Yo guys! Sorry I took so long on the next chapter! I got a little braindead on what to do then I thought up an idea! Sort of repeat the main problem from Minagoroshi-hen! Don't worry, nobody's gonna die or anything xD
Oh, and if you guys keep reading on and you stop thinking that the next chapter may have some adult content, I just have to say...
"Hahaha...isn't that cute? BUT IT'S WRROOOOONNNNNGG!"
No seriously, there's not gonna be any adult content next chapter if you think there will be. Just clearing that up for ya! :D
Okay, enjoy this chapter!Chapter 6
The sun was setting as they ran, Suzaku not going fast and making himself slower than Shion. He could easily pass Shion in the running department, but he didn't know where he was going, so he had to follow her.
There was an orange glow casted among the dirt road they went across, Shion was going breathlessy and she stumbled a little.
Suzaku reached out to steady her, but she pushed him away and ran even faster.
They finally reached a house over by the side. But they stopped, breathing hard, eyes wide when they saw Rika standing there, her back to them.
She whipped around, blue hair flying. Her chest was heaving, her cheeks were red. She had been running quickly, as well.
"Rika-chama..." Shion started, controlling her breathing, "...You got a gut feeling, too?"
Rika ran over to them, "Yes...it's just...this can't be happening...not now..." She looked down, "After all we've been through..."
Shion held a fist to her chest, Suzaku just stood there. What kind of stuff had been happening in this town?
"But, is she here?" He then asked Rika, who looked up at him, "Is Houjou-san here?"
Rika was about to reply until they heard:
"Rika..."
All three of them turned quickly to find Satoko standing behind them. The blonde girl casted her eyes down, and rested a large grocery bag in front of her feet. Suzaku noticed items in the bag that a regular ten year old wouldn't buy.
Satoko's violet eyes, usually so bright and colorful, were blank and lifeless, like a purple void.
"Satoko!" Shion started, wanting to gather the little girl in her arms, took a step forward but stopped and gasped when a window to the house they stood by slammed open.
A gruff-looking blonde man with a cigarette in his mouth poked his head out, "Satoko!" He shouted, "You're freaking late!"
"I-I'm sorry.." Satoko said, holding both fists to her chin, eyes wide slightly, "Th-There was a holdup at the grocery store, and..."
Suzaku looked at Shion, wondering who the hell this man was. Shion didn't respond. She was staring at Satoko.
"Hurry up and get your ass inside then!" The man then closed the window with a bang, causing everyone to wince.
"Houjou Teppei..." Rika confirmed quietly, gritting her teeth.
Shion's eyes widened, Suzaku only muttered, "What...?" He had never seen Satoko like this before, she was usually so sweet and so nice. How could she suddenly in the past few hours become so...
"Rika..." Satoko whispered. They looked at her as she said, "I...I think I'll live in this house from now on."
"Satoko!" Rika shouted, eyes wide.
"My uncle came back." Satoko continued as if the blue-haired girl had never spoken, "He called me at Angel Mort...I went to see him, and we talked it over..."
She tried to fake a smile, but it came out crooked and sad, "...And we decided to live together. Right here."
Suzaku blinked, realizing the situation instantly. He looked back at the house.
"Houjou-san..." He said, "You can't..."
"Don't worry about me, Suzaku-san." Satoko closed her eyes in response, "My uncle and I just want to be a nice family again. I don't want to be a burden by living with Rika..."
"You're not a burden, Satoko!" Shion cried out suddenly, causing the younger girl to wince, "You've got all of us! You can't-"
"SATOKO!" Teppei's voice boomed from the inside, "Come and get me another drink you bought!"
"Y-Yes!" Satoko called out in a broken voice, picked up the bag, and walked around the three without another word.
Suzaku reached out to stop her. He couldn't just let Satoko go in there.
Rika then quickly grabbed his shirt before he could move. He clenched his fists when he saw Rika slowly shake her head.
Satoko was already inside. Shion looked terrified. Suzaku then knew...
Satoko's uncle was not a nice guy.
"Rika-chan?" Rena asked the blue-haired girl who was sitting on her desk, "Satoko-chan isn't here? What happened, kana?"
Suzaku stood by the doorway to Rika's classroom. It was now the next day, but he still felt tired. Not only did his previous nightmare keep him from TRYING to sleep, the image of Satoko in so much misery kept popping up in his head too many times.
"Is she sick, Rika-san?" Kimi asked. She was also in Rena's and Keiichi's class, but along with the red-haired girl and brown-haired boy came to Rika to inquire. She wasn't part of Mion's club due to work, but she still cared for all the kids in the school.
