A/N: Okay.. This chapter was actually ready a few days ago but I had some things to do and I attended a funeral in Batangas. Funny thing is, I suddenly realized that most of my works either tackle about life and death, past lives, soulmates and destiny. Ahaha… Anyways… I edited the chapters. I removed the interlude which was placed at chapter 2. I had trouble checking for previous chapters when I needed the info I placed there so I removed that extra chapter that confused me so much. None of the story is changed though.
Acknowledgments:
Satomika-chan: Azazel in Fallen is pretty much the same Azazel I have hear. In fact, I won't be surprised if I found out that Lauren Kate and I have access to the same references. Fallen is pretty much biblically accurate. When I have time, I'll fill you in about the facts behind Fallen.
Aki-chan: I was laughing my head off when I read that you placed that… shall I call it quote as your FB status. Last chapter was probably the first chapter where I personally liked Tokiya's POV better than how I wrote Fuuko's. Ahaha… I think I'm leaning into my more dramatic tendencies in this part of the fic.
Thepinkmartini: Yes, the demons will actually have more appearances than the angels at this point of the story. Read on… I have more of them in this chapter.
TuckingFypo: I'm glad you like the plot enough to stay awake to read it. And yes, you're right. Other God is probably the most serious of my works. I owe it to the fact that it is heavily based on Scripture and it is semi-AU of sorts. Well, I hope you like this chapter too. BTW, thanks for adding the story to your faves. Much appreciated.
EiRist-chan: I get what you mean by the heart wrenching part. Truth is the emotions I wanted to convey last chapter were hurt and pain, confusion and longing but somehow, I still feel I could have done something better and so I call it mushy. These parts are practically the most emotional parts in the fic and so more of the drama, I suppose.
Thank you to all the reviewers and readers of Other God… Without you Lilith and Samael's story would never be remembered. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Standard Disclaimers still apply.
Other God by Anne Raven
Chapter 10: Lost and Found
I also could speak like you,
if you were in my place;
I could make fine speeches against you
and shake my head at you.
But my mouth would encourage you;
comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
"Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I refrain, it does not go away.
-Job 16:4-6
Fuuko: If it were you who remembered everything and I forgot it all, how would things change?
Tokiya: If we never found out about our past, would it still hurt whenever we see each other?
"I still can not believe you were King Richard I." Recca hollered as he pointed at the big man of the Hokage.
Domon dismissed his friend's condescending manner by posing ala-Superman, flashing a 100-watt smile and wagging his eyebrows.
"It just doesn't add up." Recca added as he seated himself on the loveseat of the Sakoshita living room.
"If you ask me, you're just jealous because Domon-nii is more famous than you were." Kauro uttered adjusting himself on a bean bag.
"It's natural for a sea monkey to be jealous of a gorilla." Tokiya stated as he rested his head on the palm of his hand with his arm supported by the sofa's armrest looking perpetually bored.
"At least I'm man enough to know my past life, Mikagami." Recca directed his smirk at the upper classman.
Tokiya ignored the jibe knowing fully well that the ninja was clueless as usual.
Kagerou had let it slip that, if they wanted to, Kuro Kagami could show them their past lives. Something that Tokiya and Fuuko found out on their own. She told them that long ago, the Hokage of the past consulted the device regarding issues like politics and even marriage. After all, they say that the past was a valuable teacher. With the right blood offering, they could see the memories and past life of a person but technically any blood would do. Only, it wouldn't yield the same effect.
When Kagerou mentioned that some of the Hokage's successfully glimpsed their soulmates, the rest of Hokage seemed overjoyed and took turns on the device.
When Recca shoved the device to Tokiya, he refused to use it saying that he had no interest with and use of the information whatsoever. Domon, on the other hand, begged Fuuko on bended knees to use the device and discover if she was Berengaria in her past life therefore confirming that they were meant for each other. That scene ended with Domon on his way to Timbuktu thanks to… shall we say Fuuko's upper arm and body strength?
Fuuko had reasoned that she was not looking for a soulmate. That she will find hers when they were both ready, a sentiment that gained Yanagi and the rest of Hokage's understanding. Tokiya thought to himself, 'Did our kind even have soulmates?'
