.hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ In All My Bitterness ❯ Chapter Two: Ah, Toot Toot ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Shuyin.

 

Chapter Two: Ah, Toot Toot.

 

With a long and silent yawn, Anissa sat up in her bed and looked around. Her heart skipped a beat when she took in the sight of the room and she sighed. It was a nightmare and a dream all in one. Being back in the house reminded her of when 'the group', as she now decided to call it, was together and it also dumped the cold water of truth that the past was just past. 'The group' wasn't a group anymore.

 

They were strangers, nearly.

 

"What happened to the promises that we would always be together, guys?" she asked, in a very solemn and almost mourning mood. It was them, 'the group', she was angry and upset and disappointed in.

 

But she couldn't force all the blame on them.

 

As much as she didn't want to admit it, or tell anyone, she went into a deep depression the first couple of years away in America. A depression deep enough to where she was sick and in the hospital for three months.

 

Anissa had missed her family and friends that much.

 

Glancing at a photo she had on the desk next to the bed, one of everyone together, Balmung included, Anissa smiled. She was on Shugo's back, trying to get her handful of money back from him, Rena was on the floor sitting on a flattened Tengaki, and Balmung was in a kiss with Kayane. The sight of Balmung stealing a kiss from Kayane in the picture, which he had rarely ever done, at least in public anyways, had struck a phrase in her mind. "Perfect Kodak moment caught on film." Reminded of Kayane and Balmung and their... former relationship, she remembered the two had yet to see each other still. She wanted to be there when they did and it was still early, only seven in the morning.

 

Hopefully Kayane had gotten out of the habit of waking up at six o' clock in the morning.

 

Hopefully.

 

Pulling on a skirt, a shirt, purple knee-highs, and a pair of black combat boots quickly, Anissa brushed her hair and teeth, washed her face, applied bits of make-up, and ran out of her room in under ten minutes.

 

Looking over her shoulder, she could see her sister's door was shut, and pleaded to God that she was still in her room.

 

Slowing down as she neared the stairs, she leaned over the balcony, wanting to see if the same pattern on the floor was still there. The pattern of two girls in flowing dresses, one dressed in all white, white hair, the other with black clothes and black hair, inside a large circle, walking along the interior, hair and dresses trailing behind. Anissa loved it. To her, it was like a more elegant yin and yang, a representation of what she wanted to be compared to her mother. Of how her sister and her mother truly were.

 

Despite her mother being, or used have been, dirty, Anissa couldn't deny the fact that she liked a few of the same things her mother liked.

 

The smile on her face disappeared when it seemed to transform from the envision of her mother and sister being total opposite to first being Anissa herself and Tera, then Tera to Kayane. Then, swirling before eyes, they both switched positions, hair still blowing in the same directions, and they held opposing glares. Raising their outfacing arms, they faded, drifting apart.

 

"Does it hurt to see the truth before your very eyes?"

 

Tera's voice sounded clearly in her mind, the vision changing back and Anissa blinking out of the vision, out from seeing through Tera's all-seeing eyes.

 

She found herself subconsciously nodding. Anissa barely heard anything, deciding that Tera would do anything to put her into a weakened mental state where manipulating her body was an easy task, she shook her head and began running down the steps.

 

"You can't even acknowledge to yourself that you and your sister are complete opposites. That you absolutely hated some of the things she did. How inferior you thought you were to her."

 

"No, I can't acknowledge something that isn't true," she whispered, slowing to a walk on the stairs. "We are opposites but I never hated anything about her. She's my sister and you hate me for not being her."

 

Tera's voice never responded and Anissa let herself give a satisfied smirk. Jumping off the last few steps, she ran through the winding rooms and halls toward the kitchen. Kayane always ate after she woke up. Always.

 

Nearing the kitchen, she had the mental picture of her sister sitting on the kitchen stool in loose black pants and a muscle shirt, elbow on the table, leg crossed over the other and sipping hot chocolate.

 

Instead, she saw Kayane standing with her arms crossed, looking out the doorway. Blinking, seeing the tense, angry and unsure look on her sister's face, Anissa didn't understand until she saw Balmung, on the opposite side of the room at a table, wearing a white wife-beater and long pants, elbows propped up, his shaggy silver like hair hiding his eyes from view, unable to determine where or what he was looking at. He was facing Kayane, Anissa noticed, looking back and forth between the two. And from the way both of them were seemingly feeling more than awkward, Anissa guessed almost surely that he was looking at her.

