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Secret Society BLANKET
 Graphic Designer
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: 3 times the passion of normal flamenco
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This has got to be the most difficult piece I've ever written in OC... and also with the most amount of Parmesan Cheesium I've ever sprinkled on a snippet 
And without further ado, the continuation from last time:
Spoiler for Collision:
“GET OUT OF MY WAY LADY!!!”
Time seemed slowed down at the moment, seen by faces etched with shock, and the desperate screeching of rubber on asphalt that tried to halt the speeding truck in vain. It was too late.
Skin and flesh slammed against metal with a sickening crack, sending the flailing body crashing on the road. Unsuppressed gasps of shock filled the air as the truck finally came to a halt.
Harried voices cried out, some attempting to maintain order, others panicking in the moment…
“Someone call an ambulance quickly!”
“Anyone have their mobiles?”
“Oh my god…”
“I tried to stop!”
“Poor kid…”
“You alright girl? Truck nearly had you there if wasn’t for him.”
And in the midst of the confusion, the question broke a young girl from her stupor. Sober now, the situation slowly, and surely dawning upon her. Her incredulous wide open eyes staring at the battered young boy in the asphalt, surrounded by visibly concerned adults.
It should have been her lying there, bloodied and shattered. It should be her pitiful self, her face in the dirt right now, suffering for her stupidity. Who was that boy, lifeless and limp, who had risked himself for her sake?
But she already knew who it was. That dark hair, that generic white shirt, black jogging pants. It could be anyone, it could easily be anybody, so easily someone else… but she already knew, as her weak trembling voice calling out in fear…
“Shinji…why…”
The darkness of sorrow overcame her…
***
*random male voices*
“Dear god…”
“I can’t believe it!”
“Jeezus son, you alright?”
“How do you feel boy?
“… I feel… feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
*…*
*Boisterous laughter*
“…
Christ son, you just did!”
***
-Matsuri-
…
This scent.
Lavandula agistofolia. Lavender.
Such a soothing fragrance. I loved this scent, one of my favorites. It puts my mind at ease every time.
Where did it come from?
A large, warm body… pressed in front of me, my arms draped around it. I feel like sitting on air, on a soft chair. Moving…
Wait… where am I? What am I doing here?
That man, he said I was nearly hit by a truck. And someone saved me. Someone…!
Oh god…
“SHINJI!!!”
“HEY!!”
The warm body rocked unsteadily, and for a second I thought I might fall. But I didn’t fall. I clung to the body in front of me. Someone?
Someone was carrying me on their back in piggyback. I guess I must’ve startled him somehow.
“You’re awake. Finally.”
That voice. It can’t be…
“Is that you Shinji?”
He turned to look at me. It is him!
“It’s alright Matsuri. It’s just me.”
I didn’t know what to think. Wasn’t he just… didn’t he just…
“Are you alright? Weren’t you just hit by a truck just now?! You’re supposed to be dead!”
We stopped moving.
“Yes I was hit by a truck. But my projection body can handle it. It’s not real, I can withstand such impacts easily.
If I was human, yes I would be dead. But I’m not dead. Because I’m just a program.”
Indeed, he told me the truth. But hearing him say all these things with a sharp heavy voice-
“I’m supposed to be dead huh? Maybe I should be…”
I can’t believe you said that! Shinji! What are you saying?!
“DON’T SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!
…I didn’t mean it that way.”
“I’m sorry.” He apologized, for something he shouldn’t even be sorry for.
We resumed moving, his steps slowing down, getting heavier. I started noticing things.
Small electric arcs sparked below his neck, revealing a flickering mesh of light, a hologram that composed his skin. Even with his claims of withstanding impact, he was still damaged. It was not until I looked down did I know how much.
Parts of his legs were beginning to flicker in the same manner. The same legs carrying our weight together. He groaned as I moved.
And for the first time I noticed his pain.
With each step, he groaned. It dawned on me then.
Why is he even carrying me, if he was in so much pain? Why does he bother with someone like me? Why go through all this pain… for me?
“Let go of me!”
I pushed him off, sending me crashing to the ground. My back ached on impact. But I had no time for trivial pain. I needed to ask him…
“Shinji, do you hate me?! Answer me now!”
His back was still turned to me, standing straight, his head bowed. I could now see his face, but somehow I knew what he was feeling.
“I do Matsuri. I do hate you right now.”
I’ve always known how painful it is to hear those words. But I have never received them before, words laced with such venomous anger and sadness. But now I know… and it felt like dying.
“I would be lying if said I didn’t. Deep down, your words still hurt. Yes, I can feel pain. I can feel sorrow. I can feel hatred. And most of all, I can feel anger. So yes, I do hate you. “
Then why…
“Then why? Why save me?! Why carry me? I may not know anything about this artificial body of yours, but I can tell you’re damaged, and sooner or later something’s gonna give! Why carry me?”
Why?
“… I don’t know.”
I couldn’t take it anymore…
“You see. You can’t answer me. If you’re going to hate me, then act like it damnit!
Spite me! Curse me! Swear! Hit me! Leave me to be run over by that truck!!!
Damnit Shinji, just HATE me already!!! Don’t give me fucking reasons of sympathy or altruism or humanity! Goddamnit you have every reason to hate me! LOATHE ME!!! DESPISE ME!!!
Spite me with your stinging words! Curse me until I fall sick! Swear until I become deaf! Beat me up to a bloody pulp! Don’t save me so you don’t have to be hurt like this!!!”
Why are you like that Shinji? Why are you so stupid?
“I broke your trust, betrayed your belief, trampled on your love! I couldn’t accept who you are!
