Log - Shishido Tomiyama
Date: Around the 24th I think. After Shishido drops by his class and has a talk with Rin
Rating: PG
Summary: Having just found out that Tomiyama is from the future, Shishido goes to the headmaster to demand answers and gets more than he bargained for.
Shishido wasn't sure what to think as he left the training centre. Rin had told him some very interesting information, if it could be believed, not that he could think of a good reason for why Rin or Tomiyama would lie about that. But why was it kept a secret? Why tell that secret now? Who the hell was he?
His emotions were swirling in circles from confused, to angry and so many things in between. But he knew he wanted answers, or at the very least confirmation. Tomiyama was the one who told him to go Rin, he had to expect that the blonde would tell him about the time traveling.
Without realizing it,he had somehow stomped his way over to the offices where the headmaster's rooms were located. It was times like these where he'd prefer to just fly up and use the window but that wasn't an option right now. So he entered the building and rushed up the stairs to Tomiyama's door that he soundly pounded on. "Tomiyama, open up." He called through the door.
As he waited for the headmaster to open the door, he leaned slightly against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Clearly he wasn't nearly as fit as he thought he was. The adrenaline that had gotten him here had quickly ebbed now that he had reached his destination. How lame was this. Here he was trying to confront Tomiyama about time travelling and he was too busy holding on to the wall and trying to catch his breath.
Tomiyama opened the door calmly, facing his student with a cool expression. He wasn't entirely surprised to see Shishido paying him a visit, but neither did he think the visit would be so immediate. The boy must have run over here, with the way his chest heaved. He made a mental note to observe his next class, to gauge what sort of activity he was up to ...
But there were other things to attend to, of course. "Please, Shishido-kun ... I must ask you not to be so loud," he requested. "People may be sleeping." While he hadn't been, Taki had, and Tomiyama didn't want to disturb the young man taking refuge in his apartment for the week. "May I ask what brings you here at this hour?"
"It's not that late and I had some questions." Shishido slipped past Tomiyama and in to the apartment very much feeling like sitting down would be a good idea right now, not that he would admit that he may have pushed himself too hard. The last thing he wanted was to end back up in the med lab.
"Besides, who would be slee-" Shishido cut himself off as he spotted Taki on the couch. His wings ruffled, causing him to flinch slightly from the pain. "Taki? What is he doing here?" His mind supplied several reasons that made him feel jealous for no good reason so he hastily shoved those aside and instead focused on the concern for his friend and the chance that he was acting crazy again and need the headmaster to help ground him.
Tomiyama glanced over his shoulder at Taki, then turned back to Shishido. "He's resting," Tomiyama explained, and left it at that. It was true that Taki had been pushing himself too hard, trying to find a solution for the impending catastrophe. While Tomiyama had initially welcomed his enthusiasm, even he could see that it was taking a toll on his well-being. Shishido, however, did not require an explanation, as it would only cause him to ask more questions, and Tomiyama suspected they were not the same questions that he came there to ask.
He guided Shishido farther into the apartment, towards his bedroom door. It was more than a bit unorthodox, but it was the best location for talking in private: there was a door, which he closed behind them to block out any noise that might wake Taki. "Now," he said, facing Shishido directly, "how can I help you?"
Shishido was rather confident that he would have been able to figure out that Taki was resting on his own, but before he could question further he found himself led inside of Tomiyama's bedroom. "If I knew it was this easy to get you in a room with a bed alone, I would have tried sooner." He looked at the bed and it appeared way too inviting, and not for the type of activities his previous comment insinuated.
But he would not give in to his body's desire to sprawl out across the bed and rest. He was here for a reason, he needed answers. He wouldn't be able to rest properly until he did anyway. "I talked to Rin... he told me some interesting things." He let the sentence hang there, waiting to see if Tomiyama knew what those interesting things were and if he would offer more information on it. Yes, he had a ton of things he wanted to know, but he wasn't sure how to approach the subject to get the answers that he wanted most. Like who the hell was Tomiyama Satoru and why was he unable to do more to stop this disaster? Or why was he sharing this secret now? Or the more mundane did he grow in to an even sexier man in a few years?
Tomiyama didn't react to Shishido's flirting. It was too late, and his patience was in shorter supply than usual. Instead, he focused on the statement. If Shishido had spoken to Rin, then there were things that he knew, and those things were likely to confuse him. "I suspect you're here for a clarification, then," Tomiyama suggested, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other.
"Clarification would be nice." Shishido pointed out, not at all bothered that Tomiyama wasn't in the mood to put up with his flirting. It was more an automatic reaction then any real desire at the moment. Not that he didn't find the headmaster attractive, but laying down for a rest and getting some answers about time travelling was certainly trumping sexual thoughts just then. Damn he wanted to sit on the bed, but he was afraid if he did that he'd just pass out from pushing himself too hard. He could end up back in the med lab for that stunt, or worse, not able to get answers about this.
"Then feel free to ask," Tomiyama invited, opening his palms to Shishido in a gesture of honesty. He wasn't about to simply offer information without precedent; while he knew that Shishido at least knew what Rin had told him, he didn't know what areas required more explanation.
Could Tomiyama be less helpful? Shishido thought as he huffed and crossed his arms, "Well when are you from?" That question sounded so weird but it was accurate, obviously Tomiyama had to be from here, just not this time. That's what time travel was about right?
Tomiyama smiled and re-folded his hands above his knee. It was a start, at least. "2012," he answered. "Not too far from now, is it? Of course I wasn't an old man, then -- I was only 24 when I made the jump." He uncrossed his legs and re-crossed them, then leaned forward. "I suppose you'll ask me next how I did it, won't you?" He suppressed a chuckle; this was easier to discuss the more he talked about it.
