[FIC] 'Beauty and the Otaku,' Chapter Two
Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2004 6:08 am
(I usually don't wait this long between chapters. Je regrette. But finals are weighing heavily upon me. College, ugh.
Hope y'all enjoy it.
Oh, and going back in and adding the code to make sure everything is emphasized properly is a bitch.)
---
“She’s in the hands of those bastards from Mithril!?”
Leonard continued to calmly sip his tea as the red-faced man before him slammed his fist down hard upon the rough wood of the table. His gaze was level as he asked, “Mr. Harris, would I be overstepping my bounds if I asked that you not reveal the names of top-secret organizations in impetuous outbursts while in public?”
Mr. Harris slowly turned to see several tavern patrons and serving wenches watching him curiously. He scowled and yelled, “What are you bastards looking at?”
The corners of Leonard’s mouth turned down, and he rolled his eyes heavenward. “Mr. Harris, can we please return to the discussion at hand?”
“That brat was vital to furthering Amalgam’s purposes,” he said in a low, angry voice. “I don’t care how important you are—just one of the Whispered isn’t enough. And now you’ve let her fall into the hands of our arch-nemeses?”
“Current intelligence reports indicate that Miss Chidori is being held within Merida Fortress,” Leonard said evenly. “While the structure is rather well-enforced, it is not impenetrable. I’d suggest that it would be possible to storm the fortress and re-capture her.”
“Re-capture?” Mr. Harris repeated with a derisive snort. “As if you captured her in the first place.”
Leonard ignored the interruption and continued. “However, mounting an assault would be reckless and ill-advised at the present time. We have yet to ascertain the number of soldiers currently guarding Miss Chidori.”
“Well, you’ll have to fix this mess somehow,” Mr. Harris said irritably as he retrieved his coat and quickly tugged it on. “I will not allow one of my prized targets to aid the enemy.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Leonard?”
Leonard calmly set down his teacup and eyed his superior with what appeared to be an air of amusement. “Yes, sir?”
“I don’t give a damn what ‘feelings’ you may have for that little bitch. She’s Amalgam’s, not yours. Do you understand me?”
“Absolutely, sir.” Leonard’s lips formed a tight line as he attempted to suppress a smirk.
“Good. I’m returning to headquarters. Be sure to pick up the tab.” With that, he was gone.
Leonard leaned back in his chair slightly, one hand upon his chin. “Miss Chidori…” he said aloud. It was never my explicit intent to harm you, my dear. But I can’t very well keep you to myself, can I?
He smirked. Sagara…this is one round you won’t win.
---
Mm…morning?
Kaname sleepily opened her eyes to see the muted morning light streaming through the gauzy curtains. I must’ve forgotten to close the drapes last night… She shut her eyes against the light and snuggled more deeply into the blankets upon her bed. When had her bed gotten so comfortable? The pillows were so thick, the blankets so warm…
“Good morning, Miss Chidori.”
At the sound of a seemingly random male voice so close to her bed, Kaname’s eyes flew open, and she screamed loudly as she threw her pillow in the direction of the sound. It made a soft ‘thud’ as it made contact with whoever had invaded her room. “Who are you? Wh-what are you doing in my room!?” she asked fearfully as she attempted to adjust her eyes to the light.
“Miss Chidori,” the figure said with a sigh as he placed the pillow upon the bed. “I would sincerely hope that we do not make a habit of this.”
As Kaname slowly began to fully awaken, the events of the previous day came rushing back to her in a series of vivid images. You’re special, Miss Chidori…have some fun with her…we are here to protect you…you are to remain confined to this fortress…the Whispered…
“What the hell is going on!?” she asked in a panicked voice.
“I believe we discussed the current situation last night, Miss Chidori,” Sousuke informed her in a monotone. “However, if your memory is deficient, I am more than willing to once again inform you.”
Kaname let out a low growl as she realized just who was in her room—that stupid jerk, Sousuke Sagara. “What do you think you’re doing in my room, you bastard!?”
“Merely determining whether or not you had finally awoken.”
“Well, as you can see, I have. Goodbye.”
“Miss Chidori.”
Kaname placed one of her pillows over her face and screamed into it. “What?” she asked in an annoyed voice that was muffled by the pillow.
“First, please remove the pillow. I doubt you will be able to hear me.”
“That’s the point.”
Sousuke frowned in annoyance and reached over to pull the pillow away from her. As soon as her face was exposed, he was met with a very pointed glare. “Are you making it your life’s work to annoy me?” Kaname asked irritably.
“Negative, Miss Chidori,” Sousuke replied as he sat upon the edge of the bed. “However, I cannot help that you perceive me that way. Now, it is my duty to inform you of the rules to which you must comply while you are under our watch within the fortress.”
Kaname continued to glare at him.
“First, you are to remain within the fortress at all times.”
“Okay.”
“Second, should you at any time feel endangered, you are to report to myself, Sgt. Weber, or Sgt. Mjr. Mao immediately.”
“Sure thing.”
“Third, should you cause any problems while within the fortress, you will be confined to your room until such time that you decide to comply with our rules.”
“Got it.”
Sousuke glanced up in annoyance to see Kaname inspecting her cuticles, a bored look upon her features. “Miss Chidori, I respectfully request that you grant me your full attention.”
“No,” Kaname said flatly, drawing her gaze from her cuticles long enough to afford Sousuke a pointed look.
“Miss Chidori—“
“Look!” Kaname yelled, angrily pulling back the covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed so that her back was to Sousuke. “You’ve taken me away from everything I’ve ever known or loved, you’ve isolated me in some gloomy fortress, you won’t even tell me when I can get out of here, and now you’re telling me I have to abide by some stupid rules while I’m here?”
“Miss Chidori,” Sousuke started. His monotone was still in place, but he was quickly becoming annoyed with her seemingly pointless resistance. “Neither of us has a choice in this matter. You do not wish to be guarded, as you feel that your confinement to the fortress has taken you from your normal life. I do not wish to guard you, as I feel my talents are being wasted guarding a single person.”
“Then quit,” Kaname said, her voice filled with anger and an odd emotion that Sousuke couldn’t entirely determine.
