Everyday Stresses of Kazuki - Sci-Fi Action/Intrigue Webserial

CHAPTER XX8: BETWEEN THE TWO OF US +1

After that, the company dinner turned into a party, especially with Yuki's antics all about the place. Eliza watched as Nihara and Václavos had to constantly make sure she didn't get in over her head, mainly keeping Yuki away from intermingling with Kazuki's operatives. Still, many people found her amusing. Eliza did, too, of course, watching as Yuki played a dozen party tricks.

Lilly was standing out in front as she gave the inner core one massive photo shoot, with Eliza steadied in the centre… Next to Kaz of all people!

He had a hand on her shoulder. It… was slightly warm, his grasp.

Eliza felt like chuckling at everything that Yuki did... "Heh," Eliza murmured. Eliza's tipsy state only got Kazuki's eyes on her much more than usual.

With things going on, Kazuki rarely had the time and attention to dedicate much to their investigation. It saddened Eliza slightly…

"Stop drinking," Kazuki said, placing the glass of wine in Eliza's hands on the clothed table.

Eliza hiccupped slightly, peering down the stairs... it was now night – yet a tinge of warmth was still in the air. The work dinner seemed to be over...

Kazuki then helped her down the stairs. "We're not going to the after party."

"Aww?" Eliza was disappointed. "But Archius, Yuki and Quinn are going!"

Kazuki grumbled. "And?" he said. "We're not going. Not in your state."

Eliza opened her mouth to respond, but found herself unable to counter that. Ugh... Her head hurts: she placed her hand to her forehead. "Ugh... Maybe you're right… What do I look like, Kaz?"

"Of course I am, and you look awful," Kazuki said. "You're drunk."

DRUNK!? "Whaat?" Eliza rolled her eyes, chuckling and looking to Archius.

Archius carried Nathan on his back, who in turn was holding Yuki. Whoa, Eliza didn't know Archius was… somewhat strong. But, guessing his past with Kaz, it made some sense, she supposed.

He had a neutral face on, probably one of his little faces... or whatever... Eliza would like to believe that beneath that, Archius had some amusingly annoyed face on.

"Me! Drunk? Archius, I'm not drunk, right?" Eliza asked.

Archius turned to her. "You drank more alcohol than Yuki and Nathan combined," he said. "And... Kazuki is carrying you, you know?"

What? Carrying her?! No! He's just helping her down the stairs, Eliza thought, taking each step carefully. Looking down, Eliza realised that... she was being carried! Kazuki was just carrying her in his arms, his deadpan expression being very amusing to her...

"What are you thinking under there?" Eliza asked, poking him slightly.

"I really don't want to carry you," admitted Kazuki, as he glanced down at her. "Makes drawing my sidearm slower."

Getting outside the venue, the groups started to split up. Eliza, tipsy and red-cheeked, waved goodbye to Archius and the various groups of Contractors. Rivera was chortling at the sight of Kazuki carrying her into a shuttle.

"Ugh, you always wear armour though," Eliza complained. "You'll be… fine, probably?"

Kazuki shrugged. "It's not my typical powered armour. Our armour is typically connected to the Exospine or Skeleton, which helps improve strength, obviously. Without it… I'm flimsy."

Eliza quipped back, "More durable than most!"

The seats were nice and comfy... Smooth and sleek, Eliza liked it. She focused on that for a little bit, as Kazuki moved to the other side of the shuttle. He opened the door. Eliza peered outside, seeing the dead drop down to Anagora's surface beyond the floating island's guardrail parapets.

"Whoa..." Eliza glanced around. "Oh yeah, I have that… presentation to do tomorrow."

"Shouldn't have drunk too much," Kazuki jived. "It's important, right?"

Eliza nodded. "And you?"

Kazuki sighed. "Work. As always."

It scared Eliza a bit, but the distant sight of neon and colours mesmerised her. The landscape of colours and vibes was amazing to look at… even as Eliza knew what it did hide deep below. Kazuki sat down, closing the door and buckling both his and her seatbelts.

"You never listen when people tell you not to drink too much," said Kazuki.

A chuckle rose onto Eliza's face. Karl drove the shuttle forward, bursting from its parked space and into the skyways between Anagora's various islands and levels, a thousand lives and more attached to each building...

"I'm... not drunk, alright?" she said. "I'm just a bit tipsy, alright?"

Karl chuckled at her response. Was it funny? Eliza couldn't really tell.

