January 31, 2004
Title: Providence
Chapter: Irony (3/?)
Author: Charlie (Lycthem)
Disclaimer: See part one.
3.
It was a very organized system, the one they ran in the place above. Nothing was without intent of a greater good, as small as the catalyser may seem. So, it was a big liberty allowing Taichi the freedom to choose any charge he chose. Most charges, though guardian angels could have an opinion of people they were looking to help, things they were good at, it didn't lay upon them to choose most of the time. Sometimes, it was the human who chose the angel.
It was not in angel characteristics to feel vanity, hatred, or any of those negative emotions. They were part of the imperfect structure implanted on the mortals He had placed such tender care in creating. But after spending most of their time caring for those mortals, most guardian angels began to develop a bit of a rebellious streak. Especially those who were placed with the more rowdy of charges.
Taichi, in particular, had developed quite a defiant attitude that was the talk of many of his superiors. Bets were not placed, for it was not in their nature, but it was the source of many amusing moments. And Taichi was well aware of this fact. Not malicious at all, few things remained complete secrets up above. The system worked on trust.
There was one seraph however who dotted on the brunet rebel. She was the reason he had been so ungracefully pulled from his comfortable position in his earthly home, and dropped on one of the fluffy cushioned sofas she adored so much. His first instinct was to lash out at her – he had developed a strong enough friendship with her not to feel inhibited and embarrassed at such an outburst at someone who was technically his superior. But upon second glance, and he was glad he had taken the time to think a little before talking, he noticed the red-haired seraph was not alone in the room.
Sitting next to her was quite possibly the only person he didn't like spending time with voluntarily. Didn't mean he wasn't forced to do it anyway. This moment was a perfect example of that.
"What happened now?" Taichi said irritably, his tone was not as forceful as he would've liked, leaning towards annoyed more than anything. But he didn't want to upset the somewhat peaceful balance of the room, so he refrained from showing his more upsetting side.
"Hello, Taichi." The red-haired seraph said instead, ignoring the question for the moment. She smiled at Taichi and he took that moment to sit up straight. "Hitoi here has something he'd like to tell you."
"Does he?" Taichi said seemingly surprised. In fact he wasn't in the least. Every time they met Hitoi either wanted to tell him something or wanted to make something clear to the other guardian angel. Their relationship had never been a very nice one, even from the beginnings. Just as he clicked positively with Koushirou, it had been the complete opposite with Hitoi. It didn't help that they were always somewhat competing with their charges.
"What is it then, Hitoi?" Taichi asked turning his attention to the blond guardian.
Hitoi cleared his throat then proceeded to explain his point of view in the matter that, until seconds ago, Taichi knew nothing about.
"Something extremely interesting has come to my attention. Fascinating… but I don't like it in the least. You're interested in my new charge, Taichi." Hitoi said, then paused as if letting Taichi assimilate the information. Then, without allowing the brown-haired angel to speak, continued, "I want that to stop. I don't want you to fight me for him because I already have him, and it is my duty now. Understood?"
When Hitoi first started talking, Taichi had the feeling he knew what it was about. And as more words started spilling out of his mouth, he knew his feeling was right. Out of all the angels in heaven, it had to be the one he liked the least who had to take the one charge he felt interested in. The charge that reminded him of one he failed. One Ishida Yamato.
Oh the irony of this did not escape him, for it was similar to something that had happened before. Only their roles were now reversed, and he let the bitter smile that had been threatening to come for while take over his face.
//"Taichi, what do you think you're doing!" a rather irate looking Hitoi demanded.
Taichi shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. I asked for her before she was born." He could tell Hitoi refrained himself from swearing only because they were in the purifying chamber.
"I was the one who sensed her first!" Hitoi said shrilly. He was really starting to become a pest.
"But I asked for her, and now that she's about to be born, I will be assigned to her." Taichi reasoned sensibly. "Am already assigned to her."
The redness spread all over Hitoi's face, anger clear in his expression and lack of words, and before he could explode two things happened at once. First the door opened revealing another guardian angel, one that distracted Hitoi enough so that the next second Taichi had taken the opportunity to leave the room, and head towards earth.
There was one thing Taichi had sensed from Hitoi before he left the purifying chamber, and it was something he was sure would come and bite him back another day. But he didn't worry himself with it; he had more important things to do. Supervising Clarisse's birth was the number one. //
Hitoi had left soon afterwards he'd spoken after he saw that Taichi was not going to rise to his bait, and so the brunet angel was left only with his superior in the room. Taichi's relationship with the seraph was one that he never would've imagined would've been formed. And under normal circumstances he was sure that it wouldn't. But once they met each other, the older angel had taken a liking to the rebellious one, and taken it as her duty to look over him. They grew to like each other after that.
"Taichi, feel like going back?" she asked plainly, if a bit amusedly.
Taichi looked up for the first time since Hitoi's little confession, but didn't reply. After a few seconds he opened his mouth.
"Why is it things like this always happen to me?" He said the words without really expecting an answer in return, but as usual it was answered, as he sort of knew she would do.
"Taichi, everything happens for a reason. You know that." She shrugged. "It's for the best."
"But Sora, I know I can do a better job at this than Hitoi can." He burst before he could stop himself. Sora shook her head and smiled sadly.
