Chapter 18:
Uryu spotted Yua coming his way but there were few people with her, which he found strange. He wondered if they were all fighting elsewhere or if they had been too severely injured to make it to her side. Though this was worrisome, he was relieved that the number of opponents was small. This would make fighting a bit easier.
Uryu took in a deep breath. "You ready, Orihime?"
No one answered.
"Orihime?" He turned and saw that he was alone. "Orihime?" He looked around but she was nowhere to be found.
She wouldn't have abandoned him. There was no way she would have left without saying anything unless something happened. Knowing her, she probably saw someone in trouble and went to help, neglecting to say anything to him because she got distracted.
"Hey there."
He looked up. Yua was standing in the middle of the hall looking at him with a smile.
Crap. Uryu refrained from saying it aloud no matter how much he wanted to.
Their plan. It wouldn't work unless everyone was around to play their part. He might have been able to do it without Orihime since there was no sign of Ichigo or a crowd, but he couldn't find Tatsuki anywhere either. She was supposed to signal him when she was in position. She must have been dealing with something as well.
Uryu weighed his options, trying to find a solution as quickly as possible.
He couldn't abort the mission. This was their last chance. It had to be done today. They simply couldn't wait any longer. Everyone was getting out of control.
Should he stall? He had no idea when Orihime would show up. He didn't know what kind of situation she was in right now. What if she couldn't come? Yua would probably not wait that long and might start to suspect he was stalling if he took too long.
Carry out the mission himself? Was that wise? He expressed his reservations to the girls before when it was suggested to him and was still unwilling to risk himself that way.
Then again, this was the best chance for him to do it. There weren't many people around. He was a boy. She probably wouldn't suspect him. He might be able to take the perfume from her himself.
Becoming a victim was something he didn't want and that was what was holding him back. He was afraid he would end up like the others. If he just caught a whiff of it, he probably wouldn't be that bad. It took them a while to reach this point. Still, any dose was too much for him. He didn't know what would happen to him if he got just a taste of it. What if he decided to throw in the towel and join her side? What if he told Yua about their plan to win her over? He didn't know why he would blab such a thing, but knowing the unpredictability of this perfume's effects, he couldn't rule anything out, even the illogical.
Keeping his distance was the best way to go, but it would lead to a stalemate. Yua probably wasn't foolish enough to reveal the perfume to him if he asked for it. He had thought about hiding somewhere and firing an arrow to knock the perfume out of her hands when she pulled it out, but there was never an opportunity to do that. Even if there was, he doubted he would get an opening with so many boys around her. He could risk hitting one of them. Without them around, he could risk lopping off Yua's hand with a target so small. Sure, Orihime could real her, probably, but they wanted to keep their abilities from other students; which was why Uryu wasn't about to fire an arrow at her from the front. Besides, what if the arrow shattered the bottle? The perfume would go everywhere. They needed it undamaged.
Orihime suggested he hold his breath. The perfume was centered around smell. If he couldn't smell it, it had no power over him.
The other issue was getting that close to Yua. She probably wouldn't allow him to touch her. Not unless she thought he was under her spell. If he acted like he was attracted to her, she might allow him to get close enough for him to take the perfume from her pocket. She probably wouldn't mind a simple hug from a boy who claimed to love her.
It might have been foolish, but he concluded that pretending was the best way to go. He just had to get the bottle and everything would be fine. It would be over in seconds. He had to try. He couldn't let his chance slip by.
They had to do this now.
Mustering up his courage, Uryu spoke to Yua, all the while praying his acting skills were good enough to fool her.
"Hey… Yua honey." He was already reprimanding himself.
Yua's smile broadened. "Haven't seen you before. You must be from one of the other classes. Guess you finally got interested in me, huh?"
"Guess so… Uh, cutie." He fought the urge to cringe at his own words. He didn't think this was going at all well. He had no idea what he was doing. He was just trying to act and sound like the ones who had already fallen for her. He felt like an idiot.
His acting mustn't have been that bad because Yua seemed pleased and flirted back.
