Chapter 9
Making Ends Meet
I still don't own Infinite Stratos... But I'd love to own one.
To answer my reviewers:
Zeroblade63: Thanks for the review, hey cake! Sugar rather helps my mind settle, helps me focus on writing. So, I'll take you up on your offer! Please send the cake to (Censored)
Enigma: Thanks for the review!
Ani1995616: Thanks for the review! Maybe I should have cleared that up a bit more.
And thanks all you other guys! Too lazy to answer personal replies! Just review the next chapter and we'll see...
Sorry the last chapter was late!
...
DEAR GOD, IT'S HORRIBLE!
I HAVE NO AUTHOR'S RANT!
THE SHEER HORROR!
THE INSANITY!
THE MADNESS!
THE MIND NUMBING LACK OF ECCHI!
THE-
Oh fuck it, I'm screwing with you. And I think with myself too.
...
Ignore my eccentrics while I steam over.
So while I do, please enjoy this chapter.
But sadly, there's no omake.
So the next one will be three times crackier.
I said it folks.
THREE. TIMES. CRACKIER.
So...
LET'S DO THIS!
(Opening Theme (OP): [Luka, GUMI], Speed) Trust me, this fits. Find the English subbed version. (This is such a good song.)
POV: Kyuukai Tokiwa.
Daddy loves you, and so do I...
I'm so sorry Kyuukai...
Goodbye...
I snap awake, pushing myself up. I was sweating, and now pale and cold. What the hell? I haven't had that dream for 4 years...
Every few nights as a child, I would dream of being comforted by this heavenly voice, numbing some sudden pain in my mind, replacing it with a pleasant sensation...
That voice sang that same lullaby, over and over again. Often, during hard times, the voice would repeat the song a few times. And when I felt better, I would wake up. I figured it was some subconscious way of dealing with loneliness and pain...
But now, it was so vivid. I saw things. I saw a woman, cradling me in her arms, tears flowing down her face as she comforted me. It couldn't have been a dream, it was too clear, it had to be...
A memory.
Of who? There's only one person who I could think of.
My mother.
Not my Mom, the one I love now, but... My birthmother.
"Hmm..." I feel something grip my arm.
I look down. It's Laura. She must have snuck into my bed again. I'm fine with it; really, sometimes she crawls in while I'm still awake.
We both consented. It was a nice feeling, having someone comfort you in your most vulnerable moments.
But seriously, if the me from the past saw me now, I'd probably wonder, what the fuck was I thinking?
I get up, and walk to the bathroom. I splash cold water on my face to wake me up. I look into my reflection on the mirror.
A lot has changed since I was a kid. I've felt so much, experienced so much, changed so much, in such a short time. I've asked questions. I've found answers.
But there's one thing I've always wanted to find.
My blood-related family.
I've thought of asking Mom and Dad about it, but I never wanted to hurt their feelings. And I know that my blood relatives are dead. That would be the most probable answer. Why would I be with Mom and Dad if they weren't?
What if they just couldn't find me?
...
"What if they just couldn't find me?" I murmur.
I run out of the bathroom. I quickly change my clothes and strap on a jacket. I give Laura a kiss on the cheek, and then I run out the door. Time to chase my only lead...
Then I backtrack to the door.
Well, I have to make sure to lock it and turn on the alarm system (the homemade, redneck version of a stun-barrier field, keyed into the DNA of myself and Laura) first before I dash off.
Those fangirls can get crafty...
Very crafty.
I call Akira on my cell phone as I open the door to my workshop. He's moved into Chifuyu's apartment while he finds a job of some sort. He's also surprisingly tamed now, must be the constant threat of head-will-meet-clipboard.
"Akira?"
"Yeah?"
"You know the FRACTURE databases now contain the DNA patterns of the legal citizens of FRACTURE affiliated countries, correct? Can I access them?"
"Yes, they uploaded that info a few months back, a small attempt to keep track of everyone, and a way to prove if you're really who you say you are... But why do you need the data?"
"Personal reasons." I close the phone. I have the confirmation... I have my theory... Now let's see if it works.