It was weird to find out that Tomiyama had only come from a place five years in the future, felt as if he should know him and suddenly recognize who he was, is, but he must have been here a while to be in his mid thirties now, had been here long enough to open the school at any rate. And wait... 24 in 2012 would make him about his age now. Would Tomiyama tell him who he was if he asked? Maybe he could guess by the powers. "Well I'm assuming you didn't come here in a time machine. So your powers let you move through time?"
"That's correct," Tomiyama said, nodding. "And now you know what I can really do." He let the slow smile spread across his face, strangely satisfied despite wondering whether Shishido would figure him out. "I came here to stop the event," he continued, "but I'm sure Rin's already told you all about that, hasn't he? What else do you want to know?"
He was sure later, when he had time to digest everything and look back at this moment he will be kicking himself for asking all of the wrong questions or forgetting the important ones, but he also couldn't stand here all night and think. Besides, if he asked enough, then he would be able to get a fuller picture of things and he could put it all together later. "Just how bad is the future that you risked going back what? 15 years in the past? And why go back that far? Is that where things started to go wrong? Why stay? Couldn't you have just given your warnings and left to where you came from?" Did that place even exist still? Shishido had no idea how time travel worked and he figured now wasn't the time to start asking philosophical questions about time travel. Especially after just bombarding the headmaster with a bunch of things to answer. At least he'd remember to keep his voice rather hushed.
Tomiyama laughed out loud. Now Shishido had questions, did he... "Calm down, Shishido-kun," he said. "Calm down. And have a seat." He gestured to the space beside him on the bed. "I'm here because I ... needed to be involved," he explained. "I care about each of you very much, as much as I care about this school. You already know what happens -- a disaster so horrible it destroys this city. It destroyed our way of life, too, so yes -- it is important enough to risk going back ten years. Only ten, Ryou, not fifteen," he added. Shishido had thought that before, too ... "It takes ten years to shape this place into what it is, to make it stronger than it once was. This is a world worth saving, you know, whether you realize it or not."
Shishido frowned at the laugh, he didn't see what was so funny, and he also thought he was perfectly calm. Or was a lot calmer now then he was when he first stomped his way over here at least. He suspected that it had more to do with not having the energy to keep a full blown dramatic tirade from happening then anything else. And knowing this made it impossible to decline the invitation to sit on the bed.
Stifling a groan as he folded his wings, he moved to sit cross legged on the bed, allowing his wings to hang comfortably over the side. "Wouldn't it be 15 though? I mean if you come from the future, and Tomihana's been around for 10 years... that's 15 years for you right? Though only ten from now..." Maybe he just wasn't meant to understand time travel he thought as he let out a sigh. "So did this place exist in your time? I mean you weren't there to found it right?" Was it just called the Hanamura institute? What did the students do after she went in to her coma? Were Tomiyama's changes enough to make them strong enough to fight against this disaster?
"It existed," Tomiyama explained, "but it was very different. X-Prime didn't exist until after the explosion, for example -- they didn't do the things that you're doing now. They weren't actively out there protecting people ..." And that had been one of the major problems, which was why he'd insisted that they be formed early on, and further insisted that they all train, and train hard. If the team was stronger -- if the school was -- then there was a better chance of surviving. "It was founded by Hanamura and a woman you may not know named Ryuzaki. They called it Ryuhana. I suppose since Ryuzaki-sensei taught both of us instead of Hanamura alone, she thought it better for the two of us to train the next generation together." He smiled at the memory; it was exactly what he'd wanted when he'd come back to this time.
"Ryuhana? Sounds weird... but is X-Prime strong enough to stop the explosion this time? Did you do enough to make a difference?" Shishido questioned, leaning closer to the headmaster in his need to know answers. There was still so much he wanted to know but he had to take this one question at a time or else Tomiyama would just pick and choose the questions he wanted to answer and skip past the others. He could do this, he was an information specialist, he just had to ignore emotions and put his skills to use on the headmaster.
"I did enough," Tomiyama said, nodding. "X-Prime exists, it exists now, and it's strong. You're strong, all of you, whether you realize it or not. And I have faith in you." Tomiyama had always been spare with his compliments, but if there was ever a time to give them, it was now. He clapped a hand on Shishido's shoulder -- carefully, mindful of his injuries -- in a gesture of reassurance.
Shiishido looked at the hand on his shoulder and wondered why hearing such compliments from Tomiyama didn't make him feel as good as it normally did. It was probably because he was sitting here having a pow wow while injured and waiting for doomsday to arrive. "I don't feel that strong right now." He finally uttered holding up his broken arm for emphasis. He coudn't even fly right now
"Emotionally," Tomiyama clarified. "Mentally. You're here, looking for answers, asking for direction. Anyone else might be bemoaning his fate, lying alone in the dark of his room with a broken body and a broken spirit." He didn't remove his hand. Enough of that was Shishido alone, but certainly some of it came from the strength of his team.
"Lying around doing nothing wouldn't really do me much good would it?" It had never been Shishido's style to sit around and wait for things to happen and he wasn't about to start now. "Rin mentioned Ryoma... what happened with him, or will happen to set him off? And I know you said there was mass destruction and death but... you survived it... so there were others too right?" Sitting like this next to Tomiyama and being silently supported by that hand he felt as if it was okay to ask these questions and not have to worry about pretenses or keeping up appearances. If he leaned in to the touch a little more, for once it had nothing to do with flirting with his headmaster but just feeling comfortable. He was still trying to work out who Tomiyama was, but was convinced it had to be someone he knew but his brain just couldn't or wouldn't make that mental jump needed to put all the pieces together. But even if his identity was a mystery still, he could still find out about the others. Was it selfish to want to know if he survived this?
