S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ Full Circle ❯ Friend ( Chapter 6 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Drunken Muses 
New allies, new options... but at what cost?
Anime/Manga: S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.11.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 565 | Status: Completed
New allies, new options... but at what cost?
Anime/Manga: S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.11.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 565 | Status: Completed
Chapter 6: Friend
"Damn it, Kazuma! Slow this jeep now! " Ryuhou griped as he clutched the blanket around him as he was jostled on the uneven path. "I just got out of the hospital and I don't want to lose my lunch just because you never learned how to use the brakes."
Kazuma mock-glared at him. "Just want to get there already," he said. Ryuhou's bitching was music to Kazuma's ears; if his friend was feeling well enough to complain, he had to be doing better. He resolved to thank Tachibana next time he saw him. He would even compliment the dorky cape at this point.
"It won't help us if you break our only means of transportation driving like a madman," Ryuhou growled.
Kazuma smiled, feeling great for the first time in days, and still not letting up on the accelerator. "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you nag like a chick?"
Ryuhou fought the urge to stick his tongue out at Kazuma. "Just get us there in one piece," he grumbled, settling more firmly into the seat and gripping the armrest.
They had been driving for an hour along the main road–or rather, pathway, before they had to leave it. But when they turned off, the road had become what could only generously be called treacherous. Kazuma said a silence thank you to Ryuhou for getting such a hardy vehicle. The Konpaku springs were so close and yet they still had to navigate through some rocky terrain. Even worse were the reports that bandits and other unsavory folk had made the huge boulders and passes their home since HOLY dissolved. Most people kept to caravans or settled areas, avoiding the uncharted passes.
Despite the bumpy ride, Ryuhou had dozed off, his head lolling to one side. Kazuma glanced over at him with concern, hoping they wouldn't fall into trouble. He knew his Alter was strong enough to handle anything, but if he had to protect someone, things might get a little more difficult.
Lost in thought, Kazuma almost didn't see the person jump out in front of the car. He slammed on the brakes, sending the jeep into a skidding halt. Ryuhou moaned softly but didn't wake, and Kazuma leapt out of the car, his Alter already forming over his arm. "What the hell?" Laughter sounded from a cliff above him, and Kazuma felt his heart skip a beat as shadowy figures emerged from the rocks. He clenched his fist, pushing into his second Alter form.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Turn around and we might spare you." The figure liltingly said. "The Springs are overrated anyway."
"We don't want trouble... just let us pass." An unexpected blast shattered the ground a few feet ahead of him, and Kazuma dropped into a defensive crouch, his back to the jeep.
"That was a warning shot. Do the smart thing and leave." The voice seemed unconcerned.
Kazuma turned slowly, seeing a petite figure emerge from the dust. "We're just trying to find someone. I have no interest in fighting you."
"Well there is no one for you to find here." The young lithe figure sneered as it twirled an odd-looking staff. Kazuma couldn't really tell if the person was a boy or girl since they had an androgynous type of beauty. He or she wore a long, embroidered jacket over a pair of loose-fitting pants, with a tan cape covering it all. Lavender curls bounced around delicate facial features, and light brown eyes gleamed with amusement. Not very threatening but something about the determination in their eyes and the staff told Kazuma intuitively that he was in danger of underestimating the person.
A shadow fell over them both, and Kazuma looked up–way up to see another figure step forward. This taller man wore a black outfit that looked like it was made entirely of leather and belts, also with a similar sand-colored cape. Kazuma also wondered if it was a fashion statement in the area for them to wear dorky capes like Tachibana. Deciding that this guy was the real threat, Kazuma crouched and prepared to lunge at the person. "If you don't get out of my way, I'll just have to move you!" With that, he dove forward, his arm glowing in attack.
Kazuma abruptly found himself frozen to the spot as he was surrounded by the most beautiful, haunting melody he'd ever heard. The world around him seemed to fade, and all he could see were the piercing eyes of the person in front of him. "Fool. You can't fight against my Alter." A laugh rang around him, melding with the music and swirling in his ears. “Concerto Attack will resonate with the deepest part of your being. Your very DNA obeys my music now.” Too late, Kazuma realized that these were the very people they'd been seeking. He tried to speak, but couldn't form the words. He felt desperately sleepy, and fought to keep his eyes from closing.
As Kazuma was entering the land of Sleepy-time, someone else was wide awake. "That was too easy, Hannish," the youth smirked down at the fallen boy in front of him, nudging Kazuma's unusual arm. "Looks like an Alter."
