Whoo - finally got this baby uploaded! :D ... *sweatdrops* Sorry. It's just that I've been working on this thing for days and days, and now it's finally finished... Anyway, this one is very similar to Fragments, except that this one is for the Blue Dragon game, and it's Jiro x Kluke instead of Shu x Bouquet. As before, this is based on theme sets of the livejournal 1fandom community (this one is from Theme Set Two), except that I'm using paragraphs instead of single sentences. And I am not a member of livejournal, but Prince of Tennis' Shaman was kind enough to inform me that it wasn't necessary for me to be one in order to use the theme sets (thanks so much, An). I think I kind of messed up the paragraph thing again, though (and what I mean by that is kind-of-run-on paragraphs)... But, I'll let you guys decide how badly I messed it up. XD One thing I didn't realize was how big this thing is - it's almost as long as For Every Year!! :O Like mentioned in the summary, there are references to both Beyond and For Every Year... Leaning mostly towards For Every Year. :P It's not necessary to have read Beyond or For Every Year, but there will be a good deal more clarity if you do. Oh, an important thing I need to note:
IMPORTANT! Though the paragraphs take place all throughout Jiro and Kluke's lives, at the time of the first Blue Dragon Game, I have them both aged at 14 (12 for Shu).
And then... Ack! I almost forgot! One more note:
IMPORTANT AGAIN! After this is uploaded, I'm going to resume the poll that decides which of my stories gets uploaded/updated next! It might take a while for it to show up, but it should be up and running sometime today...
So... I'll stop rambling now and just let you read. ;) Enjoy, everyone! :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Dragon... Ah! I have one! I don't own Blue Dragon on any day that ends in 'y'. XD XD XD
1. Heavy
She looks out of her bedroom window; the sun is beating down brightly, almost cheerfully, on the small village of Talta. But for her, happiness seems out of reach - her heart is heavy, not by something weighing it down, but rather by an absence. An absence of two people she loves, two people who took care of her all of her life, that, without warning, were taken away... The floorboards creak; her eyes dart in the direction of the sound. He stands there, a little nervously, but takes a brave step forward (she knows how unapproachable she must seem, so it means so much to her that he's trying). He keeps coming towards her until he's right there, then sits on the bed next to her, moving so he's right beside her. She waits for a moment, then sighs, closing her eyes and leaning on his shoulder; the fabric of his green tunic is soft against her cheek... Her heart feels lighter when he's around.
2. Slip
She doesn't know what it is that she trips on, but... She slips on the "whatever-it-is", and then she's hurtling through the air, but only for a moment - a pair of arms are quick to catch her. She holds tight to them, stopped from falling - the arms aren't that strong, but they've always been like that, and it doesn't make her feel any less trusting of their owner. "Kluke," he starts softly. "Are you alright?" He looks down at her with concerned eyes. She nods, smiling. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Jiro." Whenever I fall, you always seem to be there to catch me.
3. Uphold
I'll always be there for you, Kluke, no matter what. Though never spoken aloud, that was a promise that Jiro made to her, and he intends to uphold it.
4. Magic
When they were recovering from the mechat crash, Jiro had been a little dazed, but Kluke's cry of pain immediately cut through any kind of stupor he was in. He had yelled her name, felt something coursing through him, and then that strange creature came forth from his shadow, causing Kluke to be surrounded by blue-white light... At first, after swallowing the Light Spheres, he hadn't known what to think of the strange being; he found it fascinating, as he did most things, but... He was wary of it, and maybe even a little afraid. But when Kluke moved her arm and said that the pain was gone, that decided it for him - this magic stuff was definitely a good thing.
5. Hurry
They had just defeated the monster (some variety of Poo Snake; she didn't know which kind), and like with many monsters after they're gone, it had left something on the ground that was sparkling (perhaps a bit of money, or maybe a useful attack item like a Ruby or Sapphire). Kluke reached down to grab it... But, Jiro had reached down as well. Their hands brush... She pulls away, blushing. She briefly wonders if she should say something, but quickly decides against it - even though she can't fathom why (a little part of her mind says that she knows perfectly well why, even if she continues to deny it), she figures that she's too embarrassed to speak clearly. She hurries away, nearly knocking down Shu (who has been trying to get a stubborn pebble out of his shoe this whole time, and is completely oblivious to what's been happening). Jiro is left there, blinking, holding the item in his hand - it turned out to be an Emerald - trying to figure out why Kluke left all of a sudden.
6. Hole
With evident skill and practice, she pokes the sewing needle through the tunic, bring it across the hole. "You have to be more careful, Jiro. Even Shu doesn't usually get tears this bad in his clothes, and you know how often he does that." Kluke says to him, glancing up. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll try to be more careful." He pushes that familiar, stubborn lock of hair out of his eyes. She finds herself staring at him - it's so very rare that she seems him without his tunic. She loves the green clothing, but she also thinks he looks nice just like this... "Kluke," his eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. "How come you stopped sewing?" He points to his clothes. "O-oh!" Now flushed with embarrassment, she quickly resumes sealing the hole. "S-sorry." It takes a while for the red to leave her cheeks.
7. Music
He followed the sound when he first heard it. He came closer and closer, until eventually he could recognize it for what it was - a violin. He found the source in a dimly lit room, and the sight made his breath catch. She spun in a circle, like a leaf caught on the wind, playing the instrument as she went. Her eyes were closed, yet she moved flawlessly, never tripping or stumbling. The music spoke what she was feeling; her anger, her sadness, even her happiness... He could hear all of it in her song. He felt like he was intruding on this event, which seemed so personal, but he couldn't bring himself to leave... If it was even possible, she seemed more beautiful when she was like this... She seemed out of reach for him, in more ways then one, and it brought a painful reminder of how much he wanted to tell her those three syllables that have haunted his thoughts for far too long.
8. Inside
It's a rare occasion that Kluke isn't on his mind - no matter what is going on, all of Jiro's thoughts seem to end up revolving around her. He doesn't object to that, though; even if she isn't always there, just thinking of Kluke is calming for him, so he doesn't mind if she's always seems to be there inside his head.
