After a year, nine months and so-so days I have finally found a day where I can re-read chapter 11 and 12 and start on 13. Well folks, just so you'd know, I guess 13 is a BAD LUCK number. Gee… so much for counting. Anyway, I would like to apologize for the long wait and I'm sorry if the impatience caused you to not review any of my works. I also apologize for my miss in putting a "Next on Getting a Life" portion at the end of chapter 12. No sarcasm intended, with all due respect, I apologize for the inconvenience. On we go!
Disclaimer: I may own all the merchandize but I cannot own Weiss and Project Weiss.
Warning: Again, rating for every chapter may vary but T (ages 13+ ) is my standard rating.
Legend/s: ' ' or singlequotation marksis for speaking by using the mind.
Getting A Life 13
"Wait! Boo-boo!"
Omi screamed, trying to heighten his voice as the angel went away raging towards Kimi.
"Yotan, we have to help! He might kill-…"
"Omi, he won't."
"How do you know!"
"I just…"
Yoji looked at the barren place. He reminded himself that he was going to be all right. That both he and Omi will come out of that place safely. But what about his daughter?
"AAAAAAA!"
The alarming scream paved way for the two assassins to watch what was about to happen. No more words. No more actions. Just pure agonizing terror was within them knowing that this fight was not in their league.
"Kimi, I beg of you! (dodges another boulder) Please stop this insanity! Find yourself in your heart!"
"AAAAAAAA!"
"There is no need for us to fight, my lady. Please! Fight this madness you are up against!"
"YOU!"
Britain stopped in mid air as she faced him with all the anger she had.
"Kimi, I-…"
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!"
"It is I, Britain! Kimi, snap out of this! Come back to us! To your family!"
"Fa-…family?"
The woman paused, almost a perplexed state in her eyes but soon, those eyes that met the golden ones of Britain turned to anger once more and bolted with rage.
"I HAVE NO FAMILY!"
She charged at him. One by one the walls, ceiling and the floor eroded and clung to her like magnet.
"No, my lady! Do not do this!"
No words could reach her now as she settled all he power to the massive granite she aimed to Britain, and him alone. With lightning speed, the angel of charms faced his opponent as his wings glittered.
"DIE!"
Her words echoed through the whole deteriorating building as Britain succeeded in breaking off the boulders that surrounded piece by piece.
"Yoji-kun look! He's chanting something."
"Charms… what does that even mean?"
"I- I don't know but it's (smile) working!"
Yoji tried to open his eyes more to see the 'fight' more closely. Kimi was using her voice to deafen the angel but it seems to repel whenever he would shout some words of a different language. Minute after minute, the quarrel would heighten then die down as every attempt from the agitator would fail; however…
"Omi!"
"O shit! No! Boo-boo!"
The warrior angel was seen falling from the uppermost part of the building. His enormous wings supported his fall but there was still a cry of pain coming out from him.
"DIE!"
"No I shan't!"
He stood upright almost immediately after his fall and mimicked something inaudible, and then he shouted.
"Come forth and heed my call, Sword of The Undying Whisper, ILLUMINATI!" (1)
With a shimmering light emerging from his hands, a luminous lance was forming ever so gently as if it was a cloth being put together on the spot!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"WINGS OF IMMORTALITY!"
As soon as he bellowed those words, his wings were covered by bluish metal-like armor that made the two audience assassins cover their eyes for the glare was too much, added to the fact that the Sword Illuminati was blinding.
"Ack, Yoji!"
"Cover your eyes, Omi!"
Britain rushed towards the floating monstrosity that carried herself with a new weapon, which was similar to her color but it had an acid, pure black in color that dripped from all angles of the sword. He swung his sword but met hers; the fight took both parties a run for their strength but like any other war, only one must be able to emerge victorious.
CLANG
A fallen metal was heard, Yoji and Omi shot their heads up again knowing that the scenario would be safe.
"NOO!"
