..it was a long shot, no doubt, but Shirako was very determined-an emotion which was commonly responsible for all the things that Shirako ever decided to do. Shirako was the type to always do exactly as he promises to. This time, he thought to himself, Brooke. You may not be able to hear me at all, but believe me. I will get us out of here, even if it means that I have to stay behind by helping everyone else escape...I'll do it, if that's what it takes.
Shirako sighed, and pushed the empty plate foreward. He was sitting directly in front of Stacy, who was busy playing with a strand of her hair. Shirako rolled his eyes. Of course. She can also be entertained with just a strand of her hair!
"Woah, wait! Tezla stole you away?" Vert asked me, shifting into a more comfortable position.
I nodded. "Pretty much. Well, actually, I was tricked by him into going to the Acceledrome with him. Then, soon after, I was told that Peter was my dad's brother, and-"
"Really? Huh. Now I see why I saw a resemblance of someone on your face. It was Tezla's."
I just shrugged. I was getting a bit freaked out. Talking to someone I saw in a vision before...it was a little bit unsettling. Nice, but freaky.
Vert caught my mood and smirked, a crooked smile quickly forming across his face. I blushed again.
"So, Brooke...are you still trying to decide whether I'm real or not?"
I glared this time. "I don't believe that that's any of your business...but yes. I am."
Vert laughed. He carelessly propped his feet up on the table and crossed them. He dangled them dangerously close to my face. I scowled at him.
"Ugh! You're about as bad as Shirako!" Then, I expertly shoved Vert's feet off the floor, and his shoes made a loud echoing boom as they smacked into the metal floor. Vert chuckled.
"So, you close to Shirako or what? When I was there, he was never big on speaking."
I nodded. "Yeah, you could say we're close. I mean, hey! We better be close, for we had to catch up on all the missed report cards, breakups, you know. That sort of thing."
Vert raised an eyebrow. I laughed lightly, and the response eased some of the tension I was feeling.
"He's my brother, Vert."
Vert stared, wide-eyed at me, his mouth gaping open and closing like a fish. I counted the seconds of his silence. One, two, three...
"Woah. I really didn't see that one coming," Vert mumbled, still a bit taken aback from my response. I smiled a little.
"That's alright. I was just as shocked as you when I found out. Don't worry, though. Shirako never knew about me, either. So, don't think that he was keeping anything from you or anything, because he wasn't. We found out about it after my first vision-gone-bad-scenario that occured a few weeks ago."
Vert's confusion was undeniably strong. I then, slowly and without leaving anything out, told the story of my life after I first entered the Acceledrome. Vert stayed completely calm through it all. He got a bit ticked over the whole best-friend-blows-other-friend-for-father's-sake, but I didn't say a thing. I didn't blame Stacy for what she did. Like she really had a choice, now that I really thought it through. Of course, she'd really have to work to get that friendship back together, but it could happen. At least, I secretly hoped it would.
"Shirako, what are you doing? We're supposed to stay here...SHIRAKO!"
Shirako was beyond listening to Stacy's nervous voice. He just wanted one thing:to find Brooke and Vert. Then, hopefully, he could somehow get them all back alive.
"Stay if you want, Stacy, but I'm going to go looking for Brooke."
Shirako left the room, and it wasn't even two seconds later that he could hear Stacy's silent footfalls behind him.
"No way, Shirako. I'm with you in all this."
Shirako turned to her and nodded. He could live with that. Two against...well, the odds weren't pretty, but it was better than him having to do this alone. They quickly scaled the end wall and stopped at the corner.
"Stacy,'' Shirako whispered. She came forward slowly.
"Check and make sure that no one is watching us."
Stacy gave him a quizzical frown. He whispered ugently, "Just trust me. Check. Please." His words were a little less than pleading.
Stacy never gave it a second thought after that. She expertly dodged around the corner and out of sight. That was when Shirako really became worried. He had second thoughts about his suddenness to letting Stacy leave to scout the place. What if she was turning him in just now?
