NEW - This was waay back Dec 2016. Whewf.
Uraboku is not owned by me; please support the official release.
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Chapter of the Tragic Anemone
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Story 4
New Encounters
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Even through that space where consciousness blends into sleep, Yuki can still hear the quiet engine and feel some of the bumps on the road - not harsh and sudden jumps, but like a gentle reminder.
I have to go now, someone faintly whispers.
Yuki amuses the voice. It has to be a part of her dream. Go where?
To the one who is most special to me, the voice replies, almost scolding Yuki for not knowing. To the one who waits for me.
Who are you? Because for a second, Yuki can think clearly enough to realize what's going on.
"You?" What does that mean?
Yuki wakes up. The voice - so painfully confused - echoes in her mind. Why was it that the voice focused more on "you" than "who?" Should she worry about that?
Wait a moment.
She can't hear the engine anymore. There are no bumps in the road. Through the almost blinding daylight there seems to be a ceiling above her and a bed underneath her. A soft bed hugging her thin frame. Did they already reach their destination?
Yuki sits up. On the bed decorated with a white duvet, Luka sits on the side edge, looking at the floor as he contemplates. Curiously enough, his hands and upper arms are wrapped in bandages. Red patches cut through the white cloth - his wounds are so severe that they bleed through.
I have to help him. Yuki moves towards him across the bed, dimly recognizing the outift she wears is far too elaborate for her closet and that it feels somewhat off. She stops before Luka, sitting on her knees. He still hasn't noticed her. She reaches her hands toward his wound...
"Yuki," goes his quiet voice that jolts Yuki like a shout, "you aren't trying to heal me, right?"
She immediately hides her hands behind her back, just under her long hair. "That's absurd! I know I'm not supposed to. You're just imagining things."
How did he know? I was so silent!
"But more importantly, we have to change your bandages. They could get infected at this rate, and..."
Luka smiles as he turns and rests his hand on her cheek, face centimeters away. We're so close... Yuki thinks.
"Please," he whispers, "don't be so worried. You're already hurting enough."
"I'm always going to worry, Luka. I can't rest if I know someone I love is going to get hurt. Here I am sitting in this lonely room while my family fights a war we know won't end," she rants. "I just want to help, but this is the only way I can."
"You don't understand... Just you being alive right now gives those guardians hope. I've seen it." Without a response, she frowns. "However, I wish I could take you away from all of this."
"No, not me, Luka. I wish I could take you away to a place where you could be happy. I will stay here if I have to."
He leans closer without stopping. "You are not alone. I'm here with you."
This is really close. Why are their noses brushing together and their mouth growing closer? Is this...this - ?! Wh - What about Kanata?! The world starts to fade away just before their kiss connects.
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The dream snaps Yuki awake.
Her eyes open, but she makes no sound, no movement to indicate the others. Waking up for real this time, she can feel just how tired her body is. The dream leaves her memory in reverse order; she can faintly recall a ceiling. With an internal startle, she realizes she rests her cheek on Zess's, no, Luka's shoulder. I should move... She remains still.
"I'm really frustrated, is all," Tooko is saying. "On one hand, I want her to be happy, but there's no way that can happen when she's with us. And then, I want to protect her. I want to hold her hand and tell her it's all right when she wants to talk me."
It feels like she is intruding on something private. She closes her eyes and concentrates on not moving.
"We can do that now," her brother says. "She's reachable, though every bit the enigma we knew her as."
"You're telling me. I don't think I'll ever understand her..." She laughs a little. "Luka!" Yuki hears her move in her seat, her voice sounds closer. "Do you have any clue what's going through her mind?"
"I wouldn't tell you," he monotones.
"Eh? Why not?"
"You wouldn't be able to comprehend it, rather. Such is the way with two people having two different ideologies working together."
"What's so different about her way thinking?" Her voice sounds purely confused.
"Compared to you, everything."
