Besarki: I was originally going to name this chapter The End but I knew that if I did that, about two dozen people would misinterpret it and have heart failure so I refrained.
So the quota was met and exceeded far beforehand, but I wasn't done with the chapter yet. Sorry. Plus a bunch of other stuff happened as well. For starters, the Hana's Epoch video I made got out (someone found the link I was and I had to run around the internet and fight to get it taken down. In the end, I decided that I might as well just upload it to my youtube channel so I have some extent of proof that I made it (my name--Besarki--is at the end, but no one other than you guys know who Besarki is). So, if you haven't seen that yet, stroll on over to my channel--link in profile--and watch it before I go nuts and take it down, though I probably won't. As I said before, this was a freebie. I wouldn't put it up if I wasn't positive that if I didn't, someone else would. Sighhhh. Like seriously, a thousand people have seen this. If you've seen a video for Hana's Epoch, without a doubt, it's mine. Mine is the only one out there. GRAAA! There was a link to it on someone's livejournal page, someone linked to it on deviantart, someone brought it up on Mankin-Trad. GOD! YOU GUYS ARE GONNA KILL MY BANDWIDTH! *Falls over and dies*
But that fiasco isn't all. On the day of my graduation, my great grandmother died. So I have her funeral to attend as well. No pity. Anyone who pities me gets punched. -.-
So, even though I asked everyone to not review on my author's note, someone did. -.- Guys, if I ask you not to, don't. Junky, your review was deleted because I always delete author's notes rather than just overwriting them with the chapter. I apologize, but I have this bizarre policy to reduce author's notes to rubble before posting the next chapter. I've already seen and replied to your review, and I'll say sorry for doing this. BUT A POLICY IS A POLICY! Please, everyone, don't review on author's notes unless I ask you to.
Also, now I think it was Hpcs2 - Suprema Onmyoji Isah, the author/reviewer with the extremely long name...but I'll check...oh yes. It was. Anyway, Hpcs2 - Suprema Onmyoji Isah asked that Anna hug Hana sometime, and I think I can get that in this chapter. Hmm. Let's see where...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How do I
Simplify?
Dislocate
The enemy's on the way
Show me what it's like
To dream in black and white
So I can leave this world
Tonight
~Unknown Soldier, Breaking Benjamin
Hana
"Where are we?" I asked, rubbing my eyes. I had only just woken up, and here I had found that we were standing at the end of a large empty field. I was on Kaa-san's back, which was a different place than where I'd fallen asleep.
My mother didn't answer even though it was a simple question. Curious, I stretched forward over her shoulder and looked at her face. Her expression made me frown in confusion.
Kaa-san's face looked utterly nervous. I noticed then that that same tension that lined her face also seemed to continue through the rest of her. This was weird. I was supposed to be the scaredy cat, not her.
"What's wrong?" I tried. She started a little.
"Hmm...? Oh. Nothing. What were you asking before?"
I laughed. "You're sure spacey today!"
She laughed just the slightest bit. "Sorry. I'm just thinking."
"About what?" I probed, annoyingly. Though I was genuinely curious about her thoughts, our bizarre location held my attention more. "And what's up with this place? There's no one around for miles," Something I wasn't used to, "and there's nothing here, either. It's totally empty."
"I know." Her voice was void of any sign of interest or disinterest. It was only blank and emotionless.
My eyebrows knotted together, and then my eyes went wide. "No way! Are we here?!" I asked, absolutely enthralled.
Kaa-san's answering smile was strangely...sad. Almost like being here was a bad thing.
"What?" I asked, my eager expression breaking.
She shook her head. "It's really nothing." She sighed, and decided to change the subject. It was suspicious, but I didn't catch on. "Are you excited? You get to meet your father soon."
I almost blushed. "Yeah, but I don't really know what to say to him..." I could already feel that this was going to be awkward. Sure, I'd spoken to him before when he was Gidge, but he wouldn't be a bird or a dog or a horse anymore. He'd be human--sort of--just like me and Kaa-san.
I'd like to compare him to an older male like Ryu, but I couldn't. I'd once tried to compare Kaa-san to Tamao to make it less awkward. This was way back when I first met her, but even then it didn't work. And I had never talked to Asakura Anna before that. How could I compare Asakura Yoh to someone like Umemiya Ryunosuke knowing that the two were nothing alike?