Tomiyama nodded. "There were," he said. He didn't go into further detail; he couldn't easily tell Shishido that he was one of those who had lived. Chances were he'd want to know more about his future self, and that was something that Tomiyama was not going to risk. Besides, if he'd been successful, then his friend's future incarnation would be at least a little different to the one that he knew when he'd left ... "I couldn't tell you what caused him to 'go off'," he admitted. "I wasn't there; as is obvious, I lived. And none of us could very well ask him, could we?" He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't have more information that what I gave Rin."
"Did Yuushi survive? What about Shuusuke?" Shishido was going to ask if he survived but when he opened his mouth, those questions about his friends and lovers escaped first. And he realized that if at least those two didn't live on, it didn't matter if he did. Not that he wanted any of the others here to die, what would life be like where he couldn't snark at Taki and steal Shiiba's brownies? Meet up with Kite at the pool hall? He refrained from asking those and questions about Ryoma, to try and force Tomiyama to answer the questions about his friends.
Tomiyama still smiled, but he was sure he couldn't prevent the look of worry in his eyes. "These aren't things I should be telling you," he said. He knew Shishido would be concerned, and that he would ask the questions relevant to his own personal future. "What happens to each individual isn't as important as -- as what happens to this city," he went on, softly cursing himself for his voice catching as he spoke. He wanted to tell him, of course; he wanted to say that Fuji had survived, and so had Oshitari, for a short time. He wanted to say so much more than that ...
Shishido didn't know what to make of the shadow's that filled Tomiyama's eyes or the way his voice faltered slightly but he did know that none of that satisfied him as an answer. "You're right... I should care more about the city than two people... but I don't." He sighed, wondering just how much the headmaster from the future knew about him. "I'd rather watch whole cities burn then live a life without them.... they're the reasons I work so hard, They're the reasons I can care about everyone else here and the city. Is it that wrong?" His body tensed in anticipation of the words that he was sure to follow, ones about him being selfish or disrespectful or disgusting the headmaster. But he had told him the truth, told him something he had never told anyone before, not Yuushi, not Shuusuke, not even Kite for all the drunken ramblings he often told him. It scared him completely knowing that he put those two lives before all others but it was the truth... and something he felt he had to share.
Tomiyama's smile faded, and he moved his hand from Shishido's shoulder to reach up and remove his glasses, eyes closed. "I know," he said quietly. "I know that you do. Thank you." When he opened his eyes again, he turned to face Shishido, letting him see the bright, unmasked blue. He knew what it was like to value single lives over millions; it was why he had returned, after all. "You're going to grow into a fine young man," he said, "with friends who care about you very much -- just as much as you care about them. Please, Ryou -- don't let us down."
"Us?" Shishido breathed out, entranced by bright blue eyes and his mind racing a mile a minute to connect all of the dots. Tomiyama wasn't just talking about the institute and the city, he was talking about them, his friends and loves... "Shuusuke?" He asked tentatively after a moment, when he was sure his voice wouldn't break and his breath was no longer catching in his throat. How had he never seen it before? He had never thought to look for it is why, had known Tomiyama before Fuji. But could it really be him? He realised there was nobody else it could be. And while he could never hope to understand the circumstances that forced his best friend to come back so many years in the past all alone, he knew it couldn't have been easy. He wanted to pull his best friend (because this was his best friend, even if he was older) in to a hug, but he wasn't sure if it would be appreciated. He did risk laying a hand on Tomiyama's arm, offering support while he continued to observe the man like he never had before, taking in all of the similarities and all of the changes.
Tomiyama closed his eyes again, put his glasses back on, and let his silence act as his answer. He covered Shishido's hand on his arm with his own hand. "He can't know," he said quietly. "You have to promise me not to tell him. I don't ... I don't know what would happen if he did."
"Shit, you really are Shuusuke. No wonder I always felt safe around you." If he had that slight bond to the one Fuji he'd automatically be bonded to this future one too, the fact that he looked like Yuushi slightly hadn't hurt either. He couldn't believe he'd never thought of it like that before, he should have wondered why he didn't feel disgusted with himself when ever he flirted heavily with the headmaster. And even though he knew that the Fuji beside him wasn't the Fuji who lived across from him, he decided to take the chance and wrap his good arm around him properly in a hug. "I'll bring your secret to the grave Shuusuke, there's no advantage in that piece of information." Though in a few years time, assuming they stopped Ryoma from exploding or whatever, he would definitely mention to Fuji that he should try moving through time as well as space...
Hearing himself called by his own name brought Tomiyama's defenses down, and he stopped caring how it seemed or how it may have looked, and leaned in, just a fraction. "You do understand why I couldn't tell you," he said. His voice sounded quiet even to his own ears. It was too close to the end, now; he couldn't help thinking that keeping his distance from his students wasn't nearly as important as it once was.
Especially when the Shishido that he had left behind mattered so much to him. There were days, even now, when he still looked at the photos he'd brought with him, the ones he kept locked tight in a drawer, and missed the home he used to know. "You look very much like him," he said. "It's been difficult to stand by, you know..."
