Summary: She keeps his memory alive through pictures-- a promise, a hope for the future. One Shot. R&R!
This story is co-written with Japanime Goddess… we decided to write a fic together… a few of our friends at school dared us… hope you like it.
Kawaii and Goddess
Disclaimer: Neither of us own acceleracers, because 1) if one of us did, the other would murder them and 2) Then these would be real Acceleracers movies, not Fan Fictions.
Enjoy!
Well, I'm off then."
Karma Eiss disappeared into the crowds so thickly congregating around the CN Tower; she'd offered a sad sort of smile to her friends, Nolo Passaro, Shirako Takamoto, and Kurt Wylde before running off.
A large black camera with an even larger lens bounced against her chest; despite the tailored outfit she wore that clearly said CANADIAN; as she was a Toronto, the camera still made her look like a tourist.
Taro Kitano, smiled gently, watching her worm her way through the crowds and out of his sight.
The view was amazing.
He would have liked it, Karma decided. His breath would have been utterly stolen away...
She closed her eyes, trying not to think that way. In past tense. Even though it was the truth, and he was no longer around, and--
'I'm keeping my promise, Tone. One day, I'll be able to really complete it.'
Sucking in a sharp, cold breath, Karma tried to regain her composure, quickly rubbing her red, tear-stained eyes and holding up her camera.
The sun was gleaming brightly over the skyscrapers, the towers, and the other stunning structures that made up Downtown Toronto's glittering skyline. Being such a beautiful day, it was easy to see the 93.5 FM station away by Highway 401.
It was simply amazing.
It was difficult to maintain her composure, standing atop the special observation tower, 250 meters in the air. And with her thoughts constantly fixed on Tone...
Karma decided that it was perfectly okay to cry, and being alone atop the tower was just what she needed. She moved to take a few more pictures as the light changed, and as she walked about the special observation deck; she remained totally unaware of a pair of warm brownish eyes tracing her every move.
It made no sense.
The view wasn't moving at all, really.
So why was she crying?
Those giant, dollops of water slip sliding down Karma's face hadn't gone unnoticed by Taro Kitano.
Of course, Taro Kitano was a Toronto native, so the view didn't really offer him anything new. Still, he was a bit intrigued.
'Why the camera? Why the tears?' Wasn't Karma always the calm one? Her confident usually made Taro go days thinking why she was like that… but the girl seemed to have taken a one-day vacation.
And her friends --her friends hadn't acted like a single thing was wrong! She was the one always looking out for them... when they wouldn't do the same for her?
It simply made no sense.
Taro Kitano didn't like it when things didn't make sense, so he set out to fix that problem. In two strides, he found himself standing beside Karma, though she wouldn't have been able to tell him apart from a TV antenna, the way her head was bowed so low, chin to chest, her tears still falling.
He didn't like it when people cried.
Not Lani, not that stupid Vert, and certainly not Karma. It just didn't FEEL right.
"The view isn't that amazing, you know, Teku." Taro murmured gruffly after a moment.
Karma glanced up, realizing just who just said those words. Well, it wasn't like every Canadian knew whom the Teku where, hell it would be a wonder if all of Ontario did. Swallowing hard, she found her voice despite her tears, her words coming out somewhat soft and hoarse.
"It is for someone who never got the chance to see it, Taro"
Taro favoured her with a surprised glance; "24 years in Canada and you've never been up here? That's rather pathetic."
"I wasn't talking about myself," Karma responded softly, her fingers brushing up against her camera.
Taro would have said "Ah," putting two and two together, but there was still a piece of the equation missing. Who did Karma possibly know that had never seen the view from the CN Tower?
The thought got him wondering-- he really didn't know much about Karma at all. Of course, he knew about her and the Teku and a bit about her nature, and one other thing she'd told him when they were racing against the Silencerz and the drones… that she wanted to go to Julliard in New York. But that was it. He didn't know if she had any siblings, what her parents were like, or even what she liked to eat.
She might have some secret boyfriend in a distant country who she sent photos to, for all he knew.
For some reason, that thought brought an nasty taste to Taro's mouth.
"So why photos then? Why not postcards?"
This was the infamous Taro Kitano rationale; if things had to be one way, why not the simplest way? Why not the most economical, the quickest way? If something was dealt with that much sooner, out of sight and out of mind, why spend more time and energy on it than was necessary?
"...Everything's in the eye of the beholder, Taro," Karma replied, her eyes riveted to the skyline again. Really, it was nothing impressive, but there were globs of tears on her lash line, stirring Taro to wonder if maybe she'd been smog poisoned or something.
'Unlikely.'
Taro blinked at her, his mind sorting through all the possible replies, but she spoke up again.
"You wouldn't understand." And then she capped the lens on her camera, and started heading back to the elevator.
