Author's Notes: This story was created for my friend and her fiancé's five year anniversary that they are celebrating today. Hagi happens to be one of her favorite characters and for Halloween this year she dressed up as a gypsy. I felt it only fitting to celebrate their anniversary with a Hagi gypsy fanfic. I hope you enjoy it.
Note: This story does not follow any Blood+ canon. This fanfic was created purely for my amusement and was not researched or doted upon. It's just a fun back story about Hagi. It is not related to The AB- Project in anyway.
Chapter 1: A Familiar Figure Lurks
Hagi stood at the door to the Miyagusuku Tomb. Saya had fallen asleep again. She was safe and protected by Kai. He had thirty years to wander the world before coming back to Saya's side. He didn't want to leave her.
Hagi sighed into the cool breeze that fell on Okinawa during the balmy fall. Saya had been asleep for over a month and nothing had stirred in the crypt ever since Kai left her there. He placed his bandaged hand on the door and ran it down a ways before taking another deep breath and disappearing into the night.
He knew where he was going, the place he loved to visit the most that held many memories for him and gave him the desired comfort, Paris.
Upon arriving in Paris, Hagi rested in the glow of the city soaking in its magnificence. The glistening lights twinkled like stars as if they were an extension of the night sky. He never told Saya why he loved Paris so much. He rested on the top of a building near the town square. This city held so many of his memories and the only memory he considered happy before Saya. If magic existed, Hagi believed this was the only place in the world that it lived.
Hagi traveled back to France to look for his parents after Saya had fallen asleep for the first time. He never left her side for long and it had been so many years since she had fallen asleep. He wanted to know why he had been sold, why they never looked back and he had always wondered what had happened to them. Even though they chose a loaf of bread over him, he still loved them very much, but did they?
He had traveled back so many years ago, to find a family friend who was then in her late forties what had happened after he was taken. She told him everything.
On a beautiful fall day, the birds were chirping as Hagi and his parents woke up before dawn. Hagi was an only child; even if his parents could have more, they couldn't afford them. Hagi was already too much for them to bear. He knew this and that's why he worked so hard to earn them money.
He practiced his dance routine and the lyrics he had to sing. They had a performance to do the following night. The last few performances had brought them up with a little more than nothing. They didn't have enough money for food for the week.
Hagi inspected a hole in one of his gloves that was missing a few fingers; it was a dirty navy blue. His clothes were filled with holes and engulfed in dirt. He wiggled his toes inside of his boots that were two sizes too large for him. But this was all he had; all his family had. He had lived this way all of his life, not knowing if he would have food tomorrow. Even as a child begging, because of who he was, no one wanted to give him any money.
But tomorrow, they performed in Paris, the city of hopes and dreams. He was more excited than usual because for the first time ever he would get to be under the beautiful lights of the city.
As night neared they drew ever closer to the fate-filled city and Hagi looked outside of the horse-driven cart to see Paris. His heart filled with excitement as he could feel butterflies dancing in his stomach. I'm home. He thought.
Once they settled in, they met other bands of travelers that had gathered in a less crowded place in the city to set up camp for the night. Hagi's parents pulled their cart in near the rest and gathered around the fire. Many other children were here laughing and giggling as one older woman told scary stories.
Hagi sat down next to a girl a little older than him. Her hair was done up in a bun with a scarf wrapped around her head. She had her legs pulled up to her chest as she listened to the storyteller. She turned her head and smiled kindly at him as he sat down. Her stunning brown eyes imitated the dancing flames of the campfire. Hagi's heartbeat quickened.
"My name is Kezia." She said as she waited quietly for him to speak. Hagi stared at the floor too nervous to answer. "It's okay; it's my first time here too. Many of these families have been visiting for years but I just came here last week. The other kids don't like me much." The fire's light lit up her face as the storyteller had thrown something into the flames. It was then he noticed tears welling up in her eyes. He looked back down at the ground.
"The name's Hagi." A blush flew over his cheeks as he quickly glanced at her. A smile had grown on her face and she was blushing too. There was a moment of silence between them before she flung her arms around his neck hugging him.
"Thanks." She whispered before letting go. The rest of the evening was spent with the two of them blushing and staring at the cobblestone.
