Ahh! The long awaited sequel! Special mention to amutoluver1 and to lazy to log in (whoever that is) for sending me positive, supportive reviews for Telephone. I hope both of you are reading this story now. My sister, on the other hand, who sent me a crappy flame, can go run into a wall of spikes. Thanks a lot, sis. Thanks to those who favorite my story, as well.
Anyway, onto the story!
IcyBlackHandofDeath
P.S. Sorry, amutoluver1! This is not a song fic! But it could be based slightly on Too Young by The Secret Handshake. Check it out.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Nagihiko stared at his phone, close to cursing his bad luck. He must have made Rima really angry when he had broken up with her. Females always have such strong feelings when it came to the opposite sex. He found that out when he had been Nadeshiko and had been having heart-to-heart talks with Amu about boys and life in general.
After he had received that final message from Rima, he realized that he had made a mistake in breaking up with her. He had no choice, though. Their relationship was dead. For one reason, and one reason only.
The girl she was now wasn't the girl he had dated a year ago.
It had started when she lost her chara, and then had just spiraled down. Rima was never the type to sit and talk about her feelings; she just kind of wallowed in them or dealt with them privately, depending on the emotion.
Unfortunately, the emotion she was stuck in was pain, inadequacy. Rima had tried to shrug it off, but those weren't the kinds of emotions that could easily be forgotten. She had unknowingly based some of her decisions on those emotions that she was pretending to not have. Rima had become one of those I-need-attention people who aren't happy unless they're in the spot light, where everybody can see them.
Nagihiko still hadn't managed to figure out how losing one's chara could lead to such a massive, life changing response. When Nagihiko lost his charas, he had almost felt blessed to be free from their incessant chatter. The pain and the loneliness had come later, but Nagi had come unscathed through that.
Rima hadn't. Her personality from before the loss and after the loss were polar opposites. She couldn't find a way to be the same person but not have Kusukusu. Without Kusukusu, she didn't even seem like the same person to herself.
So now she was a different person, looking for her entertainment at clubs and in fake friends.
Nagihiko sighed and though about things from Rima's point-of-view. She must still be hurting, hurting more that she would let anybody know. If Rima had revealed her feelings to Nagi or to anyone, she might still be the same person she was before Kusukusu disappeared. She might even have grown stronger. But Rima had kept her feelings locked away and not told anyone, not even her loyal boyfriend.
Rima had thought that she could control the pain all by herself. She had been wrong. The pain hadn't been controlled. It had controlled Rima.
And now, Nagi was going to do what he should have done originally. He was going to rescue Rima. He was going to save Rima from herself.
She definitely didn't want Nagi anywhere near her, if the phone calls were any clue. But she was going to be rescued. Unwillingly, if necessary.
Nagihiko knew where she was. He had overheard Rima planning the event with Akira during class. She was talking loud enough for the whole class to hear, but maybe that's what she wanted. Maybe she just wanted someone to notice her. Or maybe she just wanted Nagi to hear so she could rub it in his face that she was a free woman now.
Either way, Nagi knew where to go to find Rima. It was still early in the evening, only about 11:30. Rima would definitely still be at the club. The new Rima would stay until the life died and people were stumbling away from the club. The old Rima never would have gone to the club.
~8~
Nagi arrived at the club. Even standing outside, he could feel the subwoofers pounding out a simple beat through the sidewalk. He could also hear snatches of some trendy pop music emanating from the door. Two imposing bouncers stood in front of the door, glaring at Nagi, daring him to try to enter.
~8~
Nagi sighed with relief, safely through the door. He had paid a hefty bribe but it would be worth it if he could find Rima and save her from herself. Rima had already destroyed so much of herself already, though. Nagi might be too late and be forced to watch as she morphed into someone who was not Rima and never would be.
Nagi wandered through the club, trying to find Rima. He saw Utau passionately singing karaoke with a stranger she had probably pulled from the audience herself. She was garnering so much attention; Nagi wondered if she missed the publicity she got from being a pop star.
Nagi searched the club, room to room, trying in vain to find Rima. She wasn't one to be found easily, though. He should have learned that from his relationship with her. She was a once-in-a-lifetime find, and now he had lost her and might not be able to find her again. He had no one to blame but himself and his own stupidity.
Nagihiko entered a room full of pulsing colored lights and dancing people. In the center, a small circle was formed, in the middle, Rima. She was dancing like there was no tomorrow and people were cheering and wolf-whistling, contrasting with the rhythm of the song and its indiscernible lyrics.
Rima moved so effortlessly, she looked like she was born dancing. She moved like a piece of seaweed caught in a changeable but still cadenced wave. She looked so comforted by the dancing, more at peace than she had been since Kusukusu disappeared. Rima seemed at home, lost in the music, like nothing could affect her while she was fixed in her musical bubble.
Nagi was so fascinated by her dancing; he didn't even realize that he was staring. This was a new part of Rima, yet it seemed so natural to her. A new chara probably would have been born now if Rima was capable of believing in herself anymore.
Suddenly, Akira, one of Rima's new 'friends', grabbed Nagi's hand and dragged him to the dance floor. She pulled him close and started to dance. Nagi was confused by her actions and clearly believed that she was drunk and had no idea what she was doing. He tried to back away, but she just pulled him closer, finally placing her hands in a deadlock around his wrists.
Then, Rima spotted them. She stopped dancing, earning words of disapproval from her posse, and just stared disbelieving at Nagihiko. She sneered, eyes glistening, and ran out of the multi-colored room.
Nagi looked down at Akira. She looked triumphant and let go of his hands. "See what you can do to regain your love now," she whispered, without a trace of alcohol on her voice. Nagi shot her a disgusted look and ran out of the room after Rima. He knew it would be pointless, though. He had found his diamond in the rough, and now he had lost it forever.
~8~8~8~8~8~8~
Hmm, I'm not sure I like this one as much as Telephone because the whole think is just a bunch of introverted contemplation. Oh, well, sequels are never as good as the original. But I did always think that Rima would take it the hardest if her chara left.
By the way, I am planning on writing another story tying the two beginning stories together. Let me know if you like the idea. And, sis, if you send me another flame, I'm going to have to kill you, you know. I might be sent to prison, but IT WILL BE WORTH IT!