9. Later
The hall of Jibral Castle is filled with light and cheer, as castle-goers, citizens, and villagers of Talta celebrate. No one knows entirely what happened to Nene after the children with Shadows gave chase in their mechat, but one thing is certain - he's far away from Jibral, and that is reason enough for them to rejoice. Jiro found the whole thing dizzying. Everywhere he turned, there was another person thanking him, and that would've been flustering enough if it was only one person... He hoped he didn't pass out in front of all these people; that would be beyond embarrassing. He wished he could find Shu or Kluke, or even Marumaro - he'd feel better if he were with at least one of them, much better... He felt someone's hand on his shoulder, and he whirled around to find- "Jiro!" Kluke's smile was happy and warm, and he felt his heart start to pound. "I've been looking all over for you." She let her hand fall to her side. "I've been looking for you, too." Jiro shifted his feet. "So... I was wondering..." She looked down momentarily, then rose her gaze again. "Will you come outside with me?" She asked him almost shyly. "Out-outside?" He felt himself blush; despite the bright lights, he hoped against hope that she wouldn't notice. "Yeah; it's just too..." she waved her hand. "... crowded, I guess. I mean, we can come back later if you want..." She adverted her eyes. Jiro grinned, then reached down and took her hand in his. "No, Kluke - right now, some fresh air is exactly what I need."
10. One
He was one month older than her, yet there were many times when Kluke managed to make him feel like the younger. Unfortunately, those times that she made him feel like that often coincided with the times that he got close to telling her how he felt, but failed. He wondered if there was a connection, or if it was simply a coincidence because he'd tried to tell her so many times.
11. World
Kluke clings tightly to the mechat railing, awed by how incredible it is that they're in the air, that they're actually flying. She supposes that it doesn't matter how many times she flies; she'll always be overwhelmed by it. "Amazing, isn't it?" She nearly jumps at the sound of Jiro's voice - he's next to her now, though she doesn't know how he got there so suddenly. Still, she smiles at him. "Yes, it is..." She gazes at the scenery passing beneath them. "Whenever we're in the mechat, it kind of reminds me how big the world really is... It makes me feel kind of insignificant." She giggles sheepishly. When she looks to him again, he's looking at her carefully, seriously. "You could never be insignificant, Kluke. Not to me." His voice is firm, steady. And then he blinks, as if he's waking from a dream; he looks down, blushing furiously, mumbling something along the lines of questioning whether he really just said that. She giggles again, letting go of the railing and leaning against him, her heart warmed by his words. "Thank you, Jiro." Though both are embarrassed by what they've said, both are secretly glad to be so close to one another.
12. Cheat
He's just a few steps away from the table; Little Meg, the cute and ever popular waitress of Café Jibral, is sitting there, waiting for him. The whole thing had been Marumaro's idea. ("Maro thinks that if you can't confess to Kluke, maybe you should try with somebody else! And besides, Little Meg said she thought you were cute!") The idea had seemed ridiculous to Jiro, but after thinking about... He had considered that there might be some minuscule truth to what Marumaro said. So, he'd ended up here, about to sit across from a girl he barely even knew. He lifted his foot to move forward... And without another thought, turned around and bolted from the restaurant. It didn't matter if Kluke didn't know how he felt - maybe he was being paranoid again, but it felt like cheating.
13. Pink
"Kluke, can you get the door, please?" Her mother's voice, from the other room; she sounds strained, busy. After setting down her book with a small sigh, she made her way over to the door, opening it to find - "Jiro?" Her eyes widen. "Hi, Kluke." His eyes meet hers shyly; she can see his arms behind his back. Though nervous, he continues with, "I just, um... I just wanted to thank you for talking to me the other day... When Shu was recovering from his fall... It-it really meant a lot to me. A-and, w-well, I-I wanted to thank you for it and... Here!" He thrust his hands out from behind his back, revealing what looked like a miniature tree in a pot - a bonsai. Its leaves were the same pink as his cheeks. "Shu said that you collect these, so I thought it would be a nice gift..." He swallowed. "Jiro..." She says his name breathlessly, taking the dear plant from him; she does, indeed, collect these, but has never found one nearly so nice. "Thank you, Jiro. Thank you so much. It's wonderful." Her mouth lifts to a warm, grateful smile. He's smiling now as well, though his is much more bashful. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it." He bows a little. "Shu told me he wanted you to come over to his house tomorrow; I'm coming, too, because he wants to hang out with both of us. So, I'll look forward to seeing you then." Without any other warning, he runs off, waving and yelling, "Bye!" She lifts her hand in farewell, a little shocked, since the previous scene didn't even take five minutes. Still, she shakes her head with an amused smile, and goes back inside her house. The bonsai is placed on top of her highest stand, where it will remain for many, many years, even after the house's occupants have been reduced to only one. She will collect and care for more bonsai, throughout her whole life - but the one on top of that stand, Jiro's bonsai, will always be the most precious to her.
14. Love
Jiro stared at her in complete shock; though he couldn't see his face, someone else could have have easily told him that he looked like he'd just been slapped (minus the red cheek). "You... What did you say?" His voice is cracking, just ever so slightly. Even though it's not completely to blame (after all, at the moment, he's flooded with several emotions), he immediately thinks: Curse puberty. Kluke blinks, clearly baffled; this wasn't the answer she was expecting. "I... I said that... I... I love you." Her hand is clutched tightly over her chest; he can tell it's hard for her to say. Just as it's been hard for him. Maybe it wouldn't have been so hard for him, though, if he'd known Kluke would be the one to say it first (or even that she felt the same way). Before her confusion has a chance to continue, Jiro rushes forward and crushes her into a hug, rocking them both back and forth a little; he almost lifts her off his feet. "I love you, too, Kluke. I love you, too..."He goes still for a brief moment - completely, utterly still. "Jiro? What's...?" She stops when she realizes he's crying - and laughing. He's overjoyed. As he thinks about how long it's taken for him to say it, about how long he's held his feelings in, he says, "I'll tell you later. It's a good story."
