Monkey see, Monkey do
Part I: The Long Trip Home
~~~~
Golly, I bet you were dreading this. You're crouched under the bed (with a laptop) cringing in horror at the approaching nightmare. The anxiety is making your hands tremble and your hair stand on end. But…never fear. Mimi isn't here.
Ha! Idiot got herself locked in the closet.
~~~~
CHAPTER 3: Neolithic
~~~~
"Yulie! Psst…Yulie!" The harsh whisper sounded from behind an old, dented van. Yulie started in surprise as he walked past it, trailing behind Ryo and Cye. He stopped with one foot raised in mid step and glanced around curiously. He couldn't see anyone in the field but himself and his older friends. There were several cars since the empty field also served as the parking lot for the farmers market.
"What?" Yulie asked softly, searching for the source of the voice. He began to inch cautiously around the van. "Who's there?"
The voice giggled. "Chou!" it answered. Yulie gasped in happy recognition.
"Chou!" he cried happily. No longer a whisper, the cry echoed loudly through the lot. Yulie ran to the other side of the van and grinned and at the young boy crouched there. Chou put a finger to his lips and shushed Yulie.
"Don't shout!" he admonished Yulie in a whisper, crouching farther down against the van. "Somebody'll find us."
Yulie blinked in puzzlement at this. "Who?"
Chou fixed him with a withering glare. "Your parents," Chou told him.
"Oh…" Yulie said, feeling a little inferior in the face of Chou's ready condescension. "But…my parents aren't here. There's just Ry-" Chou waved his hand, dismissing that.
"Fine. Babysitters," Chou agreed. "Now come on." He turned around and started sneaking behind parked cars, away from the farmers market. Yulie glanced a little nervously back towards Ryo and Cye but he could not see them from behind the van.
"But…" He turned back to Chou, who had stopped momentarily and was watching him. Chou grinned suddenly and Yulie had to grin back. Any hesitation gone, he followed Chou happily as the two boys took off across the parking lot.
~~~~
Sage pushed open the double doors and walked into the chilly September afternoon. The day was overcast and dreary and he felt it suited his less than cheerful mood. Minako followed behind him, catching the door before it closed and carrying her science book in her other hand. The other of the two doors banged shut loudly, the only sound. The two stood under the overhang, watching the empty parking lot in silence.
"Sage?" Minako asked, breaking the quiet.
Sage shifted in slight annoyance. He didn't really want to talk to Minako. "What?" he asked, his voice belying his irritation. Minako laid her graceful hand on his shoulder.
"You seem stressed," she whispered in her velvet voice. "Why?"
"My ride is late," he explained curtly.
"Oh," Minako said and rested her chin on top of her hand, leaning her head against his cheek. "I'm getting picked up in an hour…" she offered.
Only rigid self-control kept Sage from flinching away from her. Under different circumstances her contact might have been comforting -- like if she were a different person-- but now he couldn't stand the touch. "I'd like to leave," he said and there was a hint of harshness to his voice. "Now."
Minako pulled her hand from under her chin and wrapped it around his arm. She turned her head so her cold nose was pressing against his cheek. "Oh Sagie," she said and giggled a bit. "Aren't you being a little silly?" It was so…girly. So perfectly girly. Minako was wonderful at that. Every single one of her words and actions fit perfectly into that into that pink and lacey image. It was perfect.
Sage had never before encountered anything so contrived.
"Me?" he asked after a second. Minako pulled her head back, to Sage's great relief, so she could look him in the eye.
"What? Did you want to get away from meeeeee?" she teased. It was so cute; she even batted her eyes at him. He nearly jerked his arm away.
"Yes," he wanted to say, "I want to get away from you." But he didn't. "Minako," he admonished instead. Minako paused and then her arm unwound from his. He looked at her curiously.
"Of course, you do," she sighed and her breath caught. "I just knew-"
Sage was startled enough by the change in mood that he snapped, "Minako!" She could not possibly have guessed what he was thinking, could she? His sharp exclamation seemed to astonish her as well because she forgot her shyness and jerked her head up to stare at him in surprise. Sage took a breath. "What are you talking about?" he asked more calmly.
"You know-" she accused him, still a little wide-eyed.
"No. I don't." Sage scuffed his foot on the ground. Actually scuffed his foot on the ground. Like a little boy. "You don't make any sense!" he said, because she didn't and he was completely mystified.
"Sage!" she cried in protest. She sounded angry, but of course that didn't fit in with Minako's view of a dainty little schoolgirl. So she was trying to hide it. He whirled to face the wall.
"Go on, explain it then," he ordered.
Minako swallowed, suddenly unsure of herself and uncertain how Sage would react to a crying girl. "Well, you know that she's deaf, Sage. And-"
Sage turned suddenly back to her. "Oh, I have a thing for deaf girls now?" he retorted angrily and was surprised to hear his voice rise. "Why don't you go lose your hearing, Minako? You'll be irresistible."
He saw that he'd surprised her again, yelling like that. "Sage…" she said in confusion. Then her back stiffened and she continued courageously, "You're such a compassionate person, Sagie, and with her disability-"
Sage interrupted. "And how does compassion translate into…into…aaargh!" he finished in a frustrated yell. Minako flushed. Why was this explanation so hard? It had all made sense before! And now, it sounded so stupid…"You read too many romances," Sage accused.
