Not much to say in the pre-story notes this time. Above this line is where review replies for Chapter 1 will go. And… that's it. Enjoy (I hope). :)
Chapter 2: Familiarity
"Bouquet… E-excuse me… Bouquet?"
Who is that? Who's talking? Who's poking her like that? She moans in discomfort, opening her eyes…
A little boy with an off-white bandanna on his head. Hibiki. "I'm sorry to wake you up," he says, "but we need your help."
Taichi appears in her line of sight, a hopeful look on his face. "Please?"
"Alright, I'm up." She yawns, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. What time is it, anyway? While she doesn't sleep into the afternoon or anything, Bouquet hasn't been waking up very early since she left the Resistance. "What's the trouble?"
Tsubasa clears his throat before telling her, "Aniki won't come to breakfast. We've called him five times."
That wakes her up all the way. "Where is he? Do you know?" Is it about last night? And if it is, which part of last night? Does it have to do with the outburst during dinner, or what he told her about the boys? Is it something else?
The boys share a look. Bouquet can't decipher what it means. Eventually, Tsubasa quietly tells her. "…He's in Kluke's old room."
…Oh. She says it aloud, "Oh." She can see that the trio is suddenly uncomfortable. There's no way for them to know just how twisted up things are between her, Kluke, and Shu. Could it be that they've figured it out on their own? She supposes it doesn't matter; she can figure out how much they know later. Bouquet steels herself. "Show me where it is, then."
There's a moment of hesitation as she stands in front of the door, poised to knock with the back of her hand. She shuffles her feet a bit. Then she shakes off any doubts and knocks. "Shu?"
No answer. Not even to tell her to leave. Frowning, she tries the knob – and is surprised to find it unlocked. Why didn't the boys just go inside? She mentally shrugs, then calls out, "I'm coming inside." There is still no reply. With a little sigh, she enters.
Kluke's room is just as she would expect – the majority of what fills it is practical, and any furnishings are a mishmash of girly and mechanical. A pang goes through Bouquet. What with everything that's between the two girls and Shu, people forget – herself included – that sometimes Bouquet misses Kluke, who is, despite everything, her friend.
On the bed, which is covered with a red check quilt and a wide variety of differently embroidered pillows, sits Shu. His head is down; he seems to be looking at something yellow that she can't make out, clutching it close with both hands.
Before she even has a chance to say anything, he starts speaking. "I've been forgetting, you know. I keep forgetting and calling her to meals." He can only mean Kluke. "But… For the first time, yesterday I didn't call her by mistake. I didn't forget for dinner."
Dinner. When Bouquet had eaten with them. She doesn't even know where to begin trying to figure that out.
Shu lifts his head slightly; his eyes are distant, and though he's smiling, it is heavy with sadness. "I don't know why I come in here. It just makes me miss her."
"I-I know what you mean." Bouquet instantly regrets saying anything. Shu's eyes lock onto her; the open curiosity on his face makes her squirm. "I-it's just… She's all over the place in here, you know? From the lacy pillow or two on the bed to the tools lined up by size on the table… Even though she's far away, it's like standing right next to her. And when it's like that…" Her voice catches as that pang goes through her again. "…it's hard not to miss her."
A little of the sadness leaves his smile. "Yeah… I don't think I could've put it any better than that."
Probably more eloquently, though. However, his words offer some reassurance, and she finds herself taking a few steps towards him. She points at the object in his hand. "What is that?"
"This?" Shu seems surprised to be asked. He glances down at it, then after a beat, holds it out as he says, "It's a stuffed Mecha Robo doll." With his explanation and the better view, it becomes clear that it can be nothing other than a Servant Mecha Robo, with its yellow head and silver arms. There is a blue "1" on its chest.
It makes her grin. "That seems like something Kluke would have."
Shu's sides jerk, like he's holding in either a laugh or a sob. "There's another one, too." He moves aside one of the pillows, revealing another doll that is identical to the other, save for having a blue "2" instead. "Kluke… didn't pick these out, though." Something melancholy has entered his tone again. "They were gifts."
"Who gave them to her?" Bouquet asks carefully. She can tell, instinctually, that this might be a sensitive topic. "…Was it you?" That would explain why he's sad about it.
"No, not me." He shakes his head, then glances at her searchingly. When he seems to arrive at a decision, he tells her, "…Kluke's parents."
…Oh. Oh, Kluke… "I see."
"Yeah." Shu swallows hard. "Kluke's mother was a lot like her – she loved machines – so every year, for Kluke's birthday, she made her one of these Mecha Robo dolls. Or… that had been the plan, anyway." Shu leans back, looks up at the ceiling as he talks. "When Kluke was two, her parents joined an expedition to see if water could be restored to their old home, Luminas. A war that was going on at the time had gotten close to that region, though… But they had no way to know that. Still, they left Kluke here with us." He returns his gaze to the doll. "A few weeks later, the group came back. Most of them had gotten killed in a skirmish. Kluke's parents… were among those that didn't come back." His hands tighten on the doll. "So she only ever got two of these."
Long moments pass as Bouquet thinks. She can tell from the way Shu exhales that he thinks she's decided not to say anything response. Eventually, though, she lets out a gusty sigh. "Well, it looks like we've got a lot of work ahead of us."
Shu gives her a confused look. "We… do?"
"Of course we do," she says, shrugging, like it's obvious. "It might be a little tricky, and we'll have to compare it with the originals, but…" She leans forward, hands on her hips, and winks. "We only have four months to make eleven of those little dolls."
