"Well, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"Eh!? You're going home already, Mato?" Yuu looked at Rock with surprise. She momentarily paused in her stretching.
The four of them were currently in the gym, as Yomi and Yuu still had their duty as members of the volleyball team and basketball team respectively. Yuu was wearing her standard red jogging uniform while Yomi wore the standard volleyball jersey, both were currently doing their warm ups. Kagari of course, joined them as she had nothing else to do(and probably to watch Yomi), was sitting on one of the benches. Rock was currently free due to her "accident" two days ago.
Yomi frowned as she rose from her sit-up position, "You're not going to watch practice at least?"
"Er- I've got some stuff I need to do at home," Rock said as she turned to leave.
"Well, see you tomorrow then," Yomi called. The rest of them watched as 'Mato' waved her hand before leaving through the gym doors.
...
"Don't you think Mato's being a bit weird lately?" Yomi whispered to Yuu.
"Yeah," Yuu whispered back. "Mato seems out of it sometimes... still must be effected from that incident."
"...probably," Yomi replied. "Still though, she sometimes seem to too quiet and-"
The sound of a loud whistle interrupted them. "Ok ok ladies, that's enough talking, back to your warm ups."
"Y-yes ma'am," Yuu stammered and started stretching again.
Though Yomi also went back to her previous position and resumed her sit ups, her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Mato.
She seems a bit too cold sometimes...
Yomi wasn't well versed with medical ailments and conditions, but she doubted fainting and a few dreams to make someone different, especially someone like Mato.
It's like she's hiding something, but what is it and why wont Mato tell us?
Later at night, around 8 pm
Rock walked up the last steps and arrived at the meeting spot, which was Mato's favorite viewing spot. The area did have a great view of the neighborhood but otherwise nothing much that interested Rock right now. There were two benches with one of them being occupied by someone. Though the lamps weren't able to show the person, Rock could already guess- no, knew that it was Black Gold Saw. Or Saya Irino, the vessel she was currently in.
As Rock began walking towards her, the girl stood up and stepped into the light, giving Rock a better view of her profile. She was wearing a long sleeved black jacket opened to reveal a red shirt underneath, and she was wearing black shorts. Now she looked a bit more like her old self. Just missing the horns and claws of course. Rock stepped as well into the lamp light to give Gold a better view of herself.
Rock was also wearing a jacket though it was blue and white instead of the old black one in her home world. She had the jacket zipped up and hoodie on as her preferred style even though it was night, and she wore a dark blue shirt underneath. Rock did manage to find some black shorts though at least, so she was starting to feel a bit more familiar now.
"Nice to see you accepted my invitation, Rock," Gold said as she extended her arm forward. Rock seemed to hesitate for a bit before grasping it.
"...I am only here for the information and help you can provide," Rock said as she released Gold's hand. "Don't think that this will get us on friendly terms."
"Ah right down to business already," Gold sighed dramatically while shaking her head. "You're always so boring and direct, Rock."
Rock felt a vein pulsed on her forehead, "We're not there to discuss how 'boring' I am," she hissed at Gold. Rock scowled when Gold just grinned at her, "If you're here just to make fun of me, I'm leaving," she said and started to walk back.
"Wait wait," Gold reached out and grabbed Rock's arm, "Fine we'll get right to business... You really need to loosen up and relax a bit more though," Gold said and started pulling Rock to one of the benches before she could protest. Gold sat and waited for Rock to sit down as well before facing her. Rock paused to organize her series of questions before speaking.
"Why are we in this world?" Rock asked the first question that's been bothering her since the beginning.
Gold let her arms rest on the bench before answering casually, "I have no idea."
Rock just stared at her for a few minutes before speaking again. "Okay then... how about why are we in *this*," Rock gestured to herself, "instead of being in our own bodies?"
Gold just shrugged and repeated, "I have no idea."
Rock felt something ignite within her but decided quash it... for a few more minutes.
