Familiar Friend
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A little, green-haired child with black glasses stumbled after a large, orange ball. It was rolling rampantly away from him and under a peach tree. Kazunari sat underneath the tree. His eyes were closed but he was not quite dozing. He was expecting company.
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The little child had huge eyes behind those glasses. 'Hey mister. Why do you have tanuki ears?'
'You can see me?' Kazunari feigned surprised. His ears twitched and he smiled and revealed a mouthful of sharp teeth. The child flinched but overcame it, acted as if were something he had seen before. The little child grabbed the ball but Kazunari pushed it towards him.
'Yes.' the boy replied.
'How unusual. Best be careful then or you'll get eaten by someone who thinks your psychic energy would make a tasty snack.' Kazunari teased.
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The little boy paled and was scared. 'You really think so?' he asked.
'I know so. Creatures like myself are greedy, gluttonous... but you'll learn all about that with eyes like yours.' Kazunari said.
'Your weird, mister.'
'Kazunari is fine.'
'Your weird, Kazunari-san.'
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Kazunari got up and stretched. 'Do you like peaches?' he asked.
'I love them.' the boy said. 'I also like red bean soup. I'll even drink it in summer, I love it that much. But I hate natto. It's smells so icky!' Kazunari listened to the boy prattle and gave him a peach.
'Have a good day. Perhaps we will meet again.' Kazunari said.
'I'm Midorima Shintaro. It was good to meet you, Kazunari-san.'
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The boy toddled off but Kazunari had already known his name from before they had even met. This was one of many first times in which they had met. Kazunari recalled crisply every moment they had met and farewelled. It was one of the few pleasures in his long, long life that he clung too.
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A frog leaped into sight. 'At it again, Kazunari I see.' the frog croaked.
'Kerosuke, I know what I'm doing.' Kazunari replied and he flipped his hair exuberantly.
'You have too much free time if you are willing to sit under this tree for eternity just so you can keep meeting the same person over and over again. I don't even see the appeal.' Kerosuke said.
'That's because you don't know Shintaro like I do.' Kazunari huffed.
'I'll be off again. Unlike you, I have a life to attend to.' Kerosuke said.
'Then go, I have things to do anyway.' Kazunari said.
'His life span is shrinking and there are longer times in between when he's dead and when he's reincarnated. Soon, he'll be nothing but blood between some poor woman's legs.'
'Goodbye Kerosuke.' snarled Kazunari. The frog yokai leaped away.
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Kazunari knew that Kerosuke was right. He wasn't blind. In Shintaro's first life, he had lived to nine decades, almost ten. In his second, similarly, again almost ten decades but soon, the life force began to trickle. There were longer separations between the cycles and his lifespan was shrinking. It had been, Kazunari thinks, twelve years since he had last seen his Shintaro reincarnate again but creatures like him, yokai like him, have terrible measures of time in human years so "eighteen" may actually be "eighty". What's more, in Shintaro's last life, he had only lived to thirty-something before he died of brain cancer.
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Shintaro visited Kazunari's peach tree the next day. 'My friends didn't believe me when I told them you are here.' Shintaro said, straight off the bat.
'It's because they don't have your eyes.' Kazunari said and he handed the boy a peach.
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Kazunari noticed that Shintaro had brought along a small, wooden bear and his fingers were taped. 'Oh? You want a look?' Shintaro asked and he handed over the toy he brought. 'Oha Asa said that Cancers, like me, ought to carry a small, wooden bear to optimise their luck. And my friends think I'm really good at basketball so I want to take care of my hands so I can always shoot.' Shintaro prattled.
'Good for you.' Kazunari said and briefly inspected the toy before handing it back.
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Continuity and change was something Kazunari had studied a lot in his life, particularly regarding Shintaro. Shintaro rarely changed in appearance: tall, well-built with striking green eyes and green hair. The clothes, they often changed according to the era and the profession Shintaro followed through with. His personality rarely altered, they always kept the same core. He always remained calm, reserved and a creature of peculiar habit; he had a steadfast belief in higher powers such as astrology and fate. Kazunari supposed it was because of the psychic energy always present within his body.
