Tears to Shed
Note: Takes place between VIII Maiden Name and IX Name Tag of "Horseshoes and Hand-grenades" and after II Sea Salt
VIII: 16-18-5-4-9-3-20-9-15-14
"Those who have knowledge don't predict. Those who predict don't have knowledge."
-Lao Tzu
The night was still. Gentaro, who in doubt had no need to sleep, was lying on the sofa, eyes toward the ceiling. He recalled seeing the photos of his mother and father at the cemetery, a part of him still in sorrow on feeling that disappointment in failing them. He squeezed his eyes shut as he stood up, refusing to let a single tear fall.
"Seems you are still in mourning," Ophiuchus whispered. "I thought you were already letting go of your tears…"
"That's what I thought too," Gentaro replied, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve. "What's making me still constrained to this damned world? What am I missing? Why am I...still crying?"
"You severed ties with your grandfather, if I recall. However, isn't there someone you're forgetting? Someone so close to you that you consider her family?"
Gentaro's eyes widened as he remembered a memory from his youth. In it, he was eight years old, and a little girl was running toward him, giving him a homemade ticket in the shape of a rocket. More tears fell down his face as he hands began to tremble.
"Yuki Jojima," he hissed. "That bitch."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Gentaro hastily teleported to what was once his bedroom through an open window. He looked around, his vision not impaired by the darkness. From the look of things, his grandfather hadn't ventured into the room since Gentaro died. That was a very good thing.
"Now," Gentaro said to himself, his eyes glowing yellow. "Where is it?"
His eyes turned to his desk and a selection of pictures underneath the desk lamp. Without even taking a good glance at who was being photographed, he knocked them onto the floor with a clatter before finding the items he was looking for: a small wooden jewelry box and a leather-bound notebook. Peeking inside the jewelry box was the ticket in question. The ticket was brightly colored, with dashed lines to indicate where to rip, and decorated with glitter and hearts. Even after all these years, it looked ready and willing for Gentaro to take it to blast off into space.
Gentaro picked it up and another memory came into his head. It was his death, and the voice of his best friend screaming "STOP!" to no avail. His hands trembled as he looked at the ticket.
"I hate you…" he hissed, feeling the tears swelling in his eyes. "I hate you, Jojima…"
Without hesitation, Gentaro ripped the ticket into shreds, tossing the torn pieces aside as if it was confetti. He kept quiet, waiting to see if his grandfather heard of his own grandson's intrusion. When he heard nothing, he was about to leave.
"Wait," said Ophiuchus, halting his Serpent-bearer. "That book on the desk. We might need it for some information later on."
Gentaro turned to the leather-bound book and picked it up. He flipped it toward the first page and began to read what it said.
September 4th, 2011
Today I begin my first day at Amanogawa High. It all started when I encountered a male student who tossed a love letter into the water. I ran up to him and exclaim how if someone gave you a letter that they had to respect the writer's wishes and read it. Then, I began to—
Gentaro had half a mind to rip the page in half, but hesitated. Master was right. His petty feelings of anger and grief could be put aside for what his master wanted. Once Ophiuchus found what he was looking for, then Gentaro could burn it in a bonfire and see the pages burn at 451 degrees Fahrenheit.
He pocketed the journal inside of his jacket. Then, he crossed his arms, raising his hands so that they covered his eyes.
"Aquila," he whispered.
With barely a sound, Gentaro transformed into a black eagle and flew off into the night.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
"Wake up, Apep! Wake up~! Rise and shine~!"
Kengo groaned as he turned to see Jiro sitting at his bedside. Next to Jiro were a collapsible table and a tray for his breakfast.
"Why are you in my bedroom?" Kengo muttered. "Has someone committed suicide?"
"I made you breakfast!" Jiro laughed, placing a bowl and some chopsticks into Kengo's hands. "Come on, eat up!"
Kengo looked at the bowl in his hands. It was rice mixed with a raw egg yolk and soy sauce and topped with a slice of fish. He took a glance at Jiro before beginning to eat.
"You need to be nice and strong for today!" said Jiro. "You looked so peaceful and vulnerable in bed, so I decied to keep an eye on you and make breakfast! Be thankful for what I've done!"
