Ultra Special Note #2: Konnichiwa! Hiya! Here's the next little chapter of my fic. Well, I guess it's not so little… but at least it only took one day to update! It helps when you already have it written up…But anyways, hope you enjoy! Sayonara!
Disclaimer: I do not own Crescent Moon. Just the plot, this story, the wacky things they say…basically, everything else. You know what I mean! Hopefully, anyway. Sorry; I forgot to put a disclaimer in my first chapter! Gomen!
Warning: There may be a few bad words in here, but what do you expect? It's Mitsuru!
Chapter 2: Hidden Dreams
It was raining when Mahiru was finally released from the prison "sensible" grownups called school. She sighed, putting her bag over her head and rushing around puddles of mud and "heaven's tears". At least I live too far to have to walk, she thought, watching girls squealing and running for cover to avoid ruining their precious hairstyles and ribbons. With a few more steps, she was entering the train station's doors and inserting her ticket into the machine's slotted opening. With a loud click, both her ticket and a blast of air were expelled from the machine, and she continued on towards her train. As she took a seat next to a window, her thoughts fell in torrents and small slivers, like the rain pounding on the foggy glass. Mahiru sighed; Mitsuru had become so distant lately…she stopped, frowning. What did that mean! He was always distant! Yep, her thoughts definitely weren't making sense. But…I know what I mean, right? thought the princess. It almost feels like he's not telling us something…hiding something because it seems so strange. Her head tilted towards the cold window. I don't know…I just need to sleep…Just a little while…
"Miss?"
"Urgh…hmm?" Mahiru woke up groggily.
"This's your stop, ain't it? I seen you get off 'ere befer…" A kindly looking man pointed to the overhead sign that read, 'Old town; Moon's Reach…'
"Oh, yes! Thank you!" She rushed towards the doors when…
DOORS CLOSING! PLEASE STEP BACK FROM THE DOORS…DOORS CLOSING! PLEASE…
"Nooooooo!" Lunging for the door, she just barely made it through…rrriippp. "Oh no…Why now!" Her books spilled from her bag, spewing their covers into the mud. A shadow fell over her…A hand reached down…
"Are you always this lame when ya get outta school? Have to have an old man remind ya where to get off? You're an idiot." Mitsuru leaned over and picked up a few books.
"M-mitsuru? Why did you come to pick me up?"
"Well…" he paused, thinking about the suffering he had to go through…
"Hey, Mitsuru! Go pick Mahiru up from the station, will ya?"
"I don't wanna. You go, bat-boy, if you're worried…"
"How's about we play a game to decide? Let's play Pick Up Sticks!"
"Huh?"
"Number three has to go pick up Mahiru!" Akira placed them in a can. "Nozomu, you choose!"
He selected a stick. "Number two!"
Akira grabbed one as well. "Number one!"
They slowly grinned at Mitsuru.
"I told you, I don't wanna…"
"Get out the door! Now!" He was escorted out the door by Nozomu's shoe. "You better pick her up, or else!"
And with that, Mitsuru was turned loose on the streets of Tokyo.
"Well?"
"Eh?"
"How come you came to-"
"I was brutally abused and locked out of the house."
"Eh?" She stared.
"Come on, let's go!" he started walking down the street, not even caring to see if Mahiru was there.
"O-okay…" Mahiru followed behind the tengu, leaving her bad day behind and letting her imagination figure out exactly why he came to get her. For some reason, she didn't think it was the situation he said it was…
"Princess, may I have a word?" Misoka stood in her bedroom doorway, watching her pencil skate across the paper.
"Sure!" Mahiru stood up, carefully arranged her schoolwork, and went over to Misoka curiously.
"Just a couple of quick notes," the fox said, straightening his glasses from their precarious position on his nose. "I was wondering if you could possibly look up the legendary Teardrops at your school library. For some reason, all the books that were in the public library on the subject are…gone."
"Oh! That's strange!" Mahiru looked nervously at Misoka. "Are you sure they weren't just checked out?"
"Quite. It is essential that we find at least one solid fact about the matter…"
"Why?"
"Mitsuru won't come to his senses without it. Besides, he needs to submit and be brought down a notch. I don't appreciate his attitude lately. Second matter of business. I just wanted you to know that it's all right to make sacrifices for people sometimes, but you should take some time off for yourself. You've done a lot for this group, which I greatly appreciate, but I'm afraid it's caused you to neglect your school friends a bit more than you used to."
"Oh! I see…"
"It wouldn't be considered selfish if you just spent a day with them. I'm sure everyone would be fine with that."
"Thank you very much, Misoka." She bowed slightly. "I'll try to find something, but I don't know if they're still in the library."
"All right. That's all. Thank you, Princess." And he was gone.
"Ahhh…" Mahiru sat in her small, wooden desk' chair and sighed. She had been so close to getting Mitsuru to be a little more outgoing, but…for some reason, he had holed himself up again, back in his own little world. Couldn't he possibly not be angry and hateful for once! Geez; it couldn't hurt, could it? Then again, it would probably put everyone in shock…and it would be ALL HER FAULT for suggesting he be nice. Man, my life has gone from normal to crazy, she thought miserably. Who else got yelled at for being nice!
