![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
Title: Access Denied
Chapter: 3/??
Author:![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
evilgeniuskoji
Beta:visualcomplex
Pairing: Reita/Ruki
Genre: General, Mystery, Scifi-ish
Rating: PG-13
Warning: None
Summary: AU. Saiko Reality is the hottest new virtual reality simulator. With an in-game experience that questions your reality and theirs, PSC's newest product has establishd a wide branch all over Central Tokyo. Such a large corporation cannot go witout its dark secrets...and as he struggles to remember his past, Ruki finds himself ensnared in the very heart of the problem.
File 01 | File 02
Ruki felt half-anchored looking through the eyes of a body that seemed both familiar and unfamiliar. A pair of glasses perched on his nose, though the part of him anchored to the body was so used to it that it did not even register with him until his hand moved to push it up as it slid down his nose.
The glass was rain-spotted and his hair was damp as he hurried down a street and into a cafe. He scanned the room and ducked past a waitress when he spotted a young man sitting at the corner booth.
The man in question didn’t look up as Ruki approached him, obviously preoccupied with the Nintendo DS in his hands. Ruki snorted and rolled his eyes, not surprised at all. Typical.
His chair squeaked loudly as he pulled it back and sat down. The man jumped, his dark hair falling into his slanted brown eyes in his surprise. Then a wide smile stretched thin lips over a boyish face that was made prominent by his soft cheeks and round, pug-like nose.
“Ruki!” he greeted. His voice had a deep timbre to it, and carried traces of warmth and shyness that Ruki didn’t understand. “It’s…it’s really good to see you.”
He felt the corners of himself smile. “I just saw you last night.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Ruki smiled again, more widely than before. “Yeah. Nice to meet you too, Reita.”
Ruki jerked away as the intercom switched on and a cool, female voice announced the next stop. He wiped the sweat from his face as the doors slid back and a portion of the crowd moved off the crowded train, only to be quickly replaced by new passengers.
It was somewhat of an amazement that he fell asleep at all on Japan’s infamous trains, but then, this time Ruki had been lucky enough to secure a seat. A quick check assured him that no one had picked his pockets, and Ruki returned to wondering over the dream. It had been lucidly clear, and more substantial than fragmented images and tantalizing hints his dreams had been of late.
So much more that Ruki wondered if it was a memory.
A face rose unbidden to his mind, the face of the man from his dream, a dark haired, open, friendly face. For some reason he thought that the hair should have been blonde and the eyes hawk-like and gray.
“Ginza Station, Ginza Station,” the cool female voice announced. Ruki got up quickly and made his way towards the door; his seat was swiftly taken over by a relieved-looking student with a bag that had things protruding against the fabric like textbook corners.
As always, the streets of Ginza district were busy, and as always Ruki felt insignificant and anonymous in the crowd amongst the towering buildings with their winking windows and mirror-smooth ads. The crowd picked him up and made him a part of itself, a mass that moved of its own will and accord, and in that moment it didn’t matter who he was.
Ruki shrugged off the feeling and set a brisk pace, hands automatically stuffing themselves into his pockets and pulling the open ends of his jacket closer together. There was an energizing sort of cold in the air, the kind that inspired wakefulness rather than lethargy. He passed under one of the large advertising screens wrapped around the buildings, half listening to the song seeping out of the speakers as he did.
So long to the other side of the light
So long to nameless liberty
So long, devour your fears
So long, fly higher than anyone
His destination was a small but classy jewelry store strategically located in the heart of Ginza. It was open and spacious, well-lit and built so that one end of the store was visible to the other at all times. Soft white marble paved the floors and small niches were carved into the cream-colored stone walls. They were lined with velvet rises that held both jewelry and fine figurines on display behind glass walls.
A single counter was situated in the middle of the room, rectangular, with collection of necklaces and rings sitting behind a glass case. The counter was manned by a middle-aged salesman, smartly dressed and exuding an air of efficiency. He seemed surprised at the sight of Ruki, raising a brow questioningly.
“What are you doing here, Ruki-kun? Today is your day off.”
Ruki smiled in greeting and bowed politely. “Good evening, Kawaichi-san. I apologize for missing work this morning.”
The reply he received was dry and accompanied by an amused smile. “Of course, Ruki-kun. You came in specifically to apologize for taking a day off when you had already informed us that you would do so ahead of time.”
Ruki winced, caught in the lie, but amended it with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Kawaichi-san. I left my ring here last week and wanted to get it back.”
“Oh, that thing? I sold it to a customer who admired it.”
