I just HAD to get a chapter up before Christmas. Hopefully another one will come soon, as I'm on vacation now.
Just to avoid confusion, I'LL POST THE REVIEW REPLIES FOR THE CHAPTER WHEN I POST THAT CHAPTER. So you don't have to keep looking for a reply.
Enjoy!
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Aira was about to collapse. He staggered out of the courtroom, ignoring the reporters and the rest of the world streaming out the wide, open doors.
He was completely drained. Leaning on the side of the courthouse, he heaved a huge sigh. He hadn't completely recovered from his wounds, and the trial had been taxing.
At least he had won. He was free. Sighing again, Aira pulled at his hair, grimacing. He hadn't showered for over a week. His waves of aqua dangled before his eyes, limp and stringy.
"Aira." A gentle hand touched his shoulder. He looked back into uncharacteristically soft eyes.
" Are you alright?"
" Kirei." A smile broke out on Aira's face. " Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
" Good." Kirei nodded sharply, back to his normal, critical self. Aira's smile turned rueful. He must look especially rumpled next to his brother. Kirei was extremely smart in a tailored lavender suit with his hair drawn tightly back. " Let's have lunch. You must be tired."
Aira nodded gratefully, and made to go. Before he could move however, a short man with a camera appeared in front of him so suddenly the man seemed to have popped up from the ground.
" Mr. Namasaki! If I could get some words about the trial? What did you feel when you pulled that trigger? What caused such animosity between you and your brother? Did you see despair in his dying eyes? – "
Aira's face paled. Kirei, upon seeing this, narrowed his eyes. His lips were pressed tightly together as he stepped in front of Aira.
The reporter stopped talking as Kirei glowered at him. He fidgeted, chuckling nervously and mumbling. The taller Namasaki brother sneered, looking frightfully like the late Kei, and pushed the reporter curtly away.
" Come on, Aira." Kirei said briskly, pulling his brother along with him. Aira looked back to see the reporter with a stain on the front of his pants. He would've felt sorry for the man, but after what the reporter had said…
Aira shivered, remembering that night. Everything had been so rushed and blurred; he'd pulled the trigger before he'd realized what was happening. He could still see Kei's onyx eyes glaring at him when he closed his own.
Aira was completely absorbed in his thoughts, not noticing stepping out into the sunlight, nor walking down the broad, white steps.
It was only until Kirei was tapping the steering wheel of his sleek lavender convertible impatiently did Aira realize he was standing dumbly beside the car.
" Are you getting in?" The rose-haired man arched an eyebrow.
Aira ducked his head, embarrassed. He opened the car door and slid in, buckling his seat belt.
" Where do you want to go?" Kirei asked casually, starting the vehicle.
Aira was silent at first, staring at his reflection in the rear view mirror. His oily hair and shadowed eyes were even more apparent in the bright daylight. " Can…we go home first? I want to shower…"
Kirei stared. Then a chuckle broke out. " Sure, sure." He shook his head, pressing down on the acceleration.
Aira wasn't sure what happened, but it had lightened the atmosphere considerably. A pure smile appeared on his face, and he felt much more cheerful.
Yes, now he could start his life again, and preferably with clean clothes and a haircut.
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Aya's brow was furrowed in concentration. She gripped her pencil tightly, lightly sketching in a line for the mouth. She gently curved the line, then coloured some of the space below it. Her head tilted as she examined her picture. It was of a Victorian lord. He had platinum gothic curls, and wore a collar of ruffled black lace. A hand propped up his chin, and he pouted and sneered with blackberry lips.
She smiled. She'd spent so long on the picture, and it'd finally come out properly!
Aya lowered her pencil to darken the eyelashes, and a voice suddenly sounded near her ear.
" Aya…"
The said girl squeaked in surprise and her pencil skittered across her drawing's surface. She whirled around. " Brooklyn! You scared me!"
" I apologize. I need to speak with you immediately. Please meet me on the roof of the school." The autumnal-haired boy was unusually serious.
" Brooklyn, what's wrong?" Aya instantly was alert, compassion in her light eyes.
" Nothing. Just come." And with that, Brooklyn slipped out of the room.
Confusion marred Aya's features, but she got up, glancing ruefully at her picture. There was an angry black line across the face of her Victorian lord.
With a sigh, she left the art room, making her way to the stairs.
Climbing the dingy, deserted steps, she soon came upon Mariah and Emily.
" Hey, what are you doing here?" Mariah frowned in confusion. " You don't usually come here."
" Neither do you. But Brooklyn told me…" Aya trailed off. Brooklyn had sounded so serious, so she wasn't sure whether she should reveal what he said to others.
" Yeah, he told us to come up here!" Emily nodded, a small frown on her face as well.
The three girls, brows furrowed even more than before, slowly continued up the stairs with the silent agreement to not conclude anything until whatever news called them up here had been revealed.
