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Chapter 20: Magick and Mischief

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After the black wizard was out of sight, Arai bolted from his rooted place in the ground. He hadn't time to waste, and needed to get back to the village as soon as possible. He didn't dare to glance behind him.

Arai ran past the village entrance and made a beeline for the Fujiokas' house. It was still early so very few of his neighbors were up and about. Arai reached the front of the house and pounded on the door. There was no answer. Panicking, he ran around the back and saw Ryouji tinkering with the plow by the barn. He ran the final sprint, and was soon doubled-over in front of the barn, panting. Ryouji greeted him while the poor boy tried to catch his breath.

"Good morning, Arai. What's all the commotion?"

Arai opened his mouth, but no words came out. He tried again. Nothing. Ryouji raised an eyebrow.

"Are you alright?"

Arai took a deep breath and screamed with all his might, but…silence.

'My voice!' He thought, 'What happened to my voice?' Arai started panicking. He lunged for a stick on the ground, and wrote in the dirt. Ryouji frowned.

"If this is your idea of a game," he said, "I don't think it's very funny. Please stop. I have a lot of work to get done, today."

Confused, Arai looked back at his message and saw that it was just a bunch of scribbles. Slowly, he tried to write Haruhi's name, but the results were unfocused and wonky. He couldn't remember how to write. Tears started forming in Arai's eyes, but if he cried, he'd make no sound. Ryouji was becoming concerned. Arai tossed his stick away and grabbed Ryouji by the hand, dragging him to the back of the house and pointing furiously at Haruhi's window. Ryouji yanked his hand out of Arai's.

"I don't know what you're getting at," he snapped, "But you should leave. Our family is still mourning." Ryouji whipped around to walk away.

Frustrated, Arai kicked over a bucket that had collected rainwater. He watched the water seep into the ground - he wasn't about to give up just yet. He dropped to the dirt, once more and scraped up two handfuls of mud. He slung the goop on the wall under Haruhi's window and swirled it around until he was able to draw a crude cat face. He finished his picture and banged his palms on the wall next to it, tears flowing down his face. Ryouji turned around and watched Arai's display with great sadness. Instead of comforting the boy, Ryouji went to fetch his parents.

'He took you, Haruhi,' thought Arai, 'and now I know, for sure.'

Arai collapsed on his back and stared at the sky in depression and defeat, feeling heat and tears numbing his face.

'The black cat cursed me.'

As his parents came and lifted him from the ground, Arai felt his heart break.

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The next morning, Haruhi was having a strange dream. She was walking barefoot down a long hallway with high ceilings and plush carpets. A hushed voice called out behind her.

"Haruhi…"

She whipped around and was suddenly facing a mirror. She was startled. In her reflection she saw herself wearing the white gown and gold circlet that belonged to Nekozawa's mother. Her face was adorned with a light layer of shimmering makeup and was topped with a white half mask. Her hair was long and flowing. Just as Haruhi reached out to touch her reflection another hand grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"There you are. We're going to be late."

Haruhi turned around and was taken aback. There, staring back at her was Nekozawa dressed handsomely, in all black, with a black half mask.

"Neko-sensei, what…?" She stopped when he started laughing.

"Goodness, it's been forever since you called me that," He said. "Come, now, everyone's already at the church."

"…Church?"

Nekozawa smiled, swooped down and kissed her lips.

"Come on. They can't start without us."

Nekozawa took Haruhi by the hand and led her further down the hallway. The further they walked, the more darkness enveloped her surroundings, and the walls and ceiling disappeared. Haruhi could feel her heartbeat quickening and she sped up her pace to try and walk closer to her sensei. Another voice broke her train of thought.

"How could you…?"

She whipped her head toward the voice, and the moment she did an incredible pain enveloped her right foot. She screamed in agony and fell to the floor. Yanking up her dress hem she saw, to her horror, that she had stepped into a bear trap.

"How could you…?"

