Warning: Mentions of rape in this chapter.

Mirage of Changes

by Karura

Chapter Four

As Naoe was walking toward Hisako, he realized the incongruity of his situation. What was he going to do? He couldn't chat the actor up and ask him if, by any chance, he hadn't confused him with Kagetora last night and made... No, he couldn't do it! He was already having a hard time admitting his actions, even though he had believed himself in a dream. However, while he was thinking about it, his feet had already led him to the actor and he had to say something, otherwise he would look ridiculous. "Uh... hello, you don't seem to have slept very well..." He mentally winced upon hearing his own words, especially when he didn't want to get onto this peticuliar topic...

But Hisako merely sighed. "Indeed," he answered. "That story disturbed me all night and..."

"And?"

Hisako looked away. "Ryousuke really wants us to perform the play again tonight. He said people would be ready to pay twice the price to attend it."

"Really, this guy only thinks about money," Naoe criticized. "He should consider your opinion a little more."

The actor merely shook his head. "He has a troupe to administer and people to feed," he countered. "I can't deprive the others just because of my whims. It wouldn't be fair. This is how it is when you live in a community..." He looked away for a moment. When his gaze met Naoe's again, his eyes were tired and resigned. "I'm just worried about those fanatics," he went on. "They may do something during the performance and I wouldn't want the situation to get worse. Ryousuke promised me that the others would be here to ensure security, but..."

Naoe didn't want to worry Hisako more than he already was, so he didn't told him that several members of the troupe, the so-called Kagetora's chosen ones, would certainly joined the fanatical villagers. Naoe didn't want the performance to be cancelled. So far, the spirit had only showed itself during the play. If Naoe wanted to solve this case quickly, the play had to take place, even if it could be dangerous for Hisako. It was Naoe who was in danger for the moment. He would never have such a dream in another context, and he didn't want it to happen again. He couldn't bear it.

"Don't worry," he lied without a bit of remorse. "I'm sure everything will go well." Even the actor's relieved and grateful smile didn't upset his conscience in the least. This case was going to be settled, even if it required some sacrifices. It was unavoidable.

XxX

In the evening, despite the fact that the prices had tripled, you could have believed the whole village had come. Exceptionally, Naoe and Nagahide were staying in the backstage. Indeed, Ryousuke hadn't gone as far as asking them to pay for their seats, but he had estimated that, since they had already seen the play twice, they didn't need to fill two seats which could make them earn more money. Naoe had nodded with all his heart; he certainly didn't want to see again the play that gave him such strange ideas. As for Nagahide, he thought it was better to watch more closely the troupe's members. He was still worried about Kagetora's chosen ones.

"Maybe I should tell Ryousuke about them," he whispered to Naoe. "He seems rather protective of Hisako, and if he thought he was in danger, he would cancel the performance... even though having to refunding all this money would surely kill him!"

Naoe shook his head. "If the performance is cancelled, it will only make the fanatics more furious," he noticed quite rightly. "Even your power of hypnosis couldn't quiet a mob."

"I don't know, I've never tried," Nagahide joked despite his worried face. "More seriously, if we don't step in, something is going to happen tonight."

"I hope so."

Nagahide cast him a surprised look which quickly turned to disbelief. "This is exactly what you want, isn't it?" He hissed vehemently. "You don't care if Hisako is in danger as long as we solve this case!"

Naoe lifted a hand to calm him down. "Hisako isn't in danger," he countered. "These people believe he's Kagetora's high priest, so do you really think they would hurt him? Yes, I want to lock off the situation tonight, but I'm not putting Hisako in danger. We must know when we have to take calculated risks!"

Nagahide narrowed his eyes, feeling that his friend wasn't telling him the whole truth. However, this was neither the place nor the time to argue about it. "I hope for you that everything will go well," he warned him. "Otherwise you will have to answer for it before Kagetora-sama!" Naoe nodded. He had nothing to blame himself for. Everything was for the sake of their mission... and also to get him rid of this horrible dream.

Nagahide suddenly spotted Hisako, who was pale and shaking, donned in his scene kimono and waiting for the performance to start. He went to him. "Hisako, are you alright?" He asked, feeling worry.

