Chapter 30 A Battuta (Or, return to normal tempo after a deviation)
Asuka wove time. Painfully, thread by thread at the bottom of the world, in the last circle of the Makai, where no one could see.
The lake itself held the threads in a watery globe where Asuka saw time as both an unraveled thread and as a completed tapestry. Her mind was a schism among everyone's choices and timelines. She saw how a word or a whisper changed the direction of the universe and how people of all existence planes strived. Sometimes it was for the better, and sometimes for the worst.
It hurt.
Asuka wasn't sure how long she was down there or how fast the world moved. She only wove. Sometimes she saw a crying baby or a dying uncle. Once, she caught a glimpse of Yusuke far into the future, but the moment passed. All she could do was weave the threads together to keep the loom from unraveling.
Until one day, the dragons awoke. They zapped their power back and flung Asuka out of the lake so abruptly, she didn't realize what happened until she was on all fours, back on the shoreline, dripping wet.
Asuka coughed. "Kurama?"
There was no reply.
"Kurama?" she stood and pushed her long hair backward.
Still nothing.
Asuka stumbled as she walked forward. The memories of her time in the lake were fading fast, but they still left her discombobulated. "Kurama?" She tripped over a log on the shoreline and fell. "Kurama!"
Up ahead, she spotted something among the oversized lily leaves that dotted the shoreline. She stumbled forward as her eyesight became sharper. "Kurama!"
He was laying in the leaves, completely still. His body was slumped over, and his hair was covering his face. She turned him over. "Kurama!"
No response.
Asuka blinked back tears. How long had it been? What was happening? She looked at his perfect face and cupped his strong jaw, noticing he had thinned while she was away. "My love…it's me. Wake up. Please." His skin was warm still. With a shaky breath, she moved her fingers down to the pulse point in his neck. It beat against her finger, painfully slow.
"You're still alive," she whispered. "Thank goodness." Asuka placed her forehead against Kurama's and flared her ki. When he didn't respond, she moved her body underneath his head and wrapped as much of herself around him as she could. She placed her hand over his heart and called his name. "I'm here. Find your way back…please."
Asuka hummed the third movement of Liebestraum over him while her fingers danced over his chest as she played the imaginary keys. O Lieb, so lang du lieben Kannst. Come back to me. We have so much more loving to do.
She pressed her fingers across him, humming still. As she channeled her ki into his chest, she channeled every ounce of love she had for the man in her lap. The man who turned her world upside down. Who had saved her and loved her with every fiber of his being.
Kurama stirred. He inhaled a deep breath and coughed. "Asuka?" he asked, his voice scratchy as he blinked.
"Kurama."
His amber eyes connected with hers. He reached up and wiped away the iridescent tears that fell. His fingertips ghosted her lips, and she shivered under his touch.
"Are you okay? I was so worried. I thought you'd…" she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"I'm okay," he murmured. "I'm sorry I frightened you. After a time, I decided it would be best to enter a coma before I became any weaker than I was." He pushed himself up on his elbows and then sat upright. He kissed her lips and then wrapped his arms around her. "I'm all right, Love. I promise. How are you?"
She nodded into his neck. "I'm okay. I've already forgotten a lot of what I saw while I wove the threads of time. That's for the best, I think. It was extremely taxing, and I felt like my mind was breaking. I'm so glad it stopped when it did."
"Can we go home now?"
"We need to speak to the dragons before we do anything else." Asuka got off Kurama's lap and stood. She reached for his hand and threaded her fingers through his. Together, they walked hand-in-hand to the lakeshore. As soon as Asuka's foot touched the water, the gong sounded. The wind rushed as it did before, but this time, not one, but three dragons came out of the lake at the same time. Their bodies wove through each other like a braid as they climbed high into the sky and floated down toward the shoreline. Each dragon was electrified with a different color and they cast those different colors onto the lake.
The three dragons stopped just above Asuka and Kurama, hovering over the water with their faces close enough that Asuka could touch them.
"Darling Maeko," said the blue dragon, "we are restored, and so are you."
"You did the impossible," said the red dragon. "But we are not surprised. You are ours."
"Do not forget us, Dear One," said the green dragon.
"I could never," Asuka said with tears in her eyes. "Thank you for saving me."
"You saved the world," said the blue dragon. "And we preserved the life."
Asuka bowed. "Thank you."
"It is time," said the green dragon. "May your life be filled with joy."
"It will be," Asuka said.
"Take care of ours, Yokai," said the red dragon.
"With my life."
Asuka reached up and touched the snout of each dragon. Then she reached up on tiptoes and gave each of their noses a kiss. They all exhaled, and with another sound of the gong, they looped up and backward, weaving through one another until all three gracefully flew into the lake.
