Disclaimer: FoR's not mine!
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--Fuuko's POV--
Ouch.
My head still feels dizzy and clogged, and my body heavy. I can't even lift my arms.
I crack open my eyes and look straight ahead, and all I see are expensive-looking gadgets and equipment. I look down and see that my wrists are fastened down with metal rings to the bed I'm lying on, also my ankles. Oh. That figures why my arms won't budge. What more, I'm not wearing my school uniform, but some thin, white cloth like the ones in a hospital.
Where the hell am I?
Certainly, I don't recognize the place. Could this be the hideout of my abductor?
My mind flashes back and I remember who kidnapped me.
Raiha.
I can't believe that he did this to me. Wasn't he supposed to be my prince? The prince kidnaps the princess. How stupidly ironic... Some prince he is. Why am I thinking about this "prince" crap anyway? I feel anger well up inside me, as well as confusion. It's not anything like resentment or hatred, especially because of all the things he'd done for me. Even if he did hurt me before.
And now he's done it again.
Suddenly, there is some sliding noise somewhere to my left, and I crane my neck to see what's causing it. The metallic noise comes from metal sliding doors, and in the dim light I can see a figure slowly approaching me. The intruder's footsteps resound throughout the cold room.
My heartbeat quickens as he nears me. I know very well that I'm helpless at the moment. My mind is still a bit numb, not to mention my body. Besides, what can I do against these metal rings?
Soon enough he's looming over me. Suddenly, bright light fills the whole room, and I squint and try to look at his face. Wait a minute...
He's Kurei... KUREI?!?
"Ku- Kurei? Wha- what are you doing here?" I stutter. I can't believe that I'm really seeing him, and I blink my eyes stupidly.
A low chuckle sounds from his throat. "Well, well. Aren't you happy to see me?" a maskless, red-cloaked Kurei responds.
"Hey, does Recca know you're back?" I ask, ignoring his question and the tint of mockery in his voice. I think Recca sees Kurei as his brother now after he helped us defeat Tendoujigoku.
He slightly frowns. "Frankly, I don't care. If I were you, I would stop worrying about other people and just worry about myself." He smirks.
His answer irritates me, and I feel my blood begin to boil. Why is this idiot acting like this? "What are you saying? You even helped us fight Tendoujigoku back then! Have you gone mad again?"
"It's really none of your business," he hisses and narrows his eyes.
The jerk is really getting on my nerves, and my blood is nearing boiling point. "Oh, fine. Anyway, you haven't answered my question yet. What are you doing here? More importantly, what am I doing here?"
"This is my house, in case you don't know," he drawls and smiles again.
Now my blood is at boiling point. "It's not this freakin' house I'm talking about, and you know that!" I holler. "Why are you here when you're supposed to be somewhere in the past?"
"Ah... yes. During my enjoyable stay there amidst blood and war, I discovered something very... interesting. Actually, it was connected with you," he says.
This is getting really annoying, but my curiosity gets the better of me. "Oh, and what could that be?" I sarcastically spit out. "That I was transported here from the past just like Recca?"
Kurei snickers. God, I want to punch his stupid face! He answers, "Not exactly. Do you want to know? Or do you want to see?"
Huh? What does he mean, "see?" It doesn't sound too bad and there's nothing to lose anyway. "Try me," I snicker back.
Kurei doesn't answer. He bends down and pulls up a thick leather strap, then secures it over my shoulders. I open my mouth to ask why the heck these are needed, but before I can say anything he says, "I think we'll finish faster if you keep your mouth shut." The nerve! I hate this...
He then sticks some things connected to tubes to my temples. Man, I feel as if I'm in an operating room! Finally, he switches on a machine, opens a small compartment in it and puts a glass ball inside, which oddly resembles the crystals that were used in the Ura Butou Satsujin. But that's impossible—all those were already destroyed.
Kurei looks at me and says, "We're going to start. Prepare yourself." He pushes a few buttons on the machine.
"Prepare for a trip in time 400 years ago." What?
I squeeze my eyes shut, and immediately an electrocuting pain courses through my whole body. My temples feel as if they're being pounded by large hammers, and it's like my head is gonna split open. I scream again and again, trying to make the pain go away.
But the pain... it's getting more intense! Tears well up in my eyes and my body starts to shudder and shake violently. Pain... I'm in so much pain!!! I can't stand it anymore! My eyes roll back to my head.
I pass out.
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400 years ago, Hokage village
--Yuuka's POV--
"Attaaaaaack!!!"
