Secrets
O.k. so Hakuoh has a secret, so what?
Well you'll just have to read and see ne.
Disclaimer: Don't own Duel Masters.
This is you Hakuoh, this is part of you. Part of you is dying.
Chapter 2 Secret memory
Her voice rang in my head. No that can't be true, it has to be an illusion, it's some kind of trick.
Kakura stood up to face me again "Believe what you will, but you know deep down that something wrong has happened to you while you have been trapped within this temple."
I merely bit my lips. Of course I know something is wrong, but it was just a feeling...
"If you don't want to admit it, then leave and forget it. Either way your deathday is drawing closer." She vaporised out of the room.
It was then that I noticed the smaller version of me has quietened down. I approached him slowly, it seems as though he has fallen asleep.
Soft whimpering followed by a scream broke the silence. Poor kid, he must have been in a nightmare. I forgot when I actually last had a nightmare. My approach got to a halt when the kid decided to turn over on to his back and looked at me. I just had to gulp; he did look just like me, when I was still young, innocent and carefree.
"Why are you here?"
His soft voice came as a surprise. O.k. calm down now Hakuoh, maybe it's a hologram. And a darn live-like one too. My mind is playing tricks at me. "Why can't I be here? This is my mind after all."
He turns away, curling into himself. "True it is, but you didn't want me anymore so why are you bothering now?"
"I didn't know you even existed!" I jumped back biting my tongue; I didn't mean to snap at him like that, he is in bad shape as it is.
"I doubt it..." A sob. "Even though you used to be my best friend, but you cast me aside when you thought I was of no use anymore. Then Kintaro, Mikuni..." Another sob. "Who's next? You're so great and almighty, Hakuoh the friendless."
"I didn't do it on purpose; it was the rules of the temple. They lost a duel."
"No it wasn't, the original temple rules never included such barbaric things. It was that bastard Master that made them up." He turned back to glare at me. "And you listen and obey to him too. You're not Hakuoh anymore; you're a puppet, a slave. And here I thought you were different, you were strong unlike anyone else. I used to look up to you, for strength, for courage. But you toss those out the window too." His voice dropped to zero degrees Celsius, standing up now I can truly count all his ribs, but that didn't stop him from using his death glare, smirk and tone. "You've changed so, so much, I don't recognise you anymore. All I see is a coward. Heh, a coward that I've tried so hard to protect, why did I bother?"
"What do you mean?" Who does he think he is?
"The great, friendless Hakuoh doesn't know."
Damn his mockery.
"Haven't you noticed that you've got blank memories floating everywhere? Wondering what you have been doing during the nights? Been forgetful?"
"Yes I have noticed. But I see no connection between that and you."
"That's where the bit of me protecting you comes in Hakuoh. I was trying to save your last piece of innocent from being robbed away. I no longer see why I gave up so much for you."
SMACK!
Ouch! What was that for? O.k. that confirmed he's not a hologram. Holograms do not give you really stinging cheeks after they slap you, the worse that could happen are electric shocks. And now I repeat "What was that for!" I used my all powerful glare at him.
"...I...I..."
To my shock and utter horrid surprise, he had just stood back a few steps shocked by his own actions and fell to his knees, head down.
"I'msosorryI'msosorryI'msosorry..." He curls into a ball acting completely freaked out.
"Answer me now!"How did I manage to make someone screaming mad at me into a scared little kid? What exactly did I do to cause that?
"I'm sorry." He began sobbing.
"Tell me what's going on?" Control your anger Hakuoh.
"I was only trying to help you Hakuoh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I'm sorry." He was nearly in the state of complete breakdown; he stares at me through those pained eyes, like a lost animal. But there was something else very deep inside those watery blue eyes, something like a very small, dull flame, struggling in a losing battle.
"Tell me what you were protecting me from. Tell me everything."
"No, no." He shook his head, silently begging me to go, to leave him to die alone.
"I refuse to go anywhere until you tell me everything. Spare me no details; I want to know what's been happening to me."
"No, no please." His eyes, it was always his eyes that showed his every strength and weakness. He knows he wouldn't last very long, not this time. But still he tried as best as he could to get away from me.
"Then show me." I kneel down beside him holding him as gently as I could while locking our eyes together.
He looked away quickly, throwing himself into my embrace, hiding his face in my suit, grasping any comfort that he could. "I'm scared."
Simple, short and to the point he was. I held his shaking form in my arms, wondering what could be so bad.
