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~ A Closer Joy Unknown - Chapter 22 ~
~ Chapter 22 [I'm Providing the Soundtrack.] ~
~ Phil continued to run for dear life through a half-chaotic Common Earthia England to Macclesfield, resting but only for a short while every couple of minutes. His heart pounded in his head, louder than his train of thought. He couldn't really think straight, except that memories kept him going, pressed him forward. He couldn't stop now. Not now, not here. And not while the entire future was at stake. It dawned on him that he was about to end up in the midst of something even greater than he or anyone else could imagine. He couldn't tell what it was, but he feared it was something big. He had great anticipation
and even greater fear.
His hands scrambled for the cell phone, hesitant at first as to who to call. Finally he checked his Contacts and called up the first person he could talk to in times like this.
'...come on, damnit' he muttered as the signal finally got hold of the receiving end. The phone rang for what it felt could've been an eternity. 'Oh f*cking hell!! Pick up, you cowardly c*nt!!' Damn well he was near his wit's end, when the phone finally was answered.
'Phil!? What's up??' a male voice spoke.
'Bernard... you have to come to Macclesfield. Right now' Phil told his friend. 'Have you looked outside yet?'
'Yes I have' Bernard replied, 'and I'm not going outside!!'
'But Bernard!!' Phil started.
'But nothing, Phil!' Bernard interrupted. 'You yourself shouldn't be outside.'
'Yeah but... there's something... out there, somewhere... that's about to happen, Bernard. Something big. And we may have something to do with it.' Phil took a deep breath. 'I don't know what it is, but it's something.'
Bernard thought for a moment. 'Well... if it's got something to do with these flashbacks I've been having' he spoke, 'then I guess it's worth coming outside.'
Phil's eyes widened. 'Wait a minute' he spoke, 'you've been having flashbacks too!?'
Bernard nodded hesitantly. 'Y-yeah. I have. About a young girl I found... in an alleyway...'
A girl, with a Locket. Hid her identity for a while. Fought an enemy force. Saved me and me mates from a certain doom...
'WAIT!!' Phil interrupted. 'Did she have a heart-shaped Locket with a cross for a charm?'
'Yes she did!!' Bernard answered, eyes now wide with shock. 'You think she...'
'Whatever's going on, we better get the gang together. NOW' Phil concluded. With that he ran inside the Cemetary, and stopped in his tracks when a cloaked, ghostly figure appeared before him. Phil's face paled quickly, and he couldn't think much else other than, 'What the hell...!!!'
'Right!' Bernard responded. 'On me way!' And with that he hung up the phone took off for Macclesfield, but not before glancing to an old photo of when he and his friends were in Joy Division. Suddenly there were six instead of four--the band, and two young women.
'...what the--' he said, blinking. With that he took off with one last thought escaping his lips...
'No. F*cking. Way.'
'SETSUNA!! BLOODY HELL!!' Bernard shouted when he finally found her. She was sitting at a park bench, hugging her knees to her chest. Her face showed barely any emotion, and her heart was next to numb. And on top of that, it was raining like there was no tomorrow! 'You'll get f*cking sick if you stay out here--'
'--and do I care?' she interrupted bitterly.
'Sets, look, you can't be entirely nervewrecked with what happened. What could have possibly happened between you and Ian that would've made me so upset!? What is it, Sets!?' Bernard pleaded with her, lifting her face to meet his. But her face showed shame, as well as a mix of tears and raindrops. He couldn't tell which is which, and with that he closed his eyes, drifting into her mind for a moment. His face sobered then, and he gave her a stern look, his eyes reopening.
'...so that's why you couldn't say a word' he finally spoke, stepping away from her.
'Bernard' she finally spoke, 'I'm sorry.'
'You could've bloody well stopped him!' he retorted.
'Well maybe you should remember we're all human, you piss-moaning c*nt!' shouted a familiar voice. Bernard and Setsuna glanced to Ian, who joined the conversation by his own force. 'And the person you should be damn well be pissed at is me.' With that the epileptic faced his guitarist, tears in his own eyes of pure regret and anger and self-hatred and plenty remorse. Bernard took a deep breath and glared to Setsuna, who too had tears in her eyes.
