Games
Disclaimer: This chapter contains spoilers from episodes 59 and 60 from "Hikaru no Go." Half of this chapter takes place in Japan. So the Japanese custom of last name first applies here. We don't own The Labyrinth, Hikaru no Go, or Harry Potter.
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Chapter 2: Game Master
Jareth, the Goblin King, had faced many interesting and diverse opponents in life and games of chance. Many people of all races and ages had run his Labyrinth, trying to beat him and the clock to save a wished away.
Then there were times where he, in his human persona as Jared King, had to deal with opponents across a table, be it for fun or for politics. He even played games against his lovely and fiery lady wife. She was a very worthy opponent, which is one of the many reasons why he was still in love with her to this day.
What ever the game, the challenge was the same, beat the Goblin King in a game of His choosing. It was a rare chance for him to face a mortal human, like this one, across a game board. A Go Board had so much potential to make 'magic' happen.
When it was proposed Tuatha Enterprises host a Go Tournament for young players from around the world, he was only mildly interested. That was until a seer came to him.
Seers were highly regarded among the Fae. They had a way to see future events, for good or ill. To cross them, or fail to listen to them, was like taking your life in hand without any safety measures. You may survive it, but if you ignored their sage advice many problems could've been avoided.
The seer told him, "There will be one that has the potential to bring back a venerable game. One who has been guided by an ancient hand. Young and old have combined to shake a world. However, the younger has been cut adrift without his teacher. Pain and heart-ache follow this youth. For each game he plays he seeks to find his lost teacher. Heal the pain and a lost name and honor will be restored."
Jareth found himself studying the young pro across the goban. He had been impressed at how strong a player this Hikaru Shindou was throughout the competition. His concentration when he played had been remarked by many.
Hikaru had been Jareth's first pick to win, just from the brilliance he displayed and the strong playing style of his first game.
Now, sitting across from the young Japanese pro as they settled on the terms, Jareth could see the wheels in the teen's mind turning. That was when he saw it – Pain. A deep canker of unrelenting pain. This young Go pro was hurting, grieving and determined to put it past him to play.
When the game reached mid point Jareth saw it. The spark of magic that was needed to walk the path of the Divine Move. Oh, he knew of this move. It was found in many games of skill. That one move was so inspired that it could only have come from divine inspiration, or magic. He wondered briefly if this young player was seeking the move to once again be reunited with his lost loved one.
Jareth looked over the board and smiled. Yes, this game had become very interesting. Although the game of Go was more of an Asian game, around for over 2,000 years, he had only played it once before.
Jareth had played most of the games in the world, at least those that caught his interest. He had lost that Go game, but it had left a deep impression on him. He won't make the same mistakes again.
The sound of a stone hitting the board resounded in the room, and resonated in his magic. A low hissing sound of surprise reverberated through out the audience.
'There! Did you see that Garion, my son? That bit of intuitive magic? This Japanese boy is not inherently magical, but when he plays, his imagination, his intuition, his passion for the game shine like a beacon of light in a dark world.'
The seer had been correct Jareth thought as he once more peered into the teen's soul. No. This Hikaru Shindou had no real magic to speak of. His heart, his passion, his resolve had set him clearly on his life's pathway. In this young warrior's heart, the game was now a forgone conclusion but the Goblin King was not to be intimidated.
The question now was should he play by his rules? No. There was honor in this game. That teen was playing from his heart and soul.
The Goblin King would not cheapen this game by cheating. Losing to such a player was no disgrace, he would see it through.
The game went to the bitter end as Jareth wouldn't admit to defeat. Even though he was sure this young Japanese warrior had won. The Goblin King was very impressed.
"So, Shindou-san," Jareth said in his very cultured British accent as he stood. "You have won this match. As a reward, what wish would you have me grant?"
Of course, the Goblin King left out the phrase, "If it is in his power. . ." Everything was within his power. It was just most mortals didn't impress him as this young man in front of him had. Most humans wanted money, lots of sex, power, but what will this one wish for?
Looking the Goblin King in the eye, Hikaru Shindou started to speak but then shook his head.
"No offense, King-san," the boy said in Japanese, allowing his interpreter to translate for their audience, giving the tall monarch a bow of respect. "The one thing I want I can not have. I doubt it is within your power, King-san, to give me it." A brief glimpse of the pain that was always within him crossed his face.
Jareth was hit with a strong feeling of grief, loss and longing. Then he heard the unspoken wish as clear as if it had been broadcast over the sound system.
"I want Sai back. I want one more day with him. To play Go, to hear his voice. To find out why he left the way he did. I want to prove to the world he existed. To tell everyone what a genius he was when it came to playing Go. That is what I wish."
Jareth was hit with a vision of a tall, stately figure with long blue-black hair tied in a low pony-tail, wearing a long white robe with flowing long sleeves that went past his fingers. His eyes were a deep amethyst. Perched on his head was a very tall, black, cone-shaped hat. In his hand was a Japanese paper fan.