"Well then... do you know what is happening back in our own world?" she asked again. Gold did seem to have a knack for knowing a lot of events that were happening in their world. Perhaps she might have known something in particular that could be linked to their situation. Well, that's what Rock was hoping for but...
"Do you think I have access to my powers while in this body? I don't know anything that's currently happening over there," Gold answered her. "And I'm assuming you're also asking me if there was anything going on before I ended up here? Then no, there hasn't been anything notable going on from what I know."
...
Well to her credit, Gold at least answered more properly and with more words. Still...
"So you know basically nothing?" Rock asked dejectedly. When Gold didn't reply, Rock hung her head in depression. "So you don't know anything at all," she muttered darkly while closing her fists, then Rock raised her head and glared angrily at Gold.
"You were just wasting my time then!? I shouldn't have listened to you," Rock stood up to leave but stopped when Gold grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away but Gold maintained a firm grip on her arm. Rock was severely tempted to punch Gold, again. "Let go of my arm or I will-"
"You still have a particular problem, right?" Gold interrupted her. "Aren't you having some problem with your host?" she eyed Rock knowingly.
Rock was about to snap back a response when she remembered her words from their last meeting:
"So you can't call on your host, huh. Well, I think I can help you with that but..."
"...can you really?" Rock asked hesitantly. "Can you call back the original host of this body?"
"I should be able to, yes," Gold replied, letting go of Rock's arm.
Rock didn't walk away like earlier, but she also didn't sit back down, "How do I know you're not trying to trick me again?"
In response, Gold stood up and looked at Rock directly in the eye. Rock looked back, but didn't see any of the usual mischief in her eyes.
Still though, since it was Gold, there's the possibility that she was being played around. In most other conditions, Rock would have reconsidered her options before considering Gold's.
But... she had no idea if Mato was completely fine. Or would still be fine, because there's the chance that something could go horribly wrong while she was trying to find an alternative. As it was, Gold was the only other one that could help her here.
"Is there a catch here?" Rock asked cautiously. Knowing Gold, she'd have to do something in return.
"...lets just count that for later," Gold waved off her concern. "For now though, lets just keep in touch," she added. "So what's your decision?"
This is for Mato's sake.
"...I accept your help," Rock finally replied.
"Alright then," Gold smiled at her response. "Time to see what's the problem," she said while extending both her hands in front of her towards Rock. When Rock just stared back in confusion, Gold sighed, "I need physical contact for this to work."
Rock nodded then slowly reached out to grasp Gold's hands. Once Rock was holding back her hand, Gold started pulling Rock closer until she was directly in front of her. So close that Rock could feel the warmth coming from the girl...
Rock barely let anyone get this close to her and was admittedly getting nervous, "Is it this necessary to be close?"
Gold merely raised an eyebrow at her. "The closer it is, the more likely this becomes successful," she replied before grinning. "Are you getting nervous, Rock?"
"O-of course not, let's just get this over with..." Rock trailed off.
"Hmm, if you say so," Gold said as she started leaning forward and-
"Whoa!" Gold flailed her arms as she suddenly found herself falling backwards. Luckily, she was able to grab the street lamp before landing hard on the ground. Gold pulled herself back to a proper standing position before asking Rock angrily "What the- why'd you push me?".
"W-what about you? What were you trying to do?" Rock asked back with a flustered expression.
"Huh? Isn't it obvious?" Gold looked at Rock with an annoyed expression. "More contact is better, obviously our foreheads touching would make the connection work without fail."
"Oh," Rock's anger instantly disappeared to be replaced with embarrassment at her mistake. "Sorry," Rock mumbled an apology.
Damn that teacher...
Gold just muttered something under her breath, but extended her hands again to Rock. This time though, when Rock grasped them, Gold quickly pulled her forward and smacked their foreheads together before Rock could react. A flash of pain coursed through her body before everything turned white.
took me quite a while to finish this one. this was actually supposed to be longer, but I decided to cut it at this part since the other one is pretty long enough to be its own chapter.
also to give some suspense.