Hey, told ya I'd be back soon. And I'm glad I am. I was pretty excited to write this since we are beginning Teito's saga for this fic and this is going to be one hell of a ride for Aya, Teito and Mika, maybe even Frau lol.
Spoiler alert: Dialogues/scenes from episode 5
Replies to Reviews:
Elly: Yeah it has been a long while. Sorry for the wait—I know that feeling first hand & it sucks. Thanks for sticking around though & thanks for the review!
Disclaimer: in first chapter.
Chapter 20:
"Be careful you two." Katsuragi said as the Black Hawks gathered to bid their two memebers farewell.
"Are ya sure you'll be okay without me Aya-tan?" Hyuuga asked, seeing as though he had always been Ayanami's right hand man and body-guard.
"As long you complete your tasks here without delay. Konatsu, make sure he renders himself useful." Ayanami pointed.
"Hai sir." Konatsu saluted.
"Stingy." Four-eyes clicked his tongue.
"Mikage-kun, Ayanami-sama is in your care now." Haruse notified with a smile.
"Of course." Mikage grinned back. 'But isn't it the other way around?'
"Don't have all the fun by yourselves—call us when you need help! Me and Haruse will join you guys first." Kuroyuri exclaimed in high spirits.
"Worry not, we will." The chief answered, facing his begleiter after that. "It's time to go, the Hawkzile is ready." The blond nodded and followed his lead after waving to everyone.
"I'm guessing you still need to learn how to ride one of these?" The silverette posed while he was piloting the aircraft with Mikage sitting in the back, arms wrapped around the other's stomach. In between the two he was also able to squeeze a shoulder bag that carried a few necessary things.
"Uh, yeah…We were supposed to go over the practical lessons this week…" The blond replied ashamed a bit at his lack of skills. Though it would be superb flying one of these things. Just being so high up in the air at top speed was like being the ace of a video game.
"Why so stiff?" The elder smirked, turning his gaze at the teen from the corner of his eye.
"No, I'm okay." Truth was, he was indeed nervous. Of what? That was out of his conscience.
"If you say so." Not after a very long journey, Ayanami began descending the hawkzile to the ground. They had only passed an empty terrain canyon and were already landing.
"Is this it?" Mikage glanced around the deserted territory.
"This is as far as we will go. Here wear this, it'll conceal our uniforms. Up ahead, we will be entering the Barsburg territory." Ayanami parked the hawkzile behind a huge boulder and took out two white robes with hoods, throwing the smaller size to the other.
The blond caught the gown and stared at a distance. 'Up ahead.' The elder was correct, he was beginning to make out something that looked like gates before them. Soon enough he draped the white thing over him and hooded his head, looking ahead of him with determination. 'Teito.'
"Let's go." The chief instructed walking in front of him.
…
"Wow, this place looks so peaceful and not to mention so beautiful." Mikage confessed as they crossed the white concrete bridge with a few number of people coming and going. All of them were wearing some sort of white upper garment. Just a head of them was the massive church building, painted in white yet still stood out for its elegance.
Meanwhile Teito was climbing down the stairs inside the tower's arena and into the garden where all the young nuns were doing the laundry. 'No way! I was the heir to the Raggs Kingdom?! The Barsburg might see me as an enemy if they find out. And there's no way the Imperial Army would let me live if they realized I'm the rightful heir.' He thought as he passed the water fountain at the center of the garden and stared at the white flower Labrador gave him. The three bishops, also three of the seven ghosts were standing on the other side of the fountain, observing the brunette.
"Man that brat's a handful!" Frau, the spiky blond haired bishop let out.
"I'm surprised that you care so much about him Frau," Castor, a cunning redhead who also happened to wear glasses, teased.
"Shut up!" The blond retorted. The quiet one of the three, Labrador with beautiful lavender hair turned away.
"The flowers are very upset…Someone is going to come for him soon. And he shall destroy his world." The flower-master depressed. The other two gawked at him, bewildered.
In his listless state, Teito kept walking down the path encircling the garden that ultimately led to the bridge.
On the contrary side, Mikage and Ayanami were strolling towards the church, keeping a keen eye at their surroundings. The blond noticed a figure walking before him, almost a head shorter than him and with nostalgic dark brown hair. The teen watched as the wind blew the other's flower out of his hands on to the ground. The brunette gestured his body around to pick it up, slowly revealing his face. Mikage immediately gasped, not believing his eyes. It was Teito! The brunette noticed his stare and involuntarily looked him in the eye, shocked for a second too.
"Teito! It's really you, Teito!" Mikage exclaimed, heartbeat quickening. In the spur of the moment, the taller teen ran forward and threw himself around the other's shoulders with his hood falling off. "Teito!" Ayanami didn't fail to recognize the brat that ran away from them either, but only halt in his footsteps as he witnessed his lover embrace him with such hideous affection. The elder's eyes coldly glared at the younger from behind. The flower fell once again from Teito's hands as he stood there motionless and in astonishment. "Thank goodness! You're still alive!" The blond rejoiced in the other's ear, squeezing him harder.
