Frustration of the Lamenting (Zenaku + Raine)

[raine]

Another failure...

"Urgh..." Rubbing her temples a bit, the dark-haired woman stood there, watching as some guards dragged the subject off, getting it out of her sight. She had tested an experimental serum based on the treatment they gave embryos to alter their DNA and turn them into Mendax but it resulted in another complete failure. Not only had she failed to sever his bond with his partner, but the serum had almost killed him. If it wasn't for her quick thinking, they would've lost another valuable test subject.

She walked back to her computer and practically collapsed into the chair, wracking her brain for possibilities of just what went wrong. Why couldn't they sever the bonds in already established pairs, already? They already solved the issue when it came to the new generations, so what were they missing? It was aggravating, to say the absolute least.

Booting up her computer, she typed up the report of the experiment, adding it to the piles of records of failed tests and experiments. At least she had been smart enough to test it on someone else for a change, instead of herself. That would've been bad. Not that she would've been mourned, anyway. Gaki wanted to sever their bond as much as she did, and even if she died, a Mendax would just take her place. Such a convenient system they had. Like the teeth in the mouth of a shark. If one were to fall out, there was always a replacement. Kind-of twisted in a sick sort of way, but it worked, to say the least.

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Tags: Open
Words: 263
Notes: Blah blah this sucks.

[demento]

Failure!?

His steps echoed throughout the lab as he made his way toward his sacrifice. Was it fine for him to call her his? Well without him, she would still be working in a senseless life, so it would be fine for now. He wondered what she'd do after he severed their bonds. Did she really want this as much as he did? He would never know. Perhaps after this, he should find a way to read minds. It would be a nice side project. Though his more intelligent side told him how asinine that would be.

Lifting his cap off, he straightened his tie and dusted some residue from an experiment earlier from his green shirt. Fixing his vest, he opened the door which lead to Raine's work space. There was no need for him to be here, but he had grown bored of all the failures that were popping up everywhere. Even he himself was having constant problems. Letting his anger out on someone else would be the best in this situation for him.

Sliding the door open, he threw his cap toward her; it landing directly on her desk.

"That's how life is," he said, as he stood in the doorway staring at her. "That is how a loser would speak, as he loses. Do you not agree?" his words were calm and collected. His amber colored eyes stared down at her as he moved over. "Are we winners, or losers here?" his question was obviously rhetorical; though perhaps maybe she would entertain him with a sarcastic answer.

[raine]

What do you think?

She didn't even look up to see who it was as the door opened, since there was absolutely no need to. She knew exactly who would be visiting her in the laboratories, and that was without even paying much notice to the tingling sensation on the back of her neck. Really, the bond was an annoying thing, sometimes. What she wouldn't give not to feel the burning tingle along the name every time he drew near her.

After flicking the bill of his cap lightly, she turned and lightly rose from her seat. She could've remained seated, but she might as well stand on the same level. That's what they wanted, after all, right? No one better than the other, and more importantly, no fate bullshit.

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly and fold her arms as he asked her a question and really, it was a question she knew didn't need answering at all. Anyone would've known the answer. "Are we winners or losers? Hm, that's a hard one, Gaki. Let me think for a minute on that one," she replied, bringing a hand to her chin to rather exaggeratedly pretend to think for a moment. It was obvious she was mocking the fact that he had to ask such a ridiculous question. "Of course we're winners. All of these setbacks are just minor bumps in the road." She then fixed him with a sideways stare, her honey brown eyes observing his stance as he stood in the doorway. "I take it you hit a few bumps as well?" It only made sense. He was as frustrated as she was and she was a perfect person to take it out on. Gee, she felt so honoured.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 289
Notes: She's being snarky. That work?

[demento]

Well, do you?

Lifting his gaze to hers as she rose and moved slightly toward him, he paused. Slouching over as he placed his index and thumb on the corners of his eyes. "Of course, but we're still battling. Perhaps we might become the losers eventually? You never know. In science anything can happen," he said, knowing her sarcastic remark was well placed.

Leaning back some, he took his hands from his pocket and produced a vial, in his other hand he had a needle injection; aka a syringe. Perhaps her brain could figure out why exactly he was here. "This is something I concocted not too long ago. It was with strains of other's DNA which singles out the other DNA and places them in their correct block you could say. It was done on a guinea, no harm to the animal at all. It seemed to work well too. But what's the difference here? We're trading a real guinea pig with my guinea pig! Oh goody!" his voice got all giddy for a second as he moved over toward her.

