X-X-X-X

Chapter 2

X-X-X-X

"Aki, Aki, up, up!" I demanded holding my hands up to him.

"Hm, what's up?" Akihiko picked me up, holding me in his arms. "The twins do something again?" Akihiko asked walking off.

"Escaping...mama overload." I stated with a frown.

"Ah, Rina-san must be enjoying herself, prettying you up. Really, I can't go against everyone in this household concerning how you dress...Satsuki, you do realize you're a boy, right?" Akihiko asked looking at me.

"I know!" I said sticking my tongue out at him.

"That's good then."

Akihiko took me to his room where he attempted to teach me shoji. Akihiko's very good at strategy games, to the point he can match our father. Akihiko was staring at the board with a strange look on his face while I was staring at the shogi pieces on my side. It's like chess, but it was so much harder for me because it wasn't! Akihiko placed his knight down, a slight smile on his face.

"Check. It's my win, Satsuki." Akihiko said tucking his hands into his sleeves.

"Humu..." I grabbed my bishop and I took his knight threatening my king. "Not check." I said looking him in the eye.

"Good, good, very smart of you, Satsuki." Akihiko said patting my head.

"Your move?" I asked tilting my head to the side.

"Yes, let's continue this game."

It took only Akihiko three more moves until he managed to check me once again, this time I resigned seeing as I had no other option. Shogi is such a strange game, I would like to play a different game. Just as I thought that, Akihiko placed the bowls containing go stones onto the board. I tilted my head to the side, wondering what this was about. Akihiko just gave me a slight smile before grabbing a handful of black stones. I grabbed one white stone. Akihiko showed how many stones he had, six. I guess that means Akihiko gets white.

"Why?" I asked as he placed a stone down.

"It's easier than shogi. Besides, it's not very difficult, right?" Akihiko asked smiling at me.

"Humu..." I muttered looking at the board.

The two of us played in silence, the only sound being produced is the sound of go stones hitting the board. I grabbed a stone from the bowl when Akihiko released a deep sigh. I tilted my head to the side, wondering what could be wrong. Suddenly, the door to Akihiko's room opened and I turned my head to stare at our father and Tatsuo.

"Really, so this is where you ran off to." Tatsuo walked towards me, picking me up easily. "Rina-san is looking for you. Come on, let's go see what she wants." Tatsuo said giving me no option in this.

"You were playing against Satsuki?" Father asked staring at Akihiko as Tatsuo and I left.

"Satsuki is goin-"

I couldn't hear the rest of what Akihiko was going to say, I wonder what he was going to say though. I ended up feeling betrayed when Tatsuo returned me to my mother to be used as a dress up doll. While I wouldn't mind, I do mind when my hair is being tugged and pulled into some very painful styles.

X-X-X-X

"This, Satsuki, is your name." Father held my hand in his as he wrote my name in ink on the paper in front of me. "This character means happiness, this means hope or rarity." Father explained staring down at me.

"Why did you give me a name like that? It seems very..." I began searching for the words to describe this. "...it seems as if it's a name that's meant for one who changed your life..." I said biting my bottom lip.

"That's why I gave you this name. This happiness your mother and I share is very rare, for we lost someone very dear to us until we met one another. You are our hope, our pride and joy." Father explained smiling down at me.

"Humu...You're talking funnily again." I said reaching up to draw on his face.

"Perhaps." Father grabbed my wrist before the brush so much as touched him. "No drawing on people, Satsuki."

"Ki and Yu do it all the time!"

"Yes, but they do it as a prank and they always get punished for it. Do you want to be punished?"

"No..."

"Then be a good boy and let's finish today's lesson."

"Yes..."

Only three and a half years old and I'm already learning calligraphy. While I was happy about this...Why was it I was learning it the same time as the twins and Minato? I can understand Minato learning with the twins since it would be easier to have all three learn it, but I was learning it way too early. The twins and Minato were finally at the age where they're able to at least contain some part of their energy to learn, but still try to skip...like today. The trio actually managed to get away so our elder brothers were sent off to fetch them...or rather, punish them, and then bring them back.

"You're showing too much hesitation, Satsuki. Be more firm and confident with your strokes." Father said staring at my attempt at writing my name.

"I'm no good at this..." I muttered comparing our writings.

"No one is perfect, Satsuki. In addition, the order is wrong. You start top to bottom then left to right."

"Top to bottom, left to right..."

"Very good, Satsuki."

"Y-You can have it! Since I'm done for today, I'm going to go play!"

I quickly got up and ran off. I ran out the house and ended up in the garden. I sat on my knees, breathing heavily. M-My father is just too cool sometimes! I covered my cheeks with my hands, a wide smile on my face. I like being praised, I might be an adult in mind, but my body is still that of a child's. So, some childish impulses I had suppressed as I grew older mentally had resurfaced.

X-X-X-X

"Wait for me!" I cried chasing after the twins and Minato.

"Really, Satsuki, you're so slow!" Hiroyuki said grinning at me.

"I'm smaller than all three of you!" I cried finally catching up.

