Disclaimer- CCs does not belong to me. Note- This is my first fic. I had wanted to post quite some time ago, but school kept me busy. This story is about Touya and his powers. I wanted to give him a little more background and try to build him into the person he will become when the main story takes place. I hope it works.
Forgive me if some do not like the darkness that will follow, I do warn you that some things will be slightly graphic. (Hee hee, I will say no more.) On with the story!!
One Year Later.....
The sun was up and the birds were singing. And the baby was crying again. Touya groaned and flipped over, burying his head under his pillow. This was becoming a routine that Touya did not like. Every morning at five thirty, the cries of Sakura Kinomoto could be heard throughout the tiny apartment. And what could be worse than that? Having to share the room in which the noise originated.
The crying got louder, she refused to let him sleep. Growling, Touya got up and peeked into the crib. It was his old crib from when he was little. His crib. Not that Touya was going to use need it anymore, but still she could not have gotten her own? She also took his room! Now that was inexcusable. He never had much for toys and furniture, but to cover his room with pink fluffiness was beyond reason. It was vandalism. It was trespassing. Violating territory!! It was-
"Whaaaa!!"
"Quiet." Touya said sternly. He reached between the bars and rubbed her tummy. She seemed to like that and she calmed down.
"You know, you sound like a monster when you scream and carry on like that." She watched the hand that rubbed her favorite spot and smiled. "You are a monster, you know that?"
She started her baby babbling and cooing as if to respond.
"That's right. You may be loud, but your bark is worse than your bite, for you have no teeth. For a monster that is unusual. Still, that is what you are and always will be." Sakura giggled making Touya smile. "From here on, you'll always be a little kaijuu." The door opened and a sleep deprived Fujitaka stepped in. "I'm sorry Touya, I'll take care of her." He lifted her up and sniffed her diaper. "Hmmm, not wet."
"It's okay papa, she was just letting us know she was awake. I'll look after her while you get some rest."
Fujitaka shook his head. "Then she must be hungry."
"Then I'll feed her." Touya reached his arms out to Sakura. "Please outasan. I can hold her. Okaasan said I could. I can feed her too. Go back to bed. I'm going down to eat breakfast anyway."
Fujitaka sighed. "Alright, thank you Touya. Your mother and I really appreciate this."
"How is okaasan?" Touya asked
Fujitaka looked across the hall. "She is fine. It was just a dizzy spell. Probably from all of the running around she did yesterday. The photo shoot, groceries, and taking Sakura for her shots."
"What shots?"
"Oh, her baby shots that protect her from bad illnesses." Fujitaka sat Sakura down while he dressed her.
"Oh. Does it hurt? She was crying a lot yesterday."
"It was just a little stick, but Sakura is very sensitive to things like that."
Touya looked down and Fujitaka chuckled. "Don't worry, Touya. It wasn't on purpose or anything. It was a small drawback for what will keep her healthy for a long time."
Touya didn't say anything for a while. Then he looked back up to his father and held his arms out again. Fujitaka nodded and handed over the tiny infant. "Don't forget to get ready for school."
"I'm all set. I packed everything last night."
"Good."
Touya took his baby sister into the living room and sat her in her play pen. His old play pen. Touya sighed to himself. I should know better. Money is tight.That was how father had put it. They would have to limit their spending to necessary items. That meant no more movies, only getting toys for birthdays and Christmas. Clothes would have to last and for Touya, that was a problem. He noticed his pants were too short, just barely covering his ankles. No more climbing trees, which was one of his favorite things to do outside. He would have to be careful not to tear anything. Growing was something Touya or his parents couldn't control.
Touya let out another sigh as he prepared Sakura's bottle. Mother showed him how to make her meals. He didn't know how she did it, take care of a baby that is. She always seemed so clumsy and dizzy. One time Touya asked her, "Okaasan, why are you so dizzy?"
Father had nearly spit out his coffee, but mother just laughed. "Oh, I don't know, I guess I'm always so happy that I feel like I will fly. Instead, I just fall. But someday, I will have white wings that will make me soar and I will be happy."
"Really, we can grow wings?" Touya exclaimed.
"Yes, and we will all fly away to somewhere that's happy. Someday." She smiled.
"Just don't go flying into anything when you're happy."
Touya smiled at the memory. Mother was silly sometimes, but with Sakura and he assumed with him as well, she was always gentle and graceful. He knew she would never drop his baby sister or let anything happen to her. One night he watched her dance with Sakura in her arms. She twirled and swayed, humming softly to the infant. Sakura smiled and fell asleep. For a moment then, Touya couldn't help but feel a slight burn in his stomach. Why didn't she dance like that with him?
He heard Sakura start to cry and brought him back to the present. He walked over and picked her up so he could sit her on his knee at the kitchen table. He cleverly held the baby and fed her with one hand and held a piece of toast in the other. He munched on his simple breakfast while he watched her intently. Sakura twisted her head away to say she was full.
"Okay, let me finish my breakfast and I will put you back in your playpen." He said.
Instead, she reached out with a tiny hand for his toast. Touya pulled it away. "No. This is my breakfast. You just had yours. Anyway, you are not old enough to eat food like this."
She reached for it again, her face showing disappointment.
"No! I said its mine, kaijuu!"
Sakura broke out in tears. "Stop it, you'll wake Outasan and Okaasan. Alright. Here." He held a corner to her face. "But I'm warning you, you won't be able to eat it."
He had to hold the toast for since the piece was too big for her to grasp. She lifted it to her mouth and sucked on a corner.
"See, no teeth, no toast."