15. Eat
Shu's face is still, and it makes Kluke want to break down and sob, because an unmoving Shu is something that should never be. Just like the collar around his neck should never be. She holds his hand in her own; for her own comfort or his, she doesn't know. Maybe it's both. The fact that her best friend aside from Jiro, the boy whom she practically raised, hasn't woken up, combined with the memory of being Nene's prisoner (the nightmares still haunt her), Kluke feels like she's steadily descending into a hole of despair and misery that she cannot climb out of. However, his hand on her shoulder is enough of a comfort to temporarily pull her out of that abyss of depression. "Kluke, why don't you come downstairs?" Jiro asks her quietly. "That nice woman made some food for us; it would do you good to eat something." She can hear the desperation in his voice; she knows she hasn't been eating regularly, not since... "But, Shu..." She says weakly. "He'll be fine. You can come back up afterwards. Please, Kluke..." He isn't bothering to veil the desperation anymore. She doesn't want to leave Shu... But, seeing Jiro so miserable is painful, and she's unable to bear anymore pain. "Alright," she nods. "But, I'm coming back up as soon as we finish eating." She takes his hand, lets him pull her up. She leans against Jiro as they walk downstairs; she's never felt more grateful for him than she does now. Because if Jiro wasn't there, she knew she wouldn't have the strength to keep going.
16. Stone
Everyone was talking, laughing, enjoying themselves - a birthday party is almost always a happy affair. But Jiro's nerves felt like they were on fire. The gift was as perfect as he could make it; he'd cut and polished the moonstone himself, and checked with Jibral's accessory shop owner to make sure it was in top condition. And the concept of the gift seemed to be a good idea, too - he'd let Kluke decide what she wanted it to be, and he'd make it for her. But... Was that really the best gift he could get her? Could he do better? What if Shu did better?... That thought alone made his anxiety intensify tenfold. "I wonder where Shu is..." Kluke said suddenly, standing on the tips of her toes, looking for him among the crowd. "He'll be here soon. It's too important for him to miss." Jiro assured, but even as he said it, there was a sourness in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't because he knew Shu wouldn't be there, but rather because he knew that he would, and Jiro felt even worse for feeling that way (nothing, nothing should make him almost antagonize Shu). He sighed and tried to push the unsettling thoughts from his mind - he tried to imagine Kluke opening his gift, her face lighting up in delight as she saw the stone. He tried to clear any doubts from his head - because, tonight, no matter her reaction to the present, no matter what Shu did or didn't do, Jiro would finally tell her everything.
17. Boss
She landed a few feet away from the beast, breathing hard. They were in the middle of a fight with what looked like a three-headed snake; Jiro had called it a Hydrattler. The battle had turned out to be more difficult than ones with average monsters; it seemed like it would be categorized as a "boss fight", a term that Shu had coined which Kluke had yet to fathom (she supposed that was be to expected; when it came to Shu, this was just one of many things that a person would have trouble comprehending). Marumaro was unconscious, and Kluke herself had been badly injured; if it hit her again, she didn't know if she would be able to sustain the attack. In an ironic twist, that very moment she thought it was when the Hydrattler turned towards her and charged... And Jiro jumped in front of her. She screamed his name, rushing to his side, kneeling next to where he lay (she heard Shu behind her, charging at the monster in a rage; when the Hydrattler gave a pained cry, she knew he had the situation well in hand). To her relief, he opened his eyes immediately and locked with hers. "Kluke... Are you alright?" He spoke barely above a whisper. "I'm fine." Thanks to you.
18. Feather
Kluke found him sitting on the cliff near their campsite, twirling the blue object between his thumb and index finger. "Jiro? What is that?" She sat down next to him. "It's a Cockatrice feather." He continued spinning it lightly, focusing on the movement. Kluke wrinkled her nose slightly. "Why would you want to keep that?" She asked. "Because," he started. "It reminds me of Phoenix." Jiro stopped moving the feather, turning his attention to her with a smile. "It reminds me of you."
19. Here
She twisted and turned in the midst of her nightmares (about Nene, no doubt), not unlike the twisting of his heart as he saw how much she suffered. If only he could get her to wake up, or at least sleep peacefully... He wanted so badly, so very badly, to help her. He felt so helpless... "Ji..." Kluke spoke, still unconscious. "Jiro..." She reached out, her closed eyes tightening. Jiro took her hand immediately, trying to keep his voice steady as he assured her, "I'm here, Kluke. I'm here." He was, and he will be, just as he's always been. Even if it isn't much, if it will bring her some small comfort, he'll be there for her.
20. Now
Kluke, having just finished tidying up the nearly empty house - just to think, there had been a birthday party here, brimming with people, only a week ago - and exited outside, but stopped as she was closing the door. "Jiro, what are you doing here?" She gaped at him, finally closing the door behind her as an afterthought. He had initially jumped at the sound of her voice, but was now relaxed again. "Nothing, really... Just... Just thinking." He scratched the back of his head. Kluke sighed; she supposed she should have seen this coming. "This is about my birthday, isn't it? About what I said to you and Shu." She moved to sit down next to him on the steps. Jiro started stuttering... "W-w-well, not - well, kind of - no - not - maybe - but, no - I..." He gave up. "Yeah. Yeah, it is." He dropped his head onto arms folded on top of his knees. "Ever since... What happened that night... Shu's been avoiding me. He's mad at me, I can tell. I can't stand it this way... When we were younger, something like this would never have happened. But, now... I don't know what to do." He lifted his head again, eyes trained forward, looking at nothing. She pushed some hair behind her ear."You should talk to him. You know, sort things out." Kluke bit her lip. She desperately wanted to tell him what she was thinking: Shu told me he misses you, so badly that it hurts. He wants to spend time with you again, like in the old days. But she had promised not to tell. Maybe if they both knew how the other felt, there wouldn't be a problem. But she had promised... So there was nothing she could do. Well, except for... "Do you remember what I told you, Jiro, the day that Shu fell from the cliff?" She waited for him to look at her, then continued. "Things haven't changed." She tried to smile reassuringly, but it vanished when she saw the misery in his eyes. Jiro reached out a hand towards her, resting it on her cheek (she felt her face grow hot). Quietly, he said, "No, Kluke. Everything has changed." Later on that night, she would find out that Jiro and Shu had made up, and things between the trio were well once again. But it would be much later before Kluke finally understand what Jiro had really meant.
21. Parent
Telling a girl that you're in love with her is usually hard. Jiro knows this all too well. But, it does help if you have your parents' support. (Father: "Sometimes it just takes a while to admit to her how you feel. I had the same problem with your mother. But, listen to your heart, and it'll tell you when it's time.") (Mother: "Kluke is such a sweet girl - the two of you will be a perfect match! Oh, my little boy's growing up so fast!")
