Following in Your Footsteps
By Halcyon Clouds
Summary: Alternate Universe. Sai, the youngest ever title holder, the unbeatable prodigy, died when he was just 15. 8 years later, can Hikaru bring himself to face the game his brother loved the most, and accept the challenge of Touya Akira?
Introduction: This happens in winter. I have an obsession with winter; it's the best season of the year in my opinion.
I love writing about family ties, don't know why though. Probably because there is a special relationship between people who are family to each other that I want to explore more in Hikago.
I'm also obsessed with death, as you probably realised.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm just a fic writer without the decent talent to create such genuine characters for myself. Hikaru no Go belongs to Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. I worship them.
~ ~ ~ Prologue ~ ~ ~
8 years ago...
A small hand made a transparent imprint on the frosted glass. A large pair of curious olive-green eyes bright with anticipation peeked through that little skylight enclosed within misty surroundings. Not for long, a distinct red sports car pulled up in front of the house. The door opened, out stepped a boy of about fifteen. He closed the door carefully behind him and bowed as the red car whirred out of sight, trailing a path of hot fumes in the air.
He looked up, saw the little observer glued to the window on the higher levels of the house, broke into a bright smile and waved.
He was tall, elegant but not pompous, with medium length purple-tinged dark hair, brilliant violet eyes set into a face of soft features, and skin as pale as the snow itself that carpeted the lawn at this time. A fire-passionate soul burned within an iceberg exterior; beautiful only at a distance.
However, no one seeing this person for the first time would think of him as a merciless executioner or an arrow strung to the bow of an experienced archer; fast, precise, lethal. Go was his weapon, every move a chilling razor edge, unfailingly aimed at each critical weakness.
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The former Kisei gripped his fan, fingers wrapped around its timber frame, thumb pressing down hard as the stubby nail dug deep into the wood. Beads of sweat glistened on his forehead and neck, quivering with each pulse of bulging veins that crawled over his temple.
The man gingerly patted the floor at his side with the free hand; small movements, as though one jerk in the wrong direction and his entire limb might due to be snapped off.
The dish with ready-prepared serviettes lay inches away; the hand continued its search blindly.
He dare not take his eyes off the board, it was too risky…
He dare not take his eyes off the stones…one small shift…all it takes to kill.
Beautiful, deadly, the snake's eyes to the prospect of a crouching frog, the visions of its last moments…
It wasn't a snake that sat across from him, across the wooden battlefield between them. It wasn't the eyes that held the gaze transfixed, either.
In the old man's life of playing against his rivals, each having endured the adversities of the game and life itself, not one game matched up to the intensity, the increasingly burdening load added with each move…
…he placed it like a feather.
Meaningless.
Face void of any moisture or expression.
How dare he…
"Hmpf! Don't get so cocky just yet! I've been playing Go longer than you've been alive!"
Courage only salvaged, just enough to grab a towel with a fleeting mop to his brows before slapping down a stone.
His opponent didn't look up, no need to address such a comment with any eye contact.
"I live to play Go."
With that, and a resounding 'pa-chi!'. Sparks sprang as the shale connected with the wood.
He felt dizzy, his throne slowly slipping away from under him.
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The owner of the small handprint hopped down the stairs, two at a time, breathlessly pulled open the big heavy main door just when the handle turned.
"I'm back, Hikaru." The smiling older boy stepped in; cold mist blew in from the door gap, brushing his dark hair against his face.
"How was it? How was it?" The same old question asked, expecting the same old answers.
"I won." The same old answer, replied with a good nature. "Where's okaasan?"
"She went out," said the high, childish voice, whisking the topic abruptly aside. There were more important things, "Sai, aren't you going to stay a bit longer this time?"
Sai reached out his hand and patted the black-haired boy on the head, ruffling the split front bangs.
"I will try. But Go comes first."
"Is Go really that fun?" Hikaru huffed and demanded of his brother, brushing the older boy's hand away from his head, "You play all day long, aren't you tired at all?"
"No, because I love Go above anything else." Sai patiently explained. Even though this was an old question too, Hikaru never seemed to be tired of asking it. "Do you want to play a game before okaasan comes home and starts nagging?"
"I'll think about it." The answer came in a child's voice, trying to speak like an adult. "You beat me every single time it's no fun."
"I can let you win--"
"No! I want to beat you fair and square! Someday I will!"
Sai chuckled at this little quip; such big words. His younger brother clearly had no concept of the hardships of getting to the top. Such naïve expressions escape from his mouth incessantly, with no consideration of the true meaning that lies behind each one.
"You said so! You said that I can play you fairly someday!"
But you couldn't expect so much from him, he's only five, after all.
"I keep my promises."
Hikaru looked at Sai, staring at him in such a way as if trying to make something happen with his eyes. The little boy's posture was entirely unfitting of someone his age. Sai tried hard to keep his face neutral under this scrutiny. Hikaru, though young as he is, hated being regarded as a baby.
"Alright, I'll play." Hikaru concluded finally, letting out a big breath, as if doing so was like giving his brother a blessing the young Go pro should be eternally grateful for.
