Stage 13 "Illusions of the heart."
The rain was pelting heavier against the train's exterior while the waters seemed to hit the windows at a slight angle. Feite sat in a fairly packed cabin with various businessmen and women mixed around her. She stared at the open cell phone while her thumb was hovering over the call button. Feite hadn't had the chance to speak with Lelouch after visiting Kirihara, but the chance blew out the window. Lelouch had left with C.C. vanishing somewhere into the rain covered settlement. She stared at his name in bold text and shook her head nonchalantly. Feite clasped the phone shut, and let out a grin. "What are you doing you nonchalant prince?" Her looks down at the floor of the cabin, and let out a faint smile.
An announcement plays through the many cabins of the tram while it moves towards the second from last station before Ashford. "We're sorry, but there is an electrical error currently affecting the trams systems, and we'll be at this station for an estimated time of two hour. We apologize for the inconvenience." A few people stand up and groan while the doors open onto the platform. Some people disembark, while Feite stood up and shook her head. She couldn't wait in the station for two full hours; it would take her that long to walk back to Ashford with time to spare. "I guess I'll walk from here…"
Feite walked to the exit, and held her hand in front of her face while some rain managed to hit her cheek. She closed one eye while opening her umbrella. A gust of misty wind blasted against her nearly removing the umbrella from her hand. Feite exhaled softly while her lips moved whispering a quiet thank you for nature before walking down to the ground level.
A few people around her age were stretched about this specific area of the city. It would seem that there was a concert going on nearby. Feite looked up at the dome in the distance, and let out a mocking laugh. She didn't like the artist holding the concert and would cringe after being forced to hear that form of music. Her sneakers splash in the water while she started to walk at a steadier pace through the sidewalks.
Around a corner, Feite turned over to spoke a road block set up by the police force. "The concert again?" She paused while turning over to the park that was nearby. The park would drastically decrease the time needed to return to Ashford by at least ten minutes, and the trees would offer a hint of shelter from the rain. With no other option in mind, Feite started off into the park at a brisk pace.
Once again the wind roared again, Feite felt a moment of clarity while her grip loosened and the umbrella flew up into the air. Her eyes widen while the clarity disappears and the cold water pelts down on her. Her unruly hairstyle starts to flatten around her forehead, while strands stick to the sides of her cheeks. "Great, thanks a lot…." She looked up at the sky cursing nature that previously was thanked for no taking the umbrella away. She held her hand over her eyes while the Umbrella quickly blew out of sight, and into the darkness of the park.
Minutes later, Feite walks casually through the puddles with her arms handing loosely at her sides. Her hair was completely soaked, and her clothing would soon follow. She reaches the center of the park, and her eyes widen at a pair in the distance. Besides the lamp-post, Lelouch stood with Shirley held tightly in his arms. She looked up at him and their lips touched one another. Feite paused for a moment, and shook her head at the two. "If you were going on a date you could have told me you bastard. Here I was being worried about you Lelouch." She let out a scowl over at them, and shrugged her shoulders before continuing onward.
"I'm sorry Shirley…" Lelouch pulled back while Shirley still was wrapped around his body. She was still trembling from the ordeal earlier. Despite Rai's best attempts, he couldn't manage to convey his feelings about the sudden death due to Military duties. "Just keep me company Lelouch…"Tears fell freely down the sides of her cheeks while Lelouch stood stationary. A look of dread was forming on his face. The events he instigated at Narita had repercussions who wouldn't have thought the chances would hit so close to home. "Shirley, let me bring you home, your clothes are soaked here…" Shirley let go of Lelouch while he pulled off his uniform jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Just let me be here with you for a while longer…." Lelouch opened his umbrella while from the corner of his eyes he spots Feite walking in the distance. "Feite? Did she see Shirley and I?"
