Walking Wounded
Part 1, Chapter 4
by Kalika
Genre: Alternate Reality
Rating: R (for language and adult situations, also,
violence)
AHHH! Minna! Finally, the fourth chapter!!
I've been in a bit of a rut trying to figure out
where I wanted this to go... So... here ya go.
I figured it out, FINALLY!!
WOO!
Okay, I've taken to dedicating my fics and chapters
to people who've touched my life and been there for
me. This is for Carrie(MercuryBlue) and my ex-fiancé
Chad, in the hopes that he'll get the meaning. Of
course, that would be assuming he knows where to look
for this chapter... considering I probably won't
email it to him. *grimace*
Anyway, standard Kalika disclaimers apply.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
"So many times, I've tried to make you understand.
You never try to see behind my smile.
If I didn't know you like I do,
I'd let you into
the secret in me.
Just because I'm good at fooling you,
when no one's around,
I'll walk in your shoes.
I'm smiling while lying to you.
If you only knew.
I always try to hide behind a painted smile,
so many things the public never sees.
If I didn't know you like I do,
I'd let you into
the secret in me.
Just because I'm good at fooling you,
while no one's around,
I'll walk in your shoes.
I'm smiling while lying to you.
When will you see through?
If you only knew."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Usagi walked out of the café and began the
search for clothes. Shingo was right, it wasn't
a long walk from the train depot to a pretty
decent shopping area.
As Usagi wandered through the department
store, she found many things that would fit her.
Her only problem was that she couldn't wear
any of them. The thought that kept replaying
through her head was, 'Kenji wouldn't approve.'
She took a seat in the food court and
tried to calm her nerves. They were frayed as
a result of the travel she had taken and the
lengths she had gone to get away. Now, she
couldn't forget about him.
'What is wrong with me?' she thought,
distraught and physically drained. Her eyes
drifted downward to her hands, and the ring
she still wore. A simple gold band adorned
her left middle finger, marking her as Kenji's.
'It's not on my ring finger because he was a
coward and couldn't bring himself to get
married to me, lest one of his whores find out
he was a married man. Like they'd care,' she
angrily reminded herself.
But you do, Logical told her.
"Oh shut up," she said aloud to her
nagging conscience. Deciding that she could
forget anything Kenji told her, or did to her,
or for her, albeit not much, she got up, and
started back toward the department store. Usagi
was hellbent on getting some new clothes,
regardless of what that fucker would think.
On her way out of the food court, she
tossed the ring into a nearby garbage can and
resumed her determined steps.
"Time for a new Usagi," she said,
meaningfully.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Three hours later, she emerged from the shopping
centre with seven bags worth of clothes and accessories
for herself. She still had enough yen to live off of
while she lived at her mom's.
"Now to find the subway (metro) station," she
told herself. After asking a passing couple, she
was well on her way to the station, to get to the
Juuban district, where Shingo told her the house
was.
Unfortunately, she was so intent on
keeping all of the packages in her hands, and
the contents all in the bags, that she missed
the man walking out of a set of automatic
doors. Well, maybe not missed. She most
definitely didn't miss him. In fact, she
ran smack into him.
"OH! Goodness! Gomen nasai, sir.
I didn't see you there. It's my fault, and
once again, I apologize," she rambled, bowing
respectfully.
"That's alright. You seem to have been
proccupied with the packages that seem to have
made their way to the concrete. May I help you
pick them up? It was partly my fault, as well."
He said. His voice was smooth and deep, and Usagi
looked up from her bowing. A man with dark brown,
almost black hair stood in front of her. He
seemed to be about 6'2" to her 4'11", and had
an endless blue gaze.
She smiled shyly and nodded.
"First things first, miss. My name is
Chiba Mamoru," he said, offering his right hand.
She giggled, "Mas.. er.. Tsukino Usagi,"
she replied and purposefully shook his hand. He
smiled and bent down to help he pick up her
purchases.
"Well Tsukino-san, it seems you've been
on a rather healthy shopping spree."
"Hai, and please, call me Usagi, as you're
probably the first friend I've made here," she
half-smiled shyly at her honesty.
"And you may call me Mamoru."
"Arigatou, Mamoru-san for helping me
pick up everything. If you'll excuse my rather
hasty retreat, I've got to get to the metro
station to get home." She said, regretfully,
and began on her way.
"Usagi-san, wait!" He called, "Would
you like a ride home instead? I could do that
for you, seeing as you'd probably get most of
that stolen on the metro," he continued,
gesturing to her bags.
Usagi was taken aback. A handsome, kind
man was offering her a ride home? 'What would
Kenji think?' Logical admonished.
'Fuck Kenji,' Illogical replied.
Usagi nodded after a moment of contemplation,
"Hai, Mamoru-san, I'd like that." And followed him
to his rather nice car.
