WhIP

by footfungus

nederlands verhalen over mijn otp

205. haikyuu various 1

Ghosts We See

Xiaonesis

Summary:

When a volleyball was spiked into your head, it was powerful enough to send you into another dimension.

As you look for a way to return home, the powers and politics of this new world are each intent on keeping you for themselves for their own gains, purposes, and motivations.
Everyone wants something, and you are at the core of it.

The line between the world you know and the world you are discovering blurs.

Holding on tight to the strings that keep everything together, your mind, body, and heart unravel as it all begins to fall apart.

[Old chapters undergoing editing/partial rewrite; apologies in advance for potential discrepancies]

Notes:

Hello!
This is my first attempt at writing a reader-insert fic, and my first time writing in...years!
I definitely am very new at it, but I wanted to give it a go if only to contribute to the love we have for the fandom.
This is going to be a pretty self-indulgent fic to allow me to explore writing things outside of my comfort zone, things I am curious about, as well as practice writing and story building. Also, reverse harem. I'm a sucker for those. Ngl.
But I hope you will all enjoy it with me :)

...I am highly likely to rewrite this chapter in the future once the story has developed a bit haha
I definitely struggled with writing this as I am highly unused to the 2nd POV, and only wrote before in 3rd POV with OCs. I would love to hear your feedback.
Ratings and tags will change as the story progresses.

For now, I hope you enjoy Ghosts We See! ^_^

(See the end of the work for other works inspired by this one.)

Chapter 1: The Fluke

Summary:

Introduction Arc

Notes:

2020 August Update:
Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Hey…"

"Are you awake?"

"Can you hear me?"

B-Beep. B-Beep. B-Beep.

You jolted awake with a gasp, momentarily looking around your bedroom as you tried to recall what day it is and whether you had to go to classes today. With a groan, you recalled that it was indeed a weekday and you had to get up for your morning lecture.

Disabling your phone alarm, you sat up in bed slowly before rubbing your eyelids tiredly.

"Not again…"

It had been another night of fitful sleep.

It wasn't like you actually awoke in the middle of your slumber, or at least, you didn't remember waking up at all through the night so you should have gotten a good night's rest. And yet, your body and mind were tired, and the back of your eyes felt strained like you hadn't slept at all.

And it had been that way several times this week, for the past couple of weeks.

Some nights, you slept wonderfully and woke up refreshed, ready to tackle a new day.

And some nights, you still slept but it doesn't feel like it, and you wake as if you had pulled an all-nighter despite having no memory of doing anything of the sort. It was like your mind stayed awake whilst your body laid motionless.

And the number of those restless nights had only increased as of late.

When it first started, you thought it might have had to do with stress, what with juggling all your coursework, club activities, and your own dance training regimen.

But when these nights only continued and seemed to increase in frequency, sometimes occurring for several consecutive nights, it definitely began to irritate and worry you.

It has been worse as of late, today marking the fourth consecutive day you woke up feeling like this.

Tired. Fatigued. Depleted.

Quickly cleaning up and changing, you grabbed a banana from the fridge and picked up your backpack containing your materials for class and workout clothes before heading out the door.

While speed walking to your closest station you finished off your cold banana and dumped the peel in a convenience store trash can, momentarily tripping on a bump on the pavement.

You grimaced. It's way too early for you to trip, no matter how disoriented you were.

It was an early Thursday morning, and the Tokyo trains were packed as usual during this time.

Ignoring the various bags and elbows digging into you from all sides, you tried to rest your eyes as you stood in front of a salaryman who was dozing off in his seat, gripping the handle as the train rumbled on.

In the back of your head, you wondered if perhaps you should find a cheap apartment within a 30 minute walking distance to your university so you would not have to suffer being squished like this every morning. Now in your second year of university, you've done this for quite a while but seriously wondered if you could keep it up till you graduated.

...had you always been this irritated about your commute or was it the lack of rest?

Leaving the station gates and starting towards the campus grounds, someone tapped you on your left shoulder and you looked over to find no one. Then immediately someone tapped your right, and reflexively turning there instead, a finger poked into your cheek. The old shoulder tap finger trick.

You rolled your eyes with a small laugh.

"Very classic Tsum-Tsum."

The golden-haired half of the Miya twins snickered at you. "Classic but still works after all this time."

Someone tapped your left again and you looked over just to have another finger poke your opposite cheek.

"I really can't believe you fell for that one right after 'Tsumu's. Do ya' not learn?"

The other half of the Miya twins, the dirty silver-haired half, all but drawled at you, a small lazy smile on his face.

You feigned biting his finger which he quickly pulled back, exaggeratedly wiping his finger on his pants.

"I expected it from Tsum-Tsum but you too 'Samu? Isn't it too early in the morning for your bullying?" You complained softly, with a glare that held no heat behind it.

"What're ya' talkin' about? We do this all the time to ya'," Atsumu teased from your right, dropping his arm onto your head for support as the three of you walked in a row towards campus.

You frowned with a flush to your cheeks as you tried to shove Atsumu's arm off your head to no avail, nearly falling forward in your attempt. You cursed their growth spurts, wondering how they suddenly grew to tower over you so drastically when you all used to be about the same height in your younger years.

The three of you cut through a medium-sized park that is on the way to campus to avoid the usual crowd on the sidewalks, as you all usually did if you happened to run into each other on the way to class. There were already people, mostly students, who were chilling around on the various park benches and tables, procrastinating as much as they could before they had to sprint to class.

Osamu hunched down on your left, bringing his head level to yours. "You're awfully grumpy today. Did ya' knock yer head on the way out?"

"Isn't she always grumpy? Betcha she definitely knocked her head though."

"No, I'm not! And no...I didn't!" No, you usually weren't grumpy. In fact, you were usually pretty mellow, after having grown out of your stubborn years, or so you liked to believe anyways. You rarely complained about much and preferred the seat behind the driver rather than taking charge of the wheel.

"I just...didn't sleep well last night."

"Again? Isn't that like, the sixth night in a row now?" Osamu asked as he scrutinized your face closely. He definitely can see the light traces of gray underneath your eyes now that you mentioned your lack of sleep.

"Fourth actually, though it doesn't really matter how many nights at this point." You sighed softly and your shoulders slumped, bringing Atsumu's weight down heavier on you. The flush on your cheek had not faded. "I'm just super tired."

"Didn't ya' get like those pills or somethin' from the drugstore the other day? That all-natural melatonin crap," Atsumu asked, finally removing himself from you and shifted to look at your eyebags instead. "Yer face is really red too," he pointed out knowingly with a smirk.

You lifted a hand to shield your red face from his scrutinization and turned away, feeling all too self-conscious at this moment knowing what a bad mix of colors the red and pale grey on your skin was.

"Don't look so closely! And I did. They kind of help with getting to sleep but I still wake up feeling tired."

"Well, that ain't good. Maybe ya' can talk to Kita-san. He might have some advice on how to get better sleep." Osamu tried to suggest, thinking about their long-time senior who was enrolled in some health class.

"Hah, Kita-san will for sure have somethin' for ya'. Might even buy yer some nice tea while he's at it."

You rubbed your neck, eyes briefly fleeting up to take in the sight of your campus grounds up ahead. "Yea but I don't really want to ask him though. I mean, I don't actually know him that well so I don't want to trouble him..."

"So you'll trouble him if ya' know him better?" Atsumu questioned.

"No, that's not what I meant, you dummy." You slapped his arm playfully. He feigned a wince and retaliated by ruffling your hair.

