Tokiya
The huge figures of men were nearing them, laughing a murderous laugh. The woman with long auburn locks was looking frantically worried, but through her eyes it was clear that she'd been worrying not for herself, but for the smaller, innocent, silver-haired young one beside her, who was looking at the silhouetted men with wide, confused eyes.
"Wh-what's happening, oneechan? Who are the big men coming this way---"
"Don't talk, Tokiya," whispered the tearing woman. "Don't even show yourself," she added through her muffled sobs.
"But---"
"Be quiet, please," she hushed, her eyes growing wider as the men came closer.
"Give it up, ya little twerp," one of them growled, not to the lady, but to the bemused boy.
"Yea, yeh better hand it ova if ya don wannus ta be nasty," said the other one.
The boy turned to his sister, asking, "What are they---"
"Go away, we don't know what you're talking about," cried the young lady, fighting back her tears.
"Tryin' ta play us for fools, are yeh? Well, we know how ta play that game…" the biggest one grinned. He began to raise something in his hand, something---
The boy's view was blocked by his sister's body, who stepped in front of him and begged for his life. "Please, we don't have what you want! Go away and spare the child---"
"Shuddup!!!" The man ordered, and the next thing the boy knew, was that he heard a horrifying slash and a shrill cry of pain from a voice that seemed so familiar to him.
From a voice that had always comforted him all throughout his childhood.
From a voice that escaped his sister's lips.
His mouth hung open, as he stared wordlessly at his sister's body, falling down, hitting the ground, and what seemed like thick red streams of blood spluttered all over the floor, and some on him as well.
For a moment he stood there, staring breathlessly at her body quivering in pain. Not only when the men laughed evilly and left did he find his voice.
"Oneesan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*FLASH*
"T-Tokiya…I'm…I'm glad you're alright…" she whispered at him, squinting to focus on his face.
"Oneesan!" The boy took her hand and squeezed it, hoping against hope that his sister wouldn't die.
"Take this…this has been passed on from generations…to generations…in our family…" she handed him a small, grayish handle with a magnificent shining orb at the bottom. "Use it… wisely…"
When he saw her eyes, wavering, her skin growing pale and cold, he grasped her hand tighter, pleading, "Please oneesan, please don't leave me alone…"
"…it…it will…it will protect you…" she smiled faintly at him, and at that very moment, her once comforting eyes had turned a dull shade of dark brown, losing its usual glow. Her once warm touch had frozen, and her pink cheeks had turned pale. And at last, her once strong heartbeat, had slowed down, had faltered, had ceased life. She had breathed her last.
He gripped the handle she had given him, staring plainly at her, his eyes swelling but failing to release tears, his soul crying in agony but failing to make him feel pain.
For the moment he had lost his only beloved sister, he felt as though he had lost his own heart as well.
*FLASH*
"Ugh!" the young boy stumbled for the thousandth time in the falling rain, dropping his sword, which he had now known as the Ensui. And for the thousandth time his master commanded, "Get up, boy!"
"Hai, Meguri-sama," he staggered, trying to stand straight and trying to put the Ensui in position. He winced in pain at his wounds, which were growing deeper and deeper each time he tried to master the technique. But his strong determination and will to avenge his sister's death gave him adequate strength to stand up and go on.
And so he focused his attention on his sword, exerting every possible effort to master the Hyomon Ken techniques, and with an exhausted yet determined cry he raised the Ensui and charged towards his master. And again with another thump and a scream of pain, he collapsed onto the floor. But this time, he stood up without his master telling him to. He narrowed his pained blue eyes, perseverance glinting and reflecting in them. He clutched his madougu again, agreeable to use up his whole lifetime just to master the techniques.
I will avenge your death, oneechan, no matter what. I swear I will…
* FLASH *
A boy in a black suit and an orange cap fell down on the floor, failing to use his trusty Ninja stars in his defense.
"Now, I shall finally be able to avenge oneechan!!!" the bearer of the Ensui, now grown up yet still intent on revenge, pointed his sword at the boy on the ground.
"Darn you!" the boy spat, glaring up at the older one. "How many blasted times do I have to tell you that I have no crappy idea on how the heck your sister died! How many---"
"Recca-kun!" a calm, slightly familiar voice echoed through the park.
