With thanks to The Eternal Lost Lurker for his MSTing of v. 1!
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Nikholas "elf" F. Toledo
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DiScLaImEr!!!
RAYEARTH is the property of CLAMP/Kodansha
Addiction to both the anime and manga series has prompted the author to
seek an outlet, withdrawal symptoms are not yet foreseen so expect more
to come.
warning: Download moderately!
Artistic muses are usually on strike!
<read: author is very lazy>
< ah... este +busy+ >
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Reunions and Tragedies
CHAPTER I
Old Friends,
New Memories,
The Taste of Spring
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, sunlight filtered
through their delicate canopy of white and pink blossoms. The
morning breeze was crisp, clear and sweet, laden with the fresh
scent of spring and the birds' welcoming song.
<Scene: The Shido Dojo>
The beauty of this day was lost, however, to the two combatants
inside the dojo. The they had been up since dawn and had the
training hall all to themselves. And, without the supervision of
any referee, both had opted to dispense with their cumbersome do
(chest protector) and men (mask) that should have completed their
kendo outfits.
The two faced-off and bowed. The red-headed warrior flipped back
her long braid before taking up her fighting stance. They circled
each other like wary wolves sizing each other up, waiting for an
opening. The female saw her chance and immediately launched the
first attack.
"Kiyaii!" she yelled, rushing towards her enemy at a dead run,
holding her shinai sideways with both hands. She smoothly side-
stepped at the last moment and brought it down on her enemy's blind
side. He was already anticipating the move; he drew back to deflect
her blow and delivered one of his own, which connected painfully
with her right shoulder. He tapped the tip of her shinai to divert
her attention, then struck another blow to her wrists.
"My point." He tauntingly clucked, "Tsk, tsk, tsk; wake up
little sister or..." He didn't get to finish, as the girl lunged
forward and attacked, bringing the stick down in a full arc,
intending to even up the score. He came out of a sideways roll with
the high whine of the shinai singing to his ear.
_That was close,_ he said to himself as he gave her a smug
smile.
"C'mon, Hikaru, you can do better than that! Don't tell me
you're holding back now!" he said as he circled around his quarry.
Hikaru flushed. _So, he did notice, but he didn't have to hit my
wrist THAT hard,_ she thought to herself.
"As you say, Kakeru-niisama," she hardly finished speaking
before being subjected to another round of assault. The kendoist
unleashed his attack at an amazing speed, the strikes pounding one
after the other. Hikaru parried each one, trying not to flinch. She
blocked the last blow and pushed back hard, rendering him off-
balance only for a moment, but that was enough for her to leap
outside of the driving hand that came at her neck. She immediately
drew her shinai up and ducked the following thrust.
Kakeru stood, holding his bokken in a sweaty grip, breathing
hard and trying not to let his amazement show.
_Damn, but she's good; hmm... been working on her defense._
Hikaru was trying not to gasp for her next breath.
_Count on Kakeru to give me a thorough morning workout._
Ignoring her throbbing shoulder, she calmly waited for the next
attack.
______________________________
<Scene: Ryuzaki Residence>
Umi tugged the sheet over her head and cursed the brilliant
morning sun that was peering down at her.
_Whose idea was it to put the bed right next to the east windows
anyway?_
Cautiously, she sat up and squinted into the room. She tried to
run her fingers through her tangled blue locks as she glanced at
the clock. Quarter after nine on a Saturday morning, it read.
Outside, everything seemed so fresh and green that she almost
forgot the problem at hand; that is, until her gentian blue eyes
wandered around the room and narrowed upon the white tulips resting
on top of her vanity.
_Mom's been decorating again._
She immediately dismissed the idea when she spied the card.
_Flowers? Who would possibly send me these?_ she asked herself.
A name suddenly came to mind, one she desperately tried to block
out together with the unsettling emotions it always brought.