"I'm sure Kita-san wouldn't mind. He appreciates yer help with organizing the activities for the volleyball circle after all," Osamu said as he suppressed a yawn with the back of his hand, watching the antics of you and his brother out of the corner of his eye.

"But it's not like I do it all the time."

The university which you attended focused heavily on sports, offering various coveted sports scholarships for those who excelled in their fields. Many of their graduates go on to become professional athletes, Olympians, championship title holders, or renowned specialists in their sports and health-related field of study.

The twins and Kita Shinsuke, a year above you and the twins, are part of a volleyball circle in the university. There is, of course, an official university sanctioned volleyball club of which Atsumu is a regular member of, but Osamu and Kita were not. They had opted to participate in the less commitment-heavy volleyball circle instead to focus on their studies. The club had tryouts for new members each year, selecting only the cream of the crop to join their elite few. It was not uncommon to have several members who were there on sports scholarships. The same applied to other clubs in the school, in particular the baseball, soccer, and basketball clubs.

In contrast, all were free to join the volleyball circle, whether they were new to volleyball or experienced players. It focused on enjoying the sport and camaraderie between members rather than winning at competitions, unlike the university's star volleyball club.

Some members of the circle were part of the university volleyball club, whilst the majority of the club members were also part of the circle, due to the lack of obligation to participate in activities. The circle can be seen as quite lax with its members because of this, but activities were also planned willingly between members, which helped to foster a strong and cooperative familial bond between them as a result. It was not uncommon to see the circle members suddenly break out into impromptu volleyball matches at one of the campus courts or fields, their shouts and hollers echoing through the air. The few other circles that rivaled their passion with as much gusto were probably the basketball and soccer circles.

Atsumu, though being a member of both, prioritized his club training and activities rather than the circle, only joining circle events if he had the leisure to do so or if Osamu dragged him to one.

You are technically part of the volleyball circle though you weren't a player. You had joined because the twins insisted that you did, and you caved under the might of their combined peer pressure. You had never been good at the sport, or any ball sport, and had smacked yourself in the face one too many times for your liking when you tried to play. You preferred to participate in activities on the organizational side and make friends instead, watching the matches safely from the sidelines. It was how you got to know Kita Shinsuke, whom the twins introduced to you as their former team captain from their high school volleyball days.

In any case, you had your own dance club activities and personal dance regimen to work on as well, and those were your priorities.

As for the twins, you had known them since you were four from when your family moved to Hyogo prefecture. Your first meeting with them was on your first day of kindergarten, where they mercilessly teased you back and forth between them like a ping pong ball daily, about whatever kids teased other kids about. Looking back on it, you had a feeling they liked teasing you so they could watch the explosions of red on your cheeks and ears, and your futile attempts at fighting them off.

As kids, the twins had a mean streak in them which luckily tapered down as they grew. Though you still think their confidence could be taken down a notch or two, especially Atsumu.

That was the extent of your early relationship with the twins until one day, you suddenly slapped fistsful of mud into Atsumu's hair and face after he had said something particularly mean to you. That prompted Osamu to also whip some mud at Atsumu for the fun of it, which quickly propagated into an all-out mud war amongst the forty or so kids in the school backyard. By the end of it, the three of you had teamed together to defend yourselves from the other kids who were quick to use the opportunity to try and end the reign of the Miya twins over them. You weren't even their ally, to begin with, but somehow got looped in to be one of them, even though the fight began because you drew first blood on Atsumu.

You don't remember now what it was they even used to tease you about, or what Atsumu had said to make you throw mud at him.

The rest was history as you continued to elementary school and junior high school together. Halfway through junior high, your father uprooted your family once more and moved the family to Tokyo. Your elder brother had received a scholarship for a prestigious high school in Tokyo, and your family moved to keep everyone together. You loved your brother, he is your blood and family, but a small part of you had always resented the fact that he was the reason you were torn away from your comfortable and familiar childhood environment. You did not want to move at all.

Over the years you kept some contact with the twins with the occasional texts and even rarer letters. Sometimes their family took trips to Tokyo, and you would even meetup if they remembered to tell you. When the rise of social media platforms began, it got easier to keep in touch, but you definitely had not been as actively close as when you attended school together.

The relocation had literally and figuratively placed some distance between you and them despite being close when growing up together. So imagine your surprise and excitement when you saw their posts on Facebook about going to university in Tokyo, to the same university that you were set to go to. You had quickly and excitedly reconnected with them after that and were glad to see that not much had changed between all of you since junior high, easily falling back into the dynamics you've all fostered since you were children. Kind of.

You still think they could tone down on the teasing now that you were older and society was more judgemental about interactions with the opposite sex.

"Well, I'm gonna leave you scrubs here then," Atsumu said as he stopped where he had to turn down a different hallway from you and Osamu to get to his own lecture.

He nodded his head at you. "Don't keel over before I let ya', yer scrub. And don't forget the match today." Both you and Osamu rolled your eyes at him as he walked off, quickly disappearing amongst the morning throng of sleepy students.

"I can ask Kita-san for ya' if you don't want to," Osamu continued as you walked together to your shared lecture.

"No, it's alright 'Samu. Thank you." You smiled at him. "I'll just go to the campus nurse if it gets any worse."

"It's already worse though," Osamu said with a roll of his eyes as he pushed open the lecture hall door for you.

" Even worse then."

"You look tired."

You sighed. It had been a rough morning and you wished people would stop pointing out how you looked to you. You were very well aware of it yourself.

Your morning classes have just ended, the first one with Osamu and the next with both the twins. Despite the two full bottles of green tea and a can of coffee, you struggled to keep your eyes open and Osamu had to keep prodding you awake whenever you started to nod off. Atsumu, meanwhile, busied himself with doodling into your ignored notebook, filling it with random faces and lame jokes. What was the point of sitting next to your best friends if they weren't going to help you take notes?

"Thanks." You replied dryly as you took a seat beside Iwaizumi during lunch break, neatly placing your bag on top of the table after checking that the tabletop was clear of any crumbs and food stains.

Iwaizumi Hajime is a year above you, majoring in sports science. You shared an elective class with him in your first year, which was how you met him before discovering that he is also a member of the volleyball circle. You would have lunch together sometimes, especially on days where you both had your shared class after lunch. This year you shared the advanced level of the same elective class with him again.

It had been the first day of the elective class and you were still pretty fresh to university life at the time when you first met him.

The class had been pretty full, and you were looking for a good place to sit that wasn't going to make you stand out to the teacher. The choices were between a seat at the front row where several were still available or the seat next to him towards the middle, where he had his bag thrown over the chair. He must have noticed your flickering gaze between the space next to him and the front row seats, for he removed his bag off the chair and placed it on the floor below his legs, freeing up the seat.

Noticing the now empty chair, you had quickly shuffled over and gingerly asked him if it was alright to sit next to him. He nodded with a shrug and you softly thanked him, quietly introducing yourself and learning his name before turning forward when your professor walked in.

Iwaizumi thought that would be the end of his interactions with you for the rest of the semester but the next time he saw you walking into that class again a few days later, you had waved shyly at him and asked if you could sit next to him again. His familiar face and name comforted you, even if slightly, in a sea of unfamiliar people.

You've been seatmates for that class ever since.

His brows quirked as he shot you an amused look. "Didn't sleep well again?"

"How'd you guess?" You asked with a wry smile.

"Well, I'm pretty sure they have an enclosure for you at the zoo based on your eyes."

