Cherry Blossoms
By Ryuuen
Warnings: Angst, dark/psychological theme, shounen-ai.
The Premise: Cherry blossoms bloom beautifully, then quickly fade. So it is with humans. But for the ones who protect the precious innocents, will they ever be free to fall?
The Songs: I'm going to put all the songs for the first four chapters here, so that 1) I don't forget, and 2) I don't have to do it again. Okay? ^^
First Chapter Song: Excerpts from "Gift from God" by the Goddess Family Club.
Second Chapter Song: "MASK" by Okui Masami and Matsumura Kasumi.
Third Chapter Song: "White Fairies" by Touma Yumi.
Fourth Chapter Song: "Message from God" by Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld from Ah! My Goddess!
A/N: This is the first chapter in a series that will, more likely than not, span four to eight chapters. If I get enough requests, though, I may do additional chapters for the Shwarz. Each chapter will focus on one character, and their reflections on their caged life. Thank you for reading, and please review. C&Cs are welcome.
Note: Seppuku is ritual suicide performed by dishonored or disgraced samurai way back in feudal Japan, which is said to allow the one commiting suicide to retain his honor.
~Chapter One: Hansha no Kuragari
~The Dark Reflection
~Reflections of Fujimiya Aya
~"I cannot fall in love with people who tell lies. By their nervous twitches you can tell how they really feel."~
The night is falling, like any other night. I'm standing on the small balcony outside my room, letting the slight wind wash away the heat of the day. Soon, it will get cool, and my fingertips will feel numb, but like any other night, I won't really care. I feel the night's wind carressing me, the only thing that seems to be gentle anymore. I can hear my heart beating, it's so quiet here. When the stars come out, it's like the city becomes different somehow. Gentle, bathed in the light of the many hoshi in the blue-black sky, like a tapestry. I wish I could paint it, but I can't bring myself to pick up the paints. I haven't been able to paint anything for years. Always, I have had my mission, as I still have it. I must avenge my sister, I alone. I wonder if her soul is still on this plane, though. Perhaps she moved on, and no one knows it yet. No matter... I will bring her back if I have to go through Hell itself to do so. I promised her. Swore to her I wouldn't let her down.
~"I whisper 'I love you' three times. I'm unable to count all the loves on which I had given up hope."~
I see, almost like an afterthought rather than a memory, the way Omi looked at me that day, his voice barely a whisper as he asked me if I hated him. I think I might have. I don't anymore. He reminds me too much of her, I could never hurt him; he makes me want to protect him from anything, perhaps because he is so childlike in his actions and words, despite that I know he is nowhere near as innocent as he would like others to believe. I would like to protect him, and let him know that I don't hate him, but I can't. I'm afraid I would forget my true mission if I were to deviate from it in even the slightest respect. I'm afraid I would forget her. However, I also can't forget the way he looked at me like that, with his eyes full of broken and shattered dreams. I hate myself, thinking that I caused even some of that pain. Even the darkness folding around me cannot destroy these feelings, or even take them away for a short time. Silently I let the feelings of regret course through me, leaving their mark impressioned on my soul.
~"Dear God, if this were a test to see how strong I am, so that I can be prepared for true love, I'm sure I'd lose."~
A darkness like a cape falls. Tonight the sky is moonless and empty, Saturday's city lights swallowing up the stars like some great beast, chasing the countless hoshi back to their heavenly dens. Maybe it was all a mistake that we made it this far. That WeiB has survived this long. For we are WeiB, the white hunters, who hunt and destroy those who are evil, that the law cannot punish. How long, though, until WeiB is deemed to be evil, before it is deemed that we, too, are above the law and must be destroyed? Will we be forced to commit seppuku, or will they send someone else to kill us? Impossible. They would have to make us kill ourselves, because no one else would be able to kill us. We are WeiB. The untouchable white hunters. Or, at least, that's what we think. I don't want to see the day we are proven wrong. The day our bodies, or one of our bodies, lies bloody in an alley somewhere, appears on the daily news the next day. I don't want to see the day that some other hunter group has to hunt down our murderers. I don't think I could stand to see that.