“Unfortunately, I cannot. I was assigned to this duty.” He moved his head to the side in an attempt to see her face and better understand the elusive second emotion in her voice, but her back remained towards him. “However, though neither of us considers this an ideal situation, it is necessary that we learn to adapt to one another’s presence.”
“Adapt to one another’s presence…” Kaname repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. She jumped down from the bed and turned to face Sousuke, her eyes narrowed and filled with tears.
Sousuke was momentarily taken aback. So that was the second emotion—she had been crying.
“You just don’t get it!” she yelled angrily, clenching her fists. “You don’t understand what it must feel like for a normal person to be taken away from everything and be thrown headfirst into some kind of crazy military scenario!”
Sousuke remained silent, his eyes turned downward as he attempted to understand the strange feelings within him at the realization that he had somehow made her cry.
“I don’t have a choice in this, so I’ll have to make do. But don’t tell me that I have to ‘adapt to your presence’ or ‘get used to you’ when you haven’t made one goddamn attempt to understand what I’m going through! I don’t even want to have anything to do with you!” she yelled, her shoulders heaving.
Sousuke stood calmly and turned to face Kaname. “Miss Chidori.”
“What?” Kaname asked, once again fighting back tears. I’ll be damned if I let this bastard see me cry… Part of her still hoped that he would show some shred of humanity, maybe tell her that it was going to be alright, that he understood what she was going through…
“Lunch will be served in the Great Hall at noon. Please be prompt.” He granted her a short, stiff bow and then attempted to leave the room, his progress somewhat hindered when he was quickly knocked into a daze by the furious Kaname’s expertly-thrown shoe.
Kaname sat down upon the edge of the bed, still somewhat dazed herself and emotionally fragile from her deepening realization of the seriousness of her situation. But still…I wish someone could tell me exactly why I’m in danger…Whispered…
She shook her head in attempt to clear her mind of the defeatist thoughts that threatened to overpower her. Kaname suspected that this might be a wonderful example of cosmic irony. “I did ask for something exciting,” she said sourly. “Hell, I’d love to go back to my boring day-to-day life now. But with that stupid Sergeant Psycho running around keeping tabs on me, there’s no way I’m getting out of here until I’m an old spinster woman.” She scowled and punched her pillow. Just the mere thought of Sousuke…
Kaname silently smoothed out the dented pillow and hugged it close to her chest. As long as she was imprisoned within Merida Fortress, in her mind, her life was over. Now she’d never marry, never have children, never be just like her mother…
Mom…
She still remembered the last thing her mother had told her two years earlier. “Be strong, Kaname. I know you’ll make me proud.”
What would she think of me if she saw me like this, crying and feeling sorry for myself just because I’m shut away from the world?
The memory of her mother caused something to awaken within Kaname. No longer would she resign herself to this imprisonment; she was now determined to fight. Tossing the pillow aside, she narrowed her eyes and smiled. I’ll make you proud, Mom. I promise.
---
“Well, she’s definitely one hell of a looker.”
Melissa glanced at her subordinate in annoyance before turning back to her soup. “Who’s a ‘looker,’ Kurz?”
“The girl—Kaname. I mean, did you see her? Those legs are to die for. Not that yours aren’t great, too, Big Sister.”
Melissa rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, you snuck into her room while she was sleeping?”
“Well, to be fair, she’s not sleeping now, right, Sergeant Serious?” Kurz laughed as he clapped Sousuke on the back. “Way to win her over, pal.”
Sousuke remained silent as he stared at the rapidly cooling bowl of soup before him. The news of his fight with Kaname had quickly spread throughout the fortress, and while Kurz was thoroughly amused at the thought of Sousuke essentially getting his ass kicked by the girl he was supposed to be protecting, Melissa was concerned by the wedge being driven between the two. “I have no intent to ‘win her over,’ Kurz,” Sousuke said flatly. “My assignment is merely to guard her until such time that our superiors determine that her safety is assured.”
“Well, until then, you can at least be a little nicer to her,” Melissa said pointedly, setting down her soup spoon.
“Ma’am?”
“Try to put yourself in her shoes. In a single day, you’re nearly killed, taken away from your friends and family—“
“Ma’am, our report indicated that Miss Chidori has no family. Her mother has been deceased for—“ Sousuke wisely stopped speaking when he observed the death glare pointed in his direction.
“As I was saying, she’s been taken away from everything and thrown into Mithril’s protection. We all have military backgrounds, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for us, but Kaname isn’t one of us. You can’t expect a civilian to just grin and bear it when her life’s effectively been destroyed.” She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “Is this getting through to you, Sousuke?”
“I believe so, Ma’am. However, as she has no other choice—“
“I think what our lovely Sergeant Major is saying, Sousuke, is that Kaname doesn’t see it that way,” Kurz said. “A beautiful girl like that locked away in a fortress? It’s almost criminal. Luckily, she has Kurz Weber to comfort her on those lonely nights…!” His statement quickly turned into a shout as Melissa calmly reached over and dumped the contents of his soup bowl into his lap.
“I suppose it would be theoretically difficult for a civilian to adjust to a lifestyle such as this without warning…” Sousuke began, his thoughts unconsciously drifting back to the slight feelings of guilt he had felt when he observed tears in Kaname’s eyes. What made me remember that just now…?
“Exactly. I’d think that what she needs now is someone to comfort her.” Melissa’s sharp look prevented Kurz from interjecting. “And I think it’d be a good idea if Sousuke—not Sergeant Sagara—were the one to do it. You might as well try to make friends with her.”
“Getting attached to the mission objective is often a fatal error, Ma’am.”
“I’m not asking you to marry the girl, for God’s sake! I just don’t want a repeat of this morning. Now go and apologize.” With that, Melissa turned back to her lunch, effectively ending the conversation.
---
Sousuke was deeply in thought as he made his way to Kaname’s quarters. ‘Make friends with her,’ Melissa had said. It was all he could do to sympathize with her situation.
