Paroxysm, an xSilverWingsx fanfic
Tonight maybe we're gonna run
Dreaming of the Osaka sun
Dreaming of when the morning comes.
April 12, 2033 5:16 PM
448 Shinjuku Avenue
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
After emerging from the rather large world gate that seemed to bruise my intestines, I was met by a torrent of bright sunlight. As I got over its initial burn, the world around came into focus. In front of us was a rather large house with a brick front and a large bay window at top center, with curtains slightly disturbed, as if a young man had stood and looked out for a moment. I felt thunderstruck. Why, of all places, would we enter the Living World in front of my former house?
Akane's expression was reflective as she took it in. "This is a beautiful house," she remarked in a tone that betrayed no lies. My throat ached with a sudden swelling as I looked at her and I diverted my attention to the house. As I slept in Soul Society, I had wondered if they had demolished the place. Apparently not.
"Yeah," I agreed.
Her expression bordered between confusion and agitation. "What's with the face? You look like you swallowed a lemon."
I reposed my face and lifted my left eyebrow. "Better?"
Akane smiled. "Better," she said, but looked again at the mansion. "I have a hunch about this house. What was your father's first name?"
Damn, she's too smart. "Nara," I replied a little too quickly, sliding a hand in my left pants pocket. I wore my military uniform that I had slept in. Before we had left Soul Society, Akane had made a point to sew the outfit, despite the fact that I wouldn't need it anymore.
She eyed the plaque on the gate. "'Shuujarou Manor'. This is your house," she said lightly, turning her navy eyes on me. "Right?"
I couldn't help but give a smile. "Yes, it's my house. Or, was. I lived here for ten years."
"Are we going in, or what?" she said with an impatient air. A small guttural noise escaped my throat in an expression of surprise, but she didn't pay attention to it. Instead, vivacious as she dared to be, Akane ran up the long staircase.
"Akane!" I hissed.
"It's your house," she insisted, approaching the door.
"Yes, but--"
"Not listening," she muttered, shortly before pounding the knocker with as much strength as she could muster.
I shut my eyes automatically, but after a few moments of silence they slid open in confusion. "There's no answer?" I had suspected at least Blanca, the maid, to be there.
"No," Akane said with a frown. Then she turned away. "Well, that sucked. I wanted to see your house." She trumped down the stairs with a dejected expression. Her ample, shell-pink lips squeezed together in a pucker of annoyance, pinching her cheekbones into an arc that molded her brow to a frown. My hand shot up, clutching the key that had been in my pocket for God knows how long. What am I doing?
"Then let's see the house." A phobia of upsetting Akane was beginning to bloom, and it was hideous to me. She was a mere friend of mine, and here I was fulfilling her every want, as if she were my lover.
The coral lips shifted to a smile. "That's nice of you."
The simplicity of the conversation was an afterthought. I didn't seem to realize how worked up I was getting over a simple request until we ascended the steps and her face was scintillating in happiness. Why did it upset me to make her happy? Was I that bad?
The key went in the door and the door swung open, revealing the elaborate foyer. A small wrought-iron table sat in the center of the room for guests to wait, but it had always been a moot point because we didn't entertain.
"I like this room," she said quietly. "But it's so empty in here. I thought you said you lived with your father.
"He's on deployment," I replied, touching a bronze of a turtle walking a dog. These were from the Meiji period, Naraki's pride and joy. "Is there anything you want to do here, in particular?"
She shook her head. "I just thought that this might be a good place for us to stay. You know, while we investigate."
That's impossible. "Akane, no. My father's staff lives here."
"That's sad," she said, looking around. "They're very nice things."
"Thank you." I bit down hard on my lip, feeling resentment on telling her that. Shortly after, the disgust again, but then something came to mind. My favorite guns lay upstairs, unblemished by the Black Market as of yet. "I'll be right back."
April 12, 2033 5:23 PM
Hanshou Shuujarou's bedroom
448 Shinjuku Avenue
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
My room was the same as it had always been. The walls were a deep, bland shade of navy that had never really suited my taste. Bookcases stood at few-feet intervals, ending as they met next to a black desk with a thin white computer seated atop it. The device had obviously overheated. A stream of light fell in from the window, tracing crop circles in the pure white carpeting. I let out a contented sigh. I'm lucky I get to see this before he sells it all.
I stepped forward and opened the closet door. They still hung there clear as day, cool metal gleaming in the light. I breathed and smiled.
"Which is your favorite?" asked a subdued voice.