“What?” Eyes widened almost comically at his casual response. “Kawaichi-san, I’ve had that ring for over three years!”
The older man laughed and waved towards the backroom where all the records and paperwork was kept. “It’s in there.”
Relaxing but shaking his head at the joke the store manager had had at his expense, Ruki quickly rounded past the counter, his shoes a quiet click on the smooth stone floor. The room was dark and cool, the former of which was quickly remedied when he flicked the light switch. It was easy enough to locate the ring on the table, and he noticeably loosened when he slid it back on his finger.
It was wide and thick, easily fitting around his finger and carved into the shape of a large silver skull with pitted black eyes and stained jaws. The ring had been amongst the few things the hospital staff had found on him when he woke up three years ago, and remained on his person regularly, and so Ruki had been reasonably anxious when he realized that he’d left it at work.
“Found it?” was Kawaichi’s mild question when Ruki emerged from the backroom. He nodded and smiled.
“Yes.” The blonde lifted his hand and flashed the ring in response. “Thank you for taking care of it.”
“You’re welcome.” An elegantly engraved brooch occupied the salesman’s attention as he polished it absently. “The design looked familiar. Harugin, I think.”
“Harugin?” Ruki blinked, thrown by the sudden change in subject. “I’ve never heard of it...”
“It was a popular brand six or seven years ago of an independent store,” explained the other. “Our store used to carry their products, but…” he shrugged. “They stopped production then.”
“Oh…” A frown found its way onto his face. “Why?”
“Who knows? There were only rumors.”
“About what?”
Faint light glinted off a curiously shaped object pinned to his suit. “The disappearance of the owner.”
---
“Irrashai!”
The tinkle of bells and a young, teenage girl’s cheery voice greeted him as he entered the shop. She had big brown eyes, low slung pigtails and an apron stamped with numerous pictures of dog bones. A name tag was pinned onto it, reading ‘Sora’. “Welcome to Rin’s Pet Shop! How may I help you?”
“Ah…” A small, slightly uncertain smile made its way onto Ruki’s face. “I’m looking for a dog…”
“Oh!” Sora clapped her hands together with a wide grin. “That’s great! A puppy or a full-grown dog?”
“A puppy. Something for an apartment…”
The young girl nodded thoughtfully and seemed to think for a moment before flashing him another grin. “If you’ll follow me?”
She led him to the pens by the front display window where a group of puppies were wrestling playfully. “Here are the puppies in the store,” explained the girl as he drew closer to examine them. “Some of them shed more than others, but they should be alright in your apartment if you don’t mind a bit of fur now and then.” Noticing Ruki’s expression, she encouraged, “Go ahead. You can pick them up if you want.”
He hesitated, but his attention was caught when a small white and brown dog patted up to the low barrier fencing off the pen and looked up at him inquisitively. The big, watery eyes did him in and he scooped the puppy up eagerly, stroking its long silky coat and scratching behind its ears. A tiny tail wagged gleefully.
“What kind of dog is this?” he asked softly, trying to think of the book on dog breeds Doctor Morita had lent him.
“Papillion,” Sora replied promptly. “His name is Sabu.”
“Sabu-chan,” Ruki said, testing out the name. The puppy seemed to wag even harder and licked his hand.
Twenty minutes later, he walked out of Rin’s Pet Store with a new dog and leash in hand.
On his way back, a faint melody caught his ear. Ruki paused mid-step and cocked his head. Sabu stopped too when the leash tugged gently on his collar and looked up questioningly at Ruki, who fished out his cell phone from his pocket. The flood of people fluctuated and shifted around him automatically.
Recognizing the name on the screen, Ruki resumed walking and brought the phone to his hear. “Hello?”
“Hello? Ruki? It’s Kai!” announced the voice on the other end. “Where are you right now?”
“Ha?” he brushed his hair from his eyes. Below him, Sabu paced over the concrete and seemed to enjoy himself. “I’m in Ginza.”
“Ginza?” The dark-haired man’s voice sounded surprised. “Why are you there?”
“Ah…didn’t you tell me to buy salt?” Ruki glanced down surreptitiously at the two extra bags of bedding, toys, and dog food.
“But it’s much more expensive in Ginza!”
“Don’t complain, I was already here.” He slowed to a stop at the crosswalk. Sabu promptly sat on his bottom and began scratching himself. “Did you need something?”
“Oh, yeah.” Something about Kai’s voice shifted, but he couldn’t pin it down. “Just wanted to remind you to get the salt.”
“Already have it.”
“Really? Where are you now?”