Still, Sakura kept the corner in her mouth until it became soft and soggy and pulled it away.
"Hey!" Touya pulled the rest away. He stared at the mushy corner in disgust as she went on eating the piece she worked off.
"I was eating this. You can't eat this yet."
"It's okay, Touya. It is just a little piece. Let her eat, it will help her prepare for solid foods. Its about time." Nadesico said walking over to her children and picked up Sakura.
"Oh, you are getting so big!" she squealed to her.
"So am I, okaasan. I grew another inch." Touya added.
"Hmmm, I don't know what we're going to do if you grow anymore. If you grow too much, we'll have to modify some of your father's clothes to fit you." Nadesico shook her head.
Touya didn't like the sound of that. "But they will be too baggy. Everyone will laugh."
Nadesico closed her eyes and sighed. "I know Touya, but-"
"No, you don't." Touya blurted out before she could finish.
She didn't argue, there would be no point to it. She never had to go through this before. Not from where she came from.
"I'm sorry, okaasan." Touya came up and hugged her. She smiled back. Bending down, she said, "If we had lots of money Touya, I'd buy you an outfit for every day of the year, and anything your heart desires."
"I know, but we don't. It won't stop us though, we'll manage." Touya added.
"Oh Touya," she whispered softly, "I love you so much. Your strength is such a comfort to me." She placed her free hand on his soft, warm cheek.
"Promise me something."
Touya looked into her blue green eyes. "Anything for you."
"If anything were to happen to your father or I, don't worry or cry over us. Be strong for Sakura, for she will be very sad and scared. Don't let her get upset, always make her happy. You have always done this for me, please do this for your sister."
Touya did his best to hide the disappointment from his mother. He nodded. "Of course, okaasan, a promise is a promise." Although, I was hoping for something more... selfish. That's right, something for me, but its always Sakura. He didn't know why he felt a sudden burst of anger for the child. She was just staring back at him, yet, it was like she was taunting him.
"Don't feel down, Touya. I don't want to put any heavy burdens on you. It is just that she is young and she doesn't understand anything about death. You know about it, you know your father and I will always be watching over you. She won't understand this, not for a while. But your father and I will make sure not to let anything happen to us, if we can help it, okay?"
"Yes, Okaasan." He replied, his anger dying down.
"Now it is time for school." Fujitaka came around the corner adjusting his tie.
"Touya," he stopped in front of the little boy, "try to make some friends this year."
Touya frowned. He found other children annoying for some reason. To him they were hyper, whiny, loud, and some were dirty. The thought of shaking hands with them displeased Touya. Perhaps he was being a little snobby, but he just couldn't understand why kids had to be so...childish.
"Come along, Touya. Let's walk you to school."
The three of them walked up the road while Sakura was viewing the world from her stroller. Touya walked between his mother and father looking down at the sidewalk. He couldn't relate to the kids at school. They talked about cartoons and candy. They played silly games he could never understand like 'tag'. Standing still because somebody touched you and to stay that way until they game was over sounded ridiculous. That would bore him to death. Only when they would play soccer or baseball would he join in. Pretty soon he would be tall enough for basketball. It was only then Touya would play and have fun until the other kids started to cheat or goof off. He sighed.
"What's wrong? You sound like you're being hauled off to a death sentence." Nadesico chuckled.
Touya looked up at her with his puppy dog eyes and frowned. Nadesico laughed uncontrollably. "Such a silly face."
"I'm not silly!" he pouted.
"Yes you are."
"School isn't that bad, Touya." His father added.
"It's not school." Touya muttered.
"What's wrong?" she asked again.
"Nothing." He responded slowly, sighing again.
"Everything will be alright."
Touya looked down at the brown carpet below his swinging feet. He fidgeted in the uncomfortable plastic chair just outside of the principle's office. Mother was also behind that door since father was in a very important meeting, thank goodness. What was the principle telling her? What a bad boy Touya was? How the kids won't stop picking on him? Or how the girls chase him? Touya didn't know, but was sure he would find out soon. Touya looked at the door and felt his mother's aura flare with shock. This was not good.
"It wasn't my fault." He whispered to himself.
The door opened. "Thank you, Kanto-san. I will assure you this won't happen again." His mother bowed and turned to face Touya.
"Alright, Touya. You can go home with your mother."
"Why can't I go back to class?" Touya raised his voice. Nadesico knelt down in front of him.
"Because, sweetheart, you're very upset right now. I know you are. It would be best if you were not around others who would cause you to get even more upset."
"You mean to say, 'where you won't cause trouble'. Okaasan it wasn't my fault!" He got up, stuffed his hands in his pockets and started to pace. It was a habit he did when he was upset.
"You always told me if anyone was in trouble to help them out. You said girls should be treated with great care and gentle words. Well that boy wasn't being nice to her and wouldn't leave her alone, so I helped her. He started the fight!"
"Yes and you finished it with a black eye." She said calmly.
"Well," he stammered, "he had a stick. Besides, he should pick on somebody his own size."
"He was a first grader and it doesn't matter. You should never hit people like that."
"So I should have let him beat me up. Perhaps I should have just watched him push her around." Touya threw his hands up in exasperation.
"It doesn't make any sense!"
"Touya calm down."
"Tell me why I am wrong?"
"Touya please. You are overreacting." Nadesico opened her arms to hug him. He stayed put out of embarrassment. "Come here, dear. You aren't wrong. You had every right to defend yourself and the girl, but what I am trying to say is if you see anybody that needs help, tell a teacher."
"What if a teacher isn't there?"
