A new reason not to do drugs! You won't be able to write your chapters!
Okay, okay, it's actually just a new prescription that makes me drowsy.
I fell asleep on my keyboard a couple times. Also, I seriously underestimated
how long the auditions today would last. -_- And my schedule unexpectedly
came to include professor hunting. So, the chapter is late.
This chapter, by the way, is brought to you by beta readers! Let's have a big hand for John, who now lives 5 seconds away from me! One of the biggest reasons my updates were screwy over the summer is because I had to sort all these pesky problems out by myself, or get help from John via e-mail. Not very efficient.
Oh, and for the record, "Death of a Fairy Tale" now officially excedes 100 Word pages. n_n
~Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ume no tsuki ichi mai no kosu amado kana
{The plum-blossom moon, I think I shall remove one of the rain shutters.}
(a haiku by Issa, translated by myself)
"You're back early," Blackjack noted as Tabito slid the door shut behind him.
"I am indeed," the prince agreed flatly and walked into the front room only to drop himself on the couch with a sigh.
"That sigh," Blackjack observed, "it does not bode good things." Tabito lifted his face towards the wall where he had learned the computer's sensors were.
"What object around here is invaluable enough that I might break it with my bare hands?" he asked.
"Oh dear," the system responded. "Sarcasm, I assume?"
"Perhaps," he shrugged, and with another sigh, his head dropped onto his chest. "Why me?" he whispered after a moment. "Why now?"
"Make no more noise, if you'd be so kind, Master Tabito," Blackjack interrupted. "I do believe your mood is dropping below my capabilities to evaluate."
"That's impossible, Blackjack," the prince forced a smile as he shook his head.
"Why, thank you, sir," the AR responded, and after a moment, asked: "Might I ask what troubles your mind?"
"Have you ever felt as if…" Tabito turned his eyes up to the ceiling to consider his thoughts before continuing, "as if you were helpless to do that which you were meant to do?"
"No."
"Of course not," he forced a laugh, then turned to look away. "Damn it."
"Am I upsetting you?" it ventured.
"What gave you that idea?"
"A yes, then," it concluded. "If you are in search of sympathetic support, perhaps—"
"Forget it, Blackjack," he snapped, standing up and making for the bedroom. "Just forget it."
"You will not hear me out?" the computer prompted.
"If you must," he turned back to look at the sensors.
"As I was saying," it continued, "if you are in search of sympathetic support, perhaps that piece of paper by the audio-communicator would prove more useful than I."
Tabito looked to the other side of the room and stared at the suggested slip of paper for a long time. Seconds slipped forever out of the present's grasp, and then Tabito inhaled deeply. But instead of a sigh:
"How do you work that thing?"
~~~~~
"And did I mention what will become of the economy?" Kata Paradi carried on as his wife, Raku, handed him a steaming cup of tea.
"I know you've had a long day at work, honey, but—"
"Had?!" he raised an indignant eyebrow. "It's only the third hour after noon! I'm only back for a break before I'm up all night sorting out the notes those interviewers got out of that woman!"
"And that's why you need to sit down, relax, and stop complaining for a moment," she replied patiently. Kata grumbled a bit more as he eased down into the chair and sighed when Raku snatched the newspaper from his view. "Whatever you do, honey," she said as she took the offensive reading material into the kitchen to throw away, "you can't say anything that might turn people against Mikoto. She's only trying to do what's best."
"Yeah?" he muttered. "Best for who?" The audio-communicator rang before Raku could make it clear just whether she had heard him or not. Glad for the distraction, she picked up the handset.
"Hello?"
"Hello," a young, male voice answered. "Might I speak with Reichia?"
"She just got home a little while ago," Raku replied, somewhat taken aback.
"I see," he continued. "If you'd alert her to my calling, I'd be very much obliged."
"Well, if you ask like that…" Raku murmured, very much impressed. Covering the receiver with her hand, she turned to her husband. "Talk about manners," she grinned. He didn't seem very impressed by her reactions, so she hastened to the base of the stairs and called up, "Reichia! There's a soft-spoken young man on the line for you!"