"Ouch Iwaizumi-san. I don't think I look that terrible." You slumped over your arms on the top of your bag.

"Of course you don't [Y/N]-chan~!" A familiar flirty drawl came up from behind you and broad hands fell onto your shoulders, lightly massaging them. A small yelp left your lips and your shoulders stiffened, in spite of the purpose of the firm but gently rolling grip on your shoulder. "Iwa-chan is just tactless and doesn't know how to talk to girls- Oof !"

"Stop being a creep, Trashykawa!" Iwaizumi delivered a swift jab to Oikawa's side, effectively removing his hands from your shoulder. Iwaizumi grimaced, some things just never change.

"Why are you always so mean to me Iwa-chan! I was just trying to help [Y/N]-chan relax- Ow !" Another jab to his side had Oikawa hunched over and muttering lowly to himself as he took a seat next to you on the table bench. "He's even more of a brute than usual…"

You laughed lightly, turning your head to face Oikawa without lifting it off your arms. "Thanks for trying though, Oikawa-san."

Oikawa Tooru you did not share any classes with. You knew him by way of introduction through Iwaizumi, or rather, Oikawa had forcefully introduced himself to you when he first spotted you and Iwaizumi talking in the hallway after class. At the time, you had already heard of the famous (or perhaps infamous?) Oikawa Tooru and his charmingly flirtatious tendencies, so it had not gone to your head when he adamantly made your acquaintance.

He is handsome and a charmer, a catastrophic combo, and absolutely popular amongst the student population in the university and outside too. Also a member of the university volleyball club alongside Atsumu, he is part of the volleyball circle as well, where he surprisingly participates in quite a few of the events despite club training and activities. His attendance at any circle or club events is commonly accompanied by groups of his fans flittering around the vicinity. The same can be said for Atsumu.

You had seen pictures of him in sports magazines when you were in high school, and you could not deny that the last few years had only made him more devastatingly handsome. His boyish cheeks had sharpened, and his hazel eyes retained their saccharine hue whilst gaining a sharper and more mature tone to it.

Having seen him and Iwaizumi play together in intra-uni matches, it always amazed you at how well they work together despite the sometimes brutal clobbering between them. Or rather, Iwaizumi's brutal clobbering of Oikawa.

In a way, their interactions reminded you of yours with the Miya twins, where you can throw shade on one another continuously with no harm done. Although Oikawa's interaction with Iwaizumi involved a lot more physical pain on his part.

He flirted and charmed people, especially those of the fairer sex, relentlessly. You were not exempt, nor a hundred percent immune to it either, for he could definitely raise hot flushes to your skin with nothing but words and coy tilts of his eyes. But having gotten to know him mainly through time spent with Iwaizumi, you had developed a higher tolerance level for his beguiling smiles and teasing. Witnessing up close as Iwaizumi socked him one too many times really helped with tearing down the Prince Charming illusion, watching his face scrunch up in discomfort, and hearing his low wheezing. Behind the dazzling front he puts up, Oikawa is honestly a dork.

"So what is this I hear about you not getting any sleep? Have you been rendezvousing late in the night with other men besides me?" Oikawa said as he leaned his arms backward on the table with his legs stretched out in front of him. He inclined his head to the side to look at you, a waggle on his brow.

A light pink bloomed on your cheeks as Iwaizumi rolled his eyes from your other side. You turned around in your seat as well, imitating Oikawa's position and leaning back on the table and stretching your body outwards.

"No, I haven't been rendezvousing with anyone. And I have never rendezvoused with you either," you quipped back, a pale pink still on your cheeks. How can he say things like that so easily?

"Well, I think we should rectify that soon-" An empty juice carton flew at his head but Oikawa was prepared to dodge it. "No littering on campus grounds Iwa-chan."

"You're not supposed to litter off campus grounds either, Trashykawa."

You smiled at the double entendre as you twisted around to fish from your bag your lunch. Pulling the wrappers off your mayo egg sandwich, you munched on it listlessly.

"Is that all you're eating?" Iwaizumi asked as he started on another onigiri.

"Hmm. Not really hungry today." You rubbed your left eye with one hand, the other holding your sandwich. Your eye is really stinging with fatigue today.

"You should eat healthier things like fruits, or at least a balanced meal [Y/N]-chan! It'll be better for your body and might help you sleep better at night with a better diet."

"My diet is fine. It's just a recent thing…it's not like I do it all the time." You threw a small piece of bread crumb at Oikawa as you said that. He caught it and ate it, winking at you as he did so, eliciting another row of pink on your face.

"Still, I agree with dumbass this time. You definitely haven't been eating well for the last few days," Iwaizumi commented, recalling what he has seen you eat the last few lunch periods together. Including today it had been a rotation of mayo egg sandwich, chocolate cake, and a banana, or matcha steamed bread. Being friends with athletes and people majoring in sports and health-related studies, your physical performance and diet were constantly under review, whether through conscious or subconscious intentions on their part.

"I knowww," you whined, taking another guilty bite of your sandwich. "But I've just been too lazy to make any lunch boxes lately, and I start craving sweet things when I'm stressed."

"Is the egg mayo sweet?" Iwaizumi raised a brow at you.

"No, but I like eggs."

"[Y/N]-chan herself is sweet enough so she doesn't need any additional sweets~" A foot came stomping down on Oikawa's sneakers, and he narrowly avoided it before trying to stomp back on his attacker. How old were these guys again? Twenty-one?

You watched relaxedly as one of each of their legs fought over the top of yours, scraping dirt onto your own shoes. You thought forlornly to yourself that you just washed them not too long ago but made no move to stop them.

You didn't mind.

Despite the occasional collateral damage like now, you always had fun hanging out with them. It was part of what made them fun. Your shoes can always be washed again.

"Iwa-chan, look what you did! You're getting dirt all over [Y/N]-chan's shoes!"

"Hah?! If you didn't fight back this wouldn't have happened!"

"It's okay. I don't really mind...though I would appreciate it if you could stop missing each other and end up kicking me instead..."

"That's unacceptable! You need your legs to be able to dance! Iwa-chan, you should apologize-"

" You apologize Shittykawa!"

Ignoring Iwaizumi with a huff, Oikawa brushed his brown locks from his eyes. "More than that, you two are coming to watch our practice match with Teikou University today right?"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes upwards at having been ignored but settled back into his spot on the bench. "Yeah, I'll be there to make sure you don't mess up."

"You know I wouldn't mess up Iwa-chan. I can't even if I tried," he said with a confident shrug.

"Will you treat me to pancakes if you mess up then?" Perhaps the lack of good sleep was getting to you, but in an unusual burst of playful courage, you turned to Oikawa and asked him with an impish grin. Iwaizumi snorted in a laugh at Oikawa from behind you.

A grimace crawled on Oikawa's face as he looked at you. Grasping his chin, his brows furrowed and he glanced to the side. Was he actually seriously thinking about it?

"So if I mess up I get to take [Y/N]-chan on a date but if I don't mess up we'll win…" He mumbled quietly to himself.

"Do you really need to think about that?!" Iwaizumi almost shouted at him. This guy was impossible.

The bell for your last class of the day rang in the early afternoon, which left you with about two hours before the volleyball match Oikawa invited you to watch began.

Considering how tired and sleepy you were, you honestly wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep but you had already promised both Oikawa and Atsumu that you would attend, more than a week ago when they first informed you.

You had been well-rested the day when you agreed to go but now you regretted making plans so far in advance.

Resisting the urge to flake, you forced yourself to remain on campus grounds and headed to your usual activity when your classes ended early.

