'The Other Side of Eden' Part One: Angel's Descent
Genre: Fantasy, romance, adventure, semi-crossover, AU (Alternate Universe)
Notes: Fic title comes from one of the songs on Atobe's Hametsu he no RONDO album, which is also what inspired this story. It's a beautiful song with kind of a Renaissance feel to it. . There is much love. Also, anyone who knows better will quickly realize I've been playing waaaaaaaaay too much Ragnarok Online. Many of the monsters/creatures/animals (though not all) and job classifications (though not all) in this story have been taken directly from the game; that's why I say it's a semi-crossover. Hope you enjoy!
Heaven was indeed a wonderful place. A place far too great for the likes of mere mortals, at least as far as the Gods and Angels who dwelled there were concerned. They alone were worthy of its splendor, with their ethereal beauty and intelligence. They knew this, and were pleased to have this glorious place of their own, and everything in the Heavens was peaceful.
Peaceful, that is, until an incredulous yell sounded, loud enough to be heard all the way down to the Earth below.
"Excuse me!?!"
"You heard me."
"But what for!?"
"Atobe," the Lord of the Gods, Sakaki, crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at his subordinate Angel. "You're getting a little too confident, and underestimating humans to that level can be dangerous. Your boasts of being able to take them all on with 'just your left wing' is going to cause a war."
The Angel raised his eyebrows and smirked.
"If you wish to keep you place as captain," he continued, "you're going to have to learn diplomacy and respect for other beings."
The smirk disappeared. No good would come from this.
"To teach you this important lesson, you shall be banished to the Earth-"
"What!?!"
A glare reminded Atobe that interrupting his Lord was a bad idea. "You'll be sent to the Earth, where you'll live amongst the humans, as a human, and learn why even lesser beings are deserving of respect."
Atobe's dark turquoise eyes hardened, but he knew better than to argue. If Sakaki said it was so, so it was. He knew where those who disobeyed went, and it was very not Heaven.
"You have a year to gain this knowledge; no time at all for an immortal such as yourself. If you don't have an answer in that time, you'll remain on Earth with a human lifespan, and Hiyoshi will take your place."
Somewhere, the younger Angel, Hiyoshi Wakashi, grinned.
"Fine." Atobe resigned himself, knowing there was no getting out of it. "When does my punishment begin?"
Sakaki was silent a moment, giving his subordinate a fixed gaze. Then he replied "now."
And the Angel was gone. Vanished. With his wings taken away, falling down, down, down, to the Earth below.
---------------
A figure emerged from the shadows. Wings held slightly open, long brown hair tied back. An Angel with enough courage to approach and question Heaven's Lord. "Why did you send him there?"
"He needs to learn, if he's going to reach his full potential."
"Cut the bull."
"Why Shishido." Sakaki's deep gaze turned to the rather blunt Angel. "You doubt me?"
"I think you're hiding something."
Elegant lips curved into a smile. "Aah. He's going to encounter something very important there."
He was aware that he was falling. Aching to stretch out his wings and fly, but his back was bare. And he briefly wondered if he was going to die, but that was absurd. If Sakaki wanted to kill him, he would have just done it, not gone through the trouble of concocting a story then dropping him.
He closed his eyes and just savored the free-fall, listening to the wind roaring in his ears and tangling in his silver hair. Pretending he could still fly, until his body finally hit the hard ground. And it...hurt. A lot. He had never felt pain before, but he knew his now half-human body was going to be bruised and cut and sore. Marred and, for the first time since the Creator molded him, imperfect.
His body was naked, stripped of his angelic robes, but the land was warm and the sun was bright. He took in the moment, acknowledging temperature for the first time. Breathing in the Earth's atmosphere for the first time. Catching a scent so much less divine than ambrosia for the first time.
And then he opened his eyes, and for the first time saw the planet for what it was. Not the almost meaningless piece of tiny rock he'd always considered it, but something much bigger. From the Heavens it had always seemed so small, but now, being upon the land, he suddenly felt like he was the less significant one.
He laughed at the irony. A laugh that quickly turned bitter. A laugh that lacked true merriment, and continued until the Angel succumbed to his pain, and was overtaken by darkness.
