1000 decisions to make von AkazuIzuya (Frau x Teito x Ayanami) ================================================================================ Kapitel 3: Bittersweet memories ------------------------------- I should have known my limit of sleep deprivation was nearing. Hakuren had told me to sleep, but I didn't listen. I really should learn to listen to my friend some more. But I was sure, Labradors calm voice and that strange tea he gave me did their effects on me. In fact we sat there all day long till noon and talked to Frau. More like Labrador did the talking and I just listened. I yawned slightly, hand in front of my mouth, when I heard Fraus stomach. I was thankfull for this disturbment, because I no longer had to listen to Labradors calming voice. It was to calming. I hated to sleep. But he almost had made me to. I was sure he knew that. He and Castor always seemed to know everything. And I just couldn't get used to that. I stood up and both of them looked at me then. Labrador smiled again. "Oh right. It's time, isn't it?" he asked. I nodded, then looked at Frau. "It's noon already. And I believe no one showed you the dinner hall yet, right?" The way he looked at me now kind of confused me. Oh right. I hadn't talked to him for a few hours now. I had Labrador do the talking. Did he though I would ignore him? I chuckled at that thought. The same idiot I thought he would be. Labrador also chuckled slightly. "You smile and chuckle often these days, Mikhael" he said to me. I grinned. "Yeah right. I just can't cope with this idiot without grinning" I vaguely explained. Frau rushed to stand up, already hissing at me again. "I'm no idiot you brat!" This time I grinned at him, then Labrador and I started chuckling at the same time. "Yeah right. I think we had a similiar conversation this morning, didn't we?" I reminded him. This morning Hakuren and I laughed at him. Now it was me and Labrador laughing at him. "I see, you're doing better now, Frau-san, Mikhael" a voice we knew good came nearer. I looked up, and so did Labrador, as he was still sitting. "Good evening, Castor" I greeted him. "I believe you came to pick us up for dinner?" Labrador asked. Castor nodded smiling. "Yes. The sisters were worried about our lost lamb. They said you hadn't eaten yet." he turned to Frau. The blonde grinned. He seemed quite happy that those sisters cared for him. It made me angry. Just a little bit, but it made me angry. "He probably thought the food we gave him was poisonous or something like that. I told you he had a few screws lose" I said, as I looked to Frau. I hit right on the spot it seemed. "And just to remind you, this is a church. Do not flirt with the nuns." I saw his grimace towards me, but just grinned. That had felt good. "Now then, let us proceed to the dinning hall. I think at least two of us here are starving by now" I said, before I turned towards the other bishops. Castor and Labrador seemed strangely amused. It was probably easy to notice that everything Frau did effected me in a way. And that I was jealous right now. I blushed, but thankfully they ignored it. It was rare for me to eat with the rest, but this time they did not make any comment and that relieved me. As we proceeded to the dinning hall, most of the bishop apprentices, applicants, nuns and other poor people gathered in the hallways and greeted us. Everyone knew us bishops. Maybe because we three were the most outstanding with bishop Lance, who wasn't here again. Now that I thought about it... "Castor, do you know something about bishop Lance? How is he doing? I mean, he left his apprentice Hakuren behind and wandered off. Again." I asked. Frau had been following us silently. I really felt like a child surrounded by those thre giants. But it somehow triggered my memories again. It felt right. "He seems to be in distrikt 3 or somewhere around there, tending to the poor. Didn't he send you messages?" Castor replied. I pulled a grimace. "Just the usual. He misses me and the time he could pick on me. I should enjoy it and help Hakuren since I am his senpai." I sighted. Labrador chuckled. "Oh yeah. You were originally his apprentice weren't you?" he smiled. I nodded. "Until he wandered off and pushed me to you, Lab. And now he left and let's me take responsibility for Hakuren. I just don't know what that guy is thinking." I turned to Frau. Labrador had explained him before about the apprentices and the bishops. "I don't know if you will ever meet bishop Lance, but be warned: he's a narccist" I said. Castor almost grinned. "Mikhael, you should not say that. Don't talk behind peoples back" he reminded me. I shrugged my shoulders. "Just stating the truth. Him and Hakuren are too similiar" I meant. "I and who?" I now heared Hakurens voice. Without turning around I answered him. "You and bishop Lance" "Oh yeah! We're both Beautys how ever you look at us. Bauty is a sin" he sighted, but I felt the sparkles glittering around him. I sighted again, entering the hall and sitting down next to the three nuns. They greeted us warm, delighted to see