Even Out of Battle Mode
Chapter 5
by Laly Konstantin
Reincarnations:
Ron - Suboshi
Sean - Amiboshi
Rose - Soi
Seit - claims Nakago, but others disagree
Natalie - claims none
Jacob ?
___________________________
Ron was already situated in the 'Box' - their anti-clique's gathering place - when Natalie arrived at school on Monday morning. With a lacklustre greeting, she was about to sit down several feet away, but she changed her mind at the last moment and collapsed next to his outstretched legs.
'Hey, Ron, I have a question for you.' Their eyes met - or almost, Nat thought. Ron always looked like he was focusing a little above everyone else's eyes. 'Do you know what's going on with Rose and Sean?'
Ron blinked, and surprise appeared in his expression. 'You mean you don't? I thought you were the one who hears about their problems from Rose.'
Natalie had to laugh. She hadn't missed the similarity between their roles, after all. 'But that's the thing. Rose hasn't been talking about it at all.' She sighed. 'Mostly, she teases me about how I should "remember" by now.'
Too late, she realised that Ron had been claiming 'memories,' too, and she looked up ready to offer an apology. Ron's gaze wasn't offended, however; in fact, he was getting an inquisitive expression unlike anything she'd seen in him before.
Finally, he shrugged. 'That's basically what Sean and I spent the whole weekend doing. It kept him from moping, for one thing.'
'Well, what's he moping about anyway? These past-life memories are coming between him and Rose?' Natalie couldn't block the disbelief out of her voice. 'I know they're romantics, but you'd think they'd get over it.'
Ron made an odd humming sound. 'Mmm. It's not that easy, you know. How much has Rose told you about their memories?'
'Nothing. Practically.' Natalie leaned back and stared at the ceiling. 'She says she doesn't want to mislead me, or block my memories from coming back accurately.' Snapping her head down, she finally let go of the question that she hadn't dared to ask. 'Do you really think you knew me back then? Rose is completely convinced, but she's always been saying things like that and finding reasons she and I are closer than anyone else could ever be. You're not like that. So, really...' Natalie trailed off, rather than repeating her question. And rather than watching Ron's reaction, she looked down to the glossy tile floor.
Ron hadn't really thought about it. 'I don't think so. But I don't know. I knew Sean because he was important to me, and... actually, my family.'
'Your family. You mean, Sean was?' Natalie tilted her head, surprised she remembered that. But Ron shook his head.
'He was. But that's not what I mean. My family now.' Ron abruptly stopped again, though he should have known better.
'You mean you knew them too? Who were they?' Natalie saw a few of their friends approaching, and suspected this conversation didn't have long to live, so she gave Ron an urgent look.
Unfortunately, he didn't want to rush this. Not if he had a chance to put it off indefinitely. 'I don't want to discuss it right now.'
Natalie fell dramatically onto her backpack, not hiding her irritation. She was used to hitting such stone walls with Ron, but the momentum she'd gathered through the conversation made this one particularly irritating. She absently tossed hellos to those who showed up, but her mind stayed with Ron.
He had to be the most closed-off person she'd ever met, she decided again.
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It was strange to wait at the bus stop again, after so many months she'd walked with Sean so they could spend that time together. Last night, when he'd finally thrown open the door and stalked out of her house, she'd humoured a vague thought that at least she'd be on time for school the next day.
Of course, it hadn't worked out quite as she'd planned. However much she tried to call on her Soi-self to get through what had happened, she couldn't get over her relationship with Sean in a few hours. It was that simple. And though she hadn't cried, exactly, she hadn't slept particularly well either.
It was now nine in the morning. At this point, she wasn't sure why she should go to school at all. But she would, she decided, if it would hold off some of the memories.
Even if it meant facing the others, after her dreams last night...
___________________________________
Ron, pencil in hand, allowed French verb conjugations to drift through his mind without making a lasting impression. He wondered how to write 'I killed my enemy's family.' Somehow, verbs like 'kill' hadn't come up yet.
He could really care less what the others thought of Suboshi, he decided, except for Sean. It was an uncomfortable position to find himself in. Ever since they were children, he'd been the stable one, the one Sean came to with problems and the one who never seemed particularly troubled by anything.