_C'mon, Umi, it's just a bunch of tulips, they won't bite, they
won't mock, they won't grab and, most of all, they won't even try
to kiss you..._
Umi promptly turned a becoming shade of pink at the thought.
She finally marched up to it and read the message on the card:
====================================
Sorry 'bout that, Blue Eyes;
seems like you can't win 'em all.
Thanks for being such a GOOD sport.
Gryff
p.s.
if you want a rematch,
Saturday, fencing hall, 4:00 p.m.
if you want to date, call me,
my number's at the back.
====================================
Umi automatically flipped the note over and frowned, and, like
he said, there it was, written in his arrogant scrawl.
"The nerve of that creep!" she cursed, crumpling the offending
note and throwing it at the wastebasket on her way out. Fuming, she
closed the door with a satisfied slam that rattled the frames on
the wall.
Meanwhile downstairs...
_Umi would be so happy to wake up to the sight of those gorgeous
flowers._
Mrs. Ryuzaki thought to herself with a smile; she herself
arranged them on her daughter's vanity just a moment ago,
strategically placing them there so that they would be the first
thing she sees the moment she got up.
_And that nice young man, such a romantic; reminds me of Umi's
father back when we were still in college._
"Mmmm... I wonder who's the lucky guy who managed to put that
smile on your face this morning," Mr. Ryuzaki whispered to his
wife's ear as his arms circled around her waist from behind and
started to pull her closer. He was already bending down to kiss her
when she answered.
"Oh, you mean that handsome young man who came by with a bouquet
of tulips?" she said nonchalantly, trying her best to keep a poker
face.
He stiffened in surprise. Actually, he was fully expecting a
little ego-pampering this morning; he wasn't counting on it to be
crushed entirely, though. He pushed his glasses back up his nose,
he leaned back against the wall and regarded his wife.
_Two can play at this game._
"Dear, if you're cheating on me, don't take up cradle-snatching
as well. That young pup wouldn't know what to do in..."
"Oh, shut up," kissing him soundly, "The flowers were for Umi.
It looks like our daughter has finally grown up."
"Umi's a very pretty young lady," he grinned, "Almost as
gorgeous as her mother," he added before claiming her lips for
another kiss.
It lasted for a minute, an hour, a lifetime... It sure was
getting warm. Actually, warm was not an adequate word. Hot was
closer to the mark.
He finally lifted her off her feet and placed her on top of the
hall table without breaking contact.
SLAM!
"Mom! Dad! Geez, get a room!" Umi yelled at the top of the
stairs, then stomped off to the bathroom.
_What's their business showing off at such an early hour?!_
Both of them reluctantly broke up their fevered embrace and
flinched as the bathroom door slammed home.
"My, I thought she was going to be surprised about the flowers,"
she said frowning.
"Darling, I think that those flowers weren't the only ones
responsible for her cheery disposition this morning," he said,
smiling down at her bemused look.
______________________________
Back at the Dojo...
A man stood watching from the eerie shadows. His eyes missing
nothing; not Hikaru's excellent fighting form nor Kakeru's flagging
performance. What irked him most was the fact that both have AGAIN
disobeyed him. Kakeru was indeed having trouble with his younger
sister. He came out ahead at the start of the match, but it seemed
that the tables have turned. Hikaru now had the upper hand.
_Looks like he's been neglecting his training. I have to talk to
him about that,_ he thought to himself.
Hikaru, on the other hand, had shown great improvement in the
past four years. Somehow, he doubted that her skill was honed by
her devotion to the art alone. Kendo had simply provided an outlet
for whatever it is that has been troubling his sister for the past
years.
Sometimes, he found it hard to believe that she was already 18
years old. A young lady. Not their baby sister. No, not anymore.
Since their father left for his martial arts training they have
taken his place in worrying over her. Aside from being the youngest
child, she was also the only girl. His two brothers, Kakeru and
Maseru, were always in competition with each other; it was a
miracle she didn't turn out spoiled rotten. He, on the other hand,
was more subtle, but no less guilty of vying for her attention.
