This was supposed to be short, oh well. Here's some more for the Spirit AU, more on Kyoutani and the Aoba Johsai Province!
There isn't much known about half beasts, only that they don't live long. The self enforced solitary and pain, coupled with an excess of volatile magic makes them unstable, and eventually kills them after only a couple of centuries, not long at all.
If this keeps up, he'll have to stop going on patrol.
Iwaizumi sits in front of the small cave, sending out calming pulses through the stone. The spirit is watching him, eyes wide and glowing. For an instant, Iwaizumi sees bright blue eyes peering out at him from the hollow of a tree, but he shakes his head.
There's nothing to be done about that.
This spirit is different, the thrumming song that resides in all spirits tells him what they are. Oikawa's song is light and airy, with a strong undercurrent that nearly frightened Iwaizumi away the first time they met. The rest of them, Matsukawa and Hanamaki, Kunimi and the rest, their songs tell of the forest, each with an accompanying piece for their secondary alignment.
The spirit has the melody of the forest, and the quiet rumbling that Iwaizumi's matched to earth aligned spirits, but there's something else, something he hasn't heard before. It's not the first time he's sensed a difference in song, but that was something else entirely. It almost feels like another song entirely, humming quietly below the surface.
All the same, another earth alignment is exciting.
A growl, low and rumbling, pours from the spirit's mouth and Iwaizumi mimics it perfectly.
A couple of song birds and rabbits had been reporting a new spirit manifestation for some time now, but for whatever reason, Iwaizumi's never been able to find them until now.
"I'm Iwaizumi. I'm the knight of the forest, according to some anyways. I can bring you to my province if you want? There's only a few of us right now, eight, including myself."
The spirit has yet to move out of the darkness of the cave, so Iwaizumi keeps talking. He tells the spirit how he raised the mountains, and of the Old Spirits, and dwindling earth manifestations.
It takes four hours, but the spirit leans into the sunlight.
The spirit is dotted in dark green leaves and soft pink flowers, some of them twisting into dark hair perforated with shining golden petals. Their eyes are still glowing, bright and golden and Iwaizumi stows away the memories he has of blue eyes.
The spirit's name is Kyoutani, Iwaizumi learns after a week. After two weeks, Kyoutani willingly talks to him. By three weeks, Iwaizumi's helping him train inside the caves.
"I've never seen anyone else," Kyoutani mumbles, shifting a stone back and forth.
"Really?"
"I stay in the caves, it's quiet here."
Iwaizumi nods and eases back to lean against the stone wall.
"My offer still stands, you know? There are two others around your same manifestation, two older, and three-two, two who are a bit younger."
"I don't know."
"It's your choice."
Oikawa doesn't take the news well, it's understandable really, and Iwaizumi can't blame him.
He's stony and quiet, eyes swirling as the wind whirls around them.
"Hajime."
Iwaizumi is gambling with his words, but he knows what Oikawa is thinking.
"He's not Tobio."
The wind kicks up several notches.
"That's not-"
"Yes it was."
Iwaizumi's getting ready to go get Kyoutani, the younger spirit had wanted some time to himself before, to prepare. He's waiting by a river junction.
"This isn't a good idea," Oikawa tries. Iwaizumi ignores him though and Oikawa huffs a heavy gust of air in irritation. Unbothered, Iwaizumi begins walking.
"Last time-"
"Last time was both of our faults. Just because it didn't work then doesn't mean we can't help Kyoutani."
"He's a half beast- listen- Hajime, listen to me!"
Iwaizumi stops.
The wind is whipping up Oikawa's hair, rattling the trees and flinging small stones every which way. Oikawa steps forward to settle his hand on Iwaizumi's shoulder.
"Yes, what happened with Kageyama was an accident. But I will not threaten the safety of my- of our province by bringing in someone who could easily destroy everything we've built! Kunimi and Kindaichi already have troubles with magical instability, and Yahaba's only just getting proper control of his fire-"
"Better for Kyoutani to be some place where his beast can be contained. If he raises himself, you know that all of that negative energy will turn him rogue. It will kill him, we both know what happens to half beasts."
Iwaizumi still hasn't looked at him, he isn't moving, as sure and stable as the element he embodies.
