Hello, Author here. Thanks for your continued patience and reviews.
So... I'm trying out Ubuntu for the first time after a rather shady experience with it earlier last year, and so far it looks nice but I'm getting used to the different formatting. For some reason everything looks a little... funny. I apologize ahead of time if this chapter ends up looking funky.
Enjoy!
Mai-hime and related belong to Sunrise
A Promise
They felt like a pair of war-ravaged rebels about to undertake some sort of secret mission for the good of everyone involved, but in reality Natsuki and Shizuru were very well aware of their potential check in the agonizing deadlock of a chess game they were in. They were, in essence, simply running away from the aggravated conflict, and the small fishing boat was now carrying them through international waters and towards contested territory to the north. Whether these islands were under Russian jurisdiction on paper or claimed to be owned by the Japanese historically was not a problem that warranted further explorations by either of the two. The language barrier was easily shattered. Shizuru spoke Russian fluently enough to pass as a local and Natsuki had listened to enough of it to comprehend it and get herself out of sticky situations. They managed to bribe a passing fishing boat and transferred their luggage over as the boat slowly took them up to Iturup Island, the largest of the southernmost Kuril Islands. Even more bribe money was successfully used along with some bartering and soon they were out of the port and on an old bus from that took them down winding roads and towards several small towns along the way. The trip was exhausting but the two managed to stay awake long enough for the last stop in a sleepy little hamlet near the sea. They departed the bus and rearranged their luggage before starting their hike up the winding paths that led up to the village in question.
After a good hour or so of hiking, Shizuru dug into her pocket to extract a small map and a small plastic box, handing the box to Natsuki. Natsuki eagerly popped the box open. In the box were several rice balls tightly crammed into neat rows. A small divider held a tiny plastic squeeze bottle with a red cap that Natsuki picked up first. She took out a sticky rice ball that she immediately chomped into before popping open the bottle and squeezing out a fair quantity of mayonnaise into the rice ball's filling. After she finished her first helping, she waved the box towards Shizuru who had already pulled off one of her gloves. Shizuru took another rice ball and ate it in a more controlled manner as to not leave stray bits of rice on the map she was viewing. Natsuki shuffled through the numerous pockets of her jacket before extracting a miniature flashlight. She twisted the end and a concentrated beam of light shone over Shizuru's shoulder and onto the map. After a moment of trying to parse through a map that seemed to have been drawn a good two decades ago, Shizuru finally rolled the map back into her pocket and signaled over to Natsuki to resume their trip while taking the box from her hands and closing it once more. Natsuki licked her fingers free of rice and turned off the flashlight before grabbing onto the luggage at her feet. Shizuru adjusted the strap around her wrapped naginata after putting her glove back on. The two began to walk through the cold stillness of night with only the soft starlight above them to keep them company.
The village was noticeably dark but they knew that there was really no reason for anyone to be awake at this late hour, especially in this cold. Still, there was one light still on in the house furthest down in the village and they walked towards it like moths to an inviting flame. Shizuru nodded as she read the map once more and Natsuki paused in front of the heavy wooden door, knocking three times before waiting. The door opened suddenly to reveal one inquisitive red eye before it narrowed and the door closed. They frowned in unison but this faded as the door opened a little wider this time to reveal an impassive face framed with severely straight locks of light blue hair. This young woman eyed Shizuru and Natsuki before giving a resolute nod and stepping aside to let the two in. Warmth washed over them from a cheerfully roaring fire in the sitting room and they stomped the snow off their feet before taking off their shoes and setting them by the door.
"I will take your coats," the woman said tonelessly as they set down their luggage.
Natsuki nodded and began to unzip her ski jacket before handing it over.
"Thank you, Miyu."
The woman nodded stiffly and waited until Shizuru handed over her coat as well before she walked over to a coat closet. When she opened it Shizuru could see a row of small coats fit for a child neatly arranged by color. Below them were several pairs of snow boots that were also arranged in a similar manner. Miyu hung their outerwear and closed the closet with a question about beverages that Natsuki absently nodded her agreement on. Natsuki rubbed her bare hands together and fought down a sniffle as she looked around.
"Is she still awake?" Natsuki asked.
Miyu gave a solemn nod as she returned with a tray of cups. The two were led down to the sitting room and Miyu set the cups down in front of them when they sat down on a comfortable couch that faced the blazing fireplace.
"She retired after dinner for a nap but should be awake soon," Miyu replied.
