Twin Novae

by Cypher

The twins are reborn into the world of the Priestesses. What happens when their memories, and feelings, return? Read disclaimer before the rest of the fic. Complete.

2. Kotoku

Twin Novae
By Cypher

Part One - Kotoku

Finally, I get to see you again.

My brother. I've been looking forward to this day for almost a year. Yet at the same time, I'm afraid. How much will he have changed? Or will he be even more immature? Of course, I know he hasn't changed. Ever since we separated we've kept in touch through phones. Of course, as we got older, the phone calls happened more and more infrequently. Especially when it was his turn to call. Still, it's better than writing, I suppose.

Electronics. They're amazing. I've grown up around them all my life, yet when I realized who I was, they seemed so alien. I had to relearn a lot, just from the shock of seeing them. This world is full of them, the world of the Priestesses.

The Priestesses. I'm a guardian of one, that is, in my past life. I was Amiboshi, Celestial Warrior to the Priestess of Seiryu, the Blue Dragon. I never met my Priestess, though. I was sent to our rivals to infiltrate their ranks as Chiriko, one of the Suzaku Celestial Warriors. In the beginning it wasn't so bad, but then I came to know the other Suzaku Warriors, their Priestess, their lifestyle. It was completely opposite from my life as a Seiryu Warrior. While we fought amongst ourselves, the Suzaku only fought in amusement. They were always friendly, always kind. They were aware of the pain of others, even if they were the poorest peasant. Seiryu Warriors were never friendly, and any peasant that dared to look at us was tortured, sometimes killed.

I remember that I hated having to betray them. They only wanted to wish for peace, nothing more. I knew they would never wish for the country of Seiryu to be destroyed, but I betrayed them any ways, for my brother. There was still an irrational fear that they would harm the Seiryu Warriors, but more than that, I was afraid of what Nakago would do to him should I fail.

Nakago. The leader of the Seiryu Celestial Warriors. He was so cold, so dark. I was frightened when first we met, and with good reason. Nakago had not come to power through making friends or being kind, as Hotohori's generals had done. He came to power through fear and intimidation, destroying anything that got in his way, be it a Suzaku Warrior, or a fellow Seiryu one.

So I went through with my orders, to protect my brother from Nakago. I would have succeeded, but then the real Chiriko appeared. I was more relieved than fearful. It was the perfect way for me to escape my duty, to save the Suzaku Warriors and Priestess. So I let his melody overpower mine. They chased me through town, hoping to catch and interrogate me. They would have succeeded, especially with their Priestess, Miaka. Even though I had tried to kill her, she believed I was a good person and didn't want them to harm me. If the stones beneath my foot hadn't crumbled they would have captured me. I don't really think they'd have put me in the dungeon, they were too kind for that even if I was an enemy. But if I was captured, Nakago might've still punished my brother. Our connection would have transmitted the pain to me as well. I couldn't let him suffer, not for any reason. Looking at Miaka's face, I decided the only way to truly save him was to vanish, without a trace. So I fell into the river, expecting death.

I didn't die, though. It must have been a miracle created by Seiryu, or possibly even Suzaku. Either way, I was to live. An elderly couple found me, and adopted me as their son, Kaika. Grateful for the chance to live a life of peace, without the threat of either Suzaku or Seiryu being summoned, I lived there, content. Then I stumbled across Miaka once again, wounded. She had tried to save me, and because of her I had a new family. So I repaid my debt, rescued her, brought her home, nursed her to health. I even offered her the chance to forget everything and become my wife, never worrying about the battles or pain again.

She refused, though. When I think back on it, I wasn't truly in love with her, just what she stood for. Peace, love, friendship...things I hadn't had growing up, or even with the Seiryu Warriors. We went searching for the other Suzaku Warriors, hoping to reunite her with her love, Tamahome. Instead we fell into a trap laid by Tomo, a fellow Seiryu Warrior. She nearly died there, but I remember pouring everything I could to save her, I think I even wished I had been born a Suzaku Warrior instead. In the end, though, it was my brother who saved the two of us.

