Disclaimer: I don't own Freezing.
Author's Note: Yeah… I did say I would update soon, didn't I? You'll have to excuse me, since I'm just a high-schooler that spends way too much time doing things other than homework JK I'm preparing my behind out for the 1st semester test.
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Chapter 9
Chiffon lay motionlessly with her eyes closed, trying to use her other senses to figure out where she was. She felt so light… she was resting on some kind of fluffy feather, but pleasantly cool and moist to the touch. She half-hearted tried to lift her arms, but she soon realized she couldn't even move a finger. After a few fruitless attempts, she gave up and began to recall what had happened earlier.
Ah, yes… She tried to finish the NOVA, but failed and got really badly injured… so it must mean… she's dead then?
Just as she was dwelling on this newfound discovery, she heard someone snicker bitterly. The voice she heard next was strikingly familiar.
"Even if I'm dead, who gives a damn?" She opened her eyes in surprise, her body suddenly finding the power to move again. Pulling herself up, Chiffon looked around to find the source of the voice. And when she looked behind her back, she saw the exact image of herself smirking. The doppelganger's clothes were torn and bloody, the red liquid trickling down from various wounds on her broken body.
Chiffon gasped in terror, but her image didn't seem to notice. It limped right through her, leaving a trail of blood as it slowly advanced into the thick mist to nothingness.
The real Chiffon (or so she thought) kneeled down in desperation. It couldn't be… even if she was really dead, she'd never give up like this! "Who cares?", did it ask? Many people cared! My friends, my family, my… Kazuya…
As soon as thoughts regarding Kazuya crossed her mind, she heard someone call her name.
"Chiffon-senpai! Wait for me!" A figure could be seen running through the fog. As it got close to her, Chiffon could see how familiar it was to her; the unruly black hair, the cute handsomeness, the mesmerizing black eyes… His face.
"Kazuya-kun!" She reached out for him as he ran towards her, but just like the doppelganger, she could do no more than thin air to stop him. The only thing she could do is to see him pursue the other Chiffon in pain and longing.
Before her eyes, she saw her double collapse on Kazuya's arms, and he cried her name in agony before lowering his lips onto hers.
Her eyes opened wide as a familiar indistinct sensation overwhelmed her senses. Drowning in the foreign feeling, it took Chiffon's little rational mind left a little while to realize what it was.
… Ereinbar Set?
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Everyone present stared in amazement as Kazuya's burst of Freezing power as he caught sight of his Pandora on the brink of death. Momentarily stunned by his raged scream, the other Limiters were utterly taken aback his pale blue net easily exceeded their own and spread out with incredible speed towards the monster. Within a mere second, it reached the NOVA, effectively immobilizing its entire massive figure.
But that wasn't the only thing that stupefied them. What was even more peculiar is that Chiffon's unmoving body was strangely glowing in the frozen NOVA's restraint. And, much to people's delight, she began to move.
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Excruciating pain assaulted Chiffon as she slowly regained consciousness, and for a moment she regretted ever having woken up. But just for a moment. As soon as rationality kicked in, she vehemently resisted the desire to yield, and for reasons unknown to her, the pain seemed to subside little by little. Trying her best to ignore the blinding light and open her eyes, she found herself covered in blue light. And her fatal wounds, which she had gotten quite used to seeing, had stopped bleeding. Looking up, she was shocked to look at her opponent once again, only this time paralyzed. And, the core was still there, sticking out like a sore thumb. If only she had enough strength to destroy it…
"Chiffon-senpai… Retreat…" A voice seemed to resonate inside her head, making her jump a little. It's Kazuya's voice! But… she looked down to ground to find him standing significantly on the cliff, his powerful aura revolving around him. Putting that aside, how could his voice reach her ears like this? They were at least 150 feet apart…
"Pull back please… I can't hold on much longer…" Never mind how, Kazuya sounded weaker, much to Chiffon's horror. How could she just retreat? She must act fast, or else…
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Pushing near his limits, Kazuya desperately hoped Chiffon had mustered enough strength to pull back and rest. Then suddenly, the clouds above started to whirl, and slowly concentrated on the NOVA as the wind blew furiously about. What just happened?
"It's Chiffon's Monster mode!" He could hear someone yell. Turning around, he saw Elizabeth Mably with her Limiter. They were looking upwards in amazement just like everyone else.
Catching his eyes, the blonde Third-Year took a second to recognize him.
"Hey, you must be Chiffon's new Limiter." Then, as if realized something, her tone changed. "How on earth can you do that?" It didn't take a detective to know
"I don't know myself Elizabeth-senpai. I was so angry for a while… and the next thing I know I've put this up." He replied quickly, trying to drown the sound of the wind. "You were saying about Monster mode?"