Sousuke himself had been a soldier for as long as he could remember. Even as a child, he had served as a mercenary for various armies. War and danger had become his life’s blood, and they were all he knew. Perhaps he failed to realize that a civilian like Miss Chidori would not understand that her confinement to Merida Fortress was a necessity. She had no doubt lived her life within the peaceful confines of her village, with death and destruction merely a distant threat. How could someone like Sousuke, who had spent his entire life on the front lines of war, possibly identify with someone like her?
His thoughts continued to drift back to that instant in which he recognized some semblance of the difficulty of her situation. She had tried not to let him see her tears and had clearly forced them back as a matter of pride. Sousuke never cried, although he assumed there must have been a moment in which he shed tears when he was an infant, but he understood the significance. Tears often meant sorrow.
The pieces slowly began to come together. Miss Chidori was not like him. She had been wrenched from her life and placed into a new, dangerous situation. She was more than likely upset and scared. And he had unwittingly made her feel worse.
These were the thoughts running through Sousuke’s mind as he approached the heavy doors to Kaname’s room. He had resolved to apologize as best he could when he knocked. “Miss Chidori?”
Silence from within. That was understandable, of course; she clearly wasn’t speaking to him at this point.
“Miss Chidori?” he asked while knocking again.
Silence once again.
An alert began to sound in his mind that perhaps something was wrong. Removing his combat knife from the sheath at his hip, he slowly pulled open one of the doors…
…to find an empty room.
Sousuke’s mind went into a panic. Had she left the room? How had she avoided the guards she would have inevitably come across?
It was at that moment that he noticed the sharp chill in the room emanating from the open window. He rushed over to it, only to notice the set of sheets tied together leading down to the ground.
---
“Damn it,” Kaname muttered, sniffling and wrapping her traveling cloak more tightly around her frame. “When did it get so cold?” She gingerly tapped the surface of a puddle from the heavy rain several days before; it was frozen solid.
Escaping from her room had been easy enough; tying the sheets together and anchoring them to one of the bedposts was unbelievably simple. It was escaping the guards at the base of the fortress that had proven more difficult than she had anticipated. She was thankful that she had previously searched the draws of her room’s armoire in an attempt to find something to use as a weapon. Who knew a folded paper fan could be so handy?
She winced slightly at one particular memory. Next time, Kaname, make sure that all the guys you knock the stuffing out of are soldiers. She swore she hadn’t recognized the priest until it was too late…
But that was behind her now. She was a good fifteen minutes away from the castle—even if that idiot Sagara and his pals had managed to realize that she had escaped, how close could they be?
Well, the fact was “very,” but Kaname was far too busy congratulating herself on her cleverness to realize that.
“I really hope I’m on the right path home…” she mumbled to herself as she gingerly moved past a tangle of briars. It would have been wiser to stay on the main roads in order to ensure that she was indeed heading in the right direction, but that would have left her open to capture by Leonard and his “friends”…or worse yet, that Sagara jerk.
She scowled at the thought of Sousuke. “I hope that bastard gets flogged when they find out he let me escape.” The thought somehow comforted her.
Kaname continued down the path in fairly high spirits, having somehow determined that she was sure to make it back to the village without any mishaps. Thus she was caught off-guard when she was suddenly grabbed by an unknown attacker and held still, one hand silencing her screams.
“Miss Chidori, my dear. You are indeed lacking in manners.”
Leonard! Kaname’s mind screamed, unable to see him but instantly recognizing the voice.
“It was quite inconsiderate of you to run off without even talking to my friends,” Leonard said in a mock-scolding voice, smirking at Kaname’s attempts to violently break free of his grasp. “And to then run off with another man? My dear Miss Chidori, what about us?”
Blood ran down Leonard’s hand as Kaname sank her teeth into his flesh as deeply as she could, but he held fast, turning her to face his men. “Naturally,” Leonard continued, “as your boyfriend made short work of the last team sent to capture you, I’ve had to replace my soldiers with men twice as strong and capable.”
Kaname eyed the men warily. The group yesterday had been burly and clearly strong (the bruises upon her back from being flung to the ground could attest to that), but these men absolutely towered over her and were bulging with muscles. There were also ten, where there had been six in the previous incident. A sinking feeling crept into her stomach.
“And while I don’t necessarily want them to do anything to you, my superiors are convinced that it’s the only way you’ll come quietly. So—" In one quick motion, Leonard removed a knife from within his coat and slashed two large tears into Kaname’s shirt, partially exposing her chest. “Easy access.”
Kaname’s mind raced, her heart pounding in fear. Wh-what am I going to do? she thought in a panic.
“Don’t feel bad, Miss Chidori. It’s only because you’re so special.”
Special…
You just don’t understand it, do you?
Kaname’s eyes widened at the sound of another voice within her head. Oh my God…the stress has finally gotten to me…
They don’t understand it, either. You can take them out easily.
“Shut up!” she screamed aloud, still struggling within Leonard’s grasp.
His condescending smirk was quickly replaced by a look of intense interest. She’s finally realizing her power?
“Leonard Testarossa!”
Leonard was so engrossed in his evaluation of Kaname’s seemingly new-found abilities that he failed to notice the fist aiming straight for him and was knocked forcefully away from Kaname.
Kaname, still shaken but able to stand, turned to see Sousuke standing protectively by her side. He grasped her wrist and quickly pulled her behind him, using his body as a shield. “No one will touch this girl without first defeating me,” he said darkly.
The men looked at one another and promptly burst into laughter. A mere boy was challenging them? Despite being outnumbered ten-to-one? “Boy, you’d better think again,” one of them said with a laugh. “Go home to your mama and leave the fighting to us professionals.”
His laughter ended abruptly when Sousuke suddenly charged and slashed his throat with his combat knife. His comrades, momentarily stunned, soon moved in to fight.
Kaname watched in fear from her place at the base of a towering oak. She was no longer thinking of how much she hated Sousuke, or how eager she was to get home; her only thought was that Sousuke was going to be killed solely because he had come after her. Guilt began to wash over her. Mr. Sagara…I never meant for you to die because of me…
Had Kaname actually been paying attention to the fight, however, she would have realized that Sousuke was far from dying. In fact, he was holding his own quite well, wielding his knife as though it were an extension of his arm. The men may have been stronger, but Sousuke was quicker. It wasn’t long before five of the men lay upon the ground.
