Kage: First, once again thank you for reading and double thanks for those who have reviewed! It's highly appreciated. I went through this chapter after my proof reader did just to try and make more spaces between dialogue. I hope its better, please let me know if it's a little easier to read now.
There's also a lot of switches between the pov in this one but that's due to the fact I combined chapters to make them longer. I didn't realize how short they're appearing online, so I'm trying to help that a long by making less chapters, just longer.
Final note, I'm sure you've noticed how many times I kept removing this chapter and putting it back, it has to do with the switching pov. For some reason no matter what I put in between nothing appears when its posted. I'm using (change) no, hopefully it works. lol
Again, so far so good, I've been updating weekly and thank you for the support. Here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Weiss Kreuz.
There's hope, One Last Chance
Destroying Lives,
Creating Hope,
Finally Fulfilled
Chapter 4:
Crap, crap, crap! I'm running late! I overslept, plus had to leave a few things out for Nagi like some medication and Omi's clothes. I'm probably speeding too. Who cares, this is bad; defined as 'Youji late'. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to work. I wanted to stay home with Nagi. He seems so distant all of a sudden when I could've sworn we were making progress.
Luckily he's still sleeping, but I know he misses his friends. Well, hopefully today his soul can be put with his friends… Argh, AFTER work!
I dread pulling up to the shop. Omi's out front, my shifts with him today. "Oi, Ken-kun, you're late!" He calls. No shit Sherlock, I think rushing in to put my apron on and clock on.
"Sorry Omi, I overslept."
"It's alright." He smiles. "I'm just glad the rush didn't start while I was by myself." This caught me a little off guard. No one covered or helped Omi out for my position? I'm almost 2 hours late.
"Where're Youji and Aya?" He shrugs watering some plants.
"Youji-kun, I never know these days. Since he moved out, it's hard to keep track of him when he's not working or on missions." True, I did forget about that.
"Aya-kun?" He taps his chin thinking. "I don't quite remember. I remember him getting me up this morning, that's it though. He might've gone out with Aya-chan."
"Good possibility." I reply.
All three including Aya-chan, Aya or Ran, and Omi still live at the shop. Not a big deal really and it's kind of like a mini family, even if we are dysfunctional. Nagi's an extension to mine though. He's family too, or I plan to make it seem that way. After dealing with a customer I decide to ask Omi something. It's not out of the ordinary for me to ask it, so it's no suspicious.
"So what crap do I have to plan around this week?" He laughs a little, he always does.
"Surprisingly, not much. Schedule's the same as last week and no missions. We won't be called out due to the last one and everyone was too lazy to do a different schedule." Ok, the shop's schedule no big deal, but no missions?
"Why?" This perplexed me a bit and he caught the question perfectly as always.
"The scene has not yet been investigated by Kritiker agents. They've been working on covering it up from police, public, and the government right now. Until the scene is analyzed by head officials, the mission is inconclusive and you know we can't start a new mission until the last one is finished. It's not logical."
"True, that's kind of good yet bad for us then."
"Yeah, but we should be clear. I already sent two reports in." That's awesome actually, saves our asses from a lot of paperwork.
"Good job Omittchi." I ruffle his hair. He shakes his head to calm the static and goes about working. He's so young and full of energy, even with high school years finally gone last year.
I swear, he's the only one out of the four of us to enter college, yet he's still so young but still more mature; odd kid but worth being calling a 'brother'. I shake my head, the rush is about to begin and I need my mind in place. Regardless if the early years are gone, we still get the same attention and publicity.
Thankfully my shift is short today and within six hours, I'm able to leave with Youji coming in and taking my spot. He has the 1:00 to closing shift and Aya has 1:30 to closing, so he'll have to be home soon, but I don't have time to hang around. I promised Nagi and I won't let him down.
Getting my bike ready, I race home. Something dawns on me on the way home though. That site…if it's yet to be properly inspected, no ones been there, or down to where Nagi was. He would've still been down there. God only knows what sort of deteriorating condition… It's times like these when I really am glad for what I did. Pushing such thoughts aside, I focused on just getting home.
Upon returning, I stash my bike away and head inside. Before even ditching my keys I find Nagi sleeping on the couch. It's 1:27 pm, has he not woken yet?
Walking closer to him, there's definite evidence he HAD woken earlier but must've fallen asleep again. My note was displaced explaining the clothes and pills I left out for him were gone. The clothes had been moved, but he still hasn't changed.
Probably just took the medication and they ended up knocking him out. So, stronger pain medication doesn't exactly fuse well with him. No big deal. Wonder if he ate. Oh well, I'll make something for us to eat anyway, I'm starving. Wait… ah shit, I still haven't gone grocery shopping. Well, Chinese take out doesn't sound bad, right?
