Yoooooo hoo! That was quite a long break, ne? Well, Gideon is back purely
for your satisfaction, minna.
AS for this chapter. you're gonna kill me. You're SO gonna kill me. You're going to beat me up, slap me silly, then kill me.
Anyway, I can't forget the thanks! For that we go to Kitsune (I love my Grammer, no da!) haha, Issacy (I'm sane, I promise. well, okay, I'm not), AnimeFreak (I'm caught between indulging your request and wishing to live past the next chapter and the number of those who *would* kill me if I did so. I have so got my own blacklist, but you have SO given me an idea ::ducks as knives are thrown:: Dude, CHILL! Oh, and Kizna's dream at first [if I remember correctly. do tell me if I am incorrect] was to become a Pilot just like Teela-san. Bye the female thing. get it?), Steve Jester (For giving hope to my title =P), Tezza (Looks at her like this O.o I'm getting used to the monkeys, and I think you hit the nail on the head with that cold thing haha!), and Xaphrin (::screams:: Don scare me like that! I am ridiculously tickilish. I might bust a brain, and I need that for walking). Did I forget anybody.? Ah well. Anyway, if ya wanna chat with me, e-mail me or IM me (yes, Gideonrynn for AOL), as some of you have already found out, you are guaranteed to have an. interesting conversation. Anyway, enjoy and have a happy end of summer. ::sigh::
--------------------Towryk Eyes Pt 4-----------------
The Candidates of GOA were most assuredly doomed.
At least, that's what most of the people in GOA's halls were thinking as soon as they glanced upon the bit-too-happy grin plastered all over Azuma Hijikata's face.
Needless to say, the day of reckoning had finally come.
Well. sort of.
Azuma arrived at the Pro-Ing training room thirty minutes ahead of schedule in his OBVIOUS excitement, which only increased when Hiead Gner turned to see him come in.
A very ALONE Hiead. Oooh.
Hijikata sucked in a breath and gave Hiead a smile that would have put the Cheshire cat to shame. Not a bit of his enthusiasm was lost on the prepared glare he faced. /You'd better get all your glares in NOW, Candidate, because Azuma's about to become your worst nightmare./ "WELL CANDIDATE 87, how are you FEELING this fine afternoon?" Without waiting for a reply he knew would never come through that look of hatred, the older man drew closer and patted Hiead on the shoulder. HARD. "Looks like you're missing your Repairer, Candidate. Care to explain why?" He dared to drop face to face with him. "Having to do with your happy little talk in the cafeteria?"
It was pure shock that kept Hiead from spitting the most spiteful string of insults he could think of in response. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. /Hijikata must be planning something, because if this were any other time he'd avoid pissing me off to keep from screwing himself over during the training year... unless he wants the aggravation.../ He frowned. "I don't know where she is."
Azuma stood slowly with an 'oh' look on his face, then pushed up his sunglasses and donned a smugger look. "Well I suggest you go find her. NOW."
/What?/ "What?"
"You heard what I said... go find her." He pointed to the sliding doors, smugginess [is that even a word? ^_^] practically oozing out of his smile. A note of warning entered his voice. "And don't come back until you've got her with you. Chop, chop!" Without a moment of hesitation he grabbed the unsuspecting Candidate's collar and promptly threw him out of the training room.
"What the--!"
"Happy hunting!" yelled Azuma before the doors slid closed and locked behind him.
It was all Hiead could do to concentrate on keeping his jaw from dropping. /He just threw me out of the training ro-he just THREW ME OUT!/ His launched himself at the door and began beating against it. He can't leave me out here! "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME YOU IDIOT INSTRUCTOR!!!"
"Says who?" called Azuma triumphantly, pointedly safe behind the door.
The stormy-eyed boy growled. "Open this door right now."
"Or what? You're gonna call your mommy?"
"HIJIKATA---!!!!"
"That's INSTRUCTOR Hijikata to you, Candidate!" snapped Azuma.
"You're acting like a child!"
"And you are one! Which means you follow my orders! Or, are you--" significant pause "Scared of your Repairer?"
Hiead froze. /Yes. NO! Allecto is a weakling. Just--- what the heck am I supposed to say to her??/ He bit down and forced the words out through his teeth. "NO. I TOLD you, I don't KNOW where she IS."
"You'll find out. Unless you're afraid of her, I suggest you get moving. You have only fifteen minutes." Maniacal laughter and then what sounded like someone walking away. Hiead stared in shock at the door.
/This is not happening./
/~Yes it is, stupid.~/
Shut up! You're worthless!
/~Touche.~/
"Hiead--"
"WHERE'S IKHNY?" demanded the boy automatically. Tsukasa Kusha, staring at the maniacal gleam in his eyes and increased breathing pattern, gave him a blank look. He consiously forced himself to calm down, biting back every urge to grab her shoulders and shake her to death. Stupid repairers. Every single-- "Could you--" he coughed and the girl cocked her head at him.
"Yes?"
He started again, but he couldn't quite. "Tell me... where Ikhny is." This accomplished in a somewhat calmer tone, Hiead waited impatiently for an answer.
"In her room I'll guess. Hiead, be NICER to her." With this extensive commentary, Tsukasa walked back off to the cafeteria to snag her own Candidate. Hiead made an annoyed noise and stalked off in the direction of the Repairer dorms.
Zero stared silently at Kizna as she unsuited, something that he had a habit of doing whether or not he was reminded of his feelings... when Kizna turned to look at him he continued staring.
After a full minute of this Kizna flushed red, but didn't move. "W-What are you l-looking at, doofus?" The boy simply shrugged and she got a bit angry. "Is that all you've got to say?"
A grin spread over his face without a moment's notice and he immediately turned back to his own suit, put it away, and walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance. The cat-eared Repairer blinked before dazedly unsuiting the rest of the way and put it away next to Zero's. She walked out of the door and-
"KIZNA!"