 

Neither of them wanted to make the first move, whether if it was to leave the room or talk or what, but neither wanted to draw attention to themselves.

 

Maybe it was the one looking at the other that bothered them, or maybe if they felt the other's eyes on them, it would mean they had to look back.

 

But Anissa didn't know if it was either or not.

 

Ducking her head back out of the doorway to avoid Balmung suddenly looking to his left and seeing her, Anissa mentally berated herself for thinking the two meeting would be a joyous occasion when the two parted on rather unstable terms. Both are going to be stubborn about it, she told herself, listening to the unbearable silence.

 

One of them had to do or say something sooner or later.

 

Right?

 

Taking in a silent, deep breath, Anissa knelt down to watch what she could of them, feeling like she was fifteen again. Watching the her sister and Balmung meet, this time after 5 years of separation instead of first meeting in real life out-side of The World, Anissa allowed herself a small grin.

 

Her sister and Balmung were weird, she confirmed, watching as Kayane almost unnoticeable shifted her weight from one foot to the other and let out a silent, body shaking sigh. From where she was standing, Anissa could see the way Kayane eyed the kitchen warily, doubtfully and something else passed through her eyes last.

 

Fear.

 

Was her own mother's house that nerve-wracking and fearful to Kayane? Shaking her head briefly, She reminded herself that Kayane had every reason to be afraid of her mother after the last time she saw the two together, five and a half years ago. Anissa figured Kayane would still have a burned scar still; it was a nasty blow.

 

Blinking rapidly, Anissa jumped discreetly when Balmung spoke suddenly.

 

"I'm sorry." It seemed more apologetic then Anissa had ever heard before. More sincere and heart-broken than she ever thought it would, and she never expected to hear him say it to Kayane.

 

Expecting to hear her sister's denying words, telling him not to be sorry, that it was of her own fault, in that soft, caring voice that was the sensitive side of her, Anissa's mouth fell open when she heard different.

 

"You know damn well that you should be, too," Kayane snapped, eyes flashing from fear to hard and angry. Her voice sounded cold, unforgiving and this was the side Anissa feared. The one that had always sent Anissa to her room near tears when they fought one of their rare fights that Kayane was truly upset over. The one that could send anyone into a fit of shudders.

 

Anissa looked up at Balmung, wanting him to be fearless of her like always, willing to do what he had for her, and took in a sharp breath.

 

"You don't need to be like that. You know it wasn't my fault I couldn't come back, so why are you so uptight?" He was just as cold voiced as she was, if not more. "Did you ever think I might have felt guilty for leaving you, that just maybe, maybe I missed you even more when you stopped contacting me, the first to stop out of everyone, in every way?"

 

Kayane whirled around, face constricted in anger, and growled. "You don't know the first reason why I stopped emailing and calling and sending you letters, Balmung. You have no clue why."

 

Balmung stood, the chair clattering to the floor forgotten and unnoticed, gesturing wildly to both sides of him. "Then why don't you tell me? Why don't you tell me why so you don't seem like you just cut off everyone because you wanted to?"

 

"Maybe I don't want to, Balmung. Maybe why I did is part of my personal business."

 

Anissa let out a small whisper of confusion, realizing that Kayane was the first to lose contact with Balmung too. Maybe the same went for Shugo and Rena.

 

"Don't give me that shit, Alyssa. The only reason you wouldn't tell me then is if you didn't want me to know something that I should know. Don't take me for some person who doesn't know a damned thing about you and not for someone who knows you better than anyone else."

 

"What the hell makes you think you should know anything? If I don't want to tell you something, I won't." Turned on her heel, she walked out of the room, Balmung standing where he had through-out the whole thing in numb surprise.

 

Anissa watched as Balmung shook his head and sat back down at the table after retrieving the chair he had knocked over. Standing up, she figured it was a good a time as any to walk into the room and act like the starving twenty-two year old woman she was.

 

Skipping into the room, acting oblivious to what had just happened in the room, she automatically went to the refrigerator and opened it. "Hey Balmung, what's up? Still waking up at the crack of dawn like old times?"