'Smart, damned sexy, sweet, and rich? Kami,
save me, I'm falling,' she thought, bemused.
The drive home was speckled with light
conversation as she and Mamoru got to know
eachother. When finally in her driveway,
Mamoru turned to her.
"Usagi-san, please don't think me rude
or imposing, but would you like to go to a
business dinner with me tonight? I fear it to
be boring and I'd like to get to know you
better."
Usa couldn't believe her ears. This
man, this dead sexy man, was asking her to
dinner?
'Business dinner,' she reminded
herself.
Usa didn't know what overtook her,
but she accepted. Giving Mamoru her
phone number, and re-writing her address
for him, she left the car, reminding
him that she'd see him later tonight.
"I'll pick you up here at exactly
7, Usagi-san."
"Mamoru-san, if you're going to
take me to dinner, you can call me just
Usagi."
He grinned, "Okay then, Just Usagi,
I'll see you at 7." She smiled at his antics
and walked up the walk to her mother's house.
Stopping at the door, she turned and waved as
he drove off.
Turning once more, she was greeted by
her mother at the door.
"Usagi? OH KAMI!! Usagi, I've missed
you so much!! What happened? Shingo told me
you'd be coming home, but he didn't explain
the circumstances. Usagi? That wasn't...
who was that man?" Usagi rolled her eyes,
some things never change.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
"We always have a choice,
or at least I think we do.
We can always use our voice.
I thought this to be true.
We can live in fear.
Extend ourselves to love.
We can fall below.
Or lift ourselves above.
Fear can stop you loving.
Love can stop your fear.
Fear can stop you loving.
But it's not always that clear."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
After explaining the situation to her mom,
Usagi also relayed the meeting of Mamoru. More
than expectedly, her mother sighed happily. Usagi
took that as her cue, and told her mother about
going to dinner with Mamoru, and that she needed
to get ready.
"Mama?" she asked, timidly.
"Yes, dear?"
"Um, could you help me with my makeup?
Onegai??"
Her mother smiled and stood, "Of course,
Usa. You seem to like this Mamoru. I think he'll
be good for you."
Usagi smiled in spite of herself. "I think
so too, mama. I think so too."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Well? How's that for the next chapter of Walking
Wounded. Come on people, give me some feedback!
lol... anyway, the songs featured were:
"Silicone" by Mono
"Fear and Love" by Morcheeba
kalika26@excite.com
http://forsaken-kalika.envy.nu
Part 1, Chapter 4
by Kalika
Genre: Alternate Reality
Rating: R (for language and adult situations, also,
violence)
AHHH! Minna! Finally, the fourth chapter!!
I've been in a bit of a rut trying to figure out
where I wanted this to go... So... here ya go.
I figured it out, FINALLY!!
WOO!
Okay, I've taken to dedicating my fics and chapters
to people who've touched my life and been there for
me. This is for Carrie(MercuryBlue) and my ex-fiancé
Chad, in the hopes that he'll get the meaning. Of
course, that would be assuming he knows where to look
for this chapter... considering I probably won't
email it to him. *grimace*
Anyway, standard Kalika disclaimers apply.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
"So many times, I've tried to make you understand.
You never try to see behind my smile.
If I didn't know you like I do,
I'd let you into
the secret in me.
Just because I'm good at fooling you,
when no one's around,
I'll walk in your shoes.
I'm smiling while lying to you.
If you only knew.
I always try to hide behind a painted smile,
so many things the public never sees.
If I didn't know you like I do,
I'd let you into
the secret in me.
Just because I'm good at fooling you,
while no one's around,
I'll walk in your shoes.
I'm smiling while lying to you.
When will you see through?
If you only knew."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Usagi walked out of the café and began the
search for clothes. Shingo was right, it wasn't
a long walk from the train depot to a pretty
decent shopping area.
As Usagi wandered through the department
store, she found many things that would fit her.
Her only problem was that she couldn't wear
any of them. The thought that kept replaying
through her head was, 'Kenji wouldn't approve.'
She took a seat in the food court and
tried to calm her nerves. They were frayed as
a result of the travel she had taken and the
lengths she had gone to get away. Now, she
couldn't forget about him.
'What is wrong with me?' she thought,
distraught and physically drained. Her eyes
drifted downward to her hands, and the ring
she still wore. A simple gold band adorned
her left middle finger, marking her as Kenji's.
'It's not on my ring finger because he was a
coward and couldn't bring himself to get
married to me, lest one of his whores find out
he was a married man. Like they'd care,' she
angrily reminded herself.
But you do, Logical told her.
"Oh shut up," she said aloud to her
nagging conscience. Deciding that she could
forget anything Kenji told her, or did to her,
or for her, albeit not much, she got up, and
started back toward the department store. Usagi
was hellbent on getting some new clothes,
regardless of what that fucker would think.