They put up the system because during the First and Second Conflicts, many people were separated from home and loved ones. So to assist finding them, a person could go to a FRACTURE office, hook themselves up to a machine, and see if their family members were still alive, and if they could contact them. Exactly what I'm trying to do now. And sadly, what many people were still trying to do today.
I pull up chair, and roll it over to my computer, booting it up. As it does so, I pull up a machine, hook it to the computer, and turn it on. It's a docking station for my SUPPORT. I jam a needle into my left arm, gritting my teeth at the pain.
A screen opens up on the computer, showing my physical statistics and the status of my SUPPORT. But what I really needed to see was the pattern of my DNA, stored in the nanobots. I click through a few screens, then I log onto the FRACTURE database, and click through the screens, looking for what I needed.
Japan...
Citizen Profiles...
Medical Information...
DNA server...
Matching System. Jackpot.
"Here goes nothing." I murmur as I stare obsessed at the screen.
Cross-referencing... DNA sample: Tokiwa, Kyuukai.
Possible Matches...
I grit my teeth in anxiety.
Referencing Backgrounds...
My eyes are glued to the screen, watching the data fly by.
Finalizing.
Hurry up...!
No Results.
"FUCK!" I shout in anger as I slam my fists on the table. Nothing. I cup my face in my hands and sigh.
Ping!
My head slowly looks up.
Error.
Cross-referencing interrupted by data traffic.
Re-analyzing.
New results.
Holy shit.
2 matches.
Subjects: Inoue, Takeshi and Murakami, Daisuke.
My body goes slack. Holy fucking shit. My hand gingerly reaches for the mouse, and I click on the results, memorizing contact information.
I didn't know much about this Takeshi, and neither did the FRACTURE database, but both of us sure knew Daisuke Murakami.
Daisuke Murakami, CEO of Murakami Corp, a financial organization dealing with the finances of the trade of arms around the world. They were a mediator of sorts, between organizations, governments, and militant factions. FRACTURE had some small business with them, but nothing big, as they were a rather small time corporation, and there were other, more profitable alternatives out there.
My mother's dead. It matches with what my Mom told me, and what I've seen in my dreams... But my father's alive. And it's one of these two men...
Guess who I'm meeting this weekend.
POV: Laura Bodewig
A slight hum wakes me up from my sleep. I yawn, and I stretch. I await the kiss that normally greets me every morning. It never came.
I open my eyes. The sounds of Kyuukai in the shower reverberate through the room. In the corner, there's a suitcase. I walk over and open it. It has a few of Kyuukai's belongings and clothes.
He's going on a trip?
I hear the sounds of the bathroom door opening, and I scamper back into bed, covering myself with a blanket. Through a hole, I watch what he's doing.
He checks all his belongings, puts on those rings on his right hand and straps on that gauntlet-glove-thing.
He walks over to me. I quickly shut my eyes. The blanket slides off my head. A hand lovingly caresses my head.
"Laura... I'm going out to meet someone... Someone important, for personal reasons... I'll be back as soon as possible..."
The hand leaves contact with my head, and with a kiss to my cheek, I hear a few steps, and the door closes. My eyes snap open. I'm quickly pulling on clothes, and then I peek my head out the door. Kyuukai turned the corner to the elevator, and I quickly follow, keeping a steady distance.
We make it out to the monorail station. He greets another person, who's heading out to do something else.
As the two step into the monorail, I dive into a seat, hiding from their eyes.
"Hey Akira, did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Never mind..."
That was close. I listened into their conversation.
"So, what are you heading out for?" The man named Akira asked.
"I don't really feel like talking about it yet..."
"It's alright."
"So, you're going to get your parts from your contact right?" Kyuukai asked.
"Yep, I'll have you install them when you get back." The monorail comes to a halt.
"Well, this is my stop. I'll see you around." Akira said.
"See you later." Akira walks out of the door. Our eyes widen as they meet through the glass. He opens his mouth, but the monorail speeds off again. That was even closer...
Kyuukai stepped out of the monorail, and I swiftly followed. Where was he going? I hid behind a sign as he walked on. Then he got lost in the crowd.
Damn it!
I lost sight of him!
I felt two arms envelop me in a hug.
"Koneko-chan, remember what I said about prying?"
