tampered | [log] [ongoing]

Current Mood: apathetic

[log] [ongoing]

When; September 25, evening
Rating; PG
Characters; Akito Sohma [

caging] & Ananova [

crete_goddess]
Summary; An unexpected meeting, that may have never happened otherwise.
Log;

God did not walk with his subjects - he walked above them, alone.

Akito was strong enough to stand and walk alone, and so she did, even if Hatori visibly kept one arm free for her to hold on as a precaution against the crowd. Her pride wouldn't let her be seen helpless in any way. And besides, to the world she was a man. As a man, she couldn't well be displaying her pathetic weakness as a woman.

She sneered, annoyed at how her own train of thought went there. No, she told herself. This was weak! God wasn't weak!

God was alone.

No, she thought angrily, coming to a stop, and turning her head in dismission out of habit. That wasn't right either. God was never alone. God was never without the zodiacs. They were family!

-- and yet it was breaking. The bonds, not even just that, this place was tearing them apart. Akito hated it! She hated it with her whole being. She was quiet, oh yes she was! She kept to herself, but she was angry with how they, her family, were out there with outsiders. Was there nothing she could do to stop them? They wouldn't listen! Why wouldn't they?

"Waah, the lanters are pretty! Look! Look! The lights!"

She turned her head sharply to the source of the voice. It sounded like that bitch, Tohru. Of all the things, that was the last thing she wanted to deal with, and the anger was already there, building up; familiar and comforting.

And yet, all there was, was a girl and a much older man. A father, perhaps? For a few moments, Akito could only stare in resentment, before turning away again, and beginning to walk once more, albeit in a brisque pace.

That was nothing, she told herself. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Why was she thinking of something? No, that wasn't Tohru. Be glad, Akito!

"Annoying," she muttered to herself, coming to a brief halt once more. "Annoying. Annoying," she repeated angrily and then snapped, "Hatori!" thinking the dragon would be nearby. He was not. "Hatori!" she called again, this time in an angrier tone. She began walking again, pushing and shoving into the crowd in search of the dragon. Glowing lights, and people(?), in the dark... Akito felt like she was walking through a nightmare. This wasn't beautiful at all.

"Hatori- Hatori- Where-" she cried repeatedly, the angry tone fast dissolving into helpless gasps.

So that was it, wasn't it? He had wanted to leave her alone all this time too, didn't he? Every single one of them, ungrateful...! She didn't want to believe it, but he was gone now, wasn't he?

Anger, hatred, and pain.

Akito couldn't help but feel ill through it all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The stars never looked so far away.

Ananova was leaned against a corner of an apartment building, watching the City in it's bright frivolities. Having sent Jolly to bed(though, she quietly suspected he hadn't), she was wandering by herself for awhile. Children's faces running by, colorful cakes clutched in their small hands. Laughing melodic voices---it was wonderful, seeing so many happy people in the City.

A small smile on her lips, she wasn't feeling as jovial as the others...looking silently towards the distant trees. Poor woman.

Pulling her shawl tighter around her arms, Ananova stood erect and started through the crowds again, smiling as a few friends passed, giving a gentle hello here and there to people she knew, didn't know...The city glowed in the night.

She hoped this would last a number of days as it did the year before.

Just beautiful. The sky...the stars...When she would look at the stars, she couldn't help but feel a little sad.

He had taken down the stars for her, once. A faery's ransom in jewels. The pain had dulled, of course. It was more a pinprick than a rusty blade. Much like James. She could live like that.

For a moment, she lost watch to where she was going.

The moon....it was so -white-...

Akito was struggling to keep herself from panicking. There were too many people, and to her, it seemed like they were all the same. Where was Hatori? She had accepted earlier that perhaps, he really had purposely left her behind like this, but then she realized angrily that she didn't know how to get back to their apartment. And all these people! These people knew nothing! They were of no help! Every single one of them!

"Hatori--!" she yelled angrily, drawing more than just a few curious glances from the crowd, no doubt. A grown, though slight man in a suit, yelling like a madman; Akito knew that's how she must've looked like, but she didn't care!

"Get out of the way!" she clawed at the nearest person.

She couldn't breathe like this. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be back in her room, in the cold darkness, without the annoying glowing people and lanterns, and whatever else was floating out there.

She didn't want this at all!

She felt herself roughly shoved in one direction. Nearly falling to the ground, Ananova struggled for balance and rubbed her now aching arm.

Who in hell--?

Turning, she found...a very panicked, very...lost man. He looked positively feral...something was -wrong-. He looked like he needed air.

