A/N1: This is concerning the prologue; It has been revised. You might want to read it again as more details are added, if you have already.
A/N2: Chapter 1 was already done a half year ago, but I was struggling with Arashi 'playing the business woman (not)' scene. I ended up revising Kamui's and Yuzu's meeting. It came out quite well. I hope to update soon!
Released and Secured.
Chapter 1
It rained.
A downpour and he had not taken his umbrella, which he left at his new apartment. It wasn't even his own, but Arashi's. She couldn't come with him due to a date arranged that day. Perhaps she would leave Tokyo this weekend.
Kamui looked around for a place to hide. In the right corner of his eye he spotted a restaurant. He ran in that direction and then underneath the building's balcony he unfolded a paper he had in his pocket. That paper was supposed to be the city map, now soaked and discoloured. Clumsily he folded the map and caused a tear in it. Kamui sighed and threw it in the nearest bin he could find. He got it for free being a new citizen of this town.
Kamui could locate Yuzuriha's home with ease, but finding the school was practically useless in this weather.
-
That was something to contemplate about. She closed the book and put it in the inner pocket of her black jacket. Could a name be used in order to call upon power? Well, unless it was in the name of God. Aside that, she had known some spells to call upon. Yet there was no assurance in it.
Arashi moved some strands from her sight, shoving them behind her ear. She got up from the bench as she heard footsteps coming from the hall. Arashi had been called to meet a foreign visitor who seemed to have a part in the whole Dragon of Earth and Heaven deal.
Two men went in the lounge. One whom she knew as Suzumura Hideki, aged thirty two, had become a good friend in the last three months. Hideki shoved his glasses up his nose as they countered. Still he was a strange man to her.
The other man was unknown to her. She guessed he was near the age of forty-five. His appearance was chique and foreign, yet his face showed a Japanese heritage. His presence seemed pleasant and comfortable, but secretive; the colour of his eyes was hidden by sunglasses. All three bowed.
"Good Afternoon."
"Let me introduce you Kishuu Arashi-san." Hideki cleared his throat briefly. "She's a former Dragons of Heaven member."
The man smiled. He introduced himself as Shisera Rouichi, a businessman residing in Singapore. Shisera had a deep and dark voice, somehow reminding her of coffee.
"Please take place at the table." Hideki pointed to the round table near the lengthy windows. It had a slight modern look and would have perfectly fit the scene of Tokyo, were it not for the visible destruction and the rebuilt continuing to the horizon. Arashi could not get used to the business atmosphere and sat down.
"My friend" Hideki, still standing, placed a hand on the shoulder of the elder. "-has not been here, in Japan, for a very long time."
Arashi blinked. "How come is that, Shisera-san" She folded her hands underneath the table as she saw him smiling softly.
"Ah well, as you have heard I live in Singapore. That is where Hideki and several of the people you have met have studied. I have known about the so called destined battle ever since I could remember." Arashi was absorbed in curiosity.
"To make it short I escaped Japan due to circumstances and for my own safety I stayed away from stepping into this territory."
Then he paused for a moment.
"The whole reason you, Hideki-kun and others got in contact is because of foreign interference, and that is me. I send them here."
"I understand." She nodded. "So how come you had to leave Japan"
Shisera smirked. "I'm afraid I can't tell you yet, but I'd be happy to do that if we gather with the rest."
"Uh..." Hideki uttered. Arashi sighed; she would have liked it more if it weren't postponed.
Shisera looked up at Hideki, who still stood, and then at Arashi.
"Majority counts, waiter."
He flushed, glasses slid downhill, realizing he indeed looked like a waiter with the clothes he wore now and standing next to the table.
Arashi couldn't help choking out a laugh at him.
"Tea, please"
"Me too" Shisera smirked at him.
As for Hideki he just played along, though muffled. "Tea's coming." He said not too sharp.
Then he left the two alone.
-
It poured and he wanted to go home. Kamui ran his hand through his raven black hair, shivering as he felt water drops trickling down his neck.