"Nothing happened, did it?" Keiichi titled his head, blinking with concern.
All the other little girls and boys now gathered around, now finally noticing one of their classmates were absent. Rika didn't respond, her bangs were covering her eyes.
Suzaku felt a touch on his arm and he turned to see a worried Mion. He didn't know what to say to the 16 year old, he just looked away.
"Shion has been sitting at her desk very quietly today, Kiryuu-kun..." He heard her speak, "...You and her both know what's wrong, don't you?"
Suzaku could only nod.
Mion grit her teeth and sighed, stopping and moved out of the way as their teacher Chie entered.
"Furude-san..." Chie came by Rika's side, "I may not be the teacher of this class anymore, but I am still concered for it's students. Can you please tell me where Houjou-san went?"
"Shut up..." Rika then whispered, surprising everybody in the room.
Her chair was shoved back rather roughly, and she stood up, "I'm going home."
But when she turned to leave, Chie said sternly yet hesitantly, "F-Furude-san! Wait!"
She stopped the girl, "I can't let you leave just yet. Now please tell me where Houjou-san is!"
Rika left the teacher's lounge, already expecting to find all her friends plus Suzaku standing there.
"Rika-chan..." Mion started.
"Did Satoko-chan's uncle really come back, kana?" Rena held a fist to her chest.
Suzaku looked down. He glanced at Shion, who stood back, hair covering her eyes, clenching her fists. For being such an open-minded person, she did a good job of keeping quiet.
Then he wondered if he could possibly do anything that would save Satoko from this predicament...
He almost laughed when he remembered. He was no longer Kururugi Suzaku. That person was dead.
"I heard the rumours..." Keiichi commented, "He's the one that abused Satoko and her brother, right?"
Keiichi made a small gasp of surprise when he felt a hand drop onto his shoulder. They all looked at Suzaku, who's eyes were wide.
"What?" Was all Suzaku asked.
"All this time..." The brunette thought, "...All this time Houjou-san...no, Satoko had a brother?"
He then let go of Keiichi, muttering an apology, and the attention went back to Rika. Shion's eyes were still on him though.
"Everyone, calm down..." Chie said to them, "I'm going to meet with Houjou-san right now."
"There's no way I can calm down!" Shion then shouted loudly, obviously not able to hold it in any longer.
She had taken a step forward, "When I think of the hell Satoko and Satoshi-kun had been forced to endure...You know this, Sensei!"
Her eyes then closed, her shoulders began to shake, "Exploited...cornered..."
Suzaku watched her fists trembling as they were clenched, "And there was nothing we could do about it!" She then looked up, "Are you asking us to repeat what happened almost 2 years ago?"
"This will not happen. I will make sure." Chie replied firmly, then she looked at Mion, "Class President, maintain a study period in our class until I get back. The rest of you should go back to your own."
"I understand.." Mion answered.
When Chie moved around Shion, Rika only glanced downward.
"I can't believe this..." She whispered into thin air, "When I finally obtain the world I want, guess who comes strolling back..."
Suzaku blinked when he saw Rika's lips moving from a few feet away, but he didn't do anything about it.
His worries were focused on Shion's state of sanity at the moment.
"And you came back just like that?" Shion demanded to Chie, as they stood in their classrooms. School had already been let out, and the sun was setting once more.
Keiichi, Rena and Rika decided not to leave and went to Mion, Shion and Suzaku's classroom and they stood there as well.
"If you didn't force your way in to see if Satoko was alright, then what was the whole point of going?"
Chie had a hand on her arm, her blue eyes casted down. This was only Suzaku's second day at the school, but he could tell that Chie was too gentle of a person to force her way into someone's house.
"Stop it, Shii-chan.." Rena came up next to Shion, "Chie-sensei just can't go that far."
Rika looked P.O'd, as she watched the sun set through one of the windows. This girl was concerned for Satoko, since she lived with her, but the 10-year-old couldn't do anything to save Satoko.
She was just a little girl.
Chie, still wanting to help, then said, "Then, I'll go report this to the principal." She left the classroom quickly.
Suzaku was sitting on a desk that wasn't his, thinking. Could he go to Satoko's house and physically hurt Teppei in a way to teach him a lesson? Or maybe...
He stopped and looked up.
If only Teppei was killed suddenly...
His thoughts were interrupted when Shion stomped her way to the classroom door, and Mion saying suddenly, "Shion! Where are you going?"
