The Thin Line Between Truth and Trust
- Chapter 4 -
The evening sky was hung with clouds, a few releasing rains here and there, but nothing like the thick blanketing showers that the weather people had predicted. 'Figures that they'd be wrong. Have they ever been right?' She smiled naturally, although it was only the desire for a somewhat honest paycheck and generous repeat customers that drove the edges of her lips upward. Inside, she was dying for a cigarette, thankful that all she needed to do was ring the elderly man's purchase, a dozen red roses for his wife. "It's our fiftieth anniversary," he kept repeating, to her and anyone else who was in earshot. "Our fiftieth anniversary."
Sora sighed inwardly, wondering what it was like to be with the one you loved for fifty years, let alone fifty minutes. She handed the man his change, brightening her smile briefly. "Have a nice day, sir. I'm sure your wife will love the flowers." She followed him as he walked out, tipping his hat as he exited; the door clicked shut and she leaned back on it, flipping the sign in the window to read 'closed'. She removed her long white apron with the 'Takenouchi's Flowers' insignia on it and hung it on the coat rack by the door. Snatching the broom up with her hand, she began cleaning.
Her hands clenched tighter around the broom when she heard the 'friendly' jingle of the bell as the door opened. 'Can't you read the damned sign? It says we're CLOSED.'
Putting back on her smile as one might their apron, she turned to serve the customer; after all, business was business, and money was what mattered. "How may I help y-?" She cut short, nearly dropping the broom, as she realized the identity of the figure in front of her.
"Hello, Sora. It's been a long time."
"Has it?" she said lightly. "I hadn't noticed."
He stepped forward, a small devilish grin gleaming on his lips. "Oh, hadn't you? That puts a heavy weight on my heart." To imply this, he lifted his right hand and placed it on his chest, as one would when receiving a wound, a mockery.
She walked over to the register, making her way behind the counter, hoping to put some sort of barrier between herself and the intruder. "Why don't you just leave me alone? Haven't you caused enough problems?"
"I'm not the cause of any of this. They are."
She groaned, rolling her eyes. "They, They, They. It's always about them, isn't it? It's never your fault, huh?"
"Who can blame me, Sora?" he asked innocently. "I did all I could to keep us together."
"And now you're fighting to break it all apart," she retorted.
He strolled over to her, standing at the counter's one opening; she was trapped, but he meant no harm - not physically, at any rate. "O, contraire, mademoiselle. I want to bring us all back together. But this time, I know where we stand in the eyes of the world; when will the rest of you realize this?"
"I've realized something. You've changed, for the worse. And I won't be a part of it. Especially since you…tricked me! You blew my cover! After all we had, all was lost. You did this, you. You're the one to blame, Tai -"
He walked behind the counter, stepping closer and closer to her. As he came up beside her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closely. With a light breath against her ear, he asked, "That doesn't matter now…come on, don't you remember, Sora? Don't you remember how great it was?"
She pushed against him weakly, struggling more with herself than with him. "I remember," she said, her voice more shaky than she had desired, "but things are different now."
"They don't have to be," he returned, leaning in for a kiss.
She struggled to break free from his grip, and although she could have done so easily, she found herself locked in the kiss, reluctantly returning it with as much passion as he gave. After a few moments, he pulled away from her, but she chased after his lips, still hungry for more. Realizing what had just happened, she whispered, "No, Tai. This is the end. I don't love you anymore."
He rose his hand to her hair, tucking an errant red lock behind her ear; she had grown her hair much longer now, and it flowed down her back, with choppy layers that could double as bangs forming a red halo around her head. "Love? Do you still remember it, Sora?"
"You don't have to go there, Tai. How dare you!" She snapped. He stared directly into her eyes, turning on the old charm, she suspected. "How dare you toss my love for you in my face! After all you've done, to me, to us, to everyone? You dare do this, to me?"
"You said you loved me once; you said love was forever."