"I understand.” Shishido didn't completely and knew that he would never fully comprehend the reasonings or what the other had been through but he did understand how difficult it was to keep feelings and truths hidden. “I'm just glad you finally told me. Now I really know just how cool your powers can really be. They'll completely trump mine in a few years huh? So uncool." He teased as he held on a bit tighter to Tomiyama. This was beyond weird to him, the man in his arms was his mentor and headmaster but in this moment he was Fuji, apart from him for too many years and finally getting a chance to reunite, or a glimpse in to what Fuji would really become one day. Either way it did make him wonder about a few things, Fuji would never turn down a chance to flirt or make out with him and yeah they had a bit of an age gap now but he never showed that it mattered. "I still don't get why you kept turning me down though... Okay, so I can get why you don't want the threesome with yourself, but you never even gave me a kiss. I didn't do something to piss you off in the future did I?" And yeah, he was completely off topic from what he came here about and how to save the city but he was still trying to wrap his head around things and he was sure Tomiyama, would forgive him that much.
Tomiyama was glad that Shishido was lightening the mood; he'd had enough despair and worry of late to drag him down. "You've done nothing wrong, no," he assured him. "Nothing at all." He couldn't easily use the age difference as an excuse, not if he wanted to mean it. "But do allow me some secrets, Shishido-kun." A soft smile turned his lips again.
Though there was still the matter of Shishido's original intent. "What else did you want to ask me?"
"Oh, that's good. I can be a bit of an idiot at times, and well, I'm sure that's one thing I didn't grow out of it." Though he was sure this future Fuji would know better than he would if he grew out of his melodramatic idiot streaks. But there were some things even he was scared to know about... and if they were going to save the world, then situations would change and that future wouldn't happen anyway. It would also let Tomiyama keep some secrets to himself like he desired. And now that he was offered a chance to get back on topic after everything, he honestly couldn't remember what else he had wanted to know.
"Actually... I can't remember..." He was tired and his injuries were making him feel sore add on top of that the shocking revelation of who his headmaster really was and his brain was done for the night. "Could I come to visit you again if I remember them?" He'd have to write them down as he remembered, that way he wouldn't be side tracked again. Maybe he'd even be able to think up some ideas about the end of he world by then too.
"Of course," Tomiyama replied. "Visit or leave me a message. If you do leave a message, I can't promise how soon I'll get back to you, but I certainly will." It was strange, he thought, how it felt like a weight had been lifted now that he'd come clean to the two people that had mattered most to him. "I realize it's still quite early for you, but let me walk you to the door. Some of us do still sleep at this hour." He stood, offering his hand.
"I'll make sure to visit then." Shishido said accepting the hand as he stood from the bed, trying to hide the pain as delicate wings shifted as he moved. But he imagined his pain was nothing compared to what would come unless they stopped the disaster, and looking at the hand he still held on to he vowed that they would succeed so Fuji would not have to suffer again. He let go of Tomiyama's hand so he could raise it to the deep blue locks, as his fingers combed through the silky strands he couldn't help think of how beautiful the man before him was. He'd admired Tomiyama before, but now he could see Fuji's features within him and it added a whole new dimension o the headmaster's looks for him. "Beautiful... " He whispered, though he wasn't fully aware of uttering the word aloud as he thought it. Even under the disguise of glasses and blue hair he could see that Fuji Shuusuke had become a handsome man. "I'll definitely look forward to watching you grow into this man Shuusuke."
The memory was nearly ten years old, and Tomiyama had nearly forgotten about it, but as Shishido touched his hair, he froze. It was eerie, almost as though this younger version knew just how he would react in the future. He allowed himself one more small smile before slipping behind the facade of the headmaster, wedging enough distance between them to protect not just Shishido but also himself. "Thank you, Shishido-kun," he said. "Be sure to stay alive long enough to see it happen."
He led Shishido back to the door. "Sleep well, this morning," he said. "I'll be looking in on your class tomorrow night."
Shishido nodded, he didn't plan on dying anymore than the rest of them and he had several very important reasons to live as well. Back in the living room he spared another glance at Taki, he hadn't seemed to stir during the time they were in Tomiyama's bedroom which meant his friend really had to be exhausted. He guessed being crazy took a lot out of someone.
"I will and you're coming to my class tomorrow?" He forced his voice to stay quiet even though he couldn't quite believe it. He'd been away from his students for a week and while he saw no indication that Rin was a bad teacher he didn't get much of a chance to judge how the teens had been doing with their progress. "Why?" He knew he bragged about how well his kids did but that's because he knew exactly where they were at, a lot could change in a week and he felt more than a little unprepared. There were easier ways for Tomiyama to differentiate himself from Fuji than giving him a mild panic attack about how his students were supposed to handle a surprise visit from he headmaster.
"To keep you on your toes," Tomiyama replied. "Be glad I'm telling you beforehand." It was as much to keep Shishido on his toes as it was to ensure that the other students were prepared for what lay ahead. X-Prime would be at the heart of the mission, of course, but the rest of the school needed to be prepared, too. "Now, go on," he encouraged. "You'll be just fine."
"Yeah yeah Headmaster, I got it." Shishido said lightly, showing Tomiyama that he could still seperate what they just shared in that bedroom with rest of the world. Giving one last nod, he left Tomiyama's apartment and made his way down in to the abandoned offices.
Once down there, he slipped in to the first open office he saw, locked the door behind him and finally let his knees give out from under him. He'd pushed his healing body too far and as he kneeled on the floor, silent tears streaming down his face he knew he'd pushed himself too far emotionally this time too.
He cried for the future he hoped to never know, for the headmaster who was his best friend, and for all of the pain he must have suffered that he couldn't protect him from. He would not let the same thing happen to Shuusuke this time, would not let that future Tomiyama came from exist again.
"Never again Shuusuke. I won't let that world exist ever again." He vowed to the empty room, "You'll get your dream this time." He didn't know how much time had passed but when he finally managed to stand his legs were stiff and the tears had dried on his face but there was a new determination burning inside of him. They would succeed this time. No more doubts, just determination that was what Tomiyama's X-Prime was about.
