On The Edge (Ty)

"THERE WAS A GIRL...
... Violet hair. Silly violet hair. A piercing gaze. Hard to miss. And I remember her vividly. She was strong. But what made her so strong was the simple FACT, that she knew she was weak. At that moment I met her, she was so, so, weak. How did I know? Well... I was weak too. I think... There was something about her, merely because of the fact that she seemed to know who the true enemy was: Fate. She knew what the ultimate picture was: freedom. Liberation. Liberation of the mind. Freedom from our weaknesses. All of this I gathered from a single conversation. I believe, that you don't need years to know a person if you're going to know them. But then... What do I know?"

The half full courtyard except for the small fry rumbling in the corner carried his voice to the girl. He approached from directly in front of her and stopped about a yard and a half in front of her. A breeze carried the fiery red hair to the left slightly before settling. He took a slow drag of his cigarette, his hazel hues low. Fixed upon the ground, before they lifted themselves locked onto the girl's eyes in front of him. His expression bore its usual self. Nothing occuring but a cold stare. As icy as a glacier. The smoke from his cigarette had been glacial itself as silence claimed the air between them. He had been watching her for sometime now from a little corner in the courtyard. From when she exited the school to when she completely ignored the fight that was currently dying down, to where she stumbled and dropped her books. To where she lifted her shirt, and something uncommon claimed her stomach. Ty had never seen it before, but perhaps it was the soulless faculty branding her as their puppet.

A pillar. He leaves for a couple of months and that girl that seemed to lack ambition, perhaps ready to jump off a roof now had so called supreme authority over the school. How silly. Ty wiggled his broken right arm, still resting in its white cast. Still itching like a motherfucker. The strap around his neck that kept the arm hugging his torso had been equally annoying. A constant reminder of his cage, and that fat bastard Ning held the key... Nonetheless. He watched her. Analyzing her. She was different. Since he'd touched down from Tokyo he'd made sure to catch up, analyze the school. See what was happening. The same old shit. Same old vermin running free to do as they please. The biggest surprise was to hear Vivi, the assistant, a pillar. "Hm.. Steadily he flicked the cigarette to his left. Oh right. Smoking on campus wasn't allowed, right? Another breeze had blown in. Oh how his mind raced. Oh how he had so much to say, with so many ways to express them. It was... Almost ecstasy seeing her like this. Bittersweet. How he hated her... Yet slightly longed for the debate she provided him. The insight. The mental and emotional stimulation. It was... Perplexing...

"I suppose it's been a while, assistant."

“TY...”
Vivi... He remembered how he felt when he met her. Really, she'd been the only person aside of Musashi whom he had a true connection with. Though he had many run ins with many types of people in his short time at the school, most ended up being skirmishes. Fights that would be written down as poems. It seemed his life was one big poem. He remembered how poetic his conversation with Vivi turned out. Interesting. He had been sure that she'd be apart of his life one way or another. In all honesty, perhaps the stone cold Ty Hattori had hoped she would be by his side. That they could both turn their gazes towards the hellish horizon that FATE sat upon. Perhaps, they alone with Musashi could conquer fate together. But once again... What the hell did he know? Little did he know that Vivi were to soon become his enemy. His ambition would surely not stand in favor of the puppeteers of 552 when revealed. It was disappointing.. Even saddening to hear of Vivi's fate since his absence. And yet, strangely satisfying to see her continuing the battle they spoke so long ago.

“I’d ask if you were on vacation, but the broken arm makes me think otherwise.”

The hazel irises watched the violet hair girl smirk at her own comment. This in turn, caused Ty to smirk as well. Something incredibly rare and generally unheard of. Her jokes were as bad as his brother's. But perhaps that's why he enjoyed them so. Distinct. The small crack in his lip would be very short lived, as his mind traced back what she'd been doing. What he currently knew about her. And what he simply could not come to terms with. Her speech, vocal patterns were different. The confidence that seemed to ooze from her pores seemed borderline arrogance. She matched his gaze, something this eldest Hattori weren't used to. Something he didn't remember from her. She was so very much different, yet still the same. Ty found himself... Conflicted. The boy allowed his left arm to dangle by his side. His expressionless face and icy cold gaze analyzing her. He... Couldn't draw a conclusion. His blood boiled. Boiled. It felt as though lava were banging against the inside of his skin, wishing to vomit all over the courtyard.

“It has been a while. A lot’s happened since you up and disappeared. But we all have our own paths we gotta follow, yeah? So… heard from your brother you’ve been in Tokyo. Or at least, that’s my understanding. What happened there?”

Silence.
A Beat.
Silence.