'BLOODY HELL!!' Bernard shouted in a rage, about to punch Setsuna, but Ian held him back. Setsuna ran to the boys, but Ian kept them apart.
'That f*cking does it!!' Ian shouted, sitting them both down on the couch. 'You're both gonna sit down here and talk this out like responsible people. I have to go find someone real quick. And you two better get along by the time I check up on you f*cking lot.' With that he stormed away from the couple, unsure of what was going to happen next. Next stop: back to Anthony's place, where Annik still was.
'How are Bernard and Miss Setsuna?' Annik asked as the two lovers embraced.
'They nearly got to fist-throwing, believe it or not' Ian replied duly, just holding his mistress close to him.
'Ian... what is wrong?' she asked.
'I have to leave soon... for another tour. This... could be the last time I'll get to see you.' He faced her at last, his own face showing humble concern.
Annik couldn't understand at first, but she was alright with it, and embraced her lover once more.
Meanwhile, back at Peter's apartment, Stephen and Gillian talked on the couch about Setsuna, the future, and what life in a band was like.
'So you have another tour soon, Stephen?' Gillian asked quietly, glancing to Stephen. The drummer nodded.
'Yeah... we leave in a few days. It'll probably be another interesting tour. Just not sure what to expect' he replied, glancing back to her.
'Another round of England?' she asked.
'Probably' he replied. And then he sighed, fixing his eyes to the window facing him.
'You're not worried about Ian, are you?' she asked, a worried look on her face this time.
He nodded. 'Very.'
Gillian sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed his arm around her. And for that odd moment of silence, all was well with the world. Maybe he didn't have to worry about the band or Ian. Maybe he could just stay here with Gillian and make believe that the world was truly a beautiful place. Or maybe he could sneak Gillian along with them. In any case, it was a wise idea weeks ago when Setsuna matched them up. Most of the recent time, they had been inseparable, at least when they were together.
Finally she looked up at him and, with a smile, hugged him tightly. She really liked him for who he was, quirky being his sense of humor, while still hanging in there as far as being a virtual drumming metronome from hell. And he was, in her eyes, adorable. Setsuna could agree with her in a heartbeat. Absentmindedly, Stephen kissed the top of her head and rested his head on hers. And then, for a moment more, they locked eyes. Nothing else mattered, not who was in which band or how old was who, different matters ahead of them or different matters of the heart. What mattered to them was each other. Nothing and no one else.
'...I suppose I should be heading home right about now?' Gillian asked quietly, but Stephen wouldn't let the fact that she's at someone else's apartment discourage her from staying over. Plus, Peter had given her advance approval of overnighters.
'...it's alright, Gillian' Stephen replied, smiling to her.
'Huh?' she quipped, looking at her crush curiously as she stood up.
He stood up to face her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. 'Don't forget what Hooky said' he reminded her. 'It's alright.'
She looked up at him, slightly curious, but with a lopsided smile on her slightly pale, delicate face. 'What is it, love?' she asked.
'You can stay the night' Stephen answered before kissing her forehead. She giggled. 'What!?' he inquired.
'You're...' she said, then looked down at the floor with a slight blush, thinking of the right words to say, then she lifted her head to face him. He leaned his forehead against hers.
'I'm...' he whispered.
'You're... you're wonderful...' she replied softly. 'Unusual, but... curiously fun to be around... and I've come to like you... quite a bit.' A light giggle escaped her lips before she blushed again, smiling up at him. Their foreheads were still against each other when he smiled back at her.
'Well you're beautiful and sincere and can play the guitar even if you can't...' he admitted, giggling with a blush himself, foreheads still together. He finally got the nerve to look her in the eyes. 'Really, you are quite a sight for worn eyes.'
'Th--thanks, Stephen' she replied.
'You're very welcome, Gillian' he whispered as he finally got the courage to kiss her on the lips. The two quickly blinked for a moment, and had another fit of giggles.
'Oh God' she spoke inbetween giggles.
'Don't tell me--first kiss??' he said.
'Yes!' she admitted.
'Same here then, love!!' he replied, giving her a hug.
'Stephen, don't forget I'm shorter than you!!' she giggled.
'I know, I know' he laughed, lifting her into his arms.
'Okay, now what, silly?' she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
'Simple, you're not so short now! Do I get a kiss?' he quipped.