Eagerly, the three stepped out onto the roof, looking around for the one who had called them here.
" You're here too?"
Aya turned, and saw Neoborg lounging against the roof's safety rail.
Bryan had spoken. He, Spencer and Ian looked disdainfully nonchalant, but Kai, who was a little ways away, had such a burning anger in his stony features that Aya started in shock. Before she could question the slate-haired boy, Brooklyn stepped out of the shadows of the stair building, his head lowered. Out of the corner of her eye Aya saw Kai stiffen considerably.
" Brooklyn! So, what's da matta?" Ian drawled, trying to sound 'gangster'.
Brooklyn didn't smile. He opened his mouth, and seemed to be choosing his words carefully.
" Tonight…Tala is in a very fragile state, and his father will be accompanying him to Russia for more medical attention. This is an opportunity…if we can intercept them and bring back Tala, then we will have won, no?"
" Really? That's excellent! How did you find this out?" Ian grinned. " Way to go, Brook!"
" How are we going to 'intercept' them?" Bryan's brow creased slightly.
" There is a bridge – " Brooklyn began, but was cut off. Kai had heard enough.
" Shut up. I know what you are doing. This is a trap!" Kai declared, his hands curled into fists.
" I've seen him. He conspires with Nikita!"
The words had an astonishing effect. Ian looked like he had been backhanded, and Bryan tensed. The girls reacted like they had been doused with ice water.
" Brooklyn?" Aya asked, her eyes imploring.
The ends of Brooklyn's spiked hair began to sway as he shook his head.
" No…it's not as it seems!" He exclaimed, voice full of hurt. His eyes were wide and blue, and so innocent.
" And how would Nikita get to Tala? He's currently in Aya's house." Kai threw out his arm, pointing with almost a blaming air at the said girl.
A tiny smirk tugged at Brooklyn's lips. Kai had overplayed his hand. He looked up, and straight at Aya, ignoring Hiwatari. " Nikita…he broke into your house…" He said regretfully.
Aya gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth. Tala!
" What? Tala shouldn't be moved!" Ian roared indignantly, forgetting everything else in concern for his friend.
" Tala could be seriously damaged now! There's no telling the repercussions…" Spencer frowned, newly learned medical terms flying in his head. He wanted to be a doctor, and had just completed a course on mental conditions.
Brooklyn inwardly grinned. Kai had given him the opportunity to stir Tala's friends into a worried frenzy.
" That still doesn't change the fact that you were with Nikita." A low rumble interrupted. Bryan stared evenly at Brooklyn.
Kai's eyes glimmered with something akin to gratefulness. Bryan had accepted his story without question.
Brooklyn threw out his arms helplessly. " I had to! How else was I supposed to get information and help you?" The boy looked to one side, uncomfortably rubbing one arm. " …I wanted to be of help…"
" Brooklyn…" Mariah clucked sympathetically.
" Tell someone who cares, traitor." Kai spat coldly.
Brooklyn flinched at the harsh words.
" Kai! How do you know Brooklyn isn't telling the truth? Did you actually hear what was said?" Aya intervened, her eyes flashing. She stepped protectively in front of the orange-haired boy. Mariah and Emily joined her.
Kai's lip curled. He'd never had any especial liking for the silver-haired chit. And now this. He stared, disgusted at how the three women stood, shielding Brooklyn's unsure, cowering form. Kai knew what the boy was doing. He could see it in those large, blue eyes, shimmering with tears. Brooklyn was using his naturally angelic façade to fool the others. The young man's crimson eyes surveyed the situation. Bryan was skeptical, and Spencer was in between the two. Everyone else was with Kingston.
Kai contemplated the problem at hand, finally deciding to go with the path that would, if successful, would yield the most results. He cared not that it was also the riskiest. " What's your suggestion for saving Tala, then?" He offered.
Bryan's lavender eyes widened in surprise, and he exchanged a look with Spencer.
Brooklyn visibly relaxed. " There…is a bridge near the edge of town. They will be stopping there for gas."
" Gas? From a bridge?" Ian snorted.
" They only need a place to stop, as they will supply their own gas, right? Stopping at a public place like a gas station would be much too risky. They could be spotted." Emily glanced at Brooklyn for clarification. He nodded.
" I propose we distract Nikita, and then go for Tala. It isn't much of a plan, but it's all I've got. I'm sure we can do it!" Brooklyn smiled confidently.
" When should we meet?" Aya asked anxiously.
" They'll reach the bridge at ten. We should be there by nine, so we'll meet here at eight?" Brooklyn looked around for protests. There weren't any.
" We'll take my car." Bryan said, heaving himself off the ledge of the roof and walking to the stairwell. " See you." The door shut behind him.
Kai nodded and followed the burly youth. One by one, the teens scattered, leaving Brooklyn to gaze up at the stars, alone.
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