I wheel around, elbowing someone in the ribs, launching him to the floor. Then I pull out my combat knife and hold it to his neck.
"Well, that was rough." It's Kyuukai.
I flush as I frantically help him up, apologizing.
"It's fine, it's fine." He shrugs it off, "But what are you doing here?"
"... I followed you." I said in a quiet voice, looking down at the cold cement. I feel a hand pat me on the head.
"It's alright, you didn't do anything wrong." He slides his sleeve down to look at his watch.
"Tch, we need to go! I'll be late!" He grabbed me by the hand, and we ran.
"Where are we going?" I ask him.
"The Shinkansen!"
"The Shinka-what?"
"The bullet train station!"
We make it to a large glass and steel structure, and run in. Kyuukai flashes an ID to guards to let us pass, and we dart into a train. A few seconds later, it began to pick up speed.
"Sorry for pulling you with me." Kyuukai apologized.
"Wait, we're going on a trip?-! I've got no clothes, or money! We're going to be in so much trouble when we get back!"
"Don't worry, I'll cover." He assures me.
POV: Kyuukai Tokiwa.
I pull out my phone, and call a certain godmother of mine...
"KYUUKAI TOKIWA! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING! JUST LEAVING WITHOUT NOTICE AND WITH ANOTHER STUDENT! YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!"
I pull the phone from my ear quickly in shock. That really damn hurt my ear.
"It's not my fault Laura decided to tag along... Anyway, I've got some personal business to take care of, something very important I have to deal with."
"Like what?" Chifuyu snapped.
"... I think I've found my biological father."
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this? Maybe I should go with you? I could be right there, and I'll call your mother-" She went on with a worried tone.
"It's fine. I'm ready. I have to do this."
"Are you really sure? You might not like what you see."
"I'm sure. I need to do this." I press.
There was a pause.
"Alright. Just promise me Kyuukai... Just promise me you won't do anything rash."
"I promise." I tell her honestly.
I hear her sigh, "Kyuukai, we're here for you, alright?" Then I hear her try to compose herself, "Okay."
Then she returns to her original statement, "Take care of Laura or I'm gonna hang you by your ba-"
"I love you too." I tell her as I cut the line.
I sigh and lean back into a free seat. "This is gonna be one hell of a trip..."
Laura sits beside me, resting her head on my shoulder.
"Yes it is..." I hear her murmur.
"Care to help that?" I ask her seductively.
She slaps my leg, rather hard.
"Ow..."
"Oh shush." She tells me as she rests.
I rest my head on top of hers, and with the hum of the trains wheels, I fall asleep.
I'm standing in a grassy meadow, all serene in the afternoon. I wonder where I am. I want to move around, but I can't move my feet. I see a figure walk up to me.
"Mom..." I mouth.
She walks up to me in a black dress, sobbing. No matter what I do, I can't comfort her. Now I'm scared... Really, really scared...
She lays a bouquet of flowers at my feet, and leaves.
Then came Akira, along with Koyomi. Both are wearing black. They walk up to me, Koyomi's crying her eyes out, buried in Akira's leg, whose wearing a solemn look. Akira lays another bouquet of flowers and a bottle of gin at my feet.
He dried his now crying eyes. And then they leave.
I blink as numerous of my comrades and friends walk up, laying flowers, and old mementos of our times together. What's going on? Why are they all crying? Why are they all wearing black?
I watch as another friend of mine lays down a gift I made for her birthday. What the hell is going on? I watch her sob, and run off. Then I notice the next group to come.
It's my friends from the IS Academy. Ichika, Charlotte, Houki, Cecilia, even Lingyin and Tatenashi... Where's Laura?
Ichika and Charlotte step up to me, Charlotte's crying into Ichika's shoulder, as he cries into the back of his hand. She places another bouquet of flowers at my feet.
Houki has a solemn look as she places a fine katana on the ground before me.
Lingyin and Tatenashi, crying, they place incense and photos that I can't see from where I stand.
Then, they leave.
Why?
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?-!"
I'm crying like a scared child. At that moment, that I what I am.
I bring my head up to the last coming person.
"Laura?"
She walks up to me, gripping a bouquet of flowers and something metal in her hands. It's my rings, Arashi, and my dog tags... Why does she have them?
She lays them at my feet. And she brings her hands to her eyes and collapses to her knees... And begins to cry and wail... She moans my name over and over again, pained and frightened...
Make it stop... I can't comfort her... Make it stop... Why do I have to watch this all happen?
"MAKE IT STOP!"
I suddenly gain movement to my legs. I stumble backward, and fall on my butt. I crawl backwards. Then my back hits something solid.
I push myself back up, and stare at it.
"Oh my god..." I murmur, as my eyes widen in fear.
It's a large gravestone. I read the name.
Here lies Kyuukai Tokiwa,
Loving Son, Loving Brother,
Brave Soldier, Kind Lover,
To battle he went,
In battle he left,
For the line of fire, of which he defied,
And by cruel fate, which he died.
Forever in our memory, we will reminisce,
Of the times we've had, and the times we missed,
For this Loving son, Loving brother, Brave Soldier, Kind Lover,
We will never forget, what he sacrificed for us.
We will never forget, what we sacrificed for him.
We will never forget, our will to do so.
We will never forget our love for him.
We will never forget Kyuukai Tokiwa.
And then I woke up.
The sudden jerk of the slowing down train wakes me up. I'm pale and sweating, but I rush it all off to focus on my current task. I'm probably gonna dwell on this later in private.
The train rolls into Yokohama, and we get off.
"Hey, it's your first time in a major Japanese city." I note as we step out of the train station.
I receive no answer, as Laura's quickly swinging her head, looking all over the place, admiring the sights. I crack a smile, and together we walk off.
"Let's head for the hotel, then we can sightsee, okay?"
Laura smiles and nods. Then she blinks. "Hotel?"
"Yeah, this is a trip right? We've got to have a place to stay for one night."
"Well..." She adopts the "Charles Trademarked Expression #1", which was blushing furiously while rubbing the tips of her two index fingers before her in cutesy manner. "I've heard a lot about hotels in Japan from my superior... Something about how they were hot, steamy, relation-ship building/breaking, affair locations..."
"NOT A LOVE HOTEL." I tell her blankly, mentally grimacing. Damn, who the hell was her superior?
We enter the business class hotel, and I order an extra bed for a bit of extra cash. Though I have a non-perverted feeling that it's probably not going to be used. After it's put in, I stash my bags in our room, locking it with the key. Then Laura grabs me by the hand, and more or less drags me to the Yokohama Marine Tower.
"Uwa..." She gapes happily at the sight, the wide, outcropping view of the sea.
I pull out my phone to check my schedule for the day. At dinner I was supposed to meet Daisuke Murakami at some fancy restaurant... But I had at least 3 hours before then.
Now what to do... I look up from my phone, just to see Laura beaming at me.
"Let's go!" She grabs my hand again, and we run off. I smile brightly. Chifuyu told me a lot of what Laura used to be like. And I'm happy I've gotten her out of her shell.
I don't know what she would have done if I hadn't. Frankly, I don't find that thought rather appealing. But you can't blame me.
While we stop to get some bubble tea, I take out my phone to look at the time.
"What are you looking at?" She asks me, as she hands me a bubble tea.
"Just the time..."
She looks over my shoulder. "You've got a dinner party and dance at a fancy restaurant... Wait, I don't have a dress!" She exclaims.
"I was planning to foot this thing alone." I told her.
She pouts, shaking her head. "I'm going, that's that."
"It's a personal matter."
"We're dating. What's personal to you is now personal to me."
"And where'd that logic come from?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"My superior."
I sigh, and give in.
"Alright, you can come." I tell her. I need the support.
She smiles brightly. "We have to go shopping!"
I pale. "Can't you go on your ow-" She drags me off yet again.
Then I'm sitting in a mall, with a pair of sunglasses on my face and covering the lower part of my face with the collar of my jacket, hoping like hell nobody recognizes me.
POV: Laura Bodewig.
I'm browsing frantically through the dress section of a department store, praying that I'll find something nice to me to wear that Kyuukai likes. I'm hopeless at this kind of thing, so I call up Clarissa.
