S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ Experiment Ryuma ❯ 3: Crimson Shells ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

3: Crimson Shells

 

A/N: Brightdreamer told me that I should describe Ryuma's left alter arm and that's what I'm doing in this chapter...or trying to. ^^; Thanks Brightdreamer!

 

-3-3-3-3-

 

Mimori looked up from grading her students' homework and smiled warmly. “Ryuhou, how have you been?” She stood up from her desk and walked around to stand in front of it. “I've heard rumors that there haven't been any battles for a while. Is it true?”

 

Ryuhou noted the quiet tone. It disturbed him somewhat. She was acting as if nothing ever happened between them several years ago. “I'm fine, thanks for asking.” He leaned back against a table and crossed his arms. “Yes, the rumors are true. However, we found another alter from the other side of the wall. I'm hoping he isn't a spy from the mainland.”

 

“What would make you think he is one?” Mimori asked as she returned to her seat and started grading the papers again.

 

“He's wearing HOLY's new uniform.” Ryuhou paused, waiting for any comment from the woman, which never came. He peered up at her and frowned. “He's either a spy or a member of HOLY who couldn't take much more of their vigorous training.”

 

Mimori placed the last paper she was grading aside and looked up with a weak smile. “I would hope it's the latter. We could use another alter around here to protect the village. There's been more and more native alters coming around trying to take control.”

 

“I don't know if he'd be one of those willing to take on that kind of responsibility. He seems to be reckless like Kazuma.” Ryuhou explained, trying not to sound amused by his own comment. “I'd be willing to bet that the kid is somehow related to him.”

 

Mimori blinked. “Kid? How old is he?”

 

“Oh, he looks about fifteen to sixteen years old,” Ryuhou replied. “He took on a whole fleet of HOLY by himself.”

 

“Where is he? I'd like to meet him.” Mimori stood up and approached the door, about to open it. “Is he outside?”

 

Ryuhou shook his head. “No, he passed out while we were talking. Kazuma is taking care of him now.”

 

“I see.” She crossed her arms in disappointment and leaned back against the wall. “Hey, Ryuhou? Have you committed your feelings to Kazuma yet?”

 

The green haired alter's eyes widened in astonishment. “Mimori,” he stated softly. “How did you know about that?”

 

Mimori giggled with a convinced smile. “I could see it in your eyes from miles away. You get that look on your face when you're around him, like it feels you with positive energy and you want more every time.” She blushed slightly. “If you're thinking I'm jealous, I'm not. I don't have the same feelings for you as I did fifteen years ago. They're gone.” She approached her friend and sat in a chair placed in front of him. “So, have you?”

 

Ryuhou opened his mouth to respond, but he just felt like a fish floundering about on dry land. “Uh…I…haven't. Not yet. I don't know how to tell him without either of us feeling humiliated.”

 

“Knowing Kazuma and his direct behavior, he won't be so easily humiliated,” Mimori enlightened. “Just come out and tell him, Ryuhou.” Silence fell between them as Ryuhou contemplated his companion's hypothesis.

 

He placed his middle and index fingers against his bottom lip and smiled thoughtfully. “Yeah, you're right Mimori.”

 

“I know I'm right!” Mimori chirped. “Oh,” she gasped. “It's time for my students to return from their recess.” She moved away from Ryuhou and opened the door. “It was nice seeing you again, Ryuhou. I hope you get your chance to tell how you feel to Kazuma.”

 

Ryuhou nodded with appreciation. “Thanks Mimori.” As he passed her, three children ran inside and immediately sat in their desks. He smirked and continued walking to search for his rival and Kanami. It didn't take him long as he expected it would. Kazuma waved at him from the doorway of Kanami's home. “Did you take care of Ryuma?”

Kazuma grinned. “Of course I did. He woke up once when Kanami was bathing him, but I don't think he registered what was going on. He fell back to sleep shortly.” He chuckled as he walked back into the house. “Come on in. Kanami made us lunch.”

 

The green haired alter shook his head. “You're such a heathen.”

 

“It's better than a prick,” Kazuma countered. As soon as Ryuhou entered the house and stood behind the younger alter, Kazuma leaned back into his chest. “But you're a hot prick!”

 

Ryuhou ignored the other's actions and comment as he placed both his hands on Kazuma's shoulders. “Why do you do this?”

 

“What do you mean?” Kazuma asked as he looked up at Ryuhou's face with his left eye. “I'm just flirting with you.”

 

“Mimori was right. You're definitely direct.” Ryuhou lowered his hands from Kazuma's shoulders so he could move away. He paused when he felt a gentle pressure around his wrist and looked up in alarm. “Ka…” The other's lips upon his abruptly cut him off. He moaned to the other's soft, but coarse kiss. `What should I do?' He thought frantically. `He's the one that kissed me. This wasn't how it was suppose to turn out. Do I even care?” Without another thought, he wrapped both his arms around Kazuma's back and intensified the kiss.

