From: "Tochi-san" Hello minna-san! First of all I'd like to say thank you to all the people who've commented on "Meet Cute". I'm sorry if I didn't reply to any of the mails but I've been pretty busy. I really appreciate your wonderful comments! But yes, I *will* be finishing it. I have the whole week off, enough time to do the personal/academic projects I've been meaning to make up, so expect to see it soon. I'd do more personal projects except... "GATOTSU!!" [flies at Chemistry text book] Chem book: nice try, still here. [mutter] Well, since I'm up anyway I have the finished (kinda) part 2 of BBW, so here ya go! ~*~ A Bird With Broken Wings Part 2: The Bird Disclaimer: *all standard disclaimers apply* Warning: *MAJOR* spoilers for the end of the RK manga. For anyone who does not want to know of certain happenings in the ending, I suggest you be reconsider reading this...just buy the manga, find out, then come back and read it. ^_^ _______________________________________________ Part 1: the bird "Aki!" The shrill cry was pained and full of panic. Aki thought he heard a sob in her voice. "Megumi!" He rushed outside, sandals flapping, and skidded to a halt in front of the slender sakura tree in the yard. A tiny girl was crouched underneath, hunched over a small creature as it fluttered around hysterically in the sandy dirt. The girl looked up at Aki with wide eyes, her focus steady despite the worry in her voice. "It fell!" Aki walked over and examined the tiny animal. "The bird fell out of the tree," she continued worriedly. "You've got to help it Aki, you have to." "It'll be okay, it's not dead yet," he answered quietly to Megumi's anxiety. "It's only broken its wings." Only one thought came to the girl's mind. "Will it ever fly again?" Aki looked over at Megumi. Her hand gripped the folds of his gi, eyes waiting. Pleading. "It can." His reply was soft and sure. "But you have to give it time, loving care and special attention so it can heal." "Sou desu ka?" Her face brightened and glowed in relief. "So you'll help make it fly again?" "Well," Aki said gently coaxing the bird into his widespread palms, "I can only help. I could probably make some sort of splinter for it and give it a nice place where it will be safe from the cats." He stood up and turned back toward the house, Megumi right at his heals. "But in the end, it all depends on the bird itself. Whether or not it wants to fly again is up to it to decide." Megumi bobbed her head lightly, not quite sure of the meaning of his words. She looked at the creature cupped in her brother's hands. Through the cracks, she could see its small beady eyes, lit by a slim shaft of light. And it watched her, glassy beads trembling as it slunk back into the shadows... ~*~ For as long as she could remember, Megumi had always had long hair. Soft, smooth, feminine; a lovely ebony color that looked as if it had been bathed in a painter's ink. And it was long. The way it swirled and curved about her hips had always delighted her-as well as some of her male patients. It provided a warm blanket-like comfort during the cold winter nights, and through the years, had also developed into a useful shield against any burning emotions that threatened to play itself out before a crowd. So now it was gone. Megumi stared pensively through the mirror at her reflection in the glass. Her hair fell midway past her chin, curling up slightly at the edges. Bangs that had once hung loosely over her eyelids were now smoothly parted at the right eyebrow, allowing a more natural look, one side seemingly puffier than the other. She looked so...different... And that was good. Megumi couldn't resist smiling as she shook her head to the side, enjoying the way her hair whirled around and bobbed against her chin. Aside from the fact that she looked so totally different from before, the new look provided a nice refreshing feeling. She didn't look bad either. Younger, and definitely livelier. Perfect. "Ne, ne Megumi-san does it look okay?" Chikako's voice echoed from the hallway. "Don't tell me that my skill is horrible now." "You have nothing to worry about, Chikako-san," Megumi called out brushing a few strands behind her ears. "It's just the way I wanted it." Megumi began to slowly brush her hair in place. And as she studied herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but notice-her smile. Megumi never smiled...not in a real way, that is. Most of the time it was fake and plastered, a simple twist of the mouth just adequate enough to keep everyone happy. It had always made her wonder what it was like for other