"Hmmn," his eyes washed over her, as he stopped short of her. "Odd question for me, I know. But do you trust me?" his eyes seemed to divert from her own, as he suddenly became quiet. His bipolar attitude and personality was in turn this time. He was great at changing the mood, but right now everything went from jokes to serious. Was that really a good thing?

[raine]

Oh, I see now...

Raine watched the man closely as he produced the vial and syringe. She knew exactly what this meant. She was to become the subject this time and put her bodily comfort and health on the line for the sake of their studies. She knew that he was expecting her to carry through with the experimentation they had been doing for some time. She stared at the syringe long and hard and then looked back up to the Fighter before her. She had known this for some time, but he really was a cold man.

"Is that so?" she asked, pulling off her lab coat and folding it on her chair before she approached a table/crude bed in the center of the room and cleaned away the remnants of her previous experiment. She needed to avoid contaminating his test with her failure. Once she had finished, she turned around and sat on the edge of the table.

An eyebrow shot up as he drew near and she stared at him in all seriousness as he seemed to hesitate, asking her if she trusted him. This was the man she fought alongside thus far in their crusade to become free of their bonds. It was a little late to ask if she trusted him or not, to be honest. However, it demanded an honest answer from the woman. "I've fought these bonds with you without much of a question thus far, Gaki," she stated simply as she rolled up the sleeves of her turtleneck and then glanced back up to him. "I think we're well beyond a question of trust now, but since you want an honest and direct answer, yes. I trust you to free us all from the chains we've all been shackled with, to say the least." Then a faint, yet bold smirk played on her lips. "What? Is the famous cold-hearted doctor actually worrying about me?" That would be a shocker, that's for sure, but there had been far more surprising things in her career thus far.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 339
Notes: Teasing and more teasing.

[demento]

Well, let's test this then.

Smiling, he winked at her as his serious attitude was left far behind. It was true he was known for being cold, but it was more cold in a way where he was hated for joking about people's lives. He never seemed to care even in dire situations. Taking the syringe, he put it into the vial and quickly sucked the liquid into the container. The red liquid inside looked just like normal blood, and had the same consistency. It would be fun to see how this played out, is what he thought.

Lifting her arm up, he gently bent over and kissed nearest her vein. Without waiting for a reaction he quickly injected her with the red liquid before slowly backing away, his glasses seemed to glare in the light as he looked at her, shielding his eyes from view as he smirked.

"I'm glad my guinea pig blindly trusts me. Though I lied, we literally tested this on several people and one of them had died. We covered up their death easily, and the other two we tested with are now in the hospitalized." taking in a deep breath, he rubbed his eyes. "They suffered from a seizure at first, their eyes dialated and they began to dry heave. Before they lost consciousness they viciously attacked the nearest person to them." most of this was true, aside from dying and the random attack. He just assumed that she might possibly attack him for making her subject herself to something that seemed lethal. Though for some reason, Raine had been able to handle things others hadn't. It was probably because he has already tested so many things out on her. So he had faith in her ability to take it, and from what he could extract from her blood afterward he might be able to isolate the problems with the drug.

Looking back on it, the pause and question was more of a game to him. He knew how she'd react, and the fake information he just provided would cause for a great show. Being able to see someone in despair as they look death in the face.

"You're quite naive, even for your age. Do you think I'd care for you? There are many people that could easily take your place. I don't really need you." for some reason, he even felt sick saying this. Perhaps he had grown attached to this woman? She was fun to have around, and almost unknowing to her she was the only one he really talked to. Other than coming to speak to her about something he was stuck studying, researching, and testing.

[raine]

Pff, I know my place.

If there was anything she found irritating about this man, it was how he kept going from serious to joking. His jokes weren't even in good humor. But this is the man she came to know as the fighter she was to cooperate with until they could no longer fight. Well, that was before they came here and founded Trancendere Fatum and stepped up their personal crusade. But, still, the inconsistancies between his moods were enough to drive her nuts some days. She never said anything about it, however. This was not a man to make angry, and she had learned that about him a long time ago.

