The second mask is revealed: see first installment for disclaimers.
So, I assume everybody figured out the pairing for the previous installment. In case you couldn't tell, it was Karin angsting over everyone's favorite budding journalist, Erika. Speaking of Erika, it's her turn to take the spotlight for a time, as she muses over her own secret crush. Think you know who it is? Guess again… Remember, I said this was going to have different and more unusual pairings featured. This is a 'girl loves boy' pairing, though I doubt it will meet with much popularity…
~ * Mask of Annoyance * ~
The number one motto one has to keep in mind at all times when in my profession is to "Expect the Unexpected".
It's that phrase above all others – even "The Public has a Right to Know" and "A Reporter Acts as the Public's Eyes and Voice" – that has kept me going so long.
Time and again, my work and the never-ending pursuit of the next big story has led me to a variety of new places and experiences: from the steamy underworld that haunts the back alleys at night, to a huge competition with a shadowmaster pulling the strings on his puppets, to the heart of darkness and back again.
Time and again, I've overcome all obstacles and ended up on top, with amazing stories to tell for it. The risks and dangers I've always faced – even when they seemed insurmountable, like being cornered on a rooftop by the bad guys or the betrayal of a close friend – have never been able to stop me. No matter what perils fate has thrown me, I've always pulled through and gotten the best of the situation.
Still, there are some things that can put even a genius ace reporter destined for greatness flat on her back and stunned, wondering "Okay, now what the hell do I do?"
I suppose it's only fitting that one of those things still capable of knocking me for a loop would be my love life… such as it is.
Another cardinal rule in journalism is that one must never become too emotionally involved with whatever assignment you're working on. Oh, it's perfectly all right to show some sympathy for the victims, especially if you're reporting a great tragedy – the public loves to see tears, just as much as they love to see suffering and pain.
That last may sound cynical, but from my personal experiences I can honestly say I believe that to be true. As loud as the crowd cheers when they watch somebody fight with all their heart for a win, they cheer and scream all the louder in appreciation for the other's losing, vain struggle. Nothing's a bigger crowd pleaser than an upset, or a fall from grace.
Just another lesson life behind the lens has been teaching me. Too bad I learned it a bit too late to completely save myself from a lot of pain and suffering.
Detachment from the subject is very important, or it's likely your heart will be shattered sooner or later by your foolish emotional involvement. I broke that very important rule some time ago, while working on my biggest story, ironically enough, the one that is further establishing my career even now.
I… loved Ikki Tenryou.
It really wasn't fair when you think about it: I knew Ikki long before he ever found that rare medal and bought Metabee. We've been best friends since practically before grade school, meeting when we were much younger and sticking together for all this time. We've shared so much, built so many memories together.
Ikki was my first 'boyfriend', in that he was both a boy and my friend. He wasn't always running off to do things with the guys, which was good, since I didn't exactly have a ton of friends among the girls. I guess I've always been a bit of a tomboy, in that I liked getting down and dirty and maybe roughhousing a little lots more than I did sitting quietly and playing dolls or drinking nonexistent tea from plastic cups.
Ikki was my first kiss, back when we were both eight and growing a bit more confused about the opposite gender. It was just a quick secret experiment, a quick peck on the cheek on my part, but it was still the first time I'd ever dared kiss a guy other than my father.
I still remember hearing the now-familiar click of a shutter lens, and turning to see Brass crouching half-hidden behind a tree with a camera, giggling like mad. That was also the day we learned that despite having short legs, Brass can run when given proper motivation. Having a pair of incensed, shrieking kids chasing after you with intent to kill or at least dismantle also does nicely for motivation.
Come to think of it, I never did find out where she hid the pictures… I kind of forgot about them after a few fruitless searches, when better and more interesting things turned up to distract me. Maybe I should look for those later…
So, anyway, how could anyone blame me for having a crush on the boy? Even if I had somehow known he would one day become one of the best medafighters around, and the hottest story ever to pop up right under my nose, how could I have stopped those feelings from developing?
Ikki is everything a girl could want. He's funny, cute, strong-willed, compassionate, determined, and eager to see things through to the end no matter what…
And there's one more, completely vital thing to know about him: Ikki is completely oblivious to my feelings.
It's pathetic, really. I bet I could hang a huge, flashing sign around my neck that proclaimed, "ERIKA LOVES IKKI!" in fluorescent red letters and go about my normal routine of following him around all the time, and he still wouldn't notice. The only way it might catch his eye is if I hung the sign on a medabot he hadn't fought yet – and even then, he'd be more interested in another robattle to further improve his ranking than anything else.
