A/N: Rewrote this one...it was better than chapter three, but I wasn't happy with it, when I thought back on it. Revision! ^^
Special Thanks:
x-Dark Serenity-x, Stepheroth, Devil Grrl, Kit, Angels Exist, Anne, Michelle, Sailor_Sista, Mystic9, Nikitsuki, Clover, ChibiJ, Mae, Lillian, Sailor_Angel, Usa, Ashlee, LS, and Cr. Without the reviews and the support of these wonderful people, I might not have enough sanity to write.
Disclaimer: I don't own much...except some lint. AND THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE!!!
Time After Time
The first thing Motoki sensed when he awoke that morning was that he was being watched very carefully. He casually opened one green eye and glared at the azure eyes that belonged to a blonde haired girl leaning on his bed looking up at him. His little sister Usagi was awake. She was always the first one awake lately.
'Never should have bought her the alarm clock,' he thought.
Sitting himself up on one arm, he looked at his little sister as she studied his face. She was a funny thing, he mused to himself. Always watching him like a hawk, like she was his protector or something...even when they were children. He would be climbing the cherry tree in the front of the yard and she would always be watching him. More often than not, she would be begging him to come down and play with her. She still begged him to play with her...even at sixteen years old.
Even at four years old, he knew she wasn't quite normal, but that had never bothered him. When she was born there had been complications. Apparently, she didn't have enough oxygen in the womb and it gave her a developmental disorder. She wasn't mentally retarded or anything, just very slow and very sensitive to things. His parents were going to name her Unazuki, but because she had HOPPED from death to life so quickly they decided to call her Usagi instead. A rabbit...
Breaking him from his reverie, she suddenly smiled at him and ran away downstairs to the breakfast that awaited them. Grinning nonchalantly, he threw himself out of his bed and walked very slowly to the COLD tile bathroom.
--------
It was a typical Sunday morning. The birds were singing and the breakfast was cooking. This was most obvious by the small smoke trail coming from the sausage frying in the pan. For as soon as the bedgraggled youth entered the kitchen, he could truly smell the burning sausage in the pan, see the said smoke trail, and upon closer inspection, could see the charring meat in the pan. All in all, normalcy ruled the day. If he looked quickly enough, he could also see the yellow blur that could only be Usagi, rushing over to the pan before it became Periodic Element Number 6. Lately, she was always helping their mother with breakfast and today she had sausage duty.
Smiling, Motoki casually walked over to the sausage that was already de-greasing on the paper towel and popped it into his mouth before Usagi could swat him with her wooden spoon.
"HEY! That's for everybody, 'Toki!"
"Yes, little sister, but I am 'Motoki the Great' and may all lesser mortals bow before me,"
She laughed at him and began to make the breakfast plates for the family. It was at this point that Serenity's thoughts began to turn in her head. It was amazingly simple enough to become a part of this family. Motoki did not remember the events in the hospital from so long ago, and never gave any signs otherwise. She had taken Unazaki's place. It was as simple as that. She hadn't murdered her or anything, it had been Unazaki's time to go, despite the extremely short lifespan.
'Besides,' she mused, 'Unazaki was in Heaven now. Probably being trained for her own guardianship,'
She looked towards Motoki to see if he had noticed her musings over the meat. He had not, instead being far more interested in the morning comic strips. She smiled to herself and began to fuss once more with the attempt at making breakfast. She did not notice however, Motoki nearly choking on the crunch breakfast meat. It was at this point, that Motoki decided he might be safer with just some toast. At Usagi's hurt look, however, he smiled meekly and resigned himself to eating the food she had so lovingly prepared.
After managing to hold down the third sausage of the morning, their mother appeared from the garden, holding a basket of freshly picked vegetables. As she put the assorted goodies into the hanging baskets, she asked her son about his new job. Usagi's head shot up, suddenly fully interested.
"'Toki's not going to play with me today?"
"Not today, Usa. But later on I will, alright?"
"No Toki! You're supposed to go with me to the park!!! You promised!!!"
"But Usa--"
"NO!!! YOU PROMISED!"
Crying at his broken promise, she disappeared from the kitchen. Motoki flinched at the sound of the slamming door. Looking towards his mother for sympathy, she sighed and began to help herself to the still blackened sausages and crunch eggs. Her eyes widened at the first bite, but slowly she began to chew, and with great difficulty, managed to swallow. Quickly taking a long drink of safe, store bought orange juice, she turned to her son.