Natsuki nodded and Miyu left the two alone with cups of red tea. Natsuki handed one of the tea cups to Shizuru before picking up the other cup for herself. The tea was a little bitter but she drank it down in light of nothing better to do. Beside her Shizuru sipped on the tea slowly before settling the cup in her hands. The television set was on what looked to be the news in Russian. Natsuki stared at the anchor chattering away before the foreign language began to lose its novelty to her ears and she returned to her cup of tea.
"Anything interesting?" she asked.
Shizuru rested her arm on the arm rest and stared attentively at the screen.
"There is something involving a dip in economy," Shizuru noted after a moment. "But nothing terribly interesting, I'm afraid."
They watched the program for a few more minutes before they heard the shuffling of feet against the heavy carpet that led to the middle of the room. Miyu had returned, this time with a child standing next to her. The child was a very attractive individual even with her young age, with crystalline blue eyes and blonde hair that was fashioned in an unusual manner through the use of a black hair ribbon. Two sections of her hair appeared to create the illusion of horns jutting from her head, giving her the appearance of a rather young looking ram whose horns had yet to curl into themselves. The girl held onto Miyu's hand and remained quiet as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, but when she registered Natsuki she let out a short cry of happiness and ran towards the dark-haired girl with her arms outstretched. Natsuki set the cup down in time to be tackled by this child who in turn pulled Shizuru in to share this hug. After the girl withdrew, however, she also aimed a punch towards Natsuki's shoulder, causing her to give a surprised yell as the tiny fist rammed straight into the bone.
"Hey! What was that for?!"
"Idiot!" the girl snapped. "You haven't visited at all!"
Natsuki huffed and crossed her arms as she regarded the glaring girl seated on her lap.
"I did too," Natsuki argued.
"Miyu, when was the last time Natsuki visited?" the girl asked, turning towards the only standing occupant of the room.
"One year, six months, four days, and sixteen hours ago, ma'am," Miyu replied before taking up the tray and returning to the kitchen.
Natsuki uneasily rubbed the back of her neck as furious blue eyes locked onto her own.
"Honestly, Natsuki," the girl huffed. "You're unbelievable."
The girl turned towards Shizuru and offered a gracious smile that was returned with a kind smile from Shizuru.
"It's nice to see you again, Shizuru onee-san," the girl chirped as her legs swung back and forth from her perch.
"It's been quite a long time, Alyssa-chan. You look well," Shizuru replied.
The two shared nearly identical saccharine smiles as Natsuki looked on with a frown.
"Now I feel left out. I don't get that sort of nice welcome from you?" Natsuki inquired as she jabbed Alyssa's side with a finger.
"Hey!" Alyssa snapped before smacking Natsuki's arm once more. "Be glad Miyu hasn't been ordered to chase you around the house!"
"Tch. Like you would do that, you little brat," Natsuki replied with a snort.
Alyssa growled, drawing the attention of Miyu from the kitchen.
"Ma'am?" Miyu's eyes narrowed a fraction. "Is Kuga-san bothering you?"
The way she said "bother" was akin to one inquiring as to whether or not a particular pest needed to be exterminated. Natsuki felt herself freeze at the tone and she looked down at the grinning girl on her lap. Shizuru hid her amusement behind the cup of tea she was sipping from, leaving Natsuki alone in what would undoubtedly have been a poor attempt to defend herself had Alyssa not merely shook her head in response to Miyu's question. Miyu nodded and returned to the kitchen, leaving Natsuki to heave a faint sigh of relief before straightening and giving Alyssa a stern look that the younger girl returned with the same intensity. Shizuru set her cup down and threw the two an amused glance before Natsuki shook her head to break the staring contest. Now her expression grew serious and Alyssa raised an eyebrow before frowning.
"I'm guessing this wasn't a vacation sort of visit after all," Alyssa said softly.
Natsuki nodded and Alyssa slid off her lap in order to take a place in between the two. Immediately she leaned against Shizuru who placed an arm around her slim shoulders. Natsuki watched the two with an unreadable expression before she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees in her contemplative manner. With a frown she stood up and retrieved the steel poker from next to the fireplace, moving aside a few of the blackened tinder to drop in thick log from a neatly-stacked pile. The fire eagerly began to eat away at the log and Natsuki returned to her seat.
"We ran into a rather familiar man by the name of John Smith," Natsuki said in a low voice.