"Well, you're the type of person who'd be kind-" Minako started but Sage interrupted again, his voice had dropped back down, now quiet and frustrated.
"So what is this- some kind of Cinderella story? The Prince sweeps the ragged maid off her feet? And why aren't you mad?" he demanded and his voice dropped to a confused whisper, "I'm yelling at you!" He reached out to put one hand on the wall and glowered silently at her.
As his voice lowered in volume and his demeanor regained some of its usual cool, Minako lost her some of her shock. There was no need to be uncertain, no need to pay attention to Sage's unusual behavior. Just forget about it. She became suddenly happy.
"Oh, Sagie," she cried. "You're being so cute!" And then of all the things she could do, she actually leaned in to kiss him. God, that girl! It was Sage's turn now to be astonished. By the time he recovered, she had very nearly done it. He ducked out of the way angrily before her lips could catch his and stalked off.
Minako turned to him with big doe eyes, but he refused to look at her. "Sage…what?" she asked and her eyes glistened, completely forgetting any reservations she had about crying in front of Sage. "There IS something isn't there- with you and her-"
At this, Sage whipped around, the heel of his shoe grinding into the pavement. Minako flinched. "And another thing…! I'm compassionate, am I? I'd be kind because she's deaf, is that right? How can you pretend these things –that I'm cute– when you start like a frightened rabbit the minute I actually react to any of this nonsense? You jump when I say more than two sentences together –look at yourself now– and you act like I've grown another head if I stop acting like an ice man and show any emotion besides arrogance! Don't try to tell me that any of this 'Oh, Sage, you're compassionate' is anything more than some STUPID romantic FANTASY."
Minako's lacey image shredded. She was furious. In her fury, that practiced helpless feminine demeanor melted away, and she lost her uncertainty. She snapped, taking threatening step towards him. She was even aggressive. "Oh don't act so high and mighty!" she said. "You're the one being rude here. Not even listening to me! AND you avoid the question. Now listen, can I finish a single sentence, Sage? Don't inter-"
"Ha!" Sage interrupted.
"Oh!" Minako cried.
"And you're still not making any sense."
Minako gasped at his audacity. As if he were the ultimate in logic… Did he understand how confusing he was? "I'm not making any sense…errrrrr!" she cried in frustration. "Then why won't you let me kiss you?" She pointed an accusing finger in his face.
That caught Sage off guard, drained his anger, and even made him a little pouty. "I never let you kiss me," he said defensively. Minako groaned again. Outside, it started to rain.
"Oh, don't I know that! Especially when they are- god forbid- people around." She gestured to the deserted parking lot under the dreary gray sky. "Nobody! And you won't ask for different lab partners. Why not? Why do you prefer her over ME? What's your reason?" she demanded.
Sage glared out at the falling water. "So now you can't resist me. I thought it was the redhead that was irresistible?" he snapped.
"Oh, aren't you the cool one?" Minako sneered, not unfazed. She was nearly as nervous as she was mad. Sage simply did not act like this.
Her mocking comment was more biting than she perhaps realized, and Sage's expression became horrified. It was a shock to be so utterly unable to control his anger. "Drop this right now!" he snapped helplessly. "It's ridiculous!"
Minako yelled right back, "Is it? Prove it!"
"Oh, I give up!"
Minako's voice dripped with sarcasm. She flung her hands up in the air in a jerky ungraceful motion. "So just like any other guy, the amazing Mr. Date starts yelling when he's mad. As little dignity as the rest of us!" she cried, her voice shrill.
"And you AREN'T yelling?"
"Call me tomboy!"
Sage was so angry he could not believe it. With a violent motion, he turned his back to her and scanned the parking lot. Where was Ryo? If he'd gotten here on time, this would not have happened. Ryo, hurry up! "God damn it, I don't care!" he said and turning, stormed past Minako into the school. Again her pale hand caught the door, straining against the weight of the metal.
"Sage!" Minako cried angrily. He didn't even turn, striding away from her down the hall.
"Go away!" he snapped and turning a corner, disappeared from sight.
Minako slammed the door in helpless fury. Staring and starting to cry, she didn't know what to do. "Sage…you asshole!" she screamed inelegantly after him and threw her textbook brutally at the door. It crashed against the metal with an echoing clang and fell lifelessly to the concrete. All around her was the pitter-patter of the uncaring rain.
~~~~
"Because I heard about it earlier and I thought it was weird, OKAY?" Rowen glared at his so-called friend and his…his…he snarled…landlady.
Kento threw up his hands defensively. "Dude, Ro! It's okay. We were just teasing."
"…" Rowen said intelligently.
"Gah, stop saying that!" Kento cried. He thumped Rowen on the back in a friendly manner, laughing.
"Hmph," Rowen snorted. Mia hid a smile behind her hand.
"Better," Kento said.