"Have you always been this pretty?" Uryu asked her. "I can't believe I never noticed you before."
She flipped her hair back smugly. "They say guys are oblivious."
"Guess so."
"But you look smart. Must be the glasses."
"I am in the top of my class, too."
"Oh, so you are smart." She clapped her hands together gleefully. "Say, I have some reports that need to get done. Perhaps you can help me out with that."
He knew she was hinting that he complete them for her but played innocent to draw her in. "A study date with you sounds amazing. I've been wanting to spend time with you. You just seem… I don't know what it is. There's something special about you."
"I get that a lot."
"I bet you do." He tried to elevate the performance without going overboard. He wore a smile that didn't extend beyond his face but she didn't catch on. "I would be honored to bask in your presence. If you allow me, that is… gorgeous?"
She smiled and beckoned him closer. "You really are like prince charming. I knew there were guys like you out there. So polite and charming."
"You flatter me, princess. If you want me to be a prince, I will be. Anything for you, Yua."
He couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth but she was buying it. He was only half paying attention to what he was saying now that she wanted him to come closer. In a way, his own words distracted him from the challenge at hand.
If he got closer, he would probably end up smelling the perfume. He needed to get closer, but he would have to avoid breathing it in. He couldn't possibly hold his breath and speak to her at the same time. If he went quiet all of a sudden, she might catch on. The best way to do this without arousing suspicion was to breathe through his mouth. If he spoke, that would be easier to do.
He started to walk closer. Step by step. He took in a deep breath and held it. Then he started speaking words of love again as he slowly and carefully exhaled. He had to control his breathing. He had to keep his nostrils closed.
One step closer. Another step closer. He was almost there. It was risky being this close but he had to get even closer. Closer. Closer…
He was standing in front of her. That unsuspecting smile assured him a safe and swift victory but he knew better.
His lungs ached but he was afraid to take a deep breath this close to her.
He smiled back and tried to be quick. "You're so cute. Mind if I hug you? I've been thinking about it all day."
Chuckling, she welcomed him, her arms raised just so as if carrying a laundry basket. He didn't expect her to throw her arms out as Orihime had a tendency to do, but this was her giving permission.
Uryu put his arms around her in a hug.
He could feel his heart racing, knowing every second that ticked by increased the danger. His eyes scanned her clothing. He didn't see any bulges on the right side of her skirt. He pressed closer to her, attempting to feel for anything in her breast pocket with his chest. Nothing pinched or jabbed him. This left her other skirt pocket. He brought his leg closer to flatten her skirt to her thigh. There was a small bulge.
Now that he knew where it was, he just had to pickpocket the perfume. He should have practiced before attempting to do it on the fly but he didn't think he would come this close to her.
His head was hurting. He needed to take a breath. He tried to inhale through his mouth, keeping his nose pinched shut. His hand traveled down her side towards her left pocket.
Something caught in his throat. Tiny particles tickled the back of his throat. He tried to hold it in but it was involuntary. His body was rejecting whatever it was in the air that he breathed in. He started coughing.
He turned away from her, coughing into his sleeve.
"Sorry," he said, trying to control his breathing. "Something in the air."
"Aw, poor thing." She rubbed his back.
His eyes went back to her pocket. He had to grab it and run.
Grab and run.
He didn't do either.
He was… curious.
When he coughed, there was something in the air that captured his attention. Something he had to decipher.
He fought the urge to take a breath but something told him that it would be alright if he did it quickly. There would be no harm in just a quick inhale. Just to figure out what it was.
He knew what it was and didn't want to do it but his body did so against his will, curiosity winning.
I shouldn't. He resisted but one inhale wasn't enough.
The scent caressed his nose and he wanted more. He resisted with everything he had. He knew it was the perfume trying to take hold of him but the scent was so inviting.
He had to stop. He had to fight this.
But… this wasn't so bad. It was such an appealing fragrance. Oddly comforting. Alluring.
He tried to shake it off but he was sniffing the air before he could stop himself. He realized he was doing it after he had already done it.