Shizuru could feel the child stiffen beside her for a second. Despite trying to remain normal Alyssa could not hide the brief flash of surprise that flitted past her eyes before she ran her fingers against the soft fabric of Shizuru's turtleneck sweater. Natsuki rested her chin on her palm before turning her neck slightly to fix her gaze on Alyssa.
"You're still safe to my knowledge," Natsuki continued with a reassuring smile that soon melted as she continued. "But apparently he's managed to tamper with a friend of mine and now she's a medium for a homicidal maniac of a creature."
Alyssa paused to take in the information as her fingers absently rubbed against Shizuru's open palm, tracing out wistful patterns that Shizuru nevertheless paid attention to.
"You're going to ask me if I know anything about it," Alyssa said slowly.
Natsuki gave a wordless shrug.
"If you don't know anything we aren't going to press you for it. It sounds a little backwards, I would rather you be already involved than to get yourself in the line of fire because I asked you to do research."
Alyssa nodded and sighed, craning her head over towards the direction of the kitchen.
"Miyu, may I have the papers on my desk please?" she called out.
Miyu arrived at the sitting room with the requested item in tow. A thick stack of papers was set onto the table beside empty cups of tea that were then refilled. Shizuru took the packet of papers and handed them to Alyssa who quietly rifled through them before settling on several papers in the middle. These she gently pulled out and set the rest on her lap as she flicked through the selected papers now in her hands.
"There has been some activity between Searrs and your First District over the past couple of years," Alyssa announced before straightening the pile in her hands. Her eyes focused on Natsuki even as her fingers gently tapped a pattern on the papers. "For the most part it's just been a bureaucratic contest of who can push more buttons than the other, but recently there's been some talk about First District starting up their laboratories again. They have been looking into reinstating the laboratory in Hokkaido by using leftover funds that the Fujino estate poured in."
"It doesn't surprise me," Shizuru replied, drawing both of their attention. "If you think about it... There has been an awful surge in incidents involving mediums. For the first time there are others who actively call upon their powers."
"Do you think First District was waiting for an opportunity like this?" Natsuki asked.
"Perhaps," Alyssa replied in a low voice. "I can't say for certain. All I know is, John Smith is a turncoat. He once worked for Searrs before the organization fired him. First District immediately picked him up and he has been rather influential to their cause ever since."
Natsuki snorted and returned to watching the fire.
"First District is a lunatic company," she muttered with a mutinous glare towards the flames. "All they ever cared about was controlling a bunch of lab rats to do whatever they wanted."
"I doubt that Searrs is any different despite their antagonism with First District," Natsuki continued more to herself. She sighed and watched as Alyssa carefully placed the papers back in order. "Everyone wants to be on top, no matter what it takes."
"I just wonder what is driving First District now, of all times," Shizuru added in a troubled tone. "I feel more bothered than I should be."
Alyssa set the papers on the table next to the cups and leaned against Shizuru once more.
"... Tell me about your friend," Alyssa prompted, turning her inquisitive eyes towards the brooding girl.
Natsuki leaned back against the couch and crossed her arms across her stomach in a loose manner. A sort of smile managed to wedge its way onto her lips as she stared at the flames with a bit of a fonder glint in her eyes that almost melted the cold exterior.
"Well, there's a lot I can say about Tokiha Mai, but I'll keep it short. We weren't the best of friends at first but we soon grew to like each other enough. I guess being roommates kinda pushed that along. She's a great cook and loves to try out new recipes. Life's dealt her a pretty hard hand—her mother died when she was young and her father abandoned her and her brother. Her brother has a heart condition and is on a transplant list in America at this time, so she sends a good portion of her paycheck over there every month to help pay for his operation. Despite all this she's remained pretty upbeat. She used to date a pretty clueless guy named Tate Yuichi, but the two broke apart, I'm not sure why. She also has this pint-sized terror by the name of Minagi Mikoto chasing her around and using her chest as a pillow, but she's a good kid."
She turned her face slightly.
"Kanzaki used to have a thing for her, did you know that Shizuru?"
"Ara, I guessed as much. Reito-han seems to hide his feelings well but he paid much more attention to Mai-han than towards his other admirers."
Natsuki nodded to herself.
