Flight of the Phoenix
AU to the Max
Disclaimer: "Yami no Matsuei" is property of Matsushita Yoko and in no way, in any shape or form, do I own it.
Warnings: Shounen-ai (TsuXHiso, indirect TatXWat) AU-ness, Hisoka's OOC-ness
Dedications: Mr. Orange, who I can always talk to, and for all you readers, for without you I would have never gotten this far. Thank you all!
Act I
Some believe not in fated love, whilst others believe not in love at first sight. I believe not in either, until that sun-shot day with the amethyst-eyed beauty looming down at me. Must I stay a skeptic?
It was a glorious day, the sun shining full upon the dark tones of the day's splendor blown dry. Feathery white oddities floated lazily about the vast expanse of the darkening sky decorated with a violet and gold splay, soaring with them an overlarge kite upon cool zephyrs that dared to grace its presence. The kite was beautiful, its main body the shape of a cobra's striking head with his fangs bared maliciously and seemingly dripping with deadly venom, the long, forest-green tail swirling in magnificent patterns as it willfully trailed after its commander.
Every day since he could remember he had watched that serpentine beast gliding in the blue Eden, his feet bare and trailing in the dirt-clad roads of the rural village Shi Jing. Ever since his eyes first alighted on such beauty he could think of nothing else but the majestic kites and the battles they fought that often gathered into rivalry that would lead to wars— All caused by sympathy-inducing paper shapes tied on their flimsy strings.
Kite-fighting was an old tradition in Shi Jing, and more people everyday yielded to the triumphs and failures of such a sport. The kites were no ordinary pieces of paper, as they were often painted and decorated to such degrees of beauty that showed the artists' skill and talent. The strings that held the kite were coated with glass to enable endurance in the air as two battling foes attempted to cut each other off before they themselves succumbed to such a fate. Though it might seem like a silly game, the victor of the battle's prize was a single request of the loser that could extend to infinity and beyond. That usually discouraged the younger generation of fighters, but it fueled those experienced to the point of breaking. Their kites terrorized the skies, lusting for blood and the scream of glass strings pounding against one another. Another victim sought and slain, victor smiling at the grand prize gained.
He had a kite of his own, the shape of a phoenix with its tail feathers spewing in multi-colored rivulets from its rump, golden glitter sprinkled across its entire surface to glimmer by candlelight. The fond memories of him painting the beautiful bird, immortal by nature, were still fresh and seemingly engraved into his mind. They had all been spawned from his fondest memory of all, the day in which the serpent spewed its newfound glory on the untainted skies of yesterday. The beautiful snake…
"Hisoka!"
Sixteen-year old Hisoka Kurosaki's head jumped instantly up from the smooth wood of his desk, golden locks whirling about his eyes rested on the severe-looking headmistress of Shi Jing Community School.
"Sleeping again, you dratted boy? Well up you go!" She snatched his ear, ignoring his squeals of pain as her block-square glasses flashed with anger at his defiance. With a minute of treading down a dank corridor, she threw him onto a cold leather bench in front of her desk, meticulously manicured fingernails flashing as she picked up the black-lacquered phone. "Yes! Sir Tatsumi? Guardian of Hisoka? Good. I need to pick your "son" up. He has been sleeping in class. Again."
Hisoka flinched at the way the headmistress emphasized 'son', obviously intending on hurting him. The reaction was only an impulse, however, as he had long got over the fact that he was not the child of his two adoptive "fathers", Tatsumi Seiichirou and Watari Yutaka.
She slammed the phone down, sitting down with her noxious yellow orbs boring into his as the seconds ticked by, and the door to the school opened to stream the room with much-needed sunshine. Tatsumi stood with a blue coat hanging over his arm, sweeping a graceful bow to the headmistress before taking Hisoka's arm and tugging him out of the ominous confinements.
The actual extremities of Shi Jing village was actually quite different from Hisoka's odd fantasy with the sun cooking the earthen streets and the sky clear with afternoon blue. His adoptive father's eyes matched that of the heavens' even with his glasses obscuring them: clear and without scorn for his "son." He turned, face smiling at Hisoka. "So," He said teasingly, other hand lowering to join with the other that was hidden underneath the folds of blue cloth. "What were you fantasizing?"