~"I grow fonder and fonder of you. With every touch, with every look. I'll always be here for you. I love you."~
I hear the shuffling of footsteps in the four bedroom apartment behind me, and I know that the Yohji has come home from one of his dates. I don't even try to remember the girls' names anymore. Maybe one of these days Yohji will learn not to be such a shameless player. I doubt it. I absolutely cannot stand that man. He goes out of his way to annoy me. I admit to having some small soft spot for Omi and Ken, but I hold nothing of the sort for Yohji. That man will dig his own grave. I don't doubt it for a moment. Ken, on the other hand, will probably outlive any of us. Despite Omi's act, Ken is definately the most innocent of all of us. Before joining WeiB, he had never killed anyone or anything, and I believe that that killing effected him more than any of us, except perhaps Omi. I'm not sure about that, since Omi's first kill was, surely, long before I joined WeiB; he's a born and bred assassain. Ken was a soccer player, selected for WeiB for his skills. He was given a weapon, an identity, a new life. Rather than being Ken the ex-J-league soccer player, he was Ken the flower shop guy and WeiB assassain. I suppose we're all like that. We were all given new lives by Kritiker. That is something that binds us together. I don't think I could have found a better group to be involved in, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
~"You don't need to say anything. Your tears are beautiful. Our sad pasts were important in bringing us together."~
Thinking back to that time, when WeiB was first formed, I can see how far we have each come, both in our relationships to each other, and our outlooks on life and personalities. I know that when I first joined WeiB, I was, to put it bluntly, a cold bastard. I can see that I have improved at least a little. I try not to be cold to my teammates; I don't want to see them hurt. That's another change. When I came to WeiB, I didn't care about anything but my sister, let alone the other WeiB. Being the last to get there, I had little chance to get to know them before our missions began, so it was quite a while before I grew to like my new teammates. From what I've been told, Omi was the first member of WeiB, hence that he is now our leader. He was raised since he was very small to be in WeiB, and as far as I know, his first missions started when he was about twelve or so. He welcomed us all with open arms; I suppose he was eager for the company. Yohji was the second member of WeiB. From what Omi tells me, he was an even heavier drinker back then, but Omi helped him to break the habit; well, somewhat. He is a much happier person now than, it seems, he was then. Third in WeiB was Ken, whose anxiety at being in WeiB was calmed by a supportive Omi, and who eventually rose from being a depressed, anxious ex-soccer player to the Ken I know now. It's amazing how much we've all grown. I can't imagine a world without the others. It would be too lonely.
~"Don't ever leave my arms. God has given us a chance together. When I met you, my dreams came true. Let's fold up our wings. You will never be alone again."~
I don't believe I'll ever be able to give thanks enough to Omi, Ken, and Yohji, for everything they've given me, for making me feel cared for, and letting me forget my personal mission for a time. I can never make up for everything they've done for me, all the hopes and dreams that had shattered that they have helped me rebuild. But I want to give back to them. So I swear on the pink horizon that beckons the sun, that I will give back to them what they have given to me. I want to make them happy.
~"Of course, I'll never leave your arms. I wish to thank God. When I met you, my dreams came true."~
The line of the sun is beginning to grow, to become the rising sun. The sky is painted in pastels, and somewhere I hear birds sing, and the shuffle of feet on the ground. The birds sing their happiness, and the animals come out, the humans awaken, ready for a new day.
"Aya-kun?" Omi asks. It isn't really a question. He was looking for me. I know the expression on his face without looking; anxiety, a worry about my welfare.
I turn to him and give him a smile, a geniune one that makes the anxiety lift from his face, replaced by his own smile.
"Daijobu."
~"So I will fold up my wings, because I have someone I can smile to."~
~Tsuzuku...