"Nothing." His tone was hushed, dismissing. His nothing meant so many things besides nothing. Mainly it's none of her business. His eyes narrowed slightly, his emotions in check. He broke his gaze and turned his head slowly to his right, surveying the remaining students. Most were watching them. It appeared for the most part they were watching Vivi, interested in why she hadn't left the premises yet. And it seemed that some students even recognized himself. The boy turned his body away from Vivi and took a couple of paces in the direction he stared at. His body now completely profile from where Vivi stood. The crimson haired devil closed his eyes gently, allowing yet another breeze to whip against his cheek. Soothing. Calming. Straight to the point he'd jump now. It'd be just like their first encounter. He'd examine her thoroughly. He wanted to know her... He had to get to know her again. Was she still... Or was she... No. Leave your silly little emotions out of it. So he had one or two encounters with her. You thought you had a connection. How silly. She is nothing now.

"My, how things have changed."

Silence.
A Beat.
Silence.

"Tell me now... How long have you been a puppet?"

OH..?
Briefly following his question, the fiery haired junior's gaze would find its mark again. He watched the violet haired demon in front of him. His eyes trailed down to her body. She had... Become more toned. She'd been fighting a lot. But of course though. You can't be in the war and not expect the battle. It was ludicrous. Her posture was stronger, more grounded. He'd seen it one too many times before in Tokyo. Still that mark on her stomach had easily been the most baffling thing about the girl. What the hell.. Was that? He dare not ask. He'd find out soon enough. He doubted the girl even trusted him at this moment. His eyes trailed back down to his white cover arm. He wiggled it slightly. Itchy. It'd come off soon at least, then perhaps he'd be at full function. The Titans were waiting and this thing was a nuisance. A constant reminder of how he almost didn't make it back to his mother. To Musashi. He'd never faced anyone like that before in Tokyo. There was much work to be done, here. Perhaps there. 'Best of all' it were a constant reminder of the Yakuza's grip on his life. Ning, specifically. Fat greasy fuck.

“As far as I know, I’m nobody’s puppet...”

Laughable. They were all puppets in some shape or form. The eldest Hattori had been experiencing it first hand. Paranoid and constantly waiting for his strings to be pulled. Vivi's naivety was baffling. At least... This boy knew whom was pulling his strings. He just had to figure out how to cut them. He stared at her intently, analyzing this new, yet old person before him.

“I do what I want to. And I know the Pillars ‘work directly for the headmaster’ or some shiz, but I haven’t heard a word from him since I took up the position. If he tried to make me do anything I didn’t believe in I’d throw the Pillar ring right back in his face.”

Oh? Is that so?
 
“But thing’s have changed. Amongst the Pillars, I mean. Wasn't exactly what I thought it'd crack up to be in the end."

There. That's something he remembered about her. The uncertainty. It was quite clear in her voice, and even funny. Vivi did seem to have a knack for pulling the rarities out of the red haired devil. A Laugh. It escaped his lips. It faded. He found the circumstances hilarious. Just exactly what could they do? Screw morality. Where was the progress? There was NONE. Vermin. The lot of them.

Silence.

He knew mostly what was going on around the school. Musashi informed him and he had little 'pups' running about to keep him in the 'in'. He knew the Pillars battled with annoying pests. Gangs. And he drew the conclusion that they were all pests. The Pillars. Every gang in this school. The blatant corruption to allow a battle royal for petty titles. And once, Ty believed those titles were the key. No. Now his debate has come to a standstill. Both parties coming to an agreement. All of them had to be neutralized to see any true progress. To see FATE brought down to its knees. To see freedom. And s'long as Vivi remained a Pillar... She...

"My, how things have changed."

He repeated himself. It was funny how in the blink of an eye a person you figured would walk with you, is sided with the people you fight the most. Her body language, her voice. It tattled on her. She was still the same girl as before, just with a little more backbone.

"You seem confused. Uncertain... It seems we've both started down our roads now. I remember thinking that they'd be the same one. Our Hurricane Road. But then... What do I know?"

He didn't expect her to understand the true meaning of his words, yet. He wouldn't say he didn't expect her to enter the fray. To play the game of fate. Heaven and Hell decreed it. Everyone was apart of their cruel, sick fantasy. He turned his body to fully face hers. He watched her. He wanted in. To root out her mind again. He wanted to get straight to the point. He wasn't sure if he wanted to convince her of something.. Or simply let her know that he was likely to become another nuisance for her. He hoped the latter, but expected the worst. The red haired devil stood there, unfaltering. As stone wall as the time she'd first met him. And there she stood. Vivi. The inspiring. So what else was there?

"Tell me, assistant.  Do you know what you're fighting for?"

