the fading echoes of our hearts (p; yukie, kyoko)

"Well, if you still can't ge' it, that would be 'im." Migami said in his regular coolness, letting a small half smile creep onto his lips and raising a hand to gesture to Tsubasa. "He came an' nuthin's ever been da same." The smile faded. Tsubasa . . .

Kyoko grabbed Kirimei's foot as it swung towards her. She suppressed a giggle at the outburst that came with it. "First place your thumb in the center of the foot. Other hand on the ankle." She did as she had just said to Kirimei and looked at her with deep seriousness. "Then simply push backwards." She shoved the foot backwards, holding onto Kirimei's foot all the while. When Kirimei was on her back Kyoko, towering over her began to speak again. "Flip them over." She turned Kiri onto her stomach, still holding her foot. "Secure both feet." Kyoko grabbed both feet and bent them back at the knees to her back. She sat on her back and her feet. "Secure the hands." She pulled both hands back to her back. She leaned down and put her face down next to Kirimei's. "Your turn!" She giggled and stood up. She stepped back. "So as I had said!" She aimed a kick right at Kiri, just not full force. She feared hurting people, unless absolutely necessary. He head began to ache. Stupid migraines . . . She wanted to see Kiri do this though. Then she'd let Migami take over. It was so obvious Kiri had a crush on him. Maybe this could turn out good . . .

Shiromi blinked, frowning as Takeshi stood.
"EH! Takeshi! Quit it! I'm used to it. It's okay, really! Just calm down! " He gripped Takeshi's Bicep, pulling at him to sit back down, with all of his might. He didn't want this to end in a fight. He really didn't. If Takeshi hurt Migami, it would hurt Kyoko. He didn't want to see his best friend cry or be harmed in anyway. His eyes filled with yearning as he tugged and tugged at Takeshi.
"Takeshi, don't! It's just reality! People don't always like people who are different, okay!?" He barked his words, eyes clenched and hands totally encompassing Takeshi's bicep. His head flipped to Migami.
"And you! Just get over it! I'm not normal, and I'm out of the box, but I'm just trying to be a friend! I'm not trying to hurt anyone or anger anyone. . ." He thought for moment. . . "AND I'M NOT TRYING TO REPLACE ANYONE!" He hollered, his voice rising and edging.



The woman at the front desk was leaning in and listening to the argument corrupting in the arcade, most of the noise being caused by Shiromi, who was actually trying to prevent it. It was simply a mess, with all of this going on. . .


Kiri grunted as Kyoko totally crushed her, bringing her to the floor in only a few swift movements. Once it was her turn, she grinned, steadying herself. She put her hands , cupping them outward towards Kyoko, ready to block the kick. . . but she let them fall to her sides when Shiromi began to raise his voice. Kyoko's foot made impact, sending Kiri a mere two feet backwards into the wall. She let out a wail of pain. Kyoko's heel. It had hit a little too hard, maybe even to the point of causing Kiri to cough up blood. Even if that was so, Kiri simply coughed a bit, maintaining all bloods or whatever she could've coughed up from the force.



Toshimo heard only a few muffled noises from inside the gym walls, but paid them no mind, encouraging Mika-chan to continue his work as he sat with the rest of the children, who were weighing with snacks and juice boxes, and attempting to tune and play the guitar, which sounded entirely flat and off key from the work they'd done. Toshimo sat among them, cross-legged, and stole the guitar away from a young girl with pigtails, the pony holders each accompanied by two plastic, colored bobbles.
He tuned the guitar to his likings, and began strumming a wordless song, just smiling as each child leaned in, wide eyed, and bobbed to the beat. He suppressed a laugh which thumped in his throat, longing to escape. He hadn't enjoyed himself like this in a long while.


After a minute or so of playing, her tossed the guitar to a child, stood, and returned to Mika-chan, a juice box and a pack of snacks. He tossed them at the boy.
"Take a break. You need one. Restore your energy, then begin again. . ." He smiled a bit, sitting on the near-by bleachers and patting the spot next to him.
'Sit."

"Kirimei!" Kyoko screamed. She ran to her friend. "Oh, Kiri, I;m so sorry, I didn't mean to . . ." The end of Kyoko's sentence dropped. Her brothers voice wasn't raised, just it's regular clear and strong . . . and Takeshi's voice . . . and Shiromi's. Oh, no. This is going to turn into an all out fist fight. "Kiri, I think we need to go check on the boys." The worry in Kyoko's voice was evident. She shot a glance over to Toshimo and Malachi sitting on the bleachers, eating snacks and talking.