"What does it look like?" Shion faced back halfway, "I'm going to rescue Satoko! Satoshi-kun asked me to!"
She turned back fully now, "He asked me to take care of his sister!"
Suzaku blinked slowly. Satoko's brother was named Satoshi? What happened to this boy?
And with Shion, obviously this kind of behavior didn't intimidate him, but it did cause him to worry how far a girl like HER could possibly go.
"Even if I have to kill Houjou Teppei, I'll definately save Satoko without fail!"
Everyone then gasped in shock. Rika's eyes went wide with disbelief.
Then a scary grin formed on Shion's face as she stared at the floor, "That's it! I'll just go ahead and kill him! And that will save Satoko!" She looked up at her friends, "It's the best way!"
Now Suzaku was surprised.
"Shii..." Rika clenched her fists in frustration, "You can't ruin what I spent an eternity trying to get everyone's happiness!"
"Doesn't matter! While all of you cry about how helpless you are, I'll be taking care of Houjou Teppei!" Shion's mint eyes grew menacing and she bared her teeth in rage, "I'll go to that man's house right now and kill him! If I have 1500 seconds I can finish this all!"
"No way." Suzaku then stood up, "I won't let you go."
Shion only showed fear for a second before narrowing her eyes in anger and what seemed to be betrayal.
"You think killing somebody will solve everyone's problems?" He asked her, "I thought you were better than this, Shion-san. And I'll stop you if you try to leave."
The brunette then grew completely serious, "You think I can't do that?"
Shion took a step back, fury turning slightly into hesitation, "I know how much pain Satoko has been through! Ignored and treated like scum by Hinamizawa, abused and bullied by her aunt and uncle, and the only brother she depended on going missing..."
She held up a fist, "And despite all that pain, she always tried her best to make the most out of it! You know that, Suzaku! She was the first person you met when you came here!"
He blinked. She called him by his first name again.
"And I'm not letting such a sweet and good girl suffer any longer!" Shion then turned for the door.
Suzaku sighed, "This isn't going to turn out well, but..."
He was two seconds short of tackling Shion, but he stopped when he saw Keiichi run for the door and block it, "Don't even." The 15 year old said with a smirk.
Shion halted in her tracks. Rika then made a small smile. This was just like the last world.
"Please move away from the door, Kei-chan." Shion ordered with a low voice.
"I don't think I will." Keiichi then looked at Suzaku, "Thanks for distracting her for me. She would've noticed me creeping towards the door!" He made a childish laugh, urking Shion's anger even more.
"Anywhos..." Keiichi grew a little serious, but he was still smiling, "I know. If you kill Satoko's uncle, you're just going to regret it."
"I'm already prepared!" Shion retorted, "If I can save Satoko, then I don't mind getting arrested!"
"Nope. Wrong again." Keiichi made it sound like a game show now, "You know what we've gotten now! After all that happened several months ago...that last June...remember?"
Shion gritted her teeth, as the boy continued, "And now, as Rika said, "We've finally obtained a world where everyone can be happy!". Well, I have no way in hell of deciphering that metaphor, but I still know the main meaning."
Keiichi tilted his head, "And by killing someone, you're only going to mess up the peace we've finally made here."
"Get out of my way!" Shion cried in response. Her hand caught onto a desk chair, "If you won't move..." She swung the chair over her head, "Then I'll just kill you first, Kei-chan!"
Now THIS was the last straw. Suzaku took a step forward behind Shion and reached out to snatch the chair from her hands, but paused when Keiichi shook his head slightly. Suzaku for some reason trusted the younger boy, and lowered his hand.
"This'll be good." Keiichi lowered the arms he was holding, "Let's see you try!"
Suzaku then realized Keiichi's voice now sounded very similar to an old friend of his...Wow, they DID sound the same...
"You think I'm kidding then?" Shion tilted her own head and grinned, "I'll do it. Sonozaki Shion will smash this chair onto your head, then will go and save Satoko! I'll kill all enemies that stand before me, no matter how many! I'm one of those types that can do that!"
"So do it, dammit!" Keiichi then shouted, "Do it right now!"
"Why you..." Shion tightened her grip on the chair.
"Kei-chan, don't!" Mion began to go to them, "Shion's really serious!"
But she was stopped when Suzaku stuck his arm out and stopped her.
"Don't worry, Mion-san." He said quietly, "Let him go. He'll be fine."
"DAMN YOU, KEI-CHAN! GET OUT OF MY WAAYY!" Shion then screamed, bringing down the chair as hard as she could and it landing right on Keiichi's head.
