Verse One: Sleepless Beauty
"Caught by the moonlight,
A silent mist, a shimmer in the trees,
Oh what a night for dreams
A night of destiny."
--Akino Arai; "Eternity"--
The bandit stronghold sat calm and quiet in the late hours of the winter evening, the moon and stars shining their mystic, silver light upon the hideout. Silent and foreboding they stood against the wintry landscape, a symbol of the mountain's mystery and power. Reikaku was a sacred place, though few of the bandits acknowledged or even knew such a thing. It had been watched for centuries by the spirits and guarded for almost as long by a handful of humans, as well as a steel-forged tessen. Few demons had ever accessed the mountainous terrain, and those that had broken the wards did not survive long. They were a forbidden race on the sacred ground, one that had never been allowed passage.
Until now.
Two shapes stirred on the edges of the Reikaku stronghold, both glowing with their own forms of dangerous, emerald magic. One put her hands to her chest, muttering a spell of protection against demons and other creatures of the Shadow Realms, though she feared that her magic would be too weak and too late. Nevertheless, she continued her dirge, even as she felt the strength of her enemy overpower her own frail spells.
The other, much more confident in her actions, raised one arm towards the night sky, a glowing ball of light shining from her fist. She opened herself to the darkness of Jigoku [Hell], calling forth her newest ally. As she felt the shadow that was his spirit swirl around her frame, she began the final step to the demonic process. Her lips moved, and the silence of the night was broken by a female voice uttering the great words of power.
"Seven Holy Oaths of Strength,
And I choose number four..."
---
The high, lilting notes of a flute awoke Koji from a restless sleep. He sat up in bed, glancing around the chamber as if the sound were coming from within the room. The bandit looked down at his floor, and at the young Reikaku member. Had Genji heard it?... no, the boy was still sleeping as soundly as ever, as if the music had never been. The Reikaku co-leader shook his head, putting a hand to his temple to rub away his sleepiness. "Ch, musta been dreamin'..."
Almost as soon as the words exited his mouth the tune began again, the twirling, reedy notes of a song that the bandit had never heard before but wished he could hear forever. The music was altogether beautiful, in the way that the last flowers of the season are magnificent in their sorrowful finality. The co-leader wanted to laugh and cry all at once, for no reason at all. He had never heard music that could so completely and utterly touch your heart.
Koji felt himself unconsciously rising from his bed, determined to find out where the sound was coming from. He had to know who was playing this amazing piece; who could create such a hypnotizing song from such a simple instrument. The bandit slid quickly into a pair of slippers, hugging his arms to his chest in an attempt to keep out the chill of the night, and began the long trek towards the front of the stronghold. That was where it was coming from, he was sure of it.
The notes stopped again for a brief moment, and the co-leader quickened his pace, silently pleading for the musician to begin again. As if at his request, the flute's sorrowful melody drifted back along the breeze, asking him to hurry, if he truly wanted to know the truth. Its song would soon be complete. He did not have much time.
Koji broke into a light jog as he entered the Reikaku main room, heedless of the noise he was making on the wooden floors. No one in the other rooms stirred, however, or even seemed to acknowledge the presence of the music or the lone co-leader. The stronghold, like the bandit, seemed to be held in a trance; as much as it was calling to him, it was lulling the other residents into a deeper slumber, allowing them the rest they needed. No other noise could be heard save the soft pad of the bandit's feet and the sweet, mournful sounds of the lovely music; not even a bird dared break the spell of the evening.
The bandit opened the doors of the stronghold just as the music came to a close. He blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust his eyes to the light of the full moon. Barely noticing the chill that seeped into his thin nightshirt, Reikaku's co-leader slipped out of the main doors and down the path, trying to judge the direction the music had come from. He had to hurry. He couldn't rest until he found that player, that beautiful musician - for, he assured himself, anyone who could play something like that could be nothing less than perfect.
Koji's sharp hazel eyes picked out a figure hiding among the trees that surrounded Reikaku. His slippers crunched lightly against the winter grass as he crept towards the stranger, determined to discover their identity. The person, whoever it was, seemed to be glowing, emanating a mystical emerald light that made them appear almost godly, almost angelic...