"What wouldn't I understand?" Taro asked, turning around. But the elevator doors already closed, and Karma hadn't answered him.
Nolo, Kurt and Shirako had all agreed to meet Karma at a restaurant on the second floor of the Tower.
They all knew why she'd gone up there --all alone-- and they respected her need for privacy. Still, it was always awkward envisioning just what to say when she appeared; they knew she would be sad; thoughts filled of that someone... Only Nolo could really know what it felt like… and it wasn't that close… just that they both mourned for the same person…
"Hey guys."
The three guys turned at the sound of Karma's voice. They all saw how sad she was; her red-rimmed eyes and loose-limbed posture said it all. But her voice had been quiet and broken too, and her eyes didn't have the same sparkle to them.
But they didn't pester her. They all knew… Nolo especially.
There was that awkward silence that they'd all predicted; after a few moments of listening to the dull roar of countless other school kids running and shouting to one another,
Though, it didn't seem like Karma was really reading the menu at all; she was just staring at it with a sort of faraway look, her thoughts obviously somewhere else.
Actually, on someone else. And Nolo knew who, and why, and…he could just never bring himself to mention him to her. It hurt him just as much too.
Nolo saw a face looking at him from outside, he went to see who it was.
What's with Karma?"
"Like I'd ever tell you" Nolo retorted. It was just like Taro-- to be so blunt and, well, insensitive at times… unless he was being the emotionless one.
"What's wrong with her? She was crying up on the Special Observation Deck, and I don't think it had anything to do with the smog."
Nolo contemplated this for a moment, cocking his head to the side as he glanced at Taro.
"Why do you care?"
"...She said something about taking pictures of the view for someone who never got the chance to see it. Something about it being in the eye of the beholder, and that's why she wasn't sending postcards."
Nolo frowned; the last bit didn't seem to make much sense, but the first did. He knew why Karma went around taking pictures-- it was because of Tone. Tone, his own brother… Karma's… Karma's fiancé.
He remembered the Karma that would wake him up to go to school. And Tone… he would say… he would tell her to let him stay home…She was always bright and energetic. That was how she'd been when Tone first met her in elementary school, and she'd stayed that way up until Tone's death. And then she'd quieted down, and become a bit more reserved. Calm. Reserved. But she was still determined underneath it all, still a fighter.
But the closer the days crept to the anniversary of Tone's death, the less like the girl he knew Karma became.
"She made a promise," Nolo began unsurely, wondering why he was divulging this information to Taro, of all people, "to someone. She promised that she would see the world, and take pictures of all the sights, and put them together for that someone who was too busy racing his life away to ever get the chance to see those places."
Taro's brows knit together in the centre of his forehead; it was clear he didn't understand, but he wasn't about to admit it.
Nolo reached into his pocket, fumbling to get his wallet out. After a few moments, he procured a small, palm-sized photo, worn on the edges, but still clear.
He handed it to Taro wordlessly, watching the brunette's reaction as his eyes scanned the picture.
It was Nolo on the left, Karma on the right, and… he knew this person… Tone… in the middle.
"Tone," Nolo said, voice shaking with grief. "They were engaged."
Kaiba was silent.
'Oh.'
Just as she turned her gaze back to the lobby of the Tower, Taro Kitano wrenched his own gaze away from her. Ever since Nolo had told him why she'd been crying up there --why she took pictures so diligently at all the oddest tourist spots, and why she sported such a professional lens-- he hadn't been able to think about her in the same way.
And think about her he did. She just wouldn't leave his mind. He didn't exactly know why, but... his eyes always sought her out, and his mind was plagued with hundreds of questions that only she could answer.
Why did she keep taking pictures, if Tone was dead? If she wanted to see the world, why did she always stick around in Toronto? Where were her parents, and didn't they care that their daughter was upset, too?
Of course, Taro could understand that feeling. He'd lost his parents too, and…well, he hadn't been willing to let his baby sister feel the way that he had. He didn't want Tara to EVER be upset or lost, or...
'Lonely. '
That was the look in her eyes that he'd seen. Even though she surrounded herself with friends, and even though she tried to smile, tried to talk animatedly, he knew it was all just an act. He would have been willing to bet that her friends knew it was too, but everyone was too scared to say anything… Nolo was probably the same way.
She probably needed to spill her feelings for once in her life, as she spent so much time bottling them up, absorbing everyone else's emotions like she were some sort of life-sized sponge.
But... she wouldn't.
She couldn't. Taro Kitano knew why, but... he didn't know whether he should bother doing anything about it or not.
The weather had worsened rapidly, and Taro's mood with it.
But that was to be expected, this time of year.
It was drawing closer and closer to the memorial date of his parents' death; a day Taro never much liked remembering.
Finally, on one rainy April day, Taro rose early, drank only a single cup of the strongest black coffee he could brew, and set out for the North York Cemetery.
