~dedicated to Zak for the inspiration to start writing again and to Michael
Dela-calce for lifting my writer's block on the beach. Not like that!!
Getting an early start, you perverts?!!
(this is what happens)
When worlds collide
She gazed thoughtfully out the window. Past the street, the gas station, the bums, at nothing. Perhaps, as she was absent, her mind was contemplating the relevance of life or the final destination of the universe.
"Hey,lady! Are you listening?!" Or perhaps both were absent…
A voice boomed behind her "that was three number twos and.." She remembered she was at work. "Try to wake up girl, okay?" Her manager walked off and she pathetically tried to keep up the rest of the night.
"On these sheets of paper you will find the name of your partner for the semester. This person will not only share a locker with you, but will help you with homework and all projects for the term. A report will be due on what you learned." The teacher finished laying cards on the desks and looked up. "I expect you will learn." Misty looked around and found him. Oh! The torture. She was stuck with the most obnoxiously quiet, most talked about boy in her class. If only she knew what they said about him… Wait, what did they say about him? Aw screw it, there was no way to even pretend this could be a positive experience.. stupid educational programs. "Arrange your desks to sit with this person. Your first project is a biography."
"All semester? That's outrageous! Ryo was very agreeable that day. "Hey guys! Misty got hooked up by her teacher!" He nearly fell over laughing, again. This time Misty helped him along. (anime fall) She sighed and thought of the beautiful lives of maple trees, no teachers, no embarrassing brothers.. she shivered at the thought of the figurative sap being literal.
"Child, if you don't smile, we'll have to take you to the mall." Dais tossed her his apple.
Yea, definitely an emergency." Kento cringed.
"How come you can't write your own biographies and have your own lockers?" Ryo refused to accept most other mandated activities as well.
"That's a 'senior privilege'." Misty grumbled. Through lunch they schemed to drag not only her but her partner as well to the mall. All but Misty and Cye left grinning maniacally.
"They could be more sensitive.." He fumbled.
"But that wouldn't be the same." She laughed. He tried to laugh but could only smile, distracted by her eyes, her charm, her optimism. As they continued to class, other kids noticed how close she was to him, to all her friends. They could've been related, he wasn't satisfied with that.
"S-Seiji!" Ryo stopped.
"You know him?" Misty noticed the expression on his face.
"Ryo, just take it easy, this isn't your project." Touma watched him sternly.
"So, Seiji, have you chosen the lucky girl to escort you to prom?" Kento laughed.
"I'm running out of eligible bachelorettes." He looked from the group to the food court.
"I believe it!" Kento slapped him on the back. "Why do all those girls fawn all over you?" Misty took notes.
"With losers like you in the school, that answer should be obvious." Ryo's expression changed and he charged him; they fell in a heap.
"Ryo!!!" Misty ripped him from Seiji and he stood with the other guys. With everyone around whispering she knelt by Seiji. "You're faster than I thought." There wasn't a mark on him.
"He's just slower than you thought." He slid the hair from his face and glared at Ryo.
"I don't believe you're really an ass, Seiji. I can finish my paper alone guys, thanks."
From a small table by the ice cream stand 2 girls' faces were aglow as they watched the group pass. They turned to each other. The first girl swooned, "Ryo!". The second followed with "Touma!" They closed their eyes and pressed their hands to their cheeks then squealed excitedly.
"You can't make her protect people against you Ryo."
"Careful, Cye. Ryo's still steaming." Kento pulled him back and Ryo walked home alone.
Touma listened to the conversation on the way home but kept his eyes out the window and his words to himself.
"Why does he let her go to school if he wants to run her life?" Kento crossed his arms.
"But he's … he thinks he's all she has"
"She has us, has friends, the teachers love her… she's a genius!" They both automatically looked to Touma.
"No, you guys! I'm not a part of this, besides, you both need my help to pass." Cye and Kento nodded timidly. Touma turned back to the truculent highway.
"I still wish he understood." Cye fixed his eyes disheartedly on the road and all three continued in silence.
"Dais! Dais! Da- "Misty caught sight of Sekhmet, "Masho!" she bowed and he approached her.
"You shouldn't yell here; you may lift their spirits." He looked down upon her and smiled. She returned his smile and bowed again before running to Dais' room.
"Dais! We won contest!" She hugged him and continued to jump around him.
"Orchestra?" Dazed, he tried to follow her dancing around him.
"Yea!" She hugged him again and he returned the embrace. She calmed in his arms and they stood blissfully in the barren room.
"He's just trouble! He spreads rumors.. she doesn't need that."
"We know you're looking out for her, but if there were any rumors, she'd be the first to object." Touma continued eating.
"She just needs your support." Cye watched Ryo who stared at his bobbing cereal.
Kento, disgusted with awkward moments, leaned back in his chair and noticed Misty at the top of the stairs. "G'morning, kid." He tried to smile and she smiled softly but they both knew she'd heard the conversation. "We missed you at dinner!" She sat next to Cye who wasn't eating either. "Beef stew! Cye even made rolls" he knew no one was listening. Cye didn't smile at his recognition. Misty held her locket then slowly left the table to get ready for school. The table was left silent. The ride to school was silent. The school seemed silent.
"Misty, about the other day… Seiji's not the kind of person I want you around." Ryo sat with her at the table. She sat alone under her favorite sakura tree, rumored to have roots in the Meiji era. She looked at him skeptically.
"He isn't as bad as you say. We wrote our papers and left." She looked up at him. "Why do you hate him so much?"
He stood, Cye was coming, "We'll talk tonight, alright?"
"Yeah.." He pushed past Cye who looked to Misty but couldn't speak.
"Don't stop! If you stop you're a target!" Ryo's blade was at the back of her neck. They began again. Block. Block. "Attack!" He threw her sword back from the lock. "You're losing!" They continued practicing.
"Quit thinking!" Kento yelled from the side of the field. The lake behind him glistened in the moonlight. An eerie show; quiet.
