Chapter 1 - R. McGregre
"What I really meant to say
Is I'm sorry for the way I am
I never meant to be so cold
Yeah What I really meant to say
Is I'm sorry for the way I am
I never meant to be so cold "
The pencil stilled over the sketch pad as a dark head turned slightly, tilting to better hear the melodious voice moving through the otherwise still loft. The large figure of a young man no more then twenty-seven leaned back in the computer chair in front of his work station, dark brown eyes staring up at the various pictures of monsters, knights, and gorgeous women as he listened. A light smile lifted one side of Brent Hamato's mouth as his large arms lifted slowly, his fingers lacing behind his head. Despite not being able to hear it, no doubt due to her headphones, the owner of that voice hit every note perfectly, adding that to the symphony of emotions behind each sound and it was unbelievably lovely. 'Like the owner,' Brent thought, his half smile turning to a full out grin at the thought of the fiery redhead that had recently become his roommate.
He had been standing out in the courtyard at school talking to Edo and Togashi. "Yeah so the dean wants me to take this new exchange student as a roommate.. you know, show him around, keep him out of trouble, that kinda thing."
Edo snorted a bit, laughing, "You?! Keep someone out of trouble? That'll be the day."
Togashi grinned and laughed along with Edo, "Yeah really, Hamato, you have a hard enough time just keeping yourself out of trouble. So who is the new kid and where do we send the remains?"
Brent just rolled his eyes but smiled just the same, "I dont know, some kid named R. McGregre from somewhere in Ireland I think."
The other two just kinda laughed at him and from there the coversation turned to the recent kendo match. They had just gotten into a heated discussion of the brilliance of Takeno versus the equally talented moves of Naguchi when a shrill cry followed by a resounding crash had reached their ears making all three turn. There, not more then ten feet from them, with butt sticking up in the air, was a girl with the reddest hair Brent had ever seen flat on her face. A quick glance up told him she had likely tripped on the steps coming out of the school to the courtyard.
After staring only a moment in stunned shock, Edo and Togashi immidiately started to howl with laughter, earning them a disgusted look from Brent who simply muttered "Grow up." before making his way towards the girl, who still hadn't moved from where she had fallen. When Brent nearly reached her and she still hadnt so much as twitched he knew something was terribly wrong.
Brent frowned to himself as he remembered touching her shoulder only to feel it shaking under his hand. He had been so sure that the sounds he finally heard were supressed sobs he wanted nothing more then to throttle Edo and Togashi for being so callous, he was so very sure that when she finally lifted her head and he saw her bright green eyes, the color of yoshino leaves, he was rooted in place in pure shock. Even now the shock still shook him a little. She had been laughing!
He had asked if she was alright, unable to stop the slight grin as she laughed a little more and said she was fine. He could still feel the slight daze, even now. Her eyes were a bright and wild array of greens, crinkled at the corners by her laughter; her skin was so pale and soft looking, the color of one of Kamiko's kimonos. Her hair, in contrast, was dark like blood, thick, flowing about her pale skin in a wild mass of curls, and her lips were the color of cherry blossoms, perfectly shapes in a way that boasted innocence and yet screamed for a man to kiss them passionately.
Brent couldnt stop the chuckle as he remembered a hand passing in front of his face as a musical voice said almost indignantly, "Hey anyone still at home?"
He had blinked at her a bit and said, "Sorry.. I was.. umm.. nevermind.. I'm Brent by the way. Are you sure you are alright?"
That made her laugh again and she lifted herself up to sit on her legs, grinning at him and holding her hand up in the universal thumbs-up before taking his hand and shaking it, "Nice to meet you, Brent. I'm Rayne.. Rayne McGregre."
Brent was startled out of his revean by the sound of his musings bounding down the hallway. He turned in time to see Rayne fly by his open doorway in a pair of black socks, green shorts, and a black t-shirt, her unruly mass of curls bound into a ponytail at the back of her head. At five foot four inches she barely topped his shoulder but despite that the little spitfire had no qualms about putting him in his place. The thought made him grin again, and he was still grinning when Rayne poked her head into his workroom.
