Density and Perceptions Pt. 5
Previously:
In short, he had said that he was about to give up on her, but, she realized only moments after Keitaro finished, that didn't mean he'd totally shoved her off a cliff. He did say that she still had a chance.
Disclaimer: Are there crop circles in Japan? Do I look like I own LH? Akamatsu has the talent and I don't. Go bug off.
(Note: Where I mention The Incident in Naru's past, that will be dealt with when we get that far. Right now dealing with other things.)
She replayed the last few words in her head as she cried there at the table, her food nearly forgotten in the midst of what almost felt to her as a kick in the heart.
The time is coming when I won't seek her heart anymore,
For her shell refuses to let me see her as she really is.
I have labored enough on a fallen wish from a fallen star.
Those words… Coming from him, from the guy she'd come to love in the past 2 years, sounded like a preparation for war. She was surrounded by him. The pain of his army of words terrorizing her as what seemed like hours in only a minute.
She looked at Keitaro through stained eyes, her tears mucking up her glasses as she looked at him, the pain of her heart, written on her face. Then slowly, those around her witnessed the shell come back over her heart. Slowly, she began to hear again, realized that a few people were trying to get her attention.
"…Naru… Listen, why don't you take your food to your room and eat there? Right now might be better to be alone."
She heard Hawklyn's voice through the storm of her emotional downpour and nodded, too choked up to speak. She tried to pick up her tea but her shaking hands refused.
Kitsune came to her aid, "Come on Naru, you go up and I'll bring your food behind you."
Once Naru and Kitsune left, Motoko looked over to the saddened Keitaro, "You know, that was a beautiful poem you wrote. Even if it was a bit hurtful to Naru. It still was very good Urashima." She smiled a brief gentle smile to encourage him when he looked up at her.
Hawklyn smiled as well, "She's right you know." He spoke softly, "That poem was good, because it voiced what you were feeling when she hurts you. And that is the important thing, letting others know how you feel about whatever goes on. Granted you really hurt Naru with that, but how would she ever know that your feelings weren't invincible along with your body?"
Keitaro nodded slowly as Hawklyn went on, trying to speak for most of those at the table.
Further more Keitaro, we ALL care about you. You don't see Shinobu coming at you with a frying pan do you? And as for Su, her playing could be a bit rough at times, but she still cares under that energetic and hyper personality. She cares about you a lot too. As for Motoko, I'll let her talk to you herself later," Hawklyn shot a glance over at Motoko, "If Motoko wishes to that is… I need to stop trying to dictate things." Hawklyn sighed and muttered a bit.
Motoko smiled a bit at what Hawklyn said and then went back to her meal, glancing to Keitaro every so often. Upon finishing her meal she told Keitaro that she would be on the roof practicing.
During this time, Hawklyn had also finished eating and sighed, knowing he had the hardest job of all. Talking to Naru.
Upstairs, within Naru's room, Kitsune would listen while eating to an extent. Then put her plate down and comfort Naru for a while, listening and trying be there for her…
…After a while she started encouraging Naru to eat, which Naru did as her stomach was rather demanding. After she finished…
"Stay here and I'll take your plates down, ok?" Kitsune was pained to leave her alone even for a short while, but then a knock on the door distracted her.
"Yes?"
"Its Hawklyn." Came the muffled response. "Can I-"
Kitsune opened the door for him.
"-see Naru?" He smiled a bit and looked to where Naru looked like something similar to what a cat might drag in and grimaced a bit.
Kitsune turned to Naru, looking for permission. "Naru, Is it ok if Hawklyn stays here with you while I go down?"
The barely discernable nod from Naru's head sent Kitsune on her way, while within the barriers of Naru's room, Hawklyn was being cautious.
As cautious you might expect a mouse to be around a sleeping snake.
Hawklyn stood a little ways from the door, gazing at the dipped head of the heart-rended girl, he decided to ask a very simple question, "Want a hug?"
