Chapter 8: Kaname no Kamikakushi
"This formula and all of the theorems on the board will be on the semester's final exam. Please memorize them all," was written on the side board in neat, even letters in the hand of their no nonsense math teacher. As the students came in from lunch Kaname, as class rep, was told by Suzuki-sensei to read it aloud and make sure everyone was aware of the instructions. All at once the students in Class II-4 started to groan aloud, whine and cry at various tones and levels. One of their classmates even cried out "Oh my God!" in English clutching his head with both hands.
"Silence!" yelled their class rep and she scratched her head in agitation. "Everyone just study hard and do your best!" she said in finality, ending the lamentation and sobbing. All at once her classmates turned to her with pleading eyes.
"Kaname-san, can I borrow your math notes?" said Ono-D.
"No! Me first!" said Kyouko.
"No! She promised to tutor me after school today!"
"Hell no! I'll pay you ¥5,000 to tutor me first!"
"Kaname-san!"
"Kaname-chan!"
She raised a hand and stomped a foot onto the nearby chair in a very unladylike fashion, pulled out her halisen and smacked it against the board to silence them all with her powerful authority. "I'm sorry, everyone. But Sousuke asked me for my notes first," she said in her sweetest, most docile tone. Every one started to whine.
"It's true," said Sousuke getting up from his seat and bowing his head in apology. "I've fallen so behind in class that it will take me quite some time and I certainly won't be done with it before tomorrow's quiz. I'm certain Chidori's notes will help my scores improve. So everyone should just do their best." Several objects were hurled in his direction but before they struck him and before further protest could be offered she grabbed Sousuke by the collar and raced out the door with her bodyguard in tow.
"Sousuke, you moron, you shouldn't declare things like that!" said Kaname, huffing and puffing as they completed their narrow escape. The two of them were resting against the wall of one of the empty corridors between the two wings of their school. It was a free period and no one else was around. "It will only provoke them further. You're already among the most unpopular people in class but I think your ratings just went negative."
"Sorry," he said quietly, rubbing his neck and shoulder where she had him in a death grip just moments before. Sometimes her superhuman strength scared him.
"It's weird how I've gotten so much better in math isn't it?" she asked, her mood suddenly solemn.
"You're smart," he answered thoughtfully.
"No, that's not it, I don't think. My math scores have been on the rise ever since…the hijacking. It's like something's awakened in me that I can't put back to sleep. It's almost scary how easy the formula's come to me like random thoughts in my head." She sighed loudly in frustration. "What am I becoming?" Am I supposed to answer that question or will he answer it for me tonight?
Sousuke put a hand on her shoulder and looked her squarely in the eye. Kaname was rather taken aback at the abruptness and almost had to look away to hide the flush in her cheeks.
"You will always be you," he said with complete earnestness and acceptance.
"You don't care what I am?" she asked. "Even if I turn out to be a monster underneath?" The chanting voice during the tests that Leonard ran on her again came to mind but she forced it back down again.
"You could never be that to me." Perhaps it was the honesty in his countenance, or the genuine feeling of appreciation his words triggered in her heart, or both, that caused her to lean forward and kiss him on the cheek. She didn't care who saw them as she rested her forehead against his shoulder.
"Thank you," she said quietly. Here was one place she would always be accepted and the realization came to her so suddenly that she couldn't bear to look him in the eye out of fear that she might tear up. Even if her classmates resented her for being so good at her studies and driving up the test score mean, even if her father still resented her for the death of her mother, even if someone took the Black Technology in her head and destroyed the world with it—even if that someone was her—he would still accept her. Or at least, she wanted to believe he would.
That's why I can't stay with you, Sousuke. I don't want you to see what I'm turning into.
"K-Kaname," he stuttered as they stood there in that pose in silence for and awkward moment. Would people passing by think that they were going out? That he, a toughened military nut was going out with this beautiful and surprisingly fragile girl?
The thought was not unpleasant to him.
"Sorry, Sousuke," she said after a while, still unmoving. "There's just something comforting about this pose."
"Don't be sorry," he said gently as his hands slowly moved up to embrace her. Before his hands reached her shoulders he heard someone coming up around the bend. His hands immediately dropped to his sides. The footsteps suddenly stopped and walked away.