Her fist stopped less than an inch from Zero's nose. Innocent blue eyes stared back at her over her pain-intending appendage and she felt her resolve begin to melt. /Kizna, you idiot. you'd trip over your own ears if they were close enough to your feet!/ She began to withdraw her fist, then froze when she felt... something... on the fingers of her fist... that looked like.
...Zero's lips.
/Okay, he's not really... don't be serious, that can't be... what the--- arggggggggggh!/ Kizna abruptly pulled her hand away, face glowing red. She thrust her face within an inch of his nose again, but this time, they were at the relatively same eye level, considering Zero was a bit taller than she was. "Zero, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME, JUST SAY IT! What the heck are you--"
"I don't know," cut in His Royal Elaborateness. His cute smile spread into an even cuter grin. "What do you think I'm trying to do?" Give it a try...
They stared at each other that way, nose to nose, for what seemed like an eternity to Kizna, until Zero's smile faded a little bit. "Kizna? What are you thinking? Um, do you just." He faltered into silence, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Do you just not--"
"Zero, I just--"
"ITAI! SAKI, IF YOU DON'T QUIT HITTING ME--"
The two partners turned their heads to the adjoining hallway to see the ruckus. Sure enough, a flash of brown hair and an adamant voice signaled the coming of another set. They simultaneously turned to look back at each other. Immediately realizing her close proximity to her object of... attention, Kizna abruptly moved back. Zero reached out to grab her arm, but halted when she jerked out of his reach and planted a smile on her face for the newcomers.
"Saki, are you being hard on him already?" /Please don't let them be able to tell, please don't let them!/
The red-haired firecracker in question grinned disarmingly. "Hard? No. Clay can't take my 'being hard on him.' just my 'being stricter than before.' Even still that's a challenge."
Her partner groaned heavily. "I take such abuse." He flushed when Saki jumped over and planted a kiss on his cheek, just as soon grabbing his hair was another hand and dragging him in the direction of the Pro-Ing training room. He barely managed to get out a word. "Are you guys coming?" He stared a bit harder. "Were you talking about something?"
"NO--"
"YES--"
The both blinked in surprise but didn't dare to look at each other. Clay squinted filing the response away in his mental "Interesting" folder before allowing Saki to drag him off.
Zero's eyes flicked over to Kizna hesitantly, but Kizna's eyes were fixed forward, a hint of pink on her cheeks. A look of concern crossed his face. /Maybe I shouldn't have. but I thought. ARRGGGGH! I don't get it!!/ He grabbed his hair in frustration and turned to slam his head into the wall. Kizna looked over in surprise, a look of shock on her face. After watching him bang his head into the wall a few times she. oh, she just couldn't help herself.
She burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Yamagi as well as the other typical three in tow appeared behind them, all looking relaxed and well fed. Kizna threw a hand over her mouth and shook her head.
"I think," said Zero, halfhearted annoyance in his voice, "Kizna delights in my troubles."
A warning sign flashed in the girl's thoughts but she brushed it away as well as she could, giving him her most disarming smile. "Oh Zero, that's not it. I think that you're a troublesome partner, BUT," she added quickly, noticing the automatic I-Am-Zero-Enna trademark glare, "I think his troubles will be over soon with my dashing help!" She laughed and automatically started for Zero's arm, then quickly thought better of it and tugged on his uniform instead to pull him ahead. "Time to meet the Reaper Instructor, Zero!"
The other boy allowed her to tug him, in a very characteristic manner pushing away the uncomfortability of just a few moments before with a faint smile, but continued to look softly at the girl in front of him, of whom was obviously still a bit uncomfortable. /Kizna... what am I supposed to do? I don't know what you want. But./ He grinned and released himself from her grasp. In the blink of an eye he had slapped every Candidate and Repairer within reach on the back, and after tagging Kizna, with a mischevious look on his face, loudly whisphered, "Tag. you're all it!" In a moment he was cackling madly and dashing off into the distance.
All of them looked at each other for a moment, then without warning, ran after him. "Zero Enna, you are SO DEAD!"
Zero smiled to himself. /...but maybe, someday, you'll tell me what I need to do, Kizna.../
Hiead narrowly avoided running into Zero when he barreled past and even barely managed to sidestep out of the other teens' ways. He growled to himself, thinking about how they would all make it before him. He hurried himself a bit and made it to the door of his Repairer's room. He raised his arm to knock. then stopped.
/What am I going to say to her? 'Sorry I think you're a complete idiot and an incompetent Repairer?'/ He dropped his hand and turned in the other direction, arms crossed. /I don't need her to. yes I do. I need her to --- in order to become a Goddess Pilot./ He spun around to face the door, intending on knocking-
And didn't do it. He slammed his fist into the door in frustration. "What am I DOING?!"
/~Hahaha! What an idiot. You can't do it.~/
Hiead's expression changed. "Oh yes I can." With that, instead of knocking, he grabbed the hand of the door and threw it in, letting it smash into the wall in the room. When he didn't see Ikhny on her bed he automatically [for he was not thinking clearly, no da!] went for the bathroom door. He was an idiot's millisecond from smashing open the door when he heard a loud sob from the other side, halting him immediately. His throat clenched and he tried to force himself to knock, but a heart-wrenching sob snapped him out of his concentration.
"I can't. go on like this. He. he hates me." Only Ikhny's voice could manage to still be in a whisper and carry so well. "I might as well... I might as well not be here at all..."
Hiead choked. /No kidding she-wait a second, she can't be talking about LEAVING, can she?/ Anger flashed in his eyes. /I can't go without a Repairer! That idiot Azuma would crucify me. Wait a minute -/
*I can't go on like this.*
His eyes widened as he stared at the door. /She wouldn't.../
*I might as well not be here at all.*
/She can't... she can't mean... killing herself?!/ "NO WAY!" He drew back his fist and smashed the door in. No sooner did the white finish hit the floor than Hiead was inside the bathroom, furious. "Ikhny, you can't kill yourse-GAHHHHHHHH!"