The other's eyes focused instantly at a clump of dirt in which he kicked over, long lashes hiding his expression. "Nothing important."
He chuckled softly, brown strands falling to cover his eyes as he glanced up, motioning casually to a gliding kite in the shape of a silver moon embellished with miniature craters. "The sun's love visits him! Such a darling reunion!"
Hisoka's eyes joined the sight of Tatsumi's, drifting from the moon to another approaching figure snaking along the torrents of wind that drove like tempest against its papery surface. The snake's malicious crimson viewers seemed to glow beneath the green layers of its majestic head, fangs bared and ready to strike the moon that floated innocently. Cobra!
The crafty serpent struck swiftly, glass-woven threads of its string twining about the moons as the wind's whips lashed at them, life and death crawling like termites on exposed wood. He watched, enraptured by the display. The victor was obvious now.
The moon snapped off of its support, drifting sorrowfully to the ground the remnants of the string falling to indicate the loser's position. He could imagine Cobra's flier smiling at another victory, ready to claim the loser's money, or even worse! The other's virginity! It hadn't been outlawed for one to request such, as both fighters who participated knew the terms. All in a few seconds, bankruptcy and a life of luxury could be decided, all of it riding on the string.
Tatsumi's gaze flicked down, nodding at the fight. "Cobra has flown for so long, has it not? I will be surprised to see its downfall if it ever comes."
"Do you know the flier?" Hisoka questioned curiously, blonde brow quirking.
"I do." He said indifferently.
"Tell me about—"
His words were cut short by a platoon of militia men in their bright red uniforms declaring their faith to the village Shi Jin and only Shi Jin. At this his guardian's brow wrinkled darkly, stepping aside to allot them passing space. The swarthy-skinned captain's maroon eyed twinkled at seeing Tatsumi, ordering his troops to stop before stepping over, shined boots clacking oppressively.
"Ah! It is the famous Tatsumi! To whom do I owe this honor?"
Tatsumi lowered his head in an almost-mocking bow, making the man's curled mustache twitch. "Yourself, sir. You are the one marching about the streets at this time of day."
"Indeed it is!" He puffed his chest out like a male peacock yearning for a mate, gaze averting to Hisoka's dipped dome. "My, my! It is the blossoming beauty I met when he was just a child of the crib. Tell me, if I may ask, what day did you agree the wedding to be held six years back?"
At this the brunette's façade darkened, fingering the edge of his robe testily as he improvised "This Midsummer Night, my friend. But I do not believe that young Hisoka is ready to be flown away by a man of such…rank."
The general fingered his mustache, brow wrinkling with disappointment. "Fine then. Next spring is when we will be wed!" He deflated somewhat, face red from thought.
"Well then, sir, what brings your army out on a day like this?"
He spat to the side, wiping his mouth with his sleeve before responding. "Those Bei-Yueh devils are acting up again. Trying to invade our village. But, ho! I'll slaughter them!" He saluted Tatsumi before striding off and setting his army a-march. "I'll be off then!"
Tatsumi snorted, peering curiously at Hisoka's expression. "How do you feel about the general?"
"I-I didn't know that I had a marriage arranged already…" He stuttered, barely able to keep civil thoughts about marrying that pompous old man.
"I'm truly sorry about the circumstances, which is something I can't explain at your juvenile age." Instantly, he was regretful as he opened the door to their cramped abode, gesturing Hisoka in before being engulfed in a cloud of choking purple.
"NOT AGAIN!" An impulsive blonde figure ran from whatever spot he was standing a minute before, waving a thick deck of notes back and forth to clear the smoke.
"What now, Watari?" Tatsumi demanded, pulling off his shoes as he stepped in.
"Hnnnn, Tatsu-chan! I tried to make the potion but I messed it up…AGAIN!!!" His wails echoed throughout the street as Tatsumi went to comfort him. Amidst all of the commotion, Hisoka slunk solemnly out with his disappointment hidden, stepping into the glorious daylight to watch for Cobra.
The snake still flew, long tail whipping from side to side like a maiden's crown, the swirling pattern in which it flew strangely beckoning. Taking the bait, Hisoka darted forward, all eyes upon the hook that had snagged him with his soul willfully accepting.
