s-CRY-ed Christmas Special

Chapter Two

"Would you like this gift wrapped?" the female cashier questioned as she smiled kindly at the young raven haired teen.

"Hai." The eighteen year old said as the customer service woman nodded her head and took out a bright strip of red wrapping paper. "I hope father likes the watch, but I doubt they can ship it in time." she thought putting a check mark besides the word Father on a small piece of paper, "Now whose next." she muttered as her eyes passed the name Ryuho but she still had a blank for whatever to give him.

"Miss, your package is ready." the cashier said as Mimori paid the fee and took hold of the trimmed gift and placed it into one of the many bags that were resting around her feet. "Please, come again." the worker said as the researcher nodded her head with a grin and sauntered off with her packages. Exiting the small jewellery store the woman dissolved into the sea of people pushing and racing for last minute gifts to purchase for their loved ones in the packed shopping mall.

"E...excuse me. Sorry about that. Pardon me." the eighteen year old blurted out as she squeezed her way through the crowd of people so that she could stand peacefully on the side, away from the most popular shops. Placing her bags down she took out her list again, "Now who exactly do I have left." she muttered as she searched the list. The names Ryuho, Cougar and Scheris were the only names that didn't have checkmarks beside them.

Mimori's eyes settled on Scheris' name thoughtfully, even though they weren't really the best of friends or associates they have had many friendly chats and interludes and the female Alter User truly was a nice girl. The Kiryu heiress picked up her bags and began to walk forward, pushing back into the stream of people as she stepped into a very chic store spying a perfect gift for someone. "That hair barrette would look lovely on Scheris-san!" she exclaimed as she spotted a small pearl pink combs with ribbons and beads entwined around it.

"I'll take it!" she concluded as her slender fingers grasped onto it as well as another set of fingers. The raven haired girl blinked and raised her eyes upward to see a very tall and ample woman with brown curly staring down at her. "E...excuse me, I think had this first." The younger of the two said with a shaky laugh in her voice as the woman raised one eyebrow and gave a snort.

"Excuse me, young Lady!" she cried in a pompous voice, "But I believe you are mistaken my hands reached this a few seconds before yours did, now if you please." she said trying to tug the accessory away from the dark haired girl. Mimori tightened her hold and stared determinedly at the large woman. "Children these days, no respect for their elders." she growled using both of her hands to wrench the barrette away.

The ebony haired girl frowned and ungracefully dropped the rest of bags onto the ground so she could hold on with both hands, ignoring the small crowd of people who were watching them with mild interest. "I'm sorry about this ma'am but I've been searching all day for the right gifts for my friends and this present is perfect for her and I did get this first." Mimori reasoned getting very upset as she gritted her teeth and really began to pull. The old woman sniffed and took a look at the crowd that was watching them.

"Fine, take the silly thing if you really want it." she huffed as she abruptly let go sending the girl backwards so that she almost landed on her rear if she hadn't had steadied herself. The ample brunette tossed her curly hair and stalked off, the crowd parting to let her through as she mumbled something along the lines of the 'improper attitude of youngsters these days.'

Mimori exhaled an unsteady breathe of air as she straightened her wrinkled trench coat taking a peak at the group of staring people she flushed and shakily handed the barrette to a man who worked at the shop, "I'll take this, and I'd like it wrapped, please." she announced her face growing pinker by the second.

!!!

"Thank you." the researcher said as she stepped out of the quaint and sparsely occupied bookstore. The girl decided to purchase a book for Cougar. The novel tells the thoughts of a philosopher and his thoughts on speed, velocity and the world around us. The woman's slim arms were beginning to weaken as the bags in her grip seemed to have gotten a few pounds heavier. "I've been to about two dozen stores in this mall," she concluded not watching where she was going and her brown eyes drifted to the ground, "And I'm still no closer of getting a gift for....itai." Mimori yelped as she bumped herself into someone's chest.