It had already been several hours since Feite saw the two kissing in the park. She was now lying on her back in the middle of the bed. Her eyes look at the glowing stars on the rooftop while eyeing the cell phone in her peripheral. She closed her eyes and couldn't erase the picture of the two kissing out of her mind. "This is so damned annoying? Why do I care so much about a stupid thing like that?" Feite threw her pillow across the room, and turned around to bury her face in the sheet.
The cell phone let out a bright glow while it vibrated across the tabletop. It blinked on and off several times while Feite reached out for it. She tapped the edge of the table and grabbed hold. With a loud beep she held it to her ear and spoke. "Hello?" Milly was on the other line, but she seemed different from usual. "Feite, big trouble…its about Shirley?" Feite blinked a few times while rolling onto her back again. "Shirley? What do you mean?" She sat up and rested her back to the wall. "I'll tell you in a bit…"
It was the next morning, the rain was still falling and classes were going on as normally as possible. Everyone was back in class, except for Shirley being the only absente. Some of the others were confused over her sudden leave from school. Feite tapped her pencil on the desk while thinking over what Milly told her late last night.
"Feite, it's about Shirley, I heard from grandfather that her father died at Narita…"
"Narita…" Feite mumbled to herself while the teacher looked over at her. "Do you have something to add on Ms. Avalon?" She looked up at the teacher and shook her hand while laughing. "I'm sorry, I was spacing out." The teacher shook his head, and continued to his podium. "Very well, let me continue…" The teacher continues to give his lecture on the history of Britannia, and the various historical footnotes following the foundation of their nation. Feite's pencil danced across the paper while looking at the empty seat beside her. It felt different from every other day. Shirley had perfect attendance and it was under circumstances that Feite was involved with that caused her family member to die. "What will I lose in my revenge against Britannia? Is it worth the lives of the others around me?" Feite stared back at Lelouch only for their eyes to meet. Both of them turned awkwardly away from one another and continued back to writing down notes.
The bell rang while everyone started to gather their things. Rivalz was slow to pack up and leaned against the side of his desk. "So you guys must have heard as well. It sucks you know…" Feite put her back over her shoulder and nodded. "I don't know how she's feeling right now. But we should give her all the support she needs." Kallen walked up and weakly nodded while holding back the uneasy feeling in her mind. There could be no other person with a weight on her shoulders than the one that created the landslide. During the battle the adrenaline overtook any and all thought; Kallen didn't realize most of it until it was broadcasted on the news. "I heard from Milly that we were invited to the funeral." Feite crossed her arms and smiled. Rivalz let out a nod while rubbing the back of his head. "Having us there makes it easier to make Shirley feel that she's not alone." Feite looked over at Suzaku's empty seat and shook her head. "Man this guy misses a lot of days like someone else. What does he do exactly?" Kallen shrugged her shoulders and looked at the open doorway. Usually Rai would come into their classroom after the final bell, but today he wasn't here. "They both are technicians in the Britannian military, or so I heard." Lelouch walked over and shrugged his shoulders. "So do you guys, but I'm not exempt from ditching classes. Speaking of which, Rivalz I need to borrow your bike today." Rivalz looked over with a confused look and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess, but don't scratch it up."
Minutes after the group conversation, Feite walked back to her dorm room to relax before club activities would start for the student council. She would possibly take a nap, and send emails to her family living in the mainland. However the events would be delayed when she opened the door to see the mysterious girl C.C. sitting on the edge of the bed dressed in Feite's clothing. "What are you doing in here?" Feite looked over at C.C. while she stood up and smiled. "Why are you hiding so much from Lelouch about your condition?" Feite paused momentarily while C.C. held up the capsule of pills. "How did you…" C.C. let out a playful smile and placed them back onto the nearby desk. "Can you truly protect him by risking your life? Is it your love for him that pushes you to near death?" Feite took a step back while her cheeks redden from C.C. direct words. She stuttered for a moment while gathering her composure. "You must be really stupid to believe that I have feelings for Lelouch. He's just a childhood friend, I care for him, but it's nothing more than friendship." C.C. bowed her head and walked over to open closet. "I see…" Feite paused for a moment while C.C. stepped out of the room. "Wait a minute…" Her eyes widen while she rushes into the hallway. C.C. was nowhere to be seen, her agility and speed were remarkable. Feite let out sigh while she placed her palm onto her face. "She got away with my clothes…."