Rapidly, Oda Nobunaga's troops come pouring over our village, killing every Hokage ninja in sight and burning every house to the ground. In a matter of minutes dead bodies lay strewn on the bloody ground, even bodies of women and children. How could they? They have no honor and respect.
They make me sick.
My attention shifts to an enemy ninja slowly approaching the tree where I'm hiding. In one swift motion I pull out a shuriken and throw it at his throat. He stops in mid-step and chokes out blood, then falls face-down to the ground. Hah. Serves him right.
I would have liked to finish off more of them, but I need to go back now. I have to tell Ouka-sama the situation we're into. Besides, I shouldn't use Fuujin here.
I turn and run as fast as my feet can carry me, the night wind hitting my face and trying to undo my long purple hair from being tied up. I feel the weight of Fuujin on my arm; even in a night like this, it still comforts me.
Finally, I hear our leader's voice. He's shouting for all of us to fight back and never let our foes defeat us. Even if we die trying. But it really looks like there's no hope now. In just one night, Hokage may vanish.
I run towards him, and he sees me and asks, "Yuuka, how far have the enemies gone into our village?"
"They are halfway through, Ouka-sama, and they're advancing in really fast," I report.
"Is that right...?" he quietly asks himself, then says, "The others are hiding the madougu. You should hide Fuujin with the others. The enemies must never touch even one of them. Go," he tells me and gives me a slight push on the back. I smile at him and say, "You've been a good leader, Ouka-sama. Good luck." He smiles slightly, determination flashing in his eyes, and then runs toward the direction the enemies are coming from.
Once again, I run, but not towards the other Hokage hiding the madougu. I'll get to that later. First, there's something important I have to do.
In no time, I'm standing before my house. I slide open the door and go straight to the small altar at the back. It's too dangerous to light a lantern, so I wait for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Finally, I see it. The small wooden box containing my family's secret—the sphere of life, Inochi no Kyu.
When they were still alive, Okaasan and Otousan always told me to protect this little shining ball, to hide it carefully, and to never show it to anyone. I always asked what it was, but I was too young then, and I only discovered its purpose when I turned 12 and Okaasan told me. The Inochi no Kyu, she said, had been created by my grandparents in an attempt to discover more about life. She told me that it could restore or elongate life. Exactly how, she didn't know.
But I believe her. And I know I have to protect it.
Luckily, I know just the perfect place to hide it.
I raise my right arm and concentrate on the bracelet clinging to it. "Fuujin, come out," I command. The main kaku with "fuu" written on it glows, and in a rush of soft wind Fuujin appears, floating in mid-air right in front of me.
"Why did you call me, Master?" the furry little fluffball asks me in its tiny voice.
"I have a... little job for you," I softly say. Fuujin doesn't say anything.
I reach for the wooden box and raise it, showing it to the creature. I open it, and blinding light momentarily floods the room. After a few seconds, it becomes visible. There, hovering a few centimeters above the box's base, is a marble-like shining orb—the Inochi no Kyu. Fuujin looks at it, but still doesn't say anything.
"Fuujin," I begin. "The Hokage village will soon turn to ashes. It's bloodshed outside, and soon, my own blood will bathe the ground. But I cannot let the enemies find you, and so will hide here. You must hide this with you." I motion to the orb.
"What is it, Master?" Fuujin asks.
"It's called the Inochi no Kyu, and it can grant immortality or bring back the dead. It's awfully powerful; that's why I can't risk it to be found by the enemies," I explain and move the box closer to the wind creature. "Take it."
"Yes, Master." The sphere suddenly floats to the space between Fuujin's raised paws and, in the blink of an eye, disappears. "It's now safe within the depths of Fuujin."
"Fuujin... when the right time comes, when you have found a new master, I expect you to use it well. I entrust it to you," I say and smile. "You may return now."
A faint breeze blows again, and Fuujin dives back to the kaku. The kaku glows, then remains dark.
Unwillingly, I unclasp the bracelet and stare at it for a moment. A deep sense of loneliness washes over me, but I just shake it off. I quickly turn to the wall behind the altar and slide open a secret panel and place the Fuujin inside. I close the panel and run outside.
I'm ready to face my fate—even if it means dying. I'll die with honor.
As for Fuujin, and the Sphere, I'll just hope for the best.
Maybe someday, they will fall unto good hands.
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A/N: Yo! I finally came up with a third chapter! I apologize for the awfully long time it took me to update. I've been very busy with tests and projects that were unfortunately given to us all at the same time... Sigh. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. I also want to make it clear that this is a RaiFuu!
I'll try to update soon! Please review!