"What's so funny?!" Eliza tugged at the hem of her dress with frustration.

"Just relax, you two, I'll bring you guys home," Karl said.

Eliza nodded, yawning before her head fell onto Kazuki's shoulder. It was nice and padded beneath his coat. "Wake me when we're there, alright?"

"Sure," said Kazuki, staying motionless as the shuttle moved.

And there, leaning against Kazuki's shoulder, in the darkened neon skies of Anagora, the growing drowsiness took Eliza into slumber.

In slumber and dread, Eliza's flimsy and tipsy mind rocked back and forth with memories old and new, the thoughts of meeting both Kaz and Archius arose... It was all a blur of thoughts and emotions.

Eliza could feel her cold eyes pierce Kazuki's calm visage on that rooftop. Images and memories flickered by; getting to know Archius, University... Everything was so calm.

Grinning wildly... Maybe her old self would have chastised Eliza for being inefficient. Either way, the thoughts died down as Eliza was shaken awake.

They were in the lobby area, walking to the elevators.

Kazuki carried her once again. Karl was gone…?

Yeah... Maybe Kazuki was right? Right about... what? Alcohol. Ah, yeah... She felt like tomorrow was going to be an awful hangover.

Eliza's crimson-red eyes were firmly planted on Kazuki's dull, dead face. Eliza could hear footsteps approaching.

"Huh?"

Just then, Kazuki slammed a button continuously.

"Hey! Hold up!" A voice cried out, but the doors closed, cutting the voice off.

"Phew..." Sighing, Kazuki pressed down on one of the elevator buttons.

That voice... it sounded familiar... "What was that?" Eliza asked.

Kazuki whistled. "It was Mrs. Graneck."

"Graneck?" Eliza mumbled. Oh yeah, Eliza's elderly neighbour! Eliza's face squinted in frustration at Kazuki. "Why did you do that? She gives us spare pies when she makes too many?!"

No response was provided by Kazuki, who merely whistled away, avoiding her gaze. "Go back to sleep, Liz. I'll carry you to bed."

Synthia was quietly sleeping on Eliza's shoulder, but the movement earlier had awakened the AI. 'Did I miss anything? I must apologise… having to recharge during such an important dinner.'

"It's fine!" a cheery voice signalled to Synthia that Eliza was drunk. "You didn't miss much, go back to charging… I know I put you up to a lot of work, Synthie."

Synthia nodded and turned off at Eliza's command.

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Back to the topic at hand… sleep… bed? "Your shoulder's warmer, though," Eliza muttered.

"Eh-uh. Incorrect," Kazuki stated. "It's only warmer since my clothes are auto-heated. Yes… even in this weather."

Sounds quite fancy, the idea within Eliza's mind began to swell, yet it was rather inconvenient in the Summer.

"But your shoulder IS warmer," Eliza reiterated. Kazuki.

He nodded. "Sure, it is." Yay... He agrees! Eliza knew she was right! "To you, at least."

"Mhm! Are you going to sleep today?" asked Eliza. It was an uncanny question for anyone... But Kazuki's not just anyone. As a university student, Eliza prided herself on having a strict sleep schedule of...

She scratched her head. It's probably...

Whenever she just wanted to go to sleep... Not very strict, she thought.

Eliza got angry with herself, grumbling all by herself. Kazuki closed his eyes, walking out of the elevator. Wait... Is it just the two of them?

"Where's Nihara and Václavos?" Eliza asked.

"After party," Kazuki said. "Contracts are up. Only for half a year. For once… they'll be celebrating something good."

A frown rose on Eliza's face at the melancholy in Kazuki's face. Eliza tapped him on the burnt cheek. "When I finally get to rebuilding my mother's medical company, you'll help me, right?"

Hmm... Kazuki might be busy, but maybe if he's off or something, he can help! He did take business before he dropped out... Though that wasn't really out of him failing, more the bounty on his head, which still worried Eliza somewhat...

"Sure."

"Are you sure we'll be okay?" she asked. Kazuki paused in all. His movements fell idle. Hmm? Eliza peered left and right, seeing that they were standing by their door. Eliza shoved her hand into her pockets, dragging up a keycard. "I really should have gotten you and Archius…" Hiccupping, Eliza placed a hand to her mouth. "Some keys."

Kazuki awkwardly nodded, his eyes thinning. "Yeah. We'll be alright."