C.C. looked up at the window where Feite's room was located. She looked over her shoulder as if she were speaking with someone. "She's exactly as described noble, bold, but reaching frailty. But is her willpower enough to protect him…" She turned around and walked off; disappearing in the thin mist formed by the rain.
Feite laid on her bed taking a nap before student council events would take most of her time till the evening. Her cell phone rings mercilessly on the nightstand while the blonde youth tried to ignore the song playing loudly from the speaker. "Give me a break, who could be calling me now?" She threw her arm out and dragged the phone off the night stand moving it slothfully to her ear. "Hello?"
Lelouch walks towards the school holding an umbrella over his head and a bag of groceries in his arms. His headset rested firmly on his ear while he Feite answered the phone. "Feite, I need to speak with you before the student council meeting. Can you make it?"
Feite groaned loudly while mumbling like a small child. "Lulu, I'm not in the mood right now…" She sat up and rubbed her upper shoulder with her free arm. She stared at the clock, there was about an hour left before the scheduled meeting. "What do you want?"
Lelouch walked across the central quad and up the steps into the student council room. He opens the door and spots Sayoko. "Feite, just meet me on the rooftop, I'll meet you there." Sayoko bowed her head and took the groceries from Lelouch before disappearing towards the kitchen. Lelouch took a minute to glance at Nunally's room before walking back out into the rain. "So what's your answer?" He let out a smile, while turning off his headset and placing it back onto his mobile phone.
Minutes quickly transpire; Feite stood on the rooftop wearing her track jacket over her school uniform as she held an umbrella tightly in hand. The rain still wasn't letting up and the gray storm clouds give the school a gloomy atmosphere. "What's taking him so long…calling me up so soon after my nap?" She let out a pout while turning to the sound of the rooftop door. "Sorry, I'm late…I had to do a few things." Lelouch walked up and stared up at Feite's loose and wavy hairstyle. He glanced away from her while walking up to her side. "What did you call me for? Also, since you're here tell C.C. if she needs some clothes just ask me!" Lelouch paused for a moment and took a step back in some sort of glancing blow. "So she did borrow clothes from you…I was starting to believe that she stole them from someone." Feite leaned forward and shook her hand at him. "She stole them from me you idiot!" Lelouch shook his head and grinned. "Feite, you were there weren't you." She paused for a moment, while Lelouch took a few steps closer. "When Shirley and I…" Feite turned her face away hiding the light amount of blush on her cheeks. "No, you must have mistaken me with some other girl."
The wind blew heavily ripping Feite's umbrella from her hand. She growled heavily while the rain pelted against her. "There goes another one…." Lelouch holds his above her head, and looks down at her. "Feite, I know when you're lying to me." Feite glared up at him with an apathetic look forming on her brow. "Did you call me to ask this? It's a waste of time if you already know the answer…" Lelouch grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. "Be quiet, I wanted to explain myself." She gave his hand an odd stare while shrugging it off her shoulder. "What do you need to clear up with me?" Lelouch cleared his throat, and leaned on the edge of the railing. "It's about Shirley, when we returned from Kyoto, I found her in front of the concert park standing out in the rain. She needed someone to comfort her and I reacted…" Feite walked out from underneath the umbrella and started to a mocking chuckle. "So why are you acting so flustered? I may have been there, but even if Shirley was hurting there are other things to suffice. Just answer this do you like her?" Lelouch looked down while he stood in utter silence. "If you can't answer that, than its better off that you make her forget." His eyes widen while Feite waved her hand dismissively behind her back. "I'll see you in the student council room."
