1 For Chris, because…sometimes, what's expected and what's good for you
isn't the same thing. Zhai'helleva, my friend…know that you'll always have
a place with us. And for Mike, for reminding me to be true to myself.
Follow your dreams, dearheart.
**The Makai and Kuronue belong to Togashi-sama, who is god**
*Shounen ai hints*
The ocarina is Lynx the F.F.F.'s creation – thanks for letting me use it!
2 Wings of Destiny
By Take (1999)
The door of the huge library swung open, revealing a small, gangly figure to the room's sole occupant. A thatch of unruly black hair hid clear cobalt eyes as the young chimera scampered over to sit at his grandfather's feet. Ebony wings flexed, then settled neatly into place. "Ojiichan," he whispered.
An old hand, frail and wrinkled with age, came up to gently stroke the wild hair pulled messily into a tail. "Your hair, Kuronue-chan," the older chimera said. "Let me fix it."
Eagerly, Kuronue scrambled up onto his ojiisan's lap, a hyperactive bundle of arms and legs always eager to cuddle. Gentle hands combed through his eternally untidy hair, then retied the tail. Eyes half-closed with pleasure, Kuronue asked, "Ne, Ojiichan, where did you get this pendant? 'Kaasan says that you never take it off." He reached up to play with the blood-red stone which hung around his ojiisan's neck; it afforded the young chimera hours of rapt fascination. "It's a long story, botchan," the older chimera warned. "And not exciting, I'm afraid." He fingered the red pendant which hung beside the ocarina, his dark brown eyes misty with memories. "It was given to me by someone very special."
"Onegai?" Kuronue begged, using the innate charm that all youngsters possessed to back up his plea.
His grandfather chuckled, eyes the color of dark chocolate smiling softly. "Hai hai," the old chimera acquiesced, unable to withstand the force of Kuronue's personality. He gathered his grandson close. "A long time ago, during the Age of War…"
* * *
Six year old Arano sat in the branches of a tree, high above the noisy antics of her yearmates, whom she steadfastly ignored. Absorbed as she was in her book, shutting out other distractions was fairly easy.
A gangly girl, tall for her age, Arano had hair and eyes like a starless night. The only splash of color disrupting the uniform blackness was a streak of red above her right eye. Other chimera always commented on the strange maturity she possessed; Arano had been raised among adults, and now found her peers to be silly and immature. At six, most children preferred to play, not read.
Engrossed as she was with her book, Arano gradually became aware that someone was trying to get her attention. "Sumimasen?" a voice called softly.
She looked down from her perch into eyes of dark brown. "Hai?" she asked curiously.
The boy smiled up at her. "Can I sit there too?" He pointed to the branch next to her.
Arano shrugged. "Dozo." She offered him a hand up as the other chimera hefted himself onto a neighboring branch.
"Doumo," the newcomer thanked her. As he pulled out a book of his own, Arano studied her companion. Dark brown eyes full of life laughed at her from under hair that was several shades lighter. Intelligent features that practically screamed 'innocent' beamed at her. "Hajimemashite. Boku wa Nae desu."
The charm wasn't wasted. "Atashi wa Arano. Yoroshiku." Arano smiled. Maybe not *all* her yearmates were interested only in play after all.
* * *
Lord Ogawa of the Chimera Clan stared coldly down at his spies. "Go," he ordered them. "Infiltrate Hayato's land and see of he knows the location of the Konran no Ishi. The Chimera Clan will find it and use the Stone to gain complete control of the Makai…We will have power and wealth, and the Clan will prosper. If you should encounter any resistance," his cold silver eyes narrowed to burning slits, "kill them."
"Ha." His spies bowed low and ushered themselves out.
Ogawa rose to peer out of a window into one of his palace's many courtyards. There, his son played under the watchful gaze of his wet- nurse, a flash of silver in the sunlight. The chimera Lord clenched his hands into fists. "It doesn't matter who dies," he murmured to himself, never lifting his gaze from his son. "Spies and scouts are expendable. There'll always be more to take their place. I *will* have the Stone of Chaos. With it, I'll give you the world, my Shinwa. I promise you."