True to the luck of a jerk under the powers of someone not to be mentioned [Gideon: Um, he he?], the garnet-eyed boy slipped on the slick surface of the floor and fell face first into the bathtub.
The one with *Ikhny* in it.
There was a scream and he scrambled to push himself up on his elbows, coming face to... *ahem*... stomach with his Repairer.
Hiead Gner was often referred to as cold. Heartless. A *jerk*. And yet, as many of these things he was, he was still a fifteen year old boy. And this fifteen year old boy was in shock. So in this fifteen year old boy shock, the fifteen year old boy raised his eyes.
Hiead caught himself when he realized what he was doing. He abruptly looked down and jumped out of the tub, landing in a very undignified heap on the wet floor. In a panic he pulled a crab and waddled backwards until he hit the wall beside the door, automatically looking back up. Thankfully, in the confusion, Ikhny had spun around in the bathtub and grabbed a towel, dropping it over herself and crouching as best she could to cover herself. "HIEAD??"
He tried to get a smart mouth remark out, heck, even 1/4th of a smart remark, but all that came out was, "You're not dressed."
Hiead Gner was SO not smooth.
It was the tiny inner voice that kept yelling, "There's a BOY in my BATHROOM, but it's _Hiead Gner_" that kept Ikhny from screaming for him to get out the heck out and wail for bloody help. HIEAD GNER FOR GODDESSES SAKES! She regained her composure before her speechless partner and managed to pick her glasses off the floor to place them on her nose, which only accentuated the very dark red shade of colour her face had taken to. She cleared her throat experimentally and said quietly, "Um, Hiead, can I help you?"
'Can I help you?' Hiead's face went through a transformation of colours, most of them variations of red, and the phrase kept running through his head as very, very wrong. As he was wont to, though, after one point five two seconds to the dot, he mostly got a hold of himself and displayed a injured glare. "We-we're, uh, g-going to be l-late! Ikhny I-uh I'm-- waiting for you o-outside." With that, he and his red face marched themselves out the door with as much dignity as they were allowed to bear.
/~Idiot, Gner, you are SUCH AN IDIOT! Look at what you did!~/
Hiead growled. /I thought that she was going to kill herself or something./
He could see himself punching _himself_ in the face. /~KILLING HERSELF?!? You might as well stick your head under the foot of a Pro-Ing as stupid as you are!~/
The aforementioned pilot's Repairer paused just outside of her bathroom door. Her face was still red, and she could even hear the growls coming from outside which made her turn even more red. Was he growling at himself? Or her? The second thought sobered her and she quickly went to change into her clothes. /Maybe he's mad because I was taking a bath when--/ Her face reddened and she didn't allow herself to finish. He had been looking at her after all.
Hiead's foot tapped impatiently on the floor when that exact same thought went through his head and the thought about he close he had come to look up. He blushed but by sheer willpower he kept the blush down to a minimum and turned out barely pink. He forced himself to think of her FACE, okay, her face instead. her face without her glasses with her hair wet and hugging her face in thick, dark curls. he relaxed a bit. /Ikhny looks so much cuter without her glasses. I wonder why--/
"Somebody's happy."
The boy froze and flicked his eyes to the source of the voice. He glared automatically.
Rill returned his glare evenly and said with a straight face, "A girl, right?"
Blanch.
"Aha."
Blush.
Ikhny stumbled out of the door at that moment and looked at Rill, who had the goofiest look on her face. She blinked. "Doctor Rill?"
Rill looked at Ikhny and her mouth opened in an 'o' as realization spread across her brain. Before she could get a word out, Hiead grabbed Ikhny's arm and dragged her off.
After about five minutes of this, Hiead abruptly stopped and let her go. When Ikhny went to rub her arm she found herself nose to nose with Hiead, which was difficult considering her was significantly taller than she was. His eyes was a hair away from being pissed and he squeezed her shoulders until she was on the brink of crying out. But instead of a reprimand, he said something that she didn't expect.
"Don't you EVER kill yourself. You understand me?" He shook her and she nodded. He released her and stalked off.
Ikhny stared. /What?/
Azuma's frustration at having to wait on Hiead was taken out on his Candidates in a heated glare. Yamagi, Wrecka, Roose, Tsukasa, Zero, and Kizna had been told to stand at attention for nearly thirty minutes. The Instructor stared pointedly at the spot where he was supposed to be and growled. "If that Candidate isn't here in less than five seconds--"
"Then what?"
Everyone turned to look at Hiead and Ikhny as they entered the Pro Ing training deck. Hiead ignored everyone and stood in his spot, a composed Ikhny at his side. Neither budged when Azuma jumped into the boy's face. Said boy blinked. "Yes?"
Azuma grinned. "You're late." He glanced between the Repairer and the Candidate, an eyebrow going up. Hiead winced to himself, remembering that he was probably still damp from his... *ahem*... but looked straight ahead. "Take a dip?"
Practiced by now, Hiead's blush did not manifest itself on his face. Though Ikhny's did, Azuma's eyes were too trained on the other to notice. He gave up after a minute and stood. "Well, it's a good thing that you're in time to hear the news."
His was Hiead's eyebrow this time that went up. Azuma abruptly burst into laughter. When he realized he had done it out loud, he turned and composed himself before speaking, a faint blush of embarrassment gracing his nose. "Excuse me. Anyway, it's about time that we tested your knowledge of your partner's abilities--"
"ALL RIGHT!" exclaimed Yamagi, pumping his fist in the air, causing Tsukasa to blush. "Easy grade! Ya--"
"-by switching partners." There. He did it. Azuma looked around to see the damage.