I pulled it down swiftly and turned to Akane, propping it across my hands. "This one." It was a rifle, a weapon usually more characterized for the hunt.
Her eyes were undisturbed by the firearm. "What kind?"
"This is an Armalite AR-18."
Without asking, she took the gun in her hands and stared at it. Surveying what seemed to be every nick on the gun, as well as the barrel and the magazine, Akane seemed satisfied. "It's a nice one," she concluded.
I found myself blinking in rapid succession. "You know about guns?"
"Yes. When I was young, I learned a lot. It's one of the few things I remember. What other brands do you have?"
"A lot of them. Beretta, Colt, Smith & Wesson... if you can think of it, I own one of them." I let off a certain air of pride as I discussed guns, but it was more effective on Kyuui, who knew absolutely nothing about them. Akane didn't seem remotely fazed.
"Anyway, Shuujarou," she got to her feet without hesitation, "I think we should go and try to find Shima now. He could be anywhere."
"Do you sense him?" I wasn't claiming to be an expert on these Soul Society things, but I had listened in on one or two of her phone conversations with Airika.
"I don't, to be honest. If you want, we can wait until I do." Akane bounced up and down on her heels. "But we need to hurry up and get out of here, because your father could be home at any time."
"What do you want to do until then?" I asked.
After a few moments, she took an incredulous look down at her shikakusho. "I can't walk around wearing this all the time, can I? Do people dress like this here?"
"Not quite," I said.
"Yominichi-taichou gave me 11600 yen for the trip. Do you think that would be enough to buy us some decent clothes?" when she said it, Akane seemed to be making a statement rather than a question. This intrigued me momentarily but I decided to answer the question rather than analyze it.
"More than enough, but I have clothes here. You can borrow some, even if they might be a little long, but save your money for more important things, like a place to stay." I was trying to prioritize for her, since Akane never seemed very organized in her own house.
Her eyes drifted to my dresser. "May I?"
"Go ahead."
Akane pulled open the dresser and looked inside for a few moments. "You're right, these will be long on me," she said in an oddly bouncy voice. "Do you want to take everything, since you need clothes too?"
"That would be good," I said. And I hated to admit to myself that when she leaned over again, I wound up admiring her behind. I gave a sigh of exasperation and stared at the wall instead, but it couldn't hold my attention. Fucking hormones.
"Okay, Shuujarou. We're done here, right?" she stood up, carrying a pile of clothes that stopped at her eye level.
"Yes," I said.
I made a trade with the devil
and he gave me your hand
April 12, 2033 5:49 PM
Town Square
Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
"What's wrong, Haiso-san?"
Haiso let out a dark sigh and reposed her face to happiness. "There's nothing wrong, Gyakusetsu-taichou. I'm merely worried about our ability to work in this world."
Noboru stared at the sky. It was the same here. "Haiso, all that's different is the technology. People still act the same here."
"Do you really think so?" she asked.
He gave a wry smile. "I know so. Have you sensed anything yet?"
"Nothing but Misaki-taichou. He's a few miles away with Masato-san." Haiso looked ahead into a somewhat unfortunate neighborhood, but some thoughts bothered her. "Who was that person with Kikenei-fukutaichou?"
Noboru felt his face splinter in confusion. Who was that man... he had seemed very concerned, and yet he had stood rather close to Kikenei. "I have no clue, Haiso-san."
"I have a theory," she said, "that that's her lover or something. He's always with her, don't you notice?"
"I don't spend time watching Kikenei-fukutaichou," he said, "but you might be right."
Through a cloud of silvery hair, Haiso watched her Captain's surveillance of the sky. Lately he'd been concerned about obscure things. "Is everything all right, Captain?"
He turned his reddish eyes on her. "I'm fine, Haiso. Is everything all right with you?"
"Yes," she sighed, very aware of the fact that her Captain was lying. Everything about him was very hidden and difficult for her to wheedle through, especially his past. He had never told her anything. Maybe someday.
"Haiso, have you been practicing Kido lately? I fear our squad's gotten rusty."
"Yes, Captain."
"Have you been exercising?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Did you eat before we left?"
"Well, no... I didn't really think about that, I was more intent on packing to be honest." She had been up since three AM, getting everything together and making sure they were prepared. How could she make such a careless mistake?
He smiled. "It doesn't matter. I was just testing you."
Haiso first felt embarrassment, rather than amusement. "Oh, Captain."