"There are teachers all over this school." The principle scoffed.
"No! I mean what if there is trouble and there is no one else there to help."
"That is not the case here, Touya." His mother responded.
He sighed. "Fine, so let's go home." He stepped around his mother and grabbed his jacket and backpack.
"I want to discuss this later." Touya threw over his shoulder as he headed for the doors.
Stepping out into the chilling autumn air, he put his jacket on. Grown ups don't make any sense, he thought. If it's not one thing, it's another. That kid would have knocked my head off. If I hadn't hit him, he would have done so. Then who would get off clean? It's not fair, that big baby got what he deserved.
"Hold on there!" Mother came trotting up beside him.
"Remember who has the key to the apartment." She said slightly breathless.
"Dad hides a key behind the gutter pipe." Touya responded not looking at her.
"Oh, well I would still like to walk you home."
"Okay then. Gimme your hand." Touya held out his hand for his mother to take. She stifles a laugh and takes a hold of the warm soft hand.
"Your hand is almost as big as mine." She says.
"No, you just have really small hands."
Mother laughs. Touya stops and glares at her. "What!?"
She pulls him into a big hug even as he tries to squirm out of it. "Oh, Touya. Such a serious boy."
"I am serious." Touya didn't see anything wrong with that.
"You are so occupied with complex problems and adult worries. I sometimes wonder who the parent and who the child really is."
"That's not funny. I am the child. There is no way I'd be the mother." Nadesico burst out laughing and this time Touya laughed as well.
After they stopped, Nadesico put a finger to her jaw. "You know, I think we need some ice cream."
"Ice cream?" Touya repeated, not knowing if he had heard right.
"Yes, well look there. There's the ice cream man himself." Mother pointed to the white trolley with delicious pictures.
"But-"Touya protested looking down at his feet.
"But what dear?" She asked.
"I'm in trouble." He responded softly.
"In trouble? With what?"
"For school. I mean we just walked out of the principle's office. I shouldn't get ice cream because of what I did."
Nadesico thought for a moment, then smiled. "You like ice cream, don't you?"
Touya nodded slowly.
"Then it will make you feel better." She said and pulled him towards the trolley.
Nadesico got the man's attention. "Excuse me, I'd like two ice cream cones with three scoops of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry." She smiled and with a small 'oh', turned to Touya and bent down.
"Touya dear, what would you like?"
Touya fell over with shock.
They sat eating their ice cream for a while in the small park. Touya had settled for a double scoop of chocolate. Nadesico smiled. "Well somebody is going to live a very rich and sweet life."
"What about you, okaasan?"
She laughed. "A double dose of dizziness, silly moments, and blank memory."
Touya smiled, but shook his head. He pointed to the vanilla, "You have a loving marriage," then to the strawberry, "a sweet daughter," finally to the chocolate, "and a rich and sweet son who will give us a 'happily ever after'." He remembered the other cone.
"And the extra cone is all that silly stuff you do."
Nadesico smiled, her eyes glittering with tears. "Touya," she wrapped her arms around him without spilling the ice cream.
"You make me so happy. I do hope we live happily ever after."
"Okaasan, my ice cream!"
"I love you, Touya."
They picked up Sakura from the neighbors and entered the apartment. "Home sweet home." Nadesico sighed happily. It wasn't a very extravagant apartment. In fact, it was very small and sparsely decorated. Yet, everyone was happy in it. Touya knew it could have been worse.
Touya hung his jacket up and set his backpack down in the closet. He sat down on the sofa and crossed his arms.
"I want to talk about what happened at school." He said gruffly.
Nadesico was placing Sakura in her playpen. She looked at him with a grin.
"What, ice cream wasn't enough?"
"This is important, okaasan." Touya said sternly.
"Of course it is, but I was hoping we could discuss this like adults when your father returned from work and Sakura was asleep." She said in a deep mocking tone. She tried not to laugh, when Touya gaped at her in shock.
"Oh Touya its okay. I know you did your best and for all I know there was no other option."
"There was no other option, okaasan. Sensei says that it is always supposed to be your last resort in a fight." Touya insisted.
"Well, I am glad to hear your karate lessons are proving to be useful."
"He was going to hurt us both, okaasan." Touya said kicking his feet back and forth.
"Then you did what you could. I would not want to see my baby hurt. So, don't stress over it." Nadesico reached over and ran her fingers through his hair.
"I'm going to have to cut your hair again. It's getting to be out of control."
"Yes, Okaasan."
"I'm not mad at you, sweetheart. I can assure you your father won't be either. So don't be mad at yourself. Why don't you go upstairs and lay down for a bit. You should relax."
"Ok."
Touya laid back against his pillow and sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be so uptight about it if Okaasan isn't."
Touya closed his eyes and dreamed. Swirls of blue smoke pushed its way into Touya's eyes, making them sting and water. He couldn't see, but he could hear voices.
"Little boy..." hissed one voice.
"Come with us..." another clearer younger voice said from somewhere behind Touya.
"We were not meant to be..." a deep rich voice echoed.
"Gonna getcha..." hissed the snake voice.
"Take the rooftop, we'll go through the back. Got it?"
".... gonna.... hurt ya."
"Take it from me, Touya. Sometimes admitting defeat makes you stronger. Even if you feel weak." Said a soothing voice.
Touya was bombarded by all of these voices wanting to know what it all meant. Could it be another foretelling dream? Suddenly the voices grew quiet, as if they sound was being turned down on a radio. The smoke began to clear and Touya was struck with a bright light. He shut his eyes for a moment, but slowly opened them to adjust to the brightness. It was huge, it was round, it was...