"I'm not sure where that went, but apparently he's still stuck in a denial phase where he believes that he was the one who ruined his own relationship with both of them. If you ask me I think it's a load of bull. But I'm going completely off topic." She paused to recollect herself. "The spirit known as Kagutsuchi contracted with her. He's kinda crazy, not something I would want to deal with at all. Now, I'm not sure what's going on, but apparently Shizuru's cousin was supposed to be the medium for Kagutsuchi, not Mai."
"Cousin?" Alyssa echoed with a raised eyebrow.
Shizuru nodded. "Her name is Kazahana Mashiro."
When the name was mentioned Alyssa's features instantly darkened. Natsuki took in the change with a questioning glance.
"Alyssa?"
"... I know the name. It's rather familiar." Alyssa sighed. "She has another name, right? A title, if you will."
"Her family is rather famous for it," Shizuru noted. "There are those who refer to the females of the Kazahana family as 'Queens of Hell.'"
Alyssa nodded.
"Kazahana Mashiro was a name connected to the First District documents that I managed to dig up several months ago. There was a mention of company funds being used to finance surgery for an accident she suffered. I believe there may be something more pertinent to First District's motive for that charitable donation."
"Nagi mentioned that they were blackmailing the family," Natsuki added as she remembered the boy's words. "They forced his hand by withholding funds for Mashiro's recovery, so he was sent to try and force Kagutsuchi and Mai out of hiding."
"However, Mashiro-chan told me that she was the intended medium of Kagutsuchi, and Mai-han was supposed to be the medium for the spirit Izanami," Shizuru concluded.
Alyssa digested this information for a few minutes, tucking in her chin and frowning as she began to fill in the spaces between the separate points she was given. When she withdrew from her thoughts and returned to the world, her eyes held a distinctly troubled look to them.
"Ara, ara... It's bad, isn't it?" Shizuru asked as she studied the expression.
"It's bad," Alyssa agreed with a nod.
"... Like 'it's bad but it can work itself out and we shouldn't worry' bad, or 'holy crap the world is going to end if we don't fix it' bad?" Natsuki asked with a wave of her hand to accentuate the two options.
Alyssa massaged the bridge of her nose.
"... I'd say the latter, at this point."
"It figures," Natsuki said with a sigh. "It's not like people are given powers to live out peaceful lives."
"Well, that's some wishful thinking," Alyssa replied critically. "I hope you didn't put too much stock in that."
"I can dream," Natsuki retorted in a defiant grumble.
"In any case, this is a very unlucky turn of events for us," Alyssa continued with a sigh of her own. "But it goes in line with what Miyu and I have managed to dig up on First District."
Miyu at this point returned to the sitting room and took a sentinel position next to the couch.
"Miyu, tell them what we found," Alyssa ordered.
Miyu appeared to be reading something that only she could see, but those assembled knew that she was merely dredging through mental files to pick up an itinerary she had recorded previously. After a few seconds she looked down towards Natsuki and began her report.
"October 23rd, 1530 hours, we discovered a set of encrypted documents from the discontinued First District Laboratory in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Decryption of the documents took fourteen hours, twenty-three minutes, fifty-eight seconds. Upon decryption a list of names and numbers was discovered along with a set of coordinates. Names included one Tokiha Mai and one Kuga Natsuki. Numbers appear to indicate subject labeling for further references within the documents. The documents themselves indicate little of the purpose behind this list and were filled with many blanks denoting a lack of specific knowledge in the intended subject. The given coordinates were computed into a GPS monitor but results have been inconclusive. It is hypothesized that the coordinates may have been used in the past rather than the present to facilitate the sending of said documents to the appropriate benefactor. Also included was a routing number for an account that is now frozen due to inactivity."
Natsuki frowned.
"How long ago was this set of documents published?"
"No date has been recovered but records indicate that the packet was published roughly twelve years ago. 98-percent confirmation that the date is prior to ten years ago," Miyu replied.
"Who authored this publication?"
"Dr. Saeko Kuga."
Natsuki felt her heart stop for one cold second, causing a sharp wave of pain to sting her chest. Then her heart remembered to beat, only this time it gave the added effect of pins tumbling down to her stomach. These pins built a pile that caused her stomach to grow cold and her mouth to go dry despite knowing that there was a chance, there was always a chance that she was more involved than she would have hoped.