"What?!" came an expletive that was quickly followed by the presence of the one who uttered it.
"What's your hurry?" teased her mother as she snatched the handset away from grasping hands.
"Mamma…" the girl pouted, then grasped the handset to her ear as her mother relented. "Hello?"
"Reichia?" answered a voice that was most definitely his.
"Omigoodness! I didn't think you'd call!" she exclaimed as she turned only to make dead eye contact with her father. Quickly, she turned away and headed into the kitchen.
"Nor did I," Tabito admitted, unaware of what was going on. "And my apologies for intruding…"
"Oh no," she shook her head, even though he couldn't see her. She glanced back to see her mother trying to make conversation with her father as she continued, "You're not intruding at all."
"That is reassuring," he replied. "I am sorry, but I desperately need to do something. I shall go insane if I continue to sit around and feel sorry for myself."
"Yeah," she nodded against the handset.
"I thought I might take you up on your offer from earlier."
"Sure," she agreed. "I, uh, assume you mean today?"
"If it's not—"
"Not at all!" she interrupted, scrambling for a scrap of paper. "Give me your address, and I'll pick you up in, oh, an hour." After getting his address and bidding him a see-you-later, Reichia turned to head to her room with her head full of thoughts of whether or not her hair was all right and what on earth should she wear. And then she came face to face with Kata.
"I won't be out late, daddy," she quickly assured him.
"Is he anyone I know?" he asked.
"Ah, no," Reichia shook her head, trying to hide her nervousness. "He's new to the area, and I said I'd show him around."
"I see," he nodded, then placed his hands on her shoulders. "Reichia, listen," said he, looking into her eyes, "these merchants that are escaping from Lindblum and such to come here, they are not going to find work, and they'll—"
"Dad!" she interrupted. "He just needs a friend, that's all! If I go around pretending I'm better than people who aren't as well-off as me, well, what kind of person would I be?"
"That's not what I meant," he withdrew his hands. "I just want you to be careful. I only want the best for you."
"I'm always careful," she replied softly, picking at her fingers. "You know that."
"Good girl," he smiled shortly and then stepped out of her way.
~~~~~
Reichia adjusted her pants as she stepped out of her vehicle. They had ridden up while she had been driving, and she didn't want to appear to be coming on to him. Not yet, anyway. She turned around to see Tabito coming out of the building. She blushed, desperately hoping he hadn't seen her picking at her behind.
"Hi," she greeted.
"I heard you drive up," he said explanatively.
"Right," she smiled, glad that he did not seem to have noticed. He was even looking at her now, his violet eyes plainly visible in the afternoon sunshine. "So, where do you want to go?" she asked, all the while admiring his face. It turned up to the sky as he answered her.
"Anywhere but here."
"Are you always this depressed?" she asked, her face falling.
"It may become habitual, yes," he replied, returning his gaze to her.
"Oh," she nodded, not knowing quite what to make of that. "Why don't you get in and we'll go poke around and then find ourselves a place to eat, 'k?"
"That sounds like a plan," he noted, getting into the passenger side of the vehicle.
"Nice place, here," Reichia said conversationally as she got back into her driver's seat.
"It's all right," he shrugged and settled into his seat. His shirt, which oddly covered his whole torso, was forest green, and really highlighted the color of his eyes.
"Okay then," said she, wrenching her attention to her driving. The trip into town was considerably silent, since Tabito seemed content to simply watch the streets pass by. Reichia stole glances at him from time to time. His face maintained a melancholy expression that lightened ever so slightly when a passing object caught his attention. The wind did wonders for his hair; the two colors twisted and turned as though something alive.
When they arrived in downtown New Bran Bal, Reichia showed Tabito around. His expression didn't change but for a few moments, when he forced smiles or interest. After a while, she led him into one of her favorite cafés, where they took a table near the window.
"You're not enjoying yourself," she pointed out over her menu.
"It's not due to your lack of effort," he apologized. "I'm sorry I—"
"Not at all," she interrupted. "But why did you bother to call me if it wouldn't help?"
"I suppose I hoped it would at least ease my restlessness," he replied.
"Your restlessness?"
