An XXXHolic/Hikaru no Go X-over
By Lady Addiction
DISCLAIMER: Neither xxxHolic nor Hikaru no Go belongs or was otherwise influenced by me. Too bad…
WARNINGS: SPOILERS for HnG's entire series, xxxHolic Vol. 1-4, and some cameos from Tsubasa Chronicles; GEN; supernatural; possible OOCness?; possible offensive language
SUMMARY: A terrible illness lands Hikaru in a hospital and straight into a journey of his wildest fantasies.
AUTHOR NOTES:
1. Information on tanuki is from this site. Some of the descriptions used in this fic may contain offensive language, but it's not my fault they're described this way!
2. I'm no major shakes in the whole Japanese mythology thing and most of this is cobbled from the mangas. That goes for the whole ghost vs. comatose people thing, too (although that is mostly from an overactive imagination).
3. I believe Hikaru was 15 when he last saw Sai, so he'll be 19 in this fic. Watanuki's age is not mentioned, but I'm setting him as 15.
4. Er, I think I'm getting too wordy. I have a feeling it's a side effect of attempting to read 'Heart of Darkness' (the longest 72 pages I've ever tried to read!). Hope it doesn't come across too unwieldy.
5. This entire fic is a tribute to Hikago day: May 5, 2005 (5/5/5). Hope you enjoy it!
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GLOSSARY:
Gakuran – is the traditional style of boy's uniform that had long-sleeves, a high collar, and buttoned down the front (e.g. Shindou Hikaru's Haze Jr. High uniform)
Hookah – unless I'm totally wrong, this is the type of waterpipe that Yuuko uses in the manga. It is often used to smoke flavoured tobacco
Shisha – is hookah tobacco that is a mix of molasses, fruit, and tobacco
Hitaikakushi – a triangular piece of paper/cloth the Japanese thought was worn by ghosts
Katabira – the white kimono that people were buried in and the Japanese thought was worn by ghosts
Macha – is a form of green tea that is powdered and quite bitter. Often used in tea ceremonies. The one place I know that sells it here sells a tiny can for over $35Cdn. Way beyond a college student's budget for tea!
Dango – are tiny balls made of glutinous rice in skewers. I've never had the actual Japanese ones, but the ones in the restaurants here in Canada have red-bean jam or a sweet soy-based sauce all over them.
Seichi – the last stage of Go where each player begins counting territory
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PROLOGUE:
The dreams began one week before Setsubon.
It always started in the same way. He would find himself in the same, misty-white place where he had last seen Sai. Then Sai himself would slowly come out of the mist.
The first time it occurred, Hikaru couldn't believe his eyes. Then, he had jumped on Sai, tackling the poor ghost. The dream would pass on timelessly with him clinging to Sai, updating his friend with all that has happened in the four years since they had last seen each other.
Like that first, fateful dream, Sai would never speak, but his eyes glittered with some unknown secret and his smiling mouth hinted smug pride.
As the dreams continued in the nights that followed, Hikaru found his almost non-stop babbling slowing down. There was no more rush to get everything he needed to say out. Sai would be there again the next night.
But although he woke up with a bright smile, Hikaru fell asleep with an anxious heart. Each time he feared Sai would not be there, that whatever mysterious godling that had granted him his heart's deepest wish had rescinded its generous gift.
Sai was always there, as calm and beautiful as he had last seen him.
In that week, his friends marvelled at his uplifted spirits, especially considering he had lost his chance to challenge for the Tengen title, and more than a few wondered what had caused that brilliant joy to manifest.
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Just as Hikaru began to hope that his dreams would continue on for a long time, it changed.
The night after the Setsubon festival, Hikaru had fallen asleep, eager to talk about how Akari had 'accidentally' beaned Waya and Touya during the bean-throwing event, and how Waya had somehow managed to convince Isumi and Fuku to dress up in oni-costumes. Of course, they must not forget how they had gone to a karaoke bar afterwards, still in their colourful yukatas, and had enjoyed pelting each other as their turns to sing came up. He and Waya had booed Touya loudly, both annoyed at how the other Go pro had managed to develop a mellifluous singing voice. Hikaru had wondered whether Touya was ever bad at anything. Probably not.
His impatience had made it harder for him to find sleep, but when the dream came, it was not what he had expected.
The mist was gone, but Sai was there. He was kneeling in the middle of a great forest-like scene. However, as Hikaru ran to embrace his tall friend, something blocked him. He pounded his fists at that unseen barrier, yelling loudly, but the wall remained. Behind it, a great distance away Sai knelt, his pale face pinched and drawn. He was mouthing something, and it took long moments before Hikaru could calm himself enough to try and read his friend's lips.
"…Hikaru…stop…stay…away…stay…away…stay…away…"
"Sai! No, Sai! Dammit, whoever you are, stop toying with us like this! Sai! Get out from there! Sai!"
Hikaru woke, sweaty and panting. It was dawn, even before the sun was visible over the horizon. The boy ran his hands through his dual-coloured hair and took deep breaths. Regaining his centre, he stubbornly settled back down on the bed. "Sai, I'm coming," he whispered determinedly.
His efforts were futile. The happy dreams of before had ended and Sai was nowhere to be found once more. Hikaru would rise from his bed, his body torpid from something more than restless slumber, and his disposition black from combined frustration and fear.
Something was happening to Sai and he couldn't do anything about it.
His appetite diminished startlingly, so much so that his friends would look at him askance as he toyed with his burgers or let his ramen grow cold. He tried to sleep as much as possible, yet he could find no rest. Abruptly, he withdrew from his other tournaments and spent as much time in the town library as possible, researching dreams and the paranormal. His alarmed circle of friends and relatives worried themselves over him, but he remained oblivious and withdrawn from them.
Then Hikaru fell ill.
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It started with a mild cold. Two weeks after Setsubon, Hikaru had been caught out in the freezing February rain. His mother had clucked frantically after him, but he only climbed quietly up to his room and readied himself for bed.
The next day, he was nearly aflame with a high fever. Within hours of that discovery, he was rushed immediately to the nearest hospital in an ambulance, his mother and father anxiously riding along.
Pneumonia was the diagnosis the doctor gave. He smiled reassuringly at his patient's parents and told them that it was a common enough illness, and that with care and the proper medication, their son would soon be back on his feet.
However, to everyone's growing dismay, Hikaru didn't get better. In fact, he grew weaker and weaker, until he spent most of the days asleep. His meals had been liquefied in order for him to sip it, but even then, he was only able to finish little more than half of it. A constant stream of visitors came to his door, but he was awake for a rare few and in those cases was only able to make feeble, halting conversation for a few minutes before the effort tired him out.
Four days after he was entered into the hospital, he slipped into an inexplicable coma.
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On to chapter 1...
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