Abruptly, Kazuma was jolted awake. Blinking, he climbed to his feet, wondering what had happened. The person in front of him was staring down at their empty hands; he turned quickly and saw Ryuhou leaning against the car, his arm outstretched. Next to him stood Zetsuei, the mysterious staff wrapped in its strong ribbons. "Ryuhou!" Kazuma called out, starting toward him... only in time to see his companion slump to the ground, his Alter disappearing as he lost consciousness. Diving forward, Kazum grabbed the Alter weapon and knelt protectively in front of his fallen friend. He clutched the staff in his left hand, his right glowing again with power. The larger figure scrambled forward to stand protectively in front of the youth, and the opponents glared silently at each other for a long moment.
Kazuma was torn with indecision; keep on guard or attend to Ryuhou? Then the vision of Ryuhou sobbing over Shiirice's empty clothes caught him. He just couldn't bear having another loss and Ryuhou had used his Alter after so long in such a weakened state. Dropping the staff, Kazuma turned to clutch at Ryuhou, still keeping his arm Altered and ready to defend. "You ASSHOLES! That stupid Tachibana sent us out to find you and you do this!"
The giant cast an uncertain glance back at the other as if asking what to do. The youth's eyes widened as the name registered. "Tachibana sent you here?"
"AKIRA!" A plaintive whine cut the tension as a squat figure stumbled out from the rocks, dressed in the same pointless sand-colored cape. "I couldn't find Freddy-chan anywhere!" The man ran up to the pair, completely oblivious to the situation. "Who’re they?" he asked, peering curiously at Ryuhou and Kazuma.
The young leader shoved the new person behind. "We're trying to find out. They said that damned fool Tachibana sent them here and–hey!" Akira dove for the shorter man who slipped around and rushed at Kazuma.
"If Tachi likes them then they’re fine!" Kazuma blinked and kept his arm aimed at the smiling, vacant face of the man, but somehow he found his guard slowly dissolving. He didn’t quite know what to make of the odd little person. The man’s round face was rosy and childlike, but there was a depth to his eyes that spoke of an old soul. "My name's Kevin. I'm Tachibana's master."
Turning away from Kazuma as if the golden Alter didn't bother him, Kevin crouched by Ryuhou, cocking his head to the side. "Your friend hurt?" He reached out his hand, only to have it slapped away by Kazuma.
"Don't touch him!" Seeing the wide-eyed, hurt look in the man's eyes, Kazuma felt instantly guilty. "He's really sick and..."
"Oh, I know all about it," Kevin smiled and reached out, a look of concentration crossing his face as a faint blueish glow enveloped Ryuhou. "He's just tuckered out from using his Alter. He should be more careful.”
The young leader stomped over, visibly angry. "Kevin! We don't even know who these people are! You can't just..."
The boyish Alter turned and stuck his tongue out. "Aw, shut up, Akira. They're not gonna hurt us, and this one needs help. Tachi sent them. They're fine."
Ryuhou stirred, waking slowly. He was startled to see a man with a insipid grin, a couple of inches in front of his face. "Hello!" the smiling face chirped.
He blinked several times, trying to determine whether it was a hallucination or not... but the apparition stayed solid. Turning his head, he saw that Kazuma was holding him and looking concerned. "What the hell...?"
“Feel better?” the stranger asked. “I helped, I helped,” he giggled, then turned back to Akira. “See, they’re no trouble. Can they come home with us?”
"Fine," the leader growled. "We'll take them to our camp."
Akira and the large man who introduced himself as Hannish led the two travelers though a small maze of boulders and outcropping of rocks. Kazuma supported Ryuhou with his left arm, even though his companion was looking stronger than he had in weeks. He figured Ryuhou didn't really need the help, but he wanted to keep close. He kept his Alter formed over his right arm, still not quite ready to trust the strange group.
For Ryuhou's part, he wasn't sure what exactly had provided his extra strength, but he wasn't complaining. He allowed Kazuma to lead him, though, also feeling the need to stay close in the unfamiliar situation. He didn't particularly care what these people thought of the two of them either.
Finally, they arrived through them to the side of a hill, hearing slight trickling of small springs that dribbled into a bowl worn away in the rock below. Around the water was lush flora and the appearance of a small camp where a handful of people had gathered. "Hey Hannish!" One man called out, his tone joking. “You guys spent long enough out there. Watch it, or you’ll get our fearless leader knocked up!” Several others laughed, and Kazuma made a mental note that Akira was probably, in fact, a girl.
A taller, thin woman stepped closer, looking over Kazuma and Ryuhou appraisingly. "Who's the new guys?" she asked, then grinned. “They’re kinda cute.”
