Hey all, Thegoh here. Here's something that I have been wanting to write while I planned out Lights of Shiloh. Currently, I'm still running into some issues with Lights of Shiloh, so it may be awhile before I can update it. So, in the meantime, here's another Mitsu.

As usual, thank you all who have read my stories! Your support is very encouraging!

Mio glanced around at the windows as she stopped at the top of the stairs, chewing her bottom lip and fidgeting with her hands. She was at the second floor of the main classroom block of the school, where the second year classrooms were. Just minutes ago, she had gone up the flight of stairs in huffed anger; determined to try to settle things once and for all when she reached her destination.

However, now that she had reached where she wanted to go, Mio found herself very nervous, all the fire in her completely drained. It was not because she felt out of place; Mio was also a second year student, it was just that her classroom, unlike the others, was located on the first floor along with the first year classrooms. No, she felt extremely uneasy because of what she had come up here for.

She had come up here to see if Ritsu was in school.

It had been three days since she and Ritsu had yelled at each other in clubroom. Mio felt royally stupid; of all the things that they could have yelled about, they were arguing because of Nodoka. The girl barely had anything to do with them, besides being the occasional guest in their clubroom and giving their otherwise lazy president a little push. But Ritsu had to be stupid, she had to drag in Mio's friendship with Nodoka and tried to turn it into a huge fuss, making everyone worried and miserable. Thanks to that little incident, everyone had been unable to have proper practice, and were growing increasingly worried for the duo.

"So… Ritsu-sempai didn't come today either huh…." Azusa sighed, shoulders sagging as she stared absently at her own teacup. She glanced around the table, searching the eyes of all her band mates, but all came up empty. Hell, most weren't even making eye contact with one another. Azusa rested her chin on her palms, brows furrowed and mouth in a pout. There had to be something she could do, the school festival was coming up soon!

They needed to practice, they needed their drummer back. This mess had to be cleaned up, the sooner the better. But seeing her sempais like this, Azusa just found herself hitting a brick wall. This grim demeanor that hung on their shoulders, it did not suit them at all.

Yui was still eating her cake, but with a lot less vigour.

Mugi-chan's cake is always good, but it somehow just doesn't taste right… Yui thought to herself. Her tea had been left untouched as her mind raced.

Maybe I can talk to Ricchan. No… I don't know what to say to her. Maybe Mugi-chan? Yui turned up to look at her blonde haired friend; but Mugi merely shook her head.

So she doesn't have a plan huh… Yui let out a small sigh. She wanted her captain back; it just was not right for everyone to be so sad. It wasn't just wrong; it was downright painful to watch.

Sawako simply sat in silence and sipped her tea, quietly gathering her own thoughts. The girls had just explained what had caused Ritsu's apparent absence from club activities to her. While she felt that that was no excuse for such irresponsibility, her heart did sting a little when she heard about what had happened.

"Well if that's the case it's simple isn't it?" she chirped. The others turned to her, their eyes hopeful; it seemed that Sawako could save the day.

"Ricchan is like this because Mio was being all cold to her right? So," she raised an arm and shot a pointed index finger, "Mio! Become Ricchan's toy for a day!" she barked.

You can't be serious. Mio put her hand to her head, mental gears turning to process her haphazard thoughts. She just needs time to cool off… she'll be fine after that… she always would be. Yet something stirred in her gut as she thought that. Looking down at the empty seat in front of her, she felt the weight on her shoulders grow, and her chest tightened as her brain decided to replay the argument in her head.

"At this rate… what will happen to our concert during the school festival?" Azusa asked feebly, hoping that perhaps stating the urgency of the matter would miraculously form a solution. The concert was coming very soon; there had to be something they could do to rectify this mess. It would be downright irresponsible and impossible to just call it off. You can't possibly tell the school committee "Oh, the Light Music Club can't perform that day, our drummer's pissed off ya see?" The rhythm guitarist turned her eyes to Mio; if there was anyone who could have a solution, it would be her.

Azusa was frustrated; after all, this was to be her first concert with her seniors, but her excitement just had to be shattered by this fight. A rather trivial and shallow fight too. She wanted Ritsu to come back, she wanted the band to be like it always was, she wanted to perform. All things considered, this really was not the time for such matters to affect them.