Rating: PG
Summary: Having just found out that Tomiyama is from the future, Shishido goes to the headmaster to demand answers and gets more than he bargained for.
Shishido wasn't sure what to think as he left the training centre. Rin had told him some very interesting information, if it could be believed, not that he could think of a good reason for why Rin or Tomiyama would lie about that. But why was it kept a secret? Why tell that secret now? Who the hell was he?
His emotions were swirling in circles from confused, to angry and so many things in between. But he knew he wanted answers, or at the very least confirmation. Tomiyama was the one who told him to go Rin, he had to expect that the blonde would tell him about the time traveling.
Without realizing it,he had somehow stomped his way over to the offices where the headmaster's rooms were located. It was times like these where he'd prefer to just fly up and use the window but that wasn't an option right now. So he entered the building and rushed up the stairs to Tomiyama's door that he soundly pounded on. "Tomiyama, open up." He called through the door.
As he waited for the headmaster to open the door, he leaned slightly against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Clearly he wasn't nearly as fit as he thought he was. The adrenaline that had gotten him here had quickly ebbed now that he had reached his destination. How lame was this. Here he was trying to confront Tomiyama about time travelling and he was too busy holding on to the wall and trying to catch his breath.
Tomiyama opened the door calmly, facing his student with a cool expression. He wasn't entirely surprised to see Shishido paying him a visit, but neither did he think the visit would be so immediate. The boy must have run over here, with the way his chest heaved. He made a mental note to observe his next class, to gauge what sort of activity he was up to ...
But there were other things to attend to, of course. "Please, Shishido-kun ... I must ask you not to be so loud," he requested. "People may be sleeping." While he hadn't been, Taki had, and Tomiyama didn't want to disturb the young man taking refuge in his apartment for the week. "May I ask what brings you here at this hour?"
"It's not that late and I had some questions." Shishido slipped past Tomiyama and in to the apartment very much feeling like sitting down would be a good idea right now, not that he would admit that he may have pushed himself too hard. The last thing he wanted was to end back up in the med lab.
"Besides, who would be slee-" Shishido cut himself off as he spotted Taki on the couch. His wings ruffled, causing him to flinch slightly from the pain. "Taki? What is he doing here?" His mind supplied several reasons that made him feel jealous for no good reason so he hastily shoved those aside and instead focused on the concern for his friend and the chance that he was acting crazy again and need the headmaster to help ground him.
Tomiyama glanced over his shoulder at Taki, then turned back to Shishido. "He's resting," Tomiyama explained, and left it at that. It was true that Taki had been pushing himself too hard, trying to find a solution for the impending catastrophe. While Tomiyama had initially welcomed his enthusiasm, even he could see that it was taking a toll on his well-being. Shishido, however, did not require an explanation, as it would only cause him to ask more questions, and Tomiyama suspected they were not the same questions that he came there to ask.
He guided Shishido farther into the apartment, towards his bedroom door. It was more than a bit unorthodox, but it was the best location for talking in private: there was a door, which he closed behind them to block out any noise that might wake Taki. "Now," he said, facing Shishido directly, "how can I help you?"
Shishido was rather confident that he would have been able to figure out that Taki was resting on his own, but before he could question further he found himself led inside of Tomiyama's bedroom. "If I knew it was this easy to get you in a room with a bed alone, I would have tried sooner." He looked at the bed and it appeared way too inviting, and not for the type of activities his previous comment insinuated.
But he would not give in to his body's desire to sprawl out across the bed and rest. He was here for a reason, he needed answers. He wouldn't be able to rest properly until he did anyway. "I talked to Rin... he told me some interesting things." He let the sentence hang there, waiting to see if Tomiyama knew what those interesting things were and if he would offer more information on it. Yes, he had a ton of things he wanted to know, but he wasn't sure how to approach the subject to get the answers that he wanted most. Like who the hell was Tomiyama Satoru and why was he unable to do more to stop this disaster? Or why was he sharing this secret now? Or the more mundane did he grow in to an even sexier man in a few years?
Tomiyama didn't react to Shishido's flirting. It was too late, and his patience was in shorter supply than usual. Instead, he focused on the statement. If Shishido had spoken to Rin, then there were things that he knew, and those things were likely to confuse him. "I suspect you're here for a clarification, then," Tomiyama suggested, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other.
"Clarification would be nice." Shishido pointed out, not at all bothered that Tomiyama wasn't in the mood to put up with his flirting. It was more an automatic reaction then any real desire at the moment. Not that he didn't find the headmaster attractive, but laying down for a rest and getting some answers about time travelling was certainly trumping sexual thoughts just then. Damn he wanted to sit on the bed, but he was afraid if he did that he'd just pass out from pushing himself too hard. He could end up back in the med lab for that stunt, or worse, not able to get answers about this.
"Then feel free to ask," Tomiyama invited, opening his palms to Shishido in a gesture of honesty. He wasn't about to simply offer information without precedent; while he knew that Shishido at least knew what Rin had told him, he didn't know what areas required more explanation.
Could Tomiyama be less helpful? Shishido thought as he huffed and crossed his arms, "Well when are you from?" That question sounded so weird but it was accurate, obviously Tomiyama had to be from here, just not this time. That's what time travel was about right?
Tomiyama smiled and re-folded his hands above his knee. It was a start, at least. "2012," he answered. "Not too far from now, is it? Of course I wasn't an old man, then -- I was only 24 when I made the jump." He uncrossed his legs and re-crossed them, then leaned forward. "I suppose you'll ask me next how I did it, won't you?" He suppressed a chuckle; this was easier to discuss the more he talked about it.
