Play Crack The Sky(Chi) {Finished}

[Aureus]

It was late, around midnight when they left Emily's house after walking her home. She was a nice girl, and Aureus had enjoyed meeting her. Maybe there was hope for people at 259 yet. Overall it looked like his life was taking a turn for the better. He was doing well in school and excited about wrapping it up and starting college next year. He was emotionally stable and drug free. Even Chi found her way back to him.

And now it was just the two of them. He was silent as they continued down the street, unsure of where they were going. He did know, however, what they needed to talk about. Lifting up the back of his fedora just a tad, the teen scratched the back of his head. "So...what happened to you after that night...at the beach? I didn't see you around after that." Aureus asked finally. Pff, I don't think you would've noticed her even if she had run right into you. You were in pretty bad shape. Yeah, I dunno why I said that. Ah well... Aureus thought as he trudged along waiting for Chi's reply.

[chihiro]

Her tummy full of unhealthily delicious pizza and soda, Chi was in a pretty decent mood. She waved goodbye to Emily and headed down the street with Aureus, her hands resting in the pockets of her poufy black vest to hide the ever growing bulge in her stomach. It was nearly unavoidable now to not notice, but she did the best she could. Dark brown eyes looked over at him when he spoke and she thought for a minute before responding.

"Well, I went and tested out for my GED early and went out to the east coast with Valekin. I don't know if you knew this but I worked for him. Kind of didn't have a choice."

She remembered the scar on the back of her neck, the marking that indicated that she belonged to him as a debt for stumbling in on his presence one too many times. The first time Aureus had saved her, the second Valekin nearly drowned her for her ignorance, but in mercy simply took her into his service instead. In hindsight she really didn't mind working for him though, she learned so much and allowed her to accomplish her goal of becoming stronger to overcome the cloud that had settled on her life. She could honestly say now she was close to peace, not exactly but better than she had been before she left.

[Aureus]

The Senior's brown eyes studied Chi's figure as she spoke. Had she put on weight? And what was this business with Valekin? Aureus had never trusted the guy. He was decent when he wasn't busy cutting up and eating people, but even then Aureus had gotten a wonky vibe from him. Didn't have a choice...what exactly had gone on while he spent months overcoming his issues? A sour look crept onto his face. She seemed to be alright though, definitely more...relaxed than the last time he had seen her on good terms.

"No, I didn't know. Feel like elaborating?" the teen asked diplomatically. He was kind of worried, but didn't want that to come out in his voice. Not to mention he didn't want to pressure her. The details of her life after he abandoned her were none of his business. She would tell him if she wanted to.

[chihiro]

"Oh well...where to begin.."

Chi sighed, but not in a forlorn kind of way but more of a...tired sort of way. Where could she begin this tale? It would probably be best to start from the top, she supposed. Shifting her hands in her pockets she thought back to the cold night at the beach...

"I was going for a walk on the beach and he was there. Wasn't too happy about my intervening and wanted to bury me under the waves. He changed his mind at the last minute and decided to make me work for him instead, and carved a cryptic initial into my neck."

She moved her raven hair aside to show him the lily white scar that marred her skin. She hardly even noticed it anymore, and it was easily hid with her hair unless she bothered to show anyone like she was showing him right now.

"I mostly did work concerning the Delta Brimstone, including securing a file of information, including a list with the local addicts, that mentioned you."

[Aureus]

Yeah, that fit right into the little Aureus knew of the guy. Granted, he had saved him and Max that one night, and so the dull eyed boy wasn't sure how to categorize Valekin. Oh well, it didn't matter now.

Absentmindedly Aureus traced his finger along the scar on Chi's neck and quickly pulled away when he realized what he was doing. "Sorry...and yeah, as far as Brimstone goes, I'm done. Alcohol too. It took a while, but I went through rehab and got things sorted out. Anyways, uhh, go on." he said, stopping at the edge of a large, empty field that was going to be torn down soon to make room for a new mall. Staring up into the sky, Aureus wished the city lights weren't so bright.

