Loss of the Heart
Disclaimer: I don't own Tenchi Universe or its characters but I do own Reese and Zi. So please if you use them in a story your writing, ask me first at my email address, pamofthebluehair@yahoo.com. Also email me if you have any information or suggestions for the story. Thanx.
This story is about the two Jurian Knights, Azaka, and Kamidake. Aeka and Tenchi get kidnapped. The two knights have to rescue them with some unexpected help from Sasami. Sasami will have a power arise and Kamidake must train it before it gets out of control. Can they rescue Tenchi and Aeka, and still save Jurai from an enemies icy grip.
A/N: I will sometimes call Kamidake, Kami in this fic.
Chapter one: Returning Heroes
Jurai; my home. It was good to get back to the places I knew. I now saw everything different from that of when I left. Well, hell, anybody would if they had gone through what I had gone through. Finally, I was off the ship and on the planet's ship port platform. This platform was the Royal Family's personal platform.
Next to me was my partner, he was still healing from some of his injuries. No matter what, I knew I could count on him. I always could even when we were pages and squires. I always thought it funny how Jurain Knights were partnered up when they were pages. He had been a third year while I was a first year.
But it didn't matter, everyone from the Royal Court was here to greet us after our victorious mission. Or so they thought, in my opinion it was a failure. Sure we had completed our mission, but at the cost of our very own hearts.
The Emperor greeted us. He then announced that there would be a feast in our honor.
During the feast, everyone was rejoicing and celebrating. The food was of the highest quality, but I didn't even notice the taste. Tomorrow, would be the debriefing. How I was going to hate tomorrow. For once in my life, I could use the word 'hate' to its full potential meaning. I was dreading tomorrow's debriefing. I knew what would happen. We were going to get asked to repeat the entire story of what happened to the military leaders. This time the King would be there. The military leaders were bad enough, but then add on the King. I knew, do to His Majesty being there, there would be a lot of questions asked that would bring back horrid, vivid memories. All of which I never wanted to remember again in my life. Remember them I would have to though. Just the thought of tomorrow was sending chills up my spine. I knew my partner would feel no different from me on the subject.
Finally, the feast was over, or at least to a point where a guest of honor could leave without being missed. I said my apologies to the Emperor and used the excuse of being tired to get out of the rest of it. At last I was free of that accursed feast. My partner had disappeared in the middle of the 'joyous' event. I couldn't blame him, he was in worse shape than I was which meant I got stuck hanging around making both of our so called 'presence' known. I had a sense of duty, and I knew that this event would be one of the one's where one of us Knights would have to be present, or we would be considered rude and unsociable. Duty, that word seemed to ring through my mind. I knew it was my duty to protect Jurai first, then the Crown, then family and friends, and then any ally of Jurai. But frankly after this mission, I was beginning to think 'to hell with duty'. I was, for the first time ever, seriously thinking of giving up my knight-hood. I knew that if I did, that I was quitting and giving up. I never thought I seriously would think of giving up my knight-hood, not after I worked so hard for it.
I figured I would check in on my partner. So I headed for the suite we shared. When I got there, I went through the living room and straight to my partner's room. I peeked in, he was sleeping peacefully. His hair was falling gracefully over his shoulder. I pulled up the covers and started to leave. I only got halfway to the door, when I heard someone say " Kamidake?".
I whirled around on impulse, my mind in shock. My eyes scanned the room on instinct looking for an attacker. I knew from experience if it wasn't for instinct on occasions like this I would be dead. My eyes fell on my partner to see he was awake. I relaxed instantly knowing he was the one that had called my name.
" What is it Azaka?" I asked him.
" How was the torture session?" he asked. I could tell he was still tired and hurt.
" It was okay, considering what it could have been," I answered him, knowing he was referring to the feast, " Anything you need before I go?"
" No, where are you going?" He began to sit up in the bed. His eyes were now wide and alert. He definitely was awake now. I knew I would have to answer him .He would never get back to sleep out of worry if I didn't tell him, and he needed the sleep bad to heal the rest of his injuries.