She charged her brother. She knew. She leapt, he mimicked her. In the air he tried to slash at her. He was out of his element. She pushed towards him and he blocked too late. Ryo fell hard on the field. Misty landed hard and ran to her brother. With her blade to his throat he opened his eyes. "Good, let's go to bed." The moon was high, a slender rock illuminating the sky.
She knocked on his door, "Ryo?" She stepped inside and saw him on the balcony in his shorts. "You said you'd tell me.." She sat on his bed.
"We were all real close; he's a good fighter. We got into high school and he told us to get lost. He moved out." Ryo sat by the bed and watched the clock tick. "What does friendship mean to him?"
"And you never forgave him?" She slipped off the bed onto the floor next to her brother with her knees tucked close and her chin rested on them.
"No one forgave him!" Ryo looked down.
"Was there a fight when he left?"
"All the time, until we quit talking."
"But you miss him?"
" I'd take him back if the chance came, he's a brother." The two sat quietly, it was late.
"If I could bring our parents back I would..." She watched the moonbeams play in the light curtains.
" If I could've found you sooner I would have." He took a deep breath. "You did good tonight, if you'd attack like that in the beginning there'd be no fight."
She paused for a moment. "But if they're dead, I've lost more friends than I've gained, or saved." She smiled and turned to her brother.
"You're right, I… I'll visit him." He kissed her forehead and crawled into bed, she left for her room.
"G'morning, Misty," Cye called as she slumped down the stairs. She held the railing then smiled wide.
"Waffles!" Soon there was a lot of commotion upstairs and she slumped a little faster to the kitchen.
"I knew you'd be sore after last night." He stopped pouring the batter to hug her and she took a waffle from the stack. Kento followed her and took the remainder of the stack.
The doorbell rang as everyone ate. Cye stood to get the door. "Wait, I'll get it." Ryo's expression proved that he knew who was at the door. He opened the door and Seiji glared back at him.
"Good morning, May I speak with Miss Sanada?"
"Come in, she'll meet you here."
"I can't believe we're treating each other as strangers," Cye stared at his plate.
" I'll talk to him at school today," Ryo passed Misty who thanked Cye for breakfast and went to the door.
"They better not ruin my grade," Seiji commented.
"This isn't their assignment and I don't accept B's. Why are you here so early?" She was quite energetic.
"You're in English IV right? We have a book test today."
Misty gasped, she had forgotten, "Thank you.." Slowly, she gave Seiji an appreciative smile.
"Can we go to the school? It's hard to concentrate here." Seiji didn't have to look around to see that Ryo was watching them.
"Alright, one sec." Misty took her bag from the couch and ran to Ryo, "See you at school!" She smiled and kissed her brother on the cheek before walking to Seiji's car.
"Seiji!" Touma stood from the table. "Drive safe." Seiji smiled warmly to Touma and he closed the door. Touma looked back down to his hands on the table.
"How is this gonna work out?" Kento asked with a mouth full of waffles, "We'll barely see her."
"We just have to trust him." Cye crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned his back up against the wall thoughtfully, "He can't have lost his honor or his pride."
"Hey, Seiji?" Misty skimmed his notes on the book, "Why doesn't my brother seem to like you?"
"He's stubborn and jealous." Seiji said casually as he leaned back, "I have a busy life, he acts like he does." He gave a small shrug, "We're just a bad pair. That's all." A few giggling girls waved over to him as they passed by.
"And the other guys?" Misty looked up from the book again to hear Seiji's answer.
"Brainwashed… They don't understand but me and Ryo, well, we just can't explain it."
"Is that why you left?" Seiji looked down at Misty, staring at her for a few mere moments before answering.
"I left for more than that. My family needed me to teach at the dojo."
"For the record, I think you're both right." She smiled as Seiji reached up to lightly ruffle her hair.
"You've a good spirit. It's been a long time since I've gotten to see you." Finally, they found a small stone table outside to sit at. Misty plucked a small purple flower from the ground and placed it in her hair while she and Seiji discussed symbolism and allusions.
Ryo leaned against the jeep. "You're losing her." Sekhmet's words startled him.
"How?" Ryo's face was stern as he turned around.
"She trusts Seiji, believes him. How long until she leaves as well?"
"I won't allow it!" Ryo's eyes burned with anger as he stared at Sekhmet, "She listens to me!"
"She's listening to Seiji and you're not protecting her." With those words, Sekhmet disappeared amongst the trees, leaving Ryo to himself.
Ryo stopped. He was right. She had become more independent. But, that was what he wanted… for her not to depend on anyone…
"… Damn you Sekhmet!" Ryo yelled out to the trees.
"When will you stay with us permanently, child?" Dais and Misty made their way to a room where the other children were training.
"I'm not sure… there are so many things I'd like to see, so many different ages to experience…" She watched the stones pass underneath her,
"So much pain. Wouldn't you rather be healthy forever?" He was becoming frustrated with trying so hard to convince her.
"Fate will take me." She smiled, far inside her mind.
Dais sighed softly, "Spoken like a true warrior." They entered the room and all the people inside stopped and kneeled.
"We await your teaching," Their master saluted, then began groveling.
"I don't know that I can teach such fearful students. Dais, what have you taught them that makes them fear their leader's eye? It is from here they should gain their strength." Misty told them to come before her. With her master's hand on her shoulder, she welcomed them to the Dynasty. However long their previous service, now as fighters, they were finally an indispensable part of the force, the world's future and the new nation. A smile passed her face as no one had ever seen in her before. Her eyes sought the nourishment of power. Her new students cried out the same thirst and resumed their training with Misty.
"What's wrong, Cye?" Ryo touched his friends' arm and Cye jumped, clutching the balcony tighter.
"Hi Ryo. I'm just… Misty didn't come to dinner." He watched the lake's destroyed moon. Ryo leaned against the balcony alongside Cye.
"She adores Dais," He paused, "Cye, have you thought the Dynasty might be… up to something?"
