Title: Sai Once More
Author: Cheska
Chapter 2
Pg – 13

Disclaimer:  I don't own Hikaru no Go!  That belongs to Hotta Yumi and Obata Takeshi…*sniff*  Why'd they have to go and end it….*tear falls from her eyes*

Author's Notes:  Something to mention, voting polls are still open so please tell me what kind of pairing you want in the story!!

~.~.~.~.~

  It had just been yesterday since he heard Sai's voice echo into his head and ever since then he had been trying desperately to hear his dear old friend once more.  But he knew it was in vain, that he wouldn't hear Sai again until further on in the future, quite possibly or at least he hoped so.  Putting on his shoes, he took one last glance over his shoulder to see his mother in the kitchen before exiting the house.  Today he was going to go spend some time over at the old Haze Middle School and see how they were fairing these days.

  After a hasty good-bye to her mother, Hikaru stepped out into the sun and turned to the direction of the school that he previously attended at only a year ago.  Right now, he was currently 16 years old.  A Pro Go player that was fairly world renowned by those who paid attention to his achievements and his rival was none other than the 'Future Meijin' Touya Akira. 

  Tipping his head back up to the blue sky, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment as he thought back to his childhood days.  He was never much on schoolwork back then but he always succeeded in P.E. however, all of that changed when he met Sai that stormy day when he released him from the Goban because he happened to see an invisible mark.  Ever since he met Sai, his whole life and view of the world changed...up to the point where he excelled in his subjects and came to meet more friends that had the same drive and passion for Go as he now did.  If it wasn't for Sai…he didn't know what he would be. 

  "Hikaru!" a familiar voice called out from behind him. 

  Turning around, he was met by Fujisaki Akari: a girl with slightly reddish pink/ dark magenta red hair.  Her bright amber brown eyes twinkled in happiness as she came closer to him. 

  "Akari…"

  "Hikaru are you going to Haze as well?" his next-door neighbor asked him.

  "H-hai, are you?" Hikaru casually nodded and much to his amazement, Akari nodded as well and fell in-step with him as the two made their way to their old middle school.

  "I heard that they're having a Fall Festival this time, it'll be great and I'm sure that Koike-kun had managed to get some students to join, ne?" Akari conversed.

~.~

  The festival was booming with people and as the two high school students made their way through the pack, they finally arrived at a small stand where a picture of a Go Poster was set up and a question next to it.  Two Gobans were set out on the stand, and at the moment only middle aged to the elderly were surrounding the stand where three young boys were tending to it.

  "Koike-kun how's the Go Club?" Akari greeted as she came up to a taller boy with black hair and matching eyes.  He was wearing the traditional Haze Junior High uniform that consisted of a black buttoned up shirt and pants.  Upon greeting, he looked up to see Akari and Hikaru.

  "Fujisaki-sempai, Shindo-sempai!" Koike was shocked to say the least to see two of his former elder classmates coming to the festival.

  "We thought we would drop by and see how our former club was faring," Akari explained and then saw two younger boys feeling a bit awkward in front of them.

  "These are your club members?" Akari inquired, seeing one of them blush.

  "Yup!  But we're the only ones in the club…" Koike added softly, a part of his confidence slackening.

  "Don't worry; I'm sure you'll get more.  After all, when Tsutsui-san started the Go club it was only him, remember?" Hikaru reminded the young boy.

  "H-hai!"

  Just then, another approaching group came up to the stand from behind them.

  "Shindo-kun, well that's a surprise who'd have thought a Pro would come to a junior high festival?" greeted a laughing Kaga who threw out his cigarette on the floor and flipped open his fan with a calm Tsutsui by his side.

  "Kaga!  Tsutsui!" Shindo greeted with a smile.

  "Kaga?  But isn't that Tsutsui?" pointed one of the junior high students.

  "Err…no, I'm Tsutsui," the real Tsutsui, pushed up his glasses before bowing at the young junior high student.

  "But he…he…"

  "It was all a misunderstanding, I'm sure…" Akari quickly covered up to a sweat dropping Kaga as Tsutsui glared at the red headed boy.

  "So Kaga-sempai was the one who tricked us into joining the Go Club?!" cried out one of the boys.

  "I guess so, but then again…Kaga is always filled with lies and deceits but he makes up for it later on…" Hikaru explained, waving it aside.

  The meeting turned out to be quite longer than Hikaru thought it would be. By the time, that it took to explain Kaga's reasoning for his action of tricking the two boys from earlier in the year, it was already noon.  And by that time, Hikaru was held back seeing that Kaga wanted to have another go with Hikaru and see how much he had improved since then…that took a bit of his time, it seems that Kaga hadn't quite given up on Go after all.  Seeing Hikaru's abilities shocked the young Go players to the point that they exclaimed he must be a Pro and Koike calmly responded that Shindo Hikaru is a Go Pro.

