Start Again

I do not own Natsuki or Shizuru or RED...Damn it!

The sharp scent of cigarette smoke, sweat, and excitement was heavy in the air. The audience was chanting, cheering, and screaming behind the curtain, eagerly awaiting the bands first appearance in Japan. Fans had flocked from all over the country to Tokyo to see them. The arena literally vibrated with their excitement.

The lead singer sighed and took one last pull of her cigarette, slowly exhaling the smoke into the cold winter air. She threw the wasted bud to the ground and watched its glowing ember slowly fade out.

The other band members walked past her to get in to position, slamming fists with her for luck as they passed. She walked to the front of the group and stood in front her microphone. She reached up and pulled the tie from her hair, letting the long midnight blue locks slide down her back, the tips just reaching past her waist. Her eyes slide shut as the fog machines started to let loose and cloud the air.

The audience started to scream as loud as they could when the fog started to rise from under the black curtains. The curtains slowly started to rise and a slow thump-thump-thump could be heard, like a heart beating calmly. "RED! RED! RED!" the audience started to chant. The curtains reached the ceiling, but the band was still hidden by the fog.

The lead singer raised her hand and then slashed it down, her emerald eyes flashing open. Randy started on the piano, soon followed by Anthony with the guitar. Joe started with the drum at Anthony's signal; Natsuki grabbed her mic and kicked the stand off the stage. The crowd roared in approval. And a gust of air from a hidden fan revealed the band.

Natsuki's eyes flashed and she started to sing," And I remember everything, everything I loved, I gave it all away like it wasn't enough. All the words I said and all you forgive. How can I hurt you again?" She said she wouldn't do it, but her eyes couldn't help but start searching the crowd. Searching for those eyes, she ached to see one more time. Those eyes that she rejected all those years ago.

"What if I let you in? What if I make it right? What if I give it up? What if I want to try? What if you take a chance? What if I learn to love? What if, what if we start again? It was all her fault, but she had been so hurt and confused. After everything that had happened, she just needed to get away from it all for a while. She will always regret that decision. She lost her because of that foolish decision.

"All this time. I can make it right. With more try. Can we start again? In my eyes, you can see it now, can we start again, can we start again?" She was only gone for a week. She had promised Shizuru that she would return. She did, but Shizuru was gone. She looked everywhere for her, but only found an empty apartment.

"All this time. I can make it right. With one more try. Can we start again? In my eyes, you can see it now, can we start again, can we start again?" She drowned her misery and agony in alcohol, until Mia finally broke her door down. Mia was going to America to become a doctor and help her brother after his surgery. Mia decided Natsuki was going with her, wither she wanted to or not.

"Emptiness inside me, wonder if you see. It's my mistake and it's hurting me. I know where we've been, how'd we get so far? What if, what if we start again?" She had been trying to drown out her pain with alcohol at a bar near the hospital Mia worked at. She'd become buddies with some young guys who were impressed at how much liquor she could shot back. They convinced her to sing a few songs with them. Turns out, they were pretty good. It became a weekly hobby of theirs to meet up at Randy and Anthony's house every Friday night to jam.

"All this time, I can make it right. With one more try, can we start again? In my eyes you can see it now. Can we start again? Can we start again?" Mia convinced us to play at a local battle of the bands. We had gotten a few songs down and decided there was nothing to lose. Imagine our surprise when we won. Some sleek guy in a suit got us to sign a contract with his company that night.

"I'm lost inside the pain that I feel without you. I can't stop holding on, I need you with me. I'm caught inside the pain. Can we ever start again? I'm lost without you." It's been ten years since my mistake and I still search for you every day. When Rob decided to have the Album premier in Tokyo, Japan, I knew this was my chance. Nao had called with a possible sighting a few months before, but by the time I got there you were long gone. Again… On the flight back to Tennessee I wrote a song just for you that I would sing only once and in Tokyo.

"One more try, can we start again? In my eyes, can you forgive me now? Can we start again? Can we start again?" Now here we are, in Tokyo premiering our latest album. Here I am in Tokyo singing a song that I hope with all my heart will drag you out of hiding. I made a horrible mistake. Please, please Shizuru come back to me…

"One more try, can we start again? Can we start again? Can you forgive me now? Can we start again?" Slowly the music died down and the band members stood there panting, then the audience started screaming, clapping, and chanting again. They stood in a line at the front and bowed to their fans, smiling like fools. The guys took a step back and Natsuki cleared her throat. The audience slowly calmed down, wanting to hear what their blue haired Goddess had to say.

"Thank you everyone for being such a great audience. It was an honor to sing our newest album for you." The crowd roared back in approval and slowly settling down again. "But that was the first and last time that song will ever be song." The crowd shouted their disapproval and sadness. "I am very sorry, but that song was written and song for someone very close to my heart. She is my life and soul. The sun and moon of my world. There was a misunderstanding and we were separated, but I hope with this song she will come back to me." The crowd shouted in disappointment for their Goddess already belonging to another, but also in admiration for this mystery woman that their Goddess loves so much. "Shizuru! This song was for you. I'm sorry! Please come back! Please come back to me…" Natsuki scanned the crowd one last time for those crimson eyes she so loved and then walked off the stage.

Later that night, the guys were partying in the living room of the hotel suite. Natsuki was slowly sipping a beer and laughing at their antics. Mia had called and congratulated her on the great concert. Nao had left after chilling for a bit, she didn't like leaving her mom alone at night. It was now 3:00am in the morning and no sign of Shizuru. Natsuki drained her beer and decided to go for a walk. Her manager Rob lightly punched her arm on the way out, telling her to be careful. She walked around the streets not really seeing where she was going, lost in her memories. She found herself back at the stage where she had song earlier.

As she approached the stage she noticed someone sitting on the edge. She continued to approach slowly from behind, carful to make no noise. When she was a few feet away, she paused to watch the person. The person had dark blond hair and was wearing a tan leather jacket and dark jeans. Their figure was slim yet still had beautiful curves, and very obviously female. A cloud slid across the sky and revealed the full moon for the first time that night. The woman's face turned up to the moon and crimson eyes fluttered open to gaze upon it. "Shizuru…" Natsuki's hand flew to cover her mouth but it was too late.

Shizuru gasped and jumped to a standing position, "Natsuki…" She had tears silently sliding down her face, but she seemed unaware of their existence. Natsuki slowly took a step towards, and then another and another, until she could feel the other's breath on her face. She slowly reached up and cupped Shizuru's face. Shizuru's hand rose to hold it there, her other hand grabbing hold of the front of Natsuki's black leather jacket. "Shizuru!" Natsuki pulled her into her arms. She pulled Shizuru's face to hers and slowly covered her lips with hers. The need for air had Shizuru slowly pulling away,"Natsuki. My Natsuki…" Shizuru leaned in to kiss her this time, neither caring about anything but each other and the here and now.

"Don't ever leave me again…"

"Never… I swear…"

Start Again by RED

Story by Silverblade