It takes a second for what she's said to sink in. When it does, his eyes get wide and shiny. "Bouquet…"
"I'm pretty good at sewing, so I should be able to shoulder most of the work." She takes a seat on the bed beside him. For a second, she admires the considerable softness of the quilt before continuing, nudging him slightly. "But I expect you to pitch in, too, Darling."
He's still a little stunned, but then he blinks and it fades away, gratitude taking its place. "Count on it."
Shu is only just sitting down at the kitchen table when Tsubasa announces solemnly, "The boys and I have come to a decision, Aniki."
"You have, hm?" He tries not to sound amused, knowing it could come off the wrong way. It's hard, though; seeing Tsubasa so serious is somewhat endearing. "Let's hear it, then." This could be anything, really, ranging from a life-changing decision to what they plan to do for the day. In case it's the latter, Shu has already decided to take this with a grain of salt.
The trio looks at each other nervously. He can tell they're mulling over whether to spill or not. Mud, he thinks, reaching for the glass of water near his plate. They've probably made a mud fort in the living room again. Now older than he was when they previously attempted such a feat, and not participating in the act himself this time, Shu has to concede that the thought is not as appealing when you're the one who's in charge of cleaning it up.
Tsubasa turns his attention back to Shu and, with just as much seriousness as he'd used initially, announces, "We've decided to call Bouquet 'Anego'."
Shu chokes on the water.
The girl in question only smiles at her plate.
"Wh-what?" Shu finally manages to splutter. No. No. No, no, no. Just when I thought I had a handle on everything again… "Why?"
"Well…" Tsubasa fidgets. "You and Bouquet are engaged-"
"That's partly right, if you want to be really literal about it." Shu interrupts sourly. Bouquet coughs delicately.
"-so we decided that it would only be right to call her that."
"We did think about using 'Aneki', but that purple Shadow was calling her 'Anego', so we thought it'd be a good idea."
"Purple Shadow…? Bouquet." She shrinks back from the stern tone suddenly in his voice. "It's barely past seven in the morning. What're you summoning Hippopotamus for?"
Meekly, she replies, "I just wanted to show him around the house…"
"Good grief," Shu rubs a hand down his face. "It's more of a circus in here than usual today." He decides to table the bit about the boys calling Bouquet "Anego"; it isn't a discussion he wants to have right now – mostly because he doesn't want to do it in front of Bouquet for obvious reasons, but also because after earlier, thinking about Kluke right now (which he'll have to do in this case) makes him feel like he's plunging into a deep dark hole. More importantly, there's something else that takes priority right now. "So, before things get too out of hand, I'm just going to ask. Bouquet," she seems surprised at being addressed, "last night you said you had a message from Primula. You also said you were going to tell me today, right?"
"Always straight to business, huh, Darling?" For a second, despite her smile, Shu thinks there might be sadness in her eyes… But then it's gone, and she's continuing, "To be honest, it's very brief. Mostly, Primula said this is because she isn't at liberty to say. But she needs you to come to Nirvana. She did say it has to do with Rächer, but that was as far as she went. Also…" Bouquet pauses for a moment, biting at her lip, then pushes on. "Marumaro said I should tell you that he needs you. He said you'd know what it meant."
Marumaro… "I do." Shu nods. He doesn't let himself dwell on his last conversation with the Devee boy too much – thinking of it hurts, and makes him feel lonely to boot – but now is not the time to push it from his mind. And a promise is a promise. "Alright, then. I can't just up and leave right this second, but if this is important, I can't stay longer than necessary. Ojiichan, I'm going to take a half day." His grandfather hums in the affirmative. "Bouquet, at one in the afternoon or so, you and I will leave and head for Nirvana. Sound good?"
"W-wait!" Hibiki protests, sounding anxious. "Y-you don't mean you're leaving, do you?" Three little distressed faces are suddenly staring at him.
He rubs Hibiki's head, feeling his hair through the bandana. "Not for long, kiddo. I'll be back before you even notice I'm gone. Okay?" But it isn't okay, he can tell. If anything, they look more troubled than ever. He'll have to take them aside for a talk before he sets off. "Come on," he grabs his fork, "let's finish up eating. We have an hour to get to the forge."
He's still getting the fire hot when he hears Bouquet calling him. "Shu!"
"Bouquet?" Confused, he tosses in one more log before turning. She stands in front of the entrance, panting and out of breath. He's preparing to tell her that she can't stick around the forge all day – he'll never get any work done if she's here; just Tsubasa mentioning her was enough to make him burn himself for the first time in seven years – when he sees a square-ish bundle in her hands, wrapped in pink cloth. "What is that?"
She grins up at him, holding out the object and telling him just as he realizes what it is, "A bento! When I asked, Tsubasa said you didn't have any lunch with you, so I made it for your break."
He fights against a blush. This girl… "I'm heading back at noon, you know."
"Oh…" She looks so devastated.
And even though he knows it's stupid, even though he knows better than to let the walls down, even though his heart and mind are trapped in a dead-end – seeing that disappointment on her face is just too unbearable, and so he takes it from her. "I'll eat it before I head back. Promise."
"Really?" Bouquet brightens immediately.
"Yep. And…" He shuffles his feet, inexplicably nervous. "Thank you."
"You're welcome!" She giggles as she backs up, giddy all of a sudden. Then she waves at him broadly. "See you back at the house!" She's still waving as she hops away.
He blinks after her – and, even though he should know better, Shu laughs.
Shu has only just made it inside, kicking the sand from his shoes, when he hears Tsubasa tentatively call out, "Hey, Aniki…?"
The tone makes him pause. Something is… not wrong, precisely. But definitely off. He can't exactly tell what's going on, but this is not the normal hesitation that he hears from the younger boy. "What's up?" He keeps his voice normal, light, as he approaches, hoping that it will be encouragement for more words.