An eyebrow quirked a little as she watched him kiss a vein in her arm. Was that necessary, or was it one of his little jokes again? She knew there was a fine line between genius and insanity, but sometimes she wondered just which it was that made up the man that stood before her. Then, it came. The short, sharp pain of the needle being pushed through her skin and into her vein. She barely even flinched, however. She was used to things worse than this. Experiments aside, she was still a Sacrifice, and hardly anything compared to the pain of the restraints in a spell battle. Those fighters really had it easy. Whomever designed the battle system was an asshole, and she really wanted to punch them in the face. Talk about unfair.

A dry smile curled itself on her face when he pulled the syringe out of her arm. "Hah... Figures," she muttered. Figures he'd use her after having so much failures with the same substance. She had a high resistance to the experiments, and she was almost always the final resort when things didn't work the way he wanted. Well, he probably tried it on "clean" people without antibodies in their system from other experiments. She had the antibodies, fortunately, so perhaps she wouldn't wind up in such a horrible state, like the others. Well, at the least she wouldn't let herself die from it. After a few moments, she clutched at her sides and leaned forward a bit, sweating a little as she tried to resist the discomfort and sickness that was washing over her. It was beginning. She could do this.

When he spat out how naive she was, she could only laugh, clutching at her stomach as she tried not to let the nausea get the best of her. It was just too funny. He thought she was naive? Hell, no. She knew where she stood. She was at the bottom of the Chairs for a reason. He used her as a human lab rat for a reason. How could she know anything but her place when faced with anything like that? "Haha... Naive... you say? Ha, no. I... know these Chairs work like the teeth in the mouth of a shark, and my position as your guinea pig is no different. Ah... I know I can and will be replaced when I have no more use. You must be sniffing too many chemicals if you think otherwise, Gaki." A wave of nausea and dizziness forced her to fall silent and she fell onto an elbow on the table. Just hold on, Raine. It's awful, but you've been through worse. You can make it. She could only struggle and try to hold herself together, knowing he was probably enjoying this for some sick reason. He was ice cold where people's health and lives were concerned, after all.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 592
Notes: Is that a potential plot device I see there, Zenaku?

[demento]

Arigatou.

Pulling back, he takes the same syringe, wiping it off at first as he dips it into a clear liquid. Her feeling pain would mean it wasn't exactly working. The reactions she was giving were not good either. She seemed ill. Rushingly he took the syringe filled with the clear liquid and shoved it back into the same vein, administering the counter-serum. It would destroy all the fake cells that was reproduced and fix her almost instantly. It was a fast working drug.

Slouching back again, he picked his cap off from her desk and placed it on his head. Staring her over, the pain she felt was necessary. She wasn't undergoing anything he himself hadn't tried. Since it seemed there might be a need for two different cures for fighters and sacrifices. He had to test them separately. He wasn't that heartless, nor was it that he didn't care for her. She was his sacrifice, and him her fighter. It wasn't like he wanted her dead, or gone. Though she knew the risks, as did he.

"You were very cooperative." he said, with a fake smile as he tipped his hat a bit, almost as if he was curtsying to her. It looked very feminine, but it was part of his humor. He didn't care how people thought of him.

Leaning over to her, he brought his mouth close to her ear. "We made a promise. We'd break these bonds together. You can't die before I do," he said, his tone very sincere and kind. Though as he leaned back to her view, he was jokingly smiling and acted as if he hadn't said anything of that magnitude. Bowing once more, he re-positioned his hat as he slowly backed away from her.

"The pain will be gone shortly. The pain is quite strong, isn't it? I don't think we'd ever be able to stop the pain from happening, even if we perfect a cure," he said, his voice now echoing as he began to walk toward the door, which he had left open, his back now to her.

"Oh," he said, turning toward her, "is there anything you wanted to tell me?" The pain should of subsided now, and her insides would be sore for awhile, though nothing he thought she couldn't handle.

[raine]

It's... over..?

Raine barely even felt the second injection as she sat there, somewhat slumped over to one side and gritting her teeth as she struggled to endure the effects of the serum. She felt utterly awful, but she didn't want to say anything about it, or even beg for it to stop. She was tough. She could handle this. Then, before she knew it, it began to dissipate, allowing her to relax, breathing deeply, yet heavily. She felt ashamed that she had to breathe so deeply, especially in front of the Fighter she had fought so many battles with, but her body was out of her control. She could only hope he wouldn't think of her as growing weak and unable to handle anything anymore. She couldn't afford to lose her usefulness now.