22. Free
Her prison is cold, dark. She doesn't know how long she's been here. It could be days, weeks, months... Years... She doubted she would notice. While she's been down here, it's almost always been constant fear - of him, and of closing her eyes. Because even if she tries to escape in her dreams, he always finds her. But... There is something that makes the days pass easier, that gives her hope that one day she will be free. On one finger rests the ring with the red stone; whenever she sees it, she sees Shu, and that makes it all so much easier... It's almost like he passes on some of that immense courage of his to her. And on the other finger is the ring with the green stone... She dreams about him sometimes. He comes in place of the nightmares of him, as if he's holding them off. They're always trying to get closer to each other, though they never do. But, she waves to him sometimes... and he'll wave back... And it makes it so much easier. She wants to see them again, so badly it hurts. She's worried about Shu; he can be so very careless sometimes, and she's afraid he'll hurt himself if she isn't there to look out for him. And Jiro... She feels that there's something important he wants to tell her, that he's wanted to tell her for a long time, and she wants to know what it is... No, she has to. She doesn't know what it is, or why she feels so strongly about it, but she must find out what it is. So, she will wait... She'll wait for them, because she knows that eventually, they'll come, and she'll be free; she'll be with them once again.
23. Whimsy
She had started wandering around the house (quietly, as not to wake her parents) after she discovered someone was absent from the sleep over. Shu slept soundly upstairs; the one missing was Jiro (and Kluke guessed that she herself could be considered missing now, too). She found him in a place she wouldn't have suspected - the porch. He had started a little when she came up to him and asked if he couldn't sleep, but after he had calmed, he managed a sheepish grin. "Yeah. You too?" He asked. She nodded with an affirmative noise. Jiro looked up at the sky then. "Hey, Kluke... I was just thinking..." He looked down, blushing a little. "... It would be kind of nice to see the rest of the world, you know?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Oh... Well, I'd never really thought about it before..." She placed a finger to her chin. "Sorry... That's kind of a whimsical idea, isn't it?" Jiro chuckled a little, sounding embarrassed. She quickly shook her head. "No, no! That's not what I meant at all." She lifted her gaze to the stars. "Thinking about it... It does sound kind of nice, though." She smiled at him brightly. "Just to think, all of the new things we would find!" Her smile faltered a little... "You... would bring me with you, right?" She asked tentatively. Jiro took his hand in hers, and all of her doubts melted away. "Always."
24. Worry
There are few things that Jiro has not worried about. Almost half of those worries were about Shu (from the ages of three to eight, and probably beyond that as well, Shu was the very definition of "accident prone"). And the other "almost half"... Well, that would likely be concerning Kluke. She was not prone to accidents, but rather to hardship. There had always been many struggles in her life. The biggest thing would, of course, be her parents... And Jiro had worried almost endlessly about her after their deaths (she had been so distant...). And then several new worries popped up after they received their Shadows and began their impromptu journey, especially since they were almost always in some kind of danger... But there has been one worry that has been there for a long time, one that he's almost not really sure when it began... Will we still be friends if she finds out that I think of her as more than that?
25. Star
They had taken a momentary break to stock up on supplies (at least, as momentary a break as one could manage in the Atomic Cube). The group was heading back towards their rest spot; Jiro had fallen in line around the middle, and just ahead of him, Kluke and Fushira talked while carrying the recently bought items. He heard Kluke saying, "... I'm glad to finally have it. Of course, the spell it uses is random, so that could be a disadvantage if the element ends up being one that the enemy absorbs. But, otherwise, that's the fastest way to cast the highest charge of Black Magic spells, so if used correctly, the Star skill can be very powerful..." The rest of what she said was lost, as Jiro was hit with something very suddenly. Star... Kluke was capable of using Star... And him... Jiro used Moon... The stars and the moons could almost always be seen together in the sky, but even when they couldn't be seen, they still were always together... A perfect match, an inseparable pair. And Jiro smiled to himself then, because it gave him hope, that maybe there was still a chance for him and Kluke after all.
26. Way
Jiro woke up, finding himself lying on something soft. Opening his eyes, he saw the familiar red and white checkered pattern of Kluke's bedspread. Looking further down, he saw a familiar brown head resting on his chest. He felt himself flush; even after a month of having told each other their feelings, it seemed that Kluke still managed to make him blush. Still... He looked out of the window above them, watching the clouds passing by, moving across the sky and beyond the window frame, out of sight (perhaps they would travel to all of the places he and the others had been). He'd been in love with Kluke for a long time, but he'd never imagined that she would actually feel the same way. It still amazed him, even now... But, he smiled, curling towards her. Even if he doesn't understand why she feels the same way, he's grateful that she does, and that's enough for him.
27. Dish
Kluke gasps as the dish falls from her hands, before hitting the ground and shattering into dozens of small porcelain shards. She sinks to her knees, just registering that the dish has broken... Broken, like her heart. She picks up the pieces with only her hands, feeling the sharp edges cut her fingers, but the tears coming to her eyes are not from the physical pain. If it had been her mother washing the dishes, the plate would never have broken... But her mother won't wash anything ever again. In fact, she'll never even see her mother again. She's gone... Her parents are gone... Her crying turns to sobbing; a few dish fragments fall out of her hands... And then something, someone, is holding her, gently removing the sharp ceramic away to where they can't hurt her anymore. She turns and buries her face in the green tunic, her tears soaking the fabric, embracing him as if he were anchoring her to the world. And she thinks, that maybe, there is someone to pick up the pieces of her heart after all.
28. Pride
While bringing over the tea, Kluke caught him staring at her bonsai stands. As she sat in front of him, she chuckled, saying, "My pride and joy." She gestured to the plants. "Oh-oh, I know... It's just... I didn't think you would've kept it." Jiro points to the one at the very top, one with familiar pink leaves. "Of course I kept it," she stares intently at the contents of her cup, blushing furiously. "It was from you."
29. Build
He looks at the ring, which he built with his own two hands; determination flickers in his eyes. Tonight... Kluke will choose either my ring or Shu's... And I'll finally know for sure...