Yoji's scream made Britain deepen the pierce he had made in Kimi's heart.
"Britain tenshi! YAAAMMMEEERRRRUUUU!"
Yoji almost stood up but Omi pulled him back towards him and tried to lull him shut.
"Yoji-kun, don't look at her!"
But Yoji was hysterical at the sight of his daughter being stabbed to death.
"Kudou, Yoji..."
The warrior angel's words sailed smoothly inside the more ruined edifice as everything went back to silence.
"…have faith."
The blinding light from Illuminati hit its way to everyone and everything that was in its midst. The only thing that could be heard was the Britain whispering something in Kimi's ear.
Journal entry 057, year 2005
It has been 2 years of ups and downs. Every battle seems all the more worse but then we always seem to have a happy ending. 2003, Yoji-kun had Kimi-chan. 2004, Schwartz wanted Kimi-chan. Pushing 2005, I was stuck in the hospital for 2 weeks, Yoji-kun for 3 weeks, Ken-kun for a week and Ran-kun… still in there after 9 months. His side is fully healed now so as his shoulder but I guess, Crashers will have to continue our job – less for the killing of course – for another 2 to 3 months. I feel like a cheater even to myself. I've finished 13 entries and yet I only write about the real account of that faithful day today. Can't blame me for keeping quite ne? All of us here are quiet. Yoji and Kimi, it's sad to see that they have this thin gap between them. Yoji can't seem to forgive and forget that painful scenario. We kept on telling him that it wasn't Kimi. Hell, he knows it wasn't! But there's no stopping Yoji in being pessimistic. And Ken-kun! He's being close to Britain tenshii lately. They talk about his mother a lot… it's their common spot. Oh sorry… forgot to tell you – Britain didn't go back to Boo-boo's form after the fight. He said that because of all the power lost to him, he has to regenerate. Cool thing though, he can keep his wings! It becomes a tattoo in his back! As flat as skin, I tell you. Hehe, so much for that. Oh yes, Kimi. After the stab, I had to control Yoji's hysterical attempts to pound on Britain as he came forward us, Kimi in his arms…back to her true form. The stab was deep indeed because she was, well, dead. But Britain laid her on Yoji's lap and chanted again, touched her heart, healed the stab and she woke up. It was all too dramatic! That scene was really like a movie! So sue me if I can't narrate like that! My journal, my words. nn Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital room with my leg and my neck in a cast. The bed next to me was Yoji and at our bottom was Kimi. Apparently, Manx and the others located us and they were the team responsible for the burning of the ruins. Good thing, I still have the blood sample. Nope, no one saw it when they checked me. (I kept the small, thin bottle inside my ear) Don't ask me how I did it but I practiced that since training day! Although Yoji was the first to recover, he had to remain for another week because he was next in line to Ran-kun so all the bills, all the explanation was given to him.
Omi looks at Yoji who was whistling towards the bathroom.
He's generally happy now. All of us are happy now but I will never forget his face when he almost lost control of himself at the front gate. "Kimi will never be able to speak again." Doc. Austria explained to him that her voice box had a costly infection probably because of all the shouting her other half did. Everybody knew that Kimi was Yoji's little sister and that's the sad part about it because almost everyone who knew Ran's background compared Yoji to him. "O what a pity for Kimi-chan. She's such a good kid. How did this happen to her?" "I think there's a curse with those four young boys! First, Ran's sister was in a coma and now Yoji's sister. How bad!" I really hate it when they try to lower their voices but they know that Yoji's just in the same room. Yare, yare! People… always for the generalization! Anyway, I have to stop now. It's my turn to visit Ranners in the hospital. I hope he comes back home soon! Heck, he never had a haircut since last year! (2) Over and out.
Omi closed the computer and rushed towards the bathroom. Knowing that Yoji was there, he knocked 3 times and bid his goodbye.
"I'm going to Ran-kun now! Dinner's left over. Sorry, Yotan!"