Then, she heard his voice, and she lifted her head and stared at him almost dazedly. She was fine, but the shock to her system had her a bit out of sorts. She'd recover soon. To prove it, she allowed herself to snerk a little at his words as she pushed herself up so she was more-or-less upright once more. "Of course. A promise is a promise... right?" she asked, her voice low in case someone was coming. He evidently wanted to keep quiet, so she wasn't about to spoil that. He was nice enough to look out for her when she needed it. It was the least she could do in return. "I told you... I'd help you in whatever way I could. Cooperation... in this... is part of that. We will succeed one day." She didn't know where all that arrogance came from, but no one got anywhere with a negative attitude. Besides, she wanted nothing more than to show fate she isn't its slave. She wanted to get it back for back then, and this was her excuse.

"If... it's pain, Gaki, I can take it. I'm a Sacrifice. I've experienced all kinds of pain before now," she said plainly, managing to get to her feet, but steadying herself by placing a hand on the table as she watched him start walking away. So, he was leaving already, hm? That figures. There was too much work to do and too many problems to fix. Of course he would leave after the experiment with her failed. She bit her lip a bit at that thought. Why did he end it? She wasn't at her limit yet. She might have been able to succeed.

"...Yes, though it's more of a question. Why did you stop it? I... felt sick, sure, but I could take it. I wasn't anywhere near my limit. I felt worse in spell battles. So... why?" she asked, her eyes searching him. Sure, he didn't want her to die before him, and that was touching and all that sap, but why? Didn't he want to know if it would work for sure or not? "And saying you don't want me to die before you... I won't die. I've already promised myself that long ago. I won't die until I show fate once and for all that I'm not its slave and it doesn't own me."

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 531
Notes: ...Is it bad that I'm shipping the pair that want to break their bond of fate?

[demento]

The question is for science...

She was shaking in pain, and she still couldn't tell but her legs were shaking as well. The shock of all the internal pain she had could of killed her. If he didn't step in, perhaps she might have died. She was quite older than those who he had administered this drug to before. And he himself couldn't stand the pain long, thinking he might die he injected himself with the anti-serum just as quick as he gave it to her. Sadly, he had messed up his arms in the long run. Scars of all the tests ran up and down his arms, and there were barely any on the woman in front of him.

She barely even knew of his scars. She knew of a few where he had fucked up in front of her, but that was all. He made sure never to show her, or anyone his arms. Even when testing he was by himself, making sure no one was around to even know he was testing on himself. Perhaps he knew he'd die in the lab one day anyway.

"Before I answer you, I have a question for you I'd like answered first," for some reason, it haunted him wondering what she thought of him. Of all the people he had hurt, her pain was the only one he hesitated to bring. In the end, he was just as cold and heartless as everyone says, but to his sacrifice, one that is willing to take a beating for him.

Is this the power of fate? He accepted it back then when he was younger quicker than he wanted to admit. The woman he met seemed very rude, but they got along in the end. Was it so wrong for his own fate to be decided for him? How could he hate it.

Blasphemy. No one tells Zenaku what to do, and that's how he felt Raine felt too. It still daunted him, "What happens after I find the cure? Do you and I go our separate ways? Would that be the end of Zenaku Gaki and Raine Kishimori?" he said, tilting his head, his expression emitted seriousness as he stared at her, her shivering seemed to have calmed down, which eased his mind a little, though he'd NEVER tell her that.

[raine]

...Uh...Well...

She perked a little when he mentioned he had a question of his own for her. Had she still had ears, they probably would've perked up along with her, which was an amusing thought to have for a moment. What was it he wanted to ask her? Was it about how "naive" she was, because she thought she'd been over that already. Still, she leaned on the table, seeking support now that she realized how weak her legs were. Would it take a long time?

She watched him hesitate for a few moments before he spoke again. However, she found that she had no immediate words to answer him with. That was a really good question. She never really thought about that. What would she do after this. It would be so strange to do anything but be in a lab, after all this time, but would she leave him entirely after their bond was finally dissolved? She didn't even know for sure. Finding herself averting her gaze only to stare off someplace in almost uncertainty.

