I lol'd (
zarahjoyce) wrote2012-09-02 09:20 pm
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Entry tags:
KRF Fic: Powerless
Rating: G
Summary: He'd already done the unthinkable before this - why stop now?
Notes: requested by gottis_chan! I know you mentioned aftermath of 31 and 32, but I cheated and made this fic take place mid-32 :3
Yamada was never a great believer in modesty.
"Things have to be perfect, Sakuta-kun," he said, lifting his eyes off his newest script. "Down to the very last, minute detail. Such is the beauty of theater - and such is the power of its director." He smiled, and Ryusei fought to maintain his placid composure. "Now. In order to achieve this, I do have one request to ask of you, if you don't mind?"
"You told me you were going to wake Jirou up," Ryusei said, "after I killed Gentarou."
Killed Gentarou. Killed Gentarou. The words rang in his head, and he curled his hands to fists, trying to ignore the pangs in his gut.
"Of course I will. I am a man of my word." Yamada leaned on his chair, regarded Ryusei with a mildly patronizing look. "However, I have some things that I want to be done as soon as possible. You will forgive me if I am to focus on them first, won't you, Sakuta-kun?"
Like he had any choice. He'd already done the unthinkable before this - why stop now? Jirou's life was at stake. It wouldn't be long now; the chance for Jirou to wake up was already, finally within Ryusei's reach. Surely this one last thing wouldn't hurt--
Which was why he was standing near one of the rooms, holding several Subaraboshi uniforms in his hands. Apparently, Yamada's most recent script called for his characters to be wearing them - Miu, Shun, Yuuki, JK, Tomoko-chan--
"Tomoko!"
"What are you doing?"
"No! Let her go!"
"JK!"
Startled out of his thoughts, Ryusei instinctively took a step forward - only for the door to be forced open and for one of the Dustards to come out, dragging a bedraggled Tomoko by the arm. He could see the other Dustards keeping Shun and JK from following suit by pushing them further into the room and closing the door behind them.
Tomoko tried to plant her feet firmly on the ground, not wanting to go anywhere - especially when she realized that the Dustard was essentially bringing her to him. She bit her lip and struggled to remain where she was, which caused the Dustard to roughly pull at her arm to keep her moving. Tomoko lost her footing and nearly stumbled, and Ryusei automatically stepped forward - but she caught herself just in time, just as he forced himself to remain still.
Ryusei bit the inside of his cheek, trying his damnedest to keep himself from attacking the Dustard then and there. He had no right to do anything outside of Yamada's bidding. He was essentially powerless, not only because of Tachibana's decision to strip him of his abilities as Meteor but also by virtue of Yamada being the Aries Zodiarts. Any violence against his foot soldiers could be construed as an act against Yamada himself, and Ryusei couldn't risk it - not even when his friends were in danger.
But they weren't his friends, were they? Not real ones, anyway. He was just using them all along, and now that Aries was here, they were useless to him. Trash, garbage, worthless. It wouldn't make any sense for him to risk Jirou's life for their sakes. No. He wouldn't risk it. Couldn't.
The Dustard pushed Tomoko towards him so hard she nearly fell on him. Nearly.
He couldn't look at her. Ryusei kept his eyes on the uniforms he was holding - his task was to give them to her, tell her that she and the others were supposed to change their clothes and meet Yamada in the auditorium in one hour. But he couldn't open his mouth. Couldn't speak. The words were stuck in his throat, constricting it, making it hard for him to breathe.
Perhaps he deserved it. This suffering. For what he was prepared to do. For what he had already done.
Killed Gentarou. Killed Gentarou--
He saw her thrust her arms forward; stupidly he wondered if she read his mind again.
"Do it," she said, shaking her hands in emphasis. "Give them to me. Isn't that why you're here?"
Beneath the clothes, his nails dug crescent graves into his palms. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and handed the clothes to her - and there he took courage to glance at her face, and it was pale, tearstained, and he caught her wincing when his hand accidentally touched hers--
--she withdrew from him quickly after that, as if his very presence burned her. As if she couldn't stand the very sight of him.
It had never been more difficult or painful to turn around and walk away.
But he tried.
"Meteor."
Ryusei paused, but couldn't bring himself to look at her again.
"A new Kamen Rider. He said he was our enemy, but then he always came to save us in the past." Pause. Her voice was shaking. "He always came to rescue me." Another pause. "But he's just an illusion, isn't he? Meteor's a lie. Yours is Meteor's true face. It belongs to the one who killed Gentarou-san without thought or mercy."
He closed his eyes, expelled a shaky breath - then resolutely walked away from her.
"Meteor's a lie! I wish he'd never come. I wish I never saw him-- I wish I never met you, Ryusei-san!"
The words were said low and softly enough, but he heard every word. Felt each of them like nails clawing at his back.
Ryusei turned around the corner, and soon he heard movements again. "Let me go!" Tomoko said, and she cried out in pain, and the door to their room opened and closed and the sounds inside it were soon muffled - almost non-existent.
He let out a breath he was unconsciously holding, and to his surprise, Ryusei found himself shaking. His eyes were burning.
If he wanted to, he could rescue them. Kill the Dustards holding them captive. Set them free from Yamada's hold. Become the Meteor Tomoko-chan knew - the one who always came to save her.
But he couldn't risk it.
