Description: Another reunion, as Stasya Voronkova, fresh off of her encounter with the Devil of Koga, finds her way back to two of the other Guardian Kings. Even in war, there are peaceful interludes, and with the Guardian Kings almost at full force once again, their hopes of taking back their school seem just a little bit brighter...
Stasya's path through Southtown, at first aimless and wandering, slowly began to develop a purpose. She turned, eventually, towards the Ashima house: a perceived bastion of normality in a confused and upturned city. Surely Kenji would be there... that is, Stasya thinks with a twinge of guilt, if he wasn't out fighting the way she should have been fighting. That is, if what Marise was saying happened to him isn't true--
The Russian looks a mess. Marise's vicious attacks have left her cut up, bleeding, and pierced. And those are only the physical marks that the Devil has left; the emotional wounds left are not visible save in the way the girl keeps shivering. It hasn't occurred to her yet what she might do if she finds Kenji's family, but no Kenji. Under normal circumstances, she would already have felt embarrassed for imposing. But under circumstances where she isn't even sure if Kenji is okay...
Stasya scrubs fiercely at her eyes with the back of her cut hand-- not to rub away tears necessarily, but to try to wipe the horrible thoughts from her mind. It doesn't help that her empathy doesn't pick up anything but fear these days. It's everywhere in the city, all-encompassing and pervading, and it's not helping her mood.
The blonde turns the last corner and starts heading down the street towards Kenji's house. Her pace is slow. Anyone out on the step-- hell, anyone looking out the window-- would clearly see her coming long before she ever actually got to the door. Cut up as she is, she's still distinctly recognizable; Southtown is, in the end, a Japanese city, and Stasya looks about as un-Asian as a girl can look.
Even in the besieged city of Southtown, there are a few isles of normalcy and safety. Tiny, to be sure, and tenuous besides... But they do exist, and they have to be carefully protected by those with the means to do so. In the case of the Ashima household, this of course means Missile Fist himself.
And at the moment, it also means Tenma Kiryuu.
Sitting in Kenji's room as is his wont when just chilling out at the Ashimas' place, Tenma has been leaning halfway out the window which has become his preferred means of entrance and egress of his friend's home. Why, you might ask? Well, partially it's an issue of convenience, since it allows him to get in and out of the house mostly unnoticed when he needs to, and because he's still not entirely used to the whole 'being around a normal family' thing. Plus Kenji's sister gets strange when he's around.
Tenma, naturally, can't fathom why.
So it happens that Tenma does indeed notice Stasya coming, straightening up with a jolt before practically skittering out the window and down to the side of the house, intent on interrupting Stasya once she's in the small front yard. And when he's close enough, Stasya might be able to sense something beside that all-pervading fear; a half-sick, jittering sense of relief, and that one sensation, almost overwhelming, that always accompanies the leader of the Guardian Kings: His absolute, overwhelming confidence.
"Oi," Tenma calls, his voice as strident as ever. "Voronkova!"
It's occasional, but the head of Sakuya Ashima pokes into the doorway of Kenji's room, or her footsteps scuttle beyond the doorway a little faster than how she walks about the rest of the house. It's unusual for Kenji to see, but she's usually dressed a bit nicer and gone out of the way to look her best every time the Kiryuu heir is present in the house. Occasionally, she'll even ask her older brother where he is, if he's stepped out.
Kenji himself has been drifting around the house since they've more or less began to shore up the walls and turn it into their Fortress of Normalcy, one of the families that live in the Village to have decided to weather the storm of violence in Southtown's city limits. As it is, the rarity of Kenji not doing homework or playing games has started to make him a little bit bored-- and lord knows he'll have a backlog of manga to pick up from the shops once everything clears up.
At least Tenma's good conversation.
Fairing much better since the time the two members of the Guardian Kings made their precision strike against the massive battle tank that had occupied their school's grounds, the sheer amount of gauze that's been covering his body has reduced vastly, much to his (and of course, his parents') joy-- tanks aside. Coming up the stairs to the second floor, Kenji turns the corner with a new bag of-- sorry Tenma-- healthy snack food and steps into his room, finding the window open and the presence of his great leader ... nonexsistant.
