Innocence
By Natsue Arishima
Chapter Four: Awakening
The wind whipped past him, attacking furiously at his face and arms. Bells started to tinkle, and yet he couldn't hear them - so loud was the roar of the wind. The pirate narrowed his watering eyes to tiny slits, his hand tightening on his sword. His black horse whinnied fearfully, dark eyes wide, as coarse grains of dirt and small rocks pelted at its body and temporarily blinded it.
Up ahead, Gan Ning could just barely see the other members of his party, all bent over and attempting to shield their bodies. Most had dismounted from their horses.
Hoof beats sounded behind him and the pirate turned his head, rubbing his eyes. Sun Ce pulled up besides him, his white stallion's head raised proudly.
"You alright?" the Wu leader yelled, and though they were stationed right next to each other, Gan Ning had to strain his ears to hear him.
"Do you think I'm alright?" Gan Ning bellowed. Sun Ce smiled, raising an arm to block the wind streaming at his face. "We're to stop soon. Bro claims that there's good shelter up ahead."
Gan Ning nodded, and Sun Ce promptly nudged his horse forwards, towards his siblings and Zhou Yu. The pirate examined them for a while, watching Sun Ce mutter to his younger brother, who nodded.
Sun Ce straightened up, raised a hand up in the air to signal his troops, and nudged his horse, which took off with a burst of speed. The whole of Wu's army suddenly sprang into action as well, some desperately mounting back on their horses.
Gradually, Gan Ning could make out a string of dark figures ahead of them. Sea Master was raised up defensively, but the pirate lowered it as he realized the figures were merely trees.
His horse's ears perked up and the animal suddenly charged forwards towards the small forest. Gan Ning's head snapped back at the sudden lunge, and he shook himself, glaring at the back of his horse's head. "Hey, cool it, you crazy little..."
The wind suddenly ceased as Gan Ning found himself in the shelter of the trees. His horse sighed happily, sinking down onto the ground and totally forgetting about his rider. Gan Ning blinked. "Oi! You lazy bum. Get up!"
Sun Ce, followed by Zhou Yu, dismounted from his horse and rubbed its neck. Sun Quan turned around and yelled, "We're stopping here for the night."
Murmurs of content reached his ears. Gan Ning was relieved as well. Getting up from his horse, he headed over to Sun Ce and the others, limping slightly.
His backside felt extremely sore.
~*~
He was trapped in a nightmare. On all sides of him, people were closing in, riding bony horses and carrying glinting spears. Their eyes were hidden from him, all wearing black hoods and robes. Their horses reared up, a flame burning from behind their eyes, saliva bubbling at their mouths.
No... this isn't happening...
His shut his golden eyes, fists clenched.
Help me... please, help me... someone...
Both hands were suddenly wrapped around something cool and light. It felt so familiar... even comforting. The worn leather was so smooth...
Where have I felt this before...?
The boy opened his eyes and looked down, surprised at the two swords he held in his grasp.
What...?
He lifted them up, awed by the dazzling blades.
A snarl came from one of the nearest hooded beast. His horse shrieked and charged forwards, hooves thundering dangerously.
The boy's eyes opened in horror. His mouth opened in a silent scream, and he shut his eyes again, thrusting his two weapons forward.
The black figure screamed. His horse writhed on the ground and dissolved, not before falling on top of his rider, who screamed and burst into a million fading pieces.
The boy barely had any time to register his shock when another form lunged at him. He spun around quickly, whirling his two blades around himself in the process, and the form gave a dying groan and dissolved.
He was out of control, spinning around in a red blur. His feet moved against his own will, as if practicing a well thought out dance. Blood that was not his own momentarily appeared on his face, but suddenly faded, as if sinking into his skin.
All around him, the grotesque figures disappeared as he cut into them, but even more of them replaced the dead and gradually, the boy found himself surrounded.
He felt like he was on the verge of screaming, and then something happened.
The figures suddenly turned brighter. One was transformed into a man, with graying hair, a battle helmet, battle garb, and held a sword in his hand. Another was turned into a younger man, with a dark, high ponytail, bright eyes, and a stubby beard. Two tonfas were clutched in his hands.
Two others merged together, and the boy was now facing a girl with short, light brown hair dressed in a silk shirt and red shorts. Besides her stood another man.
Next to them, other faces emerged. There were two petite sisters, clutching fans and smiling gently. A rather buff man had a club swung over his shoulder.
One was wearing a helmet that covered his eyes. A cloak was draped over his shoulder, and he was partially crouched over, his hand on a sword handle.