 

Balmung chuckled a bit, pulling his cup of coffee from the middle of the table closer to the edge and himself. "I wouldn't say the crack of dawn. More like the second Rena started playing some music two rooms away."

 

Anissa laughed, spilling the milk onto the counter-top. Same old Rena, waking up whenever to play some R&B music with the bass and volume as high as it could go. "She likes her United States music, by Ciara and Mariah Carey and people, that's for sure."

 

"Tell me about it."

 

"Did I hear Ciara? And Mariah Carey? I have their CDs if you guys don't mind listening to them." Rena bounded into the room, flipping through a cd case rapidly, wearing light blue clouded pants and a white spaghetti strap tank-top. Her short, shoulder-length light brown brushed hair the only thing tended to.

 

Anissa and Balmung head's shot up from what they were doing and they let out a chorused, "No!"

 

Rena blinked and looked innocent. "What? One song won't hurt, right?"

 

"One song, my ass," Taryn muttered, walking into the room, pulling a half-asleep Tengaki into the room and Kayane who was obviously a sour mood. One where she would argue with everyone.

 

"We Belong Together ain't half-bad," she muttered in response, crossing her arms.

 

"Don't mean I want to hear it this goddamned early in the morning."

 

Kayane shrugged of what Taryn said and looked around the room at everyone who was present, regrettably meeting Balmung's gaze for over five seconds, then turning to see Shugo stumble into the room laughing as he held his left elbow gently.

 

Anissa laughed shortly in confusion and set down her bowl of cereal, walking to see what the hell was Shugo's problem. "What the hell are you laughing about?"

 

Nearly dropping to his knees from his laugh attack, he wrapped his right arm around her waist and buried his face in her stomach. "God damned humorous bone that's hurts like fucking hell," he mumbled. "I woke up because I accidentally hit my damn elbow on the head board and I am so bloody fucking tired so I can't stop laughing, dammit."

 

Anissa removed his arm from around her waist, laughing softly, and set it over her shoulders. "And you're cussing worse than Satan and laughing like some crazed lunatic."

 

"Right now, it ain't far from the truth," he laughed. "I hate the morning."

 

"We're glad. Having you awake by choice and hearing your laughing endlessly would drive us insane," Rena giggled, giving her twin a playful shove then jumping up and sitting on the counter top, eating a jam covered piece of toast.

 

Everyone jumped when an almost shrill shout echoed in the room.

 

"What is going on in here?"

 

Anissa narrowed her eyes at the sight of her mother and Kayane visibly flinched away from the door, obviously wanting to move away from her mother.

 

Miranda, Rena's friend, slipped between the mother and the door, slinking into the room and ducking behind Rena.

 

When no one spoke for eight minutes, the bride-to-be staring at each one of them for a minute each, Kayane finally spoke, glaring at everyone else.

 

"Nothing, we just woke up, that's all. I came late, so they were all saying hi. Is that so bad?"

 

"Just keep it down. Your father and I are trying to get some rest. We have a big day today."

 

A small chill crept up Anissa's spine and she put her other arm around Shugo. "Sorry," she murmured.

 

With a scoff, she left the room and Tengaki let out a disgusted snort along with Balmung and Taryn.

 

"Five years didn't do her much good, did it?" Taryn snapped quietly, walking over the island and looking at a small bundle of grapes on the top, plucking one off and into her mouth.

 

"I'm going for a ride around town. See you all later," Kayane announced almost monotonously after thirty minutes of silence and pointless conversation, standing up from leaning on the door frame and walking out the doorway.

 

Taryn made an eager grunt, dropping a piece of grapes, and brushed off her hands, following Kayane out the door. "Wait for me. I gotta see if Boon's alley is still there and if Old man Crosck pawn is still runnin' it."

 

"Doubt it. He would have croaked by now," Kayane's voice sounded muffledly in the kitchen through the halls.

 

"Well," Rena sighed, looking at the clock on the upper wall of the kitchen. "I got to go see you mom to get my bridesmaid dress fitted right now, Anissa. And so do you. So lets jet."

 

Anissa looked up from staring at the ground with sudden interest and look dumb-founded. "What? A dress fitting? Since when?"

 

"Since the meeting your mom held last night. Come on, I don't want your mom getting pissed at us even more." Rena pulled Anissa's arm from around Shugo and tugged both her and Miranda out of the room.