Akira loved rainy days. He had always been thrilled to see the world look so different at the cost of a few raindrops. Besides, they made rainbows, right? Those were so awesomely amazing! Unfortunately, Mitsuru didn't seem to feel the same right now…
"God, why does it has to rain on today, of all the days of the week!"
"Why? You were going to go somewhere for once?" Nozomu looked surprised. "Wow, I never would have thought…"
"Shut it, bat-boy."
"Are you I a bad mood?" mitsuru looked up in time to see Akira's chocolate eyes peer at him curiously. Couldn't he possibly not look so innocent all the time? One of these days…
"Of course not! I'm fine!"
"Uh huh. Did Mahiru diss you again? You haven't been up to scratch lately on your put-downs…"
"I'm going to hurt you…"
"That's the spirit! Now go to bed and think about what you just said, young man."
Mitsuru stared at him. That totally did not make sense. He contradicted himself in the same sentence… "Huh?"
"Exactly!"
"I'm going to bed…confused…tired…" muttered Mitsuru and he staggered up to his room. Meanwhile, Akira had fallen asleep.
"Hey, Akira!" Nozomu whispered.
"Hmmm?"
"Wake up; it's time to go to bed."
"Oh! Okay…" it wasn't until he got to his room that he realized what the vampire had said. "NOZOMUUU! YOU'RE MEAN!" he slammed his door shut.
"Just helping everyone get to bed…" Nozomu whistled quietly as he picked up the remaining items at the bar: a scarf, some money ("Ooh! I'll keep this!"), and a book that was called The Legends of Ancient Times. What!
"Eh!" he stared. Nozomu whizzed through the book, looking for a name or address or telephone number ("Wait! There wouldn't be a telephone number! How lame can ya get!"), but there was noting but the writings in the pages.
"I think I'll keep this, as well. This could prove quite interesting…" he slipped it into his pocket, and turned out the lights…until midnight snack. Right now, he had something to do…
"So, do you think it means anything? Is it any help?"
"It will be. Thanks. Where'd you find it?"
"Just on the bar counter. Somebody left it behind." Nozomu leaned against the door. "It must not have been that impor-" His speech was cut off as the door opened and he fell out of sight.
"Do you guys mind shutting your traps? We're tryin' to…sleep…" Mitsuru looked down at Nozomu, whose eyes were crossed. "Don't ell me you were leaning against the door!" I swear, Akira must really be affecting him…
"Thank you! I'm fine, really I am! Thanks for your concern!" Nozomu got up shakily, a bright smile pasted on his face. "Now…we were having a conversation, Mitsuru. So…GET OUT!"
For the first time in his life, Mitsuru actually had to run for his life. Nozomu slammed the door shut. "Now…where were we?" Nozomu safely sat in a chair.
"You said it may not have been important since its owner carelessly left it behind, and perhaps that is true. Unfortunately, the owner may come back for his property, and we will have to return it.
"But we found it! It should be ours!"
"How true…but it's not." Misoka pocketed it carefully, and moved towards the door. "I'll think about it tonight. Reading through it should not take long, so if I find anything I'll let everyone know in the morning. Goodnight, Nozomu."
"'night…" Nozomu watched the door close to his room and groaned. Foxes were too smart for their own good…
It was cold. Darkness enveloped the young boy, who felt blind. He couldn't see his fingertips. Snow was falling. A friend's voice cried his name…suddenly, it felt so warm and peaceful. As he closed his eyes, he knew that he was no longer lost or alone.
Mitsuru woke up, sweating slightly. It was the same dream, only… there was no voice to save him; no form to protect him. Nothing. And he was sure…he had passed out. Maybe even died in the dream. And the strange thing was…it was the only time that his realistic nightmare had reached another ending. For some reason, it frightened him. He didn't know why, but-wait. There was something in his room. Near the door. He could hear it breathing. Mitsuru tensed; he began to transform…
"Mitsuru!"
"AAARRRGGH!" he jumped out of bed. "How the heck did you get in my friggin' room, Mahiru!" he was totally enraged. No one had dared to step in his room unbidden before. Even if it was Mahiru, it could not be allowed to happen again! "Get out!" he hissed.
"All I want to do is ask you something…"
"You can ask... from outside my room! Get out!" heck, he didn't even have a shirt on! Curse girls, you can't even trust 'em to come up with something at the right time! She still didn't answer how she had gotten into his room…
"Please!" Mahiru begged.
"Nooo! Go away!" he batted at her with a hand while slipping on a shirt and trying to get it on correctly.
"No! I won't!" She glared in his direction. "So many times you tell me to 'go away' or 'get lost', and I do. Then I don't to ask you what I was going to!"
He stared at her. Maybe he should just go back under the covers and hide until morning. He wasn't prepared to face anybody more determined than he was at the morning. He looked at this clock and started. "Do you even know what time it is!"
"Yes! Its 12:07, but it was really important…"
"Yeah, it better be, or else…" he folded his arms and waited.