The boy spun wildly around, his swords held dangerously in front of him. More people were appearing, all looking towards him and smiling.
Another man appeared in front of him with a tinkle of bells. The boy looked up to find his gaze caught in dark brown eyes.
The man was smirking, a hand reaching up to brush his spiky brown hair. A necklace of bells hung around his neck, hidden slightly under his loose top. A sash had been tied around his waist and he wore loose, red pants. A dangerous looked sword was resting quietly on his shoulder.
I... Do I know him...? The boy was stunned. His two swords shimmered and then disappeared.
He seems so familiar...
The pirate grinned, as if able to read his thoughts. The boy sudden shook his head, confusion welling up inside of him.
No... I'm don't know any of these people...
There was a bloodcurdling shriek and the figures suddenly sprang into life, losing their cheerful appearance, eyes burning with flame and hands tightening around their weapons. A second later, they all lunged forward.
The boy sprang into immediately action. He shut his eyes, clenching his fists. With a dazzling spark, the two swords appeared again, and he jumped forward as well.
A man with long, dark hair and a rather feminine face appeared in front of him. The two ended up in a deadlock.
Something about the man seemed so familiar. The boy shut his eyes again, still straining at the weight on his wrists.
This is wrong...
He clenched his teeth.
I shouldn't be fighting him...
Stop... STOP!
But his own body was out of control. The boy watched with horror as his body flipped backward through the air and landed gently in a crouch, his two swords held out on either side of him. The red hat landed in a clump on the ground.
No... Please... make it stop...
He sprang forwards, straightening his legs. In a red blur, he pointed his two swords in front of him and hit his target.
The man gasped, eyes dark. There was a dull clunk as his sword dropped from his hands, and the boy brought up one foot and kicked the limp body, freeing his swords.
He was terrified at what he had just done, but it was as if someone else was controlling him. His feet moved by themselves, his arms slicing with their deadly weapons.
There was a dull thud as a club was dropped, and the boy jumped lithely over several bombs. The man with the high ponytail and his brother were caught in the flames.
One by one, the figures fell. The boy spun around, his swords held out on either side of him. The girl with the chakrams screamed and collapsed. Behind her, the two sisters stood back to back, fans unfurled and eyes fierce. The younger one was shaking.
The boy charged forward, the two swords trailing behind him. At the last moment, he jumped and then came flying back down, his swords pointed at the two of them. The two sisters linked hands and waited quietly.
When they were down, the boy turned around, panting. His blades glittered with crimson.
Why can't I control my body...?
The pirate remained motionless, the only one left. His bells were silent, his features dark. Wordlessly, he lifted the heavy sword easily over his shoulder and brandished it in front of him.
The golden eyed boy took a step forward, but he was suddenly trembling.
Stop... I won't let you...
His figure stopped, a foot still suspended in midair.
Drop the swords...
The fists quivered, nails digging into the handles. Then, slowly, the two swords dropped.
The boy looked up, panting, and was surprised to see that the pirate hadn't moved. His eyes seemed to flash under his spiky bangs, and the boy was suddenly afraid.
Slowly, the pirate looked down at his dead companions. He crouched down next to the burnt carcass of the closest man, running a hand lightly over the two tonfas.
He looked up, and the boy was surprised to see him smiling. There was something cold about that smile - it seemed cheerful on the outside, happy and careless, but for a second, the joy didn't reach his angry eyes.
Suddenly, he was gone. The boy gasped, his golden eyes widening. He took several steps forward, mouth open.
Where...?
His thoughts were pierced as he heard something behind him. Spinning around, he saw the pirate, sword raised.
It was suddenly as if it was in slow motion. The boy watched hopelessly as the sword was slowly brought down towards his head. He shut his eyes tightly, bringing up his arms in front of him.
There was a clash of metal on metal and the world sprang into fast action again. The boy rolled over and jumped up from the ground, armed once again.
The pirate pointed his sword towards the boy's heart and lunged. His opponent brought up his weapons too.
Now...
The pirate had disappeared again.
There was a swish and the boy started.
Below...?
He had hardly moved when he felt an excruciating pain erupt in his stomach. His two swords fell from his open hands, and his feet left the ground
The pirate smiled, looking up to his target, his sword embedded deep in his opponent's body. "Ta," he whispered.
The boy felt his vision cloud over. Strange... there's no blood...
His world became dark, and yet the pirate's smiling face still flashed before his eyes.
Always smiling.
~*~
He sprang up from his bed, petrified. Gradually, his breathing slowed, and the boy buried his face in his hands, leaning back into his pillow.
