Disclaimer; I don't own Outlaw Star or any of the characters or any of the other elements of the series. There, that pretty much covers it. However, I do own the characters and situations presented in Boutou Hoshi. If you want to use them, please e-mail me and I'll probably let you do it. Please don't sue me! I've only got some old drawing books and empty pocky boxes anyway so you wouldn't get much. Okay, I'm done.
Dedication; This story is dedicated to the people who've stuck by me for the past three months, especially Jade S., Anime Angel, heehee, barbo-chan, and Trunks. Also, this is dedicated to my friends Legacy Lost, Bishexy no Miko, Tamahome no Miko, Shattered Stars, and (especially!) my sis Blayse! Thanks you guys! ^-^
Notes; ~*~IMPORTANT~*~
. . . I really don't know what to think anymore. I get a bunch of great reviews telling me to post ch. 8 and then when I finely get past that stupid writers block and post it I get one review. ONE!! Okay, that's being a bit unfair, I did get a few more a long while after the post, but the fact that for that long only one person decided to review makes me really wonder if this story has just lost its appeal.
Also, the best of those late reviews just said "Finish This Fic" (in slightly different terms *^.^*). Does that mean I should finish it in the next few chapters? There's not a whole lot of the plot left but I can't finish it by chapter 10. I pre-set this fic at about 12 chapters and it looks like that's what I'm going to wind up with unless you guys tell me to cut it quick.
I had planned another story to come after this one . . . but should I even try it? Should I change my ending to this fic? Maybe keep this ending the same but never follow through with the implications? I don't know. What do you think? ;_;
Review Responses;
Anime Angel~^0^ - Thanks SOOOOOO much for your review. Really, I'm being totally serious, getting review is the only thing that keeps me from erasing all my fics and nevery trying again. ARIGATO!!
Jaid Skywalker and Akiko Chan - Arigato Gozaimasu for your kind reviews! I hope you like the next part of the story. *bows* ^-^
Silver Moonie - Eeh, is my writing _that_ _bad_?!?! *runs off to her little corner to cry* ;_;
Tarian Ch.9: Alliances
By; Adakie
Gene Starwind stood outside the large wooden door. The building before him seemed huge compared to his small apartment. He looked nervously at the slip of paper in his hand. He read the sloppy printing for what felt like the millionth time. The note itself was short but cheery and the signature was all but unreadable. Thankfully, the address that had been written at the bottom of the note was a bit more legible.
He knocked hesitantly on the door and waited for some sort of response. When that didn't come he tried again, this time knocking harder. On the third try the door swung open and he found himself staring at an unfamiliar face. The man was obviously much older than him with graying hair and dark, aged eyes. Still, he did not seem particularly old. The man stared at him a few minuets without saying a word. Gene decided to take matters into his own hands.
"Uh, hi. I'm Gene Starwind and -"
"This way."
The man turned and headed down a long hallway. Slightly shocked and still unsure of even what he was thinking coming to this place, Gene fallowed. He was lead down the corridor and up a short flight of stairs. The man didn't talk to him and didn't even look back. He just walked forward, seemingly confident that the eighteen year old would be close behind him when they reached their final destination.
That destination wound up being another closed door. It, much like the front door, was plain and wooden. The man opened it quietly and walked inside. He shut it quickly behind him with such force that Gene nearly found himself on the floor. He resisted the urge to cuss loudly and instead decided to listen in and see why he'd been drug this far only to be shut out.
The voices inside the room, despite the muffled quality, were still vaguely familiar. Gene was sure now that he was in the right place. However, he still didn't know what he was going to do.
'I can't just barge in here and tell him to help me. He'd never do it like that. But still, if I can just sugar-coat this a bit . . . but how?'
Abruptly, the door swung open again. This time, to his complete and utter dismay, Gene really did find himself sprawled on the floor. A light, happy sounding laughter reached his ears and he could practically feel his cheeks burn with humiliation. He stared up at a pair of cheery brown eyes stared down at him.
"Gene Starwind, what are you doing down there?"
"Uh . . . hi Fred."
He had found Fred Luo.[1]
~*~*~*~
It was unusually quiet. The others weren't really in a talking mood and Jim couldn't blame them. They had lost three people that day; two men and a young woman. They had been placed with the rest of the bodies in the corner. Jim had tried his best not to look but something about the whole situation made him unable to look away. The knowledge that their fate was his as well somehow made this different from all the deaths he's seen before.
And now they lay in the corner, staring forward with blank, sightless eyes. Even now he could barely take his eyes off their pale, drawn faces, lips as blue as the streaks that ran across their skin. The color would fade slowly, he knew that much already. They would eventually become like the others, pale as snow and just as cold until they eventually . . . well, he refused to let himself think about that.
A woman in the corner cried silently for the man that had been her husband. The others stayed away, leaving her to work out her own feelings until she was ready to speak to those she considered her friends once more. She would eventually get on with her life, limited as it was, but for now she simply mourned.
Ka-san sat with a boy, probably only a few years older than Jim, who seemed to be taking the recent events rather hard. She's told him earlier that the boy's father was one of the ones who had died. The two of them had only been imprisoned for two months so the man's loss came as a bit of a shock to the boy.
The only person who wasn't effected by the depression that had settled over them all was the girl who'd arrived the day before. She sat against the wall, glaring angrily at everyone in sight. They had all decided to simply leave her alone. After all, if she didn't want their help why should they force it on her? And so there she sat, alone with her anger.
Desperate to take his mind off of the recent disturbing events, Jim studied her hunched figure. She seemed different than before, paler and more drawn. All of the sudden she turned towards him, obviously having noticed his staring. If looks could kill, the glare she gave him would have left behind nothing but ashes. Her deep, evergreen eyes still burned with hatred and fury yet there was something else there as well. They seemed to shine with something all together too bright.
'She's got it.'
He could see clearly now the fact that he'd been somehow denying. The girl had caught the Tarian virus already.
'So she's like us now. She'll die too. It's almost sad. I had thought she might last a little while longer. Well, at least maybe now she'll drop that bad attitude.'
Suddenly, the girl stood and stomped her was across the floor until she stood directly in front of the blond. She leaned down close, her face mere inches from his. When at last she spoke her voice was low and menacing.
"What are you looking at?"
"Uh n-nothing."
"Well stop it."
The humor of the entire situation proved to be too much and for the first time in weeks he smiled.
"How can I stop looking when I'm not looking at anything?"
The comment just seemed to make her even angrier. She straightened and turned quickly, her arms stiff and still at her sides.
"Hey, wait a minuet."
She stopped, her head turned over her shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Can you . . . Can you tell me your name?"
"Why?" she asked, eyes narrowed into tiny slits.
"Well, why not?"
" . . . it's Raelen, but I still hate you."
And with that she stormed back to her spot against the wall and continued to glare at the world in general. [2]
~Owarii~
[1] - No, that was not supposed to be yaoi . . . that part will probably come later. Hey, it's Fred, it can't be avoided. *^^*
[2] - That wasn't a romantic scene either, believe it or not. I don't intend on that being a pairing, but if people request it I could write it in.
If this chapter doesn't get much response, I'm just gona give up. Really. I'm serious! *depressed sigh* Writing this fic has become much more of a commitment that I'd thought it would be. What I wouldn't give to just do audio recordings and leave it at that. Maybe I should just go work on War of Heavens and forget everything else. I don't know. What do you think I should do? -_-
~*Please be a responsible reader and review!*~