Chapter 16. reforged
Blitzø gave Loona a cup of water. "Here sweety."
"Thanks," Loona said weakly, taking the cup, a bit of her eyeliner running down.
"You ok?"
"No…" she took a sip of her water.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's my fault he's mad at me."
"What happened anyway?"
"...Jack asked me what happened yesterday and I told him about what I saw at the house. He told him that he wished Poch would move on from it or atleast talk to him about Celis, it's not like he didn't know. That's when my dumbass thought that he knew Poch killed...he got surprised...I got flabbergasted...then he went to see Poch...that's when I knew I fucked up…"
"Oh sweety it wasn't your fault," Blitzø hugged her.
She pushed him away. "Yes it was! If I had just thought for a second and maybe asked what he meant then I wouldn't have let it slip!" She barked. she spam,ed her fist down on the table. "But I'm such a colossal dumbass that I don't even think about what I promised him! And it was just last night...some friend I am...no...I'm not his friend anymore…" Loona teared up.
"Oh, Loony I'm sure he didn't mean that! He's just a little mad!"
"A little!?"
"Give him some time, I'm sure he'll want to talk to you again! You two connected so well!"
"...I hope so."
Poch was finishing up filling the holes. He was frowning and grumbling, still a bit mad. The elevator door opened and out came Shelly, Solis, Dundy, and Jack. They all approached him.
"Poch," Jack spoke, "we need to talk."
Poch sighed. "...it's about Celis, isn't it?"
"...yeah."
"..." Poch turned to face them, not looking any of them in the eye, leaning back on the wall. "Go ahead...do your worst."
"..." Shelly walked up to Poch and hugged him. "Don't be a dumbass."
Poch was confused. "Why are you hugging me...you know I killed him, right?"
Solis got beside him, pulling up a chair that was nearby. "I don't know the whole gist of it but I'm willing to guess you weren't you at that moment."
"...does it matter? I'm still the one who cut his neck."
"But you weren't in control," Jack reminded him.
"It's still my fault he was there. I pushed him away and it's what led him to go there and-"
"You have to stop blaming yourself for it Poch," Dundy spoke up, "we all spent more than two years with you, helping you detox and making sure you didn't...yknow… we know quite well what you went through wasn't entirely your choice. It was Crane's fault and we all know it."
"But I-"
"No buts!" Shelly shushed him. "We don't hate you, nor do we blame you, and that's final. So can you atleast try not to put it all on yourself."
"If not for you, then for us." Jack smiled.
"...I can only promise to try." Poch sighed in defeat.
"Thanks." Jack hugged him along with the others.
"So…" Solis spoke after a good ten seconds, "were you ever gonna tell us?"
"...at some point yeah...but thanks to a certain someone it's a lot sooner," Poch said.
"Well...maybe this is a happy accident...like ripping off a bandaid but someone else helped ya."
"It wasn't their business to rip off, especially after they promised not to."
"Still though, you really gonna be ok with not talking to her ever again?" Jack asked.
"I guess." Poch took an annoyed breath. "It was something really important, something I didn't even want her to know, and...it feels like she betrayed me...betrayed my trust….I wasn't ready to tell anyone it and she just found out through some stupid amusement ride set up….you guys didnt even know and I've known y'all for longer."
"...I knew." Dundy admitted.
Everyone looked at him with shock. "You knew!?"
"It was how the daggers were placed when we first found you and...the cut on his neck was familiar...I didn't tell anyone because it wasn't my place to tell."
"I was too focused on calming Poch down to notice...wow Dund..way to be a detective," Jack complimented.
"Hm. Well with me already knowing...that kinda softens the bl-"
"I'm still not talking to her," Poch said flatly.
"I guess that was wishful thinking, but the Cleansing is tomorrow and we won't know who we'll face. Will you be able to fight undistracted?"
"...I'll be fine. I did fine when I barely knew her so I'll be ok."
"I'm not convinced...but alright."
"Thanks." Poch picked up the arrows. "I'm gonna go give this Blitzø." He left for the elevator.
