A Fateful Meeting Between Two Souls
Warning: A bit of OOC but who cares! OCs!
Chapter 2
Hanae woke with a start.
Perspiration dropped from his skin, his shirt already slightly sweaty, heavy breathing, and wide blue eyes filled with panic. Pitching his nose, Hanae closed his eyes as he calmed his rapid beating heart from exploding in his chest.
Another dream. More like another memory, Hanae sighed.
He lost count of how many times he woken up from those dreams of the days when he was young. The days where he found amazing friends to play with and talk to. The days before he moved to a new home (at 10 years-old) with his Mom to begin a what she said, "A new chapter of our life together."
Honestly, if Hanae didn't have a sensitive bone in his body, then he would have been embarrassed of what his Mom always quoting from many famous books and people. Since he does have a sensitive bone, he often joins in just to make her smile.
Really, it's the very least he can do for her.
Opening his eyes, he turned towards the window beside him.
It was a quiet, cloudless night with only a full moon.
No crickets chirping or animals roaming. The streets were deserted and there isn't any sign of life out there. A perfect night to take a walk or looking up at the stars.
Sighing, Hanae glimpsed at the wooden drawer beside his bed. Laying on top of the smooth, chocolate colored surface was a beaded bracelet. To anyone, it was just a piece of ordinary jewelry that could be found in craft stores or in a local shrine. To anyone who can "see", the beaded bracelet holds powers and abilities blessed to those worthy enough to wield its might.
Sounds like something from a children's fairytale book.
Gently plucking the bracelet, he examined it what seems to be the hundredth time. He fingered all thirteen beads, each bead with a different color and a distinguish engraved mark. The beads were the size of marbles and are strung together by a thin, durable black cord. Hanae remembered how he received such gift; it was something he couldn't part from for 5 years because it was a gift from his amazing friends.
The best friends he could ever ask for.
(Flashback)
The day was almost over as the sky turned into a red-orange color with a hint of yellow and the sun setting at the horizon. It was as though the sky was on fire but it is not hurting the earth.
A young 10 year-old Hanae laid on the grass next to a lake. He wore a blue shirt under his favorite black hoodie, some pair of blue pants with slight stains from laying on the grass, and a pair of comfortable white sock and black shoes. He movingly lay at his favorite spot because you can see the stars clearly at night from there. Too bad this will be my last night out here, Hanae sadly thought. Tomorrow, he will leave with his Mom and live in her hometown far away. But this is for the best.
He heard rustling in the bushes near him, but he didn't flinch or jump. He knew exactly what was there. Looks like this is last time we will see each other, Hanae frowned at the thought.
"Hello, Little One," said a soft, male voice.
Hanae turned his head to see a cat. A sleek, small red-orange cat with glowing red eyes. People would often mistake the cat to be vicious and temperamental because of its color, but they didn't know the cat like Hanae does.
Hanae smiled dimly, "Hey, Aka." He would have said more than that, but the words wouldn't come out. It's like they were stuck in his throat like a clogged pipe.
The red-orange cat, Aka, frowned (or close to a frown) curiously at the boy. The boy he often spends time with was not his usual cheerful self. Aka knew for a fact Hanae will be going away which saddens him and the others, but they spend what remaining time they have together.
I told that Baka-Inu this would happen, Aka shook his head, remembering his previous conversation with said Baka-Inu.
"Aka, are you alone or are the others here yet?" Hanae questioned. He really wanted to have one last farewell before going home to his Mom.
Aka smiled grimly, "Unfortunately at the moment, six of them have some business to take care of and the other six have to take care a lazy, womanizing drunkard." Aka muttered that last part with a slight scowl and a flick of his tail.
Hanae was confused. He knew that said "lazy, womanizing drunkard" was an important, powerful being and that anything he says must be obey or at least his rules. What he didn't know is that sometimes the being gets attack by violent drunk women whenever he goes out to have a drink. "Is he alright?" Hanae asked with concern.
"Don't worry about him. This actually happens many times before. A day of rest and drinking plenty of fluids will do the trick," Aka said gently smiling at Hanae. It happens so many times that I wondered when he will ever learn his damn lesson. Not only that, he is behind on his paperwork again!
Hanae watched Aka for a moment before shaking his blue-black hair. It wasn't his business in the first place. "So it's just the two of us, huh?" Hanae sat up, facing the sun with a crestfallen look.
Aka, not liking how the boy acted, jumped into Hanae's lap. "Little One, even when we are not all here, it doesn't mean we are not. Is this why you are here alone looking like your world is crumbling away into dust?"