It was weird to find out that Tomiyama had only come from a place five years in the future, felt as if he should know him and suddenly recognize who he was, is, but he must have been here a while to be in his mid thirties now, had been here long enough to open the school at any rate. And wait... 24 in 2012 would make him about his age now. Would Tomiyama tell him who he was if he asked? Maybe he could guess by the powers. "Well I'm assuming you didn't come here in a time machine. So your powers let you move through time?"
"That's correct," Tomiyama said, nodding. "And now you know what I can really do." He let the slow smile spread across his face, strangely satisfied despite wondering whether Shishido would figure him out. "I came here to stop the event," he continued, "but I'm sure Rin's already told you all about that, hasn't he? What else do you want to know?"
He was sure later, when he had time to digest everything and look back at this moment he will be kicking himself for asking all of the wrong questions or forgetting the important ones, but he also couldn't stand here all night and think. Besides, if he asked enough, then he would be able to get a fuller picture of things and he could put it all together later. "Just how bad is the future that you risked going back what? 15 years in the past? And why go back that far? Is that where things started to go wrong? Why stay? Couldn't you have just given your warnings and left to where you came from?" Did that place even exist still? Shishido had no idea how time travel worked and he figured now wasn't the time to start asking philosophical questions about time travel. Especially after just bombarding the headmaster with a bunch of things to answer. At least he'd remember to keep his voice rather hushed.
Tomiyama laughed out loud. Now Shishido had questions, did he... "Calm down, Shishido-kun," he said. "Calm down. And have a seat." He gestured to the space beside him on the bed. "I'm here because I ... needed to be involved," he explained. "I care about each of you very much, as much as I care about this school. You already know what happens -- a disaster so horrible it destroys this city. It destroyed our way of life, too, so yes -- it is important enough to risk going back ten years. Only ten, Ryou, not fifteen," he added. Shishido had thought that before, too ... "It takes ten years to shape this place into what it is, to make it stronger than it once was. This is a world worth saving, you know, whether you realize it or not."
Shishido frowned at the laugh, he didn't see what was so funny, and he also thought he was perfectly calm. Or was a lot calmer now then he was when he first stomped his way over here at least. He suspected that it had more to do with not having the energy to keep a full blown dramatic tirade from happening then anything else. And knowing this made it impossible to decline the invitation to sit on the bed.
Stifling a groan as he folded his wings, he moved to sit cross legged on the bed, allowing his wings to hang comfortably over the side. "Wouldn't it be 15 though? I mean if you come from the future, and Tomihana's been around for 10 years... that's 15 years for you right? Though only ten from now..." Maybe he just wasn't meant to understand time travel he thought as he let out a sigh. "So did this place exist in your time? I mean you weren't there to found it right?" Was it just called the Hanamura institute? What did the students do after she went in to her coma? Were Tomiyama's changes enough to make them strong enough to fight against this disaster?
"It existed," Tomiyama explained, "but it was very different. X-Prime didn't exist until after the explosion, for example -- they didn't do the things that you're doing now. They weren't actively out there protecting people ..." And that had been one of the major problems, which was why he'd insisted that they be formed early on, and further insisted that they all train, and train hard. If the team was stronger -- if the school was -- then there was a better chance of surviving. "It was founded by Hanamura and a woman you may not know named Ryuzaki. They called it Ryuhana. I suppose since Ryuzaki-sensei taught both of us instead of Hanamura alone, she thought it better for the two of us to train the next generation together." He smiled at the memory; it was exactly what he'd wanted when he'd come back to this time.
"Ryuhana? Sounds weird... but is X-Prime strong enough to stop the explosion this time? Did you do enough to make a difference?" Shishido questioned, leaning closer to the headmaster in his need to know answers. There was still so much he wanted to know but he had to take this one question at a time or else Tomiyama would just pick and choose the questions he wanted to answer and skip past the others. He could do this, he was an information specialist, he just had to ignore emotions and put his skills to use on the headmaster.
"I did enough," Tomiyama said, nodding. "X-Prime exists, it exists now, and it's strong. You're strong, all of you, whether you realize it or not. And I have faith in you." Tomiyama had always been spare with his compliments, but if there was ever a time to give them, it was now. He clapped a hand on Shishido's shoulder -- carefully, mindful of his injuries -- in a gesture of reassurance.
Shiishido looked at the hand on his shoulder and wondered why hearing such compliments from Tomiyama didn't make him feel as good as it normally did. It was probably because he was sitting here having a pow wow while injured and waiting for doomsday to arrive. "I don't feel that strong right now." He finally uttered holding up his broken arm for emphasis. He coudn't even fly right now
"Emotionally," Tomiyama clarified. "Mentally. You're here, looking for answers, asking for direction. Anyone else might be bemoaning his fate, lying alone in the dark of his room with a broken body and a broken spirit." He didn't remove his hand. Enough of that was Shishido alone, but certainly some of it came from the strength of his team.
"Lying around doing nothing wouldn't really do me much good would it?" It had never been Shishido's style to sit around and wait for things to happen and he wasn't about to start now. "Rin mentioned Ryoma... what happened with him, or will happen to set him off? And I know you said there was mass destruction and death but... you survived it... so there were others too right?" Sitting like this next to Tomiyama and being silently supported by that hand he felt as if it was okay to ask these questions and not have to worry about pretenses or keeping up appearances. If he leaned in to the touch a little more, for once it had nothing to do with flirting with his headmaster but just feeling comfortable. He was still trying to work out who Tomiyama was, but was convinced it had to be someone he knew but his brain just couldn't or wouldn't make that mental jump needed to put all the pieces together. But even if his identity was a mystery still, he could still find out about the others. Was it selfish to want to know if he survived this?