"We've all thought that, but Misty's different. She'd tell us … she wouldn't be a part of that." No reasonable part of him was speaking.
"Sekhmet said something today, Cye." Cye looked into his eyes, his heart not tearing him away. He was listening intently, "He said I was losing her," Cye's sea blue eyes grew wider and he looked away quickly, "Do you think I protect her too much?"
"We've got to get her out…" Cye walked to bed without looking back at Ryo. Ryo watched him, then turned to the woods in time to see Misty coming home; Cye had been waiting for her. He sighed and listened to her come in and go to bed. He listened for malice, anything out of place, a sigh, eyes. Not content, he too went to bed.
"Does she know?"
"It doesn't matter."
"She was different today." Dais' pain was in his eyes, he held this head in his hand,
"Why is this bothering you?"
"It's not." His heart sank again. He stood, Sekhmet grabbed his arm before he left.
"She's the best we've seen, and they won't hurt her."
"Because they can't!" His voice was on the verge of begging.
"Precisely," But Dais couldn't react like Sekhmet did then, "She leads them tomorrow night." Dais left the room. He stood outside the door a moment. Then wandered from the castle into the moonlight past the gates. He came to the manor and paused. Dais watched the shadows play against the house as he decided how to enter.
Cye turned to face the wall, sleepless with unidentifiable fears. He sat up with his hand to his face and sighed. He slipped from the covers and stepped down the hall. He noticed Misty's door slightly open and quietly entered. He looked to the bed and noticed Dais kneeling by her side. Dais arose, leaned over her and kissed her forehead. Cye's emotions consumed him and he moved his arm to brace against the wall. Dais turned at the noise, but the both remained silent. After a few moments, Dais left through the open window.
Cye kept a watch by Misty's bed, until Kento awoke him the next morning. He smiled and then turned to the bed to see that Misty still slept.
Dais looked to the rising sun from the tree he spent the night against. He headed back to the gate.
"Child, you take them to Shinjuku, we'll meet in three days there where you'll have a camp set."
"Hai, Masho." She bowed to Sekhmet and he walked on to the other leaders.
"Dais, you'll take Hokkaido and Honshu, Cale has Ryukyu. I'll take Southern Honshu to back up the Child. I expect you'll work quickly." … "Do I do any less?"
"Hey," Kento slapped Cye on the back, "You ok?"
"Dais was at the house last night," Kento stopped smiling.
"You're kidding… right?"
"He was with Misty." Cye scratched at the stone table aimlessly, "She didn't come today. Said that she was sick." Kento's eyes went wide.
"Sick?" He echoed softly before grabbing his best friend by the arm, "We have to go!"
"She'll be fine! It's probably just stress…" He didn't believe himself. Dark clouds rumbled in overhead. Cye wasn't listening to Kento, only the whispers of his mind.
"Yo! Wake up!" Kento dragged him towards the school, "We have to tell Ryo!"
"What are you saying? She's fine at the house!" Cye pushed Kento away from his side. There were tears in his eyes.
"She's in trouble! You know she's rarely sick, you know she needs our help. Dais probably threatened her last night and you… you're MOPING!" He continued to drag his friend. Cye resigned himself to the harsh ride. Ryo was in Pre Cal when the two burst in and called him out into the hall. He shrugged his shoulders with a concerned expression on his face and left quickly.
"We'll go the house first." Ryo drove faster than normal.
"Have you noticed those clouds, guys?"
"Our orbs are at the house." There was no turning back. Cye didn't speak on the way home.
"I noticed the clouds, Touma… We trusted those bastards!" Kento readied himself for the fight.
"Well, most of us did…" Touma watched the sky swirl.
"I hope you modified those tin cans!" A voice boomed from a tower near the outskirts of Tokyo as Misty led her army towards the city.
"Surround the city, all single thorns can be avoided!" She waved her hand over the city and the masked demons marched.
"Let's play!" Seiji leapt from the building, (head first of course). Misty readied her Naginata and met his No-datchi before he landed.
"Seiji!" Touma yelled to him as they arrived. Before Misty struck him, Touma's arrow pierced her side and she was thrown a few feet back.
"What was that for?!" Rekka ran past Tenku to Misty. Tenku, Suiko, Kourin, and Kongo commenced in destroying the Dynasty soldiers as an effort to save the country.
"Masho! Naaza!" A soldier came to him on horseback, "The troopers have regrouped!"
"Child Reiha, keep the Japanese army occupied here. We don't need any more trouble." He rode off with the messenger as another helicopter plunged into the Nagasaki bay.
Misty lashed at Ryo and stood ready to face him, "Don't hurt her Ryo!" Cye called from nearby.
"This isn't her," He mumbled as he caught his breath after she managed to cut his hand, "Cye! You have to fight her! You're the only one who can help her!" Cye looked at the mindless beast he fought, then forced it back and ran to Ryo's side, "You have to get her to talk, it's some kind of mind control!"
"Leave this place!" They both jumped apart to dodge her attack and Ryo raced to her as Cye came in from behind. As she raised the Naginata to attack, Cye took it from her. Ryo left to keep the soldiers from interfering. Misty was forced to Cye's chest and he held her tightly to him. His kanji glowed as she fought to free her hands. She struggled more before she fell unconscious in her own blood-curdling scream. He laid her onto the ground and knelt by her side.
She awakened and sat up quickly, pushing her friend back. She leapt to her feet as she remembered the war, "STOP!!" The soldiers stood limp at the words and a cry came from behind them.
"Attack the Troopers!" But it was too late and the soldiers disappeared around Sekhmet. Dais watched from above. Cye pushed between her and Sekhmet, "She's not yours. Sekhmet stepped down from the horse.
"She's not yours either!" Cye clenched his Yari.
The rustle of tanks came from all directions and the other four troopers assembled in front of Misty. She leaned up against Rekka for balance, her side still oozing red.
