die Folge version eins
Part One; Dramatic Image
Chapter Ten; Lovers'
Holiday
Qui aime bien chatie bien
One who loves you
well, punishes you well
- French colloquialism
I want to know everything
And he was compelled to answer. But he didn't, er, wouldn't. Much as her moon-blue eyes would plead he wouldn't resign himself to the Angel's whims. He was stronger than that. Crawford didn't believe in such ephemeral things anyway. Regardless of the fact the Angel was still showing signs that she no longer aged, she still had the transience of youth. She still didn't know who or what she was.
Her eyes fluttered and she awoke. Aya sat up on the couch, gently pushing the sleep from her eyes. Her long brown hair, wavy from all the years it had spent in two braids, shifted around her shoulders and down her back as she moved. She looked around the office, quiet in her confusion, and it wasn't until one leg gracefully shifted out from under her skirt to the floor that she noticed him. Aya froze, her eyes meeting Crawford's.
" You were... at the store, " she said quietly.
" Yes, " he answered.
She looked around again, back towards the floor-to-ceiling windows, and then her gaze slowly returned to him. " I want to know everything. "
Crawford inclined his head, a slow nod that conveyed that while he did know this, he would not tell. She nodded, dropping her gaze. " I see... " She tapped her fingers thrice against the cushion she was sitting on and then bolted for the door. But Crawford had a number of advantages on her. He caught her before she'd barely made it away from the couch. Aya struggled against his grip ineffectively, before seemingly resigning and standing still.
Crawford's chin hovered over her hairline, and he could smell the faint scent of her shampoo. " You're more like your brother than most people give you credit, " he commented.
Her voice wavered when she answered, " It seems you people don't give me credit at all. " She took a breath, " Let go of me, please. "
Crawford's hands slowly edged away from her. " Sit down, Fujimiyasan. " She sat, and he went back to his chair. " Do you recall what happened before you passed out? "
Aya toyed with the sleeves of her sweater, which fit a little big so the cuffs covered to her knuckles. " Nagikun and... that woman: they were fighting, and, and she wanted to kill me. I heard a voice in my head. It made fun of me. I didn't like it and, and so, I, it's... " her hand trailed up the side of her face to her temple. " There was light. I wanted it all to end and then there was light. "
" Angelic light? "
Her face took on a troubled cast. " Do you think I am an angel? "
" Do you? "
" Of course not! " She leaned forward vehemently, eyes flashing, but he was not threatened. " How could I be? I'm just a normal girl! " She sat back as the falsehood of those last words struck her hard.
At some length Crawford said softly, " Do you know, Fujimiyasan, were I to have a 'midlife crisis' now I would live to be fifty-four? " He watched her forehead delicately furrow. " My point is the longer something is in existence the more likely it is to be mistaken, misinterpreted, and misunderstood. "
" I don't follow. "
" The longer you remain ageless the more you will be mistook for an angel, a messiah, a heralding of who-knows-what. Do you understand? "
She did, and it frightened her. There was silence again, where she fidgeted and he remained still. Eventually she questioned, " Wh- Why are you telling me this? "
A faint, wry smile answered her mysteriously.
" I want to go home. "
" So go. "
" ... "
" I won't stop you this time. "
(@)
Come to think of it, he'd always been rather ambivalent about hospitals before he joined Weiß. It's not that he loved being there, he'd had his share of soccer injuries, but he didn't hate it vehemently either. Not like now. Before Weiß his stomach hadn't churned upon coming up to the Emergency doors. His mind hadn't flashed through a number of life-threatening injuries, and atrocities witnessed within these walls. Nowadays Ken was leaning to the far end of 'hate' when it came to hospitals.
Ken entered Emergency and looked down the neat row of chairs for Sakura. She stood as he entered, worry quite clear upon her face. " Sakura! " he called, rushing towards her. As he came near, she broke down sobbing against his shoulder and he put his arm around her gently.