"Oh my, I'm very sorry," she apologized her eyes still downcast, "I wasn't watching where I was going." she muttered as she bowed her head even lower in apology. The Hold researcher sighed as she looked up at the person, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Ryuho."

!!!

"Ah, Kanami-chan what are you doing over there?" Kimishima asked as he saw the young girl working busily on her bed where a large mass of yellowing newspapers were stationed. The eight year old jumped slightly as she covered up whatever she was playing with deeper under the pile of newspaper.

"Noth...nothing, Kimishima-san I'm just, ahhhh, reading." she explained her cheeks flushed as the human raised a brow and tilted his head to side.

"Okay, if you say so, Kanami-chan." he chirped as he crossed his arms behind his skull, turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He heard the girl's small sigh of exasperation and once again heard the crinkling of paper and sloppy taping. "There so alike." he thought as he walked into the male Alter User's room.

Kazuma was half covered in tape as he desperately tried wrapping something up snipping away at adhesive as he almost cut his finger. The Shell Bullet growled as he heard a chuckle behind him and whirled around to see his friend laughing at him. "I told you stay out, until I'm done!" he thundered as he threw the roll of tape at Kimishima's head.

!!!

"Are you sure you don't want any?" Mimori asked her companion as she brought the small spoon encompassed with soft ice cream closer to lips. The emerald haired man closed his eyes softly and shook his head, denying the offer. The girl placed the spoon in her mouth and she tasted the sweet flavour of vanilla. "Err...last minute shopping?" she asked politely as the Alter User placed his scarlet gaze on her.

"You could say something like that." Ryuho explained as he observed the girl before him noticing the bags around her feet. Mimori wriggled uncomfortably in her seat as the silence continued even though they were on the rim of a very noisy and busy food court. "Am I to assume you are attending Hold's Christmas Eve party?" the Ryuu heir inquired.

The researcher blinked and wrinkled her nose a bit, "Ah, yes, but I might be a little late I have other," Mimori thought over the best word to use, "Prior engagements that I must take care of first before attending the party." she explained as Ryuho raised an evergreen brow.

"Prior engagements?" he questioned calmly as he leant back in his seat and crossed his arms. "She's up to something." he said viewing her nervous face, her eyes seemed a little wider than before and her bottom lip quivered a bit, "Yes, she is definitely planning something, but what?" he questioned silently waiting for her to explain herself.

"Just a bit of work I was assigned by my superiors I need a day and half for more time to finish it completely." she lied feeling a tight constriction in her chest. She disliked lying to him, but it would have to do for now. He would never understand or approve of her going to the wasteland to fulfill a favour from a Native Alter. Mimori took another spoon of her ice cream.

"Kiryu-san, will you not be returning to the mainland for the holidays to be with your father and the rest of your family?" Ryuho asked bringing up his spiel for her to return home. The human girl frowned as she felt the crystal around her neck grow heavy. Both the human and Alter User were very much unaware of two different sets of spying eyes.

!!!

"Even though two old friends are eating together, the atmosphere over there looks tense." Scheris observed as she peaked her head out from the pillar she was hiding behind. She cautiously kept her eyes on Mimori hoping she wouldn't try something to the man of her affection.

"Hmmmm, I couldn't agree more." A voice chirped as the blue haired Alter User whirled around to see a smiling Straight Cougar in front of her wearing a greyish blue cloak. "Konnichiwa, Scheris!" he greeted with a mock bow.

The female member of Holy balked as she grabbed the man by the arm and dragged him behind the pillar with her. "Cougar, you idiot, don't say that so loud. Do you want us to get caught?" she hissed as she checked to make sure the couple didn't see them. Scheris sighed as her shoulders slumped a bit. "So Cougar, what are you doing here anyway?" she asked as she turned to her grinning colleague.