The siblings are silent for a long moment. Tsukumo breaks the silence with: "Even being so close, we're still so far away..."
I don't know what they're talking about, but I want to help somehow.
Luka tenses and starts off rather awkwardly, "She may... let you in this time. This life is unpredictable; everything could change."
"Oh, good point! We can still all be friends! We can paint our nails and talk about boys, or..."
Yuki tries hard to not giggle. Thank you for making them happy again. All right, how is she going to "wake up?" She doesn't think she'd be able to lie about it being her first time waking up. So she stays still, thinking, until she starts to fall asleep.
Wake up.
She is tired. She must rest her body.
Wake up now. I have to know before I leave them. I'm running out of time.
Her family will wake her up when they arrive at the police station. For now, she must sleep...
Yuki!
An image appears into her mind, coupled with intense emotions and feelings. Yuki is looking down, at her chest, where a bloody sword is, stuck through her body via her back. First shock. Pain flares throughout her chest. Conflicting and violent emotions run through her mind. One conscious thought remains lucid: I'm dying.
"Ah!"
She gets a glance of a blue sky before holding her chest, checking for a sword to be there. It does not exist.
What kind of dream was that? Her entire body trembles.
...they're calling her name. She didn't notice until now.
"I had a really scary dream. I'm sorry for worrying you like that..."
Tooko reaches from her seat to grab her hand. "What happened? You're so pale and you're shaking like a leaf..."
"Um... it's really scary... I'll tell it to you later." As an afterthought, "Sorry for worrying you."
Tsukumo turns in his seat to watch her. "If humans had the power to jump into other's dreams, Tooko and I would gladly parole yours."
"Oh? Thank you - I'd definitely do the same for you. Maybe we could eat exotic food and go many places."
"Tsukumo, Yuki, Luka, we could have dream parties! All the fun and none of hassle of the aftermath! Wouldn't that be amazing?"
Yuki smiles. "I think so."
Luka, who had been watching her carefully even since she stirred slightly in her sleep, promises himself the two of them will talk later.
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"Yuki is very important," says the older girl again. "When our strength fails, we rely on your power. But healing causes you pain, so we vow to fight our best without making an serious injury. It's such a wonderful feeling protecting others without any serious injury and saving you pain. You are the 'Light of God,' or the 'Source of Light,' much like Tsukumo and I being the 'Ears of God,' or 'One Who Hears All.'"
"About that. You keep referring to my ability like it's happened before. Does this gift pass to person from person?"
"Wah! No, no! I thought you - nevermind. Yuki, do you believe in reincarnation? Because you've lived so, so many lives. Tsukumo and I have as well. This is not the first time our souls have been born in this world."
Past lives? That would explain her feeling like they've all met, somehow, years ago. "...but do we forget our previous life?"
"Not quite," Tsukumo says. "We remember the very important things from our past lives. The further a life is, the less we recall. However your case is unique. You have no memory of your past."
"Only I forgot?"
"This is sorta your first time not remembering anything. We don't really know why. I think they'll come back to you in time, especially being around familiar faces so often! We're going to live together at the Twilight Mansion, Yuki!"
Yuki's face heats up. "That sounds... so fancy. I've never had many fancy things in my life."
"Don't you frown! You're going to be our little princess, you hear!"
"I'm - huh?"
"You're so important Yuki. You're our little princess!"
She smiles. "...ah, okay. But please treat me normally. We're family, after all."
"We're family," she agrees, "just as much as we're comrades united under the fight against the Duras." She answers the question before Yuki asks. "It's the reason why our souls are constantly reborn. Because for a thousand years, we've been in war.
"It began with the 'Setting of Tartarus.' That's when Giou Reiga, our enemy, betrayed the clan and started this war on the Duras side. When he left, nobody expected his war to last so long. It makes sense now. He controls an entire world of Duras who have no kind thoughts about humans."