people. What was it like to be innocent...pure...happy... Loved... She had it once, she was sure of it. Of course, she couldn't remember any of that. A part of her wanted so much to feel that beautiful innocence again, but another part told her she was better off knowing the ways of the world. This way at least she knew what to expect... But that was going to change. This is so unlike me, she thought, and yet I want to give it a try. I want to feel happy again. I want to be a different person... She leaned back to take one last look at herself before turning to the folded yukata atop the wooden dresser. "I'm going to wash my hair now, all right? Try to rinse out any loose hairs." She bent down to pick up the silky robe when her gaze suddenly fell upon a folded parchment next to the clothes. A lump caught in her throat, and she could feel the insistent pounding in her ears once again. The letter. It was still there. She stared at it, unable to tear her eyes from the folder paper as it lay there simply. It seemed...mocking. Taunting her. Megumi narrowed her eyes sourly and gripped her the robe to her like a child would a blanket. How dare the thought! After the hair cut, after the conviction, the decisiveness. After she had bravely stripped herself of everything...it still hurt. It still hurt... No one hurt her. Biting her lip, she brushed it away bitterly-further away from the edge. This wasn't worth getting into again. And it wasn't doing her any good just standing there moping, so she spun around and walked quickly into the hall toward her waiting bath. The coldness beneath her bare feet sent unwanted feelings of dryness and agitation as she padded across the wooden floorboards. She longed to crush the paper in her hands and have it released in crumbles to the floor...but she couldn't. Not when he was still... ...when he was still... ...what? The notion lingered uneasily on her mind as she stepped into the aromatic scented bathroom and softly slid the door behind her to a close. ~*~ "Three weeks in Aizu." "Well..." "Three whole damn weeks in Aizu..." Joseph Hudson removed his hat and plopped it upon the table. He leaned back in his chair, fluttering the top of his golden bangs as he sighed deeply out of the corner of his mouth. "What a joy." "Now really, Joseph," said the skinny man sitting across from him. "How long can this be? Three weeks is all we ask, then we'll transfer you back, if that's what you want-" "Look, Mr. Derrer," said Joseph, "I have a job to do. I've got a mission to accomplish, and a schedule to follow. It's not about what I want...it's my job, and I do it because I'm trying to help these people-" "Then help these people you will by staying put!" The old man said sternly laying emphasis on the last word. "We are doing what we feel is right. And right means that you stay in Aizu until we can clear the whole situation." Joseph bowed his head silently. Derrer shook his head and exhaled heavily through his nose. "I'm sorry Mr. Hudson but that's the way the system works. You're lucky you're with me. You should be thankful." A brief flash of tawny gold was indication enough the young man wasn't planning on listening to any further comments. Joseph Hudson marched presently out the office, a controlled calm hovering over his otherwise glum features as he exited the room without a word. Once outside, he stopped walking, and stood there...listening to the feathery shuffle of papers behind the office door. A light sigh escaped his lips as he slowly backed up against the wall, tilting his head back to rest against the solid structure. He couldn't decide whether he should be frustrated toward Derrer-or at himself. For what happened. But Derrer couldn't be right! He wouldn't...he couldn't understand what an enormous predicament the project had put him through. Just when he was still feeling guilty the old man just had to come along and rub it in. And then...How did it come to this? It all started out so wonderfully... "Mr. Hudson?" Joseph looked up quickly to see the secretary. "You forgot your hat." She waved the leather hat in her grip. "Oh." He put on the mandatory smile as he retrieved his possession. "Thank you." "Oh and before you leave," the woman added as he was turning. "Mr. Derrer has sent for an escort to assist you in your temporary residence in Aizu. He says you'll need it." "No you must be mistaken," said Joseph repressing the sudden flame at the old man's subsequent slap in the face. "I don't need an escort. I've already made transitory residence here. I've even my own booked apartment..." He could've