"Yes, I... I just don't like this play," the actor said weakly. "I wish Ryousuke never bought it."

Nagahide's eyes softened. "Don't worry," he reassured him. "We will protect you."

Hisako cast him a surprised look. "You... will protect me?" He repeated, his eyes going from one to the other. Nagahide nodded firmly, followed by a little more reluctant Naoe. Hisako smiled weakly.

"Hisako, on stage!" Ryousuke interrupted, perky because of the good receipts in prospect.

Hisako took a deep breath, then went bravely on stage. Nagahide sighed once he was out of sight. "He's a brave boy," he said to Naoe. "I hope for you that nothing will happen to him. He wouldn't deserve it."

"Nobody deserve awful things to happen to him," Naoe retorted.

"Oh yes," Nagahide countered with a sharp look. "If something happens to Hisako and if Kagetora decides to hang you by the feet till you die, you will have well deserve it."

XxX

Contrary to what the two possessors have thought, the play took place smoothly. But it was too calm. No one in the crowd was commenting, and even Hisako's bare shoulders didn't produce their usual effect. The townpeople were merely watching the play without blinking.

"Maybe it's going to be alright," Hisako commented when he returned to backstage after the first act. "They may have just come to see if Kagetora's spirit would appear at the end of the play."

"I'm sure that's it," Nagahide told him to reassure him.

Meanwhile, Naoe was watching the crowd from behind a hanging. "It's just the calm before the storm," he thought. "They will do something tonight, but first, they are expecting something." They have also to be wary of a few members of the troupe. Danger could come from anywhere.

Hisako returned on stage for the third act. There was no disturbance in the crowd. The demons on stage led Hisako in the backstage on the other side of the scene. The crowd applauded moderately then left quietly without dwelling. From behind the scene, Nagahide frowned. "They didn't try anything and the spirit didn't appear," he mumbled. "Something is wrong."

Naoe tried to temper things. "I'm sure the spirit doesn't have enough strength left to survive after all his recent manifestations. You know that spirits tend to loose their energy more quickly when they don't have a body."

"That's why they would do anything to get the living to feed them with their prayers," Nagahide retorted. "And the people here are very able to do it! They would even built a shrine to the glory of this so-called Kagetora!"

Naoe shrugged. "If you say so. But the fact is that tonight's performance ended without any incident and that Hisako is alright..."

Naoe suddenly widened his eyes. Nagahide looked at him with puzzlement. "What?"

Without answering, Naoe run out of the backstage. Some members of the troupe were already dismantling the scene since they were scheduled to left the next day. Naoe turned his head in every direction, then called one of them, a young teenager who was undoing a knot. "Where is Hisako?" He asked.

"He may be at the camp. He fainted when he left the scene, and Yama and Taro took care of him," the lad told before resuming his work.

That was the name of the two actors who played the demons. Furious, Naoe clenched his fists. Behind him, Nagahide uttered a frustrated sound, understanding what had happened. "They had kidnapped him, hadn't they?" He asked, just to be sure. "Just under our noses! I can't believe it!"

"It's not over," Naoe said with determination. "Run to the village and watch the villagers. I'm sure they will all gather somewhere."

Nagahide nodded. "What about you?" He asked.

"I will try to follow Hisako's trail. They certainly went into the forest."

"How will you do it? You have not Haruie's reisa-nouryoko, nor Kagetora's phoenix..."

"There is a presence I can track very well, and it's Kagetora-sama's. This spirit is similar to him, don't ask me how it's possible. So, let's not waste time!"

Nagahide nodded and ran to the village. As for Naoe, he closed briefly his eyes then headed to the forest with determination.

XxX

Hisako was slowly regaining consciousness. He remembered when he had left the scene, relieved that nothing supernatural had happened, and then he had felt a sharp pain at the back of his skull. He straightened up and realized he was in a glade. The full moon was tinted with red, and he felt uneasy for a moment. A noise behind him startled him and he turned back quickly. His nervousness increased. Three men donned in demon costumes were facing him. "What... What's the matter?" He asked in a shaking voice. They were probably members of the troupe. He had recognized their costumes. These guys may have take him here to protect him. But if that was the case, why hadn't they removed their masks yet and why did they kept silent? Hisako twisted nervously his kimono's sleeves. He suddenly felt like shouting for help, but who could hear him? The forest was all around them and no one else seemed to be in the vicinity. Hisako tried to get up on his shaky legs but one of the demons walked to him and quickly grabbed him by the arm to push him on the ground. Hisako fell with a slight cry.