She had prepared herself for this. She had prepared for years, beaten the possibility into her head to avoid being shocked. She was not disillusioned over her mother's employment with First District—unfortunately, everyone who worked there was in some point involved with the outcome of her current struggles. This was a bitter realization but she had held on to the one saving grace that her mother had broken free of First District due to an ethical challenge. The conditions of the subjects were horrendous and her mother definitely had to have picked up on it during her studies. Her mother was trying to save her from a thankless existence as a permanent lab rat in the facility. Every year up to the accident she had taken her trek up the winding roads of Fuuka in order to lay flowers down on the spot her mother had died in an attempt at freedom. First District was the blame. Her mother was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Wishful thinking.
"... Repeat the name."
Miyu blinked, the only sign that she wasn't droning along on auto-pilot.
"Kuga Saeko, graduate of Tokyo University's biology department with a PhD in Neuropharmacology. Employee of First District's Hokkaido-based laboratory, current status deceased."
"Miyu, that's enough," Alyssa said in a distracted tone.
Miyu nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
Natsuki's shoulders were especially rigid as she sat there, hunched over herself.
"Tell me about the routing number," she ordered.
"Natsuki, I don't think—"
"Now, Miyu," Natsuki snapped, effectively hushing the girl.
Alyssa nodded faintly, giving Miyu permission despite her misgivings.
"The routing number was for an account held in Kuga Saeko's name under the pseudonym 'Kruger.' There is no evidence but speculation has led us to believe that there is a 95-percent probability that the list was exchanged for a predetermined sum of money. The benefactor has not been identified as of yet. There is reason to believe that Dr. Kuga was in fact selling the list to a rival corporation."
"Miyu that's enough," Alyssa ordered in a firm voice. She turned towards Natsuki. "This doesn't change anything about what is happening here and now, Natsuki. Regardless of what happened in the past, the current situation would have been encountered eventually. There is no escaping it."
Natsuki shook her head and stood up in one stiff movement. With pursed lips and a swift stride she walked past the living room, brushed past Miyu and walked out the door. Alyssa hurriedly made to hop off of the couch and race after her when Shizuru suddenly pulled her back.
"Give her a few minutes by herself," Shizuru said in a low murmur.
Alyssa threw Shizuru an uncertain glance but those crimson eyes held firm in her conviction. Soon Alyssa sighed and leaned against the couch.
"... She hates me, doesn't she?" Alyssa wondered aloud.
"Why do you say that?" Shizuru asked curiously.
"Natsuki hates me. She always has, ever since she found out about me." Alyssa drew in a shaky breath to steady herself. "Of course, it's not like you completely accept something like that, especially when you wake up in the morning to the fact that you have a little sister who was artificially created out of your mother's DNA and the DNA of some megalomaniac in Searrs. I'm that strange, shapeless little part of the past that she can't help but distrust. I don't blame her, really."
Shizuru took this explanation with a frown.
"Natsuki may do some rash things from time to time, but she's never actively hated someone due to that person simply existing," she said.
Shizuru then stood before walking back to the coat closet. She flicked through the hangers and extracted the heavy, large ski jacket before pulling it on. Alyssa and Miyu walked down the hall to the entryway and squinted as Shizuru pulled the heavy door open. A fresh blast of clean, cold air buffeted through her hair before she turned to face the two.
"Well, I'll be back," Shizuru said with a smile before she stepped out into the howling wind.
The door closed and swallowed the two residents into a cloak of darkness.
"... I wonder, sometimes, just how much of life that woman takes so lightly," Alyssa wondered with a soft frown.
"Her words are sincere no matter how relaxed she may seem," Miyu replied in her analytical tone. She paused, then, and cocked her head to the side in a thoughtful pose. "There is a certain degree of reassurance that tends to outweigh the initial doubt, I would think."
Miyu turned and placed a protective hand on Alyssa's head. Miyu smiled in reassurance. She knew the doubts still lingered.
"Despite not possessing a finer degree of expression, Kuga-san is too honest to hide hate."
Alyssa pursed her lips and said nothing before she turned to go to her room.
Her hands were shaking in this stubborn cold but she didn't feel particularly bothered by it. She clenched her fists and let out a long, steady breath of air that trailed out into wisps of white steam. The scenery was breathtaking despite the relative poverty of the town below the house behind her. Since the house had been built on a hill that overlooked the rest of the town and good bit of wilderness it made a very pretty picture that Natsuki felt she could capture if she flicked her fingers out to make a box using her thumb and forefingers. She did that for a moment and squinted as she made out the rickety bus stop she had arrived in earlier during the evening. It was pitch dark outside save for the starlight that had guided them earlier. There was nothing of note to capture in her imaginary camera and she let her hands drop to her sides.