~~~~
"This." Sekhmet looked up at the sound of a voice addressing him. He jumped as a pair of silver earrings was shoved right in front of him, presumably for his examination. He watched them impassively. Or as impassively as he could, surrounded by countless unfamiliar people that seemed intent on trampling him beneath their designer shoes. He glared angrily at the earrings, as if they were the reason he was here.
"What," he demanded, "are they?"
"I would say they were jewelry. But you're the expert, not me." Kayura smiled at him. It was pleasant smile though he wished it weren't. If she were openly malicious then he could have something tangible to be angry with instead of half formed suspicions. They were half formed suspicions that were probably true, but he didn't technically know that. Kayura whirled, sending all her layers of multicolored silks fluttering. Sekhmet wondered that she did not step on one of them and fall.
A store clerk was passing by. Kayura caught his sleeve with her hand and his attention with a winsome smile. "Hello, could you tell me what this is exactly?" she asked. After a second or so she added, "Please." The clerk stared at her nervously, a little afraid even, because of course Kayura spoke entirely in Japanese and he did not understand a word.
Sekhmet sighed expansively and took her arm, pulling her away from the clerk. "What is…?" he managed, taking the earrings from Kayura and holding them out to the clerk. His English was exceedingly poor, but the man's relief lit up his face like a small sun. Kayura could be intimidating even in the most casual circumstances.
"Ah…that! Of course, those are a beautiful piece! Hand-made in Germany, actually. And they're on sale, if you'd notice this sign right here!" the clerk gesture enthusiastically to a bright piece of cardboard covered in incomprehensible writing. Kayura began to inspect it enthusiastically.
Sekhmet wondered briefly what the man had said. He gave the sign a cursory examination and then favored the babbling clerk with a skeptical stare. The clerk winced under that gaze. Sekhmet being who he was he did the evil eye very well.
"Er…can't read it, can you? I mean, not that that's bad…!" The clerk flushed with embarrassment as Sekhmet continued glaring at him. "I'll just go get some help?" he suggested weakly.
Sekhmet watched him go, bored. He didn't need a firm grasp of English to understand the gist of the clerk's chatter or the sign. He shoved the earrings back at Kayura. "They're something to buy. Like everything else."
"Oh. Well, let's buy them then."
"No."
"Sekhmet…" she pleaded. Then her eyebrows pulled down into a severe and disapproving frown. "I'm going to!" she declared and she strode off after the fleeing clerk. Sekhmet gaped after her in amazement. The feeling quickly faded as he was left wondering just how she was planning to buy a piece of semi-expensive jewelry with no English language and, more importantly, no English money.
He decided he'd better follow her.
~~~~
Cye closed the door of the empty jeep and paused, still holding the door handle. Where could Yulie be? He bent down, put a steadying hand on the grass and looked underneath the car. "Yulie?" he asked. No answer. He sighed. Of course there wasn't anybody there. Gravel crunched behind him with someone's approach.
Yulie?
No. Ryo was standing over him, a small brown paper bag under one arm. "Under the car?" Ryo asked curiously.
Cye reddened at the question. "Well, he could be hiding," he explained. Looking away from Ryo self-consciously, he brushed a stray ladybug off the sleeve of his coat.
"I dunno… You think he's playing hide and seek?" Ryo asked skeptically. Cye glared at him, causing Ryo to shift uncomfortably. "If he's in the farmer's market, I couldn't find him. And nobody's seen him," he reported, voice threaded with anxiety. "I got the kiwis…" He held up the bag.
"Well, he's not here." Cye rested a hand on the car door and stood, glancing at the overcast sky.
Ryo blinked. "It took you this long to look in one car?"
"I think not!" Cye sniffed. "I walked around the lot, but he wouldn't answer me. So he's either not here or hiding, like I said," he added defensively.
"Or maybe somebody ran him over..." Ryo murmured. A light breeze ruffled his dark hair.
"Ryo!" Cye cried in protest and shivered a bit as the wind brushed past him.
Ryo jumped at this exclamation, then hastily gave Cye a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, don't worry! There'd be a lot of fuss…ambulances, sirens…You know?"
"That's why I decided to check the car again."
Ryo hesitated, knowing that he'd misunderstood again and not wanting to irritate his friend. "Um…In case WE ran him over?" he asked finally.
Cye was appalled. "No! In case he was hiding," he explained, but his eyes flicked worriedly over the field, quickly checking for any ominously flashing lights.
"Oh," Ryo said. He looked across the field turned parking lot, and his eyes rested on the strip mall across the street. "So let's check the stores then. We don't need the car…" He pointed them out for Cye's benefit and then noticed Cye's not so subtle, nervous search. Ryo gave his anxious friend a little shake. "Cye! Don't worry. Yulie's fine! Really."
"Oh, yes. Of course!" Cye agreed, feeling a little silly.
"Er…I think."
Cye giggled.
"What!" Ryo cried indignantly.
"Oh, yes, he's fine…you think?" Cye repeated pleasantly. Baffled, Ryo nervously shifted the paper bag from one arm to other.
"Um…yes?" he offered hesitantly.
"Yes, you're right. He's completely fine. You've just misplaced him!"
Ryo started as if Cye had poured ice water over his head. "ME?" he asked incredulously. His startled voice cracked.