"I can't explain it. You'll have to see by yourself." Guessing by her nonchalant tone, Kazuya could surely tell she just got here and knew nothing about Chiffon getting badly hurt, but he decided not to speak his thoughts. Instead, he turned back upwards… to see the most spectacular thing he'd ever seen.
Two wings of light burst out proudly from Chiffon's back, and her entire body radiated so brilliantly it hurt a little to stare. Still, he couldn't take his eyes off her; saying she looked like an angel was a massive understatement. There's simply no pen in the world that could even begin to describe her divine beauty right now. Perhaps he was exaggerating a little bit, but… seeing Chiffon right now made him realize how hard he had fallen for her.
Before he could close his eyes, blazing white light exploded in the air with a deafening crash, sending everyone staggering on their feet. Kazuya had to take a few steps back, completely caught off guard by the impromptu event. The atmosphere around him also started to change as the clash of two incredible forces shook up the whole area.
Finally, when the wind died down and the sky returned to normal, the fight was over.
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"So, tell me again Chiffon-senpai, why could you heal your wounds so fast? You barely needed to even go to the infirmary. And your injuries were…" He shuddered in as he recalled the horrible image. "… Really nasty, if you ask me."
The two were relaxing on the trip back by the underground train, as the emergency was over and the helicopters were no longer available, much to their delight. The car, despite its massive capacity, only had several occupants; the physical professor, Eliza Schmidt, was here, currently patching Ingrid's arm up. Elizabeth and Ticy were also sitting nearby, along with their Limiters. The brown-haired girl had just finished having her wounds dressed, and she came back to her seat, looking as healthy and unfazed as she could be. It made Kazuya unable to keep from asking.
"I have no idea either." Chiffon gingerly touched her bandaged shoulder. "But, I do remember getting engulfed in a strange blue light, and all my wounds stopped bleeding then."
Kazuya was interested at this. But before he could tell her to elaborate, a feminine voice spoke up.
"I saw it too Chiffon-san, and as a medic I have to say it's really abnormal. In fact, I've never seen such rapid self-regeneration before in my career." They looked up to see Ms. Schmidt standing above them, a curious expression on her face. He quickly stood up to greet her respectfully, not forgetting to support Chiffon as she did the same. Smiling at their homage the older woman motioned for them to sit back down.
"Is there anything more to the story?" After joining the pair on the bench, Eliza asked.
"Well…" Kazuya hesitated, unsure of what to say. But fortunately (or unfortunately, depends on the way you look at it) a quick-mouthed Limiter among those present spoke up.
"Yeah, I think there is. We all saw this guy here," he motioned to Kazuya with a grin, "race towards the NOVA with lightning speed, then Freezing power burst out from him. Blue light, mind you. Not normal green."
"And it easily surpassed ours. Both in range and power." Another chimed in. "Man, was it out of this world." He concluded excitedly.
While the boys were talking Eliza quickly took note of important details with her phone. After sending the message to the Principal, she said to Kazuya and Chiffon, who were both sitting quietly in their places.
"Well, looks like I have what I need, and Sister Margaret will see to this issue. In the meantime, I have to ask you something."
Feeling the officer's look, Kazuya returned her gaze with confusion.
"So, what I want you guys to do… is to continue to be each other's partners."
Although this was impromptu, the pair couldn't contain the happy smile off their faces.
"Really?" They were greeted with Eliza's amused expression.
Quickly realizing the immaturity in the action they quickly changed back to the normal facade.
"Is there a reason for your request Eliza-sensei?" Kazuya spoke up first.
Expecting this to come, the officer replied.
"Kazuya, we have known beforehand that you can use Freezing without the help of the Ereinbar Set." There were a few gasps at this, as everyone on the car was paying attention to them. This was no news to the pair in question, though.
"This is only my guess, but since your power is available without a Pandora partner, the Set will be able to trigger a special ability of the Freezing net instead."
Kazuya could only gaped in astonishment. Chiffon, being the more rational-minded, quickly grasped the officer's idea.
"You are saying, Eliza-sensei, that my regeneration was thanks to Kazuya's Freezing effect?"
Eliza nodded. "So, I'd have to ask you again..."
"It isn't necessary, Eliza-sensei." Chiffon said. "I'd be more than willing to stay as Kazuya's partner."
"Very well then. And Kazuya? Do you consent to this?"
He beamed in delight. "Of course I do."
"Fantastic. We're good then." The officer said as she walked to another seat, as everyone else also came back to their place. Finally alone, Kazuya and Chiffon grinned happily at one another.
"That's great!" Chiffon wrapped her arm around Kazuya in a friendly embrace. He returned the affectionate gesture with no hesitation.
"I'm glad too Chiffon-senpai."
Let's leave them be for now.
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AN: I deliberately made Chiffon take the initiative in the decision as an attempt to keep Kazuya in character.
Later Days!
NCT