"Sayonara, King-sama. Arigato for the game. I enjoyed it," Hikaru said politely before turning to leave.
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Garion came to stand by Jareth as the Japanese teen walked away. "Father? Can you grant his wish?" They walked away from the stage to speak more privately.
The Goblin King turned to his free-spirited son and smirked. "It would take some reworking, but it is no more difficult than snatching a toddler left on a door step in late autumn."
Garion grinned. They, both, knew that he had been that babe in a former life. He no longer went by the name of Harry Potter.
The night his parents had been murdered, he had been sent to live with his mother's sister. However, a wish by his cousin saved him from living with her and her unnatural family, where he would've been neglected and treated worse than a slave. Now he was the adopted son of the Goblin King, and a True Bard of Old.
"Then I will leave you to your work, Father." Garion bowed and left the ballroom with the rest of the party-goers.
Yes, it was going to be a long night. Now how shall he go about it?
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Hikaru stepped into his hotel room, throwing his dinner jacket onto the freshly made bed, pulled off his tie and tossed it onto the jacket. He hated formal attire but it was a necessary evil. The Go Association demanded it in situations like tonight. Thankfully, he only had to wear the suit and tie for formal occasions such as the party tonight.
'Thank kami, I don't have a room mate for this tournament,' he thought, with a tired yawn.
Shindou stripped down and headed for the shower. He reeked of smoke and perfume and didn't want to sleep smelling this bad.
As he stepped out of the shower, feeling much better and more relaxed, something rolled across the bathroom floor. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stared down at the perfect, round crystal ball at his feet.
'Nani? What the hell is this?' he picked up the crystal and looked into it. 'Wonder who left this herr. . . .?' Before he could complete his thought, the crystal exploded into a shower of glitter, causing the famous young Japanese Go player to fall unconscious onto the tiled floor.
He wasn't found until the next day when his interpreter came to wake him up, to make sure he was on time for the closing ceremonies.
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"Hikaru! Hikaru!" shouted a long ago familiar voice in the sleeping teen's ear.
"Not now, Sai. Another 10 minutes. . ." he muttered. His sleep-fogged mind was slowly comprehending the fact that there was someone in his room. Wait! He wasn't in the hotel room provided by Tuatha Enterprises. Where was he?
"But Hikaru! Someone broke into your grandfather's shed!" shouted Sai.
Sai!?
Hikaru sat up in bed and looked around. It can't be! He was supposed to be at some tournament in the States. Why was he in his old room? Why was he hearing. . . .?
He nervously looked up at the towering white clad figure of the spirit that had haunted him since he was 12. "Ssssai?" he whispered, staring wild-eyed.
"Hikaru! Your mother is on that talking thing with your grandfather. Someone broke into his shed last night!" the spirit shouted waving his hands.
Hikaru glanced up at the calendar by his desk. Today was the third of May. Two days before Sai left him. He had been sent back? But how?
He quickly dressed and ran down the stairs. His mother was just getting off the phone with his grandfather. "Thieves," she informed him. "They have taken a lot of items from your grandfather's shed."
"The Goban! Did they take the Goban!?" shouted a very worried and panicked Sai.
Hikaru knew from the time before that they hadn't. He had better look anyways, if only to calm Sai down. He also wanted to check the blood stains on the haunted goban.
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The goban was where Hikaru had left it. The blood stains looked just as faded as he remembered. Last time he had ignored the warning, thinking he had forever with Sai. Now he knew better. Sai was fading away and there was nothing he could do about it. Hikaru kept Sai from seeing the tears welling up in his eyes as he tried to think on what was happening.
Somehow he had been granted his wish of one more day with Sai.
Well.
There was no way he was going waste this opportunity. Blinking away the tears, he traced the faded blood stains.
"So, feel up to a game with your old grandfather?" asked Shindou Heihachi.
Hikaru glanced up at the worried spirit. Sai was actually shaking in fear. Why hadn't he noticed before? He had been so sure of himself that Sai would be around forever. Now he knew better.
"I can't Gramps," Hikaru said, standing and dusting off his knees. "I promised Mom to clean my room before I leave tomorrow for a Go seminar. Maybe when I get back in a couple of days?"
"I will hold you to it!" The old man headed down the stairs. Hikaru started to follow before turning to Sai.
"Come on Sai."
"Hikaru, play me!" Sai cried desperately.
"I will when we get home," Hikaru quietly assured him. "Come on!"
The ghost followed. "Wait Hikaru! Your mother didn't make you promise to clean your room."
"I know, I know. But it was the only way to get out of playing Gramps. You coming or not?"
Sai didn't hesitate after that. He hurried down the stairs after Hikaru.
Back home and in Hikaru's room, the pair played Go, and in between games Hikaru did straighten up his room. Not only to keep his mother happy, but to make what he told his grandfather the truth. His room wasn't really dirty per se, just cluttered. So it didn't take long to put everything away.
