears and begging for forgiveness for being so uncontrollable, then as cheerful as could be only seconds later. Were all humans like this? He wondered, hoping not. Rebecca had become wild enough these past few years, so unlike the quiet girl he knew when they both were younger.
An awkward silence followed.
"I do not understand," Aasim admitted quietly.
"Neither do I," came the soft reply, followed by several sniffles.
"Well, uh… How about you watch a movie?" Aasim offered.
Rebecca blinked and looked up at him in confusion. "What?"
"Anything but The Music Man."
That got a small giggle.
"Or The Lion King," Aasim added.
"Hey, I like that movie," Rebecca said, slowly getting up to her feet.
"I don't. Lions are demented."
"How so?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't understand," Aasim claimed.
"Hmm… you're probably right," Rebecca replied without missing a beat. "Your logic is almost as messed up as Rafiki's."
"Says who?"
"Says me!"
"Since when does your word count?" Aasim teased, although good-naturedly. He gave a toothy grin when Rebecca stuck out her bottom lip in a childish pout.
"It counts now," she said, hands on her hips.
However, Aasim grabbed her right hand and held it up, inspecting it, catching her off guard. He frowned and tapped a small red spot below her knuckles. "What happened here?" he asked.
Rebecca withdrew her hand and stared at the red spot, where the skin looked chafed. "I don't know," she responded truthfully, scratching at it a little. "It itches, though."
Aasim nodded. "Well, just keep an eye on it."
"Right."
I have a bad feeling about this, Aasim thought as he watched Rebecca turn the music back on.
To Be Continued…