Haruhi looked up and saw Kaoru with his hands tied behind his back, kneeling on the executioner's block. Above him was a yellow-eyed Nekozawa holding a broadsword above his neck. Nekozawa lifted the sword in slow motion before swiftly swinging downward and stealing Kaoru's head.

Haruhi awoke with a jolt.

She was wide-eyed and had a rapidly beating heart. She could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins and she was experiencing a mighty desire to flee. The only thing that kept her petrified in shock and fear was waking up face-to-face with a sleepy Nekozawa. He wasn't there when she fell asleep and she wasn't sure how to handle her new predicament. She didn't have to wait long before he stirred. Eyes half-open, he lazily smiled at her and kissed her on the nose.

"Good morning, Kitten."

"Good…morning…Neko…sensei."

Haruhi blushed furiously and was working on quashing her nightmare-induced panic attack. Nekozawa's continued affections did not help. He pulled her closer and touched foreheads.

"My, my, what a pretty shade of red your face is," he chuckled, "Reading my books and wearing my clothes? I think somebody missed me." He rolled her on her back and positioned himself over her. She squeaked. "I know I said I wouldn't do this again, but you are just too cute, right now." Nekozawa pinned her down and pressed his lips against hers, running his tongue along the bottom of her lip, asking permission for entry. When he got none he settled for kissing everywhere else on her face, and when he got down to her neck Haruhi finally found her voice.

"Hey! Quit it!"

Nekozawa looked up and just kept smiling. "How rude of me." He rolled them over, again, and let Haruhi be on top of him.

"I'm yours, Kitten!" he exclaimed jokingly, "Please, be gentle." He smirked and watch her blush upgrade to a new shade of red.

"I'd rather not, thank you," she managed say.

He laughed and the two of them sat up, facing each other. "My apologies, Kitten, I'm only teasing." He brushed the hair out of her face and helped her stand. "Why don't we continue this conversation over some breakfast?"

Any embarrassment or fear that Haruhi felt had melted away in a single swoop, and was replaced with loving gratitude for a hot meal. Half an hour later, the two of them sat at the dining table with plates of biscuits and gravy and glasses of cold milk that were courtesy of a little ice magic.

"So…," began Haruhi, "How was your trip?"

"I can't complain. I was able to restock some of our supplies and clear my mind. It was quite refreshing," said Nekozawa.

"Ah…"

"How did things go here? Did the animals behave?"

Haruhi paused before speaking, "Um, yes, the animals were fine. And I did most of our laundry, yesterday."

"And then you did a bit of light reading?" he teased. Haruhi blushed.

"Well…" she began.

'What do I say," she thought, 'I can't tell him I know more about Bereznoff than I should!'

"Hm?" said Nekozawa.

"It was pretty lonely, here, by myself," she said, "And…it was a little scary not having you around. So you could say I was wearing your cloak and reading your books to feel a little closer to you. It did help to put my mind at ease."

It was Nekozawa's turn to blush.

'Well, that was unexpected,' commented Bereznoff, 'The little, frail farm girl wants to be your wifey.'

'Shut up!' snapped Nekozawa, 'She didn't say that!'

'But that's what you want, isn't it?'

'Well…'

'Excellent. I can't wait to see how you mess this up.'

Before Nekozawa could retort, Haruhi's voice broke his train of thought.

" I guess I've gotten used to you," she said, smiling. Nekozawa returned the smile, suddenly feeling overjoyed.

"Wait here," he said, "I've brought you some gifts." From there Nekozawa went to retrieve one of his bags from the living room. He set it on top of the dining table and started emptying it. "I've taken the liberty of retrieving some of your former personal possessions." In front of her he laid the music box, the poppet, the mirror, and two books. Haruhi was speechless so he leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"By the way, his name is Isaac. Strange for them to have picked such a foreign name."

"Isaac," whispered Haruhi, "was the name of a man who saved my father's life, when he was young. How were my parents, by the way?"

"Distraught," he replied, "Sullen, confused. heartbroken, and yet...they didn't look like they'd be leaving the house anytime soon to look for you. I think they've given up." Nekozawa looked at her affectionately and kissed her cheek. "I have to unload the rest of my cart. Care to join me? Or you could stay here with your presents, if you like."