---------------
Eyelids fluttered open and a wary gaze inspected his surroundings. It was certainly not the place where he passed out, but rather some kind of room, bare of any adornments save for a few pieces of furniture.
"You're awake."
The turquoise eyes shifted to see who had spoken, and saw in a chair nearby a pale young man with delicate features. His face was blank, with dark eyes, framed by hair so black it shone violet.
Atobe licked his lips, forcing his voice to work. "Who are you?"
The other just stared for a minute, and blinked. He eventually opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by another person entering the room before he could say anything.
"Ah, you're awake." The newcomer was much more personable. Light brown hair that hung in his face and cheerful eyes that curved upward in a smile. He was pleasant. "Ibu-san, could you please fetch Tezuka for me?"
The dark-haired one just gave a feint "aah," then stood and left the room.
"Where am I?" If these humans didn't give some answers soon, they were going to have to deal with a very irritated Atobe.
"Sorry." The smiling young man set down a try he'd been carrying and began putting some foods on a plate. "My name is Fuji Syuusuke. That other man was Ibu Shinji." He chuckled. "He may seem a little slow at times, but he's a genius mage. His magic is the best in the city, and he was the one who healed you. ....You could have died out there in the desert if Tezuka hadn't found you." His voice became lower on the last sentence.
"Tezuka...?"
"Un." Fuji brought the plate over to the bed and helped the guest to sit up, then handed him the plate and sat down. He chose to ignore the look Atobe gave at the meager, poor rations. "Tezuka is the strongest swordsman in the city, and this is his house. He found you while out scouting for monsters."
Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Monsters?"
"You're not from around here, are you?" There was a feint mocking tone to the continual smile. "This city, Seigaku, used to be very rich and green and fertile. We had an expansive growth of crops every year, and our people were never without anything." Slowly, Fuji's smile faded away, and bright blue eyes appeared, holding struggle and sadness. "But then the drought came. We've had no rain for years. The sun has been too strong. Our crops have withered, and our people are dying, and no matter how much we pray to the God of Nature, our prayers go unheard."
Atobe kept it to himself that he knew the God of Nature, who was in charge of managing the Earth's temperature. They were friends, sort of. And he also knew of the God's habit of falling asleep anywhere, everywhere. 'Jiroh...' He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but made a note to have a little pep talk with his sleepy associate...when he got back.
"I lost my parents and my sister," Fuji continued. "My younger brother, Yuuta, and I are the only ones left of our family..."
For quite possibly the first time in...his entire existence, there Angel was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say. Those closest to him were all immortal; he'd never had to deal with the loss of someone important.
He was saved from an impending uncomfortable silence by the entrance of a tall figure. One with sharp grey eyes behind thin spectacles, set in a stern face topped with a mess of brown hair.
The man was stunning, really, but Atobe couldn't tell if he was taken with his appearance, or the power that seemed to radiate from him.
"Tezuka." Fuji stood in greeting of the new arrival, who nodded in return. "How did it go?"
"There were several Chonchon outside the city, and a few Peco eggs within, but I took care of them." His voice was deep, and held no emotion as he spoke.
Fuji nodded, smile back in place. "Well, sorry to interrupt your fun," he teased. "But your guest is awake."
He turned and walked over to the bed, heavy boots falling soundly on the hard floor until he stood over the stranger. "Who are you?"
"Isn't it customary to give one's own name first, before demanding that of another?" Even though Atobe didn't particularly think that rule, like many, applied to him.
The blank face formed a scowl before answering. "Tezuka Kunimitsu. This is my house you're in, and those are my clothes you're wearing." His tone said that which his words did not - 'you owe me a lot more than I owe you.'
It was returned with what could only be described as a leer. "Atobe Keigo. An- ahh...a wanderer."
"Well wander yourself back to wherever it is you came from." He abruptly turned and headed back to the doorway, but stopped before exiting. "It's not safe here." There was a pause before he looked over his shoulder to speak again. "Fuji, Ryuzaki has called the meeting. We're to be there in half an hour." And then he left.
After a moment of contemplative silence, Fuji turned to the other man, smiling brightly. "Well then. You should be fine here. There are wards put up all around this house, so nothing malicious can get in. Get some rest and heal." A slight bow, then he too was gone.