The man finally shook himself out of his reverie, just in time
to see Hikaru execute an evasive maneuver; Kakeru's shinai sliced
downward, missing her by a mere inch. Stepping outside of his
driving hand, she turned around and quickly shifted from evasive to
offensive, lunging forward to bring her shinai to the side of her
opponent's throat.
"WHAT the...! How'd...?"
Kakeru was utterly dumbstruck, his mouth agape while looking
down at Hikaru's triumphant smile. His gaze shifted to the shinai
still poised at his throat, then back at his sister. Hikaru gently
tapped his jaw with the bamboo sword. "Please close your mouth,
Kakeru-niisama, you're letting in flies," she teased. Gracefully
stepping back, she then lowered her sword and bowed down. Her
golden medallion, which had sprung from the confines of her uwagi
(jacket), caught the sunlight and her brother's attention as well.
"Very pretty. Who gave it to you?" Kakeru asked, examining the
flat polished circular stone set against the golden disk with its
intricate floral carvings.
Hikaru was surprised to find that he was referring to her
medallion. It was a gift, one that had saved her life twice, back
in Cefiro. Hastily tucking it back in her uwagi, she racked her
head and finally came out with a feasible answer.
"A friend."
"A BOYfriend?" he asked with his usual lack of tact.
"No! Of course not!" she denied vehemently, but the blush
suffusing her cheeks told otherwise.
Kakeru's narrowed look said it all: he didn't like the idea of
Hikaru going out with some guy whom he knew nothing about. How come
his brothers never told him about it?
"Hikaru, how could you! I've only been gone for a year, now I
find out that my baby sister has a boyfriend!" he cried out,
glomping on her and turning on the waterworks. Hikaru face faulted.
"eh... Ka-Kakeru, you got it all wrong. I don't have a
boyfriend," she explained with strangled breath.
"WAAAaaaah! How could you not tell me? You happen to be my
favorite sister; oh, how it wounds me to know that you'd keep such
things from me..."
_I'm your ONLY sister, you dolt!_ she would've voiced the
thought out loud, but she was having a great difficulty breathing
at the moment.
"What if he turns out to be a creep or ah... a psycho... a
maniac even!" picturing his sister being mauled by a monster.
"AAaaargh! NO! He will have to challenge us, your brothers, to
prove himself worthy," he stated, tightening his hold on her,
"Don't worry, sis, we'll protect..."
Hikaru managed to get an arm free out of her brother's
tourniquet-like grip. She reached for her shinai and whacked him
over the head, putting an immediate end to his obnoxious litany.
"OUCH!! Hey what was that for?!"
"Kakeru! Hikaru!" The man stepped out of the shadows, thinking
that it was about time he intervene before this turned into a
grudge match.
The two froze and turned to see the stern expression on their
eldest brother's face. "Satoru-niisama!" they said in unison.
"It would seem that the two of you have been practicing. And
without your protective gears again, I might add," he was circling
the two, taking his time, "From the way you're fighting, both of
you could've been hurt," flicking a meaningful glance at Hikaru's
bruised wrist. She tried to hide it, but he was too fast; he
grabbed her wrist firmly, but gently, and slashed a look at Kakeru,
"This had better not happen again."
"No, it won't. I'm sorry, Satoru-niisama." Kakeru bowed down and
turned to Hikaru, "I'm sorry, sis, it was stupid of me to insist
sparring without our gear. C'mon, let's put some ice on that."
"Really... it's nothing, I'm fine..." Hikaru's protest was cut
off by Satoru, who endearingly ruffled her hair and insisted that
she go with Kakeru to tend her bruise.
"Oh... All right," she conceded with a smile at Satoru before
exiting the dojo escorted by her brother.
_What are you hiding, Hikaru? Is the medallion the key to all
this mystery?_ Satoru shook his head and hoped that Hikaru would
reveal the answers in due time.
Later in the kitchen...
