Darknight Encounters A Parallax to Double Existence
Theme: Tong Hua Fairy Tale
-by Furu Kei
What if, what if? I query…No magic is the world.
Then I, Then I! you answer… Bring magic to your world.
A/N: Thank You for everyone's help in the challenge with Half of a Soul. (hugs and bows) I promise, I will it update soon…(it's almost finished, I'm just fixing a few parts…and real life is really killing me with over work right now…) Meanwhile, please consider this chapter as a thank you present from Furu, chapter one of Darknight Encounters. You don't have to read Double Existence to understand it (or vise versa), but as they are parallel fictions of each other, there will be parts where the two fictions will connect (as in one event in Double Existence may seem to trigger an event in Darknight Encounters). There may be much confusion in this chapter, to how it connects to Double Existence, explanations will be provided at the beginning of each chapter. Also, please ask if you have any questions. Furu will be happy to answer them.
Note: Song lyrics are in /italics/. Setsuna's thoughts are in italics.
Disclaimer: I do not own Negima, certain ideas from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, nor the song Tong Hua (sung by Guang Liang).
Cursed Life!…Past death.
First strife…last breath.
Leaving magic's…Doubled Existence.
Weaving tragic's…toubled persistence.
Darkness Encounters….citadel rends.
Mark less Expounders…parallel ends.
Chapter One: I have Forgotten how Long it has been
//Coincidence is but a trick of fate…that I should meet you. And I…this miserable nonbeliever as I…should be oddly, suddenly, totally, utterly enchanted with which magic you cast upon mine heart…so revives that childish belief of fairy tales long buried and condemned by this cruel world of mundane reality.//
A chromatic scale on musical keys, as the rush of sea to shore. Trills…tremolo…a few splashes upon solid rock. Decrescendo…waves drawing back slowly…softly…
…secretly.
A sudden spray of water back towards land, and she laughed when it rained upon her…the melody of an angel in her mellow song. Harmony was the heart beating along with hers, beating as one.
Accelerando!
Trying desperately to stop the quickening pace of the heart, desperately trying to stop its incessant pounding…yet she smiled.
An inaudible gasp. It skipped a beat.
Twinkles?…were those the stars? Or is it…her eyes…
A gentle tug, soul drawn into those eyes…
And in the deep chocolate wells, falling…an ocean of emotions pulling, drowning in soft retardando…slowing…softer still…gentler still…bitter yet sweet…pools of endless bittersweet.
Chocolate…wine…bittersweet chimes made of wine chocolate.
It must be love.
Wavering, staggering…trembling in tender vibration…
Melody and harmony…still beating along with hers…beating as one.
Rest.
The light touch of fingers stroking warm cheeks, drawing a relaxed sigh. Drawing music…like notes on the piano.
/I have forgotten how long it has been/
"Ne, Secchan. Can you hear it? Can you hear the song of the seashells? The cry of the waves?"
"Hmmmn."
"Secchan?"
A gentle tap of the princess's fingers on closing, sleepy eyes.
/Since I've last heard from you/
"Hmmn…yes, Ojou-sama?…Sorry, I'm just…a bit…sleepy."
A heavy yawn, the knight's eyes drifting to a close.
"Secchan!"
A soft blow of air from pouting lips upon flushed, red ears.
"K-K-Kono-chan!!!"
A giggle from those lips. A happy sigh, chocolate tresses leaning against raven.
/Telling me your favorite story/
"They are singing about lovers of old…bittersweet tales of romance."
"Ah. Ojou-sama."
Face to face, eyes reflecting half-lidded eyes.
"Mou! Secchan!!!"
/I've thought for a long time/
A gentle laugh. The opening of one amused eye. A tighter embrace.
"Alright, alright. I'm awake, princess."
A whisper of the soul, of words not needed to be said.
I…I lo-
/I'm starting to get worried./
Hearts beating faster, faster…a deafening crescendo washing all words away.
Hands entwined, forehead against forehead, mirrored orbs reflecting each other.
Red, red lips, a rose dazzling among pale white snow.
