Chapter 4: Memories…
I'm not feeling myself lately so sorry if this starts getting uh…bad at some points…well thanks for still reading! You know, I think .hack//sign music would go well with DK o.O I don't know why, but I think so . Evanescence is also great! And what does all this have to do with the fic? Absolutely nothing! =D Except that I listen to it while I'm working on it…Oh, you guys should find the music from the DK Drama CD's! Really interesting, really o.O Yeah, I'll shut up now so you guys can read the actual fic .;;;;;
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Rath…
Rath blinked and sat up. Was he dreaming? He looked around his room, everything seeming to be in order.
Rath…awaken…
He felt a cool breeze blow around him. Wind?
Rath…I'm waiting…
It was a different voice this time, softer and gentler. He slowly got out of bed and stood up. He cautiously looked around and grabbed one of the swords from the rack. When he turned around he found himself in a field of flowers. A young girl was playing with the birds. Who is that…? He was about to approach her when he heard running footsteps coming toward the girl and ducked behind a tree. A little boy came into a view. A boy with red hair.
The little girl looked up at the newcomer and smiled. She got up and they ran off back to the village. When they were gone, Rath stepped out and stood there. He was too far to see either of the children's faces. He once again felt wind flow around him, along with a fire burning deep inside him. What…what is going on?
Rath…
Again a different voice, but deeper, with a touch of malice. He could feel a tingling run up his spine as he turned around once more to find himself in a type of dungeon. He quickly turned around again to find the field replaced by a dark wall. He held his sword ready and slowly stepped forward, his footsteps silent as still air. As he rounded a corner, he suddenly jumped back as he narrowly dodged an ice dagger. He deflected another one that was aimed at his head.
"Not bad…even if it is just in your sub-conscious." It was the voice again, only this time more real. Rath lowered his sword slightly and saw the human yokai cloaked in black in front of him. He had white, fluffy-looking hair and his light, green eyes was staring at him. Or more specifically, into him. His two birds, one on each shoulder, moved their heads restlessly. "Will you awaken? And if you do…to which side?"
"Awaken? If you mean from this crazy dream, I'll go ahead and wake up," Rath answered, a little annoyed with himself for not realizing that he was still asleep dreaming.
The yokai gave him a sly smile. "Oh, no…not like that." He took a step forward and was suddenly in front of Rath. He tapped a slender finger against Rath's chest. "I mean the power that rests in here."
Rath stepped back and swiftly moved the sword blade against the yokai's neck. "I don't know what you are talking but you are starting to get on my nerves…"
The yokai grinned and disappeared, only to reappear back to where he was before. "Feisty, aren't we? The key has yet to be placed to unlock the secrets within you. But…it will just be a little longer. A little longer."
"A little longer for what? What key?"
"That is what you shall find out, my dear Rath." The smile he gave Rath made him shudder. He was gone in bright flash of green smoke.
Rath lowered his sword, and as he did, the scenery changed again. He was back in his room, but there was something different about it. He looked around and saw a picture his desk. He picked it up, but as soon as the faces started to come into focus, a great gust of wind tore the picture from his hand and flew out the window.
Rath…
Argh! Not the voices again!!
Rath…wake up…it's time…
Time…? He started to feel tired suddenly and somehow found himself in his bed again. Time for what?
Rath…
He felt someone shaking him.
"Rath if you don't wake up, I swear I'll slam this chair into your head!!!!!"
Rath blinked and sat up to find a very agitated Rune glaring at him, a chair in his hands. "Oh…Is that you, Rune?"
"Yes, of course it's me!!" Rune nearly yelled. "I've been trying to wake you up for the past five minutes!!"
"Oh, sorry, about that," he said, grinning sheepishly.
Rune sighed. "Fine, fine. But get out of bed and get dressed for school! The weekend is over, you know." He walked out, replacing the chair.
Rath sat there for a moment. "I can't believe Rune actually had a chair with him!" Rath said, sweatdropping. Weekend? Oh yeah, that's right…It's already been one week since we've been going to Ryuken… As he got up, he realized he had his sword in his hand. He placed it back on its rack and changed into his school uniform. It was too formal for his tastes, but then again, the guys' uniforms in Japan were really basically the same.
As he fixed his shirt, his thoughts strayed back to his unusual dream. The sword that he woke up with was the same one that he had picked up in his dream. Maybe he had sleepwalked. Good thing he hadn't cut himself while sleeping. What was that crazy person talking about? Well he wasn't actually a person…he was a demon, a yokai. How Rath knew this, he was not so sure himself. He quickly checked to make sure everything was in order and went downstairs.