Seiryu Celestial Warrior Suboshi, my twin brother. In many respects, he was younger than me. Physically, we were identical, yet his powers and mentality were far less developed than mine. I blame myself for that, somewhat. I babied him when we were little, and though he gained some independence when he joined the Basara guerillas, he never fully grew out of his reliance of someone. Surprisingly, he had changed when he rescued Miaka and myself. I offered him a chance of a life of peace, a family, everything we ever dreamed. Instead, he gave me the Forgetfulness broth. The last thing I remember him saying was "I'm sorry...but I love Mistress Yui."

From there, my life is a lot more blurry. I remember flashes, such as awakening in my house shortly after taking the broth, and feeling incredibly sad, which I later found out was from my brother's death. He died in this world, the world we live in now, actually. I don't think he ever really got to experience it, though. Otherwise, I think he would've remembered sooner who he was.

For a while, I questioned how I could know all of this when, as I remember, Suboshi had given me the Forgetfulness broth. It took me longer to remember, but it happened before I died. Yui, the Priestess of Seiryu, had been kidnapped and returned to our world, the world in the book. She was being forced to act as the Priestess of Genbu, the God of the North. Suboshi's spirit came to me. He wanted to protect his Priestess, but he was dead. When he entered my mind, to make his request, everything flooded back. I allowed him to control my body. Yui was an important person to him, so important he chose her over his own brother. I knew I had to do it, for Suboshi's sake.

We died in that battle. Suboshi was afraid of harming my body because it would mean my death. But Tenkou, the enemy that was using Yui, had to be injured if there were any hope of saving the Priestess. So I told him it was alright, that we would be together again if he killed my body, and nothing would ever separate us, ever. So we used our powers and freed Yui, ending my life in the process.

Again, I remember a great fulfillment as my brother's spirit and I were reunited, but then I remember nothing, until my reawakening in this world, the world of the Priestesses.

Shunkaku, my brother, and I, Kotoku, were born in Tokyo in the late 1980s. As in our past life, I was the calm, caring, and responsible brother, and Shunkaku was aggressive, protective, and at times, violent. Another thing from our past life that entered into this one were our hobbies. I began playing flute when I was little, four I think. It came so naturally, and I enjoyed it so much that my parents enrolled me in private lessons.

Shunkaku was not so happy, because the flute took my attention away from him. However, he soon found something to fill that void: martial arts. In his past life he could control a weapon, the ryusuusei, with mild telekinesis. My parents refused to let him have such a dangerous toy, and apparently the telekinesis was not passed to him in this life. Nonetheless, he became quite skilled at martial arts, especially when it came to mastering weapons. Every year for Christmas, while other kids asked for toys or books, my brother asked for a new weapon, something he had never used and would take him a while to learn, a challenge.

Neither of us remembered our past lives. Neither of us had a reason to. We were like ordinary kids, then as we grew older, ordinary teenagers. We started out doing a lot together, but as we went through high school, we began diverging. Shunkaku began joining sports clubs, while I focused most of my studies on playing the flute. We still spent a lot of time together, but it was the true driving of the wedge between us. Those years were when we moved to separate rooms, where our friends weren't the same, when our free time wasn't spent with each other.

Then we turned eighteen, and it was time to decide what to do for college. I had been offered a music scholarship at Tokyo University, and basically ignored all other colleges. It was a wonderful opportunity to do what I wanted and get a good education. And I assumed that Shunkaku, my younger brother, would follow me. Granted, on another scholarship or through other means.

And on the night of graduation, he dropped the bombshell: he had been accepted to UCLA and was going to move there over the summer. For a good five minutes, my parents and I could do nothing but stare at him. Shunkaku, the irresponsible, immature twin had gotten himself accepted to one of the hardest schools there was, and it was even overseas. In hindsight, I should have seen it coming. He always had part-time jobs, yet never really spent any money. He also went through all the college brochures I ignored. I thought he was just curious, not that he was looking for another college to go to.

Thus, mirroring our past life, I chose the easy path, a path that offered peace with what I love and desire, while he chose a more difficult one, the one that might hurt him along the way. Shunkaku was resolved, though. He no longer wanted to be in his brother's shadow, to be compared to Kotoku by teachers anymore. That night I asked him why America, why not a different college in Japan, where we could see each other a lot more.