"Yah! All good, Omittchi. Just leave a spare key on the deck ne? Ken might need it… you know."
"Ayt! Got'cha! See yah tomorrow!"
"Say hi to Ran for me and the others! Tell him to go to a salon!"
Omi grinned from outside as he grabbed his 'sleep over' bag, went down and rode his scooter towards Markensaux hospital.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
It was almost late afternoon when Yoji woke up from the bathtub.
"Damn! I'm all wrinkled! Oooohh… bad. Very, very bad!"
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Uh, come in!"
There was a pause but then the shadowy figure came.
"Hai, what can I do for you?"
Yoji smiled and reached for her with his wrinkly left hand. A smile was her reply as she took the hand of her father.
"Come here, love. So how was your day in school?"
Kimi sat on the rug surrounding the tub. As she sat there, Yoji noticed something different about her.
"Kimi, smile again will yah?"
So she did. And there it was! Yoji wasn't looking at his frail 15 year old anymore. It was more of a 'starting-to-develop' 17-year-old Asian girl with dark green hair falling back on one side of her shoulder. Her skirt was longer than the average Japanese skirt because she didn't want it to be short. "Rebellious, beautiful, intelligent and-…" Yoji's train of thoughts was stopped, as he looked deeper in Kimi's eyes.
"I understand how you feel, Kimi. But we've been through this and I told you, it's not your fault."
She leaned back away from Yoji as she clung to her knees.
"I know you remember everything but honey… that wasn't you."
Kimi intensely looked at her father as if to say that 'dad, read my eyes deeper.' And so he did! Yoji grabbed both her hands and looked deeper in her eyes. For a few minutes both father and daughter were frowning until Yoji turned his head and spoke.
"Kimi, I know you didn't mean it."
"Ugn…"
Little sounds like that was the only means of communication she can use, and as Yoji looked at her again, she had to act out how she felt.
"Matte, Miamatsu! I'm not blaming you for what happened! Again, no one is blaming you for what happened!"
She pounded on her head twice with her right hand to gesture that 'she knows!'
"Then why are we back in this discussion again? Over and over again for 3 months now! Come on!"
She was fighting back her tears as she kicked the stool that had Yoji's clothes on it.
"What the fu-…!"
She faced Yoji's mad face as she acted out one last emotion for him to know – "I don't hate you. I never did." Then she mouthed, "I thought you knew that." She opened the door and ran back to her room leaving Yoji confused and pained as always.
"Ran-kun!"
Omi called out to the wheel-chaired friend as he ran towards him.
"Hey, what took you so long?"
Arching a brow, he placed down book and faced the youth who was scratching his head apologetically.
"I got so intense in my journal writing, gomen ne. Ehehe… so how are you?"
"I'm good. (Looks at the garden in front of him) Missing all the flowers we sell."
"That's okay! Here, I bought you this Ikebana! I made it myself."
"Thank you, Omi."
As he took the arranged flowers, Omi noticed his role model more. Ran's complexion was brighter than before, his aura was lighter and his eyes were more than happy.
"Ran-kun may I ask you something?" (sits on the grass beside Ran's wheel chair)
"Hai."
"Won't you even let Aya-chan visit you?"
Omi wasn't really expecting an answer because he knew that talking about his sister was a delicate case. But to his surprise, his question was not taken in vain.
"I-… I have confessed."
"Eh?"
"Omi, last week, I called my sister. I told her everything. (smiles) I never thought that crying was such a sweet experience."
"Ra-Ran…"
"Hmm, from the moment I became a part of Crashers to the day I was shot by Crawford in that building… I told her every single detail. All the lies and the truths. All the dirty work, gory details. Everything."
Omi was speechless as Ran smiled. For the first time in his entire Weiss life, he sees Ran smile with purity and happiness.
"Are you overwhelmed?"
"Ye-yes. I'm… (smile) I'm happy, Ranners. I truly am."
"So am I."
"So will she visit?"