Briefly she wondered about Alyssa and what might have been her reaction to this unsettling news. When she first met the girl several years ago with her tag-along Miyu there was no doubt she had run into something she would not like. This sentiment was an honest one for the most part—especially when she discovered that Alyssa was in fact an artificially created individual using DNA from her mother of all people. Maybe that should have clued her in to Dr. Kuga's turncoat activities but even Alyssa appeared troubled at this piece of news. Maybe that was some slice of belated humanity displaying itself in the face of an otherwise far-from-innocent child. Sometimes Natsuki wondered just how long she could have lived her life peacefully had she not delved further into her past, but it was wishful thinking like Alyssa had pointed out. She knew too much to wish for a peaceful existence now.
Natsuki knew plenty of facts about herself in comparison to the rest of the world. She knew that her body would only feel the chill like a normal person would if the temperature dropped to five degrees below zero degrees Celsius, but if she was immersed in water her tolerance was about equal. She could go for approximately six miles in a relatively steady run before her limbs would shake from the effort. A jump down four stories was a good leap that would produce only mild shock to her legs, and she could swim one hundred meters at top speed in under a minute if the water was calm. By all means she was a wild success in the eyes of First District in their lofty goal of producing a super-human individual. While they would have wanted to do away with the presence in her mind that occasionally took control of her body, it was in all a pretty good success in light of their other failures in attempting to control an ethereal existence.
Kuga Saeko was a major proponent of the study and even provided the blueprints for what she assumed would have been subsequent experiments had she not left First District. She devoted countless hours and worked until she fell asleep in her lab chair with the computers still shining their white light around her. Dr. Kuga seemingly awoke from these power naps with another shot of ambition flashing in her forest green eyes that rivaled only the affection she held for her only child who hung around the lab with wide eyes and a rather large dog tagging along.
Life was so innocent, then. There were no questions about the haggard people marching to and fro with the white pills in their hands and the dead look in their eyes. Dr. Kuga would lecture her child on the importance of their mission. They were to make sick people feel better, and the research they conducted was of the utmost importance in realizing this ambition. Natsuki would sit on her mother's lap and listen to this lecture until she nodded herself to sleep over it. Those motherly hands would stroke her cheeks and patiently draw up short locks of hair into pigtails, securing them with various hair ties depending on the day. Dr. Kuga was known as Mother, and those eyes held nothing but a kind patience and a certain wistfulness towards her childhood antics in a place no one should have grown up in.
Natsuki remembered the sudden seriousness that entered her mother's eyes and dictated her future movements when the girl first came into contact with the bitter cold of Duran. She could never remember the first couple of times she had transformed, but she could always remember the tired expression on Dr. Kuga's face and the tiny cuts on her hands and arms that made her flinch as she held Natsuki. Despite this disturbing change and the sudden detachedness, Natsuki had been reassured that there was nothing wrong with her. She was given a small packet filled with white pills, the same as those haggard individuals who marched to and fro, from the laboratory to their living quarters in some thankless form of existence. At first she had been afraid she would be forced to don those hospital gowns and walk in a lethargic shuffle for the rest of her life. Eyes forward, never blinking. Instead, she had been given a strange sort of pep talk that even in her young age she found a little incredulous to believe at first. This was no disease in her body, therefore there was no outstanding cure that could be administered. But there was no worry. She was blessed with something rare, she had been told. She was given a mysterious, limitless power and it was up to her how she would use it. No matter what, her mother would remind her, no matter what, she would be protected. That was why they left First District, and that was why her mother died. The reasoning was sufficient whenever it failed to be reassuring.
I will do everything in my power, Natsuki, to protect you.
Not anymore.
It was laughable now as she recalled the strange lectures she had received as a child. There was nothing wildly important over her emergence. She was a number on a list of similar numbers, sold and bought for a set sum of cash that had probably never been touched. She was a set of statistics and test results printed out on dusty sheets of computer paper with a set of holes punched in. She was a page in a record book that wasn't even kept in date anymore. There was nothing special after all, save for a strange power and a strange need from others to obtain this power. Mother was now Doctor, and salvation was now just a fancy word for being dumped into servitude under another master.