Unable to take painful longing in her heart, invoked by the glimmer in his eyes, she managed to free herself from his grasp, though not from her own desire. She gripped the counter, hoping that it may transfer some strength to her. "I was young and naive; we both were, to think that we understood love. I don't think we understand it, or could for that matter, even now."
He plucked a short-stemmed red rose out from a display, breaking it off from the majority of the stem; with a gentle sweep, he placed the rose behind her ear, admiring the fire of one redness against another. "I loved you then, Sora; I love you now. The way you knew the right thing to say to me when I was sad; the way you looked in socks and oversized shirts while you made breakfast. Do you remember?" He dragged his lips against her neck in a soft kiss. "Do you?"
Sora could hardly take it anymore; this was so like the Tai she had fallen in love with, the Tai that would forget everything else in the world for the ones he loved, the Tai that could be so tender and loving and... and wonderful. But that Tai had died, she had watched it happen, how the warmth in his eyes slowly faded until they reminded her of the bear patches of earth during winter. Only, he seemed to be back, as caring and as passionate as ever. But it couldn't be. She hated him, and loved him like she hated and loved herself. She could not get rid of him, he would not go away. He could switch from sarcasm to true feeling, hot and cold. On and off. He had the control here. She cried softly, her voice cracking from the strain, "Please, Tai.. just.. just go.."
"Don't you understand that you will never get me out of your system, Sora?"
She turned to face him, hoping to see the liar she knew existed within him; unfortunately, she was met with a strange sincerity reflected in his cold eyes. 'He's doing it again, he knows he can do it. Hot and cold. Turn off the faucet, Sora.' She raised her hand quickly, and it met with his cheek, which was slightly rough with a day's growth, the sound of flesh meeting flesh startling her more than him, but she had meant to do that. Tai didn't seem surprised by it; he caressed his sore cheek in mock fashion while staring at her, an amused look on his handsome features, removing the sincerity, but not revealing the liar.
Sora blinked.
Silence.
"If that's your final answer, you've just lost the million bucks, my dear." He then said as he released her, quickly pulling her body from his in a long but quick moment, and turning suddenly, power-walked out from behind the counter, heading towards the door. It was all too quick, the water changing from hot to cold in an instant in one calculated turn of events.
"No wait!" She held out her hand in protest.
"Sayonara, milady," he said, waving his hand as he made it out the door.
"Tai-!" The door clicked shut. All alone in the flower shop, she reached for her purse behind the counter; digging through it with tear-filled eyes, she produced her lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Fumbling with the lighter once more, she managed to ignite the end, taking an extremely long drag of it. She slid onto the floor in a half-lotus, trying to forget what had just happened. "Oh God, Tai," she exhaled with a puff of smoke, "You are such a bastard. You still have a damned hold on me, why can't you let me go?"
The rain fell about them, making small splashes into the wetness that produced the puddles, which were already collecting slowly on the ground. Takeru walked quickly, his head bent down slightly, as if he were charging the water. Mimi was just behind him, looking around worriedly, then pulled her jacket tighter about her. His white Mustang was parked around the block; it was lighted in a dim glow in the pools of the street lamps.
"What does Izzy need to see you about?" She asked, the slight wind taking her soft voice to his ears, and then away again, losing it to the brisk air. She held her compact in her hand, and was looking into the mirror. Rainwater splashed onto it and she snapped it shut. He was fiddling with the keys, opening the door on the passenger's side first. He turned to face her with a small smile as he opened the door and extended a gentlemanly arm, "He said that he had some news to share with me, and I didn't want to think of you being here alone."
She slipped into the seat as he walked around to the driver's side.
"I appreciate this Takeru. I really do." She said as he slid in next to her, his door closed and locked tightly, he checked to see if hers were the same. Nodding, as if to say everything was in order, slightly he turned the key in the ignition. "Fasten your seatbelt."