"The moon." He whispered.
Smoke parted from the moon's face. They swept by and he realized they were clouds. It was the night sky and Touya was floating in it, hovering in front of the gigantic moon. His eyes cleared up and glimmered with the reflection of the night sky. He smiled. He had never seen the moon so huge before, it was like he was face to face with it.
"You made the dark voices go away. Thank you."
For a moment, Touya though a saw a pair of eyes blinking at him.
"So you are alive. My father always told me that the moon was just a rock, but I know now that is not true. You saved me."
Touya felt a soft breeze on his skin, a response?
"Will you be my friend? I have no friends, kids are scary, but you are not. Will you stay with me until the morning? I don't want those voices to come back. Will you, my friend?"
Touya felt a brush of wind fly by, this time it was warm and it rocked him gently onto his back. He swayed back and forth, becoming very sleepy. The moon seemed to dim slightly and the stars beside it flickered and twinkled softly. It was like a soundless lullaby. Yet, he thought he heard a soft chime somewhere in the distance, but Touya was too sleepy to care. He fell asleep in a dream....
"Touya!"
He woke with a jolt and shot right up at the sound of his mother's frightened voice. Why she sounded that way, Touya didn't know.
"Touya!" He heard her cry again. Where was she? He couldn't see. He was blinded by the sunlight.
"Okaasan?" he called back uncertainly.
"Touya? Touya where are you?" He heard his father shout.
"I..." he trailed off as his eyes slowly became adjusted to the light. He was out side of the apartment laying on the ledge underneath his bedroom window! He looked up at his window.
"Okaasan!" he yelled up.
Touya looked down and saw that a huge crowd had formed below. They stared back at him, making more panic and discomfort grow inside.
"Touya?" He saw his mother looking out of the window with bewilderment.
"Okaasan!" he called again.
She looked down at the crowd at first, not knowing why they were staring back at her. Then she lowered her eyes and paled. "Oh my God."
"Okaasan, I'm down here." Touya stood up.
"No, Touya! Stay right there!" she yelled. He reached up for her. "Please Okaasan. Make the people go away."
Fujitaka peered over the window. "Touya don't move. Help is coming."
He looked calm on the outside, but Touya could feel and see in his eyes the terror he felt. This made Touya scared.
"Okaasan, Outasan! Okaasan, Outasan!" he began to panic.
"Touya, don't panic sweetie. The firemen are coming."
"No!" Touya shook his head.
"Touya stay still, please." His mother begged.
"I want you to pull me up! Please don't let strangers come get me!" He reached up again.
"Touya!" His mother began to cry.
"Don't cry Okaasan. Just reach for me." Touya felt like he couldn't breathe. He didn't want to stay there and let someone he didn't know bring him down. Especially with all of those people down there.
"Okaasan, please. I promise I'll never get into trouble again. I promise! Get me up! Get me up! Okaasan! Please!" he began to scream. "Please Okaasan!"
He could hear the sirens approaching and without thinking, he began jumping up and down in panic on the narrow ledge.
"Touya stop that!" both of his parents screamed in unison. He stopped with fear.
"Touya, reach for me." Mother said.
"Nadesico-"Father started.
"I can't see him here like this anymore. It's ok, I can reach him." She said.
Touya reached up as his mother reached for his hands. Father grimaced, but grabbed onto her waist.
"Slowly, Touya reach for me. Don't look down." Mother warned.
Touya felt dizzy with adrenaline rushing through his veins. He snatched up her hand and suddenly lost his footing on the ledge.
"Touya!" They shouted again. He could hear the crowd below gasp, making him more determined to get back towards the ledge. He gritted his teeth and stretched a long leg towards the jutted concrete. His made contact and with effort, he pulled himself back onto the ledge. Looking down for a moment, he saw the firemen assembling the ladder. He wasn't going down with them for anything!
He felt his parents pulling him up slowly. He looked into his mother's eyes mirrored with his own fright.
"Okaasan, don't let me go." He pleaded.
"I won't let anything happen to you." A voice answered, but it was not his mother's. He felt a tear splash against his cheek as he was pulled up close enough for his father to reach out and pull him into the room. He heard the crowd applaud, but he didn't care. He didn't care that his parents were squeezing him so tightly he couldn't breathe well. He was away from the public's eye and safe and sound in his room.
He remembered the strange voice. Where had it come from?
"Yes, officer. I understand." Touya heard the front door close and his father's footsteps heading towards his room. There was a knock.
"Touya?"
Father entered the room and sat down on his bed.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, but I promise it won't happen again." Touya sniffed.
"Touya, how can you promise me that if you don't know how it happened in the first place?" Fujitaka placed a hand on top of Touya's head.
Shifting slightly at the contact, Touya tried to change subjects. "How's Okaasan?"
"Touya, listen to me. Today was a very serious matter. How did you get out there? When you took your nap, where did you fall asleep?"
Touya tried not to get irritated. It was the same question many of the police men asked him. "I was in bed."
"Was your window open or shut?"
"It was closed, I think."
"Well, from now on, I think we shall keep it closed at all times."
"Yes, Outasan."
After his father had left, Touya thought back to the dream. He had many scary and dark dreams before, but never had any of them affected him physically. He knew he didn't sleep walk. How could he have walked out the window anyway?
Touya got up and looked out the window. The sun was setting and the moon was out. It wasn't a full moon yet.
