The Reconiliation

By: Chan Yoruyamatiha

Sorewa Bonsaku...

I hate that that last chapter wouldn't load right... I had to cut off my responses to reviews! *Shakes fist at computer* NOT AGAIN! They will appear this time!!!! *Chan attacks, terrorizes, and otherwise harms her computer*

DeNice: Mwahahahaha. Mwahahahaha. Mwahahahaha. Mwahahahaha. Mwahahahaha. I know you hate Mitsukake... sooooo... :X

Tornado: LOL! I love that review... That was hilarious. Ya know, I wouldn't bet on Mitsu in a fight, either. Everyone know's he's a weak little sensitive... boy. ^_^' Hope he doesn't kill me for that comment. But, WILL HE SHOCK US AND PREVAIL!?! Let's read and see, shall we? *Watches everyone place the bet that Ryu will cream Mitsu like a biscuit*

Sorry: Anou, is that your real reviewing name or a kinda anonymous thing? Oh well, it doesn't matter. And on your comment... *Smiles amusedly* I agree. Mitsu's ass is gonna get kicked so bad that... ok I won't go into detail on that... I might get jumped. X.X Keep reading!!!

Fle: Yay Fle! Not too many gals read my fic... and Escaflowne is SOOOO my favorite anime... Van's HOT!!! ^_~

Kikoken: Yeah, I think it makes all of us girls feel a little jealous, ne? Lol. And you finally reviewed New Archives 3! Me and DeNice are co-authoring it, and my chapters suck, don't they? ^_^ Admit it!

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DISCLAIMER: I own only Mitsukake, who appears in this fic and in New Archives 3, DeNice's fic co-authored by me. Woot.

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Chapter 15 - Fight

"Why did you just yell at her?"

Ryu's question came out calmly, but both Sakura and Mitsukake could hear the heat rising within him. His hands were slowly beginning to ball themselves into fists.

Mitsukake was also boiling with rage, even more so than Ryu. First, Ryu KNEW that Sakura and he had just realized their feelings for each other, and now he was trying to wrench them apart!? It wouldn't happen. It could NEVER happen.

Ryu watched Mitsukake's usually warm hazel eyes narrow and burn with hate; and Ryu glared with back almost equal intensity. This undeserving... boy... was not good enough for Sakura. Mitsukake seemed too... immature, too provocative. Sakura didn't need someone so confrontational.

"Look, I was here first! Back off from Sakura!" shouted Mitsukake, splashing oil on the fire.

"I've known her longer than you! You're so immature!"

Ryu was surprised to find himself raising his voice at Mitsukake. This argument was so... childish. But then again, there was no other means of compromising this...

"Bastard!!"

Mitsukake pushed Ryu in the chest, making him take a step backwards. Instead of giving Mitsu the satisfaction of him flying into a rage, he simply maintained his composture.

"I would fight you, but I don't have the money for window replacements..."

"Let's take it outside!" Suggested Mitsukake spitefully.

"Ryu! Mitsukake! Stop this!!" Sakura found herself crying after the two had stormed out the door. She was alone in her room now... God knows what would happen if she didn't try to stop Ryu and Mitsukake's fighting.

"Why... Why is this so difficult?"

Sakura sat up, determined to make her brain think that she had the energy that she really didn't have. Slowly, her feet met the floor and she hoisted herself to her feet, grabbing the pair of crutches that she used when in therapy.

Hopping around the room, she listened carefully and heard them arguing outside of the building.

("I've got to get out there... Their voices are fading away...")