“Some strays that Kevin decided to help,” Akira replied darkly, steering the group away from the rest of the party. She gestured to a clear spot on the ground. "Sit. We'll talk." Kazuma opened his mouth to tell her that they'd stand, thanks, but he glanced at Ryuhou and thought better of it. Warily, he sank to the ground, tugging Ryuhou protectively against him. The older boy shifted away and glared a bit, but stayed close.
"Freddy-chan!" Kevin squealed and jumped off into the underbrush after a large bullfrog.
Akira ignored him and bristled. "That idiot Tachibana sent them. I don't know why he didn't come with them or give us some sort of warning."
"His wife or girlfriend is expecting, that’s why he didn’t go with us," Kazuma responded.
"Really?" Akira stopped, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm surprised that boy could still father children after what he went through." The rest of the group erupted in laughter.
Ryuhou and Kazuma blinked since they weren't in the joke. "What happened to him?" Kazuma couldn't help but suspiciously ask as Akira's melodious chuckles slowly died.
"He made the mistake of getting into a fight with Kevin."
"Kinda one-sided fight actually," the tall woman snorted as she handed Akira a warm mug of something.
The lavender-haired girl chuckled. "He insisted that gurus should put their devotees through hell of training and playing action figures wasn't training. So Kevin caved in, and he had Tachibana do exercises with his floating balls for hours on end." Several people snickered in anticipation of the punch line. "And every once in a while, Kevin would run up and either punch or throw something at Tachi's poor unprotected balls." The group roared with laughter.
Ryuhou didn't get the joke. "The Eternity Eight are nearly indestructible so I don't see..." Kazuma was doing his best to hold back a snort of laughter.
"Wrong balls, Ryuhou."
Ryuhou blinked and wandered what weirdos they had gotten in cahoots with. But a quick glance at Kazuma told him that the other boy was actually starting to not only trust them but like them. His companion had let his Alter dissolve, and was happily taking a proffered mug from one of the group. He guessed a well-phrased ball smashing joke was all that was needed for the barriers to go down. Since the mood had lightened, he decided he would try to get some answers. "Tachibana said you were the remnants of Lawless. Is that true?"
The merriment of the group instantly sobered. "Tachibana talks too much." Akira solemnly sipped her drink.
Ryuhou raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "It's all right, we have no interest in bringing up old grudges. I was just wondering..." He was interrupted by Kazuma.
"Tachibana told us you can help Ryuhou. Can you?"
"Well, I can't but Kevin probably will," Akira supplied.
Kazuma and Ryuhou seemed dubious. "He healed Ryuhou a bit back there but I don't know," Kazuma mused. "He's got another person..." he started to explain further, but was interrupted by the odd little Alter user jumping in front of them again.
"I know what's wro-ong," Kevin sing-songed.
"You do?" Ryuhou blinked at the strange man. “How...”
"You swallowed up your girlfriend and it's giving you a tummy ache. Wanna kiss Freddy-chan?" Kevin shoved the frog at Ryuhou, who was looking pretty green himself at the statement. Ryuhou gave a heartbroken choking sound as Kazuma reached out in defense.
"Masao Yoshida!" Akira barked and Kevin instantly backed off.
Nervously, Kevin looked back and forth between the angry young men and Akira. The girl smiled down at him, lowering her voice. "Kevin. Could you maybe go play with Freddy-chan by the water for a few minutes? I'll talk to our guests and then you can help them later, okay?" Kevin looked sad and ambled off toward the springs, petting his frog and murmuring quietly to it.
Akira looked back to her guests. “Don’t worry about him... he just has an odd way of putting things.”
“But what does he mean? And can he help?” Kazuma growled. “Otherwise we’re just wasting our time here.”
The young leader sighed. "Maybe I should tell go to the beginning of where I met Kevin. Or Masao, which was the name I later found out he was born with," she began.
Kazuma settled back on the grass, glancing worriedly over at Ryuhou. The older boy's face was still a paler shade of his hair, but he seemed to be all right. He looked back at Akira. "Go on."
Akira looked down at the large mug in her small hands. "Years ago, I used to be in charge of the outlaw group known as Lawless. With a mostly anarchist ideal and an alternative to the oppressive regime of HOLY, we were collecting increasing numbers of Alter users as we geared up to overthrow HOLY. There were some skirmishes and raids but we remained a low grade threat. I guess we finally sparked some interest in HOLY and they decided we were worthy enough to eliminate." Akira looked wistful as she blinked back tears. "We had been sold out by one of our own. I can't even speak his name now. I don't know the details of what deal he made with HOLY. I'm kinda glad I don't. It's somewhat distressing to know how expensive or how cheap the lives of your loved ones are."