She clenched her jaw but to her surprise the tears failed to come despite the stinging sensation behind her eyes. Maybe it was the proximity of Shizuru but Duran failed to do anything rash which also surprised her. She breathed out once more and this time no cloud of steam accentuated her breath. Her eyes looked up and picked out the light glow of the moon peeking through hazy clouds. The gentle light seemed to calm her and she continued to stare up towards the sky even as she sensed someone else moving up beside her. Her gaze flicked to the side for a brief second and she caught the familiar sight of her own ski jacket.
"... That's my jacket."
Shizuru shrugged.
"So it is."
"Why do you have it on?"
"I guess I wasn't looking hard enough when I picked it out of the coat closet."
Natsuki shoved her hands in her pockets and stared up at the sky once more.
"That's a lie."
"If you say so."
Shizuru closed her eyes and sighed.
"This won't do. Alyssa-chan is suffering as much as you are."
Natsuki breathed out heavily through her nose, causing another puff of steam to blow from her nostrils this time.
"Do you remember that night, when you said the world is beautiful?" she asked suddenly.
Shizuru nodded despite knowing Natsuki could not see her.
"Of course. How could I forget?" Shizuru let her lips ease into a smile as she tucked her hands in the jacket pockets. "It was so cold that day."
"You thought so?" Natsuki asked, not really paying complete attention.
"Mhmm. For some reason it was a cold day, colder than it has been lately, even. I never quite understood why until I came home and saw you in bed, under the covers and staring at the wall."
The words wafted out towards Natsuki's ears and she closed her eyes. Maybe if she wished for it hard enough, when she opened her eyes everything would be as they were before. The illusion didn't work so well when there was a constant wind pummeling them, making their faces red and raw from the contact. Natsuki merely settled for squinting as she forced her eyes open. Shizuru tucked several wayward locks of her hair behind her ear and held her hand there for a moment until the particularly strong breeze died down.
"I apologize, my Natsuki."
"What for?" Natsuki asked softly.
"Perhaps I can only atone for the sins of my blood by apologizing," Shizuru replied in a hollow tone. "After all, it's only fair. Anything that happened to you was most likely due to a byproduct of something in the past that my family had sponsored in some attempt to remain, as you say, normal."
"Resurrecting harsh memories from ashes, huh."
Natsuki hooked her thumbs around the belt loops of her pants.
"That's not necessary. Whatever happened, happened, right? I mean, knowing this information doesn't change the fact that we're being chased by crazy people and a homicidal spirit. It only brings us closer to our goal, and that is to find out the cause of all this. From there we can finally finish things and go home."
It was nice to see Natsuki not completely give in to despair, but Shizuru was still worried as she watched the girl bemusedly stare at the clouds in the sky. She stepped forward, hesitantly at first, but she shook her head and took more definitive steps through the snow. She unzipped the jacket and opened wide, grasping onto Natsuki and wrapping her arms around her. It was like hugging a block of ice—she barely managed to hold in a shiver as she rested her chin on Natsuki's shoulder. They stood still in this dark silence until an amused noise reverberated from Shizuru's throat onto Natsuki's shoulder.
"Now, I wonder if you remember something you told me," Shizuru began softly.
Her lips seemingly tickled Natsuki's ear and she managed to smile honestly at the sensation. This was rewarded with a tighter hug as the jacket overlapped around them.
"I've told you lots of things," Natsuki remarked. "You're going to have to be more specific than that."
"Hmm... You're right, I should be more precise."
Shizuru paused for a moment, inwardly savoring the slow thaw from ice cold to a comfortable coolness that contrasted with her own warm body under this heavy jacket. Natsuki smelled of mint with the faint undertone of citrus, a cool and tart scent that tickled her nose that was so used to smelling nothing but crisp evergreens and the stinging salt of the sea. Shizuru took in a deep breath and exhaled as the memories began to extract themselves from the neat filing cabinet she held in her mind. Memories of Natsuki were never short. There were a great many to choose from but this one was an important one, marked with a special folder.
"Alright, I have it. This should be easy, it was after you started your first year in high school. Remember Takeda-han?"
This brought a reaction that Shizuru had expected. An annoyed snort exited Natsuki's nose at the mere mention of that name and Shizuru felt herself grinning at the display.
"What about that pervert?" Natsuki grumbled.
"I just remember the rousing point you made towards him when he attempted to bail you out of detention in some show of chivalry," Shizuru recalled in a fond tone. "Several punks had tried to prove a point towards you and the story goes that you managed to knock them out within five minutes using only your right fist and a borrowed shinai that you then proceeded to snap into two pieces when you brought it down on your knee. It was a rather rousing tale filled with some over-the-top bravado... At least, I thought so."
