OKaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. can we all say that last chapter was
a joke? ::laughter:: Yes, no kidding, right? I still don't know what I was
on. I looked over it a few days ago [not having touched it for darn near a
month] and was slack-jawed myself [slack-jawed has become a permanent
fixture of my vocab]. Haha! WELL ANYWAY. I'm not usually the type of person
who is constructive enough to go back and edit chapters. maybe I'll edit
that one in a week [aka twenty years], but for now it's here to stay. I
have a pretty good idea of how to make it not so. uh.. whoa, but I don't
have time at the moment.. sorta ^_^; So here we go, another chapter, to
help us get on track to where things make just SLIGHTLY more sense.
Now... thanks, as always to: Aynslesa [::blinks as well:: Trust me... I wasn't expecting that either =P], saiya-jin royalty [Hey, at least you were honest. ::grin:: Yes, you interesting fiend person you...], Soleia Nova [yesyesyesyes. Haihaihaihaihai. ::breathes:: Whew. Oh, and your "Go Ikhny Go Ikhny" was more ironic than I thought O_O], Blank [... sure, why not =P], Xaphrin [::big hug and high fives:: I owe you a bunch. Where's your next, ne? NENENENENENE?? Oh yeah, and go read hers =P], Hinel [I hope that after all this time they are not still trying. O_O You would be a truly strong person. And not, I am not trying to kill you... just make you laugh so I can watch the mouth-taping thing. That would be an excellent way to pass the time .], The Sports Geek [::hysterical laughter... slowly stops and face has a rare thoughtful look:: You know... I've never seen that line before... ... ... ... Ahhhhhh well!], Tezza [As always! ::stares... then bursts into hysterical laughter:: I forgot how much I missed getting shocked by those monkey soldiers. Good luck with your campaign, and... I know... all of those characters... YEAH! GO OTAKU!], KawaiiDragon2 [O_O Yes, very alike. I will gladly continue. Just don't become the same person and show up at my door. That tends to scare me =P], Lalita [::trying to decide whether or not to hand Lalita water, because she doesn't want Lalita to die from laughter but also doesn't want Lalita to choke on the water... decides to give water:: Hai, boss-lady.].
::pant:: mary-chan [O_O... er... thank you for clearing that up... O_O I think... ::shudder:: And I would have a nightmare if I saw Azuma with a rack. ::thinks:: Okay, scratch that. I would have a nightmare plus two heartattacks. Ah, and INUYASHA IS COOL! ::pants... grin::], Mihoshi [::jumps up and down to mantra, then realizes she's the only one jumping up and down:: Um, he he? ::hysterical laughter:: Your energy is contagious. Double arigatou gozaimasu. Yes, and where's your next chapter, ne? I still think number four... ::sly look::], Shadow [I thoroughly enjoy your ability to list adjectives ::cries:: Can I borrow it? ::grin and bow:: Yesseree. Now I have two bosses. ::counts... loses track:: Yeah. I will!], Ichan [OooOOoooh, good question. ::scratches small brain:: Trying to decide whether I want to add another complication... ::mischevious grin:: Well, what else are ficcy writers for, right? Haha. And here's more chocolate.], sany-chan [I get these wacky ideas from... ::opens hand and small koala appears:: These little buggers. ::hands sany-chan koala:: Take one. Then you, too, will be a randomness author. Cheers. ::grin:: PS: I wanna know what happens to them too. ::nervous laugh:: Yeah...], DJ Independence [A lot of people have been calling me that lately. ::laugh:: A paradoxiblahsumethindoodiday O_O =P], JiYouNg [Hai! =P], NovArtist [Another person trying to get me in trouble. ::pulls out brand:: Yeah, another! Though, you reminded me... there *will* be a separate H/K story coming this week! ::ducks and runs away before she can hear a response::], and digichan9 [::shrieks:: Enough with the puppy dog eyes! ::shudders:: I did it! I did it! Haha. I hurried, ne?]
Well, at least I'm glad I'm out of breath! That means somebody likes it. ^_^ Thank you, all of you.
Warnings: More slight slight slight cute Z/K fluff. Um... yeah. Ugh. I just could not get it right. Yeah... I just left it. I'll go back and fix it when I figure it out. ^_^
-------------------Towryk Eyes Pt. 7-------------------------------
At this point, everyone was a little too traumatized to actually give a significantly shocked response to the boy that had been punched in the face. Holy cracker barrels --- this was way too much to absorb. ESPECIALLY within a fifteen minute timeframe.
The boy in question laid in shock upon the floor, on his BACK no less. Still managing to remain slack-jawed, he awarded a sufficiently perturbed expression upon the doppelganger of his heretofore meek and mild Repairer. It was enough to make his head spin.
And yours as well, ne? NE??
Anyway, Azuma's immediate [albeit juvenile] reaction was to laugh.
"INSTRUCTOR!"