sworn the old man was actually enjoying his power over him. Now that he was vulnerable... "I'm sorry," the secretary replied indifferently. "Mr. Derrer asks that you follow protocol and accept the assistance while you're held on standby. He says it's necessary that he has control over your actions over the course of the following weeks while your position is pending." Joseph closed him eyes and hung his head in exasperation. There was no arguing with this man. Did he even have a choice? "She should be here soon, if there's anything I can do for you now-" He had already exited the hall, dark cloak flowing sinuously behind him. No, he wasn't going to wait. If anyone wanted to talk to him they would have to come to him themselves. He wasn't going to hang around for an unneeded attendant in some silly office which wasn't showing him any respect. The front door swung open to the lively hustle and bustle of the crowds as Joseph strolled casually out onto the lustrous streets of Aizu. He trudged apathetically past noisy shops and vendors, those hoping for a scrap of the foreigner's earnings. He paused momentarily amidst the steady rush of the crowd, surveying the boisterous city streets from his tall standpoint. A single cultured white man among a horde of common peasants and laborers. To this world he had wanted to, but discovered all too late, that he didn't belong. He had come to Japan optimistic, hungry for the wonderfully exotic treasures of the continent nearly opposite his own. And what an opportunity! To exist in such a beautiful place. He thought that maybe this world, in all its glory and riches, could serve a better place for a simple man like him. Somewhere calm and sedate where he could finally lay his practice. But it was dumb hope. No matter where he was, existence was the same everywhere. That was what reality taught him... A stirring ahead snapped him back to alertness just as a young woman pushed her way through the crowd into his view. She was running, hastily pulling back a sweep of glossy hair into an impromptu ponytail, a telegram clenched in her teeth. She glanced up quickly and noticed Joseph, an expression of bewilderment on her face as she stumbled forward, unable to stop in her tracks before ramming headlong into the stunned Englishman. Joseph stumbled back at least three feet, awkwardly catching the woman in his arms as she tumbled forward with a little cry of dismay. Completely caught off guard, he paused briefly to allow the woman to reinstate herself before straightening up again. Breath ragged, the woman looked up instantly at the man who broke her fall, lucid brown eyes wide open in shock. "I..." she began unsuccessfully, her voice more of a cough. "Are you okay?" Joseph found himself looking closely at the young woman as she edged away, promptly recomposing her ruffled appearance. She seemed a bit familiar. "Hai," she croaked hoarsely. "Ano..." She stared back at him. "You're the man from..." "You're that girl from yesterday..." The sudden realization hit Joseph like a lightswitch. A wide grin spread across his face. "What a coincidence..." "Yeah," Megumi answered, an almost irked expression hovering over her still baffled features. She quickly remembered her mission and fumbled with the small telegram in her hand. "Oh um, by the way, I'm looking for..." Her voice sounded unsure, obliviously unused to the foreign sound: "Joseph...Hudson?" The white man's eyes widened. "Then you must be..." "I'm his escort." The two stared wide-eyed at each other for a long time. Finally Megumi said: "Oh..." ~*~ The evening cast long shadows over the bustling streets of Aizu. Stars began forming in the sky, and the wind had died down to a complete stillness in the air. One by one, lanterns were lit, and the gentle radiance blanketed the city with a warm calm. The normally vigorously hostile picture had now been replaced with the warm intimate milieu of pastels. Megumi's footsteps fell smoothly in pace alongside Joseph's as they strolled past the bubbling market into the more quiet residential streets. The dimmed atmosphere did little to discourage the hearty conversation passed between the two as they walked. "I hadn't known you were a doctor too. I didn't know they had female doctors in Japan." Megumi grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment." "You're welcome, onna-sensei." "So how is it you can speak Japanese?" Joseph smiled. "I've been living in Japan for over four years now," he answered. "You can pick up a language pretty fast if your everyday living depends on it. And I've also studied some of