"Whaaat!!!" Maseru sputtered out, nearly dropping the stack of
plates he was carrying to the table.
"Hikaru? A boyfriend? No way!" his overprotective brotherly
instinct kicked in.
"Pipe down, will ya?" Checking to make sure that Hikaru wasn't
around to overhear them, "Well, who else could've given her that
necklace? Certainly not Umi or Fuu," referring to Hikaru's closest
friends whom she met during her field trip to Tokyo Tower four
years ago.
"Kakeru, could it be possible that some guy had already stolen
Hikaru's heart?" Maseru said, confirming and voicing out their
worst fears.
"Ha! Even if he did, he won't get through me that easily! Kakeru
boldly replied.
_I'll pulverize that jerk, who ever he is, then I'll use him as
fertilizer for Satoru's cherry blossom in the backyard!_
"Mwahahahaha!" Kakeru laughed dementedly, thinking of the
infinite possibilities lined up for his sister's would-be suitor.
Maseru stared at his brother and face faulted. He then slapped
his own forehead and shook his head sadly.
_What a nutcase. Good thing Hikaru's still got a sane brother to
protect her._
He then went back to the chopping board and started thinking of
his sister's beau. _I'm going to chop that guy up into itsy-bitsy
pieces <HACK!>, then I'm going to feed him to Satoru's carps back
in the garden pond!_
He flipped the butcher knife up into the air, it arced a full
circle thrice before crashing down on the board, cleanly cutting
the meat on it in half. He then threw back his head and laughed
menacingly, "Mwahahahaha! He's dead meat!"
Kakeru stared at his brother, aghast.
_Man, he ought to be locked up in a mental institution!_
"Uh... Maseru, Kakeru... are you two... um... all right?" Hikaru
timidly asked from the kitchen doorway, eyeing her elder brothers
warily.
"Eh... heh... hehehe... ah, sure, we're fine," the two answered
in unison.
"I thought I heard my name, do you..."
"No... no... no," they said, shaking their heads.
"ah... we were talking about Hikari!" Maseru lied, elbowing
Kakeru.
"Oww... Oh, yeah, right, Hikari," he put in while rubbing his
side.
"What about Hikari?" she asked skeptically.
"That he needs a walk!" Kakeru grasped at the first idea that
popped in his head.
"A looong walk," Maseru confirmed his suggestion, nodding his
head vigorously. He handed Hikaru the leash and waved her out the
back door.
"Bye, sis, have a great time!" The two stood at the door, waving
and smiling like idiots.
_What's the matter with them? They'd been acting a bit paranoid
lately._
Hikaru clipped the leash on her pet wolf. Turning around, she
pasted on a smile and waved back before going on her way.
Kareru and Maseru breathed a sigh of relief as they watched
Hikaru disappear around the corner.
"Kakeru, do really think it was wise to let Hikaru walk alone?"
They both stared dumbfounded at each other, taking their time to
let the essence of Maseru's question to sink in...
"Kiyaaaaa!!!"
"HIKARU!!! Wait up!" They were immediately falling over each
other in their haste to run after her.
______________________________
<Scene: Department Store, in the Toys Section>
"Whoa, cool!" a young man had his face plastered on the display
case, ogling the robot models inside. "Check out these mechs! They
can even transform into jet fighters!" His outburst hadn't gone
unnoticed among the amused patrons in the toy section.
"I just gotta have this one, Geo," he begged his companion.
"Zazu, even if you do look like a 13-year-old, don't you think
that acting like one is taking it a bit too far?"
The kid turned a fiery red at the statement. Sure, he looked too
young for his age, but he didn't have to rub it in.
"I don't intend to play with it, you big buffoon!" he murmured
angrily. "I want to study the model and see if the transfiguration
from battloid to fighter jet is applicable to our own mechs," he
explained. "You, as a fighter, should be considering that option as
well!"
"I was just kidding. No need to bite my head off."
Later at the counter...
