AN: This was originally going to be written by two people, me doing Chiri-parts and Krissie doing Tasuki... We never got much further than this, but then I found this gathering dust on my hard-drive and decided to post it... I'm gonna continue writing this a spiffy present for Krissie... That of course means that this whole fic is dedicated to Krissie, the spiffiest person on earth!!! And anywhere else for that matter... You know I love you...
Double Reflections
"Chichiri was sitting on a river-bench staring at the unmoving water. It reminded him of Hikou and Kouran, how they had both perished in those floods. Even after so many years Chichiri still felt guilty. He remembered someone saying somewhere that anger was fleeting but remorse was eternal. He knew he couldn't live with himself for much longer; the dark water looked so inviting. He couldn't stand any more of this loneliness -"
Houjun glanced up from the keyboard. A quick look told him he was already late from the class. He grabbed his books and ran out from the deserted dormitory. Only half way out he remembered he hadn't closed the story he'd been typing. He prayed none of the other guys sleeping in the same dormitory would need the computer and notice the story. They were already picking enough on him without knowing he was writing a novel. He couldn't even imagine how bad things would get if someone realised he was actually almost writing a biography, only set in an other world... He'd gotten the idea from an odd dream he'd had and since then he had been living a double life as a wandering monk. It was the only way he could cope with his problems; he had no friends to talk to so he just typed away all his pain through Chichiri.
***
Two hours later Houjun was returning from his lesson. He had sneaked out a bit early to get back to the dorm before the others. At first it seemed his story was untouched on the computer screen, but when he got close enough to read he almost got his toe broken as he dropped his physics book on it in amazement.
Someone had continued his story!
***
Genrou rolled out of bed, cursing the sun for shining right into the room. Couldn't it visit Ireland or something?
He took his shower and sat down at the computer to finish his history homework--some report on the economic depression in Germany after World War I or something. He was just about to start typing when he noticed there was some document open already. Being Genrou, he read it. There was something awfully familiar in the story but he couldn't quite grasp it... What he knew, thugh, was that he wanted to help this poor warped-up guy.
"Tasuki raced through the woods, knowing something was wrong. He headed towards the river, where he had last seen Chichiri. When he got out of the woods, he saw Chichiri falling into the river. Without thinking, Tasuki jumped in, forgetting that he swam like his tessen. He caught the older man by his sleeve and pulled him out of the water, hoping to--"
The other guys were waking up. Shit. He closed the story and started his essay.
***
Houjun stared at the words. Someone wanted to help him? Or maybe it was just another cruel joke... Well, he'd better play along...
"Chichiri slowly started to regain his consciousness. Why couldn't they even let him die in peace? He had done everything he could to help the others whenever possible, but he couldn't keep the happy act up any longer. Well, it seemed he would have to act for a little while longer.
'Aah, Tasuki, thank you for dragging me up. I must have slipped'
'The hell you slipped!!! I saw you jumping in the river! What the hell were ya thinking about?!?'
'I'm sorry, Tasuki-kun, but the water just looked too inviting.'
'Cut that crap! That was a suicide attempt! Ya could've really died there!!!' Chichiri stared blankly at the bandit. Could someone really care about what happened to him? Tasuki seemed honest enough, but could he really trust the other man to hold his darkest secrets?
'C'mon, 'Chiri, ya can tell me what's wrong.' The look of genuine concern on the bandits face made Chichiri make up his mind. What did he have to lose, anyway?
'Well, I have been thinking... I never told you about Hikou and Kouran, da? My best friend and my fiancée... I killed them both.' Chichiri didn't want to see the look in the other man's eyes. He'd had enough of both blame and pity. But then again, if he never told it would just be eating him up from the inside for the rest of his life. Sure, Tasuki would probably hate him now but at least he'd have nothing to hide. That was what he missed most: being able to share his mind completely with someone. 'I've been able to put it all off until now, but a few days ago a realisation struck me... You know what my sign is, no da?'
'It's well, right?'
'Yes. And that is a deep hole filled with water, no da?'
'Yeah, but I don't get what yar tryin' ta say...'
'Everyone else always thinks it symbolises my inner peace and deep thoughts, all the so-called wisdom I've gained by my training. But think about it, Tasuki. You know all the pain water has caused me. And I am an empty space filled with nothing but water. The Gods love irony, da? I am all shattered on the inside; my mask is all that keeps me together... I just wanted for the pain to stop...' Chichiri lowered his gaze back to the unmoving mass of water."
Houjun closed the story. He wondered if the mysterious writer would really continue the story. Probably the next time he opened the file he would find a rude note telling how ridiculous he was... Well, even that would be a human contact. He didn't know how long he could take this loneliness. After the real-world Hikou and Kouran had died he had been completely devoted to his studies, but now he was pushing his limits. He knew that a less verbal suicide attempt wasn't very far away.