How should she answer him? The only thing she knew was it'd be strange not being in the lab working on experiments anymore if she left, and she wouldn't be able to guarantee that she'd be able to find similar work elsewhere. An urge to ask him what he wanted flashed through her brain for a moment, but she dismissed it. She had to answer him properly. She then turned her eyes back up and stared at him as she gathered her remaining thoughts. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. Even I don't know what we'll choose once the option becomes available to us, but I will say this: it would be strange not to be here, in this lab if I were to split and go elsewhere. This lab has been a part of my life for so long, after all," she replied, certainty in her voice. Then the question prodded at her again. It really was a persistant thing. "What about you, Gaki? Do you think it'd be the absolute end of our cooperation and partnership?" It was a legitimate question, at least. Now, if only he'd answer.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 366
Notes: Oh god. The feels. THE FEELS!

[demento]

Ahh, I see...

"Ah, that's how it is then," he said in a hushed tone, before his serious attitude melted and he smiled, and yet his stomach hurt. He knew the pain, but just kept that smile on his face. Walking toward her, he let out a laugh and placed a hand on her head. There was a difference in height, and he made sure to look down at her as to not show what he truly felt. The answer was so general. It was as if she was talking to her boss. Is that all this was? Perhaps he had been too hard on her their whole relationship. Though there were plenty of good times, was that just a boss/employee relationship? Even she knew she got away with things others didn't. She should of known he had been playing favorites this whole time with her.

"That's a great answer!" he said, his smile turning to a smirk as he took his hand from his head. Why had he done that? He couldn't remember what he wanted to portray by petting her, perhaps he wanted her to understand how terrible that sounded? But now he knew how she felt. It was a good thing to hear, he turned away from her, before she even questioned him with his own prodding question. Smiling behind his front, he didn't turn, just rose his hand.

"Perhaps I'll answer both of your questions some time later." making it all the way to the door, he grabbed the handle and turned toward her. His cold smile now on his face, as he gently waved toward her. His attitude could be seen as a joke, but it seemed as if he was generally happy.

"Just don't forget, Raine. I'm your boss," the words stung his tongue as the left his lips. For someone like her, he felt it odd to even say. Why did he even put it like that, perhaps this was a way to show her that he didn't want that? He didn't even know, to everyone else he led them. When it was with her, she was easily pushed around, and she followed him blindly. It was like she believed in him. She was just like... her. Before making things even more awkward, he stepped out and shut the door. If she wanted to say something, she'd have to follow him. She never did, and from the looks of it if she wanted to, she'd might need to crawl.

[raine]

...Wait!

She stared up at the man perplexedly as he muttered something and then smiled and patted her on the head. Something didn't add up. He was smiling, but it didn't feel honest. She knew his honest smiles, and that wasn't it. Slowly a frown began to form on her face. She didn't like that, and she didn't like it one bit. He didn't like her reply, no matter what he was saying to her. That liar. Couldn't he just be honest at a time like this? She suppressed the urge to say that to him, however. She knew that getting angry and shouting that, like she really wanted to, wouldn't accomplish anything.

There it was. The cold smile. The sign something was definitely off. Her answer wasn't good enough. Something stung her from the inside, and it wasn't remnants from the serum. Was it... regret? She had been asked something like if she wanted to stay cooperating with him even after the bond was dissolved, but she had made it sound purely professional, with no emotion attached at all. But that wasn't true. She just wasn't sure how to say it properly, so she tried saying something about the lab here, but it only backfired. Figures. "W-Wait..!" she tried, but it was too late. With a comment about being her boss, he had disappeared into the hallway.

Biting her lip, she pushed herself away from the table in haste. Her legs were wobbly and she was very unsteady, but she managed to get to the door and open it only to spill out into the middle of the hallway. Looking up, she looked around for her fighter, and when she spotted him, she reached up from her position on the floor. "W-Wait, Ga--Zenaku!" she called out, trying his given name to see if that would get his attention as she attempted to crawl after him, as awful as it looked. "I... I don't know what we'll choose, and it'd be weird to go elsewhere and work with other people, and I want to stay here if you'll have me here, but I... I don't just want to work." She hoped those words would reach him and get him to stop and turn around, though she had no proof if it would or not. But, still, she wished for it. There were reasons why she tried so hard every day to try and appease him, and seem useful after all. She knew she got special treatment, but she didn't want him to revoke it and then eventually toss her out. She was the bottom rung. It wouldn't be surprising if he did, but still she prayed for the opposite.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 448
Notes: You have a woman in the middle of the floor, crawling after you and calling out for you, Zenaku. What are you going to do?

[demento]

...