Migami took a step backwards, only to be met by hard wall in his back. "Hm. I think I'd lik' ta see ya try." He lazily leaned back on the wall and met Takeshi's gaze. He remained his regular cool on the outside, but on the inside, he was bracing himself for some serious kick butt Takeshi was about to instill on him. He justed crossed a line. A big line. A honking thick line drawn in extra black super ginormous sharpie.

Yupp . . . A line . . . He shouldn't have crossed . . . But he did . . . Good luck . . .

Shiromi gawked back and forth, slowly stepping back.
"Guys. . . please don't do this. . ." He muttered, biting his lip.
He tripped, falling on his rear.
"Takeshi? Please?" He growled a small bit, then turned to Migami.
"Please don't, guys!"

Kirimei covered her face with her forearm, continuing to cough rapidly. She looked up with red eyes, and offered an "okay" sign to Kyoko, shooing her to check on the boys and she casted her arm backward to balance herself.


Toshimo continued a subtle conversation with Mika-chan, speaking of words that related only to war, strength, and the arts of fighting. He was quite enjoying himself, throwing theories at the child and requesting he form a solution in his mind in a matter of seconds. He liked this child dearly. It was as if he , himself, were sitting before him, as a child. . .

Hmm. . .

Takeshi's words rang in Migami's head.

"No wonder your brother killed himself . . ."

Migami's heart tightened in his chest. His eyes began to burn with anxious tears wishing to seep to the surface. He looked in to Takeshi's eyes. They were cold, seemingly lifeless. Migami gritted his teeth. He couldn't hold in any longer. With and exasperated yell and hot tears streaming down his face Migami wound back for a punch, his elbow smacking the wall in the process. Pain seeped up his arm to his finger tips. He wished this excruciating pain would be with Takeshi as Migami's fist contacted his face.

Shiromi's raw fell loose.
He was speechless. Even he was angered with Takeshi when he said this. His only though pointed to Kyoko. He sped underneath Migami's fist and darted to Kyoko, embracing her. He didn't know if she was crying, or, speechless, or if she'd even heard it. But Shiromi wanted to give her a hug--no, needed to.

Kiri's vision flared, and her eyes fell closed. She crunched up in a ball against the wall and simply lay there, the sound muting, then lasting in her head, which throbbed on both sides. She groaned, reaching up an gripping her head while covering her ears.
"Make it stop. . ." She murmered.

Kyoko's ears were ringing with the words of Takeshi, the sounds, everything. Her head hurt, her eyes watered, and she felt a sting in her chest. Soon she felt Tsubasa's arms wrap around her torso. Her arms lay limply at her side. Her jaw was tight, as it always was when she was frustrated and retaining herself from an all out cuss fest. For the sake of not making things worse, Kyoko stood, Tsubasa's arms around her, fighting the urge to release all the anger, the pain, the denial, the losses, and the over all crappiness of her short life on Takeshi in a series of well aimed kicks, punches, and over all kick butt.

Smooth move . . . Migami thought. Pull a gun on a Krav Maga master. Doesn't he know what Krav Maga IS?

Before Migami unarmed Takeshi, which would have been easily done (him being a krav maga master and krav maga being a form of preparation for street fighting teaching such things as disarmament), police were swarming the building. Hot tears were being shoved of Kyoko's face by her own shaking hands. She refused to lose it, to just cry. She'd been through so much, it wasn't worth it to her to cry anymore, this was just the norm. As an officer jerked Migami's arms behind his back and thrust shining, silver handcuffs onto his wrists he anxiously looked at Kyoko, arms slumped at sides with Tsubasa's arms around her, trying so hard not to cry. Migami closed his eyes and sent a thought to her.

It's going to be okay . . .

Kyoko closed her eyes, squeezing out a couple of unrestrained tears. "No." She said. She opened her eyes to look at him. "But we'll deal, just like we always have."

Tears flooded Migami as he saw the last few glimpses of his sister as the gruff police officer dragged Migami out the door and slammed him into a police car.

"Kirimei!" Kyoko exclaimed suddenly remembering her friend, still stranded in the gym. She darted outside, frantically glancing around. There! She saw a paramedic. She pulled at his arm. "Please! Please! My friend! She's inside! She's hurt! Please!"