"Already did." She replied with a small laugh. Nonetheless after the car started they didn't speak, either too wrapped up in their own thoughts or fearful to say anything. The silence seemed to be overwhelming, and yet… Almost automatically Takeru moved his hand and flipped on the radio. The movement was so self-conscious that he didn't even notice when he began to sing along… the lyrics moved him thus so, and he forgot his present company.
"I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned… I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned... I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side... I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye..."
When he sang he seemed to put her into a place of sadness. It was just a song, but it seemed that it was connected to his soul somehow. He had a good voice, like Matt did…how the song made her think of him. 'I didn't even _get_ a decent goodbye,' she thought, as she glanced at Takeru; he was completely absorbed in the road, or at least he seemed to be. The radio personality began his little spiel, speaking once again of the planetary alignment; "They really don't understand the severity of it all, now do they?" Takeru mused with a touch of anger, more to himself than the woman next to him, and not impressed by this he absently began rummaging throughout the stations, then turned it off.
"Takeru?" She asked, her voice shattering the invisible force field that seemed to divide them. He looked into her eyes with those sparkling azure pools and only said, "We'll be there in about five minutes."
'Why is he avoiding me?' she thought to herself as she turned away from him as well, yet feeling in her soul to reach out and take his hand into hers, just to comfort him. 'Only because he seems so lost, and hurt.' She reminded herself. All she felt was fondness towards him; he had saved her and strove to protect her. 'Oh god Matt, where are you?' her eyes traveled back to the window, observing the night sky and the wetness, the stars attempting to shine beyond it. She closed her eyes.
Takeru looked at her then, and sighed.
He was in a familiar position, his head bent concentratedly over his laptop as he quickly typed in a various number of codes, none which seemed to work. 'Damn it,' he thought, 'I hope Angel gets here soon.' His computer was on as well, as he was using the same files on each; to have his files stored in a more permanent base, for safety measures. On his table lay a sheet of printouts, in coded characters, with small notes attached; that he had translated. Now he was on the next batch of codes, equally as nerve-wracking. Beads of sweat popped out onto his forehead; he wiped them away with the back of his hand.
"Yes!" he said aloud in triumph, but it died on his lips when the codes suddenly changed, scrambling everything he had managed to piece together in those last 15 minutes. He bit his tongue, but a familiar vulgarity had already escaped his lips, one that normally wouldn't, but under the circumstances was unavoidable. He slammed his fist down on the desk, careful to stay away from the keyboard. Pausing a moment, he took a long drought from his bottle of water, and with a ferocious determination he turned back to the computer, ready. "And if he thinks that I'm getting this information for him, he has another thing coming." He fumed.
At that moment he heard the ringing of his doorbell. Checking the video surveillance that he had installed for his safety he heaved a sigh on relief, 'About time!' he thought when he saw the blond-haired young man appear on the screen. He scurried out of the room and towards the door, smiling a little despite himself he said, "I was wondering what took you so long."
Takeru nodded. "I made a quick stop on the way..."
Mimi's face appeared behind Takeru's, the familiar honey tendrils dripping to her shoulders, framing her face. Her hazel eyes seemed tired, weighted down by anxiety, and still they reflected a certain familiar sincerity.
"Hello Mimi, didn't expect to see you here." Koushiro smiled. They were the same age, but Koushiro seemed far beyond the mere age of twenty-eight, and looked older too, while she much younger. His red hair had gotten a tinge of brown to it, and a few gray hairs were seen creeping up the sides of his head.
"Come in, both of you," He continued, stepping out of the way and allowing them into his apartment, a regular bachelor pad, yet surprisingly neat and organized. "Hang your jackets near the door. Mimi, I do believe there is some tea in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself."
'Such a thoughtful host,' Mimi thought, smiling warmly, and she left the room. Koushiro now turned around to face Takeru. "We can discuss this in my study."