No questions were made after that but Tokiya had expressly asked Kagerou for the privilege of keeping Kuro Kagami. He dreaded the fact that his 'friends' might be curious enough to discover his or Fuuko's past lives for themselves. Since then, he had custody of the Dark Mirror.
"Let me see." Fuuko stated snapping Tokiya out of his recollections. "Who squealed like a girl when he found out that his Hime was in love with him in a past life? Who here knows the answer?"
Domon who was thinking of payback, Kauro who enjoyed Fuuko's antics and Ganko who thought the situation was rather funny raised their hands exuberantly. Even Tokiya who was fond of torturing the Hokage leader flicked his other hand in affirmation.
"That's not funny." Recca scowled.
"Only to you Recca-nii." Ganko giggled.
"You. I ought to gut you alive." Recca addressed the threat to Fuuko.
"Try." Fuuko challenged.
"Come here you Amazon incarnate." Recca yelled.
"You are way off the mark." Tokiya whispered the snide remark.
Recca flicked his head to the elder teen. "You were probably Nero in your past life."
Fuuko rolled her eyes and answered for Mikagami. "Better be a caesar than a vassal."
Recca scratched his head and looked at Tokiya and at Fuuko back and forth. "What pact have you two formed that you're suddenly ganging up on me?"
"None." Tokiya and Fuuko simultaneously said then they turned their heads to look at the other at the same time.
Their eyes momentarily connected before they turned to look at Recca, again at the same time. Recca's eyes scrunched at such display of synchronicity while Ganko giggled and Domon and Kauro guffawed.
"What just happened here?" Yanagi asked as she entered the living room with a tray of sweets and snacks followed by a housekeeper holding a tray with glasses and a pitcher of juice.
"Fuuko-nee and Tokiya-nii are unintentionally being funny." Ganko explained.
"That and Recca-nii is losing the word war." Kauro added.
Yanagi approached her ninja and patted his head. "Aww, Recca-kun, you know you'll never win against those two. They practice everyday."
"Somehow, that doesn't sound nice to me, Yanagi-chan." Fuuko frowned.
Yanagi simply smiled at her friend.
Nearly two hours passed when the group decided to adjourn the meeting. It was short beyond the norm but it was only Saturday and they could still meet up tomorrow. Besides, Yanagi was scheduled to have dinner in some swanky restaurant with her parents that evening and she still had to prepare for that.
While everyone else was getting ready to leave, Fuuko grabbed Recca and dragged him to a secluded corner.
"I need a favor from you." She said unabashedly.
"Oh come on now, Fuu. After ridiculing me and ultimately siding with Fridge-boy this afternoon, you expect me to do a favor for you?" Recca sneered.
"Recca, we're best friends." She reminded him slapping his arm gently.
Recca winced. Her hand was too dense that even the gentlest slap was like hitting a boulder.
"Really?" He sarcastically replied.
"Please, Recca, it's surreal seeing you jealous of Mikagami over me." Fuuko said examining her nails like they were the most interesting things in the world.
"I'm not…" He started to say but breathed deeply instead realizing that he was a tad bit jealous because his childhood friend sided with his rival-of-sorts. "Okay… What do you want?"
"Can you and Kauro bring Ganko home?" She asked.
"Okay…" Recca tentatively agreed.
"Thanks. Make sure she gets home safely."
"Course! I happen to be the most capable man out there, ya know. You're lucky I live a few blocks away from you. Where are you going anyway?"
"I'm buying school stuff: a pen, an extra notebook, some pencils. I just don't want to tire Ganko out. That and she keeps pointing things and it's embarrassing when she has tantrums." Fuuko said.
"It ain't the first day of school, Fuu." Recca teased.
"Yeah, I know. Apparently, I make more use of my school supplies."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Recca retaliated.
Mikagami covertly listened to this small conversation and was determined to find out what Kirisawa was really up to.
The said puprple-headed woman was walking- wandering really according to Tokiya's meaning of the word. And he'd been following her since she left the Sakoshita Residence. He was half-wondering why he was doing this and fully aware that he would be in deep trouble if she found out.
