Chapter 28: Two Faced

Sector 1: The Clean Boulevard

This wasn’t exactly Keiko’s forte. I mean she had never really been a “fashionable” person. In her mind, things like shopping were a waste of time...she could have spent that time training. But today wasn’t about her. Today was about Arisa: and she was enjoying herself to the fullest.

Keiko was walking just behind Arisa and Aku who walked with their arms linked as they window shopped. Arisa was laughing and smiling and it was such a relaxing sight for Keiko that she didn’t even mind carrying all of the bags that the two had already bought. It wasn’t about her: it was about Arisa.

“Keiko- want some ice cream?” Aku grinned as she pointed to the small cafe they were about to pass.

Keiko nodded, “Let’s take a break,”

Arisa grinned, “Ooooh I want a strawberry parfait- no a tiramisu!” she walked in and sat down at the window seat, “No! A cheesecake!!!!” she pointed to the glistening picture on the menu.

Keiko shoved all the bags under the table before letting her body sink into the chair, “Ahhh- I didn’t realize how tired I was getting.”

Aku picked up the menu, “Hmmm what should I get…..”

“Hello- and welcome to Cafe Doux. I am your waiter, Teddy.”

Arisa turned to the man whose voice was soft and maybe just an octave too high to match his trim face and bright blonde hair, “Can I have a cheesecake and...hmmm what should I get to drink??” she tried to grab at the menu that Aku was still holding tightly.

Teddy smiled at her, “I know it’s not exactly what everyone would recommend, “ he shifted his weight over to his left leg dramatically, “Buuuut our chef makes the BEST minty green milkshakes- they are to die for.”

Arisa’s face lit up, “That sounds amazing! I’ll take one please!”

“You got it. And you dear?” Teddy turned to Keiko with another big smile.

Keiko hummed for a second, “I’ll just have a cappuccino.”

“Mhm you got it,” he turned finally to Akumako, “And you sweety?”

Aku finally put the thin menu down, “I’ll have the minty green milkshake as well- and your triple chocolate fudge brownie deluxe,”

Teddy pushed his lips out, “Ooooh that’s an excellent choice mhm...I’ll get those right out to you girls,” he turned and walked away.

Arisa grinned, “He was...interesting- really nice though,”

Keiko leaned her elbow on the table and looked out the window- her mind seemed to fill up once more with stress now that she had finally stopped moving.

Aku- while noticing Keiko’s sudden change in demeanor- couldn’t stop herself from glancing back and forth from the kitchen in anticipation of her chocolatey treat.

“Guys...” Arisa’s troubled voice brought them both back, “I have something I need to tell you...” she dared not look at them- she needed all the courage she could muster up to tell them. She had to tell them- she would be putting them in danger if she didn’t tell them about the suspicion….about Kyoushirou.

Aku looked at Keiko seriously before setting her hand on top of Arisa’s, “Before you say anything Arisa- listen to us first….”

Keiko sighed softly, “I know that you must be feeling guilty...a lot of bad things have happened lately and of course that is a problem but….” she let out another sigh, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts, “You can’t put the blame on yourself….I know I said some things after the mission and I- I am sorry about that. No matter how upset I was- it wasn’t right to say those things to you because….”

Arisa finally looked up and met eyes with Keiko, “Keiko...”

She left a lump in her throat- it had been a long time since Arisa said her name like that, “Anyways, I’m sorry,” Keiko cleared her throat and broke her eye contact, “You deserve to be treated like the black agent that you are. You have proved your ability and there is no reason for me to be like that….”

Aku smiled softly and rubbed Arisa’s hand, “We all fail mission’s sometimes- and even though Mei Lin died, we can still honor her and succeed so that her death won't have been in vain,”

“Oh? Did I interrupt a touching moment?” Teddy came over and started moving their order from his tray to the table, “Don’t cry sweety- you are too pretty to cry,” Teddy winked at Arisa as she rubbed the tears from her eyes.

“Mhm, thanks,” she smiled up at him as he placed her milkshake down.

“If you ladies need anything- feel free to let me know ok? Enjoy,” he turned away and smiled- this time much darker with hard, opened eyes, Mei Lin huh? He walked briskly to the kitchen and pulled out his phone, the screen reading only: M.

The phone ringed only once before someone answered, a voice he was all too familiar with, “It seems that Mei Lin has gone down as well….what do you wish from me?”

“Keiko do you not want any? This cheesecake is really delicious!!” Arisa spoke with her small fork hanging from her mouth.

Keiko nodded as she sipped from her coffee, “You enjoy it Arisa, “

Arisa turned to offer a bite to Aku as well but was shocked to see that her plate was already empty, “Where did your brownie go?!”

Aku grinned and rubbed her stomach softly, “It was delicious...”

Arisa chuckled, “Is that…?” she grabbed Aku’s arm and turned it over to show smudged chocolate, “Mou~ Aku-chan you shouldn’t eat so-” her eyes caught onto a small brown spot on her stomach where her shirt had lifted just slightly, “How did you get chocolate there?!?!” she exclaimed as she pointed to the small spot.

Aku looked down, her face flushing at the surprise, “What are you-” she looked down to see that in fact there was some chocolate on her stomach, “...how did that get there….?”

Sector 1: STAM HQ- Training

Seiji was in a foul mood. He had come straight to this training room after returning from school- he had missed the mission. A mission basically designed for a disposer like himself- and yet he missed it. It’s all Shou’s fault…if he wouldn’t have been distracting me I could have…I could have-

He tried to clear his mind as he threw punch after punch at the punching bag hanging from the ceiling. He didn’t want to think right now. He didn’t want to have thoughts of any nature…certainly not of his failures. And yet- even though he desperately wished to not have those thoughts, they pushed into his mind with such force that he had no choice.

You lost to 013…you let that elemental scum walk all over you…again.

“That was weeks ago…I haven’t even seen 013 in a while…” he slammed his fist into the punching bag.

You failure! How many times have you lost to her….a filthy mutant?

“I haven’t lost,” he hit the punching bag again- this time causing a loud thud.

You’ll never defeat her…you are too weak….what would your parents-

“I WILL NOT FAIL!!!” at the thought of his parents he punched the bag with such force and such rage that the bag ripped apart. As sand started to pour out from the now broken bag Seiji fell to his knees, his breath was heavy and his knuckles were red, “I will not lose…”

“Oi Seiji!”

He jerked his head to see his partner walk through the doorway, “Shou-” he turned his body to sit and caught the water bottle that Shou threw at him.

“When did you get back?” Shou sat beside him and gave a skeptical look to the falling sand behind them, “Are you upset about something?”

Seiji poured the cold water over his head and sighed, “Better to let off steam on a bag then a person, “

They both remembered the time that Seiji had lost it. It was only a year ago but it seemed so much further away- Seiji had grown so much since then. Neither dared to say it but they both thought of the same thing- the girl. The officer that Seiji sparred with that day….she never fully recovered. Her face remained scarred and broken, yet they both remembered the way she smiled brightly as she introduced herself…yet neither could remember her name.

“I suppose you are right,” Shou took a swig from his own bottle.