Shunkaku just looked at his sandy blond hair and put his hands behind his head, and said "I want to see the world. We have some ancestry in America, but we've never visited. This was my chance, and I wasn't gonna miss it. Besides, I'll be back for the holidays."

So, my brother and I packed up our things and went to college. True to his word, Shunkaku returned for holidays, as did I, but he was always slightly different, as if being in America was changing him into another person slowly. Little did he, or my parents realize it, but college in Tokyo had changed me too.

It was a normal day for me, I was coming back from doing some shopping so I could cook dinner, when I bumped into a tall person and fell back. He caught my arm and asked if I was alright. As I said thanks and looked at him, my head began to swim. Before me was a college student with teal hair and silver eyes. Beside him, carrying a bag of pastries was a girl, about two-thirds his height, with shoulder-length red-brown hair and green eyes. Faces, events, things I couldn't understand flashed through my mind. I remember fainting, and the college student catching me, before it all went black.

As I was unconscious, Suzaku came to me. At least, I think it was Suzaku. It showed me my past life, who I was, what I was capable of, and a lot of faces and names. When I discovered I was a Seiryu Warrior, I wondered why it was Suzaku who was reawakening my memories, and not Seiryu. Miaka later informed me that her brother had called upon Suzaku's will to pull together the Suzaku Warriors who had been reborn into this world. Since I wished to be born a Suzaku Warrior, Suzaku is the one who opened my memory, as I was more willing to heed him than Seiryu, the Dragon of War.

Miaka was as energetic and fun as usual. Tamahome was not going by that name, but by Taka. He was more wary, afraid that I was actually Suboshi. I'm surprised the sheet music and flute case didn't reassure him, but he had a point. My brother did wish for the death of Miaka at one point. So I reassured him of who I was. Taka explained he found my address and keys in my pockets and brought me home. I'm glad he did, though my place was quite a mess. Once I had gotten up and cleared off a place for them, I got some tea and we sat down to talk. All but two of the Suzaku had been reborn, but the two that weren't reborn had entered this world through the mural of the four gods in a city nearby. The idea of Tasuki in the modern world was very funny, and we had some good laughs over it.

Of course, they asked me if my twin had been reborn, as well as the Seiryu Warriors. I told them that Suboshi was born, and surprisingly not too different than how he was, now that I knew what it was. As for the others, it took me a few minutes, but I was shocked when I realized that my parents were actually Seiryu Warriors. My father as the reborn Nakago. That was even his name in this world. He was firm and cold, yet caring as well, like any good father. My mother, Kaen, the corporate consultant known for her "lightning" decisions was actually a reborn Soi. It was disturbing to find out, and it made me wonder if the dog we kept for a few years was actually a reborn Ashitare.

It was then that Miaka remembered she promised to be home to help her brother with the chores. We agreed to meet again, with the other Suzaku Warriors even, and catch up on old times. I told them to bring Yui as well. I had never met our Priestess, and even though it would be in a different lifetime, it would be nice. Taka agreed and they left. From then on, I discovered I was changed. I didn't have all my powers or abilities as when I was a Warrior, but I found that I could alter a person's mood through my music. Not just the subtle change of attitude all music causes, but actually force a happy person to cry, or a depressed person to smile brightly. I made sure to curb it as much as I could, though. This was a place where Celestial Warrior powers weren't important or crucial.

Three years after my initial awakening, Shunkaku couldn't make it to celebrate Christmas with us. I noticed my parents were acting strange, and the three of us began talking. My mother, Soi reborn, let it slip she remembered who she was. After an uneasy silence, I asked if my father, Nakago, remembered his past life as well. The three of us ended up talking about our life as Warriors, our mistakes and our victories, until three that morning. It was a relief that I didn't have to hide the truth from my parents anymore. Nakago wasn't even that bad, especially once you understood his reasons for his actions.