At first, she felt that Ritsu should have at least tried to put the issue aside and prepare for the concert, but after thinking about it, she realized that it was not going to be an easy move for her. Experience told Azusa that in order for the band to play well, the mental state of each of its members should be in sync with one another's before their music could be. Any disturbance to a musician's mental state often means that they cannot concentrate and play well, if Yui's constant screw-ups during practice weren't already a clear indication of that.

While it is possible to shelve one's emotions aside and focus on the task at hand, Azusa realized that such a feat was usually only done by professionals; people whose livelihoods depended on their concentration during a concert. Even then, history has shown her that many professional musicians weren't able to actually pull it off well. So, what more for a bunch of 15 to 16 year olds like us? Still, doesn't Ritsu-senpai care about our concert at all? This was already the third day… The pig-tailed girl sighed; she never would have guessed that her loud-mouthed senior was this sensitive.

Mio looked at her fellow band mates, all having gone silent at Azusa's question. Such postulating and worrying would do them no good, and Azusa was right; the concert was a matter that they needed to settle.

"Let's practice." Mio said with a tone of finality, rising from her seat. They were wasting time sitting around like this; Ritsu was not going to come today for sure, so better to just clock in some practice instead of waiting.

"Eh? Without Ricchan?" Yui asked in slight disbelief.

"What other choice do we have?" Mio retorted, part of her daring Yui to think of a better idea. The concert, that idiot Ritsu… ugh. This just sucks. Yui sank back into her seat. It seemed cruel and dismissive, but Yui realized that Mio had a point.

As much as it was not the time for such thoughts, Sawako allowed her mind to drift a little. She sighed a little as she watched Mugi, of all people, adamantly decide that she would wait for Ritsu to return in response to her suggesting they look for a replacement. It was the gift of youth, Sawako mused, to be able to see such a close friendship between these girls. While she could not deny that Ritsu must have been hurt and that the rest were clearly worried, she could not help but feel a sense of nostalgia from looking at the girls before her. It was a portrayal of the real existence of a much simpler time, when friendship was the precious thing everyone – almost everyone – would choose to guard above all else, when the only thing Sawako needed to truly fret over was how to escape her teacher's punishments.

Sawako turned her gaze to Mio, who had not moved an inch from where she was, deep in thought. For someone as painfully shy and reserved as she was, Mio certainly had quite the temper when triggered, not to mention the fact that she was also rather prideful at times, like now. Come on Mio, swallow that pride of yours and go apologise to Ritsu, it's really that simple. She may be rash and a little hot-headed, but she isn't stupid enough to hold a grudge, especially against you. Can't you see that Mio? Mio's eyebrows were locked in a frown as she tried to evade that sinking feeling in her chest and find a way out; she blamed the fact that she was split from the rest of the club members and placed in a different class, she blamed Ritsu's idiocy, and she blamed herself for losing it that day.

The tone of Ritsu's voice then, it really set something off in her. She remembered the fire rising in her chest and her blood slowly boiling when Ritsu had said that, after relentlessly badgering her for days and wasting everyone's time when it was the drummer herself who had called everyone up to the music room to practice.

"Oh? Sorry then, for interrupting your precious lunchtime with Nodoka." Ritsu had said, spite and anger clear in her tone of voice as her eyes narrowed while they turned to fix on Mio's, her body tensed and back straight, attempting to size the taller girl up. Something about that expression, that kind of tone, her body language, and all its implications had pushed Mio over the edge, and royally pissed her off.

She usually held back the extent of her outbursts when around the members of the Light Music Club, limiting herself to just punching Ritsu in the head and the occasional yell, all masked behind playful – or frustrated – banter; it was unfair for her friends to have to deal with some of the issues between Ritsu and herself. Even old spouses still had trouble with one another, and much less so between the two high school girls.

But this, this was too much even for Ritsu, and Mio could barely suppress the trembles she felt as the fire rose to her throat, causing her fingers to curl tighter and tighter around the neck of her bass. Ritsu was being childish, irresponsible and stupid; and yes, Mio knew that the Ritsu she was dealing with was undeniably jealous. Ritsu had always been a little possessive of Mio, for the bassist was really the only close friend she had as they grew up together.

In exchange for the ever present company of the drummer and her occasional words of wisdom and comfort, she willingly tolerated the antics and childish behaviour that she used to mask her insecurities.

Yet, despite all the knowledge of this, Mio felt that Ritsu had gone too far by dragging the club members and Nodoka into this retarded fight. The fire in her flared hotly, and Mio was determined to shut the drummer up and put her in her place.

"I never said that did I?!" Mio shouted back, giving Ritsu a sharp, heated stare. Ritsu returned with a glare of equal intensity, and Mio swore that for a moment, she felt a tinge of betrayal sweep across her childhood friend's face. But she could not react to it; her anger and frustration was all that her mind could pay attention to at that moment.

The drummer and bassist were locked in a glaring match, and the tension in the room escalated rapidly as the two girls stared each other down, rage clear in their eyes and bodies tensed as they each tried to mentally dominate the other. It took Azusa's desperate beg and the quick move of slipping on her cat ears to finally break the angry spell that had overshadowed the two. And no sooner had they begun to practice, Ritsu claimed to not be feeling well and promptly left the rest of the club members in her wake, promising to return after school.

The nerve of that girl!

But when Ritsu did not show up after lessons or at school the next day, Mio felt her anger transform in to worry and heavy guilt. The moment Azusa had broken them out of their anger, guilt immediately flooded her mind and had remained there ever since. Perhaps I also went too far, yelling at her like that in public. I haven't even bothered to speak with her as well… Ritsu's absence from the club had really dampened everyone's mood, and seeing everyone in an emotional slump made her feel even worse.

Which was why she had mustered up the nerve to go and find Ritsu today, so that she could make up with her and set things right. While she definitely still felt that Ritsu was being dumb for throwing a tantrum like that, Mio could not deny that it was also partially because she had hurt her, and rather badly as well. After all, when she shouted right back at her, Mio's words had held a tangible amount of animosity, and the undertones had hit Ritsu right in her sore spot.

Mio knew all this, which was why the guilt continued to ravage her mind after she finally realized and came to terms with the implications behind her words.

Stepping towards the back door of the classroom, Mio felt herself shudder. If Ritsu was in school, how then would Mio react to her? Surely she could not just walk up to her and start a conversation, and she could not even be sure if Ritsu wanted to speak with her. As she stood outside the door, unsure of what to do, Yui and Mugi approached her from the side.

"Eh? It's really Mio-chan!" Yui chirped, happy to see her fellow band mate. While it did not show, she did have an idea as to why the bassist was here.

"Ah… Well… It wasn't like I was looking for Ritsu or anything…" Mugi and Yui looked at each other and smiled knowingly. Oh she was looking for Ritsu all right, no doubt about it.

"Ricchan is not in school today."

Ritsu suppressed a curse as she sneezed for the umpteenth time that day. It seemed that her head would not stop hurting and spinning, and having her body surge forward and giving her a massive concussive force just because her damn nose and throat wouldn't stop itching was annoying as all hell. She inhaled sharply, attempting to clear her clogged nose, but no matter how much air she drew in the passage just would not clear. Her head felt heavy, her brain was like sludge, and now she was convinced that some of it had spilled into her nostrils just to block it.

She really had not expected to come down with the flu at this time of year, much less so badly. It was already the third day she was in bed, and even then the fever had not gone away completely. Some part of Ritsu wondered if her nose was beyond saving.

Damn, and the live concert is coming up soon as well… Everyone can't practice because of me… Come on immune cells! Where's your rapid healing when I need it? Sure sure, heal all my cuts and bruises in a day but cripple me over a stinking flu?! The past three days had Ritsu feeling like she was in total hell. She had felt the dizziness and feverish heat rapidly intensifying as she sat through the final lesson of the day, and it had made the walk home immediately after school was done labourious and terrible; it took a massive amount of willpower just to drag one heavy foot after the other, and it was the fear of losing consciousness that had kept her moving. She swore the road home had extended itself just to mess with her that time.

Even after she had managed to arrive home and rest a little, she barely had the strength to lift her own arms to change out of her uniform, and by then her trembling body was drenched in cold sweat. Being healthy and energetic seemed like a miraculous feat at that time, and feeling normal almost felt like a distant memory. At first, she had intended to simply collapse onto the bed and wait till her parents came home to help her change and bring her to the doctor, but after nearly half an hour of squirming in discomfort she decided to call up her mother for help.

Ritsu asked for an injection and more powerful medication, since it would help to speed up her recovery. It wasn't just the fact that the concert was coming up; she also wanted the fastest ticket out of her own bodily-induced hell. The doctor had assured her mother that the drugs would be able to heal her in a few days, but right now Ritsu was seriously doubting it.

Then again, it probably had something to do with the fact that she had not been able to get proper sleep. Not when her own mind decided to mess with her.

Of course she never said that… Of course it was just me jumping to conclusions as always… because I'm stupid right? Ritsu frowned.

"Uh… Look Mio, uh.." Amber eyes were wide and unsure as their owner stood rooted to the spot, fully taking in what had just happened.

"Stop it! Stop it! Ritsu you stupid idiot! GO AWAY!" a hand swung out wildly, connecting with its unintentional target: the face of a young, auburn-haired girl.

"Look…I-I'm sorry…"

"NO! You're never sorry. You say it just because it gets you out of trouble! I never said anything like that; Miko-chan never did anything like that!"

The shorter girl was speechless by that point, unable to defend herself from the raven-haired girl's tirade. Behind her, a girl whimpered in fear as she cradled her scratched elbow, trying to soothe the pain from the shredding it received when it connected with the sandy ground. The lively chatter that surrounded them had ceased.

"But Mio… I…"

"GO AWAY! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!"

And suddenly, her stinging cheek didn't seem to hurt as much in comparison anymore.

Ritsu's body was exhausted, but yet her head seemed unable to shut itself down. The fact that these unpleasant memories were coming back to haunt her certainly did not help either.

And now, she doesn't even want to talk to me… Why did I even do that? Isn't that what she hated me for then? Do I really take her forgiveness so lightly? She slowly felt a gaping abyss open in her head, fueling the twisted thoughts as they swirled and stormed around her mind as she felt her feverish body sink deeper into the bed. She gave in to her irrationality that day, and now she had to pay the price for it. Hmph, in both my body and mind huh? Was it karma? Perhaps so, Ritsu mused, for the pain she had put Mio through. Both in the clubroom, and all those years ago; and in both instances, Ritsu realized that she had in essence committed the same, hurting mistake.

Ritsu hated her mistakes. The buzzing in her head grew as the abyss tried to open wider, and the thoughts died down as her head throbbed in pain. The drummer gritted her teeth; the karmic flu was certainly being a colossal bitch.

Still, she felt somewhat glad that her mind was still in a fuzzy state; it certainly made that black-hole in her mind swirl a lot less coherently. However, she could not stop her conscience from bringing up old memories in an effort to pronounce some kind of judgment upon her and ease itself.

"Hey Mio! What'cha doing?"

"What do you want, Ritsu. And for goodness' sake, this is a library; keep it down!"

Ritsu peered over the bassist's shoulder, shrugging off her friend's previous statement. The public library was quite empty right now, so Ritsu was sure that no one would be bothered anyway. As soon as her eyes fell on the pages before her, they began to sting in pain as they recognized the familiar, yet alien symbols printed on them; arranged in neat lines and seemingly mocking her inability to fully comprehend them.

"Ugh… English…." Ritsu stepped back, shielding her eyes from the abomination that she just had the misfortune of gazing upon.

"If you have nothing better to do, just keep quiet. I'm trying to read in peace." Mio rolled her eyes and huffed, turning her eyes back to the book.

"Good grief Mio, reading such insane books like that. Are you trying to let such demonic words brainwash you?"

"Mind you, these demonic words I'm reading tell the story of a knight."

"Oh? What's his name then?"

Mio shifted the book towards Ritsu, showing her the cover of the paperback that had captured her attention for a while, sighing as she did so. She really should have expected something like this to happen when she asked Ritsu: the hyperactive, almost attention deficit Ritsu to accompany her to the public library.

I mean, sure they were still having summer break right now and should probably be off celebrating their survival of the first term of their first year in high school, as well as the "success" of their training camp. But who said it was a crime to just sit back and try to enjoy a good book? After all, she did initially want to spend her high school life studying and reading good literature after school.

"Uhhhh…. Mio. How the hell do you even pronounce this? Don… Donkey? Don-quee-what?"

"Don Quixote, stupid."

"That can't be English." Ritsu deadpanned as her eyes narrowed, peering at the book title suspiciously.

Mio put her finger to her chin. "You're right. It was originally a Spanish text, but got translated to English." She replied thoughtfully.

"Spanish?!" Mio could see the shock in her friend's eyes, and just could not repress the smug grin that spread across her face. The drummer responded by refusing to meet her gaze, folding her arms and biting her lip. She held her gaze a little longer, letting herself bask in the glory of having rendered Tainaka Ritsu completely speechless. Once she was satisfied, she decided to release her friend from her torture.

"Well, he is more of a self-proclaimed knight who is trying to live out his fantasies of chivalry…" Mio chuckled lightly.

"Huh. Like what happened back then about me promising to be your knight, princess Mio?" Ritsu teased, her initial embarrassment now replaced by a sly grin. Mio fought the urge to punch the drummer and tried to hide her flushed face.

"I-Idiot. That was just a game. Your motivations were anything but chivalrous. In any case, Don Quixote isn't really a proper knight; he simply thinks the people around him need saving or that the windmills are evil giants."

"What? So he's just some crazy person pretending he's a knight?"

"Yeah. Somewhat like you, Ritsu." Mio returned, shooting Ritsu the same smug grin she had earlier; once again, the drummer could not make a witty comeback and was relegated to simply sticking her tongue out as the bassist began to double over in muffled laughter, book completely forgotten.

Who knew that of all things, a dingy little childhood game would come back to bite her in the mental ass? Ritsu closed her eyes and tried to shut out the offensive thoughts that continued to pour out from the abyss in her head. A knight that only knows how to harm her princess… some knight you turned out to be Ritsu. I don't think even the mad knight himself hurt his princess... It may have been just a game; but Ritsu found herself growing into the role of a "knight" to Mio through the years, and she enjoyed it.

Of course, it cannot be said to be something noble, and it sounded just downright childish. But, for Ritsu, that was an essential part of her relationship with Mio; it was what made her feel truly relevant to the otherwise untouchable bassist. Mio never liked to admit it, but she few friends throughout her life, and Ritsu was one of those very few she had kept close to herself. She was the type to contemplate a lot and mull over things to sometimes insane extents, and it often showed in her conversations and behavior. It made her words and thinking process near impossible to understand at times, and after awhile, most people gave up trying to know her.

And Mio soon also gave up trying to know them. Instead, she let herself settle behind her own walls; and surrounded herself with fairy tales and fantastic worlds since she found no place with the world around her. She quickly got used to staying behind the scenes, to simply disappear. She learned to keep her thoughts to herself, if anything, so that she would no longer judged by them.

It took someone with massive disregard and a gigantic personality like Ritsu to break her out and begin accepting people again. Ritsu bludgeoned her way through mostly. And now, all that bludgeoning had certainly come around to kick her right in the back.

Suddenly, her throat began to rise towards her mouth, and her torso began to convulse, blasting gusts of air through the windpipe in an attempt to soothe the burning itch that still lingered there. Ritsu reeled momentarily; her head beginning to spin and buzz violently from the force of her body surging forward when she coughed. Her body needed rest, and she had better make damn well sure that it got the rest it needed. Closing her eyes, she let her muscles relax, and the buzz in her head started to die down.

Just as she sank into her covers to try and make herself more comfortable, she heard a series of dull thumping from beyond her bedroom door. The thumps were light, measured, and gentle; having an almost familiar, rhythmic feel to them. Whatever was making those thumps, it was nearing her room door as they grew subtly in volume as the moments passed, and the gears in Ritsu's mind began to turn again, trying to decipher that strangely recognizable rhythm. Yet something about their pace seemed off; as if they were… Ritsu could not really think any further as the buzzing in her head began to intensify. The thumps stopped, and something in Ritsu's head instinctively clicked.

"Mio…?"

"What are you, some psychic?" Mio entered the room, putting her bag and bass guitar against the wall. The room held many precious memories for her; for it was the only other place she spent most of her time in besides school or her own home. Much of her growing years were spent in this very room, together with its actual inhabitant which currently lay more or less incapacitated on her own bed.

"Heh. I know the sound of your footsteps, Mio…" Ritsu replied, her voice devoid of any animosity or disdain. In fact, her tone was almost relaxed, as if nothing had ever happened; perhaps in attempt to try and forget that something did, but this only made the sinking feeling in Mio's gut intensify.

Mio felt the unsettling fear beginning to creep back as her mind raced to protect itself from the psychological hurt it may receive, but she forced herself onward. She stepped slowly to the edge of the bed and lowered herself down to sit on the floor, but making sure she didn't meet Ritsu's gaze; fearing what she may find in the eyes of her childhood friend. A small part of her felt relieved and a little hopeful, since it was a cold that had kept Ritsu from coming to school. Mio let out a small smile; perhaps this would not be as terrible as she imagined.

What should I say now? Come on Mio, at least let me see your face… tell me what you're thinking… Ritsu kept her eyes trained onto the back of Mio's head.

Mio on the other hand, refused to take her sight off the pale wall across her; not looking at Ritsu would certainly make it slightly easier for her. It may be a cold, but that was no excuse to deny what she had done to Ritsu; she still needed to make amends, if not for Ritsu then to ease her conscience.

"So… are you feeling better?" she asked coolly; hoping that her voice would not betray her. Since Ritsu decided to set a relaxed tone, she figured that she should at least go with it. Even so, the sense of discomfort would not leave Mio, as she still felt like she was treading on thin ice.

Ritsu swallowed to clear her mouth and soothe her rapidly drying throat. "Not that good. I still have a fever." Her voice cracked, and Ritsu felt her torso shiver; yet there was no actual chill in the room. She felt a torrent of thoughts spilling through her head, each sentiment fighting for a chance to be actualized; her conscience craved to be eased, it sought to be defended, and it wanted more than ever to just be allowed to make amends for itself. On the other hand, her mind also hoped to flee, to give in to the fear and self-resentment that had plagued her. There was so much she needed and wanted to say.

"Hmm. No wonder you didn't have enough strength to play the drums…" Mio sighed, in… relief? Ritsu could not tell.

"Ugh, and just right before the school concert…" Ritsu grumbled, and she felt the stress returning. Quickly, she slid under her covers, into a pocket of warm, soothing darkness; hoping that her thoughts would leave her alone. The concert, the missed practices, everyone.

"Don't worry, just get better and it will all be fine, alright? Everyone's waiting for you." Mio tried to ease Ritsu for what it was worth; even though the reality was perhaps not too promising. But Mio held her thoughts back, as always; not wanting to stress her even more than she already was. The air surrounding them was still tense and fragile, and Mio did not want to make a move she would regret; she just wanted Ritsu back.

Ritsu's absence over the past three days had made her feel…empty. She still went through her classes normally, she still had lunch with Nodoka so as to not trouble her, she still practiced on her bass at the club. Her routine was more or less undisturbed and intact, any slight changes would probably be due to Mio herself spacing out or generally being somewhat cranky. Yet, something just felt off about those normal days she just went through.

It was the absence of a physical annoyance hovering around her and provoking her; the absence of a loud, distinctive voice that would spew out some obscure, haphazard plan. It was the lack of a solid backing and foundation to support and accentuate her bass notes. It was the fact that there was a space right next to her that was coldly empty on her walk back home. It was the absence of the feeling of having her phone vibrate and trill repeatedly till the clock struck 11.

It was peaceful, but unnervingly so.

"The others… aren't mad right?" Ritsu asked softly, shielded by her comfortable blanket. This time, she could not bring herself continue her relaxed tone. Not with the thought that she had pretty much made everyone worry and left them hanging for three whole days.

"Of course not." Mio leaned back and rested her head on the lump that was Ritsu, hoping that if anything, it would help them both relax. That it would help tell Ritsu that Mio just wanted things to be back the way it was. That the bassist still needed her loud, annoying friend to be by her side.

The drummer sighed under her covers, relieved and enjoying the soothing pressure of Mio's head on her side. At least, everyone is still alright. But she still could not relax completely. The main thing that had been bothering her, the damn thing that had made her unable to recover still had not been resolved. She was tired, so tired; she just wanted to get this entire ordeal over with. Yet, she was scared. Fearful of what might happen if she opened her mouth.

But, if she did not, then her mind would never be at peace. Ritsu inhaled deeply.

"What about you?" the drummer held her breath as she heard the words escape her lips; barely above a whisper. Her voice sounded almost alien to her at that point, and part of her felt like she was hearing another person utter those same words; words which were raspy, hushed, fearful and brittle.

The bassist heaved a sigh, the remaining nervousness draining out of her almost instantly; she wasn't the only one seeking redemption from the seemingly untouchable other. And she wasn't the only one who was shaking under their own skin despite the seemingly conversational atmosphere.

"No, how could I be?" Mio said through her smile as she turned her head, hoping to look the drummer in the eye as the words left her lips. Seeing only a tuft of auburn hair where Ritsu's eyes should have been, Mio decided to let some of her thoughts out this time.

"Y'know…"

"Yeah?"

"When you play your drums, their beats always so… powerful and full of energy. Not hearing that at all has been really lonely…" The lump under her head began tremble, and when Mio turned her head again, she was greeted by a pair of teasing, amber eyes and a wide smile. Mio felt the familiar annoyance fill her mind as she watched her best friend break down into laughter at her heartfelt confession.

"Ugh! Ritsu!"

"Hahaha! I'm all better now!" Ritsu tossed herself up from the bed with her arms in the air, overjoyed and relieved beyond all rational reason. Excitement surged through her; a welcome feeling after three days of being in a total hellish state. At last, her mind could be at peace, and she could still stay by Mio's side; the pain could now be in the past.

Mio's words may have been in all ways melodramatic and cheesy, but Ritsu understood; she missed Mio too. A lot. Mio was a very important part of Ritsu, more than than the bassist herself could ever know. As a child, Ritsu had found Mio to be a very interesting person; a soft and shy person who could be as loud as her and hit even harder. She often talked about more serious issues, but she was always open to new concepts and certainly fun to be around. Well, if repeated provocation and teasing ending in a violent smash to the skull could be considered fun.

They had, by some strange twist of fate, managed to grow up together, and Ritsu could not deny that she loved watching this demure, somewhat naive and scaredy-cat friend of hers mature into the serious yet compassionate person that sat in front of her. It was this very girl that had saved her from the errors she had made throughout her life, and accompanied her whenever she ran into a wall. She was the only one who was willing to forgive her repeatedly, and was able to see her worth as a friend even when others decided to leave her behind because of her mistakes.

Being able to still be with her, and be the one who had exclusive access to her true thoughts, to still be Mio's "knight", that made Ritsu insanely happy. Still, her choice of words was really melodramatic and cheesy.

But she could not afford to revel in her joy for very long, as her nose decided to violently remind her that her body was still out of commission. Not to mention that shooting up from her bed had caused her head to begin spinning again.

"No! You're not alright! Go back to sleep, you still have a fever." Mio pushed Ritsu back down to the bed, pulling the covers over her now shivering body. Good grief. Mio chuckled lightly to herself; the old Ritsu that she loved had come back, and all would be well from now on. The drummer obediently lay back onto the bed, grumbling in her extreme discomfort.

"Well, I'm going to go home alright? Rest well." Before Mio could even straighten her legs to rise, she felt a pair of calloused hands grab hers and pull her back.

"What? At least stay with me till I fall asleep. Pleeease Mio…." That nasal, begging whine warmed her heart, and only made her smile even more.

"Good grief."

Mio then sat down at the side of the bed again, fingers still wrapped around the drummer's. As Ritsu settled into the bed once again, she tightened her grip on Mio; fearing that she may still leave. The bassist sighed, and proceeded to rub her thumb across the back of Ritsu's hand. The room was silent, but now, the two girls were just happy to enjoy their newly mended friendship. However, Ritsu still was not satisfied. Before she could sleep, she needed to get the final pieces off her mind.

"Mio, I-I'm really sorry… just. I'm sorry." Ritsu choked out. There was a lot more swirling in her head, an entire storm's worth of thoughts she wanted to express, but she just could not find the right words to utter. Her usual eloquence and wit failed her; and she found herself unable to bring full ease to her conscience. Is there no way I can properly redeem myself? Yes, the issue had been settled, they both were willing to forgive and forget that it ever happened. Yet, it just wasn't enough; there was just something that Ritsu felt she needed to do, to atone for. Her hand began to tremble, and Mio decided to clasp her hands in both of hers.

"Hey. I made a mistake too, I shouldn't have yelled. But it's alright now Ritsu, don't worry. Really." Mio cooed, giving the drummer a reassuring smile and tightening the hold around her hand. The hand may have been a little calloused, but it was surprisingly soft. Mio smiled warmly; it was a lot like Ritsu. Hard and rough on the outside, but tender and soft on the inside. The trembling eventually died down, and Mio heard her breathing start to slow.

"You've always forgiven me Mio… even for leaving you behind like that…"

"You're important to me Ritsu. It's as simple as that." Grey eyes stared straight into amber ones. Hesitation emanated from the latter pair. Mio sighed and shook her head. Bringing her legs up to the bed, Mio adjusted her positon so that she was now kneeling next to Ritsu, and she proceeded to slide her arm between Ritsu and the bed. The auburn-haired girl raised an eyebrow and her eyes widened in alarm. Wait what? Then, very slowly and gently, Mio pulled Ritsu up from the bed and enveloped her in a warm hug, burying her face into the drummer's neck.

"M-Mio…?"

"Idiot, you're not the only one who feels they need to atone for something, alright? So don't keep blaming yourself." Mio said through gritted teeth. This time, Mio decided not to hold back her thoughts any longer, and instead let her actions express them. She wrapped her arms tightly around Ritsu, and let herself relax against her torso. Gingerly, Ritsu returned the hug, and slowly allowed herself to enjoy the warm sensation. Mio began to stroke her back and nuzzle her neck, and Ritsu felt her shoulders tingle.

Returning the favour, Ritsu lowered her head and rested it on Mio's shoulder. The throbbing began to ease and her nose started to clear slightly, letting her take in the scent of lavender from the bassist's neck. The two sat in silence once again, allowing one another to take in the warmth, and to let their actions speak for their minds. Bit by bit, Ritsu's body began to relax and her eyelids began to droop; her conscience was eased and her mind was gradually being put to peace.

After what felt like hours, Mio gently lowered the drummer back onto the bed, her heart stinging a little at the loss of contact. Clasping Ritsu's hand in both of hers again, she gave Ritsu a soft smile. Ritsu drowsily raised her free hand and placed it on Mio's cheek as she gave a small, sleepy, and somewhat lopsided smile.

"Thank you… my princess." Ritsu whispered, reciting her lines from that role-playing game all those years ago. The raven-haired girl chuckled lightly; a game that would certainly mean something a lot more now.

"You won't have to do anything more," Mio answered as she moved one hand to Ritsu's head and patted her gently. Ritsu leaned in, eyelids becoming heavier as the minutes passed. "Just be a good knight." And at long last, Mio was able to see the small, hopeful smile on Ritsu's face as exhaustion finally managed to claim her and make her drift into unconsciousness.

"I promise Mio. I promise." She pulled their clasped hands next to her head as her eyes began to close, and the grip on her hand tightened a little as she let her free arm fall back to her side under the covers. As she let her body sink back into the bed and the welcoming darkness of restful sleep engulf her mind, Ritsu grinned as she felt something soft and warm grazing her cheek.

So there! This may have another chapter to it, if the plan works out. While this has been an idea that has been bugging me, I somehow feel that it can't compare to Contemplation. I don't know.

Also, I did try to alter the way I write here, by trying to show more instead of just telling, since good writing needs a healthy balance of both. Thanks to Psykoakuma for pointing out that I do tend to tell instead of show, I will strive to improve! Hopefully I am doing it the right way here. I really hope so.

As always, thanks for reading and please do leave a review and let me know what you think!

Thegoh