Feite walked down the stairwell with rain water dripping down her face. Her hair was partially soaked, but her clothes were still dry all thanks the Lelouch. She paused momentarily at the foot of the staircase and looked up for him. "I wonder if he is contemplating using that power..." She shook her head and walked off down the hallway disappearing through the front doors. "What am I going to do with him?"
The student council room was dimly lit while inside the meeting room Milly goes over several graphs while Nina sits in the back of the room in her usual detached manner. Rivals and Kallen both are seated at the table while Arthur plays with a small cat toy nearby Kallen's portion of the table. "President, shouldn't we wait for Feite, and Lelouch to get here?" Milly let out a smile and covered her mouth. "What will we do with those two?" She laughed for a moment while the door opened. "You really should stop implying things Milly…" Rivalz looked over and his eyes widen at Feite's rugged water soaked hair. "Wow, I never knew Feite looked so…." Milly let out a small laugh and held her hand out to an empty seat. "As you can see, we finished planning all the finances for the schools clubs. Nina is working on some of the graphical things, while you get to listen to me." Feite looked over at Kallen and took a seat next to her. "Ooh great, always love a lecture…" Kallen let out a small laugh while Nina glared over from the corner. The computer lets out a beep while the program she was writing had too many zeros than needed. Her finger had accidentally held the button down while turning to evil eye Feite. "Oh no, I messed up the variable!"
The meeting took a lengthy period of time out of the day, and sooner than later the dinner hour approached. Most of the members had packed up and returned to their homes or their respected dorm rooms. Feite on the other hand still sat in the meeting room typing on a laptop with her fingers moving around in rapid succession. "What are you up to?" Kallen looked over while holding Arthur in her arms. She looked confused while the numerical lines ran up and down across the screen. "It looks really complicated…" Feite paused for a moment rubbing her forehead, and glancing over her shoulder. "It's the Voulge's O.S. I'm writing an update for it…" She turned back to the screen and continued to type. Kallen let out a gasp while letting Arthur down on the table. "I didn't expect you to be so good at technical things…I guess we are different in some ways." Feite shook her head and let out a small grin. "But similar in a lot of ways….so why didn't you go home yet Kallen?" Kallen turned away and let out a saddened expression. "It's strange going to my house, my step-mother always ridicules me, and my father is always off on some business trip. I feel out of place…"
Feite sighed while closing her laptop. "Do you want me to walk with you? I've never been to your house before…" Kallen took a step back and waved her hands. "No, I don't think my step-mother would like it, plus you're doing some work and…" Feite shook her head and mockingly laughed. "Is there something there you don't want me to see or look at? Preferably a diary or something that you keep unlocked somewhere? A specific boy you like…perhaps like Lelouch?" Kallen's cheeks turn a light rose in color while taking a few steps back. "It's nothing like that, it's just I don't normally invite friends over that's all." She looked down while Feite packed her things up and got out from the seat. "I'm just giving you a hard time Kallen. I'm going to dinner with Milly, so I'm going to take off. Even if you're devoting yourself to a cause, you should live a little. You don't know how much time you have until it's too late." Feite walked off towards the door waving her arm behind her back. Kallen looked over with a shocked face while Feite exited the room. She pulled out a chair and sat down tapping her fingers on the top while Arthur got into a pouncing stance. "What did she mean by that? She says a lot of weird things…"
An hour quickly passes by the roads were filled with rain, and a black luxury taxi pulled in front of a hospital several miles out from the academy. The driver opened the door while Feite walked out wearing a simple white dress and a white scarf over her neck. Her hand held up an umbrella. "Thank you for riding with us…" Feite bowed her head while the driver got back into his car, and drove off. She turned over to the hospital, and at its luminescent lights in the misty night sky. "I need to know, how long will this heart hold out..." A small ring tone started to play from the small handbag hanging from her elbow. Feite reached into her handbag, and removed her phone. "Hello? Oh Grandfather, I'm doing a few things, and I'll meet you two at the restaurant. I don't know how long I'll be, but I don't miss it. Cheers." She hung up the phone while walking into the ominous building.
