DISCLAIMER: Again, I do NOT own Air Gear.
If I have wings, I'd trade it to own it though
2. Too Good
Thirty or more stormriders were below them. As they heard Simca's announcement, they all roared in delight. He feels like he is being sacrifice or something. He looked at Simca.
"What the hell?" he asked, his voice panicky.
"Fight them," she said simply. She settled into a position where she could calmly watch. "This is a part's war."
"Huh?" his mind momentarily going blank, so this date was a…trap? He knew it. He gritted his teeth, trust this girl to make him fight for her. If Ikki was dumb enough to fall for this kind of trick, well, he was different.
"I'm going home," he said, putting his hand in his pockets. "I have no business here." He turned to leave.
Simca hopped off her position at the same time that someone from below spoke. "You can't leave kid, we've waited for you," It was approved by yells of encouragement.
"Look I've got nothing to do with thi—hey! Hey!" Kazu was interrupted when four thugs suddenly surrounded them. Two came from his sides while two came behind Simca. They immediately caught her wrist, confining her. The other two block him from getting to her. "Let go of her! Let go of her!"
"Now will you fight us kid?" the voice asked again. The owner emerged from the tide of thugs below. He was huge. "Or we'll keep the girl."
"Hey, this wasn't part of the plan," Simca shrieked at the stormriders. She struggled to free her arms but they held tight. She jumped in her position for leverage before jumping up to strike her AT on one of her captor's chin. The guy let out a grunt of pain but held on.
The thugs from below seem to be amused by the show of struggle. "You can run away but we'll keep your girlfriend," he said.
Kazu wanted to correct him but he thought that any explanation would be wasted on these bastards. He walked forward, making sure he met with the leader's eyes.
"Okay, what do you want?"
"You want me to WHAT?" his voice rose in near hysteria. There was no way he could pull off the stunt she was asking him. It was impossible.
"You can do it," she said. "You have to."
After he agreed to battle, they immediately let go of Simca, allowing her to explain to him the mechanics of this part's war. It seems like the thugs here were all Class F stormriders and they have widened their territory through winning on Dash. However, their version of Dash was different from the other AT teams.
"So let me get this straight," he said, massaging his temples with his eyes closed. "You want me to race all this guys at the same time, and they could attack me anyway they want, and if one of them gets into the goal, they win. Am I getting this right?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Simca answered. She nodded.
"And why the HELL am I doing this again?" he exploded. He opened his eyes to find himself staring into her gray ones. It was a lost cause. He stood up. "I can't promise you I'll win though,"
Simca's eyes were staring at him again. If Kazu lost the match half of Spitfire's territory would be theirs, plus they'll be able to keep her. "I get it, okay? I won't lose." The blonde stormrider found himself promising, although he doubted if he could keep it. The things this girl makes him say, she was messing with his head. Agito had warned him not to get too involved, dangerous. But as he stood up, he realized.
He was ready to die for her.
The guys around him chuckled at the sight of him. He wasn't skinny but compared to them, he looks like a bamboo pole. Their arms rippled with muscles and veins popping on their legs and thigh. It was pretty gory to him.
He was placed at the front line, the leader allowing him to have an advantage since he looks so wimpy. They were clearly underestimating him. Of course, it didn't help that Simca was biting her lips; it was unmistakable that she was unsure herself. Maybe she made the wrong choice, but he had seemed like the right guy at the time. And he was strongly recommended by both Spitfire and Aeon.
The sound of a coin dropping signaled the start of the match. She heard a collective gasp, and turned to see what has caused it. All her worries dissolved by what she saw. By the speed of his take off, there was no way anyone could catch up to him. Never mind attacking him but chasing after him would be near to impossible. This was going to be a one sided match. This guy called 'stealth' proved true to his name.
She sighed in relief. She hadn't even realized she was holding her breath, all because she was desperately rooting for this guy to win.
Kazu slumped down on the ground. Damn! He was tired. He had given all he had on that run. It was an exhilarating feeling, letting go of yourself completely. It was also very exhausting.
The match itself was over in three minutes, he had covered the whole perimeter within that time, and he thinks that he had just set his newest record. There was a lot of crying and sobbing from the muscled guys after that and the leader promised that he could call on them anytime, they were his brothers. He smiled wearily at that.
"I'm never…going to…go out with you…ever…again," he said between pants. He was grinning at Simca who stood before him.
Simca smiled coyly at him, "We'll see about that." She offered her hand to help him stand up which he accepted. "Let's go,"
"Go? Where?" he asked, hoping it wasn't on another part's war.
She just smiled at him cryptically and said. "I'm giving you your reward."
Kazu was exhausted but the feel of the wind against him kept him awake. It was a cool night. Ahead of him was Simca, again, leading the way, this time to his so-called 'reward.' He wondered what that was, isn't the territory won in the match reward itself?
Simca was going even deeper in the down town. The houses were downright ruined now. And there were trees on the surroundings. They were at the edge of the city.
"We're near," she said before he could ask his question. She had seen his face take on that calculating look.
Kazu looked around them; it was dark, the moon providing the only source of light. The air was cool on his face and as he thought about it, he realized that it was actually romantic, being in this place, at this time of the night.