For a while, Kurama and Asuka gazed at the lake silently. Finally, Kurama turned and said, "What did the blue dragon mean when it said, 'we preserved the life?'"
"I assumed they meant my life. What did you think they meant?"
Kurama stared at her. "Well," he said softly, "I was hoping they meant something else."
Asuka's eyes widened. Her heart raced as she looked within. She gasped.
Kurama's yellow eyes glinted. "It does, doesn't it?"
Asuka laughed through her tears. Kurama picked her up and spun her around as he also laughed.
"Guess I'm going to be in this body for a long time," Asuka said after he set her down. "I…I can hardly believe it." Asuka focused on the spark of life inside her again and noticed it felt different from her last pregnancy. She prodded it with her ki.
"What's wrong?" Kurama asked.
"Nothing. It's just strange." Asuka prodded the spark again and realized there was a time distortion inside her body surrounding the spark. "It seems the dragons paused time inside me, so this little one could survive. They must've reached out and did it at some point while we were traveling." Tears welled again.
Kurama placed his hand on her abdomen but did not channel his ki. "When will time resume for our child?"
Asuka closed her eyes and focused on the currents swirling inside her. "I'm not sure, but I'm not worried. We have a long journey up to Circle Zero. They guaranteed our child will survive the trip and not be born somewhere hellish."
Kurama gave her a bruising kiss. Asuka melted into his body and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. When he pulled away, he said, "Our child will be part yokai and part…" he smiled. "Goddess. Has such a thing ever happened before?"
"Demi goddess, and I doubt it." Asuka thought for a moment. "Our child was also with me as I wove time. That's…going to affect them, too." She closed her eyes. "I can't see their future, even with my powers fresh out of the lake. Amazing."
Kurama chuckled. "I can't wait to meet them. Let's get out of here."
"Yes, let's."
They started walking back toward the portal to the eighth circle. "Do you know how much time has passed since we left the Ningenkai?" Kurama asked.
"I don't know. Let's hope we haven't missed too much."
"Even if we have, it was worth it. Because we're together."
"I believe that too."
-* ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ *-
The journey back up the circles was fraught with peril but easier in one sense: the time pressure was significantly less bothersome. Asuka wasn't 'sure if it was because time had been fixed or because they had acclimated to the Ninth Circle. Either way, they climbed up together without the weird haze and the discomfort they experienced going down. Asuka's stint in lake had refreshed her, but Kurama had to make the trip famished. He pressed on, assuring Asuka through the journey that he would make it back because he had to.
"Someone is waiting for us to get home."
When they reached the First Circle, Kurama suggested they visit the fields again for their next holiday. Asuka agreed.
Circle Zero of the Makai looked completely normal. Asuka detected no time distortions, and as they ran through the plane toward the exit point, they saw several yokai going about their business. Everything was back to normal.
"You saved them all again," Kurama said. "But none of them will ever know."
"I prefer that," Asuka said. "All I want is a quiet life with you. The less fuss over me, the better."
"Mmmm," he agreed. "Do you think Koenma reopened the barriers?"
"I can check." Asuka closed her eyes. "They're open."
"Good. That makes it easier. We don't know how much time has passed, so we should go to Yusuke's first."
"Good idea." Asuka hesitated.
"Whatever has happened, however much time has passed, it was worth it."
"It was."
They ran to the opening and, hand-in-hand, slipped through to the Ningenkai. On the other side, Asuka breathed a sigh of relief. Tokyo looked normal, and the cars were models she was familiar with. At the very least, it meant they hadn't arrived fifty years into the future. The people they loved were still alive, and that's what mattered most. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, which meant the day had just started.
"It's good news," Kurama said, echoing Asuka's thoughts. He scanned the area. "We should do our best to avoid crowded areas, though. I should eat before I release this form, and you can't change bodies. Let's take the back alleys. If necessary, I will use the flower of forgetfulness, but let's try to avoid that if we can."
Asuka nodded in acknowledgment. She instinctively checked on the spark inside her. She stopped. "Kurama?"
He halted. "Yes, love?"
"The time lock is gone. I think…it must've broken the moment we stepped into the Ningenkai."
"Is our child well?" his mouth was straight and his fingers twitched at his side.
Asuka closed her eyes and looked within. The spark pulsed, bright and happy. "Yes. They're perfectly fine."
Kurama sighed and pulled her close. He gave her a kiss and placed his forehead on hers. "We're going to be parents, Love."
Asuka sniffled. "We are."
"Come. Let's go to Yusuke's."
They wound their way through the back allies and took their time going through the streets. Kurama apologetically swiped a scarf off someone's hanging laundry and gave it to Asuka so she could hide her glowing hair. It took time, but they made it through the city to Yusuke's house.
The outside was completely different. There were new signs, a new storefront, and a new addition, both on the restaurant side and above it.