Her back was turned towards him, but the bandit co-leader knew the figure immediately. The cascade of raven-blue hair falling to the middle of her back, the perfectly-shaped hips under the simple, flowing robes of lavender that caressed her body... she looked so absolutely magical in the moonlight, with that faint glow of green still encasing her form. Just like the angel her name suggested. Beautiful, beautiful. He grinned, wondering how he could not have guessed it. Hikaru. Of course. Only Hikaru would be able to play such a tune, goddess that she was.
The moon slipped behind a layer of clouds, cloaking the landscape in almost complete darkness. A breeze sprang up from what seemed like nowhere, briefly ruffling Asatenshi's dress before whipping past her and towards the bandit co-leader. Koji shuddered as he felt the black - he had no idea why he thought of it that way - wind tear through his clothing and hair, seeming to penetrate through his skin and straight into his soul. He took a step back, clutching at his arms and wondering why he suddenly felt so, so - he couldn't explain it. Unclean, somehow. And cold. 'Nani...?'
As he moved, a twig snapped beneath his foot. Hikaru jumped, whirling on her heel and facing the surrounding trees with something nearing panic in her eyes. "H-hai?" she called, a tremor in her gentle voice. "Who... who is it?"
The bandit co-leader blinked, realizing how strange it would look if Hikaru found him spying on her in the trees. Well, better to make his presence known, he decided. He shrugged off the strange feeling he had received after the breeze and stepped out of the underbrush, waving in a friendly, embarrassed manner. "Jus' me, Hikaru-san. Sorry if I scared ya."
The young woman relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief and putting a hand to her chest. "Ah, Koji-san. Thank goodness it's only you. I was worried that one of those Akutsuki members had somehow snuck onto the stronghold's lands..." she shook her head, walking across the clearing in small, dainty steps. "Never mind that, though. What in the world are you doing out here at this hour?"
"Oh, I was..." he hesitated, and for some reason chose not to tell her his true purpose. "I jus' couldn't sleep, s'all. Sometimes when I can't sleep I take a little stroll 'round the grounds, jus' t'clear my mind an' all." By now, the Asatenshi sister was only a foot or so away from him, still bathed in the light from the celestial skies while he stood in the shadows of the forest. Gods, how he longed to close that gap. "How about you? You were glowin' with magic fer a minute, there."
Hikaru frowned, glancing over her shoulder as if searching the trees for some hidden enemy. "I, too, couldn't sleep," she said. "I awoke to a feeling of foreboding, as if some unknown evil were trespassing on Reikaku soil. I was putting up a barrier when you found me." She shook her head, biting her lip in agitation. "There's nothing else I can do now, though. We can only hope that my wards were placed in time."
"In time? Fer what?"
"For what? I shudder to think," she said, voice barely above a whisper. The Asatenshi woman could not seem to meet his eyes.
Koji frowned; he hated seeing her troubled or worried in any way. The bandit crossed the space between them and put a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Well, if you were stoppin' it, then I'm sure it didn't get through. Yer a pretty strong sorceress, Hikaru-san. An' anyway, if it did, I know you'd be able to handle it."
The young woman offered no response. The co-leader's frown deepened. "Ch! C'mon, Hikaru-san, you really worry too much, y'know that? You gotta learn how t'take things as they come, an' have a little faith in yerself, too." Hardly knowing what he was doing, Koji felt his hand travel from her shoulder down to a much less friendly and much more sensual position on her hip. He took a small step closer, until he could breathe in the sweet scent of her hair. "I have a lotta faith in you, y'know."
Hikaru stiffened under his touch, but said nothing. She turned on her heel so she was facing him, then, before he had a chance to study the perfection of her lips, took a couple of steps backwards. The young woman smiled up at the bandit, cocking her head to one side. "Perhaps Koji-san has too much faith in me, and I am only being realistic."
"That ain't true, yer-"
Asatenshi chuckled, putting a finger to his lips to silence his protests. "It's much too late to argue, Koji-san. And while I doubt them, I do appreciate your words of confidence. Perhaps you're right." She sighed and drew her hand away, pulling it back to her chest. "Even so, it just adds another thing for you and Tasuki to worry about. Maa, first Chichiri, then those Akutsuki members, and now an evil presence? I just bring more and more trouble to you, don't I, Koji-san?"