30. Expelled
With a pull and a cry, he tugs her out of the water and onto the bank. He catches his breath in seconds, lifting up his head - and she isn't moving. "No..." It's a hoarse croak that even he can barely hear. And then he's scrambling towards her, shaking her. "Kluke!!! Kluke, wake up!!!" She doesn't answer him, doesn't move, and he feels dread seep through him. He pushes down on her chest, praying he remembers the steps for CPR. Kluke knows it by heart, but she isn't awake, and therein lies the problem... Though he can say with certainty that, unlike her, he remembers that it stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. That had been a constant joke between the two of them. Now he just wishes she would wake up to hear it. That very thought seems to be the stone breaking the glass that held his tears, and now they're pouring out, blurring his vision and stinging his eyes. His thoughts are jumbled, rushed, panicked. Please... Please, Kluke, don't go... I can't live without you... If you don't think about me, at least think about Shu... It would break him... Kluke... Please... Kluke, you... You can't die like this!! His head dives down, and he breaths oxygen into her mouth, trying not to think about the flustering fact that his lips are pressed against hers... She jerks upwards, and he reels back just as she rolls onto her side coughing, the water expelled. She opens her eyes blearily. "Jiro..." She must have seen that he'd been crying, because she lifts her hand and wipes away his tears. He presses her hand there tightly, feeling the warmth of her palm, needing to feel that she's still there.
31. Perfect
Despite knowing Kluke since he was two years old, he's still awed by what an amazing person she is. Beautiful, kind, skilled, brave, caring... She held in her burdens and concerns, just for the sake of not worrying anyone. Taking on the responsibility of being the village doctor, at the tender age of thirteen, falling into the role as if she were born to do it. Often teasing, but just a cover for what she really felt. Always concerned for her friends well-being, and doing anything she can to help them. She was just so... Perfect. That tended to make him examine his own flaws, thinking that he couldn't possibly be right for her... But, painful as it is, if she should end up with someone else... He'll still be happy for her. Because, even if she never finds about his crush, their friendship is dear to him, and the last thing he wants is to jeopardize her happiness. I just wish... hope... that maybe, just maybe, you could find happiness with me...
32. Night
Tears can ease your sorrow, so go ahead and cry as much as you want. She remembers that night; she remembers it well. He said it to comfort her, and he did a good job of it, but she isn't sure if he knows the true extent of how much it helped her. She used jokes less and less to hide her pain, beginning instead to say them just for enjoyment like everyone else; when something bothered her, it became easier to not bottle it up, but instead talk with Jiro or Shu. When she was taken away by him, a look at a certain green-stoned ring brought those words ringing back, and she knew she would make it another day. And at times when she thought of her parents, when it became too much to bear, she cried. She cried, and she didn't feel bad about it afterwards. Because, as he said, the tears eased her sorrow... Though not as much as Jiro.
33. Lost
Jiro fiddled with the red, silky strip of fabric he held in his hands. It shouldn't have been so hard to do something this simple... But, he supposed that for him, anything concerning Kluke was never simple. Still... "Come on, Jiro," Shu's impatient voice echoed from a short distance away. "Just go and give it to her already! I don't want to stand here forever!" Shu rarely liked staying in one spot, and that was being made especially evident at that moment. "I know, I'll be right there!" Jiro managed to take those few steps towards the front of her house, and had even lifted his hand to knock - but he couldn't bring it against the door. He stood there for several seconds, trying to move his unresponsive hand. "Jiro-" "I'm coming!" He never took his eyes away from the door, or even moved his hand, as he shakily yelled at Shu. It isn't complicated, Jiro. Just get it over with. With that thought, he finally knocked on the door... Her mother answered. "Oh, hello, Jiro." She smiled, not unlike her daughter, and his stomach flipped anxiously. "Hello... Is, um, is Kluke feeling well enough to come down and talk for a minute?" He inwardly kicked himself for sounding so nervous. He could practically feel himself blushing. Kluke's mother turned away, and he just barely caught her hiding a smile. And that was when he realized that she had figured out why he was blushing. Dear God, she knows... "Yes, I'm sure that she can," her voice was filled with humor. "I'll be back in a second." She disappeared inside, leaving the door ajar. A moment later, it opened again, with Kluke behind it. "Hi, Jiro." Her voice still sounded scratchy, and her airways were definitely congested, but she seemed to be doing much better than she had the past few days. Swallowing past his anxiety, he held up the cloth for her to see. "Shu and I found that ribbon you lost a few days ago. We found it buried underneath some of his stuff." He couldn't meet her eyes. "Oh, thank you!" She took it from him, followed by another sniff. "I've been looking for this everywhere. Thank you so much for bringing it to me, Jiro." She cradled it to herself. "You're welcome." He nodded. "Um, Jiro... It's not that I don't want to spend time with you, but I should probably go. I'm afraid of making you sick." She looked down regretfully, and Jiro felt bad for her; she hadn't been spending much time with anyone these last few days because of her cold, and it was bound to be lonely for her. "It's okay, Kluke," he shook his head. "We'll spend some more time together later." He smiled at her, which she returned with one of her own. "Okay!" She nodded, already seeming more cheered. "I'll see you soon, then. Tell Shu that I said 'hi'. And thank you again for bringing me my ribbon. Bye, Jiro!" She waved at him for a second, which he did as well, then closed the door. Once it was shut, Jiro leaned back against the wood with a sigh, his hand over his heart. One of these days, I have to tell her.
34. Time
Jiro opened his eyes, and immediately locked with Kluke's. He discovered that while he'd dozed off, either she or he (in his sleep) had laced their hands together; because of that, his heart promptly started pounding (he absentmindedly wondered if Kluke could feel his racing pulse from their joined hands). "What are you thinking about?" She asked him softly, just barely above a whisper. "Just..." Jiro swallowed. "Well, just how amazing it is that you know how I feel... And that you actually feel the same way... It's incredible. I've been in love with you for such a long time... It's just hard to believe this is actually happening." He squeezed her hand slightly. She grinned at him broadly - his heart went from pounding to fluttering - and said, "Believe it."
