Arizda: Whee! Here ya go--chapter 15. I'm glad that this ficcy is being enjoyed. ^_^ By the way, this chapter is going to be in 1st person, Runa's point of view, as she's asleep. : p Just FYI, y'know... :) Thought it'd be nice to know. So NEway, here's the next chapter that has been wanted, right? :) Here ya'll go!


Disclaimer: Yah. You know the drill.


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-First Person, Runa's POV-



'What have you gotten yourself into, Runa?'

'You should've been prepared...'

'WE...'

'Oh, so now you're thinking that I'M responsible for this, too?'

'You are me... we're one. I'm the body, I'm the mind, you're the subconscious... together we are one...'

'Don't believe in that crap. Lies. I should have been my own self. But instead I was born a subconscious in your stupid body.'

'Stop it.'

'Why should I?'


I tossed myself around in a different position a few times, trying to get the most comfort out of laying against a hard metal pole. I hated it when I fought with myself. It was like I saying I was crazy.

'Oh yes, you are quite crazy indeed, Runa. Don't think that I'm blocked from hearing your thoughts. I'm inside of you, for crissake!'

'Why don't you go away? Why can't you be nicer? You make me miserable! All I want to do is... is...'

'Is what? What is it, huh? You've wanted to do a lot of things. *I* never held you back, not once have I done that! You just ALWAYS assume that because I keep "tormenting" you, you have to hold yourself back. Well, a load of shit that is.'

'You make me miserable, though. You really do. I just want to be calm. Most people can't even hear themselves. They drown out their subconscious with other thoughts. I can't do that! I let you speak... I thought that would somehow be honorable for the both of us. I let you have a voice in my mind. Why can't you respect me? You abuse me...'

'Listen to how that sounds, Runa. You're abusing YOURSELF... you even said it yourself! You said that we act as one!'

'Oh, shut up!'


It really made me think how complicated the human mind really was. I was talking to myself. I was talking to my inner self, and it was talking back. I quite frequently had conversations, though, but ones like these were quite rare. My subconscious would usually help me... remind me of things... point towards the better intention. But tormenting me was a whole different thing. I was simply tearing myself to pieces.

'Now, listen to me for a sec, Runa... I've got something important to say, this time!'

'Oh, yeah right! Like you EVER have anything important to say! Leave me alone!'

'Naw, I think you may really want to hear this. That... that Zero guy... I think he's really taken sympathy on you. And ya know why?'

'Don't be stupid...! I'm only an obstacle for them! He's... he's just like Miyuki and Paul! Why would he--'

'He was soft on you, Runa. Didn't you see the way he looked at you? He felt sorry for you, and he wanted you to feel sorry for yourself. So, do you?'

'What do you mean!? Why would I--'

'Now you're just being dense, Runa.'

'What?'

'Yeah, I think we just might have to put on a little play next time he comes around! You should wake up! I'll help ya with what to say! Then, maybe you can get him to get that wacko Bullet guy away, and free you!'

'He can't have THAT much sympathy for me! Come on, now!'

'No, no, no, he has quite a bit for you. Just turn it around and hit him with it!'

'But... I don't want to take it for granted or anything like that... do I?'

'Ah, see? Now look whose side you're on!'

'Are you trying to say that I'm on YOUR side? Just a minute ago you were against that--'

'Nah, I'm with every side except the wrong one, now come on, let's start getting a plan.'

'Wait, how many sides are there? There can't be too many, can there?'

'Runa, we ain't got much time to think this out! Who knows when Zero's coming back?'


Then, he suddenly came into my thoughts, rather unexpectedly. Sure enough, I replayed that scene where he chained my arms behind the pole. He had done it ever so gently... and he had looked at me, as if he knew that I had hope. And he even saved me from getting shot at more than what I had already been. I had been scared shitless, instead, but that was better than being shot at. I remembered his eyes, which I had seen faintly through his blue tinted sunglasses. They were light green, a lot like Bit's. He probably considered me as still a 'kid', or a 'child'.

'Hey... I have a question...'

'Oh, fine time for you to bring it up now! I was just studying the emotions in your last thoughts...'

'I told you I didn't want you doing that. Anyway... do you think he thinks of me as... well, maybe a kid? And maybe he feels sorry for me because of that?'