"We thought we were strong enough to take on HOLY. We were wrong." She closed her eyes as if feeling some long-remembered pain. "Nearly our entire group was wiped out: killed or near death from overuse of our Alter power. Hannish here almost destroyed himself in a last effort to push them back." She took a deep breath, twining her fingers with those of the tall, silent man sitting by her side. "I guess they didn't think we were worth the risk of capturing, because we were suddenly left alone. I thought it was the end. I'd used too much of my power, and I was fading into the light. But then..." she looked up and smiled. "Someone pulled me back. Someone restored my Alter power, reversed the damage from overuse. That someone was Kevin." All eyes turned to the short Alter user playing happily in the water, apparently oblivious to the conversation about him. "We all owe him our lives. He wanders around here, sometimes with us, sometimes not. I've never quite figured out much about him... how old he is, where he comes from, but we humor him for the most part. Many have taken to calling him 'Master,' like your friend Tachibana." She smiled. "He is very powerful, but a bit... unstable."
Kazuma scratched his head. "So why did you call him Masao?"
"During one of his brief lucid periods, he told me Kevin was the name of his Alter and that was his name. The person you know as Kevin is the Alter's personality. It's evolved to the point that it took over." Akira took a sip of her drink. "But Masao is fine with it. He told us it was his and Kevin's mission to go help people. And now it’s our mission to protect him." She looked up with an expression of calm determination.
"I understand your dedication," Ryuhou solemnly said. Kazuma nodded in agreement. "I was just wondering. Kevin is an odd name. Foreign sounding.”
“Much better name than Zetsuei!" Kazuma joked.
Ryuhou frowned. "Yeah, like 'Shell Bullet' is so original..." he grumbled.
"I like my name!" Kevin chirped, popping out from behind another rock. "I got it from a picture book I used to have! Akira, Freddy-chan said he wanted to sit here with you."
Akira smiled warmly at the boy. "All right, Kevin, you can sit with us. Do you want to listen to our guests tell you how you might be able to help them? You'd like that, right?"
The younger Alter user bounced over and sat at the woman’s side, grinning at the two. "I know already, I know," he giggled. "He swallowed his girlfriend, I told you."
"Kevin, I know we reacted a bit strongly when you said I had-" Ryuhou quickly amended, "What you said. But we really would like to know-"
"So, how can you help Ryuhou?" Kazuma bluntly interrupted.
Akira looked confused. "Well, maybe if we knew a little more clearly what the problem was..."
Kazuma opened his mouth to say it didn't matter, they should help them NOW, dammit, but was calmed by Ryuhou's hand on his arm. "Kazuma. We can wait a little longer. I'm feeling all right at the moment." He turned back to the young leader. "I was mortally wounded in a fight. A... fellow soldier brought me back to life by sacrificing her own with her Alter. Her consciousness is apparently trapped inside mine, which is what I think Kevin meant when he said I'd... um... 'swallowed' her." Ryuhou couldn't help but glance up at Kazuma whose face was etched with a frown as he looked away.
Akira nodded, pondering the words for a moment. "He might be able to help. His power is reversing the effects of Alter, so he could probably undo the damage." She turned to the smaller man, who was happily rocking back and forth and petting his frog. "Kevin, do you think you could do that? Bring Ryuhou's girlfriend out of his mind?"
Kevin stopped rocking and continued to look down at his pet. "They don't want to know that, Akira."
"Yes we do!" Kazuma insisted.
Kevin set Freddy-chan down and walked up to him, peering intensely at his face. Reaching forward, he touched Ryuhou's forehead lightly. "Could do it. Could send her into the Alter light... it would make you better. Or I could bring her back, but you might be gone." Kevin sniffled, which on a full grown man looked so confusing. "Maybe you'll die, and she lives. Or she dies. Or both of you die." He ignored Kazuma’s sharp intake of breath as he continued. "You could both live," Kevin smiled weakly, as if even he didn't believe it. "It’d be real hard." He retreated back to sit by Akira as a hush settled on the camp.
Kazuma found himself gripping Ryuhou's hand tightly; he hadn't even realized he'd grabbed it. Ryuhou slumped against him, feeling suddenly weak. "We have to choose..." he murmured. "Whether to restore her or not. And she... I could die." Saying it aloud somehow made the choice more real, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "I... we'll need to think..." He felt nauseated, and put his hand to his mouth until the feeling subsided. "I–I need to lie down."
Kazuma wrapped his arm around Ryuhou's shoulders, relieved that the other had apparently managed to keep his stomach under control this time. "Okay, we'll get our tent set up and you can go to bed. We'll talk in the morning... hey!" He leaned back reflexively as Kevin reached out again, but relaxed as he saw the blue glow surround Ryuhou.