Tsubasa glances at the door to the living room. "There's… somebody here to see you. I think you might know him, but… I don't know for sure. He didn't give his name."
Him. A boy, or a man, depending on their age. Only one person, or Tsubasa would've said "they". Shu runs through the possibilities in his mind. It won't be Marumaro; for whatever reason, he requested that his turn for guarding Primula be extended. Even if he's changed his mind about what it was that made him decide that, he wouldn't go back on his word, and chances are he'll wait until I get there to try and do anything about it. There's a reasonable chance that it's Jiro, although it beats me why he'd show up without a letter or anything. But there are a few reasons I can think that he'd stop by, even if it's just for the sake of seeing me; I think he's still a little freaked out that I technically might've been dead for a minute or two during the battle with Rudolf, and I could see him wanting to check up on me and make sure I'm still breathing. Shu's mouth twitches; if it is Jiro, considering that the other boy used to fight with him so viciously, Shu finds the fact that he'd be concerned both touching and hilarious. He sobers as another possibility occurs to him. There's also a more unlikely chance that it's Rogi or Andropov. I'm pretty much okay with both of them right now, I think, but things haven't always been like that; there's less chance of them showing up because of that. But if it is one of them, and they showed up alone, then something big is happening.
"Aniki…?" Tsubasa's voice breaks him out of his thoughts, and he realizes that he's been standing and thinking for a while.
"Don't worry about it, kiddo." He ruffles Tsubasa's hair. "I'll go check things out, okay?"
The doorknob feels unusually cold in his hands, especially considering the heat. A sense of unease strikes him, but he shoves it down. With one last glance back at Tsubasa, to whom he offers a reassuring smile, Shu swings the door open and enters the living room.
"Hello…?" Shu calls out questioningly.
He doesn't see the person right away, his brain taking a moment to catch up with his eyes. And when it registers who it is, the shock is instantaneous. Jerking back with a startled gasp, he grabs behind him, gripping the doorframe slightly above his head like a lifeline. When he speaks, his voice is nothing more than a hoarse whisper. "Noi."
"Shu." Just hearing his voice is startling. It's the same as he remembers. Those gem-bright green eyes hold Shu carefully in their gaze. "I thought you'd be glad to see me." His voice is still warm, as it had become in the last leg of their journey, but something is there that hasn't been apparent since the beginning – reluctance. And perhaps a bit of distance.
"I- I am glad to see you, it's just-" Shu's voice breaks and trembles. He fights for control. "I thought… You told me you couldn't stay."
Something flickers in Noi's eyes. "The circumstances have changed."
"Changed how?" Shu, approaching the table Noi sits at, has a feeling he knows where this is going. He's already played this game with Noi too many times to be unfamiliar with it.
"I…" Noi falters, glancing away momentarily. "I don't know if I should say-"
And Shu can't deal with it, not after the strain of having Bouquet thrust upon him yesterday, close and with no way to distance himself from her. "Why, Noi?" He leans in close, hands pressed to the table. "Why are you doing this? After everything we've been through, you're back to not telling me anything again?" I thought we were past this, Shu thinks but doesn't say, even though he's tempted to. When Noi doesn't answer, and continues to not look at him, Shu disappointedly asks, "What about Rotta and Hildegard, then-?"
"You want to know why?!" Noi whirls on him. Shu feels his pulse hike with his surprise; Noi is nearly always calm. "My- my position as chairman has been revoked. I have no idea what's happened to Rottares or Hildegard." The smaller boy leans back in the chair, arms folded. "There. Happy?"
"Hardly," Shu manages after a moment. "Who revoked your position? Who has that kind of authority over you? Why didn't Rotta and Hildegard do anything? Why did you come here-?"
"Why did I come?" Noi locks onto him with those piercing eyes. "You know why. Unless… what you said before doesn't hold up anymore." And for the first time, there's a note of fear and uncertainty in his voice.
The words call him back to that moment three months ago, after the battle but before he'd known that Noi was leaving…
~.~.~.
"We did it, Noi," Shu threw his arms around the smaller boy, despite his squawks of protest, in a moment of pure elation. "We really did it!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Noi mumbled, pushing at Shu's arms. When he freed himself from Shu's grip, Noi gave him a considering look. "So, what are you going to do now, anyway?"
Shu laughed nervously. "A bit sudden to be asking that, isn't it?" The question was still in Noi's eyes, though – and was Shu imagining the desperation? (He wasn't. But he wouldn't have a clue what it might mean until later.) "I don't know… I haven't really thought about it, I guess…"
Noi frowned. "I see." He seemed down.
Grinning warmly, Shu pressed a hand to Noi's shoulder. "I still don't know what I'm going to do next. But I want you to know that wherever I am, you'll always have a place with me and whoever I might be with."
Noi seemed genuinely surprised by the answer. Then he returned Shu's smile. But… there was something tight – maybe even forced – at the corners of his mouth. "I'll keep it in mind."
~.~.~.
"Of course it does," Shu says now vehemently. "Even if I'm put out that you won't tell me anything, that doesn't affect what I said. That was a promise, Noi, even if I didn't say the exact words. It doesn't just… expire."
"It doesn't, huh?" Noi's smile is sad. "Still got some sympathy left for a Superior Lifeform like me?"
"What's gotten into you, saying something like that?" Shu makes his voice tender, though he can't keep out the hurt, as he reaches out to smooth the younger boy's hair back. Disappointment stabs at his chest once more when Noi recoils. "What did they do to you up there?"