"Suzushiro apparently didn't share your idea of entertainment,"Natsuki pointed out. "I had detention until the beginning of winter break because of it, and I wasn't even able to defend myself from her interrogation squad either."
"Do you remember now?" Shizuru prompted.
Natsuki nodded slightly. Of course she remembered. It was what had caused her to receive the nickname "the lone wolf," the title she was referenced to during her high school career. Punks were afraid of her and she had gathered an unwanted following of colleagues and underclassmen. But the one person who suffered the most at her hands probably would have been one Takeda Masahi, captain of the Kendo team and unfortunate victim of one of the most devastating spinning hook kicks to the face by said "lone wolf" after a rather unfortunate incident involving stolen lingerie.
"Ah, I remember now."
There are only two kinds of people in this world: Sheep who eat everything they're given in their stupidity and weak group mentality, and the wolves who are hungry enough to fight through the obstacles and eat the sheep in order to survive. Trying to save me will only result in your downfall, so don't even think about it!
The statement was unspoken yet the forceful, roaring tones of one confident, rebellious seventeen year-old Natsuki resounded into echoes as they replayed the memories.
"I used to think it was such a misguided statement. The world as it was could not only exist due to fighting between these so-called wolves. Dominance was a nice way to make one's claim on the earth but I was never a firm believer in that concept. However... I couldn't help but feel as if it didn't matter if it was right, so long as you believed in it all the way. You were so passionate then. All alight in stubborn flames that refused to die down once you started up."
"I wonder what happened to that," Natsuki pondered aloud. She shrugged in her limited space. "I wonder if it was just me being young and stupid."
"I'm sure it hasn't gone far," Shizuru replied with a knowing smile. "There is still tomorrow, Natsuki, and the day after that. Staying in the past and brooding will not delay tomorrow. Remember, you are a wolf after all."
Natsuki remained silent as she considered Shizuru's words. She let out a brief chuckle that sounded freer as the wind picked it up and carried it up high.
"I wonder how you do it, Shizuru."
"Hmm?"
Natsuki leaned back ever so slightly into Shizuru.
"I remember now, from a long time ago. We thought the future was so limitless then. Now that we're approaching this future of ours it keeps growing more and more narrow and the choices are already so limited. When it comes down to it, we'll have to fight. That's the only option left, now."
"Would you fight Mai?" Shizuru asked suddenly.
Natsuki frowned but she knew the answer already. It felt as if it had been written long ago, decided before she was even born. Even Duran seemed to have recognized this inevitable clash.
"There were things I could have said and more things I could have done, but my own fears caused me to hold back and let some of this mess happen. No more. That isn't Mai. She's in there, but the person flying around setting everything on fire isn't Mai. It's Kagutsuchi I will beat until he begs for mercy. After that, the pieces should fall into place."
"Then..."
"Our questions were answered. We're not going to waste anymore time."
Natsuki turned and smiled at Shizuru.
"Thank you. Now I know why I have to fight. It used to be to find answers and to stop our suffering, but I know now."
There was a promise made long ago, a locked up hidden promise that had sustained the two through darker times. It had no words attached to it and was indescribable save for the very real bond that tied their hearts together and caused them to beat in unison. No more words were spoken between the two as they stood there for several more minutes, sharing a jacket and staring up at the now windless night that was free of the chilling wind. As they turned to go back into the house, Natsuki absently kicked at a patch of soft snow that showered powder everywhere in front of them. They thought nothing of it as they retired for the night, but the space that used to contain the loosely-packed snow now housed what looked to be a tiny crop of purple flowers.
They were now beginning to bloom.
AN: With a change of seasons comes a change of pace.
Another interesting dive into mythology, this time Welsh: Arianrhod gave birth to two sons, Dylan Ail Don and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, through magical means. Dylan plunged into the sea as soon as he hit his baptismal waters, thus earning his epithet Ail Don - son of the wave. Lleu Llaw Gyffes was born as a nameless lump of flesh that was locked away in a box until maturity. I don't know how far Sunrise went into little details, plus Duran is named for Natsuki's dog, but this little bit of information was somewhat fascinating and interestingly fits if one considers the mangaverse and Alyssa's relation to Natsuki.
I wonder if things will be more exciting now? Hahaha...
