A Recca no Honoo fic
By: Tenshi no Ai
Y'see, I don't own Recca no Honoo, and I'm pretty sure someone's happy about that.
Ch.3: Sometimes Willows Don't Bend to the Wind...
(Yanagi and Fuuko's POV)
(Yanagi's POV)
Today is Monday, the start of the school week. I'm wearing the winter uniform; it's really hot nowadays with summer coming up, but it was important to not switch over to the summer uniform.
The madougu is hidden under my strategically placed bow.
It's very odd....I thought that this madougu given to me by Kagerou-san would increase some sort of my physical traits immediately....but it doesn't seem to....
It just sort of stays on my neck, shines brightly, but that's it.....
I'm walking alone to school today.
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(Fuuko's POV)
We let him have it as soon as we got to school.
Hey, Recca, where's Nagi-chan today? I ask. Bullseye! Recca suddenly has a glowing aura around him.
I dunno where Hime is today. Maybe she's sick. My, but little Recca-kun seems very irritable today. With the charm of a PMSing girl.
So, what's new?
Domon catches on and gives me a sidelong glance, Maybe he lost her, eh, Fuuko?
Recca pounds Domon over his head and totally freaks out. Hime said that she wanted to walk alone to school today, ok?! And as long as Hime wants it, I'll do anything she wants! Having announced this, he storms off to his homeroom class and slams the door shut. Domon, hardly affected, (sidering how often it happens) picks himself off the floor and goes to his class.
Well, that's odd. If Recca's telling the truth (and he lacks the brain cells to lie anyway, making the point worthless), then Yanagi's starting to want time alone.
I run a hand through my hair, thinking. How scandalous, it seems like Yanagi could be getting tired of her ninja, ne?
And out of the corner of my eye, I see mousey little Yanagi-chan slipping into her class.
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(Yanagi's POV)
Today, I did some things out of character.
I volunteered to answer questions in class.
I talked to other people.
I didn't draw my picture books at lunch or study time.
And, when Recca-kun and Fuuko-san walked into my class, one annoyed, the other cheerful, they didn't find me in my seat.
They found me talking to some new friends I had made during break.
Recca-kun didn't seem to want to leave, but Fuuko-san pulled him out.
And when Suzu-san asked me, Isn't that Hanabishi-kun and Kirisawa-san? Aren't those people your koibito and friend?, what did I say?
Nothing at all.....
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(Fuuko's POV)
Honestly, Hanabishi Recca is a prime bakayarou.
Sakoshita Yanagi, the girl he fought for in the USB, his hime', is slipping away from him and he doesn't do anything about it! Arrgh! That boy....really doesn't know anything about women at all...
Actually, I don't know if those two are breaking up. They better not!
A week ago was Domon's birthday, Monday the 5th. We were gonna spend it together, me and Domon and Recca and Yanagi-chan. But nooooo, since Recca couldn't find his precious hime' after school, he ends up acting like a deflated inner tube!
So that was my last Monday, wasted. And I really wanted to go to that new arcade..... all because one boy was too busy pining away like a little girl, and the other boy.....sigh Domon's my best friend, I don't see him that way....oh, but he's too dense for that kinda explanation.
It's really late out, arcades are open, could use the distraction even if it's a school night.
I grab my coat and sneak out.
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(Yanagi's POV)
Have you ever felt the sudden urge to just....do something? Like, sneak out of the house after dark, or sneak out wearing something different than what you're used to? Or even just having the sudden want to have some action in your life? Which would be a very odd thing to want, especially when you were celebrating the return of a normal, slightly dull life?
Last night, I did this. And the night before that....in fact, ever since I received that mysterious madougu, I've just been doing this as though it was completely natural. Tonight, it feels perfectly natural and normal to just climb down the tree in front of my window, wearing a sweatshirt and shorts, and just....wander around. My thoughts seem to be so mottled.
I hesitate when I step in front of an alley. What am I doing? It's at least 10 at night, and I'm going to walk near dark alleys?
And, Recca-kun won't be able to help me now if something should happen....
I clench my fists and walk into the shadows.
Is this what it means to be myself? To do things just because, even when viewed as out of character?' It feels so...
Nice.
And then I hear my name.
I turn around.
And suddenly I don't feel so good.
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(Fuuko's POV)
Geez, I hope that's her. Hate to wake up the whole neighborhood just for nothing. It doesn't really look like the Yanagi-chan I know. That one wears long skirts and nice blouses and everything's all orderly. And she would never walk at night if she could help it, not to talk of going into dark alleys.
This girl looks a little more like myself, with tied back hair, sweatshirt and shorts. It's too dark to tell the color of hair, except that it's either a dark brown or black. Or dark purple or blue. She turns to face me.
Yep, the darkness must be affecting my eyesight, cuz that certainly looks like Yanagi-chan.
I run over to her,Hey, girl, where've you been? Recca's been all irritable an' everything since you aren't around. Hmm...she isn't reacting. Hey, maybe she really is going to....? Look, I know that sometimes Recca can be a real dumbass sometimes (most of the time!), but you've managed to look past that before, so why not now? The guy'd fall apart if you dumped him, y'know.
Yanagi's voice seems to float all around me, kinda like some sorta disembodied voice....kinda creepy.....doesn't help that we're in an alley, the cold walls and night enclosing around me like a tomb.....
Wait, what am I thinking? This is Yanagi-chan I'm talking about, she couldn't hurt a fly! And I'm not afraid of dark alleys!
Would like to help me with something?
Ohh man, she really is planning to break up with Recca! And she probably wants me to help her!
I'd like to see some of your moves, if you don't mind....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Yanagi's POV)
I don't know what I just asked.