'I wouldn't know, Runa. Do you wanna ask him?'

'What? Why would I do that? Seems hella stupid... doesn't it?'

'No... not exactly. Just, when he comes in, be forward about it. Ask him. Only if he's alone, though. Just ask. Say something along the lines of "You... have sympathy for me, don't you? Is it because I'm still a kid to you?" And if he says it's because you're a girl, sock it to him once you get the chance. Girl's don't, or at least shouldn't, take shit from anyone.'

'All right... I'll do what you say. I hope it's the right thing to say, though... what if he doesn't have sympathy for me, at all?'

'Oh, now you KNOW that isn't true!'


Well, of course I was right. Yeah, it wasn't true, because he obviously had SOME kind of pity for me. Why, though, I probably would never figure out. Maybe... maybe I was coming on to him? There's always a little chance of that...

'WHAT!? NO THERE ISN'T! There is NO chance of that EVER HAPPENING!'

'Haha, why not? Who knows? Mebbe I AM coming on to him! He is kinda--'

'DON'T EVEN MENTION IT, Runa! I do NOT want to hear about that! There is no WAY that I would let that happen!'

'Hey, it's my fuckin' me, so shut up about it! I can do whatever the hell I damn well freakin' wanna do! Ja!'


And that was it. End of conversation. If I wanted to like him, I could. Maybe THAT was how I could get him to help me! Yes... because who knows what The Alliance is doing right now... whether they're currently trying to rescue me, have no idea that I'm gone, or... or just don't care. Maybe she really did have to do it all on her own. It was all up to her, she guessed.

'Well... I guess if I have to do it by myself, then I will. Ya hear that?'

'Oh, of course... how could I NOT hear it...?'


And like NOW was the time for my subconscious to be sarcastic... well, I am glad that I learned how to converse mentally with it... I'm glad that I learned the art of meditation... I'm glad. Because if I didn't have myself to talk to, I don't know what I would've done by now. I'm greatful, that's what I can say.

'Greatful, ya? Greatful, huh? Oi...'

'So this is what the true me is like, deep down inside...'

'Hey, eh, eh, eh, don't even go there! An' anyway, how are you plannin' to get Zero on your side to help you? Huh? How do you expect to get out on your own?'

'I said that it was my me! So... I guess I'll just have to play it like I'm... well...'

'You aren't going to pretend that you're in love, are you?'

'I think that's a pretty good plan, thanks for giving me the idea!'


Yeah. That was a good plan. I could settle for that. If there was one thing that I could do right, it was act. I could fool a lot of people. Love should come easy, anyway. I was a sucker for it. I could do the sappy-eye thing, I could do the flirtatious thing, I could do it all... even though I had never had a boyfriend in my life. Well hey, I had tried. When they all found out that I was tied in with what I am, well, they ditched me... oh well.

'Eh, what was that!?'

'What was what?'

'Listen closely...'


And so I did. I listened. I could hear the door slightly creaking open, and a few buttons being pressed on the wall. I didn't dare open my eyes, however. I could hear Crimson Bullet's cage slowly returning to it's spot underneath the floor, and I could feel the pole sliding down my back. What was going on!? Before I could find out, I felt the chains on my wrists being roughly cut with an odd knife. Then, I felt warm hands on my cheeks, and soon... I felt someone's lips. I opened up my eyes after the kiss was broken, and my heart almost jumped out my chest. I wanted to gasp, but I couldn't even do that, I was so surprised.

"Oh Bit!" I cried. Literally. I began sobbing. How? I didn't understand anything anymore. He kissed me again.

"I... I took one look at you... and I couldn't keep it in," he whispered to me.

"Get me out of this place!" I screamed. Bit held tightly onto my hand, and led me to one of the walls behind the place I had been sitting. He pressed a button, and a door appeared. He opened it, and Izumi and Chemuk were standing there, waiting for me.


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Arizda: *nods* Expect some luv octagons pretty soon. : p But I won't give away the ending couple, NOPE! You'll just have to read the whoooooooooooooole ficcy to find out. ^_^ And... well, this chapter didn't turn out as good as I wanted it to... :\ Oh well, next one should/could/might be better. :D *passes around snacks*. :) Please read and review. Yeah, you're probably all mad at me, now, huh? : |