He knew exactly what time Zero would excuse himself from the Pilot's table, it was the same as it had been for the past 2 years. He'd eat with Erts and the Pilots, much to Azuma's dislike, and at quarter to 9, he'd head back to the room. He'd shower before Hiead ever got there, and he'd be done with his homework by the time Hiead finished his shower, if it was just a simple assignment. Anything like an essay or report, and he'd be up until all hours of the night getting it perfect. He didn't expect anything less from the one Pilot that he knew would out shine them all in a week when they took their final test. That would be the deciding moment, choosing the Candidate that would be a Pilot. He knew Zero was it. There was no doubt about it.
Well, right on time. he thought, watching Zero slip out of the Canteen and towards him
"Hey Clay, what's up?" the dark haired boy asked
"Not much. Although, I've come to the startling conclusion that you're in love with Hiead."
Zero stopped immediately and turned to glare at his friend. It wasn't often that those eyes fixed on him, but oh how they could smolder. He'd definitly been taking lessons from Hiead, which wasn't hard, because that's the only way the silver-haired boy looked at you. Unfortunately, after dealing with Azuma for 3 years, Clay Cliff Fortan could stare down anyone, and even hold his own in combat. Wasn't often that he did it off the field, but now was one of those few occasions that deserved it.
"Why would you EVER think I'm in –yech!- love with Hiead?!"
"Well, I've just been thinking, and observing, and to be quite honest, you show all the symptoms. You're constantly looking at him, you smile at him when you think no one's looking, and you always, ALWAYS leave a fight with a bit of a hard on. But then again, that could be the adrenaline."
"Then again, you've never been wrong."
Zero turned on his heel and fled down the hall, leaving Clay to stare at him. If there was one thing he didn't need right before their final run, it was Hiead finding out. And with Saki as Clay's partner, it was pretty much already done.
"Hey
Zero," Clay called after him, "there's no running in the halls, remember!?"
"Piss off!"
~!*!~
It's ten to 11, where the hell is he? Hiead wondered, glancing at the clock and then the empty bed across from his own. He knows lights off is at 11, and he's normally here by now.
As if Zero'd heared his thoughts, he burst through the door, slamming it shut and then the bathroom door. It wasn't often that the head strong boy was this angry, without Hiead's comments having some root in it, and when it did happen, everyone knew to stay away from him. However, Hiead was about to break that rule.
He stood up and rapped on the bathroom door quietly. The snort from inside told him enough.
"Lights out." the loud speaker echoed, and the lights went out automatically.
"Zero?"
"Leave me alone, Hiead. I don't want to talk to you."
"Since when do I talk?"
"I said LEAVE ME ALONE!"
The burst of power from the room was enough to convince Hiead to leave it alone, and he turned down his room mates bed. He knew, from the little episodes that had occurred in the past that Zero's just trudge out of the bathroom and into bed. Wouldn't do him much good if he couldn't get under the blankets.
What is wrong with you Hiead? You only read his journal, not his soul! he spat at himself, You don't feel anything for him. You never did. Just get over it.
~!*!~
(a week later)
Hiead woke to the sound of running water, which wasn't uncommon, except for the fact that it was 4:30 in the morning. Zero normally didn't crack an eye open until 5, and was in the shower by 5:30, maybe 6 if he was feeling particularly lazy. He sat up and stretched, pulling the sweat pants on his night table on, and then the muscle shirt and white GOA sweat shirt. When did he put them there? He couldn't remember.
He pulled on a pair of socks and then his running shoes, getting ready to take his morning run obviously, when the bathroom door opened. Zero walked out, sans towel, hair dripping thick rivets of water down his shoulders and back, and Hiead found that he couldn't keep his eyes off the boy. Well, he wasn't exactly a boy anymore, but that wasn't important. What was important was the fact that he, as the silver-haired had suspected, did indeed shave. It took all his will power to tear his eyes from the beauty before him.
"Were you planning on taking your jog, or staring at my ass all morning? Either way I don't care." Zero shot coldy, his blue eyes tired and filled with fire.
"Hn."
The ruby-eyed boy left, locking the door behind him, and Zero quickly dressed in his white uniform. They were going to be sitting through a presentation about the victim, and later that afternoon they would be seeing all the Ingrids, hopefully assimilating with one. And although it wasn't exactly against code, he hesitated before putting a thick line of khol black liner around his eyes, mascara making his lashes look longer, and the gloss he stuck in his pocket. He would head to the Canteen early, eat before everyone and then sneak off to the gardens before the presentation.
"This is it Zero. Eeva-Leena has already recognized you, now you've just got to finish it." he said to his reflection. "Question is, can you do it without hating yourself later?"
He ignored the look Yu and Kazuhi gave him from the Pilot's table as he ate only fruit this morning, and a large glass of orange juice. Only a few of the other Candidates were present, and it looked extremely bare in the Canteen without all the people he normally saw. When Azuma walked in, he stood up from his seat, tossing his now empty tray in the bin above the garbage next to him. The instructor looked at him with wide eyes, brow furrowed in confusion as the #88 Candidate walked by, perfectly calm and collected, eyes focused as he stepped aside for Erts and Garu. Both boys looked at him, and then at Azuma.
"Instructor?" Erts asked.
"I don't know." was the confused reply. "I don't think I've EVER seen Zero Enna so composed."