"QUIET!!" he ordered, more out of habit than anger. He took an experimental step forward, breathing a sigh of relief when he didn't tip over. /You know things are weird when you consciously have to stop yourself from tipping over because of your ---/ He froze and blocked the thought. He didn't want himself zoning out again. He let loose another heavy sigh and tried to survey the damage.
First there was Hiead, laying in as much shock as a cold-hearted jerk could bear to spare. At his feet stood a girl who looked like Ikhny except. I dunno.. _with_ self resolve. At least, that's the best that anyone could really say about her since it was the first time they had seen her. Her hair was a little bit darker and she didn't have her trademark glasses. In their stead, a soon to be trademark smirk lingered on her face. After a moment it turned into obvious disgust and she snorted, turning away from Hiead and shifting her glare to Azuma. "Got an eye problem?" Almost as if on cue she looked down and upon seeing his chest, burst into insanely disturbing laughter. Her dark eyes sparked with ridicule --- no--- _evil_. Yeah. That's what it was. "Nice bust, Hijikata. I'm sure you'll work your way up the G.O.A. social ladder without a hitch!!"
"WHAT?!" growled the offended, but before he could get far enough into a rant about the protection of _his_ bust, Rill threw her a look loaded with so much frost that the Ikhny's cheeks tingled.
"Excuse YOU, whatever the freak you are, but those aren't _his_."
Ikhny returned a similar look. "So. lost your livelihood, eh Rill?" Another evil smirk crossed her face. "Looks like you're off G.O.A. on the next shipment. Azuma hasn't got any other reason to keep you around now that he doesn't have to pay for the object of his ogling. Life's that way sometimes." Rill's face burned.
"U-um, excuse me," began the forgotten Ikhny meekly, rising from the floor, but another angry look from her twin knocked her back on the floor with a frightened 'eep'. "S-sorry."
"Hey, you leave her alone!" blurted Kizna immediately. Her mind took a second to take into account the fact that she was protecting Ikhny from --- well --- Ikhny --- but she shook the thought from her mind. She might as well focus on something was wasn't WEIRD. Like argue. That ALWAYS works.
The addressed Ikhny gave Kizna a critical once over. "I don't take orders from Milo*."
"From WHO?!"
"Nevermind, kitty." The Ikhny swept her hair behind her head. "I haven't got time to play with you. I've got much bigger, better, and less odd- looking fish to fry." Everyone unconsciously twitched when she cast her disdainful glaze over the rest of them and grinned. "Ta ta." And with this, Ikhny #2 waltzed out the door.
Everyone except Kizna relaxed. Nevermind the fact that she was _gone_, but the freak had called her... Called her.. some name she didn't know! And she didn't like it!
A small happy moan sounded behind her and she turned her head to see Zero's face slightly pink. She blinked. "Uh, Zero?"
He smiled happily and shifted his right leg. "Ah, that's nice..." She looked down to see that her tail, which seemed as pissed as she was, had chosen to work it out by thrashing against his leg.
"Hey, cut that out!" The scolded tail stopped abruptly and sulkily made its way back to her side. It twitched annoyedly every couple of seconds.
"Kizna?" Everyone collectively [don't ask why, de gozaru] turned to look at the other Ikhny in fear. The Ikhny eeped in fear, causing the others to relax visibly. They all turned their attention away from her. She turned her frightened gaze back to Kizna, who moved to her half in annoyance and half in sympathy. Sometimes you really couldn't get mad at a true weakling. .
"What is it, Ikhny?"
"Thank you for... for protecting me from her," she whisphered a tiny smile on her face. "You're... you're a good friend."
Kizna gave her a weak smile. "Sure, no problem. Now, though... Where did that second Ikhny come from?"
The Ikhny's response was cut off when a movement from the right attracted her attention. Kizna turned to see Hiead finally rise and dust himself off. He paused in the middle to abruptly look in their direction. When the Ikhny remaining gave a tiny 'eep,' he gave her an unreadable look and walked out the door.
It was Clay's voice this time that cut the silence. "Shouldn't we be stopping them?"
"Good riddance to BOTH OF them," replied Rill bitterly. She cast a baleful glance down at her lacking parts and sighed heavily.
Clay stared at her. "Something really, REALLY big just happened here. You're the doctor, right DOCTOR Rill? As interesting as I find all these changes to be, shouldn't YOU be quarantining them or something? You know, just in case it's some sort of contagious thing?"
Rill pointedly looked down at her chest again and back up at him. "Contagious?"
The boy blushed lightly and pushed up his glasses. "Well, maybe not, but these things should be studied! I mean, would could be on the verge of some phenomenal breakthrough! What if we could somehow --- yes! What if we could somehow find a way to enhance human EX?! If we could control it's effects we could ---"
He finally snapped out of it and realized that Rill was walking out of the room. She paused and turned around.
