An Angel's Everything
What A Guardian Lives For
The breeze was light but it was enough to ruffle the leaves in the trees. The mountains seem never ending and the sky was clear and the bluest of blue. The trees were green and tall, the grass was lush and it covered the land. The birds were flying over and the creatures of the forest were about. The hares, the ferrets, the deer, the foxes, the bobcats, and the beavers by the creek all seem to live so harmoniously. It was a sight to behold, a sight that not many had the privilege to witness.
Eiri was one of those few that could see such beauty. He was there floating atop a mountain where you could see all of Japan and the beautiful aerial view that it provided. Eiri loved it there; it not only calmed his nerves but its serene view just melted away any and every worries. It was beautiful and words simply would not do it justice.
This Guardian was in the air his majestic wings spread wide open flapping every so often to keep him up. His eyes were closed and his white tunic along with his hair moved along the breeze. It was the perfect sight truly what an Angel on Earth would look.
"It still amazes me that you've grown into such a beautiful man Eiri."
Eiri kept his eyes closed as he replied to his mentor. "Thank you for your flattery Yuki. What do I owe this visit?" He asked as he opened his eyes.
Yuki smiled, "The Elders are looking for you."
Eiri turned to face his mentor and longtime friend a hint of sparkle in his eyes, "Oh, what for?"
Yuki smiled bemused. "I believe their assigning you a new charge. A babe just born yesterday."
Eiri's eyes held nothing back. He looked like a child who'd just found a two-story candy store. His face had lit up at each word Yuki had said "Really?"
His mentor laughed and ruffled his hair, much like the way he always did when Eiri was still a child. "Yeah, you should go on ahead, they've sent a messenger to look for you."
Eiri smiled. "You don't have to tell me twice! Thanks Yuki!"
And so our angel sped up to the sky. It had been quite some time since he's had a charge, not since… Eiri shook his head, no need to think about that now. 'I finally have a charge again!"
And so he flew and only slowed his pace once he had stepped in the halls. As he continued on he saw the messenger that Yuki must have been talking about. He looked young and quite frantic in his search. He might as well spare this messenger the worry. He raised aura just a bit so that the young angel could sense him in the area.
The young messenger immediately turned to his direction "Eiri-sama!"
Eiri nodded, "I've gotten the message, you may go."
"Ah, hai!" The messenger hastily left.
Eiri finally reached his destination and was faced with the Elders on the round table. Seraphim, a Dominion, was one of the Elders that accompanied the round table and about the only Angel currently in the room or even outside the room that Eiri truly respected and admired. Seraphim was kind and was often thought of as the grandfather among the angels. He showed the most mercy and was among the very few that you could run to for not only advice but a shoulder to cry on. Eiri thought him to be his grandfather and as such Seraphim thought him the same.
Eiri looked at the table with a calm facade, hiding his eagerness for his long awaited charge in 18 months. He tried to hide his eagerness to appear as professional as he had been when he had been assigned his first child, but he failed, he knew from the way that Seraphim looked on him with an amused smile. Though his cover had been blown he still tried, just because the old man new doesn't mean he didn't have to look professional.
"Eiri," the man on the Dominion's left began, "A baby boy, named Shindou Shuichi was born yesterday night and is need of a guardian. We have chosen you to be his guardian."
A folder marked as Shindou, Shuichi (4-16-92)* Tokyo, Japan was slid to the guardian's view. The folder was thin and it was meant to be. He had just been born therefore there wasn't much record of him yet, part of Eiri's duty was to fill this with information for future use and simply to have it in the records as well.
Seraphim's gentle and baritone voice rang out in a tone that clearly said you may choose to turn it down if you are not ready, "Do you accept Eiri?"
Eiri looked at Seraphim in understanding, he knew why the Elder was worried but, he was doing fine now and he really needed this, so he smiled and answered. "I Eiri Uesugi swear that from this day forward, I will be by Shuichi Shindou's side, to light, to guard, to rule and to guide."
Seraphim smiled and the rest nodded their approval and that was that.
Eiri left the counsel and opened the folder in his hand. The first page was a picture of a baby boy. His eyes were closed in a peaceful slumber. His complexion was pale and his hair a unique dark pink.*
He stared at the picture for a time, happily wondering what life with this boy will be like, what future would await this boy? How would he grow? Who would he become? What will he do with his life? Who will be his friends and how many? Who will he marry? How big would his family be? How long would he live? Hopefully a hundred years.
Eiri had always been like this, always wondering and imagining just what would happen to his charges, how they would be blessed in the many years they would live. But even if Eiri thought about the future when he was first assigned a charge he never fails to enjoy watching over their childhood either. Because being a child always meant innocence and he always loved that about children, the fact their innocence was never fake but that their very soul was innocent. The happiness and the kindness they could find in anything and anyone was beauty in itself. Children weren't tainted by the world yet, they hadn't seen any of the evil, hurt and the pain that no one desires but inevitably comes to face. Eiri hoped and prayed just like he always did that this child only be blessed with bliss.
Eiri left the heavenly grounds and headed for Tokyo, because sooner or later he had to meet his charge and personally Eiri wanted to meet Shuichi sooner than later.
Eiri flew swiftly in the air about 12 feet off the ground looking for the right hospital that currently housed this new bundle of joy. As he searched and searched he greeted the passing Angels that he happened to come across. There were Angels following their charges, some taking a break, and some looking for their destinations too.
