A/N - Yes. Believe your eyes. There has been an update to this fanfic! I must apologize for the long hiatus, I've had a terrible case of writer's block. -sweat drop- Never fear, I do sense the abilities coming back to me! I had some tough things to deal with, personal things, and for the most part it hindered me from continuing the story. Nevertheless, I am getting it back on track with a newfound zeal and it seems that it will go down a path different from the one I had originally planned for. Yet, what is a story if it does not develop a mind of its own, right? -smiles- Prepare yourselves…it's going to get a little bit rougher on this journey.
So in case anyone has forgotten, the Fire Element has yet to be claimed by the Homura-tachi. I've been hearing some comments that something needs to happen soon, and I really do agree. This chapter doesn't have a whole lot of action in it, my apologies, however it is definitely leading up to it! The main four aren't in this chapter, either I'm sorry! -cries- and it is something of a reflective little blurb, so I suppose you could skip it…but I'd be very happy if you read it instead!
Honestly, and this time I swear by it, I'm not going to forsake this story after all the effort I've put into it. Forgive my mistakes, I've been more hooked on the manga now than the anime. I add detail as I see fit, since the Homura arc only occurred in the anime, so if I've gotta bullshit my way through some things, bear with me. I'll do my best to make it plausible. -grin-
You know the drill, kiddies! Characters belong to Minekura-sama, I'm doing this for no monetary profit whatsoever, and the Elementals are c me and respective owners!
And now, without further ado…
Chapter Seven
Reflection
Konran Tower
"Homura…" The soft-as-silk voice of the silver-haired whipcord Shien prompted his leader from his left-handed pillar.
Mismatched gold and blue orbs flashed upward, looking from behind midnight locks with intensity toward the speaker.
"Is there something troubling you, Shien?" Homura's tone reigned smooth, the essence of calm within calamity.
The instigator remained unflinching, his visage the cool image of serenity. "It's not so much 'troubling'. I only wonder. With as much time we've allowed to pass, has any part of your new plan taken effect yet?"
Such an inquiry caught the attention of Zenon, who had been fiddling with the trigger-lock of his ma-shin gun until this point. Raising his head, he allowed one shocking green pool to roll in the direction of the other two.
The War Prince tilted his head to one side, amused and slightly offended at the seeming distrust and skepticism. "Soon enough; I sense it is nearly time. Are you questioning my choices?"
"Of course not." Shien denied the very idea of it. "I only was curious, and perhaps eager to find out. My apologies…"
Chuckling softly, Homura lifted his chin rather regally, though his smile did not play at sincerity. "Think nothing of it. I understand for I am quite eager myself. In fact, I'd hoped to discover that the day had arrived…"
"Good, 'coz my trigger finger is itching like ya wouldn't believe." Zenon growled, his singly exposed eye darting impatiently toward their leader.
The demi-god propped an elbow on the arm of his claimed throne, resting his chin upon his knuckled fist.
"I have been more than aware of your eagerness, Zenon. However, I wanted to wait until dear Huo Kumiko had reached full potential."
"Forgive my intrusion, demo, would it be the wisest thing, to take her at such strength?" Shien chose his words as carefully as possible, though he could not forget it had lingered among his thoughts for some time as it were. "I wonder why you've chosen to wait so long."
"Why do the work when someone else would do it for us?" Homura's smile had become mirthless and he took his leave from his perch.
"I sure as hell hope ya know what you're doing." The brasher of the gods grumbled as he shifted his weapon from one hand to the other.
He'd been in a touchy mood ever since the discovery of the Fire Elemental, Huo Kumiko; anxious to get the process on the move, Zenon had all but blatantly announced his abhorrence of sitting like ducks for the hunter. The sooner they abducted the girl, the sooner they could commence all other plans.
Shien had remained the calmest since the new addition to their goal, this branch which had sprouted from pure circumstance and convenience. Huo Kumiko's fermenting period tested the trio, though truly, he viewed himself as the one with the least to fight for.