(change)
About 45 minutes later, the food had arrived and I'd managed to clean up a bit. This place is never exactly clean; something always could some sprucing up. Setting the Chinese boxes on the table, I debate whether or not to wake Nagi. Who knows how long he's been out and he did want to go to the scene where he nearly died. My only hope is that Kritiker stays away from that area, at least until we get there and leave.
I sigh heavily, leaning on the table. "How long have you been home?" The voice asked from the door frame. It was Nagi.
"Oh, probably about an hour, did I disturb your sleep?" He shakes his head.
"Senses did." Ah! He smelt food, he must be hungry. I smile grabbing two pairs of chopsticks and we sit down to eat. Halfway through our meal he breaks the silence again. "What time is it?"
"Hmm, 2:18 I believe, don't worry the day's still young." He thought on that for a moment; looked almost as if he was questioning his current plan.
"How soon can we leave?" Thankfully I've been contemplating that question myself all day and can logically reply to him.
"I was thinking around five or six. I know yesterday we discussed earlier times but with daylight hours and possibility of being seen…"
"I understand." C'mon, I'm on a roll here! "How're you feeling?"
"Back hurts like hell, but roughly stable." I better hope he doesn't start speaking any level higher than he is now, I'd probably look stupid or make an ass of myself.
"I'll see if I can get better pain meds and maybe some that won't knock you out."
"It's fine."
Fine huh? Falling out in the middle of the day and wincing just to use chopsticks, 'fine' is doubtful. Later on I'll find something for him but right now he's too focused on going to that site.
Three and a half hours later and that's exactly what we were doing. I knew the bike ride would hurt him, but that's all I have, plus it's quicker than any car. By six, I was again standing at that same hill top I did four days ago, staring down at the remainder of the building. This time Nagi was with me instead of Omi though and he doesn't speak before he acts or goes into motion.
Before I knew it, he was heading down to ground zero and I followed him. He would stop and look around and then keep going; sometimes closing his eyes. If I were to have any sort of guess, I'd say he was calling out to his telepathic friend. No luck I guess. This routine continued for about 20 minutes until he found the underground entryway where I pulled him from.
He went down there instinctively and of course I followed. I brought a flash light knowing we'd be down here at some point, so the room was illuminated slightly, though it might have been better left in darkness. Walls, covered in blackened blood, the air swarmed with the grueling odor again and the clothes, they were still there.
Nagi looked horrified as he gathered the discarded articles. He knows who's they were; as did I now. I walked up to him. Man I feel bad. "Hey…it's-"
"They're gone. No, it's a lie. They wouldn't let it happen. They wouldn't let it fucking happen!" The cavern shook slightly. Shit! His powers are back! I rest my hand on his shoulder. I have to get him to calm down. I remember from previous missions that his emotions react horribly with his ability.
"Nagi, calm down!"
"No, you're wrong! You're all wrong!" He wasn't listening and the ground was shaking harder, begin to break. It was Takatori's mansion all over again! I can't let him blow this place sky high with us down here! Time was short, walls were crumbling and you could hear the rubble above shifting. Options, options, options… If he won't reason, then I gotta get him out. Now. "Nagi!" I latched onto him from behind and picked him up.
He doesn't struggle but his eyes are glazed over, red and burning. Damn he's taking this the worst way possible. No time to think about this now! Move Ken, move! Grabbing him, I ran to the exit and got out. Running as fast as I could, thank God for soccer, I managed to get to the top of the hill before ground zero sunk into a huge ditch with a small explosion, but Nagi wasn't done.
The land we stood on was still shaking and beginning to break as well. He was really planning to let his soul rest; no, not like this he won't! Dammit I have to reach him! I wrap my hands around him further, embracing him. "Nagi, please! Don't do this! Stop! You can't end it like this, there's still a place for you to go!" His expression didn't change and neither did the shaking.
"Ken." He spoke emotionlessly. "Shut me down before I hurt you." What…? H-he didn't want to hurt me…but I can't just shut him down by killing him! Or wait, I don't have to.
"Forgive me Nagi." With a swift movement, my fist met his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The hit probably will leave a mark due to the still tender skin and festering wounds, but he's already bleeding so I know his powers forced their way out.
But it was over. He fell limply in my arms and the grounds stop shaking. It was over, for now. Getting home was the next problem.
(Change)
Schuldig, Crawford, Farfarello, gone? Nothing adds up, but Siberian…he shut me down didn't he? I'm dead too, aren't I? No, death shouldn't hurt; it should just end everything and hurl me into a world of nothingness. I can't be dead, my head, my back, they're screaming…but didn't Ken kill me? Or did I kill him? My eyes, I need them to open to reveal the truth. Where am I? It doesn't feel like hell, doesn't sound like hell either.
