Vermilion Concerto No. 1 - Nerima By Moonlight

5th Cadenza

That night

Shiki tossed and turned in his sleep, thinking of the past due to his old friends returning suddenly at the school.

Mumbling to himself, he began to sweat as he lived through his dreams.

6 years ago

I woke a day later, my headache still pounded though, and the cat hair tickled my allergies again.

Apparently Genma was in a much worse condition. He had lost a lot of blood and needed to spend a week in hospital getting transfusions.

I... remembered... I was angry... So, so angry.

But I would never kill a living person.

I managed to steer the blade inches away from the lines in time, but they still connected with his body.

I regretted what I had done, and sat by Genma for the whole week, despite having my headache still. I kept saying sorry to him, until he knocked me on the head, telling me to stop apologising.

Genma decided that training could wait, he said I would be going to school for now.

I think he mentioned something about meeting other people my age.

Though I still think about Akiha and how I left her alone in that mansion, I can't go back. The old man wouldn't let me anywhere near it...

Still, how bad can another school be?

The all boy's school was in a poor neighbourhood, that's why Shiki was staring in horror at the cafeteria. The school gave away free food as it was subsidised by the government.

Queueing didn't exist, just a just mass of boys scrambling over one another to get some food. Shiki's class was, thanks to poor planning, on the third floor and furthest from the staircase, so each time he got to the ground floor, the room was always packed.

Not bothering to stay in the room for the first few days, leaving after just glancing at the number of people, he realised slowly that Genma wasn't one to make boxed lunches, not even for himself, as he relied on making food whenever it was necessary instead of planning in advance.

Besides, he knew that Genma was working in a building site to earn money for himself, not wanting to to rely entirely on Shiki's funds for himself.

Seeing how hungry he was when he came back to their rented flat in the centre, Genma had to ask him.

"What's wrong boy, you seem to be starving." Genma mumbled over his portion of rice and plums, "Are you feeling ill lately?"

"No, it's not that..." Shiki took a few moments to lower his chopsticks, "It's a little hard to get food from the school, there's too many people there."

Genma raised an eyebrow and also stopped eat for a few moments. "Listen, boy, Anything Goes is just that, 'anything goes', which means that this is a form of training for you." He held up a fist, "If there's an obstacle in your way, then you just have to force your way through!"

"But it's just food!" Shiki had a bemused face, "It's not worth fighting over!"

"I didn't say anything about fighting..." Genma switched to 'wise old man' mode, "There's always a way to get through people, without throwing a single punch." Genma started eating again, "Of course, I'd just plough my way through them, but that's how I do things, you can choose differently."

Seeing that Shiki finished his rice first, Genma poured more for him.

"I am taking things easy on you though, another form of training is to subtly steal food from other people's plates. After a week, I'll do the same to you, but you also need to do it to me." He demonstrated by snatching away a plum from his plate before Shiki could even blink, holding it up for him, "See? For a young boy like you, food is just fuel for your growing body, the more you eat, the more energy you have." Replacing the plum on Shiki's bowl of rice, he lightly patted his own stomach, "Just don't gorge yourself, or you could end up like me!"

The both laughed loudly as they ate their dinner.

Move.

Movemovemovemovemovemovemove

Genma was right, I'm almost getting angry enough to punch my way through, but I made a promise...

I'm not going to fight, I'm just going clear a path.

Thinking back to the training so far with Genma, there was a certain kata, one that enabled the person to move forwards in a crowd.

Come to think of it, the crowd became a lot easier to move through, parrying people instead of punches, attacking empty spaces in the floor instead of human weak points.

Pushing forwards without pushing.

I finally got one bread. Shame it was curry bread, not my favourite. The crowd was crushing me even more now that I was at the front, I could almost feel fingers reaching for my bread.

My head was spinning, my eyesight was getting darker.

The dinner lady held up another spicy bread, shouting it out for everyone. I saw her throw it, too high for me to catch when surrounded by everyone.

Until I saw that other boy leap over the other boys, as high as I can jump now, and grab it in mid-air, before bouncing off some heads to land on the ground.

As I blacked out, I thought that was a clever trick...