He had to get away before it took hold of him. But the perfume. It was right in front of him. He had to take it and run. But if he stayed, he would be hooked. He couldn't risk it. But he might never get this chance again. They couldn't waste time. It was now or never. He had to. But he didn't want to. He had to protect himself. What if he was already hooked? If he took the perfume, she wouldn't be able to use any more on him or others. She would be powerless. It would be powerless. He had to. He had to grab it now. Now before it took over his senses.
He fought to get his thoughts in order. He couldn't panic and he couldn't be indecisive. Keep calm and make a move. He gave himself the order.
Nothing happened. He was frozen.
Why couldn't he move?
It was because he lost the will to follow through. Run, grab the perfume. He didn't want to do either.
He dared take another sample of the smell hanging in the air around him. One tiny little sniff couldn't hurt. Yes, it would take a while for it to turn him into one of those crazed maniacs. A little taste was nothing. It wouldn't do anything.
It wasn't really that bad anyway. Yua was a delightful girl. So pretty. And she seemed so kind. She did complement him. No bad person could do that.
And these guys were losing their sanity. They wouldn't be able to love her the way he could. It would be ages before he got to that point anyway so he might as well enjoy it. Besides, when they did finally go nuts, he would be there to protect her.
That would be his purpose. His life would have meaning. She would see that he was there for her and love him back.
Love him like he loved her.
Uryu shut his eyes tight and shook his head. "No. I shouldn't feel this way. It's wrong. It's… something else. Something's making me think these thoughts. These feelings are…"
He heard a strange sound and looked up. Yua was putting on more perfume. She put some on before leaving the classroom and was putting more on now.
No, she shouldn't do that. It would make the effects stronger. Make it worse. Make them worse.
"Yua, don't." He tried to reach for the perfume.
"Don't what?" she asked, looking at him with a knowing smile.
"Don't… leave my side."
"That's what I thought." She saw that he was resisting and decided to put on more. She couldn't let this fish off the hook that easily.
She was using so much that Uryu skipped over the first stage and went right to adoring her. He didn't have time to develop those feelings of inquisitiveness and already had a massive crush on her.
He barely remembered that he shouldn't being this close to her because he knew what would happen but he ignored the danger, believing it was worth it. That maybe it would be different for him.
Just a little bit couldn't hurt, right? Just one more sniff couldn't make a difference. Being by her side would be fine, just for a little bit. Right?
Tatsuki was trying to get to her position to sneak attack Yua when the time was right. To get there without being seen, she had to take a different hallway. Before she could turn the next corner, she noticed a gathering of Yua's followers clustered down a different hall. Wondering if Yua was taking a different route, she crept up on them to see what was happening.
The group was squaring off in the middle of the hall. No punches were thrown, settling their differences with words and threats. They challenged those around them to win Yua, promising to back off once she made her decision.
Something didn't seem right. While it was true that depending on their proximity to Yua, the boys were pretty diverse in their dosage. Some were already past the point of reason and others wanted to take out the competition. Few were willing to settle things with Yua's choice and even less were willing to go along with it.
Sensing something was wrong, Tatsuki followed them when they shuffled away.
Things appeared fine for about a minute, then she saw something that made her gasp. The boy trailing behind the others pulled the tie from around his neck, wrapped the ends around his hands, pulled it tight and brought it over the head of the boy in front of him. In one sharp move, he brought both hands back towards himself, pressing the tie tightly around the other's throat. He fought and kicked but he wouldn't let up, intent on straggling the boy from behind.
None of the others turned around.
A different boy, now behind the rest, pulled a pair of scissors from his pocket and jammed it into the back of the one in front of him. He hollered in pain but no one bothered to help him. When he fell to his knees, the boy pulled the scissors out and stabbed him again, this time between his shoulders.
Tatsuki couldn't watch this and ran forward to stop them. She ran by the boy with the tie in his hands, kneeing him in the temple as she hurried by. As for the one with the scissors, she brought her palm into the side of his head, knocking him out.
