AN: So we are half way through this small story and in this chapter the action starts to pick up. Any advice or questions are welcome, please be polite in your review. Enjoy!
~WBR
BetaRead: - 02/09/12
Awakening: Part 4 – Potentially Mad…
How she ended up surrounded by so many people in such a state she'd never know. None noticed her, curled up on a raised wall overlooking the street outside Paulownia Mall. Her green painted nails dug into her jeans, nipping at the flesh beneath. She'd gritted her teeth hard to force away the tears, but her eyes were still puffy and bloodshot. A weak hand had attempted to tame her hair, but Tomoko had resigned to tugging up her hood.
A small wry grin lifted her lips up at one corner, her dim eyes vacant beneath her specs. Hordes of teenagers swelled around the shops like waves, endlessly in and out of their doors with overflowing bags in hand. So many faces, so many strangers she'd never meet. It helped her to watch, to absently stare, pretending to be one of those Apathy victims. She was left alone, even by the guards of the shopping centre.
It helped to organise her jumbled thoughts, the whirlwind of emotion that had exploded in that sitting room earlier in the day. Tanaka's shaky words still lingered, her need to unload the last two years of guilt and pain, seeking some kind of peace from her demons. The brunette's fingers tightened their hold on the denim, her eyes hardening – but why, why unload it all onto her at once?
"Selfish much?" the voice startled her from her brooding, causing the teen to lurch forward from her seat against the smooth, white wall behind her. On hands and knees her gaze darted about rapidly, chest heaving as she slowly came to recognise the owner of the eerie voice.
"You've been busy trying to kill yourself, and attempting to drown me in self-pity. Oh, the joys!" Tomoko swallowed heavily, slowly getting to her feet. Her body swayed a bit, eyes unfocused as she adjusted her specs and blew a strand of flyaway hair from her vision. Brows locked in a deadly glower as a bout of cackling resounded round her mind; she jumped down from the platform.
Pinching the bridge of her nose as the beginning twinges of a headache come over her, the brunette ducked in and out of the crowds. This was not the best place to be seen 'chatting' with her inner self – as she had dubbed the new voice. Not that the whole voice thing was a recent development, she had dealings with these sorts of things since…since the split. But she'd been to counselling since then, and they'd so far diminished to background noise…unless she had one of her outbursts.
"No amount of psychological crap is going to get rid of me kid" those painfully bright, glowing eyes flashed within her mind, smirking at her with razor sharp canines. A heavy sigh sounded, her chest palpating painfully in her chest. Growling she forced her way through the remainder of the crowd, seeing a nearby greenbelt. She gained a few irritated calls from displaced pedestrians, and didn't notice the set of surprised ruby eyes that landed on her through the throng of the crowd.
"What the hell are you then?" she hissed, green eyes glancing around agitatedly, turning as she walked to scrutinise her surroundings. Only a few people, far enough away from her so she wouldn't cause a scene. Her cheeks were flushed, her head splitting from…whatever it was bounding about in her head.
Too hot, she was over heating...the brunette tugged irritably at her hoody, all but ripping it up over her head. Brown scraggly hair caught on the fabric but was torn away as she tossed it down onto the grass. Her dark t-shirt attracted the sunlight almost instantly, and she had the incontrollable urge to scratch it off her skin as well. Her cheeks darkened, "Not a bloody chance!"
"Awwh…and here I thought I was going to get a decent show!" her eyes widened in disbelief and disgust. She started to pace, a shaking hand delving into her tangled hair. It snagged, but the relentless almost feverish fingers forced it to sag and snap. Her red bobble was dragged out and wrapped tight around her wrist.
A spiralling sigh came from within the recesses of her mind, a flurry of pain blossoming across her vision, "I'd hoped you'd go looking for those seniors we met the other night, not dig up the irrelevant past"
Eyes flashed as she whirled round, grinding her teeth and hissing through them, "You have some cheek to bring that u-…wait…w-what the hell do those weirdoes have to do with you?"