  "A Pro?!? He's the Pro we've been hearing about?"

  "…yes" Hikaru blushed, not liking the sudden attention he was receiving from the elder men nearby who stopped looking at the sample question for Go to stare at him.

  "Ano…Akari-chan, I think I should get going…ja ne.  Nice to meet you all, Kaga…Tsutsui-san.  Koike, good luck gathering more players…" Hikaru hurriedly said before he rushed out before anyone else got the chance to put together that he was a Pro Go player and had played in the Hokuto World Cup.

~.~.~.~

  Relief washed over him as he exited the Haze Junior High grounds and proceeded forward to wherever his feet took him.  Today he would just spend the time and relax with no worries about Go and trying to win or catch up to his rival at obtaining the Hand of God.  How long ago was it since he even dared to put a rest on his obsession?  Shaking his head inside his mind, he knew that it was years and years ago…practically…4 years when he was still twelve years old and in sixth grade.

  Looking from side to side, he noticed all the people milling around him, some of them just out to enjoy the day and others who had an actual purpose whether it be to shop or coming to or from work.  Nevertheless, every one of those people had a purpose whereas he himself had none.

  Sticking his hand in his pockets, he felt some yen inside and briefly wondered if it would be enough for some ramen or a manga.  Taking it out, he saw that it was only enough to enjoy one can of soft drink from a vending machine.

  "Not even enough for a ramen…" Hikaru dropped his head dejectedly as he put it back inside his pockets and continued on his trek for something to hold his mind on for the time being.

  Crossing the street, he caught a glimpse of an old Go Salon that he used to go to as an Insei.  How long has it really been since he went in there?  About two years ago, was it?
  Figuring that he might as well, since he couldn't really do anything worthwhile with a small amount of yen and hadn't run into old friends from school.  He may as well visit those old men that helped him advance into the Go World and become a Pro.

  "Hey Shindo-kun!"

  Hikaru was about to enter the Go Salon when he heard a familiar voice call out to him.  Turning to look, he saw Waya Yoshitaka approach him, his dark reddish black hair amongst a crowd alongside his waving arms.  And as he came closer he noticed that a fair black haired boy walk with his friend, Isumi Shinichiro.

  "Isumi-san, Waya-kun…" Hikaru greeted with a smile.

  "Going to play some more Go?" Waya grinned.

  "Aa…nothing else to do.  I was going to eat some ramen…but…I don't have enough…" Hikaru sheepishly admitted.

  "We could always try what we did before, remember?" Waya conjured up, a sly smile adorning his face.

  Hikaru thought back to his Insei days when Waya and Isumi helped him get over his fear of older men.  They would go from Go Salon to Go Salon, making deals that if they won they wouldn't have to pay for the fee.  These days, Hikaru could go back to those old Go Salons and wouldn't have to pay anymore because him and his friends had brought in so many customers.  A reason why Hikaru was debating whether or not to visit this old Go Salon.

  "Why not, Isumi-san what do you think?" Hikaru turned to the humble boy alongside Waya.

  "Might as well," Isumi responded and so the three approached the door and pushed it open, entering the smoke filled Go Salon.

  Opening the doors into the Salon, the three boys stepped inside immediately seeing the owner.

  "How about a game?" Waya suggested with a grin in his face.

  The owner merely shook his head and grinned right back.

~.~.~.~

  (Shindo…)

  *pa-chi*

  (He's getting stronger every day…)

  *pa-chi*

  (…if I let myself down…he'll overcome me…)

  (…so I won't.)

  *pa-chi*

  (I'll keep going, keep getting stronger and…)

  (…achieve the Hand of God myself!)

  *PA-CHI*

  Touya Akira's last move sounded harsh in the silent room.  Its ring rebounded all around the area, casting a sense of momentum that couldn't be relinquished until the very sound disappeared.

  He sat there, looking at his last hand with wide eyes. Through his anger, through his thoughts, he had made a move that wasn't quite becoming.  Wasn't in his memory, it was completely new and for a moment he believed it to be a mistake.  Yet, as he sat there and contemplated his error he realized that it could be turned to his favor after all.  So instead of removing the stone, he played on.

  (Go is complex.  It's art beautiful, it's moves and its speed like adrenaline within my veins.  I'll never stop playing, not in a million years.  And I know you won't either…Shindo.) Touya stated in his head as he looked up and saw an imaginary image of his rival sitting in front of him: the same, intensity in his eyes boring into his own.

~.~.~

  *pa-chi*

  "I don't see why I'm practicing against you, Sai.  After all, I'm not as strong as you are…" Merodi confessed as she turned to look up at his deep blue-almost violet eyes.