"…Can I turn a light on?"
"No, dammit. I will never forgive you if you do."
"Why/ Do you look that awful?"
"Hey…" Mitsuru automatically brushed at his hair.
"Fine. Are you hiding something from us?"
God, she caught on fast. "Eh?"
"Well!" she looked at him. "I know last time you were extremely mad when I hid something from the group, and if you're hiding it because you think it's absurd, then you're wrong. It would probably help us out…"
Mitsuru was silent for a moment.
"Mitsuru?"
"Just…go. I need to think, okay? I'd tell you if it wasn't serious, but…no. Just...leave. Okay, Mahiru?"
She stared.
"What!"
"You called me by my name again; you said please, too!"
"Oh…get lost." He pushed her out the door, and made sure it was locked. She was onto him. Definitely onto him. Mahiru would make sure his little bit of info sooner or later. Because she had before, and it had cost him every little bit of is dignity. But this time…he curled back in bed. This time, he'd lie if it was necessary. How could dreams like that help anything but get you to an asylum faster?
Mahiru stood outside the tengu's door, thinking calmly but thoughtfully. It would be harder now, as he would try to avoid her, but she'd get him. He had to tell sometime. Besides, it couldn't be anything bad, could it? She padded down the darkened hallway and snuggled into bed. Yes, that was it…just thin about it in the morning. Mahiru drifted off into her own luxurious world of dreams.
Mitsuru woke up slowly, as it was custom for him to do every day. His vision was slightly blurry. Must have something in his eye…brown. Hair, eyes…something glinted in the sunlight. Earrings. What the…
"AKIRA!"
"Morning! We have to go!" he bounced on top of the tengu's bed.
"How'd you get into my ROOM!" mitsuru howled.
"Have to go!"
"Get lost, spot!"
"Go!" he tugged on Mitsuru's arm.
"Where, you blathering idiot!"
"School!"
Mitsuru stopped. He didn't go to school…not recently…"Huh?"
"We're going to raid the library to look for info on the Legendary Teardrops!"
The tengu groaned. Not again…he'd had enough of them yesterday…and for the rest of his life, for that matter.
"We know the author! We're gonna look him up! Nozomu found a book on it yesterday…"
"What!" he felt his resolve being ripped apart. "Then they do exist?"
"Yep! Misoka wasn't smoking after all!"
"I'll just stay here…I don't feel well…" Mitsuru turned over, away from the light and Akira's dangerously pleased features.
"Whaaaat? Are you sick? Can I help?" Akira looked worried.
"Yeah, I'm I'll. No, ya can't help with anything." He stopped.
"No?"
"Well…tell Misoka I can't come. Stomachache." Yeah, it sounded lame, so maybe he wouldn't buy-
"Oh! Okay!" he bounded off on his mission.
Werewolves are too darn trusting. I don't wonder why there aren't many left. He smirked; then it faded. I do wonder if that's why there are even less of us…
"What? He said he can't come?" Nozomu looked scandalous.
"He's sick. Doesn't feel well, supposedly," said Akira from the floor.
"He's lying! He just doesn't want to be proven wrong!" the vampire sprang up from his seat, and began to pace. "What a coward! Mitsuru can be so lame-"
"I think he just wants to avoid me," said Mahiru, examining her school uniform in the mirror and putting on her coat.
"Eh!" Akira frowned. "Why's that? I think that mitsuru is just plain irritated."
"Well…I think…never mind. I'll tell you when it's all right to do so." Mahiru smiled slightly. "Goodbye! See you all at lunchtime!" She started to leave.
"Twelve 'o clock, Princess. Remember that."
"I will, Misoka!" Mahiru took off down the lane, making cars beeped tier horns in anger.
Misoka shut the door. "He's hiding something."
"Come again?" said Nozomu, who was absent-mindedly fiddling with a button on his jacket.
"It may not be serious, but…I'm sure it would help us in our search. Mitsuru…is best left alone right now. If we act like nothing's wrong, we can get it out of him somehow." He began to pace the room, having to step over Akira, who was reading a cooking magazine.
"So do we just leave him here and not drag him off with us?"
"Yes. It'll be safer for all of us if we do (in more ways than one)."
"I totally agree! Let's just forget it for now, all right? It may not be anything special at all, and all our worrying will have been over nothing." Akira spoke wisely and slowly as he began to read How to Create Pineapple Bread in Ten Easy Steps.
"I couldn't have said it better myself."Nozomu grinned. "Let's just have breakfast and go, okay? We've already wasted enough time…"
With a few pieces of toast, omlettes, and juice for Nozomu, the trio set out to find the most information they could about the oldest treasure in Japan.
Mitsuru watched them leave, and made his way downstairs. All he wanted was time alone, and to solve his moodiness. He opened the cupboard doors in the kitchen, taking out a box of rice. He opened Akira's recipe book and turned to page 72: Curried Rice. Glancing at it, he prepared his breakfast. At least rice could solve one of those things.
Ultra Special Note: Hope ya liked it! I know it might now seem like it's moving anywhere, but it is! It is! So don't go away, we'll be right back! Please review!