Disclaimer: I don't own the original FY characters; I own Kei, Taki, Lily, Jason, their kids and any other person who isn't a FY character.
Thoughts
Memories
Summary: The book was supposed to be sealed forever, never to trouble the real world again. But when the child of a seishi and descendant of a miko finds it 20 years later, there's no telling what could happen. When 17-year-old Akane finds the book, she understands what her parents tried to teach her through out her life. When she meets the son of her father's best friend, old ideals clash with modern thinking and sparks will fly. She and her cousins will learn about their parents' past and why they had hoped to leave it behind.
~*~Review Response~*~
~Jamie - I knew you'd like Kimiko and Hiroshi's part. J Umm, let's see here, they did use the kodoku on Kano. And to be perfectly honest, I haven't decided on what Kimiko did to Hiroshi. I'm still working on that part. I have a few ideas though. Would you like to make any? Not sure when they'll actually specifically talk about it though.
~Skye-lark913 - You found me! I'm on your favorites list? I feel so happy! Thank you!
~CarrCarr - I won't be stopping till I finish. I don't know if you'll be smacking yourself for not seeing Kano's secret before, but I think it will definitely surprise everyone.
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Akane, more than half dead, lay on the dirty floor of her cell, unable to move more than a few inches. The air in the room was stagnate. The aroma, if you wished to call it that, of dust and blood hung in the air, her own blood. The metallic tang of the blood stung her senses. She felt so sick. After being kicked and slapped so many times, slashed at and verbally cut down, she was beginning to wonder if she should even let herself keep living.
She had completely lost track of how much time she'd spent in that little room. Days? Weeks? There was no way to tell. The room had no windows and she was only taken out when someone decided to beat her.
Kano didn't even remember her. She didn't know what happened to him. She had asked him what happened and he just slapped her and told her to shut up. She cried and he laughed at her. Kano was…different. Not the boy she was in love with. Kano would never slap her, not the one she knew anyway. But this one…what had they done to him?
Drafts came through the cracks in the walls and chilled her to the bone. Still being chained up, she couldn't even wrap her arms around her self for warmth. She wondered if she'd be killed by a person or freeze to death here. Her stomach growled. She cried. She hadn't been given any food in days.
Now she understood why her parents never talked about this world. This world was hell. There was nothing worth living for here.
"If someone out feels sorry for me in the least…let me die…I can't live anymore…" Her voice cracked as she choked on her sobs.
"Would you let them win?" A warm red light surrounded her. The cold was driven from the room.
"Yes…why fight? Kano's gone…there's no way out…" The warmth was welcoming against her ice-cold skin.
"Your mother didn't give up." Nozomi unchained her.
"I'm not my mother…I can't do this…" She rubbed her swollen wrists.
Nozomi handed her some food. "Eat." Akane greedily took it. "You can't let them win. Think about all those you'd leave behind."
"Then why don't you get me out of here? You're the one with the power." Akane muttered with a mouth full of food.
"You have to be able to do this yourself."
"Can you at least free Kano? What happened to him?"
"He let himself be poisoned. If he hadn't, Reizo would have already killed you."
"Poisoned? Is he gonna die?"
"No…the poison is a drug called kodoku…it wipes a person's memories and puts them under the control of the one who gave it to him."
"Can't you free him?"
"No…he has to over come it himself."
"Oh god…" Akane buried her face in her hands and cried.
"Shhh…someone's coming…" Akane froze and kept her eyes on the door.
It opened slowly. The silhouette in the light revealed a boy with wild hair.
"Kano…" Akane began to shuffle away.
"Lord Reizo demands you be brought before him." He began to walk towards her. She was scared of his deadened eyes.
"Please…no more…" Akane cowered from his grasp.
"I do what he says." Kano took a firm grip on her shoulder.
"NO! STOP!" She lashed out at him. The second her hand touched his arm, a bright red flash blew him away from her. He fell to the floor. "Kano!" He groaned and opened his eyes. She gasped. His eyes weren't deadened like before. "Kano…are you okay?"