Both of my parents discovered they could use some of their magic once they realized who they were. Soi could make it cloudy, or send them away. Nakago found a way to create a small shield around himself for protection. As a police officer, I'm glad he discovered that. He had already been shot once, and that was enough trauma for our family. When the topic of Suboshi came up, though, all three of us were nervous. Since I had reawakened, I could transmit messages with my skin again, so I was very careful not to. But sooner or later, Shunkaku would have to discover who he was. But what would he be like? Would he love Yui and hate Miaka, both of whom I was good friends with? Would he try and kill Taka, despite the fact that the war was over? Would he regain his ability over the ryusuusei? None of us wanted to contemplate that. Still, he had to be told. And who better than his own brother?

That's why I'm here at this three star restaurant waiting for him to show up. I'm not quite sure how I'm going tell him, yet. Maybe just mentioning his name will bring back his memories. I just hope he reacts better than I did. A lot better. I'm also worried for another reason, though. There are things that happened in my life as Amiboshi, in our lives as the twins of Seiryu, that not even Nakago and Soi know of.

Mostly, they don't know of us. I knew incest was wrong, but he was my twin, my other half. I needed him as much as he needed me. We didn't get a chance to be together often. The first night we were together, after all those long years apart, that was our first time. He declared his love for me, in more than just a brotherly sense. I was hesitant at first, but truth be told, I wanted, no, needed him just as much as he did me. So we snuck away. It was...awkard to say the least. We weren't sure how to do it, but once we got going, instinct took over. For that instant, I think our souls connected, made contact on a level so much deeper than ever before. He was exhausted afterwards, and I watched him sleep, his normally tense body relaxed, a smile painting his face.

Our second time was the night before I left to infiltrate the Suzaku Warriors. He was on top that time, and that seemed to make him happier than last time. But despite how good it was, despite how great it felt when he filled me, I could feel his true emotions. He hated that I was leaving again, so soon after we had been reunited. So soon after we had found a new, more intimate bond. When we finished he wasn't smiling, but crying. Not due to pain, but to the anguish in his heart. I held him all night, trying to comfort him, to let him know it would all be okay. It took hours to get him to sleep, in fact he didn't close his eyes until just before dawn, afraid I would disappear if he fell asleep.

The sad thing was, his fear was right. Once he was asleep I snuck away to meet my fate. I wish we could've had more time. Perhaps he wouldn't have been so full of anger and confusion when we met at the battle with Tomo. I'm not sure, and I guess we'll never know.

After being awakened, after realizing who I am and how special he is, I want him again. Not just nearby, but with me. I want to hold him in my arms, kiss him, feel his form next to me as I slip to sleep every night. I want him to be the first thing I wake up to, and the one I share my night with. But I know times have changed. It's wrong now, even more so than in our last life. I can't help it, though. I love him.

Ah, there you are. A little late, but that's just how you are. I'm glad to see you're keeping it under fifteen minutes. You used to be hours late for invitations. I guess you are being taught something in America. I'll just wave my arm, that should get your attention.

It did. Here you come, your face brightening. I really wish you'd lose that scowl you're so fond of wearing all the time. It may be a defensive mechanism, but you'll make less friends that way.

"Hey, Kotoku."

"Shunkaku." I stand and we hug. Not the normal guy hug, where we keep the lower part of our bodies apart. A real hug, where we're next to each other.

He sits down first, of course. I'm gone for a few years and he forgets all the manners I taught him. I'll forgive him. I sit down, waving to the menu. "It's been a while, Shun. Last time we spoke you...what, were going to try out at another tournament?"

His scowl returns. I guess he lost that one as well. Ever since his second year of college, he had begun entering tournaments, some for martial arts, some for weapon form. He always could hold out until the final rounds, when he finally met his match. It's been going on for almost two years, now.

"Yeah, I tried. I got beat, as usual." He crossed his arms, letting out an angry breath through his nose. I pushed a glass of water towards him, and he sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah, I know. I shouldn't be so upset. But," he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, his mouth in a slight pout, "I trained really hard. I should have made it this time."

I nodded. Responding with anything would get a negative reaction. It had taken me three tournaments to realize that. He reacted negatively even to a positive answer. So I'll just wait. It won't take him too long to cool down. There, he's taking a sip from his water and looking out the window. His mind's changing tracks.

"And last time we talked, you were working on your next CD."