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Shintaro would try and visit Kazunari as often as possible. Kazunari liked the company but he had perfected the art of befriending Shintaro he knew how much time together was right. So, one day, Kazunari had to disappear and he couldn't return, not until at least ten years in human time had passed.
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Kazunari watched from afar, in a place that he was certain that Shintaro couldn't see. He used his own sight based abilities to make sure of that. Shintaro had brought a friend to the peach tree. The peaches were beginning to fall of its branches and rot. Its time of gift bearing was over and it was beginning to kneel to winter. 'He should be right here.' Shintaro pleaded with his friend who was unimpressed and stoic. Kazunari felt bad but even if he were there, only Shintaro would be able to see him.
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Kerosuke bounded onto Kazunari's shoulder. 'Oh? Giving the brat the cold shoulder, eh?' he croaked.
'I have befriended Shintaro many times. This is just the next phase in the plan.' Kazunari replied.
'Not really. It's just so you don't feel like a creep.'
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Kazunari growled and his ears flattened against his head. He tried to get Kerosuke off of his shoulder but failed miserably. 'Well, time to disappear for a bit.' Kazunari huffed when he realised the Kerosuke wasn't going anywhere.
'How did you two meet anyway? Before my time.' Kerosuke said. Kazunari remained silent.
'Only just.' Kazunari said. 'He's the reason I'm here today and I'm both angry and thankful for that.'
'No, you're the reason why you're lurking around, aggressively waiting for the human to grow up.' Kerosuke said.
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Anger bubbled up inside of Kazunari and he lashed out at Kerosuke and tried to slash him with his lengthy claws. Kerosuke had leaped out of the way before he could get cut. 'That's not what I meant. He's the reason why i'm a yokai in the first place. And the reason why your one as well.'
'Oh, my, isn't that unusual? Perhaps that can be a story over dinner. I'm sure the men at my favourite waterhole would be interested in hearing that as well. Maybe you should come, party, bring the brat.'
'Shintaro is mine.' Kazunari growled.
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Kerosuke leaped off and gave up the idea of eating Shintaro, briefly. It was a passing fancy of his that came with every round of reincarnation that the boy had. Although, there was something odd about this one: he didn't have nearly as much psychic energy stored in him as usual.
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Kazunari wandered off, to his second home which was an old Shinto shrine that was long abandoned in the area. The guardian spirits of the place didn't mind when Kazunari came to crash as he was the reason they had a shrine to guard in the first place. Kazunari squeezed through the shambled doors and skulked off into the shrine's attic. He passed dusty relics of bygone eras that he sorely missed. Kazunari curled up and began to dream. He dreamt of those bygone eras.
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In his first life, he had been a normal tanuki. He had gotten caught in a hunter's trap and a passing monk had decided that he would set him free. Kazunari left the trap unscathed and began to follow the monk. The monk grew fond of him and eventually ended up keeping him as a pet, or "lucky item" as a short time after he decided to give the tanuki a name, he was offered a permanent house in a village seeking a keeper for the new Shinto shrine they had built in the area.
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Kazunari lived to an elderly age and died peacefully; his heart had just given out. The monk, a man named Shintaro, buried him and planted a peach tree as a marker for his pet's grave. Kazunari refused to move on from the holy ground and his master was overflowing with psychic energy. Due to a combination of magic and will, Kazunari became a yokai and began to look after his master again but it was not to last.
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Like all humans, Shintaro lived a relatively "short" life – in human time, it was much longer as it almost spanned ten decades. Kazunari didn't leave the shrine as he didn't want his friends the guardian spirits to be lonely. His loyalty to the grave was repaid as one day, he met a second Shintaro who passing by, an apothecary with the sight. It was in this second life that they became a little more than friends.