"Well, of course." Cye smiled brightly. Turning and whistling a suddenly cheery tune, he started walking away. His shoes crunched on the gravel amidst the grass.
"Hey, wait!" he called. Quickly locking, the car, Ryo jerked ungracefully in to motion after Cye, noisily shifting dirt and rocks as he rushed to catch up. "That's kinda…unfair, isn't it?"
Cye closed his eyes and flung his arms wide, as if he would embrace the air. The wind picked at his light jacket and hair. "Monstrously so," he agreed. Now Ryo caught the amusement in his voice and gave a small smile. Cye opened one sea-green eye to peer at him. They both laughed, and their worry lifted momentarily: of course it would be all right. Oddly refreshed, they continued walking across the rocky field towards the road.
As they walked together, rain started to fall in fat droplets that splattered into glittering beads against Cye's slick coat but pierced Ryo's ragged cotton sweatshirt as easily as the cold wind that hit them at the same time. It whipped the grass back and forth and almost drowned out Ryo's self-pitying moan. Cye shook his head in amused sympathy while pulling his own coat tighter. Cold and at least half wet, the twosome trudged stubbornly towards the road as the rain hit the field with a steady, lulling rhythm and dirty puddles popped up at their feet.
~~~~
Rowen blinked suddenly and turned a suspicious gaze on his companions. "What was that about sailors…?" he inquired cautiously.
"Eh heh…never mind." Kento grinned. Distracted by something imperceptible to the other two, Mia sat up straighter and cocked her head to the side.
"Shh…" she whispered. In the silence, Rowen could hear the soft tapping of water drops on the windowpanes.
"Oh…it's raining," he said. Mia stood and turned off the television. Ejecting the tape from the VCR she placed it softly next to the TV. Kento stood also and yawned, stretching his arms towards the ceiling. With a smile, Mia smacked his ample stomach where it peeped out from under his shirt. The slap of skin against skin made Rowen wince in sympathy.
"Oof! Mia, not fair," Kento cried. He pulled his arms down quickly to warp around his middle protectively. Mia chuckled at him. Waving a hand at them to follow her, she wandered around the couch towards the kitchen.
"Come on, come on. I'll make sandwiches. I missed lunch anyway." The door between the living room and the kitchen swung open as Mia walked through. Kento dodged in behind her before it closed, still rubbing his sore stomach and his offended dignity. The door, swinging closed behind him, nearly slammed an unsuspecting Rowen in the face.
"Gah," he said intelligently and pushed the door open again to follow them in. Mia was opening cabinets and drawers, pulling out food and plates. Kento sat at the table with an air of offended, if not comic, dignity. He looked up at Rowen with a little apologetic grin.
"Thing I don't understand is why was it just girls?" Mia asked, busy with a slice of bread and a jar of mustard. Rowen scratched the back of his head absently and shrugged.
"Oh, I didn't tape that part…there's a group of boys someplace up north."
"Uh, does it have a…theme?" Kento wondered, a little amused and a little disgusted. Rowen sat down across from him and watched Mia making the sandwiches.
"I don't know. That was kinda ridiculous wasn't it?" he agreed. "Hey, Mia, pickles?"
"I was thinking less ridiculous and more a little off color," Mia said. She pulled a jar out of the fridge. Kento grabbed two pickles for himself and bit into the first with an enthusiastic crunch.
Rowen shrugged. "Well, that's what makes good comedy."
Mia put down the bread and the lunchmeat to throw a suspicious glance his way. "You're one of those people who liked Ren and Stimpy, aren't you?"
"It was a joke?"
Mia shook her head in mock disappointment. "All of you are so easy to tease. Silly boys."
Kento cut in with an indignant squawk, "Hey, Ren and Stimpy rocked!" Rowen fixed him with his patented, disdainful over-the-sunglasses glare. Mia continued making sandwiches though a smile twitched at the corners of her lips.
Rowen looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, the rain's picking up. Listen to it." It was true. The stormy sky was almost dark enough to be night, and there was an audible drumming sound of large raindrops hitting the roof. At the window, water dribbled down the glass hiding the outside world behind a wet, watery blur. Rowen had a sudden thought.
"Hey, aren't the other guys supposed to be back by now? Where're Cye and Ryo?" he asked.
"And where's Sage?" Mia added. The phone rang and Kento answered it. After a few quick words and some anxious chattering on the other end, he looked up and fixed his friends with his curious gaze.
"No, dude. Where's Yulie? His parents are on the phone. They want to know why he isn't home yet…"
End Chapter 3.
~~~~
You've read this note twice, no need to make it thrice, but I'll ask you again:
Is this thing worth it?
Melee
Look, one new review! Say "oooh!" everyone (you know, like the little green aliens in Toy Story).
Maryd: Scary. You were, like, paying attention when you read this, dude. I'm glad you liked Sekhmet and Kayura; I enjoyed writing it.
All these random hints that get dropped…like Kento and Kayura in a mall, Sage's inner romantic attacking helpless girls, Cye's rotten grapes, a drunken Sekhmet in the south of France…are just that: random. I don't why they're there and if I had a sense of humor I could conceivably write a short about them, but I don't. So I hope you enjoy them anyway…
Part I: The Long Trip Home
~~~~
Golly, I bet you were dreading this. You're crouched under the bed (with a laptop) cringing in horror at the approaching nightmare. The anxiety is making your hands tremble and your hair stand on end. But…never fear. Mimi isn't here.