The cashier was trying to keep a straight face while scanning
what seemed to be an unending purchase of assorted sweets. The girl
in charge of packing obviously had less tact; after putting the
last box of chocolate in the bag, she turned to the kid and said,
"You know, too much sweets can be bad for your teeth; worse, you
might even end up with a tummy ache."
Zazu just stared at her, then clamped a hand over his mouth
to hide a snicker; but, his secret amusement proved to be too much
as he bent over, clutching his middle and letting out a guffaw.
"Ah... actually, these are mine."
The girl turned and gaped at the speaker who was, in fact, a
handsome well-built-hunk-of-a-man.
Geo grinned sheepishly as he paid for his purchases, then
gathered his three sweet-filled grocery bags while muttering an
embarrassed thanks to the two dumbfounded ladies.
_Revenge is sooo sweet,_ Zazu thought to himself, wiping tears
from his eyes.
He was whistling when he followed an irate Geo down the
escalator.
______________________________
"Hey, Geo!" Zazu plopped down on a park bench next to his
friend, "Say, will you be oh-so-kind to buy me some booze?"
"I thought you already did," motioning toward the direction of
the liquor store.
"I'm, ah... I'm kinda short on cash; that mech cost me a
bundle."
Zazu was getting desperate, he hadn't had a drop of alcohol for
days. He was lucky to have smuggled some of the stuff in the ship,
but his supply finally ran out. He simply could not afford to go
back in the NFX without a new batch.
Geo laughed. _Let's see just how far he's willing to go for a
bottle._
"You know how I hate alcohol."
"Just this once. My stock's all dried up!"
"Commander's orders were quite clear: NO BOOZE ON BOARD."
"I won't get caught. And, even if I did, they won't hear of your
part in it. I SWEAR!"
"So, what's the catch?"
Zazu sighed, "You get those fancy optical sensors installed in
your targeting system."
"Not enough. I want extended rocket boosters added to the GTO,
as well."
"C'mon, whaddaya need extra speed for?!"
"No boosters, no booze."
This time, it was Geo who was whistling as he entered the store.
______________________________
They said that if you throw a coin in a fountain you're entitled
to a wish. The blond girl standing near one was merely content to
watch the tourist give in to that old saying. She hadn't thrown
one; a coin couldn't possibly grant the miracle that she wanted.
Staring at her reflection, she watched as her imagination
conjured up a face next to hers. Laughing amber eyes dominated the
handsome face, the scar over the bridge of his nose served not to
mar but rather enhance his boyish charms.
The fountain again sprouted to life, showering down on the once
peaceful water surface, dispersing that beloved face and her
reflection as well. The girl sighed.
"Hey, Fuu, you in there?"
The cheerful greeting shook her out of her reverie. Blinking
twice, she regarded the older girl.
"Oh! Oneechan, please don't sneak up on me like that."
"Fantasizing again, Fuu?" she tsked.
Fuu blushed as her sister giggled. They made their way toward
the small shops that dotted the area.
"It's been a while since we last visited Tokyo Tower. By the
way, what time were you supposed to meet here with your friends?"
"Not for another hour. Kuu, would you like some coffee or tea to
go with those donuts?"
"Sure," changing the topic, "Fuu, it's a good thing you're going
out more with Hikaru and Umi. For a while, I was starting to get
worried about you."
"Oh, why is that?"
"Well, you spent every waking moment with your computer; I was
beginning to think you'd end up marrying that highly upgraded
abacus of yours."
"Was that supposed to be funny?" she stopped dead in her tracks,
trying to sound haughty.
"No, that was supposed to be scary," Kuu replied without
breaking her stride.
"KUU!"
She found herself standing in the path of a deranged biker.
Paralyzed with fear, she stared at the oncoming headlight with a
scream stuck in her throat.
_Oh my God!_
With a sudden violent motion, she was jerked off her feet, she
felt an arm around her waist, and a person of great strength
dragging her backwards. She nearly fainted out of sheer relief and
slumped against the powerful frame that supported her.