Atobe crossed his arms over his chest, giving a "humph." If he were in a better position he could have tapped his foot, but for now would have to be in a huff without it. His eyes turned skyward and his nose stuck-up ever so slightly.
Rest? Heal? He was still an Angel after all; he was already feeling less sore, and far from tired. He'd quickly moved on to plain ol' bored.
So with another "humph" he threw back the blanket that covered him and slid out of bed. Surely they really intended for him to follow, because nobody left Atobe Keigo behind.
Especially not a couple of mere humans.
---------------
Most of the people who sat in the city's Town Hall looked far worse than those Atobe had met thus far. So obviously malnourished, their cheeks were sunken in and their bodies were far too thin. The drought and waning food supply were taking a visible toll on the people.
At the front of the room stood a woman. She was much past her prime, with a wrinkled face and weary eyes, but her posture was strong and she spoke in a way that commanded respect. It was easy to tell she was the city's leader, and her people would do anything she asked of them, happily.
Behind her sat the three young men Atobe had already met, plus four others. They each wore a different style of clothing, which he deduced went along with different job classifications.
Tezuka was the first in line, and Fuji was next to him. Beside the smiling young man was another youth with the same color hair that was cropped quite short. There was an 'X' shaped scar on his forehead, a scowl on his face, and a bow and quiver of arrows on his back.
Sitting next to the unknown boy was the...unusual magic user who'd been there when Atobe woke up, and after him was another unknown. A skinny redhead whose hair covered half his face. His clothes were dark and unrestricting, and he wore a black cloak. One hand rested casually on the preceding youth's shoulder, and one could almost see his fingers lightly playing with the ends of the mage's hair.
Next in line was one who didn't look like much more than a child. He had dark hair that hung long down the sides of his face, and large blue eyes full of youthful wonder. Atobe couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed the kid's feet didn't even reach the ground as he sat in the chair. This one also had a bow and arrows strapped to his back.
The last man seated was possibly the most unusual of all. He sat with his arms crossed, looking for all the world like he'd hiss at anyone who came near him. Locks of black hair poked out from the bandana tied around his head, and into piercing eyes. But most peculiar was the tiny being sitting on his shoulder. It looked human, but much, much smaller, and had spiky black hair. Every now and then it would lean over and say something into the young man's ear, and more than once was snapped at in return.
They were quite the array of people, each one more different than the next. Atobe was fascinated by the group, and while studying them his gaze met that of Tezuka, and he was given a glare.
The Angel smirked and leaned against the wall, choosing to stand at the back of the room instead of taking a seat. And he listened, intrigued, to what the old woman was saying.
They couldn't afford to live in the city any longer, she told them. In order to survive they had to leave their home and move on to some place that could support them. But they couldn't just take off without knowing if there was anything worth heading to.
She explained to her people that a select group of men had been chosen to travel beyond the land which was now nothing but desert, and find what would be Seigaku's new home. They had a year to do this; after that time the city's food storage would be empty, and the people would surely perish.
'A year, huh?' Atobe banged his head against the wall he leaned on. 'Could He have made it any more obvious?'
And then the woman assumed to be Ryuzaki introduced the team that would be their saviors. As she called the men's names, they each stood and took a bow.
"I present to you...
The great swordsman who has spent the past two years protecting our city, Tezuka Kunimitsu.
The scholar, tensai of Seigaku, Fuji Syuusuke.
The hunter, and master of the Rising Shot, Fuji Yuuta.
Great mage and healer, Ibu Shinji.
With the fleetest of feet, the thief, Kamio Akira.
Dan Taiichi, the archer, holding the most precise aim.
And the beastmaster, Kaidou Kaoru."
The little thing on the ending man's shoulder was quick to jump up and squeak indignantly, waving a tiny fist. Ryuzaki looked expectantly to the beastmaster, who blushed at the attention.
The answer came with a gruff voice. "He says.... 'and Momo-chan too'."
The hall burst into laughter and applause.
"I'm going with you."
"No, you're not."
"Yes, I am."