She quietly ventured near.

"...Excuse me." A bit more solid. "Excuse me, sir."

No. No. No. She'd find a way out of this hellhole and back to their apartment. And then she'll punish Hatori, and scream and yell at him for leaving her alone! He would atone! She would make him atone and apologize andifonlytheallthesepeoplewoulddisappearshecouldn'tbreath--

"Hatori.." she gasped, burying her face in her hands, struggling to breathe in air to sustain her body.

For a while, she couldn't hear anything but her own heartbeat, and her gasping. When she did finally hear something, all she could do was snap and lash out an arm angrily.

"Shut up!" she gasped, and turned her sharp eyes against the person who had voiced concern.

To her, concern could only mean pity.

Taught to have decent reflexes, Ananova moves quick enough to avoid a swinging arm. She put one hand up lightly to ward off any other attacks.

She raised her eyebrows lightly...there was no simple way of handling this young man, and he needed to leave the crowds.

Well.

"...Come with me. Please."

Nobody ordered her. This was a fact everyone in the Sohma household knew and understood.

"Come... with you?" she sneered. And yet, for her display of displeasure, this person allowed her to regain some composure, even if it was for the wrong reasons. She still felt sick, warm, and suddenly weak.

But there was simply no way she would let this... outsider see this at all. "Why do I need to come with you?"

"You're unwell--it's the crowding, the heat. Are you lost?"

Ananova extended her hand, watching him, unwaveringly. He had a temper on him, didn't he. Not that it mattered. Stubbornness...

"Come with me."

The woman's words were lost on Akito. She didn't want to listen! She didn't want any of this! And yet, there it was, the annoying fear in her chest, the feeling of rejection. She was just being silly now, wasn't she? Yes, this was true.

She wasn't weak. God wasn't supposed to be weak, and wasn't she God?

"I can... walk on my own," she finally found herself saying through gritted teeth. "Take me... away from this crowd." She spat the final word out in disgust.

Yes, she told herself. This was good. She didn't need that woman's help. She just needed to get away from all these people. This was no time to be weak, even if she felt weak in her knees, and it was hot, and almost unbearable!

"This way."

This was a step. A good one. At least he would be out and away from all the people, and hopefully, calm down. Ananova quietly moved and eased people out of their way, with a gentle word and smile, leading them to a darker side of the square, devoid of laughter and voices.

She turned to look at him a few times, weaving their path. She was afraid he would...pass out, or..worse. He seemed so shaken.

Akito watched the woman, when she wasn't looking back at her. She didn't understand this person. And most of all, she couldn't understand how easily the crowd would give way for her. Shouldn't they do just that for a God like her? Outsiders... she didn't understand them.

She hated that she didn't understand them, but at the same time, she didn't need to, did she? No! God didn't need to understand those he was above of!

The crowed thinned eventually, until finally there was blessed silence and darkness. She wouldn't admit it, but she was glad to be away from the maddening crowd, and the noise, and the heat.

She still felt warm, and no doubt she was probably coming down with a fever, but this was certainly better than back there. If she knew how to thank the woman, an outsider, she would have, but instead, she gave her a simple look that was neither angry nor hateful. Perhaps, while it meant nothing to her, it did look just the slightest grateful.

That should be enough, shouldn't it be?

The lightest of smiles crossed her mouth. He still looked off, but at least he wasn't lashing out anymore. And the lack of a glare raised her hopes. Maybe she could get an apartment number, somewhere she could take him, or a name, of a friend.

As long as he was taken care of...

Ananova sighed as they removed themselves from the crowd, aiming to a bench on the side of the square. She gave him another light smile.

"You should probably sit down...you don't look at all well. What is your name?

Even if she did want to sit down, Akito's pride wouldn't allow her to agree so easily. "I can stand just fine," she said quietly in a dismissive tone. "As for my name," she paused and then smiled. The smile was that of derision, instead of pleasantry. "Why should I tell you?"

"So I may know who you are."

Ananova sat down herself, watching him. She spoke simply, kindly. Naturally. He was harsh, at best. And she still thought he should sit down...no matter what masks he put over the panic he was in earlier.

The woman's words were off-putting. She wanted to glare at her and tell her off, but the manner she spoke with made it hard to do so. It was infuriating! Even more so when she couldn't do it towards that other person.

She sat down, and told herself it was because she wanted to, not because she was told to, or because she was tired.

"Why would you want to know that?" she said with a laugh. That woman- what was she thinking? Was she insulting her under that fake kindness? Akito wouldn't be surprised if she was!