"No. I told her not too. It would be, still dangerous. I may have shared my story but it was still part of reality… it still is. Which reminds me, how's everything back at the house?"
"All's good! Everyone's good."
"Any attacks from Schwartz?"
"Happy to say, no. But I know that they're planning on a bigger surprise."
"Crashers? Knight? How are they?"
"They're all good too. No sign of any battle from Schwartz either."
"That's nice to hear."
Loss for words, Omi just sat there with him as they watch the world pass by their eyes.
"Omi."
"Yes?"
"I don't blame Kimi-chan for anything."
"Neither do I, Ran-kun."
"And Yoji?"
"He does not blame her too. (looks at him) Same goes for Ken and Britain-tenshii. No one blames her."
"Ah! Britain… the angel, ne? (Omi nods then smiles) I see. I would really like to meet him. Thank him and well, other stuff…"
"Hai. We're all thankful to him! If he didn't heal most of Yoji's and my wounds, we couldn't have survived that feat! And oh by the way, Ran-kun."
"Eh?"
(grins) "Britain's ageless and genderless."
"Na-nani?"
"Angels…they don't have genders. But Britain looks more like a guy see…"
"Oh…"
And so another moment of pause passed them.
"…but is it true?"
"Nani?" (what?)
"Her evil form… hated Yoji-kun."
"Yes. Maybe from the fact that her evilness was put to a stop and remained silent inside Kimi. Up until it was triggered."
"What exactly did trigger her to turn into her 'past' self?"
"Wakaranai, Ranners. (I don't know, Ranners) First, I thought she got mad because Yoji and I were at Schwartz' mercy back there in the cloning room. But then, when she grabbed Yoji I realized that her hate and her pain… Yoji was part of it."
"It could have also been referred to you if you got closer."
"Yes, that could be possible. She might have hated everyone that made Kimi a human."
"Yare…"
"Yo, Ran-kun. Don't think about this too much. We can always ask Kimi when you get out of here."
"Can she… even laugh?"
"No, she can't. She can only make small sounds once in a while."
(sadden eyes) "I- I see…"
The silence between them came back but this time, Omi felt Ran's heart break into pieces after he recalls everything that happened to their youngest sister.
"Minna, daijobu. Shimpai-shinaide kudasai Ran-kun." (Everything will be ok. Don't worry, Ran)
"Hai."
But deep inside, his heart was still breaking for all of them.
"Britain!"
"Uh, Ken! How was the practice?"
"Cool!"
"Uh, cool? What does this word mean?"
"Oh sorry, I forgot! Hehe…cool is like, er- is like… great!"
"Oh I see. Then your practice went great."
"Oh yeah!"
"Wonderful then!"
As what Omi said, Britain and Ken became close almost instantly because of Ken's mother.
"Did Kimi come home already?"
"I'm sorry, Ken. I did not notice but-…"
He stiffens, closes his eyes and opens them again.
"Yes, I've sensed her. She's in her room."
"Uh, weird… but great! Thanks, Brit!"
"You are most welcome, young Hidaka."
Ken exited the living room to go to where Kimi was but instead, Yoji who was sitting on the balcony – the balcony's edge, caught his attention.
"YOTAN! IIE!"
With his feared intuition, Ken jumped on Yoji with all his might.
"OUCH!"
The older man screamed as his head found its way on the hard concrete.
"Ken! What is going on with you!"
"Yoji! What is going on with YOU!"
"Baka! I just asked you that!"
"Don't end your life like this Yoji! It's not too late! It's never too late!"
"WH-WHAAAAAATTT!"
"Yoji, I' serious! Don't end it like this! We're here for you!"
"Get off, Ken!"
"No! you're just going to do it again!"
(grunt) "Ken! Get off!"
(moan) "No! Yoji!"
(grunt grunt glare grunt) "KEN!"
(grunt grunt) "YOJI!"