"You sure it's okay to take Satsuki out of the houses?" Minato asked glancing behind us.

"It's fine, besides, this is Satsuki's first bad thing he's done! He's skipping his lessons with Otou-san!" Hiroyuki declared patting the top of my head.

"Satsuki has never misbehaved before, I'm sure everyone would end up panicking." Hiroki said smiling.

"We're so dead if Akihiko-nii-san and Tatsuo-nii-san find us..." Minato said turning gloomy.

"We're just skipping a boring lesson! I hate calligraphy!" Hiroyuki said turning his nose up.

"I like it." I said looking at him.

"Satsuki, you traitor! You're supposed to agree with me!"

"Yu is being stupid again. Ki, do something about it."

"Hah, you can't turn my own twin against m-" Hiroki chopped his twin on the head, a smile on his face. "-ow! Hey, Hiroki, you're supposed to be on my side!"

"Well, if it comes down to between you and Satsuki, it's Satsuki who will win. If I was anyone else, you would win."

"You're my twin, you're supposed to agree with me!"

"Actually, just because you two are twins doesn't mean that you two have to always agree with one another."

"Stay out of this, Minato!"

"Yes, this is a matter between twins. You wouldn't understand."

"I-I'm just stating the obvious!"

"Mi, don't get involved in Ki and Yu about them being the same or different people. It's okay for them to think they're the same person, they were born at the same time after all."

"Satsuki..."

"Well, forget about that, let's go! I found a super cool place yesterday with Hiroki!"

"Super cool place?"

"Yup, a super-secret cool place!"

"Humu..."

I got a bad feeling about this. Our little group of four entered the forest and I silently untied the ribbon in my hair. I placed it on a bush at the entrance of the path for Akihiko and Tatsuo to find later on. The others were oblivious to what I had done and I didn't say anything. If they found out I did that, then they would surely get angry at me. After a few minutes of walking, I found a large stick and I used it to draw a long line behind me in the dirt.

"How much further?" Minato asked looking a bit worried.

"Not much, we're almost there!" Hiroyuki answered with a large grin.

"Isn't this forest sacred land? We're not supposed to be playing here then." I said praying Akihiko and Tatsuo would hurry it the hell up.

"It's fine, that's just stuff adults say to keep us out." Hiroyuki stated waving off my concern.

"What's wrong, Satsuki? Are you scared?" Hiroki asked a bit concerned.

"I...I don't feel very good..."

"What?" Minato quickly stopped to look at me. "If you didn't feel good, just tell us! Hiroyuki, let's head back already!"

"We're almost there! Come on, we'll go back after we get there!"

"Hiroyuki!"

"W-What, i-it's fine! Satsuki isn't dying or anything, I bet it's just a stomachache."

"Minato, it's Satsuki we're talking about. He's not even four, I bet he's just tired."

"Well, we're almost there. When we get there we can take a break."

"T-Then, here, I'll carry you." Minato knelt down in front of me. "Satsuki?"

"...Un..."

I dropped my stick and I got onto Minato's back. My body...it hurts...it's like I'm on fire right now. It became harder and harder to breathe as we got to this secret place the twins talked about. When we got there, I saw a...shrine? Strange, the base of the shrine was made entirely out of stone and...there were talismans covering the walls. Minato placed me down on the steps and I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Hiroki knelt down in front of me, placing a hand on my forehead.

"He's burning up." Hiroki said glancing at his twin.

"What, seriously? Satsuki was fine before..." Hiroyuki said looking guilty.

"I'm...okay..." I gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm just really tired..." I said wiping the sweat off my chin.

"There's a stream near here. I'll get you some water." Hiroki said standing up.

"I'll go with you. I don't...feel very comfortable leaving anyone alone out here...there's something freaky about this place..." Minato said looking at the shrine.

"Come on, Satsuki, let's go inside for a bit." Hiroyuki said walking towards the doors.

Stop him.

Don't do it.

Stop.

Stop.

"What...?" Who was talking to me. "Yu did you hear something?"

"No, why?"

"I..."

Stop.

Stop it.

Don't open that door.

"I...hear something..."

"I don't hear anything. Maybe you're just imagining it."

Danger, don't open it.

Dangerous, run.

Run.

Get away.

RUN!

"Yu, don't do it!" Hiroyuki looked at me in surprise, the door opening. "N-No..."

"Man, you surprised me, Satsuki! Don't shout like that."

Too late.

Run now.

Hurry, before it senses you.

Leave him, run.

"Yu..." I saw something on the other side of the door and I quickly ran up the stairs, pushing Hiroyuki out the way. Something grabbed me by my hair. "Nooo!"

"Satsuki!" The door was slammed shut in his face as something held me by my hair. "Satsuki! Satsuki! Why isn't this dammed door opening?!"

"Hiroyuki!"

"What happened, where's Satsuki?!"

"L-Let go of me!"

"Satsuki?!"

"Help me open this door!"

"What is this?! Why isn't it opening?!"

