A/N: Sorry, I think this chapter is a little shorter than the others, and sorry for the long wait. If it means anything to you, the next chapter is already written up, I just need to look it over. I'm debating whether or not I want to find a beta, since I keep finding mistakes after I post, even if I've checked it several times already. Speaking of, I went back and fixed whatever errors I found in previous chapters. Don't be afraid to tell me when you see those little buggers, kay?
AND my offer still stands, that I'm up and open for any suggestions for the story. I will read all, consider all, and us what I think works. Just remember the main pairing remains the same.
Now for my thank you's !
E-san: Yup, that sums it up pretty good. Think of it as a lesson for every unconfident soul out there, that there are still battles you need to take care of on your own.
Blizzaris: Thank you - that means a lot to me! I'm a real stiff for being in character, as I think I've said before, so I'm flattered that you can easily say such a wonderful thing!
MindFuel: Thanks! Going in depth is always loads of fun for me, because that deeper you go, the more interesting a fic can get. And I'm glad you feel like you can relate to everything - that's another thing I enjoy portraying. It's good to know it works.
I think there was another review or two but it was posted to another chapter, and so, I don't know who it was or what they said, but all of my reviews are sweet, so if you know who you are, thank you! The more reviews I get, the faster I post the next chapter. Mwuahah how's that for evil?
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Air Gear
a fiction by Crimson Vixen
Think Before You Act
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"And then we held the moon," Emiri said with the softest of smiles, the memory dancing in her eyes like the reflection of a setting sun on water. Moons reminded her of him. That and gusts of wind, streams from jets in the sky, the color blue, gentle, baby blue...
She remembered that night like it was yesterday. The night was calming and the sky was clear enough to see the moon. She had found Kazu sitting alone, gazing at it almost as if he was trying to figure something out from it all. Like the moon had a handful of secrets and he was just an unworthy soul trying to piece it all together.
He had shared a moment with her that night, explaining how he saw that giant, glowing moon, and he had shown her how to grasp it in her hand. His skin was warm around her wrist, his breath soft against her cheek, his eyes glossy and dream-like in the twilight. She never knew it was possible to hold something so far away in your hands, not until that moment.
"It was so wonderful."
Her closest friend and fellow track runner, Yayoi, listened intently, chin rested carefully in her small hands. Her eyes remained steady and focused, trying to show Emiri that she was interested in every word she was saying.
"So we can add deep thinker to the list," Yayoi ticked off playfully on her fingers. Emiri nodded wildly, biting her tongue to keep herself from listing a million other things that attracted her to the rider. She kept playing with the object in her hands to keep herself distracted. Kazu's hat hadn't left her side since she had found it abandoned on the classroom floor. She was waiting in such intense anticipation to return it to its rightful owner and see his reaction. He would thank her, yes, but how? A kiss was just too much to ask for. A hug, maybe? Although a simple smile would be enough.
"Emiri..? Emiri!"
"Huh!?" the look on Yayoi's face only proved she had been calling her name for a while now. The love struck girl blushed and offered a sheepish smile.
"Try not to space out on me. One of these days, you're gonna have to tell him, you know," Yayoi went on explaining, always one to keep her friend on track with these things. "If you don't, he's still bound to find out eventually. Or someone else might make a move on him. You don't want that to happen, do you? He and his friends seem to be the only ones that don't get it. Or if they do, they just... Are you smelling that hat?"
Emiri's eyes popped open from their dreamy half lidded state, nose buried in the soft material of Kazu's beanie, taking in the sharp scent of spice and rain.
"You've got it bad," Yayoi shook her head with a somewhat sad smile. "Did you even hear a word I said?"
"I did!" the other girl quickly defended herself, tightening her grip. "And I know. But you know it's just not as easy as that."
"Yeah," the taller girl agreed, then snatched the hat out of Emiri's unsuspecting fingers. "But you shouldn't let anyone get away. When you feel something, act on it. And don't let anything stop you."
While Emiri's eyes sparkled at her friend's words, her arm greedily outstretched for the stolen article until Yayoi sighed and gave it back. The other runner quickly tucked it into the safety of her lap.
"I wish I could be that brave." As brave as you and him, she added silently and smiled softly, always admiring her friend for the way she saw these kinds of things. Sometimes though, she wondered where these beliefs originated from, seeing how she had never seen Yayoi show interest in anyone before.
Regardless of how inspiring her pretty words were, it did nothing for her hesitation on the subject. She almost wanted to be stuck in this moment forever, just holding his possession and admiring him from afar and dreaming of his smile. Better than risking rejection, if anything.