She points to Luka. "Except him. He's the only exception. Zess, or Luka, joined our side in the last battle. He's also our go-to-guy about any of our Duras-related needs like weaknesses, strengths, and the fact they have retractable nails like a cat!"
"Oooh, really?" Yuki says to a mentally groaning Luka.
"Sleeping now," Luka decides. "Yuki, lend your shoulder."
He shuts his eyes as he rests against her, body warm and surprisingly light enough she doesn't topple to the side. She can feel his silky, black hair against her neck and see his long eyelashes. With him in such a peaceful state, her heartbeat picks up.
"Oh, that's new," Tooko mumbles. "He never sleeps in front of us. He must feel so happy to have you back."
"Ah, so he's happy right now? I'm glad." She smiles at the sleeping Duras.
"Yuki, Takashiro-sama will explain this to you more in detail. Not just because he's the boss, but because he has discovered a way of retaining all his memories - every single detail."
Yuki notices with a start her tone isn't happy anymore.
"Happy things, sad things, he will always remember them in such vivid detail as if it just recently happened. Every single thing for over a thousand years. Understandably, that gives Takashiro-sama a lot of influence - he's a godsend. But... despite him never having the pleasure of forgetting, he carries out his duties amd responsibilities faithfully, never for praise, only that someone has to.
"It's his fate. Much like it's ours to fight in this war we're not sure will end, and your fate to heal the wounded time after time."
Fate. Her existence only has one outcome like many others. It seems her elder brother suffers most of all. Just who is he? She remembers his last words to her this morning: I've got work to do, but expect some familiar faces to pick you up. Have a good day! Yuki won't let herself get down; she forces away any sadness and says, "If it's my fate to heal you, then I'm fine. If healing you all is the only way I can help, than I will try my absolute hardest. And if we share the same fate, well... we're together, right? We're not alone anymore. Let's work together!"
The siblings nod, eyes full of emotions Yuki can't even begin to comprehend. She continues. "By the way... does Luka ever sleep? It's not very nice going without sleep. I crammed for a test once with an all-nighter." She sighs. "Worst day ever..."
"I think he does. I've asked him before, but he's never given me a straight answer. And he gets mad and calls me 'nosy.' Seriously - does he think I'm not supposed to worry about him sometimes, too? He's cold and fierce like a stray cat! Don't you think so, eh?"
"N-Not really. I think Luka is very kind and admirable. He's very gentle and sort of discreet. It reminds me of a protective older brother."
"'Older brother?'" Tsukumo and Tooko echo and share a look... before laughing.
"It seems," Tsukumo mumbles through giggles, "Luka is going to have a hard time in the future."
"What... did I say?" Yuki blinks. As if he can hear the conversation, Luka grimaces.
"You're gonna have to let Luka explain more about it," Tooko says. "Don't you fret - we love you just the way you are!"
Yuki tilts her head in absolute puzzlement just as Luka wakes up from a nightmare. "I don't understand - ah, you're awake! So soon?"
He's rubbing his head. "Nightmare."
"Are you okay?"
It's sort of like Yuki is his mother, the older girl thinks, somewhat melancholy. Or... maybe something of Luka lingers in her soul and this is the way they acted when... Her stomach turns cold, a faint memory tugging at her heart.
Her brother nudges her elbow. "Tooko? Did you forget I'm by your side?"
She jolts. "It's not like that! Your ears are broken 'cause I wasn't thinking anything like that!"
"Ladies and gentlemen," Ibuki interrupts after remaining silent for so long (she is the master of silent laughter and remaining composed) "the police station is near. Yuki and Luka will arrive at the Twilight Mansion at a later time."
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"You're busy today, Takashiro-sama. You could be overexerting yourself."
Takashiro hits the elevator button. "Today is special. Everything must go correctly, or else we could lose Yuki. I need her to trust me."
The doors open with a bing and the three saunter in.
