Warning: Dark.


Cherry Blossom Teardrop
a sequel to Under the Sakura Rains
a Mahou Tsukai Tai! fanfic


I wish the Tsurigane were still around, with their Eye Balls and the
spindly, rotor-headed robots.

That way, at least, I'd have something to take my frustrations out on.

It's all I can do not to cry, watching him. The sake bottle cradled in his
lap is nearly empty now, and he still looks like a kicked puppy.

I suppose it could be worse...at least we're not following them around when
they go off to make love anymore.

It's been a month now, since that day...Sae and Takakura-sempai never knew
we were watching, and they still don't know. They know something's wrong,
to be sure, but neither of them wants to pry...I'm sure Takakura-sempai
would rather not have Aburatsubo-sempai draped all over him again.

I'd rather see that than the tears he fights back whenever they're in the
same room.

He won't quit the magic club. I don't understand why. Being around
Takakura-sempai every day, as things are now, isn't helping him any.

Still though...that's not as disturbing as it is seeing him hanging around
that boys' school. I've followed him there a few times over the last couple
of weeks...if he knows I was there, he hasn't said anything.

Twice, maybe three times a week, he goes....the first week, he was meeting
what I thought was a girl at first...until I spied on them when they went
into the changing room.

I'd never seen two guys do...it before. I'm not sure I ever wanted to.

Then, Sunday, I found bruises and cuts on his wrists when I went to visit
him, and he was lost in the bottle. I...I knew where the bruises had come
from. The cuts, though...those bothered me.

Last week, he was meeting someone different, and they were going somewhere
else to...nevermind. It's hard enough thinking about what I saw. I can't
talk about it.

******

I wince as the belt strikes him, across his bare flanks and buttocks, again
across his manhood...I want to cry out with him every time he screams in
pain.

"Useless bitch!" the man whipping him bellows. "You're pathetic and
worthless! Why do you keep crawling back here?"

"I'm...s-sorry..." Aburatsubo-sempai whimpers, through streams of tears.

"SHUT UP! I don't want to hear it, you goddamned whore!" The man stops
whipping him, and reaches for a bucket of water. I see steam coming out of
that bucket. I don't like this...

He's...he's going to throw it on him! Where he whipped him! I...no. I'm not
going to let this happen! NOOOOO!!


************

"NOOOOOO!!"

Ayanojou and the man with the bucket of scalding water looked up, startled,
at the girl's scream. "Na--nanaka-chan?"

"Hey! What are you doing in here, girl?" the man asked, scowling darkly.

"You leave him alone! You're hurting him!" Nanaka shouted angrily,
interposing herself between the men.

"Little bitch...you should mind your own business!"

The water was thrown.

Nanaka screamed as she was struck in the face and chest, scalding water
stinging her skin, soaking her school uniform. She dropped to her knees,
screaming in pain, salty hot tears mixing in with the burning water.

"NANAKA-CHAN!" Aburatsubo cried out. He glared up angrily at the man. "Did
you have to do that!?"

"Fuck you," the man hissed angrily. ":Little bitch got what she deserved
for sticking her nose where it didn't belong."

Aburatsubo's fists clenched. Rising, ignoring the pain from his nether
regions, he walked over to his clothing and picked up his magic wand.
"Here's what you deserve," he whispered angrily. The wand began to glow
softly.

The man suddenly dropped to his knees, clutching his throat. Gurgling cries
were the only sound he made as waves of vomit, tinged with blood, poured
from his mouth.

Dressing himself, Aburatsubo collected Nanaka. "We're going home," he said
softly.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I bought a ticket to the world
But now I've come back again
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
Oh I want the truth to be said...


The Eternal Lost Lurker
lurkerdrome@earthlink.net

Tada yuuki wo dasu dake de
yume no tsuzuki genjitsu ni naru
Michishirube wa anata dake
Senobi wo shite oikakete yuku wa