The next morning Hagi, woke up to see the smoldering embers of a dying fire. The dew rested gently on the cobblestone street. The morning smelled like it had rained but there was no storm last night. He stretched his arms out with a yawn and then they dropped to his side. That's when he noticed that Kezia was lying next to him. It was awfully cold last night she must have huddle against him for warmth. He smiled looking down at her until his parents walked up to him and then he sprang up as he fast as he could as he turned beet red. His parents just laughed.
"We are heading out to market, seeing if we can get any food today. Stay here with the group, okay?" His mother caressed the side of his head with her hand covered in what was left of her glove. She gave him a kiss on the forehead like she always did and his parents left. He sat back down deep in thought.
"Hagi?" He heard a groan behind him. He peered down at the beautiful girl snuggled under the covers. She beamed up at him. "Good morning!" She giggled as Hagi turned pretending to admire the side of his cart. She sat up and leaned against his back. He jumped a little in shock at first then settle down into the warmth.
"Hey, Hagi?" She asked questioningly. "Do you think we could go for a walk this morning?" Hagi nodded silently.
After a long walk, Kezia led Hagi down to her favorite place in all of Paris. It was a quiet place by the Seine River, where the light didn't reach the land but the river sparkled from the sun's rays. The trees cover the whole area on this side of the river; the bushes hid them well as they sat down on the grass.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Kezia asked as she gazed out over the river watching the crowds that had gathered for picnics. "Don't you wish you could be like them for one day? Have a homeand be free of all the care and worry we have to live with everyday?" Her gaze fell down to her shoes which had holes in them and you could see her toes peeking through. Hagi slid his hand onto hers but he stared out at the park.
"No." Hagi answered plainly. "If I had what they did, I would have never been with my family, learned how to dream, wonder, and live." He turned to look at her. "I wouldn't have met you." Shock came over her face and then she turned pretending to inspect the grass next to her. She couldn't think of any words to say. "I still wish to have a home, but I don't wish to change my life and what I have done and gone through. I only want to change the future."
A musician across the way started to play music. Everyone sat to listening but Hagi stood up. Kezia's eyes followed him and watched as he offered her a hand. Her cheeks got a soft pink blush as her hand slid into his. He helped her to her feet and took her other hand leading her into a gentle, ill-prepared dance that he was making up along the way. She followed him gracefully barely tripping up. As the music stopped, they slowed. They both blushed then backed away from each other.
"Well it's getting late; we should head back to camp." She suggested as she lost herself back at the park. She changed her gaze to him and he nodded once. The whole way back they held hands not exchanging one word, just relishing in the moment.
After they arrived back, the other performers helped them pick a prime spot for his family and then they prepared to leave. Hagi turned around to say goodbye to Kezia.
"I'll see you later tonight!" Hagi waved as they rounded the corner.
As his parents set up, he wandered around the city square seeing many people walking around in beautiful clothing carrying expensive objects. He knew this was the place for him. There were so many happy, cheerful individuals not having to wander; having a place to call home. He hoped to raise enough money for his parents to find a house and be like all of these families he had seen.
"Hagi." His mother called. He spun around on the balls of his feet to see the cart all set up for them. He rushed over to join his family. Even though he and his parents had a hard life, he wouldn't give up his family for anything in the whole world.
The music started to play. Hagi stood still at first listening to the beat, and then his body was whisked away into another land of beauty. His arms and legs moved so gracefully that he awed the crowd. They clapped and applauded at all of his moves, but then he stopped and the crowd grew in wonder. He had started singing! While it wasn't the most beautiful, on-key voice they had ever heard, his passion for the words and his expressions while singing moved many to tears. As the music stopped he stood there in applause and filled with joy.
The world faded back to where he was; only a few had gathered and while they were applauding it wasn't as enthusiastically as he was dreaming it to be. But his parents didn't stop him from bowing several more times and then doing a few more dance moves. The crowd left only a single coin. His parents let out a deep sigh and looked at each other in utter bereavement.
As the crowd dispersed in the darkness, Hagi could see a figure standing there staring at him, before the man disappeared into the night. He stood there for a moment in confusion. What an odd man he had just seen. He was dressed in a deep wine colored suit, his face was wearing a creepy smile and his eyes were tinted blood red. He didn't seem normal at all.