The strain on Noi's face is clear. "I can't tell you. It- it's not like before, though. I will tell you if you want to know, I swear, it's just-" He breaks off, and Shu is surprised at what he sees in those green eyes – shame. "I want to tell you. I do. But I can't yet. I need a little time. So please don't ask me." Noi's head lowers, and his hands clench into fists on the table. "I-I know that I don't have any right, coming into your home and asking for a place to stay. But I swear, if you really don't want me here, I'll leave and figure something else out-"
Shu pulls him into a hug, holding him close. "Oh, Noi… After everything, how could you possibly think I'd feel that way?" He takes a breath. "You're my friend, Noi. You will always, always, be my friend. And there's nothing in this world or any other that could ever change that."
There's a moment where nothing happens. And then Noi's arms go around him as well, small hands latching onto his shirt. "By the Ancestors," Noi sounds irritated, but Shu knows him well enough to instantly realize that it is only a cover for the relief underneath. "You and your hugs."
"So, to Nirvana, eh?" Noi comments as he scours through the kitchen cabinets for something sweet. After the first minute or two, Shu gave up on trying to stop him. Noi still seems a little defensive and hesitant, and the last impression Shu wants to give is that he doesn't want the boy here. If the price for that is (apparently) his food supply, then so be it. "Just like the old days."
Shu laughs. "That's one way to think of it, sure." Since Noi is intent on devouring the contents of his kitchen, Shu decides that any (half-hopeful) objections would be a lost cause and snatches an apple off the counter. Turning the red fruit in his hand with consideration, Shu resolves to tell him why he's leaving Talta; even if Noi won't say anything, that doesn't mean Shu can't. "Primula and Marumaro need my help, and it's important. From the sound of things, it has something to do with Rächer."
Noi doesn't cease his search for sweet food, but he does sound curious as he asks, "What's Rächer?"
"To be honest, I don't know much. Nobody does. They kidnapped Primula a little over two months ago, and I managed to get her back, but we haven't been able to find out much about them. A few people suspect that they might be some Grand Kingdom loyalists that banded together, but there's no evidence of that. Despite the fact that one of our group is taking monthly turns guarding her, White Brigade has doubled security, which is probably a good idea considering what happened."
"So that means Marumaro is the one guarding Primula now?" He tries to sound nonchalant, but Shu picks up on Noi's eagerness. "He'll be there when we get there?"
Shu smiles into the apple, even though Noi has his back turned. "Already decided to come with us, hm?" Noi splutters in response. Shu decides to go easy on him. "Yeah, Marumaro will be there when we get to Nirvana."
"Shu?" He glances to the side at the sound of Bouquet calling his name. "Who are you talking to?"
Noi freezes his movements. Kneeling behind the counter, he's blocked from Bouquet's view. But Shu can still see his eyes light up at the sound of her voice.
Shu takes a bite of the apple, grinning. "An unexpected visitor." His sides jerk with silent laughter at the glare Noi shoots him.
"Really?" Bouquet, interested, peers around the kitchen, looking around for the so-called "visitor". "Who is it?"
"Someone you know very well." He narrowly avoids snickering when Noi rolls his eyes. Seemingly tired of the guessing game, the smaller boy breathes out through his nose in exasperation before pushing away from the counter, moving to stand where Bouquet can see him.
Bouquet promptly gasps, going rigid.
Noi snorts, folding his arms and leaning back against the counter. "Not even a hello, Paipai?"
She blinks, then squeals and rushes towards him. "Noi-chan!!" Bouquet embraces him firmly, despite Noi's noise of protest. Shu can see moisture at the corners of her closed eyes. "I can't believe it! You're actually here…!"
"Good grief. No need to smother me, Paipai." Noi ducks out of her grip.
"Oh, you!" Bouquet attempts a scowl. It's only half convincing at best. "That's the way you're treating me after so long? And I do have a name, you know, and it isn't Paipai."
Noi lets out a single, sharp laugh. "I'm teasing you. It's good to see you." He shoots her a more sincere look. "Bouquet." She gives in and smiles.
Bouquet glances up at Shu. "Looks like it's just the three of us again."
Shu is surprised at the realization. He thinks back to last April, those first few days with Noi, who wouldn't say a word about anything important and demanded everything in return. We've come so far since then… Shu grins, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. "Looks that way."
It occurs to him now, that even if Noi is being recalcitrant, even if he's feeling torn about Bouquet, the two of them are still there for him. They are still his friends. He is not alone. And for the first time, Shu finds himself looking forward to the journey to Nirvana.
"Are you sure about that?" Shu ceases packing for the moment, looking at Bouquet with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah. Taichi just gave it to me and took off for the village. Here, take a look." She hands off the note to him.
Dropping the change of clothes on his bed, Shu takes it from her and starts reading:
Shu,
I'm sorry to tell you this, but something's come up at work and I won't be home to say goodbye. So, if you can spare the time, please delay your departure for another half hour or more, then meet me at the village entrance. If you are not able to do so, then I understand. In case I don't have the chance to say it in person, take care of yourself. I'll see you soon.
-Fushira
Folding it evenly, Shu tucks the note into his front pocket. "At least a half hour, huh…" He glances at the window; the sun is shining bright, letting its light into his bedroom, and the sky is a cloudless blue. "Go get Noi for me, will you? Tell him we're taking a quick detour."
It's with mixed feelings that Shu proceeds deeper into the forest, Bouquet and Noi close behind him. There's a sense of apprehension; he hasn't been to this particular spot since he was nine. When he left with Zola, he'd always felt guilty for not seeing it one more time. Despite that, he's never come here since his return to Talta Village. In addition, he feels skittish and a little shy, bringing someone to the location who isn't one of his childhood friends. Mingled with that is a deep discomfort – most of his memories relating to this place are intertwined with Kluke, and saying he feels awkward bringing Bouquet here is an understatement. Twice he's thought about turning around, and the only thing that's kept him from doing so is his staunch refusal to leave Talta again without coming here.