"It's time for you to pay for your crimes," said the demon.

"With this body of yours, you have driven more than one man crazy," said another demon.

"If you want to complain, complain to your brother," said the last. "It's all because of him."

Hisako couldn't hide his fear any longer. His eyes widening, he saw the men slowly approaching him. "No," he whimper. He had no doubt about their intents. He had too many times before known such a situation. When he had told Naoe about the fate of his first troupe, he didn't specify that he had been part of the rape victims. Indeed, he had already taken the habit to dress like a woman at that time. When his torturer had felt something unexpected between his legs, he had swore and stricken him, but he hadn't stopped. Later, Hisako had let Ryousuke do the same thing. Oh, Ryousuke was tender and protective, and he said he loved him, but Hisako had never felt anything physical for him, except a deep self-disgust. There had also been other times, when he had agreed to sell himself after a performance, so that the troupe could buy something to eat. At those times, he had told himself that one or two more times couldn't hurt him, but he had been so wrong. He had to bury his feelings deep inside of him in order not to become crazy. And the day before, he had dreamed of Naoe, a dream where this mysterious man had made love to him. For the first time in his life, Hisako had felt some physical pleasure, but it was only dream and there was little chance for that to happen in reality.

Grit your teeth and endure. Don't focus on the rough hands grabbing the fleshy parts of your body without any care. Think about something else while your body is so rudely invaded... Hisako suddenly opened his eyes. No, he was sick of being a victim. He wanted to defend himself, even though it wouldn't change the outcome. He wanted... the power to beat these men!

So, let me do it, a voice in his mind said. If you don't want to suffer, trust me.

Hisako thought he was becoming mad. A low growl near his ear brought him back to his current situation, and he hold back a bitter laugh. Wasn't madness better than what he had to endure? So he let his mind drifting and sinking into darkness.

XxX

Nagahide was running through the village streets. Nobody was in sight and he didn't feel any presence from the houses around him. Naoe had been right: the villagers had gone somewhere else. He had to find that place. He paused for a moment and concentrated. He could surely feel a gathering of hundred people! He suddenly heard a noise not far from him and he opened his eyes again, loosing his concentration. "Who is here?" He asked. Nobody answered him. He stepped forward and caught a move at the corner of his eye. Four men were standing behind him, looking threatening. They had some solid wooden sticks in their hands. Nagahide wondered if he would be able to hypnotize them before they reached him. He wasn't sure he could do it.

"What are you doing here?" One of the men said. "You're from the troupe, right? We don't like that your kind lurks in our village."

Nagahide raised his hands in a gesture of peace. He had to think fast. "In fact, I came to see Kagetora-sama." He didn't have so much hope, but this name seemed to disturb the villagers. One of them began to walk to him, but another held him.

"Don't you mean..." One of the men began.

"I've seen Kagetora-sama in my dreams," Nagahide confirmed, improvising. "He hasn't told me what he expects from me, but I know I have to do something for him. And it has something to do with you, villagers."

The men exchanged quick glances. Nagahide tried to stay relaxed but inwardly, he was wondering if he would be able to outrun them. The hypnosis was still his best option. He was so nervous that he nearly jumped when one of the villagers slapped him in the back. "Welcome, guy," he said merrily. "Kagetora-sama has appeared in your dreams so you must be worthy of him. Come with us."

Nagahide breathed out. His trick had worked. "Where are we going?" He asked, following them.

"It's a surprise," said one of them with a big smile. Nagahide wasn't at rest, but it was too late to flee. He could only hope that Naoe would soon rejoin him.