I blushed slightly. I wasn't famous, but my talent in music had been noticed by my teacher and he introduced me to a recording company. I have two CDs out, and I'm working on the third. I always send them to Shunkaku, and each time I call, I can hear it playing in the background. "Yeah. I'm still working on some music, though. So it won't come out for another month or two, probably."

"I can't wait." He glanced over the menu. I think he's somewhat envious that I've been recognized, at least on some level, and he's still trying. Maybe he would partake of a tournament in Japan. It might be better for him. "You order anything yet?"

"No. I was waiting for you."

"Thanks." He picked up the menu and looked over the back. "Figures they don't have many beer choices."

I frowned slightly. One habit he had picked up in America that the entire family looked down upon was drinking. When he turned twenty-one his friends had taken him to a bar, and now he was hooked. Still, it was America. We had to expect some sort of degradation. "I was thinking we could have soda. We've both got to drive, after all."

Shunkaku sighed again. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He set the menu down. As I looked at his eyes, there was something not quite right about them, as if he were preoccupied. "So...it's been a while since it was just the two of us, eh? Normally I only come to Japan for the holidays."

I swish the ice water in my glass a second. "Mmhmm. I take it you like America?"

"Oh yeah, it's so cool! I could do without all the smog and crap, but there's way less people there than here. And they don't look at you oddly if you have different colored hair. Fuck-"

"Shunkaku!" He knows how I feel about swearing.

He looked slightly sheepish. "Sorry, Koto."

I placed a hand to my slowly shaking head. Maybe I wasn't up to this. Though now that I've reminded him, hopefully he'll clean up his language. "You were saying?"

He tilted his head a second. "Oh yeah, well f...hell, they have people who change their hair color on purpose. Some of the weirdest sh...crap you've ever seen. You gotta come over some time. Your CDs sell really great there too."

Thank heavens he's watching what he says. I'd hate to have to be thrown out of a place like this. I raised my eyebrows. "My CDs? You sell the ones I give you?"

He shook his head. "No, I couldn't do that. But I had the music playing while I had some friends over, and a lot of people liked it, so I chatted with the campus bookstore and they bought some. Sold like hot cakes."

Hot cakes. I'll have to ask Miaka what that is next time I see her. She knows every food in the world, it seems. "Well, it's good to know Americans have some taste."

He stuck his tongue out at me and pulled an eyelid down. I rolled my eyes. He can be such a child at times. Here's the waiter. Hmm...he looks familiar...in fact...isn't that "Keisuke?!"

Shunkaku blinked and looked at our waiter.

Keisuke rubbed the back of his head and laughed softly. "Hey, Kotoku."

"What are you doing here?" Did he know I was going to meet with Shunkaku? No, I hadn't told anybody but my parents. But then why was he working here? He hated to work.

"Well, Tetsuya's kinda getting on my back about repaying him what I owe him, so..."

It was my turn to laugh softly. "I see. Well, I assume I've told you about my brother?"

Keisuke definitely paled as he took in the sight of my twin. "S-su-"

"Shunkaku." Geeze, pull yourself together. If you let it slip, he could go nuts.

Keisuke calmed down a little, but he still was a bit on the pale side. "Right, well...I-I'll go get you your orders now."

"Hey, we haven't even ordered yet." Shunkaku turned partly in his seat and looked over Keisuke. "Have we met? You look awfully familiar."

Oh no. Did he meet Miaka's older brother when he came to this world before?

"No! That is...um...no we haven't." He pulled out his pad and pen. He didn't notice his pad was upside-down, but I decided it was best to get him gone soon. "Why don't I take your orders."

The imported wine suddenly sounded like a good drink. But I held back. I have to set an example for my brother. This was going to be a long dinner.

~*()*~

"Did you see that guy? He looked like he was scared to death of me. We've never even met. It must be my American mannerisms or something, they intimidated him."

"Must be." I still haven't told you. You were enjoying dinner so much, and with Keisuke there, I didn't want to risk you going after him. I promised myself to tell you, but I just couldn't. Even now, when we're alone in my car, heading for my house.

"Thanks for having me, bro. I couldn't bring my car over, and I spent a lot of my savings on the airline ticket, plus I already paid next semester's tuition."

"It's okay. It'll be nice, like when we were kids."
"Yeah, like when we were little." He turned his head and stared out the window, resting his chin on his hand.

