Disclaimer: I don't own sCRYed or any of the characters, so please don't sue me. My lawyer only handles criminal charges - No original characters, either- too much extra work. Of course, more spoilers- don't ask me which episodes.
A/N: Review, review, review:throws parade for reviewers with giant s-CRY-ed floats, exalting said reviewers with cheeky tiaras and sashes:
Chapter 3a- seething
Kazuma is on his guard when the door creaks open, but it is only Kanami who enters his tiny guestroom. He relaxes at the sight of her as she tries to silently shut the door. She knows he is not sleeping- it is just a polite subconscious gesture that serves to further endear her to everyone.
However, when she turns her eyes on him sporting that admonishing look yet again in so many hours, Kazuma can't help but squirm uncomfortably.
"How could you run Mimori out of here like that, Kaza-kun? She's been taking care of you and doesn't deserve to be yelled at."
"I know- I'm sorry. It's just that she reminds me of a hospital and what little I remember of hospitals creeps me out!"
"Kaza-kun, we used to live in a clinic!" Blatant exasperation.
He blushes a furious red, "That's totally different! No one was trying to stick me and sting me and wrap me up like a mummy at our place!" He nervously searches for a new subject, "Hey, where'd you disappear to anyway? You totally ran out on me!"
"I didn't run out on you. I could sense someone was in trouble with my Alter. I was right. Two of Tachibana's friends brought in a man in a HOLY uniform who was really ill. Everyone was really worried."
"Hmph. HOLY. So I guess he's okay now?"
"Thanks to Mimori he's going to be alright. But it was really scary. He looked dead and no one held much hope." Then she decides to share everything about the incident, "And Kazu-kun? I think I knew him… or I knew him because you knew him…" she struggles to make sense of her jumbled thoughts.
"Knew him? Who is he, Kanami?"
"They call him Cougar-"
Kazuma sits bolt upright, interrupting her, "Did you say Cougar?" Kazuma is instantly assaulted with a multitude of mixed emotions as he ponders the friend and brother from his past. He makes a move to get out of the bed, "I have to go see him."
"No Kazu-kun. I don't think he's awake yet. And besides, you're still hurt. You can't go anywhere." She places a hand on his shoulder that stops him, even though there is little force behind it. Still, he continues to argue.
"I'm fine, Kanami, honest. But I really need to check on him."
"How about I check on him for you? I promise I'll tell you everything."
Kazuma begins to protest but recognizes the stern yet pleading look she gives him. And no matter what, he just can't seem to let himself disappoint those big expectant eyes. "Alright, but when he wakes up I wanna see him."
She agrees to the compromise by brushing a soft kiss on his cheek, next to one of his bandages. She then smiles and leaves the room, silently shutting the door behind her.
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The dull ache in the back of Mimori's neck sharpens, waking her. As she attempts to raise an arm to inspect the painful area she finds that some unforeseen force is weighing down her hands. As she straightens in the chair she realizes that the weight is her own head.
She had not meant to fall asleep propped on Ryuho's bed that way, but the day's events had caught up with her all too soon. Now, all desire to converse with the bandaged Alter user is rapidly dissipating post-slumber and she contemplates making a getaway. That's when she notices that Ryuho is not only awake but watching her with the most impassive of stares. She smiles up at him, hoping to solicit one in return. When she doesn't receive one she pushes on with her plan anyway.
"I, uh, I need to talk to you."
"Everything has already been said. I thank you for seeing to my wounds. However, that changes nothing." Icicles hang from his words.
A flash of pain crosses Mimori's face. Even expecting this type of response, receiving it still cuts through her regardless of any defenses she may attempt to erect. "I disagree. There's something I need to say- something you need to know regardless of what happens from here."
"Nothing happens from here. We've already discussed this." He gives her no ground on which to stand. However, she will not be deterred. Time for the direct approach…
"I know you are haunted by the fall of HOLY and the deaths of your family and friends. You blame yourself, but it's not your fault."
He goes to interrupt but she talks right over his attempt, "I'm sorry. I have to apologize because if anyone is to blame it is me," she braces herself for the next admission, "because I did follow you to HOLY. There were other reasons but that was the main one- to see you again. Then, when I saw what was happening with the Native Alters I tried to do what I thought was right- for the people of the Lost Ground, for you. But I didn't fully understand the consequences my actions would have on others- would have on you and the people you cared about."
Even as she says this she cannot look him in the eye. She is horrified at her vulnerability right now but knows it is necessary. She also knows from past experience that naming the 'family and friends' to which she refers would be an unforgivable transgression. As the silence falls behind her words, Mimori wonders what she expected to happen next.
Ryuho does not expect this admission from her, though his face does not betray this. He refuses to let her continue with this train of thought, knowing full well she could take this opportunity to sidestep his intentions for her. "You're wrong. This has nothing to do with you. You are being naïve in assuming any responsibility. I don't know where you got this idea, but the past and future of the Lost Ground have nothing to do with you. Therefore you should return to the Mainland."