Ha! Idiot got herself locked in the closet.
~~~~
CHAPTER 3: Neolithic
~~~~
"Yulie! Psst…Yulie!" The harsh whisper sounded from behind an old, dented van. Yulie started in surprise as he walked past it, trailing behind Ryo and Cye. He stopped with one foot raised in mid step and glanced around curiously. He couldn't see anyone in the field but himself and his older friends. There were several cars since the empty field also served as the parking lot for the farmers market.
"What?" Yulie asked softly, searching for the source of the voice. He began to inch cautiously around the van. "Who's there?"
The voice giggled. "Chou!" it answered. Yulie gasped in happy recognition.
"Chou!" he cried happily. No longer a whisper, the cry echoed loudly through the lot. Yulie ran to the other side of the van and grinned and at the young boy crouched there. Chou put a finger to his lips and shushed Yulie.
"Don't shout!" he admonished Yulie in a whisper, crouching farther down against the van. "Somebody'll find us."
Yulie blinked in puzzlement at this. "Who?"
Chou fixed him with a withering glare. "Your parents," Chou told him.
"Oh…" Yulie said, feeling a little inferior in the face of Chou's ready condescension. "But…my parents aren't here. There's just Ry-" Chou waved his hand, dismissing that.
"Fine. Babysitters," Chou agreed. "Now come on." He turned around and started sneaking behind parked cars, away from the farmers market. Yulie glanced a little nervously back towards Ryo and Cye but he could not see them from behind the van.
"But…" He turned back to Chou, who had stopped momentarily and was watching him. Chou grinned suddenly and Yulie had to grin back. Any hesitation gone, he followed Chou happily as the two boys took off across the parking lot.
~~~~
Sage pushed open the double doors and walked into the chilly September afternoon. The day was overcast and dreary and he felt it suited his less than cheerful mood. Minako followed behind him, catching the door before it closed and carrying her science book in her other hand. The other of the two doors banged shut loudly, the only sound. The two stood under the overhang, watching the empty parking lot in silence.
"Sage?" Minako asked, breaking the quiet.
Sage shifted in slight annoyance. He didn't really want to talk to Minako. "What?" he asked, his voice belying his irritation. Minako laid her graceful hand on his shoulder.
"You seem stressed," she whispered in her velvet voice. "Why?"
"My ride is late," he explained curtly.
"Oh," Minako said and rested her chin on top of her hand, leaning her head against his cheek. "I'm getting picked up in an hour…" she offered.
Only rigid self-control kept Sage from flinching away from her. Under different circumstances her contact might have been comforting -- like if she were a different person-- but now he couldn't stand the touch. "I'd like to leave," he said and there was a hint of harshness to his voice. "Now."
Minako pulled her hand from under her chin and wrapped it around his arm. She turned her head so her cold nose was pressing against his cheek. "Oh Sagie," she said and giggled a bit. "Aren't you being a little silly?" It was so…girly. So perfectly girly. Minako was wonderful at that. Every single one of her words and actions fit perfectly into that into that pink and lacey image. It was perfect.
Sage had never before encountered anything so contrived.
"Me?" he asked after a second. Minako pulled her head back, to Sage's great relief, so she could look him in the eye.
"What? Did you want to get away from meeeeee?" she teased. It was so cute; she even batted her eyes at him. He nearly jerked his arm away.
"Yes," he wanted to say, "I want to get away from you." But he didn't. "Minako," he admonished instead. Minako paused and then her arm unwound from his. He looked at her curiously.
"Of course, you do," she sighed and her breath caught. "I just knew-"
Sage was startled enough by the change in mood that he snapped, "Minako!" She could not possibly have guessed what he was thinking, could she? His sharp exclamation seemed to astonish her as well because she forgot her shyness and jerked her head up to stare at him in surprise. Sage took a breath. "What are you talking about?" he asked more calmly.
"You know-" she accused him, still a little wide-eyed.
"No. I don't." Sage scuffed his foot on the ground. Actually scuffed his foot on the ground. Like a little boy. "You don't make any sense!" he said, because she didn't and he was completely mystified.
"Sage!" she cried in protest. She sounded angry, but of course that didn't fit in with Minako's view of a dainty little schoolgirl. So she was trying to hide it. He whirled to face the wall.
"Go on, explain it then," he ordered.
Minako swallowed, suddenly unsure of herself and uncertain how Sage would react to a crying girl. "Well, you know that she's deaf, Sage. And-"
Sage turned suddenly back to her. "Oh, I have a thing for deaf girls now?" he retorted angrily and was surprised to hear his voice rise. "Why don't you go lose your hearing, Minako? You'll be irresistible."
He saw that he'd surprised her again, yelling like that. "Sage…" she said in confusion. Then her back stiffened and she continued courageously, "You're such a compassionate person, Sagie, and with her disability-"
Sage interrupted. "And how does compassion translate into…into…aaargh!" he finished in a frustrated yell. Minako flushed. Why was this explanation so hard? It had all made sense before! And now, it sounded so stupid…"You read too many romances," Sage accused.