I glanced over at a red light. There it is again, that look in your eyes, like something's haunting you. When we were little, you'd tell me everything. Now you're hiding something, but what? It couldn't be your past life. That's something you'd tell me. So then what? Are you in trouble? Hurting? Tell me. I want to help you.

As I pull into my parking space at the condo complex, he looks over the building and lets out a whistle. "Damn...when you said you were getting your own place I thought you meant a tiny apartment. This is fucking huge."

I thunk my forehead against the steering wheel. At least he spoke civilly through dinner. At home I should've expected his more relaxed self to emerge. "Thanks."

"Oh! Sorry, it's just-"

"I know. It's now part of your culture." I unlock the doors and get out. Truth be told, even as a kid he was prone to swearing, though to a much lessor degree. That I've come to live with. This new intensity of swear, though, that could take a while for me to get used to. "Grab your bags. Oh, I didn't mention it before, but I'm watching a cat for a friend."

"A cat?" He opened the back door and pulled out his bags. Two bags for a week-long trip. He still couldn't pack properly. Ah well.

"Yes, a cat. He's really nice, so he won't scratch at you or anything." I pull out my keys and activate the alarm on the car as he shuts the door. He catches up to me as I head for the lobby door.

"What floor you got?"

"Sixth." I hold open the lobby door. "After you."

"Thanks." He pulled his bags through and I followed. "So your CDs sustain you?"

"I play with an orchestra as well. It makes ends meet. And mom and dad still send support checks."

"Yeah, me too. Usually with a letter, too."

I push the up button for the elevator. "You don't call them?"

Shunkaku blinked. "No."

I close my eyes. Sometimes he's just such an...idiot. Doesn't he realize how much mom and dad miss him? The elevator doors open before I can respond and he's in them within seconds. He knows when I think he's done something wrong. I get in next to him and push the button for my floor.

"Do you have a guest room? Or am I staying on the couch?"

"I have a folding couch, so you can sleep on that bed."

"Ah." He's getting that distant look again. Is he having nightmares maybe?

"Unless you'd rather sleep on the floor in my room. Or share a bed."

He laughs and punches my arm lightly. "Brother! Jesus, I'm not a kid anymore. I can sleep by myself."

He sounded more like he was trying to convince himself more than me. Rubbing my arm, I simply smile and nod. "Just teasing. You're so gullible."

He raspberried me, just like he did when we were kids. Again I wonder if he ever grew up.

I step out onto my floor and head down the hall. My place is on the corner of the building. It had a great view, though it offered little privacy when the curtains were open. And the traffic in the morning was pretty loud. That's how I could afford such a nice place. No one wanted the corner one, and they were desperate to rent it out. If only Shunkaku knew what I went through to get this place. I open the door and walk in. It's clean, of course. I always clean my place once a week, and today was my day of cleaning.

My brother dropped his stuff in the doorway. "Holy shit! Do you have a maid service too?"

I fall over at his outburst. Remembering how my brother's room at home used to be, I guess he doesn't see many clean places. "No, I did this all myself, Shun."

"Damn." Grabbing his bags and closing the door, he collapses on the couch. "Damn...can you come out once a week to my place?"

"Something tells me once a week wouldn't be enough." I stand up and dust my shirt off. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll get us some tea."

"Ya got any beers?"

I give him a stern look.

He shrinks a bit. "Heh, of course not. Just kidding. Can't you take a joke?"

I roll my eyes and go into the kitchen. Me, keep beers in the house? Over my dead body.

"I need to use the bathroom. Be right back." I hear him get off the couch and head for the hall.

Again I have to wonder if I can tell him. Maybe in the morning, he seems content tonight, and I don't really want to clean up a huge mess if he goes nuts. But he has to know, mom and dad are counting on me. Miaka and Taka too. They want to make peace with him. And Yui...

I wince.

He's not going to like it when he finds out Tetsuya's dating Yui. Not going to like it at all.

"Meow?"