"Yes," he nodded looking at the menu. "I have a hard time doing nothing when something needs doing."
"I see," she nodded back.
"My apologies for using you this way—"
"Not at all," she shook her head vigorously, her blonde hair flying about her face then settling again. "I offered to be used this way, remember?"
"I suppose that is why I was so at ease with using you, then," he decided, sitting back slightly.
"You know," she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand, "you really are a kind-hearted person."
"Am I, now?" he quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, it sure seems that way," she sat back and began pulling on her fingers, "to me, at least."
"Kindness to the least of these, I suppose," Tabito said with a hint of a smile.
"Huh?" remarked Reichia, somewhat confused, but also intrigued with his sudden light-heartedness.
"A play on words," he said apologetically. "I find them amusing at times."
"At times when nothing else amuses you?" she asked, trying it out for herself.
"Perhaps," he replied, his smile growing big enough to show teeth. She grinned too, pleased with her sudden success. The sound of the bell on the door caught her attention, and her smile quickly disappeared.
"Oh no," she groaned softly quickly turning her attention to the wall. Tabito glanced toward the door from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. They were soon joined by another girl, whose bright yellow hair was piled atop her head in artificial curls.
"Reichia Rakuhato," she addressed affectedly. "What are you doing here?"
"Why eating, of course," Reichia smiled brightly up at her. "What else do I ever come here to do, Erizu?"
"I know that," Erizu rolled her eyes. "But what are you doing here, sitting across from the crown prince of Alexandria? Are you paying him to be seen in public with you? Or maybe granting him some favors?"
"No," whispered the red-faced Reichia as she stared down at her fingers that were pulling at each other.
"No?" the other snorted incredulously. "I can't imagine another reason for him to sit here with trash like you."
"Well…" the first murmured timidly as she looked up to see Erizu seat herself beside the prince.
"I daresay that was thoroughly unsolicited," Tabito remarked after regarding her for a disdainful second.
"Uh…huh?"
"Can you dismiss yourself as quickly as you invited yourself, or do I have to do it for you?" he asked, shooting her a hard glare from the corner of his eye.
"Well, excuse me," she sneered distastefully.
"With pleasure," he shrugged and faced forward again.
"Wow," she nodded with irritation, "you're one stuck-up jerk."
"You have heard the phrase 'it takes one to know one'?" he confirmed, facing her now. She nodded her head acidly as she formulated a comeback, but he didn't wait. "It applies."
"Yeah, this guy's real cute, Reichia," Erizu stood up, fuming. "You can keep him and then the Gaians will burn your house to the ground."
"That was low," Tabito informed her. "Although to be expected." Scorned, the yellow-haired girl shot him a lethal look before she stormed out the door. "Hussy," he muttered as the bell sounded a second time. His expression lightened slightly as he turned back to Reichia. "And that's when the play on words is most amusing," he said with a small smile.
"So I see," she said quietly.
"Where'd you acquire such an offensive acquaintance?" he asked, stretching his arms.
"At school," she replied. "She's a fellow pilot-trainee, just more popular than me."
"How?" Tabito raised a perplexed eyebrow.
"She's richer, and she's prettier, I guess," Reichia shifted uncomfortably. "She doesn't treat everybody like that, you know."
"Just you?" he asked contemplatively.
"And a couple other people, I guess," she looked down at her nervous hands.
"Even so, she seems to respect your tastes," he noted. Reichia's head snapped upright with shock. Seeing this, Tabito quickly clarified his thoughts, "In the business world I understand that one often scorns those better at the trade than oneself, am I not correct?" After a moment, her face contorted against threats of tears.
"How is it," she began, biting and releasing her lower lip, "that you can ease my distress with a sentence or two, but even after a thousand words I can't do a thing for you?"
"I choose my words carefully," he replied softly. "And perhaps your inner torment might be solved by words, while mine is only worsened by them."
"I'm sorry…"
"You haven't used those kinds of words," Tabito said quickly.
"I…I figured," she sighed. "I just wish I could do something."