"Listen. I, for one, am all for a little rest and relaxation." Another look down. "This is going to take some getting used to. I think I'd better start now." And with an odd look on her face, the good doctor made her way out the door.
*Thank goodness she's gone. That woman is one horror to behold.*
"No joke. I wouldn't trade her for a--" Yamagi blinked and turned slowly to Tsukasa with a heavy sigh. "I keep forgetting. Man, this is really going to take some getting used to."
"*I know,*" responded she both in thought speak and normal speak. Yamagi shivered.
"Tsukasa, that is just... _weird_! Can ya try not to do that?"
A hurt expression flashed across her face, but Yamagi was too short to notice it [ . ]. She bowed her head a little, then after a moment of thought lifted it again and stared him straight in the eye.
"I'll be in the Relaxation room." With a stiff nod, Tsukasa then departed from the band of oddballs [no pun intended]. Saki watched Tsukasa leave, then turned to Yamagi and smiled blindingly. He eyeballed her wearily.
"What?"
*THWACK*
"You know, for a long time I thought that Clay was the most socially unacceptable Candidate in the whole of G.O.A.--" She stopped short, putting her arm down and looking slowly at bedraggled Clay. After a moment of staring contemplatively into his eyes, she continued solemnly. "I felt the urge to say that you were, but a moment of logical thought told me you only took second." She smiled crookedly. "Sorry about hitting you."
Yamagi reeled, spluttering. "Why you--!"
"HEY!"
Kizna's tail whipped dangerously and a tiger-like gleam sparked in her eyes. "Think about it."
The purple-haired boy laughed nervously and patted Saki's arm. "-- brilliant, sensuous young woman. Excuse me." Aforementioned boy skedadled out the door. Azuma giggled, drawing the remaining attention to himself. He wrapped his arms around himself as best he could considering, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Delving into his old personality, he threw a heated glare at the last four.
"What are you looking at??"
Instead of answering, they all burst into hysterical laughter. Clay was the first able to the speak, wiping his eyes from beneath his glasses.
"Interesting that you should say that, Instructor. You would think it would be obvious."
"Haha! Look at the girly man! Girly man girly man!"
"Zero - he he - THAT - ha ha - IS NOT - eeehee hee - NICE - bwahahahhahaha!"
"YOU ALL ARE SOO MEAN!!" squealed Azuma. Everyone halted immediately, staring blankly as the Instructor burst into tears and flung himself from the room, arms raised and flopping awkwardly at his sides to avoid running into his new assets. It was ludicrous in it's stereotypicality.
Funny, but disturbing none the less. No one felt the urge to laugh anymore.
"I just want you all to know that no one else in our quadrant runs like a girl,*" managed Zero. Kizna gave him a dirty look, but he only blinked back. "What? I'm serious."
"Well, it looks like the votes are in," began Saki. "Everyone's left. As much as I don't like it, I don't think we have a real choice. We'd better get back to our rooms and assess the damage from there." She took one quick glance around and shuddered involuntarily. "I feel like this place is a disease within itself. If I don't get outta here I'm gonna catch whatever EX virus you people contracted."
"Your vote of confidence is always appreciated, Saki."
"Don't mention it. So troops, let's up and freakin atom up outta here."
They just about scrambled over each other to get out and nearly ran into the very, very LATE group of G.O.A. workers and drones on the way to survey the damage and clean up the mess. A number of inquiring outbursts rang out from the room and the candidates and repairers broke into sprints. They'd had enough for one day.
At least most of them had. On the other hand, the day of one individual was only beginning. Or, the half of one. Whatever.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Yawn. "Man... I'm getting tired. I think the simplicity of those people wore me out." The speaker stretched lazily and paused in the middle of the hallway. Question marks circled around her head. "What the Jimminy? Where am I?"
Voices sounded down the hallway and she ducked behind a doorway. The voices grew louder.
"-good to be back on G.O.A.!" An exaggerated yawn accompanied the loud voice and the speaker sighed. "I wonder if the gruel's the same. It would be great to come home to a delicious meal for once."
"You've stuffed your face for hours. If you speak one more time about food..."
"But I'm HUNGRY!!"
The hidden person got a good look at the two, matching the voices with the bodies. The pained look on the face of the first boy dubbed him as the second speaker. He tiredly ran a hand through his sea green hair before disappearing down the other hallway. The other tall boy, one with spiky brown hair, dressed mostly in orange, crossed his arms behind his head and followed with a brilliant smile. "Oi, Garu, you know I'm kidding, right?"
"Hn."
"Hey. Talk to me."
"..."
"Seriously! Garu!"
"If you're going to wine, go back to GIS!"
"That's harsh..." The voices trailed off and the hidden was left alone again. A moment of thought and a devilish grin later, a dark brown pair of eyes looked down the hallway where the boys had come from.
"GIS, hunh? I wonder..." A quick glance and the dark shape flittered down the hallway.