Ruki glanced up. “Just passed the old Sony building.” The light turned green. “I’m going to hang up now, Kai, okay?”
“Yeah, okay. Bye, Ruki.”
“See you when I get back.” Quickly sliding the phone back in his pocket, Ruki tugged on Sabu’s leash. Already the people on his side of the sidewalk had already made it to the last side and he was the only one standing there. The light turned yellow as he stepped off the curb.
At the corner of his eye, a car came down the lane, going too fast to brake in time. It honked at him loudly as the light turned yellow, but his body wouldn’t move. He could almost hear the impact of aluminum on his flesh, imploding through meat and muscle and blood splattering over windshields and concrete—
Someone’s hand grabbed onto the back of his shirt and yanked, hard. Ruki stumbled back, falling on the floor, and Sabu’s leash slipped through his slack fingers. Aware of the sudden freedom, the puppy did what any puppy would do and took advantage of it. He darted across the painted stripes of the crosswalk, tiny legs propelling him almost to the other end of the street, soaring, almost, into the front bumper of a small blue Civic.
The gore on the road wasn’t his, but that of the too-still puppy lying three yards away, its fur soaked in blood. Pitiful murmurs came rose the crowd like the buzz of an angry bee, and Ruki could only sit there, hands numb and eyes staring, staring at that small, limp body.
A hand gripped his shoulder and bent his lips to his ear. “That could have been you,” whispered an oddly familiar voice. “They’re after you now. Don’t trust anyone.” He registered bleached blonde hair before the person was gone, disappearing into the crowd.
A broken food dish lay at his feet, spilled out of the fallen shopping bag.
Two minutes later, he picked himself up again and turned to face the uniformed men approaching him with clipboards and clean up tools in hand.
---
The ride home didn’t feel quite real. Ruki mechanically fed the train station’s ticket slot, climbed on, and held onto a hand grip. Eventually he roused enough to get off at the right station and began the slow walk back.
His plodding footsteps filled his ears the duration of the walk, but they were suddenly overwhelmed by the shriek of a siren as a fire truck rushed by. Ruki lifted his eyes and followed after the flashing red car for a moment. Then he shifted his gaze over, where the tall rise of his apartment complex was visible.
A thin trail of black smoke climbed lazily in the air from the fourth floor.
For a moment, Ruki just stared. Then he broke into a dead run.
Chapter: 3/??
Author:
evilgeniuskojiBeta:
visualcomplexPairing: Reita/Ruki
Genre: General, Mystery, Scifi-ish
Rating: PG-13
Warning: None
Summary: AU. Saiko Reality is the hottest new virtual reality simulator. With an in-game experience that questions your reality and theirs, PSC's newest product has establishd a wide branch all over Central Tokyo. Such a large corporation cannot go witout its dark secrets...and as he struggles to remember his past, Ruki finds himself ensnared in the very heart of the problem.
File 01 | File 02
Ruki felt half-anchored looking through the eyes of a body that seemed both familiar and unfamiliar. A pair of glasses perched on his nose, though the part of him anchored to the body was so used to it that it did not even register with him until his hand moved to push it up as it slid down his nose.
The glass was rain-spotted and his hair was damp as he hurried down a street and into a cafe. He scanned the room and ducked past a waitress when he spotted a young man sitting at the corner booth.
The man in question didn’t look up as Ruki approached him, obviously preoccupied with the Nintendo DS in his hands. Ruki snorted and rolled his eyes, not surprised at all. Typical.
His chair squeaked loudly as he pulled it back and sat down. The man jumped, his dark hair falling into his slanted brown eyes in his surprise. Then a wide smile stretched thin lips over a boyish face that was made prominent by his soft cheeks and round, pug-like nose.
“Ruki!” he greeted. His voice had a deep timbre to it, and carried traces of warmth and shyness that Ruki didn’t understand. “It’s…it’s really good to see you.”
He felt the corners of himself smile. “I just saw you last night.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
Ruki smiled again, more widely than before. “Yeah. Nice to meet you too, Reita.”
Ruki jerked away as the intercom switched on and a cool, female voice announced the next stop. He wiped the sweat from his face as the doors slid back and a portion of the crowd moved off the crowded train, only to be quickly replaced by new passengers.
It was somewhat of an amazement that he fell asleep at all on Japan’s infamous trains, but then, this time Ruki had been lucky enough to secure a seat. A quick check assured him that no one had picked his pockets, and Ruki returned to wondering over the dream. It had been lucidly clear, and more substantial than fragmented images and tantalizing hints his dreams had been of late.
So much more that Ruki wondered if it was a memory.