Popping by the building where the dance studios were located on campus, you registered your name for an hour and a half on the registry for one of the empty studios.

Changing into your workout clothes, you walked into your booked studio, grabbing a towel and spraying it with cleaning alcohol before rubbing down one of the poles in the room. The university had a few dance studios available for its student body, but only one studio was equipped for a particular type of dance: pole dance.

The poles were the types that could be uninstalled and detached, so students could free up the studio space if needed. It was common for the aerial dance students to uninstall the poles for their own practice when the other studios with high ceilings were occupied. The poles were only installed at the university when a now-alumni of the dance club petitioned the dean to allow pole dancing as part of the dance club's activity regimen. From what you heard from current senior club members, it was a hard-fought battle and the student that spearheaded the mini-campaign is now the Pole Dance Japan Championship titleholder for the last two years.

It was a title you hoped to achieve one day, hence your own training.

Where the young Miya twins discovered their love for volleyball, you found dance instead. Honestly, you only asked your mum to put you in dance classes because the Miya twins started playing volleyball. Not wanting to be the odd one out without a hobby in your little trio, but having no skill for volleyball, ten-year-old you begged your mum to chuck you into dance classes when you overheard another girl in your class talking about attending classes. And that was where you got the inspiration from. Stole, really.

You would be lying if you said you fell in love with dance right off the bat. You struggled initially. Struggled a lot .

The dance class your mum signed you up for rotated through various types of dances for kids every few weeks, beginning with hip-hop. You definitely had no idea what you were doing in the baggy clothes and cap the instructors pulled on you as you tried to not lose your hat while you spun around. You wanted to quit immediately.

But in the face of the evil grins the Miya twins constantly threw at you as they incessantly asked how your dance classes were going, whilst simultaneously bragging about their own godsent volleyball skills, you stubbornly held on if only to save face. You were a very prideful, if not stupid, kid.

After gritting through the initial weeks of classes, you discovered that you were flexible, even for your age. By the time introductory ballet rolled around, you found that you were able to ease into splits fairly easily compared to the other kids. The shocked and frustrated expressions on the twins pleased you immensely as you watched them try to imitate you and fail. There weren't many things you could do that they couldn't, and you always lamented the unfair hand that the heavens blessed them with.

So you held onto that with a vice.

Thus you grew up learning dance in parallel to the twins learning volleyball, powering through it with pure stubbornness.

It took a while, and you might have quit if the taunting smiles of the twins had not been haunting you, but you eventually grew to love the art as time passed, and you gradually but surely improved.

It grew on you, not in the way that you did it because you loved it and had a talent for it. Rather, it was because you had to struggle through it, grappling with your two left feet, turning them into a proper pair of left and right, and fought through countless moments of embarrassing missteps and tempos. The proud gazes of your parents as you performed for them on stage, or in the living room only served to feed your self-served insistence to pursue the art.

You loved it because you conquered it.

It was one of the few, if not the only thing, that you could proudly say that you challenged and owned.

When your family moved to Tokyo, you had to look for a new school to continue your practice and that was when you stumbled across pole dance. It was a form of dance you had never tried, and you had been intrigued by it the moment you saw a video online of a woman performing an artistic rendition of the style.

Your parents had been skeptical but supportive and allowed you to take the classes. Of course, you did nag at them for several weeks over dinner about how pole dance is not just for strippers, and how it is actually a very effective method of fitness and a rising form of sports. And girl power.

You definitely pulled the guilt trip card on them, claiming how you were uprooted from your comfortable life in Hyogo, and how dearly you missed the twins and needed something new to take your mind off it. And you didn't regret it.

Out of all the dance styles you had learned through the years, pole dance had to be your favorite.

You loved the thrill as you hung upside down with nothing but a pillar weaved amongst your limbs, and the rush of air as you dropped and slid down the height. You loved the feeling of accomplishment whenever you managed to perform a sequence of complex techniques, after numerous falls and bruises in your attempts to perfect it. You were sure your head is pretty solid now, after having fallen onto it harshly more times than you can count.

People might describe you as pleasant and mellow, sometimes even a wallflower. But on the stage, as you held yourself with nothing but your legs on a gleaming silver pillar, you were anything but a wallflower.

Where in other dance forms you had to share the spotlight with others or a partner, on the pole you were the main show.

You didn't excel academically like your brother.

But you definitely would not lose on this stage.

Sliding off the pole, you hunched over with your palms flat on your knees as you tried to catch your breath.

You noted with relief that the adrenaline from the session helped tremendously in staving off the tiredness from the back of your eyes that had been bothering you since morning.

Straightening, you looked at your reflection in the wall mirror that covered the entire wall on one side of the room. Examining for any new bruises that might have formed on your body from your session, you huffed when you spotted one on your calf, making a mental note to ice it later.

Wiping your face with a towel, you were about to start cleaning down the pole when you froze.

Your heart jumped and then stilled.

What...w-what was that?

A shivery breath left you as you slowly forced your head to turn towards the mirror.

You swore you saw something flicker in the mirror.

Quickly turning behind you, you looked around the studio but didn't see anyone else. There was no one in the studio other than you.

H-hah...you were just hallucinating because you were so tired. Just a trick of the eye your tired mind was playing on you.

You patted your chest where your heart nearly leaped out moments ago, chuckling nervously at yourself for your paranoia, as you waited for your heart to calm itself back down.

Silly you, scaring yourself like that.

You just needed some sleep.

Panting, you jogged all the way to the gym hall where the practice match would be held. You finished up a bit later than planned, and barely had enough time to take a quick shower before making your way over to the gym.

You just know Atsumu and Oikawa will give you grief non-stop if you were late to the match.

Iwaizumi and Osamu had texted you that they will head there right after their classes, so they should be there by now.

Entering from the side door of the gym, you saw that the opposing team's students from Teikou University were already on the court warming up, and your own team's members were doing the same on the other side.

Quietly so as to not bring attention to yourself, you closed the metal door gently behind you, but it still closed with a clang that lightly echoed in the hall.

Immediately you heard Oikawa's voice calling your name.

"You made it! And here I was beginning to think my number one fan was going to be late." The brunet teased, a volleyball held against one hip in his arm.

"Yer number one fan? I'm pretty sure she is my fan." Atsumu quipped from behind Oikawa, walking up from behind him.

"Well, fans can change loyalties at any time when you're not looking." Oikawa turned to Atsumu with a strained smile. The volleyball was now between his hands in a tight grip.

"Oh? Speaking from experience there, scrub?" Atsumu retorted with no pause, arms crossing in front of his chest as he pointedly leveled his gaze with Oikawa.

"G-guys, you're supposed to be on the same team." You tried to calm the two competitive players as you walked up to them. Are they going to be okay playing on a team together today? Maybe they should switch out with one of the other regular members.

It was not unusual to see Atsumu and Oikawa going at it with each other. They were both highly competitive, and both having been star setters with killer serves for the duration of their volleyball careers, it was definitely easy for people to draw comparisons between them, something that was not missed by either of them. The fact that they were both confident, attractive young men with their own fan clubs going on did not help either.

A cut-throat rivalry erupted almost instantaneously between them from the moment they first met when Atsumu was trying out for the volleyball club and Oikawa was there as one of the senior members to evaluate the new students.

Who could run longer and faster?

Who could hit better serves?

Who could set better?

No one knows why or even when exactly it happened, but before anyone could even realize it, their competition with each other had extended off the courts too.

Who had a better grade average?