the language back in England, so I have a reasonable knowledge of where to start." "Impressive," said Megumi. "You must very well educated." "Oxford," Joseph replied proudly. "My family is pretty much well off academically. I studied medicine for a couple years, was prepared to become a doctor. And then this grant came along," he said with deep fondness. "Medicinal research in Japan. We were a bunch of students just waiting for the opportunity...so we came." Megumi nodded. "You must be very busy." "I am. I work day and night, I hardly get enough sleep." He sighed, blowing the golden bangs out of his eyes. "It's all about work...but I don't mind. Keeps me working." "Then how come you're..." "There were problems." Joseph said bluntly, suspending any further questions. Megumi noticed his detached expression and obvious silence. "I see..." The two walked in silence for several moments. Megumi felt awkward. Unsteady. She rarely walked with strangers...especially on the streets at night...and a man. And to top it off, a foreigner! She didn't know where to even begin in communicating with a white man. But his gentle calm told her she had nothing to fear. Deep, civilized, and unthreatening, his blue eyes told her. So she gladly let herself at ease in his presence. The feeling was tense, and yet...exciting. Very nervous. And very exciting... "So...you're different. Last night I saw you had long hair." His voice shook her out of her reverie. Megumi kept her eyes to the ground. "So I cut it." A bitter smile emerged from the under the bangs. Her next words were spoken barely above a whisper. "I hated it..." "How so? I thought it was lovely." They stopped in front of the apartment door. Megumi looked up and met his steady gaze. There was a brief pause. "Well, you're not the only one who's had problems..." Joseph only nodded sullenly. "Yeah." "Well, this is my place," Megumi said nodding toward the house. "My brother's actually, but I live here. So I'll see you tomorrow?" "Yeah, I'll be at the clinic." He called to her as he left. "Say, maybe we could even go out for something to eat later on in the day." "Sure," said Megumi. "I'll be waiting..." Madam Long Nails was helping herself to another plate of rice balls when Megumi walking in. The elder woman noticed the obvious glow about the young doctor's appearance and cocked a curious eyebrow. "Well you certainly look happier today," she said, giving her rice ball a little nip. Megumi smiled wryly and put aside her pouch. "It just so happens the doctor I'm assisting is that young Englishman at the restaurant last night." She expected some sort of wild reaction from Madam Long Nails. But the woman merely smiled. "Oh really?" "He's a doctor too," explained Megumi as she walked swiftly into her room. "Studying medicine in Japan." She quickly relieved herself of the coarse medical smock, giving a little sigh as it slipped smoothly off her skin to the ground. "So you'll be keeping charge of him now?" Madam Long Nails called from behind the door. "Sort of." Megumi donned the soft peach-colored yukata then turned to the mirror. "Apparently his doctoring skills are a being put off for some reason and his boss wants to make sure he's in good hands. So I get to be his baby-sitter." She grinned. "We spent the whole afternoon at the clinic today...He makes a good assistant." "Well I'm glad," Megumi placed a hand on her hip. "And what is that supposed to mean?" "Nothing," replied the broad woman. "Just glad your renewal is going off to a good start." Megumi stared privately at her reflection, eyes passing over shoulder-length silky locks, a soft smile spreading slowly across her glowing face. Her gazed traveled to the lightly wrinkled piece of paper in the corner of the dresser. "And you know..." Her hands closed around the unfolded letter. She held it gently in her hands, running her fingers smoothly along its rough edges. "I think so too..." She folded the letter neatly and watched as it glided slowly into the bin below. She lowered her eyes, and let out the long-awaited sigh of release. Her mouth gently whisper the word: "Goodbye." End of Part 2 ~*~ Uh, yep that's all for now. OKay, back to the other projects... ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa! ZERO! Rates as low as 0.0% Intro or 9.9% Fixed APR, online balance transfers, Rewards Points, no hidden fees, and much more! Get NextCard today and get the credit you deserve! Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at: http://click.egroups.com/1/914/4/_/_/_/951114376/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------