He dressed in his most formal grey suit, bringing two large, bright sunflowers with him. Sunflowers had been his mother's favourite flower, he remembered vaguely. And she'd always smelled like them, and it was a scent that had stayed with Taro for all his years.
The cemetery was foggy and wet; there were no stone paths anywhere, and the grass was thick with rain and mud. But Taro didn't mind, really; he went to the cemetery with only one purpose, only one thought...
'Karma.'
The thought was surprising, considering it was the anniversary of his parents' death, and he hadn't seen Karma since Friday, when the Metal Maniacs, the Teku, and Lani and Dr.Tezla had gotten together for fun.
But there she was, kneeling on the wet grass, a bouquet of white Stargazer lilies lying before her knees. She obviously had no care for how soiled her simple black dress would become; she just sat there, her head bowed and her hands clasped.
It occurred to him rather suddenly, and for a brief moment, Taro felt stupid for having not considered it sooner.
She was praying.
For his part, he'd never prayed, not putting much stock into believing what he couldn't see... but he wasn't about to interrupt her. Instead, his eyes flitted towards the gravestones that she kneeled before, Nathaniel and Priyanka Eiss.
'Her parents.'
A great feeling of awkwardness swept over him, and Taro stepped back, nearly knocking into a tree. He wasn't meant to be here, spying on her like this. It was mere coincidence that she was here, of all places, on the same day that he was. They both had their reasons, and… understand them as he did, he wasn't... he couldn't possibly interrupt her.
Even if he wanted to, just to tell her that he understood how she felt.
Because really, he didn't.
He at least, still had Tara.
She had no one.
He'd made his way to his parents' grave sites, which turned out to be a rather short distance from the place where Karma was. Taro had to forcibly wrest his gaze from her direction.
He remained quiet, neither speaking nor praying, instead focusing on the few memories he had of his parents.
Taro had been young when they'd passed; his mother had died when he was only six, and his father had died when he was only nine. But he still remembered his mother's scent, and her bright, sparkling eyes...
Bright blue eyes, actually. Eyes that... that Karma had. Well, when they weren't red.
Which wasn't very often, really. She did have her moments.
Taro forced down a chuckle, half wondering what his parents --had he grown up with them-- would have said about this perplexing train of thought. Their eldest son was now twenty-four, and part of one of the greatest street racers in the world.
His gaze drifted back towards where he'd seen Karma before; she was still there. Through the thick fog, he could barely make out her brown head of hair, still bowed before her parents' gravestones.
Seto never liked to spend much time at his parents' graves, and instead left the sunflowers he'd brought in the small vase at the base of the tombstone. He was walking away, taking the long route from the graveyard --to avoid Karma-- back to the parking lot when a thought struck him.
In a few quick strides, he was back at his parents' grave, and he plucked one of the two sunflowers from the vase, muttering a quick, "Forgive me, Mom," and then moving towards Karma.
She'd been sitting quietly with her thoughts, not caring whether she got soaked with rain or plastered with mud.
The rest of the world was a blurry grey mass to her, and it wasn't until a bright yellow sunflower blossomed in front of her face that she even realized that someone else was in the graveyard with her.
Tear-filled blue eyes looked up slowly; she thought for a moment that she was dreaming, or perhaps caught in an illusion of her own thoughts. What was Taro doing here?
He was holding out the sunflower to her like it was the most ordinary thing in the world to do; his gaze was averted off to the side though, as if the cemetery offered some startling view that kept his eyes trained from her.
"The view's not that amazing, you know," Karma remarked after a moment.
Taro let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a bark and a chuckle; it was brief and curled the corners of his lips in an unexpected smile.
"No, I guess it's not." His eyes dropped down to the grass and, since Karma hadn't taken the flower from his hands, he put it into the Eiss grave vase himself.
She stared at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes and a pale face, her eyes clearly speaking the question her voice couldn't.
"...My parents are here too," Seto said after a moment, gesturing slightly down and across a few rows.
"Oh." Karma nodded slightly, letting her head fall to her chest again, her gaze fixed on the flowers in front of her.
The fog made her hair curl slightly, though the morning mist stuck the locks closest to her face there. She looked... different. Not like the bright-eyed spitfire that yelled at Wylde when he annoyed the hell out of her.
"Where's Tone?" Seto asked, finally voicing the thought that had nagged at the back of his mind ever since he'd spotted Karma in the graveyard.
"Who told--?" Karma murmured, astonishment plain in her voice. Taro looked away briefly; he didn't exactly want to admit that he'd pressured Nolo into telling him the truth about why she'd been crying atop CN Tower.
"Ah. Nolo." She clicked her tongue against the side of her mouth, her head bobbing in a short nod. "I didn't think you really would have cared enough to ask him."