Just hold me, damnit, just for now, she thought in frustration. As if on cue, his arms slowly found themselves around her waist and the small of her back. She stepped closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes because he was a bit taller than she was.
Her eyes stared out into the empty hall that she did not see. Instead, she envisioned that sweet little fishing spot under an orange sky. "No matter what happens from here on out, you need to believe in me," she said cryptically. Sousuke furrowed his brow since he did not quite understand the meaning behind her words though the request was simple enough. But just as he was about to ask her to further clarify, the half bell rang, declaring that only half an hour was left of the free period. Kaname released him and stepped back.
"Oops! I almost forgot Miss Kagurazaka wanted me to pick up some English worksheets at her desk before the next period began. I have to go now," she said in her usual casual manner.
Sousuke was a little confused about what had transpired between them just a second ago, but since she was acting normal again, he didn't dwell on it. He only wished their embrace had lasted a little longer.
"Don't wait up for me after school, OK? I have to run a few errands and then I'll go straight home."
"Sure," he responded as he watched her turn and leave down the empty hall. Little did he know that it was the last time he'd see her uniformed figure gracing the halls of Jindai High School.
When evening came, most of her friends and acquaintances had not really thought twice about what she had done for them before she left school. Kyouko and Ono-D found a complete copy of her math notes waiting for them on their desks after they came back from their club meetings. There was a little note inside indicating she was billing them each ¥5,000 and a little smiley face. She hadn't bothered signing her name. They each praised their friend's generosity as they headed down the hall to go home. As they passed the student council meeting room, they didn't notice Ren's surprised exclamation to the student council president Hayashimizu that Kaname had preempted their request for a complete budget of the remaining school year. She had also submitted a detailed ten-page report on meeting room rotations, as there was a shortage of clubrooms at Jindai, so that each club could have an equal opportunity to meet somewhere. On top of her submissions, Kaname left two gummy marshmallows for each of them. Hayashimizu squeezed the marshmallow in its wrapper suspiciously while Ren ate hers happily with a cup of hot tea. Just then, Miss Kagurazaka peeped her head in the door.
"Has anyone seen Kaname-chan?" she asked.
"No, sensei. Why?" asked Ren, offering her a cup of tea.
"No thanks," declined Miss Kagurazaka politely. "I just wanted to thank her for collecting all the English homework and putting it in alphabetical order for me. It really helps with grading."
"Sensei," asked Hayashimizu in his deep, unaffected voice. "Do you know if Chidori-san is going somewhere?"
"Going somewhere? Like a vacation?" she asked.
"Like a leave of absence," he queried.
"Huh. Not that I know of. That only sounds like something Sousuke would do. Why do you ask?"
"No, no reason," he responded. "Good evening, sensei."
"Good evening."
Even as Miss Kagurazaka continued to look for her in the halls at Jindai, Kaname was shopping for food at the local market near her house. For whatever reason, she wanted to eat a really big, gorgeous meal tonight. She splurged a little and bought ingredients for tempura shrimp, pork cutlet in sesame sauce, and grilled salmon.
It's not like this is going to be my last meal or anything, she said to herself, laughing at her own ridiculousness. But she bought the ingredients nonetheless and cooked to her heart's content.
As the clock struck seven o'clock she packed the leftovers from her meal in two convenient little bento packs. One of them she tied with a blue ribbon and placed it on top of the others in her refrigerator. On her dining table she scribbled out a little note to the person she was sure would come looking for her here when she didn't show up for school tomorrow.
"The other bento is for Ami-chan. You need to stop eating those 'Calorie Mates.' I'm sorry that I had to break my promise about the chocolate parfait. I guess I wasn't in the mood for it after all. When I spoke with you this afternoon I realized that I couldn't continue like this. I want everything here in this world to stay the same. I want everyone to stay as they are and be safe. I won't risk the lives of the people I love by staying here any longer. I'm off to discover who and what I am. Wish me luck. Don't look for me. Kaname."