A face rose unbidden to his mind, the face of the man from his dream, a dark haired, open, friendly face. For some reason he thought that the hair should have been blonde and the eyes hawk-like and gray.
“Ginza Station, Ginza Station,” the cool female voice announced. Ruki got up quickly and made his way towards the door; his seat was swiftly taken over by a relieved-looking student with a bag that had things protruding against the fabric like textbook corners.
As always, the streets of Ginza district were busy, and as always Ruki felt insignificant and anonymous in the crowd amongst the towering buildings with their winking windows and mirror-smooth ads. The crowd picked him up and made him a part of itself, a mass that moved of its own will and accord, and in that moment it didn’t matter who he was.
Ruki shrugged off the feeling and set a brisk pace, hands automatically stuffing themselves into his pockets and pulling the open ends of his jacket closer together. There was an energizing sort of cold in the air, the kind that inspired wakefulness rather than lethargy. He passed under one of the large advertising screens wrapped around the buildings, half listening to the song seeping out of the speakers as he did.
So long to the other side of the light
So long to nameless liberty
So long, devour your fears
So long, fly higher than anyone
His destination was a small but classy jewelry store strategically located in the heart of Ginza. It was open and spacious, well-lit and built so that one end of the store was visible to the other at all times. Soft white marble paved the floors and small niches were carved into the cream-colored stone walls. They were lined with velvet rises that held both jewelry and fine figurines on display behind glass walls.
A single counter was situated in the middle of the room, rectangular, with collection of necklaces and rings sitting behind a glass case. The counter was manned by a middle-aged salesman, smartly dressed and exuding an air of efficiency. He seemed surprised at the sight of Ruki, raising a brow questioningly.
“What are you doing here, Ruki-kun? Today is your day off.”
Ruki smiled in greeting and bowed politely. “Good evening, Kawaichi-san. I apologize for missing work this morning.”
The reply he received was dry and accompanied by an amused smile. “Of course, Ruki-kun. You came in specifically to apologize for taking a day off when you had already informed us that you would do so ahead of time.”
Ruki winced, caught in the lie, but amended it with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Kawaichi-san. I left my ring here last week and wanted to get it back.”
“Oh, that thing? I sold it to a customer who admired it.”
“What?” Eyes widened almost comically at his casual response. “Kawaichi-san, I’ve had that ring for over three years!”
The older man laughed and waved towards the backroom where all the records and paperwork was kept. “It’s in there.”
Relaxing but shaking his head at the joke the store manager had had at his expense, Ruki quickly rounded past the counter, his shoes a quiet click on the smooth stone floor. The room was dark and cool, the former of which was quickly remedied when he flicked the light switch. It was easy enough to locate the ring on the table, and he noticeably loosened when he slid it back on his finger.
It was wide and thick, easily fitting around his finger and carved into the shape of a large silver skull with pitted black eyes and stained jaws. The ring had been amongst the few things the hospital staff had found on him when he woke up three years ago, and remained on his person regularly, and so Ruki had been reasonably anxious when he realized that he’d left it at work.
“Found it?” was Kawaichi’s mild question when Ruki emerged from the backroom. He nodded and smiled.
“Yes.” The blonde lifted his hand and flashed the ring in response. “Thank you for taking care of it.”
“You’re welcome.” An elegantly engraved brooch occupied the salesman’s attention as he polished it absently. “The design looked familiar. Harugin, I think.”
“Harugin?” Ruki blinked, thrown by the sudden change in subject. “I’ve never heard of it...”
“It was a popular brand six or seven years ago of an independent store,” explained the other. “Our store used to carry their products, but…” he shrugged. “They stopped production then.”
“Oh…” A frown found its way onto his face. “Why?”
“Who knows? There were only rumors.”
“About what?”
Faint light glinted off a curiously shaped object pinned to his suit. “The disappearance of the owner.”
---
“Irrashai!”
The tinkle of bells and a young, teenage girl’s cheery voice greeted him as he entered the shop. She had big brown eyes, low slung pigtails and an apron stamped with numerous pictures of dog bones. A name tag was pinned onto it, reading ‘Sora’. “Welcome to Rin’s Pet Shop! How may I help you?”
“Ah…” A small, slightly uncertain smile made its way onto Ruki’s face. “I’m looking for a dog…”
“Oh!” Sora clapped her hands together with a wide grin. “That’s great! A puppy or a full-grown dog?”
“A puppy. Something for an apartment…”
The young girl nodded thoughtfully and seemed to think for a moment before flashing him another grin. “If you’ll follow me?”