Besides, he's already chosen somebody as the lucky recipient of his undying affection.
Karin. Also referred to commonly in my thoughts as 'the red-dead-in-the-head', 'the fool', 'the naïve idiot', 'the over-sheltered rich girl'… The litany goes on and on, with those being some of the more polite nicknames she's acquired.
From the moment I first laid eyes on her – and saw how Ikki reacted to her – I knew I didn't stand a chance. Karin is every young man's dream girl: beautiful, caring, charming… and completely clueless. But then, looks have always been more treasured than brains when it comes to finding an ideal girlfriend.
After all, who cares if she got something missing up there so long as the packaging is perfect?
I spent so long trying to compete with her, trying to win Ikki's affections back – as if I really had them in the first place – all the while with part of me already knowing it was a lost cause. It didn't matter that Ikki was my childhood friend, my crush, mine long before she ever waltzed into our lives…
Karin's too ignorant to recognize the concept of 'I was here first, so BACK OFF, sister!'
Her ignorance is the worst part of the whole thing. If she loved Ikki back just as much as I cared for him, that would be one thing. It would still be painful, but I could have moved on a lot easier knowing that they shared true, honest love.
Sadly, that's far from the case. Not only does Ikki have competition – mostly from his rival Koji, who does recognize the concept of 'I was here first, she's MINE', ironically enough – but Karin's never really shown signs of caring for him in the same way. She treats him just like she does all her other suitors – a pretty smile, a pat on the head, toss him a bone now and then…
Sit, Ikki, sit! Good boy…
It's infuriating. I've tried so many times to get him to see the truth – that she only sees him as a friend, nothing more – but he ignores me. Tells me it's none of my business. That I don't know anything about true love, and should just butt out.
Maybe you're right, Ikki. Maybe I don't really know much about true love.
But I do know enough to figure out that when somebody doesn't return your affections, then it's time to move on.
Oh, it took me long enough to finally decide it was time to break away from the vicious cycle. A lot of lonely nights crying into my pillow, pouring my heart out to Brass, and trying to convince myself it was best to find another.
Of course Ikki's still my friend. No matter what happens, he'll always be my childhood playmate, longtime friend, and biggest scoop.
But I shifted my attentions to another – one I thought for a time might actually be the special somebody I was searching for.
When word came to me of a stranger that breezed into town, getting mistaken for Ikki and causing a real scene, part of me wondered if that might actually be a bit of a sign. Maybe, just maybe, this newcomer might help me get over my broken heart, and give me someone else to focus on other than my main source of stories.
Reporting almost exclusively about Ikki's exploits was getting a little tiresome, anyway. Especially with the fact that so-called 'real' reporters were starting to muscle in on my territory now that he was number three in all Japan.
About the last thing I expected when I set out to find out more about this mysterious 'Ikki-impersonator' was a living ball of energy with the wildest hair and brightest, most open eyes I'd ever seen.
I'll freely admit the fact that I was a bit disappointed at first. I mean, here I'm secretly hoping for mister 'tall, dark and handsome' and what do I get? 'Small, bright and… okay, kinda cute…'
The thing is, for all my initial surprise, I ended up finding myself more and more interested in the kid. It soon dawned on me just why: he reminds me of everything I used to admire in Ikki when we were younger and growing up together.
Adventurous, optimistic, determined, strong-willed, cheerful, always there for you when you're in trouble, finding something new and wonderful in every new experience, no matter what…
But before I could even sort out my confused feelings and realize just what was happening, it happened again. Or, rather, she happened again.
Damn her.
Damn her, damn her, damn her!
Just when I found somebody that might help me get out of this pit of despair I tumbled into when I lost Ikki, she comes by and shoves me right back in.
Why couldn't she be satisfied with what she has? The entire male population of her school fawning after her, plus my childhood friend and first crush, and now my second…?!
I hate her. I hate her so much.
I wish she would just die, just end up in the wrong place at the right time and get herself killed, and then all those boys who've fallen under her spell will snap out of it and start actually finding lives of their own again.
Maybe then, all the other girls might stand a chance.
Maybe then, Ikki would recognize what he's lost because of his chasing an untouchable dream.
Maybe then, I could try to move on with the help of my new crush, and find my own future beyond that of being a world-famous reporter.
Even though it's unprofessional to dream…