S-CRY-ed Fan Fiction ❯ S-cry-ed, renewed ❯ Native Alters ( Chapter 6 )

Ayanna's ragged boots made gentle crunching resonance as she and Kazuma walked on through the desert wasteland that was the Lost Ground. She looked up at the sky shortly. It was late. The sun was setting even as they strode onward.

Ayanna became suddenly aware of the sounds of their footsteps. TAP. TAP. TAP, was the sound of her own steps.

CRRSHH, CRRSHH, CRRSHH! Ayanna looked over at Kazuma. He walked slumped, as always, making him look shorter than he really was. Her eyes traveled down his figure to his feet. They skid carelessly across the desert floor. As Ayanna watched Kazuma, he staggered forward, momentarily loosing his balance. Ayanna quickly put a hand on his shoulder and started to say something when Kazuma pushed her hand away.

“I'm fine,” he said rather sternly. Ayanna frowned and looked forward again. The carried on in silence for a while, until it was almost dark.

Suddenly Kazuma made a sort of gasping noise and tripped forward. Ayanna swiftly dropped to the ground and caught him just in time, breaking his fall.

“Kazuma!” she breathed. Kazuma clutched his leg, which must have been injured during the fight with Tachibana.

“Sorry,” he apologized, “I just tripped. That's all.” He sat up, but just as he did, Ayanna grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him back, his head lying on her lap.

“You did not just trip! Stop being so stubborn! Please, Kazuma...You don't have to act tough around me,” Ayanna told him, gradually decreasing in volume until it was a gentle plead. Kazuma looked up at Ayanna wide-eyed. It was night now. Ayanna's violet eyes shone in the darkness. He looked away.

“I don't know where we are anyways,” he announced with a sigh. “But if a plane flew overhead...I could find the way back...”

Ayanna smiled after a moment. “Then it's better to stay in one place and wait,” she responded. Kazuma looked back up at her and smiled.

 

Five minutes later, they were lying parallel, their jackets acting as their own blankets underneath them. They looked up at the stars and Ayanna took a deep breath.

“The air is so much cooler at night,” Ayanna spoke softly.

“I like it,” Kazuma commented. They smiled. Ayanna's eyes followed a shooting star lazily. After a moment of silence that seemed to last for hours, but was really only a few minutes, Kazuma spoke again.

“Ayanna?”

“Hmm?” she did not look away from the stars, but Kazuma turned his head to study her.

“How did you meet Kimishima?” he asked. Ayanna glanced over at the native alter beside her and their eyes locked. “He had never mentioned you before.”

“I first met Kunihiko when I was seven years old.”

“Wow, you've known him that long?” Kazuma mused.

Ayanna laughed. “Mm-hmm. He was only eleven then, but he helped me out a lot. You see, I never knew my parents...” Kazuma gazed thoughtfully at Ayanna as she turned back to the sky and continued. “I can only remember back as far as three years old, and when I try to remember someone there with me; someone to care for me, to love me...There's no one.”

Ayanna turned back to Kazuma and smiled sweetly. “But when I met Kimishima, I could earn money instead of having to steal it. He helped me find a job. And later, when I showed him my alter power, fighting became my job. I trained myself.”

“Wow,” Kazuma stared back at her.

“Is it really that surprising?” Ayanna smiled.

“Yeah. Well...No, I guess every alter-user has their story.”

“And what's yours?” Ayanna asked. Kazuma turned his face away and gazed up at the star-filled evening. After waiting a moment for a reply and not receiving one, Ayanna glanced up then shivered.

“It's getting cold,” she whispered. Ayanna suddenly saw Kazuma hold out his arm for her. She slid closer to lay directly beside Kazuma, his arm around her, keeping her safe and warm...So warm...Ayanna smiled.

It was silent again. A sudden gentle breeze blew at the inners' hair...

“I once knew a guy,” Kazuma spoke. Ayanna looked at him. “He was a native alter. He taught me how to fight. He was like my hero. I really looked up to him; I even called him my brother, and I was his.”

“What happened to him?” Ayanna whispered.