"I mean it. What's the point of loving someone in secret of that's all you're ever going to allow it to be? Love and lost, Emiri. It's better to love and lost."
Perhaps this was why they were such good friends. They were somewhat opposites of one another. Emiri was more reserved and shy and scared of personal confrontation, and Yayoi was all the things she wanted to be. Brave and smart and outgoing. Whenever she spoke, she made painful things sound like they didn't hurt so much. Like a bandage before the injury. And when she told you things you wanted to hear, it was like preparing you for the battle, almost as if she spoke from experience and was passing on her wisdom.
The best part was, none of it was sugar coated. And in Emiri's eyes, that was what she needed the most.
"Thank you," Emiri sighed, feeling lighter.
"Any time. Need a refill?" Yayoi shrugged it off easily, nodding towards both of their now empty mugs. There was nothing quite like a slumber party and hot cocoa on a chilly night. Emiri handed her cup to Yayoi as she made her way to the kitchen for refills, leaving the other girl to hug her knees in thought while she waited. She wasn't fully able to explain her gratitude toward her best friend, as it felt like the older girl was always looking out for her and guiding her. Lending her courage when she needed it.
Yayoi came back quickly and with two steaming cups at hand. She set them both on the floor as she sat down, straightening her pajamas and warning Emiri that the drinks were hot.
"Now where were we?"
That was another thing Emiri admired. Her friend's sincere interest in her somewhat obsessive lust for her crush. She could talk about him and analyze him for hours, days, and Yayoi's ears were constantly wide open. She would even throw in her two cents every now and again. And even with Emiri growing slightly more embarrassed with every minute she spent verbally fawning over some boy, she couldn't resist the offer to do it.
Somehow, she had a feeling Yayoi knew that, too.
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Emiri nodded determinedly to herself. She remembered talking to Yayoi last night clearly, and it landed her here tonight; alone and secluded in the elementary school parking lot. At least no one would see her. Knowing that Yayoi was right wasn't enough. That's why she chose to find her own way to settle things.
"Gotta confront him eventually," she reminded herself. The actual way she did it, however, was completely up to her.
Granted, she was broke now, only discovering just how expensive a pair of Air Trecks could be after she got them, but she hardly regretted it. Kazu and herself were both destined to be runners, in two different senses. She was a trackie, made to run in circles in a set path, and he was a rider born to break wind wherever he chose. She was fast but nowhere fast enough, so she had bought these things in hopes of getting just a little bit closer, and little bit more recognizable, in a world were AT was the only thing that kept her from him.
To him, she was just another blur of colors in the corner of his vision. But one day, she hoped to be the center of that vision.
She was all giddy just thinking about it. The look of surprise on the blonde's face when he saw her attempting to ride, the blush that would creep along his cheekbones when she announced he was her inspiration, and from there her mind wandered from one girlish thing to another. Anywhere from a flattered 'thank you' to teaching her how to ride, hand in hers, to him sweeping her off his feet and whisking her away.
Emiri puffed. But he was still a guy, and guys didn't do that. Still nice to daydream though. Yayoi had told her that guilty pleasures like that were healthy, just so long as they stayed in her head and didn't get carried away. That made her giggle.
Her dream cloud exploded with that thought and she dropped her newly purchased Air Trecks to the pavement with a clatter. Things felt different at night somehow, when you were alone, and when you didn't want anyone to see you. Hastily she grabbed the fallen skates, brushing her hand against her coat pocket just to make sure the hat was still there. Without her really knowing she had planned it all out in her head.
Find him, while wearing AT's, hand him his lost hat, see him smile, tell him things that have been swarming in her head, hope for the best from there.
She gave a calming breath and leaned against the swing set bars to take off her shoes and switch them with the newly purchased skates. As she did this, she took a long glance at the instructions sitting on the ground. Over and over she read the cover.
AT – the revolution of extreme sports. Welcome to the future, welcome to the sky.
Nervous. Just nervous, but no reason to be, she mentally declared when she started to sense her breath shaking. Would she be able to pull it off? It didn't matter if she perfected her riding, all that mattered would be her attempt. All that mattered was the right people noticing how hard she was trying.
At first, after she'd gotten them on, she just stayed there, not sure how to balance herself with that first initial step, but then closed her eyes and blindly extended her foot. Nothing would be accomplished by just standing there wishing.
Wobbly, but still standing, she held her breath.
Okay. Not so bad. Crawl before you walk, and... walk before you run. Get a feel for it. Run before you... ride and ride... before you fly! Get a feel for it.