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From then on, there became a trend. The two would acquaint, become friends, become almost lovers and then Shintaro would die. Then it was cycle all over again. Kazunari was fine with this. Sexually or romantically explicit relationships between yokai and human never end pleasantly for either party. He was content remaining friends with Shintaro.
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Kazunari returned to his peach tree after what he hoped had been a decade. He waited patiently in the arms of his old body's gravesite. 'Why are you here now?' a cutting voice asked. Kazunari opened his eyes and smiled widely.
'Shintaro, you've grown. I remember when you were this high.' Kazunari reminisced. 'So, how long has it been? I was off taking a nap.'
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Kazunari noticed that he had a polka dot handkerchief with him, a bag, a uniform of some description that was mostly white and that his fingers were taped. 'I'm fifteen. It's been eight years.'
'I woke up early then.' Kazunari commented with a stretch.
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'Midorima-kun!' a voice called out. Shintaro looked towards its source and for some reason, Kazunari became wary. The voice's owner approached. He was a small, pale boy with doughy eyes and light blue hair. He wore what Midorima was wearing. 'Who are you talking to?' he asked. Kazunari grew apprehensive. He was certain that this human wasn't human. He was ghostly. Shintaro was Kazunari's and he wasn't going to let anyone move in on that.
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Shintaro looked embarrassed. 'Nobody. Myself.' he said, cuttingly.
'Well, we best be on our way. We've got that practice game, remember.' the boy said.
'Alright. I just saw this tree and remembered some things. Bad things.' Shintaro growled.
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The two boys walked off and Shintaro had to ignore that he was being followed by a possessive spirit. He had to ignore the tanuki yokai for the entire duration of a game. Kazunari's presence was grating and Shintaro was the only person to notice. It was horrible. Kazunari also a keen dislike for many of his closest friends.
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'Bye, bye, thanks for the game.' the boy with light blue hair said to Shintaro as they parted ways on a busy street. Shintaro farewelled him and the rest of the team back. He began to walk in the direction of Kazunari's peach tree.
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The tree was old now and almost beginning to die. Unsurprising as it had lived close to five hundred years. Nobody but Kazunari knew that as he was the one who had been keeping it alive. He used the saliva of some of the longest-lived yokai to water it but even that wasn't enough to prolong its life for eternity.
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Shintaro frowned and Kazunari grinned. 'Why did you follow me today?'
'I'd answer that question but then I'd lose all my mystery.' Kazunari replied. Shintaro noticed in passing that he and the spirit appeared about the same age but he knew that the creature had probably been that youthful-looking for eons.
'Never do it again.' Shintaro growled.
'I don't plan on it. Although, that basketball game was fun.' Kazunari said. 'I just don't like your friends.'
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That irked Shintaro. 'They call us the "Generation of Miracles" because we're so good at basketball.'
'Wow, amazing.' Kazunari said; his eyes wide.
'Why don't you like them? They're trust-worthy and hardworking. Things I suppose an immortal racoon dog don't care for.'
'Hey, hey. You see this peach tree. Guess who looks after it? Me! Guess how long I've been doing it.' Kazunari said.
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Shintaro assessed the tree briefly. 'Twelve years.'
'Try five hundred.' Kazunari replied.
'Unlikely.' Shintaro said. Kazunari was genuinely surprised by that answer. He indicated himself; he wore the garments of a feudal farmer and had a tail.
'You are aware that you're talking to a tanuki yokai, right?' he asked.
'Not what I meant.' snapped Shintaro. Kazunari rolled his eyes.
'But untrustworthy, yeah, I can get that.' Kazunari admitted.
His mind was flooded by all the deceits and lies he had spun for Shintaro over his many, many lives. 'Goodbye. I hope we never see each other again.' Shintaro almost yelled. He raised his voice.
'Aw, don't say that, Shin-chan.' Kazunari said.
