Attonement
"Hey, She'll come back." Ryo watched Shin futily try to scrape the remnants of nail polish off his nails.
"I'm afraid to see her again." He was distant the entire bus ride.
"Ryo! Shin!" Touma trotted up to them as they walked across the plaza. "Seiji's skippin' today. Said he had a dream 'bout somethin' important." Ryo looked at him. Touma obviously thought this dream was important and Ryo knew what he though it was.
"What -kind- of dream?" Shin pretended not to listen as his friends talked on the way to class.
"Like a premonition…He said it was a flashback with new scenes."
"You think she-"
"I think we'll see what he finds out tonight." Touma cut him off for Shin's sake. It's been two years since the Troopers had to battle and they had no intention of starting something.
"Touma, I know this is real." Seiji blankly stared at the book in his lap as he sat on his bed.
"Why didn't you say anything to Ryo at dinner?" Touma set aside his homework for the conversation.
"No one's ready to talk about her in front of Shin…"
"Tell me about the dream." Touma moved to the edge of his bed to face Seiji.
"She's watching over an army that.. I think it's distracting us. But I can't see from what. Then she's right in front of me telling me to stop being where I'm needed." He leaned his head back and sighed. "But she does look different."
"She said she did there…" Touma was trying to decipher the puzzle.
"I'll meditate on it more tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Yea…'night." Touma turned out the light knowing he'd rather think than do the busy work next to him.
"You're not as rusty as I am." Ryo Spoke to Shin between pants as they sparred in the cool night air.
"Then you should practice more with me and Shu." Shin smiled at the admittance Ryo had made. "Woah.." Shin stopped and Ryo turned as a gate formed before the lake. They ran to it not knowing what to expect but each having their own speculations.
"Rajura!" Ryo was still on guard despite the apparent calm in his demeanor towards them.
He stepped onto the grass and gazed about. "I do forget the nights…" He took a breath and smiled. "I am a pawn once again." He then took a letter from the sleeve of his mauve and gray kimono and handed it to Shin.
"Is it bad?" Ryo watched him suspiciously.
"I wouldn't think so."
"That's good news." Shin handled the parchment without reading it.
"Then farewell," Rajura bowed slightly before returning through the gate.
"You gonna read it?" Shin stared at it silently.
"Later, I'm kinda tired." He left Ryo standing there.
"G'morning." Shin waved as Touma dragged himself into the living room. The smell of bacon, biscuits and gravy filled the house as Shu inhaled more than oxygen in a half awake stupor.
"Hey guys, Seiji outside?" They both nodded. "Ryo?" They nodded again and he collected a breakfast from the table while Shin cleaned the kitchen. Touma barely noticed Shu stealing bacon from his plate as he stared at it groggily. "Why Ryo?"
"He's practicing." Shin sat at the table as Shu explained between bites.
"Any news on the dream?" Touma shifted his stare to Shin, unable to think why Shin would bring something up that would mean he'd see her again or have to fight.
"I uh.. don't think so." Shin sighed heavily
"It's probably nothin'; a flashback or just a dream." Touma began beating Shu from his biscuits.
"Mornin Guys!" Ryo called as he and Seiji entered the house. They both headed for showers after seeing everyone was awake.
"Psst, Shu." Ryo called him from the table to talk.
"What's up?" He followed Ryo around to another room.
"Have you seen that letter Shin got?
"Letter?" Shu watched him look around hurriedly
"Yeah, From Rajura, a week ago?"
"No man, why?"
"I just thought it might have to do with Seiji's dreams."
"They're all the same…Let me in, what'd he say this morning?" They whispered like conspirators
"Nothing new, Still her, just different words."
"Damn.." They went to pack for class as Shin and Touma exchanged glances; each trying to decide what the secret was and whether Shin knew respectively.
"Days kept going, classes in college, practice, hanging out.
"Child," Naaza approached her in a hall
"Yes, Masho?"
"Your peers are concerned by your sudden loyalty. Do you believe you have a chance at betrayal again?"
"I have resigned myself to my fate."
"To whom?" He couldn't catch her gaze.
"To my Lord Damien." She continued walking without shifting her eyes.
"I look forward to seeing your work then."
"Yes, masho. Next week shall be our finest yet."
"Ryo, thanks for coming." Seiji offered the seat next to him in the small restaurant.
"No problem. What's going on?"
"Whatever my dreams are referring to is going to happen soon."
"Soon like…?"
"Within two weeks." Ryo wasn't pleased, but neither was the messenger.
"And… her?"
