Title: "Akewateru" : The Morning Light
by: TeddysFromHeyll
Rating: PG 13
Summary: The seishi have been reborn and are living their lives out as they please. But as the seishi find themselves drawn back to Miaka, they realize that maybe the peace they've finally found is not to last… Especially for Tasuki.
Status: Non-yaoi
Main Characters: Tasuki, Chichiri, Nuriko, Taka, Kouji, Natsumi

(Taka)Scroll 6 :: Nagori
The first of the watches has commenced and Taka is the first to take his shift. But during his watch of his close, but distant friend, he finds out something very personal about Souji that he knew was meant to be kept a secret.

"Taka??" asked Miaka.

"Nani?" I said. "Miaka-chan, what is it?" She tilted her head in a cute way as we walked. I loved it whenever she did that.

"You look worried about something? Doushite? What is it?" Miaka snuck her hand into mine and we linked arms. I waved my hands at her and shook my head.

"It's nothing, really," I lied. But as soon as I said it, I regretted it. She hit me upside the head and we both stopped walking.

It was really early to start heading to school, but Chichiri had taken the night shift and had stayed in his room. Luckily, Tasuki didn't notice, seeing as he had reverted to his small form and had posed as a stuffed toy. I couldn't say that he sounded like he had the best night when he had contacted us when Tasuki left for school. Apparently, Keiko, which was the small girl Tasuki had taken in for the night, had reached for one of the stuffed toys and grabbed Chichiri instead. I nearly laughed when I heard the story from him when he got away to call in the payphone outside the house. He sounded like he didn't have a wink.

We weren't taking any chances. The shifts were tight.

"Stop lying!" she pleaded. "Be honest with me."

"Isn't it a little early to be hitting me? I mean, I'm barely awake as it is. It isn't fair picking on defenseless- Itai! Okay, okay!"

"I'm serious!" she said, after lowering her hand again. "Tell me what's on your mind. It's really bothering me."

"Che… it's this stupid bad feeling I got last night. I stayed up most of the night trying to forget it, and then the rest of the night trying to figure out what it was."

"Nearly everyone I know is barely awake this morning," Miaka muttered. I leaned down and whispered seductively in her ear,

"Well, why don't you invite me over and I'll really make sure you don't get any sleep!" I laughed when she turned bright red and seemingly shrank several inches.

"T-Taka!!" She said, but I could tell she had enjoyed it. She swatted at me, still attempting to be innocent. But the dark mood eventually won over again.

"You think the others are getting those feelings too?" asked Miaka, "I mean, it's only me and you right now. And for all we know, this could be just nothing at all. What if the others start getting bad feelings too?"

"You're not yourself lately. You're always so sad. What you should be worrying about is keeping your grades up. Leave the worrying to me and the others," I told her, "If there are any problems, I'm sure that Chichiri and the others will be able to handle it pretty well. I mean, we should be ready for anything. Considering what hell we've been through, this should be a synch."

"Okay," Miaka laughed, "Now I know you're lying."

"But really! We won't let anything happen to you or Yui. If worse comes to worse, you know that I'll risk anything. I'll brave the harshest frontiers, I'll forge the forbidden paths, I'll even help little old ladies across the hostile territories of the streets. Just. For. My. Sweet. Little. Miaka-chan," and for every last word, I gave her a single peck on the lips. "Don't look so sad. It doesn't suit you."

She pulled her arm out and brought both of them around my hips. I returned the gesture by bringing mine around her shoulders.

"But it's not me or Yui I'm worried about."

*~*~*~*~*~*

I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked worn and tired. And it was all because of that stupid '6th sense session' that I sensed last night. It had only been an instant, but it had been so undeniably weird. And I knew it was going to bother me the rest of the day, so it was all that much worse. And I couldn't believe I actually told Miaka about it- only thing it did was made her worry about me.

She really didn't need to worry at all. I could feel her anxiety, and it was affecting me too.

I turned on the faucet and splashed my face with water. The cold water was refreshing.

"I need to break out of this. I really should be focusing on the shift thing. Who knows what kind of mischief that boy can get himself into," I told myself, referring to Tasuki. But for a moment, I just needed to sit down. So I headed into one of the bathroom stalls, put the seat down and rested my back on the wall. I lifted my feet and pitched them against the opposite wall and not awkwardly on the floor.

I was just about to drift off into my own thoughts when someone burst into the bathroom and went straight for the sink. My door was only half open, and I spied who it was through the mirror. I hoped they wouldn't notice, me, seeing as they most likely came in for privacy.

Besides, not many people came in early at Jonan.

"Sonova …Stupid…Everything's so messed up!" he hissed at himself and he tossed a small bag. He ruffled his hair and leaned in close, staring at himself in the mirror. He had a sharp intake of breath as he took a paper towel and dampened it, wiping something off under his eye. The more he rubbed at it the more it revealed something purple-ish.

It was Tasuki. I held my breath. He had a black eye.

"Oh yes. Now what am I gonna say to her… I-Itai tai tai…!" He paused. Where would he get a black eye from? And why is he trying to cover it up? I thought to myself. "I'm such a dumbass!!!" He took out some of the things in the bag and started to put on a few layers of foundation and etcetera over the bruised skin.

"If only I hadn't pissed Aidou off, then this would have never happened. I thought I hated girls, but no, I fucking had to spend an afternoon with one trying to get to know a pretty face instead of being with my sister like I should have been. Instead, the bakayero has to forget about his sister."

Aidou? Aidou was reborn as his sister? That's ironic… I thought. But at the same time, I was getting even more and more worried. I didn't like the self-destructive look he had in his eyes. And I also noticed how uniform and automatic the movements were. It was almost as if…

"He's done this before," I said silently. And I downright knew it wasn't going to be the last.

I had a sudden urge to step out and say a few friendly words, but I actually had to stop myself and suppress it. He doesn't know me anymore, I reminded myself. Our past lives were still lost in his head somewhere. I'm still just another stranger.

He stood up straight in front of the mirror, "Souji, buddy… you're one piece of work." Suddenly, he scared the shit out of me but punching the mirror. I caught my breath as quietly as I could without him hearing.

"…." He touched the large intricate web of cracks and smirked to himself a minute later though, "Che… that was stupid... she's just a girl, isn't she?" He rubbed his knuckles and went outside, grabbing the small bag as he went. I couldn't move for a while, even after he left. I was so deep in thought.

But that was just until I noticed the 'Out of Order' sign on the stall's door and the walls around me gave away and clattered against the floor. I fell to the ground; the dark blue stalls all broken and me lying there-smiling like an idiot.

Author's Note: Ehehh... short chapter. Anyway, next chapter: Nuriko takes the wheel next chapter and has a first encounter with the enemy, raising all new questions about their purpose.

For those who seek to rob me of what little money I have: This fanfic was written without outside influence and is based on my ideas and my ideas alone. This means that any similarities between this fanfic and any others are simply coincidence. I copied no one.

Akirasamoji- Kouji's entrance will be a bit later, but actually, he's jumping in in a few chapters or so. ^_^. Anyway, about Fushigi Yuugi: The next Chapter... I read that already. Hehe! And it's true- it is the greatest ficcy, I swear. I will personally track her down and tackle her if she ever decides to abandon it. XD. lol.
Furusawa yuki- I'm so lucky to have such a supportive reader. I don't know what I'd do without you! Eh... I gotta ask you something though. Should I continue to post weekly, or twice a week?? I'm kind of iffy on that subject and I'd appreciate it if you'd drop me a line and let me know some time. Thanks!

That's all for now. I bid you fare well until my next chapter.