" I'm going to the roof of the palace to be alone and think. Don't worry, I'll be careful. I'll even take our carbon copies. Just get back to sleep. You need it for tomorrow," I looked at him and gave him a reassuring smile, " I promise to you, I will never be caught off guard like I was on the mission ever again. I swear it. You know I keep my promises, so please get some sleep."
" Kay." He said simply. I was glad. He was beginning to get back to sleep. I had been worried that he was going to argue, wasting his energy and delaying his eminent healing.
I watched him for awhile simply enjoying his company even though he was asleep. I almost laughed he looked like a normal teenager again with his naturally gray hair falling in his eyes in his sleep. Most people can't believe Azaka is only seventeen. He looked to be more in his fifties and sixties. It was amusing, everyone thought he was older by a lot and I'm no more than twelve. I looked really young, my personality didn't help with people's perceptions on my age. I was always an enthusiastic, lively person. I was also very flexible and graceful almost like an acrobat. Acrobats on Jurai were normally no more than fourteen years of age. Most just thought I was unusually tall for a twelve year old. In reality I was fifteen. I then decided I wasn't going to go up to the roof. I was just enjoying being around my partner. I was always nervous out in public do to my status and power at my age. I knew that whenever people found out that Azaka was seventeen and me only fifteen that they would get mad and jealous. Normally people would say we were demons for having so much power for ones so young. Many considered us a demonic seed meant to lead Jurai astray from good. Azaka was never comfortable out in public either. We both never flaunted our power and definitely would never brag about it. It just wasn't in our nature.
I started to remember receiving my knight-hood when I was only thirteen. When Azaka and I became knights, the Emperor assigned us to protect him and his family, due to us being the most powerful knights in history on Jurai. At the time I felt honored and would have never changed that for the world. Now I don't know what I would have done then if I had known what was going to happen on this mission. I think I would have kept my knight-hood but never take the position of one of the protectors of the Emperor of Jurai.
Suddenly, I realized it was three in the morning. I got up from the chair I was in and went to my room right next door to Azaka's. I got into bed and let my mind drift off to sleep, praying it would bring me peaceful dreams tonight. I had only had nightmares since we started home. All of them over the mission we had just completed.
………..
I woke up at seven o'clock like normal. The only problem was I had only had four hours of sleep. Normally, I would sleep till nine when we had events like the one last night. Alas, my dreams were still nightmare ridden. No matter what I knew I would have this dream for a long time.
I got up and was getting ready for the day when I heard a faint knock on my bedroom door. I knew it had to be Azaka. I opened the door for him. He sat down on the bed. I was finishing getting ready. I still had my hair to tie back and my earring to put in. Finally, Azaka spoke.
" So, how many hours of sleep did you get? Did you lose track of time again like you normally do up on the roof?"
" I got four hours of sleep. Actually I never went up to the roof…"
" Alright Kami where did you go?" Azaka interrupted.
" I stayed here for once lost in my own little thoughts. I didn't get to bed until three." I finished explaining. All I had left to do was to put my earring in my left ear. I started to put it in and winced in pain. Azaka noticed this.
" What's wrong Kami?"
" My ear is beginning to heal from the mission and because of that it's closing up. I forgot how it hurts like the seven hells when the ear starts to close up, and you have to repierce it with the earring."
"We better get going," Azaka mentioned. We then left our suite and went to go eat. I was curious about something. I decided I would ask Azaka.
" Azaka?"
" Hmm?"
" I've been thinking lately. I was curious, what would you think if I cut my hair?" Azaka stopped and had a puzzled look on his face.
" Kami, why would you cut your hair?"
" Well, I know it's against Jurain custom, but my hair gets in my eyes when I fight even though it's tied back."
" Many people on Jurai wouldn't like it, but I don't care what you do. I accept you no matter what you look like, or how you act. So your hair has been falling in your eyes when you fight." It was more of a statement than a question.