“One day, I woke up and...He just wasn't there anymore,” Kazuma replied.

“How old were you?”

“Nine years old,” he answered.

“Did you ever find out what happened to him?” Ayanna inquired inquisitively.

“Yeah,” He glared fiercely up at the night sky as he continued. “He joined HOLY,” Kazuma replied coldly. Ayanna looked away. They stayed like that for the longest time. Kazuma felt his eyelids start to droop. Ayanna turned sideways, facing him. Her eyes were closed, and...So were his.

 

 

 

It was quiet. So quiet that it was just unnatural. Strangely enough, it was the eerie silence that woke Ayanna. Her eyes shot open as she instantly awoke completely energized. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Kazuma. She was facing him...and he must have turned in his sleep because...He was facing her.

Ayanna remained immobile as she tried to figure their position. Kazuma's arm was wrapped around her and...Ayanna's eyes widened. Oh my God! His hand is touching my ass! Ayanna could feel her face redden. She swiftly, but gently took Kazuma's arm and lifted it off her. She sat up.

Kazuma was still asleep. She looked down at him. He did not stir, but slept soundly. She smiled at him fondly.

After a moment of just staring at him, Ayanna slowly reached out and touched Kazuma's hair. He did not wake. She silently snuck over to his other side.

Ayanna's eyes danced lovingly as she ran a hand through Kazuma's shiny brown hair. It felt like silk running softly through her slender fingers.

Kazuma blinked lazily. He moaned softly and Ayanna quickly withdrew her hand. Kazuma looked at the place where Ayanna had been sleeping. After a second or two, he suddenly realized Ayanna was not there.

Ayanna watched as Kazuma sprang up into a sitting position and looked forward, panicked. “Ayan-” he looked behind him, “na...”

Ayanna laughed and Kazuma relaxed. He gasped and shielded his eyes from the burning sun as it pierced his vision.

“Sorry,” Ayanna apologized, “Did I wake you up?” Kazuma rubbed at his golden-brown eyes.

“Eh? Wha - ? No, no of course not. I'm glad you woke me up.”

Ayanna stood and held out a hand to Kazuma. He smiled and accepted it. Ayanna pulled Kazuma onto his feet. He sighed contentedly and stretched his arms behind his head.

“So, you wouldn't happen to have a watch on you, would ya?” Kazuma asked. Ayanna shook her head.

“I can't afford those kinds of things,” she replied. Kazuma grinned at her.

“Well that's something we have in common, then, hmm?” Kazuma bent down to retrieve their jackets. Ayanna could not help but stare at him. Without his jacket, Kazuma just wore a plain, yet tight, red shirt. Kazuma tossed Ayanna's jacket to her and she caught it just in time.

“Hey, what's up, you daydreaming?” Kazuma asked. Ayanna smiled sheepishly and shook her hands.

“What? No, of course not! Eh heh, eh ehehe!” she lied. They shook the dirt from their jackets and slipped them on. Kazuma's was cropped and on one shoulder was made of metal. Ayanna's left sleeve had been torn off and she wore white gloves on both hands.

“I saw a plane,” said Ayanna as she smoothed her hair down. Kazuma looked up.

“Oh good! Which way was it going?” he asked, smiling as he put his right shoe on, which must have fallen off in his sleep.

“North,” Ayanna replied. Kazuma stopped and looked around him.

“Oh, uh, right...Which way's north then?” he asked confusingly. Ayanna started to giggle. Kazuma watched her and even he started to laugh lightly. In addition, once he had started chuckling, Ayanna started laughing aloud. Soon they had to lean against each other to keep from falling over in their blissful mirth.

 

 

“Hey, you guys we're back!” Kazuma shouted, holding the door open for Ayanna as she ran in. Loud and quick footsteps were heard and suddenly Kanami ran around the corner.

“Kanami!” Ayanna smiled.

“Kazu-kun! Ayanna-san!” she cheered. Ayanna bent down and Kanami ran and embraced her.

“Where were you? Mr. Kimishima-san came to see you yesterday, but I told him neither of you were here,” Kanami whined.