The remainder of Yamagi's cheer died in his throat. He blinked, then looked around, dazed. "Hunh?"
"I think he means, 'What are you talking about, Instructor?'" supplied Tsukasa in a somewhat diluted daze.
Wrecka coughed. "I think I'm going to have to agree with Mr. Elaborate over there."
"What I mean, is that you guys are switching partners." He made a dramatic pause and pulled out his clipboard with great gusto. "The pairings are Clay and Wrecka, Roose and Tsukasa, Yamagi and Saki, Zero and Ikhny, and finally, Hiead and Kizna."
The look of total astonishment on every face nearly put the scheming Instructor into hysterics, but he maintained his 'almighty' look for the sake of the plan. "Hey, you Candidates, why do you look so surprised?"
/No, NO, NO NO NO NO NO!/ Zero's mouth moved, but nothing he could do could force a word out.
The remaining boys and girls, on the other hand, were ALL words.
"Instructor, you can't POSSIBLY expect me to-
"I can't believe you are sticking me with THAT--"
"What the h--"
"AZUMA you dirty--"
"QUIET!" he erupted after twenty seconds of vibrant complaints from the two. They both bit their tongues to avoid pissing off the excited Instructor more than necessary. He gave them all a stern look. "This is training. You're going to be doing a lot of things you don't like so well, so suck it up and just do it."
"What exactly are we doing, Instructor?" managed Kizna through her teeth. She blinked when Azuma gave her a striking grin.
"How about you hear the purpose first? The purpose of these assignments is to first and foremost, further your sensitivity to your Pilot and your Repairer--"
"But how can we do that if we're doing the report on someone else's Repairer?" asked Zero, also through his teeth. Kizna winced as she looked down and realized his hands were clenched tightly in fists.
"If you let me FINISH, idiot, you'd find out!" He came within a hair of Zero's nose. "The absence of your REPAIRER, Enna, is supposed to make you SENSITIVE, Enna, to the differences between your given PARTNER, Enna, and your CANDIDATE. You will submit a report to me by the end of the month--" He turned to glare as everyone who had gasped "-YES, MONTH, listing every single DIFFERENCE, Enna, between your original REPAIRER, Enna, and your given PARTNER, Enna. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR??"
Enna himself wiped his nose and nodded sharply. "Yes."
Significant pause.
"But I still don't get why we're doing this."
Everyone sweatdropped.
Kizna recovered enough from shock to agree with her partner. "Zero's right. I think it would be pretty obvious what the differences between our partners would be," the last comment aimed daggers in tow toward the object of her torture. The boy himself turned and gave her a heated smirk.
"You're to list every nuance in personality, speed, brain power--" this one aimed toward Zero, with a laugh, "-- physical ability, and anything else I can think of between now and the end of this month," stated Azuma, eyes on the warring pair, barely avoiding a grin, "and you had better not skip a detail or each of you will be running deck to hull 24 hours a day, no exaggeration."
There were various moans and groans, eventually muted out by several punctual glares from the Instructor himself. Everyone seemed to be content [and I use this term very very loosely] when suddenly--
"WE HAVE TO SWITCH PARTNERS?!?!" exploded Zero suddenly, causing Azuma to bite his tongue. Barely missing a beat he grabbed Zero by the collar and lifted him until he was on his tip toes.
"DID YOU LISTEN TO A WORD I SAID?!"
"I KNEW we had to turn in a report, but I didn't know that we had to switch partners! I refuse!"
A vein popped out in his forehead. "WHAT did you say?"
"I SAID I REFUSE!" said Zero louder.
"I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID!!"
"Then why'd you ask me to repeat it?!" retorted the dark-haired boy. Azuma's face turned red and he threw Zero on the ground.
"That's it! You start exercises right NOW!" He spun around, daring anyone to rebel. Needless to say, no one did. He pointed savagely in one direction. "EVERYONE TO THEIR PRO-INGS NOW!!!!!" The minute Azuma was out of sight Hiead rushed for Zero's throat in a rage.
"I knew it! This is all your fault you IDIOT!" He violently began to shake the other boy.
"Hiead, NO!" yelled Ikhny, but she could do nothing but stare at Zero struggle.
"Let go of me!" Zero's fist connected soundly with the right side of Hiead's face. They both jumped into fighting stances, absolutely furious. "I don't know WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS, but _I_ didn't cause it!"
Kizna ran between the two and held Zero back, angry and pleading at the same time. "Don't do this Zero, please! You'll get kicked out!"
His gaze swung to her. "What, do you WANT this to happen Kizna?! Hunh?"
She stared at him and her anger returned. "I can't believe you'd say that! Of course not! Why WOULD I??"
The rest of the students ran over and Hiead and Zero were forced farther apart. Saki took charge.
"All right you two, cut it out! None of us were particularly prepared for this, but this is no way to react!"
"All I know," growled Zero, "is you better keep your hands off _my_ Repairer. You hear me Hiead?!"
Hiead snarled. "You'd better watch YOURSELF. If something happens to my Repairer, expulsion or not, your head is MINE." He shook off Yamagi and Wrecka and walked toward his Pro Ing. Zero shook off his own weighs and began to head off. He remembered himself and turned to Kizna.
"Kizna, if he hurts you, you know that I'm coming after him, and please don't hate me if something happens to me, okay?"
"Zero--" He stalked off before she could finish. She stared after him. "What has Azuma gotten us into?"
Aight aight aight! That's it for this chapter, ya'll! Want to crush? Want to kiss? Want to destroy? Ahahahah! This is soooo much fun! O.o
Next Chapter: The operation is underway! Will Azuma end up with more than he bargained for, or will they start to like their new partners *better* than their old ones? Don't ask me, I don't know yet! Let's just say that I'm bloody well glad that I'm not Azuma right now. ^_^
AS for this chapter. you're gonna kill me. You're SO gonna kill me. You're going to beat me up, slap me silly, then kill me.