"The same thing you are." he chirped simply as he rewarded her with an impish grin. Just then the man's eyebrows rose as his eyes widened, "Ahhh.....Ryuho....oh my, he just kissed...Minori-san." he said. The girl's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she jumped out from her hiding spot ready to race over there immediately, only to see that the two were still talking peacefully. The blue haired girl frowned and turned around.

"Cougar, you...." she blinked in embarrassment as she saw no one, "He's....he's....gone." she breathed as she turned back to see Ryuho and Mimori. Scheris flushed as she noticed Mimori was gazing at her with curious eyes. "Guess I'm caught." the Alter User stated as she stuck out her tongue in a playful fashion and began to approach the two.

!!!

"I should leave, Scheris would probably like to talk to Ryuho alone, and they are close friends after all." the eighteen year old decided as she got up from her seat and smiled warmly at her friend getting his attention as he followed her movements. "Ryuho, I'll see you around and thanks for lunch, ja." she said as she gave a small bow picked up her bags and walked off.

Ryuho sniffed as he prepared to leave as well. "Ryuho!" a voice called as the man turned his head to see his associate running towards him.

"Scheris, what are you doing here?" he questioned as his face took on nothing short but surprise as the girl sat down in Mimori's previous seat. The female Alter User smiled as a small laugh escaped her throat, very thankful that Mimori decided to take her leave but also a little guilty that she might have caused it.

"Just finishing up my Christmas shopping."

!!!

Mimori smiled as she saw Scheris talking quite animatedly with Ryuho, "At least she's having fun," the researcher noted as she continued to walk around. Her shoulders cramping a bit as she carried the heavy bags, "Even with talking to him I'm still no closer of what to buy." she thought mentally as she stopped in front of a clothing store and watched the occupants from the window.

"Ah, such a lovely face marred with unhappiness. Do cheer up, Minori-san." a voice cheered as the woman slid her view to the right of the window and saw the Alter User of Radical Good Speed standing behind her his flashy glasses covering his mischievous eyes. Mimori turned around and confronted the man with a plain look as he smiled and took a set of bags from her right hand. "Shall we go?" he questioned already stepping forward.

"Hai," she said walking along side him as her right shoulder seemed to relax and enjoy the absence of weight to carry. "Are you finishing off your Christmas shopping, Cougar-san?" she inquired as he led her to sit down beside a gurgling fountain where consumers occasionally threw in coins for a wish.

"Not really, I'm not much of a Christmas person to many unpleasant memories," he replied as the girl placed the rest of her bags to sit on the ground with a gentle thump! "Did you meet up safely with the Beanman?" he asked softly. The girl nodded her head; Cougar didn't press the issue and said no more about it. "So," he began carefully, "Buy that special present for that special someone?" he questioned with a chuckle as Mimori's eyebrows perked up. "A present for Ryu-ho." he said separating the syllables.

"Eh," she blushed as she shook her head and stared at the bottom of the fountain trying to count the number of wishing coins, "No I haven't found anything for him yet. I just don't want to buy him a gift I want something that will really mean something to him something precious, something very special." she finished lamely not too thrilled with her wishy-washy explanation. The raven haired girl turned to face the redhead with white streaks but scooted back as he was giving her a perverse smile.

"Ah, Minori-san." he started as he slowly began to crawl closer, his lecherous look never faltering, "You should know that no matter who you are everyone holds their memories very dear to them, they are something that a person can never destroy only forget. A person's memories can be a very special gift." Cougar said brushing a strand of hair from her shocked face, a bright gleam reflecting off his sunglasses.

The researcher thought over his words very closely and then turned towards the gushing water fountain, "A person's memories....one of the precious things for a gift." she pondered as her mind searched for a idea, "Of course." she exclaimed as she jumped from he spot and grabbed her bags with a swift gesture. "Thank you, Cougar-san it seems you've assisted me again." she smiled as she rushed off only to back up and juggle with her packages so she was holding them all in one hand. She dug through her trench coat pocket and tugged out a small coin as she tossed it into the fountain. "Ja." Mimori called as she rushed off.

