Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Hyde A/N: I am going bananas. WHERE IS MY FLOPPY DISK? Either SOMEBODY moved it or I hid it from myself, which, knowing myself, it could be either one. Sometime I hide things and then forget where I hide them. Why I would have hidden my floppy disk, I don't know, but I don't always understand the workings of my mind. On another tangent altogether, siblings should be outlawed.
Moving on. Anyway, the occurrence of St. Patrick's Day inspired me to write this, the Great St. Patrick's Day Flashback Episode. If you don't like flashbacks, you are out of luck.
Those Who Don't Like Flashbacks: Hunt…stalk…kill –bring out torches and pitchforks—
Hyde: No, don't hurt me! It's only ONE chapter!
…………………
Michael sat at his computer and stared at the screen. A little reminder thingy popped up, reminding him that it was March 17. March 17? That looked familiar. Someone's birthday? The anniversary of the invention of waffle fries?
"Happy St. Patrick's Day!" Doujima chimed cheerfully upon entering.
Of course. He chuckled to himself. Doujima had said exactly the same thing a year ago…
begin Michael's flashback—
"Happy St. Patrick's Day!" Doujima chimed.
Michael turned to look at her. He immediately turned away, blinded. Doujima was wearing entirely neon green clothing. Even her handbag and high-heeled shoes were the same color.
"Ow…" he said.
"What?" She turned to face him.
"I'm blind…"
The neon green handbag came swishing towards his head…Michael flinched.
"What's the matter, Michael?" Sakaki asked.
"Oh, nothing."
"Okay. You looked like you were being hit in the head by Doujima."
This turned Sakaki's thoughts back to the same day, a year ago…
begin Sakaki's flashback—
Sakaki pulled up to the address that Michael had given him. Doujima was supposed to meet him here.
I wish witches would take holidays, like normal people, he thought.
Just then, something bright green caught the corner of his eye. He turned, to see Doujima arrayed in the most blinding shade of green he'd ever seen.
He doubled over laughing. Tears came to his eyes. Doujima's angry face came closer, but he couldn't stop laughing, only gasp helplessly, as the Green Handbag of Doom advanced on his unprotected head…
Sakaki flinched too. He looked surreptitiously around, but no one seemed to have noticed. He ate a Cheeto to calm himself.
………………
Touko sat in Harry's and sipped a cappuccino thoughtfully. Ah, St. Patrick's Day. Her mind wandered around various dips and turns, of St. Patrick's Days past. The earliest St. Patrick's Day she could remember, then increasingly recent ones… Somehow this train of thought led by inexplicable and devious ways to Stewart, her departed coffeepot. In fact, just last St. Patrick's Day…
begin Touko's flashback—
Touko awoke, stretched, and walked out into the kitchen. Another day. She started Stewart, and began to chat with him absently.
"Good morning, Stewart. The sun is shining. Isn't that exciting? Amon and I had another date last night. I think I like him more than anyone else. There's something dark and appealing about him, don't you think? Oh, that's right, you've never been introduced. I should remember to do that next time he's over…"
Stewart dripped understandingly.
"Mmm, smells good, Stewie. What ever would I do without you? God willing it will never come to that…" She shuddered at the thought, and the room seemed to dim. Even Stewart's warm steaming seemed cooler and more troubled.
"Ah, well, see you later!" she said, forcing the gloomy thoughts out of her mind.
Touko slowly faded back to the present. She gulped down the rest of her rapidly cooling cappuccino. If only she had known then…
………………
Robin sat in the front seat next to Amon as they left the hunt. She felt even more uncomfortable with him, since the girl-with-blue-hair-in-the-closet incident. To her, St. Patrick's Day was the same as any other. Hunting, depression, emotional struggles…why should today be any different?
In fact, she remembered a day, not long before the death of Stewart the coffeepot, when they had been riding in Amon's car from a hunt exactly the same way…
begin Robin's flashback—
Robin sat in the front seat next to Amon as they left the hunt. She turned sideways to look at him. He stared straight ahead without speaking. As usual. She stifled a sigh.