Haruhi wiped a tear from her cheek. "No, that's alright. I can help." Haruhi went to retrieve her shoes.

'Told you she'd cry.'

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In another location, far down the road, a pair of redheaded twins rode their horses at a comfortable pace.

"I can't believe you slept for a day and a half," said an annoyed Kaoru.

"I believe it. The Prince has been running me ragged with these stupid side quests," replied Hikaru, "It's like I'm a glorified errand boy instead of a knight - it's insulting."

"What did he want, this time?"

"He wanted his cape mended by the holy sisters so that 'every stitch sewn would be imbued with the protection of God! ' As if we've been in any battles, lately!"

"That's good, though, right?" asked Kaoru, "That you haven't been in battle? I know it makes me feel better knowing you're safe."

"And it would make me feel better knowing you stopped hanging out with that black cat," retorted Hikaru, "I don't care how well you think you know him, he's a blanket of curses and misfortune."

"Funny," replied Kaoru, coldly, "I don't remember bringing home any of that."

"Look," said Hikaru, "I know you mean well, but that kind of bad juju isn't worth the risk. And you said he has a woman living with him, now? I'd like to meet any broad crazy or brazen enough to become his wife." Hikaru laughed, "She'd be Babylon on the battlefield, for sure!"

Kaoru frowned. Haruhi was slim and short, and her big brown eyes weren't threatening, at all. She was like a baby deer…a baby deer who foolishly walked right into the wolf's mouth. Haruhi definitely had the spark of magic in her, and she could be capable of great things, but he had a hard time imagining her as being dangerous. Nekozawa, on the other hand, was quite frightening to Kaoru, at times, but by now he'd gotten used to most of it and knew how to conduct himself. He just hoped Haruhi was telling the truth that she wasn't kidnapped or forced into some sick, twisted game. Out of respect for his friend, though, he would keep his distance, for now.

"What?" said Hikaru, snapping Kaoru out of his own thoughts, "Did I insult your new witch buddy?"

"As a matter of fact, you did," said Kaoru. And he left it at that. Hikaru frowned.

"I worry about you, Kaoru, and the more you put yourself at risk for these people-"

"I am these people!" yelled Kaoru, "Do you think it was fun growing up as the only one in our town who had magick? Did you think it was funny when mom and dad took me to the church to pray for God to get the devil out? Are you really so ignorant to believe I can forget the pain of the past just because things are better, now?"

Hikaru was taken aback. "I'm sorry," he said, "But you're different than them. They practice dark magick, you don't."

"If the King hadn't given me a chance, I don't know what would've become of me. Even though you stood by me every step of the way when we were growing up, for a while, black magick was looking really good."

"What are you-?"

"How do you think Nekozawa and I met?"

Hikaru frowned.

"When you left to become a page, it broke my heart. When you left - all those snide comments you just made - that's all I heard when I walked outside, and no one was there to defend me."

"Kaoru…," Hikaru's eyes started watering, "I…I had no idea. You know I would've stayed if you asked me to."

"I know," said Kaoru, "That's why I let you go. But that's all in the past; nothing we can do to change it, now."

There was a moment of silence, and then Kaoru smiled and broke the tension.

"Is the mighty Sir Hikaru weeping like a little milkmaid? Do we need to pull over while you change into your skirt?" he teased. Kaoru laughed and whipped the back of his horse, prompting it into a full gallop.

"Hey, get back here!" yelled Hikaru, and he too sped his horse to a gallop.

"Can't catch me, errand boy!" replied Kaoru, and the two brothers raced home.

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Naraku's Phoenix: *Phew!* There was a lot of ground to cover in this chapter, but I feel that this chapter is the chapter that will open the floodgates for the rest of the plot. Nekozawa made some mistakes that will inevitably come back to bite him on the butt (for lack of a better term), but that's for another chapter. ;)

I have a few fan art ideas, for this story, but I'm not sure where to start. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to read them. Please review.