I don't own Digimon Frontier or the fairytale this fic is partly based on.
Just to let you know, I have a rule of about 5 reviews before I update. Now me being lazy aside, you people sure give me reasons to update :x thanks for all the reviews.
Sakura-Riddle: ~_~ enough with the fangirlness! Had I wanted to write that I'd have written you a lemon.
Balinase: …sorry, that's just you, remember this is a TAKOUJI fic and I'm more of a TAKOUJI fan than a Kou1x2 supporter :x and yes, my Kouji muse hated me for forcing him to keep his hands from Takuya. But then again, how do we REALLY know he was nice and innocent while Takuya was out cold? :D
Chibi minamoto: what couple would that be? :x and it's ok, I support tons of couples, lemme know which couple you like and I'll write a fic about it :D
wand3ringspirit : well, excuse me for being only human and in school and have a social life and having writer's block so I can't really update as fast as we'd all like me too -_-
Redrum: sure, let's have them all understand each other. But then where's my fun? ;_;
Star: *me is damned*
Beta 4 Hire: *looks at your nick* are you implying on something? -_-
Einatsu: o_o;;; you're able of seeing Tomoki as a sexual object. Go away. Ew
Sapphire Luna: Tomoki scares me too ;_; and I'll try to be clearer about the speakers :3
Angel Spirit: Kouji's not ok, as you could see in this chapter. Otherwise, again, where's my fun?
Two Sides of a Coin
Chapter 14 – A Nightmare of Things to Come
Bells rang as Tomoki made his way out of the village. Many people laughed again, yet none were sad to see him leave. Especially one 16 year old would be magician.
Junpei, deciding to follow his worry just in case, walked over to Kouji's father's shop and knocked, again, just in case.
"We're open."
Came the reply. The boy walked in to see Kousei on his knees, collecting the shards of the broken glass.
"Welcome… ah! Junpei! Good morning!"
"Good morning, sir."
"'Sie' is too formal, I told you… ouch… damn thing's sharp!"
He said with a smile and threw the mess away, turning to tend for a small cut.
"What can I do for you?"
"Who was that jester?"
The friendly smile immediately vanished from Kousei's face.
"Him? Just the court jester, came here looking for something… didn't have it."
"Would that something be someone's soul?"
The man's expression became graver still and he took a step forward.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Earlier… he stole some pieces of people's souls. Tried from me too, but I just didn't laugh from his jokes…"
Suddenly, Kousei pinned him to the wall, a few inches away from his face.
"Whatever you do, stay away from him. Junpei, I beg of you, don't look for him for answers. And above all, not a word to Kou…"
"Dad?"
Thje door opened and both moved apart and stared at Kouichi, who was staring back from the door.
"Did… something happen?"
He asked, feeling the tension in the air.
"No, no… what could be the matter, eh, Junpei?"
"Ah, yeah! I mean, no! Nothing at all. Your dad just got heated up about one of the items we discussed."
"Yes! You know me, can't stand my items being insulted. NE?!"
Both laughed fakely, causing Kouichi to suspect oh so much more.
"Well then, what is it you wanted, son?"
The man said, eager to change the subject.
"Junpei's dad was looking for him, and he asked me to go get him."
"Ok, thanks… Kouji…"
"Yeah… listen…"
Just as Junpei was about to leave, Kouichi stopped him as he passed by.
"I really need to talk to you later."
"Same here. Well, bye Kouji, Kousei-san."
"Junpei."
"See ya!"
The bells rang as the door closed, and silence once again fall. Kousei returned to examining the shelves under Kouichi's gaze.
"Are you sure nothing's wrong?"
The boy asked again, seeing the cut on the man's hand.
"Yep. Nothing's wrong…"
Reaching a hand to the door bells, he ripped them off and threw them away, smiling.
"…nothing at all."
The sun was shining brightly overhead, giving its sweet light to the garden in which the boy was standing. Birds were chirping happily as they flew above and the wind caressed him gently.
"There you are."
He turned around to face the voice.
"What kept you?"