"He'll feel better," the odd little Alter user said. "For tonight, maybe tomorrow. But you got to decide."
"Damn it, Kazuma! Slow this jeep now! " Ryuhou griped as he clutched the blanket around him as he was jostled on the uneven path. "I just got out of the hospital and I don't want to lose my lunch just because you never learned how to use the brakes."
Kazuma mock-glared at him. "Just want to get there already," he said. Ryuhou's bitching was music to Kazuma's ears; if his friend was feeling well enough to complain, he had to be doing better. He resolved to thank Tachibana next time he saw him. He would even compliment the dorky cape at this point.
"It won't help us if you break our only means of transportation driving like a madman," Ryuhou growled.
Kazuma smiled, feeling great for the first time in days, and still not letting up on the accelerator. "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you nag like a chick?"
Ryuhou fought the urge to stick his tongue out at Kazuma. "Just get us there in one piece," he grumbled, settling more firmly into the seat and gripping the armrest.
They had been driving for an hour along the main road–or rather, pathway, before they had to leave it. But when they turned off, the road had become what could only generously be called treacherous. Kazuma said a silence thank you to Ryuhou for getting such a hardy vehicle. The Konpaku springs were so close and yet they still had to navigate through some rocky terrain. Even worse were the reports that bandits and other unsavory folk had made the huge boulders and passes their home since HOLY dissolved. Most people kept to caravans or settled areas, avoiding the uncharted passes.
Despite the bumpy ride, Ryuhou had dozed off, his head lolling to one side. Kazuma glanced over at him with concern, hoping they wouldn't fall into trouble. He knew his Alter was strong enough to handle anything, but if he had to protect someone, things might get a little more difficult.
Lost in thought, Kazuma almost didn't see the person jump out in front of the car. He slammed on the brakes, sending the jeep into a skidding halt. Ryuhou moaned softly but didn't wake, and Kazuma leapt out of the car, his Alter already forming over his arm. "What the hell?" Laughter sounded from a cliff above him, and Kazuma felt his heart skip a beat as shadowy figures emerged from the rocks. He clenched his fist, pushing into his second Alter form.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Turn around and we might spare you." The figure liltingly said. "The Springs are overrated anyway."
"We don't want trouble... just let us pass." An unexpected blast shattered the ground a few feet ahead of him, and Kazuma dropped into a defensive crouch, his back to the jeep.
"That was a warning shot. Do the smart thing and leave." The voice seemed unconcerned.
Kazuma turned slowly, seeing a petite figure emerge from the dust. "We're just trying to find someone. I have no interest in fighting you."
"Well there is no one for you to find here." The young lithe figure sneered as it twirled an odd-looking staff. Kazuma couldn't really tell if the person was a boy or girl since they had an androgynous type of beauty. He or she wore a long, embroidered jacket over a pair of loose-fitting pants, with a tan cape covering it all. Lavender curls bounced around delicate facial features, and light brown eyes gleamed with amusement. Not very threatening but something about the determination in their eyes and the staff told Kazuma intuitively that he was in danger of underestimating the person.
A shadow fell over them both, and Kazuma looked up–way up to see another figure step forward. This taller man wore a black outfit that looked like it was made entirely of leather and belts, also with a similar sand-colored cape. Kazuma also wondered if it was a fashion statement in the area for them to wear dorky capes like Tachibana. Deciding that this guy was the real threat, Kazuma crouched and prepared to lunge at the person. "If you don't get out of my way, I'll just have to move you!" With that, he dove forward, his arm glowing in attack.
Kazuma abruptly found himself frozen to the spot as he was surrounded by the most beautiful, haunting melody he'd ever heard. The world around him seemed to fade, and all he could see were the piercing eyes of the person in front of him. "Fool. You can't fight against my Alter." A laugh rang around him, melding with the music and swirling in his ears. “Concerto Attack will resonate with the deepest part of your being. Your very DNA obeys my music now.” Too late, Kazuma realized that these were the very people they'd been seeking. He tried to speak, but couldn't form the words. He felt desperately sleepy, and fought to keep his eyes from closing.
As Kazuma was entering the land of Sleepy-time, someone else was wide awake. "That was too easy, Hannish," the youth smirked down at the fallen boy in front of him, nudging Kazuma's unusual arm. "Looks like an Alter."