Six months later

"Why are we going?" Shiki was upset that they were leaving their home for the past few months.

"We have to keep moving, son." He looked at Shiki, pleased to see that he looked a little healthier, "You've been improving, but there is still more training to do. You're already doing well with your studies from what the teachers said. So now's the best time to move on."

"But, I have to see Ry-"

"Shiki, I'm sorry, but in order to become stronger, you have to train, and not staying in one place is something you need to learn."

Shiki stopped complaining, knowing that when Genma used his name, that he was serious and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Sighing to himself, he built up the excitement in his voice as he spoke again, "Where are we going?"

"Osaka... It should take us a week or so to get there." Genma pointed through the hills and farmland, "By walking naturally..."

Shiki grinned, ready for a new adventure.

Present Day

6:54am

A freezing wind attacked Shiki's senses, and he immediately snapped his eyes open, glad that Genma put the glasses on his face before his morning throw-Shiki-out-of-the-window-for-spontaneous-early-morning-sparring.

Curling his body, Shiki landed on the ground with both feet, and used that momentum to propel himself sideways to avoid a flying kick.

Skidding across the ground, Shiki scanned his surroundings, trying to find a foothold, and started for the house itself, running and then walking along the outside wall, jumping off to kick Genma in the head.

Seeing the attack coming from a while away, the elder man merely ducked and performed an uppercut, only for Shiki to smile, having already angled his body to use the upstretched arm as leverage.

Still in his forward motion from the kick, Shiki pulled Genma to the ground as the former's strength surprised him, and he fell backwards.

Punching the ground, Genma stood up again, having relinquished Shiki's hold on him, and turned to face the boy, who wore this satisfied grin on his face.

"Looks like you weren't expecting that, were you dad?" He got into another style and was ready to attack.

"One attack is all it takes sometimes, but you need to be able to follow through also." Genma lunged at Shiki, "Like so..."

A flurry of punches and kicks were directed towards Shiki, who could only dodge them one by one, each attack failing to hit him.

Seeing a small gap in Genma's pattern, Shiki took advantage of it and struck with his own punch, hitting Genma's chest.

Or so he thought, as Genma grinned, twisting the arm which was caught in his hand, flipping Shiki upside down, and readied a kick to punt him away onto the ground.

Realising his mistake too late, Shiki knew what was coming, so did the only thing he could do, and used the other fist to punch at the arm which trapped him, also using both legs to slam into Genma's head.

The latter, now dizzied and having released Shiki, staggered back from the hits to his head. The edge of the koi pond beckoned him, and he was about to fall in, before Shiki grabbed his white gi, pulling him away from the edge.

"That's enough training for today, huh dad?" Shiki winked at him, "Sorry for the strong hits, but I would need to do that in a real fight."

"They were good kicks, Shiki..." Genma seemed proud, "Looks like you're gaining more power in your legs rather than your arms, which isn't so bad." Thumping Shiki on the back, "Well done, son."

"Thanks..." Shiki coughed to himself, "Ready for breakfast?"

"Sure, I'll bet Kasumi has something tasty for us already."

When they went in to the building, the rest of the family were there, eating together.

"Well Saotome, looks like Shiki is doing much better." He took another sip of tea, "He may already possess greater skills than yourself."

Slightly affronted, Genma sat down next to him and picked up the necessary bowl for his rice, and started stealing food from Soun, "Well, I'm sure they don't compare to your own, old friend." He arched and eyebrow, "What do you say we spar, it has been a while..."

Soun paled slightly, "Ah, come on now Saotome, you know how it is, ever since she died, I gave up the art."

"That's a shame, we need more people, in case 'he' returns." Genma made a pointed look, "I'm sure you don't want to be left behind, do you?"

Shiki sighed, seeing how Genma was grilling Soun, and turned to the girls, "Did you all sleep well?"

Kasumi spoke first, "Yes, it was a quiet night, ever since Ukyo left us, it only took a few minutes clear up the blood and wood."

Akane folded her arms, "Gees, already engaged once, huh Shiki?" Her eyes were narrowed.

"Do you really think I had a say in it? I wasn't exactly at the age to agree to anything like that."