He looks left, right, and sticks his head out into the hall. The bathroom door is open, so where the hell did he go this time...?
Glancing back up to look at the house-- a bit hopefully-- Stasya catches sight of Tenma, and relief nearly drops her right on the spot. She stops briefly in her tracks, just watching him as he goes straight out the window and down the side of the house, and suddenly realizes she's never been quite so glad to see anybody in her life. So Marise -was- lying. He's not dead.
Her pace picks up, such that she meets him right in the yard. And once she's in range to feel Tenma's own relief-- to be reassured by that familiar sense of confidence that always radiates from him-- the girl loses what's left of her composure. It's inutterably nice, for an empath, to be able to feel something -positive- from another person after weeks of anxiety and fear... and so, a little overwrought, Stasya just throws herself at Tenma and slings her arms around his neck in an exhausted hug.
She's still bloody, so it's a little disgusting, but it's the thought that counts.
"She said you were hurt, or dead," Stasya tells Tenma: a little incomprehensibly, since her face has buried straight against his shoulder. "Of course... I was foolish to believe such a thing. What war could kill Tenma Kiryuu, eh?"
Seriously, all that healthy food is going to be the death of Tenma. Teenagers aren't supposed to eat that crap!
"Gah!" exclaims the Guardian King leader as he finds himself suddenly hugged by the Russian psychic, the impact staggering him less because of her mass and more because it's just plain alarming. As his expression settles down from 'surprised' it moves directly into 'distinctly put upon', but try convincing an empath of that, so instead he just hugs the blonde back. The blood, of course, doesn't bother him. Come on, think about who this is.
"'course not. Don't think they didn't try, though," Tenma says. He's been injured, of course; in some cases, severely. And when Stasya is more composed, no doubt her keenly honed girl senses will notice that Tenma's hair is a bit shorter than he usually wears it, thanks to one Kula Diamond and her gigantic ice storm. "Why, who you been listenin' to, the Grudge? I mean, that crazy bitch's whole /existence/ is a lie, why's she gonna tell you anything true?"
They're so healthy and delicious! Sure, most of it's peanuts and sunflower seeds, but it's good stuff!! Bought at the convienence store down the street! Though lately, places like that have had runs on their inventory by people desparate to stock up on food and water while the violence is happening in the heart of Southtown.
Thrusting his head out the window, Kenji's tell-tale hairstyle is apparent as his face lights up with a bit of happiness, surprise, and a shred more hope-- it means they're all almost back together again, with Hakuya being the last memeber of the Guardian Kings to have filed through his door.
Pulling his head back inside and with a rapid series of *thud-thud-thud-thududududududud* down the stairs beyond his bewildered parents and the sister glued to the front window WHY IS SHE ON HER TENMA-KUN, the Missile Fist unlocks the door and whips it open to charge outside. "Stasya!!"
Hurrying over, he doesn't seem to be up to ruining the moment between friends and teammates, instead proudly, happily leaving his bandaged hands on his hips. "Oh man, you're okay!! This is great!" he exclaims, the enthusiasm never-ending.
Eventually, Stasya remembers her decorum... as well as who exactly it is she's latched to. A bit quickly, she lets go of Tenma, stepping back and letting him breathe again. With something approaching her usual gentle concern, she looks him up and down, taking in his health as he replies that the world certainly did try pretty hard to do him in. Her lips purse slightly, but on the whole he seems to be okay (other than the fact his hair seems to have been a casualty of war). It must be all the health food.
When Tenma guesses right, first try, Stasya's expression darkens visibly. Self-consciously, the girl grasps at her left upper arm, rubbing absently at her skin as if to brush away some lingering taint. "Yes... I know she's not to be listened to. She caught me on the way over here. I fought her off..." Her expression is just getting more and more troubled, something about the encounter with the Devil obviously bothering the girl deeply...
But then, a distraction comes in the form of Kenji's radiant presence rushing near. It's difficult for those darker thoughts to linger when he's around; his enthusiastic emotional presence seems to burn them away. Her expression relaxing, Stasya hugs Kenji tightly in turn, relief clear in every line of her.
I knew you would be here, Stasya nods to herself as she detaches again, looking between Tenma and Kenji. She pauses, then, and her expression seems to freeze. "Where is Hakuya?"