35. Evil
Jiro rubbed his arms to bring some warmth to them; it was usually pretty warm in Alumaru Village, so he hadn't expected it to be so cool in the morning. The group of five had stopped here because of a barrier they remembered seeing during their first visit, but they'd been exhausted once they arrived, so they decided to stay the night. Now, it was morning, and they'd be setting out again soon... Upon waking up, Jiro had noticed that Kluke was absent from her bed; not being able to sleep any longer himself, he'd decided to go look for her. (However, he didn't expect to find her the way he would.) He heard her before he saw her - he heard her crying. For a moment, he stopped, wondering if he should go back and leave her be. No. Not this time. He follows the sound of her sobbing with purposeful steps, though there's a waver in his stride - doubt, that perhaps he shouldn't be doing this after all. But that thought vanishes when he sees her weeping, head buried in folded arms. He kneels down next to her. "Kluke..." He places a hand on her shoulder. Her head snaps up in surprise. "J-Jiro! Wh-what are you doing here?" She's wiping at her eyes rapidly, trying to hide the evidence of her sorrow. But today, he isn't going to let her suffer alone. Not this time. "What's wrong, Kluke?" Despite this, he knows what's probably the cause of her crying. Sometimes the loss of her parents is just too hard... (But she's going to surprise him.) "Jiro... Do I..." She bites her lip for a moment, but then continues, "Do I seem different to you?" She looks at him with such pain and desperation that he has trouble answering. "No. Why would you be?" He's honestly confused; he doesn't understand why something like that would bother her so much. She shook her head, hanging her head, the hair framing the right side of her face obscuring her eyes from view. "It's just... When Nene took me..." She stops here, and even if she does continue, he knows she won't elaborate. She never goes into detail about that time, and he wonders if she will ever be able to. She presses on, "I just wonder now if because of what he did, that maybe there's something... wrong with me..." She looks up then, looks right at him, her eyes welling with tears. "Or if maybe there's always been something wrong with me, and the only thing he did was bring it out into the open." The tears spill out, running down her cheeks. "Kluke..." He can barely get out her name because of the shock. And then, before he can stop himself, he's embracing her tightly. "J-Jiro...?" She stutters his name, clearly surprised. A panicked thought crosses his mind, that maybe he's made her uncomfortable. But he ignores the thought. He can't leave her to this... Not this time. "Kluke... There's nothing wrong with you. There has never been anything wrong with you, and there isn't now. I don't know what Nene did to you, or what he said to you... And you don't have to tell me, either - not unless you want to. But, you have to remember that he's evil; he would lie to you, just like he did about the collar exploding, if it meant that you would suffer. So, whatever he's done that's made you think this... It's a lie, and you can't let him mislead you. I know you, Kluke, and there's nothing wrong with you. You're the kindest, purest person I know... and you're my best friend..." ...and I love you... "Jiro..." She held him closer, starting to cry again, but he knew that his words had helped her, and that was enough.
36. Today
Kluke straightened her bow in front of the mirror, almost frantically, before opting to pace her room for the seventh time. She decided that once she had made one full lap, she would pace it again before straightening her bow one more time (not the last time, just another one). She knew she shouldn't be so nervous, but... After several more times of bow-straightening and pacing, she managed to grab the wrapped box and head downstairs, where she exited the house with her parents. She clutched the gift close to her, while wondering if maybe she should be getting him something else... After all, today was Jiro's twelfth birthday - the last birthday he'd have as a child, before he would become a teenager in the coming year. It was an important birthday, a marker, just as his next one would be. Could her gift possibly be good enough?... After they'd arrived, there was a short flurry of events - such as the blowing of candles, and an embarrassed Jiro repeatedly thanking everyone - and then it was time for the presents. Shu gave his birthday present first - a new notepad. How does Shu always know what he wants? It isn't fair that someone that naive can always pick out the perfect gift every year, she thought sullenly as she watched Jiro exuberantly thanking the younger boy, who sheepishly scratched the back of his head. And then it was her turn. "Here, Jiro." Her heart skipped a beat as he took it, thanking her, and started slowly unwrapping it. She fiddled with her fingers as the last of the wrapping was peeled away, and he opened the box- "Oh!" Out from the box he lifted the book, absolute delight written on all over his face, his joy even more obvious as he brushed his hand over the title ("Portrait of a Machine, Part 1"). She felt a warmth seep through her, all the way from her head to her toes - a pleased satisfaction that she had gotten a gift he liked. Jiro set down the book, then rushed over to her and crushed her in a hug. "Thank you, Kluke!" He pulled away a little, smiling broadly. The warm feeling settled around her heart. A few seconds later, she was surprised to find Shu with his chin resting on fisted hands, sulking. "How the heck did you know?" He grumbled. "Know what?" She asked as she took a chair next to him. "About the book. He's been talking about it for months," Shu's sulking started to border on pouting. "I can't believe you got him a better gift than I did..." He sighed. "Well, looks like you're out of luck, kiddo." She winked at him, and received a scowl. At the party's end, she received one last thanks and a warm hug from Jiro, and she carried that same pleased satisfaction with her all the way home, thinking that maybe she, too, had gotten a gift after all.
37. Crack
She stops walking down the hallway momentarily so she can massage her aching neck - for all of the other distress it's causing, the collar is made of metal, and it's quite uncomfortable to have it constantly there (it's not as if she can do anything about it, though). After a minute or so, she continues and arrives at her destination, which is a certain room... Shu is lying in the bed, unconscious, as expected. But there is someone there who she did not expect. His head snaps up when he hears her enter. "O-oh, hi, Kluke... I-I didn't know you were coming in here." He musters enough strength for a smile, but it's a strained one. And she sees it then - that shell that he's had all of these years, that shell of perfection, calculation, logic, prudence, is steadily cracking under the pressure of high stress and extreme worry. She crosses the expanse of the room until she's beside him. "Are you alright?" She finds it slightly odd, and a little ironic, that she's asking him, because she's usually on the receiving end of that particular question. "Of-of course I am... Why... Why wouldn't I be?..." He attempts a laugh, but it comes out instead as a choked sob. She hugs him from behind as he starts crying harder; from where she rests her head on his shoulder, she can see his fists tightening from their place on the desk, his knuckles pale in the dim candlelight (she hopes it's just the light...). "If I... If I was stronger... If I had tried harder..." He takes in a shaky breath. "It's my fault... All my fault..." Teardrops splatter against the desk and his hands, soaking wood and skin. "No, it isn't," she tries to soothe him. "There's nothing we could have done. I don't know how we got away, or what happened to Shu after I fell unconscious - presuming that wasn't a dream - but I do know we did the best that we could." She held him closer. From his expression, she could tell that he didn't entirely believe her. His hands loosened, though. "It just... hurts so much, to see him like that..." He hung his head, moving it left and right. "I know... I know." She blinks back tears; she'd been thinking much the same thing the last time she'd been sitting at Shu's bedside. "Shu would probably laugh if he could see me right now." He tries again for a laugh of his own, but a sob once again takes its place. "He wouldn't. You know he wouldn't. You shouldn't even say that." Her eyes narrow slightly, but she relaxes again. "Yeah... Yeah, he wouldn't." He sniffs. "I'm sorry, Kluke... I shouldn't be bawling in front of you like this..." He closes his eyes, a few tears slipping past anyway, and she closes hers as well. They think the same thing: Shu, their best friend, their little brother, should not be lying on that bed, absolutely still, something that practically defies logic itself. A sense of failure weighs both of them down - despite Kluke's words, they both can't shake the feeling that it's their fault, for not protecting him. And they both vow, that they will become stronger, so it will never happen again. Kluke finally opens her eyes, and responds to what Jiro had said earlier, "Don't worry about it. Sometimes we all need someone to lean back on." I'll be there for you, Jiro, just as you've been for me.
38. Quit
No matter what trial he's faced with, Kluke gives him the strength to keep going. Whatever the problem may be, Jiro won't quit when it comes to finding a solution, when he knows that he has her support.
39. Play
Jiro had absentmindedly been pressing on a few of the piano keys, so it took him completely off guard when he heard a voice from behind him. "I didn't know you had a piano." Kluke's voice. After he'd recovered from being startled, he said, "My parents were a little tentative about getting one, since there's always the chance that it could get wrecked during the Land Shark attacks... But they decided it would be worth it, even if we only have it for a short time." Jiro's finger lightly touched the keys. She took a seat next to him on the bench, then started moving her finger across the keys, causing it to produce sound. "Do you play?" He asked her. "Just a bit," she admitted. "Um... Do you know piano four-hands?" Jiro turned to a new page of sheet music. With a broad smile, she answered, "Thought you'd never ask." With that, both of them poised their hands over the piano and... Their hands moved in perfect accord with each other, flawlessly producing the melody. Their playing complimented each other, working in absolute harmony. Even when Shu snuck into Jiro's room to listen, the music did not stray or falter. As soon as the last notes had been played, Shu jumped up with an exuberant yell, "Jiro, Kluke, that was awesome!" He grinned as he looked from one to the other. "Oh, I don't know if it was as good as all that..." Jiro demurred. "You know..." Kluke started. "I heard that for piano four-hands, it takes complete faith and trust in the other person in order for the song to come out right. So..." She smiled at him. "I guess we must make a good pair." She tilted her head to the side, watching for Jiro's response. Jiro promptly snatched the book off of the piano, burying his face in the sheet music in order to hide his blush.
40. Nut
Taking a break anywhere in Mural Valley was probably not the best idea. Especially in a certain grassy area commonly frequented by Cockatrice flocks. But... When everyone's exhausted, and Marumaro is insistent on lunch, there is only so much to be done. And besides... Whatever else it may be, it was an opportunity, and Jiro didn't plan on letting it slip by. When Shu said he and Marumaro would scout the area ahead, it seemed too good of an opportunity to be true... But an opportunity is an opportunity... Kluke had been sitting rather quietly, munching occasionally on a few nuts they'd gathered before entering the valley. Jiro cleared his throat once, twice, then plunged on. "Kluke... About that night in Lago Village-" And then he yelped as Shu and Marumaro rushed into the clearing, racing each other to see who could get back first. Too good to be true. After they'd arrived - Shu and Marumaro had tied, but they kept insisting that they'd beaten the other - Kluke looked to the side. "What were you saying, Jiro?" She asked him. With his head buried in his hands, he muttered out a muffled, "... Never mind."
41. Down
Kluke had noted that whenever she was feeling down - or falling down, as the case may be - Jiro always seemed to be there to pick her up. She just hoped that she could do half as much for him.
42. Ready
As Shu, Marumaro and Zola disembarked from the mechat and out onto the Primitive Cube, Jiro turned to Kluke. "Are you ready?" He asked her. It was quite clear what he meant - if there had ever been a battle they went into that they wouldn't come out of alive, it would be this one. "Are you going to be with me?" She answered with a question of her own. "Of... Of course I am. What do you mean?" His eyebrows furrowed in obvious confusion. She laughed lightly, then took his hand in one of hers (she noted his blush upon her doing this). "Then, yes - if you'll be there, I'm ready."
43. Slow
Jiro loved Kluke with all of his heart, but he couldn't help but wonder if she was a bit slow when it came to romantic details. He must have dropped literally a million hints before the not-exactly-but-mostly-failed confession during her birthday.
44. Animal
Kluke looked up in petrified horror at the towering animal in front of her. "... We're going to do what?" She choked out after a moment. "Come on, Kluke," Shu gave her a very gentle, but clearly irritated, nudge forward. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get the adults to say yes? They kept saying things like I'm only six and you guys are only eight, and we shouldn't be doing things like this, and then I finally got them to agree... You're not going to waste an opportunity like this, are you?" He placed his hands on his hips. "An opportunity for what? To get killed?" She snapped at him. Shu rolled his eyes. "Well, if you want to stand there all day, then fine. I'm riding them, though. Come on, Jiro!" With that, he started towards the donkeys. "You're not actually going to ride those... things... are you?" Kluke asked him. Jiro shrugged sheepishly, but then brightened a little as he seemingly thought of something. "You know... If you think it would help, I could ride with you, Kluke." Jiro offered his hand. Kluke glanced at it, then lifted her eyes to his face again. "... Really? You... You'd do that for me?" She was embarrassed about asking for help, but there was no way she would get on one of those huge things unless someone went on with her. "Sure." He smiled at her - she took his hand. A few moments later, she was sitting on the donkey's back, nearly wailing as she hung on tightly to Jiro. But, with a few comforting words, he managed to calm her down... And as she leaned her head against him, she thought that with Jiro here, it wasn't nearly as bad as she thought it would be. (But Shu was very clearly insane for ever wanting to ride these things in the first place.)
