s-CRY-ed Christmas Special

Chapter Five

Placing her index finger on her lips, the female Alter Capabilist looked around for where she placed the gift. "Aha!" she shouted mentally as she spotted the wrapped box. Hastily she picked it up and placed it in Mimori's unprepared hands as she dropped her bag to catch the thing. "Merry Christmas." the blue haired woman laughed as she nodded her head for the Kiryu heiress to open the present already. The Hold researcher carefully took off the wrapping by picking at the folds. Scheris took notice on how the woman before her and the man of her affection had similar styles of opening gifts, they were so formal.

"Oh!" Mimori said taking out a very pretty bracelet with a flower ornament donned on the large band. "Thank you, I love it." she said slipping the jewellery around her slender wrist. Scheris grinned and noticed the eighteen year old's bag still resting on the floor. The younger of the two picked up the package and took a peek.

Her eyes widened as she saw another gift in there. The girl's light blue eyes focused on the small tag that hung form the gift with the word Ryuho clearly etched on it. Scheris hunched her shoulders and looked at raven haired girl examining her new bracelet, oblivious to the Alter User's inspection. Scheris bit her lip as her brow crumpled, she shifted her gaze to find Ryuho and saw him standing alone his eyes on the Kiryu woman. The girl shook her head and placed a hand on Mimori's shoulder to gain her attention.

"Kiryu-san," she sang as the woman jumped a little, "He's all alone now and Cougar is nowhere insight. I won't disturb you two, this time but I give no promises later." the fifteen year giggled as she handed Mimori back her bag and gave her a little push. The researcher looked like a fish out of water with her jaw hanging a bit. "Hurry up, this is kind of out of character so I only plan to do something like this once." she said giving her another push.

The woman dressed in the black gown closed her mouth and nodded her, determination sketched across her face as she marched towards the lone Alter User. Scheris' light smile slipped from her face as she saw the raven haired girl approach the man they both aimed for. "That was a nice thing you did there, Scheris." a voice said as the red gowned girl turned around to see Cougar with a book in his hand. "Does, this mean you're giving up?" he inquired curiously.

The girl exhaled a deep breathe her eyes glued on Ryuho who picked up a package from the table and escorted Mimori to the outside balcony. "I can see it clearly that they have some sort of bond between them despite Ryuho's disagreement, but....," the Alter User of Eternal Devote madly shook her head to clear her mind and stared determinedly up at her colleague, "Does this mean you've given up on her?" she questioned a grin plastering on her face.

The speed Alter Capabilist raised a brow and placed his gaze on the Hold researcher with a mild look of interest as he placed his arms behind his head. Then he looked back to Scheris with a calm look, "Of course not."

"Then neither have I."

"Oi, Kimishima, Merry Christmas," Kazuma said fixing a party hat that was placed on his head by his ward. The spiky haired youth looked cautiously at his friend as he took the gift. The Inner took the present wrapped up in newspaper and tore it up.

"Ehh, socks." Kimishima stated in a very surprised and shocked voice as he took out the lumpy green socks and looked them over, distaste written over his face. "He could have at least found some in white instead of this nasty green colour." he thought as he tossed his present to Kazuma. The spiky haired teenager inspected the socks feeling something really hard in it. He opened one of them and peeked in. Kimishima's eyes glimmered for a moment as he turned around not facing his friend who was opening his present. "Thank you, Kazuma." he muttered it so low it was barely audible.

"A tie?" The Alter User of the Shell Bullet questioned as he inspected the piece of clothes. His fingers traced over the garment, even though it was stained the fabric was made of silk, very hard to come by in the wastelands of the Lost Grounds. "Heh, I suppose this'll do." the sixteen year old brunette said directing the comment to a grinning Kimishima. His hands fumbling Kazuma messily began to tie the fabric around his neck with much difficulty. "Ehhh, shut up!" Kazuma barked as his friend broke out into laughter.

"Actually, I think Kazuma looks pretty good, almost like a gentleman." Ayase Terada observed as she twitched her arms that were hidden behind her back.

