9.13.03: This is the second half of my newest chapter that I uploaded today. Back up one if you went straight to the end. ^_^
Evermore
Chapter 6
By Zapenstap
"Minami," Yuki whispered, halting her briefly before entering class.
She turned jerkily, her eyes as wide as teacup saucers when she saw him standing face to face with her. "Oh, um, Yuki! H…hi."
He felt like an idiot asking, knowing it would start rumors, but he felt that it was too important not to know. "Who did you go on a date with?"
Minami looked like a balloon he had stuck a pin in. "Ee-Ah! He didn't mean anything to me, Prince Yuki! I swear! I don't even know why…!"
"What was his name?" Yuki asked in a calm, quiet voice.
She was trembling as she looked at him, but she answered when he asked. "He was foreign. He said his name was Belduine." She said the name awkwardly, the sounds coming out a little confused on her tongue, but Yuki knew it, though he hid his reaction.
In an attempt to salvage the damage he may have wrought by approaching her this way, he smiled at her, though it wasn't one of his real smiles. "I think it's wonderful that you went on a date," he said. "You deserve it." He passed her as he walked into the classroom. "I hope you go on many more and find someone right for you."
He didn't wait to read her expression. He wasn't sure what she would think. Perhaps it was callous, but that was better than lies; whatever she thought or felt, he would deal with it later. As he sat down, he unconsciously sought out Tohru. His eyes strayed to where she was bent over her own desk, dark hair falling over her shoulder as she set out her materials neatly in front of her. Behind him, Yuki heard Minami fall in her seat like a sack of flour and turned his attention back to the front as the teacher called the class to order.
He had difficulty focusing on the lecture. His pen merely tapped against the edge of his notebook while the other students took notes. Normally, he might have thought of Tohru, but this past weekend had changed everything. Minami had gone on a date, but it wasn't that that interested him. She had been talking to Belduine about him, about his family. Had she volunteered the information, or had this stranger asked questions? What was happening?
He knew for certain now that this was about more than Kyo's bracelet, and whether this Belduine character was responsible for Kyo or not, Yuki was almost one hundred per cent sure that he was involved somehow. He had talked first to Tohru and then ran off when Yuki exited the ice cream shop. Had that meeting been by mistake, coincidence, or strategy? He was then rumored to be at Kagura's school, though Kagura herself had not run into him. But what if he had gone there to find her, or perhaps to spy on her? Or what if she was contrived so that she was supposed to have heard rumors about him? And now Minami. Where else had Belduine been in the last few days, and what was he doing? What did he want with the Sohmas, and could he possibly know about their family curse? And if he did, how much did he know?
His day went by in a blur, and when the last bell rang, he stumbled out of his last class in a bit of a daze, buzzing with unanswered questions. For some reason he left before Tohru could even gather her things, exiting into the hallway while she was still packing her books into her bag. He didn't want her involved in this and he didn't want her to see how worried he was. He just wanted her to go home and be safe, but he couldn't make himself ask her to leave. He wanted her close too. He hated that part of him, that weak part that he couldn't quite force him to do what was best for her. Being near his family was dangerous. Getting closer to him, or any of the Sohmas, might ultimately destroy her. She should get out while she could, before this mysterious outside threat to them could also threaten her, and if not that, before Akito did. He had been withdrawing from her lately, wanting to protect her, but it was so difficult. There was so much he wanted to tell her, to open up to her about, in ways he had never opened up to anybody in his entire life…
Cutting in front of the other students, most of who made room for him, Yuki strode down the hall to the main entrance. He thought about asking Minami a few more questions about Belduine, but he didn't want to make it look like anything was suspicious, or that he was overly concerned. He didn't want to draw more attention to the matter. But what were they going to do? On the phone, Shigure had informed him that Akito's command was to bring anyone who interfered to the Main House by any means necessary. But that didn't fully answer the question.
When Saki appeared suddenly on his left, he almost tripped over his own feet. She glided beside him like a phantom, but it wasn't until he noticed her that she turned her eyes on him. He unconsciously fortified his walls as her eyes latched onto him, sinking in like she was thumbing through his thoughts and emotions like a deck of cards. He retracted into himself, but knowing his secret as she now did, he felt vulnerable in a way he never had before. It wasn't like his desire to open up to Tohru; it was like having his privacy invaded without his consent. But then, maybe he only felt that it was like that, as there was no indication that she was doing or feeling anything behind those emotionless eyes of hers.