Kurama knocked. When nobody answered, he knocked again, this time louder. There was a thudding down the stairs. The door violently opened.
Yusuke was wearing shorts and a ratty gray t-shirt. His hair stuck up in awkward patches like had hadn't slept in years and an uncombed, wiry patch grew out of his chin. He gaped for a moment before he smirked. "About time you two showed up."
"How long has it been?" Kurama asked.
"Two years, more or less. You don't know how much time has passed?"
"We don't," Asuka said. "Time moves differently in the lower circles of the Makai. We've been down there longer than two years. A lot longer."
"I can see that. You both look like shit. Why don't you come in? How long has it been since you've eaten?"
"Basically, however long it took us to get down and back," Asuka said.
"Okay. Follow me."
They stepped inside and shut the door. Asuka pulled the scarf from her hair as they followed Yusuke up the stairs.
"Keiko!" Yusuke called.
"What?!" she yelled from up the stairs. "I was just about to feed the kids!"
Kurama and Asuka looked at each other.
"We have guests!"
"I'm not dressed!" Keiko yelled.
"I know! That's why I'm telling you now! Just throw a robe on!"
There was yelling and thudding, and then they heard crying.
Asuka, Yusuke, and Kurama reached the landing of the upstairs apartment.
"Seriously, Yusuke, what is…" Keiko stopped tying her robe and looked up. Her mouth hung open as tears fell from her eyes. "Asuka! Kurama! You're…you're back!"
"We're back."
Keiko flew into Asuka's arms and wrapped her arms around tight. "You came back. Thank you so much Asuka. You came back."
"I've missed you," Asuka said as she held Keiko tight.
Keiko pulled back and put her hands on Asuka's shoulders. "Well, we—" a giant crashing sound came from the living room. Keiko flinched. "What was that?!" she yelled behind her.
"Nothing!" Raiden yelled back.
"That didn't sound like nothing!" Keiko yelled.
"I'll go see to it," Yusuke said as he went into the living room.
Keiko sighed. "Sorry. It's pandemonium in here. Come on in. I left the toddlers in one of the cribs, but I need to get back to them. Follow me."
"Toddlers?" Asuka asked.
Keiko turned. "Oh! You don't know!"
"Nope," Kurama said.
Keiko grinned. "Well, Asuka, Kurama, I'd like you to meet the two newest additions to our family." They entered the living room where a bookshelf was toppled to the ground, a drinking glass lay in pieces, and Raiden and Genki were standing next to their father. Both boys were dressed like knights.
"Woah!" Raiden said. "Your hair is all glowey! And you've got ears and a tail!"
"Cool!" Genki added.
Asuka and Kurama smiled. "You both got so much taller," Asuka said wistfully.
"Duh," Genki said. "That's how it works."
"Genki…" Yusuke warned.
"We've got cool new swords! Wanna see?" Raiden asked.
"You can show them later," Yusuke said. "Now, how many times have I told you to watch the water glasses? And how did the bookshelf fall over?!"
"It's your fault for having water glasses in the first place!" Genki shouted. "You should just have plastic ones! You know what we're like!"
"Watch your mouth, you damn brat!"
"Make me!"
Asuka and Kurama left the carnage behind and followed Keiko down the hall to the new addition, where there were two cribs and a small play area.
"Sorry," Keiko said. "I know it's messy in here. Asuka, Kurama, I'd like to introduce you to Setsuko and Osuke."
Two toddlers, both with black hair and shining eyes to match, stood up in the crib they were in and began jumping with big beaming smiles.
"Setsuko and Osuke?" Asuka asked, breathless.
"Mmhmm," said Keiko. "We wanted to be reminded of you both every time we saw them because we knew you were somewhere….fighting on behalf of the world."
Setsuko meant melody, while Osuke was the masculine for cherry blossom. Asuka and Kurama looked at each other and then turned their attention back to the toddlers. Setsuko's hair was already thick and long while Osuke's stuck up at odd angles like his father's.
"Hello," Asuka whispered.
Setsuko giggled.
"I can already feel their ki," Kurama remarked. "They're going to be strong."
"That's what Yusuke says," Keiko said.
Asuka felt a strong pull toward the babies and their future, but she deliberately kept her blocks in place. She didn't want the responsibility of knowing anything about what would happen to her friend's children, as interested as she might be.
Setsuko started crying. "Mama, food!"
"Food!" Osuke echoed.
"Sorry," Keiko said. "Obviously they're hungry."
"No problem," Asuka said. "We know we interrupted."
"I'm so glad you did."
Keiko scooped up both toddlers and then shuffled past the mound of toys on the floor.
"I love the new addition on your house," Asuka said.
"Thank you. When we found out there would be two babies, we knew we needed more space. And the ramen restaurant has been doing so well that Yusuke needed to expand the shop to accommodate more customers. So, it worked out."