In the events of Rinrei's torture and execution, or Mirai and her son's ruthless murder, he looked in shame upon his own story's subject. Nataku lived on, despite the absence of his spirit; his body had the sense to work as a working organism.
While Nataku the child-god reveled in his comatose state in Tenkai, Shien had decided to cast himself out for Homura's cause. To break free of the heavens had been a dream which very few ever pursued and those few rarely made it past the first gates. Exile seemed the fastest and most effective manner of separating the immortal servants from those suffocating bonds to the Jade Emperor.
After all was said and done, Shien justified his reasons for taking after Homura's burden-heavy footsteps. The half-god had inherited the title of War Prince in the stead of their lifeless Nataku. Was it, or was it not Shien's responsibility to justly honor and therefore serve He who retained such a title?
It nearly made him laugh aloud in bitterness, though he bit his tongue and stayed his voice.
The idea of the Jade Emperor's heavens under a just rule, however, was absolutely absurd.
What moral existed only shone through as a role in a play, a false precedence shown to better the face of Tenkai's ultimate ruler. Those living within closer quarters of the Emperor would have known his true tyranny, the fist of self-proclaimed power to play all as his puppets.
A sourness rose in Shien's throat.
What sort of fair emperor forbade the rescue of a child, immortal or not. War Prince or servant?
What sort of just ruler applauded the father of said child for showing absolute lack of emotion for his son?
What leader purposely placed one of his own courts into imminent peril before knowing in full that soldier was truly ready to face such a task?
The moon-glazed deity gazed down upon his own hands, turning them palms up. Would his friends stare through his eyes they, too, should see the crimson dripping from the pale flesh.
"And what sort of loyal fool stands idly by as his charge is brutally injured by such a terrible monster?"
He had not meant for the words to be physically spoken, although his placid expression becomes startled upon realizing it.
Zenon straightened at his post, looking in Shien's direction. "What's that, man? Didn't really catch it."
"Oh, nothing." The other managed to collect himself, his cool demeanor fixed in place once more. "Merely talking to myself."
Inside, turmoil raged.
Nataku had only been but a child.
A child!
An immortal? Of course.
The son of the Emperor's favored Li Touten, yes.
But still, he was first and foremost only a child.
Shien's stomach churned even at the memories of Nataku when he lived. The boy used to rampage the heavens without a second glance to the rules; his practical jokes occurred on a daily basis, much to most everyone's chagrin. He ran ramped in Tenkai as though it were his personal playground; he caused trouble and difficulties wherever he treaded, and despite the lack of playmates, the young prince always sufficed to amuse himself.
His caretaker, his loyal advisor and sworn protector Shien had scolded the boy often for skipping lessons or missing training sessions. Nevertheless, it had been done with mild reproach for children, naturally, were meant to play and fraternize no matter what their race or rank.
The problem therein laid the fact there had never been any other children, at least not during that particular time, and certainly not in that sect of Tenkai.
It was not until one of the servants of Kanzeon Bosatsu had brought to her the wild beast born of rock, earth, and sky- the one born of a stone egg high upon a mountain flat. The moonlit night had hatched the egg, birthing the strange primal creature resembling that of a primate- wild and persistently hungry, innocent yet childishly savage.
That child had been placed before Kanzeon and her horrendously snobbish nephew, Konzen Douji and under some mishap or perhaps badly played prank of the great Kannon; the monkey child was placed to Konzen's care. To the golden-man's dismay, the beast ran more rampant than Nataku ever had and was disciplined forcefully several times per day…
Shien wondered if Fate had played her hand in bringing the War Prince and the Monkey Sage together, for they had eventually met, though not until the chimp had been somewhat tamed.
The god recalled the day well enough, as though it replayed in his mind as a very recent memory. Though what is five-hundred years in the eyes of an immortal but a single heartbeat out of all treading the mortal earth?