Seeing those blue eyes widen slightly indicated he hit the nail on the head. He sighed, laying across Hanae's lap looking at the setting sun. Aka loves watching the sun rises and sets at the horizon; he always felt at peace just watching it. "You don't need to think of such things, Little One. You are far too young to contemplating such thought."
Hanae chuckled as he delicately stroked the red-orange cat. He hears a familiar purr knowing that Aka was at the moment content. In fact, Hanae felt the tension leaving his body; something that always happen when being around Aka.
Both stayed there watching the last bit of the sun slowly hid behind the earth; in place was the luminous full moon in the starry night sky. It was a beautiful sight to see.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Aka whispered, "Everything will be alright, Little One. No matter how far we are apart, we will see each other one day. The bond you made with us all those years ago will never be broken."
Aka would make sure of it. Hanae changed his life. He changed Aka's precious friends for the better.
We wouldn't be here today if you haven't step in like you did when we first met, Aka thought.
Hanae smiled with a flush, remembering the first meeting between him and his best friends It was certainly an interesting story to tell one day.
He sighed, knowing it was time to go home to his Mom. "I have to go now before my Mom panics and calls in a search party again," Hanae said, carefully laying Aka beside him.
Aka waited for Hanae to get up from his sitting position. It was now or never. "Little One, I have something for you."
Hanae watched Aka flicked his tail. Appearing right in front of him was a beaded bracelet. It lightly glowed in the dark showing some kind of markings in each different colored bead. In awed, he caught the floating bracelet; it felt warm, pulsing like it was almost alive.
Aka grinned, "This is a gift from all of us. So that wherever you are, we will be there spiritually." He added a wink which Hanae giggled, Aka will always be a little sassy.
Hanae slipped the beaded bracelet onto his wrist. He can feel the smooth surface of each bead and the gentle wave of power emitted from them. Taking a closer look, he sees the red bead glowing a bit brighter than the rest.
"I see you noticed my bead, Little One," Aka grinned at the astonished look he received.
"So, is this what you mean by all of you will be there by my side spiritually?"
"Yes indeed, take an even closer look."
Hanae did so and laughed at what he saw. The engraved mark on the red bead was the symbol of the sun. It fits Aka so well!
Aka beamed at Hanae's laugh. This is the boy he knew, laughing and smiling. "Now that you are feeling better, I think you should go home and get some rest. You have quite the journey ahead of you, Little One."
Hanae yawned, proving Aka's point. He waved at the red-orange cat as a gesture of farewell. "I hope to see you and the others again someday. Be good!"
"That's my line!" Aka smugly said.
Hanae giggled once more before disappearing behind the trees to follow the path home to his Mom. We'll see each other again, one way or another. It's a promise.
(End Flashback)
Hanae softly smiled at the memory. It was still sad to think about, but it was a promise they all will keep.
He slipped the bracelet onto his wrist, still feeling the light pulse of power emitting from it. After all these years, it was still strong, still in control. I know they are doing alright.
Hanae was about to lay back down to sleep when he saw something black flew at the corner of his eye. He turned towards the window only to see nothing; he almost felt something or someone was there for a second.
After moments of contemplating, he filed his suspicion in the back of his mind for later investigating. Nothing in his life was a coincidence or luck. Spending most of his childhood with his best friends before moving taught him that.
Hanae laid back down and tried to sleep. Tomorrow was his first day in high school and he wouldn't want to be late. Besides, he had a funny feeling about tomorrow.
If Hanae stayed awake a little longer, he would have seen the red bead glowing in the dark room.
Outside of Hanae's window, a shadowy creature hid behind the branches of a tree not far from Hanae's house.
The shadowy creature had black feathers, razor sharp claws, and a beak.
A crow watching and waiting for its prey.
Not far from crow but far enough not to be detected was a red-orange cat. His glowing red eyes glared with malicious at the black creature. Don't you dare come close to him. You have cause enough trouble for everyone, you and your little spies. You will not interfere the fateful meeting between two souls.
Author's Note: I am so sorry for not updating this story. Busy with college especially as a sophomore is time consuming.
You probably know who is the "lazy, womanizing drunkard" if you followed the anime/manga. (laughs)
Did you see what I did there with the last line? (winks)
Aka's nickname for Hanae is "Little One" because it's how he saw Hanae as a child and it's a form of endearment.
Next chapter is with Haruitsuki Abeno! Get ready for his side of the story!
Rough Translations:
-Baka-Inu: Stupid dog/Stupid mutt
-Aka: Red