Darn it. This was harder than I thought...
"Don't give yourself a migraine," Kaa-san teased. I punched her in the shoulder. I was shocked when she didn't throw me off.
Matamune strolled beside us and he looked as suspicious as I did. I'd have to ask him about it later. Though, with how distant Kaa-san was acting, I was slightly worried that there wouldn't be a later.
But that was being ridiculous. This was Kaa-san. An array of streaming mana bullets couldn't take her out and she'd never let anything happen to me. So we were safe. Thinking all these morbid thoughts was just giving me an upset stomach.
My nekomata's ears twitched and he sniffed at the air a little. "There is a familiar presence in this general area."
"Familiar?" I asked, curious. Matamune didn't answer me, but instead glanced up at Kaa-san.
She nodded. "It's who you think it is."
He started. "But then--"
"Don't question it. Not now." I saw her discreetly glance in my direction.
"Very well," Matamune agreed, adding in an extra bow to be polite.
I looked back and forth between them, but was, unfortunately, left in the dark. I grunted and grumbled, but it didn't get me anywhere.
"Rude," I mumbled. Kaa-san smirked and ran her fingers through my unruly blond hair.
Naka crept forward, his eyes traveling about the scenery in a most bizarre and unnatural way. My mother glanced up at his sinister gaze. Almost instantly, her face seemed to grow tired and lost. I'd never seen her like this before--even when Turbine, Zang-Ching, and Opacho came after us.
It wasn't just her face, though. With Naka's accusatory search, the once mellow atmosphere had abruptly flipped. What was happy was now dark and foreboding. The ache in my stomach which had developed earlier flared now. Something was wrong. I had a sixth sense to prove it.
"Kaa-san...?" I harshly interrogated, frightened by the near-immediate change.
Her face regained its normal qualities as well as another one: an almost sickening determination. Like she was expecting something, and whatever it was, it was far worse than anything I could imagine.
"Rrrrrrrr..." Resonated Naka's eerie warning growl.
Kaa-san stared out across the field. "They're here," She whispered.
"Who's here?" I asked. Kaa-san looked at me from over her shoulder and then reached around and pulled me from her back. I was placed down in front of her, while she crouched with her hands resting on my shoulders.
"Hana, you need to listen to me now," She said, carefully picking her words.
My face turned horrified. She was anticipating something.
She shook her head. "I don't know what you're thinking, but, whatever it is, stop thinking it."
"I can't," I told her, panicked.
"Try," She insisted.
"No, I--"
"Forget about that, and listen to me!" She demanded. I said nothing, and she frowned. Isn't this what she wanted me to do?
I didn't get it and that made me mad.
This was wrong. We were finally at the end of our journey. We'd been through tons of hardships and overcome many tough challenges...but now...something told me we weren't going to overcome this one.
I stared at my mother with non-understanding eyes.
She spoke firmly, but there was desperation in her voice. "Hana...we are at the resurrection point. This is where Yoh will be soon, but we can't count on him yet. In a few minutes, we'll be attacked. You and I will be outnumbered. I'm going to have to ask you to fight along side me again. I promise that this will be the last time I ask this of you."
My eyes narrowed. I suspected that there was more than one meaning to that last sentence.
"Hana--"
"No."
"What?!" She gasped, and I knew why. I'd never refused a request so blatantly before, but I flat-out point blank refused to do this.
Because I knew what would happen if I did.
"No!" I repeated, pushing away from her. She grabbed me by the arm.
"Don't you think I'd rather have you run away?" She demanded. I shook my head feverishly.
"Not that! I'd never just leave you here. None of us would, but I'm not going along with this."
"Why the hell not?" She was as scared as I was. She'd never talk to me like this otherwise.
"Because I know what you're doing!" I argued.
"Well, that makes one of us!"
"Bullshit!"
"Watch your language!"
Someone snorted from the area around us. "Sorry to interrupt your happy family bonding time, but we need you to leave."
My head shot up towards the voice.
Opacho, Zang-Ching, and Turbine stood at one of the peaks of the valley inside which we stood. Their spirit allies all stood with them. Opacho pointed at us.
