Ha, ha… Hayate in a coma… good idea. Must try that sometime, but…
You stole my war-hammer! *Sniff* Gimme that… *takes* that's better. Face my war-hammer's wrath, biatches! *evil grin*
More generally, extra kudos to everyone who likes Ryu *big wink*
Wow… I just read your reviews, and it made me want to update again just for the sake of you lovely reviewers! I love you all! *Big, dopey grin* Anyways, I'm going to respond to the chapter 33 reviews by person now… (Never done this before, I think… how scary!) well, the ones that have shown up in my reviews thing…
LC Wolf, Hayate will! Don't worry! (He's saving all his ass-kickeriness to when he can use it to his, err… full potential. *Nod* But he WILL get his hands dirty, don't you worry about that!)
Jamo: (easier to type, me being so lazy) *back to ch32 review for a sec* YOU LIKE HAYABUSA BETTER TOO! YAY! Oh, Hayate's fine. (It was really too much sugar… he lies!) Actually, the too much sugar would be me, what with a bottle of vanilla coke and a bottle of cherry coke, I'd say I've had well over my recommended sugar/caffeine intake for the day…
Wolf: Bravo, you've made a wise choice. Hayabusa is the greatest on the DOA earth (just my opinion, of course… as you may have noticed me pushing it down your throat a *cough* few times…) But even still, the war-hammer's mine! You can have the rubber mallet instead *throws rubber mallet in general direction*
BerettaMan: (I'm still not over that whole killing Ryu thing yet, it might take me a while…) But SCII is great! ^_^ I love the weapons mode. DOA needs something like that suited to its style of game, or like the MK: DA Konquest mode. Damn… that'd be soooooo good… a whole section devoted to Ryu, Ryu and nothing but… okay… *dodges various Hayate fan stuff* I'll shut up… I like using Voldo, but he (it???) is damn ugly -.- Kilik is cool and pretty cute too, but… Nightmare's hair??? Drool… (non-playing SCII people, it's long. Mmm, long…)
Uselesspawn: It did, but thanks for reviewing anyway. Glad you're enjoying! ^_^
Hikari: You never know! *evil grin* But you like Ryu, so that's good *hugs back* Sorry if you're getting confused a bit, but this story is coming from a girl who has (proven to be able to by doing so for the entirety of a forty-five minute train ride) train ALL her trains of thought back to Ryu… (for example… train, train of thought, -- Ryu, *umm… looking at random object on desk…* mouse, mouse connects to computer, use computer for downloading pictures, pictures of Ryu…) so… it could be a bit confusing. Sorry about that.
Escawing: Thankyou very much. You flatter me too much ^_^ My head's going to grow big soon! But your constant feedback (and everyone else's!) is so greatly appreciated.
Sephiroth: Glad you like it! ^_^ Thanks for reviewing! And there'll be more Hitomi, don't you worry about that! There're so many Hitomi fans out there, I can't just forget about them! *wink*
UltimateRuler: Yeah, go Ayane! Thanks for reviewing as always! ^_^ I reckon by the time we end this story, I'll have paired up Ryu with basically anyone *evil grin*
Okay. Now that these notes are bigger then the chapter, I'll shut up. Enjoy!
*
"I'm not violent,"
Odd that he was here now, in a police interviewing room, saying something that usually other people would have been trying to convince him, as opposed to him trying to convince someone else. In an interview room again? A nasty part of his brain hissed. He shook his head, desperately trying to ignore it, struggling half-heartedly with the painful handcuffs around his wrists.
"So you knocked out a grown man by not being violent, eh?" Rachel was staring intently at him. Doesn't she have anywhere else to be? He thought forlornly. She's going to make sure the book gets thrown at me this time, even if everything she says is nonsense. Ever since I met her for the first time, I had an inkling that she really does detest me.
The thought made a bitter laugh escape his lips. Her and the rest of the world.
"That wasn't me,"
He could protest, proclaim his innocence all he wanted and it wouldn't make a difference. He was, to borrow Ayane's vernacular, up shit creek without a paddle. That was evident by the look she shot him. A blank look which told him nothing except he was in trouble.
He leaned his elbows on the desk, letting his head drop into his hands as much as possible with the handcuffs. "Believe what you want. It wasn't me, but there's no use in even trying to convince your sort of it. I'll just be wasting my breath,"
Luckily, it hadn't been that much of a beating. Just the words mostly, and a solid slash to the arm. But, still, not as bad as it had been. That made his thoughts drift elsewhere, which made him start.
"Hayate. I have to see Hayate. Is he alright?"
"What, so you can blame him for something else he didn't do?" Rachel gave a snort. "Get out of it, punk. You don't stand a chance,"
"No, that's not why," his voice was soft again, his throat was aching, along with his arm, which had suffered the brunt of the attacks, and still had been tender from the mistreating before. "I wanted to…" he trailed off. "Why am I telling you, anyway? All you police officers do is throw everything back into people's faces. There's no point in making a justification, because all your sort does is make a conspiracy out of it,"
"Our sort?" Rachel raised a fine blonde eyebrow. "Bit rich coming from you. I'd say you need some severe anger management education,"
He slammed his cuffed hands into the desk, ignoring the spasm of pain that shot up his shoulder at doing so. Darn Leon and his bone-crunching… he thought mentally as the pain in his arm increased tenfold. "I do not. You might be trying to understand things, but let me give you some advice, don't give up your day job,"
"Aren't you just proving my point?" the officer shifted in her chair, stretching out slender legs under the desk. "You might not want to admit it to yourself, but you need some serious help, punk. Pronto,"
That hit him like a blow. "I do not. All I want to do is see my friend to make sure that he is alright and apologise for what I said to him before. Of course, you wouldn't believe me. Is it part of the qualification you need to be a police officer, the cynicism?"