SO JUST FUCKING HATE ME ALREADY!!!!”
No… you’re not stupid Shinji.. I am.
“Why put yourself in such pain Shinji?! Why continue hurting with the pain I gave you? I can’t bear to see you like this! Trying to be all nice to someone you hate!
I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve to be cared for. I shouldn’t be loved. I’m horrid. I’m despicable.
Maybe I’ll be better off alone. At least I can’t hurt anybody else.”
“Matsuri…”
“Like Kaylin said… you deserve better than to be hurt by me. You’re too kind for me. Too gentle. Too loving. Too –
Too…
Just hate me already please… A man like you shouldn’t go through this because of me...”
Am I really such a stupid girl? To say such insensitive things, especially to the one who just saved my life. It would not be the first time though, that my mouth has excreted such vile words. Am I really this ungrateful person, stubbornly rejecting the kindness I have been graced with? Do I continue to be a proud, arrogant bitch, making his heart suffer even more?
…
“Would it really make you feel better if I hated you right now?”
…
“Then I did hate you… only because I care…”
Shinji… what… do you… mean? Why the gentle voice? It pains me to hear such coming from you…
“I did hate you just now. And it was painful to hear the words that you said to me that time.
It still hurts Matsuri. It still does. For a long time, I’ve to become as human as I can. Your words nearly destroyed me. They almost did.
Even when I saved you from that truck… even when tended to your wounds, and carried you on my back, I wondered why I was still doing this for you. When you asked me… I really didn’t know.”
Your arms don’t feel right holding me. Stop stroking my hair so gently please… it’s not right for me to savor this moment…
“Until you told me why I should hate you. And I realized that even after knowing the truth about who I am, what I am, that you still cared.”
Stop with the words that give me hope… I don’t deserve them…
“I hated the words that you said to me way back then. But I never hated yourself Matsuri. Because now I know you only said them because I never said anything. I was afraid that if you knew, that you’d hate me. That you’d despise me. But even when you knew, you’ve shown me that you still do care. To think of my pain… a truly horrid, despicable, insensitive person would never say those things.”
Shinji, I don’t deserve this…
“Knowing that you care, even though I’m just a lowly program-“
“Stop that Shinji.”
I silenced him with a finger to his lips.
“You’re Shinji. I’ve yet to meet anybody else more human, and much kinder than you are. You’re not just a ‘lowly program’.”
I on the other hand… I couldn’t bear look at him in my shame.
“But me... I let my judgement and reason get to me. My cynicism, my skepticism. I reasoned the cold, hard facts of the situation in the negative. In a way, I’m more of a computer than you are. I’m the lowly one. I’m the one who should be honored.”
I feel like a weight had been lifted from me at the moment. But there was one more thing I had to say to him. In my stubbornness, I have never said these words to anybody before. But after all I’ve said, he deserves to hear them.
“Shinji…I’m… “
Please… he needs to hear them. These words.
“I’m sorry.”
***
“It’s alright Matsuri… it’s alright.”
-Glock-
The holodisplay showed a touching scene, of Shinji comforting a crying Matsuri. I was just glad that the problem had been resolved quickly. I sighed with relief.
“All’s well that ends well huh?
… Kay?”
I heard the distinct sound of a motorcycle engine revving, proceeded by Kay riding her golden motorbike Hermes to the trail and stopping in front of me.
Wonder what she’s planning. “Where are you going?”
“I think I’ll give those two something to ride on, or they won’t get anywhere at this rate! And I need to repair his matrix! Just stay here and guard the place!”
“Understood. Don’t take too long now, Dr. Turing might need you for something.”
“I know!”
Strangely enough, Kay didn’t depart immediately, and she still held her open face helmet in her hands. She was giving me this strange look. Like she was anticipating something.
“You waiting for something Kay?”
She sighed.
“Not even gonna say goodbye?”
“Alright Kay, goodbye.”
She hastily wore and secured her helmet.
“Prude.”
So that’s what it was. As she held the bike handlebars and revved them, I flew over besides her, lifted her visor open...
“I believe you forgot something.”
And I gave her her goodbye present.
…
I pulled away from her as she closed her clear visor, her red blushing face clearly visible.
“The cheek would’ve sufficed Glock.”
“Remove the helmet, and I could give you that as well.”
She licked her lips, and her eyes told me she wanted me to see it.
“But that was nice as well. You need to be more romantic like Shinji though.”
“I’ll try.”
With a rev of the engine she rode off, leaving me wondering what that was all about. First, I need to get this grin of my face…Nah, I’ll keep it for a while longer…
***
“Can you promise me one thing Shinji?”
“Yes Matsuri?”
The young man and the young girl locked gazes with each other as the former helped the latter stand up. Looking eye to eye, Shinji wiped away Matsuri’s remaining tears.
“Even if you are a projection with superhuman strength, please don’t pull that superhero stunt again. It’s no good saving me if you’re hurt doing so. Promise me at least that please.”
The boy nodded in assurance, reinforced by both his hands that held hers. “I promise you that. I assure you that.”
“Thank you Shinji. But I really do appreciate you saving me.”
“Pleasure is all mine. Shall I take you home now?”
“I’d love that. And Shinji?"
“What is it?”
“You once promised me you’ll tell me everything about yourself. I think now’s a good time to know more about the inner workings of my boyfriend afterall!”
“I haven’t forgotten. Anything you want to know… and much, much more.”
And for the first time this day... they wore their warm smiles for each other.
__________________
Against all the evil that hell can conjure, all wickedness that mankind can produce... We will send unto them, only you.
Last edited by LoweGear; 2007-09-08 at 08:39.
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