Now way back in the living room, Britain was alarmed as to what kind of commotion was happening. He stood up; carefully looking at every angle of the path he's taking and stopped as he heard moaning, grunting, screaming and disagreeing.
"YOJI!"
"KEN! NO!"
He heard two familiar voices shouting each other's familiar name. He was indeed, curious.
"AH! YOJI!"
"KEN!"
Without warning, he entered the scene where he heard the two familiar voices – and he saw two familiar faces… one on top of the other.
"Oh…"
Yoji, being well, Yoji, noticed the position, screaming, etc… to say that he noticed the reaction that would be coming from the 3rd person who just flew in.
"N-no, Britain we… we're not-…"
"Oh, no young Kudou. I'm not questioning what you humans are doing. I'm actually happy that I get to see how humans make another life up close and personal."
Ken's red face froze at what the angel said but Yoji just lay there, perplexed.
"Well at least it's good to know that humans are also genderless. I always thought-…"
"NO! NO! STOP! Ehehehe…"
As quick as he jumped on Yoji was as quick as he got off and standing next to Britain now explaining himself.
"Ah, young Hidaka. Did I say something wr-…"
"MALE! BOTH! MALE!"
"Uh, yes… I-…"
"Both of us are male! We cannot mate! I mean not that I want to… no! I mean, yes! Ah! No, I LOVE WOMEN!"
Yoji was laughing his head off at how 'cute' Ken was running and shivering and bouncing as he tried to explain but alas, the warrior angel was just calmed and 'innocent-like'
"Yoji, did I say something wrong?"
"No, Britain, no! But let me straighten things out. We have gender – male and female. (smiles) Ken and I were not making another life because we cannot. Females carry the life… after they mate with males. Got it?" (winks)
"Yes, young Kudou. I appreciate the explanation."
Yoji nods and stands on the edge of the balcony now.
"Oh Britain hey…I've said all I wanted to say and all I wanted to know from you months ago. I guess it's time to repay that… if you need to know anything…"
"Ah Kudou-san… I'm all right to just be here in any form I am in. But to have you happier and more vibrant even in the midst of all these turmoil would be more than any blessing, healing or welcoming than I can give to this family."
Yoji smiled as the angel smiled back at him and exited lightly as ever.
"Oh and by the way, young Kudou."
"Ne?"
"I guess another child from a female would be of good notion too. A baby for you, a mother for my lady, Kimi. A happy family!"
And he was gone.
"…family huh?"
"Bakaeru! (profanity…) I'm…grr! That Yoji! I guess he did that on purpose! Argh! I'm not gay, I-…! Huh?"
Ken stopped as he saw Kimi's room-door open halfway.
"Eh, Kimi! Its almost dinner time, come on let's-…"
He burst in the room only to find an empty bed, empty shelves and empty cabinet drawers. Moreover, the most cliché of all… a sealed letter addressed to Yoji.
"Oh this is not good. Not good at all."
Ken grabbed the letter, screamed all the way back down and hoping, just hoping that this won't make matters worse.
"Where is she!"
"Yoji, read the letter! Hayaku!" (Hurry!)
"I can find her for you!"
"Britain, didn't you say that she was inside her room when I came home from practice.
"Yes, I did."
"Then she slipped while we were having the-… damn it! (blush) read the letter, Yoji!"
"Wait, Britain-tenshii… can you sense her now?"
"For a while, please. (closes his eyes) I cannot! She barred herself from me… I, I cannot believe this."
"Wait, wait! What do you mean barred?"
"She hid her entire trace as-… as a clone." (saddens)
"ARGH! WHAT IS SHE UP TO NOW!"
"Yotan calm yourself down! Read the friggin' letter!"
Without any more hesitation, Yoji tore off the envelope and started reading the letter.