both, Frau and me at the dining table. We bishops spoke our prayer before starting to eat, Frau just watched stupidly, but surprisingly waited until we finished it. As he put away the silver protector above the plate, he flinched heavily. I fully understood him. "It's fish. Eye-fish. Not human." I said without looking at him. "You sure...?" his voice sounded hoarse. I noddet, picked up my fork, picked an eye-fish out of his stew, and before he was able to say something, sticked it into his mouth. He didn't move. He didnt chew. I grinned, pulled the now empty fork back. "And now, start chewing. Believe me, I had the almost same reaction" I just said, and stared at him, until he slowly started to chew. I could see his eyes glittering, and my friends and the nuns started to chukle. "Yeah, reminds me of you back then" Castor grinned. I nodded. "I still am not used to these weird things. Or Labs edible flowers." Especially his weird flowers still made me flinch everytime I was forced to eat them. Slowly but surely the usual table-talk came up. How the day was, how the orphans did, talk about how the sumarizing of the verses was. I yawned again. "O dear, it seems tonight will be my duty to make rounds I guess." Castor said. I nodded. "Yeah. Labs tea made me sleepy." I confessed. I didn't want to sleep, but this body needed rest. And probably my mind also. Since I came here and had become a ghost, I had stubbornly refused to sleep normaly, not to mention my irregular eating habit. Human food had started to taste like dust. I don't like eating dust. "Mikhael, your food won't die. Even if you stare at it like this" I heard Hakuren sight. My thoughts stopped and I grimaced. "Yeah... I know. So, can you recite the verses by now?" I asked him as I pushed the plate away from me. It was almost completely full, but I had enough of eating dust. He shrugged his shoulders. "Almost. When bishop Lance is back he will be surprised." I nodded. That was good to hear. The rest of the evening flew by and after the next prayer everyone resumed their duties one last time. Frau seemed to be exausted again. Well, he had some severe injuries, so it was understandable. He said he would go to 'his' room and sleep a bit. It was my room. My bed. But I didn't tell him that. For I slept in a freaking coffin to begin with, so that that damned scythe wouldn't run wild while I was sleeping. I watched his back as he walked down the corridor and rubbed my eyes. "I think I'll also excuse myself for today. Lab, I'm gonna block an infirmary bed." I didn't even wait for an answer. My arm was throbbing because of that scythe and Labs tea had done the rest. I was finished in every way. When I had laid down in a bed and closed my eyes, everything went black in an instant. "Hey, Teito. Do you want something?" a small boy asked me. In his hands two plates with food,with a weird blue sauce. I nodded smilingly. "Thank you, Kuroyuri. Although I'm sure you are letting me test the food you want to give Haruse, right?" I chuckled as the pink haired boy blushed heavily. "I-it's not like that! Ok, it is, but you are also a friend! I mean, Ayanami-sama cares so much for you, and seems so calm ever since you became his begleiter, that... I mean..." he startet to time I smiled mild and pattet his head, ruffling his hair. "It's ok, Kuroyuri. As long as I'm here, Ayanami will stay the gentle person you got to know. I swear on my soul" I said gently. The boy nodded, gave me the plate and we sat down together. "Shouldn't you be helping him with his paperwork?" he asked me. He was always curious like this. I thought about . Maybe I really should be helping him. But I doubted that he was awake. "He tired himself last night. I doubt he is awake now. He always does this. Tires the hell out of me and him, and sleeps into the day. I wish I could be like that." I sighted. I noticed Kuroyuri stopping in his movements and looked at him. Even his ears were red. I chuckled. Well, it was no secret that Ayanami and I were... something like lovers. I beared Eve's soul after all and also her fealings for him. For Verloren. And since he was human right now, he could touch me without consequences. I remembered the first time he kissed me out of the blue. I had slapped him and had been as red as Kuroyuri right now. Even though Eve' memories and feelings had started to awaken at that time, I was no good with him touching me.I had tried to avoid him day after day. But being his begleiter, I failed utterly. But now? I somehow got used to it. It felt good. It calmed me down. And the others from the black hawks told me Ayanami had become calmer and less cruel. I thought that was good. So, nothing negative to this relationship. Nothing but a guilty conscience, which I could ignore. There was always that blonde tall man I thought about. "Teito? Kuroyuri to Teito, stay here" I flinched. I had drifted into my mind to much. "I'm sorry, Lt. Kuroyuri" I apologized. "No, it's alright. How does it taste?" I lookedt at my plate. Chuckled. "Like the blue sauce. Like always. Take less of it, and