A nightmare it was at the end of my journey, I was floating in mid-air as the scene of when I agreed to join the master played over again.
"I'm home. This is perfect."
"Are you ready to give up everything? Your family, your friends, freedom of choice?"
"... I have no friends."
Tears welled up at the memory. How could I have been so blind? I hurted so many friends with that stupid decision. I just have this sinking feeling it was about to get even worse.
"Good ... Then let's skip the formalities and on to the action."
Hmm ... I don't remember Master saying that before.
The image of me blinked, I could see slight differences in this image that looked more like the kid than me, the spikier hair.
"Follow me Hakuoh, stained glass doesn't help champions stay on the top, but obedience does. And your first lesson is starting really soon, sooner than you think." A little bit of black magic circled his hands; it was a mind-control spell. But it didn't seem to affect the image.
I followed them to the ... Master's bedchamber!
No, that can't be true; he was trying to protect me from... frombeing raped! Why would he do such a thing? No wonder I didn't know what happened, he was trying to save me. Why sacrifice yourself for me? What was the point for doing it? How didI manage to have a friend like you stick by my side so faithfully?
Then all of a sudden, I could see nothing, but complete darkness.Screams of pain and moans could still be heard, piercing into my ears.
"Mwahahahaha ... Now every part of you belongs to me, I own you."
"That's not true." His whisper was so soft I doubt the master could hear it at all.
I opened my eyes to find that I'm back ina mildly less blood-stained room. The smaller version of me was still hiding in the embrace, shaking.
"Hakuoh, he doesn't control all of you," he started. "You do know that, don't you?"
"But how?"
He looked up at me then smiled "The one he raped wasn't you, it was me... I thought if he noticed that your power, kaijudo magic, is almost depleted. You may be set free from this place, and then you can be truly happy again."
"Why did you do it?" I've never been so guilty in my life. Here right in front of me is someone that cares about me more than his own life, and I've never even done anything nice back.
"Because you're my friend Hakuoh. Because you care." And there was the smile again, the small, dull flame dancing in his eyes, he is full of innocence, more than I could ever imagine. How, I'd probably never know.
"But I hurt you though." How can he just forgive me so easily?
"You didn't mean it." He leaned back into my shoulder closing his eyes to catch up on many hours of sleep he missed.
I didn't? Oh I need time to think all this over. But I can't just leave him here, no of course not, maybe there's another place in this mind of mine that will be more comforting.
I lift him up in bridal style, making sure to not wake him up; I walk back out that blood-stained door into a maze. Why is my mind a maze? How do I find my way around this? Calm down Hakuoh, this is your mind, you can't get lost in it, right?
Candle, candle, no window, candle, candle, no window, door, candle, candle, stairs, candle, candle, door, candle, candle...
Why on earth must my mind look like a maze? Why is everything so plain and empty and blue and candlish! There must be a way out of this. I do remember seeing a hall when I first came in here, now where is it?
"Come on mind take me back to that hall!"
Pop! Blink. Isn't it just so cliché that a door would appear right in front of you? Oh well, this better take me to where I want to go or else I'll...I'll...oh who cares.
A giggle. "Calm down Hakuoh, it's just a door, all you have to do is open it, walk through it, and then you'll be there."
"I know that. How long have you been awake?"
"Since you shouted at empty air in your head." He smirks while trying to act innocent.
"Fine." So I walked up to the door and did just as he stated, and joy I'm back to square one again...I meant the hall.
"Wow it looks prettier than when I last came here, pretty stained glass."
"Right. Now you just stay right here until something else happens."
"Like what? When you go dancing naked?" He rolls his eyes.
"You need to get out more often; being stuck here must have meshed your brain."
"I don't have a meshed brain! I'm your soul creature!"
Blink. "What's your name again?"
"I never said my name Hakuoh, but you can call me...Kakuoh, the ka (soul monster) of Hakuoh."
"I don't know you."
"Of course you don't, you've only just met me since this chapter or was it the end of last chapter. Oh well, pigs can fly for all I care."
"Right, get some sleep, you'll need it."
"Hey where's the bed and blanket?" Pop! The cliché just happened again. A super king bed appeared along with a nice, comfy blanket. "Night, night Hakuoh." He climbs into the enormous bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
I couldn't help but smile "I believe it's still afternoon Kakuoh, but sweet dreams anyway Kaku-chan." I went out the door back to my own body again.
Kakuoh opened an eye right after Hakuoh left. "Did he just call me Kaku-chan? No definitely not, I need to get my hearing checked."
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