"Well, you're the type of person who'd be kind-" Minako started but Sage interrupted again, his voice had dropped back down, now quiet and frustrated.
"So what is this- some kind of Cinderella story? The Prince sweeps the ragged maid off her feet? And why aren't you mad?" he demanded and his voice dropped to a confused whisper, "I'm yelling at you!" He reached out to put one hand on the wall and glowered silently at her.
As his voice lowered in volume and his demeanor regained some of its usual cool, Minako lost her some of her shock. There was no need to be uncertain, no need to pay attention to Sage's unusual behavior. Just forget about it. She became suddenly happy.
"Oh, Sagie," she cried. "You're being so cute!" And then of all the things she could do, she actually leaned in to kiss him. God, that girl! It was Sage's turn now to be astonished. By the time he recovered, she had very nearly done it. He ducked out of the way angrily before her lips could catch his and stalked off.
Minako turned to him with big doe eyes, but he refused to look at her. "Sage…what?" she asked and her eyes glistened, completely forgetting any reservations she had about crying in front of Sage. "There IS something isn't there- with you and her-"
At this, Sage whipped around, the heel of his shoe grinding into the pavement. Minako flinched. "And another thing…! I'm compassionate, am I? I'd be kind because she's deaf, is that right? How can you pretend these things –that I'm cute– when you start like a frightened rabbit the minute I actually react to any of this nonsense? You jump when I say more than two sentences together –look at yourself now– and you act like I've grown another head if I stop acting like an ice man and show any emotion besides arrogance! Don't try to tell me that any of this 'Oh, Sage, you're compassionate' is anything more than some STUPID romantic FANTASY."
Minako's lacey image shredded. She was furious. In her fury, that practiced helpless feminine demeanor melted away, and she lost her uncertainty. She snapped, taking threatening step towards him. She was even aggressive. "Oh don't act so high and mighty!" she said. "You're the one being rude here. Not even listening to me! AND you avoid the question. Now listen, can I finish a single sentence, Sage? Don't inter-"
"Ha!" Sage interrupted.
"Oh!" Minako cried.
"And you're still not making any sense."
Minako gasped at his audacity. As if he were the ultimate in logic… Did he understand how confusing he was? "I'm not making any sense…errrrrr!" she cried in frustration. "Then why won't you let me kiss you?" She pointed an accusing finger in his face.
That caught Sage off guard, drained his anger, and even made him a little pouty. "I never let you kiss me," he said defensively. Minako groaned again. Outside, it started to rain.
"Oh, don't I know that! Especially when they are- god forbid- people around." She gestured to the deserted parking lot under the dreary gray sky. "Nobody! And you won't ask for different lab partners. Why not? Why do you prefer her over ME? What's your reason?" she demanded.
Sage glared out at the falling water. "So now you can't resist me. I thought it was the redhead that was irresistible?" he snapped.
"Oh, aren't you the cool one?" Minako sneered, not unfazed. She was nearly as nervous as she was mad. Sage simply did not act like this.
Her mocking comment was more biting than she perhaps realized, and Sage's expression became horrified. It was a shock to be so utterly unable to control his anger. "Drop this right now!" he snapped helplessly. "It's ridiculous!"
Minako yelled right back, "Is it? Prove it!"
"Oh, I give up!"
Minako's voice dripped with sarcasm. She flung her hands up in the air in a jerky ungraceful motion. "So just like any other guy, the amazing Mr. Date starts yelling when he's mad. As little dignity as the rest of us!" she cried, her voice shrill.
"And you AREN'T yelling?"
"Call me tomboy!"
Sage was so angry he could not believe it. With a violent motion, he turned his back to her and scanned the parking lot. Where was Ryo? If he'd gotten here on time, this would not have happened. Ryo, hurry up! "God damn it, I don't care!" he said and turning, stormed past Minako into the school. Again her pale hand caught the door, straining against the weight of the metal.
"Sage!" Minako cried angrily. He didn't even turn, striding away from her down the hall.
"Go away!" he snapped and turning a corner, disappeared from sight.
Minako slammed the door in helpless fury. Staring and starting to cry, she didn't know what to do. "Sage…you asshole!" she screamed inelegantly after him and threw her textbook brutally at the door. It crashed against the metal with an echoing clang and fell lifelessly to the concrete. All around her was the pitter-patter of the uncaring rain.
~~~~
"Because I heard about it earlier and I thought it was weird, OKAY?" Rowen glared at his so-called friend and his…his…he snarled…landlady.
Kento threw up his hands defensively. "Dude, Ro! It's okay. We were just teasing."
"…" Rowen said intelligently.
"Gah, stop saying that!" Kento cried. He thumped Rowen on the back in a friendly manner, laughing.
"Hmph," Rowen snorted. Mia hid a smile behind her hand.
"Better," Kento said.