"I know Mom. I know,"
"You'll have to make it up to her, you know,"
"How about I take her to the park this weekend? Think that'll make her forgive me?"
She kissed her son on the forehead, in a very motherly fashion. The very same one that everybody has received at least once in their lifetime. The very same kiss that says,
'I know you're frustrated, but you're doing the right thing.'
"I know it will. Just remember though, she just doesn't understand. Ok hun?"
"I remember. I love Usa to death, Mom. She's my best friend in the world, but she's just...I don't know...too much sometimes,"
"I understand sweetie," she said, patting his arm and turning towards the living room.
Motoki silently got up from his spot at the table and walked up the stairs to his sisters room. Standing in front of the sign which read "Usa's Domain!", he knocked on the door gently and waited for her to answer. He waited for a minute and then knocked again. When she finally did open the door, he could still see the tear stains on her face.
"I'm sorry that we can't go to the park today, Usa,"
She said nothing to this and continued to look past him into nothingness.
"Ok Usa...how about we go to the park on Saturday? Just the two of us? I'll even pack a picnic lunch!"
Her eyes turned towards him, and he noted that a sparkle had replaced the tears.
"You pinkie swear?"
"I swear,"
After locking pinkies, she threw herself at him in a giant bear hug. Finally, releasing her captive, she went back into her room and put on her headphones. Motoki watched for just a few more minutes as the slight sound of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Your Life" came out of the headphones. He smiled at her as she lay on her bed, eyes shut and just listening to her music. As he began to close the door to leave, she spoke up.
"I just want to play with you, Toki,"
"I know Usa,"
Smiling, he closed the door. Hurrying down the stairs he called out to his mother that he was leaving. The traditional exchange of 'When will you be home?' and 'Have a good day' occurred and he was out the door and on the road.
Driving along the freeway, he wondered about what sort of people he would meet. If he'd make any lifelong friends, and if this job would totally change his life. He was unaware however, of his companion sitting next to him. And that this person was also wondering what the day would bring...and also dreading the events that were soon about to take place.
A/N: YAY!!! I revised this one too. My fic has now made me happy. ^^
Special Thanks:
x-Dark Serenity-x, Stepheroth, Devil Grrl, Kit, Angels Exist, Anne, Michelle, Sailor_Sista, Mystic9, Nikitsuki, Clover, ChibiJ, Mae, Lillian, Sailor_Angel, Usa, Ashlee, LS, and Cr. Without the reviews and the support of these wonderful people, I might not have enough sanity to write.
Disclaimer: I don't own much...except some lint. AND THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE!!!
Time After Time
The first thing Motoki sensed when he awoke that morning was that he was being watched very carefully. He casually opened one green eye and glared at the azure eyes that belonged to a blonde haired girl leaning on his bed looking up at him. His little sister Usagi was awake. She was always the first one awake lately.
'Never should have bought her the alarm clock,' he thought.
Sitting himself up on one arm, he looked at his little sister as she studied his face. She was a funny thing, he mused to himself. Always watching him like a hawk, like she was his protector or something...even when they were children. He would be climbing the cherry tree in the front of the yard and she would always be watching him. More often than not, she would be begging him to come down and play with her. She still begged him to play with her...even at sixteen years old.
Even at four years old, he knew she wasn't quite normal, but that had never bothered him. When she was born there had been complications. Apparently, she didn't have enough oxygen in the womb and it gave her a developmental disorder. She wasn't mentally retarded or anything, just very slow and very sensitive to things. His parents were going to name her Unazuki, but because she had HOPPED from death to life so quickly they decided to call her Usagi instead. A rabbit...
Breaking him from his reverie, she suddenly smiled at him and ran away downstairs to the breakfast that awaited them. Grinning nonchalantly, he threw himself out of his bed and walked very slowly to the COLD tile bathroom.
--------
It was a typical Sunday morning. The birds were singing and the breakfast was cooking. This was most obvious by the small smoke trail coming from the sausage frying in the pan. For as soon as the bedgraggled youth entered the kitchen, he could truly smell the burning sausage in the pan, see the said smoke trail, and upon closer inspection, could see the charring meat in the pan. All in all, normalcy ruled the day. If he looked quickly enough, he could also see the yellow blur that could only be Usagi, rushing over to the pan before it became Periodic Element Number 6. Lately, she was always helping their mother with breakfast and today she had sausage duty.