"Uh…" He sat up. "Where am I? Akane?" He looked so confused.
"Kano! You're okay!" She flung her arms around his neck. 'Nozomi, I thought you said you couldn't free him…'
'I didn't. This is only temporary.'
'Damn…'
"Wha…what happened?" He saw the bruises and cuts on her body. "Who did this?"
"We're in Kutou…both of us were kidnapped after we passed out."
"Oh…" He was suddenly remembering everything that happened. He touched a bruise on her face. "I did this, didn't I?"
"Well…" She looked up at him. "It wasn't exactly you…"
He turned away from her. "I remember. I saw myself hitting you…it was like I was watching from a place where I couldn't do a damn thing to stop myself…oh Suzaku…I'm so sorry, Akane…"
"Don't be sorry. It wasn't you who hit me. I don't blame you."
"You should. How could I have done this?" He still wouldn't face her.
"Kano…look at me please…" She forced his head up. "You're poisoned with kodoku. You aren't in control of yourself. The only way out is to break free yourself."
He stared at her. "I don't know if I can…I can already feel it coming back…" He clutched at his head.
"Kano…I know you can do it. You have to. You can't let them win…" She bit her lip as she repeated what Nozomi had said to her earlier. "Promise me something, Kano, before you lose yourself again…"
"Anything…"
"Promise me we'll get out of here together, alive."
"I promise…" He looked into her shining amber eyes one last time before shouting in pain and collapsing to the floor.
"Oh Kano…" She cried as he stood up again, his eyes, once again, deadened.
"Lord Reizo is waiting." His voice sounded monotone, so far off, so distant. She closed her eyes and let Kano drag her away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Naoko sighed. She wished Akane was around. The palace was big and empty. Even with all the people in it, it didn't matter. When she walked in the halls, her steps echoed so much. 'I wish I knew Akane was okay…Kano too…I mean, I could see why Reizo wants Akane…but Kano? He hasn't done anything…has he?'
Naoko stared at the bracelet on her wrist. Nyoko had one exactly like it. The servants said they belonged to Nuriko. 'Mommy…are we gonna come home safe?'
"Naoko, are you scared again?" Nyoko was in her doorway.
"Yes…" Naoko pushed her hair behind her ears. "How can we get out of here?"
"We'll find a way. We always do." She smiled. "Nothing stops us. You know that."
"Yeah. I guess I do." Naoko smiled widely.
Hours later at the dinner table…
Hiroshi nearly fell off his chair. "M…m…married? But I'm only 15!"
The advisors nodded to each other. "That's about the right age. As emperor you have to have an heir."
"But…but I'm just a kid! I'm not even an emperor! I never said I'd so this!"
"As his highness Hotohori's only son, your are next in line to take the throne. We will start looking for women."
"Hiroshi can't get married!" Kimiko suddenly stood up.
Everyone turned to her. "I can't?"
"He can't? Why is that, Lady Kimiko?"
"Be…because…um…because he and I are engaged! That's right! He proposed to me officially last week!" Her face flushed.
The kids stared at her. Hiroshi almost fell again. "I did?"
She sent him a glare that told him to shut up and follow her. "Of course you did, silly."
"Oh…uh…yeah…guess I forgot…" He smiled at the advisors sheepishly.
Kouji glanced from the advisors to Kimiko to Hiroshi. 'Now they've done it…' He smiled to himself. 'Wonder how they'll get out of this one…'
Toru leaned over to Nyoko. "This is news to me. How 'bout you?"
She nodded. "Things just got really interesting…"
"I'll say…" They continued to watch the scene in front of them.
"How long have you two been together?" The advisors questioned Hiroshi.
"Well, um…let's see here now…Kimiko…wasn't this arranged by our parents?" He gave her a desperate look.
"Um, parents! Right! Since birth!" She grinned stupidly.