"Should one of us talk to Loona?" Shelly asked.
"Maybe? I honestly don't know," Jack admitted.
Poch walked into Blitzø's office. "I'm nearly done with the holes but I thought I'd return these," he set them down on his desk.
"Thanks! I'll be sure to give them to Mox," Blitzø said.
"Oh, in that case, I can do it."
"No no that's fine...um...you think you could…"
"I'm not talking to her if that's what you're gonna ask."
"Oh cmon, she's really hurting! You don't like seeing her in pain do ya!?"
"...she should've thought about that before she opened her mouth." He turned to leave and as soon as he opened the door he saw Loona in front of him.
"Uh...hey," She waved, "l-listen about th-"
Poch stepped back, cut a gate in front of him that led to behind her and walked though it,not even looking back. "I'll be on the roof, Blitzø."
Loona looked dejected and lowered her eyes to the ground.
"Oh sweety, I'll go talk to him," Blitzø offered.
"Dont...dont bother….can I take the day off?" Loona asked.
"...Sure."
"Thanks." She walked off, holding back her sadness.
Millie and Moxxie watched it all from a nearby room.
"Ouch, that had to hurt," Moxxie commented.
"It always does when you fuck it up with someone you care about, especially your first freind," Millie said.
"How long till they make up ya think?"
"They'll make up tomorrow if Loona does one thing right."
"Think she will?"
"Maybe if someone tells her." Millie walked into Blitzøs office. "Boss, I got an afterwork favor to ask."
Afterwork at Blitzø's home.
The door to Loona's room opened and Blitzø's head peaked in. "Loona?" He saw her adopted daughter hugging a plushie, sniffling and sobbing with her back turned to him and her phone laying behind him. It hurt his heart. He was about to walk in but was stopped.
"...Blitzø...leave me alone." She said to him.
"I can't do that sweetheart."
She heard footsteps come closer. "...why does this hurt so much...I know it's my fault but that doesn't make this hurt any less… just makes it worse...the way he looked at me...the way he yelled at me...it just...I hated it!...and I can't do shit about it because I caused it!"
Her phone was picked up. On the screen it was an instagram chat with her desperately trying to reach the other person only to be left on read and eventually blocked.
"He blocked me….I tried to reach out to him and he blocked me….I messed up the best thing I ever had...a real good friend…" she felt someone sit down behind her. "...I don't know what to do anymore…"
"Well that's not gonna help you get him back," Millie said.
Loona swerved around and saw her sitting behind her. "Millie!?"
"You just gonna cry there all day? God, I've never seen you this pathetic before."
She wiped her tears away. "Sh-shut up!"
"I mean c'mon, what's your plan here? Are you even trying?" She asked while scrolling through their messages. "Wow, you two talked a lot."
"Give me that!" Loona swiped her phone back. "Don't you think I'm trying!? I've been begging for him to let me talk to him, to just let me explain but...he won't let me...and I don't blame him."
"You've been trying to talk to him?"
"Yes!"
"Only talk?"
"Yes!"
"Just...talk?"
"What the fuck else am I supposed to do!?"
"Have you tried apologizing?"
"...oh...w-well how am I supposed to do that if I cant talk to him?"
"He only blocked you on Instagram, not in real life."
"He doesn't even want me to be near him."
"Who said you had to speak to him?"
"Huh?"
"He just needs to hear you Loona," she hopped off the bed, "figure out how to do that and what to say on your own. Good luck!" She skipped away.
Loona sat there pondering her words and planned out her next move.
Next day
Poch gated to the front desk area.
"Hey," Loona greeted, sitting at the desk.
Poch didn't respond and walked to the sitting area on the other side of the room.
Loona expected as much. She took a breath. "So...I started part four of Jojo...Josuke seems like a pushover till you make fun of his hair, which is kinda underwhelming."
"..." Poch was typing on his phone, not paying her any attention.
"..ahem...Ko..iki? Was it? I'm curious on how he'll fit in this story especially since he's apparently narrating in the beginning."