K-Kono-chan…I lo-
/Have I done something wrong again?/
------
"No!!!"
With quick gasps of breath, and wide open eyes, Setsuna clutched the feathered blanket closer, tighter, seeking what warmth it promised as the blanket lay loosely draped around the half demon's shaken form.
What happened?
Dark black orbs slowly closed, and opened once more to focus upon the familiar unlit room, then towards the only source of light that illuminated the shadowed chamber-a large, full moon, whose solitary rays had found its way through the large window beside the demon's bed.
Another dream?
Setsuna sighed, and stood up, wrapping the feathered blanket closer around the half demon's slender shoulders so that it now hung as a cape would, embracing her lithe form with one end falling onto the floor, and sliding across the wooden panels as Setsuna began to walk towards the window.
What does it all mean? That girl…
A swift grasp of the sword that lay against the bed, and the half demon clutched it in her hands tightly, gradually drawing Yuunagi from its sheath to admire the weapon as moonlight began to reflect from it. Holding it horizontally before her, Setsuna lay the fingers of her left hand across the flat end of the blade, dragging her hand across to touch the light that glinted from it.
Beautiful. Just like her…And you will help me find her.
A loud knock upon the wooden door resounded into the quiet nightly atmosphere of the room, and Setsuna turned, sheathing the sword back into its case as she did.
"Master Sakurazaki! Young master Sakurazaki!!!"
Before a reply could be made, the door had opened, revealing the curvaceous form of a girl in maid uniform, carrying a duster in her hand.
"Chizuru. You don't need to address me like that. You don't need to do the housework, either. You're a student here, not-"
Chizuru waved the duster.
"Your mother told us all to take care of you while she's away. And it's okay, really, since we're only doing what we enjoy. You, however…"
The girl's voice rambled off, as she glanced at the sword the half demon held. She reached one hand to take the sword away, yet Setsuna turned bringing the sword away from the young woman's grasp.
"Setsuna, you're not at it again, are you?" A few strands of curly hair fell before her face, and Chizuru brushed it off behind her ears. Bending down, she rested the duster on the floor against the wall, then turned to look at the half demon. "Seriously you-"
The sound of a rustle of clothes interrupted her train of thought, and Chizuru suddenly realized that Setsuna had disappeared. The feathered blanket that had been draped around the half-demon's shoulders suddenly flew across the room to land on the bed. Setsuna appeared from behind the flying blanket now fully adorned in a blue shinmei training outfit, left hands fingering the black cuffs around her right wrist.
Clothes fully adjusted, Setsuna turned towards the girl standing by the door, the half demon's head slightly bent towards the ground and eyes hidden beneath raven hair.
"I saw her again tonight. She was calling me."
Chizuru's eyes widened as Setsuna spoke. The shinmei warrior's voice was soft, yet piercingly serious.
"I have to leave this place, wonderful though it may be. I have to find her."
Chizuru gasped, as Setsuna raised her head to reveal her eyes- face brimming with determination.
"I'm sorry."
The shinmei warrior cast one last longing look at the moon behind the window, then left the room; Yuunagi swinging on its case and loose clothing flying along with he quick strides.
"Master Sakurazaki!!!" Chizuru called from behind. "Even if you win against the Shinmei-Keepers, the journey would be much too dangerous!!!"
"Setsuna!!!" Her voice became desperate, worried as the half demon continued on, paying her no notice.
"You don't even know where she is. Who she is!!! Setsuna!!!"
------
With one swift wave of the sword, Setsuna cut open the iron doors that lead to the outside world. Bracing herself for the worst, the shinmei warrior held her sword with both hands, calling out in her loudest voice.
"I, Setsuna Sakurazaki, young master of the Shinmeiryuu clan, request a leave from the Shinmei-Keepers to depart from this land for entrance into the forbidden world. Do your worst to stop me. I will not back down."
A bullet flew past the half demon, and Setsuna jumped backwards, then did a back flip as a kunai shot across merely a few seconds after the bullet.
"You may be able to win against one of us, de Gozaru. But against both Mana and I, your chances of defeating us are slim to none."