Smiling, Motoki casually walked over to the sausage that was already de-greasing on the paper towel and popped it into his mouth before Usagi could swat him with her wooden spoon.
"HEY! That's for everybody, 'Toki!"
"Yes, little sister, but I am 'Motoki the Great' and may all lesser mortals bow before me,"
She laughed at him and began to make the breakfast plates for the family. It was at this point that Serenity's thoughts began to turn in her head. It was amazingly simple enough to become a part of this family. Motoki did not remember the events in the hospital from so long ago, and never gave any signs otherwise. She had taken Unazaki's place. It was as simple as that. She hadn't murdered her or anything, it had been Unazaki's time to go, despite the extremely short lifespan.
'Besides,' she mused, 'Unazaki was in Heaven now. Probably being trained for her own guardianship,'
She looked towards Motoki to see if he had noticed her musings over the meat. He had not, instead being far more interested in the morning comic strips. She smiled to herself and began to fuss once more with the attempt at making breakfast. She did not notice however, Motoki nearly choking on the crunch breakfast meat. It was at this point, that Motoki decided he might be safer with just some toast. At Usagi's hurt look, however, he smiled meekly and resigned himself to eating the food she had so lovingly prepared.
After managing to hold down the third sausage of the morning, their mother appeared from the garden, holding a basket of freshly picked vegetables. As she put the assorted goodies into the hanging baskets, she asked her son about his new job. Usagi's head shot up, suddenly fully interested.
"'Toki's not going to play with me today?"
"Not today, Usa. But later on I will, alright?"
"No Toki! You're supposed to go with me to the park!!! You promised!!!"
"But Usa--"
"NO!!! YOU PROMISED!"
Crying at his broken promise, she disappeared from the kitchen. Motoki flinched at the sound of the slamming door. Looking towards his mother for sympathy, she sighed and began to help herself to the still blackened sausages and crunch eggs. Her eyes widened at the first bite, but slowly she began to chew, and with great difficulty, managed to swallow. Quickly taking a long drink of safe, store bought orange juice, she turned to her son.
"I know Mom. I know,"
"You'll have to make it up to her, you know,"
"How about I take her to the park this weekend? Think that'll make her forgive me?"
She kissed her son on the forehead, in a very motherly fashion. The very same one that everybody has received at least once in their lifetime. The very same kiss that says,
'I know you're frustrated, but you're doing the right thing.'
"I know it will. Just remember though, she just doesn't understand. Ok hun?"
"I remember. I love Usa to death, Mom. She's my best friend in the world, but she's just...I don't know...too much sometimes,"
"I understand sweetie," she said, patting his arm and turning towards the living room.
Motoki silently got up from his spot at the table and walked up the stairs to his sisters room. Standing in front of the sign which read "Usa's Domain!", he knocked on the door gently and waited for her to answer. He waited for a minute and then knocked again. When she finally did open the door, he could still see the tear stains on her face.
"I'm sorry that we can't go to the park today, Usa,"
She said nothing to this and continued to look past him into nothingness.
"Ok Usa...how about we go to the park on Saturday? Just the two of us? I'll even pack a picnic lunch!"
Her eyes turned towards him, and he noted that a sparkle had replaced the tears.
"You pinkie swear?"
"I swear,"
After locking pinkies, she threw herself at him in a giant bear hug. Finally, releasing her captive, she went back into her room and put on her headphones. Motoki watched for just a few more minutes as the slight sound of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Your Life" came out of the headphones. He smiled at her as she lay on her bed, eyes shut and just listening to her music. As he began to close the door to leave, she spoke up.
"I just want to play with you, Toki,"
"I know Usa,"
Smiling, he closed the door. Hurrying down the stairs he called out to his mother that he was leaving. The traditional exchange of 'When will you be home?' and 'Have a good day' occurred and he was out the door and on the road.
Driving along the freeway, he wondered about what sort of people he would meet. If he'd make any lifelong friends, and if this job would totally change his life. He was unaware however, of his companion sitting next to him. And that this person was also wondering what the day would bring...and also dreading the events that were soon about to take place.
A/N: YAY!!! I revised this one too. My fic has now made me happy. ^^