Damaru
Chapter 4 - What I See
By Lissa
Disclaimer: Clover belongs to CLAMP.
Damaru
Chapter 4 - What I See
By Lissa
The last few notes of the song play; she sings with them.
But then they stop.
She doesn't hear the gunshot, but she feels it.
She falls limp to the ground.
And then so much red pooling underneath her white dress, so much of it, and the microphone falls to the floor.
Dead.
Like Oruha.
Kazuhiko woke with a start. He realized he had fallen back asleep, but sleeping had become his least favorite activity - that was the third time he had had that dream since the incident in Fairy Park. Kazuhiko steadied his breathing after a while, and stared at the green leaf burned into the palm of his hand.
"Oruha..."
"Kazuhiko Fei Ryuu. General Kou told us you would be coming."
A scientist gave him a grin that was all too pleased, and Kazuhiko didn't bother to smile back.
There was nothing to be pleased about today.
"Where is the old lady, anyway?" Kazuhiko asked, searching the sterile halls with his eyes.
"The Council is undergoing very important business right now. You will have to wait." The scientist tugged his arm a little too tightly, and Kazuhiko pulled it back. The scientist stopped smiling.
"Don't get uptight."
"If she's busy, then where are you taking me?"
"We want to question you," the man said, dragging Kazuhiko into a room. Three or four other people were waiting. His escort locked the door behind them.
"About the Four-leaf."
"Have a seat," one of the men instructed, waving at the chair in the middle of the room.
"I think I'll stand, thank you very much." Kazuhiko crossed his arms.
"Sit."
Something in the way the man had said the word made Kazuhiko feel uneasy. Still, he didn't budge.
"If it's trouble you're looking for, we've got all the drugs we need to get you to cooperate."
Walking over to Kazuhiko, the man pulled a needle out of his white lab coat. Kazuhiko sat down, wondering wether or not to activate his sword.
"Ran," said Gingetsu from outside his door, "Dinner's ready..."
"Okay," Rans muffled voice called back. The door opened after a minute, and Ran smiled at him, a real smile. He tilted his head when he saw Gingetsu, who looked rather nervous.
"Are you alright? You seem kinda paler than usual."
"What about this morning...?"
Ran blinked. "Ne? Whaddaya mean?" He shrugged and walked into the kitchen, Gingetsu following him. Good. He seemed back to normal. He /seemed/ to be. Maybe. Gingetsu wasn't sure if he should bring up the subject again, since Ran was in such a good mood now, and he had no intention to spoil it. He stopped short when something was shoved in front of his face. Ran was still smiling, and with a light laugh, he said, "I made cake."
Cake? But hadn't Gingetsu been in the kitchen almost the whole day cooking, while Ran was still in his room? Gingetsu stared at him, dazed. "But how did you..." He felt like he needed to sit down. The room kept sliding in and out of focus, and the Lieutenant had to grab onto the edge of the table so he wouldn't fall down. And a good thing, too, because Ran would never be able to catch Gingetsu if he fell in a million years.
One of the table legs cracked a little; Gingetsu did not realize his own strength. Ran guided him into a chair. "Gingetsu..." he murmured, worry evident on his face.
I'm fine, Gingetsu thought angrily. I don't have to miss work for this. I can't miss work for this.
"Are you not feeling well?"
Gingetsu was so dizzy he forgot who he was talking to.
"Me not feeling well?! You have the nerve to question ME if I'm okay, and you're the one who can't even remember what your own stupid mouth said this morning?!"
Ran bit his lip and hid his gaze from Gingetsu, hoping he would not see all of the tears forming in his soft blue eyes. This behavior was VERY unusual for Gingetsu. He never said things like that! Not once had he ever made Ran feel that uncomfortable in the two years he had been there, not even in the slightest bit. But now...
Gingetsu was shocked at what he had just done.
"Ran..."
Ran wiped his eyes quickly, shot Gingetsu a painful smile that was unbearable to watch, and hurried back to his room.
Ran? Not normal? Who was he to speak when he had just said such a thing! Especially since he wasn't even entirely sure Ran had gotten over that morning! He could never forgive himself for that. He /would/ never forgive himself for that. Something was wrong with him. He was smart enough to know that much, at least. Sure, he'd had a few headaches earlier, but that didn't necessarily mean anything was /wrong/ with him. It wasn't until after everything started to get messed together in his head. Thier dinner was eaten in silence; Gingetsu mistrusted himself to speak.
When Ran was clearing the plates, however, he decided he'd better ask something.
"Ran....what did you do this morning?"
Ran frowned, still hiding his face. He was pretending to be very busy cleaning the dishes. "....I got up...and worked on my files." Ran stopped cleaning. "Why?"
So he /had/ imagined it after all. Ran had never asked that question, had he?
Something was wrong with him.
Something was very, very wrong.