XxX

Naoe couldn't say if he had really followed a trail or if he had just relied on his instincts. He had chosen directions without thinking, forgoing for once his common sense. Nothing really made sense in this story, anyway. As things were, he might very well have turned in circles for hours without even realizing. However, it was out of the question to give up. The full moon was lighting his path and it reminded Naoe about his previous dream. He violently shook his head. It was not the time to think about it! However, this dream had been far from unpleasant, and Naoe couldn't help but wonder how it could have been in reality if... "Ha!" He said. "Stop thinking about it!" He walked faster in order to focus on something else.

He suddenly felt a burst of power not far from him, and he began to run. This wasn't Nagahide's power. He arrived in a small glade and his eyes darkened. The grass was covered with blood. Three bodies were lying here, horribly mutilated. Naoe could recognize pieces of costume among the human remains. There were the very demons who had abducted Hisako. "But why three?" He mused aloud. "They were only two on stage..." Hisako was nowhere in sight but he couldn't be too far away. "Hisako?" He called suddenly. "It's me, Naoe. It's alright, you can show up now. I'm here to help you." Only silence answered him but Naoe knew he was being watched. He focused and felt a presence behind a tree. He turned in that direction. "I know you're here so show yourself!"

A slight laugh answered him and the person showed itself. Naoe's eyes widened and suddenly, it was hard to breath. "Kagetora-sama," he whispered. Illuminated by the moonlight, he still seemed so out of this world. Naoe swallowed, then collected himself. It wasn't the true Kagetora-sama, just the Kagetora from his dreams. He frowned and said: "You're not real."

Kagetora let a silvery laugh escape from his lips. Naoe shivered involuntarily. "We already had this conversation," the former daimyo said while walking to him. "I thought my arguments had been very convincing..." His voice got silky on these last words and Naoe swallowed again. Kagetora fastened his gaze up to his own, the tiger eyes half-closed. "Do I need to repeat my argumentation?" He whispered seducingly.

"No!" Naoe said, stepping backwards.

Kagetora frowned, a tad miffed. "Come on, why do you refuse to have a good time? Why do you refuse to give me this pleasure? I have been dead since so long. I've wandered in the darkness with nobody to comfort me. All I wanted was a warm body against mine and strong arms to protect me. Do you want to be this body and this arms?"

Naoe shook his head. "You aren't the true Kagetora," he insisted. "I don't know what you are but you're not him!"

Kagetora smiled mockingly. "If I'm not him, then who am I? You are just refusing to admit the truth that stands in front of your eyes. Does it surprise you so much that the dead can come back to life?"

Naoe opened his mouth to said something, but he stopped suddenly and looked at Kagetora. "You... So you're really here?"

"Yes," Kagetora murmured. "I'm alive."

"So... prove that you are Kagetora."

The young man nearly had an impatient growl. "Your scepticism is becoming insulting," he commented. "But alright, I will bend to your whims. How can I prove that I am me?"

"Tell me what happened to your son," Naoe said.

Kagetora had a bemused smile. "You are cunning, but I won't be fooled: I never had any child."

"And what happened to your wife?"

"She fled with one of my brother's generals at the beginning of the war. Any other questions?"

Naoe asked then about his past before his arriving at the Uesugi, and Kagetora answered correctly. At last, he asked : "Does the name of Naoe Nobutsuna remind you anything?"

Kagetora frowned. "It's you."

Naoe lowered his head a moment, then looked at him with a smile. "I see," he said. "I apologize for having doubted you."

"I understand," Kagetora forgave him, magnanimous. "Anyone would have reacted the same when facing the supernatural. And now that you believe me, shall we go?"

"I first have to find Hisako."

Kagetora smiled oddly. "Hisako is fine, don't worry. He's somewhere else and safe."

"You know him."

"Of course. This young man and I have a lot in common, you see. We both have suffered in the same way and I want to protect him. Trust me and don't be concerned with him any longer."

Naoe nodded. "So, where are we going?"

Kagetora's eyes suddenly shined. "We are going to see my army! I do intend to start the conquest of Echigo, the country that should have been mine! Will you help me?"

He extended his hand to Naoe. The latter hesitated for a moment before taking it gently into his own. "I'm your faithful servant, Kagetora-sama," he said.

To be continued...

Sorry for the delay. I'm really busy these times.

As always, this story is longer than expected, but the outcome won't be long.

If you think there's something strange with the last part, don't worry. Everything will be explained in the next chapter.