"So you're saying that you stayed up all night while I was in bed and then make breakfast while I'm capable of feeding myself?" asked Kengo, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not a baby, you know."
"But you're so sweet, innocent and helpless without me," Jiro whined, running his hands through Kengo's hair. "I need to make sure you're safe..."
"And you're doing a good job," Kengo smirked, replying with a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you."
Jiro laughed and wrapped his arms around Kengo's neck, whispering, "I love you so much, Apep...I can't live on without you..."
Their moment of bonding was interrupted when Gentaro opened the door, the journal in his hands. Jiro quickly knelt toward his master's side.
"How is our Serpent-bearer doing this morning?" he asked. "Did you get enough sleep?"
"If by 'sleep' you mean 'me not crying a lot', then yes, I'm fine," Gentaro answered, closing the journal. "Are all prepared for today?"
"I was just giving Apep his breakfast before you came," Jiro stood up and showed the tray of food on the table. "You need to eat something, too. Who knows how much energy you're going to be using throughout the day."
"I'll be fine, Serpent of Obsidian Knives. The only thing I need to keep me going is the looks on my friends' faces when I crush them one by one." Gentaro snarled before turning to Apep. "Do you remember the plan?"
"It's all up here, Serpent-bearer," Kengo replied, lightly tapping his head with a finger. "Toriizaki will be used as bait while you work your magic with Principal Hayami. As long as you're in a relatively close distance with him, the more and more he'll succumb to the venom. Then, his power will be ours."
"That son of a bitch will pay for creating that damned sheep," Jiro snarled. "If he didn't make Yamada the Aries Zodiarts, all of this wouldn't have happened."
"This is no time to get angry on who's fault this was," said Gentaro. "Apep, Serpent of Obsidian Knives, finish breakfast then head out. I'll see you in a few hours."
"As you wish," both Kengo and Jiro replied simultaneously.
Gentaro nodded his head as he walked off, muttering the word, "Pictor" as he left.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Gentaro was in the streets of Kyoto, traversing in his disguise. He ran his hands through his light auburn hair as he passed by a food truck. The only thought in his mind was what he read in his journal, resisting the urge to tear each and every page into shreds. Hearing his old self so happy of what he experienced made him feel sick inside.
"Oy! Haruto! Over here!"
Haruto? Gentaro thought to himself, turning to the obnoxiously pink donut food truck he passed by. The two workers were preparing some freshly made donuts that made his mouth water. Even with the ramen he had last night, it wasn't enough to sustain his body for much longer than a day. Plus, with the fighting and everything he was going to be going through for the next two days, it would be a good idea to stock up on some emergency rations. With a slight shrug, he went toward the counter and gave him his best smile. He glanced at himself at the display case of donuts—with that smile, he reminded himself of his old self.
"I assume you're here for your usual, correct?" asked the Donut Shop Manager, dressed in his rainbow colored top and pink apron.
"Y-yes," Gentaro replied, giving the Manager a small smile. "Have to start off the day with something sweet."
"It's too bad you don't want to try some of my other donuts though. Why you always want the plain sugar ones is beyond me."
Maybe because this Haruto is just a plain, ordinary guy with no actual facets of personality to speak of? Gentaro thought to himself, trying to imagine the person the manager supposedly mistook him as. Instead, he spoke, "Today is different though. I want to try some of your new donuts."
"Really?" said the Donut Shop Manager. "Coming right up!"
As Gentaro saw the manager and his assistant prepar a large box of donuts, he saw Ophiuchus in the reflective glass of the display case.
"I never knew you were still that generous soul you were in the past," said the serpent.
"It's not for them, Master," Gentaro replied. "I just don't know how long I'm going to last without enough rations. The Fourze Driver uses so much Cosmic Energy and I don't have enough time to sit back and charge myself with more. These donuts will be my only source of food for the entire day. Hopefully it'll last until tomorrow evening."
"Here you go!" cried the Donut Shop Manager, handing Gentaro a pink box filled with a baker's dozen of donuts. "Free of charge!"
"Thank you," Gentaro replied, opening the box. Seeing the sugar-glazed rings made his stomach growl. He took one into his mouth and bit deep. "Mmm...delicious!"
"You're too kind," the Shop Manager chuckled as he watched Gentaro walk off. "Have a good day!"
"Excuse me, Manager-san?"
The Donut Shop Manager turned and saw Haruto walking toward the truck. He blinked and looked back, seeing Gentaro vanishing into thin air before seeing Haruto at the counter.
"Haruto," asked the Shop Manager. "How are you here? What happened?"
"I was helping Koyomi out with something," Haruto answered. "Why do you ask?"
"...It's nothing," said the Shop Manager with a wave of his hand. His eyes took a glance at the spot where Gentaro walked off. "It was nothing at all."
0-0-0-0-0-
"I have to say," said Gentaro, going through his fourth donut. "These donuts are quite good."
"I didn't know you had such a healthy appetite, Serpent-bearer," Ophiuchus laughed. "Then again, when you go through Life-after-Death, you pretty much have no choice."
"Excuse me," said a quiet voice. "Do you have the time to decide your fortune?"
Gentaro snarled, finding himself interrupted once more. Getting food was one thing, but he needed to get to the rendezvous point as soon as he could. He took a glance at the fortune teller, seeing her grey cloak and gold jingling bracelets. There was something so...familiar about her.
"Who are you?" he asked, approaching the fortune teller and her table.
"I am the famous Madame Pollux," the hooded figure replied. "I am here to decide your fate."
"My fate was decided a long time ago, thank you very much."
"Then will you decide for someone else?" Madame Pollux lifted her gaze toward Gentaro's. For a slight moment, Gentaro thought those eyes were familiar, but then he brushed the thought aside as Madame Pollux continued. "All fortunes will be read for someone in the end, and their happiness depends on someone else's anger and sorrow. Don't you agree?"
"I guess," Gentaro answered. He saw Madame Pollux shuffle her tarot deck and let out a sigh. "All right, I'll play your game. What do you want from me?"
"Just draw one card so I can see what you will be witnessing," Madame Pollux fanned out her cards in front of Gentaro. "Do not worry, this deck is not rigged. All cards you see in front of you have an equal opportunity to become the one that decides your fate."
"This fortuneteller is sending off a familiar aura..." said Ophiuchus. "Play along for now."
Gentaro nodded his head as he waved a hand over the deck. He spotted one near the far right and pulled it out. It was upward, revealing three women raising a goblet in their hands as a toast.
"What's this?" asked Madame Pollux, taking the card into her hands. "An upward Three of Cups? It calls for celebration of being successful and being full of happiness. Rejoice in this day, young one. You have lots coming toward you."
"Thank you," said Gentaro, bowing toward the fortuneteller. "I appreciate your kind words, madame. Now if you excuse me, I must head off."
"Wait just a moment," said Madame Pollux, placing a hand over her Gentaro's wrist. The two stared into each other's eyes, trying to find out the secrets they kept within one another. After a few seconds, Madame Pollux released her grip and nodded her head. "Go and have a wondrous day. Do what you need to do."
"I shall," Gentaro replied, pulling out a donut from the pink box in his hands. He placed it on top of Madame Pollux's tarot cards and said, "For you. May you have many blessings this fine day."
Madame Pollux nodded her head as Gentaro walked off. Once they were alone, Ophiuchus spoke.
"I knew it." Ophiuchus hissed, turning his gaze back at Madame Pollux. "Just give her a small token of affection and she'll give you some very powerful benefits."
"Who was that?" asked Gentaro. "Was she an old friend of yours?"
"The fortuneteller? No. The serpent inside her. She's my older sister, Divine Fortuneteller Renenutet."
"Your sister? Why am I hearing about this now?"
"Most Serpents don't interfere in the plans of other Serpents and their serpent-bearers. They all have their own agendas that they stick to, so if one Serpent grants favor to another, it means that there's trouble brewing."
"Is that why you told me to give that food as offering?"
"Yes. This means that we respect Renenutet's wishes, and she will soon guide us in the near future. Until then, let us prepare for Kyoto. We don't want to keep our audience waiting, do we?"
Gentaro smirked as he continued to walk across the city, preparing for the day ahead of him.
Next time: Gentaro meets up with JK, and the feeling is anything but mutual. Gentaro showed no remorse when he took his friends' memories away, but does he show a sliver of remorse just as he was about to kill one of his friends?
To be continued in, Tears-9 "Firestarter"