Ananova smiled again, glad to see him off his feet. His cheeks looked a little pink...that wasn't a good sign.

"So I may know whom I've been talking to. I would -like- to."

Introductions. Must they be so difficult? The Princess smiled.

"Sultana Ananova Ariadne."

Akito glanced at this woman. Who did she remind her of? Ah, now she knew. Tohru. Too nice, Akito thought. She was too sickeningly nice. Both of them were too sickeningly nice!

Why couldn't she win against these women?

"Sohma. Sohma Akito," she finally answered. "Is that real interest? It's alright to be honest with me." Her voice was dipping with sarcasm as she spoke. No, let it be know that she didn't like her. God did not look favorably upon outsiders.

"Aha." A soft, almost amused sound. They were getting somewhere.

Ananova leaned back. Sohma Akito...or, Akito Sohma otherwise. She hoped.

"If it wasn't, I would not have asked. I'm not partial to insincerity. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine." Akito snapped, and then turned away. No effect? Did this woman have the same idiocy of that bitch? Akito didn't mind testing her to find out. She was either an idiot, or she was faking all of this. Either way. Akito would find out.

She couldn't lose. Yes, it was wrong of her to think that she couldn't win. She was God. What could anyone or anything have against that?

"Are you an idiot?" she asked bluntly, with the same smile she had before.

Ananova's eyebrows lifted. Cheeky bit? Oh, yes...She wasn't sure what Akito was trying to prove, whether it be pride, superiority..all of the above.

"I like to think I'm not, no." She folded her hands. "Why do you ask?"

Maybe this Sultana was a little bit smarter than Tohru. Still, Akito thought she couldn't be that much of improvement.

"Only idiots wouldn't recognize if a person doesn't like them," she answered smugly.

She smiled again.

"Mmm. But to assume the other person -doesn't- know."
She lifted a finger to punctuate her point..and left it at that. It didn't matter much, either way. Ananova didn't mind Akito.

She gave him a thoughtful look. He seemed pale. And sickly still. He needed somewhere to sleep, and considering how long it took to get a name out of him, little chance she would learn where he lived...

"Are you implying I'm the idiot instead?"

Akito sneered at the thought of being an idiot. No! She wasn't. She wasn't the idiot at all! "God can't be an idiot," she muttered.

"But people like you get taken advantage of, and trampled on--" This was reminding her of Tohru again. Things she hadn't thought of in days, weeks... even months. Tohru- when she thought of her, she remembered the Sohma compound back home, and the people she had left. Some of her family were here, and some were missing. She knew that there was something different. It was evident in the bond. She had shrugged it off as nothing, but those things came to mind now along with memories of Tohru.

Kureno. Momiji. Hiro.

Her head hurt again. "I hate you," she hissed under her breath as she pressed her fingers against her forehead. "You're just like her. Annoying. Perfect. Bitch... Just go away and leave my family alone."

Ananova frowned lightly, watching him touch his head. Something -was- wrong. His family...? Just like -who-? Though she wasn't partial to being insulted, by anyone, there was something far more important at hand.

She leaned closer to him, though keeping a distance, and careful not to touch him.

"Akito, are you all right?"

"I am!" Akito yelled angrily, swiping her arm at the woman. She wanted to be in her room again, away from people, away from Outsiders, away from... from Tohru and her shadow and whatever else was out here! She wasn't going to cry- no no no no, Gods didn't cry!

If she cried, that woman would only laugh at his weakness and her ungodliness. This was nothing- but-

She pressed her palms against her eyes, making sure that they stayed shut, and that they kept those traitorous tears at bay.

"Get... Hatori," she gasped. "Just get him... if Shigure won't come... if Kureno won't... if no one won't- Get him... get him... I don't care if he doesn't want to! He can't disobey God! He can't!"

Ananova, hindered by the bench, was not as quick this time. Ignoring a quickly fading pain near her mouth, she moved closer, lowering her voice.

"Akito...Who is Hatori, a friend of yours? Where might I find him..?"

"Hatori - my doctor--" Akito stopped and gritted her teeth when she felt those tears on her palms. Wet wet wet- no don't cry! She mustn't cry! "Just get him! Get him! Get him! Get him!"

Gods didn't cry, especially in front of outsiders, people who would never understand.

Find Hatori. To find someone she has -never- met before...in this jungle of people. The Princess looked around where they were...she had to do something, anything...

There was a man. With his laptop, not too far away. Ananova looked to Akito, standing.

"I will. I promise."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[log] [ongoing]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject