Chapter 3: Wings of Hitzusen
I quietly stirred from my slumber. My eyes fluttered open and adjusted from my disoriented state to notice Mokona on her toes on Mira's shoulders. Her closed eyes seeming as if she was gazing down at my cousin's sleeping form wrapped tightly into my coat.
I then turned my head upward to see the ninja in the corner of the bland room, nodding his head in conformation to my conscious state. A permanent scowl etched onto his face.
I then angled my head upward, expecting to see the ceiling and instead met face to face with the blue eyed mage smiling down at me…my head resting in his lap.
Once I realized the position I was in I squeaked and rolled off his lap. Diving for my cousin's side and accidentally knocking Mokona off her shoulder.
Unconsciously I tightened the coat I had around me despite having given my original coat to Mira. So, who's-?
That is when I glanced down and examined the coat I was suddenly holding. It was the mage's coat…
Once, realizing it wasn't mine, I tugged the warm cloak off my person and threw it back towards the mage. This cut him off, mid-laugh, when the large cloak smacked him straight in the face.
Suddenly, before I could claim victory, a warm hand clamped down onto my ankle. I jumped in surprise and spun around to see Mira, who stared up at me, with sleepy auburn orbs.
"Vagina's are friends...not food..." She slurred sleepy, right before she passed out again.
"...The hell...?" The ninja muttered in a scowled bewilderment. Surprisingly, I didn't even freak out when sweat-drops began coating over our heads.
"Sakura!"
At this unexpected shout I glimpsed over my shoulder immediately. Syaoran had awoken in an outburst for his princess….Oh dear heavens that sounded wrong.
The young boy shot forward. Searching for the girl he still held as if…she could simply disappear at any moment.
His eyebrows scrunched up worriedly. He gazed down at the sleeping girl in his lap. The same look I had seen him use discreetly whilst at the shop fleeting his features even now.
I smiled at the obvious way he held her with delicacy. His eyes were gentler, and yet more alert when merely glimpsing the unconscious girl. She was his most precious person after all.
"Ah, so you're awake… eh…" The blond seemed lost, not knowing the boy's name.
"Syaoran," The boy answered, giving us each a small smile.
"Syaoran-kun, and that's Sakura-chan right?"
Syaoran nodded while the mage pointed at his own smiling face, "My name is a little long, and so you can just call me Fai. And..." He trailed off as he looked towards the ninja.
I already knew he was coming up with a nickname for the older brute, "Mr grumpy shall be Mr Black-"
"It's not Mr Black! It's Kurogane!" The ninja yelled, getting angry as he reached for his belt, and forgetting that his long, katana sword, had already been given to Yūko as a price.
"Waahh~ Kuro-tan is angry," Fai said in a teasing manner.
I smiled pleasantly. I had always liked the way Fai teased Kurogane.
But being the only face without a name that was awake, all three men turned their eyes to me questioningly.
"And you are?"
"Miyuki Wakare," I introduced myself as I always did…with my nickname.
"So, Miyu-chan, ne?" The mage smiled, cocking his head to the side.
In response to the- not so- innocent mage, I huffed and turned away agitatedly. I was still mad at him for laughing at me- why was I even on his lap anyway?
Baka mage, I frowned while Mira then began to stir from her slumber.
I watched as she fluttered her dazed orbs open. Her body stiffened as she stretched out and seemed to process something. "Oh hey...I'm not dead, maybe I did push her in..." Mira trailed off though when she stared up at my blank gaze. Only then realizing I was sitting right next to her.
Without another word I stood and turned for the door. Being slowed down and almost tripping onto my face when Mira tackled my ankle in a tight grip.
"Waah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Mira cried while I tried to shake her off and reach for the door at the same time. It was actually comical, really.
"You said and did it either way!"
"I thought the fluffy thing was gonna eat me!"
"...So you tried to push me in instead?"
"...Yes..."
"...Get off!" I growled, unsuccessfully trying to shake her off my leg.
Her whining though was cut short when she finally took notice of everyone else in the room who was watching our exchange with a mix of amusement, and confusion.
"Oh hey~ I haven't met y'all yet."
"Oh," I muttered absently, pointing to everyone with their designated names, "Syaoran, Sakura, Fai, Kurrgy-"
Kurogane baffled by the nickname grounded out, "KUROGANE!"
I paused with my pointer finger aimed at the ninja. I paused, slowly turning towards Mokona, "And Mokona."
"Hi, I'm Mira~," She beamed, waving out her hand excitedly before latching onto me when, I once again, tried to shack her off.
"Let go!" I growled. I suddenly paused when I caught sight of something in Syaoran's cloak.
"YO! So you're all awake now!" A voice sang happily. Everyone looked up towards the designated voice, noticing two people entering the room. Mira stood as they entered.
The man with spiky brown hair, tanned skin and a lazy smile introduced himself to be Sorato Arisugawa.
The other was a beautiful woman with straight black hair. A fringe covered her forehead, and she held brown eyes. She introduced herself to be Arashi, Sorato's wife.
Mira absently slipped off my coat from her body, handing the large warm furry device to me as I gave a small muttered, "Thanks," and turned to Arashi, "Excuse me, where's the restroom?"
"It's downstairs, the first door on your left," Arashi smiled politely.
I thanked her and folded my coat over my arms. Walking past Sorato who was already teasing Kurogane with a "if you touch my wife" bit, surprising the pissed ninja for the threat only sent towards him.
As I stepped out from the room though, I remembered the thing in Syaoran's cloak. The curiosity of its presence made me pause and look back for just one last comment. "Syaoran-kun, there's a feather in your clothes."
Mira's Pov:
I watched as my cousin left the room. One comment making the young boy, named Syaoran, rummage through his clothes to pull out a white feather. It was decorated with a marking of a pink heart, and though strange, I thought it was pretty.
"This is..." He trailed off in astoundment.
"Oh~, is that one of the memories that the Witch was speaking of?" The blonde asked, a wide smile tugging onto his lips.
I could literally feel the confusion seeping into my body. The very second the blonde spoke. It only came to confuse me more when the boy nodded, releasing the feather from his hands so it drifted downward toward the unconscious girl's chest.
That one part of her body blurred out like ripples in the water while the feather entered her body. It beamed brightly and gradually diminished from existence, almost as if it had never happened to begin with.
But I did take notice of how the young girls pale cheeks took a tint of a rosy pink to her skin. She appeared just a tad healthier than before, probably from the feather.
Still…I couldn't help but freeze in my spot, mouth agape as one sentence ran through my mind….WHAT THE FU-
"That was lucky," Sorato commented, somehow cutting me off mid-internal rant.
The boy smiled in turn. A flutter of relief spreading through the boy when the girl was noticeably gained a small color to her.
"If one hadn't stuck to me by coincidence..."
"There is no coincidence in this world," Arashi spoke. This mysterious vibe already coming off her since the moment she entered the room, "That is what Yūko-san usually says."
Strange, I mused, leaning back into the wall of the small room, that's what Miyuki says a lot too.
"Alright then," Sorato began, "Now I figure you all had come here and got this," Sorato then let the white bunny creature jump into his palm.
The white creature waved up its small paw into the air and cheerfully introduced its…self. "Mokona Modoki!"
"Uh," Sorato's jaw hanged open dismay of its name. "That's a long name…is it okay if I just call you Mokona?"
"Sure~!" Mokona bowed giddily.
"Now, I heard the whole story from the man there, by which I mean the blonde guy. Mr Black is just to mean to ask." Sorato remarked with a childish pout. The blonde chuckled while the ninja in black growled out an annoyed, "Shut up!"
"Anyway," Sorato grinned, "This is a lucky day for you all gentleman (*cough* bastard *cough*) and lady."
"Uum..." The blonde murmured thoughtfully, smiling as he then asked, "In what way?"
I nodded in confusion- what did this guy mean it was our lucky day?
"Mokona has no idea which is the next world, right?" Sorato asked while he passed by us and stood next to the single window of the room. He then pulled back the curtains as he declared, "So...it's a happy chance that you all came to this world first because this is...the Hanshin Republic!"
I struck back in amazement of the starry night world outside, being brightened out by the buildings and their glimmering lights. Over and up with glowing signs and logos, farther ahead it went down in lines like a Christmas hall.
The lights shimmered upon the surface of the river below. Flutters of bright yellow and other colors swerving around the buildings of all sizes until it reached to a tall tower farther into the distance. It somehow reminded me of the Tokyo Tower.
It was such a beautifully lit world, even with the clutter of technology, buildings, and outlandish logos.
Sorato then proceeded to pull out a white board. Plastered with facts on the left and the changes of season they have on the right while smack dab in the middle was, carefully drawn, the countries and what looked to be a tiger.
Sorato then began to explain to us that Hanshin was the best island nation that was surrounded by seas on all sides with a rare number of Earthquakes. Although having the odd number of hurricanes as well.
They had several trading partners across the sea who they exported with like crazy.
Four seasons and which right now was in fall. The fall season where rice tastes best, also the main staple was the flour and their sauce for being famous for its taste.
He continued onto how the Hanshin Republic Constitution and Rule of Law that clearly stated they couldn't go into war with other countries.
Going on towards transpiration and onwards to the "because" of the country being shaped as a tiger they were mostly referred to as the tiger country. Explaining also how they used the tiger logo quite a bit, for the flag, money currency, and the baseball team of Hanshin.
This was all explained with little hand puppets that resembled Sorato and Arashi. It was funny actually and I enjoyed how Arashi said nothing while holding up her bored puppet.
"Sir," Fai called as he raised his hand up like one would in class, "I have a question!"
Ha, it's like we are in class! I giggled while Fai asked if everyone in the country had an accent like Sorato.
"Aaww! Don't be so formal!" Sorato grinned, "Call me Sora-chan~!"
"Okay~!" Both the blonde and the white manju shaped bunny creature beamed together. Arashi just gave her husband a sideways glance for his antics which I'm pretty sure he didn't notice.
"My accent is unique; it's an older version of our language." He explained while waving the puppets arms around for emphasis.
"Yours is a language they used in the past?" Syaoran asked, an intrigued tone entering the boy's voice.
"That's right!" Sorato smiled, "Nowadays nobody uses this language anymore, but I'm a history teacher and I'm firmly against allowing the old ways to fade away."
"You're a history teacher?" Syaoran then asked with more interest. It was almost like he was beaming with excitement on these simple facts.
"I am! I take it you're interested in history?"
"Yes! In my world I used to work on Archeological digs,"
I staggered back in bewilderment. Holy crap, the kid was barely even close to my age, and yet he was already working on something so advanced!
Wait; did he just say...his world?
Fai raised his hand once more, "And I have one more question~! Where exactly are we and who owns this room?"
Sorato gave a 'thumbs up' for the "good question". Apparently the room we were in was an empty room in an old, traditional, apartment house his "honey" and him managed.
After that I kind of zoned out as he went on to a blissful state of how it was also so grand, his "honey", the beautiful apartment manager, was also a great cook.
I guess that wasn't the right move since Sorato suddenly pointed at me and the ninja, shouting, "YOU TWO WAKE UP!"
Kurogane's head then suddenly banged forward with a loud smack. Whatever had hit him bounced back for me and smacked me upside the head as well.
Miyuki's Pov:
I sighed, staring at my reflection in the wide mirror. I pressed my hands forward on the counter sink, taking in the sudden new change of my features.
My skin had become a snowy pale complexion that seemed to illuminatingly glow to the eyes.
My hair was also longer, and a striking color of blue. Almost like the color of ice that spread into a silky flow down my back till it stopped around my waist. Like a thin cord until the ends became wavy.
The bangs were also chopped down into gentle spikes that framed my heart-shaped face, and the strands flowed down over my chest.
My eyes had also changed into a deep violet that appeared almost dim and emotionless. There was barely any spark of innocence within them, nothing like my bright and wide brown eyes used to be.
Once I had seen my changes inside the mirror I had realized as to why Mira had been examining me curiously when we had arrived at Yūko's shop. It was clear now, but it also made me curious as to why Mira hadn't changed in features like I had.
Mira was also pale but not so badly like my snowy skin. Her skin was given a tint of sun kisses that made her skin appear exotic in a way.
Her hair was also silky and chocolaty brown that flowed down in one soft low wave over her shoulders. One of her auburn orbs being revealed by the cause of her bangs having been pushed to the right side, covered over in the half shape of a Yin symbol.
The only thing that I could compare together physically now was our 5' foot 8" height, and large chests that was a good cup size-C. Nothing else besides memories that would tell me we were even cousins.
Before this change, or really, all of this, I was mostly compared to my cousin more like a sister. Many had thought that and we took pride in that fact. Giggling when we told them we weren't and watched their embarrassed and dumbstruck expressions when they blushed in realization.
It was funny actually, but I guess that was over now. I sighed. I suppose it wasn't so bad. I did like my new appearance, and it wasn't as worse than the memories I had given away to Yūko.
After all, every time I tried to think back to the past or even days before, I found myself alone.
Smiling and enjoying myself with no one in particular. Birthdays, school, even those times when I was small and afraid of the dark and what would come from within them.
I was alone, being comforted by no one I could see. Almost like an invisible cloak erased them from my memories or maybe like a beautifully crafted picture that had been erased from all sight.
Even now, I wondered- what memories did I give?
Who did I let vanish away from my very being?
A father?
A mother?
Siblings' maybe?
I didn't know, and I suppose…I never will.
I sighed, pulling up my purple coat over my arm in a clean and orderly fashion. Once I opened the door I could hear the ruckus from upstairs as I slowly climbed.
I probably staid longer down here than I had thought. Mostly because I didn't want to listen to a lecture I knew I wouldn't be paying attention to.
I needed a short time alone to think, to let everything sink in…soul and body.
And it was hilarious to say that when, I slid open the door leading into the room everyone was preoccupied in, I saw my cousin and Kurogane get smacked upside the head by a quick form that just suddenly vanished I wanted to bust out laughing from the shock on their faces.
Well, mostly Mira…Kurogane looked more as if he wanted to hurt someone for assaulting him without his notice.
"What the hell was that?" Kurogane demanded, shooting up to a tense pose and quickly trying to find what had hit him.
But alas, it had vanished.
"You bastard, you threw something at me!" Mira whined angrily, rubbing her head as she glared at Sorato.
"You were both in the corner; if he threw something then it wouldn't hit you from that angle. It had to come from above." Fai affirmed, a serious tone miring the upturned smile on his face…which meant- frown!
"Huh?" Sorato gaped in surprised while I passed Kurogane. Kneeling in front of Mira to see if she was alright, "It was my Kudan, of course."
"Kudan?" Everyone echoed in synchronizing unison. Mira and I were the only ones who didn't answer simply because she was reassuring me that she was surprised, but not hurt, and on my part being…because I really didn't care.
"You don't know?" He gaped in shock, reeling back and smacking his head when he realized why, "Of course you don't! You all came from different worlds!"
I plopped down next to Mira. She cuddled close into my side while Sorato then popped a black marker into the mouth of his "mini-Sorato" puppet.
"Everyone has a Kudan attached to themselves," Sorato began, the markers tip squeaking as the puppet wrote down the word "Kudan" in kanji. "And right here is how it's written in kanji."
"Oh, I see," Kurogane uttered softly while Fai laughed in confusion and happily replied, "I don't see it all~!"
"Mokona can read it!" The manju shaped creature beamed happily. Bouncing on Fai's leg as the mage petted her little head in praise.
"And you Syaoran-kun?" She asked curiously catching the boy's attention away from the board.
"Yea," He answered, "More or less."
"Kurogane-san and Syaoran-kun's worlds use kanji, but Fai's probably don't," Sorato mused mindfully of the fact. He then nodded towards Mira and I, "What about you two? Can you read this?"
"I can kind of read it," I answered, having learned a small amount of Japanese during my years, but Mira then beamed with her own, "And I'm totally oblivious!"
"Hm, but you can understand what I say and I can understand you," Sorato pondered, trying to understand how that was possible.
Kurogane then changed the subject, asking what technique a Kudan was. Arashi cryptically replied with, "Even if you come from another world, once you entered this one, a Kudan will be attached."
Her mystery of this response made the boys, along with Mira, pause into silence and think over what Arashi had elucidated.
Arashi then swerved the subject to Sakura, clarifying that though she didn't know where Sakura's memories were, it would be sure that whoever picked up the feathers, it would become a cause of a fight and mysteriously going on into how we had lost our means of battle.
Sorato explained to the boys that his "honey" used to be a Shinto priestess and possessed spiritual powers. But that she had retired when she married him, sizzling into bliss of how it was a god-send to see Arashi dressed in her priestesses clothing. Arashi pointedly didn't even listen to her husband.
"Actually," Fai chuckled nervously, "I did give my magic power to the Dimension Witch."
"And I gave the bitch my sword!" Kurogane growled out darkly.
Arashi turned her gaze to Syaoran, expectantly, "I didn't give any power. I had no magic or weapons from the start."
She then turned her to Mira and me. In response to it we shook our heads to show we were the same as Syaoran. She then smiled, "That may have been good luck for you three."
"Yes," Sorato began, smiling, "Now, Kudan were originally used for battle, but how you see it with your soul on how to use that power is what will make up the Kudan."
He nodded to Mokona who jumped into Syaoran's open palms, "So? Do you think there is another feather in this world that belongs to Sakura-chan?"
Mokona hummed thoughtfully, concentrating on finding the presence of a memory feather, "Yup~! It's a long, long way away, but...this country has one."
"Wait," Mira interrupted with a raise of her hand, "You can sense the...feathers, but how can we tell where the feather would be?"
"Oh~," Mokona smiled, twirling around to face Mira in question, "Well the feather that Miyu-chan pointed out had a really strong wave, so when a feather is close by Mokona will do this~!"
She then proceeded to say "mekyo", her eyes snapping open as she tapped her little paws excitedly for emphasis under the curve of her eyes.
Mira and Kurogane jumped in shock at the wide eyes that surely didn't suit the little white manju bunny creature.
It just...it really wasn't right.
"Well...that's one way to do it," Sorato established in wonder, "Now, since my honey and I own this apartment you all can stay here until you go to the next world. After all, I owe Yūko-san for a favor. So, please enjoy your stay here." He then pointed at the mage and ninja, "Fai-san and Kurogane-san, you two will be sharing a room, and you two girls back there will share a room as well."
"What? Why do I have to share a room with him?" Kurogane demanded, marching after Sorato who was already departing the room with Fai and Mokona.
Arashi had stayed behind to tell Syaoran that it was alright for him to stay in this room with Sakura before leading Mira and I to our own designated rooms.
"NIGHT EVERYONE!" Mira shouted out the door before closing it and diving into the futons with a giddy laugh.
I rolled my eyes and held up the hand-me down pj's Arashi had left for us, and threw the blue one straight at Mira's face.
"Hey!" She cried out. Shacking away her hair from her eyes, which was unsuccessful since her bangs fell back into its original spot.
I grinned and turned away with a childish stick out of my tongue. Changing into the similar colored pj's like my cousin.
Once we were changed and snuggled into the futons within the darkness of the room, I realized only one thing…the futons were very warm.
"Hey, Miyu," Mira whispered.
My ears perked up as I listened to her voice. Only able to hear though, the rustling of her blankets when she moved.
"Hm?" I hummed, gazing up towards the ceiling absently and waiting for Mira to continue.
"Are we really in another world?" She asked.
"Well...there was never a thing such as Kudan in our world, was there?" I mumbled softly, hearing a small returned, "Yea,"
It then became silent in the room. The ceiling gradually became a bit clearer now that my eyes had adjusted to the shadows.
"Miyu...?"
"Yea…"
"...What do you think will happen now?"
I exhaled thoughtfully on her question. Letting the silence linger out while I wondered if I should even tell her the truth, the truth of the matter being that we had been transported into a manga I had been just reading moments before we had been attacked.
...Yea, that wasn't a life changing sentence.
I thought back on everything and let every little detail rewind and play again in my mind. But only a few things stood out as I did so.
The words Yūko had cryptically spoken to me back at the shop.
"But, to know doesn't mean you can tell them of what has yet to happen."
"I don't know,"
"Because even if you do, it doesn't mean it will come out as you said."