"Tch, yeah, I think she's been trying to hunt us down for revenge," Tenma says. Can't imagine why, considering what they did to her! Especially Tenma and Hakuya, but it's not like a crazy like Marise is going to not parcel out unreasonable amounts of blame on anyone and everyone she can find. "She jumped me a few days back, but..." Well, he's still here, so obviously she didn't get her way. Besides, Tenma can't really finish his sentence, because there's a Kenji, running out and shouting with his usual exuberant enthusiasm.
Don't think Tenma didn't notice Stasya's strange behaviour, though.
"Hakuya? Haven't been able to find him yet," Tenma says, though he's not entirely sure whether to be concerned or not. "Hn... Knowing him, he's either neck deep in trouble and planning to take care of it by himself, or the lucky bastard stumbled on a bus full of bikini models an' been protecting them ever since." But man, if it turns out that Hakuya is perfectly okay and nothing bad has happened to him, Tenma is SO going to punch him in the mouth.
Ahh, best friends.
The terrifying, heavy presence at the window disappears when Stasya releases Tenma, and Kenji returns the hug with one of equal value, bending his back a little to pick the Russian girl up from the ground, bloody clothes or not. It's good to see her alive and well, and that's all that matters!
Releasing the waifish blonde, she asks the question that has lingered at the back of Kenji's mind, ever since they fought Marise in the basement of Gedo High during the student-led evacuation of the school. Of course, Tenma brings up the obvious, that he's probably powering through his problems or chilling out with far too many girls. He does let out a little bit of a chuckle, but the worry is still written in his eyes...
His eyes float around to note the girl's appearance, the spatters of blood and her injuries. Yes, Stasya is here, relatively in one piece, and ... probably in need of getting her injuries checked out. Not minding the blood on his shirt-- though his mother might-- he forces himself to smile. "I'm sure we'll see him knocking on the door in another couple of days with a bottle of strawberry milk and apologizin' for bein' late and stuff." He regards Tenma with a glance, "I'm pretty sure word went out about us and the tank, so he'll probably try to look for us."
Stasya's eyes shutter worriedly when she's told that nobody actually DOES know where Hakuya is. Though she certainly tries, she just can't quite manage a smile or laugh to Tenma's joke. Bright as Kenji's presence is, reassuring as Tenma's confidence is, it still can't entirely erase the fact that-- walking over here-- she saw what state the city was in. And she doesn't like to think that Hakuya might be out there in it by himself.
Her eyes darken further when Tenma mentions that he was also accosted by Marise. She isn't surprised-- Tenma was ultimately the one responsible for the 'killing' blow last time-- and she's glad Tenma seems to have come out of his encounter with her all right. "I didn't expect what it would be like, to actually fight her," Stasya admits quietly. "That is-- not to be tied down, to be able to do something against her. I do not think I like how it felt-- how angry I got."
She's quite a while then, still rubbing absently at her arm where the Devil's claws scored her. Mention of the tank, however, gets her to look up. "...the tank?" Stasya's brow lifts in mild alarm.
In fact, Tenma came out of his confrontation with Marise pretty okay... He was wrenched up pretty bad, but overall? He's had worse. The part where she tried to suck his soul out by kissing him was kind of traumatic, though. Gross and traumatic.
"Yeah, well, considering what she did to you..." Tenma shrugs a little as he trails off. "A monster like that is good at getting people riled up, and at bringing out the worst in you. When you add to that the fact that she, y'know, kidnapped you and turned you into her own amateur science experiment, s'no wonder." There's definite concern, now, from the Gedo swordsman, who frowns a little bit at Stasya. Seems it's his turn to be worried about her.
He's no good at making soup, though.
"Yeah, there was a tank blocking off part of Gedo," Tenma admits. "Me'n Ashima sent it runnin'. Or... Treadin'. Whatever tanks do when they run away like little girls." He's not really up on his tank terminology, it's not a particular area of expertise, for him.
"... Oh. Sounds like Zombieboobs again...?" Kenji sighs, shaking his head. "I ran into her, too. It was back when the school was invaded, though. Hakuya and I had to fight her and some guy with a big steel claw-- that's why I was out of commission for so long," he says, nodding at Tenma. He's heard the story already, but there's still the explanation for Stasya's benefit. "She's part of all of this. She was there when the school was attacked, workin' with those guys. Guess they paid the funeral home to exchange her embalming fluid."