"Thank you, Hikaru." Sai knowingly made the right reply. He turned to leave the foyer.
"Come on," He looked over a shoulder and waved to his little counterpart. "We can take out the board and play 'til okaasan comes back."
The black-haired youngster bounded after Sai, still wearing an 'I-am-only-doing-this-for-the-sake-of-you' expression. But his eyes gave him away, each dark green pupil held a twinkle of excitement.
The prodigy sighed and shrugged.
Knowing Hikaru derived with the knowledge that he'd probably need to keep that piece of observation to himself.
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I promised…to him…and to that child too.
Perhaps one day they will meet.
But…
…will I still be here…
…to guide them on their way...?
***************************************
Hikaru gulped. It was always like taking a bet, or tossing a coin, a good side and a bad side, results with the potential to incline to either. However, it's been always landing on the bad lately.
Ever since his older brother Sai became a pro, or even before that, the house was hollow of his presence. Before Hikaru even existed, Sai's name was known throughout the Go world. Go prodigy, as they would refer to him, the fast-rising sensation that was already kicking Go pro-asses before he even reached his teens.
For various reasons, he was always kept away from the place called home.
"Sai…" he fumbled with packing the stones away into their respective tubs, "How long can you stay now? Really?"
When the young pro didn't reply immediately, Hikaru sunk into his clothes, disappointed. "You'll need to go soon, huh?"
"...I can take you to the Ki-in tomorrow."
Hikaru raised his head off slumped shoulders. Say what?
"And then, how's about going for ramen?" Sai knew Hikaru's weakness well, a rare mischievous smile hung lightly on the corner of his mouth.
"…really?" The younger boy did not dare to believe his ears.
"I've just finished an important match; don't think another one's lined up for a while." Sai smiled as he saw Hikaru brightening up in an instant.
"You have to show me the Room of Profound Darkness!" Hikaru raised his voice suddenly, jabbing a finger at Sai, almost accusingly.
"Of course."
"And the Insei room…and the gift shop…and…and…"
"Don't worry. I'll show you all around."
"You swear?"
"I swear."
Hikaru whooped his glee and leapt back to his seat and crossed his arms with satisfaction. Sai sighed inwardly; he had just given the enthusiastic boy a valid reason to sabotage sleeping hours.
Okaasan will never let me get away with it. Sai thought with a mental sweatdrop.
As if she can sense what goes on in her sons' mind. The duo's mother appeared at the door, wearing an outfit distinctly different from the usual apron-and-housedress combination. Evidently she had just come back from whatever errand she was on.
"Sai!" Replacing the surprised look quickly with worry, she came up to them, "You could've called if you were going to come home! Then I could prepare something for you!"
"I did call, but Hikaru got the phone."
"Oh, never mind then," She slung her coat onto the back of a chair. "Would you like something to eat now?"
"It's okay, 'kaasan. I had lunch with the Meijin group at the Ki-in."
"Ah!" The brown-haired woman smacked a fist onto her palm, "That reminds me." She hurried over to a kitchen counter and took out something that looked like an envelope. Hikaru followed her with curious eyes.
"This arrived during your leave in Hokkaido. It's addressed to you." She passed on the paper to Sai, who took it without a word. He tore open the fold carefully and took out the thin sheet, scanning over the text with narrowing violet eyes.
Hikaru sensed something foreboding, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.
After a few moments, Sai turned around to face the boy, his expression grim.
"Hi--"
"You can't go." Hikaru interrupted him, voice low. The younger boy's expressions hardened, "You promised."
"Bu--"
"YOU PROMISED!" Disappointment, sense of betrayal, and pain were all displayed in the trembling voice of the youngster. "You can't lie!"
"Hikaru! Your brother has more important things to do!"
"I'm sorry, but…"
Then, it all happened too fast.
Without warning, Hikaru grabbed hold of the container in front of him -- despite it being heavy for a person his size -- and crashed out of the door, into the cold air. Face screwed with a cocktail of emotions he was too young to understand. But it hurt, it hurt a lot.
Sai didn't move immediately, stunned for a second or two by the sequence of happenings.
"Hikaru!" Their mother dashed to the door, evidently angered by the boy's impulsive action.
"You come back this instant! Do you hear me!?"
When it finally registered into him what was going on, the older boy flung himself from the spot, and sprinted out the doorway following the runaway's lead.
"Hikaru!"
His voice carried a distance. Ahead, the young boy, clutching a heavy container full of shale stones, persistently ran on, paying no heed to what other than fatigue that was gradually gaining up on him.
Go had never felt so noxious in his awareness before that moment. He hated it. It burn and stung like venom.
If…if it weren't for Go...
He wouldn't leave…he wouldn't be gone everyday…
"Hikaru! Listen to me!" The voice sounded a lot closer now.
If it weren't for Go…
I don't have to be alone, everyday…
"Just stop it!"
If it weren't…
"HIKARU!!"
The sudden impact of Sai's voice knocked Hikaru back into conscious. He gasped when he saw what was in front of him, and skidded to a sudden halt, which was hard to do when you carry a heavy load. This nearly put him off-balance and sprawling onto the ground.
Lights.