"Yes I do think it would be better." Takeru nodded, his eyes were set, determined, and he followed him into the room, where they began speaking again. Mimi returned to the hallway. "Thanks Izzy, it's just what I needed--" her voice trailed off when she realized she was alone. "Oh," she said, and she sat down on the couch, placing her cup on the small table, and sitting back, she closed her eyes and absently began humming to herself, lost in memories of times that would never happen again.
"Damn him," she heard Takeru say angrily, and she opened her eyes. "You don't think he's on to us, do you?"
Koushiro's response was inaudible. Slowly she got up, feeling compelled to listen, and walked towards the study door, partially feeling bad and yet curious if she would be let into this new turn of events.
"Time could be running out." Takeru was saying when she pressed closer to the door.
"Tai wants that program, and you know him, nothing comes between him and what he wants. But do you know what _this_ is?" Mimi overheard a shuffling of paper as he continued to speak. "I've managed to translate some more of the code here. Unfortunately when I made that breakthrough, it reset itself. But I do believe that you'll be interested in--" His voice dropped, and she heard a small gasp from Takeru, and she could imagine him with his eyes widening, but only it wasn't Takeru's face she was imagining. Mimi couldn't hear either of them, and there seemed to be silence for a few moments, or the two were talking very low.
"And there is no way in sending any transmission back?" She finally managed to hear Takeru ask his voice seemed to shake, the strength seemed to leave him. 'What did he tell him?' her mind thought, but there was no time for thinking, only listening.
"None that I have seen so far. So what do you intend to do about it?"
"I-I don't know, Koushiro. This changes everything. However, on informing the others… I heard some disturbing news yesterday--" and once again she couldn't hear them, and she could only wonder more about their conversation, and would Takeru tell her any of this later, or would she be considered one of the others who wouldn't be informed. And then she heard Koushiro gasp, and then begin speaking quickly. "No that's silly. She wouldn't do that, especially after--"
Mimi slipped away from the door, mentally chiding herself for listening in, and went back to her drink, and lay back on the couch, to ponder about those missing breaks in the conversation. About fifteen minutes later both men emerged from the room, and found her asleep. Takeru looked slightly pale, but otherwise seemed okay, one hand holding some papers, which he quickly folded and tucked into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Koushiro." He said.
"No problem, Angel. I thought that you deserved to know." Just then a ringing noise disturbed them, and Mimi opened her eyes. "Oh, you guys are done." The ringing continued, and there was an awkward pause.
"It's me," Takeru said as he took out his cell, and quickly flipped it open. "Hello?"
A soft voice crackled on the line and into his ear. Takeru froze a moment, letting the familiar tone rush into him, and a name escaped his lips. "Kari…"
Mimi and Koushiro glanced at each other, but he paid no notice to them. "About what, Kari? I'm a little busy now…"
He was silent and his blue eyes seemed to waver, listening, before he opened his mouth to speak again. "No…it's okay Kari. I'll be right there, don't worry."
He waited another moment before saying, "See you," and hung up, and looked at Koushiro. "I have to go meet her."
"I bet," Mimi said in a low voice before biting her tongue, and neither of them heard her. 'Maybe I just misread the situation, is all' she thought, upset at herself for automatically thinking the worst of Kari, 'she is the child of light, and probably is just in love with Takeru, her Angel.' Thus satisfied, the thoughts stopped.
"Oh it's no problem, Angel. Mimi will be safe here until you come back." Koushiro said quickly, and relief seemed to come over Takeru's features. "Thanks, Koushiro. Mimi?"
"Yes, it's okay, Takeru, take care of yourself." She said softly, but he held her long in his gaze before finally turning away.
"I'll walk you out." Koushiro offered. 'I just hope you're not making a terrible mistake,' Mimi thought as she watched them walk over to the door and her blonde-haired rescuer step out into the rain.