  "Not at all Merodi, you play strong Go," Sai insisted as the girl cleaned up the Go stones.

  "Well, there's still time before we sign up for becoming Insei.  Turns out that they're not accepting new ones until a month from now.  What should we do until then?" Merodi casually asked.

  At once, Sai's eyes began to sparkle with intensity.  And immediately, Merodi shook her head.

  "Sai, I already know what you want to do…" Merodi laughed but stopped to grin as she gazed to her side at the sight of the outside world.

  "Merodi?"

  "…Sai, do you remember a few years ago when you were still with Hikaru?"

  "H-hai…"

  "Why don't we play…on the Internet then?" Merodi suggested with a smile.

  "The…internet?"

  Sai's eyes widened before it calmed down to pure happiness.

  "H-hai!"

  "Then…let's go!" Merodi exclaimed as she grabbed her wallet and opened the door with Sai in tow.

  (Sai…) Merodi thought inside her mind, while catching his eye as he heard her thoughts.

  (This will be…)

  Merodi approached the Internet Café and as they drew closer, her heart filled up with glee.  Whether it be from excitement at having to play against the players with Sai to direct her or from Sai's own feelings of getting to play unknown challengers once more, she didn't know.  All she knew was that she enjoyed this feeling inside her heart.

  After taking a seat in front of a free monitor, she logged on and after a few minutes a screen popped up to ask for a user name.

  (Merodi?) Sai's thoughts popped up in her mind and she turned her eyes to focus on the man.

  (Yes…this is your game…this is why we're here…to…play.) Merodi assured him.

  Turning her head back to the monitor, she reached over for the keyboard and looked at the characters.

  (Sai…this will be…your…no, our first step together…) Merodi stated as she pressed the first two characters.

  (...by playing here…until the time comes.  Your appearance on the internet will be the first step to…) Merodi finished typing and clicked the mouse.

  Immediately, the screen popped up, signaling that they had entered the Go site.

  (Your return to the Go World!) Merodi concluded.

 "A challenger…" Merodi murmured, seeing the proposal.

 (Let's play, Merodi!) Sai's happy voice stated in her mind.

 (Hai!) Merodi smiled at the man before accepting the challenge.

~.~.~.~.~

  "What's this?" Waya heard a sound nearby after finishing his Go game with an older man.

  Upon seeing the inquiring looks from his friends, he knew that they had finished as well.  And within 7 minutes from the looks of it.

  "What's the matter?" Kawai-san, a man with a burly beard and dark eyeglasses asked aloud across the room to a man who was sitting in front of a laptop computer.

  "Ahh…" Doumoto-san, a middle-aged man with full head of black hair sweat dropped as he heard Kawai-san shout across the room.

  The owner, curious as well, walked over to the man and peeked from behind his shoulder. 

  "What's wrong?" Waya couldn't contain himself and had risen from his seat to walk over and see what was the matter.

  As he came to his destination, he faltered as his eyes widened at the sight in the screen.

  "Sai…"

  Hikaru perked up at the name, and hurriedly rushed over.

  (It can't be!)

  There in front of them all was a game, that was currently being played between an unknown opponent and the infamous Sai.  As was expected, Sai was winning and as he placed his last move, the other person immediately admitted defeat.

  "It's definitely him," Hikaru could hear Waya utter from under his breath, "It's Shuusaku's moves…every one of them…and especially in that last stone."

  "Honinbo Shuusaku…it…can't be…" Hikaru could barely say his words, even to himself.

  "Hikaru, something wrong?" Waya asked, seeing his friend's pale face as he stammered back.

  "I-Iie…I just remembered, I have to go…" Hikaru excused himself and ran out of the Go Salon.

  "Hikaru…"

~.~.~.~

  (Sai…have you really come back?) Hikaru asked inside his mind as he ran out of the Salon and down the street.

 *thump* *thump*

  *swish*

  Hikaru ran on, rounding a corner and making it across the street just in time before the light turned red.

  (Demo…if you have come back, why…didn't you return to me?)

  Looking from left to right, he tried to find his bearing.

  (Is it…because you're angry?)

  Running once more, his heart leapt to his throat at the sight of the Internet Café.

  "There it is…" Hikaru quickened his pace, ignoring the burning sensation that had built up from all the running that he had done.

  (Sai!  Is it?!)

  With great speed, Hikaru grasped the handles of the door and flung it open.  Catching, Mitani Yaeko's attention as well as a few others.

  "Shindo…" Yaeko's voice was filled with surprise.

  Hikaru, however, ignored her voice and took the time to look around the room, moving from one side to the other trying to search for the ghost.  But after a few minutes, slumped his shoulders in defeat and prepared to leave.