"You know that's not the way we work. You have your freedom, Taichi. But we have rules as well."
He frowned at her words, knowing she was right yet not willing to admit it. But then again he didn't have to because she already knew what he was thinking.
"Things will be okay, Taichi. You'll see. Have I ever let you down?" she teased smiling at him. He knew she hadn't.
"But I want to –"
"No, Taichi." She said firmly and he was momentarily taken aback. "I know you want to help him, but you want to for the wrong reasons."
The wrong reasons! He thought confused. "The wrong reasons?" How could he want to help someone for the wrong reasons?
"You know what I'm talking about." She said pointedly, and he looked down. "But it doesn't matter. I think there's someone else you can help. And if you don't want to," she added once she saw him frown, "there's always angel duty you can do up here."
Taichi snorted and she smiled.
But his determination hadn't wavered; it in fact, had only grown stronger, and they both knew that. And that was not good at all.
*
*
His paintings rarely reflected how he felt about what he was drawing. Not the public ones anyway. He chose through this outlet just to focus on the physical aspects, on the characteristics that were most prominent, that people already knew of, and merely enhancing them. What you saw was what he painted. Merely that.
He painted you with severe scrutiny, every detail present, for he never missed a freckle, a twinkle, a crooked smile because if even one freckle were to miss it wouldn't be you in the painting anymore. Oh it would look like you, uncannily so, but I really wouldn't be you anymore. Not truly.
And it was what most people wanted in the first place. Paintings that made them look as the world was forced to see them. And he didn't mind painting the lie for he was not the one being fooled by them. He knew the truth. And he also knew people really didn't want it as much as they claimed they did.
But his private drawings were different. He didn't hold any restrictions there and painted the person not only as they were there, but also how they were everywhere. In every plane, in every moment, no detail of the person's life escaping him. Sometimes the painting came out beautifully, but other times the image was a monstrosity.
Yamato had several already, and unlike most the others, his were in charcoal. Black and white. A paradox when you thought of it, for Yamato was everything but. From the ever-changing colour of his golden hair, to the different tones that formed his skin, to the myriad of feelings and emotions he possessed.
The only colour Taichi ever placed on him was in his [Yamato's] eyes. That sole detail troubled him, and he admitted that if only to himself. The only other time he had done that was with her, and that was a story with an ending he didn't particularly like. For the eyes are supposedly the windows to one's soul, and though Yamato's were blue, the darkness in them was far more than Taichi would've liked.
*
*
The world was very small, or so it seemed to Taichi. Everything was connected in some infinite level, like the strings of a harp, or the never-ending waves of sound. Everything sooner or later linked with all else in the world. The winds of the east, the tides of the sea, the flight of a dove, it was all part of a cycle of causes and effects that would never cease to be.
Was one to disturb even the smallest of things, it was enough to change the previous course of the future. Just by merely being in another place, by saying something instead of just thinking it, by simply making choice, a million and one things were altered.
When Taichi decided not long after returning to earth, that going to the grocery shop to get some milk was a good idea; he never expected the chain of reactions that was started by that little action. Even outside of the human realm, his influence was enough.
He was about to pick up the carton of milk when he spotted her. Tiny, maybe four or five years old, a black haired girl was on her tip toes trying to grab a soda can that was just a few inches too high.
He left the carton and turned around to pick up the can for her. It was only a small act, but looking at the big smile the girl gave him he knew it was well worth it. She thanked him and left the aisle, shaking his head he picked up his carton of milk.
As he headed towards the register and reached for his pocket his eyes widened. In his distraction he hadn't paid attention to his surroundings and his wallet had been stolen. He looked around, tuning his Sense to see what others around were thinking but found nothing. He frowned, disturbed that his wallet had been stolen, but not overtly bothered by it, and took out of his front pocket enough change to pay for the milk.
As he placed the milk inside a bag and headed out the store, the black-haired little girl was entering a car. Playing with the soda can, a wide mischievous smile on her face, the girl asked her uncle if he was to drive her to her home or his. Taichi's wallet lay innocently inside the pouch of her winter coat.
The young blond man turned to her and smiled.
"Put on your seat belt, Yinna." She did as he told and then looked up at him inquiringly, waiting for her question to be answered. She wasn't disappointed when he said; "I'm taking you home. Your parents should be there already."
"Really?" Her parents had been on a second honeymoon of sorts, and she had been left with her uncle meanwhile. Though she loved him to pieces, however, she was really starting to miss her parents. "I miss them."
"Well, I'm sure Ken and Daisuke have missed you as well." He chuckled. From the corner of his eyes he saw her nod, a sure smile on her face.
"I'm sure they missed me too, Uncle Takeru." She replied.
The car drove in the opposite direction of Taichi's apartment, and as the brunet angel entered his own he could Sense the fading sound of a child's laughter. He grumbled a bit, happy that the child was happy, but also irritated at the fact that he was going to have to get new documents, and cancel his credit cards. This was the third time his wallet had been stolen and he'd only been visible for a year or so. He was positive they were going to make him get them the mortal way.
He hoped whoever had taken it was very happy. It was the least they could be for the trouble he was going to go through to set things straight again. He wasn't aware that fate had given him a little chance.