Tomiyama nodded. "There were," he said. He didn't go into further detail; he couldn't easily tell Shishido that he was one of those who had lived. Chances were he'd want to know more about his future self, and that was something that Tomiyama was not going to risk. Besides, if he'd been successful, then his friend's future incarnation would be at least a little different to the one that he knew when he'd left ... "I couldn't tell you what caused him to 'go off'," he admitted. "I wasn't there; as is obvious, I lived. And none of us could very well ask him, could we?" He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't have more information that what I gave Rin."
"Did Yuushi survive? What about Shuusuke?" Shishido was going to ask if he survived but when he opened his mouth, those questions about his friends and lovers escaped first. And he realized that if at least those two didn't live on, it didn't matter if he did. Not that he wanted any of the others here to die, what would life be like where he couldn't snark at Taki and steal Shiiba's brownies? Meet up with Kite at the pool hall? He refrained from asking those and questions about Ryoma, to try and force Tomiyama to answer the questions about his friends.
Tomiyama still smiled, but he was sure he couldn't prevent the look of worry in his eyes. "These aren't things I should be telling you," he said. He knew Shishido would be concerned, and that he would ask the questions relevant to his own personal future. "What happens to each individual isn't as important as -- as what happens to this city," he went on, softly cursing himself for his voice catching as he spoke. He wanted to tell him, of course; he wanted to say that Fuji had survived, and so had Oshitari, for a short time. He wanted to say so much more than that ...
Shishido didn't know what to make of the shadow's that filled Tomiyama's eyes or the way his voice faltered slightly but he did know that none of that satisfied him as an answer. "You're right... I should care more about the city than two people... but I don't." He sighed, wondering just how much the headmaster from the future knew about him. "I'd rather watch whole cities burn then live a life without them.... they're the reasons I work so hard, They're the reasons I can care about everyone else here and the city. Is it that wrong?" His body tensed in anticipation of the words that he was sure to follow, ones about him being selfish or disrespectful or disgusting the headmaster. But he had told him the truth, told him something he had never told anyone before, not Yuushi, not Shuusuke, not even Kite for all the drunken ramblings he often told him. It scared him completely knowing that he put those two lives before all others but it was the truth... and something he felt he had to share.
Tomiyama's smile faded, and he moved his hand from Shishido's shoulder to reach up and remove his glasses, eyes closed. "I know," he said quietly. "I know that you do. Thank you." When he opened his eyes again, he turned to face Shishido, letting him see the bright, unmasked blue. He knew what it was like to value single lives over millions; it was why he had returned, after all. "You're going to grow into a fine young man," he said, "with friends who care about you very much -- just as much as you care about them. Please, Ryou -- don't let us down."
"Us?" Shishido breathed out, entranced by bright blue eyes and his mind racing a mile a minute to connect all of the dots. Tomiyama wasn't just talking about the institute and the city, he was talking about them, his friends and loves... "Shuusuke?" He asked tentatively after a moment, when he was sure his voice wouldn't break and his breath was no longer catching in his throat. How had he never seen it before? He had never thought to look for it is why, had known Tomiyama before Fuji. But could it really be him? He realised there was nobody else it could be. And while he could never hope to understand the circumstances that forced his best friend to come back so many years in the past all alone, he knew it couldn't have been easy. He wanted to pull his best friend (because this was his best friend, even if he was older) in to a hug, but he wasn't sure if it would be appreciated. He did risk laying a hand on Tomiyama's arm, offering support while he continued to observe the man like he never had before, taking in all of the similarities and all of the changes.
Tomiyama closed his eyes again, put his glasses back on, and let his silence act as his answer. He covered Shishido's hand on his arm with his own hand. "He can't know," he said quietly. "You have to promise me not to tell him. I don't ... I don't know what would happen if he did."
"Shit, you really are Shuusuke. No wonder I always felt safe around you." If he had that slight bond to the one Fuji he'd automatically be bonded to this future one too, the fact that he looked like Yuushi slightly hadn't hurt either. He couldn't believe he'd never thought of it like that before, he should have wondered why he didn't feel disgusted with himself when ever he flirted heavily with the headmaster. And even though he knew that the Fuji beside him wasn't the Fuji who lived across from him, he decided to take the chance and wrap his good arm around him properly in a hug. "I'll bring your secret to the grave Shuusuke, there's no advantage in that piece of information." Though in a few years time, assuming they stopped Ryoma from exploding or whatever, he would definitely mention to Fuji that he should try moving through time as well as space...
Hearing himself called by his own name brought Tomiyama's defenses down, and he stopped caring how it seemed or how it may have looked, and leaned in, just a fraction. "You do understand why I couldn't tell you," he said. His voice sounded quiet even to his own ears. It was too close to the end, now; he couldn't help thinking that keeping his distance from his students wasn't nearly as important as it once was.
Especially when the Shishido that he had left behind mattered so much to him. There were days, even now, when he still looked at the photos he'd brought with him, the ones he kept locked tight in a drawer, and missed the home he used to know. "You look very much like him," he said. "It's been difficult to stand by, you know..."