She led him to the pens by the front display window where a group of puppies were wrestling playfully. “Here are the puppies in the store,” explained the girl as he drew closer to examine them. “Some of them shed more than others, but they should be alright in your apartment if you don’t mind a bit of fur now and then.” Noticing Ruki’s expression, she encouraged, “Go ahead. You can pick them up if you want.”
He hesitated, but his attention was caught when a small white and brown dog patted up to the low barrier fencing off the pen and looked up at him inquisitively. The big, watery eyes did him in and he scooped the puppy up eagerly, stroking its long silky coat and scratching behind its ears. A tiny tail wagged gleefully.
“What kind of dog is this?” he asked softly, trying to think of the book on dog breeds Doctor Morita had lent him.
“Papillion,” Sora replied promptly. “His name is Sabu.”
“Sabu-chan,” Ruki said, testing out the name. The puppy seemed to wag even harder and licked his hand.
Twenty minutes later, he walked out of Rin’s Pet Store with a new dog and leash in hand.
On his way back, a faint melody caught his ear. Ruki paused mid-step and cocked his head. Sabu stopped too when the leash tugged gently on his collar and looked up questioningly at Ruki, who fished out his cell phone from his pocket. The flood of people fluctuated and shifted around him automatically.
Recognizing the name on the screen, Ruki resumed walking and brought the phone to his hear. “Hello?”
“Hello? Ruki? It’s Kai!” announced the voice on the other end. “Where are you right now?”
“Ha?” he brushed his hair from his eyes. Below him, Sabu paced over the concrete and seemed to enjoy himself. “I’m in Ginza.”
“Ginza?” The dark-haired man’s voice sounded surprised. “Why are you there?”
“Ah…didn’t you tell me to buy salt?” Ruki glanced down surreptitiously at the two extra bags of bedding, toys, and dog food.
“But it’s much more expensive in Ginza!”
“Don’t complain, I was already here.” He slowed to a stop at the crosswalk. Sabu promptly sat on his bottom and began scratching himself. “Did you need something?”
“Oh, yeah.” Something about Kai’s voice shifted, but he couldn’t pin it down. “Just wanted to remind you to get the salt.”
“Already have it.”
“Really? Where are you now?”
Ruki glanced up. “Just passed the old Sony building.” The light turned green. “I’m going to hang up now, Kai, okay?”
“Yeah, okay. Bye, Ruki.”
“See you when I get back.” Quickly sliding the phone back in his pocket, Ruki tugged on Sabu’s leash. Already the people on his side of the sidewalk had already made it to the last side and he was the only one standing there. The light turned yellow as he stepped off the curb.
At the corner of his eye, a car came down the lane, going too fast to brake in time. It honked at him loudly as the light turned yellow, but his body wouldn’t move. He could almost hear the impact of aluminum on his flesh, imploding through meat and muscle and blood splattering over windshields and concrete—
Someone’s hand grabbed onto the back of his shirt and yanked, hard. Ruki stumbled back, falling on the floor, and Sabu’s leash slipped through his slack fingers. Aware of the sudden freedom, the puppy did what any puppy would do and took advantage of it. He darted across the painted stripes of the crosswalk, tiny legs propelling him almost to the other end of the street, soaring, almost, into the front bumper of a small blue Civic.
The gore on the road wasn’t his, but that of the too-still puppy lying three yards away, its fur soaked in blood. Pitiful murmurs came rose the crowd like the buzz of an angry bee, and Ruki could only sit there, hands numb and eyes staring, staring at that small, limp body.
A hand gripped his shoulder and bent his lips to his ear. “That could have been you,” whispered an oddly familiar voice. “They’re after you now. Don’t trust anyone.” He registered bleached blonde hair before the person was gone, disappearing into the crowd.
A broken food dish lay at his feet, spilled out of the fallen shopping bag.
Two minutes later, he picked himself up again and turned to face the uniformed men approaching him with clipboards and clean up tools in hand.
---
The ride home didn’t feel quite real. Ruki mechanically fed the train station’s ticket slot, climbed on, and held onto a hand grip. Eventually he roused enough to get off at the right station and began the slow walk back.
His plodding footsteps filled his ears the duration of the walk, but they were suddenly overwhelmed by the shriek of a siren as a fire truck rushed by. Ruki lifted his eyes and followed after the flashing red car for a moment. Then he shifted his gaze over, where the tall rise of his apartment complex was visible.
A thin trail of black smoke climbed lazily in the air from the fourth floor.
For a moment, Ruki just stared. Then he broke into a dead run.
51 comments | Leave a comment