He wasn't sure what to say to that. Was he supposed to protest that he didn't care? In all honesty, Taro wasn't sure what he felt.
Just that Karma probably felt the same way.
"Have you ever wondered why I'm so desperate to go to New York?" Karma blurted after a moment. Taro didn't see what this had to do with his question, but maybe he'd been pushing his luck by prying. At least she was still talking to him.
That was probably what they both needed the most...
"I thought you-- Julliard. Don't you want to dance?" He felt rather embarrassed for the way he'd phrased it even more so just for knowing about her passion. Of all the times they'd had encounters, it had always ended up having something to do with racing. That he knew something so personal about her contradicted with everything else.
He knew nothing else about her except that she wanted to go to New York, more than anything...
Taro Kitano had always figured it had something to do with Julliard, and her love of dance. After all, in high school, when they went to the same school, she'd won all the dance shows…
"T-That's part of it," Karma admitted with a wry chuckle. "Don't get me wrong, it'd be a dream come true if I got into Julliard, but with the way things are now, I can't even afford a plane ticket to New York, let alone tuition to one of the top performing arts schools in the world… and leave Nolo here alone…"
"But," Karma whispered, her voice breaking, "the real reason why I want to go to New York is because I... because Tone..." She swallowed hard, obviously trying to fight back tears.
There was an odd impulse to hold her just then, to wrap his arms around her and let her cry.
What a stupid thought. They weren't even friends… not really…
She sucked in a breath, her body shuddering as she tried to control herself.
"Tone…loved New York… my parents died on a flight home from there. Crashed into Lake Erie because of ENGINE failure."
She squeezed her eyes shut, "I don't even know if my parents really are underneath these graves. I guess it's just some sort of sick comfort, knowing I have a place to go where they're still remembered..."
"It is." Taro said suddenly, remembering how upset he'd been for all the times Their step-parents had refused to let him visit his parents' graves. Taro had always thought it his RIGHT to see them, to remember them...
"What?" Karma looked up toward Taro with a confused expression on her face, "A sick comfort?"
"No, I..." he chuckled slightly; a soft, low sound. " Just a comfort in general."
Karma supposed he was right; no, she knew he was right, but she didn't feel up to saying so. It didn't make much sense why he was even here --beside her! -- In the first place. Part of her wanted to believe it was still some sort of twisted illusion.
"So that's why I want to go to New York," Karma whispered.
"We fought that day… I begged him… not to show off… I warned him to not get cocky… to be careful… So..."
"So you've been saving up, ever since."
Karma nodded dumbly. "I know it must sound really stupid to you, but--"
"It's not."
She stopped speaking, her eyes meeting with his for the first time that cold, foggy day.
"T-Thanks. Really."
"He doesn't have a grave here because... well," she licked her lips out of nervousness; she'd never told this to anyone else before. "Nolo knew he wanted to be cremated…we spread his ashes out in the ocean over by the Statue of Liberty. I'd like to go there... again…someday."
She gently placed the Stargazer lilies into the vase beside the startlingly bright sunflower, standing up with knocking knees.
"I... I have to go." She mumbled, averting her gaze from Taro again.
"I'll give you a ride." He knew she hadn't brought the car… last Friday, it had blown up in the garage, and Karma had barely gotten away.
It wasn't really a question asking for her permission; however, Karma wasn't one to protest Taro's sudden urge for generosity.
She just bowed her head and followed him out of North York Cemetery.
His thoughts weren't with the rest of the crowd when everyone started the moment of Silence that Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School held on the anniversary each year; his eyes weren't searching for anyone in the audience.
Rather, Taro's gaze was drawn to a fellow ex-classmate of his, a girl dressed in her old carnation pink uniform that --though he'd never admit it aloud-- really brought out the colour of her eyes.
Karma didn't have anyone out in that crowd, waiting to embrace her. Her entire family was gone. Nolo… he needed comfort himself… to grief stricken, he was frozen in spot.
Nolo had his grandfather in the crowd; Shirako had his mother, his older sister,... and even Kurt had Markie.
Karma had no one.
Even he had Tara, clapping out there just as respectfully as anyone else.
The ex-graduates of Fletcher's Meadow Secondary School rose from their tables, their gifts piled high as they could manage, worming their way through the masses to their families.
"Karma."
She turned around abruptly, nearly slamming into him because of the portly ex-class 12-C boy that ran past her.
"Taro." Her voice seemed a little odd, as if she were surprised and yet... not.
He thrust out a perfectly wrapped, shiny blue box with a silver ribbon around it, not saying a word. She took it with shaking hands, looking up at the Maniac with a measure of confusion in her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
He walked away briskly before she even had a chance to reply. Curious, she pulled the string off the box and opened it gingerly.
Her eyes immediately filled with tears when she saw what was tucked between the folds of the white tissue paper lining the box.
