I don't own Digimon Frontier nor the prince and the pauper.
More review reply:
Sakura-Riddle: Tomobitch. That's rich XD.
Redrum: thanks for the encouragement ^_^ and… sorry, but there's Kouichi in this chapter :P he's plot related, you know.
Einatsu: glad you like Arbor. I hope he's as fun to read as he is to write… other than him saluting all the time. I'm getting jumpy from him x.x;
Dreamer: well… shall we see? :P
Star: why did she interfere? Hm… you know I'm evil, don't you? :P
I'd like to use this opportunity to apologize to any and all Tomoki lovers out there. I don't like him that much but neither do I hate him. It's just that when I gave our roles in this story, he fitted right in.
Two Sides of a Coin
Chapter 9 – Waking up to Motivational Lectures
*Chuckle* Stop it, Takuya… I mean it, it tickles! *chuckle* Oh, so that's how you want to play it, eh?! …no, my hand doesn't hurt anymore. Nothing you can do can hurt me if you smile after it.
Ne, are you happy? Where you are now, where I can't reach you… my reflection can, do you think you can really switch sides with the mirror?
…You say you love me… if it me you love, or this person you see me as?
…Say my name. I know you love me, say my name! Let me hear my name! Please? Takuya, one time, just one lousy time… So that I won't forget it myself…
…
I love you too, Takuya. I love you…
"…too…"
Dreams always come to an end, be they horrible nightmares or the sweetest of fantasies. The boy refused to sit up, wishing to the warmth of his bed to lull him back to sleep. He almost managed, had it not been for the feeling he was being watched. Blue eyes fluttered open slowly to find a curtain of crimson all around him
'God, those royal beds are weird.'
From the outside, his silhouette was seen sitting up, hand resting on a raised knee. The spectator smiled lightly as he approached the bed, knowing full well that the boy was aware of his presence.
"How is it, waking up not at the crack of dawn?"
"…feels nice."
"May I approach?"
"Be my guest."
The curtain of red moved aside slightly and Wolf's blonde hair offered a nice contrast in the still darkened room. Kouji glanced at him once from the corner of his eye before looking at the silk sheets covering the lower half of his body.
"You never slept shirtless."
Wolf said, his eyes running briefly over Kouji's upper body. The boy was tanned compared to someone who spent his entire life indoors, and far too built to be the fragile prince he knew. Then again, he held secrets, why shouldn't the prince?
"There's a first time for everything."
Came the still sleepy reply.
"You sure took it upon yourself to prove it every chance you get these past few days."
"I guess…"
There was a slight pause as the tutor sat down at the edge of the bed. Kouji still looked away, not bothered by his presence.
"Had company last night?"
The question was a reference to the mess on the table on the other side of the room.
"I felt lonely. Lana agreed to stay."
"Lana… that cute maid girl?"
The faintest of blushes graced Kouji's cheeks.
"Yes. That Lana."
"Why not ask Izumi?"
The boy's face darkened, and Wolf could guess why. For some reason, the prince's tolerance to the girl's attempts to force her affection on him had diminished greatly. But at the same time, he seemed to be all the more open to her.
'I guess he's just giving her the bad as well as the good…'
"I… something… happened last night. Between Izumi and I. So it wasn't such a good idea to ask her…"
"So you asked the girl… but that means you ordered a meal for two from the start."
"Sharp, aren't we?"
"Why the cynicism, my prince?"
Kouji bit his lip, feeling bad about lashing out even the least bit at the man who was not only one of his childhood heroes, but also one of the few people he actually grew to care about in the castle.
"…I had a rough night."
"Not sleep wise. I've watched you sleep for years, not once have you slept as well as you have tonight."
For a moment, the boy wondered why the warrior spied on his sleeping prince, but there were no evil intentions in the man's eyes so he let it slide.
"Had a pleasant dream?"
The blush deepened, and the man grinned. Kouji hurried to defend himself.
"It, it wasn't like that!"
"Sure, Kouichi-sama… you little devil."
At the sound of a name not his own, and in light of his dream, Kouji got downright depressed.
"…not like that… at all…"
His deep blue eyes stormed like a raging sea, and the teacher felt bad for him. He liked the 'new Kouichi', if only for the reason he was showing human emotions. However, sadness was a part of it.
"Listen. For the record, we're supposed to be in a lesson right now…"
He was loyal to the prince since the boy was born. Common sense demanded he'd be there for him at what seemed to be a difficult time.
"…but I doubt that's what you really want to do."
Kouji looked at him with hope shining in his eyes.
"Tell you what, why not go out for a ride on that beautiful new horse of yours?"
"You'd really let me do that?"
There was slight distrust in his voice, the mark of living for real outside of the castle. The lack of faith born from within the royal court was much harsher.
"Well, this being my lesson and all, you'd theoretically have to fly should I say so. So instead of flapping the wings you don't have, why not go for a ride? She seems like a good horse."
The boy was about ready to jump to the ceiling, when a thought hit him.
"Wolf, I… I hadn't disappointed you, have I?"
The last thing he needed was to mess up any more of Kouichi's life. It was enough he completely changed the way people saw their prince personality wise.
"Because, if I have, if I've done something wrong…"
He was cut short when Wolf ruffled his short hair fondly, smiling in a brotherly way.
"Believe me, you would have, you'd have been the first person to know about it… I wouldn't even have to tell you."
Having nothing more to say, he stood up, closing the curtain of crimson behind him.