Fuuko was letting her mind roam free. She had been thinking a lot lately. She breathed deeply and locked her hands behind her head. Tilting her head slightly backwards, she noted how beautiful the sky's color scheme was at sunset, from light blues to reds, oranges and yellows to violet and the darkness beyond. She closed her eyes remembering how wonderfully blue the sky was that afternoon.
Just like his eyes…
Fuuko shook her head dispelling the forbidden thoughts that invaded her momentary peace of mind.
Forget it! Move on. It's useless to dwell on the past. Stop hurting yourself. She scolded herself reciting a litany that she formed whenever she thought of him.
Tokiya kept watching her from across the street while keeping pace with her stride. Fortunately, she was too preoccupied to notice he was following her. It was careless of her to close her eyes when walking out on the streets. If she got into an accident, he swore he would chain her somewhere he could keep an eye on her.
But he briefly forgot that when he saw her smile. Very few can smile like her. Not even Yanagi. Smiling was Yanagi's signature expression. On Fuuko, a genuine smile that held no trace of playing around or mischief was rare and was worth all the effort. But she quickly followed that with a shake of her head and a frown as though she suddenly had unpleasant thoughts.
Tokiya groaned. He was suppose to be at home resting after an afternoon with the Monkey Squad not on the streets of Nashikiri following one of them. But even if he tried, he knew he wouldn't rest easy not knowing what was troubling her so. Just a few more minutes and he promised himself that he'd go home even if she didn't.
Resuming his attention on her, he realized she had gone a few blocks ahead. And the reason that she managed to put such distance between them was because she was running. Did she realize that he was following her? More importantly, would he bother exhausting himself just to follow her? Tokiya clucked his tongue, irritated at the answer to his own question.
"Lev, wait!" Fuuko shouted.
Really, she did not expect to see him but there he was, leaning on a lamppost not far from where she stood before he wove into the rest of the pedestrians. She didn't need second-thoughts. She knew that the short dark hair and amethyst eyes on that aristocratic face belonged to Leviathan, Demon of Envy and one of the Seven.
She was running faster but she couldn't seem to catch up with him until he vanished into the crowd. Fuuko was deciding whether she'd take a left turn at the intersection but her mind was made up for her when she saw a young man with long dark brown hair and black eyes, a small face and wore large earrings with a star motif wave at her from across the street.
Mammon, the Demon of Greed. She named him silently. She was halfway across the street when she stood rooted on the spot. Shock, fear, confusion and a thousand other unnamed emotions paralyzed her because, on the other side of the street leaning casually on the wall was the same gray eyes that kept her awake these past few days. He had many names but she whispered the first he was given.
"Lucifer…"
Tokiya saw her cross the street but he did not expect her to stay there. Just as he feared, the sound of fast wheels got louder by the second. This part of Nashikiri was not usually teeming with vehicles but the community bus was right on time and was speeding her way. In a matter of minutes, Kirisawa Fuuko would lie flat on the pavement. And her only chance of escape was if she snapped out of the trance he thought she was in or if, by some miracle, he was fast enough to get to her. Miki's Idaten would have been of great use at that moment. He thought.
Tokiya crossed and proceeded to run on her side of the street praying that he makes it to her on time.
Fuuko hardly knew what happened. One minute she was staring at Lucifer. At the next, she was already across the street with absolutely no sign of him. However, she became aware of the arm that wrapped itself around her slim waist and another around her shoulders as he pulled her closer to him.
A familiar dark, mysterious and musky scent mingled with something sweet like… roses invaded her senses. Yes, she was safe and comfortable in his warmth.
"Are you alright?" he asked her.
Fuuko nodded, completely distrusting her voice to answer for her. As she stared at the back of the community bus that almost ended her train of thoughts permanently.
He was just in time. He was just in time. Tokiya told himself over and over again as he panted heavily next to her across the street. But despite the fact that he strained his muscle groups to reach her in time, someone else had beaten him to it. And he currently held her close to him.
"Fuuko, are you alright?" Tokiya asked while he stared at the man who saved her.
Fuuko looked to her side where Tokiya watched her and her savior carefully.
"I'm alright." She replied.