The words were barely out of his mouth before he registered her against him, crying resuming after a little restbit. He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, "Cry it out… Talk it out, however you wish to let it out." He whispered quietly to her, "Just make sure you let it out." He stroked her hair gently as she wept…
Last night for half the Hinata residents faded from memory as they slept, for the other half, especially one Naru Narusegawa, the memories refused to back down. The night had been hell for her. The dreamworld she visited was torture. So it could be surmised that when she woke up, she still needed a healthy dose of sleep. She looked at the board her Liddo-kun was on and scowled. The debate within had begun.
-What you gonna do now?-
Huh?
-I'm your heart.-
Oh, well go away.
-Sorry, I can't do that. But what I can do is advise you to be nicer to Keitaro.-
Why should I do that? He's made totally clear how he feels-.
-Yes, we still have one more chance to do things right. It might help if we go somewhere for a few days so you can figure me out.-
That sounds like a plan.
Naru began to pack a bag for her journey. She felt drained emotionally and she knew she wasn't going to get any better if she stayed here. She knew there was too much temptation to simply keep smashing Keitaro into the sky, which, judging from what he'd read last night, was a bad idea.
There was a buzzing noise from her Liddo-kun, more precisely, under her Liddo-kun. She sighed and moved the board, allowing for Keitaro's head to poke through.
"Good morning Naru." Keitaro looked around as he pulled himself up, "I apologize for the intrusion, but I felt I should talk to you about last night."
Naru sat beside him nodding, "Yeah, I guess I should talk to you as well." She looked down at her hands, searching for the right words to say. "Keitaro, what you said last night in that poem… It just hit me hard how much I've mistreated you. I pretty much thought you were immortal, considering your attitude has always been such."
She trailed off as Keitaro looked ready to respond, his eyes looking slowly up to catch at hers.
"Naru… My feelings aren't immortal, they can be put in a blender like any other human being. I still love you, but as I said to you last night. This cannot keep up. You need to start to change or else we will never have the kind of relationship desired. Yet I cannot force you to change for me. You must want to change for yourself." He looked down into the hole again. "Where you going?"
Naru looked down into the hole with him, "K-Kyoto… I need to be away from here for a while."
Keitaro nodded and started to reorient himself to slip back into his room. "Well, be careful Naru." He said as he slipped into the hole.
Naru sighed sadly as she replaced the board over the hole and turned back to packing. She was going to visit her family for how long she didn't know. She just packed enough for a weeks stay and would figure out where to go from there.
Kitsune was awake, barely. She hadn't moved from her bed yet as she was still contemplating her life in her mind. She thought back to the stunning revelation that Keitaro had very bravely stood up and told everyone that Naru had pretty much one more chance to clean up her act.
She privately applauded Keitaro's courage to stand up and voice the injustices against himself by Naru. Yet, she had realized as she'd studied her long time friend's face, that Keitaro's words were a slap in the face of everything Naru had worked on to build her shell.
With one piece of paper, he had managed to break her tough girl shell and exposed her to everyone. He had given her an option though, she could change her reactions. But Kitsune knew Naru better then that, she doubted Naru would be able to change. Her fear was that Keitaro would actually go through with his last words. The last words which had absolutely shattered Naru's shield.
Kitsune was interrupted by a knock on the door, "Come in."
The door opened to reveal Naru with a few pieces of Luggage, "Kitsune, I'd thought I'd tell you that I'm going to Kyoto."
Kitsune nodded, "Sort yourself out hmm?" She smiled understandingly at her friend as Naru nodded.
"Yes, figure out where to go from here. I need to get myself back to a semblance of normal." Naru said with a touch of humor.
Kitsune stood up as she nodded, "Yeah… You be careful and take care. Call before you return." She hugged her friend tightly and then smiled, looking in her friends eyes, "Go on."
Naru smiled , grabbing her bags and going downstairs, bidding a farewell to Shinobu before exiting the building.
Motoko sighed as she finished her meditation for the morning, sighing as it came back to her for the umpteenth time. Dinner last night had been a most interesting experience.
She had witnessed Keitaro read his first poem in public and seen how it affected Naru.
Affected? More like destroyed. She nodded at her thoughts.