Sousuke frowned as he wiped the blood from his knife, glaring at the five remaining men as if daring them to challenge him. “If any of you wishes to—“ His instincts alerted him a second too late to fully avoid the knife speeding towards him, and a sharp wound quickly opened along his side. He dropped to his knees and groaned, one hand pressed against the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding.
“Damn fool,” a smirking voice came from behind him. Leonard had awoken from the momentary daze Sousuke had dealt him. He turned to Kaname and smiled. “Don’t worry, my dear—I’ll whisk you away just as soon as I finish off your boyfriend here.”
“You’re…not taking her anywhere,” Sousuke said in a determined voice as he pulled himself to his feet, his breathing labored.
Leonard glanced at Sousuke in surprise. “Well,” he said with a smirk, “look who’s still trying to play the hero. Let’s see you take on the rest of my boys with that wound. I doubt you’ll be able to move like before.” He leaned back returned to observing the fight.
One of the men attempted a grab that Sousuke would have easily avoided had he been in prime fighting shape, but his movements had slowed due to his wound and also his exhaustion, having run through the woods in a desperate attempt Kaname before she met up with more members of Amalgam. Apparently he hadn’t been fast enough. He was soon cornered and held at knifepoint.
“How should we make this son-of-a-bitch pay for hurting the others?” one of the men asked, pressing his knife more firmly against Sousuke’s neck.
“I’d vote for skinnin’ ‘im alive, myself,” another said, grasping Sousuke’s hand and slicing his palm.
Kaname, meanwhile, was digging her nails into her own palms so hard that they bled. The voices had returned.
Give yourself over to me…my weaker self…
No! Leave me alone!
You have to!
I don’t have to do anything!
You have to if you don’t want him to die!
Kaname gasped as the thought of Sousuke dying while trying to return her to the safety of Merida Fortress resurfaced.
…I’ll do it.
And suddenly she was calm. Tranquility washed over her until she was entirely at peace with herself, floating in a watery world, unconnected to anything physical.
In moments of intense emotion...
Her eyes opened slightly, just enough to focus upon the men before her.
Images in your mind become real...
He won’t die because of me.
Use that power...
I will…
Now!
Sousuke grit his teeth against the pain from his wounds, silently damning the men to hell for their actions. Suddenly, the laughter around him stopped. “What the hell is that bitch doing?” he heard one of the men next to him ask incredulously. He was suddenly silent as he fell to the ground, followed quickly by his companions. Sousuke turned to see Kaname standing a few meters away, her hands clasped, eyes closed.
“Miss Chidori…” he began to ask.
Her eyes slowly opened. “Mr. Sagara…” she said weakly. Her knees gave out, and she fell to the ground. Sousuke rushed to her side.
“I’ll be damned. She’s harnessed her power.”
Sousuke looked up angrily at Leonard’s bemused tone. “It would be foolish for me to attempt to take her now. But don’t worry, Sagara. I’ll take her from you eventually.”
“I’ll protect her no matter what,” Sousuke declared through clenched teeth.
Leonard smirked, then waved carelessly over his shoulder as he started back towards the village.
Sousuke watched him go, all the while holding Kaname. Pain radiated from his wounded side and hand, but his thoughts were focused entirely upon the girl in his arms. How had she defeated those men without lifting a finger? Would it be vital that she be placed under even closer surveillance now? Why had she run away in the first place?
The thoughts continued to race through his head as he carried Kaname back to the fortress on his back.
---
Sousuke added another log to the fireplace within the Great Hall, eyeing Kaname warily. “I would still like you to be examined by a physician.”
“No, I’m okay,” Kaname said absently, clutching the blanket around her shoulders more tightly and staring at the teapot next to her.
“Is there something unsatisfactory with the tea, Miss Chidori?”
“Huh? Oh, no. I just keep expecting the teapot to start singing for some reason.”
Sousuke made a mental note to have her examined the next morning.
Kaname sipped her tea slowly, attempting to digest the day’s events. If it were at all possible, she had begun to think that her life had become even more hectic. “I guess you were right,” she said softly. “I am in danger.”
“Miss Chidori…” Sousuke began, sitting next to her upon the hearth. “I apologize for my earlier words. I had not considered how difficult it must be for a civilian to adjust to a life such as this.”
Kaname snorted quietly. “What made you realize that, exactly? You didn’t seem to give a damn before.”
“You were crying.”
Kaname looked up in surprise. “What?”
“This morning, in your room. When the Sergeant Major informed me that I should be kinder to you, I realized that I had inadvertently harmed you. That was not my intent.”
“Oh.” Kaname remained focused upon her tea.
“It was upon my arrival at your quarters to deliver an apology that I noticed your absence. And I determined that to ensure your safety, it would be necessary for me to find you and return you to the fortress.” He glanced at Kaname. “I also wanted to apologize.”
“For being an insensitive jerk?” The words were the same as that morning, but a small smile graced Kaname’s features now.
“In so many words, yes.”
Kaname glanced up from her tea long enough to afford him a brief smile. “Apology accepted. And…I guess I can get used to being around you.”
“That would be in both our best interests, Miss Chidori. I will adapt to your presence as well.”
Kaname rolled her eyes. They were at last on speaking terms, but his stiff, formal speech was going to drive her crazy. “By the way…” Kaname swallowed. “Thank you…for saving my life, Sousuke.”
Sousuke stared at her. “What?”
“I said, thank you for saving my life.”
“You said my first name.”
“…I did?”
“I had been led to believe that you truly thought my name to be ‘you bastard’.” Sousuke’s voice had not deviated from his usual monotone, but the minutest smile had appeared upon his lips.
“Well…” Kaname shrugged nonchalantly, but she could feel a strong blush rising to her cheeks. “Thank you, anyway.”
Sousuke poured himself a cup of tea. “And thank you for saving my life.”
“Don’t mention it,” Kaname said with a genuine smile.
The night somehow seemed much warmer.