She turned her face, blushing, "Well, I suppose, but still..."

"I know... It wasn't my idea, dad did that for me..." Eyeing a tasty morsel from Genma's plate, he stole it and ate it for himself, while he argued with Soun.

"What about your real family? What would they say if they knew about this?" Nabiki looked at Shiki, a little too knowledgeable in her question.

"How would you feel if you were told you were engaged to someone you were friends with for a few months?" Shiki answered honestly, eating more food.

Nabiki shrugged, "I don't know, I only knew I was engaged to someone I knew for a few minutes, and you didn't exactly give a good first impression either."

Shiki was silent, thinking about what she said.

Finishing off his bowl he stood up, "I'm off to school now, I don't want to risk Kuno or anyone else meeting me today."

"Ukyo goes to the school now, doesn't she?" Akane asked rhetorically, "Are you going there for breakfast too?"

Shiki sighed, "See you later, Akane..." He tapped Genma on the shoulder, lost in his conversation with Soun, "Dad, I'm off, we'll spar again later."

"Okay son, take care."

Watching Shiki go, and the girls talk among themselves, Genma thought about what he overheard. Could Nabiki know who his real family is? Ukyo coming back makes things difficult too... Perhaps I need Nodoka to smooth things over with Makihisa, just in case...

Trying not to think of what was to come, Genma continued to try to convince Soun to return to the life used to live.

Meanwhile
Outside

It's been difficult lately, what with everyone talking about my engagements, it's not like I wanted them to start with.

Akane seems to be really jealous for some reason, but I can't say that to her face, or she would really get angry. I can't imagine that Ukyo is best friends with her yet since she was the one who cut Akane's hair.

Kasumi seems to be comfortable with us there, but I still think that Nabiki is in two minds about the whole thing. For some reason, she gives me the impression of someone I know.

I hope today goes well at school, I don't want to have any more fights with people, at least not intentionally.

Speaking of which, I feel healthy today, that was a good spar, one where I used my imagination this time, instead of sticking to the fixed forms. Anything Goes is to use the forms in a fluid manner, and if need be, make up new rules on the spot to get out a tricky situation.

Dad is right though, my legs are getting stronger, though it still ached when I kick people, I get the feeling that my body is more used to dodging, running and jumping, instead of anything really on the offensive side.

In fact, thinking about it even more, it's more like I was made to hold that knife, since it only takes a small effort to stab or slice at someone.

I don't want to think too much about that, perhaps it's simply because my body isn't made out for martial arts, but I have progressed despite my body being a little weak.

Thankfully, the school gates are quiet, no mass of people and no Kuno either, which makes things less tiring for me.

The familiar smells of freshly grilled food came to me, coming out from the school, so I knew that Ukyo was here bright and early, offering some to people.

I might as well say hello, since she has set it up in our classroom.

Ukyo's smile rose as someone entered the room.

"Shiki, you're here!"

"Good morning, Ukyo." He waved to her, "How's business on your first day?"

"Booming!" She flipped a few okonomiyaki over, "Seems like no one thought that I would actually cook for them, so most turned up thinking I wouldn't." She jiggled her bag, "I've made loads just this once, can't wait to open the shop later today."

"Nearby is it?" The smell was too appealing to Shiki, but he withheld a request for one.

"Oh yeah, I can show you later if you want." Ukyo prepared two and handed them to the students in front of her, exchanged them for a few yen pieces.

"Anyway, about yesterday..." He sat next to her and kept his voice down.

Ukyo lost her smile slightly, "Look, I'm sorry about your dad, okay? I was just angry."

"Forget it, he's been through worse..." Shiki shook off that feeling of dread he felt, "I'm talking about what I said."

"Gees Shi-chan..." She blushed, "Don't make a girl blush, okay?"

"Ucchan..." Shiki used his own childhood nickname for her, since she did the same, "I still like you, but not that way, we've been together for too long, you know?"

"Shiki..." She turned off her grill and stood up, "Come with me..."

Putting a small sign on the front of the hotplate to say she was closed, along with an address of where she would be working, the both walked out of the room, Ukyo leading the way and taking him to the roof.

Once there, she looked over the view of Nerima, the clouds gone for the day, though that didn't keep the winds from being ice cold.