"Heh. They've gotten 'weirdo' status now? And you were all riled up to go track them down last night" she could practically hear the smirk widening as their odd conversation continued.
"You just so happened to re-appear in my head last night. That kinda put a spanner in the works!" the brunette's voice was starting to rise in volume, her eyes glazing over and took on an unhealthy gleam. She was completely oblivious to the stunned redhead who stood out visibly only hundred yards from her.
"You ever stopped to think that they might have something to do with my presence?" that got her attention, causing her to still with disbelieving features.
"Every time they've appeared, I wasn't far behind. The first was out beneath the moon. You were unaware of them, but they were there" the voice definitely knew more of what went on that night, but it merely cackled before continuing, "Then again in your abode. They stirred up the emotions there…even after they left, there was enough emotional baggage lingering to wake me"
"Then you mean…?" she squawked, her voice catching in her throat as she staggered back. Her eyes were wide and wild as she took in her surroundings finally.
"Aw, who's a clever cookie. Yes kid, even now"
It was then that Tomoko's green eyes locked with bemused ruby ones…
"Well….this can't get any more awkward…" she grumbled, her eyes narrowing as Kirijo came closer, watching her with intense scrutiny. Tomoko let out a long sigh through her nose before plopping unceremoniously down on the grass, levelling the approaching woman with a hard stare.
"Hakashi-san" Mitsuru's tone was identical to their last meeting, business-like and curt. But she couldn't hide the interest in her eyes, the brunette was not thick. She could tell she was up to something.
"Probably here to snoop…" she thought grumpily.
"It would have been the other way around otherwise, so what you complaining about?" a snort tore from her before she could stop it, her lips curved into a half smirk. Not now, she had to focus on the present, the reality before her.
The voice sneered, a drawl when it spoke, "You just keep telling yourself that sweetheart, and your reality will turn real nasty, real soon"
"I never once told you my name" Tomoko growled. The red head settled on a nearby bench, folding her coat over her crossed legs. She wore beautiful leather boots beneath, and Tomoko swore they were real. Those commanding eyes never left hers regardless of how the brunette tried to tear away from their contact.
"I already know who you are" she said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Tomoko had to hold back her chose selection of profanities. This was going to be a tough conversation. Gripping her knees between her palms, she ignored the dew soaking into her jeans.
"Any reason for stalking me then?" Mitsuru arched an elegant brow, regarding her with a frigid gaze that had her almost shuddering under its intensity. God, that look reminded the brunette of her mother- No, no! She wouldn't give into this until she had some idea of what was going on. This woman was hiding something – something that Tomoko would bet had everything to do with….with that voice.
"I noticed you on the street, it wasn't that hard" the brunette cringed at that, bristling at the distant mocking laughter within her head, "You were injured badly yesterday, I wanted to make sure you'd been seen to"
The impulse to snap at her was immense; Kirijo was having a dig at her brother, she knew it! Grinding her teeth again, nails biting her pant legs she forced herself to remain on track. Keep focused, don't rise to the bait.
"I've been thinking about that. You said it yourself, you were just a passer-by…why all the concern?" she studied that face, but it was pointless – as a glacier, it reflected nothing but cold impassiveness.
"Your head was badly bashed; you could have had a concussion" it wasn't adding up, that cut was clean, deep and Tanaka had said so herself. Only a sharp blade could have caused it. Not the edge of a stone step.
"Come on kid, provoke her…make her mad! Then let me handle the rest" her hand betrayed her, slapping to her plastered head at the sudden spasm of pain. She heard the rustle of movement before she saw her, green against red as Tomoko opened her eyes again.
"This senior, there is something…almost tangible…so familiar its….its driving me…driving me bloody nuts!"
Kirijo was speaking to her, red lips moving in quick succession, but Tomoko was failing to hear it above the buzz in her ears. It seemed like the mad cackling was the only noise she could hear, even over her own heartbeat.