To Be Continued...
Hope y'all enjoy it.
Oh, and going back in and adding the code to make sure everything is emphasized properly is a bitch.)
---
“She’s in the hands of those bastards from Mithril!?”
Leonard continued to calmly sip his tea as the red-faced man before him slammed his fist down hard upon the rough wood of the table. His gaze was level as he asked, “Mr. Harris, would I be overstepping my bounds if I asked that you not reveal the names of top-secret organizations in impetuous outbursts while in public?”
Mr. Harris slowly turned to see several tavern patrons and serving wenches watching him curiously. He scowled and yelled, “What are you bastards looking at?”
The corners of Leonard’s mouth turned down, and he rolled his eyes heavenward. “Mr. Harris, can we please return to the discussion at hand?”
“That brat was vital to furthering Amalgam’s purposes,” he said in a low, angry voice. “I don’t care how important you are—just one of the Whispered isn’t enough. And now you’ve let her fall into the hands of our arch-nemeses?”
“Current intelligence reports indicate that Miss Chidori is being held within Merida Fortress,” Leonard said evenly. “While the structure is rather well-enforced, it is not impenetrable. I’d suggest that it would be possible to storm the fortress and re-capture her.”
“Re-capture?” Mr. Harris repeated with a derisive snort. “As if you captured her in the first place.”
Leonard ignored the interruption and continued. “However, mounting an assault would be reckless and ill-advised at the present time. We have yet to ascertain the number of soldiers currently guarding Miss Chidori.”
“Well, you’ll have to fix this mess somehow,” Mr. Harris said irritably as he retrieved his coat and quickly tugged it on. “I will not allow one of my prized targets to aid the enemy.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And Leonard?”
Leonard calmly set down his teacup and eyed his superior with what appeared to be an air of amusement. “Yes, sir?”
“I don’t give a damn what ‘feelings’ you may have for that little bitch. She’s Amalgam’s, not yours. Do you understand me?”
“Absolutely, sir.” Leonard’s lips formed a tight line as he attempted to suppress a smirk.
“Good. I’m returning to headquarters. Be sure to pick up the tab.” With that, he was gone.
Leonard leaned back in his chair slightly, one hand upon his chin. “Miss Chidori…” he said aloud. It was never my explicit intent to harm you, my dear. But I can’t very well keep you to myself, can I?
He smirked. Sagara…this is one round you won’t win.
---
Mm…morning?
Kaname sleepily opened her eyes to see the muted morning light streaming through the gauzy curtains. I must’ve forgotten to close the drapes last night… She shut her eyes against the light and snuggled more deeply into the blankets upon her bed. When had her bed gotten so comfortable? The pillows were so thick, the blankets so warm…
“Good morning, Miss Chidori.”
At the sound of a seemingly random male voice so close to her bed, Kaname’s eyes flew open, and she screamed loudly as she threw her pillow in the direction of the sound. It made a soft ‘thud’ as it made contact with whoever had invaded her room. “Who are you? Wh-what are you doing in my room!?” she asked fearfully as she attempted to adjust her eyes to the light.
“Miss Chidori,” the figure said with a sigh as he placed the pillow upon the bed. “I would sincerely hope that we do not make a habit of this.”
As Kaname slowly began to fully awaken, the events of the previous day came rushing back to her in a series of vivid images. You’re special, Miss Chidori…have some fun with her…we are here to protect you…you are to remain confined to this fortress…the Whispered…
“What the hell is going on!?” she asked in a panicked voice.
“I believe we discussed the current situation last night, Miss Chidori,” Sousuke informed her in a monotone. “However, if your memory is deficient, I am more than willing to once again inform you.”
Kaname let out a low growl as she realized just who was in her room—that stupid jerk, Sousuke Sagara. “What do you think you’re doing in my room, you bastard!?”
“Merely determining whether or not you had finally awoken.”
“Well, as you can see, I have. Goodbye.”
“Miss Chidori.”
Kaname placed one of her pillows over her face and screamed into it. “What?” she asked in an annoyed voice that was muffled by the pillow.
“First, please remove the pillow. I doubt you will be able to hear me.”
“That’s the point.”
Sousuke frowned in annoyance and reached over to pull the pillow away from her. As soon as her face was exposed, he was met with a very pointed glare. “Are you making it your life’s work to annoy me?” Kaname asked irritably.
“Negative, Miss Chidori,” Sousuke replied as he sat upon the edge of the bed. “However, I cannot help that you perceive me that way. Now, it is my duty to inform you of the rules to which you must comply while you are under our watch within the fortress.”
Kaname continued to glare at him.
“First, you are to remain within the fortress at all times.”
“Okay.”
“Second, should you at any time feel endangered, you are to report to myself, Sgt. Weber, or Sgt. Mjr. Mao immediately.”
“Sure thing.”
“Third, should you cause any problems while within the fortress, you will be confined to your room until such time that you decide to comply with our rules.”
“Got it.”
Sousuke glanced up in annoyance to see Kaname inspecting her cuticles, a bored look upon her features. “Miss Chidori, I respectfully request that you grant me your full attention.”
“No,” Kaname said flatly, drawing her gaze from her cuticles long enough to afford Sousuke a pointed look.
“Miss Chidori—“
“Look!” Kaname yelled, angrily pulling back the covers and swinging her legs over the side of the bed so that her back was to Sousuke. “You’ve taken me away from everything I’ve ever known or loved, you’ve isolated me in some gloomy fortress, you won’t even tell me when I can get out of here, and now you’re telling me I have to abide by some stupid rules while I’m here?”
“Miss Chidori,” Sousuke started. His monotone was still in place, but he was quickly becoming annoyed with her seemingly pointless resistance. “Neither of us has a choice in this matter. You do not wish to be guarded, as you feel that your confinement to the fortress has taken you from your normal life. I do not wish to guard you, as I feel my talents are being wasted guarding a single person.”
“Then quit,” Kaname said, her voice filled with anger and an odd emotion that Sousuke couldn’t entirely determine.
