Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Tolerant Patience ❯ Lock Down and the Key ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Author's Notes:

Hello any reader(s) for reading! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Trigun is like... Legato with a kitty!! See lookie!! *evil-looking mini-me Legato holding kitty in crook of elbow, glaring* *koff koff* I don't own either of them.

Okay, I'm only putting symbols that are used within the chapter!! It will be consistent, I promise!!

Symbol key....

>Insert thought(s) > = Intruding thoughts pushed in from telepathic person.

<> Insert thought(s)<> = Rin's skimming frequency... those thoughts she picks up. Extra symbols may be added.


!! No Japanese !! :


Pronunciation key:
N/A

Editor's note: 'Ello! *waves* Yah, short chapter!! :( Sorry!! I couldn't stretch it out 'cause then it would've been unnecessarily lengthened, which I don't like doing. Hmm.. Can anyone guess what's going to happen?? Tee hee. And Wolfwood's reaction?

=^.^= Nyaaoo...

Tally Ho!

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He was stopped mid-step by the wall, as if he had not expected it. A flash of anger flickered across his face.

There were no thoughts. None.

Being that emotional and not a sound from his mind.
No yelling, nothing.

How could there not be anything??
I pushed my skimming mode from passive to aggressive.

Still nothing...

I met up with a wall.
Oh..
An impenetrable steel-like barrier.

Well, there must be some weak spot to the wall... I let my imaginary hands run along it.
Emotions. I could feel them roiling around like superheated oil just beneath the surface.

Did he put it up, without thinking, for defense??

Well if he was angry, why would his subconscious think he needed to hide?

Knives. The more I dug into Legato's mindset, the more I realized how scarred he was.

Exactly how old was he? To have extensive psychological problems, not to mention severe sociological ones, ingrained into his very being..
How long would that have taken??

I blinked.

He was smiling eerily.

"Legato?"

He stared at me.

His eyes.

OWwwww.. Whiplash.

All those feelings I had felt suddenly vanished. Washed away like grime.

It had almost swept me away in the torrent.

And had given me a big headache for resisting.



His gaze was blank. They held no awareness.

The wall grew colder... His aura... his being seemed to dwindle away from my senses.

I was on the verge of panicking.

>LEGATO!! Don't you dare run now!>

I got no response to my outburst.

> Okay, have it your way. > Taking an even breath, I steadied myself as my mind took a dive at the wall.

And I mentally fell flat on my butt, earning a bruise physically for my trouble.

I pounded at it, drove my fists one blow after another, but I couldn't get past it.

>LEGATO!! LEGATO!! >

My hands were aching, but I continued hitting the blasted wall.

>LEGATO!! You coward!! come back here!! >

The wall seemed unimpressed by my feeble attempts at crashing it down.
Too damn strong.

I had never before met a defense that matched my offensive mental capability. I was worn out.
He had completely shut down mentally.

I slowly slid down the wall, hugging the smooth surface. My forehead leaned onto it.

There.

I blinked. Was I imagining things?

There it was again.

Something was there.
Barely a trace of something.

I nearly laughed with relief at my finding. As long as I could make a connection I would be able to pull this infernal wall down.

I shivered convulsively. Woah.

Fear had nearly overwhelmed me.

It was scared, very scared....

And lonely.

> Kozue? > I ventured carefully, pulling my arms tighter around me.

Crying. I heard him crying with so much desolation.

> Kozue, if you can hear me, follow my voice; let it guide you to me. I'm here. >

A whimper.
> Kozue! Come on, it's me, Rin. Remember?? >

<><Rin?><> A sniffle.

> Kozue! >
I poured in my relief and happiness, knowing it would make him feel better.
> Come on, this way. >

<><It's too dark. I can't see anything.><>
Another sniff.

> Just listen to my voice. >

<><It's everywhere. I-I don't know which way.><> He stopped.

> Hold out your hands and focus on my voice. I'll try to help you out. Just focus on my voice.>

I felt him reach out, but it seemed so far away.

A crack. There was a crack in the wall?

I managed to slip part of my hand through it.

When I felt him place clammy fingers on my own, I gave a tiny tug.

That small amount of force was enough with the added connection I now had, for the wall had been built to keep people out not in.

The malnourished seven year old came barreling through the broken wall, collapsing into a sobbing mess in my arms.

The wall shattered.