She misinterprets me and I cut the line halfway through the call. She wanted to me to bare it naked for him... I'm on my own here. Stupid woman's intuitions, making me apply to basic stereotypes about women...
Ooooh, nice dress...
POV: Kyuukai Tokiwa.
Still sitting here waiting... Waiting on the world to change... I hum that song tune. Like always, I'm loving it.
Not like the motto of a certain food company that I happen to take a guilty pleasure in shovelling their crap down my throat.
POV: Laura Bodewig.
Yep, this is the one.
POV: Kyuukai Tokiwa.
I'm blushing furiously as girls continue to walk by and check me out. I don't think my "disguise" is working, as people occasionally stop to take photographs of me. "Damn." I mutter as I turn the corner of the mall's hallway, right into that department store looking for Laura.
"EEK!" Wrong turn!
I apologize frantically as I turn and run in the opposite direction, embarrassed.
"EEEEEEEEEEEK!" ANOTHER DAMN WRONG TURN!
I shift my "disguise" to a different one as a small mob of angry young women storm past, with shouts of "Pervert!" and "Must kill!"
Damn... They look angry.
I turn another corner into a waiting area, but I run into someone, and we fall to the ground. I pull my sunglasses off me, shoving them into my pocket, as someone wiggles on top of me frantically.
"Laura?"
"Kyuukai..." She blushes. I help her up, and then I see what she's wearing.
She's wearing a simple black dress, similar to the miniskirt she wore on our first date. But still, like every day I've seen her...
She looks so beautiful.
And I'm still so damn corny. Well, this is a first for me.
"You look great." I take her by the hand, and twirl her around like we were dancing.
She giggles and blushes. "You mean it?"
"I mean it." I smile at her.
I'm staring at the bathroom mirror. I'm all decked out in a black suit, tie and all. To be honest, it was pretty damn stuffy. It took a lot of persuasion of Laura to let me bring my weapons, even though it was just a party.
I just felt so helpless without them.
"Ready?" Laura called over to me.
"Yep." I tell her as I walk out. "I'm ready."
She blushes. "You look amazing."
"That's an overstatement." I tell her, looking down.
She pouts then smiles. "I'm serious."
I sigh. "Well then, shall we go?"
She nods. I'm still anxious.
We leave the apartment, and make it to the restaurant, on the top of a tall, glass building. I look up before I enter the building with Laura.
"Here we go..." I murmur.
The elevator rises, giving us a view of the city and the evening sky. Anxiety still grips me. The elevator doors slide open, revealing a waiter holding a guest list.
"Tokiwa-san?"
I nod, and flash my ID. The waiter lets me pass, but halts Laura.
"She's with me."
"But Murakami-san said-"
"She's with me." I glare at him.
The man sighs, and motions for another waiter to bring up an extra chair. I walk in with Laura, carefully eying all the other guests. Then I notice Daisuke Murakami, guffawing with a woman on his arms and other men beside him.
He's a short, lean man, with a pudgy expression that's domineering and sly. He's got my hair. He's got my eyes. Daaaaaaaaaaaamn.
He might actually be my father.
I walk over to them, Laura stepping carefully behind me.
"Murakami-san?"
The man's eyes swing to me, and widen.
"Oh my." The man mouths, as he stands to greet me. "Kyuukai Tokiwa. It's such a pleasure to meet you." He tells me, shaking my hand.
His woman's eyes widen as well. "My, my Daisuke-kun, you've never told me about this strapping young man." Then she notices who I am, and her eyes widen further along with everyone else's.
"Ah yes, this is Kyuukai, Kyuukai Tokiwa... And from a recent test... It's been proven that he's my son." Silence prevails, as eyes around the room start to widen at alarming rates. Damn, there goes my desire to remain inconspicuous.
"The name's Reiko, Reiko Murakami." The woman tells me, still hanging off Daisuke's arms.
"She's your stepmother, son." Daisuke tells me. I still feel uncomfortable having her call me son.
"Ryoko-chan! Meet your stepbrother!" Reiko calls. A teenager of around my age runs up to me. She bows, and tells me seductively, "My name's Ryoko Murakami, sweetheart."
Not another girl who thinks her looks will get her far in life... I do not like those kinds of girls.