Nataku had angered the Emperor by drawing on his face with a permanent marking pen whilst he slept and ran away to avoid being caught by the guards. He had ducked into a seemingly empty storage room where he came across another boy his age. Discovering that this other youth had also been running away from the wrath of his superior - this for drawing on some very important legal documents - the pair exchanged only a few more words before the guards eventually caught up.
Even so, Nataku could not keep from relaying the events to Shien, his excitement in making a friend so evident that the elder god could not help the smile on his face.
Yet it had startled Shien to learn of the other boy having the same golden eyes as Prince Nataku.
The color represented heresy of sorts, though it also stood for exceptional power within that person.
Monkey had not yet been named, for Konzen had no such desire to grant him one, yet it had later been deciphered to be Son Goku- otherwise known in his feral state as Seiten Taisei, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.
Son Goku would later prove himself as an ominous figure; a threat to Nataku's position as Prince of War. He held such abilities and power unlike any ever witnessed, incomparable to even the finest Tenkai mercenaries. While the heretic had no such ideas as to ever try and overthrow his best friend's position, Li Touten had every theory of how the primate could do so and thus had to prevent the thwarting of Nataku's title.
Therefore, Nataku's friendship with Son Goku came up as a thing of worry, of taboo, of crime.
Shien could never have imagined it to turn out any worse, to backfire in such a terrible manner. Touten and the Emperor buckled down on Nataku's training, giving him less time to spend with the godforsaken Goku, less time to spend for himself, and less time to find himself caring about it.
Shutting out the image of Nataku's abused figure when he returned from his life-changing battle, Shien wondered at how any could be so punishing. It had been the defining fight, the one which had definitively earned the child his rank as God of War, though it had cost him a brutal beating and several sustained injuries.
The little prince spent weeks in recovery, confined to his quarters to heal his wounds and Shien had spent the majority of it at the boy's side. He aided the nursing of the tender and fragile body, and what efforts were spent outside was done to vainly attempt a lifting of Nataku's title.
He was not ready, no matter what Li Touten and their ruler proclaimed, and only did as
He was told for fear of getting into trouble.
Nataku did not like to disappoint anyone, not in serious matters, and the very thought of being so powerful would appeal to any little boy in love with the tactics of a good fight.
Shien had approached the power-hungry pair in a sort of quiet desperation, pleading with them to negate the boy's title if only for a while longer.
"We can't allow that brat, Son Goku to take my son's place!" Li Touten argued firmly to an already one-sided Emperor.
As much as the Jade Emperor loathed Nataku's impish antics in his palace, he detested the idea of a heathen replacing a 'pure-bred' god.
"Indeed we cannot. The power of that heretical monster is far too great and untrained. His character is too wild to be reigned in. To place him under such gargantuan responsibility would be ludicrous."
It had been a lost cause from the start. Shien's words only fell upon deaf ears and stone hearts, and knowing he had no chance of gaining any ground, he backed down from his movement.
If only he had persisted with more force…
When Nataku recovered, there'd been a great celebration to honor his rise in the ranks. However, no sooner did he receive his official title in a formal ceremony did the Jade Emperor entrust a new mission to the youth.
An arduous task awaited, it would be more dangerous than the last.
Shien had felt his heart sink even as he held his head high.
If heaven's newly appointed Prince of War could not handle it, then certainly no one else could. At least he would have his army behind him for support.
The greatly feared Bull Demon Gyumaoh had lost control of his senses. He thirsted for the blood of humans, devouring them in mass quantities, giving no prejudices to which he chose for a sacrifice. Hundreds of innocent lives were given to him in payment for safety, yet it never guaranteed what those mortals prayed for.
The more flesh he ate, the greater his power would become, and the longer his life would last.
After much deliberation and council, the Jade Emperor had concluded that this demon Gyumaoh must be stopped. Such a reign of terror and destruction could not possibly continue, for it would only be a matter of time before all of Shangri-La ran red with spilled blood.
