The girl entered her flat with care. It was dark again, and the walk had been rapid and hurried, in order of escaping the signal she had left at the digital entrance to the Line. Mizumi pondered about this, and hated this fact about herself. It was a life full of doubts, always glancing at her backs in search of a pursuing Angent, a life running just to save it. It wasn't the life Mizumi had expected for herself.
"Mizumi!" a frantic yell filled her ears with terror.
Yolei was arms extended, and wanted to embrace her tightly. The girl tensed as her mother's hands pressed on her back tightly. Mizumi was not ready to have any kind of contact with her family already Hesitant hands wrapped around her mother's body, but her stiff body just wanted to be left alone.
"Where have you been?" Yolei inquired, yet although her eyes were teary, her expression was ferocious.
"I'm sorry, I had some things to do. I should have told you." Mizumi excused herself lowering her head in shame and respect.
"That's not it. Do you realice how worried we have been? We found your moto half destroyed. What happened?" Kenji said angrily, extending a hand to grip Mizumi's arm.
"Don't touch me!" Mizumi shrieked leaping backwards, feeling ashamed of her condition.
With tears in her eyes, Mizumi pushed Kenji aside and rushed past the corridor and into her room. Back again, she had collapsed. Oddly enough she had gotten to confide more deeply in Takeru than in her own family. After all, it wasn't that strange, since nor Kenji, nor her mother suffered from the terrible curse that affected her. Trying to draw her thoughts away from her strange disease, for she considered it an incurable disease, Mizumi drew out her laptop from the bag. The young woman was going to study her father's work more calmly, perhaps learn a little more. As soon as the laptop was turned on, a ripple affected the screen, and she remembered Takeru's words about their effect on digital and electronic devices.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Mizumi yelled, crying very loudly and slamming her fists on the desk.
"Mizumi-chan?" Kenji's voice said from the depths of the dark corridor.
"Leave me alone, Onii-chan." Mizumi's sobs answered weakly, as her eyes glanced desperated and with longing at her laptop.
"What is wrong? What happened?" Kenji, ignoring Mizumi's complain, entered the room.
"Kenji-san, leave!" Mizumi snapped more harshly, "Nothing is wrong. I just didn't have a nice day."
"Mom is worried." Kenji said softly, ignoring his sister's words while glancing at the screen, "You went, didn't you?"
"Yes, now leave. I'll be fine!" Mizumi said once again, trying to restrain a sob.
"Mizzy, please, forget it. Dad is gone, and if you mess with those matters, you'll run the same destiny as he did..." Kenji's voice was tolerant, as well as worried.
"I told you..." Mizumi said through furious, ragged breaths, "...not to call me Mizzy!"
The woman stood up as she said those words. The slender fingers clenched into fists as her voice shapeshifted into a growl. Kenji, intimidated and frightened at the strange aura he was glancing, recoiled while placing his hands in front of him, in the form of a protective shield. It didn't take him long to realice that Mizumi was better left alone, before any serious damage could reach him, and thus he left the room as rapid as if a wolf was biting his heels.
Once gone, Mizumi let herself fall onto the bed. A deep, long sigh escaped her lips. It was not pleasant to live like this, to live a lie. Obviously, she was not going to reveal her condition to her family, not yet however, and deffinitely not when she just got notice of her kind, and realized people hated them. Sleep reached her easily, before she could realice it. The past day had been rather busy and eventful.
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"I'm going to class." Mizumi anounced while walking past the living room.
Kenji was talking through the phone, and Yolei was nowhere to be seen, probably at work. The man was bearing a rather pleased smile, while maintaining his voice casual and serious. Curious, his sister stared at him in silence, pondering about this call. Mizumi had heard the phone ringing, but her brother's expression was worth to be investigated, and curiosity was a big enemy, as well as a rather worthy ally.
"Who was it?" the girl questioned absently once Kenji had hanged.
"Just someone offering me a job as a programer." Kenji said casually, but the expression of his face was priceless and spoke of his enthusiasm.
"Really? That's great! Which company?" Mizumi inquired almost as excited as Kenji.
"He didn't say, but I'm meeting him to talk and negotiate." Kenji said, now smiling brightly.
"Well, good luck. I'm leaving before I'm late. By the way, what happened to my moto?" Mizumi inquired, now beggining to miss her beloved vehicle.
"It's being repaired, Mom made sure of that. Don't worry, in a couple of weeks you'll have it back." Kenji said nodding reassuringly, yet there was a darkness in him, a shadow of doubt as he stared at Mizumi, that it was almost frightening.