"You two should get to know each other before we eat! Maybe dance, or get some drinks!" Reiko chimes.
The girl attempts to latch on to my right arm, but she's quickly cut off by Laura, who sticks her tongue out at her.
"Who's this?" Daisuke asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Laura, Laura Bodwig." She tells him. "Infinite Stratos Representative Cadet of Germany."
"An IS pilot, huh..." The man dismisses her quickly, to bring his full attention on me.
"Well anyway, you should enjoy yourself before you eat, I know I'm gonna!" Daisuke laughs, earning a round of hoots from his friends. He playfully punches me in the shoulder, and I resist every urge to pin him to the ground and place a knife or Arashi at his neck on reflex. I sigh, and turn around with Laura.
"That man's your father?-!" She murmurs to me.
"I think so... My biological one anyway... Let's see if he earns that title." I pause to listen to the music. Classical ballroom, with a live band playing...
"He's putting on a ploy, trying to win my favour over." I tell her. I've seen one too many government officials and business men try to do the same during my year as a diplomat.
Laura nods in understanding.
"Kyuukai-kun!" Ryoko grabs my hand. "Let's dance!"
I silently shake my head, continuing to walk with Laura.
"Shall we dance?" I ask Laura.
She smiles and nods. Then I do the same. I slack my shoulders, finally relaxing. I take her by the hand, and on the dance floor we sway and dance to the music.
POV: Laura Bodewig.
I smile at the furious look on Ryoko's face. Try to flirt with my boyfriend, will you...
POV: Kyuukai Tokiwa.
(A/N: Play Leave Out All The Rest by Linkin Park, NOW! And listen to the lyrics. They tie in amazingly with the plot.)
I look down at Laura's smiling face. The face I see every morning, the one that comforts me, the loves me. I pull closer.
"Laura... Can I ask you something?" I murmur into her ear.
"You can..." She tells me.
"I-If... If I have to go back... Go back to fight... Will you still be waiting...? For me...?"
There was a pause.
"I will."
I smile. I can't imagine losing her... We just dance, enjoying each other's company and love.
The music ends, and we hear everyone clap. We've been dancing for a few minutes now.
"Shall we eat?"
Laura nods with a smile.
We sit down with my "family", and I'm still pretty fucking anxious. Damn my foul thoughts and mouth. I really need to curb these bad habits.
I also wonder if I have ADD since I keep hopping my thoughts all over the place... It does help me keep sane...
I notice the seating arrangements... I'm sitting beside Ryoko and Laura while my father and stepmother sit across from us.
"So, Kyuukai-kun, how's your career in FRACTURE?" Reiko asks me.
"It's going pretty well." I tell them as I start to eat.
"What about your work at the IS academy? The girls there must be fawning all over you." She giggles.
"Not really, I keep to myself most of the time." I reply, composed.
"Oh lighten up, it's not that formal of an occasion!" She chimes.
I sigh. "Sorry Murakami-san, it's a habit."
"Oh, just call me Okaa-san!"
I look blankly at my plate. "I'm sorry... It just feels so weird..." I already have a mother... One that loves me, and cherishes me already.
She pouts, and turns to her food.
I slip some vodka from my flask into my empty glass. I figure I'll need it. Ryoko decides to take a sniff.
"Is that alcohol?-!" She squeals.
"You shouldn't drink." Laura scolds me, taking the glass.
"My son's a real man!" Daisuke laughs. You haven't earned that right yet, I note mentally.
"Can I have it back Laura?" I ask her, nearly pleading.
She sighs, and gives me the glass. I take a small sip, and I shiver in pleasure at the taste again. I take care to drink too much.
"Why does a boy like you have alcohol on you?" Reiko asks. "Not that it's a bad thing..."
"Personal reasons." I reply. "Nightmares, tough times, the fact that it was my father's favourite drink..."
"I don't find the stuff to my liking, I prefer good old beer." Daisuke says, pouring some of the drink he mentioned into his glass.
"What would you have nightmares about?" Reiko asks, "Or why would you have tough times when you're such a celebrity?"
"Father?" Ryoko asks, raising her eyebrow.