"Kaede. Mana." Setsuna's eyes widened as she recognized the speaker's voice. She took a small step forward as Kaede turned away and the gunslinger approached.
"Setsuna, give up. We cannot let you pass. When we became Keepers, we had sworn to your mother that we will uphold the duties of battling anyone leaving the clan. Only those who can defeat us will be strong enough to face the outside world. As the next clan master, you, of all people should know that the world outside the Shinmeiryuu-Hanyou Alliance is cruel and dangerous. Your mother herself forbade anyone from entering within Tong Hua country borders. You plan to go there after leaving the clan, don't you?"
"I need to find her." Setsuna's face was calm as she reached under her uniform collar.
"And you're willing to sacrifice yourself for someone you've never met? Someone whom you're not even sure exis-"
"Watch." Setsuna said, raising her sword-holding hand to interrupt Mana from speaking, while in the palm of her left, a clear, blue half-seashell emerged- connected to her neck by a thin white string.
She held the seashell necklace above her head, allowing moonlight to touch the translucent surface. As the Keepers watched, the necklace began to glimmer in an azure glow, while the air around them seemed to vibrate.
A pleasant wind blew around them, and Setsuna smiled as her hair fluttered along with the moving air. Her eyes drifted to a mesmerized close as a soft hum arose from the lighted shell, echoing its strange melody on all sides, surrounding the three young women.
/wang le you duo jiu/
A distant song, calling to them in heartbreaking euphony.
The Keepers stared at the half-demon's necklace, enchanted by the music. Involuntarily, they lowered their weapons, straining to comprehend the words inside melodic whispers.
Before them Setsuna's eyes opened, reflecting the bluish blaze illuminated from within the half- shell.
/zai mei ting dao ni/
She smiled.
"You can hear it, can't you?"
Setsuna raised the necklace higher into the air, so that it basked entirely in moonlight.
"The song she'd given me. The voice that beckons me to find her."
/dui wo shuo ni zui ai de gu shi/
A cloud sudden drifted above them, momentarily covering the moon, and obstructing light from reaching down below. The air became quiet, as the moonlight's glow began to diminish from the half shell.
Kaede blinked, raising her weapon once more as she felt her comrade do the same.
"If you want to leave this place, if you want to find her, then prove to us that you are worthy of leaving here, de Gozaru. Prove to us that you are powerful enough to battle the dangers of the outside world."
Setsuna clutched her sword with both hands, allowing the sea shell necklace to dangle on her uniform collar once more.
------
Setsuna jumped towards the left, avoiding the spray of bullets headed towards her, and not noticing the fist-sized kunai that had been sent her way until she was almost too late to dodge from it. She tilted her head, breathing rapidly as the kunai made a small bloody gash upon her cheek.
Holding Yuunagi with her right hand, the half-demon tilted her body sideways, then raced forward, sword-tip aimed at the two keepers in front of her. She knew the two Keepers faired no better than she did, for their movements were much slower than when the fight had begun- due to various injuries who's origin were claimed by the red marks on Yuunagi's blade.
Setsuna did not expect them to be able to dodge so quickly, soon ending up one on each side of her, weapons pointed towards the half-demon. Setsuna fell on her knees, leaning on Yuunagi as support as she waited for the inevitable attack.
A click of the gun trigger resounded into the air, along with the flight of the Kunai, both headed towards the young future Shinmeiryuu master. As the two Keepers nodded to each other, Setsuna closed her eyes, anticipating for both to hit at once.
A loud explosion above her head caused the half-demon to open her eyes, confusedly watching as Mana's bullet collided with Kaede's Kunai. As the two projectile weapons deteriorated, she turned towards the Keepers, gaze going back and forth from one to the other.
"Go, Setsuna."
Mana smiled, walking towards the half demon and extending her hand to help the girl to stand.
"You've won. Our weapons have been spent."
"I-I-"
"Go! Before the others in the clan find you."
Setsuna put her sword back in its sheath, then turned away, her back facing the two Keepers.
"Thank You. My friends."
As the young master of Shinmeiryuu rushed away, disappearing into the darkness, Mana and Kaede stood, watching her from behind.