"That you try is enough," he replied gently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just so no-one gets confused, Blackjack is not aritificial intelligence. I think I accidentally said that it was earlier. But it's not A.I., it's just a highly advanced computer that responds to voice and visual commands that may be less than specific.
This chapter, by the way, is brought to you by beta readers! Let's have a big hand for John, who now lives 5 seconds away from me! One of the biggest reasons my updates were screwy over the summer is because I had to sort all these pesky problems out by myself, or get help from John via e-mail. Not very efficient.
Oh, and for the record, "Death of a Fairy Tale" now officially excedes 100 Word pages. n_n
~Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ume no tsuki ichi mai no kosu amado kana
{The plum-blossom moon, I think I shall remove one of the rain shutters.}
(a haiku by Issa, translated by myself)
"You're back early," Blackjack noted as Tabito slid the door shut behind him.
"I am indeed," the prince agreed flatly and walked into the front room only to drop himself on the couch with a sigh.
"That sigh," Blackjack observed, "it does not bode good things." Tabito lifted his face towards the wall where he had learned the computer's sensors were.
"What object around here is invaluable enough that I might break it with my bare hands?" he asked.
"Oh dear," the system responded. "Sarcasm, I assume?"
"Perhaps," he shrugged, and with another sigh, his head dropped onto his chest. "Why me?" he whispered after a moment. "Why now?"
"Make no more noise, if you'd be so kind, Master Tabito," Blackjack interrupted. "I do believe your mood is dropping below my capabilities to evaluate."
"That's impossible, Blackjack," the prince forced a smile as he shook his head.
"Why, thank you, sir," the AR responded, and after a moment, asked: "Might I ask what troubles your mind?"
"Have you ever felt as if…" Tabito turned his eyes up to the ceiling to consider his thoughts before continuing, "as if you were helpless to do that which you were meant to do?"
"No."
"Of course not," he forced a laugh, then turned to look away. "Damn it."
"Am I upsetting you?" it ventured.
"What gave you that idea?"
"A yes, then," it concluded. "If you are in search of sympathetic support, perhaps—"
"Forget it, Blackjack," he snapped, standing up and making for the bedroom. "Just forget it."
"You will not hear me out?" the computer prompted.
"If you must," he turned back to look at the sensors.
"As I was saying," it continued, "if you are in search of sympathetic support, perhaps that piece of paper by the audio-communicator would prove more useful than I."
Tabito looked to the other side of the room and stared at the suggested slip of paper for a long time. Seconds slipped forever out of the present's grasp, and then Tabito inhaled deeply. But instead of a sigh:
"How do you work that thing?"
"And did I mention what will become of the economy?" Kata Paradi carried on as his wife, Raku, handed him a steaming cup of tea.
"I know you've had a long day at work, honey, but—"
"Had?!" he raised an indignant eyebrow. "It's only the third hour after noon! I'm only back for a break before I'm up all night sorting out the notes those interviewers got out of that woman!"
"And that's why you need to sit down, relax, and stop complaining for a moment," she replied patiently. Kata grumbled a bit more as he eased down into the chair and sighed when Raku snatched the newspaper from his view. "Whatever you do, honey," she said as she took the offensive reading material into the kitchen to throw away, "you can't say anything that might turn people against Mikoto. She's only trying to do what's best."
"Yeah?" he muttered. "Best for who?" The audio-communicator rang before Raku could make it clear just whether she had heard him or not. Glad for the distraction, she picked up the handset.
"Hello?"
"Hello," a young, male voice answered. "Might I speak with Reichia?"
"She just got home a little while ago," Raku replied, somewhat taken aback.
"I see," he continued. "If you'd alert her to my calling, I'd be very much obliged."
"Well, if you ask like that…" Raku murmured, very much impressed. Covering the receiver with her hand, she turned to her husband. "Talk about manners," she grinned. He didn't seem very impressed by her reactions, so she hastened to the base of the stairs and called up, "Reichia! There's a soft-spoken young man on the line for you!"
"What?!" came an expletive that was quickly followed by the presence of the one who uttered it.
"What's your hurry?" teased her mother as she snatched the handset away from grasping hands.
"Mamma…" the girl pouted, then grasped the handset to her ear as her mother relented. "Hello?"