Who had more fans?

Whose fan club could cheer the loudest?

And to your horror and embarrassment, their rivalry extended to cover you when they realized you were acquainted with both of them. You always thought Atsumu and Osamu competing was bad but there was no comparison to the one between the two star setters.

Who made you laugh louder?

Who did you prefer spending time with?

Who did you like more? (you told yourself that they surely meant it as friends and nothing more)

Atsumu never let an opportunity to remind Oikawa that he knew you longer pass by him.

Oikawa always retaliated with quality over quantity.

It was both flattering and embarrassing, but mainly embarrassing, as their arguments always attracted attention. You were not so naive to believe they thought of you as anything more than a friend, and believed that you were just another way for them to compete and best one another.

The players on the opposing team were starting to look over to where the three of you stood, curious about the commotion.

Just as you were at your wit's end on how you can placate the both of them before their furious verbal match turned into full-blown yelling, long arms came out from behind you, caging you underneath the weight of the left arm, before continuing to extend on either side of you to pull the two fuming setters in as well. Atsumu to the right and Oikawa to the left, squished up next to you.

"Hey now, last I checked we're all playing on the same team today." A voice drawled languidly close by your ear, followed by an amused chuckle.

Heat rushed to the tips of your ear as you looked up with a start.

"Kuroo-san…"

"Hey chibi-chan. Haven't seen you around in a while." Kuroo beamed down at you with his trademark cat-like grin, amber eyes half-lidded.

Kuroo Tetsurou.

Another attractive male that easily lights your face and skin in flames with his casual remarks and smoldering eyes that never fails to make you feel vulnerable; as if he can read your thoughts.

Like Atsumu and Oikawa, Kuroo was another one of the regular members of the volleyball club. He and his childhood friend Kozume Kenma were both members of the volleyball circle.

You shared several classes with Kenma as your course majors overlapped and had worked with him on a few projects together. It was through Kenma that you met Kuroo. They were always hanging out together, so whenever you were with Kenma, Kuroo would be nearby at some point or another.

"Ugh Kuroo, let go of me." Atsumu snapped at the black-haired male. He nodded his chin out towards you and Oikawa. "And her too. But you can keep the Miyagi scrub."

"Hm? Well, guess what Demon Fox Twin One, let me tell you [Y/N]-chan here feels very nice and warm pressed up against me. What have you got going on over on your side?" Oikawa was throwing out a low and petty remark at the expense of you and Kuroo and he knew it. But the frown on the blonde was satisfying all the same. "Yea, nothing and Demon Fox Twin Two at home."

To taunt him further, Oikawa pushed closer against you, squeezing you further between his body and Kuroo's side. Atsumu looked like he would want nothing more than to spike a ball straight into Oikawa's face, and you do not doubt that he would if given the chance.

"Woah Oikawa. Let me tell you that my body feels just as fine as hers here," Kuroo quipped back without missing a beat, grin growing even wider in amusement. It was always so much fun to mess with these two.

"If you want to give it a cop, all you have to do is say please. I don't mind." Kuroo pushed his face towards Oikawa's over the top of your head, arms tightening around all three of you to bring everyone in closer. You could faintly feel the bottom of his chin brushing across the crown of your head.

Your palms crushed to your face in mortification, the pressing weight of Kuroo's and Oikawa's bodies not lost on you. You just came here to watch the match, not to be embarrassed like this in front of people.

"Uh...no thanks." Oikawa tilted his head away with a grimace in an attempt to distance his face away from the snickering Kuroo.

You could feel the stares from not only the Teikou team but also players from your university team, as well as the eyes of the people who came to spectate.

"Kuroo. Oikawa. Miya."

The trio whose names were called stiffen slightly, and similar grimaces tugged at their lips, a mix of distaste, annoyance, and wry amusement between the three of them.

Simultaneously, all four of your heads turned to the side of the court, where an olive haired male who easily towered over the three players crowded around you stood stoically.

Ushijima Wakatoshi.

You groaned internally. Great, now you were under the scrutiny of The Ushijima Wakatoshi.

You didn't know him on a personal level, besides the occasional quiet greetings when you happened to cross paths on errands for professors, classes, or the shenanigans of your other friends who worked closely with him.

You highly doubted that he even remembered your name but you greatly admired him. It was hard not to. He was an inspiration to many of his fellow students with his skills and talents, and you were no exception.

In any case, you really hoped Ushijima did not think you were a troublemaker of some sort now as you greatly admired his dedication and accomplishments in his field.

"We will begin the match soon." He said, voice plain but clear. No frivolous greetings or questions, just straight to the point.

"We're coming, Ushiwaka!" Kuroo called out in answer, releasing all of you from his arms. Oikawa stepped aside from him immediately whilst Atsumu rolled his shoulders and gave you a nod before walking off to finish his warm-ups.

Scratching your cheeks in lingering mortification, you looked at Kuroo and Oikawa. "W-Well, good luck out there today."

Oikawa gave you his trademark peace sign with his tongue stuck out before heading to where Atsumu went.

Turning to make your way to the bleachers, eyes searching for Osamu or Iwaizumi, you noticed Kuroo walking beside you.

"Kuroo-san? Don't you need to go get ready?"

"Meh, Ushiwaka can wait for a couple more seconds." Kuroo shrugged carelessly, peering down at you. "How have you been? Haven't seen you around hanging with Pudding Head lately."

"Ahh, yea...I've been busy with course work and my own training." You said sheepishly, stopping by the steps that led up to the bleachers. Spotting Iwaizumi sitting at one of the seats towards the back, and Osamu sitting a row below him, you gave them a nod of recognition.

"Kenma isn't here today?"

"Nah, I asked but got rejected. Said he had some game live stream to run." Kuroo sighed with his hands shrugged up in defeat. He paused as he once again trained his sharp cat-like eyes on you, the ones that made you feel like you were being openly read and laid bare. "He's right though, you do look tired."

You groaned, a self-conscious blush starting to creep up your cheeks again. Did everyone really need to point it out to you?

"I just haven't been sleeping well lately. I'll make up for it this weekend."

"Heh, well don't overdo it or you'll lose all that flexibility of yours before you know it." He grinned at you, aware of your dance activities and the importance of flexibility for you.

You pouted. "I take care to stretch every day! So I won't."

He nodded, turning to head back to the court before Ushijima singled him out. "Well, I really just came to check up on you since Kenma mentioned that you looked dead in class recently. Let me know if you need help with your dance practice again."

You smiled up at him, appreciation welling up in your chest for his consideration. Kuroo is tall and has this provocative and sometimes even sly air around him, but he is always very thoughtful and attentive to his teammates and friends. You were grateful to be considered one of the people he looks out for.

"Thank you Kuroo-san. Good luck."

The other team is good, but with the lineup of stellar members your university's team had, it was hard for them to consistently rack up points.

Sitting next to Osamu with Iwaizumi in the seat behind you, the three of you watched the practice match with casual conversation floating back and forth once in a while, except for when Atsumu is serving.

Osamu shook his head, and you had to suppress a laugh as Atsumu served the ball over the net with frightening speed and power.

It is now the latter half of the match, and the adrenaline rush from your training had long settled and you slowly felt the fatigue creep up on you again.

A tap on your shoulder had you leaning back into your chair, tilting your head backward to look up at Iwaizumi upside-down.

"You don't need to stay until the end. It's only a practice match. Go home and get some sleep." He frowned down at you. Iwaizumi, always the mother hen. Always dependable.