Funny how much that meant to him. It was as though he'd subconsciously fought - fought, he realised, being a very Suboshi way to describe it - to escape from everything he had been as a star of Seiryuu. He didn't rely on his family for support. He didn't let emotions rule him. When he disagreed with something, he did so openly and immediately...
That train of thought dissolved. Staring out the window, he saw Sean walk up the hill. Late as usual. Ron looked away, trying to convince himself that he didn't need Sean's approval, and that he had his trust. That nothing between them had to change because of who they had been before.
It was the argument Sean had planned to use on Rose, so he couldn't very well reject it if Ron said the same.
_____________________________________
Sean had tried to tell himself Rose wouldn't get so caught up in their reincarnations that she'd insist on ending their relationship. He'd tried to talk through his initial suspicions with Ron, and he'd rehearsed the declaration that nothing had to change now because of who they'd been before at least eight times. Then, on Sunday, he had walked over to Rose's house.
Now, with the memories that caused the conflict blocked out by recollection of the conflict itself, he cursed himself for knowing her so well. Rose always behaved as though she were the reasonable one when they argued, and he was a frantic child who couldn't be expected to understand more than a few points repeated over and over. And she wouldn't listen. Once her mind was made up...
Once her mind was made up... He couldn't think. He walked along the midsize street, wishing on Monday morning that could go back to Sunday night. He should have been reasonable (except he'd tried to be, she just wouldn't listen). He should have been less desperate, less frightening (but could she blame him for wanting to hold her, at least one more time? Yes, she could).
He should... he sighed. He *had* told her he loved her, that no matter who they had been he believed in now, and he wished she felt the same way.
She, of course, had taken that as a play for guilt, and the argument had continued. He'd become more and more emotional. He thought, if there were any justice, that that should have been enough proof for her that, even though he had been Amiboshi, he wasn't Amiboshi.
Then, with her stubbornness, he had to admit she shared more than a past with Soi.
Sean arrived at the high school, and shoved open the door. Late, as usual; he wondered what time it was, but decided to wait out the end of the period in the art classroom. Unfortunately, he was only halfway down the hallway when he saw Rose come in by another door. Their eyes met.
As he was about to race toward her and try to talk to her again, and at least make sure there were no hard feelings from last night (or rather, sort out the feelings there were), she just turned away and took the nearest staircase. Up. With a sinking realisation, Sean remembered she had art for the first two classes of the morning.
Resigned to wandering the halls, Seanthought about how tired Rose had looked as she pulled herself up the first few stairs. She always looked tired.
Still, although he knew he shouldn't be, he was glad to know their breakup - he hesitated at the thought, but it had been a breakup, and for good - the breakup was affecting her, too.
____________________________-
Natalie slid into the desk behind Seit. 'Good morning.'
He turned around, almost startled. She rarely managed to startle him, he mused. 'Good morning, Natalie. How are you?'
'Well enough. You?' Natalie settled her bag down, hair falling over her face.
Seit waited for her to sit up before answering, something vague about how the weekend had been unremarkable. It amazed even him, sometimes, how he could produce impressive enough speech without even thinking about what he said.
Whatever he said, Natalie nodded politely in response. 'Did you ever call the people who stopped by?'
Seit showed a little alarm. 'Yui and the others? I didn't. I expected they would call me.'
'Hmm.' Natalie, apparently disinterested, opened her history book. 'They seemed like interesting people. Even if I'm not involved in the whole past-lives mess.'
She couldn't have seen Seit's reassured smile as he turned around, but it was there. 'A mess indeed. It should be interesting to see the others today.'
Natalie shrugged and looked up. 'I talked to Ron already,' she told the back of his head. 'I guess none of you see it that way, but it's pretty amusing. What I've heard, anyway.'
Seit wondered exactly what she had heard, then. Perhaps, he should start making sure she heard more of the story from him. To that end, he kept their conversation going until the bell rang.
'I'm still amazed to see everyone taking it so seriously,' Natalie admitted, half to herself, before relative silence fell over the room.
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AN: Finally up. I hope i'm handling the breakup well... I don't want it to come across as too dramatic or too cold. It's a weird thing for me to try writing.