'Don't call me that.' Shintaro's voice rose again. He stormed off.
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Kazunari figured he ought to wait a few years so that Shintaro's rage would subside. He hadn't meant all that much offence. He didn't remember Shintaro being so temperamental. It must be a bad day for Cancers...
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'Ribbit!' Kerosuke yelled and he jumped onto Kazunari's shoulder.
'Damn it, do you have to be so loud?' Kazunari complained.
'I thought you said that you had befriending Shintaro down to a fine art?' Kerosuke asked.
'I do.' Kazunari retorted stubbornly.
'Doesn't look like it.' Kerosuke replied.
'I don't need you to tell me how things look.' Kazunari said.
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Kerosuke sighed and Kazunari became uncomfortable. Both stared at Shintaro's fleeting figure in the horizon. 'He doesn't have much left in him.' Kerosuke said.
'I'm aware.' Kazunari growled. 'I'm not blind.'
'What are you going to do when he doesn't come back?' Kerosuke asked.
'I never did tell you about Shintaro's third life, did I?' Kazunari mused. He attempted to change the subject.
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Kerosuke glared at the tanuki yokai. 'When humans start to last forever is the day I croak.' Kerosuke punned.
'That was terrible.' Kazunari said.
'But tell me more about his third life.' Kerosuke resigned.
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Kazunari smiled with gleeful nostalgia. 'In his third life, he was a toymaker. He decided to follow that profession because he wanted to make his own lucky items. You were the first toy he made that looked decent. He was so proud of himself that a lot of psychic energy flowed into you and broke the wind-up key you had in your back. You decided to leap off. He was distraught when he couldn't find you.'
'Oh, that explains why there's a hole in my back.' Kerosuke croaked.
'Are you going to leave me alone now?' Kazunari asked.
'Probably not. After all, he doesn't have that much time left.'
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The heat of anger began in Kazunari's toes but it quickly boiled up and took over his head. 'What do you know about Shintaro, anyway? Nothing because you didn't bother to stick around and get to know him! He's amazing. Just because you reckon he's got one foot in the grave doesn't mean that's true!' Kazunari shouted.
'Jeez, didn't mean to upset you, piss-baby.' Kerosuke mumbled and he jumped off of Kazunari's shoulder. Kazunari was breathing deeply. He sank further into denial. He could smell it on the scent of Shintaro's psychic energy. He was going to die soon. Very soon.
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He normally smelt of red beans and musk but the taint of death lingered on his energy. It was unmistakable. It was the worst smell in the world and Kazunari had smelt it all afternoon.
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Day turned to night and night turned to day. It was an endless cycle. Shintaro stopped walking past the peach tree which was withering up something terrible. Kazunari counted the days and decided against actively looking for Shintaro. But that changed one day. Shintaro came to him, to the peach tree which was almost gone. Most of it had dried up in twigs on the ground. Kazunari had taken to wearing a hat now to help keep himself in the sun.
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Kazunari looked up and he saw Shintaro. 'Whoa, what're you doing here? Hell, did you get taller again? Stop growing, for the love of everything. I like being the taller one here.' Kazunari said.
'I thought you were looking after this tree. Why is it dying?' Shintaro asked.
'I've tried many things but nothin' has worked thus far. Got a friend who reckons that mushi-shi liquor might be able to help.' Kazunari said. 'So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?'
'I just thought I should let you know that I'm going to the Olympics soon.' Shintaro said.
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Kazunari screwed up his face. 'What's O-ri-mu-pi-ku-su?' he asked.
'Olympics, it's an event where athletes from all over the world meet up and play games to try and win medals for their countries. Japan has selected me for the Japanese basketball team.' Shintaro explained and Kazunari became impressed.
'That's amazing, Shin-chan. Go and kick ass.' Kazunari whooped. 'And how old are you now?'
'Twenty-one.' Shintaro said. 'Relatively young for the Olympics, I suppose.'