"I don't know...I don't really feel like dealing with Oikawa-san's and Atsumu's complaints later though," you pondered with a frown. Those two can be very overbearing when they wanted to be.

"If it's Shittykawa you're worried about, don't. I'll deal with him," Iwaizumi said as he turned to look at Osamu who nodded in turn.

"I can handle 'Tsumu." He popped open a pack of gummies, offering some to you and Iwaizumi.

You chewed on the gummy, watching the match proceed for a bit longer.

Honestly, the outcome was clear and your team was going to win without a doubt. You didn't really need to stay to watch them win again, in a practice match no less.

You also only promised to come watch them play. No one said anything about staying until it finished.

Having watched plenty of their other matches already, skipping out halfway on one wouldn't hurt. Oikawa and Atsumu should be mature enough to let that go.

"Hmm, alright then. I'll head back first then. Thanks, guys."

Iwaizumi nodded at you and Osamu lightly waved his hand goodbye.

"Get some rest."

"Hope ya' sleep better tonight."

"I will. See you guys tomorrow."

You waved and made your way down the bleachers, sticking to the side at the bottom, as you made your way around to get to the side door at the other end.

The sounds of squeaking sneakers, thumping of the ball through the air, and shouts as the players called out to each other continued to reverberate through the gym. Everyone in the gym had their eyes trained on the ball and court, barely anyone paying attention to you as you quietly and carefully tried to make your way out of the gym.

You cast a quick glance at the court, glimpsing Kuroo and Oikawa fully focused on the game with their eyes up in the air, following the trail of the flying ball. Atsumu's eyes flickered briefly to your figure stuck close to the walls before flitting back up to set the ball.

Everything up until that point had progressed as normal with nothing out of the unusual.

Fans of the various players, particularly Oikawa and Atsumu, filled the hall with their cheers and cries. There was also the occasional cries of Ushijima! and Kuroo-san! reverberating amongst the various cheers of the girls. The spectators murmured amongst themselves, making their own commentary of the game. Iwaizumi had his stern gaze on Oikawa's performance, and Osamu continued to sneak snacks in despite the no-food rule.

All the players were concentrated on their match and were at peak performance. Oikawa and Atsumu seemed to have settled their differences aside and worked well together, appropriately switching who sets as needed. Kuroo was taunting the opposing players with a sly grin like he always did, gleefully beaming whenever he blocked their spikes. Ushiwaka was doling out his precise yet devastating spikes, soaring through the air like an eagle each time he did so.

No one really understood how it happened, not even the person who hit that particular spike. Especially the person who hit that spike because it never happens to them.

People could only chalk it up to being a freak accident. A fluke.

You heard your name being called in frantic shock from around you, from various people around the gym hall.

Before you could even look up to see who it was that was calling, a powerful force collided with the side of your head, and you felt a lurch of dry air and a mangled choke force its way through your throat. There was the faint thudding of something bouncing on the ground before it stopped.

A feeling of weightlessness blanketed you, and you didn't feel your body go down towards the hard floor but you knew it did because the world moved down and to the side with your gaze. Your vision was dark before your eyes even closed, before you even hit the ground. It felt like you continued to fall through the darkness even though you should be on the floor by now.

Did it usually take this long to fall over?

All awareness of the fatigue that had plagued you as of late left you as your consciousness finally drifted off. You continued to fall and still didn't feel the ground.

Maybe you'll actually get some sleep this time.

"Hey…"

"Are you there? Can you hear me?"

Notes:

Comments and feedbacks are always highly appreciated!
What did you think? What are you curious about? What are your speculations? Did you like it?
It will also help me gauge interest in the story, and which will definitely work as a motivator to continue as well! ngl
We're all hungry for comments here after all haha
There are some characters who I have not decided if I will make them a love interest in the fic yet, one of them being Kita Shinsuke that was briefly mentioned this chapter. He and some others may be included, depending on how the story forms and on feedback.
But thank you for reading and I hope to hear from all of you!

Chapter 2: The First Leap

Summary:

Introduction Arc

Notes:

I pushed this chapter out faster than I expected!
The people that commented on the first chapter made me so happy that I was fired up to finish off the next chapter immediately!
Thank you to all who commented, and those who subscribed, bookmarked, and left kudos!

I originally planned for this chapter to be longer but it felt like a good cut-off point for now and it is near 3am in the morning as I write this note :p
Please enjoy chapter two as we slowly get the ball rolling now ^^

Tumblr for Ghosts We See:This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

if an owl hoots at you in warning, remember this

1 for a nightmare. 4 for death. 8 to turn around. 10 for an unwelcome truth.

"What about now?"

"Can you hear me now?"

Something felt wet and squishy below you as your consciousness slowly returned.

There was a harsh pounding in your head, and it felt like a migraine was going to stick its claws into you for the next several hours. A throbbing burn pulsed at the side of your scalp, and you could feel without touching it that a bump had begun to form. The last thing you remember was something hitting you very painfully.

With a groan, you pried your eyes open blearily, tears dabbing at your corners from the blurry state of the world. Giving yourself several moments for your eyesight to adjust, you finally blinked them open in better clarity.

The night sky peered down at you in an outstanding clearness that you have never seen before. Stars speckled the blanket of midnight blue, reminding you very much of the curtains that decorated your own room in Tokyo. They glittered spectacularly, their light shining down upon the earth in faint glimmers that trickled out. It was a sight you definitely would not be able to see in a city polluted with neon lights and haze.

"What…?"

As your eyes started to adjust to the darkness, you could make out dark silhouettes of branches and leaves framing your sight, tall trees looming over you with their long arms and fingers, as if waiting to furl in on you to keep you in their depths.

Your fingers curled beside you and you felt wet blades of grass folding beneath your digits. A clean earthy scent started to make itself known to your nose.

Quickly sitting up, you winced and pushed two fingers on either side of the back of your neck, a pulsating pain rushing up the column with your movement. When it died to a more bearable level, you opened your eyes again and looked around, a strange sense of panic slowly creeping into your heart whilst you remained mystified.

Where the hell were you?

The last you recalled you were at the gym. You were leaving the practice match, intent on going home to sleep.

This was definitely not home and you were definitely not in bed.

You were in a forest, as far as you could tell, with the giant trees, moss, and bushes that surrounded you. Was this Atsumu's and Oikawa's way of getting back at you for trying to leave their match early? Leaving you in a forest?

As petty as they could be sometimes, you doubted they would do that to you or anybody for that matter.

It was dark, and the night air nipped at your skin, reminding you that you were dressed for a sunny Tokyo spring day and not the wet night air that swirled around you.

You could feel the worry and panic that had slowly surfaced when you woke start to rear their heads again, but you tamped them down as best you could.

You should try to figure out where you were and why you were here, and not home in bed or an infirmary somewhere. Why didn't they bring you to an infirmary? You were pretty sure the bump on your head was caused by a volleyball that spiked into it like a swinging hammer to a nail.

The worst thing you could do now is panic.

Slowly, you stood up, a hand stretched out against a nearby tree trunk to help support you as you allowed the wave of nausea and dizziness to pass by. You spotted your bag nearby, and you bent back down to grab it, quickly checking its contents and satisfied to see that all your belongings were still in there.

Patting yourself down, you felt the familiar shape of your phone in your back pocket, safely lodged deep inside.

Slinging your bag onto your back, you started off in a random direction, having no idea which way was which. The darkness didn't help. But it was better than staying in one place.

You weren't sure how long you walked, it felt like forever but it could not have been for more than an hour.

