Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King.
Reaching
Yoh dropped silently downward inside his brother's soul. The many images of Hao held his hand out to the falling brunette. He looked sadly at his brother's past, present, and what he hoped to be the future. All his brother's sorrow and confusion mixed with a feeling of betrayal and doubt into what is now his heart of hatred.
The falling brunette's heart cringed at all the pain that the fire shaman suffered. Even though his face is expressionless, he can feel the pain and sadness inside his poor twin, trapped in the cycle of death and rebirth that revolved around his betrayed soul.
He wanted to change the older shaman; he really did. So many times had seen that hand; so many times he refused it. He turned away from the murderer so many times, his resolve unfading. Now, looking at so many hands reaching towards him, they seem different from the usual.
His empty eyes looked at the extended hands, calling him, signaling for him to join, or…?
He stood up from his position on the ground next to his best friend. Surprised looks surrounded him and his eyes laid on the one that was full of hatred. The nice little mask that covered all his pain and sorrow gazed down at him spitefully.
He thought he could save him; he really did. The brunette never wanted to kill his older brother. He thought he can save Hao's lonely soul from falling further into despair.
But now, looking at the bright light that resulted from the explosion, he realized that it's not as easy as he wanted it to be. He can faintly see his brother's hand reaching out toward him again, like all other times, as he was swallowed by the blinding light.
He looked sadly at the fading form of his brother. It's not that easy; one cannot save everybody.
His eyes narrowed sadly at the reaching hand, calling to him, signaling for him to join, or…?
He stared in empty serenity into the azure sky above as he lay on the grass of the hill in the cemetery. His thoughts wondered over to his brother, to the last battle, to the helpless soul.
He cannot save everyone, but he wanted to; he really did. If only he was stronger; if only he was better; if only he understood earlier, maybe it could've been possible. His soul was stranded in darkness, alone and helpless. It was trying to find a purpose, trying to find a way to be accepted.
He couldn't save his brother; he couldn't save the poor boy from himself. He was trapped yet again in another cycle of death and rebirth revolving around hatred itself. And Yoh himself, as his other half, cannot pull him away from it.
A short blonde came, telling him that it was time to go. The smart boy extended a hand, offering help. The brunette looked at that hand. It is so different from the hand of his brother that was reaching out to him; it serves a different purpose.
Yoh accepted the extended hand, remembering his brother's.
His eyes closed as he remembered the way that hand held out, calling to him, signaling for him to join, or…?
Help me.
It wasn't an offer.
Save me.
It wasn't an invitation.
Don't go.
It was…
Don't leave me.
It was a call…
Get me out of here.
It was a call help, and no one answered.
He should've been able to help; he really should've.
He could've grabbed that outstretched hand; he really could've.
But he never did.
A/N: A super short one-shot!
Sorry this is so dark! I was listening to Final Fantasy X Theme song, Super Drive (silent beat mix) from Gravitation, and Epitaph from .Hack/Liminality, mix them together and this turned out. Music affects my mood this way…
Don't kill me for writing this instead of my other fics! Like I said, music affects my moods, and this popped out! I'll go back writing the other fics once this song (Super Drive silent beat mix) is over, I promise!