What had started out as any other day had now taken a turn for the worst. As paramedics rushed into the gym and her brother was towed away in a police car, Kyoko lost it. She ran into the gym after the paramedics, seeing them tending to Kirimei. As it all swirled around her, she collapsed. Tears like a hurricane swelled forth from her eyes and down her cheeks, soaking the sleeves of her jacket. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed. She couldn't hold it anymore. She had to cry. Kyoko felt so vulnerable for the way she was right now and was beating herself up inside for it.

"I-I'm sorry Migami . . ." She sobbed. "You, you said everything would be okay, you always say everything will be okay. It never is!!!" She screamed and continued to sob, hunched over in the middle of the lobby floor, everything seemingly disappearing around her, until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Everything okay, miss?" It was one of the paramedics.

"NO!" As the tears stung her eyes. She began to run. As she reached the back wall of the gym, tears still running down her face, she grabbed one of the trophies off the wall. She threw it at the opposite wall and watched it shatter and was about to grab another when something stopped her . . .

Shiromi chased after Kyoko, losing her for a moment or so. He thought. The gym, right? He ran down a few halls into the smallest gym in the end room. HE peered through the windows, and saw only two things-- Kyoko, and a shining golden trophy, spiraling through the air. He sprinted inside, encompasing her in his arms.
"KYOKO!" He hollered.
"It's okay! Don't worry! We'll get him out, okay?! Don't worry. I'm here. I'm here for you." He slowly pulled her to sit with him, stroking her hair.
He didn't even know what had all happened himself.

Kirimei blinked back to consciousness, looking around. Above her stood two paramedics, shining blinding lights at her face. She shook her head.
"Awake!" One hollered, standing and exiting. The male clapped twice, then the nurse turned to him, slowly repeated the word, and dawdled off to get her first aid kit.
The male nodded once, then looked down, smiling at Kirimei. He stood, offering her a hand. Kiri blinked a bit.
"Eh? Oh, uhm, thanks." He only nodded, staying quiet.
Kiri looked around.
"Oh, uhm. How long was I out?" He held a hand to his ear. Kiri slowly repeated his words, and he nodded, then shrugged.


Kiri looked around. No one, other than this male, was in sight.
"Matty, I got the kit." The male nurse, Matty, nodded, holding up a finger and bustling over. He snatched a few bandages and an ice pack, sitting Kiri on the nearest bench. He sat the pack on her stomach, and the bandaged her head, offering her a thumbs up. She nodded, and smiled, and he disappeared.

Toshimo was still oblivious to what had been going on. He merely sat, speaking of war times and fighting with Mika-chan, smiling and chuckling, and popping out his cigarettes to smoke. He was enjoying himself. . . little did her know, then outside world was a mess.

((OOC: Sorry for the cuss word guys, but if your brother was just taken away and you just seriously injured one of your best friends would you say, "I'm gonna kick your butt." It just sounds so immature, and sorry again, I really don't like to cuss, but butt just sounded so immature.))

"NO!" Kyoko screamed. "No! It won't be okay! It never is! Maybe we will get him out, but we'll always be restrained!" She stood, shoving Tsubasa away. "You follow me, and I'll kick your ass." She didn't like the taste of the words on her mouth. She didn't like to cuss, or even trash talk, but, there's a time and place for everything, I guess.

She began to run. She ran all over the place, until she came across the place Toshimo had been. She glanced at him through the tears. She squinted her eyes and continued to run. She ran out of the building and down the rode. As she ran she kicked her shoes off her feet. She was running bare foot through the streets, the back roads, the allies. She was running no where in particular, just running.

Migami was shoved into an interrogation room, his hand cuffs removed. He leaned harshly back in his chair and spat at the officer as he left the room.

Shiromi fell to his knees.
"KYOKO! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Tears slowly traced his cheeks.
He began to sob silently.
"things might not really be okay, but we have to hang in. I'll be here. . . for you. . . BUT YOU WONT LISTEN!" He held his head. He couldn't stand this, This stupid fight was tearing up the world he knew,and it was all because Takeshi was being overprotective about HIM. it was all Shiromi's fault. . .

Toshimo thought he saw Kyoko in the window, but he excused it as an image in his mind, He decided he'd go home, but through the back way. HE said goodbye to Mika-chan, and slowly strode home, to his apartment, and flopped on the bed. He was tuckered out. He HAD to get some rest . . .

Kirimei sat in silence. She was tired, really. Simply tired.