Thatz looked up from his seventh bowl of ramen. "Mornin', Rath," he said in between bites.
"Morning." He sat down on one of the chairs and watched Thatz grab another bowl and sweatdropped. "…Hungry?"
Thatz just continued eating. After finishing, he sighed and leaned back. "It's not the same…"
"What's not?" Rune asked as he came down the stairs, schoolbag in hand.
"…The food…"
Both Rath and Rune fell over. "The food?!" they said incredulously.
Thatz just sighed. "Oh well…I guess I can wait until lunch!" He walked into the kitchen and came back up with a huge bag of food in his hands. "I'm ready!!"
"THATZ!!!" Rune yelled.
Rath watched them laughing. It was always a good way to start the day with those two fighting, even if it's just Rune actually hitting Thatz. He blinked when he heard the doorbell ring and got up to answer it. Glancing at his watch, he wondered who it could be at this hour in the morning as he opened the door.
"Ohayo!!" Kitchel said grinning, Cesia just smiling behind her. "Are you guys going to school or what?"
Cesia peered past the surprised Rath and heard Rune yelling at Thatz. "Another fight?" she asked sweatdropping.
Rath coughed. "Er, yeah…" What are they doing here?
"Grr…" Kitchel walked past Rath and went inside. "THATZ! GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE NOW!!!!"
Thatz and Rune blinked, Rune about to hit Thatz with a chair. Kitchel was standing by the doorway, flames seeming to erupt around her as she glared at the two.
"We're going to be late because of you two horsing around!!!" she yelled as she grabbed Thatz's hand and dragged him out of the house.
Rune blinked. "Eh…?" He replaced the chair, grabbed his bag, and followed them out the door. He said "Good morning" to Cesia, who was standing next to Rath, both sweatdropping at the scene that had just passed them. The trio stared as Kitchel successfully grabbed Thatz's lunch and started walking down the road, Thatz trying to stop her.
When they had finally reached the school and had taken their seats in the classroom, Kitchel handed Thatz's lunch back. "Next time, don't be such a pig," she said exasperatingly as he hugged the sack before placing it down next to his desk.
Rune wondered what the whole point of that escapade was, but figured it was probably something Kitchel would normally do. He turned his attention to Rath. He seemed to have loosened up some during the past few days, but Rath still seemed to have his guard up. He was staring out the window again. Something seemed to be bothering his friend, but he didn't want to intervene, knowing how Rath hated not being able to figure things out. Still…he could at least talk to us, Rune thought a little annoyed. He was about to say something when he noticed Cesia stir in her seat in front of him.
"Rath…is something wrong?" She looked at him concerned.
Rath blinked and turned. "No…everything's fine. I just like gazing out the window…"
"You have this faraway look on your face. I can tell something is troubling you."
"…" He turned back around. "I'm fine, don't worry about me." Rath heard her sigh and turn back to the front. He watched the students running into the gates as the final bell rang, signaling the start of school. He blinked and straightened. He scanned the crowd of students again and shook his head. He thought he had seen that yokai again…I'm letting this get to me, he thought, disgusted with himself.
The teacher was talking about something. Rath turned his attention to the front and listened. An epidemic? What? He glanced around the classroom and noticed that half the class was missing. They were all sick? From the same illness?
Lunch, and again, something was nagging him at the back of his mind. He had not been paying much attention during class, his mind still preoccupied. Something happened before like this. Images started flashing through his mind. A village dying, a little girl crying, flames flying.
Rath…
He blinked and looked at Cesia, who was looking at him again. "What?"
"Er…you liked kind of…I don't know…you looked like you were in pain…"
Pain? Maybe she knows… "No…it's alright." He gave her a reassuring grin. "Thanks though." She reminds me of someone…you…
Cesia smiled back. "What are friends for?"
Friends? Her smile…he felt a pang in his heart. That smile…seen somewhere before…but where? He had to know. It was driving him crazy. Maybe… "Hey, Cesia."
She blinked. "Yes?"
"Can I talk to you after school?"
Kitchel, Thatz, and Rune leaned closer, wanting to hear her reply.
Cesia blinked. "Um…sure…but don't you have kendo practice?"
He shook his head. "Not today…the instructor is out sick."
"Oh…then okay," she said smiling.
Great! Maybe this puzzle will be solved… "Alright then, outside at the park."
Kitchel blinked. This sounded interesting. Maybe I should stay after school, just to keep an eye out on her, she thought, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
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f00m. Ho hum hum, this is getting interesting…do you guys know who that yokai was? If ya don't, I'll be very ashamed u.u I wonder how the heck I'm going to get through all this! x_X So many different ideas, and yet I can only choose one! @_@