Chapter XIV: The Little Bird
One week later
"I had a little bird
That tried to fly away,
And so I clipped its wings
So with me it would stay."
"Who's wings will you be clipping then, Aya?" Hyuuga chuckled, leaning on the back of his superior's chair, as he tended to do. He had behaved himself for the past week, and his troublemaking had been forgotten, at least until he next became bored and wandered off. "Reciting nursery rhymes is a bit odd, even for you."
"There is a certain truth in the songs of children," Ayanami mused with a small smirk, looking out the large windows at the clouds that surrounded them. True enough, he had been slightly out-of-character since meeting with Teito Klein's reincarnation. He was excited, something that was rare for him. A showdown with his long-time enemies, the Seven Ghosts, as well as the opportunity to once again face that thrilling sensation of being in the presence of Mikhail in all his glory- well, if that wasn't exciting, he didn't know what was.
Still, it would be a bit longer before that happened. First, he had to properly draw out the necessary actors for the long-awaited reprise of their final battle.
()()()
"Teito!"
The youth looked up from the water, where Lazette was mimicking the faces of people around the church to make him laugh, and smiled. "Hakuren. What is it?"
The golden-haired bishop slowed to a walk and returned the smile. As always, there was a nostalgic shimmer to his eyes as he looked at the slender youth. The one most noticeable difference he always couldn't help but see, was that Teito was not wearing black. The Teito he had known had been in mourning for much of the time they had been together. Even when he changed to the white uniform, there was a manner about him that brought that black to mind.
But his reincarnation did not carry that sorrow, the weight of his friend's death that had been such a large part of who he was that none who met him could ignore it.
Teito had relaxed considerably over the past few days, though he still would wander off now and then or start humming to himself if no one was talking to him. He was milder than before, as if he had learned something important in the time between his death and rebirth, and now held it as a part of him, in place of the faded scars that had so characterized his previous incarnation.
"Hakuren?" Teito was looking up at him, puzzled, and Hakuren realized that he had become lost in his thoughts.
He shook his head and smiled. "Sorry, I was thinking about something. Castor wanted to see you."
"Alright." Teito stood, giving a nod to Lazette. "Until later then." The mermaid trilled and dove into the water, splashing them both and causing them to laugh.
They walked down the hall in quiet companionship. Though he was now fifteen years older, while Teito looked the same, the air between them was unchanged. It was easy to be with him, relaxed, as though they were having a deep discussion when in fact they were silent. Despite having no memories of his previous life, Teito still had the manner of someone who knew Hakuren well, and trusted him.
This, though he would never admit it, meant the world to Hakuren. He had been the only one who shared even a fraction of Frau's fervor to find Teito, and having him back at Barsburg Church at last was something he had once only barely dared to dream.
()()()
Frau had been avoiding Teito.
It pained him, his own weakness. He had been so determined to see the youth again, to apologize to him, protect him. But every time Teito drew close, he found himself walking away. As much as he wanted to renew his bond with the other, Frau didn't want to get too close. He wasn't even sure why.
And so he wandered the church halls, often watching from a distance, with Mikage on his shoulder. After a second incident much like the first, it was reluctantly decided that the little creature could not be allowed near Teito until the youth was more stable.
Mikage butted Frau's neck with his head, as though chiding him for musing and worrying by himself again. The bishop chuckled, patting the soft head and listening to the purr that emerged with a small smile. "Soon," he promised, to Mikage and himself.
()()()
"When will we go to visit them?" Kuroyuri asked eagerly, kicking his legs as he sat up on the desk.
"Soon, Aya says," Hyuuga answered, shaking his head at the small soldier's childish behavior. But since he didn't really want to be forced to eat something strange later on, he did not comment on it.
The one-eyed youth laughed, shaking his pink hair. "This will be so much fun!" And then he began to sing cheerfully:
"I had a little bird
That tried to fly away,
And so I clipped its wings
So with me it would stay.
I had a little bird,
I held it in my hand.
It couldn't fly,
And so it died,
There within my hand."
PART II END
This is my announcement!
I am very very sorry for being so late once again. I have not, however, been idle! I will now proceed to update every one of my stories at least once this weekend with what I've already written, and then by doing nothing else but writing, hopefully a second time for many of them. I thank all of you who have been patient, despite me becoming one of those authors that you really hate because they never update as often as they say they're going to. I said this before and no one took me seriously, so I'll say it again: PLEASE spam me with PMs if it has been longer than you'd like since my last chapter. If I get busy, I will honestly forget that I have not updated, so a couple reminders would go a long way towards you seeing these chapters more often. I hope that you aren't completely fed up with me yet, and that you're enjoying the stories. Have a great weekend, all. ^-^
- The Author