Yes, Keitaro had given Naru what could only be described as a slap to the head with coming out about how he felt over Naru's violence. She was proud of him having finally spoken out his feelings, yet she was aghast at how Naru had been so obviously ripped apart by what he'd said.
Privately, Motoko admitted to herself with a blush, Keitaro's poem had given her hope. There really was a chance for her with-. Woah! What am I thinking? Bad brain, Bad! She chastised herself for thinking such thoughts about a male.
She decided to pull out some paper and write her thoughts.
Him
I saw him first as not a friend,
But vile perverted male.
Little did I know just how much he would show me,
Or just how much I would come to respect him.
I have had the way of the sword,
Imprinted into me my entire life.
Do I stop to listen to my heart?
Or should I continue my quest for perfection?
In my mind and thoughts,
He is the one who triggered these new feelings.
His care and undying love for each of us,
He is so much a part of this house now.
There is not a moment in time,
That I do not think of him.
He affects even my quest for the sword,
And I've blamed him in the past for my thoughts.
I look back on it now,
Seeing myself hurl him against a barrier in punishment.
Thinking I was acting in protection of my friends,
But now realizing that they were mostly accidents.
He made me realize something,
I look up to him as a symbol of love and care.
My feelings for him are great in number,
What he accomplished yesterday earned him more of my respect.
The one whom I thought was his,
Would have been his partner.
Was pushed away in a cloudburst of tears,
By his sudden burst of emotion.
I have heard that there is a limit to which people can take no more,
No more pain or suffering on their shoulders.
Now I believe it,
With watching him, listening to his voice.
I know how I feel about him,
Even though I try to deny that I do have these thoughts.
My heart comes back undaunted,
Presenting my mind with a gourmet of Him.
I can't resist my own heart,
Especially at night in dreams.
The flame grows into a fire,
Brightening day by day for him.
Is he the one I need?
Motoko sat back and looked at what she'd just wrote, a bit shocked in spite of herself.
Then a knock sounded at her door and she hid the poem in her notepad and shoved under her futon, trying to appear relaxed, "Enter."
Keitaro poked his head inside her room, "Motoko, I was wondering if we could spar a bit." He paused as Motoko's face seemed to blush into a supernova before return somewhat to normal.
Motoko was a bit surprised, "You want to spar with me Keitaro?" She repeated, still shocked that he would inquire about such a thing.
Keitaro nodded, "Yes, it would give you more practice and I'd like to help you out more as well."
Motoko got over her shock, "Very well, allow me 5 minutes to get ready."
Keitaro bowed out of the room, "Hai, as you wish."
On the roof, Keitaro and Motoko stood, both were meters apart facing each other. Eyes Locked on each other, as if trying to intimidate the other into the first move.
Keitaro attacked, his blade angling down and to the right. Motoko dodged to left, with nothing more then a brief notice of their changed positions, they dueled some more.
After a while, Motoko knew Keitaro was getting tired, he was getting slower and breathing harder. She sheathed her sword after a couple more exchanges, "Enough Keitaro, you must rest."
Keitaro, who usually wanted to go on was bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath. He actually nodded to Motoko, "Yes… rest now." He tried roll back into a sitting position…
…When he found himself rolling down the roof…
…Motoko watches with a look of horror on her face as she is too close to the door to get to him in time…
…He feels the roof give away to air…
…He sees Motoko at the edge of the roof, trying something…
…Motoko watches as her ki attack manages to pet Keitaro a few meters from the rock he would've landed on…
…Keitaro feels pain shoot up his leg as it makes contact with the ground first…
…Blackness ensues…
(A/N: I just dislike describing fight scenes. I would appreciate the help in trying to make the fight scenes better… As you may have noticed, I like poetry. I'll try not to write too many poems but it depends on the character's mood. And I know that the characters are a little ooc in this story. But that's what makes a fanfic is slightly out of kilter characters. Thank you for the encouragement, those who RnR this with nearly every chapter. Comments are welcomed too. Its starting to get to the point where I direct the plot towards the manga version a bit. Anyway. Till next time. RnR!)