The co-leader shook his head fiercely. "'Course not, Hikaru-san! I know none-a this is yer fault. In fact, if it weren't fer you, we'd be in even more trouble'n we are now." He ran a hand through his wind-ruffled hair, grinning at the young woman. "But yer right about one thing: it is too late t'argue. Hell, it's too late t'be doin' much of anythin'. How 'bout if we ferget about all these worries fer a while an' try t'get some sleep, na? C'mon, I'll walk ya back."
"Arigatou, Koji-san. I think I'd like that."
The pair turned to go back to the stronghold, but had gotten no more than a few feet when a rustling in the nearby bushes caused them to stop once again. Koji tensed, stepping protectively in front of the Asatenshi woman and drawing a throwing knife from an inner pouch in his shirt. "Who is it? C'mon, show yerself!"
"Oh, put down your little toy," an all-too-familiar voice snapped. "If I had really wanted to kill either of you I could've done it a long time ago."
Hikaru's emerald orbs widened in surprise as Shuu emerged from the surrounding foliage, brushing a few leaves out of her messy hair as she went. The younger Asatenshi woman glared hard at her sister, then flashed the equally surprised bandit a small, sardonic smile. "Don't you ever sleep? Ch, next time I find you out here I really will send a ki-blast your way."
Koji scowled in mock irritation. "What for?"
"For the hell of it. Why else?"
"Sh-Shuu-chan!" Hikaru spluttered, finally finding her voice. "What - what in the world - what are you doing out here?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Since when did you become the all-knowing god of my personal business? Maybe I just wanted to take a midnight stroll, like insomniac-boy over here." Shuu put her hands behind her head, walking towards the pair of companions. "Well, as long as you're heading back to bed, I may's well join you. Not the best company, but it's not like I have much of a choice on that matter."
The bandit co-leader's eyebrow twitched, as he suddenly felt extremely irritated with the younger Asatenshi sister - a feeling he was starting to become very familiar with. Not only had she interrupted one of his rare moments of privacy with Hikaru, but she was unwilling to tell of her nighttime motives!? Koji was beginning to get very suspicious of her actions, not to mention sick of her high-and-mighty attitude, and for the first time since he had met her, he let her know it.
"No one's beggin' you t'join us," he snapped. "There're plenty of paths leadin' back t'Reikaku, an' if Hikaru 'n' I are so damn bothersome to ya, then yer welcome t'try yer luck on another trail. Alone."
Shuu froze, and for the tiniest bit of a second she looked like Koji had just slapped her in the face. The Asatenshi woman recovered quickly, however, straightening her shoulders and glaring at the bandit with unabashed disgust. Her jaw tightened, and the Reikaku leader thought she really might ki-blast him "for the hell of it." After a moment of battling for self-control, however, the young woman simply took a step back, hands clenched at her sides. "Fine. I'd rather walk alone than in the company of such a pathetic pair anyway. To hell with the both of you."
"Whatever you say," the bandit replied with the smallest bit of a shrug, just to show how little he cared about her actions.
The younger Asatenshi sister snorted at his response, glaring icy green daggers at the Reikaku co-leader. "You deserve whatever you get," she growled, just loud enough for him to hear. "I can't believe I actually..." But whatever she could not believe would remain unsaid. Shuu raised one arm above her head, waved her hand in the air, and disappeared in a flash of emerald magic.
Koji's anger dissolved as soon as Shuu was out of sight, his conscience getting the better of him as he cursed himself for his thoughtless words. The young Asatenshi sister was irritating at times, but certainly not deserving of his remarks. He really shouldn't have snapped at her, not when she was already receiving so much heat from everyone else. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel better after his outburst, as it had helped him let off some steam that had been building up towards the younger Asatenshi woman... and, a small, guilty part of him admitted, steam towards his frustrations with Hikaru. Speaking of Hikaru...
"Oi, Hikaru-san, I'm sorry about I said that t'yer sister, but I just..." The bandit turned towards the young woman, expecting her to be angry with him, but instead found Asatenshi smiling, looking almost relieved. "Eh? Hikaru-san?"
"Please don't apologize, Koji-san," she said with what seemed like a bit too much cheer. "I was hardly in the mood to deal with my sister either, but I never know exactly how to say something like that. I love her, honestly, I do, but sometimes she can be very annoying, ill-tempered as she is... and after the stress of my magic tonight, I'd much prefer to avoid her."