"Opacho thinks you should leave before Opacho's oni has to kill you. Oni won't go easy on you this time. Oni wants to see Hao-sama, too, and neither Opacho nor Oni will let you get in our way," She threatened. She was a little girl, but she really packed a punch--in both speaking and in battle.
Kaa-san whipped around, rising to her feet. "I'm not giving you a choice, Hana. Do as I say or you will regret it."
"I'll regret it either way," I grumbled. I reached into my backpack and grabbed Futsu no Mitama from its side pocket, then unhooked my necklace. "Matamune--in necklace! In Futsu no Mitama! Oversoul!"
At that same moment, Kaa-san's 1080 rosary wrapped around her arms, binding them together into her and Naka's Mana Beam oversoul.
Likewise, on the other side of the field, Opacho, Zang-Ching, and Turbine all oversouled their own spirit allies.
"Oversoul!" They yelled in unison.
I didn't wait for the ritual to be completed.
Before Zang-Ching finished oversouling Xiong Xiong, I jabbed the Oni Goroshi forward, stabbing them both. The uncompleted oversoul shattered, wiping out a chunk of his mana.
The Chinese man glared balefully at me, gripping his gong in his shaking hand.
"Bring it on, Meatball!" I shouted, tauntingly. I wasn't watching my back.
"BEAM!" A shining white beam launched from Turbine's hand and shot towards me.
I wasn't watching my back...but someone else was.
"MANA BEAM!" My mother's own attack blurred past me, impacting and destroying Turbine's beam.
I smiled. She was worried about this?
My grin was wiped from my face as a huge tremor shook the ground. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Echoed a loud, dinosaur-like roar.
I felt my stomach drop further. Unless my eyes were deceiving me now, there was a humongous lego T-Rex stomping toward us.
"No way..." I gasped.
"MOVE!" Kaa-san yelled. I was so stunned by the sight of the Lego dinosaur that her command didn't register."Hana!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her disengage her oversoul, send Naka to push me out of the way, then reengage it. It was a big waste of mana, and one I don't think either of us could afford right now.
Especially when yet another minion appeared. He was a big man with a team of football players as an oversoul. I forced myself to turn away upon hearing a sound from the back.
Kaa-san appeared behind me and smacked me upside the head.
"Pay attention!" She shrieked. "Preferably before you get killed."
I quivered from the shock of it all. "S-S-Sorry Kaa-san." I clutched my head, tried, and failed to stop the shaking.
"Don't apologize. Just fight! AND DON'T GET KILLED!" She ordered, slipping away from me to fight a three on one fight with Zang-Ching, Turbine, and the big Lego dinosaur which seemed to have a little man attached to it.
That left me with Opacho and the new football guy.
"We're worried about this runt?" The football guy asked in disbelief.
"I have a name, you know!" I retorted, taking a swing at him. Despite his size, he easily evaded.
The football man snorted. "Yeah. Zang-Ching said that it was cream puff."
"WHAT?!" I gasped. For a single second, I let my guard down. In that moment, Oni swooped in and dragged his claws across my torso. Blood spattered everywhere.
Matamune exorcised himself and went after the oni. He slashed at his eyes, leaving bloody spiritual trails, but was easily thrown off afterwards. He wasn't as strong as he used to be.
"Hssssst!" He hissed at the demon. His back arched and he bared his fangs.
Oni retaliated, swinging his claws and kicking his feet. Matamune's cloak was caught and ripped, but the attack narrowly missed his body.
"Hana-san, run!" He cried, dodging another one of Oni's attacks only to be stampeded by a ghostly football team.
"Matamune!"
Just then, Naka appeared--by himself once again--and plucked the nekomata from the ground, lifting him to safety. My relieved smile lasted only for a moment.
My head whipped in every direction. If Naka was here, then who was protecting Kaa-san?
I found her backed and pinned against a large rock with Zang-Ching and Turbine standing over her. She was using a very small part of Naka's split oversoul to create a shield, but it was weak and wouldn't hold long, not that it was helping all that much now. Her arms, held in front of her, were drenched in her own blood just as my chest was drenched in mine.
What the hell was she doing?!?!?! Her arms would be ripped off if she tried to withstand much more of this.