"Reichia?" answered a voice that was most definitely his.
"Omigoodness! I didn't think you'd call!" she exclaimed as she turned only to make dead eye contact with her father. Quickly, she turned away and headed into the kitchen.
"Nor did I," Tabito admitted, unaware of what was going on. "And my apologies for intruding…"
"Oh no," she shook her head, even though he couldn't see her. She glanced back to see her mother trying to make conversation with her father as she continued, "You're not intruding at all."
"That is reassuring," he replied. "I am sorry, but I desperately need to do something. I shall go insane if I continue to sit around and feel sorry for myself."
"Yeah," she nodded against the handset.
"I thought I might take you up on your offer from earlier."
"Sure," she agreed. "I, uh, assume you mean today?"
"If it's not—"
"Not at all!" she interrupted, scrambling for a scrap of paper. "Give me your address, and I'll pick you up in, oh, an hour." After getting his address and bidding him a see-you-later, Reichia turned to head to her room with her head full of thoughts of whether or not her hair was all right and what on earth should she wear. And then she came face to face with Kata.
"I won't be out late, daddy," she quickly assured him.
"Is he anyone I know?" he asked.
"Ah, no," Reichia shook her head, trying to hide her nervousness. "He's new to the area, and I said I'd show him around."
"I see," he nodded, then placed his hands on her shoulders. "Reichia, listen," said he, looking into her eyes, "these merchants that are escaping from Lindblum and such to come here, they are not going to find work, and they'll—"
"Dad!" she interrupted. "He just needs a friend, that's all! If I go around pretending I'm better than people who aren't as well-off as me, well, what kind of person would I be?"
"That's not what I meant," he withdrew his hands. "I just want you to be careful. I only want the best for you."
"I'm always careful," she replied softly, picking at her fingers. "You know that."
"Good girl," he smiled shortly and then stepped out of her way.
Reichia adjusted her pants as she stepped out of her vehicle. They had ridden up while she had been driving, and she didn't want to appear to be coming on to him. Not yet, anyway. She turned around to see Tabito coming out of the building. She blushed, desperately hoping he hadn't seen her picking at her behind.
"Hi," she greeted.
"I heard you drive up," he said explanatively.
"Right," she smiled, glad that he did not seem to have noticed. He was even looking at her now, his violet eyes plainly visible in the afternoon sunshine. "So, where do you want to go?" she asked, all the while admiring his face. It turned up to the sky as he answered her.
"Anywhere but here."
"Are you always this depressed?" she asked, her face falling.
"It may become habitual, yes," he replied, returning his gaze to her.
"Oh," she nodded, not knowing quite what to make of that. "Why don't you get in and we'll go poke around and then find ourselves a place to eat, 'k?"
"That sounds like a plan," he noted, getting into the passenger side of the vehicle.
"Nice place, here," Reichia said conversationally as she got back into her driver's seat.
"It's all right," he shrugged and settled into his seat. His shirt, which oddly covered his whole torso, was forest green, and really highlighted the color of his eyes.
"Okay then," said she, wrenching her attention to her driving. The trip into town was considerably silent, since Tabito seemed content to simply watch the streets pass by. Reichia stole glances at him from time to time. His face maintained a melancholy expression that lightened ever so slightly when a passing object caught his attention. The wind did wonders for his hair; the two colors twisted and turned as though something alive.
When they arrived in downtown New Bran Bal, Reichia showed Tabito around. His expression didn't change but for a few moments, when he forced smiles or interest. After a while, she led him into one of her favorite cafés, where they took a table near the window.
"You're not enjoying yourself," she pointed out over her menu.
"It's not due to your lack of effort," he apologized. "I'm sorry I—"
"Not at all," she interrupted. "But why did you bother to call me if it wouldn't help?"
"I suppose I hoped it would at least ease my restlessness," he replied.
"Your restlessness?"
"Yes," he nodded looking at the menu. "I have a hard time doing nothing when something needs doing."
"I see," she nodded back.
"My apologies for using you this way—"
"Not at all," she shook her head vigorously, her blonde hair flying about her face then settling again. "I offered to be used this way, remember?"