The ice-wielder turned around, ready to attack the voice, but stopped short as soon as he saw whom it came from.
The woman's voice sounded just like his sister's, and not only that; she looked just like her as well. She had the same warm look in her eyes and there was a similarity on how the setting sun's rays reflected gracefully on her long, auburn locks.
"M-Mifuyu-chan…?" his hand fell immediately to his side, along with his sword, as he stared blankly at her in honest bemusement, while she came running to his opponent's side to check Recca's wounds.
*FLASH *
"Mizu Hebi!!!" he summoned the water snake from his sword, smirking in triumph as it lunged at a man with shoulder-length curly locks standing right in front of him. But to his utter surprise, the man, with a shout of "Tsurara Hebi!", summoned an icicle snake, much bigger and fiercer than his water one, towards him. And at this, the boy fell down on the battle stage, wincing in pain and in amusement.
That… that can't be…his brows knit in confusion, he looked up at the man who called himself Kai. And it was then that he noticed the silver earrings on Kai's ear. Those earrings…!
His eyes widened. "You…" he glared at Kai, confirming in his heart that Kai was the murderer he had been searching for all his life.
And by Kai's smile, he knew it was true. He glared murderously at Kai, swearing that he'd kill him with absolutely no mercy. He stood up and tried to attack, but Kai's attack mirrored his, only Kai's was much more powerful. He once again stumbled on the ground, the pain growing stronger.
"Mikagami!"
He looked up at his teammates, spotting them shouting his name.
"You can do it, Mi-chan!" a lady with a purple, boy-cut hair looked encouragingly at him. So did Mifuyu's look-alike, Sakoshita Yanagi.
With this, he found new confidence in his soul. His teammates were cheering for him.
*FLASH *
He finally collapsed onto the stage, and what seemed like the last ounce of his blood poured out all over the ground. He knew he had lost his match.
"Mikagami!" a man with a big body and a nose ring, whom he had known long before as Domon, jumped onto the stage. So did Fuuko, the purple-haired girl from earlier. They both rushed to his side, concerned.
"Tokiya, daijoubu ka?" Fuuko looked worriedly at him.
Flinching, he replied feebly, "I'm fine…but what about Kai…?
Fuuko's brows furrowed. "Didn't you want to kill him in order to avenge your sister?" she frowned angrily at Kai. "It doesn't matter how he's doing!"
"Why did you do it?" Kai suddenly asked.
Everyone, except the silver-haired boy, looked questioningly at him. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?" he asked again.
"Ugh…" Tokiya groaned, trying to face Kai. "Somehow, I knew it wasn't you."
Kai grunted. "It figures. You really are something, Mikagami Tokiya."
"Why did you pretend you killed my sister…?" Tokiya went on.
"The truth is…that you were the real heir of the Hyomon Ken techniques…and I was the trash Meguri-sama threw around as a darn replacement. It was mortifying to have someone so much younger and inexperienced to take my place, so I wanted to see for myself…who this pathetic boy was…how his skills fared…" Kai looked down at him. "Now I know, and I couldn't agree with Meguri-sama more. No matter how hard it is to accept, it's true that a little squirt like you is actually better than me."
The boy looked blankly at him. "You won the battle."
"Shut up! Don't try to make me feel better…you could've killed me if you wanted to; for that and everything I've been through, I don't deserve to live." Kai began walking towards the end of the stage, where an indescribable bottomless pit lay open. Then he turned around at the wounded boy. "Do you still want to know who massacred your sister?" he grinned. "It was Meguri Kyoza himself."
"Baka na…" the boy's eyes widened at the revelation.
"Heh," Kai grinned. "The very first time he saw you, he knew at once that you had the potential, kid. But he thought that it would be better if you had something to keep you going. And true enough, with your sister's death, your skill enhanced amazingly," Kai explained. "So now, you know…" he stepped even closer to the end of the stage.
"W-What are you doing, Kai…?"
"Only one Hyomon Ken master must live," Kai grinned. "Besides, this is my true fate…"
"No, Kai!" the wounded boy wrung out of his comrade's grasps, and, despite the injuries, he hurried over to Kai.
"Goodbye, 'brother'," and Kai let himself fall, a look of satisfaction on his face.