With that thought she locked the wheels and took a step. Learning to walk normally with the wheels locked might help her get a good idea of how they felt on her feet. Besides, she had the whole night to herself and no school in the morning.
She gave a hefty sigh, biting her lower lip, hoping that in the end she would get her money's worth.
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"Ah - !! You filthy pig!"
Onigiri was used to insults like this and thus, was unaffected by them when they rang out into the air. He didn't see it as being perverted, but as an appreciation of fine art. But the stout teen was not going to lie to himself. He did get a kick out of chasing skirts. Ironically enough, it wasn't even the sights that got him smiling so stupidly, but the reaction of the very girls he was chasing. It was just so… so cute.
"You'd think they'd by somewhat flattered," Onigiri told himself often. "At least just a little."
Then again, he would remind himself, every woman and their mother whined about their figure, even when Onigiri, the lady master himself, had yet to see a woman that was even the least bit flawed. And perhaps it was not appreciation in the right sense, but it was appreciation nonetheless. Surely he couldn't be the only one to see that.
Onigiri crossed his arms and let his solitary AT guide him across the pavement. Over time, he'd built the stamina and resistance to overcome the head rush right away. The only annoying part was the hum and vibration of the tiny motor against his skull, but after a minute or two, even that was unnoticeable. Some girls recognized him, and it was understandable why they were running away before he got too close, because he was kind of hard to miss. He didn't care though, he was faster and they couldn't catch him.
'Course, every now and again…
slap !
Somehow Onigiri managed to hold his balance after that last hit. He cradled his cheek with his hand, licking at the inside of his mouth for any sign of swelling. Even as the girl walked away, he kept staring. She had a very cute angry stomp. It wiggled her hips a little more than usual.
But whenever he would tire for the day, he would get a rather disapproving look from Buccha, lips usually twisted in mid chew. Every time he would say something along the same lines as he usually did, in hopes that maybe one day, something would snap in Onigiri's head, but his hopes weren't very high. Onigiri was doing something that a lot of boys wouldn't mind doing, he was just the only one stupid enough to go through with it with such little guilt.
"One of these days…" Buccha started to grumble, picking at a chicken leg with his teeth.
"… A girl is going to put me in my place," Onigiri cockily finished.
"One of these days!"
"Yeah yeah, well, I'll wait for that day," he waved it off, setting his skate on the ground and sitting next to the much larger boy. The day was annoyingly chilly for being so sunny, and the girls were all shivering. Onigiri felt kind of bad for them, having to wear skirts even on cold days like this, no matter how much he liked it that way.
"Is that the only reason you go to school in the mornings?" Buccha asked after a little while, zipping up his jacket and licking his lips. He glowered, they were starting to get chapped, and food was that much less enjoyable with chapped lips.
"Maybe," Onigiri replied. "I'm not really all that sure."
"Well if anything it sure looks that way."
"You can't tell me that you don't find a vast majority of these girls to be attractive, even to someone like you."
Well! Buccha wasn't too sure what he meant exactly by 'someone like him' and he resisted the urge to ask.
"Yeah, they're all quite appealing. But have you ever actually met and talked with any of them?"
"Hmm?"
"'Cause I'm sure that if you did, you wouldn't find as many of them as attractive as you have before."
Just as he finished his little explanation, he remembered that he was talking to the boy that once tried to flirt with an enemy because she had a fully developed body. He let out a hopeless sigh and gave Onigiri a sad look, praying that he understood his point. He didn't see any sign of recognition.
Instead the stout young man turned the conversations around completely, intentionally or not, Buccha couldn't tell.
"So it's been a while since Ikki called us all together," he mumbled, waving his hand in the air. "Well not so much a while, but it's not like him to go a day without something of the sort."
"I know what you mean," Buccha nodded, feeling a little rusty himself. He rolled his shoulders back and slumped forward, casting a sideways glance to his friend. "Is he feeling sick or something?"
"Ikki? Naw he doesn't get sick. And even if he did…"
"Good point."
"It also feels like we haven't gotten anything done in a while."
"No one's challenged us."
"Think they're afraid?"
"Naw," Buccha shook his head. "No way. If anything they would die for the chance to challenge us. I just think there's a dull streak when it comes to Storm Riders right now. It's not just us - I haven't heard about any kind of battle going on for a while now."
"Yeah, I guess so… Think there's something going on?"
"Does it bother you?" Buccha spouted, not answering the other boy's question.
"Hmm?"
"Not training every day."
"Oh…" Onigiri sighed heavily, letting himself fall back onto the grass and look up at the clouds overhead. "It's a change. It's weird. I don't know if it bothers me or not."