Before Shirako had a chance to give it another thought, Stacy suddenly darted around the corner and back to him in the next instant.
"There's no one near us at the moment, but-"
"Good," Shirako interrupted, determination clearly showing through. He walked quickly foreward, head held high. Stacy silently followed him.
He noticed a door to his left. It was the only room which seemed to contain any activity at all. He knew he was taking a long shot, but he really didn't care at the moment. He darted into the room and slammed it closed behind them.
He slowly turned around to see....
Brooke's shocked gaze interlocking with his own. Vert was sitting across from the brunette, apparently having had a conversation with her a moment ago. But Shirako didn't look away from Brooke at the moment. He looked her up and down.
No broken bones or bruises that I can tell...oh, there's a bruise on her forehead. Hmmm. Could be nothing, though.
Brooke broke off from her concentration and noticed Shirako's gaze was fixed on her forehead. She scowled.
"Shirako! Oh, honestly! I'm totally fine, alright?? Stop worrying."
Vert stared between the two, frowning. Finally, he muttered, "Did I miss something?"
Finally, they all seemed to realize the extra company. Stacy was leaning awkwardly on the far wall, looking a bit nervous now.
Vert saw the girl and immediately stood. He took up a defensive position in front of Brooke.
Stacy frowned.
"Oh, come on! I'm not going to try and kill her or something! Gosh, you are so pushy!"
Stacy then ran toward Brooke, apparently trying to hug the girl. Brooke took a step back. Stacy's smile faltered. She looked as if she was about to cry again.
Brooke, despite her original intentions, slowly grinned at Stacy's reluctance and stretched out her arms. Stacy smiled one of her dazzling smiles and hugged Brooke as tight as she possibly could.
Shirako couldn't help but inch closer to his sister. She was alive..and completely in a good mood. Yep, that's Brooklynn for you, he thought, chuckling. Brooke heard him.
"Oh, Shirako! I forgot you were there," Brooke teased, struggling out of Stacy's hold to get next to her brother. She walked up to him and tried to get to eye-to-eye level with him. She had to stretch on her toes to do so. He took an involuntary step back, stunned.
"Shirako," Brooke snarled, saying his name in accusation. "Mister I'll-stay-behind-if-that's-what-it-takes-to-save-the-others. What were you thinking? You are apparently a bit dizzy from the ride here. I AM NOT going to leave you in the care of these dimwits." She crossed her arms and returned to normal height.
Shirako frowned, then...his eyes became as big as saucers. She heard his thoughts from earlier!
"But, I," Shirako began, "I didn't really think that you'd be able to hear me then. I was just trying to communicate with you.''
Brooke snorted. "Right. As far as communications go, buy a cell phone. Believe me. It won't be as awkward as telephathy to send messages back and forth to each other. That can be accomplished with instant messaging."
Shirako laughed and hugged his sister fiercely. When she tried to squirm free, he only held her more tightly.
"Shir-can't-breath!" He finally released her, and she gasped theatrically for air. He rolled his eyes.
Vert shook his head. "You guys are the strangest pair of siblings I've ever seen in my entire life, do you realize that? You joke about your visions as if it's a normal action."
Brooke frowned. "Well, it's pretty normal for me."
Shirako, Vert, and Stacy burst into laughter at her comment. Brooke didn't see it as being funny at all, but they thought differently. She shrugged and yawned. Shirako checked his watch. Twenty minutes till twelve.
"Brooke?" Shirako questioned, getting the sleepy girl's attention. She turned slowly to listen to him.
"We'll probably be in here a while, so you might as well get comfortable. Come here."
Brooke was beyond care at the moment. She was too out of it to really understand what anyone was really doing. She shuffled slowly toward him, her eyelids blinking slower than usual.