One boy, slightly pale, thin, but having smooth, light brown hair and subdued eyes, presses the button to the correct floor. His posture is well-maintained like a leader or a sign of maturity. "Today is the day we meet Yuki, eh, Hotsuma?"
"It don't concern me," the other grumbles, arms folded over his chest. His blond hair is wild and his red jacket is a beacon compared to the other's muted colors.
His partner watches him before looking away. "Then it doesn't concern me as well."
Takashiro is familiar with their behavior and without hesitation, he states, "We are needed today to solve a murder case involving demons and the paranormal - our area specialty. This murder case is not possible for someone of this world. Shuusei, ready?"
The boy manifests a crystal ball in the palm of his hands for a response.
"You'll use your ability to see beyond our limitations."
"Yes, Takashiro-sama."
"And Hotsuma?"
Hotsuma meets his gaze, grumpy.
His boss smiles. "You'll be the one to greet Yuki today. Make a good impression!"
His "good mood" - however fake it is - cannot penetrate Hotsuma's defense. "Whatever. I'm not dependin' on her."
As expected. This boy only has a soft spot for Shuusei. "Do what you want, however Yuki just may depend on you." Hotsuma doesn't respond.
The doors open to their correct floor: an empty, almost claustrophobic hallway. Takashiro fixes his tie and the three - him, Hotsuma, Shuusei - step forward in unison.
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"This is the police station? It's really tall," Yuki sighs, peering up at the looming building. Luka shuts the door behind her, while Tooko reaches over Tsukumo's lap and sticks her head out the window.
"Be careful. Shuusei is nice, if a little distant. But Hotsuma is a troublesome boy. Try not to get too discouraged."
"Thank you. See you soon." Yuki waves at the departing vehicle.
Sometime later, as the two walk on the sidewalk, she says, "I'm really nervous. Not because I'm meeting new people, but because this is a police station. I know I haven't done anything wrong. I can't help feeling like I did, though."
"I doubt you will ever be arrested," Luka replies, half paying attention and half scanning their surroundings.
"I hope not, too. Do you think Takashiro-sir will tell me what Tooko and Tsukumo told me?"
Her comrade does not reply. It does not matter much. Soon they are inside and up the elevator to the floor holding Takashiro's office. They meet the man in a small atrium. Empty, plastic benches sit before a wall made of windows, making the shadows elongated as there are no florescent lights on the ceiling currently powered. The artificial lights are saved for the evening, yet most prefer them off to see the night stars.
The shadows, the limit radius of vision - something doesn't feel right.
"Yuki, Zess," Takashiro greets brightly. "Glad to see you in one piece. How are you doing? Need rest?"
"I'm doing okay. Um... Tooko and Tsukumo told me a few things..."
"What about?"
"Just... past lives and the basics of this war..." And you. Are you okay? She is not confident enough to say that.
She can't determine his reaction. "Hm... There will be plenty of time to talk about what you've learned. For now, the past few days have been chaotic, hasn't it? Please, rest."
Her older brother must be the kind of person willing to take on that pain and not cry out. If they become closer, he may be more comfortable with letting his persona go. Yuki decides to play along that Takashiro is fine. "Oh, school. I'm going to be living here now, so... do you want me to commute from here to my old school?" It isn't unheard of students travelling for hours to and from school.
"No, for multiple reasons. In your situation, it'd be unsafe to be too far from the Giou. Secondly, there is no need for you to stress yourself out with things like that."
He's beginning to imply she won't be going to her old school anymore, something that relieves and saddens her. Finally Uzuki is okay now, but she doesn't know what happened that night after she fainted in great detail. She and Kanata would walk together, chatting - that's no longer possible now. At least she won't accidentally trigger her powers to harm any innocents. She doesn't want to remember the greenhouse accident.
Takashiro notices how her face falls and ruffles her hair. "Brighten up, Yuki. You'll go to a new school with Tooko, Tsukumo, and the rest soon. It's a school better suited to your powers. You'll live with them as well. Change can be scary, however there are many people who will help you adjust."