Say it ain't so
I will not go
turn the lights off
carry me home
April 12, 2033 5:51 PM
573 Umae Street
Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan
"Nii-chan, Nii-chan, Nii-chan!" Masato said impatiently.
"What is it?"
"You said we could go to the Outlet Mall!"
"I said that on the basis that you weren't getting on my last nerve," Haseo mumbled. "We only just got here. Try and chill out for a minute until I can get in contact with Gyakusetsu."
"Noboru-tan doesn't want to talk to you! He has a pretty lady!" he exclaimed, meowing right afterward.
Haseo rolled his saffron eyes and pulled out his cell phone. There were no alerts for Hollows or unordinary pressures. "If you like Haiso so much, go hit on her and stop being such a pain."
"Why are you being so mean to me lately?!" Masato grumbled. "I thought big brothers were supposed to be nice!"
"Yeah, sure." Haseo closed the phone and let out a breath of derision, gazing out across the cornfield. It had been said that they would all wind up in a different place, but somehow he pictured Raven near some kind of palace or whatever. That guy always seemed to have all the luck. Karin was somewhere near candy, he just knew it. "Masato, go find an Outlet Mall yourself if you wanna be entertained so badly. What do I look like, a walking carnival?"
It wasn't as if he didn't care about Masato. Ever since he'd met his Vice, Haseo had thought of him as good-hearted, but he treated everyone this way, even women. Women could be seriously annoying, especially when they tried to ride everything off as PMS. Bull, you can't have PMS all the time.
"Nii-chan, I don't think you're a carnival. You're not big enough," Masato said, his blue eyes wide and somewhat thoughtful. "I think of you as Nii-chan, and that's all there is."
"I should hope so," Haseo sighed. But then within his chest, there was a sharp, cold feeling--a recognizance of an extremely strong reiatsu.
I don't want to run away, but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
April 12, 2033 6:19 PM
448 Shinjuku Avenue (Shuujarou Manor)
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
I should only go in for a second, Kyuui's inner mind chastised, and take a look around.
She somehow found herself riding her bike along Shinseki Avenue, the street on which he had lived. Kyuui wore a white sundress over blue jeans and white sandals, and had pulled her hair back into a messy knot. Crimson strands curled around a snow-white face, giving her a gaunt look. She wished she had spent more time on her appearance - even if she was going to smash the dealers, she would still want to look good.
Eventually the brick house came into view, looming nostalgically as usual. Kyuui dropped a foot to the ground to halt her bike and slowly got off, fingering the key in her pocket morosely. Is this really such a good idea?
She quashed her inner mind and strode up the marble steps. As the house grew closer she wondered again but quickly dismissed it, jamming her key in the door. As it swung open all thoughts of leaving were nonexistent. But every part of her froze when she heard the voice that floated down from the next level. "
"It can't hurt to wear this one."
Impossible. Her throat had clamped shut and there were odd flashes of light undulating around her. That can't be him.
"You want me to change now?"
Kyuui felt flabbergasted by the second voice. It was light, fluid and very feminine. A woman - no, a girl. And then she felt more insane. Not only am I imagining Hanshou alive, but that he's got some girl in his room?
"If you want to," Hanshou replied.
"Well, turn your head," said the voice firmly.
The redhead felt she'd been kicked in the abdomen. What was going on with her mind? Did her brain feel the need to torment her every waking moment she was here?
"Fair enough." He sounded amused.
As if her body were curious, Kyuui found herself climbing the staircase. She would go up there, and there would be no one, and she could leave with peace of mind. Hanshou was dead. There was no doubt in her mind... until the volume of the voices intensified.
"I'm finished," said the girl in a final tone.
"Ah," Hanshou's voice said. "It isn't as big as you exaggerated."
"I wasn't exaggerating about anything, it's still gigantic."
Kyuui could hear everything perfectly when she reached the door. The hallucination had grown so ridiculous she just had to open the door.
Dear God. I can't... what?
Hanshou was there in his uniform, arms crossed and knees braced in their slightly parted position. He was just as tall and slender as she remembered. He was facing what appeared to be the source of the girl's voice.
She was small and sylphlike, and obviously well-built despite the long clothing on her frame. Her skin was a smooth white color and her hair was a soft pale blonde, in a ponytail that was somewhat messy. Her eyes were a large sky color as they met Kyuui's, widening.
"Shuujarou," she uttered from a petite mouth.
Hanshou turned on his heel and an abrupt breath of surprise escaped him. The wine eyes contracted first but then mirrored the girl's. "...Ky.. Kyuui?"