He was tall, probably as tall as Mikagami. She thought of the man who saved her. And he was looking down at her with concern written clearly on his beautiful face and expressly communicated by his emerald eyes.
"Thank you." Fuuko managed to say to the beautiful stranger.
"I can't let a sinfully beautiful woman like you go to heaven, can I?" He smiled at her. "Be careful next time."
"I'll be careful." Fuuko smiled vainly trying to place where this easy familiarity between them came from.
Tokiya was sure that the stranger was aware that he was watching them. He even directed a sly smile at him. For some unknown reason, Tokiya immediately hated his guts.
The green-eyed man suddenly leaned in and kissed Fuuko's cheek earning an automatic blush on the Fuujin wielder's face.
He snickered and whispered near her ear so only she could hear, "It's a pleasure seeing you again, my dear screech owl."
He smiled once more before he waved and left running his hand along his long red hair leaving her staring at him in utter surprise.
"Who is he?" Tokiya asked when the man was beyond hearing distance.
"I don't know." She replied.
"Right. And some random man bothered saving you and managed to flirt with you after one wild circumstance." He sarcastically said.
"You know, I don't care if you believe me or not." She said forcefully poking his chest with a finger. "What are you doing here anyway? Were you following me?"
Tokiya understood why she was fuming. He did tell himself that he'll be in big trouble if she found out he was following her. Still, he was hurt. She could have been at least grateful that he was concerned for her.
"I was worried." He admitted.
Fuuko snorted and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, what's with the acting? Did Yanagi ask you to do this?"
"Excuse me?" Tokiya uttered in disbelief. "Is it really farfetched for me to be that much concerned for you?"
"Tokiya, the only person you are capable of caring for is yourself and your sister and, in extension, Yanagi." Fuuko said scathingly. "That's why we call you ice block, remember?"
"Take it back, Fuuko!" Tokiya said grabbing both her arms.
Fuuko winced. He was holding her too tight. A bit more and she was willing to bet that he might snap her bones. In fact, he was definitely going to leave bruises there. And the last thing that she needed was more reminders of him.
"Tokiya, I don't want you to be worried. If you really care and if you value my sanity…" She said as she looked straight into his eyes. "Leave me alone."
She pushed him away and ran before he could grab her again. As he watched her retreating form being consumed by the darkness that descended upon them, he felt like the world was crashing down on him.
She was wrong. She was undeniably wrong. True, he was not the expressive type and, at first, the only one he ever cared for was himself and everything that tied him to his sister. But all of that changed when he became part of the Hokage. Mostly because… dare he say it, mostly because of her.
She taught him how to feel again. She cared for all of them, cared in equal proportions that there was no room for him to feel inferior or superior to any one. And he had learned to care for her as well but whereas she had no favorites, she had become his.
And if leaving her alone would make her happy then, he prayed that he would have the fortitude to control his selfish need of her.
If it weren't for her happiness, he wouldn't care if he was the most selfish creature in the world.
Perhaps, it was for their best interests. Maybe now it would be easier for him to rein in his already confused emotions. But even so, he would continue to watch over her.
Even from afar…
-TBC-
A/N: Things to clear up. Mi-chan's emotions are quite conflicting from the previous chapter to this one. Well he is conflicted at the moment... (hay.. what a reason) And Fuuko seems to be very moody. (And both of them are like so OOC...) Blame the plot and the need for them to be so dramatic.
About the demons:
I mentioned Mammon and Leviathan. I'll reveal the others in the succeeding chapters and like the Archangels they are also played by various anime characters. Can you guess who played Mammon and Lev here?
Fuuko's savior: Guess who he is and his true role in this fic and the anime character who portrayed him (While you're at it). I rather think that it is a little obvious as he is the only person who fits the description well (I think). On the mention of the screech owl. In some versions of the Bible, the screech owl of Isaiah 14 is the term that refers to Lilith. So that's another clue.
Oi... Hope you liked the chapter enough to leave a review. And do tell me what you think about this chapter. I'll be updating MIAB one of these days. I'm just finishing the chapter.
Again, this chapter is not proof-read so errors... mea culpa, mea culpa...
See you next chapter..
Yours,
Anne Raven