"Return to the Mainland?" Her voice still betrays surprise, even in the midst of such a familiar command.
"The Lost Ground is no place for a princess- it is dangerous and still lawless in many areas. It is not your home. You should leave." His cool, even tone belies the fury she has sparked within him.
Mimori can feel her pain being replaced by a warming anger, and cannot hide the sarcasm that invades her words. "Yes, because I'm definitely living like a princess, aren't I? Ever since HOLY fell I've been here- not on the Mainland, not even in the City, but HERE! This is my home now. My friends are here and my cause is here. I have been making a difference to these people- that's why I went to scho-"
"No, you went to school and then came to the island to find me- you just said so. Well, I don't want you here and you have to know by now that you don't belong here. There's no reason to stay. Go back to your parents."
Ryuho's chilly demeanor and cutting words affect an entire loss of control of Mimori's emotions and she begins lashing out. "Now who's being self important? My world doesn't revolve around you! Yes, maybe I came to the Lost Ground to find you, but you aren't the reason I stayed! I'm not a masochist or a groupie! If I were then I would have listened to you without question. I wouldn't have gone on the medical trips. I would have left this island a long time ago! God, get over yourself!"
Mimori realizes that this argument has taken a horrible detour from the apology she originally intended. However, her own pride and anger make it impossible for her to stop and change its course. "I came to HOLY with my eyes wide open. I saw what was happening to the people outside the city and the abuse of the captured Alter users. It took a cataclysmic event plus AMNESIA for you to see what I had been trying to tell you all along! I'm the naïve one!"
Ryuho realizes that he would rather be standing over her and intimidating the hell out of her. Sitting in this bed under a fatigue-induced paralysis gives the woman who can pace and rant and point and flail all the advantages. His weakness and the argument it is costing him deepens his anger.
Mimori mercilessly continues her tirade, casting aside her typical social graces. "Then you parade around with your new cause like you figured out what HOLY was doing all by yourself. Like you were the only one with a righteous cause! Do you know what Tachibana has been doing all this time? What I've been doing? While you've been tearing apart the armies of the Mainland we've been helping people survive!"
She is so angry that tears involuntarily sting at her eyes and spill over her cheeks before she can stall them. Ryuho senses this vulnerability and changes his tactics, pouncing with all the grace and hunger of a leopard.
"Look at you, you're falling apart. You really think you can help these people? If you can't hold up in front of me then how can you expect to hold up in front of the Mainland?"
"The difference between you and the Mainland is that the Mainland has some respect for me!"
"The Mainland will manipulate you the first chance they get. You don't know them!"
"Make up your mind! Either I'm a Mainlander or not! According to you I'm nothing at all!"
Twin dams holding back two equally powerful torrents of rage suddenly break, flooding the tiny bedroom with overflowing emotion. White hot anger swirls and churns around them- crashing off the ceiling, floor and walls. The room is filling with fury, threatening to push the furniture to the corners, to pop the windows out of their sills.
Ryuho does not even realize that Mimori has once again broken through his façade and placed a delicate finger on his raw emotional core. His cool control falls away like chipping armor and he is about to blindly lash out and throw everything back at her when Elian opens the door and interrupts.
"Ms. Mimori, I'm sorry to disturb you, but you wanted to be summoned when Cougar regained consciousness."
The standoff continues between their eyes, transmitting all the rage of their previous conversation into their glares. Neither wants to be the first to lose eye contact. Mimori finally breaks the stare to turn fully around to face Elian, leaving Ryuho to shoot visual daggers at her back. "Thank you. I'll check on him immediately." With a final murdering glance directed over her shoulder Mimori follows Elian out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Ryuho fights to regain his composure at their exit. By the time the door shuts the only betrayal of his true emotion is the thin line of his pressed lips and the tight set of his jaw.
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When Elian approaches Ryuho's door to fetch Mimori his ears are accosted by the fight raging inside. Indeed, he can feel the fight before he hears it.
He holds back just outside the door out of politeness, but as he waits he can both sense and hear the escalation and knows they won't stop themselves until they have cut each other open and exposed the tender insecurities within.
With a newfound urgency Elian pushes into the room and interrupts just in time- before anyone can say something unforgivable. Seeing the enormous tension rolling off the two of them confirms his skillful insights. The reading he is getting from Ryuho convinces him that he has to get Mimori out of there now and is thankful that he has a legitimate reason to pull her away- one that she will actually heed.
As the door shuts behind them Elian can hear a stream of fluent mental curses on the other side as clearly as if they had been spat from Ryuho's mouth. As he leads her down the hall Elian is silently thankful that Mimori is not an empath. Yes, his timing had been perfect.
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A/N: Writing fights is hard! Sorry this update took so long but like the rest of the Universe I've been distracted by the new Harry Potter. My bad. Next update will be quicker.