THE TRUTH
Was that this crimson haired Devil's emotions worked differently than most. He couldn't possibly fathom, or understand what he was feeling at the moment. The only word that seemed to come to mind was CONFLICTED. Conflict. Conflicted. It danced like butterfly in the summertime. And yet, not to be so brutally cliche, stung like a bumblebee in the spring. First impressions were a lot when it came to the eldest Hattori. And Vivi had passed with flying colors. There weren't many people he managed to connect with. Who? There was Musashi. Talia, his mother? Ruby, even. Who else? There was Yukine at one point but who knows where he is? Was that it? Yeah, probably. Everyone else was simply a pawn on his chess board. Mainly to sacrifice, manipulate to further his ambition. Most people he meet, he recognizes almost immediately they'll be in his life. Period. It was a sort of poetic justice. How long does it take for a person to fall in love with their favorite book? Poem? Play? Sonnet? These people were his favorite poems, and he wanted to read them over and over again. The people whom, if for even a brief second could make him forget that he was fighting. And Vivi was an excellent poem. She was something else. And though he didn't know her as well as he'd wished, it was almost as though her pages were scattered throughout the treacherous city. And he had to collect them again to read them. 

It was almost saddening to him.

He watched her for a while as she spoke. A softness slightly taking his eyes at the thought. A softness Vivi had possibly only seen once for probably just a second. But rare it was for a Devil, that it was near impossible to forget. It was the thought of her ever being his enemy. You, dear audience, may say, well, how could he possibly feel? He didn't even truly know her. Nay. Sometimes you just simply knew. Felt it, even. 

“I thought they might be too, but I'm not sure what either of our roads are right now, so I wouldn't know.”

And that was that. "Hm..." He knew. Did he though? Could he be wrong? Oh how he slightly didn't care and mostly longed to be wrong. A soft sigh escaped his pale lips. Kissed by the cool air of New York city. And soon his gaze turned to her stomach as the girl clenched at it once again. Visibly in excruciating pain, no doubt from the dark mark left on her stomach.  Concern, but he'd make his attempt to mask it. He dared not ask just yet. Though he'd make it clear that her pain was obvious though she herself tried to conceal it. The hazel hues remained fixed on the spot of her stomach she had been clutching. He was staring, and it was clear. He'd catch himself eventually though, seconds later. His gaze darting back upward and fixating themselves upon her eyes. 

“I um… … Damn you Hattoris, getting to my head.”

The one thing he and his brother did best. Ty better than Musashi, but what Musashi lacked in this area he made up for actually being not nearly as socially awkward. It was a good trade off most would agree. Not the eldest Hattori boy, though. He shifted his weight easily, wiggling his broken arm to compensate for an unreachable itch. He listened as more silence claimed the air between them.

“I’m not quite sure anymore …I just want to live. And I want Valo, Sarah, Macht, and Shugo… I want them and everyone else to live too. We’re just kids. We shouldn't have to fuck'n die in high school.”

At the sound of those names, Ty's gaze unlocked itself. His head turning to the side, tilting downward and staring at the grass underneath his brown desert boots. As he suspected. Recent recon and intel he'd gathered since his return let him know that Vivi had become the closest with people he could easily consider antagonists to his story. He wasn't even sure what they were fighting for, what they wanted. But it seemed at every turn since his time here he's battled with them or someone affiliated with them; they've always simply stood as obstacles in his path. And perhaps they all did want the same thing, but as far as he could see, it was a classic case of immovable objects he had to gather strength in order to become the force that could move them. He recognized each name except for Sarah. Valo he'd never encountered but vaguely knew of from buzz around the school before he left. Shugo, attempted to bring harm to his brother, his family. And Macht, an excellent fighter. Ty thoroughly enjoyed his battle. A most worthy and respectable adversary, though he were in league with a true enemy: The brute Knuckles. All, as far as the Devil could see, stood in the way of his vision. Liberation. Freedom. Progress. Safety. You could see why hearing Vivi speak of them so tenderly, could cause the crimson haired boy to falter ever so slightly. He was still weak. As weak as he was on the rooftop that day they met. He kept his gaze fixed on the ground. Vivi was sure to get a kick out of this one. No one usually gets to see him like this, and she probably gathered that a while ago.

"I could almost agree with your words... I find myself even wishing it were that simple."

If death weren't so brutally inevitable. Especially with the constant warring. A war like this one. The Hattori boy was not a murderer by any means. But to protect what he loved, to gain what they so deserved; wouldn't they be naive little toddlers to believe they'd never have to bare the burden? He wondered her thoughts. And this, is where he perhaps missed what they could have had the most. The debates she stimulated in his own mind, and even settled at times. 

“What about you, Ty? You seemed to have a sense of direction I lacked that day on the roof top.”

There. He picked his head up. His irises locking back on to hers. He allowed a brief moment between them before he opened his mouth to answer.

"I still know where I need to go. I just wonder if I'm still too weak to get there. Perhaps. But I know I'll get there. Would be a shame to let the imbeciles run around unchecked. Fate against me. Heaven and Hell probably wishing I were dead. I'll make sure I check them. I'll still create that something that's... Better."

He knew it would take work. But he had his support. Everyone needed 'assistance'. He had it. All that was left was to climb and grab the sky. He watched Vivi intently. 

"I think you know just living isn't enough."

[ooc: sorry for the lateness! moved my computer into the new house xD Vivi Perish]