Everything seems very hazy....the night sky is pulsing in rhythm with something....
Is it my heart I feel pounding?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Fuuko's POV)
Nani? Yanagi-chan, I don't understand....? What does she want with me? I must not have heard that right.
I want you.....to see how good you are......to see how good I am.......
Her voice all around me....it's almost like it's pulsing in beat with something. I shake my head. It must be just my allergies or something.
Course, that'd be a good excuse....if I did have allergies.
Wait. Whenever someone would challenge me to a fight, way back in the day before all this madougu crap happened, they would always say the same thing. I wanna see how good you are.'
Nagi-chan.....is challenging me to a fight?
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(Yanagi's POV)
Everything's so blurry.....I can see Fuuko's eyes widen.....surprise.....why?
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(Fuuko's POV)
My eyes are really wide right now, I just know it. I don't think I've ever been so surprised.
Cutesy, little, somewhat ditzy Yanagi-chan......challenging me to fight? I open my mouth to speak, and then an idea suddenly flashes into my mind. Why didn't I think of that? Yanagi-chan, quit joking around! You're planning a surprise for Recca, and you don't want the rest of us to find out and tell him, right? Hahaha....I almost thought for a second that you were challenging me! Ah, sometimes I'm too clever for myself......
I am, Yanagi tilts her head, like she's considering something, I am challenging you. Will you accept?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Yanagi's POV)
Will she accept? I want to know....what will this madougu do for me? What will I do for myself?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Fuuko's POV)
...
...
...
...Huh.
So, she wasn't joking.
I can't possibly fight Yanagi-chan!
She's....she's....she's just not made for fighting! She's not like me, or Recca, or Domon, or especially Mi-chan.
I can't fight someone who doesn't know how to fight.
And, besides, Recca would kill me if he ever found out. Y-Yanagi-chan, I'm not gonna...
You think I'm weak, don't you? You think that I'm easily bendable, just like the tree I'm named after.
I put my hands up, trying to placate her. Although she has that nice, sweet voice, it doesn't seem very nice or sweet right now. It really doesn't sound like Yanagi at all. Ok, ok, I don't think you're weak, I just don't picture you as a fighter is all, Oh, I'm gonna regret this...Alright, Nagi-chan, show me what you got!
Her outline seems to be relaxed, like she wants me to make the first move. Tentatively, I throw a punch at her head. She leans to the right.
That's pretty good for Yanagi when I think about it...last time we got into a fight', she couldn't even dodge a simple slap.
I try again, a little faster, and she easily dodges again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
I'm starting to get a little frustrated.
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(Yanagi's POV)
I can see them! I can see the punches! I can dodge them easily!
The madougu seems to radiate a warmth that rushes through my body, encouraging me.
My madougu....is helping me.....
The haze is cleared, the confusion is gone. It's like everything is sharper, I can see in so many new ways.....
This must be how everyone else feels when they fight......
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(Fuuko's POV)
Dammit, what the hell's goin' on here?!
Everything I throw, punches, kicks, she dodges like it was nothing!
Like my skills are nothing......
I don't care if this is Yanagi-chan....I only agreed to this cuz I felt bad that I never thought of her as a fighter like the rest of Team Hokage.....
And now she's making a fool of me!
I glance at the madougu hidden under my sweatshirt sleeve.....Fuujin.....
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(Yanagi's POV)
Gusts of wind billow around me. Fuuko's starting to use Fuujin.
This'll be a fair fight now, her madougu against mine...
Her speed is increased at least tenfold.....arms and legs desperately grasping to cause my flesh to ache, to bruise.....her face like a determined demon, eyes flashing like a hostile storm, breaths shallow and rapid.....heat radiating from her body, battle aura nearly palpable.
I can see all this in my mind's eye. If Fuuko could only see this....
She'd die if she saw that, to me, her blows seem slower than her practice ones before....
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(Fuuko's POV)
Can't....do this......too much longer......
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(Yanagi's POV)
She's slowing down.....
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(Fuuko's POV)
I........
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(Yanagi's POV)
She's stopped. Have I......
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(Fuuko's POV)
.......lost.
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(Yanagi's POV)
Have I won.....without any effort?
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(Fuuko's POV)
I sink to my knees, and only one thought dares to surface in my head........
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What's wrong with this picture?
Heh.....third chapter done!And that ending......was exactly how I wanted it. I hope this instills the same feelings in you reading this as it did me writing this. Some parts may be a little redundant, but I just want to have the whole feeling of the moment.....which is why I write in different POVs, but I don't think I'll be doing third view. I'm hoping to express each chara in a new way, and I just love getting into their heads. It's fun! Okay, time for thank yous! I'd like to thank once again SaiyanGirlGenius and ReccaGirl....i'm just loving the fact that you guys are loving this fic, and I sincerely hope that you really like this chapter and the subsequent ones...I live for the praise my lil' fic is getting....and a very special thank you to an email reviewer, Hoowee the dark elf (and how did you come up with your name, anyway? It's so cool!). Your email review was descriptive and to the point, and I really appreciate it very much. Anyway, minna, please review, either by that box at the bottom or by email! Think of it this way: the more reviews I receive, the happier I get and the more motivated I get to write the next chapter! So, please show your comments, praise, concerns, or flames (but no flames on the character I decided to use as the main person for this fic! If I get a flame saying Yanagi's a stupid character and so are you for using her!, I will not be a very happy angel's love. So please restrict your comments for the fic itself. Ah, gomen for talking too long, I hope this pleases everyone! I should have a chapter out every week, disregarding certain undesirable factors. Laters, minna!