The male Alter User smiled despite his best friend snickering on the side, "Ah thank you, thank you, anou....," the brunette trailed off as he tried to remember the girl's name but only managed to shrug and flashed an apologetic smile to her.

"A-ya-se. Tereda Ayase," she pronounced saying each syllable separately and stepping closer to the sixteen year old. Kimishima watched the two with interest as his gaze fell on Ayase. The spiky haired Inner gulped as he got ready to give her a present. The female Alter User flushed as she smiled at Kazuma. "Here Kazuma, I want you to ha...." the woman with the long brown hair stopped as she was interrupted by someone.

"Kazu-kun!" Kanami rang as she skipped over and latched herself onto her guardian's hand, making him bend his knees so he was level with her. "Come with me." she said as she began to drag the sixteen year old away. The water Alter User allowed a small fraction of her smile to slip as she saw Kazuma being dragged off.

"Ayase-san Merry Christmas." Kimishima began as he held out a pale red seashell with a piece of string attached to it. The girl blinked and looked astounded at his flushed face. The Alter User gulped and looked at Kazuma who was already halfway across the room and then at Kimishima who stood smiling in front of her.

"I didn't get him anything at all for Christmas." she mentally commented as her mind made a hard decision. "Thank you, Kimishima-kun, and this is for you." she said as they both exchanged items with a smile. Ayase rubbed her thumb over the shell and quickly placed the necklace around her jugular.

Kunihiko blinked at his gift and felt the leather fabric, "Was she planning to give this to Kazuma all along?" he wondered as he stared at the black gloves he held in his hands. The male Inner looked at the girl who was anxiously fidgeting for a response. "Ah, sorry, it's nice I love it. Thanks Ayase-san." he winked, causing her to blush as he fitted the garments onto his hands

"Ahhh, Kanami slow down, why are you taking me outside?" the Shell Bullet asked as his charge released her hold on his sleeve and stopped beside a dried up thorn bush where a plastic bag was sitting. The girl picked up her bag and turned her back to her guardian as she looked up at the dark sky filled with stars. "Ka.....Kanami...?" he questioned softly, stepping closer to her.

Brusquely, the eight year old whirled around and wrenched something out from the bag and shoved it forward. "Merry Christmas, Kazu-kun." the beige haired little girl said as she handed him his gift. The brunette blinked as he took the item and stared at it curiously. "It's a paper doll of you." the eight year old said excitedly as Kazuma nodded his head and indeed saw the similarities. "I even made one of me and Kimishima-san." she said as she took out two other dolls out and showed it to him.

"Ah, thanks Kanami, here's your present." he said as he took out a beautiful porcelain doll from the bag. Kanami's green eyes widened like saucers as she saw the dolls pale blue eyes and her milky smooth skin reflecting a bluish hue of the night. "Here take it, its yours." he said passing her the delicate doll. His ward took it with haste and hugged it carefully to her body.

"Thank you, thank you, Kazu-kun, I'll take care of her and play with her and always......but how could you afford something so expensive and where did you get?" she questioned as she raised a brow of suspicion; "You didn't spend our entire savings on this did you?" she inquired as she lowered the doll and stared questionably at him.

The sixteen year old blinked his eyes and placed his gloved hand behind his head as he began to laugh. "Uhhh, well Kanami, you see, that is.......hey, look at those stars, don't they look.....nice." he observed as he picked up the beige haired girl and placed her to sit on his shoulders.

The eight year old shook her head as she stared fondly up at the night sky as she held the doll tight in her arms. "Kazu-kun...," she said as she placed one hand on his head, "Baka." she concluded not noticing the tiny snowflake that landed on her head.

Side by side the two childhood friends viewed the isolated city from on top of Hold's lookout. Mimori gave a small smile as her view tended to shift from the city and land on the Inner' territory, the wastelands. "Merry Christmas, Kir…. Mimori." The eighteen year old blinked as she carefully took her present from the male youth. Instead of wrapping the gift it was placed in a small gift bag. The girl gulped and pulled out something soft and smooth, it was a silk scarf and by the looks of the brand name it was very expensive.

