Chapter 25: Stargazing
I was sitting up in a chair.
I was in the former dining hall, and it was 1:00 am. I couldn't sleep, or rather... I wouldn't sleep.
Not there.
I sat, and looked out of the large window, staring blankly at the stars...
Nothing. I was nothing.
Without her? I couldn't move, let alone be a king... A champion.
What champion? There is no more champion.
...I was her champion, and now? I am no one's champion.
I stared up at the stars, and glared.
Just one thing I asked of you...
One thing, and one thing only. I may have even given up this chase, had you answered...
Now I suppose I have no choice. I cannot go on without her... In the end, it was more her mission than mine.
What would she have wanted? What would she have changed...?
I know she would have mad things right...
...I promised her...
No! No more promises! They're ALL LIES IN THE END!
I felt tears welling up in my eyes, I suppressed them.
I didn't want to feel. No, never again...
"Brother? Um... May I sit?"
I looked over, and saw Kuhn.
"You may." I replied.
He sat, looking down, and fidgeting with his hands. He did this when he was nervous, or guilty.
He sighed, and dropped his hands.
"You're doing it again, aren't you?"
I was silent.
"I can't stop you if that's what you decide to do..." He said softly.
"This must be hard... And I have no clue of what you're going through."
I stayed silent.
He looked out at the stars, and seem to zone off.
"Aren't they beautiful...?" He mused.
"No." I said.
He looked at me. "Why not?" He asked.
I didn't respond.
He shook his head. "Alright then..."
He continued to stare out... He smiled.
"Remember when we were fourteen, and you were still, well... You."
I looked at him.
"We were sitting by the campfire, and actually, it was the same day I'd fallen in the river... You wouldn't stop teasing me about it."
He laughed softly.
"Then Kaihn went on and on about how stupid and clumsy I was, and referred to me as a wet dog... 'In more ways than one.' He said. Then we both pushed him in the river, and hid his covers in the tree."
I sighed. "He never did find those, did he?"
Kuhn shook his head, and smiled.
"Nope, and come winter, they blew away!"
I smiled. "It's almost winter now. It doesn't happen often, and cycles through the centuries..."
I felt tears fill my eyes. "It's funny... She'd never seen pines covered in snow. I wanted to..."
I let out a soft sob. I attempted to bite back the tears, but they fell anyway.
"I just wanted..."
I heard Kuhn sniff, and I looked up at him.
His lower lip was trembling.
"Had it been Linn... Or Hiro... I wouldn't be as strong."
He thought I was strong? And all this time, I had been feeling pretty pathetic...
Worthless.
I cried on his shoulder, sobbing violently. I felt weak.
I felt pathetic.
How could I be strong?
"I'm not strong..." I said softly.
"I feel like my body is gelatin... Just filled with these worthless-"
"No, you're not worthless." He said.
"You're strong. You're still going on, and trying to find a reason... I couldn't, so I'd die."
I looked at him. "Y-You're serious!?"
He smiled sadly. "Not anymore. After seeing this, I... I could never just 'give up'. You have taught me just now, the honor in fighting for a purpose. The honor of someone's sacrifice..."
I shook my head and laughed softly, tears streaming down my face.
I let them.
"You're an idiot. However, that was wonderful..."
I looked out at the stars with him. I wasn't ready to go back to that room yet...
...But at the moment, I was at peace.
...
Eiji and Hiro were outside, hanging with the Leviathan's.
"Do you think our parents will find out about this?" Eiji asked worriedly.
Hiro laughed. "Nah, we'll be fine! Stop being such a worry wart, we won't get caught!"
He smiled. "I... I guess it's okay then...?"
She gave him a soft kiss.
"You guess...?" She asked softly.
The Leviathan's made ooing sounds in the background.
"I... Yeah..." Eiji melted.
Who was he kidding!? They would be fine! This was great!
"HOORAY FOR THE MASTER!" Screamed Talin.
"HE IS FINALLY BECOMING A MAN!"
Eiji froze.
"Hiro... We should really cut this short now!" He exclaimed.
She looked around nervously.
"Well, they do that all the time! They shouldn't know any better, as long as-"
"RIGHT HERE!" He screamed. "The prince of rain... HAS FOUND HIS PRINCESS! The Master..."
He began to cry happily. "THE MASTER! THE PRINCE OF RAIN IS HERE! AND A MISTRESS AND HIM ARE TOGETHER! ALL REJOICING!"
They all cheered.
"We need to back now!" He exclaimed.
"I'm serious! This was a bad idea!"
"Yes, it was." Said Haku.
Eiji turned to face his parents.
"Um! Um! Uuhhhh... Dammit, not again..."
"And you, YOUNG LADY!" Yelled Linn.
"Ah... Well..." She put her hand behind her head.
"I guess we got a little carried away... He he... Oh god..."
"The prince of rain?" Chihiro asked.
"No!" Eiji exclaimed. "Don't tell them!"
"I remember the DAY!" Talin preached.
"No! PLEASE DON'T!" Eiji begged.
"There had been no rain for centuries in... THE PIT!"
"THE PIT!" They scream chanted.
"There was A POND!"
"A POND!" They screamed.
Eiji dropped to his knees. "I'm begging you! STOP TELLING-!"
"A POND WITHIN THE MASTER!"
"THE MASTERS POND!" They screamed.
Eiji hung his head. "I'm doomed..."
"His pond... It released rain... RAIN UPON THE PIT! It was golden... It was SALTY! AND THERE WAS LAUGHTER!"
They all burst into maniacal laughter.
Haku grinned. "I see..." He said.
"The Prince of Rain huh?"
He laughed.
Linn busted out laughing.
"Well come on, 'Princess of Rain'! Let's go back so you can get some sleep! I'm sure you're familiar with sentences? You'll be up at six thirty! Writing them!"
Hiro went red. "Ah! No! Don't call me... Sentences!? AGAIN!? Dammit..."
Chihiro walked up to him. "Well, Rain Prince... How's the pond? We kind of caught you off guard."
They both started laughing.
"Hey... There was only on bathroom!" He exclaimed.
"It's not funny... So, six months...?"
He nearly cringed as he felt his freedom slipping away.
"Three and a half." Said Haku. "But you know we won't have you forgetting this, right?"
Eiji slumped as he stood. "Yes sir..."
Eiji went back to his room.
This is humiliating! I'll never live it down!
...I can't face them! Not as the PRINCE OF RAIN!
...I'll die of embarrassment! Or... Worse.
I'll have to go into hiding... I'll have to hear their laughter, from my hobbit hole.
Eiji the hermit, otherwise known as PRINCE OF RAIN!
Poor Hiro... I'd know she'd miss me...
I wonder how she's doing?
...
Hiro stared out at the window.
Kuhn walked in.
"Really Hiro!? Uuuugh... Do you always have to... Are you listening?"
She sighed happily, and stared out the window.
"Wow... What pretty stars..."