Chapter 1: Silent Homecoming
A beautiful dark headed girl trudged through the normally happy and sunny streets of Hinata hot springs, Japan. Though the day was just like any of those sunny and cheerful days in this beautiful coastal city, this traveler walked as if she were covered in the dark cloud of failure and pain. The angst was almost dripping from her skin with each and every agonizing step she took.
The warm late-summer's wind caught her long bluish-black hair and tossed it spiritedly in its gentle breeze.
'Oh, she had longed for this place,' the weary traveler thought as she stumbled up and down the many coastal streets and boardwalks, wandering aimlessly for hours on end. It was a sight for sore eyes, yet strangely it bought her no comfort at all.
When she finally collapsed into a chair just outside of a restaurant, she was panting to catch her breath as if she had just ran a marathon.
"God it seems like its been forever since I've been here," she told herself, taking in a couple of deep breaths of salty air. She let her backpack slump from her shoulder onto the cobblestone paving in front of the restaurant. She sat down at a table and stared at the endless expanses of blue sea and green mountains above it.
It seemed like it had been years since she was here, yet in reality she was here just hours before, except then there was no clear blue skies, no inviting sea, and the mountains above burned black and crimson with malicious intent, threatening to descend upon the town, shoveling it into the tumultuous seas below.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz
Motoko lay prone, bleeding, struggling to gain her footing, her crimson life blood spilling out into the tiny crevices between the cobblestone paving, slowly making its way to the cracks in the boardwalks and to an already crimson sea.
"You and Kanako go, I'll hold them!" Motoko yelled, trying to use the scabbard of her sword as a crutch to lift herself back to her feet, yet the stones were so covered in her lifeblood it kept slipping out from under her, sending her once again down into a pool of her own blood.
Breaking free from Kanako's grasp, Shinobu turned, running back to her battered friend, quickly dropped to her knees and, throwing a blood-soaked arm around her neck, she lifted the kendo instructor to her feet.
"I can't let you die now!" Shinobu cried, hobbling as fast as she could, carrying her.
"Shinobu, you fool!" Motoko cried out, kicking her in the stomach and knocking her out from underneath her arm.
Without the support of her friend, Motoko stumbled and fell to one knee, driving her sword into the pavement and leaning on it to stay upright.
"Motoko . . . but if I leave you, you're going to die, and I can't do it all by myself!" Tears filled Shinobu's light blue eyes in almost hysterical crying as she tried frantically to scramble to her feet, falling to her knees several times in the process.
"What must I do to convince you, girl!" Motoko roared, standing to her feet. The air about them suddenly became heavy and Motoko's body whipped around to look at Shinobu, her eyes burning almost blood red with fire.
"Your journey is yours to make and yours alone, Shinobu, you cannot save this world, and you cannot save me!" Motoko roared with the authority of not only herself, but also her ancestors.
"But Motoko..."
"NO BUTS!" Motoko bellowed, smacking Shinobu upside the face with the hilt of her blade.
The smaller girl spun around, her senses jarred, confused and all but broken when she felt a sharp stinging pain on the back of her neck at the base of the hairline. The feeling of blood dripping down the back of her neck brought the young woman back to her senses and she turned to Motoko.
"Now run and don't look back. If not, I'll cut you down myself." The ki burned even more wildly in her eyes as she sank to one knee, cleaving many strange creatures in front of her in half.
For an instant Shinobu glanced at her longtime friend and mentor, then back at the route of escape where Kanako was waiting for her. Motoko's resolve and brutality had forced her to see what she had to do.
"Godspeed Motoko Aoyama, 13 generation daughter of Jubie," Shinobu whispered into the breeze before running off after Kanako for all she was worth. The air behind her filled with the infernal screams of many an oni as Motoko held off the wave of them coming from the mountains above.
It was all right there, happening before her very eyes, in this very spot it happened: the murderous screams and the otherworldly howls bellowing through the mountains above. It was all there, yet at the same time it wasn't.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz
"Would you like some tea miss?" The question fell on numbed ears, almost drowned out by the pondering of a troubled mind. They were barely enough to wake the young woman form her trance.
"Yes," the traveler answered dully as she shifted her hollow gaze up the mountain and to a certain inn that had, over the years, become an all-girls dormitory.
