Lomachislots War - Lost Childhood (Original) ~

[Director of Music]

Andy glanced up, looking around.  And then noticed his mistake.  "Oh.  RIght, right of course.  I...Finny...Phineas...I imagine he's still with the nurse."

[Kasawa Lanford]

"Huh, wonder why she hasn't released him," Rin said, looking back out the window. Even though it was early morning, she saw some students outside on the training grounds practicing.

"Hey Andy, that flier that Yukita had, did you get a good look at it by chance?" Rin asked.

[Director of Music]

At the mention of Yukita, Andy had twitched slightly.  "No."  He replied, trying to keep his voice steady.  "Didn't get a chance.  Was worried about Phineas."  He commented coolly.  Hey, it wasn't his fault he was slightly mad at Yukita for just changing the subject like that on him.  Phineas or a festival?  Seriously.  Andy knew Yukita cared, but it was really rather irking for him.

[Kasawa Lanford]

"I see, just curious," Rin said and continued to stare out the window. After awhile she heard the door to the girls room open and out came Sakura and Anise, both dressed for school. "You two certainly took awhile," Rin said.

"I was tired," Sakura said as she placed her hand over her mouth and yawned. Anise just shrugged her tired shoulders and grabbed her school bag.

"Shall we head to the infirmary and see how Phineas is doing?" Anise asked, Rin smiled and nodded and then looked over at Andy.

[Director of Music]

"Sure."  Andy replied, almost automatically.  He opened the door ahead of the girls and started to head down to the hospital wing.  Once there, the nurse ushered them in, telling them that Phineas was still asleep.  Andy quietly went over to the bed and watched Phineas's chest rise and fall.  It was peaceful.  Watching him sleep, that is.

[Kasawa Lanford]

"Why is he still here?" Rin asked the nurse, but she shrugged her shoulders.

"I was going to release him this morning, but he was sleeping so peacefully I decided not to wake him," she said and turned in her chair. "You can stay here for a couple minutes, but once the clock strikes eight I'll have to ask ya to leave so you can get some breakfast and get to class ok?" she said.

Rin and Anise both nodded. "And in the mean time," the nurse said and looked at Sakura. "I want to check on your ankle, it seems to have healed quite a bit during the night," she said and gestured toward a room. Sakura sighed and followed the nurse into the backroom where she took a seat on a table.

Outside, Anise walked by the curtain and up to Phineas's bed. She gently gripped his hand, she knelt down and just held his hand, her eyes stuck on his face. At the sight of this, Rin blinked and looked at Andy.

[Director of Music]

Andy watched as Anise clasped her hand around Phineas's.   Andy smiled slightly to himself.  Any  other time, Phineas would have flinched, afraid of the human contact, but not today.  Today...today Phineas was at ease.  And at peace.

[Kasawa Lanford]

The room was quiet, so quiet in fact that Rin was beginning to become uncomfortable with the setting. "I-I'll be outside," she said and headed for the door at a quick pace.

Anise watched her leave, a concerned look on her face before she turned toward Andy.

Outside the infirmary she pressed up against the window and took several deep breaths. "The smells... the bedding..  why now.. why suddenly now...," she said to herself and stood there.

***

Outside the academy grounds, hidden in the forest and beyond the sight of the elders and magi. A group of teenage looking figures hudled around a camp fire, looking at maps and small pictures. "Her?" one of the figures said, but another shook their head and said. "Nah, not a threat,"

"Him?" the same said, but the other one replied again much the same as before.

"Hmmm, then what about this kid? I seem to recall that there is a girl who deeply cares about him," another figure said, holding up an image of a young boy.

The other figures looked at one another and nodded. "If it means shattering the soul of one of their little minions, then I say we go for it,"with that the group grinned and snuffed out the fire. They grabbed their weapons and began to make a slow and stealthy walk to the academy grounds.

[Director of Music]

Andy gave Anise a reassured smile, before walking to her and giving her a hug.  He couldn't say much, just merely give her the tactile comfort he knew she needed.  Maybe later, when all of them were out of this, then they could lead a somewhat normal life.  He and Anise could be together, and if Phineas could sharpen up, he and Rin could be just as happy.

  Andy slowly backed away from Anise, trying to reassure her.  "If you need anything, I'll always be here."

[Kasawa Lanford]

Anise gave a wery smile, unsure of what to make of Andy's actions just now. "T-thank you," she said a moment later and glanced at the bed, her hands still clasped in front of her.

***

Outside, Rin sighed and ran her hand over her face. Her eyes narrowed and she seemed tired for some reason, staring up at the ceiling .

[Director of Music]

Phineas stirred, opening his eyes.  He saw Andy and Anise, both of them had weary smiles on their faces.  His leg was merely throbbing today.  It would be a good day.  He'd be okay.

The dark haired boy made a move to get up, and the nurse bustled over.  "One second, Phineas."  Phineas stood still as the nurse checked his heart monitor, and made sure everything was in order.  Glancing down at him, she murmured, "You be careful on that leg, now.  You understand."

Phineas nodded, getting off the bed slowly.  He walked over to Andy, placing his hand lightly on Andy's shoulder.