Shirako had got up from his chair and sat against the far wall. He put his legs together and left them completely straight. He let her lay her head against his legs. After she was leaning on him, he took off his jacket and draped it over Brooke's shoulders. She curled in, letting her hands rest, folded, underneath her cheek. She was out in about five seconds.
Vert and Stacy just stood there awkwardly.
Vert took in the sibling's interaction with silent amazement. They really depended on one another much more than they even realized. Their action just then confirmed Vert's silent musings. They really cared for each other, maybe even more than most siblings ever cared for the other.
Stacy skipped to Brooke's side and laid her head against Brooke's stomach. The sleeping girl stirred, but didn't wake.
Vert decided to sit next to Shirako.
Not that he had anything against the girls, but he didn't really know them very well. And anyway, he still didn't trust Stacy that much, considering she was the one who suggested having him locked up in this room. He yawned, despite himself.
"Awe..that's so cute. It's too bad that 'cute' doesn't mean a thing to this mission or to us in that matter."
My eyes flew open. As I blinked rapidly for a few moments, I finally remembered where we were...and I instantly wanted to go back to sleep.
It was Michael. Stacy's father, who had been speaking. The Major and he were standing right at the door: Michael scolding for Stacy's closeness to me, it seemed. The Major keeping his calm and steady gaze on me. I looked away from him quickly, watching and listening to Shirako's even breathing, instead.
"Michael," the Major said in a commanding tone. Michael flinched, but otherwise kept his cool. I wanted to backhand them both.
"Michael. Please retrieve Stacy for me. She needs to update her new findings with us. Oh, and send a few plates here, so our newest members can have some refreshments before we begin."
With that being said, Michael ran foreward and gripped Stacy's shirt collar and heaved. He yanked her up, much to her knowledge.
"Huh? Wha-AH! Ouch! That hurts, you know!" Stacy yelled aloud, waking the sleeping Vert and Shirako.
"Well, you should have thought about that before you became friends with that witch over there!"
His burning gaze turned to my face. I was so pent up with fury at that moment that I didn't even realize what I was doing until after it had happened.
With fury blinding my actions, I jumped to my feet and swung my right fist down hard into his jaw.
"Ah! You little-"
"Witch?" I interrupted, guessing his remark to my reaction. I took a step toward him.
"I am NOT a danger to your daughter, you got that? Have you ever heard her complain about me before, about anything? I didn't think so! So go ahead. Call me witch one more time and try to guess my next reaction to that!"
My hands balled into fists, just begging to connect with anything breakable on the man. The Major chortled with laughter.
"It seems as if miss Brooklynn has a bit of a temper, no? Just like her father, John. He know, gave us quite a fight a time back.."
My hands hung limp. My father? He knew my father?
"No matter. We can work with that. Come along Michael. Stacy."
And with that, Stacy, Michael, and the Major left the room, Michael making a rather rude gesture with his finger as he passed me. I stuck out my tongue.
The door slammed shut behind Michael and then it was just Shirako, Vert, and me.
Of course, I loved Shirako and Vert-Vert not so much, but that was only because of the fifteen minute talk to actually get to know the guy. I was alone in a different sense:I had no parents, my best friend's a fraud, and now I would have to go back to school and be a year older than the kids in my grade!
It was so unfair.
I hadn't realize that I had started crying until someone's finger lightly brushed a tear away. I jumped back, a bit startled.
"Oh, sorry Brooke. I didn't mean to frighten you," Shirako apologized, letting his arm drop back down to his side. He smiled a warm, reassuring smile.
"What's on your mind?" Shirako asked me, still keeping his distance in case that was what I wanted.
It wasn't.
I slowly walked up to Shirako until I was about a foot away. He stared into my eyes, searching for some sign as to my reason for crying.
I couldn't help myself:I threw my arms around him and held him close. He took a step back, stunned.
Then, I felt his hand rest against my head and his other hand lightly pat my back. I cried soflty, trying to muffle the sound as I pressed my face into his shoulder. He never said a word, and that was wise of him.