Oblivious to his father's dark brooding, the heir to the Chimera Clan continued to play happily.
* * *
**The Makai and Kuronue belong to Togashi-sama, who is god**
*Shounen ai hints*
The ocarina is Lynx the F.F.F.'s creation – thanks for letting me use it!
2 Wings of Destiny
By Take (1999)
The door of the huge library swung open, revealing a small, gangly figure to the room's sole occupant. A thatch of unruly black hair hid clear cobalt eyes as the young chimera scampered over to sit at his grandfather's feet. Ebony wings flexed, then settled neatly into place. "Ojiichan," he whispered.
An old hand, frail and wrinkled with age, came up to gently stroke the wild hair pulled messily into a tail. "Your hair, Kuronue-chan," the older chimera said. "Let me fix it."
Eagerly, Kuronue scrambled up onto his ojiisan's lap, a hyperactive bundle of arms and legs always eager to cuddle. Gentle hands combed through his eternally untidy hair, then retied the tail. Eyes half-closed with pleasure, Kuronue asked, "Ne, Ojiichan, where did you get this pendant? 'Kaasan says that you never take it off." He reached up to play with the blood-red stone which hung around his ojiisan's neck; it afforded the young chimera hours of rapt fascination. "It's a long story, botchan," the older chimera warned. "And not exciting, I'm afraid." He fingered the red pendant which hung beside the ocarina, his dark brown eyes misty with memories. "It was given to me by someone very special."
"Onegai?" Kuronue begged, using the innate charm that all youngsters possessed to back up his plea.
His grandfather chuckled, eyes the color of dark chocolate smiling softly. "Hai hai," the old chimera acquiesced, unable to withstand the force of Kuronue's personality. He gathered his grandson close. "A long time ago, during the Age of War…"
* * *
Six year old Arano sat in the branches of a tree, high above the noisy antics of her yearmates, whom she steadfastly ignored. Absorbed as she was in her book, shutting out other distractions was fairly easy.
A gangly girl, tall for her age, Arano had hair and eyes like a starless night. The only splash of color disrupting the uniform blackness was a streak of red above her right eye. Other chimera always commented on the strange maturity she possessed; Arano had been raised among adults, and now found her peers to be silly and immature. At six, most children preferred to play, not read.
Engrossed as she was with her book, Arano gradually became aware that someone was trying to get her attention. "Sumimasen?" a voice called softly.
She looked down from her perch into eyes of dark brown. "Hai?" she asked curiously.
The boy smiled up at her. "Can I sit there too?" He pointed to the branch next to her.
Arano shrugged. "Dozo." She offered him a hand up as the other chimera hefted himself onto a neighboring branch.
"Doumo," the newcomer thanked her. As he pulled out a book of his own, Arano studied her companion. Dark brown eyes full of life laughed at her from under hair that was several shades lighter. Intelligent features that practically screamed 'innocent' beamed at her. "Hajimemashite. Boku wa Nae desu."
The charm wasn't wasted. "Atashi wa Arano. Yoroshiku." Arano smiled. Maybe not *all* her yearmates were interested only in play after all.
* * *
Lord Ogawa of the Chimera Clan stared coldly down at his spies. "Go," he ordered them. "Infiltrate Hayato's land and see of he knows the location of the Konran no Ishi. The Chimera Clan will find it and use the Stone to gain complete control of the Makai…We will have power and wealth, and the Clan will prosper. If you should encounter any resistance," his cold silver eyes narrowed to burning slits, "kill them."
"Ha." His spies bowed low and ushered themselves out.
Ogawa rose to peer out of a window into one of his palace's many courtyards. There, his son played under the watchful gaze of his wet- nurse, a flash of silver in the sunlight. The chimera Lord clenched his hands into fists. "It doesn't matter who dies," he murmured to himself, never lifting his gaze from his son. "Spies and scouts are expendable. There'll always be more to take their place. I *will* have the Stone of Chaos. With it, I'll give you the world, my Shinwa. I promise you."
Oblivious to his father's dark brooding, the heir to the Chimera Clan continued to play happily.
* * *