"What would you do if I was human?" The stern look in his eyes cooked up a storm in the atmosphere surrounding the two. Kari hesitated from this remark, this comment. If... Oni was human? What did it matter? Why was he asking her this...? Quickly turning away, Kari began chopping carrots for the stew and mash potato meal.
"What do you mean?" She spoke quietly. "You're... Oni anyway you look at it, aren't you?" With this comeback, Kari swore she noticed Oni wince for a mere split second.
"O-Of course... Just curious...!" He threw her off with a disarming grin and then conversation ended there, instantly.
Kari sat on the couch, her day off, recalling the question again and again and again. Should I have... said something else? She rolled on her side, facing the back cushions of the chair. After all... we've been through... am I really that stupid...?
"I LOVE YOU!"
"Even after I yelled that and slapped him... even when we've been friends so many months... But it didn't even seem real... and..." Kari paused a breath. But... What was I supposed to say...? I LOVE YOU! YES! BE A HUMAN! ... She moaned, disgraced at the thought. B-But even if he became human, it's not like it would lead anywhere... Yeah right!.. Something inside her wished she had yelled her ridiculous answer, even with Grandma Beck eavesdropping at the archway into the kitchen.
Was I... wrong?
--
The fierce deity, not so fierce and godly, sat up on the hill with "Manarosa" on the wind. His legs dangling from the side, Oni absentmindedly gazed at the sky. Human? Human? Human? He silently repeated. If I was human? I asked... Because... Because I want Kari to decide what she wants... Even if I die... is it this form you like better? No... "You're Oni anyway you look at it." Why... do those words leave me unsatisfied? I should be happy... Yet... He shook his head, causing a layer of snow to fall to the ground.
"I have something to say."
"Huh? Something to say? I didn't think I got my brains or ideas from you..." Oni said, but listened, nonetheless.
"Well..." The bay giant folded his arms. "I mean, if you are you, you'll be happy, right? Even if you can't do all the things like warping through dimensions... You've got that one chick, right dude?"
"..." Oni stared at the giant in awe, where was he going with this?
"I mean... the enchantment on you is on the deity form, yeah?" The giant glanced at the others. "If you were to... I dunno, use that Terminan form of yours... Would it still work?"
"By goddesses..." The other giants cooed. "He's got a point Oni!"
"You mean... if I remain in this world... as Link?" Oni raised a brow.
"Well, I mean, I could still pimp out your clothes and hair," The bay giant held up a finger matter-of-factly. "You live, sure your lifespan is reduced, but you only have a few days at this rate. That girl... Kari, right? Even as Link, you were friends."
"Friends..."
"I should be happy with that," Oni folded his arms. "Happy with... being friends," Oni removed his shirt, and traced a finger along another burn mark that popped up the night before. "That makes three. Two left before..." I'll please Kari till my death... Oni winced. Even if it costs me my life.
(The power of love is scary... One night later)
Night grew still as Oni, Kari, and Grandma Beck surrounded the dinner table, rather quiet. It had been a couple days since the first burn mark, about a day or so since Oni's strange question, and the small cottage in the snowy field had a unique atmosphere; it wasn't awkward or mad, but nor was it happy or the spirit of the coming of the New Year. While Kari quietly sawed her steak, Oni used a fork to pick around at his carrots, and Grandma Beck, confused by it all, finally intervened.
"Alright... I'm rather tired today..." She half-lied, she was a little tired. "I'm going to go to bed... Good night Kari, Oni." Washing her plate quickly, Grandma Beck fled the unnerving room to her bedroom down the hall.
"So..." Oni sighed. Ever since his question... He just HAD to ask...
"So," Kari repeated, yet shorter and tighter. Setting down his silverware, she paused before continuing. "How are you?"
"..." Oni half-smiled. This question always does stop silence... "I'm good... You?"
"Fine," Kari dipped her head, and silence infiltrated the room once more. Kari.. She sighed. It's obvious he's having trouble saying anything as well... You've got to keep talking... "Is Clock Town boring you out?"
"What? Nah!" Oni, relieved that she continued, grinned. "I love Clock Town, it's become my second home... First being the entire universe and dimensions, of course." He beamed, and then stretched. "Clock Town's food is way better than fish."