Anyway, I can't forget the thanks! For that we go to Kitsune (I love my Grammer, no da!) haha, Issacy (I'm sane, I promise. well, okay, I'm not), AnimeFreak (I'm caught between indulging your request and wishing to live past the next chapter and the number of those who *would* kill me if I did so. I have so got my own blacklist, but you have SO given me an idea ::ducks as knives are thrown:: Dude, CHILL! Oh, and Kizna's dream at first [if I remember correctly. do tell me if I am incorrect] was to become a Pilot just like Teela-san. Bye the female thing. get it?), Steve Jester (For giving hope to my title =P), Tezza (Looks at her like this O.o I'm getting used to the monkeys, and I think you hit the nail on the head with that cold thing haha!), and Xaphrin (::screams:: Don scare me like that! I am ridiculously tickilish. I might bust a brain, and I need that for walking). Did I forget anybody.? Ah well. Anyway, if ya wanna chat with me, e-mail me or IM me (yes, Gideonrynn for AOL), as some of you have already found out, you are guaranteed to have an. interesting conversation. Anyway, enjoy and have a happy end of summer. ::sigh::
--------------------Towryk Eyes Pt 4-----------------
The Candidates of GOA were most assuredly doomed.
At least, that's what most of the people in GOA's halls were thinking as soon as they glanced upon the bit-too-happy grin plastered all over Azuma Hijikata's face.
Needless to say, the day of reckoning had finally come.
Well. sort of.
Azuma arrived at the Pro-Ing training room thirty minutes ahead of schedule in his OBVIOUS excitement, which only increased when Hiead Gner turned to see him come in.
A very ALONE Hiead. Oooh.
Hijikata sucked in a breath and gave Hiead a smile that would have put the Cheshire cat to shame. Not a bit of his enthusiasm was lost on the prepared glare he faced. /You'd better get all your glares in NOW, Candidate, because Azuma's about to become your worst nightmare./ "WELL CANDIDATE 87, how are you FEELING this fine afternoon?" Without waiting for a reply he knew would never come through that look of hatred, the older man drew closer and patted Hiead on the shoulder. HARD. "Looks like you're missing your Repairer, Candidate. Care to explain why?" He dared to drop face to face with him. "Having to do with your happy little talk in the cafeteria?"
It was pure shock that kept Hiead from spitting the most spiteful string of insults he could think of in response. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. /Hijikata must be planning something, because if this were any other time he'd avoid pissing me off to keep from screwing himself over during the training year... unless he wants the aggravation.../ He frowned. "I don't know where she is."
Azuma stood slowly with an 'oh' look on his face, then pushed up his sunglasses and donned a smugger look. "Well I suggest you go find her. NOW."
/What?/ "What?"
"You heard what I said... go find her." He pointed to the sliding doors, smugginess [is that even a word? ^_^] practically oozing out of his smile. A note of warning entered his voice. "And don't come back until you've got her with you. Chop, chop!" Without a moment of hesitation he grabbed the unsuspecting Candidate's collar and promptly threw him out of the training room.
"What the--!"
"Happy hunting!" yelled Azuma before the doors slid closed and locked behind him.
It was all Hiead could do to concentrate on keeping his jaw from dropping. /He just threw me out of the training ro-he just THREW ME OUT!/ His launched himself at the door and began beating against it. He can't leave me out here! "YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME YOU IDIOT INSTRUCTOR!!!"
"Says who?" called Azuma triumphantly, pointedly safe behind the door.
The stormy-eyed boy growled. "Open this door right now."
"Or what? You're gonna call your mommy?"
"HIJIKATA---!!!!"
"That's INSTRUCTOR Hijikata to you, Candidate!" snapped Azuma.
"You're acting like a child!"
"And you are one! Which means you follow my orders! Or, are you--" significant pause "Scared of your Repairer?"
Hiead froze. /Yes. NO! Allecto is a weakling. Just--- what the heck am I supposed to say to her??/ He bit down and forced the words out through his teeth. "NO. I TOLD you, I don't KNOW where she IS."
"You'll find out. Unless you're afraid of her, I suggest you get moving. You have only fifteen minutes." Maniacal laughter and then what sounded like someone walking away. Hiead stared in shock at the door.
/This is not happening./
/~Yes it is, stupid.~/
Shut up! You're worthless!
/~Touche.~/
"Hiead--"
"WHERE'S IKHNY?" demanded the boy automatically. Tsukasa Kusha, staring at the maniacal gleam in his eyes and increased breathing pattern, gave him a blank look. He consiously forced himself to calm down, biting back every urge to grab her shoulders and shake her to death. Stupid repairers. Every single-- "Could you--" he coughed and the girl cocked her head at him.
"Yes?"
He started again, but he couldn't quite. "Tell me... where Ikhny is." This accomplished in a somewhat calmer tone, Hiead waited impatiently for an answer.
"In her room I'll guess. Hiead, be NICER to her." With this extensive commentary, Tsukasa walked back off to the cafeteria to snag her own Candidate. Hiead made an annoyed noise and stalked off in the direction of the Repairer dorms.
Zero stared silently at Kizna as she unsuited, something that he had a habit of doing whether or not he was reminded of his feelings... when Kizna turned to look at him he continued staring.
After a full minute of this Kizna flushed red, but didn't move. "W-What are you l-looking at, doofus?" The boy simply shrugged and she got a bit angry. "Is that all you've got to say?"
A grin spread over his face without a moment's notice and he immediately turned back to his own suit, put it away, and walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance. The cat-eared Repairer blinked before dazedly unsuiting the rest of the way and put it away next to Zero's. She walked out of the door and-
"KIZNA!"