A tiny metal Statue of Liberty, perfectly polished and glimmering a brilliant shade of green.
Her eyes immediately lifted to try and find his face in the crowd, but Taro Kitano was already gone.
A few days previous
Click. Click. Double-click.
Taro blinked, his eyes finally adjusting to actually LOOK at the monitor of his computer.
The New York City Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Why did he keep ending up here?
Ever since he'd come home from the CN Tower trip, his thoughts had kept wandering back to her; well, it usually did anyways.
And how she'd never have enough money to go to New York, let alone pursue her dream of dancing at Julliard. She was a young, working woman at a dead-end job, living alone...
And that was when an odd thought struck him. Odd, but... perfect.
Memorial Night
"Tara!" Taro called out, stepping out of his room. He glanced at the grandfather clock in the hall. It was time.
"Huh?" Tara replied in a monotone. She was absorbed in her TV Show, eyes glued to the screen.
"NO! Kikyou should really leave that sexy hanyou for Kagome!"
Taro just raised an eyebrow, forcing the grin off his face.
"Are you still interested in seeing a Broadway musical?"
Tara turned around, looking at her brother as if he had just sprouted bunny ears.
"Yeah..." she replied slowly, her eyebrows furrowed. " What are you thinking, Big Brother?"
Taro was silent, pursing his lips together.
"Come on."
He offered no other explanation, so Tara quickly shut off the television and scuttled after his brother.
Taro had told Tara to pack a weekend bag and then meet him in the garage; it being late at night, the racer unlocked Riveted quickly.
"Do you even remember how to drive without getting a ticket, Big Brother?" 14-year-old Tara quipped sarcastically, tossing her duffel bag into the back seat.
Seto rolled his eyes. "I'm a Metal Maniac. I can do anything"
Tara only smirked as she buckled herself up in the front seat nice and tight.
True to his word, Taro drove perfectly. The ride was silent, taking the siblings farther and farther away from the Maniac's home.
"Where are we going, Big Brother?" Taro didn't answer her; only a few moments later, they pulled in front of a modest looking, two-story home, with all the lights out.
"Let's go." Taro unlocked the doors and stepped out, staring at the house with an odd expression on his face.
Tara didn't ask any more questions; she knew her brother was on a mission of sorts and wouldn't answer anything until he was done. That was when his eyes caught on the name near the address plate—Eiss.
"This is Karma's house?" Tara squealed.
"Shh!" Taro hissed at her. "It's late, Tara. You have to be quiet."
Tara's mouth clamped shut, but she stared at his brother, her eyes wide.
"Are you breaking and entering?" Tara whispered as her brother edged towards the door, his eyes scanning the front porch for something.
Taro suddenly bent down, groping under the 'Welcome' mat Karma had placed in front of her door. He breathed a soft "A-hah!" when he found what he wanted-- a key.
"It's not breaking and entering," he shouldered the door so that it wouldn't make a noise when he opened it, "if you have a key!"
The door swung open silently, and he gestured Tara to follow him.
The ebony-haired girl, for her part, was in a state of shock.
What was her brother THINKING?
"Hmph. I should have known she'd eat them."
Tara glanced in the direction of her brother's voice; he was looking at Karma, who was sleeping soundly at her kitchen table, a pile of candy wrappers near her folded arms.
A small, green statuette lying on its side, its hollow bottom exposed, winked at Tara in the dim streetlight filtering in from the window.
"You poisoned her candy?" Tara whispered incredulously. Who was this guy, and what had he done with her brother!
"She's not dead Tara, she's just asleep. Besides, it was just a little bit of sleeping powder mixed into some candy. Come on, let's get her to the car."
Mokuba blinked in acute astonishment.
"W-What... Where are we going?"
Taro grinned as only he could.
"New York, of course."
"Karma was engaged to Tone?" Tara whispered, her eyes wide with surprise.
Taro nodded gravely, absently popping a honey-roasted peanut into his mouth. He and Tara had managed to get Karma to Riveted --and to the airport, where a private jet awaited them-- without a single hitch… all thanks to Dr.Tezla.
She'd murmured a bit in her sleep, but said nothing coherent, and so far, hadn't woken up.
"That's why she's been saving up to go to New York all these years," Seto explained
"...That's so sad." Tara murmured, shaking her head. She'd never expected that strong, stubborn, pretty Karma was hiding such a sad past.
"And she takes pictures of all the famous places she goes, 'cause she made a promise to Tone to see the world?"
"Right. He was too busy racing his life away to go places"
Taro trailed off, remembering when Karma had revealed this information to him. When he'd given her a ride home...
"Why did you choose the Statue of Liberty?"
It was bizarre; to be talking about death and related matters so casually, but Karma didn't seem too distraught by it. Taro was probably right in assuming that all she wanted was someone to talk to.
