Well, I'm back with yet another Chiaki/Kotoha story. What can I say? I just love these two. Anyway, I've realised that I really need to stop starting new multi-chapter stories, when I haven't finished any of the others - I think I currently have 3 unfinished, but I had to write this while it was still in my head. I will definately finish Jikan ato Jikan soon (there is only 1 chapter left) and FireFlies, though I'm struggling with the 2nd chapter, since I keep going away from the plot. But I will finish them.
This takes place in the second half of the series, but before Kaoru. Also, even though Juzo and Akumaro are around during this story, they won't be appearing. Akumaro isn't in this because there's no need for him and Juzo isn't, because, well, basically, I don't like him.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this.
A/N: As of 4th January, this story has been revised. Basically, I was reading it and noticed some spelling mistakes, so I've gone through this entire story and sorted them out. I've also added a couple of extra little bits, but not to the story line, that's still the same.
Disclaimer: I don't own Shinkenger or the characters. They belong to their respective owners.
Fated
Act I
Kotoha stared at the luminous moon in the dark sky as she played a soft tune on her flute, thinking about their latest battle. She paused every now and then and stared at the sky for a few moments, contemplating the future, before resuming her music. She paused once again upon hearing footsteps stepping onto the veranda. She lowered her flute, turning to see who it was. A small smile formed on her face when she realised who it was.
"Hey," Chiaki said, sitting down next to her.
"Hey," Kotoha replied, lowering her head slightly.
"What's up?" Chiaki asked. He noticed that she was still dressed in the clothes that she had worn that day and wondered, considering the lateness of the hour, how long she had been sat there.
"Oh, nothing."
"Nothing? You don't usually play your flute unless you're feeling a bit down," Chiaki said, frowning.
Kotoha shook her head. "No, I've just been thinking that's all."
"Thinking about what?"
"The future."
He looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
She looked up at him. "Our final battle. We must be nearly there, mustn't we? What do you think will happen?"
"I don't know," Chiaki admitted. "But I guess that we'll fight Doukoku and we'll win." He smiled and she smiled back, weakly. "Look, don't worry about it, alright? We'll all deal with it when the time comes, right?"
"Right," Kotoha replied, though she still looked unsure. She looked back up at the moon and shivered.
"Here." She turned back to face Chiaki as she felt him wrap his jacket around her shoulders.
"Thank you," she said, holding the collar of the jacket tightly in her hand.
"You're welcome," he replied leaning back. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before he said, "Can you do me a favour?"
"What kind of favour?" Kotoha asked, her expression a mixture of worry and confusion.
"Nothing major, just," Chiaki paused, "can you play your flute again? I like listening to you play."
"Of course," Kotoha replied, feeling herself begin to blush as she smiled before raising her flute to her lips and began to play.
XxX
Dayu twanged the string of her shamisen sharply, making it almost snap.
"If you continue to play like that, it'll break," Shitari said.
"Shut up!" Dayu hissed, playing another cord sharply.
"What is the matter?" Shitari asked, shuffling over to her.
"I keep hearing this noise. It pains me."
"What kind of noise?"
"It is soft and Earthy, a child-like quality to it," Dayu explained, clutching her shamisen tightly to her. "I cannot bear the softness and innocence of it. I need to make it end."
"You know," Shitari began, "the only power that can affect us down here is that of the Shinkengers."
"Shinkengers?" Dayu hissed, her grip on the handle of the shamisen tightening even more.
"Yes. And I'm going to guess that since you described the sound as 'Earthy', it is the Earth Shinkenger which is causing you this much pain."
"I need to stop it," Dayu hissed. She stood up and pulled one of her Susukodama from the ceiling and held it before Shitari. "Here," she said.
Shitari took the Susukodama and placed it on the floor. "This will use up some of my power," he warned her.
"Yes, but the pain I inflict will cause the Sanzu River to rise. Doukoku would approve."
Shitari nodded and tapped his staff on the floor next to the Susukodama. He chanted in a language that Dayu didn't understand. She watched in amazement as the Susukodama grew and turned into a creature that looked almost identical to her, though it was more of a grey-black colour and she noticed that it also held a shamisen.
"DayuKage," Shitari introduced the creature to Dayu.
"Mistress." The Ayakashi bowed before Dayu. "What is it you command me to do?"
Dayu smiled.
XxX
"Where are you taking me?" Kotoha asked, as Chiaki dragged her down the busy street.
"Since you seemed so sad last night, I thought I'd take you somewhere to cheer you up."
"Whoa, wait a minute; you're not taking me to the arcade are you?"
Chiaki stopped and looked at her, a sheepish smile on his face. "Okay, okay, so I sort of had an ulterior motive for taking you out, but trust me, you'll have fun."
"Chiaki! I didn't come out just so you can play some computer game!" She said, playfully slapping his arm.
"Oww." Chiaki rubbed his arm. "That hurt," he laughed. "Please, please, please," he begged.