"Why didn't you mention it before? We could have had all Lady Kimiko's things in your room, Highness."
"Well, it slipped my mind, seeing as how Akane and Kano are stuck in, um, enemy territory. I figured it was more important to worry about them. We have to get them back here safely." He tried his best to sound sure of what he was saying.
"Our new emperor is so selfless! He truly is Lord Hotohori's son!" The advisors began praising Hiroshi. He looked miserable. Kimiko gave him a sympathetic smile.
Toshiro shook his head. Naoko smiled. "Don't you find it funny in the least, Toshi?"
"I try not to…" The most serious of the kids muttered.
"Live a little, Toshi. It is funny."
"Quit calling me Toshi."
"No." She grinned.
"Ugh…" He rolled his eyes. "I'm surrounded…"
"Sure as hell are, bro." Toru chuckled.
Later that night, Hiroshi and Kimiko watched servants take her things to his room.
"You really didn't have to say that…"
"I didn't have to come here either, but I did, didn't I?" She rested her head against his shoulder.
"Maybe you're the one who should be the selfless empress here." They entered the room while being watched by the advisors and servants.
"I will be if we get married, remember?" She sat on the bed with him.
"Don't remind me…I don't want to be a married kid."
"You don't want to be married to me?" She feigned a tearful face.
"No, no! That's not it! I would! I mean…oh shit…" He stumbled horribly over his words. "That's not what meant either! Ah…what I meant to say was…I…uh…what I meant to say was that…ah…I meant to say…shit…ah…um…" He scratched his head.
She kissed him to shut him up and smiled. "I was just teasing you know…"
"I…uh…oh jeez…" Hiroshi blushed deeply. His eyes wandered the room. "So…ah…um…do you want the bed? There's a couch thing over in the corner I can sleep on."
She looked at the couch. "You're too tall for that. I'll sleep on it."
"No…it's the least I can do to thank you for getting me out of a random marriage."
"But, you'll be so stiff if you sleep on that." She looked at the bed. "I think this is big enough for the two of us." She smiled coyly. "After all, we're supposed to be a couple."
His face burned even more. "I don't believe you…"
"Probably best you don't." Kimiko kicked back the blankets and slid under them. "It's late. If we're gonna come up with anything to get Akane and Kano out of Kutou, we have to be ready."
"Right. Of course." Hiroshi lay next to her. "Oyasuminasai, Kimiko."
"Oyasumi."
The two teens fell asleep together in the large canopied bed. During the night, Hiroshi rolled over in his sleep and draped his arm over Kimiko's body. She slept very close to him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Reizo paced back and forth in his room. He noticed lapses in Kano's loyalty to him. 'He is far stronger than I thought…the kodoku is quickly losing its hold on his mind…what could have given him the strength to over come it? Father, I need your help…how do I kill her? If I lose Kano, how can I? The goddess protects her against enemies of Suzaku…that is why I cannot touch her. Also, what sort of wrath will I suffer from Mother if I lose hold of Kano?' He picked up a sake cup and drank what was left in it. After swallowing the burning liquid, he threw the bowl at the wall. It shattered into millions of tiny pieces. 'That is what I would like to see happen to that damn girl…'
Kanako listened from the other side of the door. She walked away. 'I wish I had been a better mother…the errors of my past laugh at me now…I failed both of them…I am a failure as a person…and how do I try and fix it? I kidnapped my own son from his father and allowed the other to take control of him…Kano will not even call me his mother…I cannot blame him…I do not deserve to be his mother…though I will atone for what I have done…somehow…' The tears she held back for years finally escaped. Perfect, crystal tears rolled down her delicate features.
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Toshiro stared up at the golden statue of Suzaku. 'How? I don't understand…a whole other world in a book? Could Toru really be right? Do I just have to accept that this can't be explained?'
"Toshiro, stop looking for the science in everything."
"Who's there?" He whipped around.