Though it pained her to write it, she had to include that last sentence. Of course, he wouldn't obey so easily but she had to convey her intent to him nonetheless. This was something she had to do, and she had to do it alone. When she tidied up her living space and watered her plants it was fifteen minutes before the meeting time. Kaname was always one to be punctual but she felt her feet dragging all the way to the entrance as she put on her new dress and jacket and opened the door. She had made sure to purchase new clothes and slippers right before closing time at the little boutique by her school. Kaname couldn't risk Ami-chan tracking her either. After neatly folding up her uniform and skirt on the table, she indulged one last look at her apartment before she closed the door.
Taking the back exit from her apartment she headed towards the local park, and carefully stayed in the shadows, avoiding eye contact with anyone who happened to pass by. As she approached the entrance to the tree-lined park Kaname looked up and listened to the wind through the branches. She couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was about to come. It reminded her of the Ray Bradbury novel she had read about the cursed circus. She half expected a scary clown to step out from the bushes. Still, even if a stray cat came out from the shadow she wasn't sure that she wouldn't jump out of her skin.
The area was completely empty now, as it was several hours past sunset. Aside from the rustling leaves, Kaname heard the sound of the squeaky chains of the swings on the play set, and the buzzing of the electric light poles encircling the play area. As her eyes adjusted to the space, she stepped closer to the center of the little park. Kaname realized that she was no longer alone and she steeled her nerves. A single figure dressed all in white sat with his back facing her on the merry-go-round. His hair shone silver under the lamplight. Had he just appeared there? There was so little sound at his entrance but she was certain that his Astrals were close by.
"I'm so glad you made it, Kaname-san," he said in his usual, polite speech.
"I wish I could say the same to you," she replied. He pushed his feet against the pavement so the spinning metal contraption he was sitting on went 180 degrees to face her and then stopped the movement with the heel of his silver-tipped shoes. Leonard gave her a winning smile.
"Have you made a decision about us?"
Kaname wasn't sure which "us" he was referring to, as he often liked to play with words in front of her. "You mean your little evil organization?" she snickered. "I've decided that I don't like you or them."
"So why are you here?" he asked innocently.
"I'm not quite sure myself but I want you to leave everything that I hold dear alone." She looked at him with steady determined eyes. "And I'll use myself as a bargaining chip." Leonard was certain that he was falling ever deeper in love with her as he dared to look into their depths.
"You have my word that we will," he responded in his soft, silky voice and a matching smile.
"I need to be sure," she insisted. His smile widened and he got up and walked over to her. The clicks of his heels were steady and even as he approached her. Then, he bowed before her, took up her right hand and kissed it.
"I can promise you that Amalgam will leave all of it untouched. We will remove the remote bomb we planted in your father's limousine at the U.N. We will scrap the plans to kidnap your little sister at her middle school academy in New York. As far as I am concerned, the operation to kidnap your best friend and hold the entire high school hostage never existed. My word is my bond." He said these things so nonchalantly as if he were reading things off a weekend to-do list. It really unnerved her.
"I have your absolute promise, then?" she asked steadily.
"Of those things, yes."
"Also swear to me that you and your group will neither kill nor harm Sousuke in any way; no matter how hard he tries to retrieve me." He thought about this request for a moment and pursed his lips. This was perhaps the tallest order.
"Then in exchange you must promise to come away with me to a place where they will never find you."
"I promise," she said finally.
"Then, as a representative of the group, I welcome you to Amalgam."
As she and Leonard drove away towards the airport in the limousine that was waiting for them at the other entrance to the park, Kaname shifted the light duffel she carried on her shoulder with her most prized possessions: a picture of her and her mother, her mother's watch, her signed copy of So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish, and a little stuffed Bonta-kun. It seemed so unreal that just a few hours ago she was living the life of a normal high school girl. She wistfully thought of her friends and classmates. The lights from the city whizzed by, as she stared at her reflection in the tinted glass. He would probably be worried about her. But not Sousuke or Ami, her father or Mithril would find her anytime soon; the girl who was spirited away without a trace on a calm autumn night.
Author's notes: She finally did it. She crossed over to the dark side. Will she be the one to bring balance back to the Force? Who knows? I haven't decided yet. Please R&R. Kamikakushi literally means "spirited away," i.e. hidden/taken by gods.
-Kero (8/18/08)
