Hello everyone! Sorry for the slow update!
But I'm back here, with our latest chapter of "Red Sky" I don't really have much to say so, enjoy it!
As usually you should thank Hikari no Okami for being the beta/grammar-style corrector/editor of this chapter
Goodbyes Untold
Yuji woke up in the couch next morning. Shana had stayed in his room with Willhelmina so that the older Flame Haze could keep an eye on her condition; Hecate had used Yuji's father's study to sleep, leaving the boy to sleep in the living room
At least is better than the tub, thought the youngster. It was still early in the morning; the light was just starting to clarify the darkness of an ending night. Yuji got dressed quickly and waited for all the women in the house to wake up. He turned on the T.V.
All the channels presented the same thing as yesterday, numerous reports about the "explosion" that destroyed part of downtown: the number of victims were rising every hour as the rescue teams kept recovering corpses; the number of injured people were the highest Yuji remembered ever seeing in his life and he could only imagine the number of families that had been affected by the "explosion"
Explosion, yeah, right thought the boy it's all because that girl an image of Haruhi appeared in his mind: her pitch black hair, falling over the left half of her face, and her equally black eyes. Not even Shana's were that dark. It was almost as it the color was supernatural just as her power, her power is also supernatural… how is it possible that not even Shana or Hecate could defeat her? Let alone that, I'm not even sure that Haruhi girl took any serious damage from the fight, while Shana's injured and in bed and Hecate has bruises and cuts all over her. I think that none of the Flame Haze I've known could have stood a chance against her.
Yuji turned off the T.V. after finding nothing to watch but more reports of their failure, and leaned his back on the floor, looking out to the slightly dark morning sky through a window
Yes, it is our failure, we failed to stop her, and because of that all this things happened. As a matter of fact we were rescued by someone or something, because she didn't chased us. The world is turning more complicated by the second; I don't know if I'll be able to handle it all, I need your help… "I need your council, father"finished the boy in a whisper
"So, you are here…" a voice called his attention behind him. Yuji threw his head back and saw from the floor that Hecate was standing in front of him
"What are you doing awake? You had a hard fight yesterday and…"
"I recover faster than humans" interrupted the green haired girl with a monotonic tone "I am fully healed now"
"I see, that's good"
"How's that good?"
"Well…because…"
"Well?" pressed the Tomogara girl
"It makes me feel better"
"How?"
"Weeeeeell…'cause that way I'm not worried about your condition"
"You were worried about me?" asked the Supreme Throne showing no interest or surprise
"Of course!" claimed the boy "I couldn't feel other way"
"Why?" her voice didn't seemed to show any emotion, it was starting to make Yuji feel uneasy
"Because I know what and how you feel, and have lived until now" the boy explained with a serious tone
"What could you possibly know about me? It isn't possible for you to know a thing" assured the priestess
Yuji smiled "You are wrong, I know you more than anyone else, maybe even yourself; and you know me more than anyone will ever get to know me"
"How's that?" this time Hecate showed interest
"That time when our beings were together, you entered to my soul and I entered to yours, there I found a deep loneliness, sadness, pain, a heart frozen long ago, boredom of living, and an ever extending emptiness. I felt what being you was for a short while, how is it to live in a frozen hell of despair"
"You really…saw…that…" Hecate's voice started to fail her as her eyes starting to ache
"Yes, I did, and I understand you" the boy said with a small smile
Tears were flowing from the eyes of the tomogara, she fell to her knees "I am so envious of you!" she said crying "you have everything while I got nothing; I came to love you and your being, your memories and your life! It felt so right to be filled with such emotions, such relationships; it was so nice to finally leave that dark and lonely life to live a better one even if it wasn't mine. It was so nice finally stop despairing" she cried even harder, when a warm pair of arms embraced her
"Don't worry" said the boy with his arms around her "everything will be fine"
"No it won't" cried the girl "both worlds will fall"
"What do you mean?"
"That mistess that attacked yesterday, she is part of an organization, they attacked Bale Masque, a few days ago, destroying, and raiding everything and everyone in the Seireiden"
"That is that flying base right?"
"Yes, none of Bale Masque was able to stand a chance against them"
"How is that possible?"
"They are extremely powerful, stronger and faster than anyone, when the odds of the fight showed that there was no chance of defeating them, Sydonai gave me an order: hide and flee"
"What happened to the other members of Bale Masque?" asked Yuji worried about the power of the enemy
"I don't know, they were probably destroyed"
"Do you know what their plans are?!"
"No, but they said that they didn't want any interruptions, they were eliminating possible threats, not only Tomogara but also heard that they had already eliminated many Flame Haze"
"They all are as strong as Haruhi?" Yuji had so many questions and doubts
"Or stronger even" was the answer of the girl
That isn't good "How much are there?" He feared the answer could be a hundred, or a thousand: an army of unbeatable foes
"I-I'm not sure, only six of them attacked us"
"Only six?!"
"But I heard they had at least other member, they had left him to take care of their base"
They have a base somewhere, and they are at least seven of them, at least as strong as Haruhi, boy things don't look good a head
"Do you remember any other members de arimasuka?" Willhelmina had come down stairs and joined the conversation
"Only the ones that entered the castle: That Haruhi mistess, a tomogara that walked in a metal armor, tall, slim, and very fast, they called him Silver; there was another that looked like a little boy, with white long hair, white eyes and pitch black skin. He had a deep voice, deeper than anyone I had heard"
"Sounds like Shadow Drawer" inserted Willhelmina "he was a weak rinne last time I encountered him, are you sure that's how he looked like de arimasuka?"
"Yes, I'm, as he used shadows to attack. Believe me he is a tomogara"
A mistess that can manipulate power of existence better than any Flame Haze, and a rinne that becomes a tomogara, what's happening? Asked Yuji in silence
"Who else?" asked Willhelmina, trying to gather as much information about the enemy as possible
"A woman, with a whip, only saw her once while I was trying to escape. I don't know who she is, but she seemed very strict and serious, she walked totally straight"
"Like a military or a soldier?" asked Yuji
"Something like that" recognized Hecate "she was accompanied by a girl with cat ears; she seemed to be totally the opposite, she seemed like a kid, worriless and joyful"
"I see"
"But I was surprised to see who was leading the attack" said Hecate "I had heard he was killed a long time ago"
"Who was the leader?" asked Tiamat, Willhelmina's partner
"The Rainbow Swordman, Merihim" Willhelmina's eyes widened in surprise and her heart gave a loop
The room stayed in silence for several seconds, the singing of the birds was the only thing that broke the silence
OoOoOoO
"I'm going, mom!" called Yuji from the door putting his shoes on
"Ok, Yu-chan" Chigusa walked to his son and gave him a hug, something she hadn't done in years "take care, ok?" she asked a little serious "and don't worry about Shana-chan, we'll take care of her, right?"
"That's right de arimasu" added Willhelmina
"Be careful" warned Hecate
"Please come back right here as soon as school's over" pleaded Chigusa
"I'll mom, don't worry" accepted Yuji closing the door
A few seconds after he had left, Chigusa opened the door and ran to the street and waved good bye to his son "Take care Yu-chan!" she couldn't ignore her mother senses that kept telling her something bad was going to happen. She had felt that way for days and she was even more worried now because of last night events Kantaro, I pray that this isn't the last time I'll see our son a single rogue tear ran through her cheek
oOoOoOo
The bright sun shined high in the sky, giving color to everything and everyone, announcing a new born morning. Usually at this hour the streets were peacefully filled with students going to their different schools and adults going to their works, but this morning wasn't peaceful at all.
Policemen were found in every corner, patrolling and checking for anything suspicious; reporters were everywhere, reporting, recording and interviewing anything and anyone they could. The fear, uncertainty and worries of the citizens were amplified by the sirens of the police cars and ambulances that were heard all around the city.
Also, the number of students in the street was fairly low Must be scared enough to stay home, they are in their own right thought Yuji before noticing one of the few students ahead of him had the uniform of his school. He quickly recognized the hair brooches and light brown hair
"Kazumi-san!" called her Yuji; the girl stopped and turned around
"Yuji, didn't I told you last night, to call me just Kazumi?" asked the girl when the boy reached were she was
"Sorry, but I feel it's a long jump already from Yoshida-san to Kazumi-san" apologized the boy "by the way, thanks a lot, you really helped me out last night"
"Don't worry; it's nothing. I know how hard can be to pass from ignorant to knowing the truth. I did it with pleasure. I like your mom a lot and let me tell you it took her less time to cope with it than it took me. And she took it better"
OoOoOoO
"Truth is" said Hecate "that you have been lied to from the beginning, starting with the fact that your son is already dead"
"Beg your pardon?" asked Chigusa confused "the only child I have is Yuji, and he is right here; maybe a little beat up and with some dirt in his clothes and face, but alive, thank god"
"That's isn't the truth"
"What do you mean?" Chigusa still couldn't get what the girl meant; she couldn't refer to Yuji being truly dead, he was right there
"Just that" replied back Hecate monotonic
Yuji tried to tell Hecate to drop the subject with mimic and without his mother noticing before more damage was to be caused, but his mom turned to him asking
"Yu-chan, you know I don't mind what kind of friends you have but would you please care to explain what does your friend is talking about?"