~~~~
"This." Sekhmet looked up at the sound of a voice addressing him. He jumped as a pair of silver earrings was shoved right in front of him, presumably for his examination. He watched them impassively. Or as impassively as he could, surrounded by countless unfamiliar people that seemed intent on trampling him beneath their designer shoes. He glared angrily at the earrings, as if they were the reason he was here.
"What," he demanded, "are they?"
"I would say they were jewelry. But you're the expert, not me." Kayura smiled at him. It was pleasant smile though he wished it weren't. If she were openly malicious then he could have something tangible to be angry with instead of half formed suspicions. They were half formed suspicions that were probably true, but he didn't technically know that. Kayura whirled, sending all her layers of multicolored silks fluttering. Sekhmet wondered that she did not step on one of them and fall.
A store clerk was passing by. Kayura caught his sleeve with her hand and his attention with a winsome smile. "Hello, could you tell me what this is exactly?" she asked. After a second or so she added, "Please." The clerk stared at her nervously, a little afraid even, because of course Kayura spoke entirely in Japanese and he did not understand a word.
Sekhmet sighed expansively and took her arm, pulling her away from the clerk. "What is…?" he managed, taking the earrings from Kayura and holding them out to the clerk. His English was exceedingly poor, but the man's relief lit up his face like a small sun. Kayura could be intimidating even in the most casual circumstances.
"Ah…that! Of course, those are a beautiful piece! Hand-made in Germany, actually. And they're on sale, if you'd notice this sign right here!" the clerk gesture enthusiastically to a bright piece of cardboard covered in incomprehensible writing. Kayura began to inspect it enthusiastically.
Sekhmet wondered briefly what the man had said. He gave the sign a cursory examination and then favored the babbling clerk with a skeptical stare. The clerk winced under that gaze. Sekhmet being who he was he did the evil eye very well.
"Er…can't read it, can you? I mean, not that that's bad…!" The clerk flushed with embarrassment as Sekhmet continued glaring at him. "I'll just go get some help?" he suggested weakly.
Sekhmet watched him go, bored. He didn't need a firm grasp of English to understand the gist of the clerk's chatter or the sign. He shoved the earrings back at Kayura. "They're something to buy. Like everything else."
"Oh. Well, let's buy them then."
"No."
"Sekhmet…" she pleaded. Then her eyebrows pulled down into a severe and disapproving frown. "I'm going to!" she declared and she strode off after the fleeing clerk. Sekhmet gaped after her in amazement. The feeling quickly faded as he was left wondering just how she was planning to buy a piece of semi-expensive jewelry with no English language and, more importantly, no English money.
He decided he'd better follow her.
~~~~
Cye closed the door of the empty jeep and paused, still holding the door handle. Where could Yulie be? He bent down, put a steadying hand on the grass and looked underneath the car. "Yulie?" he asked. No answer. He sighed. Of course there wasn't anybody there. Gravel crunched behind him with someone's approach.
Yulie?
No. Ryo was standing over him, a small brown paper bag under one arm. "Under the car?" Ryo asked curiously.
Cye reddened at the question. "Well, he could be hiding," he explained. Looking away from Ryo self-consciously, he brushed a stray ladybug off the sleeve of his coat.
"I dunno… You think he's playing hide and seek?" Ryo asked skeptically. Cye glared at him, causing Ryo to shift uncomfortably. "If he's in the farmer's market, I couldn't find him. And nobody's seen him," he reported, voice threaded with anxiety. "I got the kiwis…" He held up the bag.
"Well, he's not here." Cye rested a hand on the car door and stood, glancing at the overcast sky.
Ryo blinked. "It took you this long to look in one car?"
"I think not!" Cye sniffed. "I walked around the lot, but he wouldn't answer me. So he's either not here or hiding, like I said," he added defensively.
"Or maybe somebody ran him over..." Ryo murmured. A light breeze ruffled his dark hair.
"Ryo!" Cye cried in protest and shivered a bit as the wind brushed past him.
Ryo jumped at this exclamation, then hastily gave Cye a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, don't worry! There'd be a lot of fuss…ambulances, sirens…You know?"
"That's why I decided to check the car again."
Ryo hesitated, knowing that he'd misunderstood again and not wanting to irritate his friend. "Um…In case WE ran him over?" he asked finally.
Cye was appalled. "No! In case he was hiding," he explained, but his eyes flicked worriedly over the field, quickly checking for any ominously flashing lights.
"Oh," Ryo said. He looked across the field turned parking lot, and his eyes rested on the strip mall across the street. "So let's check the stores then. We don't need the car…" He pointed them out for Cye's benefit and then noticed Cye's not so subtle, nervous search. Ryo gave his anxious friend a little shake. "Cye! Don't worry. Yulie's fine! Really."
"Oh, yes. Of course!" Cye agreed, feeling a little silly.
"Er…I think."
Cye giggled.
"What!" Ryo cried indignantly.
"Oh, yes, he's fine…you think?" Cye repeated pleasantly. Baffled, Ryo nervously shifted the paper bag from one arm to other.
"Um…yes?" he offered hesitantly.
"Yes, you're right. He's completely fine. You've just misplaced him!"
Ryo started as if Cye had poured ice water over his head. "ME?" he asked incredulously. His startled voice cracked.