Pausing outside the door for a moment, he forced himself not to look back. Had her words really bothered him this much? It had to be something else too. It was like he felt sick. There was nothing physically wrong with him though. Perhaps he was growing soft in his old age. He didn't feel old though, and he was physically fit more than an average young adult. It must of been what she said, it still echoed in his head. He was a few steps away from the door by now, as he heard it open.

Still not minding to look back, he could hear someone collapse, then her voice echoed the hallway. Taking a look back, his eyes were wide with surprise. Of course it felt nice to hear her yell for him, especially in a name no one but her and his family has ever called him. She was really the only one allowed to get away with calling him that.

"Raine," was all he said, blunt and simple. Rushing to her side, her words had made him smile as he lifted her arm over his shoulder and picked up her legs. "You've had a big day, today," he said, his smile was joyful as he closed his eyes in sincerity. "I'll carry you to your room." he knew full well her room was far off, but his shortcut through the lab he had built would prove it's worth in this case.

He acknowledged what she had said in the heat of the moment, but he wanted to just pretend nothing ever happened. He wasn't great at showing his emotions, but speaking his mind was easy. Though one needs to understand when to just keep their mouth shut. This was one of those times. He would speak his mind through his actions, he could never find the words to tell her at the moment.

"We can't have my sacrifice collapsing and some desperate man having his way with her!" he laughed, as he carried her. If she tried to insist otherwise, it would be to no avail. No matter how hateful, cold, heartless he was. There was a certain place in his heart for her. Though that didn't mean he couldn't painfully test her. It was a love/experiment relationship.

[raine]

...My legs aren't totally useless.

Raine let her arm drop to the floor when she saw him turn, only to reveal a rare expression. His eyes were wide and he was staring down at her as if she had surprised him. Well, maybe she had. Not only had she followed him, even though her legs are far from up to snuff, and she had called out to him using his given name. She rarely called him by that anymore. It became too much of a habit, since no one else was allowed to use it. She then watched as he knelt down at her side and picked her up, which was a surprise for her. "H-Hey! Zenaku! I can walk a little. I only fell because I rushed. Put me down. Please," she pleaded, struggling minorly in his arms as she looked away, trying to hide her face, since her cheeks had flushed a little. It was weird and she wasn't used to being carried that often.

However, she soon ceased struggling and resorted to lightly sulking in his arms as he carried her toward his shortcut and her room. Sometimes, she couldn't understand him. Why was he kind to her and treat her like this only when it was times like this, when she was suffering from an experiment? It was a question she'd never ask, but it was on her mind often enough. Thankfully a distraction in the form of a joke came from his lips and she couldn't help but snort a little. "Speak for yourself," she muttered, shaking her head a little. If anyone looked like a desperate man, it was himself. Surely, he knew that much, but joked about it anyway. He was such a strange guy. However, that's just how he was. He caused her pain, but then he did something nice like carrying her like this, whether she wanted it, or not.

She sat there, silent for a bit longer, only to find the nagging questions from before still floating around in her brain. Would he answer her, like he said he would? Some people say the would and then postpone it indefinitely. Part of her actually hoped he wouldn't be that way and would let her have the answers she wanted and needed from him, but she didn't remind him about it. Instead the words that fell from her mouth were, "On second thought, maybe this isn't bad once in a while." He could take that as he wanted, she didn't care. In fact, it might be interesting to see.

[/size]

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 423
Notes: Aww... Hopefully, he won't pay dearly for having such a huge weak spot later.

[demento]

Thanks, Raine.

She squirmed in his arms, and he just chuckled lightly. There was no way for her to get out of it now. It was already decided. Plus, her body had to rest. Later he needed to take her blood to see what happened inside of her. Perhaps it wasn't a full failure. Time would decide that.

Zen already knew what was on her mind, her voice was quieter and she seemed in deep contemplation. Looking down at her, her head rested gently near his shoulder. Smiling down at her, he spoke gently and softly. He had already made it to the underground passage to his room, the long walk would be boring if he didn't say anything.

"I cause you pain all the time. Like back then," he was talking about when they first met. He was a mess. He didn't want her to be near him, he wouldn't accept her at all at first. But she was persistent and she seemed to do it not for him, but for another person. It was asinine, but he saw something in her like him. So he explained his theories, and she seemed to agree. Though many experiments came from his theories, many had even hospitalized her back then.

"I still do, even now. All these failed tests, everything. It's to break fate. Fate for us, for everyone. Though fate had brought us together. So if we break it, are we really doing just that? Our worlds are combined. If we were drawn by fate to destroy it..." he paused, knowing what he was saying was empty and just his ideals.