Keiichi grunted in pain, drops of blood falling onto the ground. Everyone gasped. Shion was panting and trembling in rage and she dropped the chair.
She was still panting and made a small gasp when she felt Suzaku's hand on her arm.
"Are you finished now...Shion-san?"
When she looked up at him, she saw nothing but disappointment in those sage green eyes. She turned her head to Keiichi, who looked up and smiled, blood streaming down the side of his face. The cicadas outside began to hum and make noise, and she backed up startled, staring at the blood on the floor.
She then made her way calmly and sat down on the same desk Suzaku was sitting on. They all watched her for a second, before Keiichi spoke again.
"Right now, even I don't know what to do." He smiled gratefully at Rena who came up and began to wipe the blood from his face, "But, I know, with all of us together, we'll think of something. I promise!"
Shion's face was shadowed by green hair, and then Keiichi added, "So, believe in me! Believe in Rena, and Rika! Believe in your sister!"
"And..."
Shion started in surprise when she saw Suzaku kneel next to her, "Believe in me, too. Okay, Shion-san?"
"Su-Suzaku..." She tried to answer, but was interrupted when the door to the classroom opened.
Chie and the principal, a tall and bald man, came in. The principal said, "Just leave the rest to us."
"Principal?" Rena asked.
"I've heard the situation from Chie-sensei..." The principal replied, "I'll contact Child Welfare immediately and take the proper action."
Shion looked back down again, "It'll only be pointless in the end."
"Shion-kun..." The principal said, "The moment you say "pointless"..."
"...You've already lost the battle..." Rika finished from where she stood.
"That's right. And Houjou-kun is my adorable student...Chie-sensei and I will do everything we can to resolve the matter."
Mion smiled softly, Rena and Keiichi grinned and high-fived. The principal and Chie said they would make a phone call, and they left the classroom.
Shion's eyes were still diverted to the drying blood she had caused that came from Keiichi.
She had an intake of breath when she saw one of Suzaku's tanned hands move over one of her pale ones that were laying on her lap.
"Don't worry..." Suzaku spoke softly in a voice only she could hear, "I'll help you save Satoko. We'll do this together..."
"I know..." Shion's eyes closed, a few tears escaped, "I know..."
She silently began to sob, and Suzaku's other hand went onto her head, petting there soothingly as a way to make her feel better.
He didn't know that gesture was breaking her heart even more.
Shion had gone to the bathroom to wash up, Rena, Mion and Rika followed her just in case, leaving Keiichi and Suzaku alone in the classroom.
"Ah, poor Shion." Keiichi shrugged, poking and prodding the fresh wound on his head, "I knew she was upset. But I'm glad she's better."
"Me, too." Suzaku muttered quietly, gazing out the window, "Maebara-san..."
"Yeah?"
"What happened to Houjou Satoshi?"
Keiichi turned his head to him, "Hmm, well...I moved here after Satoshi, so I don't know him, but...He disappeared, a few days after the Watanagashi festival almost 2 years ago."
Suzaku blinked, and Keiichi shrugged, "Some say he was spirited away by demons...Others say he just gathered up all the money he was saving and ran away."
"And leave Houjou-" Suzaku shook his head, "And leave Satoko behind?"
"Yeah, I thought that was weird, too. Shion keeps saying Satoshi really cared for Satoko, and he would never leave her. He did ask Shion to protect Satoko..."
Keiichi sighed, "It's all a tad bit confusing. Even the police believed that Satoshi killed his aunt. But I know that's not true. It can't be."
Suzaku wanted to ask about the aunt, but his shoulders slumped, "This town must have been through alot, huh..."
"More than you know." Keiichi nodded, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning against the wall of lockers, "...You won't get in trouble if you know the real story, but Hinamizawa has been trying to cover it all up, y'know? But don't let ME explain it to you. Ask Coach or something..."
Suzaku stared up at the ceiling, as Keiichi stopped, "Oh yeah, Satoshi also had this...Hold on a second..."
He turned to one of the lockers he was leaning against and opened it up. Suddenly, a metal baseball bat toppled out, but Keiichi grabbed it just in time.
"Yeah." Keiichi handed the bat to Suzaku, "It may be a littly dirty, but nobody's used it. Been sitting in the locker. Planning to clean it up soon."
Suzaku looked on the edge and saw the Japanese characters for "SATOSHI". He tiltled his head, then gave it back to Keiichi.
"Why is Shion so serious about Satoko's brother's wishes?" He had to ask.
The other boy just laughed, putting the bat back where it belonged, "Ha! None of my business, even though I'm as curious as YOU are!"