Her fist stopped less than an inch from Zero's nose. Innocent blue eyes stared back at her over her pain-intending appendage and she felt her resolve begin to melt. /Kizna, you idiot. you'd trip over your own ears if they were close enough to your feet!/ She began to withdraw her fist, then froze when she felt... something... on the fingers of her fist... that looked like.
...Zero's lips.
/Okay, he's not really... don't be serious, that can't be... what the--- arggggggggggh!/ Kizna abruptly pulled her hand away, face glowing red. She thrust her face within an inch of his nose again, but this time, they were at the relatively same eye level, considering Zero was a bit taller than she was. "Zero, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME, JUST SAY IT! What the heck are you--"
"I don't know," cut in His Royal Elaborateness. His cute smile spread into an even cuter grin. "What do you think I'm trying to do?" Give it a try...
They stared at each other that way, nose to nose, for what seemed like an eternity to Kizna, until Zero's smile faded a little bit. "Kizna? What are you thinking? Um, do you just." He faltered into silence, then cleared his throat and tried again. "Do you just not--"
"Zero, I just--"
"ITAI! SAKI, IF YOU DON'T QUIT HITTING ME--"
The two partners turned their heads to the adjoining hallway to see the ruckus. Sure enough, a flash of brown hair and an adamant voice signaled the coming of another set. They simultaneously turned to look back at each other. Immediately realizing her close proximity to her object of... attention, Kizna abruptly moved back. Zero reached out to grab her arm, but halted when she jerked out of his reach and planted a smile on her face for the newcomers.
"Saki, are you being hard on him already?" /Please don't let them be able to tell, please don't let them!/
The red-haired firecracker in question grinned disarmingly. "Hard? No. Clay can't take my 'being hard on him.' just my 'being stricter than before.' Even still that's a challenge."
Her partner groaned heavily. "I take such abuse." He flushed when Saki jumped over and planted a kiss on his cheek, just as soon grabbing his hair was another hand and dragging him in the direction of the Pro-Ing training room. He barely managed to get out a word. "Are you guys coming?" He stared a bit harder. "Were you talking about something?"
"NO--"
"YES--"
The both blinked in surprise but didn't dare to look at each other. Clay squinted filing the response away in his mental "Interesting" folder before allowing Saki to drag him off.
Zero's eyes flicked over to Kizna hesitantly, but Kizna's eyes were fixed forward, a hint of pink on her cheeks. A look of concern crossed his face. /Maybe I shouldn't have. but I thought. ARRGGGGH! I don't get it!!/ He grabbed his hair in frustration and turned to slam his head into the wall. Kizna looked over in surprise, a look of shock on her face. After watching him bang his head into the wall a few times she. oh, she just couldn't help herself.
She burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Yamagi as well as the other typical three in tow appeared behind them, all looking relaxed and well fed. Kizna threw a hand over her mouth and shook her head.
"I think," said Zero, halfhearted annoyance in his voice, "Kizna delights in my troubles."
A warning sign flashed in the girl's thoughts but she brushed it away as well as she could, giving him her most disarming smile. "Oh Zero, that's not it. I think that you're a troublesome partner, BUT," she added quickly, noticing the automatic I-Am-Zero-Enna trademark glare, "I think his troubles will be over soon with my dashing help!" She laughed and automatically started for Zero's arm, then quickly thought better of it and tugged on his uniform instead to pull him ahead. "Time to meet the Reaper Instructor, Zero!"
The other boy allowed her to tug him, in a very characteristic manner pushing away the uncomfortability of just a few moments before with a faint smile, but continued to look softly at the girl in front of him, of whom was obviously still a bit uncomfortable. /Kizna... what am I supposed to do? I don't know what you want. But./ He grinned and released himself from her grasp. In the blink of an eye he had slapped every Candidate and Repairer within reach on the back, and after tagging Kizna, with a mischevious look on his face, loudly whisphered, "Tag. you're all it!" In a moment he was cackling madly and dashing off into the distance.
All of them looked at each other for a moment, then without warning, ran after him. "Zero Enna, you are SO DEAD!"
Zero smiled to himself. /...but maybe, someday, you'll tell me what I need to do, Kizna.../
Hiead narrowly avoided running into Zero when he barreled past and even barely managed to sidestep out of the other teens' ways. He growled to himself, thinking about how they would all make it before him. He hurried himself a bit and made it to the door of his Repairer's room. He raised his arm to knock. then stopped.
/What am I going to say to her? 'Sorry I think you're a complete idiot and an incompetent Repairer?'/ He dropped his hand and turned in the other direction, arms crossed. /I don't need her to. yes I do. I need her to --- in order to become a Goddess Pilot./ He spun around to face the door, intending on knocking-
And didn't do it. He slammed his fist into the door in frustration. "What am I DOING?!"
/~Hahaha! What an idiot. You can't do it.~/
Hiead's expression changed. "Oh yes I can." With that, instead of knocking, he grabbed the hand of the door and threw it in, letting it smash into the wall in the room. When he didn't see Ikhny on her bed he automatically [for he was not thinking clearly, no da!] went for the bathroom door. He was an idiot's millisecond from smashing open the door when he heard a loud sob from the other side, halting him immediately. His throat clenched and he tried to force himself to knock, but a heart-wrenching sob snapped him out of his concentration.
"I can't. go on like this. He. he hates me." Only Ikhny's voice could manage to still be in a whisper and carry so well. "I might as well... I might as well not be here at all..."
Hiead choked. /No kidding she-wait a second, she can't be talking about LEAVING, can she?/ Anger flashed in his eyes. /I can't go without a Repairer! That idiot Azuma would crucify me. Wait a minute -/
*I can't go on like this.*
His eyes widened as he stared at the door. /She wouldn't.../
*I might as well not be here at all.*
/She can't... she can't mean... killing herself?!/ "NO WAY!" He drew back his fist and smashed the door in. No sooner did the white finish hit the floor than Hiead was inside the bathroom, furious. "Ikhny, you can't kill yourse-GAHHHHHHHH!"