A scaly hand covered my mouth and my arms were pinned to my side. I was dragged deeper into the shrine, down a set of stairs. The sound of my brother's shout was fading away. Whoever grabbed me suddenly tripped and I was dropped to the ground. I quickly scrambled away and I heard the sound of growling. Wha-what the hell? I looked at the person who grabbed me to see hair like...water, it was so long and...I saw parts of his skin had scales, like actual scales and...He wasn't wearing clothes.

"A...are you okay?" I asked slowly approaching him.

"Graahhh!" I was suddenly grabbed and my back hit the ground harshly. I stared into jade colored eyes, it was like the eyes of a beast...not a person. "Grrr...!"

"Don't be afraid..." I reached up, touching his cheek. "I won't hurt you..."

"SATSUKI!"

"Tou-san?" The boy was surprised by the sudden sound jumped off me "Ah!"

He ran off, but I saw him stop and look back at me, his eyes gleaming with some strange emotion. He turned and ran, where, I have no idea, but...seriously, what is this place? Father ran down the stairs, while I continued to stare in the direction that boy ran off in. I turned my gaze to my father at last and I saw he was relieved to see me. He wasn't smiling...No, his face was filled with panic and fear. When father reached me I looked back to the boy, but...the boy was nowhere in sight. How did he get out of here? This was large room, yes, but there was no place to run.

"Satsuki, Satsuki, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Father asked looking down at me.

"Where did he go...?" I stared in the direction the boy ran off in. I turned my gaze away to look at my father. "I saw...a boy..." I said unsure of what just happened.

"What are you talking about, Satsuki? This shrine has been abandoned for over fifty years." Father said lifting me up.

"Then...Who was it I saw?" I questioned as he carried me up the stairs.

X-X-X-X

"You three, keep running! If you stop, I'll triple your punishment!" Father shouted at the twins and Minato.

"Satsuki-chan, here you go, eat up now." Obaa-san said holding a spoonful of porridge.

"Obaa-san, what do you know about that shrine?" I asked staring outside.

"Satsuki-chan, it's best to forget what occurred yesterday. Come now, eat, you need your strength."

"Obaa-san, please?"

"Will you eat if I tell you?"

"Un!"

"Alright then. That shrine had been used for many generations to house a deity who took the form of a human." A god? "When one died, another is born only a few days later. We knew who they were because they had scales growing from their bodies."

"Scales..." I thought of that boy, was he...supposed to be a deity? "Obaa-san, what happened fifty years ago?"

"...Fifty years ago when I was still a small girl...that deity...no...that monster had demanded such cruel things for ten years until they finally put a stop to it..."

"Obaa-san...?"

"He demanded a young girl every year, the girl that went in...never returned alive. The night after her body was found...eaten as if a beast had done it..."

"..."

"It was fifty years ago that a traveling magician sealed him in the shrine. For the first week, we could only hear him shouting curses at him. The second week, we heard the sound of him trying to break out. It was third week did he finally quiet down. For one year, we waited before unsealing the shrine to see if he was truly dead..."

"Obaa-san, what happened?"

"...His body had disappeared. It was as if he was never there. Two years after sealing him away, a woman disappeared. It happened again 15 years ago."

"It matches up..." That boy was younger than fifteen, probably 10, maybe a big older considering his height. I bet his father was...the child of the deity Obaa-san was talking about. "Obaa-san, what if...What I saw..."

"What's wrong, Satsuki-chan?"

"No, it's nothing."

That boy...He was shaking when he grabbed me. He was scared despite how he acted. I ate the porridge Obaa-san prepared for me and I stared at the white bird of light that rested itself at the edge of the bowl. Since I met him...I began to see them, these birds made of light. When Obaa-san was talking about the shrine, her birds began to turn black. Obaa-san seemed happy when she took the tray from me before placing a hand on my forehead.

"Well, no fever, make sure to get plenty of rest. Alright, Satsuki-chan?" Obaa-san asked smiling at me.

"Yes, Obaa-san." I said giving her a tiny smile.

That boy...I want to meet him again and I wonder...What was with those voices I heard? I turned my head to look outside at the white birds no one else could see. They were beautiful, both white and black. I felt something flutter against my cheek and I stared at the single black bird that was with me. I wonder, if this one represent my own hatred of reverting to a child in an unknown world. I wasn't foolish, this world is not like my own. There were too many oddities for it to be my old world. While I hate how I have become a child again, I do not hate the family I have gained.

X-X-X-X

Chapter 2 Ends

Since someone requested I draw Satsuki's brothers, I've actually been working on a few sketches since I don't plan on going into great detail how each brother looks. I'll even do a picture of Satsuki with his parent and the mystery boy. I'll post them on my deviantart account sometime in January or February. Now then, about the mystery boy...well, he'll become a big part of Satsuki's life later on, but that's all I'm going to say. Oh, right, I was also asked when I update, but I only update one story chapter, sometimes two, every Wednesday. It may be this story, or it may be another. It all depends on how close I am to finishing a chapter or if I'm inspired. Well, that's all for today! Until next time dearies~! Bye-bye~!