Rayne noticed the door was still open to Brent's work room on her way to the kitchen and doubled back, she was just about to shut it when she noticed he was sitting in the chair watching her, grinning from ear to ear about something. She froze for a moment and just stood there struck by how good he looked. Then she shook herself mentally and walked right up to stand in front of him, hands on her hips going for her best annoyed little sister look. "And just what are you grinning at?"
Brent blinked a little and then shrugged still smiling, "Oh nothing, just thinking a little..."
"Yeah? Well you better knock it off, I think I see smoke."
Brent rolled his eyes as he laughed a little then he grinned again as he said, "By the way, I am going to a party tonight, you wanna go?"
Rayne froze for a moment and then smiled as she shook her head, "Nah, but thanks for asking. I'm just gonna stay here tonight and watch the Inuyasha marathon." She sighed a little at the disappointment on his face, "Sorry, Brent, I'm just... I just dont feel up to it ya know."
"Yeah it's cool, I understand. I dont suppose I would either. But, Rayne, you cant stay cooped up forever you know," Brrent said as he looked up at her, and instantly regretted his words, the sadness and hurt in her eyes hitting him like a punch in the gut. "Rayne... I'm sorry... I didnt mean..."
She smiled a little and shook her head, putting a finger to his lips. "No, dont be. You're right. I'm just... not quite ready yet."
"I know... I'm real sorry." He shifted uncomfortably a moment before putting on a slight smile, "But hey, I have to get going if I dont wanna be late." He set his hands on her hips, moving her slightly as he stood up, but he was suddenly struck by how small she really was, especially when she was standing there looking so sad and alone... haunted... like she had the night he had found her just outside the loft... cut up, bruised, someone else's blood on her as well... Brent dropped his hands from her hips as he shook himself, stepping back from her slowly. He started to turn and walk away when an idea struck and brightened him. He looked back at her with a grin, "Hey, why dont you watch your show in the main room on my entertainment center?"
She blinked up at him, "Really? You dont mind?"
"Yeah sure why not, not like I'm going to be using it tonight right? Knock yourself out, kiddo."
Rayne winced a little at the nickname but didnt complain, afterall he was letting her use his things, besides it was better this way. "Thanks, Brent, you're a real pal."
For some reason her calling him a pal made Brent cringe, but satisfied he had made amends Bent snatched up his jacket and was headed for the stairs that led to the street, giving her a slight wave as he called out on the way down, "Just dont blow the speakers, huh?" He laughed a little when she shouted something that sounded suspciously like "Bite ME!" Yeah she would be alright.
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About an hour after Brent had left, once she had figured out how to work everything, Rayne found herself curled up on a large red cushion chair in the living room, her attention focused on the big screen TV as a boy in a red kimono with long white hair and dog ears swung a massive sword, yelling "DIE!", at a second figure in a white kimono and a steel chest plate, with very aristocractic features, long white hair, pointed ears and purple marks across his cheeks and around his wrist. The two looked very different and yet there was an unmistakable resemblence between the two of them making anyone who didnt know the show wonder why family were trying to kill each other. The taller figure in white had just made to retaliate when the first crash of thunder shook the loft, making Rayne jump.
"Oh great..." she muttered, but as she looked at the screen again she noticed it had cut to commercial. "Cool, if I hurry I can make to my room for it starts up again." With tht she jumped up, switching off the TV, and then unplugged all of Brent's high-tech toys before heading back down the hall to her room, sliding the shoji screen shut behind her. She had just switched on the TV when another round of thunder and lightning, louder then the first, shook the house making her jump again, which unfortunately caused her to trip over her sneakers and every other thing strung about her room. Rayne had just enough time to register a bright flash of light she recognized as the Wind Scar from the Tetsuaiga, Inuyasha's sword, before she hit the ground hard enough to bounce and fly back further till she connected with something unmoveable, cracking her skull hard, then her world went black.