"Neither have I." the blonde answered, taking the coffee Garu handed him as he agreed.
"Or dangerous." a female voice said from behind Azuma.
They turned to look at Carres, Force's Repairer Candidate, who was, like the other Candidates and Repairers, in her proper formal uniform. She took her normal seat and started eating, looking over once at her Candidate. Azuma sat down in front of her and fixed his best 'tell me everything' look on her.
"Start talking Gouthena." he said.
"Everyone sees Zero as the cheerful boy who loves everyone and will stop at nothing to become a Pilot. And they see Hiead Gnr as the one to fear, for he's always so cold and distant, hard and controlled. Hiead refuses to act upon his emotions, or even let them show, because he was always taught that they're a liability, a weakness, and he will not have a weakness. Zero knows that to be a Pilot you must act on your emotions and feelings, as they are normally correct, as opposed to the logic your brain supplies. He doesn't care that they could used against him, he's going to act on them. Unfortunately for every other Candidate here, he's one step above and beyond them by 1) having the same EX as Teela, and 2) having already started the Assimilation with Eeva-Leena."
Gareas stiffened at the mention of his Goddess, and Erts took his hand, using his abilities to help his koi control his EX.
"It's been a long time since that started." Garu growled, remembering the day Zero fell into his Ingrid.
"And as a Pilot, you know that the Ingrids do not forget the people that have connected to them quite so easily." Azuma replied, lighting a cigarette. "You forget Gareas, I too was a Pilot."
"I haven't forgotten, Hijikata-sensei. I fly your Ingrid, don't I?" [1]
Garu stood up and left. Erts watched as the door swung shut and hung his head. Garu's voice was all to clear in his head.
^Your brother would've gone after me by now.^
^I'm not my brother, Gareas, as I seem to be constantly reminding you these days.^
^I know.^
Erts excused himself and headed to Reneighd Klein. Azuma also left, finding Dr. Rill motioning for him. She had a very worried look on her face.
"What is it?" he asked as she took his cigarette.
"The EX readings are off the charts. Yukine and Mitche are looking for the student, or students, now."
"What type?"
"I don't know, I've never seen it before.
It's almost as if it's every type at once, yet no one is showing."
"Gareas just left, and he was-"
"He's a Pilot, his wave-lengths are imprinted to his Ingrid, and she hasn't said a word."
"What about Hiead? I haven't seen him yet."
"I just passed him in the hall,
he's clean. Where's Zero?"
"He left a little while ago. He was in
total control of himself, and that's what worries me."
"Isn't that his Repairer?"
Azuma turned to see Kizna walk in with her small group of friends, and noticed immediately the look on her face. Her normally cheerful eyes were narrow slits of violet, her cat-like ears pressed back against her head. In the three years she'd been on GOA, she'd grown more confiant, more self assured, and she no longer wore a hat to cover her ears. In fact, she's let her pink hair grow out a bit, and today it was pulled into tight pig-tail braids that fell over her shoulder, bangs falling in her eyes. She reminded Rill very much of Carres, in the fact that their looks of determination were the same. She grabbed only fruit and a glass of orange juice for breakfast, and Kazuhi gasped, causing the Instructor and Doctor to look at her.
"What?" asked Azuma.
"That's exactly what Zero had for breakfast." she whispered, looking at her brother, then at Rio and Phil who had just walked in, "Where's Tune?"
"With Erts and their Goddess."
Phil answered, starting on her eggs. "Why?"
"I haven't seen her yet this morning, and you know she's always the observant
one. What abot Leena?"
"Tuning up Eeva-Leena." replied Rio, ruffling her hair. "Don't worry about it,
I'm sure it's just a coincidence.
"I don't know…"
They all turned to look at the #88 Repairer, and Azuma studied her for a second before stalking out of the Canteen, Rill right behind him. She didn't have to ask where he was headed, she already knew. The Ernn-Laties Pilot was the one who would have answers, and she knew her Pilot [2] was going to get them.
~TBC~
[1] I'm pretty sure that Azuma was a Pilot, but I have no idea what Ingrid he was Pilot of. I just used Gareas because it'll fit in the story later.
[2] Rumor has it that Dr. Rill was Azuma's Repairer, but I couldn't figure out what he would be to her now. I guess her still thinking of him as her Pilot works.
Yes, yes, I know I made this kinda angsty, and I gave a little bit away about Gareas and Erts' relationship, but I felt it necessary. My Muse was kickin' ass today, and well, I just had to take care of this.
Muse: I would like to warn all that this is going to start getting deeper, and more complex, so have a pen and paper handy, cause you may wanna take notes.
You could always email me with your questions too, I don't mind.
Muse: I'm also taking quite a bit of an 'artistic license' (is there a term used for writing? I'm not sure) with the characters and their EX's. Gareas' for starters, Teela, Zero, and Hiead's will be next.
We'd also like to let you all know that the way I connect the three (T, Z, and H) is not at all how they're really connected.
Muse: Well wait a second, we don't know
how they're really connected, so how can you say that?
I'm not the creator of Megami Kouhosei, am I?
Muse: No…
Then how can I know how they're connected?
It's just my hypothetical opinion.
Muse: Okay, whatever.
Like always, feedback is what my Muse and I live on, so send it our way by pressing that little button down there. Muse'll love ya forever.
Muse: I'll let you make a special appearance… maybe