Not when he was this close to freeing Jirou.
I'm sorry. I--
Summary: He'd already done the unthinkable before this - why stop now?
Notes: requested by gottis_chan! I know you mentioned aftermath of 31 and 32, but I cheated and made this fic take place mid-32 :3
Yamada was never a great believer in modesty.
"Things have to be perfect, Sakuta-kun," he said, lifting his eyes off his newest script. "Down to the very last, minute detail. Such is the beauty of theater - and such is the power of its director." He smiled, and Ryusei fought to maintain his placid composure. "Now. In order to achieve this, I do have one request to ask of you, if you don't mind?"
"You told me you were going to wake Jirou up," Ryusei said, "after I killed Gentarou."
Killed Gentarou. Killed Gentarou. The words rang in his head, and he curled his hands to fists, trying to ignore the pangs in his gut.
"Of course I will. I am a man of my word." Yamada leaned on his chair, regarded Ryusei with a mildly patronizing look. "However, I have some things that I want to be done as soon as possible. You will forgive me if I am to focus on them first, won't you, Sakuta-kun?"
Like he had any choice. He'd already done the unthinkable before this - why stop now? Jirou's life was at stake. It wouldn't be long now; the chance for Jirou to wake up was already, finally within Ryusei's reach. Surely this one last thing wouldn't hurt--
Which was why he was standing near one of the rooms, holding several Subaraboshi uniforms in his hands. Apparently, Yamada's most recent script called for his characters to be wearing them - Miu, Shun, Yuuki, JK, Tomoko-chan--
"Tomoko!"
"What are you doing?"
"No! Let her go!"
"JK!"
Startled out of his thoughts, Ryusei instinctively took a step forward - only for the door to be forced open and for one of the Dustards to come out, dragging a bedraggled Tomoko by the arm. He could see the other Dustards keeping Shun and JK from following suit by pushing them further into the room and closing the door behind them.
Tomoko tried to plant her feet firmly on the ground, not wanting to go anywhere - especially when she realized that the Dustard was essentially bringing her to him. She bit her lip and struggled to remain where she was, which caused the Dustard to roughly pull at her arm to keep her moving. Tomoko lost her footing and nearly stumbled, and Ryusei automatically stepped forward - but she caught herself just in time, just as he forced himself to remain still.
Ryusei bit the inside of his cheek, trying his damnedest to keep himself from attacking the Dustard then and there. He had no right to do anything outside of Yamada's bidding. He was essentially powerless, not only because of Tachibana's decision to strip him of his abilities as Meteor but also by virtue of Yamada being the Aries Zodiarts. Any violence against his foot soldiers could be construed as an act against Yamada himself, and Ryusei couldn't risk it - not even when his friends were in danger.
But they weren't his friends, were they? Not real ones, anyway. He was just using them all along, and now that Aries was here, they were useless to him. Trash, garbage, worthless. It wouldn't make any sense for him to risk Jirou's life for their sakes. No. He wouldn't risk it. Couldn't.
The Dustard pushed Tomoko towards him so hard she nearly fell on him. Nearly.
He couldn't look at her. Ryusei kept his eyes on the uniforms he was holding - his task was to give them to her, tell her that she and the others were supposed to change their clothes and meet Yamada in the auditorium in one hour. But he couldn't open his mouth. Couldn't speak. The words were stuck in his throat, constricting it, making it hard for him to breathe.
Perhaps he deserved it. This suffering. For what he was prepared to do. For what he had already done.
Killed Gentarou. Killed Gentarou--
He saw her thrust her arms forward; stupidly he wondered if she read his mind again.
"Do it," she said, shaking her hands in emphasis. "Give them to me. Isn't that why you're here?"
Beneath the clothes, his nails dug crescent graves into his palms. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and handed the clothes to her - and there he took courage to glance at her face, and it was pale, tearstained, and he caught her wincing when his hand accidentally touched hers--
--she withdrew from him quickly after that, as if his very presence burned her. As if she couldn't stand the very sight of him.
It had never been more difficult or painful to turn around and walk away.
But he tried.
"Meteor."
Ryusei paused, but couldn't bring himself to look at her again.
"A new Kamen Rider. He said he was our enemy, but then he always came to save us in the past." Pause. Her voice was shaking. "He always came to rescue me." Another pause. "But he's just an illusion, isn't he? Meteor's a lie. Yours is Meteor's true face. It belongs to the one who killed Gentarou-san without thought or mercy."
He closed his eyes, expelled a shaky breath - then resolutely walked away from her.
"Meteor's a lie! I wish he'd never come. I wish I never saw him-- I wish I never met you, Ryusei-san!"
The words were said low and softly enough, but he heard every word. Felt each of them like nails clawing at his back.
Ryusei turned around the corner, and soon he heard movements again. "Let me go!" Tomoko said, and she cried out in pain, and the door to their room opened and closed and the sounds inside it were soon muffled - almost non-existent.
He let out a breath he was unconsciously holding, and to his surprise, Ryusei found himself shaking. His eyes were burning.
If he wanted to, he could rescue them. Kill the Dustards holding them captive. Set them free from Yamada's hold. Become the Meteor Tomoko-chan knew - the one who always came to save her.
But he couldn't risk it.
Not when he was this close to freeing Jirou.
I'm sorry. I--