The tall swordsman threw down the load he'd been carrying to pack onto his horse and turned to face Atobe, fixing him with a glare. "For the last time, go back to where you came from. There's nothing for you here...and you're not going with us. Just go home."
"I can't."
"Why not?" Tezuka's irritation was almost beginning to show.
"I just...can't."
The other turned back around and picked up his bundle, loading it onto the large chestnut horse. "Then stay here. You can use my house and anything in it, but you'll only end up dead if you attempt this journey."
There was finality in his voice that Atobe refused to accept. Nobody told him 'no', and nobody turned their back to him. He would turn that man around and make him give in.
"Look at me, Tezuka!" He clamped a hand on the swordsman's shoulder.
As soon as they touched, something happened. A shimmering light engulfed them and great feathered wings burst from the Angel's back. He had returned to his true form, in all its ethereal glory.
He quickly backed away, eyes wide. When the contact broke it all disappeared. The light, the wings, the power, all vanished when he pulled back. And he could only stare in shock until the other man turned slowly back around with conflict in his eyes.
"What...what happened?"
"That's something I was hoping you could tell me," Tezuka replied in a flat voice. "Who are you, really?"
"I..."
"It happened before, when I brought you in from the desert, but when Ibu touched you to heal you, there was no reaction. What is it about me?"
"I don't know."
"What are you?"
"I can't say."
"Are you a monster?"
"Of course not!"
"A spirit? A ghost?"
"No."
"Then what?" He grabbed Atobe by the shoulders, and again the wings unveiled, indicating the transformation. "What is this? What are you?"
Their eyes met, the Angel's intense and sparking with power. "A divine being." He hesitated after the answer, unsure of how much he should disclose. It wasn't forbidden to reveal what he was, but it didn't seem entirely safe to provide such information to someone he only just met. "I can't tell you who I am or where I'm from, and I don't know why you set off this transformation. All I can say is...I think it's very important that I accompany you on this quest."
Tezuka took a deep, aggravated breath, then with hard eyes released his grip on Atobe's shoulders and walked away from him. He disappeared into his dark house without another word.
Atobe glared at the swordsman's back. He'd never been treated this way before. So...so...brushed off! Who did this guy think he was, walking away like that before he was done talking with him?
He was going to follow, to ask something along the lines of what bug was up the guy's ass, when Tezuka re-emerged, carrying a second large bundle. He wordlessly walked passed Atobe and began loading it on the horse.
"What's that one for?"
"For you."
"...." He was a smart one; caught on pretty quick. "You planned on bringing me the whole time, didn't you?"
Tezuka didn't answer, but finished packing and told the Angel to get up on the horse, to which Atobe complied. Or, attempted to, but as he'd never ridden a horse before, needed a little assistance. And when he swung his leg up to mount the saddle, then slipped and fell off the other side, to his great surprise he discovered the swordsman could actually laugh.
---------------
They went to the city gates, Atobe riding while Tezuka walked, leading the horse. The waited there for the others to arrive.
First came the Fuji brothers, who were sharing a horse. Not long after them was the beastmaster, Kaidou, with the tiny Momo-chan on his shoulder. The thief and the mage also arrived sharing a horse. And lastly, riding up quickly on a small horse perfectly suited for his size, was the archer, Taiichi.
They were all not surprised to see Atobe amongst their ranks.
Tezuka addressed the group, but looked to Atobe in particular. "We're more than just teammates, we're friends. And on this quest it is important that we stick together, and not hide things from one another."
His stare was met with a slow nod from the Angel, and then he deftly mounted the horse, sitting in front of Atobe. Their bodies pressed together, and the feathered white wings again sprouted.
Everyone's gazes fell upon the white wings, but nobody dared say a word. Atobe smirked at how obviously taken they all were with his ethereal beauty and played it up a bit, running a hand through his silver hair and tossing a wink.
Until Tezuka gave the horse a nudge, and the animal began to move. Caught off-guard, Atobe almost fell backwards, except that he reached out in time and threw his arms around the other's waist.
"Hang on tight."
"Now you tell me.."
With a kick, they were off in a gallop. The rest of the group followed close behind, riding easily at the fast pace.
Their journey had begun. To save their city and themselves, to find a place back in Heaven. The journey to find their way home.
end part one