“Unfortunately, I cannot. I was assigned to this duty.” He moved his head to the side in an attempt to see her face and better understand the elusive second emotion in her voice, but her back remained towards him. “However, though neither of us considers this an ideal situation, it is necessary that we learn to adapt to one another’s presence.”
“Adapt to one another’s presence…” Kaname repeated, shaking her head in disbelief. She jumped down from the bed and turned to face Sousuke, her eyes narrowed and filled with tears.
Sousuke was momentarily taken aback. So that was the second emotion—she had been crying.
“You just don’t get it!” she yelled angrily, clenching her fists. “You don’t understand what it must feel like for a normal person to be taken away from everything and be thrown headfirst into some kind of crazy military scenario!”
Sousuke remained silent, his eyes turned downward as he attempted to understand the strange feelings within him at the realization that he had somehow made her cry.
“I don’t have a choice in this, so I’ll have to make do. But don’t tell me that I have to ‘adapt to your presence’ or ‘get used to you’ when you haven’t made one goddamn attempt to understand what I’m going through! I don’t even want to have anything to do with you!” she yelled, her shoulders heaving.
Sousuke stood calmly and turned to face Kaname. “Miss Chidori.”
“What?” Kaname asked, once again fighting back tears. I’ll be damned if I let this bastard see me cry… Part of her still hoped that he would show some shred of humanity, maybe tell her that it was going to be alright, that he understood what she was going through…
“Lunch will be served in the Great Hall at noon. Please be prompt.” He granted her a short, stiff bow and then attempted to leave the room, his progress somewhat hindered when he was quickly knocked into a daze by the furious Kaname’s expertly-thrown shoe.
Kaname sat down upon the edge of the bed, still somewhat dazed herself and emotionally fragile from her deepening realization of the seriousness of her situation. But still…I wish someone could tell me exactly why I’m in danger…Whispered…
She shook her head in attempt to clear her mind of the defeatist thoughts that threatened to overpower her. Kaname suspected that this might be a wonderful example of cosmic irony. “I did ask for something exciting,” she said sourly. “Hell, I’d love to go back to my boring day-to-day life now. But with that stupid Sergeant Psycho running around keeping tabs on me, there’s no way I’m getting out of here until I’m an old spinster woman.” She scowled and punched her pillow. Just the mere thought of Sousuke…
Kaname silently smoothed out the dented pillow and hugged it close to her chest. As long as she was imprisoned within Merida Fortress, in her mind, her life was over. Now she’d never marry, never have children, never be just like her mother…
Mom…
She still remembered the last thing her mother had told her two years earlier. “Be strong, Kaname. I know you’ll make me proud.”
What would she think of me if she saw me like this, crying and feeling sorry for myself just because I’m shut away from the world?
The memory of her mother caused something to awaken within Kaname. No longer would she resign herself to this imprisonment; she was now determined to fight. Tossing the pillow aside, she narrowed her eyes and smiled. I’ll make you proud, Mom. I promise.
---
“Well, she’s definitely one hell of a looker.”
Melissa glanced at her subordinate in annoyance before turning back to her soup. “Who’s a ‘looker,’ Kurz?”
“The girl—Kaname. I mean, did you see her? Those legs are to die for. Not that yours aren’t great, too, Big Sister.”
Melissa rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, you snuck into her room while she was sleeping?”
“Well, to be fair, she’s not sleeping now, right, Sergeant Serious?” Kurz laughed as he clapped Sousuke on the back. “Way to win her over, pal.”
Sousuke remained silent as he stared at the rapidly cooling bowl of soup before him. The news of his fight with Kaname had quickly spread throughout the fortress, and while Kurz was thoroughly amused at the thought of Sousuke essentially getting his ass kicked by the girl he was supposed to be protecting, Melissa was concerned by the wedge being driven between the two. “I have no intent to ‘win her over,’ Kurz,” Sousuke said flatly. “My assignment is merely to guard her until such time that our superiors determine that her safety is assured.”
“Well, until then, you can at least be a little nicer to her,” Melissa said pointedly, setting down her soup spoon.
“Ma’am?”
“Try to put yourself in her shoes. In a single day, you’re nearly killed, taken away from your friends and family—“
“Ma’am, our report indicated that Miss Chidori has no family. Her mother has been deceased for—“ Sousuke wisely stopped speaking when he observed the death glare pointed in his direction.
“As I was saying, she’s been taken away from everything and thrown into Mithril’s protection. We all have military backgrounds, so it wouldn’t be a big deal for us, but Kaname isn’t one of us. You can’t expect a civilian to just grin and bear it when her life’s effectively been destroyed.” She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “Is this getting through to you, Sousuke?”
“I believe so, Ma’am. However, as she has no other choice—“
“I think what our lovely Sergeant Major is saying, Sousuke, is that Kaname doesn’t see it that way,” Kurz said. “A beautiful girl like that locked away in a fortress? It’s almost criminal. Luckily, she has Kurz Weber to comfort her on those lonely nights…!” His statement quickly turned into a shout as Melissa calmly reached over and dumped the contents of his soup bowl into his lap.
“I suppose it would be theoretically difficult for a civilian to adjust to a lifestyle such as this without warning…” Sousuke began, his thoughts unconsciously drifting back to the slight feelings of guilt he had felt when he observed tears in Kaname’s eyes. What made me remember that just now…?
“Exactly. I’d think that what she needs now is someone to comfort her.” Melissa’s sharp look prevented Kurz from interjecting. “And I think it’d be a good idea if Sousuke—not Sergeant Sagara—were the one to do it. You might as well try to make friends with her.”
“Getting attached to the mission objective is often a fatal error, Ma’am.”
“I’m not asking you to marry the girl, for God’s sake! I just don’t want a repeat of this morning. Now go and apologize.” With that, Melissa turned back to her lunch, effectively ending the conversation.
---
Sousuke was deeply in thought as he made his way to Kaname’s quarters. ‘Make friends with her,’ Melissa had said. It was all he could do to sympathize with her situation.