"No. Seriously. You do," she carelessly blew back blonde hair to stare under it at him.
"Leave me alone," his voice was dangerously quiet, even to his own ears. "Believe what you want about what happened, but don't even think of telling me something like that,"
"Because you can't face the truth?"
"Because you're full of it!" he stood up, eyes blazing. "You don't know a thing!"
"Sit down. Chill pill. Jeez,"
The guilt, shame and despair all hit him like a sudden wave. He sat down instantly, previously trying to quell his anger, now trying to save the last trace of his dignity.
"Okay. Now that you have some self-control. What happened?"
"I don't know. I-" he stopped abruptly, trying to stem the ache at his temples and the tears that threatened to well in his eyes at the same time. "Is Hayate alright?"
"You want to see him that badly?"
He nodded numbly.
She shrugged. "Fine. Wait a sec, and I'll uncuff you. But even put a toe out of line, and you'll be cuffed and dragged off to be interviewed in the clink before you can say 'I didn't do it'. I'll show you where he is,"
He was uncuffed and followed wordlessly behind the blonde as she led him down to what looked like a makeshift hospital area. There his friend was, looking positively pale against the stark white sheets, golden brown eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling.
"Oh, Hayate," he said helplessly. "I'm so sorry,"
Those eyes that turned to him were so emotion-filled; it made him want to do anything to make it up to his friend. What was I thinking? I wasn't. It wasn't his fault. It never was. If only I could do something, anything, to make it up to him.
"No, you're right," Hayate deftly swung his legs to the floor, getting to his feet. "You're right. I did kill her. If I wasn't driving, she wouldn't have died. Hell, if I was never born she wouldn't have died. There you go,"
"Please," he stopped, unable to say more. Please, he wanted to so desperately say. I didn't mean to say it. It's not true. I just said it… I just said it so I could hurt you. I was so angry. And that's not your fault. Don't believe it… please!
Without him realising it, he had dug his hands into his arms. Something warm and sticky covered his right hand. Blood.
"You know, I was surprised," Hayate mused quietly. "How you didn't blame me straight away. Although, seeing the way you did it, I understand. You were saving it for a time when I would have forgotten, so the memories come back and hurt more. I understand. I would have done it like that too. Guess we do have something in common after all,"
"Look!"
He hit the wall angrily, making his friend jump, making warm blood fly everywhere. "I was an idiot. I didn't mean to say anything of the sort. It was an accident, and there's nothing that we can do to change it. The only reason I mentioned it… I don't know, I wasn't thinking, and… I suppose I just… I just… snapped," he laughed bitterly. "Perhaps Rachel is right,"
"Who's Rachel?"
"That blonde police officer,"
"What are you talking about?"
He sighed softly, clenching his hand into a fist, nails digging into the palm of his hands at the mere recollection of her earlier words. "Politely said, she thinks I'm crazy,"
"Bull shit," Wide golden brown orbs met his gaze. "You're kidding me. You?"
"Who else?" Even to himself, he sounded tired. Defeated.
"Well, I was thinking Ayane…" his friend managed a half-hearted smile. "I guess I over-reacted. You swear…?"
"Yeah," Flat. That's the only strength I can muster. "You didn't do it. I was, to borrow Ayane's terminology, an ass. I really cannot say how much I'm sorry and I wish that those stupid, thoughtless words didn't come out of my mouth,"
"I don't think she's ever said that," A small trace of Hayate's usual grin was on his face. Thank god. He believes me. For a moment, I was worried that I would never see his smile again. His sense of humour's back. Everything will be okay. "So therefore, you're not borrowing her terminology after all,"
"The equivalent of?" he questioned. "I'm sorry, really. From now on, just ignore everything that comes out of my mouth,"
"Did you say something?" Hayate asked innocently.
He mock-glared for a moment, before a sudden swirl of emotions overcame him and he drew his friend into a brief embrace, ignoring the stabbing pain in his arm from doing so.
"Cut it out, Ryu…" Hayate squirmed, but still returned the embrace before they pulled away in unison. "I don't know if I can get used to you being all touchy-feely. Next thing you'll want to ask me my… uh, bra size or something,"
He rolled his eyes. Even considering the circumstances and what he had said to his friend earlier, Hayate still had his… somewhat eccentric sense of humour. "I do apologise. Excuse me for a moment while I go and disinfect myself,"
Hayate dropped his gaze for a moment, turning to the door with almost a wistful expression. "I believe you, Ryu… one point to you, huh?"
*
It ain't over yet! As much as you might think it is, it isn't! Ryu might think it is. You might think it is. Your dog might think it is! But… it isn't! Moo ha! (Moo ha: Don't ask)