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 Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 7:57 pm
"I have to agree with the new parents. That name has a certain ring to it." Shizuka beamed, gently holding the child's hand. Although it wasn't repeated exactly, she knew this was a form of thanks and apologizing. And if what she knew about Faust was correct, forgiveness would somehow be expressed, too.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 6:45 am
"I'm honored," stammers Faust. "You should probably think about it a bit, though. It's not a very common name in Japan; he might get teased."
"By the way," the husband mumbles, "I'm sorry about the whole, er, gun thing."
Faust laughs; he seems relieved to be off the topic of baby names. "Sir, I assure you it's not the first time a gun's been pointed at me. I'm glad nothing worse came of it. I threw it in that direction," he points.
"Shizuka? We should go," says Faust suddenly. "We should reach the campground before dark, if we want to start a fire and pitch the tent."
"Oh, camping?" the husband asks, looking enchanted. "Someday, I'll take Johann camping! And maybe Mariko and I will be fortunate enough to have a son and daughter, just like you!"
"They are lovely children," agrees Mariko, beaming. "The boy, um.... has your...." she struggles to discern a resemblance.
"They take after their mom," Faust murmers, quickly gathering up the towels and things he'd used. He obviously wanted to move on as quickly as possible.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 4:39 pm
Shizuka could tell that he was getting uneasy about the children comment. It slightly showed on her face, but not enough for others to totally know what was going on. She picked up her pocket knife, put it back in her pocket, and told Mariko and her husband the first excuse that came to mind for the weird behvior.
"Don't worry about him. He really likes camping, and he's just getting jumpy again. He tends to do that when he gets excited."
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 4:47 pm
The husband furrows his brow. "I see," he says. "Jumpy." Faust is pale and trembling, looking more like he's seen hell than being merely jumpy. Mr. Takumi pulls out a pack of cigarettes and slips one in Faust's thin hand, offering him a lighter.
Faust manages to get a flame on his third or fourth try. Lighting the cigarette, he takes half a drag on it, then doubles over coughing. Not the seasoned coughing of an experienced smoker, but the spasmodic hacking of someone who's never even touched a cigarette.
"I just remembered... I don't smoke," he chokes, eyes watering as he hands the lighter back to Mr. Takumi. "And you don't either, now that you have a child! Don't you know how dangerous second-hand smoke is?!"
Mr. Takumi looks ashamed. "You're right, of course, doctor."
"We need to go, right now," Faust announced.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:04 pm
"Of course." Shizuka followed halfway and then looked back to the new parents.
"I wish you both the best of luck with your new child." she gave a warm smile before finally getting into the car.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 5:11 pm
((Sorry for my absence...I've been working))
Horo took the note from Tamao. "It says...I have your b***h." Horo blinked..."I wonder what that means. Oh wait," he said noticing something else, "Sincerely, Marco." Horo clenched his fists, "that sneeky b*****d...stealing my b***h." He turned towards the door, "I have to find Faust, Manta and the rest to save...um...whoever!" He scratched his head, "I wonder who this person is...?"
((^^;; Sorry for the language...and no I'm not a RenxHoro fan...it's just comedy.))
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 6:04 pm
"Hey, how did it go?" Manta asks as they get back in the car. "Is everyone OK?"
"Yes," sighs Faust. "Everything's as well as it can be. There's a new child in the world." Leaning close to the skeleton in the seat beside him, he traces the edges of a bullet hole in the skull with his fingertip. "Eliza... you'd be proud of me. Your husband did good today..." touching his lips against the ivory bone, he straightens and starts the car. "Off to the campground!" he announces, stifling another cough from the cigarette.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 7:36 pm
Shizuka could sense his pain from the back seat. A farmiliar feeling, one which none would even want to know exsisted. She put her hand on his shoulder after he tried to choke back the pain (and the cigarette smoke) in an attempt to comfort him. After all, she would hope for the same if she were in this situation.
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 9:19 pm
Faust stiffens; he's not used to being touched. Hesitantly, he reaches his long fingers towards Shizuka's hand. An inch closer, and their fingertips would be touching, but he withdraws his hand hastily. "I'm so sorry," he says. "Again, I've let my own problems hurt someone else." Gripping the steering wheel, he drives the rest of the distance five miles under the posted speed limit.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:42 pm
He thinks he's hurting me with his problems... Shizuka couldn't help but feel like she was the one who hurt him. She herself hated burdening others with her problems, so she knew what it was like, but the damage must have been hard if he was driving under the speed limit.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 1:57 pm
"Hey, we're here!" says Manta brightly as Faust pulls the car gently off the road. Promptly, it started to pour rain.
Faust glowers at the sky for a moment. "Help me with the tarp, Manta."
Manta grabs it, unrolling the waterproof plastic. A roll of thunder reverberates through their chests, and a flash of lightning illuminates the sky. "Faust," Manta cries suddenly, "Where's your coat?"
"I left it back with Mariko and Mr. Takumi. I'd never have been able to get the blood out, Manta. OK, who wants raw s'mores?" he asks, dejectedly holding out slightly soggy boxes of crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:19 pm
Shizuka gave a slight smile after going through her thoughts. Being around others had already begun to change her. After the incident in the car, she would have 'blacked out' before.
If there was only a way to make him feel better without making things worse...
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:26 pm
"I'll take one," Manta says, taking the bag of marshmallows and opening it. "Damn, it's getting cold!"
"I have some dry wood in the trunk," sighs Faust. "If the rain lets up, we can light a fire under the tarp. I guess I'll pitch the tent... I have no clue how these new ones are put together...." he slides the large tent out of its box, and it springs into shape automatically. Faust raises his eyebrows, impressed.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:35 pm
Shizuka put her hand up to her mouth and gave an expression that suggested laughter. She couldn't help it, it was funny. In orger to try and make up for it, Shizuka quicklymoved the instant-tent to a flat and alomst dry area and began to stake it into the ground.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 7:40 pm
"Thanks, Shizuka!" says Faust appreciatively, tossing the dead s'more kit aside. "Who would have guessed, a tent that needs no construction! What's next? A digital music player that doesn't require you to change records?" Manta snorts.
"I'll unload the sleeping bags and stuff," the short boy says, ducking through the rain towards the VW.
"Don't forget the first-aid kit!" calls Faust. Manta rolls his eyes, but grabs the super deluxe jumbo-sized first-aid kit that Faust had refused to leave home without.
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