A flicker of orange light caught his attention, followed by blue, violet and magenta. Before him was the only building in the vicinity, its lighted sign produced a crackled sound as it blinked on and off. Yellow. Green. Pink. The sign read Icha Icha Hotel.
What? Was this his reward? He had heard that Simca had once buried Ikki's face on her chest as a reward, but this just for outrunning thirty or so stormriders? It was too much. He banished the thought from his mind, this is what he gets for hanging out with Onigiri.
Simca smiled as she took in his facial expression. Surprise. Confusion. Realization. Disbelief. She would never grow bored of watching his handsome face. There was another way they could take to get to her favorite place but she always wanted to bring guys here just to gauge their reactions, and his was priceless. He actually blushed when he read the sign, how cute.
"Just a little further," she said, and she saw him sigh in relief. Did that mean that he didn't really want her? Most of the guys groan when she says that. Her lips pouted unconsciously. This was the first time a guy found her undesirable. Or so she thought.
Kazu thought that Simca was deliberately being cute, pouting her lips like that. It was the type he was weak with, pouting lips and big eyes. If he didn't know any better, he would have fallen for her.
"Simca," he called, intending to ask her if they were near. His wristwatch read that it was almost midnight.
Simca's step faltered and she almost lost her balance when she heard him say her name. She felt a tiny twinge in her heart and realized she was happy. She jumped extra high causing her to soar above him. The air felt cool on her face, the night was wonderful. In fact, everything was wonderful.
She was inlove.
The view that greeted them was amazing. The buildings gave way to a clearing. They were at the woods now. There was a large lake in the middle of the clearing, the moon and stars reflected on the still water. There were fireflies flying at the edge and when they touch the water, they disturb its stillness causing it to shimmer.
"Beautiful…" he breathed. Simca liked the way he said the word. She was glad she brought him here.
"I'm glad you like it," she said, her hands cupping his cheek. She tilted his face so he could face her. She briefly brushed her lips on his, before releasing his face. "There's your reward."
Kazu looked slightly disoriented before regaining his composure. She was just too good! She was not only beautiful, skilled and cunning, she was a goddamn tease. . She had been baiting him all night, and he was tired both in mind and body to be playing games.
His arm circled around her waist. "I think I deserve more than that," he growled at her ear. His breath tickled her. She smiled as his lips hungrily seize hers. Their bodies intertwined, they both went down the ground.
Simca could hear Kazu breathing softly behind her. They were lying down side by side in the grass, their clothes strewn everywhere. She knew that Kazu was awake but his face remained buried on her hair, inhaling the scent of her. She closed her eyes, only to open it again when he spoke.
"After we lost that first match without Ikki, I felt like I didn't want to battle anymore, like I could never catch up with him, no matter how hard I try… "
"I used to chase a lot after Crow too, it may seem that I was just using him, but I really did fall in love with Crow…" Kazu was surprised when she whispered her next words softly. "and I really fell in love with you too…"
"I'm not like him…"
"I know you're not," she turned so that they were face to face. "But I like you just the same." Simca looked down when she said this, and Kazu realized that she was embarrassed by this direct confession of her feelings.
He smiled, it seems like Simca despite her playful and self-assured personality, has a shy side. He rather liked that. He hugged her closer, her face in his chest. Dangerous, Agito said, but he was willing to take the risk.
Simca closed her eyes, and this time drifted off to sleep, content to be in the oasis of her lover's arms. Somewhere far ahead, a swallow flew.
Simca opened her eyes at the crack of dawn. Although it was still early, she could hear the birds cawing far ahead. She looked at her lover's face, an inch away from her own. She smiled as she remembered the delicious night they had shared together. His touch, the low voice he whispers in, the way he said her name, over and over again.
She wonders what will happen now, Kazu has dreams of his own, to be able to catch up to Crow. And that used to be her dream too. But now it was different, his dream was hers, because she knew how it feels to pursue something.
Her fingers traced the line of his jaw. And she was surprised when his face moved closer to close the gap between them. "Been thinking much?" he asked when their lips parted. He nipped playfully at her shoulder blade.
Simca shook her head and smiled.
"I was just thinking of chasing after you…"
For once the Kogarasumaru was complete. Ikki had finally recovered from the ultra super Rika version German suplex, she gave him when she found out that Ikki made Ringo wait for ten minutes outside the cinema. There was still a bandage wrapped around in his head, though. He only suffered from a mild concussion.
"Konnichiwa!" Simca greeted them as she entered the classroom they were using as their meeting place. Everyone looked up from what they were doing. Onigiri and Buccha glanced at each other knowingly, and Agito fought hard to suppress a sigh. Ringo harrumphed beside her boyfriend, while Ikki's eyes lit up.
"Simca-chan, did you perhaps come to visit…? me…?" his voice came out as a squeak from the shock when the Swallow walked passed him without a glance, heading straight to Kazu's arms.
"Sorry Crow," she said sweetly. "I'm just here to ask Kazu something." She sat down on his lap, looking at his eyes.
"Would you go out on a date with me?"
