Emerging From the Shell
by Butterfly Girl
With loads of help from Mason
Insert disclaimers from chapter one here This is a bit of a closure to my fic. Mainly, It can be taken as a bonus ending. Doesn't replace the end, just details it a bit more...I'll shut up
and let you read it.
Onbin
So, that's how they helped me. They basically just let me see the causes on my own, then worked through them...that and Max sure did help! Of course, I went through councelling and stuff like that, but I wouldn't have ever CONSIDERED that option unless they had got that first step in.
Weeks have passed, and we've all done well. Batafurai's still Batafurai, still the nutcase Earth/Moon princess she's always been. Taiga's relaxed a bit, now that she's got a few of those tests behind her (she needs to calm down, seriously she can be a total nutcase when she's under pressure). Riki and Kojiro are glad to not be fighting evil for the time being.
Riki told me later what had happened to Hisaki. She had been trapped in an hour-glass like device, the top half sealed off by his sword. Before he returned to the battle, he took the sword out, letting the sand fall. As it filled, it would take away her memories bit by bit. Luckily, Kojiro's attack had not only freed her, but restored her memory.
And me? Well, I've just been hanging around with Max...and getting ready for an audition. Tonbo's band, which is currently unnamed, is in dire need of a new drummer. They have told me that Tonbo's currently their drummer, but they need a second guitarist, and Taiga is, apparently, phsycally and mentally uncapable of learning the guitar (at least that's what Miya said after tying to teach guitar to her for a month...). Taiga found out I was secrectly taking lessons from Mai (One of my little goals: to try something new. Being a drummer always looked fun to me, so of course I wanted to try it!), and let's just say it flew from there.
Oh...before I forget, that Proto Man guy...I think Danny's his name...he didn't last long. To make a long story short, one look at Kagai (who had come to help us defeat the enemy WAY too late) set off a HUGE short circuit of his motherboard. He's not like mortally damaged though, just set back a few weeks. Ami assures us that he'll be fine, he justs needs a little reworking and he'll be better than ever.
But enough of that stuff. I'm telling MY story, and I should finish it out better than rant on and on about my friends. Yes, I'll finish it out this way...with a little help, of course.
Max
I walked into the park, looking for Onbin. I had been by her house and her okaa had told me she was probably at "her spot." Knowing Onbin, that was that park bench she seemed to always go to when she needed to think.
Speaking of thinking, things sure aren't what I thought they were. Riki and Kojiro were married (and, according to Onbin and Batafurai's description of their past, that was irronic and expected at the same time), as well as Batafurai and Tarento. What gets me is that Batafurai can read Tarento's mind (and vice versa), and the same is for Kojiro and Riki! Those 2 couples can say things to each other that no one will ever hear (AND also have a REALLY hard time keeping secrects). Riki explained that although she and Kojiro had on and off lapses where their link kicked in for as long as they knew each other, Batafurai and Tarento's link has been fully working longer than theirs by about 2 years. They are the only 4 people on the planet with that ability, and they describe it as a, "Blessing and a curse blended into one interesting package." I just hope that doesn't happen to Onbin and I.
Approaching the bench, I saw that I had guessed right. Onbin was sitting there, just staring ahead. I carefully walked up to her and said, "Hey."
She turned to me, flashing one of her beautiful smiles. "Hey."
"What are you doing out here?"
"Just thinking...the house can be quite loud with an infant and all..."
"Infant? You have a baby brother or something?"
"Exactly. His name's Koukin and he's just over two years old. He's the sweetest little thing and just as cute as can be. He's got the same hair color as Otou and I, but got Okaa's eyes."
"He sounds like he would be cute." I sat down next to her on the bench. "You like having a baby bro?"
"Most of the time. Life with an infant can be annoying at times, like when he cries out at 3 AM for no reason whatsoever, but overall Koukin's a good boy."
Putting an arm around her, I asked, "So, what are you doing later?"
She leaned against me and replied, "Nothing. Why?"
"Just wondering if you'd like to do something. I got my own apartment a while ago, and I could use some help getting set up. Shuzika's using my Spirit Receiver to contact Keleika." Shuzika had been in love with Keleika for as long as I could remember. After she had been rescued, she had to return to her homeworld for a while. This tore Shuzika's heart, but he understands that she has a duty to fulfill. He's currently waiting for her return, one calling the other when they get the chance.
She muttered, "That doesn't surprise me..." then said outloud, "I'd love to help you."
"Thanks Onbin." Without her realizing, I tried to get her necklace undone, as a little joke. How girls get those to work, I don't know, but it HAS to take them at least five minutes every morning. The necklace in question was the same shark one she had in her one attack. She explained to me that it was a exact copy of the one she had had back on Earth(2), but for some reason this one was her talisman. According to Onbin, Hatsu's was the gold bracelet she wore every day, and Miya's was the orb upon her staff. They could combine the powers of all three to give Tonbo or Batafurai a powerful attack.
After a little while, she asked, "So, what did you do over these past 2 years?"