Uh oh.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Zero and Kizna arrived the girl's housing quarters in a very weary state. They hadn't spoken the whole way. In fact, half of Kizna wondered why the boy had even bothered to walk her back, but didn't want to disturb the concentrated look on his face. She had seen a number of emotions cross his face this day, but one of thought hadn't been one of them. A sweatdrop appeared on the right side of her face.
/It would be better for his brain for me to let him think. I think./
"Kizna."
"Yes?"
Zero slowed to a stop and cautioned a careful glance at girl's tail. It was a fight for him to bring his eyes back up to her face. /Stupid, stupid boy brain./ "I was wondering... do you feel any different?"
"No," said Kizna without hesitating. Actually, she hadn't stopped to think about it. She didn't _think_ she felt any different. However... "Hmmm?" She stared closely at him. "Why?"
He shifted nervously under the look. "I was just making sure. I don't know... I wasn't really thinking about your safety when it all happened. It was so sudden..."
She twitched. /Irk./ "Well, um, thank you for your honesty, Zero." /I think./
He raised his eyes again and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. /I still can't say it./ He closed it and wracked his brain. /C'mon, Zero, think of something that doesn't sound so _stupid_... heck, _anything_.../
Kizna shifted nervously. /Uh oh. He's giving me that look again./
/Say the first thing that comes to your mind./
/I have to say something! This is really wigging me out!/ She pushed a nonexistent strand of hair behind one of her eyes and forced a non-nervous smile. "Well Zero, thanks a lot for walking me back to my room..."
/No, not the first thing that comes to your mind! That's what makes people think you're so STUPID, _stupid_!/
There was an unreadable look that spread over Zero's face. He tilted his head down a little. "U-um..."
/Hey you! Get moving!/
The pink-haired girl raised an eyebrow and leaned in a little bit. "Zero? I think--"
"I REALLY LIKE YOUR EARS!!!" exploded the boy unexpectedly.
The force of the yell made them both step back from each other. There was discombobulated laughter somewhere far down the hallway and Zero reddened. "Uh... sorry. I mean...yeah, I really like your ears." /Yeah, that was smooth./
Kizna twitched, not really sure of what to say. "Um... thanks...?" /That was sudden./ She colored a little bit. "Um. should I ask you about the sudden interest in my ears? I've had them for a while now..."
The boy coughed. "Yeah, um, I guess I meant to say that I like your tail." /ARGGGGH!/ "Your ears and your tail." /shutupshutupshutupshutup/ "Your ears and your tail go well together. Er --- yourreallylooknicewithyourearsandyourtail. I mean, er, not that you looked bad or anything, but they make you look cool. Cooler. Uh, they look nice--- mpf."
His babbling was halted when Kizna's fingers wrapped themselves around his mouth. She stared at him for a moment, then let go. Her voice was neutral. "Better?"
He sighed heavily and nodded. "Thank you. I --- um..." He took half a step back when she raised her fingers again. "Hold on, I'm cool, but..." He braved two steps closer and hesitatingly placed a hand on top of her head. "I just wanted to say that... because I didn't want you to think that you looked like a freak or something. People can really be cruel sometimes..."
Kizna fought through the feeling in her chest. "Kind of like you when we first met?"
His face burned slightly. /Will she ever get over that? Eesh, some people./ "_Yeah_, but I really meant what I said then. You can hide your ears if you want, but I don't really care." He took his hand off and turned, earlier unease forgotten. "Even if your ears and tail suddenly drained your energy and you turned into a kitty or something and really sucked at being a Repairer -- "
The mood shattered again and Kizna was left annoyed. "Zero--!"
"We're _partners_." His blue eyes looked at her again. "Okay? I'm going to be a Goddess pilot no matter what." He turned the stopped. "Just... try not to turn into a kitty."
She whipped around and growled at him. He turned to reveal a mischevious grin before taking off at a full out run. He may have been a klutz when it came to emotions, but he was a basic animal that knew when to run when it was in dangerous. Most of the time.
Which left Kizna standing in the hallway stunned yet _again_. This really had been a weird, weird day. She blindly turned to open her door. Sleep. Yes... definitely going to get some sleep.
A smile unexpectedly spread across her face.
/Not./
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------
Maaaaaaaaaaaaan that was hard... hard to get back on track at least. ::laughs nervously:: I hope I did it right, but tell me if I didn't. I really appreciate all of your e-mails, reviews and suggestions. I mean, what would I be without them? /a writer without e-mails, reviews and suggestions. Durh/ Shut it. ::beatific smile:: Neeway... see you soon.