“What did he say?” Kazuma asked as Ayanna stood back up. Kanami shook her head.

“Not much really. He said he had a job for you. Kazu-kun, where did you go?”

“I told you, stop calling me that!” Kazuma shouted.

“Kazu-kun, you and Ayanna are all covered in dirt! You have been gone so long. Are you okay? Ayanna-san, he didn't bother you did he? I'm sorry, he's such a wimp, but he just can't help it...” Kanami spoke. Kazuma frowned. Ayanna looked at him, thoroughly confused. Wimp? Suddenly, she caught on. Kanami must not know about Kazuma's alter power. She grinned and put a hand on Kazuma's shoulder.

“Yeah, I know what you mean! He's a wimp who can't do anything right!” she joked.

“Huh!?” Kazuma looked at Ayanna unbelieving. Kanami and Ayanna smiled at each other.

“I know, sometimes I worry about him!” Kanami exclaimed.

“Don't worry. Really, I'll get him out of any trouble he happens to walk into!” Ayanna grinned beside Kanami. Kazuma stared at the wall in front of him, dumbly.

“Oh! Mr. Kimishima-san said to tell you he'll be waiting,” Kanami suddenly remembered. Kazuma snapped out of his daze.

“What? Why didn't you say something before? Did he say where he'd be waiting?” Kazuma asked, looking Kanami directly in the eyes. Kanami frowned.

“He wouldn't tell me. He just said that you would know, Kazu-kun. He said they'd start the job without you...”

Kazuma and Ayanna exchanged surprised glances. “Kazuma...?” Ayanna whispered, wondering if he was thinking the same thing. Kazuma quickly patted Kanami on the head and swung the front door open again.

“I'm sorry, Kanami, we gotta go! It'll only take a while!” he promised and hurried out the door. Ayanna followed. Kanami watched them go, but shouted back to Ayanna.

“Miss Ayanna-san, please make sure Kazu-kun doesn't get into trouble!”

Ayanna looked back at Kanami and winked. She had to hurry to keep up with Kazuma. When she did catch up, she glanced over at him. They were running.

“Kazuma, where will he be?” she asked.

“There's a small hole in the cliff, sort of like a cave,” Kazuma answered. “It's near the coastline. We had made plans to meet back there after we had assembled some other native alters and fought HOLY!” Ayanna slowed down, but quickly started to run again.

“But Kazuma, Kimishima doesn't have an alter!” she shouted.

“I know!”

 

 

“Kimishima! Kimishima?” Ayanna called. Kazuma walked past her, trying to locate the cave. “Kazuma!” Ayanna suddenly shouted. He whirled around and saw Ayanna standing beside the hiding place. She looked back at Kazuma. “This is it?” she asked. As confirmation, Kazuma ran towards her and they both raced into the dark cave.

Ahead was Kimishima's car. “Kimishima!” Ayanna yelled and sped past Kazuma. They stopped near the driver's seat. Kimishima lifted his head and Ayanna gasped.

“Oh good, you're alright...” Kimishima sighed. His face was swollen and bruised. Two little boys lay unconscious in the seat beside him.

“Kimishima, what happened to the alter-users?” Kazuma asked frantically, noting that they were alone besides the two children. Kimishima was plainly hurting.

“They took them all away...We didn't stand a chance,” he explained, his voice raspy. “I was able to get the two kids out, but...They took all of the others...Even Takena...and Ayase,” tears ran down Kimishima's face and Ayanna could feel tears of her own swell into her eyes. Kimishima suddenly held up a crumbled thousand-dollar bill to Kazuma.

“Here, Kazuma!” he moaned, “You need to...get them back from HOLY!” he fell forward.

“KIMISHIMA!” Ayanna screamed.

 

((End of episode! Nah, I'm just jokin' ^_^ Of course, that is how the actual episode ended and I wanted to strangle the singer who sang “Drastic My Soul” because it interrupted the moment and I started screamin' at the screen, and.....Okay, let's get back to the story, shall we? NEXT CHAPTER!!))