There was no signal on your phone when you tried to use your GPS to check your location or when you tried to call your parents. You even tried to call Osamu but the signal goes dead as soon as you click the call button. Seeing that it was useless right now, you powered it down to conserve battery, just in case.

The forest was silent save for the soft whispering of the wind in between the trees. In a different set of circumstances, you would have found it relaxing, calming even. Right now, it was downright creepy and made the tiny hairs on the back of your neck stand.

There was something unsettling in the way the wind sounded, like a low voice cooing from the shadows, trying to ensnare the poor souls that fell to its call.

Really, where the hell are you? And why?

If this really is the doing of one of the star setters, it was in poor taste.

Again, you knew that it is very unlikely. Iwaizumi or Osamu would have stopped them even if they tried. But you could not for the life of you figure out why you woke up in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.

You did not see any signs of other forms of life. Not a single speck of city light, a single house, a single person, a single squirrel, a single insect.

None. Zero. Nada.

And it was when that realization dawned on you that you really started to feel a nervous sweat perspire on your palms and neck. You should have seen at least a mosquito by now, shouldn't you?

It was nearing the end of spring, encroaching on the days when the rainy season would arrive and those little buggers were out making their nests in puddles where they could.

You swallowed, internally fighting off the panic that wanted to take over as you trudged on through the forest, climbing over logs and going under low hanging branches.

lt was only a few moments later when you started to hear a sound that was not the wind.

hoo

hoo

An owl.

Okay, okay. You'd take that. Anything was better than having only the sound of the creepy wind accompanying you.

It was also a sign of life, and that relaxed you somewhat, debunking your thoughts that there was no other animated life besides you.

hooo

hoooo

Hmm, where is that owl anyways? Was it nearby or were its hoots being carried over to you with the wind?

You wondered as you started walking a diagonal path from where you were instead of straight, hoping to come across something different from trees in your new direction.

The owl continued to hoot around you, and you were starting to feel unsure if it was only one owl or more than one. Their hoots were soft and long, leaving a lasting impression on your ears and skin.

You didn't think owls could be this creepy.

hooooo

The hoots continued to echo around you no matter how much distance you put between you and...wherever it was calling from.

Suddenly, you wished it was just you and the wind again because the owl was starting to creep the hell out of you and a spine-chilling cold was slightly down your back.

hooooooo

This time the call was much closer.

Have you been heading towards the owl? Is that why its hoots have been increasing in frequency and volume? Because you were encroaching on its territory?

You gulped and turned towards another direction , in the hopes that you would leave the owl's territory soon and that you did not antagonize it.

Keyword being hope.

Nope, the hoots continued no matter which direction you went, and before you realized it you had started on a light jog before transitioning into an outright sprint through the forest.

Branches scratched and nicked at your skin and clothes, wet dirt kicking up underneath the soles of your shoes as you skidded on moss and grass.

hoooooooo

Was it your imagination or did it sound like it was getting closer?

HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And louder?!

A yelp of surprise tore from your throat when you slipped on a patch of wet moss and you tumbled down the low plane to the side, rolling and falling painfully on your back. The items in your bag dug painfully into your spine.

Pain in your leg shifted your gaze down where you could faintly see a harsh red line running up your calves, and you're pretty sure you were bleeding. Why today, of all days, did you not wear long pants?

You were about to sit up to examine the damage when suddenly, a shadow dropped silently over your form with nary a flutter. It crouched over you with long legs on either side of your waist and your arms, frozen beside you.

A piercing scream erupted from your throat, cutting through the night air.

Golden orbs winced and narrowed above you, before a hand clamped down harshly on your lower face, squeezing.

You were going to struggle and had the idea of kicking the figure under the belt (they were in a prime position for you to do so, and had not bothered to restrain your limbs) when they suddenly shifted forward, bringing their face that was previously covered in darkness down to you, allowing you to clearly see their face.

You forgot about struggling. The hooting has stopped.

Silver hair gleamed under the dim light of the moon and stars, sharp black streaks running through it in areas, parting in a manner that strangely reminded you of the head of an owl. Large and impossibly golden eyes with deep black irises peered down at you, a piercing edge in them that sent chills down your already cold, wet back. His head cocked to the side, his hair shifting together with his movement and eyes never once leaving you. Nor blinking.

His eyes were so unnatural .

A nervous whimper reflexively left you, shuddering against his palm that was still clamped tightly onto you. You felt it push down on your face ever so slightly, pressing your head into the ground painfully. Far and deep in the back of your mind, you thought you have seen his face before. Your arms shivered not from the cold, but from the fear and panic that was starting to seep into your bones, and that was all you were aware of.

A pit in your gut and your hammering heart told you that this person was not good news .

A wide and splitting grin broke across his face and his eyes sharpened even more.

He still hadn't blinked.

"Well, well, well...look what the cat dragged in."

For the first time in your life, you hated owls.

His words sent a tremble through you that you were sure he felt on the sides of his legs that were pressed to you, not moving from his crouch. Something about the way he said it did not sit well with you and you took in a shaky breath, unable to say anything with the grip on your face that was starting to hurt.

Your eyes flitted down his figure, taking note of the...unusual clothes he wore, for a lack of better words. His attire consisted of mainly black clothes with the occasional white, which were lined aesthetically with sparing gold stripes that shimmered faintly in the dark. He adorned light leather boots that were equally as dark as the rest of his attire, and what looked like leather padding ran from his knees to his mid-thighs. Leather gauntlets lined with durable cloth covered his arms, and various straps and belts crisscrossed over his hips and chest. A dark hood fell over the back of his shoulders, large enough that when pulled up would completely swathe his face in darkness. A circular gold emblem depicting an owl with its wings spread and an arrow rising above its crown adorned the front of his vest.

A bow was strapped on his back, alongside two blades that crossed horizontally right above his hips. Their handles jutted out from either of his sides, where he could easily pull them out of their scabbards.

...Was this guy doing some hardcore L.A.R.P?

There was no other explanation for his seriously realistic costume and uncalled for treatment of you. What sort of role is he playing, an assassin or rogue of sorts, perhaps?

A sort of irritation started to take over you, pushing out the initial fear and nerves that he had scared into you with his sudden assault. He must have seen the annoyed tick in your eyes, for a sick kind of grin tugged at his lips and his eyes glimmered at you like a predator who was about to toy with their prey.

He removed his hand from your face and leaned back, but made no move to get up and away from you, continuing to squat over you with his legs spread out on your sides, arms now resting on his thighs as if he was resting his legs after a long day of standing. Any other time and your face would have been flushed at his proximity, and this demeaning position, but you were irritated and the throbbing on your head was back.

"What do you think you're doing? It's dangerous to jump out like that!" You reprimanded him and his grin grew even wider. That little knock in the back of your head returned again, rapping at your mental walls that his face was not unfamiliar to you but you ignored it. There were more important things to do now, like telling this guy off. Even nice people get angry when jumped by a rando late at night.

"Well girl, wandering around in the forest in the dead of the night in these parts, you can't blame me for thinking that you were looking for trouble." Golden eyes narrowed.

Girl? How much ruder can this guy get?

You sighed tiredly, albeit still frustrated. You were cold, exhausted, hurt, sore, and definitely in no mood to roleplay with him.

"Look, if you want to cosplay and LARP in the middle of the night, that's your prerogative but it isn't nice to involve other people like this."

The man whose face you couldn't place cocked a brow at you, and his eyes finally but surely blinked. Very slowly, his lids closed once, only once, before opening again to look at you owlishly.