Next Chapter: More oddities anyone? ::sigh:: I'm afraid so, though they aren't going to be anywhere near the point of the situation. Clay's thoughts actually come out in this chapter. Really. Seriously. I'm not lying this time. Seriously! If you have any questions, you better tell me... T_T... OH! I nearly forgot. Yeah. Azuma still wants to continue with his plan. And what's that dastardly hidden figure doin' 'round GGIS? Yeah, you heard me. G. I. Frickin S. And please... please don't tell me... that the EX reaction affected the guys too?!? ::tears:: What the heck kind of story is this?! Please make it end!!!!!!
Now... thanks, as always to: Aynslesa [::blinks as well:: Trust me... I wasn't expecting that either =P], saiya-jin royalty [Hey, at least you were honest. ::grin:: Yes, you interesting fiend person you...], Soleia Nova [yesyesyesyes. Haihaihaihaihai. ::breathes:: Whew. Oh, and your "Go Ikhny Go Ikhny" was more ironic than I thought O_O], Blank [... sure, why not =P], Xaphrin [::big hug and high fives:: I owe you a bunch. Where's your next, ne? NENENENENENE?? Oh yeah, and go read hers =P], Hinel [I hope that after all this time they are not still trying. O_O You would be a truly strong person. And not, I am not trying to kill you... just make you laugh so I can watch the mouth-taping thing. That would be an excellent way to pass the time .], The Sports Geek [::hysterical laughter... slowly stops and face has a rare thoughtful look:: You know... I've never seen that line before... ... ... ... Ahhhhhh well!], Tezza [As always! ::stares... then bursts into hysterical laughter:: I forgot how much I missed getting shocked by those monkey soldiers. Good luck with your campaign, and... I know... all of those characters... YEAH! GO OTAKU!], KawaiiDragon2 [O_O Yes, very alike. I will gladly continue. Just don't become the same person and show up at my door. That tends to scare me =P], Lalita [::trying to decide whether or not to hand Lalita water, because she doesn't want Lalita to die from laughter but also doesn't want Lalita to choke on the water... decides to give water:: Hai, boss-lady.].
::pant:: mary-chan [O_O... er... thank you for clearing that up... O_O I think... ::shudder:: And I would have a nightmare if I saw Azuma with a rack. ::thinks:: Okay, scratch that. I would have a nightmare plus two heartattacks. Ah, and INUYASHA IS COOL! ::pants... grin::], Mihoshi [::jumps up and down to mantra, then realizes she's the only one jumping up and down:: Um, he he? ::hysterical laughter:: Your energy is contagious. Double arigatou gozaimasu. Yes, and where's your next chapter, ne? I still think number four... ::sly look::], Shadow [I thoroughly enjoy your ability to list adjectives ::cries:: Can I borrow it? ::grin and bow:: Yesseree. Now I have two bosses. ::counts... loses track:: Yeah. I will!], Ichan [OooOOoooh, good question. ::scratches small brain:: Trying to decide whether I want to add another complication... ::mischevious grin:: Well, what else are ficcy writers for, right? Haha. And here's more chocolate.], sany-chan [I get these wacky ideas from... ::opens hand and small koala appears:: These little buggers. ::hands sany-chan koala:: Take one. Then you, too, will be a randomness author. Cheers. ::grin:: PS: I wanna know what happens to them too. ::nervous laugh:: Yeah...], DJ Independence [A lot of people have been calling me that lately. ::laugh:: A paradoxiblahsumethindoodiday O_O =P], JiYouNg [Hai! =P], NovArtist [Another person trying to get me in trouble. ::pulls out brand:: Yeah, another! Though, you reminded me... there *will* be a separate H/K story coming this week! ::ducks and runs away before she can hear a response::], and digichan9 [::shrieks:: Enough with the puppy dog eyes! ::shudders:: I did it! I did it! Haha. I hurried, ne?]
Well, at least I'm glad I'm out of breath! That means somebody likes it. ^_^ Thank you, all of you.
Warnings: More slight slight slight cute Z/K fluff. Um... yeah. Ugh. I just could not get it right. Yeah... I just left it. I'll go back and fix it when I figure it out. ^_^
-------------------Towryk Eyes Pt. 7-------------------------------
At this point, everyone was a little too traumatized to actually give a significantly shocked response to the boy that had been punched in the face. Holy cracker barrels --- this was way too much to absorb. ESPECIALLY within a fifteen minute timeframe.
The boy in question laid in shock upon the floor, on his BACK no less. Still managing to remain slack-jawed, he awarded a sufficiently perturbed expression upon the doppelganger of his heretofore meek and mild Repairer. It was enough to make his head spin.
And yours as well, ne? NE??
Anyway, Azuma's immediate [albeit juvenile] reaction was to laugh.
"INSTRUCTOR!"
"QUIET!!" he ordered, more out of habit than anger. He took an experimental step forward, breathing a sigh of relief when he didn't tip over. /You know things are weird when you consciously have to stop yourself from tipping over because of your ---/ He froze and blocked the thought. He didn't want himself zoning out again. He let loose another heavy sigh and tried to survey the damage.