He ducks under the low tree branch that has not budged an inch since his last visit – and then they've arrived.
Bouquet lets out an awed breath, a look of wonder on her face as she turns in place, taking in the sight. "It's so lovely here…"
Shu smiles. "It is." Despite his misgivings, he glances around, taking in the familiar sight. The rush of the small waterfall untwists a knot deep in his chest, and the sight of the pond that he's swam in so many times puts him at ease. "I used to come here all the time as a kid."
Noi lets out a sharp laugh. "And what are you now?"
The smaller boy grumbles when Shu rubs his head. "A really big kid."
"Please," Noi snorts at him. "You're not even taller than Bouquet anymore."
"You live in such a nice place, Darling…" Bouquet sighs, interrupting the boys' exchange. She's kneeling by the pond. "You're so lucky to have grown up somewhere as wonderful as this."
He picks up a stone, testing the size of it, before sending it flying with a flick of his wrist. It skips on the water's surface four times before sinking. The corners of his mouth twitch. Still got it. "I love it here. Even when I wanted to leave and travel around the world, I still loved living here. It was hard leaving with Zola when the time came. I always felt like there was a piece of me left here, and I'd never be able to get it back until I came home."
Bouquet tilts her head up, towards Shu. There's a curiosity and eagerness in her gaze. "I know you told me that you wanted to stop Nene to end everyone's suffering, but… If staying here meant that much to you, what was it that convinced you to leave?"
With a small sigh, Shu stares at the waterfall for a long time. The water is clear and sparkling in the sunlight; he's struck with an emotion he can't identify as it occurs to him that while this favorite spot of his has remained the same, Shu himself has irrevocably changed. Finally, he answers, "Because there was no choice. I unwittingly awakened my Shadow when Grand Kingdom attacked Talta. Zola tried to warn me that once they knew about Blue Dragon, they'd attack my village until there was nothing left. I didn't listen the first time, and what she said came true. So in the end, I left in order to protect Talta, even though I wanted to stay home more than ever."
"Oh, Shu…" Bouquet murmurs, voice full of sympathy; it causes his chest to ache, and he has to look away from her.
Noi sees this. But he doesn't anything. Shu lets out a quiet breath of relief. Thanks, kiddo. The smaller boy glances around. "This spot in particular must mean a lot to you, though," he says thoughtfully. "I can see it on your face."
Smart boy. "Yeah, it does. I spent a lot of time here, so there're a lot of memories connected to it." His eyes move, taking in everything with a new light, half in the present and half in the past. There's the tree that he fell from, Kluke's piercing scream ringing in his ears as he plummeted towards the ground and sliced open his ulnar artery on a branch; that edge of the pond, not too far from where Bouquet stands, is where he taught the trio how to swim; up above is where he fell into the waterfall, screaming Kluke's name as he went down; a little ways down the river is where he practiced for the river race, Kluke and the boys cheering him on; the patch of grass where he and Kluke had a picnic for their ninth birthday. So many different memories… "Did you ever watch me over here?"
"H-how…?" Noi is startled. "H-how did you find out what I told Rudolf? And how did you figure out that when I said that, I meant…?"
Shu lifts his right shoulder in a single shrug. "You're not as discreet as you think you are, Noi. Bouquet heard what you said to Rudolf," she giggles sheepishly at this. "I figured out the rest from there." To be honest, deciphering that Noi has been watching him in particular for years was instinct more than anything else. Somehow, when Bouquet told him, Shu had just known.
"You're sharper than people give you credit for." Noi flushes as he says, "To answer your question, no. I'd never seen this area until today." Still seeming embarrassed, the smaller boy quickly changes the subject. "So, now that you're back, do you come here often?"
Just had to ask that one, didn't you? "Not really."
"Why not?" Bouquet asks. She almost seems upset at the notion. "It's so pretty here!"
"It is. It's just…" Shu trails off, lifting up a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Like I said, I have a lot of memories in this place. It's hard being here when everything is so familiar, but I'm different from how I used to be," he echoes his earlier thoughts. It's difficult, putting his feelings into words. "In a way, I've been avoiding coming here, I guess. So I wouldn't have to face it."
"You're here now, though," Noi points out gently. Perhaps he's picked up on how uncomfortable Shu is, and he's giving him a break because of it. "What changed your mind?"
"I left here once without saying goodbye to this place. I couldn't do it a second time. And…" He's just realizing it as he says, "I wanted to share this place with the two of you." His face heats up. He feels vulnerable.
Bouquet stands so suddenly that Shu flinches back in surprise, and she begins to rapidly stride towards him and Noi. He's just about to ask her what's going on when she flings her arms around him. He goes rigid, swearing mentally. For a moment, Shu considers ducking out of her grasp. He knows that he should. But then all he can think of is how tired he is of pushing Bouquet away, and so he relaxes against her instead, returning the hug lightly. She's warm in his arms, her hair tickling his nose and smelling of flower shampoo. "Thank you, Shu," Bouquet says softly near his ear. "It means a lot to me, that you'd bring me to such an important place."
"That goes for me, too- Paipai, what are you doing?!" Noi flails as Bouquet drags him into the hug, and Shu's body quakes with repressed laughter.
"Group hug, Noi-chan." She pats Noi's head. The action is only half serious.
"Warn me first next time, will you?" The boy sighs. "You humans are always so clingy. Especially you, Shu." Even as he says it, Noi is still bringing his arms up around Shu and Bouquet.
"Excuses, excuses." Shu quips. Then he leans back from the hug with a grin, eyeing the top of Bouquet's head. "And I'm still a centimeter taller than Bouquet."