It was there. Of course it was there, just like it was peaceful and majestic in appearance, inviting, almost like home. "Hell, it was home once, and probably will be again soon." She smiled to herself as she thanked the old woman running the tea shop and began to sip her hot beverage.
'Sight just the thing I needed,' she thought, letting out a long, drawn-out sigh. 'That travel between universes was rougher than I thought it was going to be.'
Abruptly she gulped down the rest of her tea, shouldered her faded olive-drab military backpack, and, tipping the old woman at the teashop, began to meander through random alleyways until she appeared at the foot of a very tall set of stairs, seemingly cut from the living rock of the mountain itself.
"Well, time to go home," she told herself, still reluctant to ascend. She stood there for a few moments, just taking it all in when someone bumped into her.
Quickly, almost instinctively, she spun around, grabbing the person by the arm and throwing a low cross kick to the man's lower legs, knocking them out from underneath him. There was a loud thump as he landed face-first in the dirt and she began to drag him backwards. She might well have slammed him face-first into the nearest tree and proceeded to snap his neck had it not been for the sight of a familiar face and glasses, mostly the glasses.
Quickly she let go of the arm and fell to her knees, picking the young man's face up out of the dirt.
"Keitaro?" she whimpered. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she said, on the verge of crying as she began to dust him off.
"Huh?" the young man said, looking up and straightening his glasses.
"I didn't mean it Keitaro. Honest," she whimpered, afraid to look the man in his eyes.
"Oh it's no problem," he said, standing up and dusting himself off. "I get that more than you might expect around here. Hey, who might you be?" Keitaro asked, looking at the girl quizzically and helping her to her feet.
She was about to answer when Keitaro caught a glimpse of her backpack, which had the characters for Shin scrawled on it in black marker.
"Hey, I know you!" he exclaimed excitedly, pointing at her.
'Damn, my cover is blown already,' the girl thought. 'This is going to be bad.'
However, much to her surprise, Keitaro answered, "You must be a relative of Shinobu's, though that backpack is a little beat-up looking. Hard to believe that a girl like Shinobu would own something like that, though," he said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head with one hand and letting the other hang loosely by his side.
"Oh, the Shinobu that lives there," she said, shocked back to reality at Keitaro, with his ever-loving-head-in-the-clouds attitude and that classic pose she remembered him doing countless times.
"No. No, I don't know any Shinobu's that live there. Um . . . Well, actually, that is, um . . . Well, it's my name too," she said shyly.
"Damn," Shinobu cursed herself for not planning a better cover story before she approached the Hinata Inn. If they found out who she really was, they would probably throw her out, or worse, call the insane asylum so they could send the men in little white suits after her, not to mention if that happened, then what could she do to protect them all of them, just like she had sworn to Motoko and Kanako just hours before.
This whole travel thing was certainly taking its toll on her mind, but she had made a promise to protect the ones she loved and cared about, and nothing, not even an a trans-universe hangover was going to stop her.
Quickly clearing her head of all fear and doubt as best she could, she cleared her throat and spoke.
"Mirumoto Shinobu," she said bowing in a traditional sense. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Urashima Keitaro."
"Damn it, I did it again," Shinobu growled at herself for letting that one slip and waited for the crazy response anxiously.
"Its nice to meet you as well, Muramoto Shinobu, but how did you know my name?" he asked.
"Your reputation proceeds you Mr. Urashima," she said, thinking quickly. "A three year ronin at Tokyo U, only to finish up the last and most difficult section of the entrance exam in 5 minutes earlier this year, you're quite a legend among the Tokyo U hopefuls," she said with a faked smile.
"Am I now?" He paused. "Well, that's nice to hear. Guess all of that hard work with Naru paid off after all," he said with a smile.
'Keitaro always has heart-warming smiles,' Shinobu thought to herself as she began to feel at ease for the first time in what seemed like years.
She was reluctant to interrupt the peace of the moment, but for all of their sakes she pressed on through the sweet silence and asked, "Yeah well, I've heard of other students that studied here that got into Tokyo U, and I thought that maybe a second year ronin like myself could maybe possibly get in too if I lived and studied in a place like this."
"Well I don't know if I would believe those urban legends about this place, and I can't guarantee if you live and study here that you'll get into Tokyo U, but I can guarantee that you'll meet some friendly people and have a great time here," he said with utmost confidence.