Oikawa sighs and the wind drops dramatically to a slow breeze.
"What if I hurt someone?" Kyoutani asks as they walk.
"You won't."
"But what if I do?"
"We know a lovely water spirit with amazing healing abilities."
Kyoutani doesn't look amused, so Iwaizumi stops talking, stops walking.
"If someone gets hurt, it will be an accident, you are not the beast, so it won't be your fault. Everyone has been spoken to, they understand. If you're worried, then we can work something out closer to your shift, I'll handle it personally if it will make you feel better."
He waits until Kyoutani looks at him. When he does, they begin walking again.
Iwaizumi's not the only one to notice the wind kicking up. Yahaba gives him a concerned look when they step into the main clearing.
"Where's Oikawa?"
"Somewhere," Yahaba shrugs, flowers glowing nervously, "It's been pretty windy around here since you left, Hanamaki got hit the forehead with a pebble."
"That's his own fault, he's perfectly capable of dispersing the wind around him," Iwaizumi shakes his head and steps aside so Yahaba can see Kyoutani.
"Kyoutani, this is Yahaba. Yahaba, this is Kyoutani."
Yahaba's eyes swirl from orange to red for a moment, absently calculating before he straightens up and holds out a hand.
"Nice to meet you," he says.
Kyoutani doesn't move an inch until Iwaizumi gives him a small nudge forward.
"Introduce him to the others, I'm going to see if I can get Oikawa to calm down."
Once Kyoutani finally follows Yahaba to another part of the clearing, Iwaizumi turns and begins walking. There's really only one place that Oikawa will be.
His tree.
It only takes a few minutes, and once Oikawa sees Iwaizumi, he jumps down the branches and stands beside him. The wind is still angry, and it seems intent on blowing directly into Iwaizumi's face.
"Where is he?" Oikawa asks.
"He's with Yahaba, meeting everyone else." Iwaizumi cross his arms as the wind kicks up even more, trying to knock him off his feet.
They stand there, silent and waiting, until Oikawa leans to rest his head against Iwaizumi's shoulder, the wind dying instantly.
"I don't want things to be like they were," he says softly. "They got along great with Kunimi and Kindaichi, but- I didn't really help them, did I? I just let them alone and then they were gone. I don't want to be the reason that another spirit..."
Iwaizumi nods, wrapping Oikawa in a hug.
"You won't be."
Iwaizumi and Oikawa are away, dealing with with rumors of humans damaging the forest. They should be back soon however, after nearly a week of absence.
Without his mediator, Kyoutani keeps to himself. He's successful until the second day, when Yahaba drags him away from his new hollow. Iwaizumi had encouraged him to socialize while he and Oikawa were away. Ever since he arrived, Kyoutani's done almost nothing but train with Iwaizumi, dedicated to learning earth magic.
But now Yahaba's tugging him along, those stupid red flowers glowing while his eyes change color. Yahaba's warm, and Kyoutani's a liar if he says he doesn't like it some, he's sensitive to the temperature, always too cold. Apparently Yahaba is always warm, Kunimi told him a few days ago that they use Yahaba to fall asleep easier whenever Oikawa's in a mood and it's too windy.
They're sitting in a circle, all of them minus Hanamaki and Matsukawa. Kyoutani isn't really sure where the two are, but Watari had said something about them trying pull pranks on their resident water spirit. Kunimi sits against Kindaichi, dozing off while a gentle breeze toys with the flowers along their neck.
Kyoutani's irate, for some reason he's not entirely sure. But it takes him a moment to recognize the heavy heat in his chest and the pressure behind his eyes. His pain tolerance is high, it has to be because the shift tears his muscles and breaks his bones. It still hurts, but the minutes leading up to the shift feel numb at this point.
The sun is going down.
"Yahaba," he says, hating that fact that his voice breaks as he feels his hip bones starting to shift.
"Hmm?"
Kyoutani doesn't get a chance to respond because he falls back, the earth shaking beneath him. The first bone cracks and Kindaichi jumps back, upsetting Kunimi.