"Shiki, I can't lie to you, okay?" She turned and had tears in her eyes, "As a woman, I can't think of you as just a friend to me." She looked down, "I know you don't feel the same way, you never did..." The spite in her voice was well hidden. "I'm happy you want to be friends, but I can't just give up on you..." She walked towards him, closing the distance between the two, "Why do you think I dragged Ryoga halfway across Japan to find you again?"

"Ukyo..." Shiki looked away, "I'm sorry..."

"Look sugar, it's okay, I'm a girl, my heart is different to that of a man's, don't be sad. Somehow, I just want things to be good between us, and that I can get my wish." She smiled serenely, "Besides, having you as a friend is the best thing in my life. I know that no matter what, if I was was in trouble, you would be there to help me."

"Talking about that whole 'girl' thing, I need to tell you something..." Shiki looked to the side where the janitor's roof storage was ajar, and inside was a sink, "When I went training with dad, we went to some place in China, and this happened..."

Splashing some cold water, Shiki changed, and Ukyo's eyes only widened.

"Oh dear..." She traced down to Shiki's new chest area, "Hmm, modest, not too bad..." She glanced down even further, before flicking her eyes up to meet Shiki's own, "Is the transformation complete?"

The redhead nodded, "Hot water reverses it again." Using the other tap, Shiki returned to his usual gender. "Well, I'm not a real girl anyway, but I do get what you're saying." He smiled at Ukyo, "I'm your friend Ukyo, maybe I'm not ready for a relationship, or anything like that, but I promise that if you need me, I'll help you." He walked to her and tapped her arm, still amazed by her lack of reaction, "Are you okay, you're not freaked out by that?"

"Nah, I've seen worse..." Ukyo avoided speaking any more about it, "Ryoga should be camping somewhere in Nerima, I hope so at least, maybe you should talk to him also."

"If I can find him that is!" Shiki laughed, and soon Ukyo joined in.

Going to the chain-link fence, he watched the other students in the playground beneath, "About Ryoga, he mentioned something about me..."

"Oh, what about?" Ukyo joined him and leaned with her back against the fence.

"A rumour... Someone is looking for me..."

"Heh, imagine if it was Akiha, you'd be in trouble now with that Jusenkyo curse." Ukyo chuckled to herself.

"Yeah, Jusenkyo..." Shiki paused before frowning, "I don't remember telling you where I went."

Ukyo swallowed a lump in her throat, sweating slightly, and changed the subject quickly, "As I said, if it is Akiha, you've got a lot of explaining to do, but I don't think it's her."

"Why not?" Shiki asked, confused.

"He hasn't told me anything either, and I don't know how much he knows himself, but he mentioned that it may be to do with some Chinese people...?"

"Ch-Chinese?" Shiki moved away from the fence, and started scanning the area around him, "Please tell me you know where you saw Ryoga last?"

"Sure, I can take you there." Ukyo leapt forwards and they both sped down the stairs together.

Opening the door to their classroom, Akane saw them together, "Shiki, what's the hurry?"

"Nothing, I have to find Ryoga, quickly." He looked at the time, "Please apologise to the teacher for me Akane, I'll be late getting back."

Opening the window, Ukyo jumped first, having already packed up her hotplate, and Shiki smiled painfully to Akane, "Don't worry, it won't take long..."

Leaping out, he followed Ukyo, landing safely on the concrete beneath, and running out of the school.

Meanwhile
Elsewhere in Japan

"What seems to be the problem here?" A stern man spoke.

"Sorry sir, I was just enquiring about these latest arrivals."

"Speak up Uramura, I'm busy."

"Sorry," The aforementioned began, "The port master wants to know about the latest immigrants, do they have all the necessary papers for entry?"

"You're talking about their vessels, is that correct?" Uramura nodded in reply, "As with every strange arrival, we inspected their ships, and aside from a few foreign spices and herbs, which would not affect the local fauna, there was nothing odd about them."

"Are you sure, Nakata-san?" His subordinate seemed a bit fearful, "I was certain that bladed weapons were brought in, not to mention that actual status of the people involved."