On her way out of the food court, she
tossed the ring into a nearby garbage can and
resumed her determined steps.
"Time for a new Usagi," she said,
meaningfully.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Three hours later, she emerged from the shopping
centre with seven bags worth of clothes and accessories
for herself. She still had enough yen to live off of
while she lived at her mom's.
"Now to find the subway (metro) station," she
told herself. After asking a passing couple, she
was well on her way to the station, to get to the
Juuban district, where Shingo told her the house
was.
Unfortunately, she was so intent on
keeping all of the packages in her hands, and
the contents all in the bags, that she missed
the man walking out of a set of automatic
doors. Well, maybe not missed. She most
definitely didn't miss him. In fact, she
ran smack into him.
"OH! Goodness! Gomen nasai, sir.
I didn't see you there. It's my fault, and
once again, I apologize," she rambled, bowing
respectfully.
"That's alright. You seem to have been
proccupied with the packages that seem to have
made their way to the concrete. May I help you
pick them up? It was partly my fault, as well."
He said. His voice was smooth and deep, and Usagi
looked up from her bowing. A man with dark brown,
almost black hair stood in front of her. He
seemed to be about 6'2" to her 4'11", and had
an endless blue gaze.
She smiled shyly and nodded.
"First things first, miss. My name is
Chiba Mamoru," he said, offering his right hand.
She giggled, "Mas.. er.. Tsukino Usagi,"
she replied and purposefully shook his hand. He
smiled and bent down to help he pick up her
purchases.
"Well Tsukino-san, it seems you've been
on a rather healthy shopping spree."
"Hai, and please, call me Usagi, as you're
probably the first friend I've made here," she
half-smiled shyly at her honesty.
"And you may call me Mamoru."
"Arigatou, Mamoru-san for helping me
pick up everything. If you'll excuse my rather
hasty retreat, I've got to get to the metro
station to get home." She said, regretfully,
and began on her way.
"Usagi-san, wait!" He called, "Would
you like a ride home instead? I could do that
for you, seeing as you'd probably get most of
that stolen on the metro," he continued,
gesturing to her bags.
Usagi was taken aback. A handsome, kind
man was offering her a ride home? 'What would
Kenji think?' Logical admonished.
'Fuck Kenji,' Illogical replied.
Usagi nodded after a moment of contemplation,
"Hai, Mamoru-san, I'd like that." And followed him
to his rather nice car.
'Smart, damned sexy, sweet, and rich? Kami,
save me, I'm falling,' she thought, bemused.
The drive home was speckled with light
conversation as she and Mamoru got to know
eachother. When finally in her driveway,
Mamoru turned to her.
"Usagi-san, please don't think me rude
or imposing, but would you like to go to a
business dinner with me tonight? I fear it to
be boring and I'd like to get to know you
better."
Usa couldn't believe her ears. This
man, this dead sexy man, was asking her to
dinner?
'Business dinner,' she reminded
herself.
Usa didn't know what overtook her,
but she accepted. Giving Mamoru her
phone number, and re-writing her address
for him, she left the car, reminding
him that she'd see him later tonight.
"I'll pick you up here at exactly
7, Usagi-san."
"Mamoru-san, if you're going to
take me to dinner, you can call me just
Usagi."
He grinned, "Okay then, Just Usagi,
I'll see you at 7." She smiled at his antics
and walked up the walk to her mother's house.
Stopping at the door, she turned and waved as
he drove off.
Turning once more, she was greeted by
her mother at the door.
"Usagi? OH KAMI!! Usagi, I've missed
you so much!! What happened? Shingo told me
you'd be coming home, but he didn't explain
the circumstances. Usagi? That wasn't...
who was that man?" Usagi rolled her eyes,
some things never change.
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
"We always have a choice,
or at least I think we do.
We can always use our voice.
I thought this to be true.
We can live in fear.
Extend ourselves to love.
We can fall below.
Or lift ourselves above.
Fear can stop you loving.
Love can stop your fear.
Fear can stop you loving.
But it's not always that clear."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
After explaining the situation to her mom,
Usagi also relayed the meeting of Mamoru. More
than expectedly, her mother sighed happily. Usagi
took that as her cue, and told her mother about
going to dinner with Mamoru, and that she needed
to get ready.
"Mama?" she asked, timidly.
"Yes, dear?"
"Um, could you help me with my makeup?
Onegai??"
Her mother smiled and stood, "Of course,
Usa. You seem to like this Mamoru. I think he'll
be good for you."
Usagi smiled in spite of herself. "I think
so too, mama. I think so too."
~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@~~~~/~~@
Well? How's that for the next chapter of Walking
Wounded. Come on people, give me some feedback!
lol... anyway, the songs featured were:
"Silicone" by Mono
"Fear and Love" by Morcheeba
kalika26@excite.com
http://forsaken-kalika.envy.nu