The girl skimmed her liquor brown eyes over the garment, "Hmm," she breathed as her eyes fell onto the initials of M.K. at the bottom of the scarf. The researcher's eyes shimmered as she turned to her friend. "Thank you, Ryuho." Kiryu thanked as she began to wrap it around her neck.

"Allow me." he offered, as his social status as a gentlemen and a good friend emerged. The emerald haired man tilted his head and quickly took the scarf. Ryuho pushed away Mimori's ebony hair and wrapped the scarf loosely around her neck. The act was simple and rushed but the girl could not contain her smile.

Deciding the time was right, Mimori tightened her hand on the man's gift. "Anou, Merry Christmas Ryuho." she cheered softly as she took out the slender present and handed it to the successor of the Ryuu family.

The man exhaled through his nose as he kept his face nonchalant. The Alter User of Zetsuei took the gift and carefully unwrapped the top so he would be able to smoothly pull the rest of it out. The seventeen year old clasped his fingers around the cool metal frame and gasped inwardly as he saw the picture, his eyes widening. "This was taken....?" he thought as he remembered the origin of this photo.

His mind reeled as remembered many years ago when he first met the woman before him. The man remembered a day of her departure and her begging him to take a final picture of them together. "Or perhaps I was the one that begged for this picture to be taken?" he wondered as his ruby eyes continuously rested on the entangled arms of the younger Mimori and himself. The tips of Ryuho's lips twitched as he fought off something from within, hastily turning his head away from the raven haired girl to look at the lively city. "Thank you.....Kiryu-san." he said finally pocketing the gift.

The researcher silently nodded her head as she rubbed her cheek smoothly against the scarf and latched her hands onto the railings of the balcony. Her liquor eyes danced upon the city filled with sparkling lights of red, green and white and many Christmas trees. But still the eighteen year old still felt her gaze slip to the broken down building filled with the so called savages of the Lost Ground drinking and sharing in the merriment of Christmas.

"Will you ever explain what you did in the wastelands with the Inners?" Ryuho inquired as he expertly traced her gaze. Mimori's eyes widened in surprise as she gave him a cocked head smile and slowly shook her head. "I see, however next time you think about doing something like that I will have to inform the Commander of your actions," he explained seriously as the girl lowered her gaze and nodded her head, slightly biting her lip. "If you choose not to come to me first." he added.

Kiryu raised her head a little and grinned as the two workers of Holy continued to stare out at the city, side by side. Slowly Mimori gathered her courage and stepped closer to the man so that there was a hair's distance between their arms; carefully she hooked her right arm through his left.

"Hmm," Ryuho mumbled as his scarlet eyes darted towards' the girl's hold on him. Shaking his head the Alter user tightened his hold on her and continued to gaze at the city. The raven haired girl smiled and tilted her head so she was looking at the black sky. She cringed her shoulders as she felt something wet touch her nose.

"Snow."

"Kazu-kun! Kazu-kun!" Kanami shouted bouncing on her shoulders as she pointed towards the sky as the small snowflakes continued to fall. "Its snowing, its snowing." she cheered waving her hands and sticking out her tongue as she caught a few flakes on the appendage.

"It really is. Keh, how cliché, feels like were in some cheesy story." Kazuma mouthed as he steadied one hand on her leg and allowed the other hand to catch a small flake.

"Kazuma-kuuun! Kanami-chan! Why don't you two....hey its snowing!" Kimishima shouted as he emerged from out of the house with Ayase and Akira Terada trailing behind him and the young Kairi and her mother, Hitomi. Crunching his gloved fingers, the spiky haired seventeen year old caught a snowflake on his leather hand and watched it quickly melt.