Chapter 5
by Laly Konstantin
Reincarnations:
Ron - Suboshi
Sean - Amiboshi
Rose - Soi
Seit - claims Nakago, but others disagree
Natalie - claims none
Jacob ?
___________________________
Ron was already situated in the 'Box' - their anti-clique's gathering place - when Natalie arrived at school on Monday morning. With a lacklustre greeting, she was about to sit down several feet away, but she changed her mind at the last moment and collapsed next to his outstretched legs.
'Hey, Ron, I have a question for you.' Their eyes met - or almost, Nat thought. Ron always looked like he was focusing a little above everyone else's eyes. 'Do you know what's going on with Rose and Sean?'
Ron blinked, and surprise appeared in his expression. 'You mean you don't? I thought you were the one who hears about their problems from Rose.'
Natalie had to laugh. She hadn't missed the similarity between their roles, after all. 'But that's the thing. Rose hasn't been talking about it at all.' She sighed. 'Mostly, she teases me about how I should "remember" by now.'
Too late, she realised that Ron had been claiming 'memories,' too, and she looked up ready to offer an apology. Ron's gaze wasn't offended, however; in fact, he was getting an inquisitive expression unlike anything she'd seen in him before.
Finally, he shrugged. 'That's basically what Sean and I spent the whole weekend doing. It kept him from moping, for one thing.'
'Well, what's he moping about anyway? These past-life memories are coming between him and Rose?' Natalie couldn't block the disbelief out of her voice. 'I know they're romantics, but you'd think they'd get over it.'
Ron made an odd humming sound. 'Mmm. It's not that easy, you know. How much has Rose told you about their memories?'
'Nothing. Practically.' Natalie leaned back and stared at the ceiling. 'She says she doesn't want to mislead me, or block my memories from coming back accurately.' Snapping her head down, she finally let go of the question that she hadn't dared to ask. 'Do you really think you knew me back then? Rose is completely convinced, but she's always been saying things like that and finding reasons she and I are closer than anyone else could ever be. You're not like that. So, really...' Natalie trailed off, rather than repeating her question. And rather than watching Ron's reaction, she looked down to the glossy tile floor.
Ron hadn't really thought about it. 'I don't think so. But I don't know. I knew Sean because he was important to me, and... actually, my family.'
'Your family. You mean, Sean was?' Natalie tilted her head, surprised she remembered that. But Ron shook his head.
'He was. But that's not what I mean. My family now.' Ron abruptly stopped again, though he should have known better.
'You mean you knew them too? Who were they?' Natalie saw a few of their friends approaching, and suspected this conversation didn't have long to live, so she gave Ron an urgent look.
Unfortunately, he didn't want to rush this. Not if he had a chance to put it off indefinitely. 'I don't want to discuss it right now.'
Natalie fell dramatically onto her backpack, not hiding her irritation. She was used to hitting such stone walls with Ron, but the momentum she'd gathered through the conversation made this one particularly irritating. She absently tossed hellos to those who showed up, but her mind stayed with Ron.
He had to be the most closed-off person she'd ever met, she decided again.
________________________________________________
It was strange to wait at the bus stop again, after so many months she'd walked with Sean so they could spend that time together. Last night, when he'd finally thrown open the door and stalked out of her house, she'd humoured a vague thought that at least she'd be on time for school the next day.
Of course, it hadn't worked out quite as she'd planned. However much she tried to call on her Soi-self to get through what had happened, she couldn't get over her relationship with Sean in a few hours. It was that simple. And though she hadn't cried, exactly, she hadn't slept particularly well either.
It was now nine in the morning. At this point, she wasn't sure why she should go to school at all. But she would, she decided, if it would hold off some of the memories.
Even if it meant facing the others, after her dreams last night...
___________________________________
Ron, pencil in hand, allowed French verb conjugations to drift through his mind without making a lasting impression. He wondered how to write 'I killed my enemy's family.' Somehow, verbs like 'kill' hadn't come up yet.
He could really care less what the others thought of Suboshi, he decided, except for Sean. It was an uncomfortable position to find himself in. Ever since they were children, he'd been the stable one, the one Sean came to with problems and the one who never seemed particularly troubled by anything.