He asked the waiter; it turned out to be on this square anyway. The place was not crowded at all, unlike Tokyo. Perhaps it was similar to Okinawa. Kamui sat down in the corner outside, he could not wait to see her. He locked his gaze on the portal on the other side. He would have to keep an eye on it.
-
Arashi shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Now what was there to talk? The man obviously would not give anything away, unless the others were here.
"Kishuu-san, may I know where the others are currently"
"Oh yes, of course. Shirou Kamui-san and Nekoi Yuzuriha-san are out of town. They must finish high school somewhere else, as it is not possible yet in Tokyo."
A short silence followed. Shisera leaned back in his chair. She assumed that he thought there would be more of them. More of them that would survive 1999.
"I see. May I see a picture of them"
His eyes were locked on the floor. Arashi grabbed her bag, searching for her purse. She found two pictures in it, made before the Day. She remembered Sorata had bought them a cheap camera. Only a few photos could be recovered. She handed Shisera a photo of Sorata and Kamui. Arashi didn't need to look for a long while and faced with her back to him. She knew that was quite rude, but he didn't need to see her get teary eyed. She hoped he would understand.
-
It rained. The girl sitting across Yuzuriha gawked at something behind her. Sitting next to Yuzuriha was Tomoko who was obviously not amused.
"Mika, stop looking like that" Tomoko demanded. They just had finished discussing their biology project.
Mika's eyes wandered to outside. "Well, well. I think he's leaving."
Yuzuriha laughed a bit, while turning her head. She saw the back of a quite fashionable guy, going outside. "Hmm..."
It poured, she realized, and she would have wanted to go home before the rain!
"Oh no, it's raining! I have to go home" She said her friends. The other two stopped playing around and looked up at Yuzuriha, who frantically put her stuff from the table. They turned to peek and did the same.
"I didn't hear anything"
-
After the long silence and having wiped her tears she turned to him. Shisera thoughtfully looked at the photo, while mumbling something she could hardly decipher. Was it English? Shisera must have been out of Japan for a very long period if he is thinking to himself in English. Or was it because he did not want to let her hear the secretive details? That is stupid. If he was smart he should have kept his mouth shut. It would cross his mind for sure that she might be able to understand English pretty well, which she did not.
Now something another thought crossed her mind. Why the heck does she doubt someone who was supposed to be the one who helped her out, even if it had been indirectly? She did not even thank him!
"May I say something, sir"
He looked up and nodded.
"Well, even though we haven't met before, I want to thank you for sending your pupils here. I wouldn't know if I would still be alive without their aid."
"Thank God." He said. A small grin appeared on his face. "I apologize for being secretive. I assume Hideki didn't tell you yet, but I actually dreaded coming to Japan after all these years. Now I'm thankful of being protected. However, my presence will be noticed soon. I would like to meet Kamui and the other girl. Can I see?"
"Ah" Arashi did not understand.
"I see another photo in your hand."
"Oh yes, here you go." She gave the other one. "On the left is Nekoi Yuzuriha, this is me and on the right below is Kamui." She pointed at all, except Inuki whom Kamui is posing next to. Arashi did not bother to point the dog out on the picture after she showed Hideki. Hideki saw nothing beside the girls and Kamui with his arm in a strange position. But he believed her, because the photo's central focus was missing and that was Inuki.
Once again Shisera stared at the photo, this time more thoughtful than before.
"Hmm..."
Then Hideki barged in with tea. He placed down their cups.
"Ah that picture"
Arashi rolled her eyes at the thought of being embarrassed in front of the business man.
"See" Hideki pointed in the middle of the picture where he assumed Inuki would have been. Arashi saw his finger was placed next to the dog's head.
"Come on." She muttered.
"That's nothing." Shisera said, before sipping his tea.
Not sure whether he was talking about the dog itself or the fact where Hideki wrongly placed his finger, she locked her gaze onto him. Hideki just smirked jokingly at Arashi as if being right, but she didn't pay attention to him.