Abruptly, Kazuma was jolted awake. Blinking, he climbed to his feet, wondering what had happened. The person in front of him was staring down at their empty hands; he turned quickly and saw Ryuhou leaning against the car, his arm outstretched. Next to him stood Zetsuei, the mysterious staff wrapped in its strong ribbons. "Ryuhou!" Kazuma called out, starting toward him... only in time to see his companion slump to the ground, his Alter disappearing as he lost consciousness. Diving forward, Kazum grabbed the Alter weapon and knelt protectively in front of his fallen friend. He clutched the staff in his left hand, his right glowing again with power. The larger figure scrambled forward to stand protectively in front of the youth, and the opponents glared silently at each other for a long moment.
Kazuma was torn with indecision; keep on guard or attend to Ryuhou? Then the vision of Ryuhou sobbing over Shiirice's empty clothes caught him. He just couldn't bear having another loss and Ryuhou had used his Alter after so long in such a weakened state. Dropping the staff, Kazuma turned to clutch at Ryuhou, still keeping his arm Altered and ready to defend. "You ASSHOLES! That stupid Tachibana sent us out to find you and you do this!"
The giant cast an uncertain glance back at the other as if asking what to do. The youth's eyes widened as the name registered. "Tachibana sent you here?"
"AKIRA!" A plaintive whine cut the tension as a squat figure stumbled out from the rocks, dressed in the same pointless sand-colored cape. "I couldn't find Freddy-chan anywhere!" The man ran up to the pair, completely oblivious to the situation. "Who’re they?" he asked, peering curiously at Ryuhou and Kazuma.
The young leader shoved the new person behind. "We're trying to find out. They said that damned fool Tachibana sent them here and–hey!" Akira dove for the shorter man who slipped around and rushed at Kazuma.
"If Tachi likes them then they’re fine!" Kazuma blinked and kept his arm aimed at the smiling, vacant face of the man, but somehow he found his guard slowly dissolving. He didn’t quite know what to make of the odd little person. The man’s round face was rosy and childlike, but there was a depth to his eyes that spoke of an old soul. "My name's Kevin. I'm Tachibana's master."
Turning away from Kazuma as if the golden Alter didn't bother him, Kevin crouched by Ryuhou, cocking his head to the side. "Your friend hurt?" He reached out his hand, only to have it slapped away by Kazuma.
"Don't touch him!" Seeing the wide-eyed, hurt look in the man's eyes, Kazuma felt instantly guilty. "He's really sick and..."
"Oh, I know all about it," Kevin smiled and reached out, a look of concentration crossing his face as a faint blueish glow enveloped Ryuhou. "He's just tuckered out from using his Alter. He should be more careful.”
The young leader stomped over, visibly angry. "Kevin! We don't even know who these people are! You can't just..."
The boyish Alter turned and stuck his tongue out. "Aw, shut up, Akira. They're not gonna hurt us, and this one needs help. Tachi sent them. They're fine."
Ryuhou stirred, waking slowly. He was startled to see a man with a insipid grin, a couple of inches in front of his face. "Hello!" the smiling face chirped.
He blinked several times, trying to determine whether it was a hallucination or not... but the apparition stayed solid. Turning his head, he saw that Kazuma was holding him and looking concerned. "What the hell...?"
“Feel better?” the stranger asked. “I helped, I helped,” he giggled, then turned back to Akira. “See, they’re no trouble. Can they come home with us?”
"Fine," the leader growled. "We'll take them to our camp."
Akira and the large man who introduced himself as Hannish led the two travelers though a small maze of boulders and outcropping of rocks. Kazuma supported Ryuhou with his left arm, even though his companion was looking stronger than he had in weeks. He figured Ryuhou didn't really need the help, but he wanted to keep close. He kept his Alter formed over his right arm, still not quite ready to trust the strange group.
For Ryuhou's part, he wasn't sure what exactly had provided his extra strength, but he wasn't complaining. He allowed Kazuma to lead him, though, also feeling the need to stay close in the unfamiliar situation. He didn't particularly care what these people thought of the two of them either.
Finally, they arrived through them to the side of a hill, hearing slight trickling of small springs that dribbled into a bowl worn away in the rock below. Around the water was lush flora and the appearance of a small camp where a handful of people had gathered. "Hey Hannish!" One man called out, his tone joking. “You guys spent long enough out there. Watch it, or you’ll get our fearless leader knocked up!” Several others laughed, and Kazuma made a mental note that Akira was probably, in fact, a girl.
A taller, thin woman stepped closer, looking over Kazuma and Ryuhou appraisingly. "Who's the new guys?" she asked, then grinned. “They’re kinda cute.”
“Some strays that Kevin decided to help,” Akira replied darkly, steering the group away from the rest of the party. She gestured to a clear spot on the ground. "Sit. We'll talk." Kazuma opened his mouth to tell her that they'd stand, thanks, but he glanced at Ryuhou and thought better of it. Warily, he sank to the ground, tugging Ryuhou protectively against him. The older boy shifted away and glared a bit, but stayed close.