"Moon," he whispered, "please protect me. Don't let the bad dreams take me again." He placed a warm hand on the chilly glass watching the condensation grow around his palm and fingers. Looking past it, at the moon, he cupped its full sided face.
"My moon."
Forgive me if some do not like the darkness that will follow, I do warn you that some things will be slightly graphic. (Hee hee, I will say no more.) On with the story!!
One Year Later.....
The sun was up and the birds were singing. And the baby was crying again. Touya groaned and flipped over, burying his head under his pillow. This was becoming a routine that Touya did not like. Every morning at five thirty, the cries of Sakura Kinomoto could be heard throughout the tiny apartment. And what could be worse than that? Having to share the room in which the noise originated.
The crying got louder, she refused to let him sleep. Growling, Touya got up and peeked into the crib. It was his old crib from when he was little. His crib. Not that Touya was going to use need it anymore, but still she could not have gotten her own? She also took his room! Now that was inexcusable. He never had much for toys and furniture, but to cover his room with pink fluffiness was beyond reason. It was vandalism. It was trespassing. Violating territory!! It was-
"Whaaaa!!"
"Quiet." Touya said sternly. He reached between the bars and rubbed her tummy. She seemed to like that and she calmed down.
"You know, you sound like a monster when you scream and carry on like that." She watched the hand that rubbed her favorite spot and smiled. "You are a monster, you know that?"
She started her baby babbling and cooing as if to respond.
"That's right. You may be loud, but your bark is worse than your bite, for you have no teeth. For a monster that is unusual. Still, that is what you are and always will be." Sakura giggled making Touya smile. "From here on, you'll always be a little kaijuu." The door opened and a sleep deprived Fujitaka stepped in. "I'm sorry Touya, I'll take care of her." He lifted her up and sniffed her diaper. "Hmmm, not wet."
"It's okay papa, she was just letting us know she was awake. I'll look after her while you get some rest."
Fujitaka shook his head. "Then she must be hungry."
"Then I'll feed her." Touya reached his arms out to Sakura. "Please outasan. I can hold her. Okaasan said I could. I can feed her too. Go back to bed. I'm going down to eat breakfast anyway."
Fujitaka sighed. "Alright, thank you Touya. Your mother and I really appreciate this."
"How is okaasan?" Touya asked
Fujitaka looked across the hall. "She is fine. It was just a dizzy spell. Probably from all of the running around she did yesterday. The photo shoot, groceries, and taking Sakura for her shots."
"What shots?"
"Oh, her baby shots that protect her from bad illnesses." Fujitaka sat Sakura down while he dressed her.
"Oh. Does it hurt? She was crying a lot yesterday."
"It was just a little stick, but Sakura is very sensitive to things like that."
Touya looked down and Fujitaka chuckled. "Don't worry, Touya. It wasn't on purpose or anything. It was a small drawback for what will keep her healthy for a long time."
Touya didn't say anything for a while. Then he looked back up to his father and held his arms out again. Fujitaka nodded and handed over the tiny infant. "Don't forget to get ready for school."
"I'm all set. I packed everything last night."
"Good."
Touya took his baby sister into the living room and sat her in her play pen. His old play pen. Touya sighed to himself. I should know better. Money is tight.That was how father had put it. They would have to limit their spending to necessary items. That meant no more movies, only getting toys for birthdays and Christmas. Clothes would have to last and for Touya, that was a problem. He noticed his pants were too short, just barely covering his ankles. No more climbing trees, which was one of his favorite things to do outside. He would have to be careful not to tear anything. Growing was something Touya or his parents couldn't control.
Touya let out another sigh as he prepared Sakura's bottle. Mother showed him how to make her meals. He didn't know how she did it, take care of a baby that is. She always seemed so clumsy and dizzy. One time Touya asked her, "Okaasan, why are you so dizzy?"
Father had nearly spit out his coffee, but mother just laughed. "Oh, I don't know, I guess I'm always so happy that I feel like I will fly. Instead, I just fall. But someday, I will have white wings that will make me soar and I will be happy."
"Really, we can grow wings?" Touya exclaimed.
"Yes, and we will all fly away to somewhere that's happy. Someday." She smiled.
"Just don't go flying into anything when you're happy."
Touya smiled at the memory. Mother was silly sometimes, but with Sakura and he assumed with him as well, she was always gentle and graceful. He knew she would never drop his baby sister or let anything happen to her. One night he watched her dance with Sakura in her arms. She twirled and swayed, humming softly to the infant. Sakura smiled and fell asleep. For a moment then, Touya couldn't help but feel a slight burn in his stomach. Why didn't she dance like that with him?
He heard Sakura start to cry and brought him back to the present. He walked over and picked her up so he could sit her on his knee at the kitchen table. He cleverly held the baby and fed her with one hand and held a piece of toast in the other. He munched on his simple breakfast while he watched her intently. Sakura twisted her head away to say she was full.
"Okay, let me finish my breakfast and I will put you back in your playpen." He said.
Instead, she reached out with a tiny hand for his toast. Touya pulled it away. "No. This is my breakfast. You just had yours. Anyway, you are not old enough to eat food like this."
She reached for it again, her face showing disappointment.
"No! I said its mine, kaijuu!"
Sakura broke out in tears. "Stop it, you'll wake Outasan and Okaasan. Alright. Here." He held a corner to her face. "But I'm warning you, you won't be able to eat it."
He had to hold the toast for since the piece was too big for her to grasp. She lifted it to her mouth and sucked on a corner.
"See, no teeth, no toast."
Still, Sakura kept the corner in her mouth until it became soft and soggy and pulled it away.