"Miss, are you okay?"
The anxious tone broke through the haze that threatened to
engulf her; she turned to give her rescuer a reassuring smile and
came face to face with a muscled chest. She leaned back to crane
her neck up and stared into a pair of worried brown eyes.
"I... I'm fine. Sir, you saved my life... thank you. I don't
know what else to say..."
Geo sucked in his breath as his heart skipped a couple of beats
then accelerated to warp-speed. He was staring at, in his opinion,
the loveliest leaf-green eyes he'd ever seen. They were kind and
reassuring, like her smile. Her delicate feature was framed by lush
light brown hair that fell almost to her waist.
"It's... it's her! A Magic Knight!"
Zazu's outburst finally broke the spell.
"Me?" a puzzled Kuu asked.
"No, sorry, but not you. Her," he explained, pointing at Fuu.
Fuu looked at the two men and realized that they weren't from
Tokyo. In fact, they weren't from around this planet. But they'd
met before... in another world, in Cefiro. They came aboard the
NSX, Autozam's battleship that once flew the skies of Cefiro in a
mission of conquest under Eagle's command.
"Hello, Zazu," she greeted the young man. "Geo," smiling over
Zazu's shoulder to extend her greeting to the man who still held
her sister.
"We knew you lived here, but we didn't expect to be this lucky
and actually meet you again," exclaimed Zazu. "Can you show me
where Hikaru lives so that I could surprise her?" he rushed on,
barely able to contain his excitement.
"Zazu here has a crush on that pretty li'l redheaded friend of
yours," Geo explained with a wink.
"Oh, shut up!" Zazu casting a glare at his direction.
"Why don't you two join us for tea? Hikaru and Umi agreed to
meet us here at a cafe near the Tower..."
After their brief snack, Zazu opted to stay with Fuu and wait
for the others while Geo escorted Kuu on a leisurely afternoon walk
in the park. Some girls couldn't help but take a second look at the
handsome soldier; it was just too bad, since he only have eyes for
his lovely companion.
"So, tell me, how'd you met my sister?"
Geo swallowed. He and Zazu agreed that the less Kuu knew about
them, the better. He'd better watch what he says; the girl's pretty
perceptive, her leaf-green eyes saw too much. He never realized
that a quiet stroll could turn out to be as hazardous as crossing a
minefield.
"Hikaru introduced us. Truth is, I hardly remembered her name
when I saw her standing across the street a while ago," he
embarrassedly admitted, "among the three of them, I'm most
acquainted with Hikaru."
"I noticed that Zazu seemed to be very anxious to see her
again."
"He was quite taken in with her the first time Eagle brought her
to the uh... base. She's really sweet, kinda like the little sister
I've always wanted."
Geo smiled at the memory of the feisty redhead who confronted
Eagle's battle mecha, the FTO, in combat with her red machine. Her
courage never faltered even when she found herself alone and
captured by the enemy.
"Base? You work for the military?"
"Huh? ... Yeah, I'm a fighter pilot and Zazu's our head
mechanic."
"Zazu?! But he's so young!"
"He also happens to be a genius."
Well, that military bit was a nice touch. Everything he told her
was basically true; they did belong in the military, Autozam's,
that is; the base just happened to be the NSX, their battleship; he
was, indeed, a fighter pilot, although he operated his own custom-
made mecha, instead of jet planes, and Zazu was indeed the head
mechanic... of the NSX.
After making a complete rundown of everything, he finally
decided that he hadn't lied to her... yet.
"And Eagle? What does he do?"
"Huh?"
"You're a pilot, Zazu's a mechanic, how about him?"
"He, too, was a pilot. He was my commanding officer and my
friend."
He tried to keep the remorse and guilt out of his voice, but she
heard anyway.
"Geo... look, you don't have to tell me anything." Kuu reached
out to touch his arm, "But... but, it's easier to bear the pain, if
you got someone to share it with, don't you think?"