"One day you will be more willing to lose!" Sekhmet entered the gates as they closed behind.
Dais sealed the gates in despair, – I shouldn't have left her – He walked to his room.
The manor was quiet. The boys slept after their ordeal, but Misty wasn't tired. "What happened? Why couldn't I control it?" The images of what she had said to her friends, the war, "Dais!" He had been there, had he even gone to Hokkaido…? She stood on the balcony. The wind slipped through her loosely tied hair as she fell to the earth. She touched the bandage then walked on.
"Dais!" She knocked louder. The gates didn't open, "Dais! Open the gate!" She grabbed the space between the gates and tried to pry them apart. Dais closed his eyes as a pain washed over him like he thought he'd never see again. He continued across the courtyard to the gate, "Dais?" She pulled harder.
"You'll hurt yourself…" He sighed as he sat with his back against the gate. Perplexed, she sat as well with her hands against the gate, "It's my fault, I didn't even try to help you."
"Dais…" She laid her head against the gate, "Please let me in." Dais put his head back as though he could lean on her. They sat silently, then Misty clenched the gate again, "Please let me in, Dais." She began to cry softly and Dais listened.
"Not anymore, Misty, this isn't the place for you."
"No! Dais… I won't live without you! Let me in!" Tears streamed down her cheeks and onto the hard dirt. Dais rose, "Dais! Don't leave!" He turned and placed his hand on the door, Misty stood and put her cheek to the gate.
"Leave!" he began to walk off. Misty fell back onto the ground. Dais looked up at the castle, clenched his fists, and fell to his knees.
The two girls from the food court marched a way back with picket signs chanting, "Cye! Cye! He's our man! He saves tuna from the can! …"
As Ryo came to Misty, Dais remained silently with his eyes closed. Her brother sat with his arm around her shoulders. He looked up at the gate as it disappeared; Misty's sobs grew louder.
"Dais?" He hoped she'd know what he meant. She turned and cried into his shoulder. Where the castle had been, there remained the devastated Tokyo and the scared people who would never know the sacrifices that had been made for them.
"It's good to have you back Seiji." Touma and Seiji lazed about on the couch.
"I still can't move back though.
"I'm just glad we sorted all this out before they both had-at-it." Kento nodded to Ryo.
"Misty?" Cye turned to face her as they sat next to each other on the bed.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I know he loves you."
… "He wouldn't have left if he did."
… "If he didn't, he'd have let Sekhmet… He has an odd way of apologizing is all," She turned away from him as tears came to her eyes. He stood and stepped towards the door, pained by her state and his support of Dais, "I'm sorry, I'll be downstairs if…" He turned around, but she didn't return his gaze. He opened the door quickly and left. Misty looked through the curtains to the full moon. That was odd, even for him.
"Cye!" Misty ran down the stairs, calling his name.
"Misty!" Ryo and Seiji stood and Touma and Kento, but no Cye, "He's at the lake." She ran out the door to the dock.
"Kuso! He's not here!" The words slipped as she paused. The moon glistened on the water and sparkled more as she leapt in. The sand was wonderfully settled and the water shone blue. She swam deep, following the slope of the earth. There was a desperation in her eyes as she fought to keep her breath, - Cye! – She swam faster to the small form in the middle of the translucent sea. He turned to her. She swam up to the surface for air and he pushed to keep up with her.
They both broke the surface and she hugged him tightly. His eyes were wide as he smiled. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He held her closely and she rested her head on his shoulder as they bobbed in the center of the lake, "You shouldn't apologize. I messed up. But, I wanted you to know… I… I wanted to thank you for last night." Cye smiled, happy in his confusion.
"I apologized for saying things you already knew. I shouldn't have said anything."
"Cye, if you didn't care, I'm not sure who would." She looked into his eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't ask you to help me, but… you still came. Why?" She smiled softly at the question, then released her hold of him, "What if you hadn't gotten my Naginata?" A pain took his eyes before he grasped her hand.
"I trust you."
"Anything good?" Seiji winked at Ryo who had watched the pair in the water from the balcony.
"Hey, if anyone can make her smile like that, it's him." He turned his back to the lake.
"How'd she get in this mess with Dais?"
"They found her… forgot to mention she was a recruit."
"Sounds like Dais."
As the moon sank to the horizon, Misty dried off in her room and Cye and Ryo sat at the kitchen table.
"What happened out there?" Ryo smiled coyly.
"Ryo!" Cye smiled, "No, nothing like that, but she didn't say a word of Dais, she had the greatest feeling about her."
"AND…?"
"She was so close, Ryo, but I was still just a friend…"
"Tell her, maybe she's afraid to say it."
Cye smiled, "It's only a matter of time." Byakuen purred by Ryo's feet and the two boys smiled quietly.
Misty sat cross-legged on her bed and twirled her locket on its chain and watched the small picture of Cye glisten in the moonlight.
A bit from me :
~*~*~*~I know, the switch between English and Japanese names is weird.. a general rule is: the Dynasty members call the warlords by their original names, titles etc. outside the Dynasty(i.e. from the guys) it's English ( 'cuz I like those more ^^)
As it pertains to the guys… I'm just weird and wanted Touma and Seiji to retain their names ^_^;;; it has a lot to do with their personalities as the Americanized 'Cye' (with less personality) actually came off as more caring in my mind and Shin was more troubled.
for obsessives: Misty's element is air, contrary to the obvious fire or water like we might be lead to believe because of her relations or her taste in ~MEN~ (Leo ^_~) this is because she's moved a lot (like a bird) between families and she shares a bit of Touma's genius, she's only a 180 IQ ^^ (which does classify as genius, you picky people )
I also recognize that 16-yr-olds don't drive in Japan.. but as it pertains to Seiji.. it moves the story faster. Lots of other things are Americanized.. just live with it =P~~
If you're wondering about Misty's job and why she was only there once in the story : this is based on me and I only work weekends so the story starts Saturday night and jumps to Monday and the story ends on a friday. Misty decided she needed that night off.^_^
(this is what happens)
When worlds collide
She gazed thoughtfully out the window. Past the street, the gas station, the bums, at nothing. Perhaps, as she was absent, her mind was contemplating the relevance of life or the final destination of the universe.