Izumi asked from her spot on a picnic blanket on the grass under a tree. Sweets and goods were spread in front of her, and she smiled sweetly at him. Yet he was unable to see her eyes.
"Come here."
It was more of an order than a request, and his legs moved on their own accord until he was seated next to her.
"Have something?"
He picked up a slice of a chocolate cake and took a bit. It had little to no taste, and the little there was was bitter.
"You got some there…"
The girl said and reached a hand to wipe some cream from Kouji's face, pushing aside a long strand of hair.
"Long hair suits you."
His numb mind hadn't registered up to then that his hair was as long as it was a few days before, and it still hasn't.
The girl brought the cream to her mouth and licked her finger, savoring the flavor.
"It tastes better off of you."
The wind picked up and blew her blonde hair behind her, while Kouji's midnight blue strands were thrown to his face. He didn't move to divert it. She did.
"I love you so much, do you know that?"
"I do."
He wasn't lying, but it still sounded like someone else had spoken the words.
"You love me too."
It wasn't a question. He opened his mouth to protest, but no voice came out.
"Sh sh sh…"
She pressed a finger against his lips and smiled.
"You do, I know. You love me. Only me."
Again, his voice failed him, but he wasn't as concerned about proving her wrong as much as he was about her smile, and the fact that he still couldn't see her eyes.
"You love me so much… you'd do everything for me, ne? The moon and the stars, ne? Your soul…"
The sound of a thousand wings flapping roared like thunder in his ears as the girl looked up, her eyes staring hungrily into his, and as empty and dark as a moonless night's sky.
"…ne?"
His vision was blurred by a shower of feathers and he managed to cover his eyes with his hands. Through the noise he thought he could hear Izumi, saying something about not wanting that to happen. When he looked around, the girl was gone. Feathers fell on him and he looked up, following what turned out to be a flock of pigeons until they fell, apparently dead, at the feet of a young boy. He was crying.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
The child repeated as though in a chant while rocking himself back and forth.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Kouji asked, gently touching the child's shoulder. He quickly withdrew it, however. The boy was as cold as ice.
"I'm sorry… my soul, I… I don't want to lose my soul…"
The boy, who had by then hidden his face with his hands, looked straight at Kouji, yet still his eyes were hidden by his brown hair. His appearance changed into a jester's, and Kouji recognized him immediately.
"…so I'll take yours!"
The pigeons returned to life, or haven't, but they still flew between the two, their feathers coloring the sky black.
"This kingdom… this beautiful kingdom…"
The voice though commanded darkness. There was no sun above, no moon or even a single star.
"…let it be filled with hollow laughter and empty souls!"
"I can't love you."
Kouji turned around to face Takuya, who was standing there, motionless. His eyes were blank, even more so than two nights before.
"I can't love you."
He repeated again in a monotone voice.
"Takuya…"
"I can't love you…"
"STOP IT!"
The would be prince yelled, yet Takuya continued on and on.
"Get the hint already, he won't love you."
Tomoki's voice came in as he jumped on Takuya, clinging possessively to the boy.
"He can't love you…."
Kouji felt sick when the jester licked his love's ear, but even more he felt like ripping the childish figure's head off and using it as a soccer ball. But panic soon took anger's place.
"…because his heart belongs to me!"
The jester's fingers turned into claws which he dug into Takuya's chest.
"NO!"
Kouji yelled, trying to move only to feel someone clinging to him. He turned to look into Izumi's hollow eyes.
"Mine… you're, he he, mine!"
Her nails pierced his flesh like a hot knife through butter and he felt his heart being turn apart. He would've screamed, but the pain was too much. It wasn't even pain, more the destruction of any and all feelings, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell. Nothing was left.
Not even tears.
"KOUICHI-SAMA!"
The last thing Kouji saw was Takuya's soul disappear in a huge shadow… before he woke up.
"My prince!"
"Kou, Kouichi-sama…"
He didn't know nor care who the people around him were. Kouji simply clawed himself to the edge of the bed, where he threw up on the floor.
A/N: @__@ gomen ne, Kouji-kun.
Kouji: -____-