"Mikage…? Is it really you, Mikage?" The brunette choked.
"Of course! What are you saying? I'm the one and only Mikage!" The taller teen released him with his hands still firmly on his shoulders.
"Man, I never thought I'd get to see you again!"
While Ayanami was conveniently in the shadows now, he seriously pondered when the right time to kill the brat would be. Would it cause too much commotion if he did so now?
"Who's that?" Frau asked curiously, with a subtle ounce of jealousy in the back of his heart. The three bishops stood at the edge of the bridge that opened up to the church.
"A friend, by the looks of it." Castor replied.
"Is that the one you mentioned: who'll destroy his world?" Frau posed to Labrador.
"No, not him. The other one."
"Other one?" Both castor and Frau turned their attentions back to the pair in front of them.
As Mikage hugged him again, Teito finally caught a glance at the person standing a few feet beyond Mikage's shoulders. 'It can't be…!'
"Ayanami!" He rudely called out, startling the blond, who instantly released him. "Watch out Mikage! It's Ayanami!" Teito drew an arm in front of the blond to shield him.
'Oops, in all my excitement, I totally forgot about Ayanami-san.' Before Teito had the chance to summon his Zaiphon. "Ah, wait Teito! You can't—!" The blond immediately gripped one of his shoulder.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, I can't let you…just trust me in this one." Mikage hoped to convince.
"What…? Wait, don't tell me you're being blackmailed or something by this bastard!?" Teito demanded. By now, Ayanami could feel his tolerance running down the drain which symbolized his body. The brunette cared less what the other could be thinking, he simply held no respect for a murderer and couldn't fathom what led Mikage to defending Ayanami. Teito didn't stop glaring at him even for a second. "Mikage, come with me!" The proud brunette grabbed the blond's wrist and attempted to drag him to the church and the bishops.
"Eh…Ah—" The taller teen was yanked forward but another force pulled him back. When Mikage turned around, the silverette had a solid hold on his other free arm.
"I don't think so, brat." Ayanami finally mouthed.
"Something looks tense out there." Frau insisted and stepped towards them. "Just whaddaya causing a ruckus here for, shorty?"
"Hey! Back off! I didn't do anything—he's the problem!" Teito pointed at the chief.
'He?' Frau glimpsed at Mikage who appeared to be a normal teen than at Ayanami, who had this dark aura flanking him. The tall blond decided to let the other's asocial and intimidating image slide for the time being and faced the teens again. "Oh, I see, friends of yours from way back when—let's get back to the church, shall we?"
"Hah?!" Teito questioned, reluctant to bring Ayanami with them, however Frau led the way anyhow. As they entered the chambers of the church, standing in front of a room on one of the top floors, Teito introduced the bishops.
"This is Castor-san, Labrador-san and you'd be better off ignoring that blond one but he's Frau." Teito introduced.
"You brat…" Frau ruffled the top of the brunette's head. "Remind me to never leave the introductions to you."
"Nice to meet you all, I'm Mikage—Teito's best friend. And this is Ayanami-san, Chief Executive of the Black Hawks and um…my begleiter." He timidly scratched his cheek with a finger. All of them stared at him in minor amazement while Teito was the only one full of distress. 'How was that possible? Did the army really let him go that easily?' The brunette mused.
"So you're somewhat the head of the Imperial Army?" Castor confirmed, assessing him warily. The silverette only returned the gaze with a disdainful look. It was apparent they didn't trust someone who was from the Imperial army/Empire.
"Can we trust him?" Labrador asked as the four of them conversed away from their guests.
"Of course we can—he's my only friend!" Teito convinced. "As for Ayanami, he's most likely here to take me back and there's no way I'm going to let that happen. We ought to kick him out of here."
'This looks harder by the moment.' Mikage thought as they had their private discussion which was loudly audible to them.
"If that's what you believe then I won't deny it, but do note that Mikage-kun is my partner and therefore is here for the same purpose." The silverette interjected with a sneer, placing a hand on the blond's shoulders and bending down to his head's length.
"Is that true, Mikage…?" Teito echoed incredulously.
The blond averted his eyes at first. "Teito, try to hear me out—it's not what you think—" He was cut off by a squeeze on his shoulder. There a brief pause before Teito spoke again.
"You probably forced him into it!" 'Sly Bastard—thinks he can use my friend against me!'
The elder was beginning to get extremely pissed now, although, managed to convey a mocking smirk. "Brats and their imaginations."
"Now, now there's no need to brawl is there? There's room for everyone." Castor intervened. "Didn't you say you and Mikage-kun were old friends, I'm sure you have a ton of catching up to do. So, Teito why don't you take Mikage-kun to your room for now—until we prepare a guest room for them?"