45. Teen
"Can you believe it?" Kluke asked as she watched a firefly pass over her head. "Shu's actually going to turn thirteen tomorrow." She turned around so she was facing him, leaning her back against a tree. Jiro ducked under a tree branch during his approach. "Guess he won't really need us then, will he?" He tried to smile, but she could tell it was too hard for him to do, as his expression almost instantly became downcast. "Shu's always going to need us, if he's this immature at twelve going on thirteen," she attempted to joke. "On top of that, I doubt he's even grown a centimeter since he was nine." She laughed. "Kluke, you shouldn't..." But she could tell it had worked, that she had managed to cheer him up - the wide grin and quaking shoulders of repressed laughter gave him away. Eventually, chuckles and giggles became more frequent as Kluke jested a bit more at Shu's expense, before the quiet laughter faded into two matching sighs. "Did you get him a present yet?" Jiro asked after a while of watching fireflies. "Well, that would be telling, now wouldn't it?" Kluke winked at him. He smiled and closed his eyes. "Suppose so..." He said softly. A few seconds passed in silence before Kluke broke out into a fit of giggles. "What is it?" He asked her, amused, opening his eyes again. "It's just... I mean, listen to us - we sound like two parents with empty nest syndrome!" She clutched her side as she started giggling anew. Jiro however, blushed. "Parents, huh..." He murmured. Kluke stopped, blinking at him, then flushed herself. "I just, um... I just saw some similarities, you know?" She rubbed her arm nervously. "Right." Jiro nodded, more as if he were convincing himself rather than agreeing with her. That doesn't stop both of them from thinking the same thing, though: One day, many years from now, if we choose it, that could be reality.
46. Burn
The second time Kluke used the Corporeal form, she didn't remember it. She remembered the first time, but not the second. All that she could recall was Jiro being in a critical state, and before anyone could manage to heal him, he'd been hit by the monster... and then she saw him falling... falling... Felt rage... Her Shadow's cry louder than normal... Herself yelling "burn" after something else, or maybe before something else... And that was all. The next thing in her memory had been slumping to her knees as Phoenix gave a cry before unsummoning. She tried to catch her breath, but she didn't know why she had trouble breathing. And then she remembered, that he'd been hurt- "Jiro!" She raised her head, looking for him wildly. "I'm here." A weak reply, but a reply all the same, one that Kluke found herself to be incredibly grateful for. To her left, Jiro had managed to prop himself while Shu kneeled down to heal him. Marumaro helped Kluke over to where the other two boys were, and soon she was telling Jiro about her side of what had happened. "It sounds like this new power that makes our Shadows a separate entity is partially triggered by strong emotion. That would make sense, because the magic seems to be particularly strong when invoked by feelings, like that first time I used Minotaur to heal you, Kluke." Jiro lowered his hand from underneath his chin. Marumaro looked from Kluke to Jiro and back again, then said, "So, that must mean that Kluke really likes Jiro. Right?" Jiro and Kluke flushed a dark red, followed by both of them punching Marumaro's potted head.
47. Tie
She can tell from the quick, awkward movements of his hands that he's embarrassed - she just can't tell if it's her or him who's more embarrassed. Kluke had been surprised that he offered to tie her ribbon in the first place, but she hadn't thought too much of it (at least, she told herself that she didn't); it was no big deal, right? (... Wrong.) But if it wasn't, then why did her stomach feel so... fluttery? Either that, or it was tying itself into a knot as intricate as her bow. (She felt so flustered, she wasn't even able to tell.) But, why? Why am I feeling this way? She lifted her eyes, seeing Jiro in the mirror, and then a little voice in her head sounding similar to herself (her self conscious, perhaps), You know why. Cheeks burning, she quickly looked down again.
48. Blast
"What's going on, Kluke?" Jiro asked her as she dragged him behind a Sheep Tribe camp tent. "I have something to show you. It's extraordinary." She smiled wider; her whole face brightened accordingly. "What is it?" He folded his arms, looking on curiously. She shook her head, saying, "Watch." She closed her eyes, lifting up her arm, fisted hand facing upward. After taking a deep breath, she slowly opened her hand, and in the center of her palm appeared a flame. "How... How did you...?" Jiro gaped at her in astonishment. "Isn't it incredible?!" Kluke was positively giddy. "Ah, here - I'll show you something else." Spotting a leaf lying on the ground, she waved her arm upwards, and up the leaf flew upon a blast of wind. As it started gently fluttering down, she waved her arms about, causing it to dance on much calmer zephyrs. "And then there's one more that I wanted to show you," she took off the lid of a nearby barrel, setting it on the ground. "I learned this one last night, after we bought that Water spell book." She took a few steps back. With hands outstretched in front of her, she narrowed her eyes in concentration. Several seconds passed where nothing happened. "Um... Kluke...?" Jiro reached towards her. "Come on... Don't give out on me now..." She grumbled, seemingly to herself. And then... She laughed gleefully as it worked, twirling the trail of water up and around her. "Jiro, isn't this just the most amazing thing you've ever seen?!" She gave a joyful shout as she moved her hands down, and the small bit of water moved with her. Jiro watched her, smiling warmly, thinking of how alive she seemed. Since her parents' death, Kluke had closed up, trying to shield herself from anymore hurt, and trying to shield everyone else from the pain she held in. But, now... It hadn't solved or helped everything, but in some ways, it was almost as if the magic had brought Kluke back to life. No, Kluke, he thought. The magic is a truly incredible thing. But the most incredible thing, the most amazing person, is you.
49. They
The two of them work together in complete cooperation, a perfect affinity for each other. Kluke provides a powerful offense, while Jiro supplies a strong defense - a force to be reckoned with. Best friends, and a love that's been hidden; they work together to solve whatever problems they may face, and in the end, are one of the best duos to be seen.
50. Rot
A great deal of her life had been full of sadness, of suffering. It seemed almost as if her happiness had been slowly rotting away, like a fruit abandoned. But, him... He had never given up on her - he had always been there for her, even when she didn't want anyone to be. She regrets not being more open at times, even if it was for an excusable reason, but feels immensely appreciative towards him for what he did. He'd always been so kind; he always knew what to say, he always knew what to do. He's been one of the best friends she could ask for. And though never said outside of her mind, she thinks that maybe, one day, he could be more than that, too.
Well... That probably could've been much better, but overall, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. There are several paragraphs that I'm particularly disappointed (and, I admit, happy) with. I would've liked to add in a bit more romance, because I felt it was weaker in that regard than the romance had been in Fragments... But, I have Jiro x Kluke scenes planned out for other stories, and I didn't want to use up all of my material here. XP But... That's pretty much all I have to say (translation: pester you with XD). If you can, please review and let me know what you think; I've been late with my replies lately, but I will still try to reply quickly. And if anyone has ideas about replying to anonymous review, please tell me. Please! I feel bad that I'm not replying to my anonymous reviewers for my non-chapter stories... :( I'm still trying to come up with an idea, but I haven't had much luck with that. So, if you have any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it... But, that's all for now. Thanks for reading! :D