"I suppose that is why I was so at ease with using you, then," he decided, sitting back slightly.
"You know," she leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand, "you really are a kind-hearted person."
"Am I, now?" he quirked an eyebrow.
"Well, it sure seems that way," she sat back and began pulling on her fingers, "to me, at least."
"Kindness to the least of these, I suppose," Tabito said with a hint of a smile.
"Huh?" remarked Reichia, somewhat confused, but also intrigued with his sudden light-heartedness.
"A play on words," he said apologetically. "I find them amusing at times."
"At times when nothing else amuses you?" she asked, trying it out for herself.
"Perhaps," he replied, his smile growing big enough to show teeth. She grinned too, pleased with her sudden success. The sound of the bell on the door caught her attention, and her smile quickly disappeared.
"Oh no," she groaned softly quickly turning her attention to the wall. Tabito glanced toward the door from the corner of his eye, but said nothing. They were soon joined by another girl, whose bright yellow hair was piled atop her head in artificial curls.
"Reichia Rakuhato," she addressed affectedly. "What are you doing here?"
"Why eating, of course," Reichia smiled brightly up at her. "What else do I ever come here to do, Erizu?"
"I know that," Erizu rolled her eyes. "But what are you doing here, sitting across from the crown prince of Alexandria? Are you paying him to be seen in public with you? Or maybe granting him some favors?"
"No," whispered the red-faced Reichia as she stared down at her fingers that were pulling at each other.
"No?" the other snorted incredulously. "I can't imagine another reason for him to sit here with trash like you."
"Well…" the first murmured timidly as she looked up to see Erizu seat herself beside the prince.
"I daresay that was thoroughly unsolicited," Tabito remarked after regarding her for a disdainful second.
"Uh…huh?"
"Can you dismiss yourself as quickly as you invited yourself, or do I have to do it for you?" he asked, shooting her a hard glare from the corner of his eye.
"Well, excuse me," she sneered distastefully.
"With pleasure," he shrugged and faced forward again.
"Wow," she nodded with irritation, "you're one stuck-up jerk."
"You have heard the phrase 'it takes one to know one'?" he confirmed, facing her now. She nodded her head acidly as she formulated a comeback, but he didn't wait. "It applies."
"Yeah, this guy's real cute, Reichia," Erizu stood up, fuming. "You can keep him and then the Gaians will burn your house to the ground."
"That was low," Tabito informed her. "Although to be expected." Scorned, the yellow-haired girl shot him a lethal look before she stormed out the door. "Hussy," he muttered as the bell sounded a second time. His expression lightened slightly as he turned back to Reichia. "And that's when the play on words is most amusing," he said with a small smile.
"So I see," she said quietly.
"Where'd you acquire such an offensive acquaintance?" he asked, stretching his arms.
"At school," she replied. "She's a fellow pilot-trainee, just more popular than me."
"How?" Tabito raised a perplexed eyebrow.
"She's richer, and she's prettier, I guess," Reichia shifted uncomfortably. "She doesn't treat everybody like that, you know."
"Just you?" he asked contemplatively.
"And a couple other people, I guess," she looked down at her nervous hands.
"Even so, she seems to respect your tastes," he noted. Reichia's head snapped upright with shock. Seeing this, Tabito quickly clarified his thoughts, "In the business world I understand that one often scorns those better at the trade than oneself, am I not correct?" After a moment, her face contorted against threats of tears.
"How is it," she began, biting and releasing her lower lip, "that you can ease my distress with a sentence or two, but even after a thousand words I can't do a thing for you?"
"I choose my words carefully," he replied softly. "And perhaps your inner torment might be solved by words, while mine is only worsened by them."
"I'm sorry…"
"You haven't used those kinds of words," Tabito said quickly.
"I…I figured," she sighed. "I just wish I could do something."
"That you try is enough," he replied gently.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just so no-one gets confused, Blackjack is not aritificial intelligence. I think I accidentally said that it was earlier. But it's not A.I., it's just a highly advanced computer that responds to voice and visual commands that may be less than specific.