"Claimed my righ to my father's Spirit Armor."
"...Was your father really Enerjak?"
"Afraid so. Something on the Nightmare Planet corrupted me, I just know it." I had almost figured out the clasp to her necklace.
"That HAS to make for some VERY interesting family reunions..."
"His dark form died. He really was a great warrior before he went to the Nightmare Planet." Stupid clasp! Come undone already, geeze...
"Just like you're a great warrior?" she asked, looking up at me.
I blushed. "I'm not that great..." I finally got the clasp undone, slowly collecting it in my left hand. Onbin still didn't notice what I was doing. I hope she doesn't get mad for my little joke...
"You are TOO. Better than I was when I started out at the least..."
"Onbin, I'll never be as great as you." Almost...have it...
It was Onbin's turn to blush. "I'm not that great..."
"Yes, you ARE." I finally got the necklace, which turned out to be a lot more work than I though it would be. "Onbin, I have to run to the store before you come over, as I haven't had the chance to buy food yet. Come over around 7 if you can," I said, standing up.
She nodded. "Will do."
"See you later." I kissed her, then walked off.
Onbin
I smiled softly, watching him walk off. Still can't believe he acutally loves me back... I reached up to touch my necklace...
And realized it wasn't there.
I immediately realized that Max had it. "MAX!!!! YOU TOOK MY NECKLACE HOW DARE YOU!" I screamed, jumping up and chasing after him. I wasn't acutally mad, just kind of surprised.
"GOTTA CATCH ME, ONBIN!" he yelled over his shoulder, breaking into a run.
"WHY YOU LITTLE..." I picked up speed, hot on his tail. He seemed to forget that I was VERY used to running after Youma in high-heeled boots and a mini-skirt, so this chase in jeans and sneakers was a nice change of pace and MUCH easier. I then saw him trip over a rock and land flat on his stomach. My chase went from one of surprise to one of worry, wanting to make sure he was okay. "Are you alright?" I asked him when I had caught up.
"Yeah..." he replied, rolling over onto his back and holding out my necklace. "...here ya go, I only took it as a joke."
I took it from him, clasping it in seconds. "That's okay...just don't take it again, 'kay?"
"I won't, but I do have one question."
"Thank you...and what?"
"How the HECK do you get the clasp to work so quickly?!?!?!"
I burst out laughing. So it WASN'T just Tarento that couldn't work one and Batafurai assumed it was all mankind... Tarento had gotten Batafurai a necklace for her birthday last year, and insisted on putting it on her. It failed, nonetheless, as he couldn't work a simple clasp either. "It's EASY!"
"Easier for you..."
"Only cause I've worn this thing every day since it was given to me at Christmas."
"Wow..." he muttered. After a few seconds, he added, "Hey you help me up? I feel embarassed to ask this, but my knee went numb."
I couldn't resist giggling at his request. "Sure..." I held out my hand, and he smiled. Before I knew it he gently pulled me down beside him. "What are you doing?" I asked, out of surprise instead of fear.
"This," he replied, kissing me.
...Well, what do you THINK I did? DUH!
AUTHOR'S NOTES (may contain some abbrieviations):
Well, I'm done with this fic. Notice I didn't say FINALLY like I normally did. I actually enjoyed this fic from beginning to end, and it truly wasn't a chore to finish like some end up to be. I had wanted to do a story like this with Onbin for a long time, and finally sat down and did it (even though it took 2-3 months to finish...). I DEFINITELY owe Mason a HUGE thanks for letting me borrow his characters AGAIN and for rp'ing this out with me so I could keep said characters IN character (one of my downfalls, only Kojiro EVER seems to stay in character if I do it on my own...).
BUT that's not why I'm rambling on here. ducks from frying pan thrown by Mason I have to get one thing straight before I let you go.
DON'T DO WHAT ONBIN DID.
I mean don't keep abuse locked away within the recesses of your soul. It WILL get better if you tell. How can a problem be solved if it isn't seen? (In layman's terms: How can a dish get cleaned if it's not out in the washbasin?). Tell someone you trust: friend, relative, teacher, pastor, youth group leader, whoever. Someone older than yourself (if you're a teenager, like myself, or a kid) will know what to do, trust me.
Other than that, I hope you liked my fic, and I'll let you in on a little secrect now.
I'm making a sequel of sorts.
No, not like it follows this exactly...not quite...It's called Real and it follows Tonbo's band, but it's set right after this fic and wouldn't be able to take place if I didn't do this fic. Keep an eye on my account for it, I'm not putting it under my CURRENT WORKS spot until Chapter One is out, and I will work on it as I work on 7.2 of SM:LS.
Also, give me your POLITE honest opinion on my attempt at a sonfic in this. I really like how it turned out and I want others to tell me if they liked it or not
Now, adios mis amigos (yeah, like I REALLY speak Spanish, with the horrid job my teacher does...), sayanora minna-san (now THAT I can speak), I'm off to work on more fics.
Butterfly Girl (1331)