"I'm sure I will," she replied, this time with a glint of a genuine smile of hope and ease.
"Keitaro could always chase away my demons," she said to herself as they both ascended the stairs towards the Hinata Inn. She playfully fought the desire to rest her head on his shoulder as they climbed the great stairs.
'It would be so fun,' she thought. She had spent almost 7 years in the shadow of Naru Narusegawa, in her efforts to get her Sempai's attention, and, more importantly, affection. Of course, she was so young at the time, only 12 when they first met, and even though she soon turned 13, the seven year gap in their age could not be overcome.
So she watched and waited; that was all she could do up until that fateful day after Keitaro's marriage to her and the utter chaos that followed. It broke her already-fragile heart at just how little she could do, but she was no longer in that world and the 7 year age gap no longer existed.
"It was but a meager year and a half now," she told herself, and even though she couldn't accompany her Sempai in his first year at Tokyo U, she had already passed the entrance exam once. This time, it would be a snap.
"No, no, you mustn't daydream so much Shinobu, especially about such things. You came here to save this world, not to wreck it," she said to herself as she shifted her breathing to some techniques Motoko had thought her to calm herself and control her emotions.
It seemed like they were caught in a short eternity as they climbed the great staircase, seemingly just caught in limbo between the worlds. It was a nice feeling, but like everything in life that felt nice warm and fuzzy, it was gone almost before it even started.
"Well, looks like no one's home around here. I can give you a quick tour if you like," said the manager as he set his bag down.
"No, it's all right," she replied, stopping him. "I've had my heart set on this place for a while now and there's no need to sell me on anything."
"Well, that being said, do you have a preference in rooms?"
"Not that I can think of," she replied.
"Well, the rooms I have open at the moment are 202, it would the quite one. Well, the more quiet of the two that is. Your neighbors would be Shinobu Marahara, and Motoko Aoyama would be in the room over that one, she's usually rather quiet."
"Now the other room is on the third floor, 305, but if you take that one I should warn you about the noisy downstairs neighbor..."
"I'll take the one on the third floor," she said, cutting him off in disinterest.
Are you sure?" Keitaro asked, trying to warn the young woman about what she was getting herself into.
"Yes, I'm sure I like being up in higher places," the blue-haired girl replied.
"Well then, shall I help you with your things?" he asked her as they walked up the stairs.
"No, I'll be fine," she said re-shouldering her worn-out pack with a quick bounce, stepping nimbly up the stairs.
"Are you sure you don't need anything at all?" Keitaro asked as she opened the twin rice paper doors and entered the room.
"No I'll be fine," she said again, throwing her pack aside, yawning and stretching her arms out.
"Well ok, if you're sure you don't need anything," he said, reluctant to walk off before he abruptly turned around and spoke. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot there should be some blankets, pillows, and a futon in the closet, if you need 'em."
"Thanks," she replied, this time a little impatiently.
"And the other girls should be home a little later if you want me to introduce you to the other residents."
"I'm sorry about now," she replied. "I might be down a little later to meet all of them, but right now I'm really tired. I feel like I have been on my feet for days. I'll have your first month's rent to you in the morning, OK?"
"Oh, it's fine, really. You don't have to get that to me until the end of the month," he said with a smile.
"Thanks again Keitaro," she said, opening the closet and throwing the futon out onto the floor.
When the doors were finally closed, she sighed. "Maybe I should go for a soak in the baths out back," she said to herself, her eyes squinting and blurry from her long journey. She loosened her belt and let her khaki cargo pants fall to the floor. Yawning once, she attempted to step out of them, but instead she tripped on the pants leg unwilling to fully relinquish her young legs from their grip, and she fell onto her futon with a loud thud.
Awkwardly kicking the pants from her legs, she curled her arms around one pillow and wrapped herself up in the warm dark blue blankets. "I'll do it tomorrow," she mumbled, quickly dozing off to sleep as she rested her back against the wall.
"Can you feel it ?" a dark and ominous voice echoed thought an endless blackness.
"Feel what?" another voice hissed back in a demonic tone.
"Of course he can't feel anything. The useless fool couldn't feel a thunderstorm if it clouded up in his ass," another demonic voice said in a low breathy growl.