He took a deep breath and looked down into her somber eyes. She
was right, misery does love company. At the moment, it was her
company that his misery craved.
"We were on a mission and I was under his command. On one
incident, I saw him doubled over in pain; when I reached his side,
I saw that he was coughing out blood. He told me not to worry, that
it was nothing, but I decided to check his medical records, anyway.
It... it turned out that he was very sick... and that his was a
terminal case."
Geo leaned back against a cherry tree, reaching up to break off
a dead twig. He was rolling it between his fingers as he stared up
at the blossoms, not wanting to see the look of pity in her eyes as
he continued.
"He went off to confront the enemy alone. I tried to talk him
out of it, but a life was at stake." He remembered it well, Nova
had their friend Lantis trapped inside her machine, it was feeding
on his powers and using his lightning attack against the Magic
Knights. Eagle saved them at the cost of his own life.
"He gave his word and, should he die, he wanted to go out
fighting," the twig suddenly snapped in half, "I never felt so
helpless in my life; I just stood there and watched him getting
blown sky-high, not being able to do a damn thing about it." Zazu
had cried then; he shed a tear. It was only later on in the privacy
of his quarters did he gave in to his despair.
He bowed his head in anguish. "He didn't have to die, not like
that. I should've been there with him, watching his back. If
someone had to die, it should've been..."
"NO! Don't say that! Don't even THINK of saying that." Kuu
lifted his face to stare in his eyes. Geo saw not pity but
understanding in their green depths. "You mustn't blame yourself,
because there is none to blame. It was his sacrifice, his
decision."
_____________________________
Somewhere in the park...
<riinnnggg!>
Umi reached inside her knapsack for her cellphone, while looking
around the park for her friend.
"Hello?" she answered distractedly.
"Hi, Blue Eyes! Did you like the flowers I sent you this
morning?"
"Who gave you this number!"
"Your mother did. Anyway, you didn't show up at the gym so I
assumed you finally gave in. You haven't even called yet; I'm
really starting to think that you are going to stand me up on our
first date."
"Let's get one thing straight. I have NO intention of going out
with you, YOU ARROGANT EGOCENTRIC MANIAC!
"And one more thing... STOP FOLLOWING ME AND DON'T EVER CALL ME
AGAIN!"
She conveniently cut off the signal and somehow luckily spied
Kuu holding hands with a handsome dark haired man.
_But, where's Fuu? And that guy... he looks vaguely familiar._
"Umi, over here!"
She turned toward the voice and saw Fuu sitting at a sidewalk
cafe with...
_Zazu? HERE! Then that guy with Kuu must be Geo!_
"What are those two doing here?" she asked herself as she made
her way to her friends.
______________________________
"Guess I'm beginning to get on her nerves," the man smiled to
himself as he tucked away his cellphone. He brushed away some
errant pink blossoms that had fallen on his hair and jacket.
Standing behind the tree, he watched Umi being warmly welcomed by
her friends... when was the last time he was welcomed by an
embrace, instead of a salute or a handshake? Too long, much too
long.
"What are those two doing here?" Hazel eyes narrowed upon the
two men who were partaking in that "warm welcome". His Sub-
commander and Head Mechanic were obviously enjoying themselves. He
reached inside his jacket for a communicator to contact the
personnel aboard the NSX. The small screen blinked once and then a
uniformed soldier materialized.
"Commander," the soldier saluted.
"Rex, tell Sub-commander Metro to make preparations for
immediate departure, we leave at 2100, earth time."
"Ah... sir... Geo and Zazu are currently..."
"Yes, I know, sightseeing," casting an amused glance at the
cafe. "See that you contact them immediately and have them on board
before I arrive..."
He didn't have to add "or else", Rex knew that the Commander
would take it out on HIS hide if those two aren't present and
accounted for before the said time.
"Ye-yes, sir."