Toosan,
Please don't get mad at me. I know what I'm doing and I know where I'm going. I will not be harmed. First thing's first. Please apologize for Britain-tenshii for me; I shielded myself from his aura… yes, I've recently understood that I could do that. Same thing as to how I can see better in the dark than normal people, and my other talents too. Dad, I need to loosen up a bit that's why I do not need you and the others to find me. I know we've been here and we always end up here but please dad, we both know that we need space. I'm sorry if my other self hated you but I don't. You can't fool me toosan. You doubt me… and it hurts. (Yoji felt guilt within him) I love you. I truly love you because I appreciate everything you've done for me! Life, school, love, patience, fatherhood… everything! Toosan, as I've said, my clone self will always be within me but the human you've raised is the person with the heart. You've taught me well and again, I respect you for that but please. Don't find me. Let me have my independence for a short while. Let me find my identity, as I'll be giving you back your life like before. The happy, single life.(Yoji's mixed emotions had anger in it now) No child. No baby-sitting. Toosan, Ran-nii, Ken-nii, Omi-nii. Aishite imasu. (I love you.)
Kimi
"Oi, Kimi… why do you have to be so much LIKE ME!" (in mind)
"Yoji, what did she say? What did she say?"
"Ken, we're not going to look for her."
"WHAT!"
"You heard me, Ken! We're not going to look for her!"
"WHY?"
"Because she said so! She wants that! And I respect her decision! If she wants to come back, she will! And since she's a Kudou, she will!"
"Yoji!"
"Siberian! I know she will. I trust her."
Loss for words, Ken sat down on the couch beside Britain. Yoji had his last look on the two as he went straight into his room and started kicking every single thing he saw.
"She'll be okay, ne Britain?"
"Lady Kimi will be all right, young Hidaka. She will."
"How-…you're just reassuring me."
"No. Well, that was what you were looking for but you, young man. Search it in your heart. She will be okay."
'She… she'll be… who am I kidding! She won't!'
Ken rushed to his room leaving Britain in deep thinking.
Dressed in a simple top matched with a worn out pair of jeans, Kimi walked in an unfamiliar street, wary with almost everyone staring at her because of her eye and hair color – people think that it wasn't natural. She lowered her cap more to cover her eyes as she pulled her large camping bag to her back. She stops from time to time, trying to search for a familiar place.
"Excuse me sir, do you know where 141 Park Central is? I'm mute."
She scribbled on a piece of paper as she showed it to a teenaged punk near a 7/11 mart.
"Uh yes, miss. Just go straight ahead and if you see a blue building, that's it!"
"Thank you!"
Was her fastest reply in scribbles.
"Yup!"
And on she went. A journey she never thought she'd do alone. A newfound independence that was frightening her yet she still moved on. And at last she made it. Staring at the 12-storey high building, she entered the lobby and asked the receptionist for room number 67.
'This is it!' She thought to herself as the elevator stopped on the 6th floor.
KNOCK!
One knock was all she offered.
"I'm not expecting you THIS early."
The door opened and a familiar figure was standing there with his grinning face towards her.
"Why so early? Had too much of your daddy ne?"
'You offered me a truce if I came. I'm not all too stupid but if I'm the one you guys want then here. In return-…'
"hai?" (grins)
'Leave Weiss alone already! Leave them ALL alone!'
Almost in tears, she let her bag cling tighter to her back for a warm support.
"As always little girl…thinking about your foster father won't do you much."
Shuldich moved closer to her, grabbed her by the neck, pulled her inside his den and locked the door.
From inside, noises of distrust and struggle were the only sounds that could be heard.
T!B!C
(1) Illuminati – I think it's a Latin word for illuminate but I actually got the sudden idea because of Gackt's Japanese rock/pop sensation song Illuminati. O sorry, Japanese rock band, Malice Mizer song.
(2) Ran with long red hair… yup! Weiss Kreuz Gluhen. Actually, what a great irony this is because the pattern for Gluhen revolves around this clone that has the power of god and Yoji gets to be a husband at the end. Honestly, I've watched Gluhen 2 years after I did this brainchild fictional story of mine.
Next on… Getting A Life 14"I'm…not the rightful father."