[chihiro]

Chi shivered as he touched her scar, almost feeling the cut of the knife following the same pattern. No one had touched it since it was carved beside herself, it was odd. She frowned thoughtfully as she dropped the hair she'd been holding back, the black curtain falling back into place down her back.

"He taught me how to kill. And I started doing field work, big time stuff. Learned three more languages and began a career as a tattoo artist. Everything was going well, but, er...something happened that made me leave. So I came back here hoping I could find myself I guess, reclaim who I used to be."

Chi looked decidedly more nervous, though she swallowed it down, the look passing to her casual talking, though she was still frowning. Would she tell him? It was insanely obvious at this point and she'd only uttered the words to one other person: the nurse Oki she was seeing for the care.

[Aureus]

Chihiro killing...the idea surprised him. With that and everything else it sounded like she had done a lot of living. Yet she had come back to California to "find herself." What did that mean? Sure, people said it a lot, but as far as Aureus could tell it was more an idea people had ind mind before doing something than an actual reality. Things never do quite play the same as they do on paper, and maybe to some small degree that was the beauty of life.

"Sounds like you've been busy, eh? That something that made you leave, does it have anything to do with...are you...?" the schizo half asked, glancing down at her stomach. Well, that was a whole 'nother issue. All this information was getting to Aureus, and so he sat down on the curb at the end of the lot and dragged his fingers through the gravel.

[chihiro]

Damn...He'd hit the nail right on the head. Chi felt semi-dizzy in her thoughts as he spoke and moved to sit down on the curb as well. She inhaled slowly before exhaling deeply, her eyes trained on the ground.

"I am."

She said slowly, pursing her lips slightly as her mind continued to spin. It was really hard to tell the guy you thought you loved that you were...pregnant. She was pregnant, and it wasn't his child. Talk about awkward. She picked up a piece of gravel and flicked it, fighting inwardly whether she should continue or not.

"His name is Kiyoshi, but there is a good chance I will never see him again."

They hadn't even been dating, their line of work was too dangerous to think of long term commitment. But it had been a release, a sort of vent for both of them, and neither had expected what would come of it.

"It was too dangerous to stay where I was if I was going to have a child, so that's why I came back. Long Beach is a much safer environment, even if I'm alone."

In her family's eyes, she'd disgraced them. She didn't even bother returning to her family home once she'd run away, for all they knew she was dead. She was still on speaking terms with her brother Kenji, but he was still wrapped up in his studies in Japan, and 'on speaking terms' meant she'd written him a letter from Philadelphia telling him that she was okay.

[Aureus]

Wow... Aureus thought, looking over at Chi as she nervously picked at the gravel. It was one of those moments when life slapped you in the face. He was just sort of trudging along with his life, nothing important, and here his ex-girlfriend was pregnant...having a child...a mother to be. It was crazy and unleashed a whole wave of thoughts and emotions into his consciousness. He knew she would have the child though, that wasn't even a question.

How hard would that be on her? Alone...was she alone? The father was out of the picture, and considering what he knew of her family, they definitely wouldn't be happy about it, if they knew that is. Aureus sincerely doubted they took her leaving California lying down. What did that mean? Was it his place to step in? As her friend...or maybe more. Was that even an option anymore? He did still have feelings for Chihiro, but who knew what she thought of the whole thing. Either way, he was certain. "You're not alone..." the Senior said, wrapping an arm around her. There was more he wanted to say, but the words just wouldn't come. He needed a little time to calm down.

[chihiro]

He took this better than she had imagined. In her mind she pictured a raging and storming Aureus, swinging his fists and pacing...but she was thankful for her sanity that he didn't do that. Coming back was hard enough as it is without having to rub salt in old wounds. She could have gone anywhere in the world, assumed any identity she pleased and started over with her and her baby...but she had come back. She had come to reclaim her life as Amuri Chihiro, a name she had dropped when she left for Philly. She can come back to find who she used to be.

When Aureus spoke, she nodded silently, gently leaning her head on his shoulder as he put his arm comfortingly around her. For the first time in a long time she felt at peace, deep down. He had every right to hate her, every right to just walk away and it not be his problem. But he was her friend, and while everyone else had disappeared in her absence, he was still here and she wasn't alone. And she was eternally grateful for that. For people like him.