"..."
"...it was cool seeing jotaro again but I feel like he's a little nerfed."
"..."
"..." Loona sighed. "Poch...I-"
Jack came out of the meeting room. "Oh, hey Poch! We're meeting up, let's go! You too Loona!"
"Right." She and Poch got up and headed to the break room, Poch not even glancing her way when they bumped into each other. They sat next to each other but Poch kept his distance. Millie, Moxxie, and Blitzø were there with Millie softly shaking her head at them, especially Loona.
"Ok! Cleansings coming up in like half an hour! Shelly, Dundy, and Solis are already on their way to the roof! However this meeting is about a new concoction boss thought up if we happen to face a boss! Take it away Boss!"
"So here's the idea! Landmines!" Blitzø said.
"Land mines?" Moxxie looked at him confused
"Yeah! We set them near the boss angel and when it steps on them, BOOM!"
"Sir, how would we make sure the mines are only stepped on by the boss? We don't know where it'll land or even if it'll appear, and we don't have time to set them."
"Jack's got that covered Mox! He's gonna use Dust to place them around the boss when he shows up!"
"So you want him to carry the mines?"
"Of course!"
"Sir, that's dangerous!"
"He'll be fine, it'll be in his jacket!"
"That's my point! He could fall back and all the sudden he could be-"
Loona slammed her hands on the table. "I'm sorry!" Everyone, but Poch, looked at her. "I made a promise and I stupidly broke it! I told you I would tell anyone, yet I did, and," she looked at Poch, "I regret it! It was the biggest mistake of my life! Not just cause I broke a promise, not just cause I'm a dumbass, but because I messed up the best thing I ever had...a friend like you." She teared up. "I don't care if you never forgive me...I don't care if you call me an idiot...I just want to talk to you again...I want to be...friends...again….so please...talk to me."
"...Koichi," Poch said.
"Huh?"
"It's koichi...not koiki...ya dingus," Poch made a small smile at her.
"...heh..hehe...hehehehe!" Loona started laughing.
Poch started to laugh with her. "Hehehehehe-hahahaha!"
The others watched them and couldn't help but smile at them. Moxxie opened his mouth, about Blitzø and Jack shut him up. "Don't ruin this!" They whispered.
Poch slowed his laughter, got up, and gave Loona a hug, which she readily gave back.
"...I'm so sorry i-" Loona started.
Poch shushed her with a finger on her lips. "I accept it. It's only been a day...but I'm glad to speak to you again."
"So am I."
"Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!" Jack and Millie were chanting.
Poch and Loona remembered they weren't alone and quickly separated, blushing.
"So close!" Jack said.
"Shut up!" They barked at him.
"Yeah yeah, ready to go Poch?"
"Wait, weren't we talking about mines?" Poch questioned.
"Oh yeah, that's gonna be for later. We just wanted to give you two a reason to be here and hopefully put on some pressure. It worked."
"...I hate you sometimes."
"Well...it wasn't too bad," Loona said.
"Heh. I guess."
"Alright, let's get going!" Jack said, heading out.
"Yeah I'm coming."
"Poch?" Loona called out.
"Yeah?"
"Good luck."
"Thanks...after this...let's chat at my place."
"Sounds great."
Poch left and Blitzø hugged Loona. "I'm so glad you're back together!...this mean you'll be staying over his place again?"
"It was one night," Loona rolled her eyes and smiled.
Poch came out of the elevator with Jack. He was putting on his leg brace.
"Sorry for the wait guys. I'm ready to roll!" Poch announced.
"Someones in a good mood," Solis commented.
"He and Loona made up," Jack told them.
"Oh, that was quick."
"It's because they got the power of tight bonds!" Shelly commented.
"Sounds like bdsm?" Dundy joked.
"Oh good, I wasn't the only one," Jack said.
"I guess I should've chosen my words better," Shelly admitted.
Jack leaned in to Shelly and Solis. "They almost kissed too."
"Oooh!"
Poch kicked a ether dagger at Jack, the blade nearly grazing his nose. "Whoa! Watch it dude!"