"What are you do…?" he began.
She put a finger to her lips and pointed. "Over there," she said.
Yuki looked to just outside the front doors of the school where a few people had gathered in a small cluster on the edge of the steps. In the center of the cluster, visible only in bouts, a boy was seated on a handrail. He wasn't any taller than the girls surrounding him, and was shorter than some of them. His legs dangled as he swung them, perched precariously with his hands in his knees yet looking to be in no danger of falling. He was chatting amiably, his smiles wide and his face expressive.
"Today is Monday," Saki said, folding her hands in front of her as they both stopped. "We were here last on Friday."
As Yuki watched, the boy turned to glance at them briefly before turning back to his conversation. He said something to the girls and they burst into giggles, hiding grins behind their hands, but when he jumped lightly off the rail they left, still laughing. The boy strolled toward Yuki and Saki as if he had arranged to meet them.
Processing two things at once, it took Yuki a moment to understand what Saki had said. Today--Monday--was the first time they had been back to the school since Kyo had been attacked. If Belduine knew them from this place and no other, this would be his earliest opportunity to encounter them. And here he was, walking toward him as calm and casual as if he needed to ask a question or make a suggestion to the Student Council President like another student. But had he been to the school before? On Friday? And what could he possibly want now?
"I…Who are you?" was all Yuki could think to say as the boy approached, even though he already knew the boy's name. Every nerve in Yuki's body was on end; his blood seemed sparked with electricity. His thoughts whirled like helicopter blades in his skull. He felt that any moment something was going to happen. Yuki found himself preparing for a fight, and he rarely prepared for them.
The boy did not bow or extend his hand or do anything else but smile. "Belduine Terwhin," he said in a voice much more friendly and cheerful than Yuki expected. "That's bell-doo-een," he enunciated slowly. "People here seem to have a hard time saying it." He closed his mouth and shifted his gaze to Saki. "And who might you be, cupcake?" Taking in her return dead-eyed expression, he rubbed his hand apologetically behind his head. "Oh. Sorry. Those sorts of names just come out of me sometimes. Can I call you cupcake?"
Saki did not even blink. "My name is Saki Hanajima."
"She's a psychic," Haru's voice came laconically from the school doorways.
A moment later, a steadying hand touched Yuki's shoulder and he exhaled as a little bit of tension drained out of him. Haru had come up behind him, Momiji in tow. Arisa and Tohru stood a pace or two behind, though Arisa immediately strolled up to join Saki. Tohru remained where she was, clutching her book bag and watching the scene from the sidelines, here eyes flitting from person to person with a worried crease deepening in her brow.
"I'm afraid that term is not quite accurate," Saki intoned, seemingly unmoved from anything yet that had happened, "as my electric pulse can not foresee the future."
Belduine cocked his head to one side, eyeing Saki as a bird or small animal would check out a curiosity, when Arisa stepped around Hana and circled in behind him. "So you're the guy," she said, and punched one fist into the opposite hand as she always did whenever she was excited. "I'm Arisa Uotani. I've been waiting to meet you."
It almost seemed the Belduine smiled when he twisted his head to look at her, though he what he found amusing was unclear. It didn't play off as arrogance. It was almost a genuine reaction, as if he actually found the situation and the people involved amusing. He turned in a half circle to look at each of them, and then looked back Saki. "Can I call you my electrical cupcake then?" he asked honestly, leaning slightly toward her as if petitioning. It was the first time Yuki had seen anyone not already friends with Saki show such a complete lack of fear around her.
Saki herself didn't say anything. She might have been at a loss for words.
"What's going on?" Momiji piped quietly from beside Haru. "Yuki? Who is this guy? Is this the guy that Tohru talked to?"
"Quiet down, Momiji," Yuki said softly.
But Belduine had heard and craned his neck to get a glimpse of Tohru. She caught his eyes and looked startled when his face broke out into a sudden grin. "Hello again, pretty lady," he said, waving at her with one hand. "Tohru Honda, right? Do you still have my flower?"
Tohru turned an interesting shade of pink. "Um."
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Yuki repeated, losing his diplomacy in a sudden rush of anger coupled with his mounting tension. He did not like this guy. However friendly, he did not trust him. "And not just your name. What do you want?"