"Yeah, it's her. But I feel like she's trying to help us." Ryo's expression became more stern and he asked to know everything. "Every night she says the same thing different ways. I'm in the wrong place. As if only I could make it work and everyone else should act oblivious."
"Do you remember what she said when she left?" Seiji looked to the table, unsure how to respond. "'What I feel for you is real.' I think she's trying to protect Shin somehow."
"By splitting us up before an attack? That's shady."
"Not if she's in control of most of it; you said she led the soldiers?"
"She's her own diversion…of course!" He stood and they both hurried home.
A wicked laugh echoed off the skyscrapers. Dynasty soldiers marched through the town and the people scattered.
"Time to rock 'n' roll!" Shu ran into the fight and was followed by his comrades.
Shin wasn't so ready to follow and looked toward the voice. Atop a roof was a girl with short blonde and purplr layered hair that curled out at the tips. She donned a simple armor and a single sword. He tried to keep any emotion from reaching her knowing he wouldn't be able to consciously hurt her.
Thoughts, memories echoed in his ears. 'Nice to meet you, I'm cute.' 'I heard.' 'Don't mind them.' 'We'll start a club! Students Against Pet Store Cruelty to Fish!' 'Hahaha! His cat's a lot bigger than mine!' 'Can I paint your nails? Just once? It'll be cool, I promise, not dorky.' 'I didn't say a relationship..' 'I didn't mean it like that.. more like I have to leave soon. I can't explain' 'Naaza! What is this?' 'You hadn't told them?' 'Shin.. I didn't..' 'Just go!' 'Shin!'
He nearly was struk from his daze had Touma not fell the soldier with an arrow. "You traitor!" He launched himself towards her with tears streaming from his eyes. Soldiers closed around her and he beat them from his path in his rampage. She looked from him towards the others. Seiji wasn't among them. She glanced back in time to catch Shin's yari with her sword as he lunged. "You lied to all of us!"
"I said nothing!" She found her charge much more difficult to defend against than the first time.
"We trusted you!" She was surprised by his rage and that he could fight without seeing through his tears.
"Not all of us made perfect choices!" She pushed him back. "Not all of us had that chance!" He paused at her remarks then charged at her again.
"You were against us from the start!"
"No, Shin!" He managed to slash her calf and she had trouble moving from his attacks. "I am not the demon you're hunting."
"Then show me her! She can't hide anymore! Not from anyone else!" In a botched block he caught her wrist in his mancatcher and the fight froze.
"Shin stop!" Ryo and Touma called to him from just feet away, both afraid he'd do something if they moved. Shu joined them after having some fun at the soldiers expense.
They were all breathing heavily in their static state. "I won't let her get away with this!" His mind was as blinded by his tears as his sight. "More cruel than any warlord!" She gasped as the blades tightened but she still watched him intently.
The tension between them mounted as no one moved. This was what she had intended for. This was it. A last chance.
Her left hand raced for the sword trapped in Shin's yari and she could feel the blades cut in as she let the sword shift in her right hand. She forced the hilt into Shin's chest and pulled him to her.
Ryo fell to his knees and Touma stepped back at the sight.
Shin dropped the yari and her other arm wrapped around him as well. He returned her embrace as every muscle in his body shook his horrified mind. The world was black but he could feel something warm on his arms.
Somehow he realized she wasn't holding onto him and when he tried to look at her she fell from his arms. He sank to the ground with her and became conscious of what had happened in such a short time.
His eyes moved from her expressionless face to the hilt of her sword and back but he tried not to see any of it. "Oh, God…" Fresh tears formed and splashed on her cheek. Still no one moved. "You were right… I wasted my time with you." He still breathed heavily against her. "Why didn't I trust you?.."
"Seiji.." Touma noticed him taking in the scene for the first time.
"They were after a museum piece to blackmail the government with.. She ended the war before it started." He knelt by Shin. "This must've been a lot of work for her.
Somehow they wandered home. They tried to stay with Shin but he asked to be alone. In his room tears continued to form because of the horrible thing he had done. Through the wall of water he saw her note on the nightstand.
'Shin:
I know you won't open this until you're ready. That should be after everything has happened so I won't be around. I just wanted you to know you were a wonderful friend and my emperor has forced me to do you a great disservice. Still, I hope you know how I feel. The mystery's done, so bring back the sun. Bury this hate, fill it with love.
"Geez that was terrible…" Touma remarked
"We may have lost him too.."Shu watched the carpet
"Not any more, please…" Ryo followed the lines on his hand as silence fell upon them again
"I miss her too." Shin stood on the top of the stairs, watching them with a faint smile.