Lights everywhere blinded his eyes, flashing in all directions, accompanied with thundering noises that didn't help with the shock. Hikaru was momentarily taken aback by what he was about to run into.
In a flash, Sai was at his side, panting from the effort of running and shouting.
No time to think.
Hikaru dove headfirst into the burst of light, before the young pro had a chance to grab him.
Now, every second seemed to be elongated to its fullest, everything to a near standstill.
Eyes…glowing…?
"HIKARUU~~!!"
It was as if someone paused time, and then played it in slow motion. Thoughts too fast to be put into action scattered in the minds, like a cluster of thousands of flapping wings…
Hikaru felt something connect with the back of his shoulders. Then a great force made him lurch forwards, feet clear off the ground. He was airborne for a few seconds, even a period of time much longer than that, or so it feels.
The sound of tyres skidding to a halt, the roaring engine, and the blaring horns attacked his sense of hearing. Drawing a long arc in the intensely lengthened time, the noise ripped open the sky with its many menacing claws. He could hear nothing else. Not even his own sound as he landed hard on the concrete.
He landed on his side, scraping across the rough grains that bit and tore into his clothing and skin. The lid of the container had flown off during his free ride, and now resides a few feet from where he hit solid ground. Some stones took to the air from the force of the fall and the impact. They showered from the sky in a chorus of clattering sounds, like a string of beads that came loose over a glass table. Surprisingly enough, the container was still firmly in his grasp.
Hikaru put a scarred hand to his head, rubbing to ease the throbbing pain, in the process staining his own face with blood. He felt confused, and couldn't quite put his thoughts into order. Everything happened so…obscurely. Time was distorted. The young boy didn't have a vague idea what had gone through in the vicinity of his presence. His field of vision was filled with blurring images, mostly dark and resembling shadows. Light shone through in furry star-like blotches to indicate some sort of silhouette against what was occurring. He blinked to sharpen the picture.
In front of him, still vibrating with the pounding engine, was a truck.
Hikaru stared, dumbfounded, at the massive thing. Besides seeing that it was enormous, he also noticed something else.
It was not moving.
Vehicles don't usually just stop where they are on this stretch of road.
A deep anxiety began to bubble up from his insides.
Where's Sai?
Where's my brother?
Hikaru looked around frantically from where he half-lay on the ground. There were people, people all around them, saying things alien to his knowledge. He didn't care about them; all he wanted to see was a particular person, an older boy with amethyst eyes and a smile that told him everything was okay.
No familiar faces amongst the crowd.
He scrambled to his feet; it felt like someone had put his legs through the processions of a clamp. It hurt like hell. But he doesn't care anymore. With the most speed he could muster, Hikaru dashed towards the head of the truck, half-expecting Sai to pop out from behind it and give him heck for running off like that. He hoped with all five years of his life, anything, anything but…
Please…anything except…
Then his mind went blank at what he saw.
It was as if something had sucked every single comprehendible thought out of it, leaving it parch-dried and empty. He refused to believe what lay before his eyes.
Blood. Red. Lifeless. Limp.
Death.
There was no feeling in his limbs, as if his own blood had also spilled away completely.
The stones container crashed to the ground from his trembling hands, shattering in front of his feet with a dull crack that sounded miles away. Black stones spilled and leapt in all directions from among the wooden shards.
Hikaru could not longer tell the difference between the Go stones that dotted the road and the dark splotches of blood, for each melted into the other.
Then everything went black.
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A/N:
After killing many hours, cups of coffee, and brain cells along the way, the prologue is done. *author applauds herself* Although I can be absolutely sure that most of the talented people here can do the equivalent in twenty minutes…*pokes Murinae-san*
Hikaru is five in the prologue…and I think I made him a bit too mature to be five. But Hikaru always gave me an idea that he is very bright from an early age on, although his mental development stunted at around the age of 12, but it picked up again after he met Sai. Nevertheless, it was extremely stupid, what he did. And it was completely my fault. I give you permission to pinch me black and blue.
It sucks that I really wish I can draw manga, just like the great Obata-sama, but I can't. Quick events are too hard to describe in words, and I'm not skilled enough to make it sound all exciting, so I'm just horrible.
The accident scene…wasn't that just a classic? I'm lacking in originality. I can count my fingers on the number of anime this sort of scene appeared in…Chobits…Pita-Ten…Rizelmine…maybe even more.
Many thanks to Shinigami Clara for helping smash my writer's block on this fic! Although I can't even tell if I had any inspiration in the first place to be able to say I lack it. I'd fair say she took some real part in getting this fic up to its standards to be on FanFic.net. Send your appreciations her way!
Finally, I don't want to promote the image 'Hikaru is a sinner!' so please don't do it for me. I personally have interests in Hikaru *snickers*, but that's another story…
Alright, that's it for the prologue A/N. Reviews are always a better source of energy than coffee or Gatorade ^_^ Tell me what you think! Any questions? (Replies will be made in the next chapter)
Wheeew! I need to take a rest.
--
Sal (halcyon_clouds@hotmail.com)
P.S. Listen to .hack//SIGN music while writing fanfiction, It helps with the ideas ;)