-
He supported his head with his fist. Kamui was beginning to get drowsy of all the staring at that portal. He got bored.
How would he recognize her? Inuki must be accompanying her, so that would be obvious. Then another question popped up; would he be able to see that dog?
He had no idea after he experimented with Arashi's photo book.
Would he be able to recognize Yuzuriha? Who knows how much she might have changed? He had changed drastically, even to the point he could face the world outside himself.
Yet it cost Kamui so much difficulty to estimate the amount of change he could show. Still he was so afraid of mistakes; then again life goes on... in a strange way.
-
"Is there any word on Nekoi-san" Shisera spoke, after finishing his tea.
"Nope, I think we'll have to wait till she's free, 'cause school is going on. We can't have that poor girl failing a class, 'cause of us, right"
Arashi nodded, putting down the empty cup on the table.
But Shisera lifted an eyebrow.
"You know what, Shisera-san, that Kamui was tough" Hideki announced as if for a big public. "I've never experienced such a case like this before"
"I believe that beats out all of them." Shisera laughed for a while, and then at sudden he turned his head to the big windows, as he noticed an obscure feeling.
"Black out" His face went white at what he saw.
Hideki peered in that direction. "What do you mean" He saw no black out, just the 'usual' city.
Arashi shivered, she did not like it. For her the windows completely turned black as if a black veil hid the light. But the 'veil' was so thick that no light shone through it. "No good"
Instantly they all realized what it is as the darkness came onto them. "Demons"
"Hideki-kun, you should have told me earlier about Nekoi-san." Shisera whispered to him.
"I didn't know that it would" He said under his breath, and then turned, not finishing his sentence. "Arashi-san, I have to bring Shisera to his plane, it's no use to keep him here! Seems I underes"
Arashi was only stunned by the density of darkness. "God... God…" She whispered.
"Arashi-san"
She looked at him with her frightened eyes. "You're going to leave me here"
Hideki's face turned fiery.
"Arashi-san! Don't ever think about what you lost, but what you gained! That is authority."
The door closed. They had left. She kneeled, her hands on the floor, knowing she could not depend on them. Her breathing was loud.
"God. I gained one thing. Authority. I claim it." She whispered, repeating Hideki's words.
She faced the windows. Arashi saw how the great beings crawled slowly in the room through the windows. Almost not believing it was only spiritual, she stepped backward, only to discover they also went through the wall behind her. Now she was surrounded.
"Jesus. You know" She said aloud. They bowed.
"You dare to try fighting me"
They backed away from her on their knees. Arashi could feel anger, but assurance as well.
"Go away, in Jesus' name. Leave this holy bloody place now"
Arashi smiled as they found out the place was indeed covered with blood. The demons instantly disappeared.
That at Your name every knee should bow.
The young woman stood up and left the room.
-
"Ach, I forgot my umbrella"
"You can walk with me Tomoko."
The girls hurried outside, unfolding their umbrellas.
"See you tomorrow" Yuzuriha said. Her friends left in the direction of the school. She waved briefly and then went to the left. After walking a few steps she noticed the young man sitting in the corner outside the restaurant. Yuzuriha stopped a while to look at him.
"It couldn't be..." She whispered to herself. The girl made her way through the chairs and tables to him. Too close, but she could not be wrong. Her umbrella's shadow hid his face from the light. Yuzuriha moved away few of his wet bangs.
"Kamui-san"
At this his eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the sudden burst of light as she folded the umbrella. As if drugged he sat straight in a shaken way.
"Yuzuriha" He managed out. The girl held her hands before her mouth, opened in delight. Her eyes glittering as he said her name.
"Oh-oh my gosh" Yuzuriha yelled out and hugged him, causing him to yelp. The chair was about to unbalance. "It's really you! You made my day, Kamui!"
He chuckled. "Glad to see you."
End of Chapter 1 Obscure
Next: Chapter 2