Kotoha thought for a moment, then linked her arm with his, startling him slightly. "Alright," she agreed, "but just for a little while. You still need to take me somewhere nice."
"Oh, uh, yeah, okay," Chiaki stumbled, before leading her to a Cafe that he knew she liked, causing her to lightly hit him again.
"Chiaki," Kotoha began, but he stopped her.
"You can have anything you want," he said, "it's on me."
Kotoha smiled up at him. "Thank you," she said.
Chiaki smiled back as he followed her into the Cafe.
XxX
Chiaki watched as Kotoha carefully ate her cream cake. He wanted to laugh at how she took the smallest mouthful, as though she was savouring every piece.
"Is there anything else you want?" he asked.
Kotoha shook her head. "No," she replied. She looked at him. "Do you want to try some of this?"
"What?" Chiaki looked at the piece of cake that Kotoha was holding out to him. "No, I'm alright, thanks."
"You haven't eaten anything. Just have this one piece, please." Kotoha held the fork closer to him. "It's really nice," she added.
"Alright," Chiaki reluctantly agreed, letting Kotoha place the fork in his mouth. Instantly he could taste it.
"Well?" Kotoha asked, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It's really good," Chiaki agreed, swallowing the cake.
"You can have some more if you want."
"No. I brought it for you, you're supposed to be the one eating it."
"Awww," a voice said interrupting them. They both turned to see two old ladies sat watching them. "How sweet," the one who had interrupted them said. She turned to her friend. "Those were the days," she continued. "To be in love."
"What?" Chiaki and Kotoha said at the same time.
"We're not like that," Chiaki said.
"Yeah, we're just friends," Kotoha agreed.
"Then why are both of you turning red?" the other lady asked.
Kotoha and Chiaki turned to look at each and realised that they were both embarrassed.
"Oh," the first lady said, "we've gone and embarrassed them."
"No, it's alright," Kotoha said, blushing even more.
"No, no, we shouldn't have said anything, my dears," the lady continued.
"Awww," another voice said from beneath the ground, startling everyone. In a flash of red light, an Ayakashi appeared from a crack in the pavement in front of Kotoha and Chiaki's table.
"Ayakashi!" Chiaki spat, as the people around them screamed and pushed each other out of the way, as they ran from the cafe.
"Dayu?" Kotoha whispered, as the Ayakashi revealed its form.
"Almost but not quite," DayuKage said, her eyes fixed on Kotoha. She snapped a string on her shamisen and Nanashi appeared, pulling Chiaki away from Kotoha.
"Chiaki!" Kotoha called.
"Ippitsu Soujou!" Chiaki shouted, pulling out his shodophone and transforming into ShinkenGreen.
Kotoha quickly pulled out her shodophone.
"I don't think so," DayuKage spat and pointed her shamisen at Kotoha. A blast shot out of it, hitting Kotoha before she had a chance to transform, sending her flying through the window of the cafe, crashing onto a table before rolling onto the floor, her shodophone spinning out her hand.
"Kotoha!" Chiaki yelled, battling through the Nanashi, trying to get to her.
DayuKage stepped through the window, in front of Kotoha, who was struggling to stand, and lifted her up, her hands tight around her neck. "You're the one who's been causing Mistress so much pain."
Kotoha could taste blood in her mouth and she tried to blink more of it out of her eye. She tried to prise the Ayakashi's fingers away from neck, but the grip was too tight. She kicked the Ayakashi in the chest, causing her to stagger back, dropping Kotoha in the process. Kotoha ran towards where Chiaki was still fighting the Nanashi.
"Chiaki!" she screamed.
"Kotoha!" Chiaki fought harder to get through to her. He pushed them all away with his woodspear and ran towards Kotoha. He saw her running and then he gasped as she disappeared. "No!" He heard her scream and saw her being dragged across the glass covered floor towards the Dayu-like Ayakashi, by one of the strings from the shamisen. "Kotoha!"
He watched as the Ayakashi pulled Kotoha up by her neck again.
"Chiaki!" He heard someone call, stopping him. He turned to see Takeru, Ryunosuke, Mako and Genta, all transformed, running up to him.
"Kotoha!" Mako cried.
"Dayu," Takeru hissed.
"You're coming with me," DayuKage whispered in Kotoha's ear.
Kotoha gasped as she began to feel herself being pulled downwards through the floor. She looked over and saw her friends watching. "Chiaki!" she screamed, as she was dragged downwards.
This sprung Chiaki back into action. "Kotoha!" he yelled, running over to her, but he was too late. Kotoha and DayuKage disappeared through the floor. He fell to his knees, un-transforming and hit the floor where Kotoha had disappeared. "Dammit!" He held his head in his hands. "Kotoha," he cried.
Done. Hope you enjoyed it and fingers crossed chapter 2 will be up soon.
Oh, and for those of you who don't know, the Kage in DayuKage is Japanese for shadow.
Song: Fated
Artist: Ayumi Hamasaki