"Come to think of it, I haven't even seen Ikki outside of school the past couple of days."
Onigiri nodded his head, lips tightly pressed together. He was a creature of habit that had a hard time with change, and this was certainly a change from the routine he was used to.
"I have," Onigiri mentioned, and didn't dive into any detail after that. "I'm going to catch him after school tomorrow."
That was, of course, if he was able to catch him before he ran off somewhere. Where the hell was he anyway?
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Somehow, Ikki's house felt different with bags under his arms. He would have felt like he was intruding if it wasn't for the girl's welcoming faces. Even so, he still felt a little out of place. Walking into a household of 6, 7 you included the pervert, most people would naturally feel a bit rude.
He wore what he usually did; cozy pants and loose hoodie, AT's slung over his shoulder and a duffle bag under one arm and a lowly angled cap with the words 'sleek' sloppily scribbled across the front placed on his head that Ikki refused to comment on.
"We don't have anymore spare bedrooms," Mikan mentioned firstly to prevent him from carrying his things upstairs unnecessarily. "So you're just gonna hafta settle for the couch."
"It's fine, thank you," the blonde mumbled politely, setting all his stuff against the side of the sofa, hoping it was ok but not really knowing what else he was supposed to do with it. No one seemed to mind it, at any rate.
"It's nothing," the girl waved it off, then turned to Ikki. "But seriously, two guests is enough. This house can only hold so many people."
Two… That's right, Ikki slumped, but that wasn't fair. He personally invited Kazu here, while Iron just never went away. For once Ikki thought it best to bite his tongue and nod instead, refusing to risk a beating by the girl in front of his best friend, grabbing Kazu's sleeve and dragging him to the next room. Kazu made sure to offer a wave and one more thank you before he was pulled out of sight, laughing nervously like some middleman.
He straightened out once Ikki let him go to pour himself a glass of water from the kitchen sink. The crow motioned to Kazu's skates before gulping his drink, and the jet did as he was instructed, bending over to put them on without any question.
"So," he sighed, tugging the laces tight. "Mikan seemed a little tense. Or was that just me?"
Ikki poured the remaining water into the sink and licked his lips.
"Just a little. It's got nothing to do with you, if that's what you think. It just seems like all I've been doing lately is attracting trouble."
"Yeah?" Kazu pushed, standing up and leaning back against the counter. Ikki gulped, wondering if it was too much information already or if he was just being paranoid. "You mean Iron?"
He wanted Kazu to be here, but things felt crowded, and things felt heavy. Things were not the way they should be.
"Yeah," he said. "Iron."
"Something's not right, huh?" Kazu said suddenly, catching Ikki off guard. With a questioning hum he turned his head.
"Wha..."
"Iron. Why would he show up unless he had a reason? Guys like him seem like they have a motive behind everything they do."
Well that was true. It did feel like every time Sano did something unspeakable or perverted, he had his own logic and reasoning behind it, even if it was a stupid one. Ikki shook his head; he knew all of this already, didn't he? Sano told him himself that he was here to look after him while he claimed his title, and why would he do such a thing unless he was sent to do so, or an obstacle was heading his way that he didn't know about?
"Are we going?"
The crow snapped out of his daze, seeing Kazu already set up and waiting by the door. A ride was something he really needed at the moment; something to get all the thoughts out of his head, if even for just a little while.
"Yeah," he sighed, strapping his own pair tightly and stepped out into the sun that he loved so much, Kazu, naturally, at his heels. Somehow, he felt this day would be getting better at it went on.
"Where are you two going, if I may ask?"
But he'd been wrong before.
Both boys froze momentarily, Ikki because he just didn't need this right now, Kazu because he knew that voice.
"What do you want? I'm not doing anything wrong."
"That's not what I asked," Sano pressed in a rather annoying manner, a glare in his glasses hiding whatever look he held in his eyes. It was only after he turned his head slightly that the glare vanished and Ikki could see Sano eying his friend like some predator. Apparently, and not too surprisingly, Kazu could sense it too. It wasn't like it was any secret; Sano had given away his interest in the blonde during that battle, practically getting off when Kazu's voice screamed itself raw, smirking at the flushing skin of the blonde's smooth face. Needless to say, the boy was feeling rather uncomfortable right now. Blushing just a little, too.
"Out," Ikki finally blurted his answer, grabbing Kazu by the elbow and escorting him out. "We're going out."
