Hikaru no Go – German King

Summary: Tragedies hits Hikaru one by one, and all he has left is Go and memories. He will grow older, he will grow colder, but he will also take you by storm. AU. No pairings decided as of yet.

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I don't own Hikaru no Go

Hikaru's thoughts and talking with Sai

Sai speaking

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Thank you to all my readers, reviewers and subscribers ;D

And of course thanks to xXDeidara-chanXx who looked over this chapter and sent me a review telling me she would very much like to help me with the German part of this story!

Previously in chapter 20

Hikaru had of course asked about the treatment. "He will be okay right?" He didn't have much hope though, but he was told that the treatment depended on the type of cardiomyopathy the patience had. But it may include medication, implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, ventricular assist devices (LVADs), or ablation. The goal of treatment was not to make them healthy again, but to give them a symptom relief, alas less attacks. There was also the patients that may eventually require a heart transplant. Also alternative methods such as stam cell therapy was commercially available, but not supported by convincing evidence. Hikaru soon figured out that that meant his grandpa would never get rid of the disease...

After that announcement Hikaru was pretty lost of what to do next...His grandpa was old, they had little money and he would come last in the line for any heart transplantation. But that transplantation was also the only thing that could make him better...even if the doctors were afraid that his weak body wouldn't survive the operation.

Chapter 21

Hikaru, being the stubborn boy that he was, ended up spending the night by his grandfather's bedside. His bed was the non-human-friendly chair and even the safest sleeping position gave him back pains. The Head Nurse Keiko had come and gone a couple of times through the evening. And if the blanket Hikaru found draped over him in the morning was any indication of it, she had paid a visit at night too. Or it could have been one of the other nurses really. Hikaru didn't care either way as he woke up grumpy and with back pains that would make the most veteran rice farmer wince in sympathy.

After throwing the baby blue blanket away – honestly, stereotyping much? – He took a moment to center himself. So much had happened and changed since last night. He nearly lost his last family member, felt more terror than he ever thought he would, and got informed that his grandpa had been hiding a terrible disease.

Looking over at the only bed in the room, he saw that Heihatchi was still unconscious. He didn't try to talk to him or anything, but he stood up to make sure he was just sleeping. The heart rate machine could have told him that, but Hikaru neither understood nor trusted such piles of metal and wires. He couldn't see Sai anywhere, but guessed the ghost had become bored and curious before long ago.

"…they say Keiko-san has half the staff running around trying to come in contact with any family members of age."

"Yes that's right. He's supposed to be only 9...9 years old and alone in the ICU besides his ill grandfather...what a horrible thing to experience!"

At the whispering voices Hikaru twisted around in the chair and looked out into the hallway of the ICU. It was an early weekday, but the hall was still full of young nurses, harried doctors and worried visitors. And some meters away from Heihachi's room a cluster of gossiping nurses had made their nest.

Hikaru glanced their way and rolled his eyes when he saw and heard them whispering about him. Looks like I'm the new gossip topic...lovely.

"Sure, but honestly, what is he hiding? Not giving Head Nurse Keiko-san any information about his family… Are we sure he's even related to the old man? Maybe he's just a street kid trying to gain something from a poor old man's death!"

"But he did give up some information. Supposedly his father and grandmother died some years ago, and his mother is out of country."

"Well either way, if they can't find any useful information soon the child services will surely be contacted. I'll give it another day before they'll come knocking..."

Hikaru turned around again to give his grandpa his full attention when he caught the eyes the gossiping nurses. They gave him either accusing glances or condescending sympathy. He nearly sneered in retaliation.

The nurses and doctors were obviously whispering about him whenever they had the chance. And he didn't even have to go outside Heihachi's room to be able to hear them clearly – they really weren't hiding their curiosity – but he didn't bother to tell them off. And besides, their gossiping gave him valuable information.

So Keiko-san has the ICU staff working to get in contact with mother or any other possible relatives. Well they will not find a thing I'm sure...but child services isn't any better...

His mother or the government... Neither of the results sounded good to Hikaru, he should try to figure something out. But what could he really do? He did not want to leave his grandpa and go with his mother if she came to Japan, and he did not want to end up in a foster home or – god forbid – an orphanage!

He sat there only with the ever-active machines as background noise, and contemplated his choices. They were few and often not realistic... An hour went by and he had as of yet not come up with a brilliant plan. He hadn't even a plan B...Sai had come back from his sashay, but even he could not come up with a solution to Hikaru's problem when asked.

Hikaru went to the bathroom and back, tried to figure out the machines, took a walk in the halls, and sat himself down again and just watched over his grandfather. Hooked up on various machines, the pale and very frail man lay motionlessly in the bed, dressed in white hospital issued clothes. There was one of those fluid lines leading into the back of the man's thin hand, another line of medicine leading into the other hand, and a clear tube came out of his nose helping him breath. On the other side the bed, a machine was quietly, but steady beeping with the man's heart beat.

For what could have been minutes or hours, he sat there just staring at Heihachi before Head Nurse Keiko-san popped in again to check on both him and the machines.