So bright...
He peeped an eye through his hands and blinked at the sun through his window.
Only a dream, was it...
He suddenly noticed his surroundings.
Where am I?
He perked up at a scuffle of sound behind him and he turned his head around, looking through the open doorway. There were people there, just out of his field of vision. Curiosity sprang inside of him, but a girl stepped inside before he could get up.
She had dark brown hair, currently held up in two buns. Her face was mature and rosy, eyes sparkling. She had been dressed in bright garments, mostly blue and red. As she saw him move, her face burst into happiness and she hurried forwards. There was clicking of highheels on the floor.
"Lu Xun!" she exclaimed, unfurling a pink fan and waving it gently towards his face. Her voice was low and reassuring. "You're alright! I hope you know that you've gotten everyone worried."
The boy stared blankly back at her.
She blinked at his lack of enthusiasm and was about to say something when another girl bounced in, with light brown hair and a blue outfit.
"Lu Xun!" she squealed happily, giggling. "Yay!"
The boy winced slightly at the chipperness of her voice, but besides that showed no sign of movement.
The two Qiaos looks at each other before Da Qiao frowned. Gently, she bent over and felt his forehead.
"He seems fine..." she murmured. "Lu Xun...?"
He blinked. "L-Lu Xun?"
Xiao Qiao scratched her head. "Did you hit your head?"
Da Qiao shoved her sister away. "Lu Xun dear... Are you sure you're alright?"
He looked up at her, his golden eyes clouded with despair. "I'm... Lu Xun...?"
The words were met with silence.
"Who are you...? If you don't mind me asking." Lu Xun sat up, gazing expectantly at the two girls. "Do I know you?"
Xiao Qiao giggled. "Very funny Xun."
"You don't remember us?" Da Qiao whispered.
Lu Xun looked down, his fingers twisting in the silken sheets. He suddenly felt cold and lonely, his heart leaden. Slowly, he shook his head. "I'm sorry... I - I don't remember anything."
**********
A/N: Sorry for the super long delay. Too much school work. And yes, as another reminder, in my fic, Lu Xun is NOT gonna be Da Qiao's son. That'd be a bit strange... and no, I know nothing whatsoever about memory lose and how to cure it, but this is my story... so... yeah... Anyhoo, please R&R!
--Natsue Arishima
By Natsue Arishima
Chapter Four: Awakening
The wind whipped past him, attacking furiously at his face and arms. Bells started to tinkle, and yet he couldn't hear them - so loud was the roar of the wind. The pirate narrowed his watering eyes to tiny slits, his hand tightening on his sword. His black horse whinnied fearfully, dark eyes wide, as coarse grains of dirt and small rocks pelted at its body and temporarily blinded it.
Up ahead, Gan Ning could just barely see the other members of his party, all bent over and attempting to shield their bodies. Most had dismounted from their horses.
Hoof beats sounded behind him and the pirate turned his head, rubbing his eyes. Sun Ce pulled up besides him, his white stallion's head raised proudly.
"You alright?" the Wu leader yelled, and though they were stationed right next to each other, Gan Ning had to strain his ears to hear him.
"Do you think I'm alright?" Gan Ning bellowed. Sun Ce smiled, raising an arm to block the wind streaming at his face. "We're to stop soon. Bro claims that there's good shelter up ahead."
Gan Ning nodded, and Sun Ce promptly nudged his horse forwards, towards his siblings and Zhou Yu. The pirate examined them for a while, watching Sun Ce mutter to his younger brother, who nodded.
Sun Ce straightened up, raised a hand up in the air to signal his troops, and nudged his horse, which took off with a burst of speed. The whole of Wu's army suddenly sprang into action as well, some desperately mounting back on their horses.
Gradually, Gan Ning could make out a string of dark figures ahead of them. Sea Master was raised up defensively, but the pirate lowered it as he realized the figures were merely trees.
His horse's ears perked up and the animal suddenly charged forwards towards the small forest. Gan Ning's head snapped back at the sudden lunge, and he shook himself, glaring at the back of his horse's head. "Hey, cool it, you crazy little..."
The wind suddenly ceased as Gan Ning found himself in the shelter of the trees. His horse sighed happily, sinking down onto the ground and totally forgetting about his rider. Gan Ning blinked. "Oi! You lazy bum. Get up!"
Sun Ce, followed by Zhou Yu, dismounted from his horse and rubbed its neck. Sun Quan turned around and yelled, "We're stopping here for the night."
Murmurs of content reached his ears. Gan Ning was relieved as well. Getting up from his horse, he headed over to Sun Ce and the others, limping slightly.