Her rescue and attempt to stop the fight backfired when the one who was stabbed took the scissors from the unconscious boy and tried to stab him in the chest while he was down. Tatsuki had to kick them away and grab the boy by his collar, shouting, "Knocking it off, you lunatic! What good would come of you killing him? You'll be arrested and never see Yua again."
"Won't happen. I'll kill the cops before they have a chance."
"You can't beat them. They'll have your ass."
"I will beat them. I will. They won't keep me from Yua. No one can."
"Do you hear yourself? What about this makes sense to you?"
There was no point in arguing. She knew nothing would come of it. She didn't know why she was trying.
She quickly got him in a sleeper hold and left him on the ground with the others, taking the scissors with her just in case.
Tatsuki rushed down the hall to see what the rest of the group was doing but their fight was coming to an end. Two were on the ground and one was holding on to the windowsill after someone tried to shove him through it. His feet dangled outside the building, unable to use them to lift himself back inside. The boy who wasn't fighting pried his fingers off the ledge and watched him fall. It was only a two-story drop, but still.
As he turned to fight whoever was left, he was punched hard in the face by the only one still standing and toppled over. The victor looked at Tatsuki. His eyes narrowed dangerously.
Tatsuki braced herself for a fight. She took her fighting stance and…
"Ah?"
A hand reached out and grabbed the boy's face. The hand pulled him away from Tatsuki and into the wall. The back of his head hit so hard it left a small crack in the wall. The hand released him and he slid to the floor, down for the count.
The hand belonged to Chad.
He had been going after the ones who insisted on fighting. He attacked those who attacking him first and the ones who entered into a free-for-all, ending the fight with his own strength. It wasn't to stop them from killing each other and it wasn't about self-defense. From his perspective, if they had enough gumption and a willingness to fight, then they were a threat to what he envisioned for himself.
They would fight for Yua and he couldn't have that. Those who hadn't resorted to violence yet he considered to be pushovers and not worth his time. They wouldn't be able to win Yua anyway. Not with a them lacking a fighting spirit. He could take her and they couldn't do anything about it.
"Chad."
He turned her way.
Tatsuki knew he didn't do what he did to protect her. The guy was competition. That was his only reason.
"Chad," she said again, maintaining eye contact the entire time. "I thought you only fought in self-defense."
He didn't blink when he answered. He didn't even pause to think about his response.
"I am," he said. "I'm defending what's mine. No one will take Yua from me."
He was just like them. He would not listen to anything she had to say. He was spouting the same nonsense as the rest of them.
Tatsuki had to stop him but she knew it wouldn't be easy. Chad was a gentle giant in her opinion but she knew he was strong. He could fight when he had reason to. Fighting to have Yua for himself meant that he would be difficult to beat.
It was reason enough for him and reason enough for Tatsuki to take action.
She made the first move, trying to slam her fist into his head but he blocked. She jumped back before he could strike and went to punch the other side of his head which he blocked, too. She tried to kick him but he blocked that as well. She went around behind him and tried to choke him from behind but he flipped her over his back and tried to stomp on her. She rolled away and sprang to her feet.
He was blocking everything. He must have known what she was trying to do.
But blocking? Shouldn't he have been trying to hit her back to stop her?
Thinking he had lost even his sense of reason in battle, she ignored his behavior and tried again.
"Hyah!" She threw a flying kick at him with all her might and he blocked. She swung her body around it the air to kick him with his hand blocked her other foot. He ducked.
As her body began its descent, Chad sprang back up and grabbed her around the neck. He held her off the ground and away from his body so she couldn't reach him with her kicks.
Fearing he was going to throw her into the wall, Tatsuki tried frantically to break free. She tried to use her arm to push his arm away but that move was no good in the air like this. She had no way to weaken his thumb. He began beating his arm with her fist but he didn't flinch.
He began to walk towards the open window.
"No! No, Chad!"
He flung her outside with one hand.
She felt the wind in her hair and saw the image of Chad getting smaller as she fell to earth very quickly.
Chad closed the window without a word and walked away.
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