True to the luck of a jerk under the powers of someone not to be mentioned [Gideon: Um, he he?], the garnet-eyed boy slipped on the slick surface of the floor and fell face first into the bathtub.
The one with *Ikhny* in it.
There was a scream and he scrambled to push himself up on his elbows, coming face to... *ahem*... stomach with his Repairer.
Hiead Gner was often referred to as cold. Heartless. A *jerk*. And yet, as many of these things he was, he was still a fifteen year old boy. And this fifteen year old boy was in shock. So in this fifteen year old boy shock, the fifteen year old boy raised his eyes.
Hiead caught himself when he realized what he was doing. He abruptly looked down and jumped out of the tub, landing in a very undignified heap on the wet floor. In a panic he pulled a crab and waddled backwards until he hit the wall beside the door, automatically looking back up. Thankfully, in the confusion, Ikhny had spun around in the bathtub and grabbed a towel, dropping it over herself and crouching as best she could to cover herself. "HIEAD??"
He tried to get a smart mouth remark out, heck, even 1/4th of a smart remark, but all that came out was, "You're not dressed."
Hiead Gner was SO not smooth.
It was the tiny inner voice that kept yelling, "There's a BOY in my BATHROOM, but it's _Hiead Gner_" that kept Ikhny from screaming for him to get out the heck out and wail for bloody help. HIEAD GNER FOR GODDESSES SAKES! She regained her composure before her speechless partner and managed to pick her glasses off the floor to place them on her nose, which only accentuated the very dark red shade of colour her face had taken to. She cleared her throat experimentally and said quietly, "Um, Hiead, can I help you?"
'Can I help you?' Hiead's face went through a transformation of colours, most of them variations of red, and the phrase kept running through his head as very, very wrong. As he was wont to, though, after one point five two seconds to the dot, he mostly got a hold of himself and displayed a injured glare. "We-we're, uh, g-going to be l-late! Ikhny I-uh I'm-- waiting for you o-outside." With that, he and his red face marched themselves out the door with as much dignity as they were allowed to bear.
/~Idiot, Gner, you are SUCH AN IDIOT! Look at what you did!~/
Hiead growled. /I thought that she was going to kill herself or something./
He could see himself punching _himself_ in the face. /~KILLING HERSELF?!? You might as well stick your head under the foot of a Pro-Ing as stupid as you are!~/
The aforementioned pilot's Repairer paused just outside of her bathroom door. Her face was still red, and she could even hear the growls coming from outside which made her turn even more red. Was he growling at himself? Or her? The second thought sobered her and she quickly went to change into her clothes. /Maybe he's mad because I was taking a bath when--/ Her face reddened and she didn't allow herself to finish. He had been looking at her after all.
Hiead's foot tapped impatiently on the floor when that exact same thought went through his head and the thought about he close he had come to look up. He blushed but by sheer willpower he kept the blush down to a minimum and turned out barely pink. He forced himself to think of her FACE, okay, her face instead. her face without her glasses with her hair wet and hugging her face in thick, dark curls. he relaxed a bit. /Ikhny looks so much cuter without her glasses. I wonder why--/
"Somebody's happy."
The boy froze and flicked his eyes to the source of the voice. He glared automatically.
Rill returned his glare evenly and said with a straight face, "A girl, right?"
Blanch.
"Aha."
Blush.
Ikhny stumbled out of the door at that moment and looked at Rill, who had the goofiest look on her face. She blinked. "Doctor Rill?"
Rill looked at Ikhny and her mouth opened in an 'o' as realization spread across her brain. Before she could get a word out, Hiead grabbed Ikhny's arm and dragged her off.
After about five minutes of this, Hiead abruptly stopped and let her go. When Ikhny went to rub her arm she found herself nose to nose with Hiead, which was difficult considering her was significantly taller than she was. His eyes was a hair away from being pissed and he squeezed her shoulders until she was on the brink of crying out. But instead of a reprimand, he said something that she didn't expect.
"Don't you EVER kill yourself. You understand me?" He shook her and she nodded. He released her and stalked off.
Ikhny stared. /What?/
Azuma's frustration at having to wait on Hiead was taken out on his Candidates in a heated glare. Yamagi, Wrecka, Roose, Tsukasa, Zero, and Kizna had been told to stand at attention for nearly thirty minutes. The Instructor stared pointedly at the spot where he was supposed to be and growled. "If that Candidate isn't here in less than five seconds--"
"Then what?"
Everyone turned to look at Hiead and Ikhny as they entered the Pro Ing training deck. Hiead ignored everyone and stood in his spot, a composed Ikhny at his side. Neither budged when Azuma jumped into the boy's face. Said boy blinked. "Yes?"
Azuma grinned. "You're late." He glanced between the Repairer and the Candidate, an eyebrow going up. Hiead winced to himself, remembering that he was probably still damp from his... *ahem*... but looked straight ahead. "Take a dip?"
Practiced by now, Hiead's blush did not manifest itself on his face. Though Ikhny's did, Azuma's eyes were too trained on the other to notice. He gave up after a minute and stood. "Well, it's a good thing that you're in time to hear the news."
His was Hiead's eyebrow this time that went up. Azuma abruptly burst into laughter. When he realized he had done it out loud, he turned and composed himself before speaking, a faint blush of embarrassment gracing his nose. "Excuse me. Anyway, it's about time that we tested your knowledge of your partner's abilities--"
"ALL RIGHT!" exclaimed Yamagi, pumping his fist in the air, causing Tsukasa to blush. "Easy grade! Ya--"
"-by switching partners." There. He did it. Azuma looked around to see the damage.