Belduine winked at Tohru and then turned to look back at the Sohmas. "Okay, okay, sorry," he said.\ and closed one eye to take them in. "You're Yuki and that's Hatsuharu and Momiji Sohma, right?"
"That's right!" Momiji exclaimed excitedly, thrusting a fist up into the hair. "You know all of our names. That's amazing! Have we met before?"
"That's enough, Momiji," Yuki said a bit more sharply.
"No," Belduine answered Momiji's question, sounding conversational if anything. "I've just been hearing a lot about you. I have something important to tell your family. I've come a long way."
"It sure as hell better be good," Arisa said. "Hana will be able to tell if you're lying."
Yuki didn't know if that was true or not, but it sounded convincing. For the first time he was thankful for whatever gift Saki Hanajima had, and hoped that she really could distinguish lies from truth. He wasn't sure he believed Belduine. Something to tell them… If that was all than he was not a direct danger, but why tell them whatever it was? None of his questions had been answered and the feeling that he was in a dangerous situation had not lessened.
Belduine's demeanor changed slightly. He didn't appear intimidated by what Arisa had said, but he shifted his balance, turning his head to look at her before looking back at the rest of them. "I'm looking for fourteen specific people in your family," he said to Yuki. "I would have found you sooner, but I can't read your language, and there seems to be a great many of you spread about this area."
Momiji face was poker-like, but Haru caught Yuki's eye significantly. Fourteen specific Sohmas. Yuki could think of only one thing it could be. Someone knew. Maybe it wasn't Belduine, maybe it was someone who had sent him, but someone knew something. And Akito would not stand for it. Yuki understood this instinctively. Belduine would not walk free with such knowledge, not if he knew anything, and Akito had commanded that he be brought to the Main House.
This is bad, Yuki thought. This is very bad.
Belduine continued, showing no signs of worry, exhibiting an attitude that seemed to indicate that he had no idea as to the importance of what he had just said. "I came here to warn you," he said. "Although I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, it has and I think this is the easiest way. But I don't want to talk about it here. I'll need to talk to all of you, if you can arrange that, somewhere out of public."
"What?" Arisa said, her rough-and-tough bullying dropping slightly in her confusion. She looked toward Hana for some indication. Hana was watching Belduine, listening as if merely trying to process the information. Yuki felt a chill trickle down his spine. "You've got to give us more than that," Arisa said.
"There isn't time," Belduine said.
The front of the school was emptying now. The parking lot was deserted. Anyone who was left was inside, attending club meetings or make-up classes.
"I don't trust you," Yuki said bluntly. "We've been hearing about you for several days and no one seems to know who you are or what you're up to. What do you want with the Sohmas?"
"It's not me," Belduine said. "I'm just a messenger. She's the one who wants the Curse."
Yuki's breath snagged in his throat.
"What do you know?" Haru asked, some of his white personality dissolving in a moment of sudden urgency, anger ignited from fear. "And who are you talking about?"
"The Curse," Belduine said. "I can't tell you."
"Like hell!" Haru shouted, and some of them jumped back a little as Haru's black personality emerged in a fit of anger and impatience. "I asked you a question! We know some of what you've been up to, kid, so just spill it. Stop dodging and tell me what I want to know!"
He grabbed Belduine by the shirt, forcing him back a few paces, snarling into his face. Belduine's face constricted and he struggled a little, twisting this way and that to dislodge himself from Haru's grip, but only succeeded in pulling them both backward a bit. Yuki opened his mouth to say something but then shut it again.
"Haru," Tohru whispered.
"Stand back, Miss Honda," Yuki said. "It will be all right."
"What do you know about a beaded bracelet?" Haru demanded, shaking Belduine slightly. "Just tell me and I'll let you go."
No we won't, thought Yuki, but he knew better than to say anything about it.
"I don't have any bracelet," Belduine said, attempting to dislodge Haru's fingers from his collar.
"He was there," Saki said quietly, cutting into the tension like a knife through silk. "Something he is doing now. The strange thing I sensed that afternoon…"
Yuki felt his blood boil.
Belduine's eyes flashed dangerously.
"Get out of the way Momiji," Yuki said. "Get Miss Honda and Miss Hanajima and Miss Uotani out of the way."