"Still, I shouldn't've been so harsh. She is yer sister, after all, an' it ain't like I hate her or anythin'..."
Hikaru shook her head. "I know you don't, Koji-san, and so does Shuu-chan. You aren't the kind of person to be able to truly hate anything. You're too kind for that."
A very silly smile crept onto his lips at her comment; the co-leader rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Well, heh, um... thanks..."
"No, thank you, Koji-san. You have always handled my sister well, and you did so just then - you were harsh, but I didn't think you were exactly mean, you know. I'm terrible at being blunt to others. That's one thing that annoys Nee-san about me." Asatenshi chuckled, keeping pace with the bandit as he began to walk towards the stronghold again. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she likes you better, after that outburst!"
The pair continued towards the Reikaku hideout under the full winter moon, laughing and chatting about recent events and happenings among the bandits. In what seemed like no time at all, they were back at the main doors of the stronghold, and Koji had never been unhappier to see the entrance to safety and home. Shuu, much to his pleasure, was nowhere to be seen.
"Well, I suppose this is where I say good night," Hikaru told him with a smile. "I shall see you tomorrow, Koji-san, though considering how late it is maybe I should say I'll see you later today."
The bandit chuckled, leaning up against the frame and trying to stall his farewell as long as possible. He still had something he wanted to ask Hikaru, and he didn't know if he had enough courage built up to ask her just yet. As Asatenshi began to push open the big double doors, however, Koji realized that it didn't matter if he was brave enough to do it or not - it had to be done! He took a breath and put a hand against her arm, stopping her from entering. "Oi, Hikaru-san. I wanted t'ask you a question, if ya've got time."
"All the time in the world," she assented, pausing to look at her older companion. "What is it, Koji-san?"
"Well, I was jus' thinkin' about earlier, how you said all everyone's done since ya got here was have problems t'deal with - Chichiri, or that Akutsuki gang, or whatever. I mean, really, there ain't been hardly any time for relaxin' 'r jus', y'know, havin' a good time."
"You're right," she agreed somewhat wistfully. "But I certainly couldn't desert Chichiri just to have a little fun, like you could never leave the gang during such a tense time."
Koji nodded. "Well, yeah, that's true, but I was thinkin', maybe, when all-a this is cleared up, an' Chichiri's back an' all, maybe... I dunno, maybe we c'd go inta Kakou City, th' town at th' base of th' mountain, 'r somethin'. Jus' t'look around an', y'know, I could show ya some-a the sites. If that sounds good t'you, I mean."
Hikaru's emerald eyes lit up. "Mm!" she said, voice full of enthusiasm. "Hai, Koji-san! I think I'd really like that." The bandit felt his heart swell with pleasure at her answer - he hadn't expected her to agree to a date so quickly! - but found his happiness short-lived. Hikaru continued. "And I'm sure Tasuki and Shuu-chan would enjoy it, don't you agree? Oh, and if Chichiri was better, and feeling up to it, he could come as well - perhaps Genji-kun if he wasn't busy in the kitchen... oh, yes, Koji-san, that would be a real treat!" She blushed suddenly, looking down at her hands. "And, perhaps I could find something to buy for Tasuki... a gift, of some kind... do you think he would like that, Koji-san?"
The bandit felt like someone had just kicked him in the stomach. He struggled to find words, some kind of answer to the Asatenshi woman's questions, but found he was strangely out of air. All he could do was nod weakly, thanking the fates that his face was covered in shadows. He did not want Hikaru to see him right now. He did not think he had enough control over himself to hide his emotions.
Hikaru smiled, giving the bandit's shoulder a light pat as she walked by, opening the door and heading towards her room. "Oyasumi, Koji-san," she said in her usual friendly but uninterested voice.
"H-hai," he murmured, regaining control long enough to force a smile as she walked past. "Oyasumi, Hikaru-san. See ya in the mornin'."
The main doors of Reikaku quietly opened and shut behind the Asatenshi woman, leaving the Reikaku co-leader alone in the night air, cloaked in the shadows of the stronghold. His fists clenched at his sides as he lowered his head, gritting his teeth in some kind of attempt to release his anger and frustration. Just when he thought she was beginning to really notice him, that she was starting to see him as more than a casual friend and companion... just when he thought she would finally return even a fraction of his feelings, she misunderstood his actions once again! And she would bring him up again, bring up the other leader she had grown an attraction to, without even realizing how badly it was tearing at his heart... and he... and he...