He'd wanted someone to talk to as well --someone whom he could admit all his fears, all his worries, and all his loneliness. How much he missed his parents, how hard it was raising Tara alone, and how badly he wished he could have redone the past, without his step-parents entering their lives.
" Liberty... freedom... It represented what he wanted the most. Freedom from his own pain… he didn't have a lot of money to raise Nolo. He wanted to go to the very top and breathe in the ocean air, see the city..."
She trailed off, her gaze drawn to something outside the window again.
"I actually lived in New York for a while," Karma recalled, a slight smile curling the corners of her lips. "But not long after Tristan was born… he… was my son…" Pain showed up in her face again. "He was Tone's… died a few years ago…"
Her voice had gotten abruptly louder and she gestured out the window at a small, two-story house. Taro realized that this was her home.
He pulled the car to a stop, swallowing hard. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to her, so he was a bit relieved when Karma spoke first.
"Thanks a lot, Taro. I mean it."
"Thank you," he mumbled in reply. Karma blinked, a bit confused as to what he could be thanking her for, but she didn't inquire after it.
She exited the car, but Taro didn't pull away until he was assured that she was inside-- and that was after she'd groped under the mat at her front step, jammed the found key into the lock, and given him a brief wave good-bye.
Before leaving Karma's house, Taro had grabbed her oversized camera, and, on impulse, the album underneath it. After fending off the guilt that told him not to rifle through her personal things, he'd opened the album and discovered hundreds of photos of beautiful landscapes, amazing skylines, and even a few of real people-- himself included.
Some of the photos had pasted-in captions underneath them. Karma wrote them as if she were speaking to Tone, explaining each person, place, or thing in the photos, when and where she'd taken them, and her own thoughts on what was pictured.
There was only one section left blank, and that was the one labelled at the top, in tiny, even script, 'New York.'
Well, soon enough, the album would be filled up, and maybe Karma wouldn't have to wear a plastic smile anymore.
It felt like she was sleeping on a cloud.
Karma snuggled deeper into the fluffy recesses of warm, white blankets, having never been so comfortable in her life.
And that was when it hit her.
'This isn't my bed.'
One eye opened hesitantly, then the other.
'This isn't my room.'
It was an amazingly large room wallpapered in varying shades of pearl and cream; modern lamps and sculptures filled up most of the corners while a huge television sat perched on a desk diagonal to where Karma found herself laying, in the biggest bed she'd ever been in.
The television was showing the news at low volume, but Karma didn't register it nor the words scrolling along the bottom of the screen. Rather, she heard the busy sounds of a city just outside her window, and moved closer.
Karma scrambled up out of the bed, heading toward the window. She brushed aside heavy brownish-green curtains and then the gauzy white shades, drawing in an astonished breath as she did so.
Yellow taxis crowding in hoards down a packed street. People in massive groups pointing at the flashing billboards and vibrantly coloured signs. Street performers, businessmen, photographers. People of all shapes, sizes and colours-- some pausing to take pictures, others chattering away on their cell phones.
Times Square.
Broadway.
'New York.'
A door in the hall Karma hadn't notice opened with a click, but it wasn't until Taro spoke that she realized who had entered.
Precariously balancing two trays on either hand, he favoured the astonished girl with a lopsided grin.
"Continental or classic blueberry pancakes? I've got both. Tara grabbed the chocolate chip pancakes already though, so if that's what you were hoping for, sorry."
If she'd had the power to, Karma would have decided to faint right then and there.
But, lacking such control over involuntary processes in her body, she settled for staring at Taro with her mouth hanging open a fraction of an inch.
"Taro...?"
"The one and only. Welcome to New York, Karma."
His words seemed to solidify the fact that she was, in fact, in New York. So many miles away from home –Toronto, Canada-- and where she'd wanted to be for years.
Karma's knees gave out and she crumpled to the floor in a heap. Her knees bent at opposite angles, her arms trembling as they supported her in her wide-eyed state.
Taro moved forward, placing the blueberry pancakes tray before her and settling down with the Continental Breakfast one on his lap.
After a few moments, Karma blinked rapidly, glancing around-- from the window to the door that Taro had just entered, to the small hallway that led to places unknown, back to her fluffy bed and the television still on low.
The anchor's words were close captioned; he was saying something about the current weather in New York City being a surprisingly sunny April day...
"Wh-Wh..." Karma mumbled, making it apparent that she hadn't quite found her voice yet, let alone the motor skills to get up and look around fully.
Taro only grinned, chewing his croissant.
"HEY! You're awake!" Tara bounded into the room, carrying three large shopping bags with her, brimming to the top with new clothes.
"Big Brother and I went shopping earlier! We got you some clothes!" Mokuba proceeded to flop down on the floor between her Karma and her brother; she reached into one of the bags and pulled out a huge "I Heart New York" shirt.