"Oops. My foot slipped due to bullshit," Poch told him, irritated, putting his foot down. "Anyways, how about we do the same team up as last time?"
"Who's gonna be with me first?" Shelly asked.
"Think they're discussing that now," Jack said. His phone dinged. He checked it. "Oh, Millie's going first. She's on her way."
"Sweet!" Solis turned to Dundy, "I'm in your care Dundy!"
"Take care of him, Dundy!" Shelly told him.
"I feel like some uncle," Dundy noted.
"Uncle Dundy, did you bring snacks?" Jack said in a toddler voice. Everyone laughed while Dundy groaned but smiled.
"I walked into that one." Dundy knelt down. "Let's get into position, Solis."
Solis hopped on Dundy's back. "Piggy back ride!
"Oh god." Dudny jumped to the nearest roof.
Millie came out of the elevator. "Assistant exterminator Millie, reporting for duty!" She saluted.
"Jack, why'd you make that title?" Poch asked, opening a gate.
"Why you think it was me?" Jack questioned with mock offence.
The two jumped to the ground and the sirens went off. The Cleansing began.
Jack pulled his bladed GB holders out of a large axe wielding Angel's head while shadow Blitzø cut a serpentine angel in half, adding it to the pile of six others. He recalled Dust and recalled his scythe blades. He looked up at the clock and the nearby ceilings, seeing mo angles gathering. "About eight minutes left, no gathering of Angels, think that means no boss, Poch."
Poch kicked his foot at an incoming angel, buckshots three knives into its face. "Yeah. Looks to be a regular old cleansing."
"Starting to die down too," He said while decapitating two katana wielding Angel's and impaling a third one.
"Seems so...hey...I know you guys said you don't hate me but...aren't you mad that I didn't tell you?"
"Well...yeah at first, but….then I put myself in your shoes...put myself to what you went through...then all I...all we felt was pity."
"Ok...I was just curious."
"Does it feel weird? Our reaction not being what you expected?"
"...yeah...a little."
"It's ok dude. You really forget how good your friends are, don't ya?"
"Guess I do...sorry."
"Don't mention it. Just tell me how your night with Loona goes."
"You will not let that go, will you?"
"I got a bet, remember."
"Who bet on no confession?"
"The guy named impossible."
"Ugh, You're a bitch."
"Your friendly bitch." Jack smiled.
Solis shot a charge shot at bee bot angel, disorienting it, letting Dundy finish it off with a punch through its chest. He shook it off his arm. The gates had just closed and the timer was gone. Instead of a new countdown, the prompt instead said "relocating…"
"Relocating?" Solis curiously asked.
"Octavia tells me it says that when the Cleansing will take place in a new area. We will most likely find out by tomorrow," Dundy told him.
"She say how often that happens? Does it also say in other rings where it's happening like it does in other areas of other rings?"
"Yes. Had to be careful with that question, had to make it seem like I've always lived in the pride ring."
"Well I have since the Cleansing started, but I've been in areas where it was kinda rare so I didn't know much or pay much attention."
"Shelly helped with that."
"Maybe. Let's go meet up with the others." Solis got on Dundy's back.
Dundy nodded and summoned asura to make climbing up to the top easier.
"There's Solis and uncle Dundy," Jack said when Dundy arrived.
"That's not gonna be a thing," Dundy said.
"Guys, the relocating me-" Solis started.
"I already told them," Moxxie said.
"Oh, thanks Mox."
"Welcome, Sol," Moxxie smiled.
"I guess we'll wait tomorrow to see the new area," Shelly noted.
"Ok, but first...who's on collecting duty?" Poch asked.
"Everyone but you, cause you got someone to meet up at your place, mister!" Moxxie told him with a smirk.
"Oh snap! Moxxie's got you there Pochy!" Solis said, surprised by Moxxie's boldness."
"Alright alright...but first...who else is in on this confession bet?"
Everyone raised their hand.
"You can't be serious, even you Dundy?"