Matty hustled over to Takeshi, nodding in greeting. He'd worked under the man before, though he doubted Takeshi had any remembrance of who he was. He smiled, and bowed, gesturing his loyalty. He was required to come into the interrogation room, along with another officer. It was simply the Military requirement. He stood beside Takeshi, gesturing for him to lead the way.

Kyoko continued to run until she reached an old abandoned park from her childhood. She crashed on a bench and whipped out her phone. She began to flip through contacts until she came upon a name. Toshimo. She pressed the lighted green button.

"T-toshimo?" She practically whispered through the tears. "C-can you come down here? I, I'm at the run down park. 'Bout a- a mile from your house. You know t-the one?" She hoped he could hear her. She could barely hear herself. Kyoko didn't cry, but when she did, it was hard to stop.

Migami watched as the two officers entered the room.

"Well, well, well. I see your a cop. A bet you're an awful one at that ya. . ." He mumbled a minute to himself, not catching he wasn't talking with his usual slur. "Well, just gimme the fine for assulting a police officer and let me go. You ain't got nothin' else on me."

Matty nodded to Takeshi, then found his place against the wall. His manor became very strict as her watched every move both Migami and Takeshi made. In his hands, a tanned folder. It was Migami's state files. Matty gently tapped Takeshi's shoulder, passing him the folder before backing up against the wall, again. He continued keeping his eyes glued to the two, waiting for any cases of violence to emerge.


Toshimo looked about his apartment, then patted down his pockets in search of his cell phone.
"Ah--there it is." He dragged out his phone, pressing the small green circle on the screen.
"Hello? Ah--Kyoko? Uhm, sure, I can come down. Of course. . . Are. . . are you okay?"
He nodded.
"Of course. I'll be right there."
He hung up, shoving the cell in his pocket and he sprinted out of the door, aiming for the park. He was worried for her, For Kyoko.


He arrived at the ark, dappled with beads of sweat, and panting greatly.
"I'm here! Are you alright?" His voice was raspy, as usual, and his hair still dangled in his face, sticking to the layers of sweat.
"Are you okay, Kyoko-chan?"

Migami nonchalantly answered both questions, showing no emotion.

"Yes . . . Yes."

Kyoko looked up at Toshimo. She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. She tightened her grip on him and just cried.

"I can't lose him . . . he's all I have left . . . they can't - he didn't - but -" She stammered and sobbed. She could feel her tears were running out, which resulted and wheezing and coughing as she fumbled through the words. She wasn't a crier, this was all a new feeling to her. "I can't lose him." She whispered. The tears and coughing and wheezing were stopping and she just stood, arms around Toshimo, eyes puffy and red, and confused, utterly confused.

"Yes." Migami said again. "Kodi didn't want to move, but we had to. . . Are we done here, loser, or do I have to sit around here and get questioned and accused of things I didn't do?" The last sentence was fierce, the other more peaceful, more remembering.

"I just can't lose him . . . not again . . ." Kyoko breathed as a final tear fell from her cheek and down Toshimo's back.

Toshimo blinked back in surprise, but couldn't resist comforting her. This was when his soft side showed through. He wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her into his chest.
"Don't worry. I'll do anything in my power to help you-- eh you guys, Kyoko." He walked her over to a bench and sat her down, as he sat, still hugging her close to him. He couldn't stand to see her like this.

Matty didn't like the way this man was speaking. It was harsh and rude. Didn't he realize by now that this was a detective? Matty watched the seated Man's lips, tsk-tsking inside of his head. Respect was an art this man needed to learn. Or at least that how it appeared to the deaf boy.

"Could you tell me why this is relevant? Seriously! This is just ridiculous. First you come in to my life, screw with my little sisters head, and all her friends as well. Do you know how hard it is for my sister to trust people?! She trusted you! They all trusted you! Every last one of them!" Migami took a breath to regain his composure. "If you won't tell me why I'm here, then I'm leaving." Migami rose from his chair. "Good day."

With one last cough and a deep breath, Kyoko looked up at Toshimo. "Could you take me to the police station?" Kyoko then remembered she hadn't told Toshimo anything. "I-I'll explain on the way, but I want to see Migami." She ran an arm through his and leaned on him. She was tired, exhausted. Of all the things that could have happened . . .

Toshimo sighed, pulling her into his chest. He was content here.
"You wont loose him. Not if I can help it."
He closed his eyes, resting his chin on her head.
"Don't worry Kyoko. I wont leave you alone." He hugged her.