"I bet!" Kari laughed, remembering the times she had been traveling around Termina with Oni... It made her head rest on her palm. "You were so indifferent to food. No taste whatsoever!"
"I care about certain things..." Oni pointed out, not defensively, but just saying. "I absolutely love strawberries. I love stopping by fields of strawberries when I'm traveling... Of course, that'd get many f-" He froze.
"Oni?" Kari cocked her head. "Hello?" Suddenly, a pained expression broke in his face and he grit his teeth terribly as he fell from his seat. "Oni! Oni, what's wrong!?!" Then it dawned on her. The burn. The mark. Quickly using a knife to cut off the shirt, her hand clasped over her mouth. Several marks. Several circles... All intertwining in small parts to form... "This is..."
"Gaaahhhh!" Oni screeched, and his body shook violently. "Grr...!" Grunting again and again, he was trying to suck up the pain, but knew it was his end. It was over. "Gaaah!!!"
"Oni...! I'm going to get Grandma Beck, stay right he-"
"Don't leave me!" Oni yelled through his closed teeth. "Please...! Kari...!"
"But Oni...!" Kari's eyes flickered with fear... She was completely useless! "What is this!?! What's happening to you!?! Does this have to do with what you asked me!?!" She would have kept interrogating him, but he merely howled in agony, causing her to tense up. "That's it...!" The four giants flashed in her mind... They would know something! Quickly, she helped Oni to his feet and wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders.
KERACK! Rain pelted down on the horse as Kari flicked the reins, half holding onto Oni. Lightning lit up the sky several times more garish than the sun bright rays. Racing through the forest, panic swelled in her heart as Oni began moving less and less, and, feeling his heartbeat slow against her back, she blocked the worst thought from her mind.
Coming upon a wide clearing in the trees, where a beautiful lake rocked back and forth from the caustic chilling wind, Kari flew from the horse, tugging Oni as fast as her strength could let her go. Tripping on a rock, shaped from Oni and Majora's battle way-back-when, she winced in pain as her ankle began hurting again. Unable to get up, she clung to him, his body, and his spirit.
"Please!!!! Help me!!! Please...!" She began crying, without even knowing it. "Save him! Don't go, Oni!!!" Crack! The thunder grew louder and closer as a lightning bolt struck a tree, causing it to catch fire, even in the merciless rain. "Oni!!! Don't go! You ask me to not leave you but... I can't follow you where you're going!!!!! Don't leave me, Oni!!!"
Thump, thump. Thump, thump... Thump... thump... thu... thump..... th-ump... Then it ceased. Cold. A heartless chill spread throughout his body, not from the rain, not from the wind, and not from the tears she bled. The sun had fallen into dusk.
"O... Oni...?" Kari froze where she was, there was a chill... A chill she never felt before. "Oni... Oni...! Oni! ONI! ONI!" Her heart was dunked in hysteria and she began shaking the corpse. "Oni, Oni, Oni! Oni! Oni! ONI!" Tears burst from her eyes like fire sparks from a bonfire, and, while one hand clenched the hair on his head, the other rested on his chest, on his heart. "Oni...! Why... didn't you tell me...?" Her voice was cracking, she was cracking, and her heart had cracked. Why? Why hadn't she yelled the ridiculous answer? How she felt... Why had she not...
Huuu huuu... Two low notes filled the air, drowning out the storm and causing Kari to lift her head. Huuu hee... Two higher notes danced in the wind. Everything suddenly went white, and Kari fell against Oni's chest.
Pheeee... Doo, duuummm, dooo... Kari found herself standing in nothingness. An... ocarina...? Kari rubbed her head. Where am I...? A spark of light flashed in her eyes, and she veered to see a little boy holding a silver ocarina, matching the moonlight hair on his head.
"Lady, will you play with me?" The young boy asked, and, using one hand, tugged at her dress. "May I play you a song?" Oni...? Kari bent down, seeing straight into the boy's blue eyes.
"Sure." As soon as she spoke, a grin too wide for his face sprouted and he danced back: "Listen up! Listen up!" He cheered. Huuu, hoooo... heeee, huuu hooo... hee, huu hoOo huuu hoOo huuu uuuu hooo hu huuu... (This should be recognized as the song of time XD) "Did you like it?" Kari nodded, and patted the boy on the head. "My mom also likes when I play for her... But my brother says I'm just sucking up! I'm glad you like it too, lady!"