First there was Hiead, laying in as much shock as a cold-hearted jerk could bear to spare. At his feet stood a girl who looked like Ikhny except. I dunno.. _with_ self resolve. At least, that's the best that anyone could really say about her since it was the first time they had seen her. Her hair was a little bit darker and she didn't have her trademark glasses. In their stead, a soon to be trademark smirk lingered on her face. After a moment it turned into obvious disgust and she snorted, turning away from Hiead and shifting her glare to Azuma. "Got an eye problem?" Almost as if on cue she looked down and upon seeing his chest, burst into insanely disturbing laughter. Her dark eyes sparked with ridicule --- no--- _evil_. Yeah. That's what it was. "Nice bust, Hijikata. I'm sure you'll work your way up the G.O.A. social ladder without a hitch!!"
"WHAT?!" growled the offended, but before he could get far enough into a rant about the protection of _his_ bust, Rill threw her a look loaded with so much frost that the Ikhny's cheeks tingled.
"Excuse YOU, whatever the freak you are, but those aren't _his_."
Ikhny returned a similar look. "So. lost your livelihood, eh Rill?" Another evil smirk crossed her face. "Looks like you're off G.O.A. on the next shipment. Azuma hasn't got any other reason to keep you around now that he doesn't have to pay for the object of his ogling. Life's that way sometimes." Rill's face burned.
"U-um, excuse me," began the forgotten Ikhny meekly, rising from the floor, but another angry look from her twin knocked her back on the floor with a frightened 'eep'. "S-sorry."
"Hey, you leave her alone!" blurted Kizna immediately. Her mind took a second to take into account the fact that she was protecting Ikhny from --- well --- Ikhny --- but she shook the thought from her mind. She might as well focus on something was wasn't WEIRD. Like argue. That ALWAYS works.
The addressed Ikhny gave Kizna a critical once over. "I don't take orders from Milo*."
"From WHO?!"
"Nevermind, kitty." The Ikhny swept her hair behind her head. "I haven't got time to play with you. I've got much bigger, better, and less odd- looking fish to fry." Everyone unconsciously twitched when she cast her disdainful glaze over the rest of them and grinned. "Ta ta." And with this, Ikhny #2 waltzed out the door.
Everyone except Kizna relaxed. Nevermind the fact that she was _gone_, but the freak had called her... Called her.. some name she didn't know! And she didn't like it!
A small happy moan sounded behind her and she turned her head to see Zero's face slightly pink. She blinked. "Uh, Zero?"
He smiled happily and shifted his right leg. "Ah, that's nice..." She looked down to see that her tail, which seemed as pissed as she was, had chosen to work it out by thrashing against his leg.
"Hey, cut that out!" The scolded tail stopped abruptly and sulkily made its way back to her side. It twitched annoyedly every couple of seconds.
"Kizna?" Everyone collectively [don't ask why, de gozaru] turned to look at the other Ikhny in fear. The Ikhny eeped in fear, causing the others to relax visibly. They all turned their attention away from her. She turned her frightened gaze back to Kizna, who moved to her half in annoyance and half in sympathy. Sometimes you really couldn't get mad at a true weakling. .
"What is it, Ikhny?"
"Thank you for... for protecting me from her," she whisphered a tiny smile on her face. "You're... you're a good friend."
Kizna gave her a weak smile. "Sure, no problem. Now, though... Where did that second Ikhny come from?"
The Ikhny's response was cut off when a movement from the right attracted her attention. Kizna turned to see Hiead finally rise and dust himself off. He paused in the middle to abruptly look in their direction. When the Ikhny remaining gave a tiny 'eep,' he gave her an unreadable look and walked out the door.
It was Clay's voice this time that cut the silence. "Shouldn't we be stopping them?"
"Good riddance to BOTH OF them," replied Rill bitterly. She cast a baleful glance down at her lacking parts and sighed heavily.
Clay stared at her. "Something really, REALLY big just happened here. You're the doctor, right DOCTOR Rill? As interesting as I find all these changes to be, shouldn't YOU be quarantining them or something? You know, just in case it's some sort of contagious thing?"
Rill pointedly looked down at her chest again and back up at him. "Contagious?"
The boy blushed lightly and pushed up his glasses. "Well, maybe not, but these things should be studied! I mean, would could be on the verge of some phenomenal breakthrough! What if we could somehow --- yes! What if we could somehow find a way to enhance human EX?! If we could control it's effects we could ---"
He finally snapped out of it and realized that Rill was walking out of the room. She paused and turned around.
"Listen. I, for one, am all for a little rest and relaxation." Another look down. "This is going to take some getting used to. I think I'd better start now." And with an odd look on her face, the good doctor made her way out the door.
*Thank goodness she's gone. That woman is one horror to behold.*
"No joke. I wouldn't trade her for a--" Yamagi blinked and turned slowly to Tsukasa with a heavy sigh. "I keep forgetting. Man, this is really going to take some getting used to."