Branches snagged at his scarlet clothing as he ran through the forest, luminous orbs peering through the holed roof above with Cobra a-soaring. The sun-dappled woods pulled him closer, gravity inevitable. He had to know about Cobra's flier. He had to! It was an odd impulse, yes, but with reason. If those reasons could be found, that is, in all honesty…
Cobra ducked in the sky, string swallowed by the woods. His pace quickened, sweat running rivers down the sides of his cheeks. His breath sped, feet blistered by the sharp forest leaves cutting into them. He felt all of a sudden nauseous, slamming into a soft cushion in his rush.
"Whoa! Watch it there!" A rough hand dipped down, grabbing the boy's disheveled shoulder to pull up the oversized robe that had slipped reveal, seductively, his collarbone. Hisoka's eyes flitted up, face flushing instantly from what they saw.
A set of glowing amethysts grinned at him, the man's darker face framed by lush locks of brown twining to meet the nape of his neck. A smile curled up his full, pink-tinted set of lips, thick lashes fringing the violet stones of beauty a grand addition to the masterpiece. They parted, movements surely blessed by the angels under He! "Are you alright?" His smooth brow wrinkled with genuine concern from his heart. What he would do to ease such a crease!
"I-I…I'm fine." The blush darkened to that of a cherry's shell, unsure of whether or not to push the man's hand away.
He laughed jubilantly, dropping the kite's supporting bar and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. "Now, now. You've been running way to fast for your own good that it's giving you a sunburn!" Gently, he wiped the sweat from Hisoka's face with a tender mother's care, handing it to the dazed boy afterwards. "You can keep it. I have others."
Hisoka's mouth hung open like that of a goldfish's, gaping as he watched the handsome figure duck and pluck the supporting bar from the ground and winding up the kite, Cobra's immense figure flitting between the carpet of leaves and hanging limply from its glistening string like a hapless puppet. "Cobra!" Hisoka cried in disbelief, "You're his flier!"
"That's me!" His eyes shut with smile, lashes even more attractive then. Confounded, Hisoka said nothing in return.
"You fly a kite too, no?"
"I do."
"Have we dueled? I don't remember your face…" He rubbed his chin, shrugging it off a moment later. "Naw, it doesn't matter."
"No…but what did you do to the flier of the Moon Kite this afternoon?"
He grinned, leaning against a spindly maple. "I gave her my favorite sweets and told her to be off! She was so cuute!" The last note trilled with a purr, renowned cutesy face at its best.
At that his flushed state grew into the color of a ripe persimmon, tapping his fingers against the wood in nervousness.
"ACK!" The man tapped his head with the flat palm as a punishment for himself. "I talked too much, didn't I? I should've started with this: Greetings, fellow traveler! I'm Asato Tsuzuki. What is your name?" He recited it in monotones as if rehearsed, hand sticking out from between a tan sleeve.
"Kurosaki Hisoka." From crimson sleeve his own fragile digits protruded, taking hold of the other's large, imperfect palms. All of this leading to his blush becoming only redder.
"Your hand is so soft…" He mused, smiling still as he slid away, Hisoka wishing to grasp it and not let go. "Like a baby's! Then again, you are still a child…"
"NO!" He shouted suddenly, surprised at his own indignation. "I am as old as a man should be!"
Tsuzuki chuckled, patting Hisoka's head fondly. "One day you will be." He glanced up suddenly, looking at the sun whose lips brushed that of the horizons'. "Gah! It's already so late!" Shooting a grin at the boy, he plucked tools from the ground, waving before he went. "Let's have a duel sometime, shall we?"
Boldly, Hisoka accepted. "We will!" And after the other's retreating back he shouted "And I'll win!"
Tsuzuki whirled around, marching off into the distance. Hisoka turned to go as well, but not before noticing the crest embroidered upon the other's back. The sign of the Bei-Yueh. And before he could open his mouth, Tsuzuki was gone.
"No…" He whispered, teeth clenching in the shock of the moment as his emerald eyes filled with the liquid of betrayal, fist winding about the pink of the handkerchief. "Tsuzuki! You bastard!"
The words echoed about the area, scattering the brooding sparrows from their nests.
Fate is only so kind, as I have learned. These scarlet threads that have bound my heart…please let them be cut, oh fate!
TBC with Love!