Akira watched in awe as the snow continued to fall, "Huh." he mouthed as Kimishima picked him up and placed him to sit on his shoulders. Perking her eyebrows up, Ayase watched the spiky haired teen pick up her brother for a better view. The female Alter User chuckled quietly and placed her eyes on Kazuma, her face looking a bit crestfallen. "There's always next year."

"Those two are looking a little bit too comfy. And did it really have to snow, now the atmosphere is even worse." Scheris Adjani complained as she and her redheaded colleague had their faces pressed up against the window and were staring at the two childhood friends. "I know I said I wouldn't interfere, but she has already delivered her gift...." she plotted as she tapped her finger against her chin.

"I have to agree with you about the atmosphere, even if the surrounding is slow, two people are able to connect the physical body and not to mention their hearts, quickly tightening the bonds of friendship and perhaps even the state of being lovers. Ahhh, this isn't good." Cougar stated at incredibly fast pace as he dug his fingers into his pocket. "This calls for drastic measure." he contemplated as he took out a famous Christmas ornament from his pants pocket.

The blue haired girl raised her brow quizzically until she actually saw what he was holding above his head, a lecherous smile on his face. "You're really going to use that!?" she inquired as she slowly backed away from not wanting to be caught under that particular object.

Straight nodded his head as he slipped his bright glasses over his green eyes with a grin and lifted the small plant trinket higher. "Ahhhh, now let's go!" he declared as he rushed towards the balcony, the young girl hot on his heels as he quickly bounded outside. "Minori-san!" he cheered as he wiggled the mistletoe in his hand.

Both Mimori and Ryuho stiffened and quickly separated from each other as they twirled around to see an exuberant redhead holding a traditional Christmas object and Scheris who gave them both a small shrug. The blue haired girl closed her eyes in thought as Cougar advanced upon the woman of his affection. "If Cougar is able to steal a kiss from Kiryu-san, maybe Ryuho and I could....." she trailed off as a blush stained her cheekbones.

The raven haired girl blinked her eyes in surprise as her pupils began to shrink. Cougar nodded his head as his neon glasses shimmered in the night atmosphere. "Let's go, Minori-san." he cried launching towards her as the Kiryu heiress carefully sidestepped out of the way causing the Speed Alter Capabilist to crash into the Alter User of Zetsuei. Cougar tilted his head to the side as he saw Mimori chuckling in the corner, Scheris standing flabbergasted on the side while Ryuho glared murderously at him. "Traditions are traditions." Straight proposed puckering his lips.

"Wha....what are you doing!?" the seventeen year old asked as he tried to pry the redhead off his arm. "Cougar stop this.....at once!" the emerald haired teenager shouted with exasperation.

The blue haired girl had enough and marched primly towards the Alter User of Radical Good Speed, "Ne, Cougar what do you think your doing?! Get your hands off of Ryuho, this is weird, your both boys!" she commented harshly as she aided the man of her affection of trying to rid him of the twenty-one year old.

"Come on, just one kiss. Since I was unable to steal one from Minori-san." Straight argued with a Cheshire grin, having no intention of kissing the younger boy as he caught the forgotten ebony haired woman's eye and awarded her with a sly wink.

"It's Mimori!" Ryuho yelled as Kiryu slowly shook her head at their antics and stood quietly by herself against the rail. Her brown eyes shimmered adoringly against the land of the Lost Ground as she affectionately stroked her scarf. Sluggishly her nimble hands reached under the yellow garment and touched the cool surface of the crystal that still hung from her neck.

With an easygoing sigh Mimori looked straight up into the starry sky with a mild smile

"Merry Christmas"

AUthor's NOte: Yeah! I was hoping to add another chapter to this fic but it was just getting a bit too choppy and the characters seemed a bit too sugar coated in the Christmas fantasy to be the true s-CRY-ed cast that I adore, so with grandeur this is the final chapter of S-CRY-ed Christmas Special. But don't think you'll never see me again I've already got some ideas brewing in my mind just gotta figure em out and write em down. Oh well, thanks for the gracious reviews everyone keep lovin s-CRY-ed.

Bye-bi