"Blue Without You"
A fic by Kevin "Kionon" Callahan
Chapter 2
Author Notes: Yes, I'm actually posting another part to a series I've started.
I know you're all very excited at this development. I am too. You know, this
fic wasn't very high on my priority list, but my muse came back and said "DO
BWY, NOW YOU LAZY EXCUSE FOR A FANFIC WRITER!" And so I cringed
and proceeded to do so. This has been the result.
Thanks to: Corvus, yea you, for prereading the first chapter and to
Vincent Diamante for C&Cing the first chapter. More notes later.
_-_-_
Kevin walked around to face his mother. "But Mom, she doesn't have
anywhere else to stay, her host family just up and moved! We have two extra
bedrooms, it's not like she won't have a place to stay here. Besides, she's
neat, extra-ultra-organized, and made a 97% average in her Japanese school!
That's like making a 120% average here! I mean think of the influence she
might have on me!"
His mother sighed and replied, "Fine, though that last trick of yours
isn't the reason. That's because you're already making A's. There were two
100's on your last report card, but if this girl is really so important to
you than fine, she can stay." Kevin whooped quietly and gazed at the blue
haired girl sitting in the parlor. She was staring at a gold card she had in
her hands, moving it around in the light. It appeared to be a credit card.
The name on the card was not clearly identifiable.
Kevin traced an invisible line from the card to Ami's face. She
seemed to have been crying; a tear falling from her cheek onto the card and
gently rolling off and sinking into the carpet. He frowned, started for her
to do something, and then stepped back scared to death of what he might
screw up if were to try to comfort her. He couldn't say he understood? Who
did? She had woken up to find she was a fictional character made flesh, and
that every memory she had was created by some woman now living in Tokyo.
No, he would wait it out. There was no reason to alienate her by
doing something taboo. The Japanese are a very private people, he didn't
want to join her in grief that wasn't his to share. Maybe deep in heart she
wanted to be comforted, but he wouldn't pretend to know her feelings. It
was a case of being better to be safe than to be sorry. However, he did need
to show her the room she'd be staying in. Disturbing her was inevitable, but
he would step lightly and ignore the grief.
He stepped softly, oh so stealthily, towards Ami before stopping about
four feet from her. In a soft, carefully articulated sentence he dragged
her from whatever personal hell she was still stuck in. "Ami, your room?"
She "ahemed" in response and he punctuated the air to direct her to the
hallway. "This," he pointed, "the first room is the bathroom, it has two
sinks, the left one is mine, so you can use the right one. The next room, to
the left, is my room. The room to the left of that is yours. The room on the
right is the guest, 'guest' bedroom and since you're staying here as a
resident of this house you're not really counted as a guest, so you get a
'real' bedroom."
Ami, smelling slight dust in the air, looked around the room. In one
corner was a small bed, in another was a wooden desk with a lamp. The walls
were painted the same shade of blue as he room back in Tokyo... or the
concept of "Ami Mizuno's Room" anyway. She inspected the mini-walk-in closet
much like the one in the boy's room. The room had a great big window that
took up 90% of the western wall and tinted the wall behind her a deep purple
due to the now setting sun. The boy ran off, he had told her he would need to
get her a dresser and maybe a bookshelf, knowing how much she liked to read.
She was uncomfortable around the boy. He knew far too much about her
like he had been watching her all her life. Which, when she thought about what
she had seen, wasn't that far away from the truth of the matter. She felt
naked in front of him, totally in view, when she knew nothing about him. Of
course life was never fair. She had had to put up with that due to her Senshi
position, but now, she didn't even have that to defend against the world with.
It wasn't even like she got taken out of her "world" to be placed in
Japan. She was in a totally different culture, truly a completely different
world. She couldn't even find comfort in the small things. She turned, the boy
had just finished heaving the dresser into the corner next to the closet.
"Ami, is this acceptable?" he huffed.
After a moment of thought, Ami nodded. "Yes, this is fine, though I
will require a computer."
Kevin's brow creased, "Uhm," his lips contorted, "I can't just exactly
ask my parents for it."
"Kevin, I do believe my mother's credit card will still works and believe
it or not, I do agree that I have no choice but to delve into some subterfuge.
I don't like it, but it seems to me I have to use everything at my disposal in
order to set up some way to research how I got here," she turned to the setting
sun, "And how I'm getting back."
Kevin walked next to her to stare out at the blood red sky with her. "So
you're not giving up? You think this can be solved and that you can find a way
back?" 'And I'll lose you?' he added in his mind, unbidden. "Fine, I'll see if I
can talk my parents into giving us a ride to circuit city or somewhere. I agree
that we can't be truthful. We'd both be either put in mental institutions, or you
would be dissected by a government agency to find out what gives you your powers.
Which I meant to ask you, can you transform at all?"
Ami shook her head and replied, "No, I came home late from a cram school
I didn't have my communicator or henshin pen, I just had my mother's credit card
for the taxi fair. That's all that came with me besides my uniform. Which, by the
way, I also really need to buy some clothes. These are fine in Japan, but you
don't have to wear uniforms."
"Oki doki, we can stop at the mall, it's right behind circuit city, and
get you some cool clothes, but I wouldn't just throw your fuku away... I think
it... ah... looks.. cute on you." He blushed slightly, while she just chuckled
lightly. Soon after Kevin found himself laughing as well and there they stayed,
laughing and staring out Ami's new window and watching the sun submerge
beneath the waves of rolling land.