"Things I don't want to talk about." I tell her, "And just because I'm a celebrity doesn't exclude me from the things that bother a lot of people."
Like other nosy people.
"And about my father... He was a man that I loved and respected." I left it at that.
"Some man." Daisuke laughed, as he took a swig of beer. "To let his boy fight and nearly die of his own carelessness."
I grit my teeth at this disrespect to the man who was more than just my father.
"I chose to fight out of my own volition, and I risked my life for my own choices." I glared at him. "He was a man who saved my life, and gave me a new one, while you were here playing with your woman. He loved me, he cared for me, and he made my life a happy, fulfilled one. And I will not let you mock the dead." I glare at him.
"It's cool, it's cool." He tells me, putting his beer on the table. "Just saying. Your birthmother wanted me to care for you... She told me so when she died... But then came an attack on the city we were in, and you were sent to an orphanage..." He told me. "I tried to find you, but you were gone..." He adopted a sad look, as Reiko comforted him.
"Oh yeah?" I'm angry now at this blatant lie, about to do rash things. "My father and mother found my birthmother dying. Dying in a hospital with me in her arms... Where were you? Tell me, where were you when the first woman to love me died? Where were you?"
Mom told me that when I was 16. Just one year ago. It matched with my dreams. It matched with the faces I saw in them sometimes.
I saw Mom, I saw Dad... I saw the loving woman who sang me that final lullaby. With a pipe speared through her stomach.
But I never saw another man.
"Where did you hear this nonsense?" He asked me. "From that father of yours?" He spat.
"No. I still remember. I was 2." I tell him, gritting my teeth.
"Calm down sweetheart." Ryoko caresses me. I shake her off, and stand.
"I watched my birthmother die, and I cried as she did. I met my other mother and she loved me as much as my birthmother. I had a family again. But where were you? Tell me where you were. Now."
"Now, now, Kyuukai, just calm down. We're family, you don't need to get upset." Daisuke tries to calm me.
"You're not my family until you've earned that right."
"And these strangers have?" Daisuke asked, standing as well.
"They've fought for me, they've cried for me, and bled for me... They've died for me... And what have you done other than flaunt your stepdaughter in my face, in front of my girlfriend? Now tell me. Where the fuck were you?-!"
There's silence through the dining hall.
"I was with your mother-"
"Don't lie to me."
"Come on Kyuukai, I'm not lying-"
"Let me guess. You didn't love my mother."
His eyes widen.
It's true.
"You knocked her up, and she loved you, no matter what. You left her, and she still loved you. She had me, and she still waited for you to return. And while she did, you were here fucking with some other woman."
I laugh, "And all this time, I thought you loved me."
"I do-"
"For what? My money, my fame, my influence? What do you love? You don't love me."
"And who does, boy? This "family"?" He spat. "Those soldiers? Some man and his whore that took you from your true family? I am your family, whether you like it or not. So deal with it, kid." Daisuke growled.
"You're right." I tell him. Daisuke blinks.
"You're right. You are my family. And I know that now. Nothing I do will change that." I put on a sad smile, using every force of will not to rip this man apart.
"Glad you see the truth." Daisuke chuckles.
My smile drops. "And what is the truth?"
"You'll get very far in life with me behind your back, you could be happy-"
"Then that life is not worth living." I tell him.
"You could have love-"
"I already have it." I still hold my ground.
"What, with this skanky, status-less brat?"
That's it. I've fucking had enough.
"What would you understand about love?-! You don't care about who loves you. You just care about whether you can stick your scrawny dick up them." I roar, as Laura grabs my arm, and tries to calm me down.
"I don't need some boy telling me about my love life-"
"I'm not just a boy, I'm your son. No matter how fucking disgusted I am."
"Disgusted-"
"You're half the man I thought you would be. I don't know what my mother saw in you... You're not..." I just can't express the anger I feel.
"I'm not what? Tell me boy!"
"You're not, and never will be, my father."
I enjoy the look on Daisuke's face when he realizes he's lost whatever hold he had on me.
"Now, before I kill you..." Ryoko's and Reiko's eyes widen at the word.
"What?-! What could you and your bitch do to me?"
I've had it.