It took several minutes to fill out the paperwork, and a lengthy period in the waiting room before Feite was brought into an examination room. The room was a bland off white with a simple tissue paper covered table beside a series of cabinets and a sink. Feite couldn't help but hold her arms, and fight off the chilling feeling of this foreboding place. "Hospitals…I despise them even at this age…I'm so childish…" Feite closed her eyes picturing her childhood. Every other day, she would have to visit a specialized doctor, and given strict rules to follow in order to recover. Being a disorderly child, Feite never listened to the advice, and pushed her body to the limits. "Excuse me…Ms. Feite Avalon?"
Feite was brought out of her reminiscing dream to the calm voice of the heart specialist Michelle Mackenzie. She wore a simple lab coat over a white blouse and black skirt. Her heels tap on the tile floor while taking seat at a small wheeled stool. "It's been a long time since you came here. Two years to be exact, what are your symptoms?" Feite held her hand to her chest, and let out a small sigh. "I've started to become light headed, nauseous, exhausted, while having an extreme pain in my chest. It feels like I'm dying when I get an attack now." Michelle's eyes widen while she looks at the folder, and jots down a note. "So it has become that serious. I won't lie to you Feite, but your heart by those symptoms seems to indicate failure." Feite looked away while her overall demeanor sunk into a mild depression. "Failure, but is there something we can do? I want to know my chances." Michelle put her stethoscope to her ears, and got up from the stool. "Let's hear it, and we'll do some tests."
An hour quickly passes, and Mackenzie walks back into the examination room. Feite had a blood sample drawn, and had her heart scanned by a series of machines. The results came quickly and Mackenzie would have to relay them to the anxious Feite. "Feite, the test results aren't good at all. Your heart isn't getting enough oxygen, and therefore isn't producing enough blood for your body to use. Also your heart has signs of deterioration; I can't believe how you lived this long without having a fatal incident. How many attacks have you had in the last month or so?" Feite looked up at the ceiling and counted the amount of times the attacks had come. Mackenzie's eyes widen while Feite told her the exact numbers of attacks and rubbed her temple at the shocking number.
"Ms. Avalon, I don't mean to sound cruel, but you will need to get surgery and possibly a transplant in the next month or you may die." Feite looked down while she climbed off the bed. "Please can you send a copy of your findings to my family in Britannia? If I'm to get a transplant, how long will I be in a hospital?" Mackenzie shook her head, and flipped through to the contact list of Feite's relatives. "You will most likely be hospitalized for two and a half weeks or lower due to the technology our nation possesses. I'll send a copy to your sister Callia is that fine? Her profession would make it easier for me to transmit to her." Feite let out a soft nod, and looked at the doorway. "Callia will be fine; however she is on maternity leave….if you can't contact her please send it to Azalea my eldest sister." Mackenzie let out a firm nod while smiling. "You look like you are ready to go. Please keep your body out of strenuous activity, and rest as much as possible." Feite bowed her head, and forced a smile to the new doctor. "Thank You…."She grabbed hold of the door knob and walked out of the examination room. Feite held her hand across her chest while her face started to brim with anger. "After so much effort, I can't push this any further…. Should I tell Lelouch? No, he doesn't need to know." She walked out of the hospitals doors to wave down a taxi in the distance. "What should I do?" Her hand moved to her cheek while wiping a single tear that had fallen. "Why am I crying?"
--Writer's Thoughts--
I thought I'd progress Feite's heart problem to the next level in this coming arc. Since everything is going on so fast, this is sort of an intermediary chapter. I hope you guys like it .
Update: Something I made in photoshop using Lighting from FF13 aka the base for Feite's looks, and tried my best vectoring the Ashford Uniform. Background is random shot from R2. h t t p/ members. cox. net/ailestriker04/Feite Vector.jpg (Just respace it like usual.