Finally Eiri found the hospital; he quickly found Shuichi's room along with his mother. He was sleeping in the crib beside his mother's bed and now Eiri had nothing better to do so he crossed his legs criss-cross applesauce floating in air. A few feet above Shuichi's crib just watching the baby boy sleep, much like the way his parents were doing. Eiri watched and listened to Shuichi's parents talk and all the while waited for him to finally wake up which probably won't be for a while. Babies at this age only cried and slept.
After 4 hours of waiting Shuichi finally stirred, Eiri immediately came closer and stood beside the crib. He found it to be a mistake when Shuichi without a care for his Guardian's ear wailed and screamed. Eiri winced; yup babies really didn't know anything but cry and sleep. Shuichi was lifted out of his crib by his father who was trying his hardest to keep him quite or at least to lower his cries. His wife really need sleep after all, but for all reasons he could not figure out he just couldn't make Shuichi stop and soon his wife woke up and asked that he be handed to her. It took her awhile to stop his son's cries but eventually it died down and he fell asleep once again.
Her mother cradled him and continued to rock her arms. "I'm sorry, your rest was disturbed, I just couldn't stop him." Mr. Shindou apologized sheepishly.
She laughed lightly, "It's alright dear, and don't worry I'm sure you'll learn, now come here." She motioned for her husband to sit beside her and just to hold her and their new born baby.
Mr. Shindou walked towards his wife with a small smile and sat beside her. He held her and Shuichi and the two of them just smiled. It was the perfect picture of a happy family. The way they looked, the way they smiled. One could easily feel the happiness that they emitted.
Eiri watched; these are the moments that he lived for. This was the reason why no matter how many times he was offered a higher rank in the Heavens he always refused. If he didn't then he would never see the beauty, and the love that humans live for. He smiled a smile with no restrictions; his eyes had showed nothing but kindness and he continued to watch over the family below him. A family filled with love.
The whole night Eiri stayed in that hospital. He watched Shuichi with warmth the whole time. He looked at him over his crib, when he was held, when he cried. Eiri just stayed, for him this was bonding even if Shuichi didn't know he was there.
Three days Eiri never left. He stayed there and fussed over the young child like everyone else. No one could see him and he could never comfort the child like the others did but he was there.
And in three days Mrs. Shindou was finally released from the hospital. They called a cab and hurried home to show their baby boy where he would grow up. Eiri hovered over the car the whole ride there and when they finally reached their destination he wondered around the house to familiarize himself before he went to Shuichi's room.
Eiri watched Shuichi once again. He could never get tired of watching his charges sleep and even more so from watching this oh so cute baby but even so Eiri was starting to get impatient. Eiri needed to return to the Heavens soon, in reality he needed to return now. He had to report and no matter how many times Angels vowed to be by their charges side they couldn't stay there every second of every day for thirteen years.
What Eiri had been waiting for since he saw this bundle of…well he couldn't exactly call him a bundle of joy since all he's done in three days is eat, sleep and cry. The Angel sighed. 'I just want to see him open his eyes.' Because you see when a baby ate there was really no need to open your eyes and crying doesn't involve eye opening either nor did sleeping obviously, thus our already impatient Angel has not seen Shuichi's open his eyes and he really wanted Shuichi to see him before he left.
You see, Angels were strictly forbidden to show themselves from their charges but there was an exception and this was it. A child of this age, a mere few days old couldn't talk and do much of anything but stare. So even if he saw Eiri it really wouldn't mean much except it'd give the children some comfort and in the future the visions of their Guardians wouldn't even be remembered. And it was because of this Eiri tried his best to stay patient and wait.
On the third day of watching over Shuichi and the first night of him sleeping in his own room this little bundle of tears finally stirred from his sleep without a noise. He opened his eyes to a dark room and stared. He didn't know what he was seeing or where he was. A four day old baby didn't really know anything after all but even if he didn't know anything the sense of calm, warmth and protection he felt from this glowing being was real.
Eiri had moved to stand in Shuichi's line of sight and waited eagerly for Shuichi to see him and when his charge finally did he was overjoyed. The look Shuichi gave him was so innocent and pure and Eiri could do nothing but smile. Oh he was adorable when he wasn't trying to blow out your eardrums.
Shuichi's eyes weren't open for long but Eiri was warmed with the fact that he saw Shuichi trying to stay awake just to watch him too but unfortunately quickly losing the battle to his dreams. However, before Shuichi fully succumbed to sleep, Eiri made sure to unfold his wings and surround them both and smile. He bent down and kissed him lightly on his forehead as a light glow emitted from the kiss and just as fast it disappeared.
Eiri made sure that Shuichi was fast asleep, wrapped in his blanket and went on home towards the darkened skies.
A/N: Alright so I hadn't meant to be so long before an update but unfortunately it couldn't be helped. Well anyway no need for my excuses, I've written the first official chapter and I hope you enjoyed it. I tried to end it on serene note, hope I was successful. About the Prologue too, I really got to work on that don't I? I'm just never good at the intros I can never make it sound appealing –sigh- Well I hope I did better on this one.
Few Notes:
*Shuichi's Birthday I wrote to be April 16, 1992 I know that this must not be right but I'm basing the year of the fact that when he turns 19 it'll be 2011 and also because I couldn't find the exact year in which Shuichi was supposedly born in.
*Yuki Kitazawa will be part of this story. How big of a part he'll play is still undecided but he will not be evil. He's Eiri's mentor and friend.
* The name Seraphim. I 'am well aware that this is a plural form of the word seraph meaning angel, messenger of God, often depicted as an angel with six wings and so on, I used it simply because I liked the way it sounded for a name. =)
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please don't be shy and let me know.
Thank You for Reading and Please Review!
secret25