"I sincerely doubt that a few strange hair colours and clothing is enough to classify them as a threat. We are a tolerant society." Nakata moved his head to one side, making snapping sounds, "Besides, they were three distinct groups, no? We can't assume they all here for the same thing."

"Y-Yes sir..."

"What were their reasons for visiting Japan?"

"Business." Uramura answered, "Once it was complete, they would return to China."

"There, simple, let them go about their jobs and once it's over, they'll be gone again."

"I understand sir."

Behind them, three strange ships floated amongst all the modern yachts and boats. These were made mostly from wood, and with odd adornments on them as well, contrasting with the modern world in many ways.

Meanwhile
Nerima

"No good..." Ukyo held her face, "He's missing again..."

The ground was disturbed, and a dark spot was in the centre, indicating that someone did indeed stay the night there, but had moved on by the morning.

"I should really have let him stay at my place yesterday..." Ukyo sighed to herself.

"Where could he be...?" Shiki asked no one in particular, now worried for the information Ryoga held.

That moment
Elsewhere in Japan

"Where am I now?!" Ryoga yelled.

He saw he was in a forest, much like any other, though he felt his ears pop at one point, meaning he was high up.

Walking through the trees, passing by an empty house, he saw a quiet clearing, almost circular in shape, and walked out in the middle of it, watching the early morning sun filtering through the branches and leaves.

"Weird, it's like I'm isolated from the outside world somehow..."

The silence was becoming unbearable, and soon he moved on, passing through yet more forest, until he reached a large old mansion. This time there were lights on inside.

"Maybe I can find out where I am from there..."

He moved a few steps, only to trip a wire, which then launched a series of spikes at him, which he deftly dodged by retreating backwards.

He didn't get far as alarms blared in the mansion, the area bathed in red.

"Uh oh..." He eyed a large gate opposite the mansion, connected to a high wall, "I think this forest belongs to them..." He started running, "I'm not taking any chances, I'm out of here!"

Going at full pelt, he charged at the tall wall and chose to leap over it, grabbing a few bricks for foothold and scaling it in a manner of seconds, before jumping off the top to escape the private land.

A minute passed and then the alarms were disabled, two people emerged from the house, looking at where the trap was sprung.

"I see, it looks like someone came out from the forest, but wasn't injured. That's rather odd, don't you think?"

"Definitely, this should have hurt the person really bad. I'm sorry it wasn't good enough."

"Don't be silly, precautions are good, but this is going too far Kohaku! What if it was someone innocent?"

"But Akiha-sama, if the person was in the grounds, how can they be innocent? They must have gotten in somehow!"

"What you say is true..." Akiha held her chin, "Hisui is looking through the security footage already. We know the person left by climbing the wall and hasn't returned." She looked at Kohaku, "Keep on a high alert for the time being, the other family members may be to blame, and we know what they're capable of."

Kohaku nodded obediently, before speaking, "About that, are you certain you wish for all their personal possessions to be removed?"

"Yes, nothing has changed, despite their protests." She looked back at the mansion, "Father is dead, all that remains is removing the main branch members and restoring the true successors."

"I estimate that we can get all their items out within a week, they are being very difficult and refuse to leave. Some have even issued court actions against you."

"Hmph..." She grinned, and her hair began to flutter on its own, shifting from brown to red before reverting immediately, "We shall see about that, and who truly owns the name of the Tohno family."

"And Shiki-sama?" Kohaku asked curiously.

"We'll write to the Saotome's when everyone unimportant is gone. I don't want there to be any trouble for him, from what Genma says he has been taken ill on a few occasions." Akiha folded her arms, "Nii-san deserves peace and quiet here."

"As you wish, Akiha-sama, I will try and remove their belonging at a faster pace."

"Thank you, Kohaku."

As the apron-wearing maid retired to the house, Akiha stood by the forest, looking at the trees, before looking up at the blue sky, "I hope you're okay Nii-san..."

---
Author's Notes

Finally, some actual Tsukihime characters!

As you can see, history has changed given that Shiki was older than Ranma during the training journey, but also a bit more intelligent.

Naturally, things are moving fast as the people from those boats slowly get to their destinations.

- J