I look down to my foot. Tama, Pedro's cat, is rubbing against my leg. How he got reborn along with Mitsukake is anyone's guess. Even outside of the book, he's pretty smart. Looking at his dish, I nod. He's out of food. He eats a lot, yet never gains a pound. It's amazing. Maybe he's a mystical cat or something. Who knows. I dig through the refrigerator and pull out a fish. He still likes fresh fish, of course. Pedro tried feeding him the cat food in this world, but Tama wouldn't touch it. Though after seeing what the cat food of this world was, I don't blame him.

As I set the dish back down, Shunkaku walks in, his hands behind his head. "You got any sweets? We didn't get dessert and-" He looked down at Tama, and Tama looked back at him. "Hey, he's cute." He reached down to pet him.

Tama dashed behind me and began hissing. I guess he remembered Suboshi too. I sigh. Something tells me this reaction is going to happen a lot with the Suzaku Warriors. Taka especially.

"Geeze, what's wrong with him?" He sniffed the hand he reached down with. "I smell better than that fish."

I close my eyes again. "I don't think that's the problem. He's just a little shy, that's all."

"Feh. Don't know why, I look like you."

I pick up Tama and he jumps onto my shoulder. "It must be a different scent or something."

"I guess." He starts looking through the cupboards. "So you got anything sweet?"

"No, I don't." I close a cabinet he just opened and wave my hand at him. "Shoo. Unless you took cooking classes and passed with a B, I don't want you in here. Last thing I need is to be poisoned by your cooking."

Shunkaku scrunched up his nose at me. "I burn ONE meal and I'm branded for life."

"Shun, it sent dad to the hospital. I think that's a good sign you shouldn't cook."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll take an apple or something, then."

Reaching over to a fruit bowl I keep by the sink, I toss him a golden apple. Nodding a thanks, he leaves for the living room again. I set Tama down by his dish. Glancing out the kitchen, I whisper, "just act normal for now. If the old Suboshi appears, then hide, okay?"

"Meow." Tama nods and goes back to his meal. Like I said, a smart cat.

~*()*~

I'm staring at the ceiling of my room, my hands behind my head. Both of us went to bed over three hours ago, around eleven, but something kept nagging my mind, kept me from falling asleep. I knew it was from my bond to Shunkaku. Not the one awakened when I discovered I was Amiboshi, but the one we've always had, ever since we were born. I checked on him once, but he was asleep. Maybe it's just my guilt nagging me for not telling Shunkaku about his past life.

No, that's not it. I roll over and look out my window. My bedroom window faces the University, so I don't have to worry about being seen in the morning. Shunkaku though, he'll have to be careful. It's a panoramic view out the window, and if he's not careful, he'll give some girls a real good morning view. I chuckle at that thought.

Calming down again, I pull my second pillow out from under my head and hug it. The nagging feeling is starting to get more prominent, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I should check on Shun. He could be hurt. Of course, he was right when he said he wasn't a kid anymore. If he was seriously hurt, I'd know. This is probably some craving he wants, like something sweet or water. I can't baby him any more, so I won't. He knows how to get his own water. Closing my eyes, I try and push the feelings away, to clear my mind and fall asleep. If this doesn't work I'll have to try my flute. It may be my only shot at sleep.

I feel something land in front of me. I couldn't have had my eyes closed for more than a few minutes. But glancing at the clock, I'm surprised to see another hour has passed. Guess I did get to sleep. Something warm brushes against my chest and I remember what woke me up. Looking in front of me, I see my brother's face. He's crying, and I don't think he's fully awake either. One of his arms has snaked around my chest and he's currently working on pulling himself into a hug.

As nice as it feels, I know that this isn't how it's supposed to happen. Shaking his shoulder a bit, I whisper. "Shunkaku. Shunkaku, wake up."

He curls up, resting his head against my shoulder. A nightmare. He's having, or had, a nightmare. He did this when we were children too. "Big brother will protect your dreams, just climb into bed and I'll watch over you," is what I used to tell him. He hasn't had a nightmare in nearly fifteen years, though. What could be scary enough for him to crawl into bed with me?

"Ami..."

"Shunkaku?" I hug him, but still keep in mind that he has to wake up. "Shunkaku, open your eyes."

Tilting his head up, he looks at me through teary eyes. "Ami...boshi..."