Haruse will love it." Kuroyuri brightened up. I liked the boy that was smaller than me, although much stronger. I also liked Hyuuga and Konatsu. They were friendly, and I didn't care about them being Konatsu and I were not, but they accepted us. But I hated that Shuri Oak, who also worked here. Thankfully I hadn't much to do with him. I pushed away my empty plate and stood up. "Thanks for the meal, Lt. Now, I'm off, waking up Ayanami. That jerk can work after yesterday night if I'm forced to work." I said and Kuroyuri laughed at that. I smiled and went away to my superiors room. The way wasn't to long and most of the people saluted me. I ignored them like Ayanami had instructed me to. I didn't even knock before coming in. I should have knocked. He was awake and up, but not dressed. As I saw him like this I felt heat rising in my cheeks and quikly closed the door. I needend look at him to know he was grinning. Sadisticly of course. "I see you are well and up. I assume you started with your work?" he asked. I turned around again and leaned my back on the door. I was red as a tomato, but I ignored that und crossed my arms."You mean your work, right? As if. After last night you can do your work alone. And stop grinning like that!" I almosed hissed. For god's sake, he always was like that! I watched him put on his clothes and heard a slight chuckling from him. "For my Begleiter you sure do love to hiss at me. Quite brave, Teito Klein" "Serves you just right.I can't fight right after nights with you, so of course I'm grumpy. If something happens I can't protect you to my best efford. And sitting hurts. And in general you should be used to this already. You told me to stop being so stiff as your begleiter. That others would show more respekt if I did this. Now they're afraid of me and don't come near me. You could have just told me that you don't like seeing me with others. That was so typical of you." by now I had lost what I had wanted to say. And he knew that also. As he finished dressing up, we left the room. Again the rest saluted, I rolled my eyes at that. "What about Raphael's eye? Can that girl use it properly by now?" Ah, now he was awake. he wanted to know the news for today. I shook my head. "No progress. Raphael seems disturbed by something and refuses to do as told. Princess Ouka is in a vulnerable state right now. We can't push forward anymore" I reported. "Chairman Miroku?" "Descendet the ship this morning. Told me to give you his regards. Stiff as always and trying to take Mikhael from me." "I see." was all he said to that. I accompanied him to his desk, started sorting some papers for him and turned around to go. "Teito." Oh I knew that tone. "Heck no. Do your work alone." I just answered. Everybody instantly froze at my answer. Just hyuuga laughed. "Aya-tan was refused! Teito I love your cheekyness!" the man whith sunglasses and candy chuckled. "Teito." it was Ayanami again. This time I snorted. "Hell no. I hate it if you do that!" I almost poutet, sighted and gave in. I couldn'd refuse his authority too much. Althou I really felt like punching him right now. An earthquake. The earth shook heavily, but I didn't want to wake up. Sleeping after such a long time, normaly nightmares would hunt me, but it was just a peacefull memorie this time. Whoever would wake me this time, I would kill him barehandedly. Of course I would not, but I wished I would. I sat up in my bed and pressed my hand against my sleve. I had the feeling everything was spinning, and I wasn't sure wether I could walk straight. I stayed like this a few moments and doze off again, when the door to the infirmary was crashed open. As I looked up I saw Hakurens panicking face. "A kor, Mikhael! A kor and a warsfeil are inside the church!" he shouted. "So what? Let Castor and his dool handle them. He is on duty tonight" I answered. I had bad mood now that I was awake. "They can't do anything. They have captured Frau and are aksing for you" he reported. Right, now I was in a much more worse mood that seconds before. I jumped out of the bed, stripped of the white robes and got going. Now I just wore the typical black clothes I had worn as a battle slave. A plain black sweatshirt and black pants, in combination with my black leather gloves. The bandages on my right arm and hand were itching in joy of the upcoming fight. I rushed ahead, leaving Hakuren behind. I felt Castors preasence in my head, leading me savely to the scene. But when I was there, Castor had saved Frau from the enemy. I felt a relieved sight leave my lung. "Ah, Mikhael, Hakuren woke you up I see" Castor greeted me. "Yeah. I'll kick his ass later for that. For now... " I looked around. Frau was sitting on a pillar a few meters away, broken puppet parts all around him. He looked confused. But I knew he was afraid. I knew that, because I knew that very same feeling from my first encounter with those beings of darkness. And when he noticed I had arrived at the scene, I clearly saw some hints of anger. He didn't believe I could fight, did he? "Is that you, Teito?" I rose my