"Kai!" the boy called down to him. "Iie!!!"
* FLASH *
"She's still alive." A woman with long, scarlet hair named Akira said to him, making him stop dead in his tracks. And as he turned to look at her, he saw that her hair had started to take on the color of brown, and her eyes, the color of his sister's. Even her face began to change into Mifuyu.
Unable to blink, he stared blankly at her, as she smiled warmly at him, saying, "It's been a long time, Tokiya."
"Wha---" he was cut short. "Mifuyu's" comforting look had changed into mad ones, and she raised her hand, ready to plunge his very own Ensui into his heart. Unexpectedly, he was frozen in his place, and instead of hearing his own scream of pain, he heard the scream of another. He turned to look at the direction of the voice. And to his horror, he saw that the Ensui had been pierced through another's heart, blood oozing out. Her eyes were fixed on him, a look of peace on them, and a satisfied smile on her lips. Her last words were, "I'm glad …I was able to…protect…protect…you…"
He knelt down on her side, clenching his fist. "FUUKO!!!!!"
*FLASH *
"!!!" I finally awoke with a start. I was panting so hard, sweat trickling down my forehead. I found myself shouting Fuuko's name, and it was then that I realized that it was all just a horrible nightmare. A ghastly nightmare. In it, my past was being played over and over, driving me crazy. My own sister had turned against me, and had even killed Fuuko. And the worst part was: I had no idea what it had meant to convey. I looked around my darkened room, failing to go back to sleep. And then I remembered that I was supposed to meet Akira today to know how to see my sister again.
Sighing, I sat up in bed, Fuuko's dead yet peaceful face still haunting me.
What did that stupid nightmare mean, anyway?
My eyes drifted towards the bedside table, where the portrait Yanagi-san had drawn after Kouran Mori's tournament was resting. She had drawn all six of us and gave each of us copies of it as a reminder of our camaraderie. My eyes immediately rested on Fuuko. She had, naturally, the usual mischievous smirk on her pretty face. Yanagi-san had done a pretty good job in capturing her true essence.
Then my eyes drifted on oneechan's portrait, where she was holding up a flowerpot and was looking surprised at the camera. It was a stolen shot I took of her while she was busy gardening when I was much younger.
I have to see her again…
And with a shake of my head, I got out of bed, forgetting all about the atrocious dream.
***
Damn this heck of a day, I cursed, rounding the corner from the Dean's office, scowling. Why did it have to be me?
"One of our third year professors had to go on an emergency family leave today," the Dean had told me, "and since it was all too sudden, we didn't have sufficient time to hire a suitable substitute; so, considering you're by far the best student in the fourth year, I've decided to assign you as the substitute professor throughout the remainder of this day. Besides, I received word that you truly know much more than what the fourth year students are being taught, so I concluded that it wouldn't matter if you somehow skipped some of the sessions. There is no need to be bothered and make room for worry, Mikagami Tokiya. I have spoken to your advisers and they, too, approve of my idea. They have your grades for the day covered. I suggest that you consider this a great opportunity to review your past year's lessons!"
Hn, I grunted. A great opportunity. Yeah, right. Like I'm getting paid or anything.
I stuck my hands into my pockets, walking over to where the third years were having their classes.
Fuuko
Kawaii...kawaii...I placed my chin on my palm, staring dreamily at our "substitute professor". So were all the other girls. Although there were slight blushes on Mi-chan's cheeks, he still kept a perfectly neutral and normally cold look at us, going on with his explanation. I could tell that being a professor for a day was boring him to death. But not in my case.
In my case, it made the class much, much more interesting than usual, because then I get to gaze at his incredibly kawaii eyes without anyone suspecting anything. They'd think I was just listening attentively.
Finally his eyes rested on me, and the minute those amazing turquoise orbs of his bored into mine, I'd totally forgotten all about our misunderstanding last night, my suspicion that he was seeing someone else, and the disappointing fact that he hadn't asked me to the dance yet. That was the humongous effect he had on me.
When he saw my gaze, he quickly looked away, a streak of red slightly staining his cheeks again.
Who could blame me? With how he was dressed today (black long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, black jeans, black boots), plus the usual silver chain necklace around his neck, and the chain bracelet I'd given him before (which, of course, was identical to mine), not even another guy could resist to give him an admirable look.