Andy felt the pressure and immediately turned around.  "Finny."  He murmured, his smile ever so slightly widening.  "Are you..."

"I'm alright, Andrew."  Phineas turned to Anise.  "You should stop frowning like that.  It'll give you wrinkles later on."  Phineas turned, and saw the nurse come over to him.  "I almost forgot.  Here."  The nurse handed him a cane, and Phineas grabbed it.  His mouth twitched.  It was set then.  He was now a cripple.  But, it was his choice. 

Andy, feeling the uneasy silence settle, looked up.  "Hey. It's 8.  We should head to class."

[Kasawa Lanford]

The distant ringing of a bell got Rin attentions that it was nearly, or is, eight in the morning. She blinked and glanced over at her shoulder and saw Phineas was up and out, but for some reason she couldn't get herself to go in there and instead rushed out of the infirmary section of the building and into what was a light rain. She allowed the drops to land on her face without resistance and made a slow walk to the cafeteria to get something to eat.

***

Anise smiled slightly at Phineas's remark, but also grew a bit worried when she saw the nurse hand him a cane. "Phineas..." she whispered slightly to herself, then shook her head and headed toward the door. "Sis! Phineas is---" she said before noticing that her sister wasn't around. "Eh? I wonder if she went to the restroom," she pondered and shrugged her shoulders.

"Shall we head off-" Anise said before being interrupted by Sakura shouting Phineas's name, the little girl then jumped off the ground to hug him - but was suddenly stopped in mid air.

Sakura blinked and looked around, she was floating the air. "Waah!" she paniced and thrashed about, trying to reach the ground but found she couldn't. The nurse shook her head and said. "Tsk tsk, Sakura, you should know better," the lady grinned, her hand raised in the air, cover with bluish particles that swirled around it..

"Merr......" Sakura muttered as the nurse slowly let her down

[Director of Music]

Phineas shifted his weight over, and started walking now with a limp.  Andy, behind him, watched with saddened eyes.  Well, it was his decision.  It was up to him..  However, the unfamiliar gait of his best friend still rung in his ears.

Phineas murmured in that soft voice of his.  "Hey, Sakura."  He, however, made no move to hug her, merely stepped closer to her.  That was just Phineas.  He had always had a lot of trouble initiating hugs.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Sakura gave a weary smile as she gently hugged Phineas. "Don't... hurt yourself anymore ok?" she said, looking up at him with concerned and sad eyes.

Anise couldn't help but think of how innocent, not to mention cute, Sakura looked when she was like that.

[Director of Music]

Phineas had a hard smile on his face.  Sakura wouldn't understand.  She couldn't understand.  And he wouldn't explain it to her either.  She was much too young.  She had to retain her innocence for as long as possible.

"Yeah.  That's the idea."  He said, patting her awkwardly on the back.

Phineas turned his head to the group.  "Shall we get a move on?"

Andy nodded, putting his hands inside his pockets, as he strolled up to match strides with Phineas.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Sakura smiled and walked beside Phineas. Anise gave a sigh that was either of 'what am I going to do with her' or 'there she goes again'

***

Rin sighed heavily as she leaned up against the wall; she watched the building where the infirmary was and waited for the others. She looked up and around, wondering if anyone was practicing at all in this light rain. "I wonder what everyone is up to..." she said.

[Director of Music]

The group went its way silently, save for the occasional thump thump of Phineas's cane.  Andy kept one eye trained on his friend, and with grim satisfaction thought that Phineas was getting rather good at using it.

He thought that too early, Phineas tripped, but Andy was quick enough to catch him before he fell.  The blond haired boy could see Phineas's face contort with first shock, then anger, then embarrassment.  Andy kept waiting for Phineas's sharp comeback, but it never came. 

Phineas merely gripped his cane tighter as he stoically made his way to the building.

Andy looked at the girls and gave a helpless shrug.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Sakura sighed and walked ahead of the group, her hand clasped neatly behind her back. She walked in a stride as she made her way down the path, it was only partially covered with rain water but not enough to make it hard to walk on. She glanced quickly over her shoulder at Phineas, then returned to looking straight.

Behind the group; Anise was smiing as she watched Sakura. She shook her head, knowing that Sakura was trying to put the 'cute' to good use. Then a sudden chill ran down her arms and back, she stopped briefly and looked around, curious as to why she gotten cold for that brief second. She glanced at her wrist and two numbers appeared magically just a few inches above her clothing: eight five degrees. She shrugged it off and assumed it was nothing.

[Director of Music]

Phineas caught Sakura's glance at him and he grimaced.  People would treat him as an invalid.  A cripple.  The word rung in his ears, as he continued walking.  He had a heavy feeling, but ignored it.  He'd do okay.  He'd be fine.  He didn't need pity from anyone. Didn't want it.

Andy felt the unease settle into the group, so he did what he did best.

"Come on, guys!  I'm starving!  Let's look a little enthusiastic, eh?!"  He started jumping around, trying to pep the group up.

[Kasawa Lanford]

Anise blinked, along with Sakura, both found the sudden change in atmosphere a bit... sudden. With that Sakura couldn't help but join in, and ran behind Phineas and gently began to push him forward, but making sure not to push to hard.