And the tank? Well, yeah. Kenji beams again, waving with his bandaged hand. "I hit it with a desk." Changing gears almost immediately, the Missile Fist regards Stasya with a quick glance. "Are you all right? We can get'cha inside and cleaned up-- Mom's home right now, so she can check your wounds. We might have some spare clothes you could throw on, get outta the bloody stuff."
Stasya nods slowly, still looking unnerved, particularly when Tenma mentions that part about Marise bringing out the worst in people. "She really did," Stasya murmurs. "Around her, I took on that hate she was feeling. Like a sponge. I just wish... I hope that none of it is left in me." Privately, she hopes she retained none of that willingness to kill... but she leaves it unsaid, perhaps out of tact for the fact that Tenma has already struggled with this issue in a slightly different form.
The monster's own malevolence had grafted onto Stasya via the girl's empathy... and in the last stages of the fight, Stasya had found herself genuinely and wholeheartedly wanting to kill the Devil. Not cleanly, the way Tenma did with sealing energy. Not quickly. She had been so consumed with her own anger, and Marise's hate, that for the first time she had been -glad- her psi manifested in such potentially lethal ways. She had wanted to use those sharp blades and spires to rip the woman apart.
Having mastered her power on a physical level-- the girl now able to dull and blunt her everpresent energy to keep it safe-- it seems she now must face the ordeal of learning to master the mental part of her 'gift.' She needs to learn to keep everyone else's emotions separate from her own. She doesn't want to someday lose sight of who SHE is... or to lose control when someone like Marise is around.
Eventually, with a visible effort, Stasya shakes off her thoughts and tries to push away her own concerns. When she was alone, she had wanted nothing more than to pour this out... but now that she's with Tenma and Kenji, she doesn't want to dampen what should be a happy reunion with her own issues. She'll deal. She forces a smile, sensing Tenma's concern towards her, and says, "Yes... thank you. let's go inside. I should get clean... and you both can tell me everything that has happened."
While Tenma Kiryuu might not be renowned for his people skills, the King of Blood is still hardly fooled by that forced smile. He might not be an empath or anything like that, but... Well, he knows what he'd be feeling, if he was in Stasya's place, right about now. And no, that's not a joke about boobs. Not... Not in this case, anyway.
"Yeah, it's probably safer inside, anyway," Tenma agrees, with a nod. He didn't bring his bokken with him when he hopped out of the window, so it's still sitting up in Kenji's room, propped up against the wall. So he wouldn't be nearly as useful as he might like, if some sort of trouble was attracted by all the noise. Letting Kenji help Stasya in if she needs it, because he knows the Student Council Secretary goes in for that chivalry thing, Tenma goes to get the door.
Hopefully there are some good, non-healthy snacks availble so they can properly celebrate this reunion.
Hopefully, Stasya won't let those thoughts build up, stew, and boil over for too long. Hopefully, she does deal-- because as Tenma could certainly attest, Kenji is always the one to say they should share their feelings, talk things out. They discussed the Marise situation at length once, shortly after the Casino incident... though both of them, as well as the rooftop of Gedo High, needed a little patching up afterward.
Kenji nods at Tenma, turning her attention to Stasya and staying close should she need to get a bit of support-- because well, yes, he is just the knight in shining armor, as well as a good man should be! He'll wait until she's well inside to enter himself, and keep the girl steady and supported.
So, for now, the Ashima household has gained another young ward in it's sturdy walls, and another ward that knows full well how to defend themselves. The Guardian Kings are almost together again, so how long now will it be until they find Hakuya?
As they re-enter the house, Kenji sends one last glance out to the relatively still streets of the Village, his eyes taking on an uncharacteristic amount of worry. "Yeah," he reassures himself. "He'll be back soon."
Once he's in and closed the door, Kenji swings up an arm. "Hey Tenma, I found another can of peanuts, if you wanted some!"
Log created on 18:10:44 05/04/2009 by Tenma, and last modified on 01:58:24 05/05/2009.