"Well, of course." Cye smiled brightly. Turning and whistling a suddenly cheery tune, he started walking away. His shoes crunched on the gravel amidst the grass.
"Hey, wait!" he called. Quickly locking, the car, Ryo jerked ungracefully in to motion after Cye, noisily shifting dirt and rocks as he rushed to catch up. "That's kinda…unfair, isn't it?"
Cye closed his eyes and flung his arms wide, as if he would embrace the air. The wind picked at his light jacket and hair. "Monstrously so," he agreed. Now Ryo caught the amusement in his voice and gave a small smile. Cye opened one sea-green eye to peer at him. They both laughed, and their worry lifted momentarily: of course it would be all right. Oddly refreshed, they continued walking across the rocky field towards the road.
As they walked together, rain started to fall in fat droplets that splattered into glittering beads against Cye's slick coat but pierced Ryo's ragged cotton sweatshirt as easily as the cold wind that hit them at the same time. It whipped the grass back and forth and almost drowned out Ryo's self-pitying moan. Cye shook his head in amused sympathy while pulling his own coat tighter. Cold and at least half wet, the twosome trudged stubbornly towards the road as the rain hit the field with a steady, lulling rhythm and dirty puddles popped up at their feet.
~~~~
Rowen blinked suddenly and turned a suspicious gaze on his companions. "What was that about sailors…?" he inquired cautiously.
"Eh heh…never mind." Kento grinned. Distracted by something imperceptible to the other two, Mia sat up straighter and cocked her head to the side.
"Shh…" she whispered. In the silence, Rowen could hear the soft tapping of water drops on the windowpanes.
"Oh…it's raining," he said. Mia stood and turned off the television. Ejecting the tape from the VCR she placed it softly next to the TV. Kento stood also and yawned, stretching his arms towards the ceiling. With a smile, Mia smacked his ample stomach where it peeped out from under his shirt. The slap of skin against skin made Rowen wince in sympathy.
"Oof! Mia, not fair," Kento cried. He pulled his arms down quickly to warp around his middle protectively. Mia chuckled at him. Waving a hand at them to follow her, she wandered around the couch towards the kitchen.
"Come on, come on. I'll make sandwiches. I missed lunch anyway." The door between the living room and the kitchen swung open as Mia walked through. Kento dodged in behind her before it closed, still rubbing his sore stomach and his offended dignity. The door, swinging closed behind him, nearly slammed an unsuspecting Rowen in the face.
"Gah," he said intelligently and pushed the door open again to follow them in. Mia was opening cabinets and drawers, pulling out food and plates. Kento sat at the table with an air of offended, if not comic, dignity. He looked up at Rowen with a little apologetic grin.
"Thing I don't understand is why was it just girls?" Mia asked, busy with a slice of bread and a jar of mustard. Rowen scratched the back of his head absently and shrugged.
"Oh, I didn't tape that part…there's a group of boys someplace up north."
"Uh, does it have a…theme?" Kento wondered, a little amused and a little disgusted. Rowen sat down across from him and watched Mia making the sandwiches.
"I don't know. That was kinda ridiculous wasn't it?" he agreed. "Hey, Mia, pickles?"
"I was thinking less ridiculous and more a little off color," Mia said. She pulled a jar out of the fridge. Kento grabbed two pickles for himself and bit into the first with an enthusiastic crunch.
Rowen shrugged. "Well, that's what makes good comedy."
Mia put down the bread and the lunchmeat to throw a suspicious glance his way. "You're one of those people who liked Ren and Stimpy, aren't you?"
"It was a joke?"
Mia shook her head in mock disappointment. "All of you are so easy to tease. Silly boys."
Kento cut in with an indignant squawk, "Hey, Ren and Stimpy rocked!" Rowen fixed him with his patented, disdainful over-the-sunglasses glare. Mia continued making sandwiches though a smile twitched at the corners of her lips.
Rowen looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, the rain's picking up. Listen to it." It was true. The stormy sky was almost dark enough to be night, and there was an audible drumming sound of large raindrops hitting the roof. At the window, water dribbled down the glass hiding the outside world behind a wet, watery blur. Rowen had a sudden thought.
"Hey, aren't the other guys supposed to be back by now? Where're Cye and Ryo?" he asked.
"And where's Sage?" Mia added. The phone rang and Kento answered it. After a few quick words and some anxious chattering on the other end, he looked up and fixed his friends with his curious gaze.
"No, dude. Where's Yulie? His parents are on the phone. They want to know why he isn't home yet…"
End Chapter 3.
~~~~
You've read this note twice, no need to make it thrice, but I'll ask you again:
Is this thing worth it?
Melee
Look, one new review! Say "oooh!" everyone (you know, like the little green aliens in Toy Story).
Maryd: Scary. You were, like, paying attention when you read this, dude. I'm glad you liked Sekhmet and Kayura; I enjoyed writing it.
All these random hints that get dropped…like Kento and Kayura in a mall, Sage's inner romantic attacking helpless girls, Cye's rotten grapes, a drunken Sekhmet in the south of France…are just that: random. I don't why they're there and if I had a sense of humor I could conceivably write a short about them, but I don't. So I hope you enjoy them anyway…