Element 4- Examination Hell Part Two- The Firing Squad.
"Time's up!"Fuujin jumped, dropping his pencil nervously. He quickly picked it up, filling in a few last circles on the test.
"I said time is up!" the examiner repeated, glaring at Fuujin. He set his pencil down lightly, laughing nervously. "All right, now onto the next part of the exam." The examiner boomed. "The next part will test your skills with firearms." She said leading them to the next room- it was a firing range, as expected.
"You'll need these," a second instructor stepped forward, brandishing ear-guards. The group of students looked around shrugging, and then one-by-one each took a pair of guards. Fuujin was last, slipping them over his ears. The sound of air being drawn in by a vacuum- he couldn't hear anything. Looking nervously around he noticed the instructor was talking; with effort he pulled the headphones off his ears.
"-Will be to shoot these targets before your opponents can. Each student will be paired off against another, and they will test to see who has better marksmanship." The examiner and instructor began assigning opponents and firearms. As Fuujin slipped the guards back over his ears a man with short stringy blond hair, and dark semi-circles under his eyes stepped up to be his opponent. He mumbled something, which Fuujin couldn't hear, and spat out his cigarette.
"You're going down," the blonde muttered nastily. Fuujin nodded stupidly, not understanding a word.
3:05 PM- Hospital
A quick jet of light cut across the room as the rookie nurse pulled open the shades with a flourish. "Rise and shine!" the young blond smiled brightly.
"Ugh, close those!" Raito moaned, shielding his eyes.
"Oh? But it's already past noon. You guys should be up already." The nurse pouted.
Raito scowled at the girl. "We are fine, and need all the rest we can get! We saved the city, and nearly died, so…" he waved his finger on every syllable, "Be. Nice. To. Us!" he pressed the call button with a snap, crossing his arms triumphantly.
The sound of rushing footsteps clattered down the hall, and a second later the nurse from the day before burst in. She looked at the patients. She looked at the young nurse.
"What are you doing?" she snapped, "These men are injured! They need their rest!" she sighed, dragging the poor girl out of the room. "Sorry about this." She added politely.
Raito sighed, pulling the cover over his head. That's right… a day has already passed since it happened. His mood was sullen. A sudden cough got his attention.
"Yakumo-san… are you up?" Raito asked apprehensively.
"I've been up!" came a grumpy reply. Raito pulled back his covers, looking over to see a large man with rough slicked-back hair peering out from behind the curtain partition. A pair of goggles was visible on the table beside him.
"How long?" he asked apprehensively.
"Long enough to hear your fight with the nurse." Yakumo frowned at him, going on conversationally- "so… I see you had a visitor yesterday too, isn't that right Raito… or should I say Hi-chan?"
"Ack!" Raito cringed. "You heard that too?" he laughed nervously, tussling his hair.
Yakedo stared sullenly at his feet. "He's really gone, isn't he?" The mood in the room had changed.
"Yeah," Raito replied gravely, "yeah he is." Yakumo looked Raito in the eye.
"What are we gonna' do Raito?" his voice trembled slightly. Raito stared blankly at him, but he continued. "I mean shit Raito, what are we going to do? I… I just don't know anymore." He held his head in his hands. "Leader's dead." He added bluntly.
"Yeah…" Raito replied solemnly.
Yakumo looked up at him, saw uncertainty in his eyes, and uncertainty reflected from his own. He took a deep breath, reminding himself who he was supposed to be in the group. I'm supposed to be stronger than this… tougher. Like steel…like iron. Iron men don't cry, so why? Why am I… why am I… He couldn't. He just couldn't- staring down into his hands he saw the wet drops glistening. He held his palm aloft, focusing on one lone drop. He watched it dribble down the side of his hand, through each dry crag- down to the very edge of its world, close to death, so weak, but holding on. Something about it inspired him. If I can be like the tear… strong enough to show weakness, but flexible enough to never give in to it, never lose hope, keep on trying…this thought also was a bit too much. He tried again. Like steel, but like water…Wow. Too deep. He gave up, returning his focus to Hirameki, who'd been watching him for the past minute- his face was ripe with worry and confusion.
Yakumo smiled at him. "Teardrop."
Raito stared at him with even greater worry. "Are you feeling all-right Yakumo-san? Do I have to call the nurse again?"
Yakumo chuckled to himself. "Actually Raito, I'm feeling a lot better." His smile hardened as his thoughts once more rested on more important matters. "He's still gone though." Raito nodded solemnly. "And you still have to break it to that poor girl that-"
"No! Don't finish that sentence!" Raito interrupted holding his head with one hand as if the thought pained him. "Don't. I know… but I don't think she'd want to hear it so soon." He added weakly.
Yakumo snorted at him. "You dog! You just don't want to tell her because she's fixated on you." The word fixated rolled off his tongue like a curse. Raito shook his head weakly.
"No, that's not it…" he was too weak to argue- the talk had really drained him. Yakumo shook his head.
"That girl…" he smiled, realizing why the thought of the tear struck him so. So strong, that one.