My jaw drops and I freeze, staring into the murky golden eyes of my twin. Did he remember? Has he known? For how long? Why is he crying?

He collapses against me, limp. Snapping out of my daze, I try to rouse him again. "Shunkaku! Wake up!"

He groans, panting slightly. Rolling onto his back, he blinks, looking...confused. "Koto? Wh...when did I...?"

"About ten minutes ago." And then you called me Amiboshi. But you don't seem to remember. Perhaps I imagined it.

"Oh..." He sat up, clutching the bed sheets in his hands. "I...I just had a dream...where you vanished...I don't understand it. I know you're not going to die...but the feeling of loss...it felt so..so real."

So that's it. He was dreaming of his past life, of when Suboshi lost his brother and was left alone. "Is this the first time you've had this dream?"

He shakes his head. "No." He stopped and laid back down, his hands still clutching the sheets. I scoot over a bit to give him some room. He gives me a fearful look, but it vanishes when he realizes what I'm doing. "They started...about a year after I started college. In the spring."

The same time I awakened, I realized. His subconscious must have picked up my awakening and tried to do the same for him. Fortunately, or unfortunately, he's very dense. "What are the dreams about?"

"No..." He looked to the side, noticing the window. "You'll think it's stupid. I'll just go back to sleep."

I grab his arm before he sits up and lean over him. My other arm lands on his shoulder and I look him in the eyes. "Shun...tell me. I won't think it's stupid. I promise."

He finally releases one sheet and reaches up to place his hand on mine, the one on his shoulder. He still looks unsure, though. "You promise you won't laugh?"

"If it's affecting you this much, no. Tell me. Everything." I lean back, letting him go.

He sits up again, this time facing me. "Well...I don't really remember specifics. I know that it's us...but...it's not us. We're in...feudal clothing. And not in Japan. No...we're in China, I think. That's what the housing looks like. And there's this girl, she's really important. And there's this...weapon. A coil of rope and two balls on the ends. They're important, for some reason. And then there's....a great feeling of loss. You just...vanish. It really hurts...and all I can think of is...Amiboshi. That was your name. Amiboshi. And mine...mine was..." His eyes went back and forth, trying to remember.

"Suboshi?"

It was his turn to be stunned. His mouth opened and closed a few times before his shoulder slumped and he just stared. "Su...bo...shi. H...how did you know?"

I guess it was time. His mind's been trying to awaken him for years now. "Shunkaku, it's time you realized who you used to be, and who you really are."

"You're...you're not making any sense." He backs away a bit, frightened by my statement.

I grab his shoulders and lean in close. "Trust me, Shun. Just trust me."

He swallows, loud enough that I can hear it. After a minute of staring into my eyes, he slowly nods his head.

I don't know what overcame me, but all of us a sudden I knew what I had to do to awaken Suboshi. I remembered how Amiboshi could channel his chi, his life force, through the mouth. Suboshi made me forget my life through a kiss. It was time for me to restore his the same way. Tilting my head slightly, I placed my mouth centimeters from his. His breathing was erratic, he was scared. I knew he would be, but I'll be here for him, no matter what. Squeezing his shoulders reassuringly, I closed the last bit of distance between us and kissed him. He struggled meekly, letting a weak yelp of surprise escape his throat. He went rigid, though, as I focused my energies through my lips, hoping, wishing for him to remember, to awaken. When I began to feel weak, I pulled away, aware that I couldn't use all my energy to help him remember or I'd fall unconscious, leaving him without a pillar of support.

I didn't remove my hands from his shoulders, but he hadn't moved since I completed the kiss either. He was in a state of shock, much as I had been. Unlike me, who fainted, he remained awake. I'd never seen his eyes so alert, so focused on something that I couldn't see. Even after minutes had passed, he failed to blink, as if he'd miss something crucial if he did. I wonder which God is awakening him, Suzaku or Seiryu. I'd prefer Suzaku. He'd understand things so much more if it was him. But Suzaku was gentle, kind. The way Shun was acting, I was pretty sure it was Seiryu, direct, brief, and concise. The characters on our skin no longer glow, but I could feel mine tingle ever so slightly. He was awakening, Suboshi, the other twin of the Seiryu Celestial Warriors.