"Sai? I'm sorry I was such a brat," Hikaru said as he got ready for bed after the last game.
"Hikaru, you're my host and very young, it is to be expected," Sai said softly, sitting seiza by his bed. "I am glad I got to play you. You are growing stronger."
Thankfully, Hikaru side-stepped the argument from the wrong move earlier that had Sai sulking and him angry. Playing Sai could be challenging at times because Sai was a grand master Go Player. However, he had a long day tomorrow and it would be the last day he would have with Sai. He needed his sleep.
Hikaru plopped down onto his bed drawing the covers up. "I still can't beat you. 'Night Sai. We have a busy day tomorrow."
"Good night Hikaru. You will in time, you are growing stronger," was the last he heard as sleep claimed him. At least, the worry wasn't in Sai's voice.
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The Go Seminar was as noisy as he remembered; attending along with several pros was Ogata Seiji-jundan. Last time Hikaru had been nervous as the 10-dan was there. The man was very focused on Sai, or rather playing Sai on the internet. Only Hikaru knew that Sai was a spirit and couldn't physically play anyone.
'Hey Sai?' he mind-spoke to the spirit standing beside him.
'Yes, Hikaru?' The spirit was studying the goban that Hikaru was using to play a teaching game with an older man sitting across the table from him.
'If I can arrange it, do you want to play against Ogata-san?'
'YES! Can you arrange it, Hikaru?' The spirit asked excitedly.
'I think so. Sai?' Hikaru finished the game and then told the gentleman where he make his mistake and where he could improve his playing skills.
'Yes Hikaru?'
'I'm sorry I didn't let you play more.'
'Oh Hikaru. . .'
The gentleman thanked Hikaru and left. Another man sat in the chair moments later. It was going to be a long busy day. No more was said.
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The seminar was closing. It was night-time and Hikaru was still teaching some of the hotel patrons as hotel employees were tearing down tables and cleaning up the trash.
Like last time the older blonde Go Pro plopped down in front of Hikaru's table, drunk as usual. "Shindou, I want to play Sai," he demanded. Hikaru could smell the alcohol on the man's breath from across the table. He reeked of it.
"Only if you play me first," Hikaru said. "And not here. They want to clean up." He looked around at the busy staff.
The tall Go Pro shakily stood and grabbed his jacket that he had tossed across the table.
'Sai? Here's your chance to play him.'
'But Hikaru. . . '
'He's drunk, he won't remember much of the game.'
The ghost smiled. 'Alright Hikaru. Arigato.'
The game went as Hikaru remembered. He watched as Sai ran right over the drunken 10-dan. The man was becoming more sober as the game went on, but it didn't help. Sai still beat him.
That night in their hotel room, Hikaru got ready for bed. As much as he wanted to play Sai again, or even go over the game that Sai had just played, he knew he needed his sleep. He didn't want to think about tomorrow.
Tomorrow was Sai's last day. He didn't want to miss a moment of it.
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They left first thing in the morning to catch the early morning train for two reasons. The first was to stay out of Ogata-san's way. Hikaru didn't want to deal with a hung-over 10-dan demanding to play Sai. The second reason was Hikaru wanted to spend as much time with Sai before he disappeared 'again.'
Back home in his room Hikaru opened a window. The sun was shining and a gentle breeze was blowing. Two wind socks outside his window were waving in the breeze.
Hikaru was tired. He had slept some on the train, much to his annoyance. He'd wanted to spend it with Sai.
"Let's play, Hikaru," Sai demanded anxiously.
Hikaru smiled and knelt across the goban from his mentor. They played quietly for a few minutes. "Sai?"
The spirit looked questioningly at him.
"I have enjoyed my playing time with you. Please never leave me," the teen said.
Sai began to speak his thoughts, looking up and out the window. It looked for a moment like he wouldn't speak, but softly the words started to flow out of his mouth.
"If Torijiro existed for my sake, then I existed for your sake, Hikaru. Then, in time, you will exist for someone as well. Then that someone will exist for another's sake. It is the way it should be. It is the long path of the Divine Move." Sai closed his eyes as the epiphany hit him.
The Heien Spirit began to glow. His fan resting in the palms of his hand. He looked back at his student once more before closing his eyes again. His body started to break apart. "My role is done. . . "
He smiled as he again peered at his shocked student's face. "Oh, by the way. Go is. . .Hikaru. . . Hikaru. . . . Can you hear me?" Hikaru reached out to touch him but his hand slipped through Sai's sleeve as it if wasn't there.
"Sai!?. . . Don't leave me! Sai!"
Hikaru shot straight up in bed, screaming, "SAI!"
He looked around to find himself in a hospital bed, surrounded by beeping monitors.
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seiza – a proper seated Japanese position. One must first be kneeling on the floor, folding one's legs underneath one's thighs, while resting the buttocks on the heels.
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There is one more chapter after this. Thanks for all the reviews. We do appreciate them.
Until next time. – GF and the Frau