"O... Okay, I feel better now," she replies sincerely.
"Good. Ah, Zess. I need to speak with you in private for a moment. Do you mind?"
Luka hesitates. He'll have to leave Yuki alone and talk to Takashiro alone. He can't decide which is worse. The girl interprets the pause as him not wanting to leave her side.
"This is a police station. I won't get hurt here," she smiles.
"Right, right. So quit your glaring. I won't hurt you at all!"
Luka does not desist his scowling. Reluctantly, he follows the older man to his office. It is also lit up in a similar fashion. The source of light comes from one giant window and does not light up every nook and cranny.
Takashiro leans on the edge of his desk, composure less business-like than before, while Luka stays a distance away, ready to burst out the door.
"Zess," he starts. "Rather, Luka. Is it okay if I called you that? I need to know something important. Regarding Yuki... what are your feelings?"
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All by herself, Yuki walks to the wall of windows, looking out at a world that revolves without her. It reminds her of all the times Kanata had people-watched, eyes seemingly desperate to find some good in his own race. He only saw the people as self-centered; she always thought people were very determined, working to help themselves or their family.
People watching isn't as fun to her as it was Kanata, but darn it - it'd rubbed off on her. She watches the people complete their daily tasks - some buried in their phones, some talking to other human beings - with their faces bright because it's the holidays.
Speaking of that, how many police officers are working today? It can't be enough to close down this station. Maybe none at all are missing.
I wonder what they're like... Hotsuma and Shuusei. They're somewhere within here. She tries to picture them based on Tooko's descriptions, but fails. I'll have to be patient, and then...
Yuki presses her face closer to the heated glass, trying to see past the glare and to a specific person on the sidewalk. Specifically to a man wearing a bloodied coat and something sharp in his left hand.
Wha - ?! Is that... a m-murderer? Here? Yuki looks around forgetting it's only her there. After a quick internal debate, she reasons a mad Luka is okay if she doesn't let a potential murderer walk past. Down she goes, taking the stairs and bursting out of the doors, but slows her pace to look for the mad man.
"Did I lose him?" Yuki mumbles, panting. "Oh no..."
"Get away!"
That voice isn't far from where she is. It's a spot near a sturdy tree in the window's blind spot. The man holds a young child in a pastel-pink dress and hair in two pigtails by the wrist while wielding a sharp kitchen knife in his other hand.
"H-Help!" the small child stutters, eyes meeting Yuki's.
In a situation like this, you must defuse, not fight. She walks up to both the man and the child, palms raised, voice pleasant. "Please, sir, tell me what's wrong. Why are you doing this?"
She can't see his reaction with his hat casting deep shadows on his face, but he does stop moving. The girl continues to struggle in vain.
"It's... Golden Week," Yuki says desperately. "This is a time of rest and break. If you hurt her, this would be the last one you ever take."
The girl manages to break free and runs to Yuki, crying. She picks her up. "It's... okay now..."
Yet she is nervous.
For good reason - that very man takes a step forward, as if she's his new target.
This is bad... I'm a little over my head here. Still, she'll use whatever means possible to protect the little girl.
Surprise, surprise, a voice commands: "Dark creature, incinerate."
At once does the man crumple from conjured flames that eat nothing but his existence. The way the man turns black and charred would seem the flames are hot. To Yuki, she feels no heat. Like the flames are an illusion. Horror creeps in as she watches a man burn...
"You're Giou Yuki, right?"
Yuki looks up and sees a blond in the tree, who then promptly hops down and stands without making a sound.
Ah, could you be...? What she manages to say in her surprise: "...you... Why were you in a tree?"
She probably should not have said that. Or phrased it that way.
"ME IN TREES HAS NOTHIN' TO DO WITH THIS SITUATION! WHY THE HECK ARE YOU JUST OUT HERE ALL ALONE?! YOU ATTRACT DURAS, SO YOU STAY INSIDE!" The blond gesticulates as he roars; the child winces and shuts her eyes and covers her ears. "Now I'm pissed."