But my bishounen-gazing fest ended too soon. Normally, I would've loved to hear the ring of the bell, but not now.
Oh well, I can still have him all to myself at lunchtime, I grinned, as people began to leave the room and Mi-chan started to gather his books on the front desk.
I slowly walked up the aisle towards him, putting on the cutest smile I could manage. I leaned over the desk and stared at him.
Somehow, he didn't seem to have realized I was there.
I cleared my throat.
Silence.
I tapped my fingers on the desk.
Silence.
I began to tap my foot, too.
Silence.
"Goodness, Tokiya! When are you ever going to even know that I actually exist on earth???" I blurted out. But instead of the sheepish and apologetic smile I had expected him to give me, he barely looked at me and mumbled an inaudible "sorry". Then he started to walk towards the door.
"Mi-chan!!!" I whined irritably and hurried up to him. He stopped and turned around. Then finally, f-i-n-a-l-l-y, he cracked the smallest micro-smile I had ever known that existed. Or maybe it was a smirk. Aaahh, who cared?
I smiled up at him and fell in step beside him. "I suppose you're feeling darn right miserable again, huh?"
He continued walking. Then, after a few moments, he muttered, "Tell me about it."
"Well!" I snapped my fingers. "I've got just the thing. I'm sure having lunch with me would cheer you up, ne?"
All of a sudden he looked really flustered. "I can't, Fuuko. You see…there's…there's something I have to do right now, and…and I don't think I can get out of it early to have lunch with you," he began fidgeting with his bracelet.
I gaped at him in total shock. Mi-chan had never in his whole life fidgeted with anything because he was feeling uncomfortable about something. In fact, I didn't think he'd ever been nervous before.
He peeked out of the window in the hallway. "I really have to go, Fuuko. I'll just see you around," and he began to head for the stairs, without even waiting for my answer.
And I felt even more miserable than I had the night before.
***
I poked at the single green pea with my fork, staring so hard at it that I thought it would burn up.
So much for the thought of having Mi-chan all to myself.
I glanced at the Fuujin glistening inside my bag beside me. It had been a long time since I used it. It'd be pretty cool if I ever got the chance to use it again. And it'd sure be a lot better if its real orb were there--
"And why, may I ask, is the famous wind-wielder sitting alone and eating lunch all by herself?"
I looked up suddenly and came face to face with Hanabishi's smirking face, along with Yanagi's concerned one.
I smirked back up at him. "Thank you so much for making me feel better," I stuck out my tongue at him.
But before he could snap back, Yanagi immediately sat down beside me and asked me the same thing.
"It's Toki-chan," I muttered. Yanagi looked pitifully at me. I guess I had looked awfully pathetic, since Recca looked concerned, too. I sighed and looked around the cafeteria at the students milling around here and there.
"Let's get outta here," I grumbled and stood up, heading for the halls.
"What's wrong this time?" Yanagi asked as we headed for my locker.
"I don't know," I sighed miserably. "He didn't want to have lunch with me because of 'something he had to do'. Which I don't think really existed. Plus, he didn't exactly look too happy to see me, either."
"There was probably some faculty work or meeting that he needed to attend. Don't forget that he's a professor for a day," Yanagi smiled, trying to cheer me up.
"Aaahh forget him," Recca shrugged. "Mikagami's just too touchy. You can't exactly blame him, though," he placed his hands behind his head and looked at me. "I thought you're already used to that."
"Yeah, I know, but this is different," I began to look outside the hallway window again. "It just feels like he's ditching me or something--"
At that moment, my breath caught in my throat and I dropped my backpack down to the floor. I hadn't even cared when all my books, including the Fuujin, fell out of it. My hands were shaking, and my whole body was quivering. Even my eyes were welling up. I clenched my fists tightly at my sides, willing myself not to burst out crying.
"Fuuko?" I could hear Recca's concerned voice trying to shake me.
Yanagi walked closer to where I was standing and followed where my gaze was directed.
"Fuuko-chan, what's--" she gasped.
"I…I don't…I can't…b-believe this…" I sobbed, my voice becoming hoarse.
Outside the window down the university gardens, was Tokiya--
--and Akira was sitting on the bench right beside him.