By Ryuuen
Warnings: Angst, dark/psychological theme, shounen-ai.
The Premise: Cherry blossoms bloom beautifully, then quickly fade. So it is with humans. But for the ones who protect the precious innocents, will they ever be free to fall?
The Songs: I'm going to put all the songs for the first four chapters here, so that 1) I don't forget, and 2) I don't have to do it again. Okay? ^^
First Chapter Song: Excerpts from "Gift from God" by the Goddess Family Club.
Second Chapter Song: "MASK" by Okui Masami and Matsumura Kasumi.
Third Chapter Song: "White Fairies" by Touma Yumi.
Fourth Chapter Song: "Message from God" by Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld from Ah! My Goddess!
A/N: This is the first chapter in a series that will, more likely than not, span four to eight chapters. If I get enough requests, though, I may do additional chapters for the Shwarz. Each chapter will focus on one character, and their reflections on their caged life. Thank you for reading, and please review. C&Cs are welcome.
Note: Seppuku is ritual suicide performed by dishonored or disgraced samurai way back in feudal Japan, which is said to allow the one commiting suicide to retain his honor.
~Chapter One: Hansha no Kuragari
~The Dark Reflection
~Reflections of Fujimiya Aya
~"I cannot fall in love with people who tell lies. By their nervous twitches you can tell how they really feel."~
The night is falling, like any other night. I'm standing on the small balcony outside my room, letting the slight wind wash away the heat of the day. Soon, it will get cool, and my fingertips will feel numb, but like any other night, I won't really care. I feel the night's wind carressing me, the only thing that seems to be gentle anymore. I can hear my heart beating, it's so quiet here. When the stars come out, it's like the city becomes different somehow. Gentle, bathed in the light of the many hoshi in the blue-black sky, like a tapestry. I wish I could paint it, but I can't bring myself to pick up the paints. I haven't been able to paint anything for years. Always, I have had my mission, as I still have it. I must avenge my sister, I alone. I wonder if her soul is still on this plane, though. Perhaps she moved on, and no one knows it yet. No matter... I will bring her back if I have to go through Hell itself to do so. I promised her. Swore to her I wouldn't let her down.
~"I whisper 'I love you' three times. I'm unable to count all the loves on which I had given up hope."~
I see, almost like an afterthought rather than a memory, the way Omi looked at me that day, his voice barely a whisper as he asked me if I hated him. I think I might have. I don't anymore. He reminds me too much of her, I could never hurt him; he makes me want to protect him from anything, perhaps because he is so childlike in his actions and words, despite that I know he is nowhere near as innocent as he would like others to believe. I would like to protect him, and let him know that I don't hate him, but I can't. I'm afraid I would forget my true mission if I were to deviate from it in even the slightest respect. I'm afraid I would forget her. However, I also can't forget the way he looked at me like that, with his eyes full of broken and shattered dreams. I hate myself, thinking that I caused even some of that pain. Even the darkness folding around me cannot destroy these feelings, or even take them away for a short time. Silently I let the feelings of regret course through me, leaving their mark impressioned on my soul.
~"Dear God, if this were a test to see how strong I am, so that I can be prepared for true love, I'm sure I'd lose."~
A darkness like a cape falls. Tonight the sky is moonless and empty, Saturday's city lights swallowing up the stars like some great beast, chasing the countless hoshi back to their heavenly dens. Maybe it was all a mistake that we made it this far. That WeiB has survived this long. For we are WeiB, the white hunters, who hunt and destroy those who are evil, that the law cannot punish. How long, though, until WeiB is deemed to be evil, before it is deemed that we, too, are above the law and must be destroyed? Will we be forced to commit seppuku, or will they send someone else to kill us? Impossible. They would have to make us kill ourselves, because no one else would be able to kill us. We are WeiB. The untouchable white hunters. Or, at least, that's what we think. I don't want to see the day we are proven wrong. The day our bodies, or one of our bodies, lies bloody in an alley somewhere, appears on the daily news the next day. I don't want to see the day that some other hunter group has to hunt down our murderers. I don't think I could stand to see that.