The man grinned as he tore his glasses from his face and placed it on top of his head as he fished around for his cloak for some currency. His eyes still on the girl he fancied as he relinquished a coin and plopped it in the rustling water. "I wonder if she got me anything?" he inquired to himself.

!!!

"Hai, I'll take that one." Mimori demanded as the clerk nodded his head and retrieved the object.

"Would you like it wrapped, ma'am?" he questioned politely preparing to pull out some wrapping paper. The raven haired girl shook her head, denying the offer.

"No thank you I still have something to add to it at home." she smiled cheerily as she couldn't agree more that this gift would be something Ryuho would appreciate. Her mind drifted slowly to Straight Cougar on how she should repay for all the help he has been lately.

"Perhaps, I'll bake him something."

!!!

"Still not done, yet." Mimori observed as she placed the cookie tray back into the oven and closed the door. She hastily took off her oven mitts and brushed her black bangs from her face. Kiryu crossed her arms behind her back and went back to searching the many boxes she piled into her bedroom, the object she purchased for Ryuho sat still on her bed.

"I think it's in this box." the researcher stated as she began to dig around moving medical volumes and encyclopaedias out of the way. The crystal on her chest shimmered slightly as the tips of her finger reached the smooth surface of what she was searching for. Gently the eighteen year old pulled out the text and plopped it gracefully onto her lap as she read the title 'Kiryu Album III'.

Mimori smiled softly as she flipped pages looking for a certain photo. Her mind tended to drift back into old memories as she saw mementos of the past stirring around her. "Ahh." she cried as she saw the image she was looking for. The Kiryu heiress eyes shimmered as she placed her fingers on the picture with a grin. "Ryuho." Mimori breathed as she looked adoringly down at the image.

It was a cheerful photo including herself, Ryuho, and Ryuho's loyal dog Zetsuei. Mimori's younger self had her right arm entangled with Ryuho's left as she rewarded the cameraman the V-sign with her left hand. The girl looked at the young Alter User and noticed his embarrassed posture as a faint blush was tainted across his cheekbones. His eyes were not on the camera but on her. The family dog sat patiently at their feet, its mouth opened and its tongue lolled.

The researcher laughed as she took the silver picture frame embroidered with cross symbols off her bed and slipped the picture inside it. "Perfect." the raven haired woman judged as she grabbed a role of gold wrapping paper. Mimori placed the gift down and picked up a scissor and was soon snipping away at the decorating paper. After a minute the framed picture was fully trimmed and even had a red bow on top of it. "He'll love it." she said with confidence as she turned and saw a separate pair of presents on her desk.

"I wonder, did Kurim-san have this feeling when he purchased that bear for his daughter?" she pondered as her nose picked up a distinct scent. "The cookies...their burning!" Mimori cried as she sprang from her spot on the floor and raced towards her kitchen.

!!!

D-day

The Kiryu girl took a look at her watch and saw that it flashed 5:50 pm. She nodded her head and began to pack up her things as one of her associates raised a brow in surprise, "Leaving early today, Mimori-san." the woman asked as she saw the raven haired girl bob her head up and down and smiled mischievously. "Probably getting ready for the party, half of the woman of Hold left already." she chuckled as the researcher walked off.

As the Kiryu heiress walked closer and closer to exit of Hold she blinked and lowered her gaze to her bag. "Oh, I almost forgot, I was supposed to do this earlier." she scolded herself as she turned around only to scoot further backwards almost landing on her face if someone hadn't caught and brought her to his chest. " the dark haired girl blushed as she tore herself away from his grasp.

"Hey there, Minori-san." he greeted as he crossed his arms behind his back and gave her a wink in a playful fashion ready to be scolded; the duffle bag on his shoulder shifted awkwardly. The girl frowned a bit at the Alter User as she smoothed her ruffled hair.