head up at that name. At that Voice. Chills ran down my spine. I knew that voice. "That... really is you, isn't it? Teito Klein!" Castor looked at me, than at the Warsfeil again. I tried not to shiver again. "Haruse, that you?" I replied. My voice was skaking a bit, and I was sure the rest noticed that. Hell, I couldn't hide the shaking. "You... are alive? When you are alive, you should be at Ayanami-samas side! You are his Begleiter, are you not?!" he shouted and finaly entered a brighter space where we could clearly see him. I flinched heavily at his words and bit my lip. My past. And I had just dreamed of it. My gaze turned to the floor. Haruse was an old friend of mine... but now he was my enemy. "I'm not the Teito you know anymore Haruse. I'm sorry. But I switched sides." I now said when I finnaly found my voice again. I switched my stance from just staring at the floor to a stance with witch I had better hold with my feet. I rose my right arm, uttered some words that became zaiphon and ripped apart the bandages on my arm. Lastly I pulled of my gloves and threw them to the side, near Frau. "Take that kor and turn back, Haruse. I don't want to hurt someone dear to Lt. Kuroyuri or Ayanami-sama." I said. Kill your emotions, Teito. That is your weakness. And I did kill them. I was sure my face, my eyes and my voice didn't give a hint how miserably I was feeling right now. I knew that because Haruse flinched. This was the me he had gotten to know. The me that had fought side to side with him. The me he had feared as a fighter back then. I noticed him stiffening, but not retreating. A faint smile apeared on my lips. "Very well. I'm sorry for Kuroyuri losing you, but I can't let you go back once this fight starts." I said. "Heed my call, Verlorens scythe" I calmly said. something black came out of my right arm. Something black... something dangerous. Something alive and with a killing intend that made Frau shiver. I was the only one that could wield the scythe, because it knew my soul and heeded every one of my calls as if it was my own blood. I must still smell like Veroren, because the scythe almost purred as I called it out and grabbed it. "That... that's his sythe!" Haruse seemed shocked. "Yeah. It was. Now this cute little guy heeds my calls, not his." I pulled the blade nearer and caressed it a bit. For minutes we just stood and I on the one side, Haruse and that kor on the other side. It was an eerie atmosphere and I almost did not dare to breath. Nothing could be heard. No cicadas in the night, no owls. Just a slight wind brushing through the trees and makings the leafes rustle. No one of us dared to move, waiting for the right time. Some sign that started this fight. Some sign, whatever it would be. "What the hell... is going on here?!" I had almost forgotten Frau. But the rest also, until he had shouted like that. That was the sign. I dashed forward, the scythe tighly in my hands. His rapier clashed against the blade, but allas, it did nothing, and Haruse was pushed back. From the corners of my eyes I saw Castor dealing with the kor. If things stayed like this, the only thing I had to worry about was Frau. Luckily he was sane enough to not move from that spot. "Castor!" I shouted. "Cut the strings that lead to Haruse! They lead exacly to Ayanami! He must not know I am here and breathing!" again my scythe and Haruses rapier clashed. Both of us were thrown back. He clashed into the nearest pillar, and I barely got hold of the floor until I would have crashed into Frau. I pulled back the scythe, staggered and almost fell. I was standing right in front of Frau, ready to protect him with everything I got. The black scythe was drooling all over as it noticed Frau. The weapon, being alive and with an own consience turned to the blonde. I squeezed the shaft. "Don't even think about that, little bastard. You're not allowed to touch Frau. He's mine." I spitted out. The weapon hissed at me, but turned around again. It started behaving strange and I threw it against the floor. "Shut up. You can have the kor and Haruses soul. Be satisfied with that or I will really seal you forever!" I growled. "I see, you can't control it, Teito... well, it isn't yours to beginn with" My gaze went up. Haruse was standing again already. But I just smirked. "You're wrong. This is mine. Ayanami... no... Verloren also belongs to me. Only to me." I stated with a confidence I didn't have. "You... insolent betrayer!" he screamed, launching at me blinded by wrath. I smiled. That was right... this was the way things were at this time. I... had betrayed him. I had betrayed them all. I didn't even notice the way I clenched my hands around the shaft of the scythe. It launched foward on it's own accord as if it did sense my feelings. And maybe he did. Haruse leaped forward to me, defending against the scythe and building a zaiphon atack at the same time. I didn't see that coming. I pulled my other arm up to shield me, build a shield out of zaiphon, but then, everything went black. Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)