::Screams and pulls at
hair:: I HATE COLLEGE!!!!!!! I WANNA GO
BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL!!!!!!::cries uncontrollably for a while and then starts
typing again::
Here it is: Chapter six,
no da. I hope you all enjoy it.
Remember: All
declaimers from previous chapters are still in effect now. Mild spoilers from OVA 2 episode 5(I think
they're
mild since they aren't
the same, anyway-_-;;)
Fushigi Akugi
Chapter 6: Pain of a
Yesteryear: Friends Forever More
Darkness. That's what the teen felt and all he could see at first, almost
as if he were floating in it. It
suddenly seemed to
become water and he
choked trying to breathe.
'Where am I' he wondered vaguely. He sensed something in the water: a person
who seemed to be trapped. He quickly
swam towards the
person and pulled it up towards the surface.
He broke out of the water and swam towards an invisible
shore.
"H-Hou-ju-n" the man
rasped. The teen looked at him curiously. How had he known his name? Why did he seem so
familliar? Before he could make sense of anything,
something grabbed his foot and dragged him under. In desperation to save
the man, he let go of him
and allowed himself to be pulled back into the depths. Around him, Tenkou's laugh echoed.
*******************
A soft touch on Tasuki's arm startled him
from his sleep and his amber eyes found Houjun's chocolate eyes only a few
inches away. Still groggy, he forgot that the teen wasn't
really his Chichiri yet and wrapped his arms around him both
reassuringly and
protectively.
"What's wrong, baby?" he
chuckled softly. "Bad dream?"
Houjun was shocked at
first by the bandit's actions, but soon relaxed, sighing softly. He felt almost reassured that everything
would be all right
within Tasuki's embrace.
"Hai...just a bad dream, no
da," Houjun smiled. "I guess
I'm just nervous about retrieving this next Jewel of Memory, that's
all, na no da."
Tasuki frowned for a moment as the
comment forced him to remember that Houjun didn't remember him yet. Deciding
he was going to chance
it, though; he pulled Houjun into the bed and tugged the blanket over them
both.
"Don't worry 'bout it, Jun-chan. We'll get it first thing in the
mornin'. Nothin' bad'll happen,
k?" he tried to reassure him.
"I don't know, Tasuki-chan. I think something big's gonna happen
tomorrow, no da..."
*********************
"Wha- what am I doing in here?"
The man had awakened in the last place he'd ever dreamed of finding
himself...alive, anyway. Rising to his
feet, he took stock of himself and belongings.
Deciding he needed some answers, he gathered his things and headed out
to find his friend.
*********************
"What!?" Tasuki snapped at the
store clerk. The young man sighed,
running a hand through his black hair.
"I said it was stolen during the
night. Please don't hurt me."
Tasuki was about to say something else
when Houjun stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"It's alright, no da. Arigatou for your time, na no da." He turned and motioned for his friends to
follow. Out side, he faced
them with a weary
smile.
"Now what," Chriko asked.
"Without the Jewel of Memory, we can
not help Houjun-kun," Hotohori pointed out.
"The jewel isn't far from
here," Houjun said. "Just
north of the town, really. I'll go
after it and you guys head back to the inn and wait for me. I shouldn't be long, no da."
"Hell no," Tasuki snapped. "I'm goin' with ya just incase."
"And I'll go as well," Fuji
said. "It's my duty as one of the
two chosen to protect the Hato to stay by your side."
Houjun blinked a few times and then
smiled. "Alright, but I don't
sense any danger, no da." That
decided, the seishi and
friends parted
ways. Houjun led Tasuki and Fuji to the
northern end of the town and into a small thicket of woods. They soon
came upon the gem,
unattended atop a tree stump.
"Somethin' ain't right here,"
the bandit muttered, drawing his tessen.
Fuji glanced about nervously.
"It's too quite here."
"I...I don't sense any danger, no
da.... I think it's safe." He
looked back at his friends and nodded.
"Cover me, no da."
With cautious steps, the teen approached the jewel. He paused, studying it. Nothing 'seemed' to be wrong with it, but he
sensed something….
Shaking it off as paranoia, he took the
light blue gem in his hand and felt it begin to respond to his touch almost
instantly, but felt somehow withheld; as if a barrier had been set between
himself and the memories the distorted them.
"Why?
How could you…Hikou?"
"Hou—n?"
"Give her b—k…Give her back to me!"
Images flashed through
his mind that were as confused as the voices he heard.
Two friends fighting on the bank of a
swollen river.
One of them fell back and part of the
bank gave way.
The other one grabbed hold of the man's
hand, trying to hold onto him.
Something made the teen…made him let go…
As well as the images, he felt emotions
rising up to strangle him. Hatred
followed by panic followed by grief.
"What…what's going on?" Houjun wondered, dropping to his knees. An evil laugh reached his ears and he looked
up.
"Poor Houjun," a man whispered
cruelly. "Don't you want to remember
what you did to me seven years ago?
What kind of man you were then?"
"Who the hell are you!" Tasuki yelled
from somewhere behind him. His eyes
rose to find ones stained in red and full of hate.
"Hi-kou?" he strained to speak through
his confusion.