There's too many spirits. Kyoutani's always been alone during the shifts. But there's too much. The smells of all of them, the possibilities concerning them. The beast is cautious, violently so, and it's more often than not just trying to protect itself. It's always better when he's alone, there's no one to hurt in the cave. It will be scared.
He doesn't want to hurt anybody.
"Go find Hanamaki and Matsukawa," someone yells, Kyoutani's not sure who.
"Yahaba, what are we supposed to do? Iwaizumi's not here, he's supposed to-"
"We'll just have to deal with it."
Kyoutani's not entirely sure what happens next, because his mind turns over.
Yahaba has no idea what they're supposed to do. The beast before them looks nothing like an actual animal, but it has Kyoutani's eyes.
Iwaizumi's supposed to be here, this is his job.
There isn't much known about half beasts, only that they don't live long. The self enforced solitary and pain, coupled with an excess of volatile magic makes them unstable, and eventually kills them after only a couple of centuries, not long at all. Iwaizumi had been sure that within a province, they could keep that from happening.
But Yahaba's unsure.
A gust of wind catches their attention, Kunimi pushes onto their feet.
"I think it's in our best interest to remain calm. Let's try not to spook him."
It's too late though, the beast is already spooked. There's too many of them, crowding him, the beast must take that to mean hostility. It doesn't help that their instinct is to fight.
It charges, barreling into Kunimi, singling them out at as the smallest, and the weakest apparently. Kunimi all but crumples when massive claws drag down his leg.
Then Kindaichi does something stupid.
After far too long, Watari finds Hanamaki and Matsukawa. Iwaizumi's been trying to teach him how to track, but he's not been able to pick it up.
"Kyoutani shifted!" he screams, " I don't know what's happening right now but it can't be good."
That seems to snap their attention. They share a look and Hanamaki shoots up into the air and over the trees to the main clearing. Watari and Matsukawa run side by side, moving as fast as they can, the earth pushing them along until they skid to a stop in the clearing.
It's dark by now, the sun just setting, so it's easy to see Yahaba's fire.
A ball of it, gold and orange and dangerous, engulfs his hand. He's standing in front of the Kyoutani's beast, the fire between them. If Kyoutani notices their arrival, he doesn't move.
"Get Kunimi and Kindaichi to Manami, hurry. Kindaichi needs a submergence, as quick as possible," Yahaba says, moving the flame slowly, drawing Kyoutani farther from the two injured spirits. Hanamaki picks up Kindaichi, thanking the Old Spirits that he's not earth aligned, and darts back to the river.
Watari takes Kunimi, and Matsukawa stays where he is. If anything goes wrong, Yahaba's going to need someone experienced to help him.
Hours pass, too many hours, before Kyoutani collapses. They both wince at the sound of his bones snapping back into place, all the cracking and tearing, a wet grind of bloodied fragments fusing back together.
Watari's already come back with a report that Kunimi is okay, and Kindaichi will be but he'll need rest. Hanamaki brings Kunimi back a short time later, and they won't say anything until they see Kyoutani. They sit beside him, petting his hair into some semblance of order.
"Your leg," Yahaba says.
"Manami fixed it up, I don't necessarily have to walk, I'll be fine," Kunimi says. "We should probably move him into a more comfortable position."
Mutsukawa does it, Kunimi can't lift him and Yahaba's exhausted from sustaining a blaze that wanted to escape the entire time.
The only thing left to do is tell Oikawa when he returns.
And no one is looking forward to that.
Oikawa is livid when they come back only a few hours later.
Kyoutani is still unconscious, Yahaba's still on the ground beside him with Kunimi.
But now, Yahaba doesn't hesitate to stand up, putting himself on the defense, moving in front of Kyoutani, blocking him from Oikawa.
"It wasn't his fault," he says quickly, "We were initially hostile, he was just trying to protect himself."
Kunimi struggles up, settling for using a burst of wind. They hover over to Yahaba and touch to the ground, leaning most of their weight against their friend.
"We are fine; Hanamaki got Kindaichi to Manami, he's perfectly okay now, and my leg will heal without issue. Everything worked out."
"That's not the point!" Oikawa cuts in.
The clouds are swirling and a gust of wind accompanies his words.
"One of you could have died," he says.
Iwaizumi sets his hand heavy on Oikawa's shoulder. A soft tremor rumbles beneath their feet and the winds quiet.