"Hey,lady! Are you listening?!" Or perhaps both were absent…
A voice boomed behind her "that was three number twos and.." She remembered she was at work. "Try to wake up girl, okay?" Her manager walked off and she pathetically tried to keep up the rest of the night.
"On these sheets of paper you will find the name of your partner for the semester. This person will not only share a locker with you, but will help you with homework and all projects for the term. A report will be due on what you learned." The teacher finished laying cards on the desks and looked up. "I expect you will learn." Misty looked around and found him. Oh! The torture. She was stuck with the most obnoxiously quiet, most talked about boy in her class. If only she knew what they said about him… Wait, what did they say about him? Aw screw it, there was no way to even pretend this could be a positive experience.. stupid educational programs. "Arrange your desks to sit with this person. Your first project is a biography."
"All semester? That's outrageous! Ryo was very agreeable that day. "Hey guys! Misty got hooked up by her teacher!" He nearly fell over laughing, again. This time Misty helped him along. (anime fall) She sighed and thought of the beautiful lives of maple trees, no teachers, no embarrassing brothers.. she shivered at the thought of the figurative sap being literal.
"Child, if you don't smile, we'll have to take you to the mall." Dais tossed her his apple.
Yea, definitely an emergency." Kento cringed.
"How come you can't write your own biographies and have your own lockers?" Ryo refused to accept most other mandated activities as well.
"That's a 'senior privilege'." Misty grumbled. Through lunch they schemed to drag not only her but her partner as well to the mall. All but Misty and Cye left grinning maniacally.
"They could be more sensitive.." He fumbled.
"But that wouldn't be the same." She laughed. He tried to laugh but could only smile, distracted by her eyes, her charm, her optimism. As they continued to class, other kids noticed how close she was to him, to all her friends. They could've been related, he wasn't satisfied with that.
"S-Seiji!" Ryo stopped.
"You know him?" Misty noticed the expression on his face.
"Ryo, just take it easy, this isn't your project." Touma watched him sternly.
"So, Seiji, have you chosen the lucky girl to escort you to prom?" Kento laughed.
"I'm running out of eligible bachelorettes." He looked from the group to the food court.
"I believe it!" Kento slapped him on the back. "Why do all those girls fawn all over you?" Misty took notes.
"With losers like you in the school, that answer should be obvious." Ryo's expression changed and he charged him; they fell in a heap.
"Ryo!!!" Misty ripped him from Seiji and he stood with the other guys. With everyone around whispering she knelt by Seiji. "You're faster than I thought." There wasn't a mark on him.
"He's just slower than you thought." He slid the hair from his face and glared at Ryo.
"I don't believe you're really an ass, Seiji. I can finish my paper alone guys, thanks."
From a small table by the ice cream stand 2 girls' faces were aglow as they watched the group pass. They turned to each other. The first girl swooned, "Ryo!". The second followed with "Touma!" They closed their eyes and pressed their hands to their cheeks then squealed excitedly.
"You can't make her protect people against you Ryo."
"Careful, Cye. Ryo's still steaming." Kento pulled him back and Ryo walked home alone.
Touma listened to the conversation on the way home but kept his eyes out the window and his words to himself.
"Why does he let her go to school if he wants to run her life?" Kento crossed his arms.
"But he's … he thinks he's all she has"
"She has us, has friends, the teachers love her… she's a genius!" They both automatically looked to Touma.
"No, you guys! I'm not a part of this, besides, you both need my help to pass." Cye and Kento nodded timidly. Touma turned back to the truculent highway.
"I still wish he understood." Cye fixed his eyes disheartedly on the road and all three continued in silence.
"Dais! Dais! Da- "Misty caught sight of Sekhmet, "Masho!" she bowed and he approached her.
"You shouldn't yell here; you may lift their spirits." He looked down upon her and smiled. She returned his smile and bowed again before running to Dais' room.
"Dais! We won contest!" She hugged him and continued to jump around him.
"Orchestra?" Dazed, he tried to follow her dancing around him.
"Yea!" She hugged him again and he returned the embrace. She calmed in his arms and they stood blissfully in the barren room.
"He's just trouble! He spreads rumors.. she doesn't need that."
"We know you're looking out for her, but if there were any rumors, she'd be the first to object." Touma continued eating.
"She just needs your support." Cye watched Ryo who stared at his bobbing cereal.
Kento, disgusted with awkward moments, leaned back in his chair and noticed Misty at the top of the stairs. "G'morning, kid." He tried to smile and she smiled softly but they both knew she'd heard the conversation. "We missed you at dinner!" She sat next to Cye who wasn't eating either. "Beef stew! Cye even made rolls" he knew no one was listening. Cye didn't smile at his recognition. Misty held her locket then slowly left the table to get ready for school. The table was left silent. The ride to school was silent. The school seemed silent.
"Misty, about the other day… Seiji's not the kind of person I want you around." Ryo sat with her at the table. She sat alone under her favorite sakura tree, rumored to have roots in the Meiji era. She looked at him skeptically.
"He isn't as bad as you say. We wrote our papers and left." She looked up at him. "Why do you hate him so much?"
He stood, Cye was coming, "We'll talk tonight, alright?"
"Yeah.." He pushed past Cye who looked to Misty but couldn't speak.
"Don't stop! If you stop you're a target!" Ryo's blade was at the back of her neck. They began again. Block. Block. "Attack!" He threw her sword back from the lock. "You're losing!" They continued practicing.
"Quit thinking!" Kento yelled from the side of the field. The lake behind him glistened in the moonlight. An eerie show; quiet.