"I know it's probably way too big for you, but they didn't have any small ones... mine is this big, too." Tara grumbled with a frown. " Well, we can always go for the ghetto look. But there's more! Big Brother didn't grab any of your clothes when he kidnapped you--"
"You what?" Karma blinked, forming her first semi-coherent question. Her eyes snapped to Taro, who mumbled something incoherent and shoved the remainder of his croissant into his mouth all at once.
"Big Brother. He kidnapped you," Tara said in an almost proud voice. "But you don't mind, do you? He said you always wanted to go to New York, and so do I, they have this really cool musical that I wanna see--" Tara continued to babble while Karma stared at Seto, her eyes filled with a mix of astonishment and… Gratitude.
Karma's face finally broke out into a timid, trembling smile, and she nodded at Tara, reaching for her fork and digging into her pancakes.
"You really don't have to do this..." Karma trailed off guiltily, absently tugging on the corners of her too-big "I Heart New York" shirt.
"We're already here," Taro pointed out, handing the cashier a crisp $20 bill.
The cashier smiled and handed him three tickets for the Circle Line Ferry to Liberty Island, a single dollar in change, and a brochure about the statue and the museum at the base.
"Enjoy your ride," the cashier said.
"Thank you," Taro replied before inspecting the ferry tickets. They were waiting at Battery Park for the next ferry to the statue, which would leave the docks at 1:30.
"Bet you're flat out broke", Karma remarked with a slight smile, brushing her hair from her face. It was a warm, breezy day-- 73 degrees Fahrenheit, and much more pleasant than rainy Toronto.
"I don't think he really cares," replied Tara, trotting up with a giant cloud of cotton candy in one hand.
"Where did you get that?" Taro asked with a raised eyebrow. Tara just pointed innocently to a hot dog and candy stand, taking a huge bite of her pink puff.
"How did you--" Taro started, but Tara just thrust a five dollar bill at him.
"You little pickpocket." Taro groused, shoving the money into his wallet and forcing it as far as he could into his pants pocket.
Tara only laughed.
The breeze was stronger out on the water, but Karma didn't have any sort of a coat or jacket. She didn't really mind, though. Who was she to complain about being cold when she'd just been given this opportunity, this chance, this... gift?
That Taro Kitano was the one to give it to her made things even more confusing.
"Here," a voice from behind Karma spoke up. Before she could turn around, a warm leather coat slipped over her shoulders-- a quick glance confirmed that it was indeed Taro who had taken off his own coat and draped it over her shoulders.
She smiled slightly, reaching up to cross her arms over her chest and hold Taro's hands on her shoulders, intertwining her fingers with his. He didn't move, so she took a step backwards and dropped her own hands, taking his with hers, so that he held her around the waist.
He was warm.
He really was quite warm, and his arms were nice to have around her.
That and… He understood her. He understood what she'd been through, and he didn't pester her about any of it. He let her talk when she needed to, and maybe even prodded her to get her to open up when she thought she didn't need to talk, but she really did). He was annoying, egotistical, and stubborn much of the time, but ever since the CN Tower, he...
He was just different. Different from all the other guys.
She urged his hands to close tighter around her waist, holding her against him as close as they could both possibly manage. Neither of them said anything, and they stayed like that for the remainder of the ride.
Everything seemed different from the top of the statue.
The breeze came from a different direction, the air smelled differently, and all the buildings back on Manhattan Island seemed turned around one way or another.
But it was beautiful.
Raising her camera to eye level and adjusting the lens to gain better focus, Karma snapped a picture. And then another, and another.
She moved around to another spot in the crown of the statue, angling her camera and taking more pictures.
She was almost out of film.
But that was a good thing. It meant that finally --finally-- she could fulfill her promise to Tone. In the course of a few weeks, she'd seen all the most amazing sights-- from the special observation deck on CN Tower to the Empire State Building to... the Statue of Liberty.
Finally, she thought, Tone's spirit would be free.
The plane ride back home a day later was a long one, and Karma only realized this because this time she wasn't drugged. A wry grin crossed her face at the memory; Taro had actually planned all this from the moment he'd given her the statuette, filled with candy. No, before that.
But... she didn't mind. In fact, she probably wouldn't mind if he kidnapped her in the middle of the night again, whisking her off to some fantastic place.
He hadn't made her upset once during their stay in New York. He hadn't been bossy or pushy about anything. He'd just been there. And understood.
She slid her hand over to meet his, resting on the right armrest of her chair. The Tezla Enterprises jet was small, but fast, and the lone attendant and pilot were very nice people.
Tara was sound asleep in the window seat, hands filled with hundreds of new outfits bought.
Karma had her album spread out on her lap, the final pages arranged... at last. Beautiful pictures from the Empire State Building, from the hotel room window, from Battery Street Park, the ferry, and finally, atop the Statue of Liberty littered the final pages.