"But... To answer your questions. I stopped the drug because... I didn't like seeing you in pain, silly." he said, looking back down at her, smiling his eyes closed briefly in more sincerity. Zen hadn't been this way with her since they were younger. Nor had she called him by his first name.

Laughing briefly once more, he looked away. "You should call me that more often, Raine. It's nice when you say it," he said, staring at the door that now stood in front of them.

[raine]

What are you complaining about again?

"You weren't the only one who was upset about the arrangement, remember," she reminded gently, immediately responding to his complaint. He didn't like the pain he was causing her, but it was a necessary pain. The pain she felt when she fought in battles beside him was the pain for the both of them, and the burden all Sacrifices had to bear. It was their role in life. She didn't like it much, either, but she knew she both could, and had to take it. Now, she experienced the pain from the experiments, and that was a whole new pain, but she wouldn't have offered herself up for it if she didn't know she could take it.

Still, he worried about her, it seemed. Just how far did his special treatment go, and why did it extend as far as it did. Everyone else in the facility was greeted by a different-seeming man and had she not experienced him all those years ago, she wouldn't have believed they were the same person. "You're thinking too much again. Slow down for a moment," she murmured softly to him as she touched his cheek with her hand, trying to distract him from his train of thought with the touch. Hopefully, it'd work. "We were drawn in by] fate, sure, but we chose this path ourselves. Fate didn't choose this for us. I chose this long before I met you, when my twin brother died, even though he was always healthy. Then I was forced into the world of Fighters against my will. This is my revenge. You have your own reasons for this, too, remember." It really wasn't like him to become this worked up.

"Is it?" she asked, mulling it over. It had been a while since she last called him by his first name, but she didn't think it would be such a big deal to him. "I suppose I could call you by that more, then...Zenaku." She wasn't sure about calling him that in front of the others, in case they, or rather Arashi got the wrong idea and teased them. Arashi was the most insufferable of the guardians, and she knew he would jump at the chance to tease them. He was just like that.

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Tags: Zenaku, open
Words: 377
Notes: Sorry, I dozed for a moment during this. I'm okay now though.

[demento]

Ame-chan~

She touched his cheek, which made his face become a slight red color before slowly disappearing. He was only human, and she knew exactly how to pull his strings. They had known each other for so long they were basically twins. Would that be the right way to put it? No. It was like they were married, like they have been for quite a long time. Twenty some odd years to be exact.

She couldn't comprehend how far his special treatment went. She deserved it though. He had done a lot of bad things, to her, to others. But she still stayed by his side; still offered her assistance, her body, she was a kind person. How could Zen her something so innocent in all this? Someone who wanted to be of use. How could he? Perhaps if he did have a weakness, she definitely was his weakness. There was no doubt about it, but many didn't see how deep the relationship went, and even if they did... Wouldn't matter, he's protect her.

"You just keep your promise, Raine," he said, completely changing the subject, as he opened the door and entered his own room. "Do you remember? We swore to break fate, to kick it in it's face and tell it to go straight to hell." he said, chuckling as he slowly bent down to place her on his bed. It was clear he was just setting her down in a sitting position, so she could stand up on her own.

"Even if I hurt you like this, I'll always carry you home. Even if it's in a body bag. I'll carry you home, Raine, I owe you that much." he said, the same smile wiping across his face as he tilted his head and closed his eyes. It was only an expression she has ever seen. No one has ever gotten that look from him, she doesn't know how privileged she is. Nor perhaps how envious people are of her, she has quite a few hidden haters among their own people. Perhaps he should calm down with his special treatment.

"So just take care of yourself, Ame-chan." the same expression washed over his face once more, as he used the nickname he coined for her long ago. Something she hadn't even heard in awhile, perhaps they were both becoming too 'professional' the attitude he emitted was welcoming. He enjoyed the way they were being with each other. Back then she used to hate that nickname, and it was something he enjoyed to tease her with. It brought back some fun memories, which made him start to chuckle to himself.

[raine]

I will.

A light snort sounded as she listened to her Fighter's words. Keep her promise? That went without saying. She didn't just promise him, but she promised her deceased twin brother and herself that she would conquer fate with all she had. It had just worked to her advantage that Zenaku had similar plans. It made things a lot easier, to be sure. She had his brilliant mind to work with, and he had her tenacity and fierce determination. Fate didn't stand a chance against their alliance. That was what she had felt when she finally decided to accept her position as Zenaku's Sacrifice, and nothing had changed.