His backside felt extremely sore.
~*~
He was trapped in a nightmare. On all sides of him, people were closing in, riding bony horses and carrying glinting spears. Their eyes were hidden from him, all wearing black hoods and robes. Their horses reared up, a flame burning from behind their eyes, saliva bubbling at their mouths.
No... this isn't happening...
His shut his golden eyes, fists clenched.
Help me... please, help me... someone...
Both hands were suddenly wrapped around something cool and light. It felt so familiar... even comforting. The worn leather was so smooth...
Where have I felt this before...?
The boy opened his eyes and looked down, surprised at the two swords he held in his grasp.
What...?
He lifted them up, awed by the dazzling blades.
A snarl came from one of the nearest hooded beast. His horse shrieked and charged forwards, hooves thundering dangerously.
The boy's eyes opened in horror. His mouth opened in a silent scream, and he shut his eyes again, thrusting his two weapons forward.
The black figure screamed. His horse writhed on the ground and dissolved, not before falling on top of his rider, who screamed and burst into a million fading pieces.
The boy barely had any time to register his shock when another form lunged at him. He spun around quickly, whirling his two blades around himself in the process, and the form gave a dying groan and dissolved.
He was out of control, spinning around in a red blur. His feet moved against his own will, as if practicing a well thought out dance. Blood that was not his own momentarily appeared on his face, but suddenly faded, as if sinking into his skin.
All around him, the grotesque figures disappeared as he cut into them, but even more of them replaced the dead and gradually, the boy found himself surrounded.
He felt like he was on the verge of screaming, and then something happened.
The figures suddenly turned brighter. One was transformed into a man, with graying hair, a battle helmet, battle garb, and held a sword in his hand. Another was turned into a younger man, with a dark, high ponytail, bright eyes, and a stubby beard. Two tonfas were clutched in his hands.
Two others merged together, and the boy was now facing a girl with short, light brown hair dressed in a silk shirt and red shorts. Besides her stood another man.
Next to them, other faces emerged. There were two petite sisters, clutching fans and smiling gently. A rather buff man had a club swung over his shoulder.
One was wearing a helmet that covered his eyes. A cloak was draped over his shoulder, and he was partially crouched over, his hand on a sword handle.
The boy spun wildly around, his swords held dangerously in front of him. More people were appearing, all looking towards him and smiling.
Another man appeared in front of him with a tinkle of bells. The boy looked up to find his gaze caught in dark brown eyes.
The man was smirking, a hand reaching up to brush his spiky brown hair. A necklace of bells hung around his neck, hidden slightly under his loose top. A sash had been tied around his waist and he wore loose, red pants. A dangerous looked sword was resting quietly on his shoulder.
I... Do I know him...? The boy was stunned. His two swords shimmered and then disappeared.
He seems so familiar...
The pirate grinned, as if able to read his thoughts. The boy sudden shook his head, confusion welling up inside of him.
No... I'm don't know any of these people...
There was a bloodcurdling shriek and the figures suddenly sprang into life, losing their cheerful appearance, eyes burning with flame and hands tightening around their weapons. A second later, they all lunged forward.
The boy sprang into immediately action. He shut his eyes, clenching his fists. With a dazzling spark, the two swords appeared again, and he jumped forward as well.
A man with long, dark hair and a rather feminine face appeared in front of him. The two ended up in a deadlock.
Something about the man seemed so familiar. The boy shut his eyes again, still straining at the weight on his wrists.
This is wrong...
He clenched his teeth.
I shouldn't be fighting him...
Stop... STOP!
But his own body was out of control. The boy watched with horror as his body flipped backward through the air and landed gently in a crouch, his two swords held out on either side of him. The red hat landed in a clump on the ground.
No... Please... make it stop...
He sprang forwards, straightening his legs. In a red blur, he pointed his two swords in front of him and hit his target.
The man gasped, eyes dark. There was a dull clunk as his sword dropped from his hands, and the boy brought up one foot and kicked the limp body, freeing his swords.
He was terrified at what he had just done, but it was as if someone else was controlling him. His feet moved by themselves, his arms slicing with their deadly weapons.
There was a dull thud as a club was dropped, and the boy jumped lithely over several bombs. The man with the high ponytail and his brother were caught in the flames.
One by one, the figures fell. The boy spun around, his swords held out on either side of him. The girl with the chakrams screamed and collapsed. Behind her, the two sisters stood back to back, fans unfurled and eyes fierce. The younger one was shaking.