"How are you dear? I won't ask if you've slept well because I have my own experiences with those chairs. Normally we don't allow visitors to spend the night, but your circumstances are a bit different." She tipped her head just so and waited for the grumpy nine-year old to give her his full attention.

"Sure."

She smiled at him and clapped her hands together. "Now, it was a long day, so why don't we go find you some breakfast huh?"

Hikaru wrinkled his nose and scowled at nothing in particular. "I can't stand hospital food."

She chuckled like she expected him to say that, "Oh no, don't you worry about such things, the hospital has a great cafeteria where the visitors can grab a bite whenever they feel like it. So what do you say, my treat?"

Hikaru couldn't really say no to that even if he'd rather sit here all day until his grandfather woke up, he couldn't ignore his own needs...and he was pretty hungry.

"Sure."

After some breakfast, were Hikaru only half heartily answered both Keiko-san and Sai's many questions – The ghost had left again after Hikaru had sat down to watch over his grandpa, the 9 year old had later found him flouting around the vending machines – Keiko-san brought them to the resident gift store. Hikaru had not said much that morning, but he had managed to inform the nurse – quite clearly – that he had no intention of leaving his grandpa's side anytime soon. At least not before he woke up. Hikaru couldn't imagine a worse feeling than waking up in a hospital alone after such an ordeal.

Nurse Keiko's solution to the stubborn boy's argument was to buy him a magazine of his choice. Hikaru had given her a queer look, but shrugged his shoulders; if she wanted to spend her well-earned money on an unknown brat then who was he to complain? Between him and Sai their choice fell on a Go-magazine with mostly Go-problems and a few articles. Keiko-san had raised a plucked eyebrow at the choice and started a whole new series of questions, now Go- and hobby-related.

Hikaru was glad when they reach the ICU again. He excused himself – as did Sai, the ever polite ghost – and ditched the nurse. He was now back again in the deathly silent room with the torture chair, but at least now he had a full stomach and Go-problems to distract him to lessen the dread.

Nurse Keiko had seemed to back off – for the moment – when it came to the question of him staying one more night. But, if she was just as stubborn as him when it came to hospital policies, they had a problem...

Reading the Go-articles together with Sai and discussing some problems, the next hours went by quietly. When lunch came around and Heihachi still hadn't come to, one of the nurses brought him some miso soup and water. Hikaru was pleasantly surprised over the nurse's friendliness – yesterday they had seemed like stressed out Grade School teachers* – and after the gossiping episode in the hallway he figured they would keep away from him.

The rest of the day went as such: boring and stress-free. His grandfather didn't come to, but his condition was bless-fully stable. Keiko-san had said she hoped for him to wake up tomorrow. His third or more heart attacks had been hard on the old man's frail body. One or even more so two attacks were hard, but more than that was pushing it. No matter how minor they may have been.

Due to the hour the head Nurse Keiko had again brought him – and also Sai – down to the cafeteria for a well tasting dinner. There, as Hikaru was inhaling his ramen, she took up the issue of his overlong visit again... Again! Hikaru had scowled at her around his noodles, but after butting heads for a bit, they came to an agreement: Hikaru would spend another night, but if Heihachi didn't wake up he would have to bring along a nurse to his home tomorrow. He could like it however little, but the hospital had to contact his mother. And as Hikaru didn't know her contact information, and Heihachi was still down under because of his treatment, the only choice they had was to try and find the information at their house.

And as fate would have it Heihachi didn't wake up. So the next morning after another free breakfast, Hikaru and a bored looking male nurse took a taxi to their traditional looking home. Hikaru had ordered Sai to stay behind and watch over Heihachi. If he woke while Hikaru was gone Sai could reach them rather quickly.

The nurse had whistled when the taxi came to an halt in front of their fairly large and old fashioned house. But Hikaru hadn't spared him a look. He wanted to be back at his grandfather's side as quickly as possible. But while he was here he would also pick up some necessaries. Such as Go books and stones, a traveling board, clothes and toiletries for Heihachi and himself, some money and snacks. He also packed Heihatchi's favorite pillow and a picture of his grandma. It was am old picture from their younger days. Usually it decorated Heihachi's nightstand, but Hikaru was sure he would appreciate the gesture.

The nurse was messing around in the drawers near the telephone looking for Heihachi's contact book. Hikaru had seen it a couple of times before and pointed the men in the general direction of the hallway, where he thought it might be when asked.

He had just brought down a bag of things and thrown away last night's spoiled dinner, when the nurse shouted in success.

"You got all you need kid?" he asked as he pocked a tall and handsome black notebook.

"Yes, and you, did you find it?" Hikaru asked as polite and patiently as the situation called for.

"Yeah, and it should have all the information we need. Now then let's get going, no need to drag it out. Now that we have her number and address, your mother will come and sort this mess out before long."

Hikaru's ever present scowled deepened.

AN: A short 2000-something chapter, had some more text but its been fitted into chapter 22 which I'm starting on now ;D To all you that have reviewed and subscribed; a massive hug!

* I would normally like to think that High School teachers would be more stressed out, but Hikaru hasn't reach High School yet and dues have no reference to them.