"It's… not normally this empty, is it?" Noi asks as the three of them wander through the deserted marketplace.
"No." Shu doesn't even bother to hide the tremble in his voice. Something is happening. "It's not like this at all." He isn't sure that his hometown is necessarily in danger, though. There had been no sounds of an attack, and there's no sign of any kind of damage. Everything feels the way that it should, except that no one is here. Despite telling himself that there has to be a reasonable explanation for this, his heart is pounding in his chest.
"This is so strange…" Bouquet murmurs, her hand curled just underneath her mouth. "Where did everybody go?"
That seems to be the question, doesn't it? He pauses as they near the forge. "Ojiichan!" He hollers into the empty workplace he shares with his grandfather. "Tsubasa! Taichi! Hibiki!" Not a single sound in response. With a sigh, he pulls back. "What on earth is-?"
"Shu." Noi. There's something in his voice that demands attention. "Look."
He first checks where Noi is looking, then turns his own gaze in the same direction, towards the village entrance.
Shu sees what caught Noi's eye, and his breath catches in his throat. Oh my… He takes off at a run with Noi and Bouquet calling after him.
As soon as he reaches the village gates, he can see them clearly – lined up in two rows, one line each on his left and his right, are nearly all of the villagers. Some hold signs that tell him to have a safe journey, while others begin waving handkerchiefs now that they can see him approaching.
When he reaches the end of the lines, he turns around and looks at them. Face after face wearing a smile, a few with a tear or two on their cheeks. Bouquet and Noi come to stand beside him, watching the scene unfold with something akin to wonder.
Most of Talta Village has come to see him off. Shu feels his throat closing up. His eyes sting and his face becomes hot.
Fushira steps out from the crowd, and Shu's heart skips a beat. His feet are suddenly moving without any conscious effort, bringing him closer to his grandfather, and then he's sprinting towards the old man. They reach for each other at the same moment, and then the two of them are hugging for the first time in a very long while.
His grandfather's voice is low, but Shu hears each and every syllable. "There are no words," he says heavily, "for just how proud I am of you." Shu tries to head it off, hold it back, but it's too late – the sob explodes out of him loudly, his whole body jerking with the force of it. He's embarrassed to be openly crying in front of the whole village, but Fushira's hold on him only tightens, saying with action rather than words that it doesn't matter to him whether his grandson cries or not, that it's okay. "You're growing into a fine young man, Shu. I wish I could have been there for all of it-"
"I'm sorry," Shu blubbers, voice watery. "I'm so sorry I wasn't here." He hates doing it in front of everyone like this, is honestly humiliated by the whole ordeal, but what Fushira said has brought Shu's inner walls crashing down, and he's too much of an emotional wreck right now to filter anything he says. His eyes are too blurry to see anything. He prays his nose isn't running.
"Don't apologize for what you can't control. I know why you had to leave." Fushira runs a hand through Shu's hair. "I've never held that against you, and neither should you. You did what you had to do." A soft chuckle follows. "And it seems that you've found some fine companions on your way."
Fushira can only mean Bouquet; he's barely met Noi, and only knows his other friends from conversations in passing. The thought only makes Shu cry harder.
"Now you're setting off on another journey," his grandfather continues. "And even though I'll miss you terribly, I'm glad that you're out and seeing the world instead of staying cooped up at home. The only thing I ask is that you be careful." Fushira hesitates, but then he carries on. "I'm… not always the best with words. Even with you, despite the fact that you're certainly the easiest person for me to talk to. But last time you left, I didn't have the chance to say it, and I refuse to make that mistake now." He squeezes Shu's shoulder. "I love you, Shu. Very much."
Shu sniffles before bashfully getting out, "I love you, too." Shu's a little shy about saying it – he and Fushira both have difficulty talking about their feelings, and usually prefer to let actions speak louder than words anyway – but the words are easy to get out, because he means it with all of his heart.
Fushira pulls back, wipes away the tears covering Shu's face. "You take care of yourself, alright?"
Shu nods, scrubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I will."
"Off with you, now," he pats Shu's cheek lightly, smiling wistfully. "Your friends are waiting for you."
Unable to help himself, Shu gives his grandfather another, quicker embrace. "See you soon." Letting go, he dashes to where Bouquet and Noi still stand-
-then stops. He can't leave yet. Not without saying something first. Shu turns back around, swallowing hard at the sight of the townspeople. He's grown up with all of them surrounding him, even if it was just a person in passing. He is one of them. And they deserve more than the sight of his departing backside. This time, he will do right by them. "Thank you, everyone, for coming to say goodbye." His voice sounds small. Clearing his throat, he wills himself to be heard. "It… means a lot to me. I'm sorry that last time I didn't… give you that chance…" He trails off, chest aching as he recalls that morning he left two years ago, remembers the way that the rising sun had silhouetted Zola and Jiro. At the moment, he had felt such immense distrust towards that pair, coupled with a fury aimed at them that bordered on dislike; the two of them who he now holds so dear and close to his heart. "The fact that you would come anyway really does mean a lot. So thank you, again, for being here. And I promise that this time, I'll come back home soon."
The crowd lets loose with a cheer, filled with farewells and declarations that he will be missed. Several people wave, and as he returns it, something strikes Shu as being odd. He can't quite place what it is-
It hits him with a brutal clarity that snatches his breath away. The boys aren't here. His hand slows, comes to a stop in the air, and all he can do is hope that his crushed devastation isn't etched all over his face. They… didn't come to see me off… He never expected the whole village to be waiting at the gates to wish him well, but he had expected to see the ones who mattered most. And of those, only Fushira showed up.