Funny how much that meant to him. It was as though he'd subconsciously fought - fought, he realised, being a very Suboshi way to describe it - to escape from everything he had been as a star of Seiryuu. He didn't rely on his family for support. He didn't let emotions rule him. When he disagreed with something, he did so openly and immediately...
That train of thought dissolved. Staring out the window, he saw Sean walk up the hill. Late as usual. Ron looked away, trying to convince himself that he didn't need Sean's approval, and that he had his trust. That nothing between them had to change because of who they had been before.
It was the argument Sean had planned to use on Rose, so he couldn't very well reject it if Ron said the same.
_____________________________________
Sean had tried to tell himself Rose wouldn't get so caught up in their reincarnations that she'd insist on ending their relationship. He'd tried to talk through his initial suspicions with Ron, and he'd rehearsed the declaration that nothing had to change now because of who they'd been before at least eight times. Then, on Sunday, he had walked over to Rose's house.
Now, with the memories that caused the conflict blocked out by recollection of the conflict itself, he cursed himself for knowing her so well. Rose always behaved as though she were the reasonable one when they argued, and he was a frantic child who couldn't be expected to understand more than a few points repeated over and over. And she wouldn't listen. Once her mind was made up...
Once her mind was made up... He couldn't think. He walked along the midsize street, wishing on Monday morning that could go back to Sunday night. He should have been reasonable (except he'd tried to be, she just wouldn't listen). He should have been less desperate, less frightening (but could she blame him for wanting to hold her, at least one more time? Yes, she could).
He should... he sighed. He *had* told her he loved her, that no matter who they had been he believed in now, and he wished she felt the same way.
She, of course, had taken that as a play for guilt, and the argument had continued. He'd become more and more emotional. He thought, if there were any justice, that that should have been enough proof for her that, even though he had been Amiboshi, he wasn't Amiboshi.
Then, with her stubbornness, he had to admit she shared more than a past with Soi.
Sean arrived at the high school, and shoved open the door. Late, as usual; he wondered what time it was, but decided to wait out the end of the period in the art classroom. Unfortunately, he was only halfway down the hallway when he saw Rose come in by another door. Their eyes met.
As he was about to race toward her and try to talk to her again, and at least make sure there were no hard feelings from last night (or rather, sort out the feelings there were), she just turned away and took the nearest staircase. Up. With a sinking realisation, Sean remembered she had art for the first two classes of the morning.
Resigned to wandering the halls, Seanthought about how tired Rose had looked as she pulled herself up the first few stairs. She always looked tired.
Still, although he knew he shouldn't be, he was glad to know their breakup - he hesitated at the thought, but it had been a breakup, and for good - the breakup was affecting her, too.
____________________________-
Natalie slid into the desk behind Seit. 'Good morning.'
He turned around, almost startled. She rarely managed to startle him, he mused. 'Good morning, Natalie. How are you?'
'Well enough. You?' Natalie settled her bag down, hair falling over her face.
Seit waited for her to sit up before answering, something vague about how the weekend had been unremarkable. It amazed even him, sometimes, how he could produce impressive enough speech without even thinking about what he said.
Whatever he said, Natalie nodded politely in response. 'Did you ever call the people who stopped by?'
Seit showed a little alarm. 'Yui and the others? I didn't. I expected they would call me.'
'Hmm.' Natalie, apparently disinterested, opened her history book. 'They seemed like interesting people. Even if I'm not involved in the whole past-lives mess.'
She couldn't have seen Seit's reassured smile as he turned around, but it was there. 'A mess indeed. It should be interesting to see the others today.'
Natalie shrugged and looked up. 'I talked to Ron already,' she told the back of his head. 'I guess none of you see it that way, but it's pretty amusing. What I've heard, anyway.'
Seit wondered exactly what she had heard, then. Perhaps, he should start making sure she heard more of the story from him. To that end, he kept their conversation going until the bell rang.
'I'm still amazed to see everyone taking it so seriously,' Natalie admitted, half to herself, before relative silence fell over the room.
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AN: Finally up. I hope i'm handling the breakup well... I don't want it to come across as too dramatic or too cold. It's a weird thing for me to try writing.