Day: 21

Fandom: Ceres: Celestial Legend- Tokyo teen Aya discovers that she's possessed by the vengeful spirit of her ancestor on her sixteenth birthday, a Ten'nyo furious at the human man who stole her hagoromo. The problem is, the thieving ancestor has also been reborn; in the body of her twin brother, Aki, and while her family wants to protect their ancestor, they fear the Ten'nyo's wrath and want her dead…

Themes(s): Music

Words: 517

Warnings: The probably erroneous assumption that old western pop Christmas songs are played in Japan.

"… Try to imagine, a house that's not a home…"

Aya hummed along vaguely to the song, not really listening to the words; not that she could really understand them, anyway. Aki was always much better at English than she was…

"Aki…" Aya dropped the book she was trying to read, propping up her knees and wrapping her arms around them. She pressed her face into her knees, her hair falling forwards and blocking off all light, leaving her in the darkness with her memories. Happy memories, beloved memories of her beloved brother… "Can't you see these, Ceres? They're precious to me. So precious…"

Your good memories cannot replace my bad ones. I have so many more.

In her mind's eye, Aya could see the sad woman's face, her dark, reproachful eyes and never-smiling mouth. Ceres was looking at her like a foolish child; it was how she always treated Aya.

"He's my brother!" Aya screamed in her mind. "He's my big brother and I love him! Why? Why does your hate have to destroy our family?"

Love can so easily become hate, Ceres said dispassionately, but it cannot be turned back-

"I don't hate Aki," Aya thought stubbornly, "and I never will. He's my family, and… I just want us to be together again…"

Both of her fell silent; the music warbled on, the words incomprehensible but the melody palpably melancholy. You didn't have to know the words to hear the sadness. It spoke to Aya; there were no words for the sadness she felt. Nobody had ever created any words; nobody had ever felt like this.

In the old days, sad music was not considered appropriate for winter, Ceres said, apropos of nothing. Winter music was loud, and lively, full of drums and beats that made your heart pound. It was… joyful.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aya asked tiredly. She just wanted to roll over and fall asleep now, but would this intruder to her mind stay out of her dreams?

Winter music was the first music. It was in defiance of the darkness. When the world was cold and hard and dead, humans made the loudest sounds that they could to prove that they were not. It is a curious aspect of your species. The deeper the darkness is, the stronger you grow. The more afraid you are, the harder you fight…

"Well, you have to fight hardest when it's hard to fight," Aya told her. "Otherwise, you might as well roll over and die…"

Like you want to?

Aya suddenly unfolded, jerking to her feet and stomping over to the radio to turn it to something bouncy, lively, something that seemed happy and hopeful. She still didn't understand the words, but that didn't matter.

"Does this remind you of your old music, Ceres? If you have any happy memories at all, surely you have some of the music you called joyful?"

Ceres didn't answer. Aya wondered if this meant that she'd won.

"… and everyone is singing, I hear those sleighbells ringing, Santa won't you bring me the one I really need…"

For all that I've probably portrayed Ceres herself fairly negatively here, I actually really like the fallen angel… and thank crap, today is the shortest day of the year, and THAT means that from now on the days get longer and the sun gets warmer! YAAAAAAAS! *happy dancing*

Totally agree, Lisa Telramor… I mean, I'm actually the same age as Andy. I was 17 when TS3 came out, and the previous two were highly beloved movies in my childhood. I've grown up with Andy, so it was a very emotional thing to see that he, too, was growing up, and going to Uni, but still having to deal with the fact that he was still attached to things that he was "too old" for…

I don't own Ayashi No Ceres, Yuu Watase does. I think if I owned it, I don't think I'd have had it in me to make it as unbelievably dark or harsh as it can get.