"I can take care of myself," Arisa said in a clipped voice.
"You little punk," Haru rasped. "Did you stab my friend? Did you take his charm?"
"I don't have it!" Belduine said.
"That wasn't what I asked! Did you attack Kyo? Did you take his bracelet? Where is it?"
Belduine's boots swung suddenly and he dropped somehow out of Haru's grasp, falling into a crouch on the ground. Haru lurched forward, clearly hit somewhere, and toppled over Belduine's compressed form. As soon as Haru hit the grass Belduine leaped to his feet and ran, but Yuki gave chase.
He caught him within a few feet, striking out swiftly to force his opponent to face him. Belduine skidded on the pavement and turned, one hand pressed to the ground, before launching himself at Yuki suddenly. Relaxed in every muscle, Yuki got the boy's fists easily, turning his punches aside. It took him only moments to comprehend that, though the kid had great reflexes and obviously knew something about fighting, he had never learned Martial Arts.
Belduine swore when Yuki's hands connected and made contact, but he took the blows better than most opponents Yuki had faced, and seemed to pick it up fast. He was certainly quick.
"You have to listen to me!" Belduine shouted, still on the defensive, barely avoiding a range of blows with quick dodges and twisty maneuvers rather than definite blocks. His head snaked back and forth, clearing Yuki's strikes by centimeters, and he was walking backward, ducking every so often and changing direction if Yuki used his feet.
"We'll hear all you have to say!" Yuki shouted back, and went for a blow to the kidneys in order to quickly immobilize his opponent.
"There's an Esper, a fairy, who collects curses," Belduine was saying. "She'll send her magicians after you. You have to break the curse! Let me speak to everyone!"
"What the hell is going on?"
Yuki caught sight of Kyo running up the walkway that led to the parking lot, those ridiculous straps on his cargo pants flapping as his feet pounded against the pavement. He skidded to halt just a few yards from them, mouth gaping. Yuki heard Momiji and Haru and Tohru all yell something different, and it was then that Yuki became aware that Belduine had somehow flipped backward in midair before a boot caught him hard in the face.
The pavement hit the back of his head and he registered with vague shock that he fallen. The lights blackened momentarily and panic overtook him as the memory of being hurt and trapped in a dark place overwhelmed his senses. Then the lights cleared and he felt only a dull, throbbing pain in his head as clouds swirled chaotically in his vision. Voices registered more slowly as he struggled to sit up. He felt hands cradling his head and rolled his eyes up to see Haru kneeling beside him, but only long enough to note that Haru wasn't looking at him.
Dizzily following the eyesight of his cousin, he saw Kyo's shocked face and disbelieving eyes dart between him and Belduine right before his expression contorted into an anger so deep it twisted his very features. It was an expression that seemed to take hold of him in slow motion, and it was a moment before Yuki realized that what he was actually seeing was Kyo transforming again, one hand wrapped around the wrist where he had once worn his bracelet as if in pain.
"It was him," he head Saki's voice echoing in a calm.
And then he saw Belduine, both feet planted firmly on the ground, leaning slightly forward on his toes exactly where he had been before Yuki was knocked down. The kid watched the transformation without moving; his eyes focused on Kyo as he heaved in air, his mouth slightly parted. When the transformation was complete and an ugly, stinking monster crouched where Kyo once had been, there was a moment of frozen silence from everyone. Yuki swallowed and tried to speak, but the instant was not long enough to say anything. A moment only and Kyo had gone, fleeing the scene at a dead run, and springing forward from the balls of his feet, Belduine tore after him.
TBC
Thank you for reading!!!! To all the people who have read this, THANK YOU. You are very much appreciated! It really makes my day to see someone come back and encourage me to keep going. Thank you all very very much. Please leave a review!
THANK YOUS:
RobertRomi: Even though you haven't reviewed, thanks for IM-ing me! I don't have a record of what was said so I can't be more specific, but knowing you have read this far is encouraging! Thank you! ^_^
Author15: I actually can't remember your SN exactly, but I think it was something like this. Anyway, I'm sorry I told you I would update sooner. Please forgive me! I tried to hurry and write for you. It was just really difficult. I don't know if you will review or not, but thank you for reading me story!
