AQ: Hey yall! Tis my first KKJ fic, (And my first songfic EVER) and it's an angsty take on what happened whilst Maron was at the Merry-go-round, after finding out her parent were getting divorced. Based on the manga, coz the Manga rocks, and it's online, so no-one can actually say "I haven't read it!" If you can read this, you can read the Manga.

The song is by Superchick, and it's called, you guessed it, Stand in the Rain.

Stand in the Rain.

She never slows down.
She doesn't know why but she know that when she's
all alone
feels like it's all
coming down...

Maron waited in silence. Waited for something. But she didn't know what. Silence...it was only broken by the rustle of the leaves, the pitter-patter of rainfall hitting the canopy of leaves above her head. Waxen horses painted with oils and acrylics, their faces stony, unsympathising. Maron bit her lip, not allowing any tears to roll down her face, but still there were sobs aching to break through her, but her inner pride, her god-foresaken strength, forced her to silence them, forcing them into body-rattling, shuddering breaths, which held hardly any oxygen. Strength. Being strong. That is all she has ever been. Hiding her own pain, hiding her own tears, smiling in the face of the world, letting her tears only fall in the face of an empty letterbox. But she had still lived like that. Maron was strong, whether she liked it or not. Only sometimes...sometimes she wished someone, anyone, could see the weakness in her, could see those secret tears cascading down her cheeks, could have the audacity to come to her, to hold her, to support her...someone...anyone...

The sound of falling rain was her only comfort. No one was coming. She was strong. She was alone. She had to save herself.

She won't turn around.
The shadows are long and she fears if she
cries that first tear
the tears won't stop
raining down.

She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't give Maou the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She wouldn't remain here, alone, crying to herself, and image of weakness, a picture of submission. Maron would never break. But...

was it the fear of giving Maou his victory, which held the tears back? Or was it knowing that if she cried, there was a chance she couldn't stop? With no-one else there, would she crumble and fall? Or would she remain, drowning in her fears for sometime, only to pick herself up again? There was no guarantee. So why start crying in the first place?

So stand in the rain!
stand your ground.
Stand up when it's all crashing down.

Thunder clapped. Maron buried her head into her arms, her heart pounding wearily, but determined. This was Maou, testing her strength. He was trying to scare her, to weaken her, to torment her with human fears, to force her tears from her. He would earn no enjoyment from her. None whatsoever. Chiaki, why are you working for a heartless creature such as Maou? When you yourself seem so caring and sensitive? You keep protecting me, the exact opposite of what Maou wants...so why are you serving him? Why?

You stand through the pain,
you won't drown.
And one day, what's lost can be found,
You stand in the rain.

She won't give in. Maou wouldn't ever see her cry alone. Never. Not Chiaki's lies, not her parent's divorce, not being entirely alone, nothing. Nothing could make her give in. Maron would not cry. She would not cry.

She won't make a sound.
Alone in this fight with herself and the fears,
whispering
if she stands,
She'll fall down.

What was the goddamn use?! What use was it, if she was stong? What did it prove? What did it achieve? That she was happy being alone?! Who cared if the Devil could see her? Who cared if a thousand mocking demon were watching her every move?! She didn't want to be alone anymore! She didn't want to be hated and unwanted! She needed someone, anyone! A knight in shining armour to protect her from these confusing pains. She didn't want to fight her fears anymore. like she had done all her life. She was tired. She was afraid. Maron felt like a pitiful child, clinging to her parents as they tore away from her grip, sneering at her tears and pleas "I need you! Don't go!"...I don't want to be alone...

She wants to be found.
The only way out from everything she's
running from
wants to
give up, and lie down.


Maron fell. She collapsed to her knees, feeling the hopelessness flood through her. Burying her head in her arms, the silence of her loneliness consumed her. Kami...Kami please...send me an angel, a warrior tenshi...to light up my heart and chase my demons away...Send a friend, send someone, let someone find me...bring me home...I'm tired...I don't want to fight...I don't want to be strong...I can feel the tears coming though, I don't want to cry...don't want to let Maou see my tears...take me home...

Footsteps. The sound of shoes hitting wet cobbles as the rain poured down, the distant rumble of thunder sounding. a soft reminder of the harsh world beyond this merry-go-round. But still...footsteps...had God answered her prayer? Soft...hesitant...the touch of someone's hand on her shoulder startled her.
"Huh?"
Maron raised her head, expecting to see the face of a saviour, and saw..."Chiaki..."
"I thought you'd be crying." he said softly with a small smile. Maron felt a small twinge of indignation. After all her efforts to strifle her tears, she learns it was expected?
"Why?"
Chiaki's face fell slightly, fumbling with his mistake of words. "Why? Well...uhh..."
Maron cut across him, her indignation biting into her. "I'm still angry at you, so please don't speak to me so casually!"
Her heart pounded with a hint of guilt. Kami had answered her prayers, be it in a twisted way, by sending Chiaki to find her. Despite his lies, he'd searched for and found her. A sad smile graced her lips. "I'm lying...it's a momentary truce." She paused, considering his serious face. Why, when she had asked for an angel, had God sent the devil's servant? But...she was still grateful...she wasn't alone anymore..."You know about my mother and father. That's why you came, isn't it?"
She was seeming too weak. His face showed her his concern. Why should he be concerned?! Maron was strong. She smiled. "But I guess that's 'too bad for you', because I'm not sad at all!" she laughed. "For the invincible Maron-chan, things like this are a piece of cake!"
"Then why didn't you become Jeanne?"

So stand in the rain!
Stand your ground.
Stand up when it's all crashing down.

The checkmate. Of course. That was earlier on. Sinbad had made it, of course, but she...in her parents announcing their divorce...she had fogotten...
"No reason, just..."
"Your lying. If it was you..."
He was still concerned. She cut across him. "Then why, Chiaki? Why did you think...I'd be crying?"

Stand through the pain,
you won't drown.
And one day what's lost can be found,
You stand in the rain.

"Because..."
Maron felt her heart clench at his soft voice, thudding with wistful hope. Did he see? Did he truly see?

"...Maron is very weak..."

The tears fell.