Hah. At least Eliza didn't have to worry about Kazuki anymore. Eliza haphazardly muttered to herself in a drunken stupor.

Kazuki took the keycard and scanned it on the door. Eliza was carried in before Kazuki shut the door. Placing the keycard on the shoe rack,

"My home's more cosy…" Kaz murmured. "Far more cosy."

"It's the Imperial Palace?" The obvious was stated by Eliza. "Duh, of course it'd be nicer."

Eliza shimmied out of Kazuki's grasp, yawning whilst taking her own shoes off, trudging deeper into the hall. Kazuki followed soon after that, hanging his jacket up.

"Archius will be out for a bit," Kazuki said. "We're on the surface, in the heart of District Fifty. I doubt the Blood Contract Cults are mad enough to attack us… I hope so, at least."

Hmm? Oh, yeah, those people! Eliza staggered over to her sofa before collapsing, stretching out like a cat before dozing off. "Hmm... yeah, if you say so," she said. "But... you said something about something before... About the Ball Palace?"

Eliza's memories were trying to catch up to her dozing self.

The smell of steel clung to him even now, at all times. "We were outplayed," Kazuki said, sitting down next to her as he bit into one of the apples in the fruit basket…

Eliza would have been somewhat angry… she wanted to eat that apple, but Kazuki did pay for quite a lot. Kazuki's words didn't even seem to click with Eliza for a moment.

"Correction. I was outplayed. Not us."

"But... we got what you wanted, right?" Eliza asked. "We finally have our garnet lead, right?"

Kazuki shook his head. "Not without Antiar. A Seven Merc can't just enter the world of the Board. Not without invitation," he said.

"Oh... What a shame..." Eliza trailed off, clipping her uplink off and gently resting it on the coffee table.

An immediate rush of relief washed through Eliza's mind, yawning again whilst turning on the television. She chuckled slightly, poking at Kazuki's face whilst taking the mick out of him with each chuckle – though Kaz didn't seem to mind, so Eliza continued!

"It was not the Board that outplayed me, however. They want stability. I provided chaos," Kazuki informed Eliza of the situation.

"Who gained the most?" Kazuki asked, crossing his arms. "Gilbera and Iana. Out of that mess, they gained the most: a valuable and overt political alliance… and revenue."

"Because of you?" Eliza asked. Yeah... Kazuki's grandfather might see more favourably on his grandson's allies, Eliza assumed. "I guess it's a win-win, though."

Kazuki sighed. "Yes. But not all win-wins are equal."

Without much thought put into her actions, Eliza tugged at Kazuki's arm, as he was staring off across the walls of eccentricities and accolades across Eliza's condo walls.

"You're not watching the television, are you?" Eliza asked. "Go put something on you'll like."

He looked down at her, confused with a dead golden glare. "You're already watching something."

"No! Just... put something on, alright?" grumbled Eliza, pouting.

She just wanted Kazuki to do something... He blinked a few times before changing the channel once.

Hmmn. Eliza grumbled slightly. Kazuki was too quiet. He's always too quiet! "You're quiet... what are you thinking about?" murmured Eliza, peering over at him.

"Not much."

Yet Liz found that she couldn't hold the words up whatsoever. "Liar," Eliza playfully said, poking him in the face. "I might be drunk, but I can still think, you know?!"

"Before you ask: no. You're not any wiser than before," Kazuki said. It sounded like he wasn't convinced at all! "Blood Contractors. That's all I'm thinking of. Got it?"

"They're just mercenaries," Eliza squealed whilst stretching out her legs across the sofa. "Right? Not that big a problem?"

Watching the television, Kazuki didn't respond immediately. The tele showed a random documentary about life in the Ithiran Expanse...

It's a section of space within the Eclipse that has been stabilised, only reopened to the galaxy in the most recent of decades...

The Engan presenter of the documentary displayed the many hazardous phenomena in the area… It piqued Eliza's curiosity.

Kazuki elaborated, "Most are Intergalactic Crisis veterans. They saw hell and back then once again. Now: they bring hell wherever they go."

Then, Eliza's mind tripped onto Kazuki's words. Intergalactic Crisis veterans? They're veterans? Well, she guessed that somewhat makes sense, after all, Kazuki did say that most of the AGENCY was made up of military and special forces veterans from across the galaxy!

Hell, Lilly, Quinn and… Riharia were from the Republic Marines.