The teen's eyes trailed down, strangely drawn as the red head moved, Kirijo's concern missed as it flashed momentarily in her eyes. She drew closer, hands rest on Tomoko's shoulders as if to shake her into the present. Green eyes bore down her side, her coat flap flung back across her hip…revealing a leather holster attached to her hip…
…and a glinting silver gun…
Her whole body seemed to freeze then, her lips parting in utter disbelief. The urge grew tenfold, tugging excruciatingly at her heart, stealing her breath and thought. The pulsing pain in her head expanding until her whole mind thumped like her thundering heart. Inches from masses of gorgeous red hair, inches from Mitsuru's ear…she broke the bowstring tight silence…
"Why…why do you have a gun?" her fingers twitched within her clenched fist, she wanted it. She wanted, with overwhelming certainty, to draw that gleaming pistol, and she had no idea why. Inside her head, the cackling had reached a screeching pitch, burning her ears. Those slit cat eyes shone intensely, teeth bared so wide she could see her reflection in them.
Wide-eyed, pale faced and blotchy eyed. She was so damn pent-up; all her emotions and conflicting thoughts bubbling, threatening to overflow. And just…just inches away, glistening with temptation, sat the key to her release. The liberation to this…this…
"Madness..." her lips pulled back slowly, teeth bore in a very feral, very dangerous grin that split her face in two. Mitsuru had gone rigid, ever so slowly withdrawing so that she could see the teen's face. The red head soon wished she hadn't, for she came eye to eye with a smirking maniac.
"...that's what I am…" pain overloaded her senses, pushed away reason and spurred her into action. Her hand shot forward with blinding speed that was not all her own. She needed that gun. No, she bloody craved it!
Manicure nails dug into her skin, but got no response. The red head gasped with surprise when the Tomoko's hand shot out and backhanded her across the face. Her balance dissolved and the two tumbling over into a frenzied power struggle.
Kirijo glared - this wasn't the girl who'd shown them to her house last night. Yes, she was there physically, but there was something else behind those eyes. An eerie yellow glint coiled, twisting in the depths of those irises.
Then, she felt it; a pulse so intense that it caused her to flinch in pain. It scolded her mind, whipping across it with violent intent. Mitsuru had sensed this once before, but nowhere near as forceful and intrusive. An image flickered before her mind in remembrance – silver hair, amber eyes and a wistful smile. Yes, once before…
Red eyes widened in shock, her hand gripping the teen's arm and wrenching it away just in time. They were both panting heavily, the brunette still twisting and bending in an attempt to break away. Her attempts were in vain, the elder female's hold was unbreakable…as was her gaze.
The wide eyes trained on Mitsuru's holstered gun, the sudden intense strength, the mind-numbing aura. This was the reason she'd not be able to leave this girl be. Hakashi-san's face constantly plaguing Mitsuru's thoughts, the need to find her leading the Kirijo heir here…to this very spot.
Her hands tightened around the teen's wrists, bringing them together and thrusting them down hard into the ground. Tomoko tumbled down; balance lost, yet managing to roll through it. But it had the desired effect, for when the brunette clambered to her feet, her glazed expression was gone. Her eyes were deep green and full of confusion….and fear. The waves had dispersed, an echo remaining…and echoing that sounded distantly like an eerie cackle to Mitsuru's ears…
"…Madness incarnate"
"K-Kijiro-san?" Tomoko's voice was broken, hoarse and straining to stay audible. Her legs were trembling, and Mitsuru had to lurch forward in order to catch her as she stooped into a faint. Holding her steady, the brunette's head lolled against her shoulder, but ruby eyes took no notice. She sat back on the bench, the teen splayed across her lap. Normally this proximity would have made her extremely uncomfortable…but…
As she looked down at the paled teen, her lips quirked in a weary but pleased smile.
She'd found another…..another with the Potential…
R&R kindly please!