Steeling himself, Shu resumes waving, trying to carefully hide his emotions. They probably got caught up playing. You can see them when you get back. All of the things that he'd wanted to say flash through his mind now – don't forget to take baths, do your homework, take care of each other and Ojiichan, I'll be back soon, be good, and since he'd said to his grandfather, I love you. And then the boys would blush and mumble embarrassedly about him not saying it in front of other people because they're "not babies anymore", and Shu would laugh and hug them tighter. The image shatters with the reality that this hasn't happened and will not happen, and it feels like the broken shards are cutting at his heart.
After one last round of goodbyes, the crowd begins to dissipate, and Shu turns back toward Noi and Bouquet. He doesn't even get the chance to start heading towards their destination before Noi has suddenly pounced on him, speaking quickly and urgently. "What is it? I can see it in your eyes. What's wrong?" Noi's own eyes are tracking Shu with concerned intensity.
"I'm fine." Shu tries, but even he can hear the dejection in his voice. Seeing Noi's unconvinced expression, Shu sighs and decides to come clean. "…My friends didn't show up to say goodbye. I'm sure they forgot or had a good reason, but-"
"You wanted to see them one last time. Like how you showed us the waterfall, right?" Bouquet's sympathy nearly does him in. God, he's going to end up crying again.
Not much louder than a whisper, he says, "Sort of like that."
"Shu…" Bouquet lays a hand on his arm. Against his better judgment, he leans into the touch.
The softness of Bouquet's palm gives him an unexpected strength. He straightens, shaking off as much of his longing for the trio as he can. "Don't worry. I'll be okay in a little while. We should get going; it's going to take some time to get to Nirvana." He smiles in what is hopefully a reassuring manner. Bouquet does seem a little more at ease as she lets go of him, and Noi as well, so he supposes he must have been somewhat successful. Pulling at the straps of his backpack, Shu starts walking; Noi and Bouquet keep pace with him. "If things go well, I think we should be able to make some good progress before nightfall-"
He freezes in his tracks, listening out. He isn't sensing any ominous presences, but the sixth sense, so to speak, that he gets from being a Shadow User is often not reliable. Noi shoots a look at him, baffled but unworried. "What's up, Shu-?"
There! It had been slight, but he picked up the sound of gravel being disturbed. He whirls around. "Who's there?" Not quite shouting, Shu's voice is still loud and imposing. He looks around for signs of anyone or anything…
A flash of color directs his eyes to a medium-sized boulder. It's gone now, but Shu is sure that there was orange clothing peeking out from the side of the rock just a second ago. "Whoever you are, come out of hiding now!" He nudges at Blue Dragon with his mind; he doesn't know for sure what or who this is, but it's better to be prepared than not.
And then, stepping out from behind the stone are three very familiar boys.
"What- what are you three doing out here?!" Wanting to see them is suddenly forgotten in the face of brotherly, overprotective anger. "The village outskirts are dangerous! There are worse things out here than Cockatrices, you know! Why aren't you home?!"
Hibiki and Taichi are suddenly meek, but Tsubasa's face is set with stubborn determination. "We've decided something. And we had to come here to tell you."
"You could've just told me if you'd come to say goodbye." Shu snaps at them, and even he can hear the hurt note that enters his voice.
The trio flinches; they've heard it as well. But Tsubasa is still firm and unwavering as he says, "We're coming with you."
And the world tips under his feet. It must be, Shu thinks, because everything suddenly seems wrong and confusing. "You're… coming with me?" He can't even comprehend it.
"We're coming with you!" Tsubasa repeats, seemingly frustrated. "To- to wherever it is that you're going-!"
"No!!" Everyone jumps when Shu shouts. His temper isn't the best, but rarely is he so furious. "No! Absolutely not!!"
Tsubasa is unsure now. Taichi and Hibiki clutch at the older boy's arms. "But Aniki-"
"No!" Shu doesn't give him a chance to finish. "Go home! Right now!"
"We won't!" Hibiki yells from behind Tsubasa, who looks stunned (as does Taichi). "We… we aren't going anywhere but with you, Aniki!"
"Th-that's right!" Taichi stutters, incredibly nervous. "We… we c-can't just sit around waiting for you to come home again. It doesn't matter if you'll be back soon, because once was enough!"
"It isn't safe for you!" Shu grinds his teeth. "You have no idea what it's like out there! Just go home and wait for me-"
"Don't you get it?!" Tsubasa shakes his head. "A few months ago you almost lost your life to save the world, and we had to find out you were okay from a letter!!!" Fury and pain are mixed into the shout. "Do you have any idea what that was like? The sky turned gold, and that Knight Master told us you were fighting up there for all of us, and all we could do was hope you could feel us cheering you on." Something in Shu gives away as he hears it; he still can't explain it, but… He'd felt the trio's hope for him in his head, like a soothing hand on his forehead or a faint warmth that passed over his heart, as he fought with Rudolf and tried not to look down to see how much of his body was missing. "And then we didn't hear anything for a week. A whole week- We thought you were dead." Tsubasa's voice is shaking.
Shu swallows hard, trying to get a hold on his anger and bottle it up. He needs to be gentle now. "I'm sorry. I- I know that you were worried, and I'm sorry. I never meant for that to happen. But I promise, there's nothing on this journey that I won't be able to handle, and I won't be gone so long this time-"
"That's not good enough, Aniki!" Hibiki flares. All three of them seem somewhat mad at him now. "We're coming with you whether you like it or not, so you'd better get used to it!" Tsubasa and Taichi make sounds of agreement, nodding slightly.
He's just opened his mouth to begin a new round of protests when Noi interrupts him, "Shu. Let them come with us."