* * *
Mrs. Cox, English teacher at Frisco High School, turned to address the
English II class. "Good Morning, everyone... Jesus, wake up!" she called to a
student sitting two desks in front of Kevin. "Today we have a new student, her
name is Ami Mizuno, and she's from Tokyo, Japan. She's staying with our very
own Kevin Callahan. Make sure you make her feel welcome." She then directed
Amy to as desk about five to the right, two from the back.
One could tell Ami was bored. She would take down notes, read the assigned
passages in Julius Caesar, but always as one would breathe. She did so out of
habit, not out of any actual need to do it. Kevin frowned as he gazed at the
apathetic and distant expression on her face. She was hiding her pain far too
well. It couldn't be healthy, but he was once again to afraid to take any action
which might have broken up their already strained relationship. So, with all his
restraint, he ignored the face and the tones.
While they didn't have the same classes, Ami did hang around Kevin as much
as possible. Not that she wasn't independent. She was just scared. Really, really
scared. Kevin had been keeping her from meeting his friends. At least two would
recognize her, and if Kevin was any indication, it wouldn't take long for them to
believe she was who she was. That could be dangerous. So she didn't socialize
much, and she followed Kevin as closely as she could. What happened if word got
out Sailor Mercury existed? How would she deal with that creator of hers, Noko or
something.
She met Misato Matsuura, Japanese exchange student form Osaka, in a
special class for exchange students. Quite a bit of it was just a study skills
time combined with some English mastery. Ami, however, was fluent in English
and despite her accent, needed no help in that area. Misato, though she was an
artist, did not watch Anime. Ami was not recognized either in name or physical
attributes. She made her first friend outside of Kevin that day. Misato and Ami
could talk about subjects relating to life in Japan without Ami fearing for her
identity. Not to mention other more female topics that she would consider talking
to Kevin about a serious breach of privacy for herself, not to mention probably
putting him on the spot.
She would eventually have to bring up certain topics soon enough, however,
because there were certain toiletries that she needed. Embarrassed, but
determined she inquired about the possibility of getting such items on the
formally proposed shopping trip. Blushing even more than usual, Kevin replied,
"Ami, you could have just asked my mother... she would have been a better
person to go to. Of course we can get... ugh.. those *things*," he said the word
rather uncomfortably. She thanked him and went back to her room. Kevin
continued blushing.
* * *
Kevin smiled as Ami swirled around wearing her new peach skirt and yellow
blouse and admired the mall. "Wow, it's just so amazing. It has everything!"
"You've never been to a mall? I thought the series implied you went with
the group a couple of times," Kevin commented.
Ami swirled around to face him and replied, "Nothing like this. Yes, we
went shopping together ever so often, but in Jubaan all the shops are separate
buildings. I never had the time to go to places like this. They were always too
far away, and I did have a lot of studying to do. Your school system is even
easier than I remember hearing about. However, you and what I've seen of your
friends, which isn't much, suggests that despite the school systems ineptness,
it still produces rather bright people."
"I do believe you flatter me."
"Not flattery, simple fact."
Kevin shook his head in dismay, "How could I have expected anything else
from the eternally reserved Ami Mizuno?" He tried keeping a stoic expression,
but chuckled slightly. She gave him a 'get real' expression and moved on
towards another store. He gleefully followed even though he had to hold he
stuff.
They spent the day at the mall, taking pictures together, eating at the
food court, laughing at a clown that had been provided for the customers'
entertainment. Ami tried on different clothes in Dillard's and Penny's and
Folely's and other assorted department stores. Ami came away with 5
sweaters, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 skirts, and other assorted items that day.
As the pair walked down one of the side corridors toward the exit they
would be picked up at, Kevin wistfully said, "Man, I wish all days could be
like this."
"Maybe they can."
Raising an eyebrow, Kevin cocked his head toward Ami. "How so?"
"Well, we will have quite a bit of time together. Maybe we could do things
like this more often. I had a great time. I never knew that not studying could
be so... so... freeing! Even so, I miss my mother, and I miss the group.
Despite the possibility that I may never have to worry about school ever again,
I want back," she turned to one side to hide the tears forming in her eyes. "I
don't know how long I can stand to live in this world. No offense against to
you or your life, but it isn't mine, and it shouldn't have to be."
Frowning, Kevin answered, "Of course not, but you'll have to put up with it
until we can find a way to send you home. So don't be too bitter. We'll find a
way. I promise." The pair proceeded out the exit and sat down in a bench.
Together they watched as another sunset bled over the horizon as they waited
for Kevin's mother to drive up and get them. 'I wish,' thought Kevin, 'She would
want to stay, but wishing is not going to make her want to.' he gazed at her
profile as she stared out the windshield and let out a sigh that echoed in his
heart.
---
Spoo!
Author notes continued: Well, I did that in about 12 hours, can you believe
that? With school and band and all that other stuff, I still finished it in 12 hours!
Woke up this morning with my muse beating me over the head with a frying
pan and boy can she be persistent. Not that I have a problem with it, it makes
my job easier when I have direction. Now remember the C&C, and speaking of
that, Mr. Diamante, you still owe me some.
Bye,
Kionon
P.S. If this keeps up, chapter three may be out by tomorrow night. >P