"Well then, I'll go and find something to do. I trust you know the way to the stables."
Having his back to the boy and the curtain between them, he missed the blank, mildly panicked expression that crossed Kouji's face.
"About that…"
"No worries now, ya hear?"
He barely saw Wolf winking at him, flashing a reassuring grin. The would be prince hesitated for a moment before smiling back.
"Thank you."
"Anytime, my prince."
Where are you? I can't see you… I want to see you, to hear your voice again… I want to thank you…
Why won't you appear before me? For real, not in the mirror…
There you are! …but who's that behind you? Is he a friend? …no, he's the reason you're there, far away. He's the boy that I don't know a thing about, yet you know enough to give your life away for him.
One could say that about us, no? Giving up one's name, one's place in the world, isn't it the same as giving up one's life?
I wanted to be free. You were willing to be shackled.
Why? For him? To give this up…
This wind which is freedom… You're gone from my sight. I'm like a bird soaring through the sky, but there isn't a sun above me. There's a cloud. A dark cloud. It's covering you. you, and that boy I don't know… and my friend.
Bells are ringing... why won't I laugh? Everyone else are. But then you're not laughing either…
What's happening to you? You're fading… don't go! I've only just found you, this light in my life. Wait, don't leave me!
Damn these bells!
KOUJI!
The boy shot up in the plain bed, cold sweat covering his body. A quick look at his surroundings indicated it was nothing more than a horrible nightmare… when all said and done – a dream.
'why… such a dream…'
Standing up, he moved to wash his face using water from a small basin by the window, staring out at the nearby farm. People were already working, happy to earn their pay.
'It must feel good, actually deserving what you get…'
Through his entire life, Kouichi had been told that he received all through the right of birth… he had never felt so worthless in his life.
Sitting down on the bed again, heart racing still, he tried to deal with his dream.
'What was that dream? Why did I have it? Kouji… is he really alright?'
A soft knock came from the plain wooden door. He hurried to get it, finding Kouji's mother there, holding a pile of clean laundry.
"Ah, you're up! Morning ,sweetie!"
"Morning, Kaa… mom."
She smiled as she walked in, placing the clothes at their rightful place. Once done she looked at the boy she thought to be her son, and the smile faded.
"You seem pale, honey. Had a bad dream?"
"Something… like that."
Kouichi froze as the woman gently touched his cheek. Her touch was warm and comforting… his mother always wore silk gloves, yet nothing was as soft as that… like a mother's touch was supposed to be.
"It was just a dream, honey, just a dream. It's not real. You'll forget all about it by nightfall, I promise."
He doubted he would, but the words were comforting nonetheless.
"You should grow your hair again, it's weird, seeing you like this."
The bluntness was her attempt to farther comfort Kouji, and appreciating the effort not meant for him, he smiled.
"Yeah, I thought so too…"
"Come on, let's go have breakfast!"
She chirped happily as she led him to the hallway and began descending the stairs, seemingly glowing in the small house. Looking at the pictures on the wall, Kouichi's gaze fell on a picture of Kouji and his mother, the father missing. Both were hugging, smiling brightly at whoever took the picture. Though drawings were still popular, he wasn't surprised to see a photograph, considering the father's taste in products for his shop… but the lack of surprise was pushed aside, or rather, swallowed by a hole in his heart.
"Mom…"
"What is it?"
Her warm eyes gazed lovingly at him from behind her glasses, shaming him for being unworthy of that affection.
"…no, nothing."
He followed her wordlessly down the stairs and greeting Kouji's father, sat down to breakfast.
'Just a dream… is this reality a dream, too? I really hope he's alright…'
"…Kouji?"
Remembering it was him carrying the name, Kouichi turned to the man at his side.
"Yes?"
"You're going to the fields today, aren't you?"
"Ah, yes."
Once in a few day, Kouji used to go to the fields and look at how the animals were doing. Kouichi feared the task, for something told him that where it began, it would end. He felt his time there was too short, but he had to live up to his, rather, Kouji's responsibilities.
The strew that was placed before him was the same as the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, but it was still as delicious as the first time he had it. Love was a magic ingredient.
"This is really good, mom!"
The woman blushed lightly, and the man grinned.
"Anou… like it, eh? Would you like seconds?"
"No, thank you, I don't wanna over stuff."
"Come on, you never eat much, you could use some flesh on those bones."
"Kousei, stop it! It the boy isn't hungry, he's not hungry! Besides, he needs to go out, let him. Boys his age should be out in the open."
Spoken like a true mother to a teenaged son. Kouichi wondered how his mother would sound saying those words, but he could hardly recall her voice.
"But he's hardly a boy now, eh, boy?"
Kouichi looked at Kouji's father in time to have his sword thrown at him, the green gem, not blue, shining brightly. He thought he caught a sad, distant look in the man's eyes, but Kousei tilted his head in such a manner his glasses turned blank.
"Knock 'em dead, eh?"
Nodding as he went out the door, Kouichi left to try and sort through his tangled thoughts, and for the first time in his life, make himself useful.
A/N: hi ^_^ ne, I noticed I'm using some Japanese terms in my fics, so I just wanted to ask you that if you don't understand something (at all, actually, not just that) ask in your reviews, cuz I'm too used to it, so I can't tell. I'll be happy to reply… unless you ask me something like "what was Izumi and Tomoki's bet", or, "how's the entire fic's gonna end". :P I hope no one thought I was really gonna answer that (in my review reply, that is :P eventually I hope I'll get there ^_^;;; )