The Iron Clock chuckled under his breath but Ikki could still hear it. For all he knew, Iron meant for him to hear it. He knew what he meant by 'going out' but leave it to a pervert like him to take it that way. Then he himself blushed angrily and shoved his friend the rest of the way out the entryway, turning once really quick to shoot a threatening glare before shutting the door loudly behind them.
Iron looked casually at the time. Only nine at night. It was already dark outside and the crow was running around like he didn't have a care in the world. Sure he was doing a wonderful job ignoring the previous night, what with the help of friends to keep him occupied, but how long did he expect to keep that up?
Not wanting to give the boys much time to get ahead, Iron pushed the door open and called out to the stubborn bird. As expected, when he turned, he looked furious.
"Leave. Us. Alone," he growled. His irritation was valid, but that didn't make his actions any less stupid. He knew he'd promised Ikki to keep things hush hush, but…
"Is it maybe possible that you haven't thought this through?"
Ikki's glare grew hotter. Kazu's face went confused.
"I mean.. considering last night,: Iron tried as much as he could without blurting it all completely. Considering they could both be very sharp boys, it was hard to hint something to one without rising suspicion from the other. "Perhaps, it would be better if you waited until the sun was up?"
It was a fruitless effort and Sano knew that it was. It was also lame and short notice, but it looked at though Ikki at least got the idea he was trying to send. However, the boy did not look convinced either way.
"Thanks for the concern," Ikki oozed sarcasm. "But we'll be fine."
And the slight nod and narrowed eyes added on silently, and don't you dare follow us…
Finally, reluctantly, Iron backed off, figuring he'd pushed enough buttons for one night, but he watched them as they walked into the darkness and disappear, mumbling profanities.
A little ways into the night, Ikki kept turning his head around to make sure they were not being followed. Not only was it annoying, it was downright creepy. Along with that he tried to avoid the questions that were undoubtedly running through Kazu's mind, but the blonde had asked him anyway. Three simple little words, not asked in a forceful way, but still put a pressure on Ikki.
"What's going on?"
Ikki's luck seemed to be following him; he only wished it wasn't the bad kind. The concept of lying easy snuck into his head but he just as easily kicked it out. He couldn't, wouldn't, do it. Right now, he wondered if Kazu felt lied to anyway. Iron had blown it on only the second night, hinting towards Kazu that he was being left out of the loop on something somehow. Ikki already knew how low the blond felt about himself. Whe knew how this added onto it.
"Well," Ikki started, gritting his teeth and rolling his head back to look up at the sky, hoping that it was enough to think of something. It was a little too cloudy to see the stars that night, just a bright moon, half shadowed. Ikki forced himself to laugh. "You know how that guy is. Always dropping in when you don't need him."
"I guess that's true, but it still doesn't answer my question."
Of course it doesn't. Ikki thought shortly. You hate being the last to know anything. It makes sense you would probe at this.
Ikki hummed. Guess he couldn't hold off on it, even though he already knew he wouldn't be able to from the start. He face grew faintly serious. What was the harm in telling him anyway? Sure Iron had made sure to warn him not to go around spreading the news but it was Kazu – his childhood friend. What was the worse case scenario? Kazu was good at keeping secrets.
"…He wants to fulfill some sort of 'duty' or something. I feel like… there may be trouble soon." He spared Kazu a glance, who was listening intently, hoping he wouldn't have to dive into details. For now, the answer seemed good enough, and Kazu shrugged it off, much to Ikki's relief. Really, Ikki didn't know all that much either. A lot of things seemed to be happening, and it all felt like it was coming at once in one big massive wave.
"So what are we doing," Kazu asked, easily saving the conversation with little to no effort. Then clicked his AT's on the ground. "Besides the obvious, I mean."
"Just the obvious," the crow playfully countered, easily speeding up for Kazu to give chase. He clipped the jet on the shoulder, however, causing the other boy to stumble a bit. Chances were he would not fall, too used to controlling his balance with short notice like that, but Ikki reached out regardless, catching the blond by the hand and firmly holding him upright.
They froze like that, facing each other, their hands raised up in to air and laced together and their eyes on each other.
"Watch it."
"Sorry."
"Right."
Without a second thought Ikki slid his hand away, the tips of his fingers gliding smoothly over Kazu's before falling at his side. Kazu didn't know why, but Ikki's skin was really soft. Perhaps the skin underneath the gloves were the same.
What…?
Shaking his head and returning to reality, Kazu sped up to catch up with Ikki, who had headed down the street without him.
He didn't know why he was thinking such things, but he was quick to shove it aside. It wasn't a big deal whether or not Ikki's palms were feathery soft. Besides, he was already sure they were, anyway.