" Kensan! I can't get ahold of Youjisan or Omisan, and I'm so worried! " She sobbed. " There's no answer at the store and Youjisan's cell phone was destroyed in the fire! "
" Shh, shh, " Ken said comfortingly, " Sit down, Sakura, ne? Calm down and tell me what happened. "
" Sakura sat next to him in the chairs and wiped at her eyes. She gave a sheepish look to the various people standing around staring at her. " I'm sorry, I'm sorry. "
" It's okay. "
" I, ah, " she sniffled. " This afternoon we went to an art show Ayachan had been invited to; Nagikun, Ayachan, and I. Then, this woman showed up and attacked us with electricity, and she and Nagikun fought and... " Sakura's face compressed as she fought a resurgence of tears.
Ken absently rubbed her shoulders and wondered where Aya was anyway.
Sakura took two deep breaths. " Thank you. Gomen. Ayachan, did... something. I don't know. It reminded me of Nagi's power. It felt like, when Manxsan and I were entering the Ani Museum and a shudder went through the building. I think, I think Omisan said that was from Nagikun's powers. "
Ken blinked, and repeated, " Ayachan? "
" Yeah. When we all recovered, she was passed out, " her fingers pressed against her wet cheeks, " and Schuldich had her. Schuldich had her and the lady hurt Nagi and I couldn't do anything Kensan, anything at all!! "
Ken looked troubled, but he comforted her all the same. " Don't worry about it Sakurachan. It's better if you don't get too involved in anything. "
She broke down again and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. " I'm just so worried... what if something's happened to Youjisan and Omisan as well? "
Ken put his chin on her shoulder and bit back his own rising worry. " Don't worry Sakura, everything turned out before. We can get through this. "
Sometime later, when the night had settled in and Sakura had dozed off beside him, Ken was approached by a nurse with a styrofoam cup of hot coffee and a clipboard. " You're here waiting for the young man who was brought in this afternoon? "
" A- Aah, " Ken said, taking the coffee and the clipboard. " Domo. "
The nurse leaned over and indicated the papers on the board. " I need you to fill this out for me, if you could. We're going to need to keep him for observation. "
Ken looked at her with wide eyes. " Is he alright? "
" He's through the worst now. That young man has a strong will to live. " She smiled.
Ken looked at the clipboard. " Hey, I'm going to be honest with you here. He, er, his name is Nagi, and he's an orphan, so I don't know most of the information here. "
She straightened up and pressed her lips together. " That's troublesome. "
Ken looked sheepish. " The best I can do for you is tell you his full name. I'm sorry. "
The nurse sighed and took back the clipboard. " It'll have to do. I'll let the staff in administration know about it. What was his name then? "
" Naoe Nagi. "
" Arigatou. " She turned and headed for the doors.
" Thanks for the coffee, by the way. " Ken called after her. He sipped the bitter liquid and eyed Sakura's sleeping face. At least some things were turning out alright.
More or less.
Ken took another sip and winced as it burned against the roof of his mouth. Leaning his head forward he let the bustle and sounds of the hospital wrap around him. He really didn't like being there.
(@)
" Hokkaido?! "
" Un, I've found a little apartment close to campus and everything. They've accepted my transfer request; I start next week.
" Gomen, Youjikun, I just... need to get away from Tokyo, at least until I graduate. "
Youji set down his bottle and signaled the bartender before brushing back his hair and rubbing his temples. When the bartender came over he muttered, " Get me another, will ya? "
Truth was, Youji hated being alone. He could hide that fact very well, he'd been doing it for so long now it was almost subconscious. But the best route, he had found, was to drink himself into oblivion. He'd gotten so used to having Omi around, and he could admit now- especially now- that Manx pairing him with that kid so long ago had given him more purpose in life than Weiß alone could ever have provided.
Hokkaido seemed awful far away.