He seemed eager to get back (if Amon is ever eager), driving at higher speeds than usual. Robin wished to break the silence, perhaps by asking him what the hurry was, but she couldn't bring herself to. His silence, so…almost irritating, and yet so compelling and dark. If only…but there, her thoughts shied away. When he had given her the glasses (her hand touched them in the pocket of her coat) she had thought, perhaps…but ever since there had been little change. He was still distant and dark. But perhaps it was for the best…
When they arrived, Touko was waiting for Amon. Robin stood on the sidewalk and stared hauntedly after them as they walked toward Harry's, but they didn't notice. Touko smiled, and Amon looked(relatively) calm and at ease. Feeling a deep, subtle pain in her stomach that no Kylenol can cure, Robin turned and walked into the STN-J building…
Amon's dark voice startled her out of her reminiscence.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Robin pressed her lips together and felt slightly eased as the silence again closed around them.
(Hyde A/N: Meet Sad and Emotional Robin Flashback, cousin to Sad and Emotional Robin Scene of chapter 13. These Sad and Emotional Things just keep popping up.)
………………
Throughout the day, Amon managed to stave off the flashbacks that the Fates threw at him. But not even Amon can escape the Fates. Forced to surrender while he was waking, the Fates went to work with renewed vigor, even as Amon dropped off to sleep…
begin Amon's dream-in-lieu-of-a-flashback—
"I ate a large COW this morning," said the girl with blue hair.
Then, her hair was green, and she was wearing shamrock pins all over her denim clothing.
"It was the LUCK of the Irish," she said.
"But, I need to find Robin," he told her darkly. "I need to tell her…something."
"Don't you remember? You already told her!" Doujima's voice appeared. "Now take that girl out of her closet!"
"But she's not in the closet, she's right there," Amon protested.
"Look again," Doujima answered.
Amon turned, and there she was, in a closet. But no, it was Robin. He had to get her out of the closet.
But when he began to walk that direction, something held him back. He turned, it was Touko, grasping at his arm.
"Thee thy thou thoo shall shalt shalleth…" she babbled.
Amon pulled his orbo gun, and shot Touko. She relinquished her grasp on his arm and looked at him with horror and betrayal on her face.
He turned to look for Robin, but she was gone.
"Robin!" Amon cried. He sat up in his bed. It was exactly midnight.
The Fates reluctantly relinquished their hold on him (they were having a lot of fun with this). The St. Patrick's Day of Flashbacks was over.
His phone rang. He picked it up.
"There were TWO elephants at the FAIR yesterday."
………………
Welp, there it is. A little off subject, but that's okay I guess, unless you have objections to off-subjectness.
Those Who Have Objections to Off-subjectness: bring out torches and pitchforks—
Hyde: No, wait, I'll try to get back on subject next time, I promise!
I think I got high on Nutter Butters today. As a side note. The good news is I AM THE CONNECT FOUR CHAMPION OF THE WORLD! WAHAHAHAHA!
–demonic mutterings—
May shamrocks never decide to invade the world and subject all wild boars, hamsters, and guinea pigs to slavery,
Hyde
Ais: Eh… I just have to say this. I think this is the bestest chapter. EVER. I applaud Hyde with many applaudings. It tops The Death of Stewart, but don't tell Touko. Actually it reminds me of Noir…
Flashback: blwowlwolwolwowlowowlowly…
Soldat Watch Theme: Dingdingdingdingdingdingdingdingdiiinngggdingdiiinggg…
Ais: NOOO! FIGHT IT, MIREILLE! FIGHT IT!
Mireille: faraway look in eyes—
flashback to Chibi Mireille begins—
Ais: NOOO! –collapse—
End flashback: blwwowlwlwlololwlwoyyy…
Eh. Sorry about that. I couldn't help it. Even the Mother Goddess of All Ficness Except Everybody Else's isn't immune to random flashbacks…