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Mizumi was running across the streets. The woman hadn't counted on the fact that her beloved vehicle was somewhere else because she had worked a perfect strategy to avoid being killed. As fast as she was going, Mizumi was not really in a hurry, or not in her opinion. It wasn't like she hated Takeru, but meeting him meant meeting herself, and she wasn't too eager about meeting herself.
"Mizumi!" Takeru beamed at her from under the shadow of a tree.
Grunting a salut, Mizumi threw her bag under the tree and slopped as well. Taking a bottle out of a pocket, she took several large gulps of water into her tired body. Running was not one of her options, she always preffered being taken around, by wheels, and prefferably driving herself. Takeru smiled understandingly at her, yet said nothing, remembering he had gone exactly through the same process. The difference was that he never lost hope, even although he had experienced a much more thraumatic event.
"Well, do you want to start?" Takeru inquired glancing at Mizumi with slight excitement and with understanding.
"Leave me alone for a bit, please!" Mizumi snapped annoyed while regaining her breath.
It was a wonder Takeru was so patient with someone he didn't even know. Obviously, they have barely met a day ago, and still, he was calm and tolerant with her constant responses and comebacks. Probably it was because he had gone through the same, or maybe it was because their kind had to protect each other in order to survive. Whatsoever, the parade they were situated in was rather relaxing, and it seemed to soother Mizumi's temper noticeably. A small woodland extended in every side, the protection of trees would give them privacy for their doings. Still, the roaring of cars could be heard in the distance.
"Mizumi, come on, you'll have fun." Takeru said softly, always treating the girl with cheerful manners and respect.
"Fine, but don't get used to it!" Mizumi answered, always treating the boy as if he was some sort of crazy freak, obsessed with RPGs.
Minutes after, Takeru was pointing at a fallen, dead tree, while his other hand rested over Mizumi's shoulder. The girl, on the other hand, looked bored, her eyelids fell halfway down her eyes lazily. Mizumi managed to stiffle a yawn, and moved her arms to make something and not fall asleep.
"Look, each of us has one form of attacking. It is elemental, in a way. My form of attack is the luminous beam, a blast of pure energy." Takeru explained excitedly, staring at the bark and glancing at his right hand.
"Right..." Mizumi answered in a droned voice.
"Now look. You might not managed it at first, but eventually it will come alone. You have to focus all your energy in your hand, whichever you like. You can use both hands if you preffer. Then, when you have managed to concentrate your energy, you just let it loose, like a bow string, or like when you throw a rock." Takeru explained looking concentrated, yet extremely delighted at doing this.
As his words finished, a beam of powerful, white and silver light, escaped his hand and flew across the warm atmosphere. It managed to shatter the fallen log in two, and its power was so great it illuminated the clearing with a much brighter light than the residual rays of a far away sun.
"Do you see?" Takeru inquired glancing for the first time at Mizumi.
"Right." Mizumi said in that same, bored voice.
"Mizumi, are you paying attention?" Takeru asked more serious than usually.
"Right." Mizumi answered with a sigh, glancing at a chirping bird that was resting on a nearby tree.
"MIZUMI!" Takeru yelled loudly.
"What?" the woman protested, throwing her arms up the air, annoyed by the scream.
"Is it much effort for you to pay attention?" Takeru asked in a tense, hard voice.
"Well, it is, because this doesn't interest me the least bit!" Mizumi was surprised at Takeru's tone.
"It isn't a matter of interest! It's a matter of survival, Mizumi! You must learn this if you want to have a chance against the Agents!" Takeru snapped angrily, yet also frustrated.
"Well, what if I don't want to face those Agents? What if I just want to be normal?" Mizumi spat in that angered growl she managed when she was really furious.
"But you are not normal, Mizumi!" Takeru snapped also rising his voice, nearly reaching Mizumi's point of anger.
That last sentence really did hurt Mizumi. Normally she was not much of a sensitive person, but this past hours had shattered her integrity completely. With a strangled gurgle that sounded like a rather nasty insult, Mizumi turned around and ran into the woodlands, emmiting loud sobs. With a tight pressure in his heart, and a very guilty feeling in his body, Takeru ran after her. Mizumi hadn't ran for long, and the boy found her sitting under a very thick tree, her face hidden under her arms, and her whole body being convulsed by spasms. Takeru was slightly hesitant before approaching the woman's refugee.
"Mizumi..." he tried softly.
"Leave me alone, you... weirdo!" Mizumi's voice was muffled, and the words were not very clear.
"Listen, Mizumi. I'm sorry I said all that, but I want you to learn how to deffend yourself, I want to know you are safe." Takeru explained kneeling before her and placing a hand on her knee.