And he wouldn't have a Tasuki saving him, would he?
Double Reflections
"Chichiri was sitting on a river-bench staring at the unmoving water. It reminded him of Hikou and Kouran, how they had both perished in those floods. Even after so many years Chichiri still felt guilty. He remembered someone saying somewhere that anger was fleeting but remorse was eternal. He knew he couldn't live with himself for much longer; the dark water looked so inviting. He couldn't stand any more of this loneliness -"
Houjun glanced up from the keyboard. A quick look told him he was already late from the class. He grabbed his books and ran out from the deserted dormitory. Only half way out he remembered he hadn't closed the story he'd been typing. He prayed none of the other guys sleeping in the same dormitory would need the computer and notice the story. They were already picking enough on him without knowing he was writing a novel. He couldn't even imagine how bad things would get if someone realised he was actually almost writing a biography, only set in an other world... He'd gotten the idea from an odd dream he'd had and since then he had been living a double life as a wandering monk. It was the only way he could cope with his problems; he had no friends to talk to so he just typed away all his pain through Chichiri.
***
Two hours later Houjun was returning from his lesson. He had sneaked out a bit early to get back to the dorm before the others. At first it seemed his story was untouched on the computer screen, but when he got close enough to read he almost got his toe broken as he dropped his physics book on it in amazement.
Someone had continued his story!
***
Genrou rolled out of bed, cursing the sun for shining right into the room. Couldn't it visit Ireland or something?
He took his shower and sat down at the computer to finish his history homework--some report on the economic depression in Germany after World War I or something. He was just about to start typing when he noticed there was some document open already. Being Genrou, he read it. There was something awfully familiar in the story but he couldn't quite grasp it... What he knew, thugh, was that he wanted to help this poor warped-up guy.
"Tasuki raced through the woods, knowing something was wrong. He headed towards the river, where he had last seen Chichiri. When he got out of the woods, he saw Chichiri falling into the river. Without thinking, Tasuki jumped in, forgetting that he swam like his tessen. He caught the older man by his sleeve and pulled him out of the water, hoping to--"
The other guys were waking up. Shit. He closed the story and started his essay.
***
Houjun stared at the words. Someone wanted to help him? Or maybe it was just another cruel joke... Well, he'd better play along...
"Chichiri slowly started to regain his consciousness. Why couldn't they even let him die in peace? He had done everything he could to help the others whenever possible, but he couldn't keep the happy act up any longer. Well, it seemed he would have to act for a little while longer.
'Aah, Tasuki, thank you for dragging me up. I must have slipped'
'The hell you slipped!!! I saw you jumping in the river! What the hell were ya thinking about?!?'
'I'm sorry, Tasuki-kun, but the water just looked too inviting.'
'Cut that crap! That was a suicide attempt! Ya could've really died there!!!' Chichiri stared blankly at the bandit. Could someone really care about what happened to him? Tasuki seemed honest enough, but could he really trust the other man to hold his darkest secrets?
'C'mon, 'Chiri, ya can tell me what's wrong.' The look of genuine concern on the bandits face made Chichiri make up his mind. What did he have to lose, anyway?
'Well, I have been thinking... I never told you about Hikou and Kouran, da? My best friend and my fiancée... I killed them both.' Chichiri didn't want to see the look in the other man's eyes. He'd had enough of both blame and pity. But then again, if he never told it would just be eating him up from the inside for the rest of his life. Sure, Tasuki would probably hate him now but at least he'd have nothing to hide. That was what he missed most: being able to share his mind completely with someone. 'I've been able to put it all off until now, but a few days ago a realisation struck me... You know what my sign is, no da?'
'It's well, right?'
'Yes. And that is a deep hole filled with water, no da?'
'Yeah, but I don't get what yar tryin' ta say...'
'Everyone else always thinks it symbolises my inner peace and deep thoughts, all the so-called wisdom I've gained by my training. But think about it, Tasuki. You know all the pain water has caused me. And I am an empty space filled with nothing but water. The Gods love irony, da? I am all shattered on the inside; my mask is all that keeps me together... I just wanted for the pain to stop...' Chichiri lowered his gaze back to the unmoving mass of water."
Houjun closed the story. He wondered if the mysterious writer would really continue the story. Probably the next time he opened the file he would find a rude note telling how ridiculous he was... Well, even that would be a human contact. He didn't know how long he could take this loneliness. After the real-world Hikou and Kouran had died he had been completely devoted to his studies, but now he was pushing his limits. He knew that a less verbal suicide attempt wasn't very far away.
And he wouldn't have a Tasuki saving him, would he?