______________________________
"So what brought you here?" Umi asked Zazu, seeing that Geo
couldn't possibly be bothered with the question since he was too
busy sweet-talking Kuu.
"We just got a new Commander and are on our way to Autozam; we
stopped over for supplies: the edible kind, that is." Zazu
explained.
Umi reached inside a plastic bag and brought out the mech model
of a YF-21 fighter and placed it on top of the table.
"Oh, that! I've been meaning to model my next project against
that."
"This a toy patterned after a famous mech series here in Japan.
The transformation is amazing on T.V., but I doubt it could be made
possible in real life," Fuu replied.
"With your technology, I gotta admit, it's rather risky. But
with ours, it is very possible," Zazu said.
"Even with all the computers on board, it's still pretty awkward
to reconfigure a vehicle of such great proportions," Fuu reasoned
out.
"But, you're forgetting one thing. In our planet, we use mind
power to move things, to harness energy. A direct computer-mind
link is no big deal given the right mecha architecture and program
suited for the pilot. It's really easy to implement a smooth
transition from jet fighter to mech."
"That's amazing!" Fuu said clapping her hands.
Umi again peeked inside the grocery bags and arched an eyebrow
while holding up several assorted brands of chocolate.
"Oh, those are Geo's. He's got a sweet tooth,"
"THREE BAGFULLS!" Umi said incredulously.
"A VERY sweet tooth," he replied smugly.
She picked up another bag and extracted two bottles of liquor.
This caught everyone's attention, including Kuu, who gasped,
jolting Geo from his starry-eyed trance.
Zazu quickly snatched away his precious vintage and placed them
back in the bag. He was tempted to say that they were Geo's but one
look at his forbidding expression changed his mind.
<Gulp> "Ah... these are mine," he confessed.
He was saved from further interrogation when his communicator
beeped to life.
"Zazu, the Commander wants you and Geo back on the NSX right
away. We're to make immediate preparations for departure at 2100."
"Huh? But... but..."
Geo filched the communicator from his grasp.
"Look, Geo, I've been covering for the two of you long enough.
Don't you think it's about time you guys return the favor?" the
soldier whined.
"Okay, okay, we're on our way. By the way, Rex, how'd he find
out?"
"I think he saw you two down there. Man, hurry up! You gotta be
here before he shows up, otherwise it's latrine duty for me!"
"Don't worry, we're on our way right now. Over and out."
Turning it off, he handed it back to his disappointed friend.
"Sorry, Zazu, but orders are orders."
"Yeah, yeah. It's just not fair. This maybe the only chance
I'll get to see her again."
Turning to Umi, "Tell Hikaru... just tell her I miss her," he
sighed.
After saying their good-byes, Geo finally turned to Kuu.
"I guess this is it, then. I won't forget you, Kuu."
"C'mon, you're acting like we won't be seeing each other again,"
she teased.
Geo just hung his head, staring down at his boots saying
nothing.
"Here's my number," writing it down on a paper napkin. "Promise
you'll call," she said biting her lip.
After pocketing the slip of paper, he reached for her hands and
brought them up to his lips for a tender kiss.
"Sayonara, Kuu," he achingly whispered.
For a moment, Kuu felt an insane urge to cry.
"No," shaking her head, "you mean Ja Mata."
Geo released her hands and smiled sadly.
"Sayonara," he repeated before turning to walk away without a
backward glance.
"Sayonara, Geo," Kuu finally whispered in returned.
-=| end of chapter 1 |=-
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Happy holidays from the Nikholas F. Toledo Zu!
Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/mezza9.html
Vector, Switch, Yebah, Rain Man, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD,
Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, Elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem, Chaos, Father
Fanfiction @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/fanfics.html
Warp Zone @ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/thirteen.html
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The logo of the Church of All Worlds is nine concentric circles.
Word from the Laity: Wipe yer feet! Bloody 'ell...
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Gallery/3145/index.html
Currently under construction... confessional at the links.
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