'Plenty!!' she replied as their lips collided again. ~
~ Phil continued to run for dear life through a half-chaotic Common Earthia England to Macclesfield, resting but only for a short while every couple of minutes. His heart pounded in his head, louder than his train of thought. He couldn't really think straight, except that memories kept him going, pressed him forward. He couldn't stop now. Not now, not here. And not while the entire future was at stake. It dawned on him that he was about to end up in the midst of something even greater than he or anyone else could imagine. He couldn't tell what it was, but he feared it was something big. He had great anticipation
and even greater fear.
His hands scrambled for the cell phone, hesitant at first as to who to call. Finally he checked his Contacts and called up the first person he could talk to in times like this.
'...come on, damnit' he muttered as the signal finally got hold of the receiving end. The phone rang for what it felt could've been an eternity. 'Oh f*cking hell!! Pick up, you cowardly c*nt!!' Damn well he was near his wit's end, when the phone finally was answered.
'Phil!? What's up??' a male voice spoke.
'Bernard... you have to come to Macclesfield. Right now' Phil told his friend. 'Have you looked outside yet?'
'Yes I have' Bernard replied, 'and I'm not going outside!!'
'But Bernard!!' Phil started.
'But nothing, Phil!' Bernard interrupted. 'You yourself shouldn't be outside.'
'Yeah but... there's something... out there, somewhere... that's about to happen, Bernard. Something big. And we may have something to do with it.' Phil took a deep breath. 'I don't know what it is, but it's something.'
Bernard thought for a moment. 'Well... if it's got something to do with these flashbacks I've been having' he spoke, 'then I guess it's worth coming outside.'
Phil's eyes widened. 'Wait a minute' he spoke, 'you've been having flashbacks too!?'
Bernard nodded hesitantly. 'Y-yeah. I have. About a young girl I found... in an alleyway...'
A girl, with a Locket. Hid her identity for a while. Fought an enemy force. Saved me and me mates from a certain doom...
'WAIT!!' Phil interrupted. 'Did she have a heart-shaped Locket with a cross for a charm?'
'Yes she did!!' Bernard answered, eyes now wide with shock. 'You think she...'
'Whatever's going on, we better get the gang together. NOW' Phil concluded. With that he ran inside the Cemetary, and stopped in his tracks when a cloaked, ghostly figure appeared before him. Phil's face paled quickly, and he couldn't think much else other than, 'What the hell...!!!'
'Right!' Bernard responded. 'On me way!' And with that he hung up the phone took off for Macclesfield, but not before glancing to an old photo of when he and his friends were in Joy Division. Suddenly there were six instead of four--the band, and two young women.
'...what the--' he said, blinking. With that he took off with one last thought escaping his lips...
'No. F*cking. Way.'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
'SETSUNA!! BLOODY HELL!!' Bernard shouted when he finally found her. She was sitting at a park bench, hugging her knees to her chest. Her face showed barely any emotion, and her heart was next to numb. And on top of that, it was raining like there was no tomorrow! 'You'll get f*cking sick if you stay out here--'
'--and do I care?' she interrupted bitterly.
'Sets, look, you can't be entirely nervewrecked with what happened. What could have possibly happened between you and Ian that would've made me so upset!? What is it, Sets!?' Bernard pleaded with her, lifting her face to meet his. But her face showed shame, as well as a mix of tears and raindrops. He couldn't tell which is which, and with that he closed his eyes, drifting into her mind for a moment. His face sobered then, and he gave her a stern look, his eyes reopening.
'...so that's why you couldn't say a word' he finally spoke, stepping away from her.
'Bernard' she finally spoke, 'I'm sorry.'
'You could've bloody well stopped him!' he retorted.
'Well maybe you should remember we're all human, you piss-moaning c*nt!' shouted a familiar voice. Bernard and Setsuna glanced to Ian, who joined the conversation by his own force. 'And the person you should be damn well be pissed at is me.' With that the epileptic faced his guitarist, tears in his own eyes of pure regret and anger and self-hatred and plenty remorse. Bernard took a deep breath and glared to Setsuna, who too had tears in her eyes.
'BLOODY HELL!!' Bernard shouted in a rage, about to punch Setsuna, but Ian held him back. Setsuna ran to the boys, but Ian kept them apart.