The remainder of Yamagi's cheer died in his throat. He blinked, then looked around, dazed. "Hunh?"
"I think he means, 'What are you talking about, Instructor?'" supplied Tsukasa in a somewhat diluted daze.
Wrecka coughed. "I think I'm going to have to agree with Mr. Elaborate over there."
"What I mean, is that you guys are switching partners." He made a dramatic pause and pulled out his clipboard with great gusto. "The pairings are Clay and Wrecka, Roose and Tsukasa, Yamagi and Saki, Zero and Ikhny, and finally, Hiead and Kizna."
The look of total astonishment on every face nearly put the scheming Instructor into hysterics, but he maintained his 'almighty' look for the sake of the plan. "Hey, you Candidates, why do you look so surprised?"
/No, NO, NO NO NO NO NO!/ Zero's mouth moved, but nothing he could do could force a word out.
The remaining boys and girls, on the other hand, were ALL words.
"Instructor, you can't POSSIBLY expect me to-
"I can't believe you are sticking me with THAT--"
"What the h--"
"AZUMA you dirty--"
"QUIET!" he erupted after twenty seconds of vibrant complaints from the two. They both bit their tongues to avoid pissing off the excited Instructor more than necessary. He gave them all a stern look. "This is training. You're going to be doing a lot of things you don't like so well, so suck it up and just do it."
"What exactly are we doing, Instructor?" managed Kizna through her teeth. She blinked when Azuma gave her a striking grin.
"How about you hear the purpose first? The purpose of these assignments is to first and foremost, further your sensitivity to your Pilot and your Repairer--"
"But how can we do that if we're doing the report on someone else's Repairer?" asked Zero, also through his teeth. Kizna winced as she looked down and realized his hands were clenched tightly in fists.
"If you let me FINISH, idiot, you'd find out!" He came within a hair of Zero's nose. "The absence of your REPAIRER, Enna, is supposed to make you SENSITIVE, Enna, to the differences between your given PARTNER, Enna, and your CANDIDATE. You will submit a report to me by the end of the month--" He turned to glare as everyone who had gasped "-YES, MONTH, listing every single DIFFERENCE, Enna, between your original REPAIRER, Enna, and your given PARTNER, Enna. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR??"
Enna himself wiped his nose and nodded sharply. "Yes."
Significant pause.
"But I still don't get why we're doing this."
Everyone sweatdropped.
Kizna recovered enough from shock to agree with her partner. "Zero's right. I think it would be pretty obvious what the differences between our partners would be," the last comment aimed daggers in tow toward the object of her torture. The boy himself turned and gave her a heated smirk.
"You're to list every nuance in personality, speed, brain power--" this one aimed toward Zero, with a laugh, "-- physical ability, and anything else I can think of between now and the end of this month," stated Azuma, eyes on the warring pair, barely avoiding a grin, "and you had better not skip a detail or each of you will be running deck to hull 24 hours a day, no exaggeration."
There were various moans and groans, eventually muted out by several punctual glares from the Instructor himself. Everyone seemed to be content [and I use this term very very loosely] when suddenly--
"WE HAVE TO SWITCH PARTNERS?!?!" exploded Zero suddenly, causing Azuma to bite his tongue. Barely missing a beat he grabbed Zero by the collar and lifted him until he was on his tip toes.
"DID YOU LISTEN TO A WORD I SAID?!"
"I KNEW we had to turn in a report, but I didn't know that we had to switch partners! I refuse!"
A vein popped out in his forehead. "WHAT did you say?"
"I SAID I REFUSE!" said Zero louder.
"I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID!!"
"Then why'd you ask me to repeat it?!" retorted the dark-haired boy. Azuma's face turned red and he threw Zero on the ground.
"That's it! You start exercises right NOW!" He spun around, daring anyone to rebel. Needless to say, no one did. He pointed savagely in one direction. "EVERYONE TO THEIR PRO-INGS NOW!!!!!" The minute Azuma was out of sight Hiead rushed for Zero's throat in a rage.
"I knew it! This is all your fault you IDIOT!" He violently began to shake the other boy.
"Hiead, NO!" yelled Ikhny, but she could do nothing but stare at Zero struggle.
"Let go of me!" Zero's fist connected soundly with the right side of Hiead's face. They both jumped into fighting stances, absolutely furious. "I don't know WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS, but _I_ didn't cause it!"
Kizna ran between the two and held Zero back, angry and pleading at the same time. "Don't do this Zero, please! You'll get kicked out!"
His gaze swung to her. "What, do you WANT this to happen Kizna?! Hunh?"
She stared at him and her anger returned. "I can't believe you'd say that! Of course not! Why WOULD I??"
The rest of the students ran over and Hiead and Zero were forced farther apart. Saki took charge.
"All right you two, cut it out! None of us were particularly prepared for this, but this is no way to react!"
"All I know," growled Zero, "is you better keep your hands off _my_ Repairer. You hear me Hiead?!"
Hiead snarled. "You'd better watch YOURSELF. If something happens to my Repairer, expulsion or not, your head is MINE." He shook off Yamagi and Wrecka and walked toward his Pro Ing. Zero shook off his own weighs and began to head off. He remembered himself and turned to Kizna.
"Kizna, if he hurts you, you know that I'm coming after him, and please don't hate me if something happens to me, okay?"
"Zero--" He stalked off before she could finish. She stared after him. "What has Azuma gotten us into?"
Aight aight aight! That's it for this chapter, ya'll! Want to crush? Want to kiss? Want to destroy? Ahahahah! This is soooo much fun! O.o
Next Chapter: The operation is underway! Will Azuma end up with more than he bargained for, or will they start to like their new partners *better* than their old ones? Don't ask me, I don't know yet! Let's just say that I'm bloody well glad that I'm not Azuma right now. ^_^