"So, you remembered my name. I suppose it's an honor for my murderer to
remember such."
Hikou stumbled back and started to
fall into the river.
Panicked, Houjun grabbed his friend's
hand, pulling him back.
Something happened…something made him let
go…
"Hikou…"
Houjun whispered hoarsely, reaching a hand towards Hikou; trying to grab his
hand.
"Pathetic," the demon god of water spat,
forming an attack in his hand. "I
expected so much more from you, Houjun." He released the water bomb, striking
the younger mage in the temple. The
last thing he heard before passing out was Tasuki crying out his name.
Hours later, Houjun opened his eyes
carefully. The room was dim and he
could make out faint voices.
'I'm back at the inn,' he thought. Beside him, Tasuki was half-sprawled on the
bed, his hand resting atop Houjun's.
The teen couldn't help but smile at the sleeping bandit. He knew Hikou had put up some form of
barrier to keep Tasuki from attacking him, so it was understandable that his
friend would want to stay at his side and make sure he was all right. Carefully, he slipped from beneath the
sheets and got dressed in his usual attire, grateful to Nuriko for mending them
for him after his fight with Nakago.
'I have to do this alone,' he determined,
snatching the Memory Jewel and his sword.
He also took a small pouch of money, which had been given to him by
Hotohori in case he was separated from the others or some other emergency
arose. 'This is an emergency, no da.'
He nodded his head and quietly slipped out the window. The others wouldn't be happy with him for
sneaking out on his own, but he decided they would get over it. As he made his way through the darkening
streets, he failed to notice the shadow that followed him.
"Minna!
Come quick!" Miaka cried, running into the inn. She'd left not even an hour ago on a walk
with Yama and Tamahome and was now ecstatic about something.
"What's wrong, Miaka?" Hotohori inquired,
a little worried.
"Look what Yama found up in a tree!" she
exclaimed, holding out her hand to reveal a Memory Jewel.
"I think that if we give this to
Hato-sama, he might feel better right away," Yama explained, before rushing off
to find his brother.
"It's worth a shot," Nuriko said,
carefully taking the jewel from his miko.
As the feminine bishonen turned to follow Yama, Fuji appeared, seeming
frantic.
"Hato-san is gone and so his
Tasuki-san!"
"Nani! Are you sure, Fuji?" Tamahome
asked.
"Hai," Yama answered for Fuji. "And the window is wide open."
"They wouldn't have gone after Hikou
alone, would they?" Hotohori asked, knowing the answer was yes. They quickly began dividing into groups to
comb the city for their friends, fearing that Houjun wouldn't be strong enough
to defeat the water mage even with the bandit's help.
Houjun followed Hikou's chi to a cave
north of Sukusha. He knew he couldn't
defeat the mage, but he didn't want to kill him anyway. 'This plan had better work,' he told
himself. Just outside the cave, he
produced the Memory Jewel and held it in his hand, concentrating. He forced his way through the barrier spell
placed on it and let the memories enter him.
This time, he saw more than the fight that cost Hikou his life. He saw happy memories as well as the sad and
accepted all of them as well as the emotions that came with them.
Hikou
stumbled back and fell into the river.
Houjun, forgetting his anger for his friend, dropped his dagger and
lunged towards him, grasping his hand.
He couldn't let Hikou die; not like this…
"Houjun!
Watch out!" Hikou cried. The
teen saw the log headed towards him, but he didn't want to let go. He had to save Hikou. The log struck the left side of his
face…struck his eye painfully. He cried
out in pain and, on reflex, released Hikou's hand.
"HIKOU!!!!!" He tried in vain to grab his
friend's hand again, but the raging waters had already swept him away.
Houjun's eyes
slid open and he realized he'd been crying softy. A worth around his waist and against his back comforted him.
"Tasuki, why'd you follow me, no da?"
"Cause I don't want nothin' ta happen to
ya, Chiri," Tasuki sighed, his breath brushing against the teen's neck. Houjun sighed and leaned back slightly.
"Don't worry, Tasuki, no da. I will save Hikou and then we can head back,
alright? Wait here for me," he
said. He bent down and lifted a swallow
he had bought using the money Hotohori had given him. It was rather simple with no special markings; perfect for what
he needed it for.
"All right, Chiri, but if yer gone for
too long, I'm comin' after ya, k?"
Houjun nodded and smiled. "Arigatou, Tasuki, no da. Wish me luck."
"Right."
The bandit stood near the entrance to the cave, watching the teen enter
and wishing he could follow him, just to make sure he'd be alright. Instead, he pressed his back against the
side of the opening and looked up at the stars.
Hikou looked up as Houjun entered the
main area of the cave. Three inches of
water covered the floor and a mist seemed to cling to the air.
"So, young Dove of Suzaku, you've come at
last," he sneered.
He sensed something in the water: a
person who seemed to be trapped.
'Don't worry,
Hikou. I will save you,' he thought,
planting one end of the swallow into the water covered ground. He called on his new powers, the powers of
the Dove of Suzaku which Fuji had told him about. One that, while it seemed silly to Houjun, was guaranteed by the
twins to work. It was his only shot, so
he decided to chance it.