"Why? You barely know me, why do you care?" Mizumi inquired raising her red, teary eyes from their hideout.
"You are Izzy's daughter, and you are one of us!" Takeru said with a smile, "I never got to see you the day you were born, or to give you a birthday present. I think I owe you something." His voice was as gentle as always, and his lips curled in a sweet smile.
"You don't owe me anything." Mizumi said looking sideways and resting her face on her knees.
"Please. Let me teach you." Takeru said standing up and extending a hand towards Mizumi.
Hesitant and feeble, like a newborn's hand, Mizumi's left appendage travelled slowly towards Takeru's hand. Finally, a decition illuminated her mind, and, firm and strong, her hand closed around Takeru's. The boy pulled her up strongly, yet with care. An exchange of looks was enough to share a new, strong and complice bond. The boy smiled and repeated the instructions slowly and with detail. Mizumi was paying attention, and she found herself strangely eager to try her power.
"Ok, try now." Takeru motioned at a rather dry bush that rested, langid, on the center of a small clearing.
"All right!" Mizumi stated with determination.
Sweat began to trickle over her wrinkle forehead, a rather noticeable frown was curling her skin. The black eyes were fixedly on the bush, almost as if she was aiming a gun. Down, in her right hand, Mizumi began to extend and curl her fingers, making the ticklish feeling in them vanish slightly. Almost there, she felt ready, the energy was surging through her veins. Mizumi threw her hand forward while exhaling a loud, severe scream. That scream faded into a totally pained one.
"I pulled my muscle!" Mizumi proclaimed in various tones, and almost in various languages.
"You don't need to concentrate that much. Relax and let it happen." Takeru said with an understanding smile while crossing his arms over his chest.
"Maybe I don't have any kind of super powerful attack." Mizumi reasoned.
"It was your first trial. Try again." Takeru said calmly, pointing at the scrawny, dry bush.
Such she did. Hour after hour, Mizumi tried to throw an attack at the bush. The monstruous being, even in its last breaths, always managed to evade her attacks. Probably he would have done if she had ever thrown any. By the time lunchtime was beggining to vanish into the afternoon, Takeru was laying under a tree, his back leaned against the bark, his arms under his head like a pillow, and the white fisherman hat situated over his eyes.
"Listen, I appreciate your obstinence, but I think it's enough for today." Takeru commented drowsily.
"I'm sure I can manage it!" Mizumi said very seriously.
"I'm sure you can, but not today." Takeru said very gently, standing up and placing a hand up Mizumi's shoulder, "Lets go home."
Mizumi stared at Takeru and thought about his words for brief moments. Finally, she nodded. After all, her arm was hurting, her hand was feeling hot, and she, herself, was feeling exhausted. This was harder than she thought.
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Mizumi let her bag on the first corner at the hall. The sports showed were thrown somewhere else, in chaotic order. The woman sighed with relief as she was home, the sensation of warmth and security was always soothing. Mizumi went to the kitchen and took a coke from the fridge, then retreated to the living room, where she found her brother sitting on the sofa, reading a book.
"Hello, Onii-chan. What happened with that job?" Mizumi inquired cassually, she was feeling more animated than last night.
"Fine. The boss was rather glad with my work, and he wants to see me at his office tomorrow, for the first tutorial." Kenji said brightly, placing the book aside.
"I'm so happy for you. If the work and the payment is good, you might get that flat!" Mizumi commented with brightness, beaming at her brother.
"Yeah, although it is not a well known company. Something like DOE." Kenji commented glancing at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"Odd, I've never heard of it, but the name sounds familiar." Mizumi said absently, taking a zip from her coke, "Whatever! All computer companies sound the same." She finished shrugging.
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"Look, Takeru-sempai, we have been working on this for more than a month, already, and nothing!" Mizumi said frustrated, glancing at her hands with anger, "I think I, simply, don't have any power at all." She said almost deceived.
"Maybe you are right." Takeru commented, standing before her and staring at the woman with an observant gaze that got her nervous.
"Then why are you making me loose my time?" Mizumi spat angrily, clenching her fists.
"What I don't know is how you are going to deffend yourself." Takeru commented thoughtfully, his eyes glancing at the cloudy sky.
"I can deffend myself without stupid powers!" Mizumi growled angrily.
"Really? Prove it!" Takeru commented drawing a mischievous smile on his lips.
"Of course I will!" Mizumi hissed gritting her teeth with frustration and anger.
AN: Here comes the next chappie. This is getting more interesting, isn't it? I'm liking the way it's turning out, really, I think this story has potential. I believe nothing like this was written before. I like doing things nobody has ever done. Well, please review and tell me what you think.