'I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye…'
He pulled his white mustang to a stop outside of the place where Kari had asked him to meet her, and then sighed, as he looked at the building, the tavern that she had asked him to meet her at. There she was, standing outside the door wearing a leather jacket, which was open, and a slinky black number, holding a tall glass in her hand, and he walked up to her. "Hello, Kari…"
"I know we don't normally meet outside the circumstances…" she breathed. "Do you want to talk inside, or find a more private place?"
"I think that would be better," He said slowly, and taking her by the hand, went into the alley behind the tavern, into the empty stairwell. It was dark and seemed not to have been used for ages, except for maybe the local druggies that were nowhere in sight. "In here."
She touched his face. "It's been a long time since we've really talked, you know. Alone, not as beings of a group."
"Yeah," he replied, a faraway look in his clear blue eyes.
"Angel, do you remember what happened…" her voice trailed off as she moved her hand, along his cheek, down to his neck and finally rested on his shoulder blades. Of course he could remember what happened. He didn't expect that he would ever forget it.
It was a windy day, of course, how it blustered, the cold. She clung to his jacket. "Why do you think he's called us out here?" she asked him, looking up into his face.
He shrugged. "I have no idea, Kari. But maybe he's willing to negotiate. Maybe he will give up his silly little game after all."
"Mmm," was her only reply as she burrowed her head into the folds of his jacket. "It's so cold here TK. something is horribly wrong; I know it. He must be here, already."
He could smell the cinnamon scent in her hair as she snuggled near him. And then from behind him, a voice spoke. "So you _did_ decide to show up."
The voice was as cold as the wind against them, as they turned around to face him, with that cold gleam in his eyes, "Taichi," his sister exclaimed aloud, examining him. His hair was quite wild, if not from the wind that's how it usually was, and the thin wisps of the green grass whipped at their ankles.
"So what do you want, Tai?" Takeru asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. Tai laughed, it was hollow and eerie, and his eyes were dark, familiar traces of warmth gone from their depths.
"I want to know why you are so close with my dear, dear little sister, and why you are corrupting her to fight against me, her brother." Was the reply.
Takeru clenched his hands into fists. "What hell kind of nonsense is that, Kamiya? That can't be the only reason. And leave Kari out of this!"
"She's probably even deeper in than you are, boy, and it would be best in our interests if she crossed over. Your damn brother thought he was so smart. He ruined everything. But I will have my revenge."
And then he noticed that Tai's hand was in his jacket, and he slowly drew it out, a shiny glimmer of metal. His eyes opened wide. "Holy…"
A small grin at the corner of Tai's mouth. "Don't go 'holy' on me now. I really didn't want it to end this way, Takeru," He straightened his arm. "And don't try to pull any fast moves either. I'll have you down faster than…" his words trailed. "Kari, what will it be?"
Her eyes were round, pleading. "Please, Tai, don't hurt him."
"Kari, don't worry about me." Takeru said, shielding her with his body "Don't you hurt her."
"Threatening me, eh?" Tai said with a sneer. Takeru could feel Kari shivering, but he wasn't sure if it was because she was truly afraid or still cold. "Listen to me," he whispered to her. "I want you to run while I create a diversion."
"No TK…" she began, but saw it was useless; Takeru's eyes were set, determined.
"Go. Now!" He said quickly, and turned around to meet Tai's assault, temporarily knocking the revolver away from him. Kari started to run, but turned back around and saw Takeru; his hair slightly scuffled by falling onto the ground, running in her direction. Tai wasn't far behind, gun in hand.
"It's useless to stop." He said. Kari turned back around quickly. They were heading for a dead end. No possible direction to go in. Tai smiled, and raised the revolver. "Sweet dreams."
And fired.
Takeru knocked Kari to the ground and the bullets sailed harmlessly over their bodies. Tai smirked. "So you play that way," and aimed it directly at Takeru.
Kari screamed, "No!"