"I know you
aren't really Hikou," he began evenly. "You
are the demon god of drought and rain, Kanki."
He straightened up and drew in a deep breath. "I've come to ask you to release Hikou from your power."
"Oh
really? And what makes you think I'll
simply let him go? I rather like this
body," the demon god smiled.
"I don't think
you will, but I have a deal. Come into
my body instead. I'm far more powerful
than Hikou is."
…something
grabbed his foot and dragged him under.
"You would do
that for him? Why sacrifice yourself
for another?"
"Hikou is
still my friend and, for his sake, I will give up my freedom for his, no da."
After a moment
of silence, Kanki laughed. "I accept
your offer, boy. Now, You shall be my
pawn." As he spoke, Hikou's body slowly
relaxed, his eyes closing, and he slumped to the ground.
In
desperation to save the man, he let go of him…
Houjun closed his eyes, feeling Kanki's
approach. He shuddered under the demon's
touch as it began to enter his body and let his mind relax slightly.
…and allowed himself to be pulled back
into the depths.
"Gotcha!" the
mage cried, grasping the swallow tightly in his hands and allowing the
spell-song that he had been singing in his mind to be voiced aloud.
|
nagarete-yuku mizu ni utsuru
omoide no danpen
anna omoi kurikaesanai
sou kokoro ni chikau
nagarete-yuku mizu ni utsuru
kanashimi ga aru kara
kono chikara de kono inochi de [2]
omae wo mamoritai
|
Reflected in the flowing water,
a fragment of memory
I swore in my heart
I'd never repeat those thoughts again.
Reflected in the flowing water,
there is sorrow, so
with this power, with this life, [2]
I want to protect you.
|
Hikou's eyes
fluttered open, unsure exactly what he would find. He sat up carefully and saw Houjun clinging to a swallow, a red
aura surrounding him.
'But…he still
looks 18…and his clothes look…foreign…' he rose and relized that a red symbol was
glowing faintly on his friend's knee and felt Kanki's life force. 'Houjun…you…you didn't…'
Houjun looked
up from his spell. He was in the
process of sealing the demon god into the weapon before him when an idea struck
him. With and small smile, he lured his
confused friend towards him and gently reached one hand out to him. Hikou took it and the mage drew him closer,
resting the hand under his own against the weapon.
|
nakushita no wa shinjiau kimochi
demo ima nara ai wa makenai darou
nasakenakute mo ima wa itaranakute mo
sore dakara koso tagai ni tasuke aeru
|
What I lost was my belief.
But now, I know love is unconquerable.
Even if it's miserable, and the present doesn't lead anywhere,
that is why we help each other.
|
Hikou could see
the weapon changing before him, the blades becoming a crystalline blue color
and the staff(1) changing shape as well, as if customizing itself to suit him
better. He watched Houjun focusing on
the weapon as he continued to sing and found himself getting lost within his
words.
|
mizukagami de kokoro no kage wo mireba
sore wa ai ga unda mou hitotsu no kao
taisetsu ni shitai subete no tame ni mo
mou itami kara me wo somuketakunai
taisetsu ni shitai subete no tame ni mo
mou itami kara me wo somuketakunai
|
When I see my heart's shadow in the water-mirror,
that is the birth of love; yet another face.
For all that is precious,
I won't turn away from pain any more.
For all that is precious,
I won't turn away from pain any more.
|
As he
completed his spell, the red glow faded and he looked up at Hikou wearily.
"G-gomen,
Hikou-kun, no da. I…I never wanted you
to die…"
"Iie, Houjun,
it was my fault, demo…" he gently embraced his friend. "I am still your friend, ne?"
"Hai, no da." He yawned deeply, warn out from the strain
the spell had caused him. "Gomen, I'm
just tired, no da…" he trailed off, leaning heavily against his friend. Hikou smiled and dropped to his knees,
resting Houjun's head against his shoulder; where he'd always secretly dreamed
of holding the man he called his friend.
"Hai, I
undrstand, Jun-chan. Get some sleep,
ok? I'll get you back to your friends
soon.
Just when you thought things were weird enough, they got
weirder.
This is kinda rushed and I hope you don't mind, but I
wanted to get it up asap, so here it is, no da.
I think Hikou looks good with a swallow for a weapon, so
he has one.
1)
I don't know what the parts are called, that's all
As for the last chapter's foot
notes:
1)Setsunakutemo Zutto just
seemed like it was made for a lullaby
2)
I'm a Breath of Fire fanatic, no da-_-;;
Anyway, I'm sorry this took so
long, no da. I hope you enjoyed it and
I promise not to promise it in the future until it's written. I snagged the song off a site:
http://www.jlyrics.org/anime/fy/mizu.html
Translation by: Takayama Miyuki
If
they don't like it, I can change it, no da.
What will happen next time? What will Tasuki think of Hikou's love for
Houjun/Chichiri? Who's the mysterious
guy who woke up?
These questions and more answered in the next exciting(I
hope) chapter of
Fushigi Akugi:
Chapter 7: Bound
By Love: A Rekindling of the Flame
"Never see it comin', huh?" He leaned his head back
against the door. "No, I didn't…"