My body won't respond for me, I just need to see…that's all. It felt as if my eyes were being ripped from their sockets, but slowly they opened. Light blinded me for a second and I blinked a few times to adjust. I see a wall, no it's a ceiling. Somehow it looks familiar at that. "You're awake! Thank goodness! How are you feeling?
I know that voice, its Ken's. If that's him…he saved me somehow and here he is again. But…my team… I should be dead with them. Not here! I can feel a small tear form at the edge of my glazed eyes, it falls. "Nagi…" He whispers as he wipes the tear away. He just doesn't get it, I don't belong here. I should've died
(change)
I don't know what to do, what's next? I mean for him at least… Yesterday was something I never want to have to go through again, for his sake and mine.
Back at the Takatori mansion I didn't know this kid nor his reason but this… no… It's been about 18 hours since he, well, passed out and he finally awake…but his eyes look so dead. I ask if he's alright but I'm not expecting an answer.
I'm holding his hand as he stares at the ceiling blankly. I just sigh; I just don't know what to do. A single tear falls down his pale cheek, just a single drop and he still hasn't blinked. "Nagi…" I wipe the tear away with my hand and rest my head gently next to his side. C'mon kid, I can't loose you now. No. Not when there's still a fighting chance, you can't give up. "Don't give up on yourself." My eyes close as my hand tightens on his.
(change)
A black screen suddenly turns on alerting the owner he has a new message. Due to the passed week events, the message precipitant was a little surprised at getting a message entitling the former case, "Urgent". Opening the file, blue eyes quickly skim the information, nearly gaping. "Ken-kun…"
(change)
Life seems foggy now, nothings out there for me. But why does his voice and his face keeping appearing in my head. He's been calling out to me, but I feel as if I'm in suspended animation. Time has stopped for me. My eyes have been opening and closing but all of it feels like a dream. Should I try to wake up or just fall into the black abyss in the back of my mind?
(change)
Man, I've been up all day and night. Last time I did this was…probably just as shitty as now, but still. This time I will be here when he wakes up. His eyes opening and closing, but blankly doesn't count, he's been out since early yesterday afternoon. I really don't want it to hit night time. Tea and crackers, with coffee on the side, has been my diet for the past two days.
My back hurts from leaning so much but it's worth it. I sigh heavily, looking at my feet. Damn, I just can't give up. No, no, no, no. He's still alive, he's still there. If Aya-chan can make it so can- "Ken?" What? It can't be! My head shoots up to see pained but unglazed dark blue eyes. They look tired and weak. I stare at him for a moment, his gaze doesn't break mine.
"What time is it?" He asks almost inaudibly. "1:24 pm." He nods very lightly. "I'm sorry… I almost killed you out of selfishness."
"No, no! It's alright, I understand."
"You don't, but that's beside the point." He breaks eye contact, gradually moving his hand to wipe the sand out of his eyes. He tries to move but fails.
"Don't push yourself, it's been almost two days since well…"
"I see. You haven't had work?" He cares? That's interesting...unless he's just concerned about my team finding out. "I did, but called in sick yesterday and today." His face turns a tint of pink lightly. "You didn't have to." He whispers and I smile. Of course I didn't have to but I wanted to; but I didn't tell him that.
"How are you feeling?" I ask the same question I did yesterday, this time he shifted a little and responded. "Like shit, my head hurts as does my back."
"Your movement seems more limited as well."
"That's expected." Really? He knew why? Good because I've been worried sick trying to decipher what else could be wrong for the past ten minutes. Maybe this has happened before? No doubt it has.
"Your head and back I can treat but I'm not sure about-"
"It's my ability."
"It's back?" I asked more concerned for him than the fact of what he could do to me with it. "Not really." I nod. "It forced itself out of me. More or less my subconscious pulled it out. My body wasn't ready for it and it injured my body on the way out. With any type of kinetic ability you have the constant fear, possibility or problem of your ability ripping you apart from the inside out."
Holy shit…that's worse than what I thought! Jeez, forget stiffness. "You going to be alright?" He nods. "A coma followed by paralysis and conscious take over. I can move my arms and feel my legs already, so it's fine."
"And your power?" He shrugs. "For now I don't have it. It could come back tomorrow, very unlikely, or even a few months from now."
"Well, you'll need to relax for a bit then, so it'll come back."
"I guess."
That sounded oh so thrilled, I wonder how much his telekinesis hurts him or has hurt him in the past. I can't imagine for how he talks about his life and that 'school'. He sighs lightly and starts to flex his arm, then sits up. Cringing, he lies back down and proceeds in repeating himself.
"Hey! You're going to hurt yourself."
"That's the point. I want mobility back; this is the only way to get it back." That's true, even in sports. Stretch your muscles and body if they're too sore and move when you need to. Still…he didn't have to say it like that. "Alright, I'll go make you something to eat. I actually went shopping while you were asleep." I chuckled lightly heading to the kitchen.