"You'll see mom…well…it's…really…um…"
"Your mother deserves to know the truth de arimasu" said Willhelmina standing in the door
"But…" tried to argue Yuji
"Don't worry, she's a strong and capable woman" said Alastor from inside the room
"Ara? Wasn't that Arasu Toru's voice? Is he also here?" asked Chigusa
"Yes, I'm here Mrs. Sakai"
Chigusa followed the voice to Shana's room "Only Shana-chan rest in this room"
"It may seems like it, as I'm always with Shana" explained Alastor, Chigusa quickly tracked where the voice was coming from
"Shana-chan's pendant is talking? Yu-chan what kind of joke is this?"
"It isn't a joke mom" explained Yuji defeated, he would've liked to keep his mom outside of his troubles, keep her back in the nice normal world. It was impossible now "they are all talking seriously"
"But that means…what she told…and you…" it was too much for Sakai Chigusa to handle and she fainted
"Mom! Mom!" Yuji caught her, saving her of the damage the fall could have done
"Take her downstairs, she will be unconscious a few minutes, it was a hard impression. We will explain everything when she wakes up" said Alastor
"Yes" accepted Yuji, and turned to face Hecate "What's your problem?! Did you have to tell her about it?" Why did you do that?!"
"It will be easier for her and for you" explained Hecate with confidence
"What do you mean?" interrogated Yuji confused
"You are the holder of the Reiji Magio, and she is the Hunter of red hot eyes and flaming hair, no matter how you look at it your future together or not is full of hardships. You need all the support you can get, and it is clear that she loves you both" and you will need all the help you can get to create a chance, even a small one, to survive this situation
"hum…fine, I understand, I forgive you this time" said Yuji "Now please help me take her to the living room. I need to call someone"
"This late at night?" asked Tiamat
"Yes, she'll help us with my mom"
oOoOoOo
Yuji asked Kazumi to go to his house. As soon as she was there, she was informed about what had happened. Kazumi helped to calm Chigusa down as things were slowly explained to her. After an hour, she was repeating everything, trying to assimilate it
"So, MY son is something called a torch, which means he is dead, even if he is here"
"It means that the real Sakai Yuji was eaten, and we used a substitute for him" explained Alastor
"Yu-chan lost his soul or something?"
"Not exactly, Tomogara don't eat the soul, they eat something even more important, they eat the existence of humans, that means that it is as if they had never existed"
"Tomogara are the beings that inhabit the other world isn't it?" asked Chigusa trying to remember everything while keeping up with the conversation
"The crimson world, that's right de arimasu"
"and I can see how much time is left on Yu-chan's flame with this monocular artifact" continued Mrs. Sakai
"That's right, but Sakai-kun has this power that replenish his time everyday at midnight" explained Yoshida Kazumi
"So he will not disappear right?" asked again Chigusa
"That is correct" affirmed Tiamat
"And, all of you fight against the evil monsters of the other world"
"Yes" said Alastor
"Even Shana-chan. Arasu Toru?"
"Yes, even Shana, she is one of the strongest Flame Haze"
"That explains why Yu-chan started training, but even so…all of this…its so…"
"I know how you feel: at the beginning it was very hard for me too" admitted Kazumi
After that Kazumi and Chigusa stayed talking until the later was calmed enough to go to sleep even though it was pretty late. Kazumi had to return to her house
"Thanks Yoshida-san…" said Yuji but was interrupted by the brunette
"Kazumi" she said "call me Kazumi, we've been through a lot together"
"Uh, ok, I'll try"
"I hope you don't mind if I call you Yuji" said the girl blushing with a giggle
"Of course, you are free to do so: anyway, thanks for your help, I'm sorry I called you and that you had to stay this late" apologized the boy
"Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow right?"
"Yes, 'til tomorrow"
"Bye bye"
OoOoOoO
Shana woke up and saw the familiar ceiling above her, she rolled to the side trying to hug Yuji, but failed to find him there
"Yuji?" asked the black haired
"I see you are finally awake" said Alastor
"Alastor, what happened?"
"You received a lot of serious injuries, Willhelmina and Mrs. Sakai took care of you"
"Willhelmina?!" asked Shana happily "is she here?"
"She left with that young man's mother to buy some supplies" said another voice from the window
"Lammies!" Shana said surprised
"Spiral Organ, it is good to see you again"
"I wish it was under better circumstances old friend. We need to talk" said the old man
oOoOoOo
The bell rang marking the end of the classes; Yuji stretched and picked up his stuff, said good bye to Eita, Keisaku, Ike and Kazumi and walked back to his house, eager to see Shana again.