"*I know,*" responded she both in thought speak and normal speak. Yamagi shivered.
"Tsukasa, that is just... _weird_! Can ya try not to do that?"
A hurt expression flashed across her face, but Yamagi was too short to notice it [ . ]. She bowed her head a little, then after a moment of thought lifted it again and stared him straight in the eye.
"I'll be in the Relaxation room." With a stiff nod, Tsukasa then departed from the band of oddballs [no pun intended]. Saki watched Tsukasa leave, then turned to Yamagi and smiled blindingly. He eyeballed her wearily.
"What?"
*THWACK*
"You know, for a long time I thought that Clay was the most socially unacceptable Candidate in the whole of G.O.A.--" She stopped short, putting her arm down and looking slowly at bedraggled Clay. After a moment of staring contemplatively into his eyes, she continued solemnly. "I felt the urge to say that you were, but a moment of logical thought told me you only took second." She smiled crookedly. "Sorry about hitting you."
Yamagi reeled, spluttering. "Why you--!"
"HEY!"
Kizna's tail whipped dangerously and a tiger-like gleam sparked in her eyes. "Think about it."
The purple-haired boy laughed nervously and patted Saki's arm. "-- brilliant, sensuous young woman. Excuse me." Aforementioned boy skedadled out the door. Azuma giggled, drawing the remaining attention to himself. He wrapped his arms around himself as best he could considering, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Delving into his old personality, he threw a heated glare at the last four.
"What are you looking at??"
Instead of answering, they all burst into hysterical laughter. Clay was the first able to the speak, wiping his eyes from beneath his glasses.
"Interesting that you should say that, Instructor. You would think it would be obvious."
"Haha! Look at the girly man! Girly man girly man!"
"Zero - he he - THAT - ha ha - IS NOT - eeehee hee - NICE - bwahahahhahaha!"
"YOU ALL ARE SOO MEAN!!" squealed Azuma. Everyone halted immediately, staring blankly as the Instructor burst into tears and flung himself from the room, arms raised and flopping awkwardly at his sides to avoid running into his new assets. It was ludicrous in it's stereotypicality.
Funny, but disturbing none the less. No one felt the urge to laugh anymore.
"I just want you all to know that no one else in our quadrant runs like a girl,*" managed Zero. Kizna gave him a dirty look, but he only blinked back. "What? I'm serious."
"Well, it looks like the votes are in," began Saki. "Everyone's left. As much as I don't like it, I don't think we have a real choice. We'd better get back to our rooms and assess the damage from there." She took one quick glance around and shuddered involuntarily. "I feel like this place is a disease within itself. If I don't get outta here I'm gonna catch whatever EX virus you people contracted."
"Your vote of confidence is always appreciated, Saki."
"Don't mention it. So troops, let's up and freakin atom up outta here."
They just about scrambled over each other to get out and nearly ran into the very, very LATE group of G.O.A. workers and drones on the way to survey the damage and clean up the mess. A number of inquiring outbursts rang out from the room and the candidates and repairers broke into sprints. They'd had enough for one day.
At least most of them had. On the other hand, the day of one individual was only beginning. Or, the half of one. Whatever.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Yawn. "Man... I'm getting tired. I think the simplicity of those people wore me out." The speaker stretched lazily and paused in the middle of the hallway. Question marks circled around her head. "What the Jimminy? Where am I?"
Voices sounded down the hallway and she ducked behind a doorway. The voices grew louder.
"-good to be back on G.O.A.!" An exaggerated yawn accompanied the loud voice and the speaker sighed. "I wonder if the gruel's the same. It would be great to come home to a delicious meal for once."
"You've stuffed your face for hours. If you speak one more time about food..."
"But I'm HUNGRY!!"
The hidden person got a good look at the two, matching the voices with the bodies. The pained look on the face of the first boy dubbed him as the second speaker. He tiredly ran a hand through his sea green hair before disappearing down the other hallway. The other tall boy, one with spiky brown hair, dressed mostly in orange, crossed his arms behind his head and followed with a brilliant smile. "Oi, Garu, you know I'm kidding, right?"
"Hn."
"Hey. Talk to me."
"..."
"Seriously! Garu!"
"If you're going to wine, go back to GIS!"
"That's harsh..." The voices trailed off and the hidden was left alone again. A moment of thought and a devilish grin later, a dark brown pair of eyes looked down the hallway where the boys had come from.
"GIS, hunh? I wonder..." A quick glance and the dark shape flittered down the hallway.
Uh oh.
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Zero and Kizna arrived the girl's housing quarters in a very weary state. They hadn't spoken the whole way. In fact, half of Kizna wondered why the boy had even bothered to walk her back, but didn't want to disturb the concentrated look on his face. She had seen a number of emotions cross his face this day, but one of thought hadn't been one of them. A sweatdrop appeared on the right side of her face.