 

(-)

 

Anissa groaned as some woman tied a yellow bow around her waist to compliment the violet, silk kimono her mother had chosen for her to wear. Being the maid of honor was starting to bite in the ass. Wearing a kimono didn't bother Anissa much at all, but when they started to put her hair in a bun, twist it painfully tight, tie a ribbon around her waist as tight as can be, make her put old-fashioned wooden sandals that were highly uncomfortable, she started to get a little cranky.

 

Just a little.

 

Hearing groans and complaints to her own, she realized Rena was just as uncomfortable as she was. Was her mom doing this to torture them or was it for real? Was this the same way her mother had been raised by her Japanese heritage?

 

Letting out a startled and jumbled yelp, Anissa winced as the ribbon around her waist was tightened even more. "I'm not a stick, lady!" she snapped.

 

Receiving a kick in the leg, Anissa waited for the woman to finish and hurriedly untied the bow, kicking off the sandals in the process when a satisfied snort sounded from the lady. The kimono looked pretty nice on her, Anissa agreed to that much, but the bow had to loosen up or go. Only one of those.

 

She changed back into her skirt, shirt and knee-highs then darted out of the room as her mother turned around. With around three weeks left until the wedding, Anissa figured they could wait a day or two before applying make-up to see how it looked. Glancing over her shoulder, she laughed as she saw Rena close behind, an almost panicked look on her face and pulling an almost confused Miranda.

 

"Who's up for splitting this whole house, getting some Kirinata bread, then seeing if Kaligana mall is still there?" Anissa whooped, knowing the two would agree anyway's.

 

"Run, Nagoya. You mother is fucking scary almost."

 

Laughing slightly at Miranda's broken Japanese, Anissa agreed wholeheartedly, finding nothing wrong with it. "Don't I know it?"

 

(-)

 

Anissa grinned as she pulled out of the mansion driveway faster than need-be and relished in the screaming of her tires on the black concrete as she slammed on the accelerator to cruise down, going sixty on the local road that had a thirty miles per hour limit. She wanted to leave that badly. Maybe when her mother went to town to make sure reservations at the shrine were surely set, she would return and greet her dad for the first time in a long time. But Anissa didn't know when her mother would leave.

 

So she had a legitimate excuse.

 

All was going extremely well.

 

Except for the fact that they had just pulled into what used to have been the Kaligana mall parking lot and saw nothing but a large furniture store in its place.

 

"Guess we're just gonna have to find another mall in which to wreak hell," Anissa chimed, trying to stay positive and keep the day from spiraling down into the pits of a bad day.

 

"What about Kenya Mall? Its across town, yeah, but maybe its still there. Or maybe if we head down to see if its still there, we might come across a new one."

 

"Worth try, ya?"

 

Anissa nodded her head, then backed up to leave the parking lot, slamming the when brakes a black Mercedes pulled up behind her quickly, denting the back of the red convertible slightly, but enough to jerk the car forward.

 

Growling, Anissa looked over her shoulder then opened her door, regretting the fact that she had chosen to wear a skirt. It wasn't the best thing to wear, since people would automatically deem her a slut.

 

Shivering at the cold gush of wind, Anissa ignored as her short hair whipped into her face. Why did it have to be such a cold ass day? She probably looked like an insane American teenager who was meeting with a man to buy some weed or crack. Assumptions were the one thing hated about Japan. Being blonde meant a lot of things and most were so far from the truth in Anissa's case.

 

Kneeling down, Anissa looked at the back of her convertible, running her fingertips along the scratch and dent the other car made. "Dammit," Anissa whispered, the white vapors of her breath disappearing up into the sky.

 

"Sorry, I didn't see your car against the red background of the store right away," a man's voice sounded from behind her, sounding vaguely familiar to Anissa.

 

Anissa turned her head to look up at him, her hair flipping over her shoulder from the added strength of the wind, and her eyes widened. Was that who she thought it was?

 

Despite her recognizing him, he seemed to be oblivious to who she was. But she couldn't blame him; she had grown a lot and her hair made her look completely different, even though it was only about seven inches shorter than the last time she saw him. Apparently he was still the same dumb ass she had dated before the issue with The World had taken place over five years ago.

 

"You still haven't learned to drive, Shuyin?"

 

Comment please.

-Arisa