Limping out of the room, she proceeded to find the front entrance...

~~~Meanwhile~~~

Mitsukake and Ryu were arguing their way out to a grassy place behind the hospital with plentiful trees and shrubbery.

"You're so hot-headed! That's why you don't deserve her!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?!" screamed Mitsukake. "SPEAK FOR YOURSELF!!!"

"Will you shut up a minute?!"

"I WILL NOT SHUT UP!!!"

SMACK.

A large red spot spead over Ryu's cheek like pilled water on a flat kitchen counter. Mitsukake's hand was held out to the side offensively as a tingle spread throughout his palm. Ryu's hazel-colored eyes traveled from Mitsukake's face to his own hand, which was now clamped over the stinging spot on his right cheek.

Mitsukake's face was still contorted with rage, and his body was still trembling with rage. Ryu watched this boy as he raised a fist and began to swing it at Ryu.

Before it could connect, Ryu caught Mitsukake in the stomach with a fist, causing him to kneel over in pain.

"Don't be stupid..." murmured Ryu as he let Mitsukake fall to the ground and lay there, whimpering in pain.

"I... I love.... Sakura... more than... you do... and ever can..." gasped Mitsukake between moans.

"Yeah, right. You don't even have any idea how much she means to me!" Ryu shot back.

As Mitsu began to get back up to his feet and fight Ryu a little more, Sakura leaned against a tree, holding her stomach in pain. Her eyes were watering as she saw the two men that meant so much to her fighting each other, all because of her.

Mitsukake... he had such an adorable, angelic face and such caring brown eyes. Even with his stiff-shouldered school uniform and his after-school part-time job apron on, he always looked like the familiar, boyish friend she had always known.

Ryu... he was so bold yet polite, and he was always so calm and sweet. She had known him for years, and he became more and more likeable every year. But now... Her old crush liked her as well.

Who could she choose? How could she choose between them? Who could she hurt, and who could she love more? Why was this such a difficult decision? Ryu was who she had always dreamed of being with, but she and Mitsukake had just hooked up. She couldn't break his heart and leave him for Ryu so suddenly. Mitsukake wouldn't be able to take it. He might even consider...

Sakura shook her head to forget the thought as the first blows of the fight began to be traded. Her heart began to grow even heavier as she saw Mitsukake take a sharp hit to the left side of his face, and Ryu a kick to the stomach. Why was this happening to her?

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Ryu retaliated against Mitsukake's kick swiftly with an uppercut that made the taller boy fly up into the sky and hit the ground on his back. Sakura clamped her eyes shut as she heard Mitsukake hit the ground hard and a strangled yell emerged from his mouth. Slowly, Sakura opened them again and saw that Mitsukake, fortunately, was not hurt badly and stood up quickly. Unexpectedly, he delivered a square punch square in Ryu's face that caused him to stagger backwards a few feet.

"Shoryuken!"

Instantly, Mitsukake was sent flying with Ryu's rising punch, but Ryu hit the ground before Mitsu and began to charge up another attack.

"This is what you... deserve!" muttered Ryu as blue chi gathered around his hands. "Hadouken!"

As Sakura watched Mitsukake's plummeting body get hit once more, she couldn't take it any longer.

"MITSUKAKE!!!!!!!"

Ryu turned his head sharply in the direction of the scream and was flabbergasted that Sakura was running, however unsteady, without her crutches to where Mitsukake was sprawled on the grass, blood coming out of his mouth.

"S-Sakura?"

Ryu's hands hung down by this side, and for once he felt an odd sensation after winning this fight. It was a feeling... of guilt... What was this feeling and why was he feeling this? He had just won a fight to prove himself the better man for Sakura.

Sakura fell to her knees beside Mitsukake and began sobbing her heart out. She scooped him into her arms and began shaking him gently, as he was about to lapse into unconsciousness.

"Mitsukake! Oh, Mitsukake! I'm sorry... I... I..."

A loud sniffle came from Sakura.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Mitsukake..."

Ryu was dumbfounded. What in the world did she mean by that? Did she mean... that she didn't like him at all?

Seeing that Mitsukake had already passed out, Sakura took control of herself and gently laid Mitsukake down on the ground. After gazing at him for a while, she slowly began to stand while swaying from side to side slightly. Her eyes turned upwards to Ryu as he gaped at her, as if clueless on what she was doing.

"Ryu..."

("She said my name...") Ryu informed himself as he noticed Sakura walking in his direction. He didn't quite know what to expect from her. A hug, perhaps.

When Sakura found herself standing in front of Ryu, her hands grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked on it. Tears flooded her eyes as she began to unleash her torrent of grievances upon Ryu.

"Why did you hurt Mitsukake!? Why did you bring me into all of this like this!? When I liked you, you'd never pay me attention! But now, I've finally found someone and suddenly you start liking me! How does this make Mitsukake feel!? How does it make ME feel?! Why why why why!? How could you!?"

Finally breaking down, Sakura covered her face with her hands and began to cry without holding anything back. She was indeed a pitiful sight.

Ryu's feelings were crushed by Sakura's outburst, but it's almost impossible to be angry when someone is crying hysterically. He reached his hands out and placed them on Sakura shoulders comfortingly, only to be rewarded with a

SMACK!

Sakura hand swept across Ryu's face faster than the speed of light. This was something that she never thought she would have done. Immediately, they both felt strong emotions, both of shock. The tears stopped flowing out of Sakura's eyes as she saw the red mark forming on Ryu's face and the look of shock also forming there.

"I... Ryu, I'm sorry..."

"No, you were right to do that-"

"No! I'm sorry!"

"Don't be... I deserved that..."

"RYU STOP BEING DIFFICULT!!!!"

"Look, I've been stupid and a jerk, I just need to leave you and Mitsukake alone. Maybe...." Ryu stared at the sky, trying to find words for his thoughts. "Maybe I was just jealous of Mitsukake... Maybe that's what brought all of this on..."

Sakura wanted to say something, but couldn't find anything to say to him. Could all of this have been started by something as puny and petty as a little jealousy?

"I... When Mitsukake wakes up... Tell him that I'm sorry... This was so stupid; I'm so ashamed of myself..."

"Ryu... Look, I..."

"Don't say it. I already know that you hate me now..."

"NO! I don't! Can't everyone just be friends!?!?!" Sakura felt a tantrum rising within her, but stopped when she remembered Ryu's earlier words to her...

-----"Sakura... you... but you're not a child anymore... I can see that..."-----

Ryu looked at her indirectly for a second, surveying her face.

"We should be... I hope we can all be... But this is going to take time..."

"You're right... I'm sorry..."

"I'm the one who should be giving a ten-minute apology Sakura-"

"Spare me. Please... don't leave... Let's take Mitsukake back to the hospital... They don't know I'm out here anyway..."

"...Oh... O-okay..."

As they hoisted 131 pounds of Mitsukake onto their backs, Ryu and Sakura began to walk towards the hospital.

("It seems that this might all work out... Maybe this is just something to bring us all together in the end...")

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Mwah! This chapter is VERY important to the storyline! ^_^ Especially that very last part... hence the title of this fic. It was named that for a reason. *Smiles* Thanks to everyone who's been reading! And forgive me about the fight part, I really suck at fighting scenes, but my romance is pretty good. . Well, be sure to REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! Luv ya'll!

~Chan Yoruyamatiha