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[estirose]

This is kind of a post for random comment-sized fics. I'll be putting them in the comments and indexing them as needed.

Note that most of the Garo entries take place in a kind of High School AU set in the world of Kamen Rider Fourze. Yes, it's complicated. Some others take place in the Go-Busters universe.

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GARO Makai Senki, HS AU, Mio and Sigma, Sigma apologizes and schemes.

[estirose]

Note: There aren't a lot of clear, easily-accessible sites about Japanese Sign Language in English on the web. From what I can see, it might come closer to standard Japanese (or at least the kind one is taught in school) than ASL does to standard English grammar. (Thanks to *Andrea for her discussion about ASL, which made figuring out JSL a bit easier and any errors and such are not hers.)

This takes place in more-or-less the Dark!Takeru/Dark!Shinkengers!verse storyline, though it's influenced by what I've written for "Deciphering the Circuit Diagram". In DtCD, Leo gets a bracelet that helps him pick up the power from the nexus (which is right near the locker to the Hutch for this universe and that one), but he hasn't got it yet here.

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"I could have used your help yesterday with Leo." Mio is upset. I can tell by her expression, how she signs, and her entire body language. A lot of people think that sign language is just paying attention to someone's hands, but it's much, much more than that. When I talk to Mio, when all of us talk, I automatically shift to paying so much attention to the person I'm talking to. It makes the occasional word-shift between sign and spoken Japanese so much easier when there's a mental shift as well.

"I'm sorry," I tell her. I know it was wrong to leave Leo by himself in the condition he was in, but I couldn't stomach going to school. Not when I'm in danger of being a mage as well. I think I've found some protection to keep that from happening. "Was he okay?"

"Kaoru-chan and I got him through his classes, yes. And I made sure he stayed in the library sitting down."

I'm relieved. There's nothing much I can do for Leo other than make him realize that he should accept what he is and is becoming. But her change of honorifics for that girl are a little troubling.

"Sigma, it's dangerous for him to be there, while that maniac is running loose. Our rules and the mage world's rules put him in more danger."

"Then we'll have to protect him." I hope Leo doesn't mind being with us for a while. "I'm really sorry. But our parents won't go against the mage's advice."

Mio sighs. "That doesn't mean we have to obey the rules, Sigma. We can make sure he doesn't have to be there."

He has to gain power. But Mio's right. I can't endanger him. "If we can find the nexus location, then we can get him exposed better and he wouldn't have to stay at school longer."

She doesn't look happy, but her hands ease up, de-tense. "He's Gentarou's friend, but...."

At least Leo had the sense to be befriended by the school's protector. "Maybe we should get Leo to practice with him, or something. Better a little bruising now than him having no defenses that he can control."

"I'll talk to Gentarou." She sighs again, and looks down at her book. It's genalogy, I can tell, and it's one of ours.

"Researching family lines?" I ask her.

"I was talking to Kaoru-chan yesterday and... yes. I think she might have had mage ancestors herself."

Something clicks into place. What if Leo had been developing magic when he was first attracted to the girl? It would explain why he was. Something in him must have realized what he was becoming and sought out an appropriate partner.

It's too bad my brother is so shy. He obviously needs my help. I can pass as him if needs be.

"What are you thinking, Sigma?" Mio asks. She looks at me like she isn't sure if she likes what I'm thinking about.

"I'm thinking of ways to make things up to you and Leo," I tell her.

Her eyes widen. "You're going to help me and Gentarou-san get them together?"

"Of course." My brother is just going to have to live with what he is, and if that includes getting married a bit early, that's what I'm going to do. We can't allow this to slip through our fingers.

I lean back in my chair. Sometimes I make the best plans.