Kurama and Asuka followed Keiko to the kitchen, where Yusuke was grabbing bowls and heating something on the stove.
"I've got some miso soup and rice coming up," Yusuke said. "Give me just a second."
Keiko put the babies into high chairs, sat in the middle of them, and gave them each a cup of milk, rice, and fish. Osuke giggled as he mashed the food between his fist.
"Kurama, your mom came around," Yusuke said as he turned the stove on.
"I'm not surprised," Kurama said. "What did you tell her?"
"Well…" Yusuke scratched his neck. "She…kinda made me tell her the truth. Well, a version of the truth, anyway. Sorry."
"And how did she take that?"
"Surprisingly good, actually. I didn't give her all the details about how you were born or anything, but said you and Asuka had special powers and you had to save the world. I guess she knew you weren't exactly normal."
"Well," Kurama sighed, "I suppose that conversation is inevitable. Did she say if she was going to tell my stepfather?"
"I don't know."
"I'll go talk to her today."
Yusuke set hot bowls of miso soup in front of Asuka and Kurama, as well as rice. Kurama shoveled the food down and then asked for seconds. After he finished eating, he sighed and then released his yokai form. He breathed deeply while he inspected his hands, his face, and his hair.
"You look exactly the same," Asuka said.
"I was concerned that my human body had decayed even though I hadn't used it, but it appears the fears were unfounded."
Asuka squeezed his hand.
"So, what did you find down there?" Yusuke asked as he sat down on the other side of Setsuko and helped her with spooning her rice.
"We found the lake and the three dragons. They are my…well, I don't know how to explain this exactly, but they made me. I'm like…their child, but not in the traditional sense. And apparently, they sent me to Enma when I was small as a gesture of goodwill to help watch the timelines while the world was in its infancy. But at some point, Enma wiped my memories of them. They were the ones that saved me."
"Well, shit," Yusuke said.
"They were dying because they saved me," Asuka continued. "So, I needed to take their place and help keep the threads of time stable while they recovered. There was a chance it could kill me, but thankfully, I survived."
"And you got to come back," Keiko said with a smile.
"I did."
Yusuke rubbed his hands through his hair. "I'm guessing you haven't been home yet or have been to see anyone else."
"Correct. We came straight here," Kurama said.
"Well, we should probably call up the others," Yusuke said. "Oh, Asuka, that reminds me. When everything got straightened out, all the yokai snapped out of it and went back to the way they were. Everyone was super confused, but they seemed fine. Even the yokai who lost their limbs."
"Good," Asuka said. "I'm so glad."
"You saved them, again. Actually, you saved all of us."
"I've only saved the world twice," Asuka said. "Your count is still higher."
Yusuke threw his head back and laughed. "I guess you're right."
Just then, Genki and Raiden came into the kitchen and squeezed into their father's lap. "Our Dad is a hero," Raiden said.
"Yes, he is," Kurama said. "He saved my life more than once, and he saved my mother's."
The boys beamed.
When the toddlers were done eating, Asuka gladly took Setsuko in her arms. She smiled and kissed her head while Setsuko tugged Asuka's glowing bronze hair.
"So, Asuka," Keiko said. "If you don't mind me asking, are you going to be in that body now permanently?"
"Not forever," Asuka said. "I should be able to switch forms, just like Kurama and Yusuke can, but I can't switch out of this body for a while."
"And why's that?"
"Well…"
Keiko dropped her plate.
Author's Note:
Yay! Baby is on the way! Nobody died! We made it!
To everyone who left a comment saying they were worried for Asuka and Kurama at the end, like they weren't going to come back or something horrible was going to happen to them I have a confession to make: ME TOO. LEGITIMATELY.
When I was writing the rough draft back in December or whatever it was I had a plan (which is what you're reading now) but while I was drafting the section where Asuka and Kurama have their talk in Circle Zero, and when I wrote their descent through the circles of the Makai I was so scared. I was literally thinking, "oh...oh my god. Are...is she going to die!? Are they too late and she has to weave time for the dragons permanently?! Is this going to end horribly and I didn't realize it? Is this some Yue and Sokka type shit? Am I going to make everyone miserable, myself included? Heart pounding I swear.
It wasn't until I got to the section where I was writing her talking to the dragons I was like...oh...no. No, she's fine. It'll be fine. Phew. I wondered if anyone else would feel the same during that section, or if it was just me, haha. But it seems like a couple of you were worried. I put myself through it too.
Anyway, hope you liked the chapter. We have just a couple more to wrap this story up! I hope you've enjoyed it, pain and all. I've got a super busy weekend ahead of me so we'll see when I have time to edit, but we're so close to the end. Can't wait to get the rest of it out.
Shoot me a comment if you feel so inclined!
See you soon,
-Arielle