GrrlN: Akito shows a little bit of a different face in this chapter, but I hope people still think he's IC. I'm glad you liked my depiction of Rin in chapter 4. Writing Kureno was really hard. I have only a small idea what he's like. Anyway, thank you for reading my story! I hope you come back to review these last 2 chapters!
Kyra Rivers: Can you pronounce Belduine's name now? I incorporated how to say it into the story just for you ^_^. I hope my reputation as a punctual updater hasn't slid too far. I really want everyone to keep reading. I really enjoy your reviews a lot! The pacing in this last chapter was really tricky. It was harder to write, though I'm not sure why. I hope it reads as I imagine it to. At any rate, thank you very much for your wonderful reviews. I really love them. I hope you come back.
Rinoa: Ah, a FF8 fan. Good choice. I like Haru too. I hope you come back!
DarkAngelB: Minami won't be in the story much more, but I hope you liked some of the other things I'm building up towards! I would tell you more, but I really don't want to spoil it!!! ^_~
Flirting With Incoherence: So you think Belduine is a stalker, huh? You'll get to know a bit more about him later. I hope you liked these last two chapters, though maybe not. They were hard to write. Anyway, I really appreciate your reviews, for ALL of my stories. It means so very much to me; I can hardly express.
SAL-chan: Card Captor arc!!! I haven't seen it all yet. Can you burn it and mail it to me? ^_~ Your reviews are always really cute. I don't want to spoil anything about Akito or Belduine, though. I hope you come back to read!
The Infamous Chibi Cat: Hee hee. Akito is a little different in this chapter, but I'm trying to keep his character consistent with the way I see him. And I know I'm being rough on Kyo, but this isn't going to be an altogether "waffy" story so some angst and drama is necessary. ^_^ And Ritsu will also be included.
R Junkie: It's supposed to be a little bit confusing. It would sound cheesy if I just came out and said what was going on. Also, about Kagura, you're right she IS 2 years older than the others and she's in college or something now, but that's still a school right? I call it school anyway…
Joanne: thanks. Please come back.
Caiti: You need to see the rest of the episodes!! I don't want to be responsible for spoilers and it is SUCH a good series. I ended up just buying the whole thing. But anyway, thank you so SO much for your long, quality review. It makes me feel so good to hear the ways in which someone likes me story or my writing. Thank you for making my day brighter. I really appreciate it and I hope that you come back!
Mike: Some lengthy words in there, but you're a good friend. Thank you! I highly recommend the series still, but in the meantime I will not protest if anyone wants to R/R my fic!
Mizaya: Belduine? Sell Minami into slavery?!?! That is SO funny. It might be funnier to you when you read more of the story. I'm sorry I haven't caught up on your stories yet. I really want to read them, but I'm SO exhausted and busy. I will get to them as soon as I can, you have to believe me! And I want to hang out with you too, so you know, when all this craziness is over, expect a call!
Rivulet: I feel completely unworthy of your wonderful reviews. I feel like I ought to just shut up and post and stop grubbing for them. They make me so happy I must be doing something illegal. But anyway, thank you very very much for your compliments on my characterization. That makes me feel really good because I try hard to keep the story IC and flowing well. If I fail, be sure to tell me. Anyway, your reviews are wonderful, way more than I deserve. Thank you very much.
Yokochan: Thank you! Those are great things to hear. I hope I keep doing them. And I also hope you come back and keep reading. Hopefully the story will be worth it, but you'll have to let me know!
Lady Kara: You are dependable and I appreciate it ^_^. Thank you for reviewing so frequently. It means a lot to me as an author, knowing that some readers judge a story based on its reviews. I like the things you have to say too. As for yaoijanai.com, I've known about it, but I just haven't posted my GW stuff there; I don't know why. But when your FB fic is done I will certainly read it!
The Great Thing: Oh, you DID come back to review for me! I was nervous for a bit, but you DID come back. Thank you very much. I'm really happy, even if ff.net DID eat your review. I can only mourn that quietly. Are you sure FB is coming out in October? I heard February. As for Saki and Kazuma, hmm, I don't know so much about a pairing, but you'll have to wait and see. There will definitely be something with Kureno and Arisa though! Thank you very much for reading!!! I REALLY hope you come back!
Sakura Avalon/Kinomoto: For Yukiru, you'll have to just read and find out. I did enjoy your story, though, and I hope you like mine. Thank you for reviewing. I really appreciate it. I hope you return!