"Kuso..." he growled under his breath. One of his hands flew out, hitting the side of the stronghold hard enough to cut his fist. "Dammit all, it just isn't fair!"
You're right. It isn't.
Koji's head jerked up. He looked around in all directions, trying to seek out the mysterious voice that had spoken those final words. He found no one, though; there was no one in the darkness but himself. The bandit shook his head, pushing open the Reikaku main doors and trudging back to his room. Just his imagination, then. And for a second he had dared to hope that someone was actually agreeing with him.
Deep within the bandit's soul, a hidden voice allowed itself a small, vicious chuckle. This would be easier than it had thought.
---
Hikaru had not been walking down the Reikaku halls long before an emerald mist appeared next to her, gradually melding into the form of her younger sister. They both stopped moving, staring hard into one another's intense green eyes as if trying to discover something within the orbs. After a long moment, they began speaking, mind to mind so as not to wake any of the bandits.
"Nice try, Nee-san, but your barrier came a little late, and a little too weak."
"So nice of you to bring up my failures, as if I could not see them myself. That Souleater reeks of evil, I could have sensed his presence from the Spiritual Realm. I never thought you would sink so low."
"Now there's the pot calling the kettle black. You hardly have room to speak of lowering yourself."
"As you say, Nee-san. But you felt pity for him, did you not? He is just an innocent in this game, you know, and now he will be paying the dearest price of all."
Her voice wavered, and for once she spoke her honest feelings. "I will not argue with you, on this case. However, my personal opinion means nothing. I follow Genbu-sama's orders. Period. No questions asked."
"What a foolish, noble way of looking at things."
"No more foolish than your own."
"Perhaps not. So, then, a new level of this deadly game is beginning soon, correct? I assure you, Nee-san, I will not let them - any of them - be consumed by Fate so easily. If you want to win this stage and that bandit's soul, you will have to fight for it."
"Fight? My dear Nee-san, there is nothing for me to fight for. This stage in our game began and ended long ago, when he had the stupidity to involve himself in our dealings - and fall so hopelessly in love in the process. The new level has not just begun, Nee-san. It has already been decided."
---
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Hao, minna-san! Or, as the Dave Chappelle fan in me would put it: "I'm back, bitches!"
Didja miss me? Goodness knows I missed you, but now I'm finally ready to begin the next part and continue RFS through to the very end… of the Second Movement at least. Yeah, there's another one after this, too. Who knew I'd turn this thing into such an epic? Yeesh… At any rate, the chronicles of the Reikaku bandits have kicked off to an interesting start, so let's begin this Author Chat with the traditional…
Answering Reviews Although you probably forgot your questions, ah-heh. Oh, and a big howdy hi to Otaku-no-miko-san, Shinju-san, and RowenDuo-san! While it's possible that you gave up on me after the three months of absence (not that I'd really blame you ; ), know that I do appreciate your reviews and hope that you come back for the Second Movement, along with all my other veteran readers! Let's all pause for a big group hug, shall we?
Amaya-san, on "Where is Gen-chan going?" – Well, you'll find out about halfway through this Movement... and that's all I'm gonna say about that.
Val-chan, on nothing, really – Yeah, my dumb creativity took a rather long break, didn't it? But it's finally back, thank goodness, and I think (though every time I say this I jinx myself) it's finally sticking around for a while. And I wish I had HD, but I'm too poor so I just watch KU games in normal definition. Tears.
To Dragid-san, on Kyokujitsu – Hee, you stole it from me? I'm honored. Seriously. That's really awesome.
To Otaku-no-miko-san, on Kouran – Yay! Another sympathetic Kouran supporter! I really did enjoy playing with her, you know; it's going to be a little sad that I won't get to do anything with her and Hikou and Houjun and the whole bunch until the Third Movement… but, that's how it goes…
Quote of the Week Tactless as it may be, I find it hilarious, so we're stealing one from Chappelle's Show for the week. It's funnier if you've seen the episode; but wow, reading it now, I find that it's still pretty funny even out of context. Heh. Here it is:
"Is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?" --Wayne Brady, on "Chappelle's Show"
Until next time, O Loving Readers (and I promise it won't take three months again)!
Your Returning and Ever-Faithful Author,
Dee )