/It would be better for his brain for me to let him think. I think./
"Kizna."
"Yes?"
Zero slowed to a stop and cautioned a careful glance at girl's tail. It was a fight for him to bring his eyes back up to her face. /Stupid, stupid boy brain./ "I was wondering... do you feel any different?"
"No," said Kizna without hesitating. Actually, she hadn't stopped to think about it. She didn't _think_ she felt any different. However... "Hmmm?" She stared closely at him. "Why?"
He shifted nervously under the look. "I was just making sure. I don't know... I wasn't really thinking about your safety when it all happened. It was so sudden..."
She twitched. /Irk./ "Well, um, thank you for your honesty, Zero." /I think./
He raised his eyes again and opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. /I still can't say it./ He closed it and wracked his brain. /C'mon, Zero, think of something that doesn't sound so _stupid_... heck, _anything_.../
Kizna shifted nervously. /Uh oh. He's giving me that look again./
/Say the first thing that comes to your mind./
/I have to say something! This is really wigging me out!/ She pushed a nonexistent strand of hair behind one of her eyes and forced a non-nervous smile. "Well Zero, thanks a lot for walking me back to my room..."
/No, not the first thing that comes to your mind! That's what makes people think you're so STUPID, _stupid_!/
There was an unreadable look that spread over Zero's face. He tilted his head down a little. "U-um..."
/Hey you! Get moving!/
The pink-haired girl raised an eyebrow and leaned in a little bit. "Zero? I think--"
"I REALLY LIKE YOUR EARS!!!" exploded the boy unexpectedly.
The force of the yell made them both step back from each other. There was discombobulated laughter somewhere far down the hallway and Zero reddened. "Uh... sorry. I mean...yeah, I really like your ears." /Yeah, that was smooth./
Kizna twitched, not really sure of what to say. "Um... thanks...?" /That was sudden./ She colored a little bit. "Um. should I ask you about the sudden interest in my ears? I've had them for a while now..."
The boy coughed. "Yeah, um, I guess I meant to say that I like your tail." /ARGGGGH!/ "Your ears and your tail." /shutupshutupshutupshutup/ "Your ears and your tail go well together. Er --- yourreallylooknicewithyourearsandyourtail. I mean, er, not that you looked bad or anything, but they make you look cool. Cooler. Uh, they look nice--- mpf."
His babbling was halted when Kizna's fingers wrapped themselves around his mouth. She stared at him for a moment, then let go. Her voice was neutral. "Better?"
He sighed heavily and nodded. "Thank you. I --- um..." He took half a step back when she raised her fingers again. "Hold on, I'm cool, but..." He braved two steps closer and hesitatingly placed a hand on top of her head. "I just wanted to say that... because I didn't want you to think that you looked like a freak or something. People can really be cruel sometimes..."
Kizna fought through the feeling in her chest. "Kind of like you when we first met?"
His face burned slightly. /Will she ever get over that? Eesh, some people./ "_Yeah_, but I really meant what I said then. You can hide your ears if you want, but I don't really care." He took his hand off and turned, earlier unease forgotten. "Even if your ears and tail suddenly drained your energy and you turned into a kitty or something and really sucked at being a Repairer -- "
The mood shattered again and Kizna was left annoyed. "Zero--!"
"We're _partners_." His blue eyes looked at her again. "Okay? I'm going to be a Goddess pilot no matter what." He turned the stopped. "Just... try not to turn into a kitty."
She whipped around and growled at him. He turned to reveal a mischevious grin before taking off at a full out run. He may have been a klutz when it came to emotions, but he was a basic animal that knew when to run when it was in dangerous. Most of the time.
Which left Kizna standing in the hallway stunned yet _again_. This really had been a weird, weird day. She blindly turned to open her door. Sleep. Yes... definitely going to get some sleep.
A smile unexpectedly spread across her face.
/Not./
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Maaaaaaaaaaaaan that was hard... hard to get back on track at least. ::laughs nervously:: I hope I did it right, but tell me if I didn't. I really appreciate all of your e-mails, reviews and suggestions. I mean, what would I be without them? /a writer without e-mails, reviews and suggestions. Durh/ Shut it. ::beatific smile:: Neeway... see you soon.
Next Chapter: More oddities anyone? ::sigh:: I'm afraid so, though they aren't going to be anywhere near the point of the situation. Clay's thoughts actually come out in this chapter. Really. Seriously. I'm not lying this time. Seriously! If you have any questions, you better tell me... T_T... OH! I nearly forgot. Yeah. Azuma still wants to continue with his plan. And what's that dastardly hidden figure doin' 'round GGIS? Yeah, you heard me. G. I. Frickin S. And please... please don't tell me... that the EX reaction affected the guys too?!? ::tears:: What the heck kind of story is this?! Please make it end!!!!!!