~"I grow fonder and fonder of you. With every touch, with every look. I'll always be here for you. I love you."~
I hear the shuffling of footsteps in the four bedroom apartment behind me, and I know that the Yohji has come home from one of his dates. I don't even try to remember the girls' names anymore. Maybe one of these days Yohji will learn not to be such a shameless player. I doubt it. I absolutely cannot stand that man. He goes out of his way to annoy me. I admit to having some small soft spot for Omi and Ken, but I hold nothing of the sort for Yohji. That man will dig his own grave. I don't doubt it for a moment. Ken, on the other hand, will probably outlive any of us. Despite Omi's act, Ken is definately the most innocent of all of us. Before joining WeiB, he had never killed anyone or anything, and I believe that that killing effected him more than any of us, except perhaps Omi. I'm not sure about that, since Omi's first kill was, surely, long before I joined WeiB; he's a born and bred assassain. Ken was a soccer player, selected for WeiB for his skills. He was given a weapon, an identity, a new life. Rather than being Ken the ex-J-league soccer player, he was Ken the flower shop guy and WeiB assassain. I suppose we're all like that. We were all given new lives by Kritiker. That is something that binds us together. I don't think I could have found a better group to be involved in, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
~"You don't need to say anything. Your tears are beautiful. Our sad pasts were important in bringing us together."~
Thinking back to that time, when WeiB was first formed, I can see how far we have each come, both in our relationships to each other, and our outlooks on life and personalities. I know that when I first joined WeiB, I was, to put it bluntly, a cold bastard. I can see that I have improved at least a little. I try not to be cold to my teammates; I don't want to see them hurt. That's another change. When I came to WeiB, I didn't care about anything but my sister, let alone the other WeiB. Being the last to get there, I had little chance to get to know them before our missions began, so it was quite a while before I grew to like my new teammates. From what I've been told, Omi was the first member of WeiB, hence that he is now our leader. He was raised since he was very small to be in WeiB, and as far as I know, his first missions started when he was about twelve or so. He welcomed us all with open arms; I suppose he was eager for the company. Yohji was the second member of WeiB. From what Omi tells me, he was an even heavier drinker back then, but Omi helped him to break the habit; well, somewhat. He is a much happier person now than, it seems, he was then. Third in WeiB was Ken, whose anxiety at being in WeiB was calmed by a supportive Omi, and who eventually rose from being a depressed, anxious ex-soccer player to the Ken I know now. It's amazing how much we've all grown. I can't imagine a world without the others. It would be too lonely.
~"Don't ever leave my arms. God has given us a chance together. When I met you, my dreams came true. Let's fold up our wings. You will never be alone again."~
I don't believe I'll ever be able to give thanks enough to Omi, Ken, and Yohji, for everything they've given me, for making me feel cared for, and letting me forget my personal mission for a time. I can never make up for everything they've done for me, all the hopes and dreams that had shattered that they have helped me rebuild. But I want to give back to them. So I swear on the pink horizon that beckons the sun, that I will give back to them what they have given to me. I want to make them happy.
~"Of course, I'll never leave your arms. I wish to thank God. When I met you, my dreams came true."~
The line of the sun is beginning to grow, to become the rising sun. The sky is painted in pastels, and somewhere I hear birds sing, and the shuffle of feet on the ground. The birds sing their happiness, and the animals come out, the humans awaken, ready for a new day.
"Aya-kun?" Omi asks. It isn't really a question. He was looking for me. I know the expression on his face without looking; anxiety, a worry about my welfare.
I turn to him and give him a smile, a geniune one that makes the anxiety lift from his face, replaced by his own smile.
"Daijobu."
~"So I will fold up my wings, because I have someone I can smile to."~
~Tsuzuku...