GRUDGES & REASON

Seeing one's own schoolmate impaled by various sharp weapons like swords and spears was definitely not on Makoto's schedule. However, here he was, standing behind Ryuji whose back was to him.

It'd happened quickly. They were in the classroom doing cleanup duty when all of a sudden the door locked and the entire room became covered in darkness. All of a sudden, spears and swords flew out of nowhere. Ryuji, as he was used to such things, was able to deflect them, but when they went straight for Makoto, Ryuji had pushed the young man out of the way and allowed himself to be hit instead. Ryuji's blood dripped to the ground and some of it had splattered when the weapons impaled him.

What stunned Makoto was not the amount of blood Ryuji had lost, but the fact that Ryuji was still standing despite looking like a pincushion. He had swords and spears in his arms, legs, stomach and chest. A sword was even sticking out of his neck. Such wounds would kill a normal man instantly. However, Ryuji was anything but normal.

He was an Orphenoch; a fact that Makoto and his friends had learnt on that fateful day, on that island, during summer break. For Ryuji, being an Orphenoch meant that he was a lot stronger, faster and had sharper senses than an average human. Also, Orphenochs possessed an accelerated healing factor that allowed them to regenerate even lost limbs.

Makoto watched as Ryuji's body started to spew blue flames out of his wounds. The young man gulped as he watched Ryuji reach for the sword in his neck and grasp the handle before slowly and painfully pulling it out. Makoto fought the urge to gag as he started feeling nauseous. Red blood dripped from the blade of the sword as Ryuji withdrew it before tossing it away. He then started to pull out the various swords and spears stuck in his body before he also dropped them to the floor. The blue flames around his body intensified as they began to heal his injuries.

"Che, how annoying," Ryuji spat as he looked himself over. His clothes were full of holes and stained with his blood. "Koto-chan's gonna kill me." Seconds later the room reverted to normal. "Oi, Itou. Are you okay?" He turned to see Makoto trembling from his seated position on the ground, pointing at Ryuji and with wide eyes. "What? Do I have something on my face?" Ryuji checked himself and then found a dagger stuck in the back of his head. "Damn, missed one." He withdrew it and let it fall before the wound closed up. He rolled his arms and cracked his neck from side to side.

Makoto couldn't construct any words since his voice got caught in his throat. Ryuji rolled his eyes and hauled the young man up by his tie. "Stop shaking," Ryuji scolded. "You look like a wimp."

Makoto stop trembling bus his heart was still thundering in his chest. He'd just seen his classmate shrug off fatal wounds like they were nothing. He knew Ryuji was made of tougher stuff but he never actually thought he could survive impalement from various sharp weapons. He then recalled the time he saw Ryuji get hit by a train and live. That should've been enough evidence for Makoto that Ryuji was beyond human.

"Can't anything kill you?" Makoto asked but then he closed his mouth after he blurted those words out.

Ryuji gave the young man a critical glance before answering, "A strong enough attack, beheading or a stab to the heart," Ryuji answered. "Those can kill me. Of course, I wonder if I'll stay dead even after all that." He looked down at the swords and spears left behind by his mysterious assailant. "I better bring one to Warren. Maybe he knows what or who ambushed me." He asked, "Itou, can you carry some of them for me?"

"EH!?"

Ryuji grinned. "Kidding!"

"So, we're just going to leave them here?" Makoto asked.

"Of course not." Ryuji snapped his fingers and sand spilled out of his body. The sand then pooled together before rising into humanoid shapes that solidified into his four Imagin. "Kishamoth, Tirain, Cyrain, Loki, carry all this junk out of here," he ordered.

"Hai, Ryuji-sama!" the Imagin obeyed as they picked up the weapons on the floor.

That was another thing about Ryuji that Makoto still couldn't get used to. The Imagin. From what Makoto remembered they were monsters bent on altering the timeline for their own benefit. However, Ryuji was actively carrying them around. Of course these Imagin were Ryuji's allies but Makoto still couldn't get used to the idea. It was just too freaky for him.

"Now, go back to the DynoLiner," he commanded. The Imagin bowed and transmuted into balls of light with their cargo, returning to their time train. "Oi, Itou!"

"Wha-what?" Makoto stammered, letting out a breath he'd been holding.

"Let's go home." Ryuji opened the door.

"Why?"

"Hm?" Ryuji turned to look at Makoto.

"Why did you shield me? I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't," Ryuji answered honestly.

"Then why?" Makoto demanded, wanting to know.

"Does it matter? You're alive."

"It does matter! To me! I thought you hated me!"

Ryuji aimed a levelled glare at Makoto and the young man gulped. He should've been careful with his choice of words.

"I do hate you," Ryuji answered bluntly. "Do you know how many times I've been tempted to pounce and rip you to shreds with my claws and fangs? Do you know how many times I've dreamt of spilling your blood? I could easily kill you. You'd be dead before you even hit the ground. I could make it look like some wild animal attack too. Nobody would even suspect it was me. I could even freeze you from the inside out and shatter you to bits. Do you know there are so many ways I can kill you that I can even write a book?"

Makoto paled at Ryuji's explanation. He'd forgotten himself. Ryuji was no normal person. Still, he dared to ask, "So, why didn't you?"

Ryuji sighed and answered him, "It's because Koto-chan would cry if you died."

Makoto blinked. "Kotonoha?"

"Even after you both broke up she still cares about you. I can't see why but she does," Ryuji answered. Ryuji closed the gap between them. "I despise you, and I envy you."

"Envy?" Makoto blinked.

"You're her first love, her first kiss and her first boyfriend. I'm only her second at all that and I can never change that," Ryuji elaborated. That wasn't exactly true. He could use the DynoLiner and alter history in his favour but as a Rider utilizing a time train he had a responsibility. There were rules to follow, one of them being the altering of history for personal gain. That was a huge no-no. He growled, "However, you had her love and threw it all away. And for what? Just because she wouldn't put out for you? It was easier with Sekai, wasn't it? She was more forward with a physical relationship while Koto-chan was reserved." Makoto looked away in guilt. "You broke her heart, Itou, and I can never forgive you."

"But…you saved my life," Makoto argued. "If you hated me so much then why did you? You could've just let me die."

"I was tempted, but like I said it'd make Koto-chan cry and I swore to never let that happen," Ryuji answered. He then turned to face the exit.

Makoto stared at Ryuji's back. In many ways, Ryuji was a monster. He had claws, fangs, was bloodthirsty, violent and completely ruthless. However, despite all that, he was also loyal and faithful to Kotonoha. Makoto had messed that up and would always feel guilty for it. Now he had Sekai and due to Warren's words was determined not to do to Sekai what he did to Kotonoha. He'd let temptation lead him astray and hurt a girl completely in love with him. Now, he was happy that Kotonoha had found someone new, even if it was someone scary like Ryuji.

"Hey, what are you waiting for? Come on, Itou! We're having dinner at my place! Sekai and Koto-chan are cooking!" Ryuji called.

"Oh, right! Sorry!" Makoto then jogged after the other young man.

They wouldn't be called best friends, but Ryuji tolerated Makoto at least. It was better than being on Ryuji's 'list' his entire life. Makoto actually envied Ryuji. Despite all his flaws, he was a much better man than he was.

Ryuji informed Makoto, "By the way, you're taking the train. I'm not letting you ride on my bike with me."

A better man for sure, but even Ryuji could hold a grudge.

KR CHROME: Another School Days oneshot I had to write. Not much Rider action, but still a little bloody. Hope you like it.