"Freddy-chan!" Kevin squealed and jumped off into the underbrush after a large bullfrog.
Akira ignored him and bristled. "That idiot Tachibana sent them. I don't know why he didn't come with them or give us some sort of warning."
"His wife or girlfriend is expecting, that’s why he didn’t go with us," Kazuma responded.
"Really?" Akira stopped, a smile tugging at her lips. "I'm surprised that boy could still father children after what he went through." The rest of the group erupted in laughter.
Ryuhou and Kazuma blinked since they weren't in the joke. "What happened to him?" Kazuma couldn't help but suspiciously ask as Akira's melodious chuckles slowly died.
"He made the mistake of getting into a fight with Kevin."
"Kinda one-sided fight actually," the tall woman snorted as she handed Akira a warm mug of something.
The lavender-haired girl chuckled. "He insisted that gurus should put their devotees through hell of training and playing action figures wasn't training. So Kevin caved in, and he had Tachibana do exercises with his floating balls for hours on end." Several people snickered in anticipation of the punch line. "And every once in a while, Kevin would run up and either punch or throw something at Tachi's poor unprotected balls." The group roared with laughter.
Ryuhou didn't get the joke. "The Eternity Eight are nearly indestructible so I don't see..." Kazuma was doing his best to hold back a snort of laughter.
"Wrong balls, Ryuhou."
Ryuhou blinked and wandered what weirdos they had gotten in cahoots with. But a quick glance at Kazuma told him that the other boy was actually starting to not only trust them but like them. His companion had let his Alter dissolve, and was happily taking a proffered mug from one of the group. He guessed a well-phrased ball smashing joke was all that was needed for the barriers to go down. Since the mood had lightened, he decided he would try to get some answers. "Tachibana said you were the remnants of Lawless. Is that true?"
The merriment of the group instantly sobered. "Tachibana talks too much." Akira solemnly sipped her drink.
Ryuhou raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "It's all right, we have no interest in bringing up old grudges. I was just wondering..." He was interrupted by Kazuma.
"Tachibana told us you can help Ryuhou. Can you?"
"Well, I can't but Kevin probably will," Akira supplied.
Kazuma and Ryuhou seemed dubious. "He healed Ryuhou a bit back there but I don't know," Kazuma mused. "He's got another person..." he started to explain further, but was interrupted by the odd little Alter user jumping in front of them again.
"I know what's wro-ong," Kevin sing-songed.
"You do?" Ryuhou blinked at the strange man. “How...”
"You swallowed up your girlfriend and it's giving you a tummy ache. Wanna kiss Freddy-chan?" Kevin shoved the frog at Ryuhou, who was looking pretty green himself at the statement. Ryuhou gave a heartbroken choking sound as Kazuma reached out in defense.
"Masao Yoshida!" Akira barked and Kevin instantly backed off.
Nervously, Kevin looked back and forth between the angry young men and Akira. The girl smiled down at him, lowering her voice. "Kevin. Could you maybe go play with Freddy-chan by the water for a few minutes? I'll talk to our guests and then you can help them later, okay?" Kevin looked sad and ambled off toward the springs, petting his frog and murmuring quietly to it.
Akira looked back to her guests. “Don’t worry about him... he just has an odd way of putting things.”
“But what does he mean? And can he help?” Kazuma growled. “Otherwise we’re just wasting our time here.”
The young leader sighed. "Maybe I should tell go to the beginning of where I met Kevin. Or Masao, which was the name I later found out he was born with," she began.
Kazuma settled back on the grass, glancing worriedly over at Ryuhou. The older boy's face was still a paler shade of his hair, but he seemed to be all right. He looked back at Akira. "Go on."
Akira looked down at the large mug in her small hands. "Years ago, I used to be in charge of the outlaw group known as Lawless. With a mostly anarchist ideal and an alternative to the oppressive regime of HOLY, we were collecting increasing numbers of Alter users as we geared up to overthrow HOLY. There were some skirmishes and raids but we remained a low grade threat. I guess we finally sparked some interest in HOLY and they decided we were worthy enough to eliminate." Akira looked wistful as she blinked back tears. "We had been sold out by one of our own. I can't even speak his name now. I don't know the details of what deal he made with HOLY. I'm kinda glad I don't. It's somewhat distressing to know how expensive or how cheap the lives of your loved ones are."