"I'll take full responsibility," Yahaba says suddenly, looking straight at Iwaizumi.
This is his compensation.
Just decades ago, he was in Kyoutani's place. The only fire spirit in the forest, the only spirit capable of burning Oikawa's pride and joy to the ground. He'd promised that he'd be careful, promised he'd keep better control of his powers. Standing in front of Kyoutani, a ball of fire in his hand, he can do something no one else can.
"I'll stay with him, instead of it being Iwaizumi, when he shifts. We can use the caves so there's no chance of the fire catching." Absently, he slips an arm around Kunimi, they're starting to nod off against him.
Before Oikawa can even open his mouth, Iwaizumi speaks.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Iwaizumi nods and Oikawa stares a moment before shaking his head. The wind is angry again, but it's not actively trying to kill all of them, so that's nice.
"I'm going to check on Kindaichi."
Iwaizumi lets him go.
"I'll take Kyoutani to his hollow. Why don't you take care of Kunimi? Then get some rest."
Iwaizumi picks up the still unconscious Kyoutani and carries him off.
Not wanting to move much, Yahaba sits down slowly, so Kunimi's lying on their back, their head in his lap.
Kyoutani's panicking as he wakes up.
He can never remember much, but he knows for certain the feeling of tearing through skin.
He knew this would happen. It isn't okay for him to be around other spirits, he's too dangerous. He doesn't bother questioning the quiet voice telling him to leave. He just runs.
Of all the stupid choices to make, Yahaba thinks, he goes and makes the stupidest one.
Iwaizumi's looking through the mountains, spreading his awareness through the stone in hopes of finding Kyoutani, but that will take a while. Oikawa is staying with Kindaichi but Watari is with Matsukawa, and Hanamaki is flying overhead. Kunimi's with Yahaba, against everyone's advisement.
"Where do you think he is?" they ask, hovering alongside Yahaba so they don't have to put any pressure on their leg.
"I don't know."
Kunimi hums their agreement and says nothing else.
After two hours, they find themselves near one of Manami's smaller streams.
"What's that?" Kunimi asks, pointing to what looks like a small hill a short ways from the stream.
As it is, there's a tree growing into the opposite side, its roots exposed and massive, creating an almost cave like structure.
And Kyoutani's sleeping inside.
"It looks like he's been here before," Kunimi says, "That boulder there, by what looks like the entrance, he must move it to lock himself inside when he shifts. There's scratches all over it."
Yahaba shivers at the thought.
"Why don't you talk to him? I'll go get the others and we'll wait for you two at the province."
Without anything more, Kunimi drifts away.
Not knowing what else to do, Yahaba sits down. With a sigh, he runs his hands through his hair, accidentally catching a stem at the base of his neck.
His small hiss of pain is apparently enough to wake Kyoutani.
"What are you doing here?" he asks, sitting up.
"Looking for you, obviously," Yahaba says, crossing his arms. "I'm bringing you back."
"No."
"No?"
"I'll hurt someone again. I hurt someone, I know I did. Who was it?"
"Kunimi and Kindaichi," Yahaba says after a moment, "You clawed Kunimi's leg and knocked Kindaichi around. They're fine now though. We all agreed it was because we were acting hostile and-"
"That doesn't matter!"
The rumble in his voice shakes the ground, and the boulder near the entry cracks in half.
Kyoutani takes one look at it and tucks his legs up to his chest, burying his face in his knees.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," he whispers.
"You won't."
Also, I'm not trying to villainize Oikawa at all, that's not intended in the slightest but I understand how it may come across like that. For this, he's very protective of his forest, and of his individual province, there's also a lot of baggage concerning Kageyama, but I haven't revealed that yet. So please don't think I'm trying to make Oikawa all mean just for the sake of it, I love him, but in this AU, there are contributing factors to his opposition of Kyoutani initially.
In other news:
I'm not sure if I should write up a full short for Yahaba, just what his whole 'compensation' thing is, I know of course, but you all don't. Regardless, I'll figure out what I'm doing. If there are any things you want to know for certain, whether about characters are anything else, send me a message on tumblr, or leave it in a comment!