And he was stuck here in Tokyo, forced to be responsible for the whole lot of them. Ran couldn't be counted on. Ken was like one of the kids himself... Youji accepted the new beer and shifted his empty bottle over to stand with the rest. He laughed dryly at his tired solution to all his problems, but tipped his head back and drank greedily just the same.
(@)
Ran had put on his coat, and was sitting with his back to the door. The black trenchcoat fanned out behind him, placed that way so it wouldn't hinder him if and when he had to quickly get to his feet. His sword was cleaned and sheathed, resting upright against his shoulder like the samurai of old. Before him, Farfarello's prone body lay in a creeping pool of blood, the smell of which had begun to permeate the entire room.
A knock sounded but Ran remained steadfast. " Dare da? "
" A friend, " Ishida's lilting voice replied. He opened the door and entered with his hands in his trenchcoat pockets. Standing behind Ran he commented, " How very anticlimactic, ne? " His gaze fell downwards. " You don't believe he is dead? "
" No, " Ran replied curtly.
" Sad, " Ishida said, raising his eyes again. " While you were here waiting to do battle with a dead man, your sister was abducted by the enemy. "
Ran bolted to his feet, his coat whipping off the floor and around as he spun. " Nani?! "
Ishida nodded. " I'm afraid so. " He moved from side to side, mimicking Ran's frantic attempts to get past him. He underestimated Ran's blind rage however, and didn't anticipate the sheathed sword rising and knocking him across the head. But as Ran reached the door he got to his feet again and said forcefully, " Where will you run? Fujimiyasan, understand that I have no qualms whatsoever of locking you up like I did Honjousan. "
Ran grit his teeth and stopped, his hand on the doorjamb.
" This is far more delicate than any personal vendetta you and Schwartz may have against each other. Did you think killing three old people in a museum would even cripple Esset? " Ishida canted his head to the side and added chidingly, " For that matter, do you think Naoesan's defection and Farfarello's death will elicit so much as a blink from Crawford and Schuldich? The two of them together are still more than a match for this ragtag group that Persia so whimsically put together. "
Ran's fingers gripped the frame so hard he felt as though one or both would break. " I need to... "
" Find your sister? " Ishida anticipated. " Don't be ridiculous. You don't even know where she was abducted from; and honestly I think this routine of yours is getting just a little bit tired. "
Ran spun around, " Omae-! "
Despite the vehemency of his speech, Ishida looked as calm as ever. From his pocket he produced a cell phone, and quickly dialed. Into the phone he said briskly, " Ishida desu. Please send some people to Abyssinian's apartment to deal with some unfortunate mess. Yes, yes, please do, that would be most appreciative. Arigatou. " He snapped the phone shut and pocketed it. " Saa, Fujimiyasan, shall we go? "
Ran eyed him suspiciously. " Go where? "
" To retrieve your sister, of course. " Ishida said mildly, ushering him out the door. " Do up your coat, the wind's a bit cold. "
(@)
Schuldich entered the dark office cautiously. " Crawford? "
Crawford was by the windows again. He gave no answer. Schuldich looked around curiously, disturbed for once by the silence. " Where's the angel? "
" Gone. "
Schuldich pushed the door open entirely, cutting a path of light from the corridor around his shadow to end right at Crawford's heels. " What? Why?! "
Crawford didn't turn from the window, and his voice was as neutral as ever when he answered, " Self-preservation, Schuldich. If she'd stayed her, I would have died. "
Schuldich felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under him. " And, " he said, throat dry, " now that you've let her go? "
" I may die yet; " and then what little emotion Crawford allowed himself showed through, entering his words as he said, " but I'd rather it be for myself than for their cause. "
~(@)~
~--------tsuzuku~
Translation notes;
Gomen - sorry
Domo - thanks
Arigatou - thank-you (more formal than 'domo')
Dare da - 'who is it?'
Nani - what?
Omae - 'you' but not especially polite
Ishida desu - 'It's Ishida'
Saa - 'so'
[Written by Inseiko, 2002]