"Toshiro…why are you so skeptical? You should be more open minded like your brother."
"But why? What's wrong with wanting an explanation?"
"Nothing. It's just that you can't possibly explain everything. It isn't humanly possible, or godly for that matter."
"So…how do I know when to look for one and when not to?"
"You'll know. You'll just know…"
As soon as the voice entered his mind, it vanished, leaving nothing but the echo of Toshiro's voice in the shrine. He looked around one more time and then, satisfied, headed towards the door. 'Maybe I'm not as smart as I though…' He opened the door and stepped out.
Toru met him outside the door. "You okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a little, enlightened I suppose." He smiled and walked down the hall.
Toru just smiled and shook his head. "Whatever…" Toru walked down the hall in the opposite direction of his brother.
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Akane stood in front of Reizo, her hands bound together and her head down. Kano stood on his left and Kanako stood on his right. Reizo grabbed her chin and forced her to look up. "Akane…do you know why I want to see you dead?"
"Because you are a sick and twisted freak?" She glared at him.
"That may be part of it." He knocked her over. She landed with a thud and a yelp. "There's more though…"
Kano clenched his fists and his jaw locked. The power of the drug was waning again. Kanako saw this. She inched closer to him. "Kano, you have to save her. Help her."
He glanced at her. His eyes still deadened. "Why?" The drug was talking for him again.
"Reizo is wrong. You need to get her out of here…"
Reizo dragged Akane to her feet. "Your father ruined my life…I want him to suffer like I have."
"My father did what he had to. My mother was dead." She spat at him.
"But she's alive now, is she not?" He slapped her.
"She deserved to come back!" Akane winced. "Your father was sick!"
"You bitch!" He pulled out a dagger, ready to kill her.
In a flash, Kano was at his side, gripping Reizo wrist. "Drop it, bastard." His voice was low and menacing.
"How did you break free?" He looked shocked. "It was supposed to be impossible!"
"Everything's possible." He twisted Reizo's arm is a way it wasn't meant to go. "Drop the knife."
Reizo grunted in pain and was forced to drop it. "You would choose a woman over your own brother?"
"You aren't my brother. You're just a psychopath." Kano's rage was building. "You will pay for the hell you've put Akane through!" His eyes flashed brightly. "Akane, get out of here."
"I can't. I'm waiting for you." She smiled.
A bright red light was surrounding Kano. Kanako hurried to Akane and unbound her hands. "You should run, child."
"Why are you helping?"
"I was wrong to help Reizo. I want to make amends, even though it might be impossible."
"Why is Kano glowing?"
"You don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Who he is. You have no idea, do you?"
"No. Should I?" Akane looked confused beyond belief.
"Well, I don't think anyone knew, so I suppose not. You're about to find out though…" Kanako used the sleeve of her robe to shield Akane's eyes from the bright red light. Akane squinted and hung onto Kanako for balance.
The black headband fell away from Kano's forehead. Akane peeked out from the sleeve. The source of the red light seemed to be coming from the center of his forehead. Akane gasped. "No way…"
"You understand, don't you?"
"I think so…"
Reizo tried to back away from the glowing boy. Kano simply caught him by the arm again. "Like I said, I'll make you pay…don't chicken out now. The fun's just starting." The glow was starting to die down. Akane finally saw what Reizo and Kanako had known about Kano all along.
"No…it cannot happen now…" Reizo hissed.
Akane smiled. "You lose, Reizo."
…There…
…In the center of Kano's forehead…
…A bright symbol was still glowing…
…Oni…
…Kano bore the symbol of a Suzaku seishi…
…Kano was the new Tamahome…
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Kano's a seishi? Anyone see that coming?
Who's smacking themselves in the head now? Anyone? Anyone utterly shocked? Just wondering. I wish I could see everyone reading the last part.
Now, how will they get out of the Kutou palace? And what of Kanako? Will she be able to be forgiven?
~*~Shadow Hawk~*~
3/31/03