"Take it back, Wolf," the second voice hissed. "Not all of us are as uncivilized and feral as yourself. Remember last time the master was almost free, but your bestial instincts and bloodlust prevented his escape. That is why you are nothing but a guardian, a lowly errand boy of our master, whereas he trusts his most important tasks to me."
"Silence, Silvertongue. Unless you want to be speaking out of the bloody stump that will soon enough be your neck," the low breathy growling voice grumbled.
"ENOUGH!" the first voice echoed. "We are weak enough as it is, only just being awakened! Much less waiting out strength fighting one another, if either of you wishes to be free, I suggest you spent what little strength we have against these feeble humans before they become wise to our presence."
The deep disembodied voice boomed though the endless blackness, followed by a deafeningly long silence
"We understand. Forgive us master." The two demons voices melded into something like the sound of twisting metal.
"Good. Now, what did you feel Wolf?" the echoing voice asked.
"The essence and strength of one of the humans has increased tenfold master, though I cannot sense the source. It remains hidden to me at the moment."
"Couldn't sense a thunderstorm..." the hissing voice said under its wheezing breath.
"Are you sure that it is the same essence that increased?" the master asked. "It could have been someone else that entered."
"I am sure of it, Ryukyu-sama..."
The wolf sprit intended to say more but was cut off by the deafening boom of the Master's voice rolling as violently and majestically as thunder in the mountains during the monsoon season.
"DO NOT use my name so carelessly Ookami-oni! These walls have ears that are not our own, and so do some humans."
"Forgive me master, I thought it once again ancient times."
"That time will come once more my brother, but until that era re-emerges, bide your time, gain your strength slowly, keep a low profile, and most importantly, no direct assaults on any humans until I give the order. I cannot have any of you rushing around making careless mistakes like last time, especially now that the seal has been fully broken."
"Have you both found suitable hosts?" The echoing voice asked.
"Yes my lord," the wolf spirit growled deeply, implying a bow if there had been bodies to the voices.
"And you, Silvertongue?" the voice demanded.
"You told us yourself not to rush my lord," it said with a hiss. "I have several potential candidates lined up. I intend to pick one soon. After all, talented ones such as myself cannot afford the mundane strength and abilities of just any human."
"Wise words indeed, though save your flattery for 'their kind'. You are dismissed," the echoing voice boomed.
"As you wish, my lord," it said with a false sense of humility, only small traces of its hissing remained in its speech. Its essence began to fade from the feeling of the blackness.
"As you wish master," the growling voice said as it began to sink off too.
"One moment Ookami," the first voice said.
"What is it master?" the wolf's voice asked.
"Are you sure that you have chosen a proper host, you know as well as I do that once you have bound yourself to a soul you will no longer be in control of yourself during the day, and at night you will be nothing but a ghost floating in the consciousness of that soul, at the mercy of the bestial desires and hidden evil within that human's heart."
"I understand that very well brother, and I intend not to repeat the mistakes of the past. Too long have our powers waned in these pathetic forms. Forgive me for the past, it was my fault and I intend to make penance for my mistakes, I will not fail you again brother," Ookami growled.
"No. No, you won't," the first voice echoed. "You may go Ookami."
"Yes brother." The Wolf spirits voice and essence faded into the eternal blackness.
"Finally, my time is at hand," the echoing voice laughed, shaking the pillars of the formless world it inhabited alone.
I would like to give a very speical shout out to MiyukiWolfire for beta reading and helping out if not doing it for me ( puncutation and grammer. Thank you for that very much and for that I would Like to dedicate this fic to you MiyukiWolfire-san ;)
I would also like to dedicate this entire fic to a friend of mine named Cheryl for beleiving im my writing as a whole and introduceing me to some rather dark lititure in the past. This one is for you Cheryl )
End chapter one. Hopefully you guys liked it, though I must admit this was for me a distraction fic or something I worked on while I was working on my main piece at the moment "The Hinata School of Anything Goes", because my mind works in a weird way and I have to write two things at once to get anything written.
Anyways, I figured that I would post this piece and see what the general reaction to it was and whether or not I should continue this fic on those basis. For that reason, reviews, suggestions, and requests are all greatly appreciated, though I already know about my issues with spelling and grammar ;)