It looked like he was going to say something else, but the classroom door opened and all the other girls entered. Shion's eyes were on the floor, slightly red. Mion and Rena were smiling softly, Rika looked as if everything around her was hopeless.
"Well, I guess it's time for everyone to go home now!" Mion clapped her hands, making Shion jump a little, "Me, Rena-chan, Shion and Kei-chan are going to walk Rika-chan home!"
"I want to walk Kiryuu-san home." Shion said suddenly, causing everyone to look at her. Mion glanced at Suzaku then.
"That's fine." He said stiffly, "I don't mind company."
Suddenly everything grew completely dark around the classroom. Everyone blinked several times, eyes trying to adjust, and Rika went over to the window.
"Storm clouds..." She whispered, "..I believe it's going to rain pretty hard, soon, nano desu."
She looked at Suzaku and smiled, "Nipah!"
"Shion, you sure walking Suzaku-kun home is a good idea?" Rena titled her head, handing some bandages to Keiichi, "With those clouds, it's surely going to rain really hard. Perhaps even thunder and lightning!"
"Yeah, I remember watching the news..." Mion shrugged, "Well, it's your choice, Shion."
"I'll be fine if it rains." Shion replied, "Doesn't matter if it storms or not. Depending on how bad it is, I can get by."
"Then we'd better leave now." Suzaku stood up, "Ready to go?"
"Yeah..." Shion nodded.
Keiichi winked at Suzaku, who stared back for a second with pure confusion, Rena and Mion had big grins, and Rika smiled softly as they both left.
They walked in silence back to Suzaku's apartment, the clouds getting even blacker and making it harder to find their way. Thunder rumbled loudly in the distance, causing them both to jump a little.
"It...usually doesn't rain so much here." Shion murmured, trying to dispel the quietness between them, "...I...sort of like it when it does, though."
"Me too." Suzaku replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.
"It means you have to stay inside and stuff, meaning you don't have to worry about things..." Shion shrugged, "..But I also like running around in the rain, too, y'know..."
Suzaku didn't speak, he just kept walking.
After a few seconds, he heard her say, "You're mad at me, aren't you?"
"What do you think, Sonozaki-san?"
"You ARE mad at me!" Shion faced him as they walked, "You're calling me by my last name! You've never done that before, only with Onee!"
"So?"
"Suzaku...-san." She added quickly, "If..if I offended you or anything..."
Suzaku stopped walking, "Sonozaki-san, it wasn't me you offended. It was everyone else. They told you they would try to help Satoko, but instead you didn't believe them. And you hurt Maebara-san."
Shion looked down in shame, holding a fist to her chest, "I-I know...
"What I'm mad about is the fact you didn't trust your friends, you thought they were lying, and you decided to take the worst possible action. Killing isn't the answer to everything."
"I'm sorry..." She responded with a sad voice, "I just...I had expected you to be on my side on this...I just really care about Satoko...I don't want her to get hurt."
"I don't want her hurt either...Shion." The softness in his voice made her look up at him, "But I'll never choose the path of violence as long as my ordinary will tells me to."
This confused Shion. What, did Suzaku have some more greater power controlling him at some points or something? Ah, well...
They started walking again, it was now totally dark, no stars in the sky, only black clouds. The wind picked up a tad, lifting Shion's long hair up halfway as they walked.
"I'm sorry..." Shion spoke again, this time barely a whisper, "I just realized you don't like violence at all...I should have thought better..."
"It's alright." Suzaku looked at her with a neutral expression, but he didn't smile, "Your will to save Satoko is very strong..." His head titled just a tad, "...I like how you don't give up."
Shion blinked, but then she smiled softly, "Okay, Suzaku."
They finally reached the building, and that was when Suzaku felt a rain drop on his head. He looked at Shion, feeling another drop onto his cheek.
"Uh oh..." Shion murmured, both their gazes moving upward into the black sky. The large flash of lightning was all they needed to see before the rain came down fully.
Suzaku immediately grabbed Shion's wrist as the rainwater poured down on them, and practically yanked her inside of the building and to his apartment.
Yay! Hope you liked this chapter!
Fun fact: In the chapter where Suzaku thought Keiichi's voice sounded VERY familiar, he was right. Keiichi's Japanese voice actor is also the voice actor for Gino Weinburg in Code Geass! Funny, huh? I was making a joke on that :3
Okay, now there's gonna be a Suzaku/Shion chapter! But no adult content, just some heart-to-heart talk and stuff and blah blah blah. :D See ya!