Sousuke himself had been a soldier for as long as he could remember. Even as a child, he had served as a mercenary for various armies. War and danger had become his life’s blood, and they were all he knew. Perhaps he failed to realize that a civilian like Miss Chidori would not understand that her confinement to Merida Fortress was a necessity. She had no doubt lived her life within the peaceful confines of her village, with death and destruction merely a distant threat. How could someone like Sousuke, who had spent his entire life on the front lines of war, possibly identify with someone like her?
His thoughts continued to drift back to that instant in which he recognized some semblance of the difficulty of her situation. She had tried not to let him see her tears and had clearly forced them back as a matter of pride. Sousuke never cried, although he assumed there must have been a moment in which he shed tears when he was an infant, but he understood the significance. Tears often meant sorrow.
The pieces slowly began to come together. Miss Chidori was not like him. She had been wrenched from her life and placed into a new, dangerous situation. She was more than likely upset and scared. And he had unwittingly made her feel worse.
These were the thoughts running through Sousuke’s mind as he approached the heavy doors to Kaname’s room. He had resolved to apologize as best he could when he knocked. “Miss Chidori?”
Silence from within. That was understandable, of course; she clearly wasn’t speaking to him at this point.
“Miss Chidori?” he asked while knocking again.
Silence once again.
An alert began to sound in his mind that perhaps something was wrong. Removing his combat knife from the sheath at his hip, he slowly pulled open one of the doors…
…to find an empty room.
Sousuke’s mind went into a panic. Had she left the room? How had she avoided the guards she would have inevitably come across?
It was at that moment that he noticed the sharp chill in the room emanating from the open window. He rushed over to it, only to notice the set of sheets tied together leading down to the ground.
---
“Damn it,” Kaname muttered, sniffling and wrapping her traveling cloak more tightly around her frame. “When did it get so cold?” She gingerly tapped the surface of a puddle from the heavy rain several days before; it was frozen solid.
Escaping from her room had been easy enough; tying the sheets together and anchoring them to one of the bedposts was unbelievably simple. It was escaping the guards at the base of the fortress that had proven more difficult than she had anticipated. She was thankful that she had previously searched the draws of her room’s armoire in an attempt to find something to use as a weapon. Who knew a folded paper fan could be so handy?
She winced slightly at one particular memory. Next time, Kaname, make sure that all the guys you knock the stuffing out of are soldiers. She swore she hadn’t recognized the priest until it was too late…
But that was behind her now. She was a good fifteen minutes away from the castle—even if that idiot Sagara and his pals had managed to realize that she had escaped, how close could they be?
Well, the fact was “very,” but Kaname was far too busy congratulating herself on her cleverness to realize that.
“I really hope I’m on the right path home…” she mumbled to herself as she gingerly moved past a tangle of briars. It would have been wiser to stay on the main roads in order to ensure that she was indeed heading in the right direction, but that would have left her open to capture by Leonard and his “friends”…or worse yet, that Sagara jerk.
She scowled at the thought of Sousuke. “I hope that bastard gets flogged when they find out he let me escape.” The thought somehow comforted her.
Kaname continued down the path in fairly high spirits, having somehow determined that she was sure to make it back to the village without any mishaps. Thus she was caught off-guard when she was suddenly grabbed by an unknown attacker and held still, one hand silencing her screams.
“Miss Chidori, my dear. You are indeed lacking in manners.”
Leonard! Kaname’s mind screamed, unable to see him but instantly recognizing the voice.
“It was quite inconsiderate of you to run off without even talking to my friends,” Leonard said in a mock-scolding voice, smirking at Kaname’s attempts to violently break free of his grasp. “And to then run off with another man? My dear Miss Chidori, what about us?”
Blood ran down Leonard’s hand as Kaname sank her teeth into his flesh as deeply as she could, but he held fast, turning her to face his men. “Naturally,” Leonard continued, “as your boyfriend made short work of the last team sent to capture you, I’ve had to replace my soldiers with men twice as strong and capable.”
Kaname eyed the men warily. The group yesterday had been burly and clearly strong (the bruises upon her back from being flung to the ground could attest to that), but these men absolutely towered over her and were bulging with muscles. There were also ten, where there had been six in the previous incident. A sinking feeling crept into her stomach.
“And while I don’t necessarily want them to do anything to you, my superiors are convinced that it’s the only way you’ll come quietly. So—" In one quick motion, Leonard removed a knife from within his coat and slashed two large tears into Kaname’s shirt, partially exposing her chest. “Easy access.”
Kaname’s mind raced, her heart pounding in fear. Wh-what am I going to do? she thought in a panic.
“Don’t feel bad, Miss Chidori. It’s only because you’re so special.”
Special…
You just don’t understand it, do you?
Kaname’s eyes widened at the sound of another voice within her head. Oh my God…the stress has finally gotten to me…
They don’t understand it, either. You can take them out easily.
“Shut up!” she screamed aloud, still struggling within Leonard’s grasp.
His condescending smirk was quickly replaced by a look of intense interest. She’s finally realizing her power?
“Leonard Testarossa!”
Leonard was so engrossed in his evaluation of Kaname’s seemingly new-found abilities that he failed to notice the fist aiming straight for him and was knocked forcefully away from Kaname.
Kaname, still shaken but able to stand, turned to see Sousuke standing protectively by her side. He grasped her wrist and quickly pulled her behind him, using his body as a shield. “No one will touch this girl without first defeating me,” he said darkly.
The men looked at one another and promptly burst into laughter. A mere boy was challenging them? Despite being outnumbered ten-to-one? “Boy, you’d better think again,” one of them said with a laugh. “Go home to your mama and leave the fighting to us professionals.”
His laughter ended abruptly when Sousuke suddenly charged and slashed his throat with his combat knife. His comrades, momentarily stunned, soon moved in to fight.
Kaname watched in fear from her place at the base of a towering oak. She was no longer thinking of how much she hated Sousuke, or how eager she was to get home; her only thought was that Sousuke was going to be killed solely because he had come after her. Guilt began to wash over her. Mr. Sagara…I never meant for you to die because of me…
Had Kaname actually been paying attention to the fight, however, she would have realized that Sousuke was far from dying. In fact, he was holding his own quite well, wielding his knife as though it were an extension of his arm. The men may have been stronger, but Sousuke was quicker. It wasn’t long before five of the men lay upon the ground.