"Hey!" Touya pulled the rest away. He stared at the mushy corner in disgust as she went on eating the piece she worked off.
"I was eating this. You can't eat this yet."
"It's okay, Touya. It is just a little piece. Let her eat, it will help her prepare for solid foods. Its about time." Nadesico said walking over to her children and picked up Sakura.
"Oh, you are getting so big!" she squealed to her.
"So am I, okaasan. I grew another inch." Touya added.
"Hmmm, I don't know what we're going to do if you grow anymore. If you grow too much, we'll have to modify some of your father's clothes to fit you." Nadesico shook her head.
Touya didn't like the sound of that. "But they will be too baggy. Everyone will laugh."
Nadesico closed her eyes and sighed. "I know Touya, but-"
"No, you don't." Touya blurted out before she could finish.
She didn't argue, there would be no point to it. She never had to go through this before. Not from where she came from.
"I'm sorry, okaasan." Touya came up and hugged her. She smiled back. Bending down, she said, "If we had lots of money Touya, I'd buy you an outfit for every day of the year, and anything your heart desires."
"I know, but we don't. It won't stop us though, we'll manage." Touya added.
"Oh Touya," she whispered softly, "I love you so much. Your strength is such a comfort to me." She placed her free hand on his soft, warm cheek.
"Promise me something."
Touya looked into her blue green eyes. "Anything for you."
"If anything were to happen to your father or I, don't worry or cry over us. Be strong for Sakura, for she will be very sad and scared. Don't let her get upset, always make her happy. You have always done this for me, please do this for your sister."
Touya did his best to hide the disappointment from his mother. He nodded. "Of course, okaasan, a promise is a promise." Although, I was hoping for something more... selfish. That's right, something for me, but its always Sakura. He didn't know why he felt a sudden burst of anger for the child. She was just staring back at him, yet, it was like she was taunting him.
"Don't feel down, Touya. I don't want to put any heavy burdens on you. It is just that she is young and she doesn't understand anything about death. You know about it, you know your father and I will always be watching over you. She won't understand this, not for a while. But your father and I will make sure not to let anything happen to us, if we can help it, okay?"
"Yes, Okaasan." He replied, his anger dying down.
"Now it is time for school." Fujitaka came around the corner adjusting his tie.
"Touya," he stopped in front of the little boy, "try to make some friends this year."
Touya frowned. He found other children annoying for some reason. To him they were hyper, whiny, loud, and some were dirty. The thought of shaking hands with them displeased Touya. Perhaps he was being a little snobby, but he just couldn't understand why kids had to be so...childish.
"Come along, Touya. Let's walk you to school."
The three of them walked up the road while Sakura was viewing the world from her stroller. Touya walked between his mother and father looking down at the sidewalk. He couldn't relate to the kids at school. They talked about cartoons and candy. They played silly games he could never understand like 'tag'. Standing still because somebody touched you and to stay that way until they game was over sounded ridiculous. That would bore him to death. Only when they would play soccer or baseball would he join in. Pretty soon he would be tall enough for basketball. It was only then Touya would play and have fun until the other kids started to cheat or goof off. He sighed.
"What's wrong? You sound like you're being hauled off to a death sentence." Nadesico chuckled.
Touya looked up at her with his puppy dog eyes and frowned. Nadesico laughed uncontrollably. "Such a silly face."
"I'm not silly!" he pouted.
"Yes you are."
"School isn't that bad, Touya." His father added.
"It's not school." Touya muttered.
"What's wrong?" she asked again.
"Nothing." He responded slowly, sighing again.
"Everything will be alright."
Touya looked down at the brown carpet below his swinging feet. He fidgeted in the uncomfortable plastic chair just outside of the principle's office. Mother was also behind that door since father was in a very important meeting, thank goodness. What was the principle telling her? What a bad boy Touya was? How the kids won't stop picking on him? Or how the girls chase him? Touya didn't know, but was sure he would find out soon. Touya looked at the door and felt his mother's aura flare with shock. This was not good.
"It wasn't my fault." He whispered to himself.
The door opened. "Thank you, Kanto-san. I will assure you this won't happen again." His mother bowed and turned to face Touya.
"Alright, Touya. You can go home with your mother."
"Why can't I go back to class?" Touya raised his voice. Nadesico knelt down in front of him.
"Because, sweetheart, you're very upset right now. I know you are. It would be best if you were not around others who would cause you to get even more upset."
"You mean to say, 'where you won't cause trouble'. Okaasan it wasn't my fault!" He got up, stuffed his hands in his pockets and started to pace. It was a habit he did when he was upset.
"You always told me if anyone was in trouble to help them out. You said girls should be treated with great care and gentle words. Well that boy wasn't being nice to her and wouldn't leave her alone, so I helped her. He started the fight!"
"Yes and you finished it with a black eye." She said calmly.
"Well," he stammered, "he had a stick. Besides, he should pick on somebody his own size."
"He was a first grader and it doesn't matter. You should never hit people like that."
"So I should have let him beat me up. Perhaps I should have just watched him push her around." Touya threw his hands up in exasperation.
"It doesn't make any sense!"
"Touya calm down."
"Tell me why I am wrong?"
"Touya please. You are overreacting." Nadesico opened her arms to hug him. He stayed put out of embarrassment. "Come here, dear. You aren't wrong. You had every right to defend yourself and the girl, but what I am trying to say is if you see anybody that needs help, tell a teacher."
"What if a teacher isn't there?"
"There are teachers all over this school." The principle scoffed.
"No! I mean what if there is trouble and there is no one else there to help."