Yuki blinks. "Um... it's not the most... rational thing I could've done..."
That doesn't calm him at all. "Really? I'm impressed this didn't work!"
"Thanks for your help, but, er, you just burned that human." She tries to keep her fear off her face. This topic choice does relax him a bit.
"That's not a human. It don't smell like one." Yuki wonders if he means the man's scent before death or the smoke as he burns. The latter alternative seems more scarier. "'Sides, who'd do something as dumb as murderin' a child in front of a police station?"
"So you didn't..." Yuki exhales. She starts to place the child down, but she is sleeping restlessly. "We should make sure she's not hurt, uh - "
But Hotsuma is a troublesome boy. Try not to get too discouraged.
Powers plus knowledge of Duras plus Tooko's descriptions equals: "Are you... Hotsuma?"
The blond stops stomping the fire remains. "Huh? Who told you that?"
"You are Hotsuma! Wait - how did you know that human was a Duras? You could've burned an innocent..."
"C'mon, I knew something was off about this. You and strange things are strictly connected to the paranormal. If he wasn't a Duras, those words wouldn't've killed this guy."
Words? He... did do what looked like a spell. Is his ability like a mage in a video game? It will be less ambiguous if she simply asks him. "Hotsuma, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Sa - Giou Yuki. I have a few questions to ask. How do you fight? Why were you in a tree - ?"
"Cut that 'buddy-buddy' talk out," Hotsuma replies sharply. "We're not friends. I don't need you."
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"Regarding Yuki," Takashiro begins, "what are your feelings?" He takes off his glasses and cleans them, all with a lingering smile that irks Luka. "This Yuki and the Yuki you know...are completely different. So I again want to know if you'll stay on our side or will you leave?"
Luka had been expecting him to ask about that soon. To him, the man simply wants to know where his "chesspieces" are at all times in order to play his "game."
Though the younger man recalls the warmth she gave her friend, Uzuki, and their first time meeting in this life. It brought him such nostalgia, almost making it unbearable to breathe.
"Yuki is Yuki," he states. "I've already confirmed that Yuki's soul remains the same. I am not changing my mind."
For he will stay by Yuki's side, protecting Yuki, worrying for Yuki, loving Yuki. That is the most important thing to Luka.
Yet he feels as though he's walked into a trap saying those words before Takashiro; he is convinced the man already knew what he was going to pick and wanted to hear him speak that for his record.
"Make no mistake," he warns. "I do not trust you. I will not be manipulated by you."
"That's what I wanted to hear. That distrust of yours will protect Yuki. Though I am glad you're still on our side; we could use your power, Luka. It really is a blessing..." He leans back, the shadow of the window frame falling over his face.
"If this is all..."
"One more thing."
Takashiro grins playfully.
"Don't you think that's amazing?"
Luka sneers. "Are you going senile?"
"Not yet. I mean its beauty."
He backs up. "...your craziness might be infectious."
"Play along! Isn't it so beautiful - the passion of young love?" Luka grits his teeth. "It's really something. To be infatuated and devoted to a person, despite having your entire life left, you're focused on this special someone. Believe it or not, I used to be young, too - "
"Do you," Luka interrupts with barely hidden anger. "Do you truly care about Yuki? Or do you desire her power?"
The question catches Takashiro off-guard, only by a hair. "It's war. Some part of my affection is biased for Yuki's power. But trust me, I do care for Yuki as if she were my daughter. I want nothing more for this war to end and to finally see Yuki as a person, not power I can use.
"For that reason, it's how Yuki met you. He tried whatever way he could to rebel against my rule... Heh, a man and a man - I wonder what he saw in you? He wouldn't tell me, but I believed in his sincerity. Would you like to tell how you two came to be?"
"That is not my decision."