'That f*cking does it!!' Ian shouted, sitting them both down on the couch. 'You're both gonna sit down here and talk this out like responsible people. I have to go find someone real quick. And you two better get along by the time I check up on you f*cking lot.' With that he stormed away from the couple, unsure of what was going to happen next. Next stop: back to Anthony's place, where Annik still was.
'How are Bernard and Miss Setsuna?' Annik asked as the two lovers embraced.
'They nearly got to fist-throwing, believe it or not' Ian replied duly, just holding his mistress close to him.
'Ian... what is wrong?' she asked.
'I have to leave soon... for another tour. This... could be the last time I'll get to see you.' He faced her at last, his own face showing humble concern.
Annik couldn't understand at first, but she was alright with it, and embraced her lover once more.
Meanwhile, back at Peter's apartment, Stephen and Gillian talked on the couch about Setsuna, the future, and what life in a band was like.
'So you have another tour soon, Stephen?' Gillian asked quietly, glancing to Stephen. The drummer nodded.
'Yeah... we leave in a few days. It'll probably be another interesting tour. Just not sure what to expect' he replied, glancing back to her.
'Another round of England?' she asked.
'Probably' he replied. And then he sighed, fixing his eyes to the window facing him.
'You're not worried about Ian, are you?' she asked, a worried look on her face this time.
He nodded. 'Very.'
Gillian sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed his arm around her. And for that odd moment of silence, all was well with the world. Maybe he didn't have to worry about the band or Ian. Maybe he could just stay here with Gillian and make believe that the world was truly a beautiful place. Or maybe he could sneak Gillian along with them. In any case, it was a wise idea weeks ago when Setsuna matched them up. Most of the recent time, they had been inseparable, at least when they were together.
Finally she looked up at him and, with a smile, hugged him tightly. She really liked him for who he was, quirky being his sense of humor, while still hanging in there as far as being a virtual drumming metronome from hell. And he was, in her eyes, adorable. Setsuna could agree with her in a heartbeat. Absentmindedly, Stephen kissed the top of her head and rested his head on hers. And then, for a moment more, they locked eyes. Nothing else mattered, not who was in which band or how old was who, different matters ahead of them or different matters of the heart. What mattered to them was each other. Nothing and no one else.
'...I suppose I should be heading home right about now?' Gillian asked quietly, but Stephen wouldn't let the fact that she's at someone else's apartment discourage her from staying over. Plus, Peter had given her advance approval of overnighters.
'...it's alright, Gillian' Stephen replied, smiling to her.
'Huh?' she quipped, looking at her crush curiously as she stood up.
He stood up to face her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. 'Don't forget what Hooky said' he reminded her. 'It's alright.'
She looked up at him, slightly curious, but with a lopsided smile on her slightly pale, delicate face. 'What is it, love?' she asked.
'You can stay the night' Stephen answered before kissing her forehead. She giggled. 'What!?' he inquired.
'You're...' she said, then looked down at the floor with a slight blush, thinking of the right words to say, then she lifted her head to face him. He leaned his forehead against hers.
'I'm...' he whispered.
'You're... you're wonderful...' she replied softly. 'Unusual, but... curiously fun to be around... and I've come to like you... quite a bit.' A light giggle escaped her lips before she blushed again, smiling up at him. Their foreheads were still against each other when he smiled back at her.
'Well you're beautiful and sincere and can play the guitar even if you can't...' he admitted, giggling with a blush himself, foreheads still together. He finally got the nerve to look her in the eyes. 'Really, you are quite a sight for worn eyes.'
'Th--thanks, Stephen' she replied.
'You're very welcome, Gillian' he whispered as he finally got the courage to kiss her on the lips. The two quickly blinked for a moment, and had another fit of giggles.
'Oh God' she spoke inbetween giggles.
'Don't tell me--first kiss??' he said.
'Yes!' she admitted.
'Same here then, love!!' he replied, giving her a hug.
'Stephen, don't forget I'm shorter than you!!' she giggled.
'I know, I know' he laughed, lifting her into his arms.
'Okay, now what, silly?' she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
'Simple, you're not so short now! Do I get a kiss?' he quipped.
'Plenty!!' she replied as their lips collided again. ~