"Naka! Give me Matamune and go help Kaa-san!"
"Rrrrrr, yes."
I froze, staring at him in disbelief. "You can talk?!" I demanded after a moment.
He flinched as if he had just realized his mistake. I shook my head. There was no time for this.
"Forget it! Help her!" I screamed, pointing in my mother's direction. Naka nodded once, dropped Matamune with me, and streamed toward her, knocking Turbine out of the way and grabbing Zang-Ching in his jaws.
"Xiong Xiong!" Zang-Ching ordered. His oversouled panda gong whirled up and collided with Naka's face. Naka threw Zang-Ching across the field in response.
"Naka-Oni," Kaa-san breathed. She was done. The battle had just started and she was already out.
This wasn't a fight--this was slaughter.
The Lego Rex fell before us and immediately transformed into a tank.
We stared with wide eyes. Despite her depleted mana, Kaa-san was instantly spurred into action.
"Naka-Oni! Oversoul!" The act was instantaneous and without an ounce of difficultly, something that surprised me.
With mana that low, she should barely be able to maintain an oversoul yet she created one effortlessly. This didn't add up.
I had a bad feeling deep in my stomach that something else was up--that she was doing something that she shouldn't be able to do.
Matamune saw the question in my eyes.
"Your mother's mana is alarmingly high. She has created an oversoul twice yet it still doesn't dwindle."
I stared at him. "What do you mean? Look at her. She can hardly stand."
"That is her body, not her mana. The attacks inflicted earlier were on her self, not her spiritual essence. Zang-Ching and Turbine were not attacking her with their mana because they didn't need to. Fists fair just as effectively when a shaman has no or little oversoul active." He closed his eyes. "She still has plenty of mana. Enough to form and break her oversoul and still launch the strongest of her attacks, but that could ultimately be her undoing."
I stared in confusion. What did that mean? And why was it a bad thing that she still had a lot of mana?
A mana beam shot through the air, sending Turbine flying toward us. I didn't bother waiting for Matamune's signal.
"Oversoul!" I yelled, gripping the Oni Goroshi and striking the enemy. My stomach dropped through the floor when the Oni Goroshi went right through him.
"Opacho!" Matamune realized from his place in the sword. He was right. It was an illusion.
I turned in her direction...and fell to the ground.
The pain from Oni's scrape was searing. It hurt so horribly that I suddenly found that I couldn't even stand up anymore.
"Cream puff's down!" Zang-Ching laughed.
"Don't worry about him," Replied Turbine. "Kill the mother. She's the one who has it coming."
Kaa-san glared. "I won't fall for it twice," She snarled. She shot a small mana beam at those close to her then moved to my side. "Are you alright?" She asked, not looking at me.
I nodded shakily. "Yeah."
Across from us, our enemies grinned and formed a sloppy line. Their plan was bright as day. They'd come at us all at once. We'd be massacred.
"You won't fall for it twice?" Turbine recited, his smile was apparent even under his thick garments. "You just did."
They took several warning steps toward us, and then Kaa-san turned to glance down at me.
"You know what happens now."
"We die?" I guessed, no humor in my voice.
For the first time, a real smile graced her lips. She shook her head.
"No, Hana." She bent down and started to help me up. However, she paused for a moment and then suddenly hugged me. My pained expression dropped in surprise. "I'm sorry," She said sadly.
I pulled back and stared at her questioningly. Her smile was still there.
She hugged me once more then whispered something in my ear. "I love you, and Yoh loves you. Even Hao loves you. You can't ever forget that, alright? But now there's something I need you to do..." She backed away and looked me straight in the eyes. Her face was serious and determined. She spoke with utmost importance and authority even though it was only just two words. "Hana, run."
"...What?"
"Run. Hana, run."
"What do you mean, 'run'?"
"GO!" She threw her hand forward and tried to push me out of the way.
I wouldn't let her. I grabbed onto her dress and wouldn't let go.
"If I go, you'll do something stupid!" I insisted.
Her gaze drifted to me, then. She seemed amused. "When have I ever done anything smart?" She asked, almost laughing.
Tears began to gather at the edges of my eyes. Matamune once told me that people show their true colors just before they die. I told him that was ridiculous, but I believed him now.