He smiles knowingly. "And in this life? Why do you keep it a secret? There's no way Yuki told you to do that, so why?"
"I'm leaving." Luka silently stalks out the door. The only one left sighs.
His ringing phone cuts the silence. It's a text message from Shuusei: I saw it through my crystal ball, Takashiro-sama. Yuki isn't inside the building anymore.
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After Hotsuma's cold words, Yuki is rendered speechless. Someone is mad at me again, though there is no reason why he should hate me. There must be an explanation. He did save her from their enemy and they would've worked together in their past lives.
"Aha!" Hotsuma turns to the beaming girl warily. "I think I understand why you're mad at me. Could it because you're worried about me? Kanata gets upset when he's worried."
Hotsuma gawks at her.
Yuki watches back, the awkward silence stretching.
Then, quickly, Hotsuma analyzes her, taking in her appearance from all angles before saying, "You are Yuki, ain't you? Why am I gettin' a different vibe from you?"
"Huh? You know who I was in a past life?" With I referring to Yuki's past life's personality, ambitions, dreams, and flaws.
The youth shoves his hands in his pockets and huffs. "We all do. You were... a lot more stubborn and proud. As of now..." He looks at the girl with the curious, innocent face with a tiny trace of pain in her eyes. "...that's not much different," he murmurs.
"What? But you said I was different?"
Did I say that out loud?! he thinks. "Just forget about it already!"
Hotsuma steps and hears a harsh, scraping sound. His ears perk at the unusual noise coming from the sidewalk and picks up his shoe. Plucking the small object off the ground, he thumbs off the ash. "A crystal chip?"
Yuki peers at the object. "What does that do?"
"Dunno. Why's it glowing red like that?" A red light flickers. It reminds Hotsuma of the harsh, flickering red light on police cars.
"It - It could be a bomb! We have to run to safety, Hotsuma!"
"It can't be a bomb - it's too small!" Hotsuma can see the streets slowly filling with people. Could be bad if people saw me using my power like this and this friggin' chip... He grabs Yuki's wrist. "C'mere to a more empty place."
Hotsuma guides her to an deserted clearing surrounded by trees yet still close to the station. The young girl begins to stir, then wakes up. Hotsuma looks around for anymore Duras.
"Are you awake now? Good. Are you hurt anywhere?" The girl, now standing on the ground, shakes her head. She still looks pale and frightened. "Can you tell me what happened?"
The little girl looks moments away from crying. "...I ran away from home. I had to."
"...huh? Why did you...?"
"They're... happier... without... me. I had t-to..."
Yuki's heart aches. She's seen that same hopeless face on the orphans in Asahi. Not all of them had parents who died or couldn't care for their children. Some were abused, from verbal to physical and to any other horror. It took years for her to erase the gloom on the children and to have them happy again.
"What's... your name?" she gets out, voice betraying her.
"M-Minami, ma'am..."
She smiles, trying to show enough love to have the darkness retreat. "My name is Giou Yuki. I'm going to help you, Minami." And to start, she has to phone the only other person who knows Asahi as well as she. "Kanata? You there?"
"Yuki! You're okay! I'm doing fine, actually. Good as new."
"You remember last night?"
"All of two seconds of it before Uzuki knocked me out. What's up?"
"Kanata... there's a girl... I don't think her parents are treating her right..."
She hears his long, suffering sigh. "I'm not expecting anything and I'm still disappointed."
"Please take her to somewhere safe! I d-don't... want her to..."
"St-Stay calm. I'm at Toudai now. Where are you?"
Hotsuma watches the interaction, expression a little bit of everything. He hears someone's footsteps and knows it's not Shuusei at all.
"Why is Yuki here?"
The blond faces an impassive Luka. "Better question - why'd it take you so long to rescue your prince? You're a poor guard dog."
The two hold their intense gazes for a moment (all while Yuki reports on the phone). Luka abruptly turns away. "Can't be bothered with you."