Riharia would... probably be proud of her, helping in whatever she could do! Right? Eliza stared off into the distance, looking far off beyond the glass wall. "Right?"

No answer was coming to Eliza, not even the spectre of a whisper… Dear Iris, Eliza wished she could at least have some closure on all of this… real closure, even if it may not be real.

But if she yearned so badly for just a few deaths… Kantos and irya… Cyrus… Riharia and all those that died whilst she was handling…

The mere notion of what Kazuki may be yearning for was near inconceivable for Eliza.

Eliza smiled before asking, "Well, I know many veterans turned out quite fine, right? Why didn't they just… move on? In very simple terms…"

"Why do you think?" Kazuki snorted. He seemed… almost offended by the question.

Eliza shrugged her shoulders.

"Those veterans bled for ideas, some for liberty. None got what they deserved. Where do you think disgruntled soldiers go?"

Kazuki's face was souring at this talk, but he steadied whatever cocktail of emotions was stirring in those golden eyes, as Eliza's red eyes only glanced off into his.

Eliza sat up, leaning on Kazuki whilst continually watching the television... Kazuki didn't seem tired, but he rarely looked tired to begin with, more than usual.

"They... I don't know?"

Kazuki bitterly responded, "They survive. Or they die. Those in the game twist them out of shape, injustices mark them… And then, they're abandoned."

Justice... Oh yeah, Kazuki does seem to like justice. "Justice... Is that why you're called the Arbiter?" she asked.

"..." A drone hovered over, providing two cups of Trasian tea for them.

Slowly drinking the tea, Eliza was waiting for an answer.

Kaz blew on it for a bit, grumpily groaning afterwards. It was a strange sight. The thought that Kaz was just another killing machine contradicted what she saw every day.

Kazuki grumbling… annoyed… Behind all of that armour, Kaz was still Kaz…

In an ever-changing galaxy, that stability was something Eliza would beg for.

No bravado or reinforced bones, steel organs of exospine could taint Eliza's thoughts.

"Arbiter. That's the codename they gave me. To mock me and my father… He had a sense of justice, he wanted it… he went to war for it."

Hmm? That... sounded quite dark and dull, Eliza thought. Crimson hues glistened against the solid blocks of dead gold.

"If you believe this galaxy is home to any justice... You have not been paying attention," Kazuki snarled.

Eliza slowly drank the tea, feeling even more sleepy... What tea was it? Lacrimento infused brew...? Well, that must sort of explain it, she thought.

Slowly, Eliza's mind faded in and out, a collage of memories formed up to remind her of everything... It was just a month ago.

That wasn't behind a monitor, Eliza had thought that perhaps it was all a bad dream. But when she woke up the next day, it wasn't Cyrus in the living room who saluted her… it was Nihara. That blood... those splattered... brain matter. It was real... Eliza felt her chest tighten and her hands seal in on themselves.

Her eyes frantically shut, trying to shut away the mirage of death that lingered in that room. Without a word uttered, Kazuki squeezed her hand.

"Breathe." It was a murmur, but it was enough to let Eliza's mind soothe.

The hand was warm... It radiated safety and calm. Eliza smiled meekly. "You're a lot cuter if you speak softly, did you know that?" she teased.

Kazuki paused before his eyes wandered elsewhere, away from Eliza's gaze. This caused her to chortle slightly.

"Ha, I'm right."

Kazuki's voice seemed to have mimicked some parts of a parent's calming tone – yet still clung to the authoritative demands he was used to spitting. Silence overcame her as she relaxed her body ever so slowly...

Kazuki sighed. "Time will tell, Eliza. Time will right the wrongs in blood or ink…"

"Time... don't you want justice?" Eliza asked, before closing her eyes. Kazuki didn't respond to that. "Or… is it because you think you're cursed?"

"I am cursed," Kazuki muttered in reply. He was cursed… "My whole lineage is… We're all doomed for something. My father. Aunt. Grandmother… Sister… We're all cursed… My curse is you."

By now, Eliza was half-asleep, and she… barely took note of the words. She merely smiled, thinking that it was something positive.

"Why is it with you, my nightmares seem to end?" Kazuki asked, but Eliza was too drowsy to respond. After a moment, he muttered, "Maybe it can finally end."

Within the drowsiness that overtook her mind, she heard one that, for what it was worth, made her sleeping face smile: "We'll make justice, Eliza. It'll all be for something, in the end."