"Do you honestly think I wouldn't keep my promise? Of course I remember. I promised myself as well as you that I'd destroy the strings of fate. After all this time, it'd be wasteful to quit now," she said simply, a faint hint of a smirk on her face. Why did he need to ask, anyway? He should've known better.

Then he said something that definitely clashed with the man that presented himself in front of the others. He was cold and a calculating man, but with her, he swore to personally deliver her back home, whether it'd be in one piece or in a body bag. She supposed that he was only being fair, since she gave her body to his experiments and risked her life a lot of the time to accomplish their goals. It was comforting to know that there was a reward for the pain, at the very least. She smiled a little, and it wasn't the usual sly smirk she had from time to time, but it was a faint hint of a warm smile. She knew he was trying to make up for hurting her. "Thank you, Zenaku. It is comforting to know that I'll find myself back home one way or another, and not just left in the lab, or somewhere else," she said softly. Sure, parts of what he said, like the bringing her home in a body bag was something she wanted to avoid, and she hoped that he would try and keep her alive, like earlier. She didn't want to die before she could help him achieve their goal, at the least.

Then, he said something she never thought she'd ever hear again. It was the old nickname he gave her back when they had first met all those years ago. Sure, it was the Japanese equilivant of her name, but it used to drive her crazy. Now... she wasn't sure whether it bothered her as much, or not, but she still sighed and brought a hand to her forehead, resting it in her palm. "That old nickname... you still remember it..." she muttered, looking away a bit as she let her hand fall away from her face, her cheeks a bit pink. She wasn't used to being called that anymore. Was he going to say it a lot to make fun of her again? She wouldn't put it past him in the state he seemed to be in. She always got a special side of him, like the expression he currently had on his face. In all the years she had stood by and watched him, he never made that face toward anyone else, not even once. That in itself told her she was special to him. It was twisted, and ungodly ironic that they, who had been brought together by fate, had bonded while trying to destroy that which brought them together. Even she knew it. However, even acknowledging the irony wouldn't change her mind. she was determined to see their project through until completion.

Then she remembered. He hadn't answered a question she had asked previously. She wasn't about to let him get away with that too easily. "Zenaki, you answered why you stopped the experiment, but I asked another question, too," she reminded, staring him in the eye, curious to see his reaction. What expression would he wear? She wanted to know. "I want to remain here, if possible, but what is you want when we break our bonds of fate? Would it be the end of this? Or do you think you'd like to keep this sort of thing up even then?" She was sure she had an idea of his answer by now, but she wanted to hear it. She wanted to hear it all from the source, the man himself.

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Tags: Zenaku
Words: 744
Notes: Sorry it took so long. ;;

[demento]

Silly~

This side of this man was something only a few people would ever see. Possibly someone spying on him, his family long ago, and Raine. She knew full well of this too, that she had a special place in his heart. No matter how much he'd deny it, everyone knew. It wasn't a secret, he let her get away with more things than others. He let her do as she pleased, she even got special treatment from the other staff due to invoking his wrath if something wrong was said to her.

"Y'know," he said, patting her head once more, as if she were a child. It was something even he had enjoyed as a kid, when his mother pet his head. She told him all the good things in life, everything that made him smile back then. "Even if you do leave, to me, we'll always be Raine and Zenaku." he said, winking at her, and his overuse of a smile stopped and his face just seemed to be in joy. All these good feelings had rushed through him, and it made him genuinely happy at the moment. It was weird, he never felt this way unless she was around. What did lament even mean for them, then?

Looking down at her, he blinked a second and smiled softly once more. "And even when we're done with this, who else would be my test subject!? I have to have the beautiful and luscious Raine of course!" he said, taking a kneeling stance holding his arm out toward her indicating her. In his mind, he jokingly pictured a pink backdrop behind him, sparkles coming from his eyes as he spoke.

"Plus, some day I might die. You're the only one I truly trust around here. I know you wouldn't leave, even after our 'magical' connection would be severed. You love me too much, it must hurt for you to even think about, silly." he winked again, as he got up from his kneeling position, his face a bit more serious now.

"Can you stand now?" he still held a joyful face, full of sincerity as he reached over and grabbed her arm gently.