An embarrassed cough brought me out of my break-down. Oops, I thought. I had completely forgotten about Vert.
I, hesitatingly, let go of Shirako and wiped my eyes quickly. I turned to Vert and tried to smile at him.
"I'm sorry, Vert. I'm sorry about that emotional scene. I am a bit upset, you know. With the whole my-best-friend-sends-me-to-the-enemy and I-see-visions thing. It can get a little weird for me."
Vert laughed. He walked up to Shirako and mock punched his shoulder.
"Wow, Shirako. This one's a bit too girly for me. I can't believe you would actually want to hang out with this one. She's a bit unstable."
Rather than blush like mad like I would normally do(besides, that reaction would give Vert another thing to add to my 'girly' self), I swiftly took a step toward Vert and whacked him on the side of his head.
He wasn't expecting that.
Vert rocked a little from the impact, and shook his head to clear it. I laughed, and so did Shirako. Vert turned stare increduloulsy at me. I winked playfully at him, and it was his turn to blush.
"Girly, am I? I dare you to call me that one more time and see what happens!"
As if to prove my point, I took a step toward him and he flinched. I smirked, and dropped my hands.
"Vert," Shirako murmured, between breaths of air, "Didn't you see what she did to Michael. Of course, his remark was far worse than yours, but even so. You really should have realized by then how Brooke is. She doesn't take too kindly to being made fun of."
Vert nodded slowly in agreement. I rolled my eyes at their exchange. I wasn't that bad...was I?
Suddenly, my eyes were drawn into another was fidgeting in a seat, surrounded by the Silencer's HQ workers. Michael was glaring daggers at her. She cringed at the accusation in his eyes.
"You what?! You don't want to tell us anything? What, now you've suddenly felt a bit more feeling for the Brooke girl? You only became her friend under my orders!"
"But, daddy, I-"
"Don't call me that, Stacy! You are definitely no daughter of mine," Michael snapped at her. Stacy's bottom lip quivered.
"Michael," the Major warned, putting a restraining hand on the man's shoulder. "Calm."
Michael stopped shouting, but his anger never fully ceased.
"Daddy! Yes, it was because of your order that I started to hang out with her, but I quickly became her best friend, and she mine. Because of you, I found a true friend in her that I've never discovered in anyone else that I know. I will NOT give her up to any of you."
Stacy ended her little speech with a nod, as if she was reassuring herself that she was doing the right thing.
"Stacy," the Major tried to reason. "Think of all the things we could accomplish with her power! Her father was talent enough for Tezla, considering John could sense when any danger was coming. He was very useful to Tezle, but now his daughter can be useful for us."
Stacy scowled. "Brooke isn't a prize to be one for the better team! Brooke wants to be with her uncle, not here! Not that you all gave her a choice..."
Stacy closed her eyes and tried again. "Her power isn't very useful, anyways. it's not like she can just choose to think of someone and then she'll suddenly see what they're doing! It just happens out of the blue. Besides, she won't be able to see whatever you ask her to. It doesn't work that way-"
Her words were cut off when Michael sent his hand crashing against her cheek. She cried out, rocking in her chair a bit from the impact.
Her own father had just slapped her across the cheek.
Stacy's eyes welled with tears as she rubbed the reddened area.I cringed as the sound of his hand slamming into her face echoed off the room's walls.
Then, I saw Shirako's face. He was frowning, with a hint of panick in his eyes. When he saw me come to, he exhaled in relief.
"Brooke, what did you see?" Shirako asked, gripping onto the sides of my arms.
I blinked, aware of reality again. I replayed the vision to Shirako and Vert by explaining all that I had seen.
When I told of the part where Michael slapped his daughter, Shirako cursed under his breath while Vert hissed his frustration. I agreed with both of them.
"Shirako, Vert? I have a plan to get us out of here, but it'll be a long shot..."