4:00 Shooting Range area 3
The sound of metal tearing through metal as the bullet hit the target.
"Yeah!" Mizuki thrust her hand into the air in celebration. Her opponent glared at her, squaring her shoulders as she readied herself for the next target.
"BANG!" Mizuki shouted as she shot through a second target.
Damn her, the girl beside her fumed. She totally shocked me and made me lose my concentration… Gotta' be a rule against it. She dully made excuses as yet another target was blown away before she could even catch sight of it. What is with this girl? Her brow furrowed… she's hitting them before they're even announced. Is she psychic? She looked Mizuki over again.
"Phweeeet!" a faint whistle trilled in the background as the end of the target rounds was announced. Damn, the girl snarled, stomping off.
"Yay!" Mizuki cheered, congratulating herself. Kanami smiled weakly from where she stood three people away. That girl… she thought, something definitely strange about that one.
A blood-curdling cry from another room interrupted her thoughts. Swiveling around to face the sound a thought passed through her mind. I wonder if Fuujin-kun's all right?
Shooting Range area 4
"My eye!" the blond standing next to Fuujin clutched at his face moaning. A pair of aides rushed to the man's side, muttering their concerns. He paid them no heed, glaring furiously at Fuujin with one eye.
"You'll pay." He growled as he was helped onto a stretcher. A man dabbed his forehead with a towel, asking him to calm down. "YOU'LL PAY!" the blonde shrieked as he was removed from the room, cursing and bleeding. An examiner stared uncertainly at Fuujin.
"Did… did you really shoot him?" Fuujin covered his eyes in shame. The examiner asked him once more. "Did you shoot him?"
"No." Fuujin replied weakly, rising up to look Houzuki in the eye- Fuujin's eyes were filled with fear.
"What happened?" the examiner asked calmly, considering Fuujin's nerves.
"The gun… it just misfired! I didn't! I mean I couldn't! You have to believe me, I-" the woman hushed him, trying to calm him down.
"It's all right. I believe you… the problem is he doesn't." He looked at her in shock.
"… Will he be all right?"
The examiner gave him an assuring smile. "I'm sure he'll be fine. And besides…" she shot him a coy look. "It's not as if you shot him."
Fuujin stared, jaw dropped at the examiner. "… Whu?" he drooled.
"It's okay!" she added, "I trust you." He looked at her dumbstruck, so she went on. "A person who'd had the intent to shoot someone wouldn't of asked immediately afterwards if the person would be all right. And you lacked motive too." She pointed at the scorecard in her hand. "You were winning."
Fuujin shook his head dumbly. "This is all still too much for me." He muttered, scratching his neck. A call from behind got his attention. "Kanami?"
She rushed through the crowd to his side, looking around at the commotion. "Uh, Fuujin-kun… what happened?" she laughed nervously, catching her breath. Fuujin's eyes took on a serious tone.
"Kanami-chan, what are you doing here now? Aren't the tests still going on?" she looked at him suspiciously.
"Uh… Fuujin, are you all right? The exams over for today so we can go home now. Didn't your examiner tell you?" she eyed the orange-haired woman standing near him.
"Oh, that's right!" the woman yelled, slapping her forehead. "Knew I was forgetting something!" her hair spun wildly as she turned to face the crowd. "PEOPLE! DAY ONE OF THE EXAM IS OVER, SO YOU CAN GO HOME NOW! NOTHING TO SEE HERE!" she shouted into cupped hands. The throng slowly dispersed.
"Right…" Kanami kept her eyes on the woman as she left. The moment the woman was gone she turned to Fuujin angrily, looking him in the eyes. "Talk," she muttered firmly.
Fuujin's eyes trailed to the side. She noticed this, and thought the worst. "Okay, spill it Sorato Fuujin! Something happened while I was next door, and I want to know what!" she shouted.
He bowed his head. "Well, you see…"
"What?" she raised an eyebrow.
"I… accidentally shot someone." Kanami nearly dropped.
"Is he alright?"
"Yeah," Fuujin replied. Why does she automatically think it's a He?
Kanami was silent for a second- tension was drawn like a bow-string, ready to snap. She snapped first, erupting in laughter.
"Hey!" Fuujin complained, "It isn't funny! I injured another living being!"
"I'm sorry," Kanami laughed, trying to calm herself, "It's just… I was expecting something… worse. You know?" she finally was able to stifle her laughter.
"Worse?"
"Yeah," she replied. "So much has happened in the last few days… this just sort of blind-sided me. I mean, come on… it's funny, right?" she looked at him. He was not laughing. She pleaded with him. "It's funny right? C'mon, you can't tell me that's not funny?" He couldn't look at her.
"I shot a man." He said icily. "I really don't think there's anything to laugh about. He turned to walk off. Honestly, these last twenty-four hours have been the most trying of my life. Kanami repressing, not fully grasping the situation… and now this! He trudged furiously out the door without looking back.
"Fuujin, wait!" Kanami called after him. "wait…"her plea was left unanswered.