"There's no need for a guest room for Mikage, he can just stay in my room." Teito claimed as he held the blond's hand. "This way Mikage."
Ayanami was well aware that this mission wasn't going to be easy with Mikage in the mix but if he knew it was going to be this infuriating, he would have forfeited it all together. As the two teens disappeared from their sight, Frau shot a serious glance in Ayanami's direction.
"Are you really here to take him back? If so, we won't allow that."
Ayanami stared directly past his soul in all defiance as well before closing his eyes and walking away. "… Do whatever, it makes no difference to me. I have no interest in a brat, but just know:" He looked back over his shoulder at the ghosts and contorted his face into an evil grin. "I will have what I came for."
"I don't like the looks of that guy." The blond bishop scorned behind his back. "If I'm not mistaken, he was the one that killed the kid's father, right?"
"And also brought the Raggs Kingdom to ruins." Labrador added.
"In that case, we need to keep an eye on him, and what better way than to have him live with us?" Castor suggested with a smile.
In Teito's room:
"I don't get it, how did you end up being Ayanami's partner? This had to be a scheme on his end to use you against me!" Teito declared.
"Iie, iie, Teito you're wrong. It was nothing like that. I only recently became Ayanami-san's begleiter."
"So they didn't suspect you?"
"Of course they did." The teen smiled. "But somehow, Ayanami-san gave me another chance to serve the army in exchange for my freedom. But who cares about that anymore, that was such a long time ago—I'm just so happy to see you're okay!" The blond took both his hands in his.
"Mmh," Teito smiled for the first time in a while. 'As long as Mikage is safe, it's fine. God, please protect Mikage.'
"It looks like you've made yourself at home here." The blond glimpsed around the room. "And you seem to get along very well with the bishops too—I'm glad."
Suddenly the door opened. "Yo! We prepared the room." Frau announced.
"I just said Mikage is going to sleep in my room." The shorter teen affirmed.
"Uh Teito, actually…" 'As much as that sounded like a friendly idea, he had to worry about Ayanami-san not going on a rampage or the elder staying up the entire night plotting ways to eliminate the brunette.'
"Grow up, kid. Unfortunately, the chief exclusively said that Mikage-kun should be in his room." The bishop told. "Relax! I'll be sure to take good care of him." He waltzed over to the blond, holding his shoulders and revealing a magical book. "Look it's medicine that will make you feel better." The teen flipped open the book and gawked at the contents.
"That's what I am worried about." Teito confessed. When none of them responded, he peeked at the book too and gaped at the pornographic sexy female images.
"What 'cha think? Pretty nice, isn't it?" The elder blond beamed as he leaned into Mikage with the book. At that moment, out of nowhere a dagger came flying in the air in the bishop's direction who ducked in the nick of time, causing the knife to jab into the other side of the wall instead. "What the hell!? That was dangerous!" Frau glared at the weapon two inches into the wall before swerving his head to the front door where it came from. Ayanami happened to be the only one standing there.
"Do me a favor and don't corrupt him with your insensibility." The silverette crossed his arms against his chest, here to pick up his lover.
"You…" Frau's veins popped out on his forehead but attempted to maintain a very crooked smile.
"Ayanami-san," Mikage called out and paced towards him. "What's up?"
"I've come to fetch you. Our stuff is already in the prepared room." The chief expressionlessly stated. "You've had enough time for your reunion haven't you." It was more of a statement than a question.
"Ah, yes." The blond complied.
"Wait but Mikage, why don't you stay here?" Teito pestered, dejecting the silverette make an annoyed 'che' sound.
Mikage evoked an apologetic smile. "Sorry Teito, but I can't leave Ayanami-san's side like that. I promise we'll spend some time tomorrow, though." He waved, before he exited the room with the elder, who passed one victorious sidelong gaze at the brat and let out a satisfied 'hmp', before he followed the younger.
For reasons beyond his knowledge, that gaze really snapped something in Teito. Almost like they were competing for something in which case the chief had been victorious this time. However, Teito was determined too. He wasn't going to lose to Ayanami like his father did and he certainly wasn't going to hand Mikage over to him.
"Look at you glaring holes in his back." Frau teased, breaking the ice.
"Shut up!" Teito held back a blush at his own seriousness being caught by the other.
To Be Continued…
Haha things are about to get really interesting! I'm so excited that we're finally at Teito's part of the story that will ignite the tensions b/w these guys (*_*) –I've been waiting to write this forever lol. Too bad it only took 20 chapters to get here XD . Furthermore, I just had to include that magazine scene with Frau, Mikage's face makes me laugh every time.
Looks like Ayanami is going to have it tough from here out haha. But hope you guys enjoyed this—plz review!