What Lies Within Our Past [On Hold]

Chapter 7

 Lexa

Lexa, Takeo, anyone!  Please help me!  I heard Zara’s voice cry out.

Once again, I awoke with a dreadful feeling.  Something horrible has happened… I thought silently.  I looked over to my right to see Takeo sitting at the desk. 

“Takeo.”

He turned to look at me. “What is it?”

“I just had a dream about Zara… only… I don’t think that it was just a dream…” I shivered at the memory of Zara’s terrified voice.  I could not remember the last time that I had heard her sound so vulnerable.

“Are you sure that you aren’t just–”

“Takeo.” I cut him off. “I’m not being paranoid.  Something happened.”

“Lexa…”

I pretended not to hear him. “Takeo, from this point on I will not sleep until we find my brother.  If at all, I will rest once when we find him, and then I will not rest again until we have dealt with Shinji.  I’m heading out to look for him alone if you don’t wish to come with me.”

I turned around and walked toward the door. “Baka,” Takeo said as I reached the door.  I turned to see that he was right behind me. “I’m not letting you go alone– and do you not remember that I promised Zara that I would protect you and stay by your side?”

“Is this just about your orders, Takeo?” I asked quietly.

“Lexa…?  You honestly have to ask that?  If you promise not to tell anyone– especially not Zara– I’ll tell you the complete truth.”

I thought about what he said for a moment. I doubted that keeping the ‘complete truth’ a secret from Zara would be an issue. “Okay; I promise that I won’t repeat anything that you say to me to anyone else.”

“I am not bound by the request that Zara left with me.”

“What–?!” That doesn’t make sense, I thought in my mind.

“In order for me to be bound by a command, it must be spoken out loud.  When Zara told me to protect you and search for your Oniisan, we were writing back and forth on a piece of paper.  Thus, I was not bound to her words.” He paused for a moment. “Now, think about it.  After hearing what I had to say, realize that I am staying by your side on my own free will, and I am helping to find your brother on my own free will.”

“Gomenasai, Takeo… gomenasai.”  (A/N: gomenasai (also written gomen nasai) = sorry)

“For what–?”

“I doubted you.  And yet we have known each other for so long… gomenasai.”

“Iie.  It is fine, Lexa.  Please don’t make such a sad expression.” He said as I frowned.  He lowered his voice, and added: “You are so much more beautiful when you smile.”

“What…?” I had not heard him, but when I blinked he was already out the door. “Hey!  Wait up!  Takeo!  CHOTTO MATTE!”  (A/N: chotto matte = wait a minute, but it this sense it means: wait a damn minute!)

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Zara

I sat in the dark room on the floor.  I still had not moved since Shinji left.  I could not believe that I had momentarily forgotten what would happen if Shinji exchanged blood with me.  Seeing that Shinji had just taken my blood, if I did something to anger him, all he needed to do was force me to drink his blood…  I shivered.  If he does that, then he will be able to completely control me.  I shivered once again. But in a sense, he is already controlling me by using the threat of forcing me to drink his blood.  This is one of those situations where no matter what decision I make; Shinji will get what he wants.