"Mimori, desu, but that's beyond the point. Despite you're creative welcome, Cougar-san you are actually the person I have been looking for." she stated as a few people walked by. Both the researcher and the speed Alter User were very much unaware that another Alter User was watching them, his ruby eyes unflinching. "Here." Mimori said as she took out a couple of wrapped gifts and small bag with a card hanging from it. "Merry Christmas, the pouch and larger gift are for you, the other two smaller packages are for Scheris-san and Ryuho," she breathed as she leant closer to him, "I would like for you to give it to them if I don't make it back in time." she added the last part with a whisper.

The redhead blinked in surprise, not expecting this at all as he gratefully took the presents and grinned, "Ah, thank you Minori-san, I'll take good care of them." he stated shifting the bundle to sit in one arm while he looked appraisingly down at the woman with a thoughtful expression. "I suppose I should give you your present now." he explained as the girl's eyes widened slightly.

"But I thought you didn't do Christmas presents." she said slyly a little honoured at the fact she would be receiving one from him even though he wasn't quite into this holiday. The Alter User merely shrugged at her comment and leant down so their noses were almost touching. The observer that carefully watched them narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms gruffly. Cougar grinned as he planted a soft kiss on the woman's cheek. The interaction was over as soon as it started as Mimori touched the spot on her flaming tissue, speechless as she stared doe eyed at the man.

"Well, Merry Christmas, Minori-san." he said as he spun her around and pushed her towards the exit of Hold, as he began to lower his lips to her ear. "The Beanman will be waiting for you by your apartment, be careful with this little project and do make it in time for the Christmas party. Change into the clothing in side the bag" he advised handing her the duffle bag and then pushed her towards the automatic doors watching her stumble ungracefully out of headquarters and into the streets. The Alter User of Radical Good Speed lowered his sunglasses over his eyes as he felt a confrontation was afoot.

"Cougar, may I have a word?" Ryuho demanded his voice filled with authority and business, as his visage hardened and his face took on a colder exterior.

!!!

Mimori frowned as she crossed her eyes and looked around the area. She wasn't too pleased with her disguise as she saw her reflection in a small puddle on the street. She was dressed in a large sleeveless shirt and baggy blue jeans. On top of her head was a mass of messy brown curls topped with a burette hat.

Mimori adjusted the glasses on the bridge of her nose and carefully narrowed her eyes. "Cougar-san did say that Ishlaah's men would be waiting for me around my apartment but where are they?" The researcher questioned as she hefted the bag on her shoulder higher and continued to look around. "Itai." she said as an old man bumped purposely into her.

"Over there." the senior citizen coughed as he pointed his finger down the street where a truck was parked. The worker of Hold was about to thank the man but he had already hobbled away. The girl swallowed the lump in her throat and walked casually towards the truck making sure no one was paying attention to her. Standing on her toes, Mimori rapped on the black windows, unable to see if the vehicle was occupied.

The window shimmered as it descended. The woman came into eye contact with a gruff looking man she had met when talking to the Beanman. The man removed the cigarette from his lips and extinguished it on the steering wheel. "Kiryu-san?" he asked as she nodded her head silently. He wrenched his thumb to the cargo area of the trunk." You won't be sitting up at the front with me. You'll be sitting in the back with a guest, be honoured he usually doesn't go on the assignments." he stated as the raven haired girl tilted her head to side and went to the back watching as the cargo doors began to open up.

The researcher narrowed her eyes as she indeed sees a silhouette figure of a person. "Would you like a bean?" the stranger asked as he helped her climb inside as the doors shut soundly behind her. Politely she took a black bean and popped it in her mouth, as the man rewarded her with a big smile, his black sunglasses shinning.

AuThOr's NoTe: Thanks for the reviews greatly appreciate verybody. I hope I cut down on using too much description on the character's hairstyle. Oh well that was the latest chapter of a S.C.S. hope you liked it. Just enough seasonal fluff to make a person smile. You guys know the drill read and review. Bye-bi.