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Shintaro bowed to Kazunari. 'That's all I wanted to say. And "thank you" for not bothering me or my friends.' he said and then left. Kazunari almost gagged during the short conversation and hid agony expertly behind a mask of friendliness. He couldn't believe how saturated the scent of death was on Shintaro.
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A few days passed from their meeting and it honestly didn't surprise Kazunari when he heard it. It woke him up and it caused him to writhe in agony and for tears to roll down his face. Kazunari watched as a funeral procession passed his lane and his peach tree. He looked for signs that it wasn't Shintaro's but the signs were there. He saw a green-haired little girl who was sobbing. 'Little girl!' he cried out but he went ignored. Nobody could see him regardless of what he did or who he called too.
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Kazunari followed the procession to the gravesite. The eulogies began. 'We gather here today to commemorate the life of Midorima Shintaro.' a man with a boring voice said and Kazunari wept. He listened to people speak of his friend. Men, women and children cried and they all mourned the loss of a Olympics class athlete. "Its tragedy that he never got to fulfil his dream of going to the Olympics."
"Mere weeks away."
"A drunk driver."
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His friends, family and fans eventually left the site in tears. Kazunari approached Shintaro's grave. He cleared his throat and dried his eyes. 'Shin-chan is and always will be my best friend. We have been since the beginning. Ever since he helped me out of that hunting trap on whin. He buried me and planted a peach tree to honour me. He kept me company in each life he had. And I feel awful because what if that wasn't his fate? What if I wasn't meant to be kept orchestrating that we would always become friends? What if it's my fault he didn't get to go to the O-ri-mu-pi-ku-su?' Kazunari sobbed.
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His ears pricked as he heard faint footsteps approach. His lips curled back and he remembered that pale blue haired boy. What if it was his fault? What if he really was a ghost who had been draining Shintaro of his life force?
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Kazunari turned around and went white. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe his eyes or his nose but that smell like red beans and musk was definitely him. It was definitely him. The green hair and green eyes were unmistakable.
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'This mustn't happen very often, in which someone gets to attend their own funeral.' Shintaro said. 'And I couldn't even comfort anyone?' he continued and Kazunari could only stare. Suddenly, he understood what Shintaro's fifth life had meant when he had said that he had ideas towards how they could stay forever together. It was in Shintaro's fifth life in which they had been officially lovers. It was also in Shintaro's fifth life in which he began experimenting with his psychic powers.
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Kazunari was in awe. 'I'm so sorry that you feel that way. I wish I could help but right now, I'm feeling so selfish because now I can have you all to myself.'
'What do you mean?' Shintaro asked, sharply.
'You haven't noticed yet?' Kazunari asked.
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Shintaro looked confused and then he began to assess himself physically. He felt great: lithe and energised without feeling too hungry or thirsty. He found claws on the tips of his fingers and he was wearing a traditional kimono. He decided to put his hands to his head and he found animal ears. He stretched around and glimpsed a fat, brown tail. 'What is going on?' he growled.
'In your fifth life...' Kazunari began.
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Shintaro glared. 'My fifth life?' he echoed. Suddenly, memories began to flood his mind and he could remember bits and pieces of what seemed like dreams.
'Yeah, you must have started converting your psychic energy from human energy to, um, yokai energy. You were quite the hopeless romantic in your fifth life.' Kazunari gingerly explained.
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Shintaro went pale. He remembered now. He could remember all his past lives now.
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'So, how does it feel to be immortal?' Kazunari asked.
'Bizarre.' Shintaro replied. 'Can I meet Kerosuke?'
'Oh, good, you remember Kerosuke. He's going to be upset when he sees what's happened because honestly, neither of us called it.' Kazunari said. 'Let's go find him. He's probably drinking with his buddies.'
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He took Shintaro's hand and led him deeper into the mythical world they both belonged too now.
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MerryFortune :)