She charged her brother. She knew. She leapt, he mimicked her. In the air he tried to slash at her. He was out of his element. She pushed towards him and he blocked too late. Ryo fell hard on the field. Misty landed hard and ran to her brother. With her blade to his throat he opened his eyes. "Good, let's go to bed." The moon was high, a slender rock illuminating the sky.
She knocked on his door, "Ryo?" She stepped inside and saw him on the balcony in his shorts. "You said you'd tell me.." She sat on his bed.
"We were all real close; he's a good fighter. We got into high school and he told us to get lost. He moved out." Ryo sat by the bed and watched the clock tick. "What does friendship mean to him?"
"And you never forgave him?" She slipped off the bed onto the floor next to her brother with her knees tucked close and her chin rested on them.
"No one forgave him!" Ryo looked down.
"Was there a fight when he left?"
"All the time, until we quit talking."
"But you miss him?"
" I'd take him back if the chance came, he's a brother." The two sat quietly, it was late.
"If I could bring our parents back I would..." She watched the moonbeams play in the light curtains.
" If I could've found you sooner I would have." He took a deep breath. "You did good tonight, if you'd attack like that in the beginning there'd be no fight."
She paused for a moment. "But if they're dead, I've lost more friends than I've gained, or saved." She smiled and turned to her brother.
"You're right, I… I'll visit him." He kissed her forehead and crawled into bed, she left for her room.
"G'morning, Misty," Cye called as she slumped down the stairs. She held the railing then smiled wide.
"Waffles!" Soon there was a lot of commotion upstairs and she slumped a little faster to the kitchen.
"I knew you'd be sore after last night." He stopped pouring the batter to hug her and she took a waffle from the stack. Kento followed her and took the remainder of the stack.
The doorbell rang as everyone ate. Cye stood to get the door. "Wait, I'll get it." Ryo's expression proved that he knew who was at the door. He opened the door and Seiji glared back at him.
"Good morning, May I speak with Miss Sanada?"
"Come in, she'll meet you here."
"I can't believe we're treating each other as strangers," Cye stared at his plate.
" I'll talk to him at school today," Ryo passed Misty who thanked Cye for breakfast and went to the door.
"They better not ruin my grade," Seiji commented.
"This isn't their assignment and I don't accept B's. Why are you here so early?" She was quite energetic.
"You're in English IV right? We have a book test today."
Misty gasped, she had forgotten, "Thank you.." Slowly, she gave Seiji an appreciative smile.
"Can we go to the school? It's hard to concentrate here." Seiji didn't have to look around to see that Ryo was watching them.
"Alright, one sec." Misty took her bag from the couch and ran to Ryo, "See you at school!" She smiled and kissed her brother on the cheek before walking to Seiji's car.
"Seiji!" Touma stood from the table. "Drive safe." Seiji smiled warmly to Touma and he closed the door. Touma looked back down to his hands on the table.
"How is this gonna work out?" Kento asked with a mouth full of waffles, "We'll barely see her."
"We just have to trust him." Cye crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned his back up against the wall thoughtfully, "He can't have lost his honor or his pride."
"Hey, Seiji?" Misty skimmed his notes on the book, "Why doesn't my brother seem to like you?"
"He's stubborn and jealous." Seiji said casually as he leaned back, "I have a busy life, he acts like he does." He gave a small shrug, "We're just a bad pair. That's all." A few giggling girls waved over to him as they passed by.
"And the other guys?" Misty looked up from the book again to hear Seiji's answer.
"Brainwashed… They don't understand but me and Ryo, well, we just can't explain it."
"Is that why you left?" Seiji looked down at Misty, staring at her for a few mere moments before answering.
"I left for more than that. My family needed me to teach at the dojo."
"For the record, I think you're both right." She smiled as Seiji reached up to lightly ruffle her hair.
"You've a good spirit. It's been a long time since I've gotten to see you." Finally, they found a small stone table outside to sit at. Misty plucked a small purple flower from the ground and placed it in her hair while she and Seiji discussed symbolism and allusions.
Ryo leaned against the jeep. "You're losing her." Sekhmet's words startled him.
"How?" Ryo's face was stern as he turned around.
"She trusts Seiji, believes him. How long until she leaves as well?"
"I won't allow it!" Ryo's eyes burned with anger as he stared at Sekhmet, "She listens to me!"
"She's listening to Seiji and you're not protecting her." With those words, Sekhmet disappeared amongst the trees, leaving Ryo to himself.
Ryo stopped. He was right. She had become more independent. But, that was what he wanted… for her not to depend on anyone…
"… Damn you Sekhmet!" Ryo yelled out to the trees.
"When will you stay with us permanently, child?" Dais and Misty made their way to a room where the other children were training.
"I'm not sure… there are so many things I'd like to see, so many different ages to experience…" She watched the stones pass underneath her,
"So much pain. Wouldn't you rather be healthy forever?" He was becoming frustrated with trying so hard to convince her.
"Fate will take me." She smiled, far inside her mind.
Dais sighed softly, "Spoken like a true warrior." They entered the room and all the people inside stopped and kneeled.
"We await your teaching," Their master saluted, then began groveling.
"I don't know that I can teach such fearful students. Dais, what have you taught them that makes them fear their leader's eye? It is from here they should gain their strength." Misty told them to come before her. With her master's hand on her shoulder, she welcomed them to the Dynasty. However long their previous service, now as fighters, they were finally an indispensable part of the force, the world's future and the new nation. A smile passed her face as no one had ever seen in her before. Her eyes sought the nourishment of power. Her new students cried out the same thirst and resumed their training with Misty.
"What's wrong, Cye?" Ryo touched his friends' arm and Cye jumped, clutching the balcony tighter.
"Hi Ryo. I'm just… Misty didn't come to dinner." He watched the lake's destroyed moon. Ryo leaned against the balcony alongside Cye.
"She adores Dais," He paused, "Cye, have you thought the Dynasty might be… up to something?"
