Saturday, November 4, 2006

I live!!!!!
Yes that's right. I ain't been killed yet.

I work night shift, so it makes it easier to talk and all. Well that is when I get a connection.

To commemorate this I shall post something.

Her body felt heavy, pain crawled over it when she breathed. What happened? Junsei slowly opened her eyes; this is not her room. She tried to sit up but the pain was too much. Her eyes moved about the ceiling searching for a point of reference. I’m on the Raven. Why? She turned her head to the side, her breath caught in her throat. Ayumi!

Her friend lay on a bed next to hers, the medical read out above her head showed she was in stable condition. “Ayumi?” Junsei called to her, “ Ayumi? Can you hear me? ” Her friend didn’t seem to hear. Why? Why is she here? Junsei worked her way to the edge of the bed and used the wall to help herself to her feet. Her legs were slow to answer her needs and she fell to the floor. Her friend still didn’t move. “Ayumi?” Junsei called again. It’s my fault. The thought came as sudden as the tears. It’s my fault she’s here. Because I choose to fight, she… The tears fell steadily down Junsei’s cheeks, Because I was her friend. If I wasn’t, she wouldn’t be here right now. “What happened!?” Junsei cried out loud, “What couldn’t I stop it!?” She just couldn’t remember.

She tried to stand again, this time the wall was enough to support her. Weakly, she walked to the sickbay exit; glancing slightly at her friend’s quiet body, she left. Where should she go? She limped down the empty hallway, still no clear destination. Where? “I don’t know what to say, sir.” She could hear some people talking around the corner. “We’ve known she isn’t human, but you never told us that she isn’t from here.” Who are they talking about? “The truth is,” Dad!? “when we found her, I checked every possible match set I could, but came up with nothing. I never said anything because, it shouldn’t have mattered. She is my daughter, her origins are of no concern to me.”
“She’s an empath.” Empath?
“I know. That’s how she knew the ship was being attacked. She’s always been quite apt at figuring what’s going on in peoples’ hearts. But when her friend got caught up in the fight, her rage built and fed on that of the enemies. She became like me.” Her father’s words seemed pained.

Junsei gripped her shirt over her heart as she walked away, My rage. “Omoikane, send me to that place.”
“Yes.”
The ship corridor faded from view and was replaced by the scene of an old church. Junsei fell against one of the broken pews. The air was cold and crisp, snow fell through the crooked door and broken ceiling. The church was dimly lit by the light that shown through the stain glass windows. She looked up towards the altar; the cross that once hung had fallen years ago and now lay broken behind the sacrament. It was just like two years ago when Mother brought her here. Since then, she has come when she wished to hide from the rest of the world.

Junsei sat down in the pew and put her face in her hands, “Why did this have to happen?” She waited for a response, “Why don’t you ever say anything to me? I held myself up while my dad was gone. I didn’t cry when Mom did. I was strong for her.” She looked up at the cross, her eyes red with sorrow, “I’ve done every thing you wish of us! Why won’t you talk to me!? Is it because I am not human?” Junsei looked away, clutching the hem her gown, “I though your love had no limits. I though you were there for anyone in need. Is it because I fight? Do you wish that I stop fighting? I’ll stop!” Junsei cried to the figure painted in the window, “Just tell me what to do. Tell me what to do and I’ll stop.” She slipped to the floor, the snow soaked through her clothes, “So please, tell me. I don’t know what to do anymore. I just want to be normal. I just want to go back to being friends with Ayumi.” She curled up as she lay down, “But I can’t, can I. Not after what I did. Not after what she saw. She’s probably frightened of me. I don’t blame her, I would be too. My hands are covered in blood.” Her body shivered as she cried, “Just take me away. I don’t want to be here anymore.” In the silent cold of the church, Junsei slipped into slumber. Just take me away.