The boy charged forward, the two swords trailing behind him. At the last moment, he jumped and then came flying back down, his swords pointed at the two of them. The two sisters linked hands and waited quietly.
When they were down, the boy turned around, panting. His blades glittered with crimson.
Why can't I control my body...?
The pirate remained motionless, the only one left. His bells were silent, his features dark. Wordlessly, he lifted the heavy sword easily over his shoulder and brandished it in front of him.
The golden eyed boy took a step forward, but he was suddenly trembling.
Stop... I won't let you...
His figure stopped, a foot still suspended in midair.
Drop the swords...
The fists quivered, nails digging into the handles. Then, slowly, the two swords dropped.
The boy looked up, panting, and was surprised to see that the pirate hadn't moved. His eyes seemed to flash under his spiky bangs, and the boy was suddenly afraid.
Slowly, the pirate looked down at his dead companions. He crouched down next to the burnt carcass of the closest man, running a hand lightly over the two tonfas.
He looked up, and the boy was surprised to see him smiling. There was something cold about that smile - it seemed cheerful on the outside, happy and careless, but for a second, the joy didn't reach his angry eyes.
Suddenly, he was gone. The boy gasped, his golden eyes widening. He took several steps forward, mouth open.
Where...?
His thoughts were pierced as he heard something behind him. Spinning around, he saw the pirate, sword raised.
It was suddenly as if it was in slow motion. The boy watched hopelessly as the sword was slowly brought down towards his head. He shut his eyes tightly, bringing up his arms in front of him.
There was a clash of metal on metal and the world sprang into fast action again. The boy rolled over and jumped up from the ground, armed once again.
The pirate pointed his sword towards the boy's heart and lunged. His opponent brought up his weapons too.
Now...
The pirate had disappeared again.
There was a swish and the boy started.
Below...?
He had hardly moved when he felt an excruciating pain erupt in his stomach. His two swords fell from his open hands, and his feet left the ground
The pirate smiled, looking up to his target, his sword embedded deep in his opponent's body. "Ta," he whispered.
The boy felt his vision cloud over. Strange... there's no blood...
His world became dark, and yet the pirate's smiling face still flashed before his eyes.
Always smiling.
~*~
He sprang up from his bed, petrified. Gradually, his breathing slowed, and the boy buried his face in his hands, leaning back into his pillow.
So bright...
He peeped an eye through his hands and blinked at the sun through his window.
Only a dream, was it...
He suddenly noticed his surroundings.
Where am I?
He perked up at a scuffle of sound behind him and he turned his head around, looking through the open doorway. There were people there, just out of his field of vision. Curiosity sprang inside of him, but a girl stepped inside before he could get up.
She had dark brown hair, currently held up in two buns. Her face was mature and rosy, eyes sparkling. She had been dressed in bright garments, mostly blue and red. As she saw him move, her face burst into happiness and she hurried forwards. There was clicking of highheels on the floor.
"Lu Xun!" she exclaimed, unfurling a pink fan and waving it gently towards his face. Her voice was low and reassuring. "You're alright! I hope you know that you've gotten everyone worried."
The boy stared blankly back at her.
She blinked at his lack of enthusiasm and was about to say something when another girl bounced in, with light brown hair and a blue outfit.
"Lu Xun!" she squealed happily, giggling. "Yay!"
The boy winced slightly at the chipperness of her voice, but besides that showed no sign of movement.
The two Qiaos looks at each other before Da Qiao frowned. Gently, she bent over and felt his forehead.
"He seems fine..." she murmured. "Lu Xun...?"
He blinked. "L-Lu Xun?"
Xiao Qiao scratched her head. "Did you hit your head?"
Da Qiao shoved her sister away. "Lu Xun dear... Are you sure you're alright?"
He looked up at her, his golden eyes clouded with despair. "I'm... Lu Xun...?"
The words were met with silence.
"Who are you...? If you don't mind me asking." Lu Xun sat up, gazing expectantly at the two girls. "Do I know you?"
Xiao Qiao giggled. "Very funny Xun."
"You don't remember us?" Da Qiao whispered.
Lu Xun looked down, his fingers twisting in the silken sheets. He suddenly felt cold and lonely, his heart leaden. Slowly, he shook his head. "I'm sorry... I - I don't remember anything."
**********
A/N: Sorry for the super long delay. Too much school work. And yes, as another reminder, in my fic, Lu Xun is NOT gonna be Da Qiao's son. That'd be a bit strange... and no, I know nothing whatsoever about memory lose and how to cure it, but this is my story... so... yeah... Anyhoo, please R&R!
--Natsue Arishima