"I understand.” Shishido didn't completely and knew that he would never fully comprehend the reasonings or what the other had been through but he did understand how difficult it was to keep feelings and truths hidden. “I'm just glad you finally told me. Now I really know just how cool your powers can really be. They'll completely trump mine in a few years huh? So uncool." He teased as he held on a bit tighter to Tomiyama. This was beyond weird to him, the man in his arms was his mentor and headmaster but in this moment he was Fuji, apart from him for too many years and finally getting a chance to reunite, or a glimpse in to what Fuji would really become one day. Either way it did make him wonder about a few things, Fuji would never turn down a chance to flirt or make out with him and yeah they had a bit of an age gap now but he never showed that it mattered. "I still don't get why you kept turning me down though... Okay, so I can get why you don't want the threesome with yourself, but you never even gave me a kiss. I didn't do something to piss you off in the future did I?" And yeah, he was completely off topic from what he came here about and how to save the city but he was still trying to wrap his head around things and he was sure Tomiyama, would forgive him that much.
Tomiyama was glad that Shishido was lightening the mood; he'd had enough despair and worry of late to drag him down. "You've done nothing wrong, no," he assured him. "Nothing at all." He couldn't easily use the age difference as an excuse, not if he wanted to mean it. "But do allow me some secrets, Shishido-kun." A soft smile turned his lips again.
Though there was still the matter of Shishido's original intent. "What else did you want to ask me?"
"Oh, that's good. I can be a bit of an idiot at times, and well, I'm sure that's one thing I didn't grow out of it." Though he was sure this future Fuji would know better than he would if he grew out of his melodramatic idiot streaks. But there were some things even he was scared to know about... and if they were going to save the world, then situations would change and that future wouldn't happen anyway. It would also let Tomiyama keep some secrets to himself like he desired. And now that he was offered a chance to get back on topic after everything, he honestly couldn't remember what else he had wanted to know.
"Actually... I can't remember..." He was tired and his injuries were making him feel sore add on top of that the shocking revelation of who his headmaster really was and his brain was done for the night. "Could I come to visit you again if I remember them?" He'd have to write them down as he remembered, that way he wouldn't be side tracked again. Maybe he'd even be able to think up some ideas about the end of he world by then too.
"Of course," Tomiyama replied. "Visit or leave me a message. If you do leave a message, I can't promise how soon I'll get back to you, but I certainly will." It was strange, he thought, how it felt like a weight had been lifted now that he'd come clean to the two people that had mattered most to him. "I realize it's still quite early for you, but let me walk you to the door. Some of us do still sleep at this hour." He stood, offering his hand.
"I'll make sure to visit then." Shishido said accepting the hand as he stood from the bed, trying to hide the pain as delicate wings shifted as he moved. But he imagined his pain was nothing compared to what would come unless they stopped the disaster, and looking at the hand he still held on to he vowed that they would succeed so Fuji would not have to suffer again. He let go of Tomiyama's hand so he could raise it to the deep blue locks, as his fingers combed through the silky strands he couldn't help think of how beautiful the man before him was. He'd admired Tomiyama before, but now he could see Fuji's features within him and it added a whole new dimension o the headmaster's looks for him. "Beautiful... " He whispered, though he wasn't fully aware of uttering the word aloud as he thought it. Even under the disguise of glasses and blue hair he could see that Fuji Shuusuke had become a handsome man. "I'll definitely look forward to watching you grow into this man Shuusuke."
The memory was nearly ten years old, and Tomiyama had nearly forgotten about it, but as Shishido touched his hair, he froze. It was eerie, almost as though this younger version knew just how he would react in the future. He allowed himself one more small smile before slipping behind the facade of the headmaster, wedging enough distance between them to protect not just Shishido but also himself. "Thank you, Shishido-kun," he said. "Be sure to stay alive long enough to see it happen."
He led Shishido back to the door. "Sleep well, this morning," he said. "I'll be looking in on your class tomorrow night."
Shishido nodded, he didn't plan on dying anymore than the rest of them and he had several very important reasons to live as well. Back in the living room he spared another glance at Taki, he hadn't seemed to stir during the time they were in Tomiyama's bedroom which meant his friend really had to be exhausted. He guessed being crazy took a lot out of someone.
"I will and you're coming to my class tomorrow?" He forced his voice to stay quiet even though he couldn't quite believe it. He'd been away from his students for a week and while he saw no indication that Rin was a bad teacher he didn't get much of a chance to judge how the teens had been doing with their progress. "Why?" He knew he bragged about how well his kids did but that's because he knew exactly where they were at, a lot could change in a week and he felt more than a little unprepared. There were easier ways for Tomiyama to differentiate himself from Fuji than giving him a mild panic attack about how his students were supposed to handle a surprise visit from he headmaster.
"To keep you on your toes," Tomiyama replied. "Be glad I'm telling you beforehand." It was as much to keep Shishido on his toes as it was to ensure that the other students were prepared for what lay ahead. X-Prime would be at the heart of the mission, of course, but the rest of the school needed to be prepared, too. "Now, go on," he encouraged. "You'll be just fine."
"Yeah yeah Headmaster, I got it." Shishido said lightly, showing Tomiyama that he could still seperate what they just shared in that bedroom with rest of the world. Giving one last nod, he left Tomiyama's apartment and made his way down in to the abandoned offices.
Once down there, he slipped in to the first open office he saw, locked the door behind him and finally let his knees give out from under him. He'd pushed his healing body too far and as he kneeled on the floor, silent tears streaming down his face he knew he'd pushed himself too far emotionally this time too.
He cried for the future he hoped to never know, for the headmaster who was his best friend, and for all of the pain he must have suffered that he couldn't protect him from. He would not let the same thing happen to Shuusuke this time, would not let that future Tomiyama came from exist again.
"Never again Shuusuke. I won't let that world exist ever again." He vowed to the empty room, "You'll get your dream this time." He didn't know how much time had passed but when he finally managed to stand his legs were stiff and the tears had dried on his face but there was a new determination burning inside of him. They would succeed this time. No more doubts, just determination that was what Tomiyama's X-Prime was about.