"You're very talented..." Kari smiled.
"Hey, lady, can you do me a favor?"
"Huh? What...?"
"I want you to play the song I'm about to play for me... Please?"
"I can't really play..." Kari began, but his sad eyes made her nod anyway.
"It goes like this..." His small hands wrapped around the silver ocarina and he gently pressed his lips over the mouthpiece. As soon as he finished, and handed her the ocarina, Kari was back in the forest beside the lifeless body. Confused, and unsure, she was on the verge of tears until the silver ocarina appeared before her. Play me this song... The words echoed.
"The Oath of Order," Kari absentmindedly spoke while she played. Never playing an ocarina in her life, she played perfectly, and something guided her to play the notes right when they were needed. Soon, she wasn't alone. A child's laughter echoed in the air as she lifted her head, only to see the four giants.
"Dear goddesses..." One of the giants whispered at the sight of Oni's lifeless body. One hand reached down, and scooped the corpse up.
"W-Wait!" Kari broke the strange trance on herself and rushed over to the hand, grabbing Oni's hand. "Please! You have to save him! Please don't take him...! Please don't take him away..." Her words barely reached them as she looked over Oni. The young boy's laughter echoed in the wind around him. The giants exchanged curious glances. Finally, one of them spoke:
"Would you give something of yours for him?"
"Yes! Even my own life...!" The giants exchanged glances once more.
"Is his life worth more than yours, you feel?"
"Absolutely!"
"Do you love him... Kari?" She didn't hesitate:
"Yes! More than this world itself!"
"We will require something of yours then."
"What? Anything!"
"Nothing much, child," The snow giant shook his head. "Even a lock of hair will do." Kari fell silent... and then picked out a pocket knife. Without hesitation once more, Kari cut her hair, to her shoulders. Gathering the chestnut locks from the wet grass, she held it up to the giants as an offering, tears in her eyes.
"Will this do?"
"Better than you know," They all smiled. Another bright light flashed, and the hair in her hands disappeared while magic from the giants began slipping off their body, floating down to Oni's body. Kari hugged herself, watching silently, having memories flow back to her.
"I am the durncing king! Young and sweet! Only a thousand and three!"
The laughter.
"Anee one else touch me girl and they'll get the tiger!"
The humorous times.
"I love you, Kari."
The love.
Kari wiped her eyes. Please Oni... I won't leave you... if you don't leave me... KERACK! As another bolt of lightning fought the clouds in the sky, she grabbed at her chest. "Oni, you can't leave me!!!!" Suddenly, a small ball of light lifted from Oni's mouth, and strange warmth came from it. One giant, taking the light, lifted it above them all, then the others set Oni down and focused on their might on it. Bending the light, pushing and pulling, the light gave way to a mask, resembling Oni's face. Rushing over to Oni on the ground, Kari gasped in awe. His chest was rising and falling. His moonlight hair was now a soothing gold like summer sunlight. His eyelids opened to reveal oceanic onyxes that kept direction on her. His face, no longer painted with strange tribal designs, grew redder, and warmer. Suddenly, a hand touched her cheek.
"..." Oni gently stoked her cheek. "I'm... sorry... Kari. I'm sorry for...worrying you."
"Y-You...!" Tears grew harder, but she was smiling. "You big dummy!" Her weight crashed down on his as she hugged him as tight as she could, almost afraid to let go.
"I was afraid... you wouldn't like me as much like this," He sheepishly smiled.
"You dummy...!" She repeated. "Looks aren't everything...! What matters is... You'll always be you," She looked up at him, and didn't hesitate to kiss him. "And it's your true self that I love."
--
Author: Um... Ok, guys, you might find this sad. This is the last chapter... HOWEVER, I'm writing an epilogue right now to tie up loose ends and such... Although, I'm thinking of writing beyond the epilogue... About Oni and Kari's "family life." I need some votes... Sorry guys, but I can't write much more of this story... And I have to gundam wing fans starting to get anxious and... evil...? (gulp) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and this story, and I hope many laughs were brought to you by this story. Thank you. Thank you for reading to the very end... And no bonus part for this chapter... I feel it would ruin the warm mood I made (XD)