  "Gomen ne, for bothering you…I thought…I saw someone here I recognized," Hikaru apologized, his voice tinged with regret and dripping with sadness as he slowly opened the glass door and stepped outside.

  (Sai…where are you?  Where did you go?) Hikaru sighed as he stared up at the blue sky, almost seeing the nostalgic smile that Sai held for him the last time that he saw his best friend.

  (I miss you…)

~.~.~.~

  "Huh?" Touya Akira saw Hikaru across the street, his face filled with certain sadness that made his heart wrench.

  This emotion completely caught him off guard as his hand immediately flew to his heart, wondering what happened.  Was he…perhaps sick?  Or was it merely a small feeling of sympathy for the boy?  Whatever it was, it couldn't be ignored so instead of letting the bleached-haired boy be alone he decided to go after him.

  "Shindo…" Touya Akira walked up to the boy who had turned his way.

  And raising his head up, Hikaru stumbled a few feet back at the sight of his rival.  His hand clutching at his chest, just as he always did whenever Touya suddenly appeared before him.

  "Touya...!" Hikaru cried aloud, about to complain.

  "I saw you from across the street, is something the matter?"

  "Why would you care?!" Hikaru quickly retorted, a hard glare settling over his sad eyes.

  Touya immediately started to regret his words, his previous concern vanishing as he began to appear offended or indifferent before the boy he called rival.

  "Forgive me…I'll leave," Touya quietly said as he began to turn around and go back to his Go Salon.

  "Ano…Touya!" Hikaru called out, making him stop.

  "…look…do you wanna play Go with me?" Hikaru asked.

  The young Go prodigy turned his head sideways, sneaking a glance at his rival before fully turning to face him.  He nodded his head in acceptance before Hikaru's face took on an expression of relief before catching up with him.

  (I wonder what was wrong with him…) Touya briefly wondered but shook the thought aside at the sight of the care-free look that Hikaru took on.

  (Whatever it was, it's gone now…)

~.~.~.~.~

  For the continuing month, the one called Sai had returned to the Internet World, gaining fame once more.  Day after day, players from all over the world challenged him and as was before…lost as they admitted defeat.

  And during those days, Hikaru continued to wonder…if it truly was Sai and began to watch those games as well.  With every chance he could get, he would run over to the Internet Café to watch and observe.  Trying to see, trying to feel if it is, beyond a doubt, Fujiwara Sai.

  (It's him…it's definitely him…Sai…) Hikaru's eyes welled up with tears and hope after seeing another game where he crushed his opponent like all the others.

  Rising from his seat, he stared down hard at the computer screen.

  "I'll find you again, Sai…if it's the last thing I do!" Hikaru proclaimed softly to himself.

  (Sooner or later…just as I had, if you truly are the one…you'll come to our world…the Go World!  And when that time comes, I'll be here…)

~.~.~.~

  "Sai?" Merodi's voice echoed in his mind.

  "Hai?" Sai stirred from his reverie and looked down at the raven haired girl with silver streaks.

  "You felt him again, didn't you?"

  "He knows I'm back…"

  "That can be expected, it's all over the Internet if you haven't guessed?" Merodi gave a cheery smile but it waned as she saw his expression.

  "Don't worry, the Insei test is coming up and we've already signed up.  Once there, we can quit the Internet if you want…" Merodi suggested.

  Sai only shook his head at the proposal, not wanting to give up any moment of Go.

  The Genius Go Player turned his attention back on the screen only to see more challengers.

  "It's nice, isn't it?  That we went and got our own computer so we don't have to go back to that café?" Merodi conversed lightly.

  "H-hai!" Sai said wholeheartedly, he was quite relieved but also disappointed with this fact.  A part of him wanted to avoid meeting up with Hikaru as much as possible until the time came when it would be all right.  But the other side didn't agree, he wanted to meet him also.  To go back to him so they could spend time playing Go like they used to…

  "Don't worry, Sai…it'll work out in the end…" Merodi tenderly said, trying to comfort the ghost as she saw his saddened expression.

  Slowly, he nodded and turned back to the screen and saw a familiar name:  Zelda.

  "Over there…Zelda…it's Hikaru's old friend, Waya…" Sai pointed out.

  Smiling, Merodi consented to let him play some more and accepted Zelda's challenge.

  "Soon, Sai…soon…we'll be back in the Go World and not just through the Internet…" Merodi promised to a smiling and happy Sai.

To be continued…

~.~.~.~.~

  There goes the next chapter, hope you enjoyed it!

  Oh, almost forgot!  ^_^ 

Pairings:

Akira/Hikaru: 2

Sai/Hikaru:   1

It's still open for more requests.  No worries there!  ^^