She just sat there for a minute, benefiting from his comfort before finally breaking the silence.

"Thank you, Aureus."

And she meant it.

[Aureus]

It felt odd being this close to her again, let alone anyone. It was nice, despite all the crazy things he was finding out, a part of him was able to breath a sigh of relief. "Any time, beautiful." He replied simply, his hand reaching a smooth little rock as his dull, brown eyes shifted upwards again.

"When I was younger Ashley and I would sit around outside the city, at the beach and stuff and just throw rocks up as high as we could. She said maybe we could crack the sky and all the stars would fall down to earth. 'S just one of those little things that's always stayed with me." Aureus said peacefully, for some reason he couldn't place. Standing up, he threw the rock up and over the lush field bathed in moonlight. He watched it arc back down towards the ground and sat back down with Chi.

[chihiro]

Chi watched with interest as Aureus threw a rock up as high as he could, attempting to 'crack the sky' if you will. As expected, the rock simply arched and fell to the ground. It was an odd concept, this game of his and Ashley's. Growing up in her household there was rarely any gaming. Actually after Kenji left there was none at all. There was simply training, or her art.

Hesitantly, Chi weighed the stone she had in her hand, standing up and winding her arm back before throwing the stone as high as she could toward the stars. She could almost imagine seeing the stars shake as the stone brushed the sky, threatening to drop all of the stars to the ground along with the stone.

"Did you ever get close to cracking it?"

She asked, still standing and looking upward at the stars.

[Aureus]

"Nope, but every now and then I like to give it a try. Maybe I'll get lucky one of these days." Aureus said with a soft chuckle. A few moments of silence passed and the reality of the situation returned. He could only distract himself for so long.

"So...where does this leave us?" He asked nervously, eyes looking up at her.

[chihiro]

Chi smiled mildly when he said he still gave it a try every once in a while. Optimism is a powerful thing, because even though something could be as impossible as cracking the sky, it doesn't stop him from tossing a stone up there every once in a while to see if maybe he could do it. It was really admirable.

The graduate was broken from her thoughts when he spoke up again, his tone nervous. Her smile faded into a soft frown, and she cast her gaze to the ground for a moment. "So...where does this leave us?"

"I don't know, Aureus. A lot has changed since I left, even here. You're the only friend I've found that's still around. Max, she's...she's been gone. I'm trying to get my head straight while my body's being thrown for a loop. I might not have been dating Kiyoshi, but...but I have his child."

She placed her hands on her stomach, her expression confused and she didn't know whether she wanted to smile or frown.

"I hurt you, twice. And I'm not in the right sorts. I just need someone who will be there for me. A friend, a true friend. Do we still have that, Aureus?"

There was a slight pleading note in her voice as she looked at him. She wasn't sure what was going on in her mind right now. She was a hardened warrior, a trained fighter, and yet her body was slowly turning to mush as this baby took residence in her. It wreaked havoc with her hormones, her emotions, her thoughts, everything. It often felt like she was spinning with nothing to hold on to.

[Aureus]

Meh. The Senior never liked talking about this kind of stuff, especially in this situation considering his history with Chi, but he had to get it out there. It was even worse if stuff like that remained unspoken, at least for him. No one else he knew seemed to mind, or maybe they were just really good at hiding it. What a bitch of a catch-22.

The brown haired girl's reply only made him feel worse, but not because she hadn't answered the way he wanted her to. He didn't know what he wanted in terms of their relationship. This was the awkwardness he had feared when he first went looking for her that day. Fate had suspended it for a few hours, but here it was.

He wanted to get up and walk away, and might have when he was younger, but now he couldn't bring himself to it. She needed support, and he understood that, but there was something lying underneath it all that was killing him. It was more than just lingering feelings for her, and the fact that he couldn't even identify it was just making it worse.

It took some effort, but Aureus held in a sigh and responded. "Yeah, we do." the boy said solemnly, biting his lip. He couldn't let this temporary awkwardness affect him, cause him to say something that would put Chi in a worse condition than she already was.