"We've all thought that, but Misty's different. She'd tell us … she wouldn't be a part of that." No reasonable part of him was speaking.
"Sekhmet said something today, Cye." Cye looked into his eyes, his heart not tearing him away. He was listening intently, "He said I was losing her," Cye's sea blue eyes grew wider and he looked away quickly, "Do you think I protect her too much?"
"We've got to get her out…" Cye walked to bed without looking back at Ryo. Ryo watched him, then turned to the woods in time to see Misty coming home; Cye had been waiting for her. He sighed and listened to her come in and go to bed. He listened for malice, anything out of place, a sigh, eyes. Not content, he too went to bed.
"Does she know?"
"It doesn't matter."
"She was different today." Dais' pain was in his eyes, he held this head in his hand,
"Why is this bothering you?"
"It's not." His heart sank again. He stood, Sekhmet grabbed his arm before he left.
"She's the best we've seen, and they won't hurt her."
"Because they can't!" His voice was on the verge of begging.
"Precisely," But Dais couldn't react like Sekhmet did then, "She leads them tomorrow night." Dais left the room. He stood outside the door a moment. Then wandered from the castle into the moonlight past the gates. He came to the manor and paused. Dais watched the shadows play against the house as he decided how to enter.
Cye turned to face the wall, sleepless with unidentifiable fears. He sat up with his hand to his face and sighed. He slipped from the covers and stepped down the hall. He noticed Misty's door slightly open and quietly entered. He looked to the bed and noticed Dais kneeling by her side. Dais arose, leaned over her and kissed her forehead. Cye's emotions consumed him and he moved his arm to brace against the wall. Dais turned at the noise, but the both remained silent. After a few moments, Dais left through the open window.
Cye kept a watch by Misty's bed, until Kento awoke him the next morning. He smiled and then turned to the bed to see that Misty still slept.
Dais looked to the rising sun from the tree he spent the night against. He headed back to the gate.
"Child, you take them to Shinjuku, we'll meet in three days there where you'll have a camp set."
"Hai, Masho." She bowed to Sekhmet and he walked on to the other leaders.
"Dais, you'll take Hokkaido and Honshu, Cale has Ryukyu. I'll take Southern Honshu to back up the Child. I expect you'll work quickly." … "Do I do any less?"
"Hey," Kento slapped Cye on the back, "You ok?"
"Dais was at the house last night," Kento stopped smiling.
"You're kidding… right?"
"He was with Misty." Cye scratched at the stone table aimlessly, "She didn't come today. Said that she was sick." Kento's eyes went wide.
"Sick?" He echoed softly before grabbing his best friend by the arm, "We have to go!"
"She'll be fine! It's probably just stress…" He didn't believe himself. Dark clouds rumbled in overhead. Cye wasn't listening to Kento, only the whispers of his mind.
"Yo! Wake up!" Kento dragged him towards the school, "We have to tell Ryo!"
"What are you saying? She's fine at the house!" Cye pushed Kento away from his side. There were tears in his eyes.
"She's in trouble! You know she's rarely sick, you know she needs our help. Dais probably threatened her last night and you… you're MOPING!" He continued to drag his friend. Cye resigned himself to the harsh ride. Ryo was in Pre Cal when the two burst in and called him out into the hall. He shrugged his shoulders with a concerned expression on his face and left quickly.
"We'll go the house first." Ryo drove faster than normal.
"Have you noticed those clouds, guys?"
"Our orbs are at the house." There was no turning back. Cye didn't speak on the way home.
"I noticed the clouds, Touma… We trusted those bastards!" Kento readied himself for the fight.
"Well, most of us did…" Touma watched the sky swirl.
"I hope you modified those tin cans!" A voice boomed from a tower near the outskirts of Tokyo as Misty led her army towards the city.
"Surround the city, all single thorns can be avoided!" She waved her hand over the city and the masked demons marched.
"Let's play!" Seiji leapt from the building, (head first of course). Misty readied her Naginata and met his No-datchi before he landed.
"Seiji!" Touma yelled to him as they arrived. Before Misty struck him, Touma's arrow pierced her side and she was thrown a few feet back.
"What was that for?!" Rekka ran past Tenku to Misty. Tenku, Suiko, Kourin, and Kongo commenced in destroying the Dynasty soldiers as an effort to save the country.
"Masho! Naaza!" A soldier came to him on horseback, "The troopers have regrouped!"
"Child Reiha, keep the Japanese army occupied here. We don't need any more trouble." He rode off with the messenger as another helicopter plunged into the Nagasaki bay.
Misty lashed at Ryo and stood ready to face him, "Don't hurt her Ryo!" Cye called from nearby.
"This isn't her," He mumbled as he caught his breath after she managed to cut his hand, "Cye! You have to fight her! You're the only one who can help her!" Cye looked at the mindless beast he fought, then forced it back and ran to Ryo's side, "You have to get her to talk, it's some kind of mind control!"
"Leave this place!" They both jumped apart to dodge her attack and Ryo raced to her as Cye came in from behind. As she raised the Naginata to attack, Cye took it from her. Ryo left to keep the soldiers from interfering. Misty was forced to Cye's chest and he held her tightly to him. His kanji glowed as she fought to free her hands. She struggled more before she fell unconscious in her own blood-curdling scream. He laid her onto the ground and knelt by her side.
She awakened and sat up quickly, pushing her friend back. She leapt to her feet as she remembered the war, "STOP!!" The soldiers stood limp at the words and a cry came from behind them.
"Attack the Troopers!" But it was too late and the soldiers disappeared around Sekhmet. Dais watched from above. Cye pushed between her and Sekhmet, "She's not yours. Sekhmet stepped down from the horse.
"She's not yours either!" Cye clenched his Yari.
The rustle of tanks came from all directions and the other four troopers assembled in front of Misty. She leaned up against Rekka for balance, her side still oozing red.
"One day you will be more willing to lose!" Sekhmet entered the gates as they closed behind.