He walked slowly by the streets, still busy with agitation due to the events of the last evening. Poor Misaki city, it had suffered a lot on such a short time and its citizens had lost far too much
So deep in his thoughts he was that failed to notice that he was being tailed by two different beings, at least until one of them was dangerously close to him
This presence! A crimson citizen! Choosing not to put the other people that walked on the street in danger he took a detour to an alley, far enough from the main stream of movement "I know you are here! Reveal yourself!" challenged Yuji
A fuzetzu covered the dark alley, as a large lion-man appeared in front of Yuji "Ha, ha, ha!" he laughed with a deep voice "You are brave mistess! Brave, but stupid! I'll…" he was interrupted by a flying blade of power of existence that severed his left arm clean
"You are too noisy" said Yuji with prepotency
"YOU! You'll pay for that!" said the lion with rage, and charged against Yuji with his only claw, knocking him against a wall, after that he grappled him and raised him into the air "you are nothing more but a showoff, I'll take your hougu away with ease! ARGGG-Wuah" its right arm was also cut letting Yuji fall; however, before he reached the ground he was picked up and taken to the roof top of a short building on the alley
"My, my, it's not good to underestimate the power of a crimson citizen, even that of a Rinne, especially if you are alone" said Yuji's rescuer. It was a young adult probably who seemed around 20 years old. He was slim and somewhat athletic, with dark brown hair, lasses; he had an average height for his age
"You worthless scum! I'll feast on your existence after I take that boy's hougu!" the Rinne jumped to the rooftop attempting to bite the newcomer; however, with great skill the older boy pushed Yuji out of the way and dodged the bite, slicing out the rinne's head with a smooth move
"So sad you are out of your league. I'm sorry" said the boy as the Rinne became blue flames that faded into nonexistence and the fuzetzu unlocked "Hi there, are you ok?" asked the older boy offering a hand to Yuji so he could stand up "sorry to push you just now, but it was a great chance to stop him. I'm very sorry, are you injured in any form?"
"Uh…no, I'm ok, thank you" answered the Mistess "how did you do that? Are you a Flame Haze?"
"Flame Haze!? Wow, no, little one; I don't have a crimson lord to aid me, I'm what people call a Manipulator. I'm a normal human like you, it's just that we get to know how manipulate a little of power of existence, that's all" he said with a nice smile
"I'm not a human, I'm…"
"A torch? Yeah I know, that, but, I think that what really makes a person a human is what's inside his heart, don't you think so? By the way, excuse my manners, the name's Tezuka"
"I'm Sakai Yuji, it's a pleasure to meet you since you just saved my life"
"Nah, the pleasure's mine. Now, how about getting out of here? I'm sure you have a lot of things to do, you were walking with haste just a minute ago" he jumped down back to the alley carring Yuji "there you are, now, don't get too hasty in the future whenever you battle crimson citizens ok?"
"Yeah, don't worry. Take care, see you later and thanks again" with that Yuji left the alley back to his road home
"Don't even mention it" said Tezuka waving Yuji farewell the kid's got potential, good thing I stopped Haruhi yesterday
OoOoOoO
"Mom! I'm back!" said Yuji entering the house
"Yu-chan, you are here!" Chigusa's fears and worries finally dissipated, seeing that nothing bad had happened "I've some great news!" said the woman as Willhelmina, who was at her side, did a slight bow to greet Yuji
"Yes? What is it?" asked Yuji thrilled
"Your dad! He's coming to the city, he has some business to attend and will come thye day after tomorrow!"
"That's great news! I can't wait! I'm going to tell Shana! I want dad to meet her, where is she?" asked the boy
"In her room de arimasu, probably resting. Hadn't come out in all day"
"Could you please go up stairs and tell her and Hecate-chan that dinner will be ready in a few minutes Yu-chan?"
"Ok, I'll be right back" Yuji went to the second floor and knocked his room's door "Shana? Are you there? I'm coming in" he opened the door and found it empty, with the window to the balcony open, and Shana's black coat folded on the bed She never goes anywhere without her coat! He ran back stairs and called his mom "MOM! Shana is gone!"
oOoOoOo
That's it, another cliffhanger! Believe me I hate cliffhangers as much as you do
Anyway for those who asked for the update it is here
For those that think that Haruhi is too strong, you haven't seen anything
For those that like Yuji/Shana fluff…you'll find next chapter
The remaining doubts and mysteries will have answers in the following chapters! The goal of the mysterious organization will be revealed!
Now do please click that like review button and make us happy! I love your reviews!