"You can't do this. I won't let you do this."
"Hana..."
"Haaanaaa," Hummed a ghostly voice that seemed to echo from my mother's joint arms.
I sniveled, but a single tear dripped from my eye. Kaa-san ran her hand across my face, both of us ignoring the jibes and taunts that came from across the field.
"Naka..." I sniffed. He could talk all along, and I'd never known. It didn't bother me, though. Even if given the opportunity, I wouldn't change what happened these last few months.
"Don't be sad," Kaa-san insisted, her voice more gentle than I'd ever heard it before. "You knew this would happen. That's why you've been so worried, right?" She sighed. "But there was really no reason to worry. You'll see your father soon, and he'll take care of you. You're so very strong, though. Even if it was Hao being resurrected, you'd endure."
I didn't even care. The possibility didn't matter to me much, because I'd never have the family moments I'd dreamed of for so long. No matter what happened, there'd always be one missing.
I knew what Kaa-san was doing now. I had only just gotten her back, and I was about to lose her again, but this time, I couldn't just leave home and go find her like I did last time. This time, the separation would be permanent.
"We don't have time for this, now, Hana," She told me. Her voice was shaky, like she was holding back tears.
"But--"
"No buts." She kissed my forehead and rose to her feet. "What's a journey without sacrifice, right?"
And then I couldn't control the tears. I didn't want to either. Even if I knew there was no way to stop her, I let them flow freely to try to guilt her into thinking of another way. I knew, though, I knew there was no way around this.
"You have to go now," She said, not facing me. When she didn't hear me moving, she gave in and gave me one last smile. "We'll see each other again," She promised.
I nodded, but wasn't able to reply. The tears continued to flow.
"Go, Hana," She urged.
I nodded again, returned Matamune to his mortuary tablet, and turned around. And then I began my trek...in the opposite direction.
Every journey has it's ups and downs. Mine...has just hit rock bottom.
And I knew that, despite everything, nothing I could have done would have made a difference. Because I was too little, and too weak. Kaa-san would tell me that it wasn't my fault, but it was. I knew it was.
I wiped my eyes, but it made no difference. I gave up trying.
Fifty steps later, I stopped and turned around. Kaa-san was still watching me. Her face was similar to mine, but just a little bit stronger and a little bit braver. She saw my gaze and nodded. Her eyes drifted for the very last time.
The enemy front advanced, but froze suddenly when Kaa-san's arms raised to point at them. They seemed to realize that they'd fallen into her trap just a moment too late.
The light gathered until it was a blinding orb of energy.
Her lips moved with words I couldn't hear and then her signature attack burst from her hands.
The light reverberated, sending shock waves and tremors across the ground. I lost my vision for a moment, but I didn't care. As soon as I saw the light, I walked toward it, disappearing within its depth.
I didn't care if I got hurt. Nothing really mattered anymore.
As I walked, I never stumbled, despite the rubble and debris. It was like there was a safeguard around me. Really, I wouldn't be surprised if there was.
Little water droplets fell and wet the ground, leaving a trail like broken sticks in a deep forest.
There was no denying it and no way around...
The light began to fade after a while, but I kept on walking.
After everything that had happened. All we'd been through...
My only companion was the silence that surrounded me. I continued on.
Despite everything...
At last, I stopped. The light was finally gone, revealing me as the only one standing.
I'll miss you...
Lying motionless on the ground in front of me was my mother. There was little left to her, though she laid there in near-perfect condition. I didn't say a word.
I kneeled down beside her...and I cried.
Kaa-san was dead.
Besarki: ...
There's a lot I'd like to say here, but...I just can't this time. Things only go up from here, though. Meet the quota. See you in a few days.
I got this in an email a few months ago. Though I'm not really religious, this made me cry (I have personal reasons for that). I think it fits as a good ending to this chapter...
A Newborn's Conversation with God:
A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow,
but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"
God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."
The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have
to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."
God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you.
And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."
Again the small child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand
when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"
God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words
you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will
teach you how to speak."
"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"
God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach
you how to pray."
"Who will protect me?"
God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."
"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.."
God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach
you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth
could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave
now, please tell me my angel's name."
God said, You will simply call her, "Mom."