"Excuse you?! Ya must be talking about yourself! I don't see how you can stand being you!"
"You're an annoying brat," states the Duras.
"C'mere! I'll fight you and I'll defeat you!"
"Such arrogance. It will kill you soon."
Yuki hangs up, acutely aware of the situation. "Both of you - let's all be friends, here! We're a family! And, Luka, I'm sorry for leaving without saying anything. I promise you I'll explain later, but right now, Hotsuma found a blinking chip."
"Blinking chip?" Hotsuma shows it, reluctant. Luka takes it. "This chip is attracting enemies to this location." He smashes it between two fingers. "Can you not feel it? They are surrounding us and they are close."
"What? I didn't know..." Hotsuma can hear it: the sound of footsteps shuffling through the grass. "Dammit."
"Luka, we have to get Minami to safety - "
"Wait. The girl has a chip on her as well." Luka reaches toward the bow holding the girl's pigtail - the girl cowers - and snatches the object. "Why is this here?"
"Minami?" Yuki holds a trembling Minami. "What's going on?"
"Oi, you," Hotsuma says to Luka. "A Duras lured Yuki out earlier. The leader must be using those things to track Yuki with the kid. She needs to get to safety."
"Are you saying I should leave Minami here?" She shakes her head. "I can't leave her here, I - " I want to protect her. I want to help her live a happier life.
Luka seems to understand what she means by the words. "You'll have to stay here. Our enemy has arrived."
Yuki covers Minami's eyes as mud dolls in the shape of humans bursts from the trees and into the clearing. They are slow-moving, but dangerous. Yuki shivers from the doll's killing intent.
"That ain't a Duras," Hotsuma notes, disgusted.
"It's a mud puppet. The leader is hidden elsewhere. Preferably close."
"Let's find this stupid leader and get it over with."
"Right."
Kanata will be here soon and Luka with Hotsuma will take care of the Duras I accidentally drew in. I'm sorry for that. "Everything will be fine soon, huh, Minami?...Minami?"
The girl's eyes are unfocused and glazed over...
"Minami?"
.
.
to be continued...
(Updated 5/17/17)
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AN
Some notes (long as usual - I'm sorry...)
Named the girl "Minami," cuz I don't think she ever got a name and I don't want to keep calling her girl/littlegirl/she all the time. "Minami" means south, and it's because when shows up, things go down south.
Toudai is short for "Toukyou Daigaku" which means "University of Tokyo" "UTokyo" of "U of T." And...changing small things like word order or more simplified sentences - keeps you on your toes.
In the manga, Shuusei and Hotsuma appear much earlier; I refrained from doing so because their appearance is mainly a visual surprise. You'd open the manga up and - boom - two new boys. That same spoiler wouldn't translate to written so well because I'd have to describe them and that would slow down the pacing. (Written takes more words than just seeing something.)
Speaking of the differences between visual and written, a lot of information is conveyed through dialogue, which is the only way of conveying information through its original medium that cannot be explained by pictures.
Writing does not have that limitation. So, after a while when I get more adept at this, you should see a massive decrease in lengthy dialogue scenes - especially during combat.
Also, when Takashiro talks to Luka, the talk is split into two parts. Originally, I wanted it to be in one scene (like the anime), but due to the fact Yuki gets into trouble and isn't protected by him for once would make his declaration seem contradictory. In this way, it's simply dramatical irony. He thinks Yuki is safe, but she's not. Rather than him professing his protection only to find her in trouble. (The manga uses the former and the anime uses the latter to some extent.)
I had a solid debate on how to describe Shuusei's hair color. Greenish brown, ash brown, or light brown? I watched several episodes, annoyed to sometimes see his hair greenish-looking or normal-looking. So finally, because I wanted realistic hair colors, I went light brown and made it simple.
Also, been thinking about that new character. He's not going to hog the spotlight of Hotsuma and Shuusei's development, he's essentially there to provide development to Yuki, complementing the arc.