Shien had watched Nataku march out with five hundred of Tenkai's finest soldiers. He would accompany them on their crusade to the lower world, yet not as the prince's guard.
His position had changed upon the orders of the Emperor.
Rather than assist Nataku personally, Shien would command the army against the minions of the Bull Demon.
"What if Lord Nataku should become endangered? Shall I intervene?"
The question, as the silver haired god hoped, would have quite the obvious reply.
The Emperor's cold eyes settled on the liegeman. "Iie. He is the Prince of War and it is his duty alone to overtake Gyumaoh. Do you understand me, Shien? Nataku must face his enemy alone. I will not stand for treason to my words."
At the time, Shien felt a strong sense of foreboding.
Somehow the words had sounded so final, and he wished presently he had the sense to follow his gut instinct.
Yet to defy the Emperor's law meant to forfeit one's immortal life. What good would it do Nataku should Shien cast himself out for not following the rules, especially when he always taught the boy that rules were meant to be abided?
Nataku faced Gyumaoh with every ounce of courage inside his small body. He had stood with the form of a child and the strength of a man-sized god. Using the most potent spells and attacks he could muster, he did at last bind the demon king into a suspended animation submission.
The victory had come with a heady price.
It was Shien who gathered Nataku's broken body back to Tenkai with barely any soldiers left to follow them home.
The guilt for not coming to the prince's aid, for not stepping in so as to prevent such an exhaustion of energy had begun to wrack the god's soul.
Nataku would not awaken again.
While his golden eyes were open to the world, they peered through everything and saw nothing. He could not respond to his name; not a flinch of a finger or bat of an eyelash.
His confrontation with such a powerful foe had drained him nearly completely of his chi, his life energy, leaving next to nothing in reserve.
The war prince remained comatose even as Shien had pledged his new allegiance to Homura.
Perhaps this time would play out differently.
Maybe this time he could save someone rather than watch their destruction, he could keep him from suffering Nataku's fate.
For what good was a liegeman if he could not protect his charge?
"Shien. Shien…Shien?" Zenon's gruff voice called out to his comrade, the slightest tinge of worry lacing his husky tone.
The willow formed deity at last turned his face toward the other, sea-green orbs slit and complacent.
"What is it, Zenon?"
Astonished that the man could hold onto such a calm manner, even after being so unresponsive for the past twenty minutes, the vermilion haired god stepped back with a small grin.
"You're something' else. What the hell were ya daydreaming or something?"
"Or something…" Shien made a feeble attempt at humor before coolly approaching Homura's throne.
He'd not see the same happen to this one as had happened to Nataku.
"Homura, may I make a proposal?"
Whether the demi-god consented or not made no matter. Shien would say his piece and allow Homura to mull over the idea. He could not force anything that might go against his sworn leader, yet he would try with more heart and soul than he could have in the past.
When Homura gestured for his yes-man to go on, Shien held fast to his resolve.
"I move that we waste no more time waiting on the elemental. It may seem an easier task to take her at full capacity; however, her loyalties thus far are clearly for the son of Gyumaoh."
"Keep talkin', I'm likin' this." Zenon drew in toward the throne and leaned against the butt of his ma-shin gun. If it meant action sooner, he was already pro-Shien's idea.
The pale god resumed his movement.
"Huo Kumiko may not be the most powerful of all; however, as a natural Element her spirit will lend her body abilities which may exceed our own. My concern lies within the theory that we may not be able to control such an unpredictable spirit such as Fire."
"As the rule remains, I suppose, that the wider Fire spreads, the harder she is to contain. Am I correct in assuming this is your point, Shien?" Homura spoke with interest, viewing his companion's opinion as valuable as his own.
"You are."
"I vouch we get our asses movin'." A thick thumb jerked toward the exit of the throne room as a grin spread over the rugged deity's face.
Homura gazed down upon his followers, disciples in their own right, and he at last turned his back to them and nodded once.
"Then we will prepare and leave at once. The abduction of the flame begins immediately."