"What?!" Shu spins around to face him. "How can you say that-?"
"You weren't that much different when you started out, were you?" Noi's eyes are penetrating. As he always does when catching sight of this look, Shu shivers. "Shouldn't they get the same chance as you had?" He's suddenly furious at Noi; the reasoning is perfectly sound, and Shu has no defense against it.
"That's right!" Taichi pipes in. "We've never been as strong as you, Aniki, but now is our chance."
…Fine. I didn't want to do this.
Shu turns completely towards the boys, gives them a slow, careful look. The three of them pull back, and even Noi and Bouquet seem unsettled. All of them can tell that something has changed in him. "I think you're forgetting," Shu's voice is low but sharp, "who exactly is in charge here. I'm the one that takes care of you. And if I tell you to do something, I mean it. You don't get to come unless I say you do." Guilt momentarily flashes through him. He is never this harsh with the trio. It's necessary right now, but Shu doesn't like it.
"A-Aniki…" The boys stutter out his name as one. All of them are slightly teary.
"Shu…" Bouquet is fixing him with a worried look. "Why are you…?"
Without saying a thing, Shu spins around and starts walking away.
"I-I'm sorry." He hears Bouquet say, her voice fading slightly as he moves farther away. The boys only whimper in response. "I don't know what he's thinking… But I'll talk to him; maybe we can figure something out…"
Shu comes to stop, lets out a sigh. Debates with himself if he's about to do the right thing. Deciding that he'll linger on any regrets later, he calls out, "What are you waiting for?"
He can hear Bouquet stomp her foot. She must look pretty frustrated right now, or so he'd imagine. "We- we can't just leave them like this!" There's a weary exhalation, then footsteps are coming his way. "Noi-chan, what are you doing?!"
For a second, he wars with himself. No, he thinks. I really didn't want to do this. There's no helping it now, though. "I wasn't talking to you, Bouquet." He says aloud. Then gives it a second to sink in before adding, "And I didn't mean Noi."
There are three audible gasps.
Shu doesn't give them a chance to say anything. Not yet, at least. "If you're serious about this, then you have to do everything I say once we're traveling around. There are a lot of safe places in the world, but there are just as many that are deadly. Any orders I give during battle notwithstanding, Bouquet and Noi are perfectly capable of handling themselves. But if you're with us, then you have to do whatever I tell you. It's not about me bossing you around – in a truly dangerous situation, it can be life or death, and those kinds of dangers can crop up at any time. Even when it seems like nothing is going on, the circumstances can change in an instant. So I need you to be able to do as I say. I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to any of you. But if you're able to do that, then you can come with us." He waits, but there's no answer. "Well?" He turns around halfway. He lifts an eyebrow at three (plus two) stunned faces, and finally manages a slight smirk. "You coming or what?"
He blinks, and in that short time, the trio has reached him and they're all piling on top of him, yelling "Aniki!" at the top of their lungs. Shu can't help it; he laughs and wraps his arms around them in turn. It's not at all how he'd imagined it would be. The insistence on coming with him was not something he had anticipated, nothing he had even considered. But… Sometimes things work out better in real life than in imaginations. For this, time will only tell whether or not that will be the case. For their sakes, though, he wants this to have a good outcome.
Ruffling their hair, Shu sits up. Bouquet and Noi stand over them; both are grinning. "Come on," he tells all of them. "We have a whole day of walking ahead of us, so we need to get started."
Hibiki tilts his head and asks, "Where are we going again?"
Taichi groans. Tsubasa hisses at the youngest, "It's the White Brigade place!"
"That's right," he stands, offering them his hand. And when he says the next part, it feels like he's setting off on an adventure with the boys through Talta's surrounding woods. "To Nirvana!"
Noi's "catchphrases", so to speak, such as, "By the Ancestors," (and a handful of variants) is purely creative license on my part. He never specifically says that in the anime; although, in Japanese, it could probably pass as him saying "mattaku" or "全く", which, as some of you probably know, is an expression of exasperation that can be translated a multitude of ways. This is a strictly fanon element, though; in canon, Noi never actually says it. This came about through some headcanon facts of mine mingling together, and this was the result. However, you'll see this make an appearance repeatedly throughout Kyou wa and several other stories of mine. (Also, it isn't just restricted to Noi; other Superior Lifeforms use the phrase as well.)
All of Shu's recollections about the area around the waterfall are events that take place in Precious Memories; most of them have been in the works for a long time, and one has been planned since the very beginning. You'll be seeing these in the collection's next couple of updates (whenever that happens…).
As a certain someone helping me out (a lot) brought to my attention, I should let all of you know that things are not anywhere near as tumultuous between Shu and Fushira as they were in (one part of) Precious Memories and Homecoming. Although I do still find that scenario intriguing (from a writer's standpoint, at least), in most of my writing nowadays, that isn't how things go. Basically, in Kyou (and some of my more recent writings and things I'm planning to write) Shu never returns to Talta between Season One and Tenkai, and while Fushira is certainly a little angry at first, all of that anger has cooled by the time Shu finally goes back home. Everything is pretty much okay between them, except that Shu feels guilty about being away from Fushira for so long (see final scene above). Hopefully, some of this was clear while you were reading this chapter too, even without this little additional explanation here.
"…Fine. I didn't want to do this." Though I tried to make it clear, I just wanted to point out that from the moment Shu thinks this and on, he's already decided to let the Kobun-tachi come along (even though he doesn't exactly want to). I never really felt like I explained it the way I wanted to, so I thought I'd mention it here.
12/29/2012 - Minor edits have been made. Mostly just some grammatical corrections and words that have been exchanged in favor of some that are more accurate.