"That is not the case here, Touya." His mother responded.
He sighed. "Fine, so let's go home." He stepped around his mother and grabbed his jacket and backpack.
"I want to discuss this later." Touya threw over his shoulder as he headed for the doors.
Stepping out into the chilling autumn air, he put his jacket on. Grown ups don't make any sense, he thought. If it's not one thing, it's another. That kid would have knocked my head off. If I hadn't hit him, he would have done so. Then who would get off clean? It's not fair, that big baby got what he deserved.
"Hold on there!" Mother came trotting up beside him.
"Remember who has the key to the apartment." She said slightly breathless.
"Dad hides a key behind the gutter pipe." Touya responded not looking at her.
"Oh, well I would still like to walk you home."
"Okay then. Gimme your hand." Touya held out his hand for his mother to take. She stifles a laugh and takes a hold of the warm soft hand.
"Your hand is almost as big as mine." She says.
"No, you just have really small hands."
Mother laughs. Touya stops and glares at her. "What!?"
She pulls him into a big hug even as he tries to squirm out of it. "Oh, Touya. Such a serious boy."
"I am serious." Touya didn't see anything wrong with that.
"You are so occupied with complex problems and adult worries. I sometimes wonder who the parent and who the child really is."
"That's not funny. I am the child. There is no way I'd be the mother." Nadesico burst out laughing and this time Touya laughed as well.
After they stopped, Nadesico put a finger to her jaw. "You know, I think we need some ice cream."
"Ice cream?" Touya repeated, not knowing if he had heard right.
"Yes, well look there. There's the ice cream man himself." Mother pointed to the white trolley with delicious pictures.
"But-"Touya protested looking down at his feet.
"But what dear?" She asked.
"I'm in trouble." He responded softly.
"In trouble? With what?"
"For school. I mean we just walked out of the principle's office. I shouldn't get ice cream because of what I did."
Nadesico thought for a moment, then smiled. "You like ice cream, don't you?"
Touya nodded slowly.
"Then it will make you feel better." She said and pulled him towards the trolley.
Nadesico got the man's attention. "Excuse me, I'd like two ice cream cones with three scoops of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry." She smiled and with a small 'oh', turned to Touya and bent down.
"Touya dear, what would you like?"
Touya fell over with shock.
They sat eating their ice cream for a while in the small park. Touya had settled for a double scoop of chocolate. Nadesico smiled. "Well somebody is going to live a very rich and sweet life."
"What about you, okaasan?"
She laughed. "A double dose of dizziness, silly moments, and blank memory."
Touya smiled, but shook his head. He pointed to the vanilla, "You have a loving marriage," then to the strawberry, "a sweet daughter," finally to the chocolate, "and a rich and sweet son who will give us a 'happily ever after'." He remembered the other cone.
"And the extra cone is all that silly stuff you do."
Nadesico smiled, her eyes glittering with tears. "Touya," she wrapped her arms around him without spilling the ice cream.
"You make me so happy. I do hope we live happily ever after."
"Okaasan, my ice cream!"
"I love you, Touya."
They picked up Sakura from the neighbors and entered the apartment. "Home sweet home." Nadesico sighed happily. It wasn't a very extravagant apartment. In fact, it was very small and sparsely decorated. Yet, everyone was happy in it. Touya knew it could have been worse.
Touya hung his jacket up and set his backpack down in the closet. He sat down on the sofa and crossed his arms.
"I want to talk about what happened at school." He said gruffly.
Nadesico was placing Sakura in her playpen. She looked at him with a grin.
"What, ice cream wasn't enough?"
"This is important, okaasan." Touya said sternly.
"Of course it is, but I was hoping we could discuss this like adults when your father returned from work and Sakura was asleep." She said in a deep mocking tone. She tried not to laugh, when Touya gaped at her in shock.
"Oh Touya its okay. I know you did your best and for all I know there was no other option."
"There was no other option, okaasan. Sensei says that it is always supposed to be your last resort in a fight." Touya insisted.
"Well, I am glad to hear your karate lessons are proving to be useful."
"He was going to hurt us both, okaasan." Touya said kicking his feet back and forth.
"Then you did what you could. I would not want to see my baby hurt. So, don't stress over it." Nadesico reached over and ran her fingers through his hair.
"I'm going to have to cut your hair again. It's getting to be out of control."
"Yes, Okaasan."
"I'm not mad at you, sweetheart. I can assure you your father won't be either. So don't be mad at yourself. Why don't you go upstairs and lay down for a bit. You should relax."
"Ok."
Touya laid back against his pillow and sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be so uptight about it if Okaasan isn't."
Touya closed his eyes and dreamed. Swirls of blue smoke pushed its way into Touya's eyes, making them sting and water. He couldn't see, but he could hear voices.
"Little boy..." hissed one voice.
"Come with us..." another clearer younger voice said from somewhere behind Touya.
"We were not meant to be..." a deep rich voice echoed.
"Gonna getcha..." hissed the snake voice.
"Take the rooftop, we'll go through the back. Got it?"
".... gonna.... hurt ya."
"Take it from me, Touya. Sometimes admitting defeat makes you stronger. Even if you feel weak." Said a soothing voice.
Touya was bombarded by all of these voices wanting to know what it all meant. Could it be another foretelling dream? Suddenly the voices grew quiet, as if they sound was being turned down on a radio. The smoke began to clear and Touya was struck with a bright light. He shut his eyes for a moment, but slowly opened them to adjust to the brightness. It was huge, it was round, it was...
"The moon." He whispered.