But her words were lost upon Takeru's ears. He held up a hand as if to fend off the bullets, already knowing that the fight had ended. He lost. He breathed a silent prayer, asking God to show mercy on Tai's soul. He shed a single tear in the eternity encapsulated within a breath's space, and resigned himself to his assumed fate, a fate, unbeknownst to him, that was not meant to be. The bullet plummeted through the air, bearing straight for Takeru's heart, its only obstacle Takeru's hand. Takeru begged, willed the bullet to stop, but it mercilessly continued, straight for its mark. As the distance between Takeru's hand and the bullet decreased, so did the bullet's speed. Mere inches from his outstretched palm, the bullet stopped a hovering mass of lead.
Takeru opened his eyes, wondering how he had survived; that was when he noticed the bullet, the bullet he had somehow stopped. Tai stood, watching in amazement, his jaw slightly slack, as dumbfounded as Takeru and Kari, who had recently come to know of the situation.
"How..?" came Takeru's breathy remark.
He waved his hand slightly, trying to figure out exactly what he had done to create such a miracle. As he did so, the bullet erupted in a flash of light, forcing Takeru, Kari, and Tai to shield their eyes. As the flash dimmed, they reopened their eyes, to be greeted with a splash of three doves bursting into flight.
Tai didn't say anything for a moment, watching them. "You may have won this time," he said in sheer disbelief, "but next time, it won't be so easy. I _swear_ that it won't be." At this, he stalked off in a vain attempt to show his mental success, however internally fearing whatever power Takeru had just come to.
Kari rose shakily, her eyes following the path the birds had made and then at Tai's departing back. "You did that, didn't you?"
Takeru shrugged. "Maybe I did, and maybe I didn't." his eyes immediately went up to the sky.
Kari leaned on his shoulder. "My guardian angel."
"Don't call me that."
"But it's what you are." She replied, and he sighed, and they remained standing there.
"Angel?" Kari's voice brought him back to the present.
"Just reminiscing," He said slowly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "But things won't always be this way."
"Oh Angel, it's bound to get a lot worse. And I remember the way things used to be. The way I could look in your eyes and know exactly what you're thinking. You seem troubled. Your eyes are clouded, in a strange sort of way. We haven't spent much time together." She sighed.
"I guess…" Takeru said, and he breathed in the familiar cinnamon of her hair. "Which reminds me…I know this is probably nothing, but last night, Mimi mentioned seeing you with Tai."
"Oh did she?" Kari asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, I was speaking with my brother… he's up to his old games, as usual. I would never leave the cause, not for him, not now."
Takeru smiled. "The child of light."
Kari shrugged. "Hey, I have to have a set of morals, right? Something tells me that it's all going to get messy pretty soon. And we'll have to be ready to pay the price."
'Mimi had to have been wrong. But that would also mean that Kari loves me. What am I to do if that part _is_ true?' he thought.
"Angel?" Kari asked.
"Just the old thoughts again," Takeru smiled again, pushing some of his hair out of his face. "Nothing to worry about."
"Shall we go in?"
He nodded. "I'm feeling a bit thirsty, after all…"
Outside the apartment, ducking into shadow after a long trek through the rain, he presses his body against the wall near the window, a small look of triumph on his face, 'Your security systems are useless compared to my technology,' he thought, stealing a glance in. His nokia rang, or rather, it vibrated, and he turned away, holding it up to his ear. "Hello?"
The raspy voice crackled into his ear. "Well? What's your status?"
"Izumi must have gotten some new information. I'm here now and…" once again he stole a glance into the window. "Well, well, well… look here…" he nearly laughed, but stopped himself, and flattened himself into shadow.
"What?"
"Seems our pal Izumi isn't alone...this may as well be your lucky day after all." He replied, with a smug grin on his face, though the caller couldn't see it.
: -: -: -: -: -:
It may take some time for the next part to come out…particularly since this brainchild has gone back to the mother ship. I do insist upon everyone giving Karei a round of applause for her creative flow, which managed to give strength to this story. ^.^ And would appreciate it if the "old" reviewers reviewed again as well, as the originals were lost .