Warmth. Gentle warmth. Junsei could hear someone’s heart beat as they held her, gently stroking her hair. The person wiped away her tears as they fell. She slowly opened her eyes. The darkness of the church shadowed the person’s face; his long hair shifted in the light breeze that flowed through the broken window. “Why?” The person didn’t answer, he just continued to stroked Junsei’s hair, “Why aren’t you mad? Why don’t you hate me?”
“Why would I?” The man answered softly.
Junsei embrace the man and squeezed him tight, “Daddy. I’m so sorry. I tried so hard to be the perfect daughter for you. I tried so hard not to cry. I…”
“Shh.” Vermillion returned the embrace, “I never once thought you weren’t perfect. I’m very proud of you, little one. So very proud.”
“Proud?” Junsei’s asked through her weeping.
“Yes. Proud that you have become so mature. To love, and to be loved. To accept the harsh feelings of someone and to look back at them with kind eyes. To fight for your friend. To risk your life in order for everyone to live. It seems I have nothing left to teach you.”
“But she probably hates me now.” Junsei looked at her father, she could make out a faint smile.
“The girl who was with you?”
“Ayumi. Because of my selfishness, she almost died. I can still remember the fear in her eyes. It wasn’t the enemy she pointed at. It was me.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“Why?”

Vermillion held out his hand and motioned towards the entrance. A small figure stood in the aisle. Junsei sat up and turned to look at it. The person held the bottom of their coat, looking at the ground. “Ar…Arigato.” The girl bowed and turned towards the exit.
“Ayumi?” Junsei stood up. She could see that Ayumi was trembling.
“ I just wanted to thank you for saving me. ” She started to walk away.
“ Wait! ” Junsei stepped down from the alter, “ Please. ”
“ I am scared right now. ” Junsei bit her lip as tears started to fall to the ground, “ When you came for me, I could here you yelling. ” Ayumi’s voice was quiet and Junsei could tell that she was trying not to cry, “‘Let go of her. Let go of my Ayumi.’ At the time, I didn’t understand your English. I just heard my name and saw the look in your eyes. I remember seeing it somewhere else. The day we became friends, when I insulted your family. You love your family so much, and yet… ” Ayumi started to cry, her body shook as she gasped her breaths, “ And yet… I was so scared. You were so angry at me. But then you smiled. ” Her legs felt weak, she fell to her knees. Junsei wanted to go to her but hesitated as Ayumi started to speak again, “ It was such a warm smile. Why? Why did you smile? ” Ayumi continued to tremble as she cried; she put her face in her hands muffling her cries, “ Why did you laugh? Why won’t you answer?”
“Ayumi, I…” Junsei clinched her fists, “ I’m sorry. ”
“ I’m scared that you won’t smile like that again. Scared that you won’t go back to being the Junsei that became my only friend. ” Ayumi stood up, and wiped the tears from her face, “ So please, ” She turned around and looked at Junsei, “ Please smile again. Let me know that you haven’t changed.”
“Ayumi.” Vermillion pushed Junsei forward, she staggered as she caught her balance, “ I’m sorry.” She embraced Ayumi and dug her face into her shoulder, “ I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get you involved. I never wanted you to see that side of me. I’ll smile, okay. I’ll smile. Just don’t stop being my friend. ”
Vermillion placed his hands on the girls’ heads, “ Are we good? ” They nodded, “ Good. Omo-chan, take us home. ”

Ayumi stood quietly at the side of Junsei’s bed watching her sleep. “Ayumi-san.” She turned around, Vermillion stood in the doorway, “ Let her be. ” She nodded her head and walked out of sickbay. Vermillion smiled, “ You’re probably hungry. ”
“Hai.” Ayumi followed as he led her down the corridor.
“Thank you.”
“Hai.”
“ I called your parents, told them that you’d be a bit longer. I figure they shouldn’t have to worry about it right now, so I haven’t told them what’s happened. ”
“Hai.”
Vermillion laughed slightly, “ How do you expect Junsei to smile when you can’t yourself? ”
“ Sorry. ”
They got onto the lift, “Deck 7.” The lift started to move, “ Don’t be. ” The lift stopped and the two got off.
“ How long will she be in there? ”
“ Till her blood is clean. So, probably late tomorrow. ”
“ What’s wrong with it? ”
“ In order to fight as long as she did, she needed some help. It’s a solution I mixed for myself, so it will only completely work for me. She may have been able to get the energy she needed, but it destroyed her blood in the process. ” Ayumi bit her lip and tensed up. Vermillion rubbed her head, “ I already told you it wasn’t your fault. ”
“Hai.”
Vermillion laughed as they reached the dining hall, “ So what do you want, little one? ”
Ayumi smiled, “Soba.”
“Sounds good.”

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