Smoke parted from the moon's face. They swept by and he realized they were clouds. It was the night sky and Touya was floating in it, hovering in front of the gigantic moon. His eyes cleared up and glimmered with the reflection of the night sky. He smiled. He had never seen the moon so huge before, it was like he was face to face with it.
"You made the dark voices go away. Thank you."
For a moment, Touya though a saw a pair of eyes blinking at him.
"So you are alive. My father always told me that the moon was just a rock, but I know now that is not true. You saved me."
Touya felt a soft breeze on his skin, a response?
"Will you be my friend? I have no friends, kids are scary, but you are not. Will you stay with me until the morning? I don't want those voices to come back. Will you, my friend?"
Touya felt a brush of wind fly by, this time it was warm and it rocked him gently onto his back. He swayed back and forth, becoming very sleepy. The moon seemed to dim slightly and the stars beside it flickered and twinkled softly. It was like a soundless lullaby. Yet, he thought he heard a soft chime somewhere in the distance, but Touya was too sleepy to care. He fell asleep in a dream....
"Touya!"
He woke with a jolt and shot right up at the sound of his mother's frightened voice. Why she sounded that way, Touya didn't know.
"Touya!" He heard her cry again. Where was she? He couldn't see. He was blinded by the sunlight.
"Okaasan?" he called back uncertainly.
"Touya? Touya where are you?" He heard his father shout.
"I..." he trailed off as his eyes slowly became adjusted to the light. He was out side of the apartment laying on the ledge underneath his bedroom window! He looked up at his window.
"Okaasan!" he yelled up.
Touya looked down and saw that a huge crowd had formed below. They stared back at him, making more panic and discomfort grow inside.
"Touya?" He saw his mother looking out of the window with bewilderment.
"Okaasan!" he called again.
She looked down at the crowd at first, not knowing why they were staring back at her. Then she lowered her eyes and paled. "Oh my God."
"Okaasan, I'm down here." Touya stood up.
"No, Touya! Stay right there!" she yelled. He reached up for her. "Please Okaasan. Make the people go away."
Fujitaka peered over the window. "Touya don't move. Help is coming."
He looked calm on the outside, but Touya could feel and see in his eyes the terror he felt. This made Touya scared.
"Okaasan, Outasan! Okaasan, Outasan!" he began to panic.
"Touya, don't panic sweetie. The firemen are coming."
"No!" Touya shook his head.
"Touya stay still, please." His mother begged.
"I want you to pull me up! Please don't let strangers come get me!" He reached up again.
"Touya!" His mother began to cry.
"Don't cry Okaasan. Just reach for me." Touya felt like he couldn't breathe. He didn't want to stay there and let someone he didn't know bring him down. Especially with all of those people down there.
"Okaasan, please. I promise I'll never get into trouble again. I promise! Get me up! Get me up! Okaasan! Please!" he began to scream. "Please Okaasan!"
He could hear the sirens approaching and without thinking, he began jumping up and down in panic on the narrow ledge.
"Touya stop that!" both of his parents screamed in unison. He stopped with fear.
"Touya, reach for me." Mother said.
"Nadesico-"Father started.
"I can't see him here like this anymore. It's ok, I can reach him." She said.
Touya reached up as his mother reached for his hands. Father grimaced, but grabbed onto her waist.
"Slowly, Touya reach for me. Don't look down." Mother warned.
Touya felt dizzy with adrenaline rushing through his veins. He snatched up her hand and suddenly lost his footing on the ledge.
"Touya!" They shouted again. He could hear the crowd below gasp, making him more determined to get back towards the ledge. He gritted his teeth and stretched a long leg towards the jutted concrete. His made contact and with effort, he pulled himself back onto the ledge. Looking down for a moment, he saw the firemen assembling the ladder. He wasn't going down with them for anything!
He felt his parents pulling him up slowly. He looked into his mother's eyes mirrored with his own fright.
"Okaasan, don't let me go." He pleaded.
"I won't let anything happen to you." A voice answered, but it was not his mother's. He felt a tear splash against his cheek as he was pulled up close enough for his father to reach out and pull him into the room. He heard the crowd applaud, but he didn't care. He didn't care that his parents were squeezing him so tightly he couldn't breathe well. He was away from the public's eye and safe and sound in his room.
He remembered the strange voice. Where had it come from?
"Yes, officer. I understand." Touya heard the front door close and his father's footsteps heading towards his room. There was a knock.
"Touya?"
Father entered the room and sat down on his bed.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, but I promise it won't happen again." Touya sniffed.
"Touya, how can you promise me that if you don't know how it happened in the first place?" Fujitaka placed a hand on top of Touya's head.
Shifting slightly at the contact, Touya tried to change subjects. "How's Okaasan?"
"Touya, listen to me. Today was a very serious matter. How did you get out there? When you took your nap, where did you fall asleep?"
Touya tried not to get irritated. It was the same question many of the police men asked him. "I was in bed."
"Was your window open or shut?"
"It was closed, I think."
"Well, from now on, I think we shall keep it closed at all times."
"Yes, Outasan."
After his father had left, Touya thought back to the dream. He had many scary and dark dreams before, but never had any of them affected him physically. He knew he didn't sleep walk. How could he have walked out the window anyway?
Touya got up and looked out the window. The sun was setting and the moon was out. It wasn't a full moon yet.
"Moon," he whispered, "please protect me. Don't let the bad dreams take me again." He placed a warm hand on the chilly glass watching the condensation grow around his palm and fingers. Looking past it, at the moon, he cupped its full sided face.
"My moon."