 

“Hey you guys…oh…” Kanami froze in place after returning from the kitchen. She was utterly stunned to see the two men making out in her living room. “Couldn't you guys do that in another room?” She blushed brightly when both men broke apart with their own faces flushed.

 

Kazuma pulled away and laughed. “Sorry Kanami. Maybe it was a good thing you came in here. I was about to pounce Ryuhou.”

 

Ryuhou hit the younger alter in the back of the head gently. “Don't be so rude!”

 

Kanami cleared her throat and suddenly barked out at Kazuma. “I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't transfer those images into my head!” She turned away, only to have Ryuma confront her. “Oh, Ryuma. You're awake?”

 

Ryuma noted the frustrated blush across the young woman's face. “Um…do I know you?”

 

“Hey!” Kazuma greeted eagerly. “You're finally awake. That's good, we were about to have lunch.” He approached the teen and wrapped his arm around the slender shoulders. “You passed out on us before we could even tell you our names.” He peered at Ryuhou in the living room and smiled. “I'm Kazuma, and that ass hole in there is Ryuhou. That girl you just met is Kanami. She's like my little sister.”

 

Ryuma stared at him flustered. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pass out on you both…Kazuma?”

 

“Awe, it's alright. You don't have to be so proper.” The red haired alter pushed the teen toward the kitchen, surprising both Ryuhou and Kanami. “Tell us where you're from and about your alter.”

 

The teen nodded as he seated himself in a chair across from Kazuma. Ryuhou sat on his left and Kanami on his right. “I don't know who my parents are. I just know that HOLY cloned from two other alters. They never told me who they were.” He stared at his hands sadly. “While I was living there, they'd put me through torturous training until I was almost dead. They told me that it was a necessary procedure for the operation I was going into.” He watched as the two older alters fell silent with unimpressed glowers upon their faces. He looked away sheepishly. “The next thing I know, I found myself trying to escape their suffering and found myself on the other side of the wall.” Ryuma watched as Ryuhou clinched his teeth tightly in anguish and glared at the table, as if his gaze would cause it to collapse with fear. Then there was the fact that Kazuma's nails had actually pierced the wooden tabletop, leaving small indents.

 

Kanami looked between them and shook her head. “Tell us about your alter power, Ryuma.”

 

The teen nodded once and then continued. “I don't know much about my own alter, only that the HOLY scientists gave the spikes on my back specific, sacrificial names.”

 

“Would you be willing to show us your alter after lunch?” Kazuma asked in an unfathomable tone.

 

Ryuma blinked. “Yeah, sure. I'd be happy to.”

 

Kanami retrieved a large platter from the counter and sat it down on the table. They all started eating in companionable silence. After they emptied the tray of its contents, they all headed outside and walked to the border of their village.

 

Ryuhou and Kazuma stood behind the teen, as Kanami kept her distance by standing next to an old tree she was sure the teen wasn't going to use as a sacrifice for his alter.

 

Ryuma lifted his left arm forward and bent his fingers down as Kazuma always did.

 

Kazuma noticed the action and knitted his eyebrows together in contemplation. `He does it like me. I wonder exactly how similar his alter is to mine.'

 

The wind started to pick up heavily, blowing across their brows and hair. Two streaks of the earth swiped up into the air and gathered around Ryuma's arm. It didn't go through the same procedure as Kazuma's had with the separation or golden bands. It actually just formed. A large purple shaped diamond with a cross in the middle attacked itself to the top of his wrist and protruded as far as his fingertips and back to the middle of his arm. It resembled Ryuhou's arm shield, just smaller. A white band, attached to the diamond, wrapped around his wrist, blocking the black metal on his hand from the black metal on his arm. On his shoulder were two shoulder guards. One was purple and overlapped the smaller, white guard. Finally yet importantly, three purple quills protruded from his back, exactly the same design as Kazuma's shell bullets.

 

Ryuma scanned his surroundings for any targets. He would have to settle for the abandoned tower in the distance. He lifted his hand into the air and abruptly swung down, using the ground to lift him up into the air and to send him flying toward the tower.

 

Ryuhou and Kazuma were quick to follow pursuit, Kanami a short distance behind them.

 

The teen waited for his audience before he tightened his hand into a fist and shouted out his first attack. “Astonishing first bullet!” He aimed for the top part of the tower and leapt up into the air. He rammed his fist into the wall and caused it to crumble rapidly by the sharp blow. He gracefully landed on the ground, but had to use Kazuma's twisting leg technique to stop himself from sliding. “Obliterating second bullet!” He took another leap and aimed for the middle part of the tower. It also went down quickly. He started to pant heavily as he called out his last attack. “Destroying last bullet!” This time he took off in a run and rammed into the bottom part of the tower, causing it to practically collapse on top of him. He leapt out of the way before anything had hit him. “How…was that?” He breathed and fell to his knees in exhaustion.

 

Kazuma and Ryuhou looked on in astonishment. What had just happened? It was like a total recall of the past. Even Kanami seemed stunned.

 

tbc

 

A/N: Was that good? Oo; What else do I need to explain? Please tell me so I can do that in the next chapter. XD Oh, this is horrible!