" Yeah, especially with all the close range combat we've had to do lately."
Being most of our friends were still squires, we always would eat with them in the morning. We sat down next to our friends. Soon the two of us were engaged in talk with our friends. We talked about things like training, social events and knight-hood. Suddenly, the talk turned to the Ordeal of Knight-hood.
" So 'Zaka what's the Ordeal like?" Our friend Zavadi asked using Azaka's nickname. I looked at Azaka having heard the question. I saw his eyes and saw him remembering his Ordeal. I was worried that I would have to break him out of the trance by pain, and he didn't need that. Finally, his eyes focused again to see all our friends staring at him curious and me staring out of worry.
" I can't say. All that I can say is it takes you and looks to see if you have the makings of a knight. It's different for everyone."
" I assume the same is for you Kams." Zavadi said using the nickname I hated. I didn't mind Kami cause it was better than saying Kamidake all the time. But I drew the line at Kams.
" Yes, the same goes for me, not even partners are allowed to speak about it to each other. By the way Zavadi, I don't mind being called Kami, but I hate the nickname Kams." I was beginning to get aggravated.
" Yeah, yeah whatever." Zavadi said shrugging it off. The Training Master walked in just then. Everyone got up out of respect. He walked over to the podium at the front of the mess hall.
" Morning everyone. You may be seated," everyone sat, he continued on, " We have a change in schedule today. Your academic classes will be first instead of your fighting classes for the simple reason of I need the morning to take care of some military matters that can't wait."
Azaka and I winced. We knew what that meant though everyone seemed dumbfounded. Switching classes around was nothing new. It was just the pages and squires had no clue what his last sentence meant. " You are dismissed for your classes." The Training Master then got off the podium and left. All the pages and squires started to leave. Azaka and I said our good-byes to our friends and watched as they left the Mess.
Once all the would-be-knights left, the Training Master walked back in. He sat down next to us giving us a warm smile.
" It has been a long time since I've last seen you two. How are you doing?"
" Fine," we both answered.
" I know you have the debriefing later so you don't have to tell me about the mission for I'll be there. I see you guys are mostly healed now."
" Yeah, though we still have a few injuries left," I stated, " It's been a while Reese. How is Zi?"
" Zi is fine. Right now we have two new squires, so currently he's with them on the training courts."
" Really, I could have sworn Zi told me he would never take another squire."
" Well after you, it's no wonder why he would say that." I teased my partner. That got a laugh out of Reese.
" Like, you were any easier, Kamidake?" Reese choked out, he was laughing so hard. Azaka and I laughed. We liked being around our old Knight-Masters.
" So really, why did he change his mind?" Azaka asked, bringing us back to the subject.
" It happened when we were training pages. He saw two fourth years and saw a lot of potential in them, so he asked them to become squires for us after he talked with me."
" Oh, you know we never really had a chance to thank you after our Ordeal. If it wasn't for you I never would have survived this mission." Kamidake told Reese.
" That is not a fact, Kami. I have the confidence in you, both of you, that even without my training or Zi's, you would have survived by sheer force of will and Jurain power." Reese was serious. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.
" I thank you for you faith in me and Azaka, but you weren't there, so you don't know what would have happened."
" Reese?" Azaka spoke up.
" Yes?"
" As much as I hate to break this up Kami and I still have to see to a few of our duties before the debriefing." Azaka's voice was sad. I could tell he would rather stay and talk, but as usual he was right.
" Azaka is right, unfortunately. We'll see you later." Reese then said good-bye and headed doff to do a few things with Zi before the meeting.
Right before we left the Mess Hall, Azaka turned around and said one simple phrase I would never forget or agree with more, " It's good to be back home."
AN: Yah!!!!!!!!! Chapter One is finished. Next chapter will start off with the debriefing. It will then flash back to everything that happened, so stick around for another exciting chapter. I love cliffhangers don't you. NOT!!!!! Don't worry I will not leave this a cliffhanger. Ja'ne. ^_~