There was a single picture pasted at the bottom of the very last page, one that Karma had put in there and captioned before Taro could see it. It was a group photo that Karma had asked a fellow tourist atop the Statue to take --of her, Taro, and Tara. Karma was beaming, happy at last that she'd been able to keep her promise to Tone, and had been able to properly pay her respects atop the statue. Tara wore a huge smile and was flashing the "V is for Victory" sign with both hands, while Taro smiled in the way that was strictly his-- a sort of smirk-smile that curved the corners of his lips, but genuine in the way that smiles were supposed to be.
"I came, I saw, and I kept my promise to him. For the first time in a long while, I'm really happy, Taro. I can't thank you enough for that," Karma murmured.
His cheeks burned slightly, but he didn't look at her; instead, he focused on the last page and its photographs... his gaze finally drawn to the final picture.
The tourist that had taken the picture for them had said they made an adorable family.
And in that same, tiny print that Taro recognized as Karma's own, the caption read: "Nothing can break the bonds that love creates."
He could feel her eyes on him, but he wasn't sure just what to say, and his confusion flitted across his face. He thought for a moment he'd finally come up with at least something proper, but one of Karma's hands found his face, cupping it gently before she moved in and kissed him softly on his lips.
He might have been a bit too surprised to really respond, but the look in his eyes after the fact was enough for Karma. She pulled away, still keeping one hand intertwined with his.
And then she smiled... a real, honest smile, filled with more emotions than either of them could imagine.
His hand gripped hers, and she pushed the armrest up, leaning on Taro's shoulder. They didn't need words; they didn't need photos. What they had were new memories... happy ones to outnumber the sad.
On that sunny, late April afternoon, the sunset gracing the sky with deep hues of red, orange and gold, new promises were made... and old promises were kept.
'I'll always love and remember you Tone. Thanks to you, you've found your freedom... and I've found my new family.'
KawaiiYamato: I think that was the longest One Shot I have ever written. Or any chapter for that matter… R&R!
Japanime Goddess: She's crazy… but I helped her… I guess I'm crazy too…
Luvs you all!
Kawaii and Goddess For once not arguing)
Kawaii: What're you talking about? Let ME type… don't tell them lies, it was my plot!
Goddess; Sure, and I didn't cut your hair off
Kawaii: You're SO mean. Aside Sisters… well they're so wonderful… you write a plot up and they steal it… wonderful.
Goddess: Tsk. Look who's talking. IT'S MY PLOT!
Kawaii: MINE!
Goddess: MINE!
Kawaii: MINE!
Goddess: MINE!
Kawaii: MINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINE!
Goddess: Not on your life! Grabs scissors
Kawaii: Leave my hair, ALONE!
Goddess: Fine… what if… oh shit never mind.
Kawaii: Uh sis?
Goddess: Yes what do you want?
Kawaii: smiles nervously Naruto started.
Goddess: WHAT! Runs downstairs and to the living room to watch Naruto.
Kawaii: Now that that's settled… The plot was mine… okay now I feel guilty… okay… we both thought it up…Together.That's so creepy, Shivers
Goddess: Kawaii! It's not Naruto! It's One Piece!
Kawaii: Shit, NO! I happen to like it! runs downstairs screaming: "ZOLO'S MINE!" while Goddess watches in awe.
Kawaii: Wait just a second. "Why are you typing? I was typing a minute ago.
Goddess: Really now? Since when?
Kawaii: I left off where it said that's so creepy and shivered.
Goddess: Yeah? Well, not anymore.
Kawaii: Demon
Goddess: Drone
Kawaii: Slut
Goddess: Whore!
Mother coming out of nowhere: GIRLS! CUT IT OUT!
Kawaii: WTF? What are you typing? Mom is in India! And stop typing! It's my turn! I have t update my other fics too!
Goddess: Well, you can update tomorrow.
Kawaii: Get off the chair.
Goddess: Don't tell me what to do you little-
Kawaii: Little? I'll have you know, I'm a full three minutes and thirty-eight seconds older than you!
Goddess: Stop typing they don't need to know that… or that I'm a sluttish-
Kawaii gets pushed off the chair
Goddess: That was Kawaii spreading crap about me. I don't see you updating in the future.
Goddess gets pushed off chair
Kawaii: Neil! She's being mean to me again!
Neil: Sisters, oh brother… err, sister. Goddess, be nice to your big sister.
Goddess: What's all this about me being younger? It's SO not true!
Neil: Yeah she is, and plus… much more mature.
Kawaii gets pushed off chair
Goddess: Neil would never say that!
Kawaii: You know, the readers probably think we're retarded or something.
Goddess: That's cause you are.
Kawaii: No… it's YOU!
Neil: Girls. Shut UP!
Okay, that's it, bye!
Kawaii and Goddess