Sousuke frowned as he wiped the blood from his knife, glaring at the five remaining men as if daring them to challenge him. “If any of you wishes to—“ His instincts alerted him a second too late to fully avoid the knife speeding towards him, and a sharp wound quickly opened along his side. He dropped to his knees and groaned, one hand pressed against the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding.
“Damn fool,” a smirking voice came from behind him. Leonard had awoken from the momentary daze Sousuke had dealt him. He turned to Kaname and smiled. “Don’t worry, my dear—I’ll whisk you away just as soon as I finish off your boyfriend here.”
“You’re…not taking her anywhere,” Sousuke said in a determined voice as he pulled himself to his feet, his breathing labored.
Leonard glanced at Sousuke in surprise. “Well,” he said with a smirk, “look who’s still trying to play the hero. Let’s see you take on the rest of my boys with that wound. I doubt you’ll be able to move like before.” He leaned back returned to observing the fight.
One of the men attempted a grab that Sousuke would have easily avoided had he been in prime fighting shape, but his movements had slowed due to his wound and also his exhaustion, having run through the woods in a desperate attempt Kaname before she met up with more members of Amalgam. Apparently he hadn’t been fast enough. He was soon cornered and held at knifepoint.
“How should we make this son-of-a-bitch pay for hurting the others?” one of the men asked, pressing his knife more firmly against Sousuke’s neck.
“I’d vote for skinnin’ ‘im alive, myself,” another said, grasping Sousuke’s hand and slicing his palm.
Kaname, meanwhile, was digging her nails into her own palms so hard that they bled. The voices had returned.
Give yourself over to me…my weaker self…
No! Leave me alone!
You have to!
I don’t have to do anything!
You have to if you don’t want him to die!
Kaname gasped as the thought of Sousuke dying while trying to return her to the safety of Merida Fortress resurfaced.
…I’ll do it.
And suddenly she was calm. Tranquility washed over her until she was entirely at peace with herself, floating in a watery world, unconnected to anything physical.
In moments of intense emotion...
Her eyes opened slightly, just enough to focus upon the men before her.
Images in your mind become real...
He won’t die because of me.
Use that power...
I will…
Now!
Sousuke grit his teeth against the pain from his wounds, silently damning the men to hell for their actions. Suddenly, the laughter around him stopped. “What the hell is that bitch doing?” he heard one of the men next to him ask incredulously. He was suddenly silent as he fell to the ground, followed quickly by his companions. Sousuke turned to see Kaname standing a few meters away, her hands clasped, eyes closed.
“Miss Chidori…” he began to ask.
Her eyes slowly opened. “Mr. Sagara…” she said weakly. Her knees gave out, and she fell to the ground. Sousuke rushed to her side.
“I’ll be damned. She’s harnessed her power.”
Sousuke looked up angrily at Leonard’s bemused tone. “It would be foolish for me to attempt to take her now. But don’t worry, Sagara. I’ll take her from you eventually.”
“I’ll protect her no matter what,” Sousuke declared through clenched teeth.
Leonard smirked, then waved carelessly over his shoulder as he started back towards the village.
Sousuke watched him go, all the while holding Kaname. Pain radiated from his wounded side and hand, but his thoughts were focused entirely upon the girl in his arms. How had she defeated those men without lifting a finger? Would it be vital that she be placed under even closer surveillance now? Why had she run away in the first place?
The thoughts continued to race through his head as he carried Kaname back to the fortress on his back.
---
Sousuke added another log to the fireplace within the Great Hall, eyeing Kaname warily. “I would still like you to be examined by a physician.”
“No, I’m okay,” Kaname said absently, clutching the blanket around her shoulders more tightly and staring at the teapot next to her.
“Is there something unsatisfactory with the tea, Miss Chidori?”
“Huh? Oh, no. I just keep expecting the teapot to start singing for some reason.”
Sousuke made a mental note to have her examined the next morning.
Kaname sipped her tea slowly, attempting to digest the day’s events. If it were at all possible, she had begun to think that her life had become even more hectic. “I guess you were right,” she said softly. “I am in danger.”
“Miss Chidori…” Sousuke began, sitting next to her upon the hearth. “I apologize for my earlier words. I had not considered how difficult it must be for a civilian to adjust to a life such as this.”
Kaname snorted quietly. “What made you realize that, exactly? You didn’t seem to give a damn before.”
“You were crying.”
Kaname looked up in surprise. “What?”
“This morning, in your room. When the Sergeant Major informed me that I should be kinder to you, I realized that I had inadvertently harmed you. That was not my intent.”
“Oh.” Kaname remained focused upon her tea.
“It was upon my arrival at your quarters to deliver an apology that I noticed your absence. And I determined that to ensure your safety, it would be necessary for me to find you and return you to the fortress.” He glanced at Kaname. “I also wanted to apologize.”
“For being an insensitive jerk?” The words were the same as that morning, but a small smile graced Kaname’s features now.
“In so many words, yes.”
Kaname glanced up from her tea long enough to afford him a brief smile. “Apology accepted. And…I guess I can get used to being around you.”
“That would be in both our best interests, Miss Chidori. I will adapt to your presence as well.”
Kaname rolled her eyes. They were at last on speaking terms, but his stiff, formal speech was going to drive her crazy. “By the way…” Kaname swallowed. “Thank you…for saving my life, Sousuke.”
Sousuke stared at her. “What?”
“I said, thank you for saving my life.”
“You said my first name.”
“…I did?”
“I had been led to believe that you truly thought my name to be ‘you bastard’.” Sousuke’s voice had not deviated from his usual monotone, but the minutest smile had appeared upon his lips.
“Well…” Kaname shrugged nonchalantly, but she could feel a strong blush rising to her cheeks. “Thank you, anyway.”
Sousuke poured himself a cup of tea. “And thank you for saving my life.”
“Don’t mention it,” Kaname said with a genuine smile.
The night somehow seemed much warmer.
To Be Continued...
... Poking anysia with a Stick 