"She has really gotten much stronger, de Gozaru."
Mana's eyes widened, and she turned to her partner. "That Kunai you threw-"
"-was aimed at her." Kaede finished.
"Then-"
Kaede smiled, then nodded.
"The collision of our weapons was her doing, de Gozaru."
------
She leaned upon the wooden pole of the magnetic bus stop, waiting patiently for the bus destined for Fairy Tale country. She held a silver lamp in her hand, the only source of light besides the glittering stars from above.
There was no moon, as the lunar radiance had been covered by a rather thick cloud. Yet the absence of the moon's white rays seemed to allow the shine of the stars to appear ever greater, their twinkling light like a billion waterfalls pouring from the endless depths of the ocean heaven above.
A glow of red from the silver lantern reached from its burning heart to embrace the maiden, clashing upon the heaven's starlight as it did. The glow reflected the maiden's visage with a warm, red blush, preventing the paleness of white starlight from casting its cold rays upon her
A soft breeze blew by, bringing the first chills of winter along with the scent of pine and the mumble of rustling leaves…A dull murmur across the dark night like the flow of a thousand waves by the treetops, as if the light of the ocean sky had fallen upon the earth in the quiet form of mother's tears, afraid her child would hear it.
The maiden took no notice of the winter scent, nor did she acknowledge the sounds of the wind. She continued to remain motionless when the wind announced its approach, as encircled her, blowing upon her chocolate colored locks.
If she felt any discomfort from the coldness, she did not show it. Her eyes remained fixed on the dirt road ahead, which, in this darkness of night, formed a winding black river that stretched into the sea of trees before her.
The lamp's weak light tried to keep her warm, its flame battling against the wind, struggling to shine, to keep its rays upon her, reaching for her, if only for her…
And yet, try as it might, the tiny flame could not fight against the wind's onslaught. With one last glow, it died, leaving the maiden alone in darkness.
Helpless, the maiden turned around, a delicate frown beginning to shape its way on her thin eyebrows, while she attempted to find another source of light as she waited for the bus to arrive. She could find none, until a tiny glimmer of light gradually appeared a few minutes later on the road ahead. She turned, facing her light-bearing savior as the figure approached.
Walking towards the maiden was girl with raven hair in samurai clothes, with a long sword dangling on the left side of her waist, and a torch in her right hand. The maiden smiled to the warrior, and the black haired girl bowed. No words needed to be said. The two stood in silence, waiting for the bus to arrive, basking in shared lamp light.
When the magnetic bus finally arrived, the raven haired girl stood behind, allowing the maiden to climb on the vehicle before her. She watched the maiden's careful steps, the turn of the brown-haired girl's shoulders, evoking a familiar longing in her heart.
Wait for me…!
The samurai raised one hand before her in a trance, as if to stop the maiden, when a sudden roar from the leaving bus awoke her. Quickly withdrawing her hand, the warrior blew out the torch, and entered the bus as well.
I'll find you, Kono-chan. I promise.
------
His eyes were closed when the messenger arrived, kneeling before him.
"Zazie-san. I take it that the half-demon has arrived, just as we planned?"
The messenger nodded, bowing her head.
"Send out the beasts to test the young demon's powers. She will become most useful in our mission."
With a wave of his hands, Zazie stood up, bowed, and left. Turning towards the sky, he nodded, muttering under his breath.
"Alas, Entropy. The world shall turn to chaos in your wake."
------
End.
Chapter Two: Since I've Last Heard from You
I like the sound of your voice when you tease me, the pleased gleam evident in your smile whenever I blush. I like the melodic whispers, the song you seem to chant into my ears that cause me to tremble with emotion. Yet most of all…I love the you that is the voice…the words that reflect the person. Let me hear it again…let me follow it, use it to find you.
A/N: Thank You for reading chapter one. I hope it doesn't disappoint (and sorry if there are any confusions, I will explain most in the next chapter…btw...sorry if there are any grammar errors...I tried fixing a few...but it seems wouldn't save it all- not even sure this message would save...butbutbut...).