"I voted for you on the second part," Moxxie told him.
"Second part!?"
"Moxxie, he wasn't supposed to know that!" Jack scolded.
"What's this second part!"
"Uhhh, oh hey look at the time!" Jack ran off the building summing dust to form wings. "Gotta collect, bye!"
"He could use some help, c'mon babe!" Shelly grabbed Solis's arm and dashed off to the elevator.
"Wait, I'll help too!" Moxxie yelled, joining them.
"I...have a meeting with...someone," Dundy hopped away.
"All of my hate!" Poch cried out.
Loona knocked on Poch's front door. He came by and opened it.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Hey. Come in," He told her, closing the door behind her as she walked in. They both moved to the couch.
"So uh...I know I've already said this but...I'm really sorry."
"Loona, I already accepted your apology."
"I know but...I feel like I didn't apologize enough."
"You did, trust me….but honestly...I think the main reason I was so angry at you...wasn't just cause you told them."
"What do you mean?"
"...weve known each other for more than a month and I've known the others for years...yet I told you first about it...when you said that Jack was a friend, that he deserved to know...it hurt cause you were right...I was afraid theyd hate me for it...especially for keeping it from them….when they told me they didn't hate me, just felt...sad for me...I felt so...stupid...I've held onto that secret for years thinking the freinds that stuck with me for so long, through so much shit, would just turn their backs on me...I guess that's the real reason I was so made...petty huh?"
"No, it's not petty, it makes sense. Poch, as long as I've known you, as much as I've learned about you, I can easily say, you've had a rough moment in your life. I don't know all of it, or what led to it, but...I wanna know and when I do...I wont judge you, not at all."
"Heh, even after all this, you still wanna learn more about me?...aren't you afraid of what you'll learn?"
"...you're too cute to be afraid of."
"Careful, this cuteness bites."
They laughed and smiled at each other.
"...I'm glad you forgave me...only been a day but I missed talking to you," Loona admitted.
"...I haven't quite forgiven you yet," Poch told her.
"What?"
"I said I accepted your apology, not that I forgave you. You still broke a promise."
"W-well what do I-"
"One secret."
"Huh?"
"One secret. One thing you've never told anyone else. I wanna know it. It can even be something minor, but not super minor. Only then will you be forgiven."
"...one secret?"
"One secret."
"..." Loona thought for a moment. "...on the bottom of my right buttcheek...I have... a heart shaped birthmark." She blushed.
"Really?"
"Yeah...I was checking myself out one day after a shower and I just...noticed it there...not even Blitzø knows."
"...show me." Poch smirked.
"What!?"
"Show me, I wanna see it."
"..." Loona turned redder.
"..snrk, relax I'm j-"
She got up and walked over to him. She took a deep breath, turned around and pulled her pants down, revealing her black panties. She then pulled up the right side of them, exposing her right buttcheek and pointed to a small heart shaped birthmark that was there. "It's right there." She said, pushing her butt closer to him so he could see.
Poch turned red. "Y-yep, that's a heart shaped birthmark...nearly perfect." In his shock he reached out and pressed his finger on it.
"Eep!" Loona jumped.
"S-sorry!"
"Its-...it's fine."
"Wh-when did you first notice this?"
"A few weeks after my nineteenth birthday. I was checking myself out, seeing how much I've grown and...there it was."
"Seems like you grew quite a bit." Poch whispered a little.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing! Uh...you can...pull your pants up now."
She realised she'd been practically mooning him for five minutes. "R-right!" She yanked her pants back up and quickly sat back down, red as a pepper. "Guess that means I'm forgiven now."
"Oh yeah definitely, by a bootyful- I mean bountiful amount."
"Haha...cool."
They sat in silence for a few moments before Poch broke the ice. "So uh...how many episodes of part four did you watch?"
"Just the first episode."
"Well...wanna keep watching with me?"
"I'd like that." She smiled.
Poch grabbed the remote and started up his tv, pulling up netflix, going back to his usual routine with her.
End.
Next chapter. Moving plans.