Dais sealed the gates in despair, – I shouldn't have left her – He walked to his room.
The manor was quiet. The boys slept after their ordeal, but Misty wasn't tired. "What happened? Why couldn't I control it?" The images of what she had said to her friends, the war, "Dais!" He had been there, had he even gone to Hokkaido…? She stood on the balcony. The wind slipped through her loosely tied hair as she fell to the earth. She touched the bandage then walked on.
"Dais!" She knocked louder. The gates didn't open, "Dais! Open the gate!" She grabbed the space between the gates and tried to pry them apart. Dais closed his eyes as a pain washed over him like he thought he'd never see again. He continued across the courtyard to the gate, "Dais?" She pulled harder.
"You'll hurt yourself…" He sighed as he sat with his back against the gate. Perplexed, she sat as well with her hands against the gate, "It's my fault, I didn't even try to help you."
"Dais…" She laid her head against the gate, "Please let me in." Dais put his head back as though he could lean on her. They sat silently, then Misty clenched the gate again, "Please let me in, Dais." She began to cry softly and Dais listened.
"Not anymore, Misty, this isn't the place for you."
"No! Dais… I won't live without you! Let me in!" Tears streamed down her cheeks and onto the hard dirt. Dais rose, "Dais! Don't leave!" He turned and placed his hand on the door, Misty stood and put her cheek to the gate.
"Leave!" he began to walk off. Misty fell back onto the ground. Dais looked up at the castle, clenched his fists, and fell to his knees.
The two girls from the food court marched a way back with picket signs chanting, "Cye! Cye! He's our man! He saves tuna from the can! …"
As Ryo came to Misty, Dais remained silently with his eyes closed. Her brother sat with his arm around her shoulders. He looked up at the gate as it disappeared; Misty's sobs grew louder.
"Dais?" He hoped she'd know what he meant. She turned and cried into his shoulder. Where the castle had been, there remained the devastated Tokyo and the scared people who would never know the sacrifices that had been made for them.
"It's good to have you back Seiji." Touma and Seiji lazed about on the couch.
"I still can't move back though.
"I'm just glad we sorted all this out before they both had-at-it." Kento nodded to Ryo.
"Misty?" Cye turned to face her as they sat next to each other on the bed.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I know he loves you."
… "He wouldn't have left if he did."
… "If he didn't, he'd have let Sekhmet… He has an odd way of apologizing is all," She turned away from him as tears came to her eyes. He stood and stepped towards the door, pained by her state and his support of Dais, "I'm sorry, I'll be downstairs if…" He turned around, but she didn't return his gaze. He opened the door quickly and left. Misty looked through the curtains to the full moon. That was odd, even for him.
"Cye!" Misty ran down the stairs, calling his name.
"Misty!" Ryo and Seiji stood and Touma and Kento, but no Cye, "He's at the lake." She ran out the door to the dock.
"Kuso! He's not here!" The words slipped as she paused. The moon glistened on the water and sparkled more as she leapt in. The sand was wonderfully settled and the water shone blue. She swam deep, following the slope of the earth. There was a desperation in her eyes as she fought to keep her breath, - Cye! – She swam faster to the small form in the middle of the translucent sea. He turned to her. She swam up to the surface for air and he pushed to keep up with her.
They both broke the surface and she hugged him tightly. His eyes were wide as he smiled. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes. He held her closely and she rested her head on his shoulder as they bobbed in the center of the lake, "You shouldn't apologize. I messed up. But, I wanted you to know… I… I wanted to thank you for last night." Cye smiled, happy in his confusion.
"I apologized for saying things you already knew. I shouldn't have said anything."
"Cye, if you didn't care, I'm not sure who would." She looked into his eyes, "I'm sorry I didn't ask you to help me, but… you still came. Why?" She smiled softly at the question, then released her hold of him, "What if you hadn't gotten my Naginata?" A pain took his eyes before he grasped her hand.
"I trust you."
"Anything good?" Seiji winked at Ryo who had watched the pair in the water from the balcony.
"Hey, if anyone can make her smile like that, it's him." He turned his back to the lake.
"How'd she get in this mess with Dais?"
"They found her… forgot to mention she was a recruit."
"Sounds like Dais."
As the moon sank to the horizon, Misty dried off in her room and Cye and Ryo sat at the kitchen table.
"What happened out there?" Ryo smiled coyly.
"Ryo!" Cye smiled, "No, nothing like that, but she didn't say a word of Dais, she had the greatest feeling about her."
"AND…?"
"She was so close, Ryo, but I was still just a friend…"
"Tell her, maybe she's afraid to say it."
Cye smiled, "It's only a matter of time." Byakuen purred by Ryo's feet and the two boys smiled quietly.
Misty sat cross-legged on her bed and twirled her locket on its chain and watched the small picture of Cye glisten in the moonlight.
A bit from me :
~*~*~*~I know, the switch between English and Japanese names is weird.. a general rule is: the Dynasty members call the warlords by their original names, titles etc. outside the Dynasty(i.e. from the guys) it's English ( 'cuz I like those more ^^)
As it pertains to the guys… I'm just weird and wanted Touma and Seiji to retain their names ^_^;;; it has a lot to do with their personalities as the Americanized 'Cye' (with less personality) actually came off as more caring in my mind and Shin was more troubled.
for obsessives: Misty's element is air, contrary to the obvious fire or water like we might be lead to believe because of her relations or her taste in ~MEN~ (Leo ^_~) this is because she's moved a lot (like a bird) between families and she shares a bit of Touma's genius, she's only a 180 IQ ^^ (which does classify as genius, you picky people )
I also recognize that 16-yr-olds don't drive in Japan.. but as it pertains to Seiji.. it moves the story faster. Lots of other things are Americanized.. just live with it =P~~
If you're wondering about Misty's job and why she was only there once in the story : this is based on me and I only work weekends so the story starts Saturday night and jumps to Monday and the story ends on a friday. Misty decided she needed that night off.^_^