"We thought we were strong enough to take on HOLY. We were wrong." She closed her eyes as if feeling some long-remembered pain. "Nearly our entire group was wiped out: killed or near death from overuse of our Alter power. Hannish here almost destroyed himself in a last effort to push them back." She took a deep breath, twining her fingers with those of the tall, silent man sitting by her side. "I guess they didn't think we were worth the risk of capturing, because we were suddenly left alone. I thought it was the end. I'd used too much of my power, and I was fading into the light. But then..." she looked up and smiled. "Someone pulled me back. Someone restored my Alter power, reversed the damage from overuse. That someone was Kevin." All eyes turned to the short Alter user playing happily in the water, apparently oblivious to the conversation about him. "We all owe him our lives. He wanders around here, sometimes with us, sometimes not. I've never quite figured out much about him... how old he is, where he comes from, but we humor him for the most part. Many have taken to calling him 'Master,' like your friend Tachibana." She smiled. "He is very powerful, but a bit... unstable."
Kazuma scratched his head. "So why did you call him Masao?"
"During one of his brief lucid periods, he told me Kevin was the name of his Alter and that was his name. The person you know as Kevin is the Alter's personality. It's evolved to the point that it took over." Akira took a sip of her drink. "But Masao is fine with it. He told us it was his and Kevin's mission to go help people. And now it’s our mission to protect him." She looked up with an expression of calm determination.
"I understand your dedication," Ryuhou solemnly said. Kazuma nodded in agreement. "I was just wondering. Kevin is an odd name. Foreign sounding.”
“Much better name than Zetsuei!" Kazuma joked.
Ryuhou frowned. "Yeah, like 'Shell Bullet' is so original..." he grumbled.
"I like my name!" Kevin chirped, popping out from behind another rock. "I got it from a picture book I used to have! Akira, Freddy-chan said he wanted to sit here with you."
Akira smiled warmly at the boy. "All right, Kevin, you can sit with us. Do you want to listen to our guests tell you how you might be able to help them? You'd like that, right?"
The younger Alter user bounced over and sat at the woman’s side, grinning at the two. "I know already, I know," he giggled. "He swallowed his girlfriend, I told you."
"Kevin, I know we reacted a bit strongly when you said I had-" Ryuhou quickly amended, "What you said. But we really would like to know-"
"So, how can you help Ryuhou?" Kazuma bluntly interrupted.
Akira looked confused. "Well, maybe if we knew a little more clearly what the problem was..."
Kazuma opened his mouth to say it didn't matter, they should help them NOW, dammit, but was calmed by Ryuhou's hand on his arm. "Kazuma. We can wait a little longer. I'm feeling all right at the moment." He turned back to the young leader. "I was mortally wounded in a fight. A... fellow soldier brought me back to life by sacrificing her own with her Alter. Her consciousness is apparently trapped inside mine, which is what I think Kevin meant when he said I'd... um... 'swallowed' her." Ryuhou couldn't help but glance up at Kazuma whose face was etched with a frown as he looked away.
Akira nodded, pondering the words for a moment. "He might be able to help. His power is reversing the effects of Alter, so he could probably undo the damage." She turned to the smaller man, who was happily rocking back and forth and petting his frog. "Kevin, do you think you could do that? Bring Ryuhou's girlfriend out of his mind?"
Kevin stopped rocking and continued to look down at his pet. "They don't want to know that, Akira."
"Yes we do!" Kazuma insisted.
Kevin set Freddy-chan down and walked up to him, peering intensely at his face. Reaching forward, he touched Ryuhou's forehead lightly. "Could do it. Could send her into the Alter light... it would make you better. Or I could bring her back, but you might be gone." Kevin sniffled, which on a full grown man looked so confusing. "Maybe you'll die, and she lives. Or she dies. Or both of you die." He ignored Kazuma’s sharp intake of breath as he continued. "You could both live," Kevin smiled weakly, as if even he didn't believe it. "It’d be real hard." He retreated back to sit by Akira as a hush settled on the camp.
Kazuma found himself gripping Ryuhou's hand tightly; he hadn't even realized he'd grabbed it. Ryuhou slumped against him, feeling suddenly weak. "We have to choose..." he murmured. "Whether to restore her or not. And she... I could die." Saying it aloud somehow made the choice more real, and he squeezed his eyes shut. "I... we'll need to think..." He felt nauseated, and put his hand to his mouth until the feeling subsided. "I–I need to lie down."
Kazuma wrapped his arm around Ryuhou's shoulders, relieved that the other had apparently managed to keep his stomach under control this time. "Okay, we'll get our tent set up and you can go to bed. We'll talk in the morning... hey!" He leaned back reflexively as Kevin reached out again, but relaxed as he saw the blue glow surround Ryuhou.
"He'll feel better," the odd little Alter user said. "For tonight, maybe tomorrow. But you got to decide."