I activate Sonia, and level it at his head.
"Tell me who my mother is."
Daisuke panics at the sight of the gun in my hands. Ryoko tries to wrestle it out of my grip, but I shrug her off, effortlessly.
"Kyuukai, put the gun down." Laura tries to persuade me.
There is still silence, but I still haven't gotten my answer yet.
"Tell me who my mother is. NOW!"
My hand grips around Sonia's trigger, ready to pull at any second.
"Alright!" Daisuke breaks down, crying.
"Tell me then."
Daisuke wouldn't budge.
"TELL ME!" I'm about to pull the trigger.
"YUKARI! Yukari Inoue."
I deactivate Sonia.
Daisuke relaxes with Reiko's help, "Thank god-"
Smack.
I punch him in the face, feeling his teeth give way and blood spew from his mouth.
"Laura... We're leaving." I take her by the hand, heading for the door. Ryoko grabs my hand.
"Don't go!" She squeals.
Laura slaps her in the face.
"Frankly, you're a bitch." She tells her, smiling at the look on Ryoko's face.
"Come on." I tell Laura blankly.
We leave.
I bury my face in my hands and cry, outside on a bench. I'm angry, sad, and I feel so damn alone...
But I'm not. Laura's hugging me, comforting me. It helps a lot. I pull out my phone, and I search up one thing on the FRACTURE database.
Where was Yukari Inoue "buried"?
The phone pinpoints on a cemetery, and the grave. I'm going to meet my mom.
A phone call to the hotel had them mail our stuff back to the academy, and we took a train ride to Kamashi.
As we stepped off the train in the middle of the night, we walked. Street after street, and soon our surroundings gave way to trees. Then, we came to a cemetery, with a wide view of the ocean.
I walked forward, Laura walking behind me. We walked, reading the graves, looking for my mother's name.
I stop at a grave.
Yukari Inoue.
I drop to my knees and cry like a little boy.
"I've found you..." I murmur through my sobs.
Under 6 feet of soil... My mother rested in peace.
"Murakami, you have the nerve to come here, with a new woman at that." I hear a voice growl.
My head swings to the right, and I dry my tears as I stand. "I'm not Murakami."
A man's standing there, with a pot of flowers in his hands. He blinks, and then gapes.
"Kyuukai..."
"Takashi... Takashi Inoue..." I say. It makes sense. "You're my uncle."
He walks up to us, and places the flowers on my mother's grave.
"That's right. Yukari Inoue was my younger sister." He gives me an awkward hug, and I'm startled.
"I've finally found you... Kyuukai." He lets go. "You look like your mother."
I smile. "I do?" I ask.
"Very much." He smiles back.
I've found a member of my family. Tears flow down my face. At least this one's not an asshole.
"You've got a girl! Yukari would be proud." He laughs.
"Could you tell me about her?"
"Not now... I'm just visiting. But here's my number." He pulls out his phone, and shows me his number, which I rapidly type into my own phone.
"This might sound like a weird question but..." I rub my hand behind my head. "Can I hug you?"
Takashi smiles. "Sure."
I more or less tackle him.
And I'm still crying like a little boy.
Takashi left with a teary goodbye, and now, we're sitting on the train, heading "home". I look out of the window at the starry sky.
"Laura?"
"Yes Kyuukai?
"You love me, right?"
"I do, why'd you ask?" She answers without hesitation.
"No real reasons. It's just nice to know." It is nice to know.
That someone really loves me.
The train rolls on.
You know, I don't really have a home.
They say home is where the heart is, but my heart goes everywhere.
What I say, is that home is where your family is.
My family is made of the people I love and care about.
And people that I love live at the IS Academy...
So I can call that place my home.
Chapter 9 Complete! It's done after a 2 week long wait! Finally! I designed Daisuke Murakami to be an asshole... And I kind of hate myself for doing so... The next chapter will come sooner, so tune in next time for, ah screw it. I'm getting tired of "borrowing" popular themes from where ever I see them.
WAIT!
I HAVE A POLL ON MY AUTHOR'S PAGE!
It's for which story I should update next! And also, the winning story of the poll will get most of my attention this summer! So give in your votes!
Anyway... So R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain
