[Blue Heart Event- Chase/Kazu] Simple Life

Chase was in a tree.

Which, frankly, surprised even him, because since when had he even been able to scale the thick wooden trunk up into the safety of the branches?

But there he was, nestled on one of the thicker branches, hidden behind a veil of green leaves. A breeze rustled the foliage and tousled his hair wildly, and he dangled his feet in the air, sighing contentedly.

Kazu tropmed through the dead leaves and brantches in her over-sized black boots. Her short hair was pulled back into a low pony tail at the nape of her neck and the first layer of her hair scattered on the sides of her face. She wore a pair of long worn jeans and a yellow spegetti-strap tank top and of course, her thin black choker. Kazu gazed up at the blossoming trees and signs of new life flourising around her. A soft smile spread across her face. Of the seasons, she liked spring the most. Making sure no one was around, she started singing to herself, a slow and gentle song. The nores were soft and soothing.

Chase saw Kazumi ages before she saw him; this, of course, was entirely to blame on the fact that he was hidden behind a thick blanket of lush Spring leaves, green and full and a great cover, actually. He considered calling out to her, but figured it would be more fun to surprise her, instead. She walked through the forest, singing to herself, looking completely relaxed.

I can change that, he thought to himself, grinning wickedly to himself. He waited until she got just a little closer...a little closer...and then he dropped.

"Hi!" he yelled as he nearly fell on top of her, landing neatly on his feet mere inches away from her instead.

"AH!" kazu screamed and she fell backwords and landed on her butt. "AH! heyyy that's not nice!" kazu said. Although her tone was whiny and unhappy, a smile crept on her face. Kazu got to her feet and brushed herself off. "So, what are you doing here?" she asked absetmindedly.

Chase grinned and rearranged his hair with his hand, brushing locks out of his eyes. "Um, same thing you're doing, I guess." He shrugged, "Meaning nothing." He sat down on the cushy forest floor and put his hands in his laps. "I like it here. It's quiet." His glasses slid off the end of his nose, and he pushed them back up absently. "Oh! Didn't you want to meet up here, anyways?"

"AHHH! that's right!" Kazu said in relization. "Maaaannnn i am so scatterbrianed" "I'll try and remeber better next time! It's just......there was a lot going on last night......" Kazu said amost in a trance. She shook her head. "A-anyway, wanna take a walk, it's a really pretty day!" "and i'm pretty sure i can't beat you at rock-skipping! I've been practicing!"

Chase grinned. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. I am, after all, the self-proclaimed rock-skipping champion of the world. It's true. I've got the plaque and everything." He winked, and added, "If you really want to try your luck, I guess I'm okay with it..." He was teasing, of course.

He walked over to the pond and, quickly analyzing the small pile of rocks by the bank, picked up four or five of the smoothest stones. "You want to go first?"

Kazu laughed. "Self-proclained?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Ya, that's really saying something there." "Alright alright, i'll take a swing at it." Kazu bent down and picked up three smooth stones she found. She gave the first one a good toss and it went abut 40 ft. She turned to Chase. "You're turn!" She closed her eyes and smiled, sticking her tounge out.

Chase nodded his head, impressed. "Beginner's luck," he claimed, bending down to get his own rock. He twisted, and then uncoiled, flinging the rock across the water. It splashed on the surface several times, and landed right about where Kazumi's had. "That's pretty close," he remarked, standing back. "Hmm, I think you got that one, though." He handed her another rock. "Best two out of three?"

"You are so on!" Kazu said smirking. She threw another stone and this time is went about 34 yards. She turned to Chase and gave a small bow. 'Your turn, sir." she said gesturing to the lake and speaking like a butlar. "I look forward to beating you."

Chase nodded his head, and obliged. He wound up, and tossed the rock across the water. This attempt was more successful than his last; it would up at around 55 yards. "There we go," he said, grinning. He stepped back, and wiggled his eyebrows. "Last one," he said, handing her the rock. "Make it count, Kazu."

"Will do." she said winking. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath iof air, and chucked the rock as hard as she could, practicly sending herself forward. She watched as the rock skipped over about 60-65 ft. "All right!" she said.

Chase hesitated. She looked happy. He might as well give her a small victory...this time. He spun on his heel, stuck his arm out straight as a stick, and pivoted in almost a full circle. The rock sank through the air and plopped resignedly only about ten yards in.

He feigned surprise and disappointment, frowning and wrinkling his forehead. "Darn it," he groaned. "You win."

Kazu laughed. "Thanks!" she said. A small spring wind blew Kazu's hair around her face. "Ah! I'm so exicted! today is so pretty!" "Ne Onii-chan, can you teach e how to climb a tree?" Kazu asked spinning around and looking at him.

Chase's jaw dropped in mock shock. "Miss Kazumi, don't you know how to climb a tree?" Well, it wasn't like he was an expert--but still, that's something that they teach you when you're a little kid, whoever "they" are, isn't it?

"Well, come on," he urged, taking her by the hand and pulling her back to the line of trees in the forest. "OK," he started as soon as they reached a good climbing tree, "Just..." he put his foot on the lowest branch, pulled himself up, and stood there. "It's like a ladder, see? Now you try."

Kazu nodded. She wedged her foot between a tree and began to climb. Grabbed onto brantched and taking hudge leaps up. She was very wobbly, but making this. "Waaa!" she shreeked as she almost tripped. She was well good into the bratches by now.

He could see her losing her balance, and reached out to grab her just as she tilted backwards. He caught her by the hand, bracing himself on the tree trunk with the other, and grinned. "Careful," he warned, a little after the fact. "Use your hands against the branches, otherwise, it's really easy to fall." He smiled. "But you already knew that, huh?"

"Y-ya." a sweat drop appeared on kazu's face. Kazu took Chase's advice and made it to a sturdy branch. She sat down on it and rested. "Ya, my father never taught me how to climb a tree becuase he was afraid i'd fall. Yet he was always encourging me to try new things and do my best. So i don't get why he was so agenst this...he never told me."

Chase frowned. "I don't really see the danger in climbing a tree," he replied. "It's, like, a rite of passage or something, I guess. Sure, there's a chance you'll fall, but then again, doesn't everything in life have something like that? Doesn't mean you can't try to climb a little higher." To prove his point, he reached up and grabbed a branch above his head, a little thicker than the one he was standing on. He grunted as he swung his legs, pulling himself up on the higher branch. Once he was sitting on the sturdy bark, he grinned down at Kazu triumphantly. "Your turn."

Kazu shook her head and sighed. "I'll never understand that man....." "But you're right!" "Everyone should always keep trying and do their best!" Kazu grabbed onto a branch and yanked herself up. She continued climbing until she was almost where chase was. Kazu looked down and smiled when she saw how high up she was. But then her eyes widened and pictures of the past flashed before her eyes. A look of terror and fear crossed her face. She clutched harder onto the branch, her eyes didn't leave the ground. Her breathing became heavier, and except or the wind, everything seemed silent.

Chase could see Kazumi's facial expression change from determined to terrified as she wavered. It only took a second for her resolve to disappear, and she clung to the branch. Knowing that she could drop, Chase yelled, "Hold on!" and started climbing down. He nearly lost his own balance on a thin branch, but held on tight and slunk down the trunk of the tall tree until he reached Kazumi. He grabbed her hand and said, "Don't let go."

Kazu still had that paralyzed expression, she didn't seem to notice Chase at all. Slowly, she lost her grip and her eyes began to close, until the only thing that was holding her up was Chase. Kazumi's face was a bit flustered and Her skin a bit pale.

Chase grunted as he grabbed onto her with both hands. He braced himself against the tree and tried to lift her back up, but...did she pass out? He wasn't sure. He shouldn't have pushed her into climbing higher; she wasn't ready for it. He gritted his teeth and finally managed to get her back up. "Kazumi!" he snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Snap out of it!"

Kazu's eyes slowly opened. "nnn" she groaned. "My head hurts." When she realized where she was, she sat up. "OMIGOODNESS I AM SO SORRY! I TOTALLY SPACED OUT I WASN'T ANY TROUBLE WAS I? OH WHAT AM I SAYING OF COURSE I WAS I APOLOGIZE SINCERELY FOR THAT! OMIGOODNESS!" Kazu stopped and placed her hand on her head. "Ya...i probably should have stayed in bed today..." she said staring at the ground. "Sorry for worrying you..."

Chase chuckled. "Can you get down by yourself, or you need some help?" he asked, hopping down to the forest floor. He waited for her, tilting his head up at the trees. "Then we'll get you home. You don't look so good," he commented. She looked rather sick, actually.