"Larp? Cosplay?" He mumbled lowly, eyes never once losing sight of you with their never breaking stare. Seriously, did he not get dry eyes?

With a small huff, you made to sit up and remove yourself from under him since it didn't look like he was going to move. Immediately you were pushed down again, harder this time, and you felt the edge of something thin and sharp press against your neck.

"I didn't say you can move, mouse."

Oh...okay. That thing against your neck was real, wasn't it? It certainly felt real, and you definitely felt threatened enough with the feel of its lightweight on your jugular. The golden eyes of the male shimmered and glimmered almost crazily above you, blown wide with pitch-black dots pinning on your form as if he was barely resisting slicing you open.

"L-Look-," you began but stilled when there was an eensy tiny prick on your skin and quickly zipped your mouth. The wind was howling and the tips of his silver hair shone against the dark sky, like the reflection of moonlight on a lake. The tapping in the back of your mind became more insistent, and you focused on that to distract yourself from the loud pounding of your chest.

" I ask the questions. I do the talking, got it, little mouse?"

He lifted the dagger slightly off you, allowing just enough space for you to nod in affirmation. The blade remained close enough that with one swipe of his arm, you were done for. This guy was serious and you were starting to realize that now. Cosplay or not, he was bad news .

"Now tell me," the dagger rolled between his fingers, never moving from their steady position right by your neck "-why is a mouse like you out skittering about at this hour?"

His other hand went to the collar of your shirt, tugging at it with two fingers. You swallowed another gulp. Oh god, please-, please don't be a sex criminal too.

"And explain your strange clothes."

Phew. Okay, okay. Your chastity was safe at least. You'd take that.

Not understanding yourself why you were out here or where you were, you went with the truth. "I-I d-don't know." Flinching at your own raspy voice, you cleared your throat. "Last I remembered, I was knocked out and when I woke up...I was here." You paused, wondering if you should ask where you were. But his previous warning rang in your head and you rephrased your words instead. "I don't know where I am."

There was no response as the man merely stared at you with his frightening unblinking eyes. The rapping in your head turned faster and more insistent. Another tug at your collar and you scrambled to answer his other question.

"...it's a band t-shirt," you finished lamely. Has he never seen a t-shirt before?

His eyes narrowed at you as if he was considering the truth to your words. The owl emblem on his chest glinted in the moonlight, and you stared at it while he stared at you, and neither of you moved or said anything.

And then the raps in your head stopped as only the emblem filled your vision.

"Bokuto...Koutarou?"

In a flash, the blade was back against your neck, harder this time, and you feared that he might have already sliced your jugular open and the pain just hadn't registered in your terrified brain yet. The hand that was at your collar now pushed excruciatingly on your sternum, and your backpack pushed back in kind from below you. His head dived at yours, but his body barely moved or shifted, and it reminded you of those horrific videos of owls moving their heads this way and that but their bodies remained static and- oh my god - his eyes were burning an alarming gold right in front of you and you instinctively screwed your eyes shut.

" . . ?"

He had been creepy and scary, and made you nervous up till then but now he was downright terrifying.

"I-I-I don't know!" The pressure on your sternum intensified. "I..y-you're B-Bokuto Koutarou, a-aren't you? W-We...we go to university t-together!"

"Do we now?"

"Y-Yes!" You cried, eyes screwing shut tighter and tighter until it actually started to hurt. Tears stung at your eyes, and it took everything in you to not sob lest you cut yourself against his blade.

It was quiet and still around you but you dared not open your eyes to look at the person you were all too aware was still upon you. Your breaths came out loud and shaky, whilst you barely heard any breathing from the Bokuto look-alike but the cool puffs against your face told you otherwise.

What's going on? He's Bokuto Koutarou, wasn't he? You finally remembered now, you met Bokuto Koutarou, what seemed like months ago, but the both of you had never really interacted much for no reason other than that you just never really crossed paths very often nor had a reason to. It had been a while since you thought of Bokuto Koutarou so it didn't register in your brain right away. You were so dense and stupid!

The Bokuto Koutarou you knew was friends with Kuroo and Kenma, and from what you have seen and heard of him, he was loud, bright, cheerful, and just loud .

The Bokuto Koutarou before you was dark, menacing, hostile, and oh so quiet .

Tears finally tracked their way down the sides of your temples despite your tightly scrunched lids.

You just wanted to go home. Go home, have a warm shower, crawl into bed, and get some sleep. That was all you wanted when you woke up this morning.

Why was it so hard just to get some good night's sleep?!

Cold fingers touched your temple, and you uneasily pried your eyes open to see the not-Bokuto Koutarou drag the wetness on your skin away with his index and middle finger. He lifted damp fingers up, holding them in the air whilst keeping his wide unblinking eyes on your fearful ones.

"Hm."

Something pricked at the skin of your neck and your vision swam, darkness circling in as a heavy drowse started to overtake you. Oh no...oh no, no-

No...NO! No, no, no!

You wanted to sleep but not like this! Not unwillingly! Goddamn it- no! Not again!

...not again...

Your head lolled to the side, breaths evening out into deep and steady puffs.

Bokuto Koutarou waited a beat to see that the girl was indeed fully knocked out before dropping the Talon he had used on her, pulling out a small vial from the pouch hung on his side. He wiped the two fingers that were still barely damp with the girl's tears on the edge of the vial, eyes watching with a satisfied glint as he saw that there was enough moisture collected to form one measly drop that trickled to the bottom of the vial.

It was enough. He only did it as a morbid just-in-case scenario. Corporeal reagents charged with emotions were always handy.

Capping the vial and securing it back in his pouch, he picked up the dropped Talon and stood up, towering over the girl sleeping peacefully away between his legs, the Nox-Somnus Talon he pricked her with cradled carelessly in his careful hands.

Her similarities to her are striking. Similar does not even cut it, their faces were perfect imitations of each other.

But he had heard the news...the rumors. So how was she here?

He had been scouting the area when he suddenly sensed her presence pop up on his radar, tingling on the strands of his hair and the tips of his fingers. Stealthily tracking her down, he was immediately alert and wary.

A human girl, here, wandering around the edges of the forest that drew the borders separating his realm and that of his enemies? In the late-night? A harmless girl he thought not.

And when she turned and he got a clear vision of her face, he was doubly suspicious.

A doppelganger? Or perhaps even one of those dastardly foxes on a mission to wreak havoc and confusion?

So he followed her, waiting and watching to see what she would do, what she was up to. But when all she did was walk, and walk, and walk and waaaalk, he got bored. So very bored.

And so he decided to have some fun by playing with her, scaring her. He did always enjoy toying with his hunts before diving in for the kill. And it worked oh so easily as she took off running, and he followed and continued to echo around her until she slipped and went rolling.

Playtime's over then.

He had planned to finish it quickly and get it over with, so he could watch her form distort and melt back to whatever the original was but no, instead, she suddenly snapped at him, and that tickled him. She must be very stupid to not recognize his telling features. At least even his emblem, the sight of which would make even the largest man whimper in defeat.

It was only then he seriously considered her attire and the strange words that had spilled out of her mouth. He had no knowledge of whatever she spoke of, and never had he seen attire like hers before. So he prodded her a little to satisfy his curiosity. Just a little.

And then she spoke his name.

His name tumbling from her lips raised all the war flags in his bones for no one besides his closest confidants and allies really knew his name. Ordinary folk only knew of his aliases, his monikers, and sobriquets, and some lucky and intellectual few might know part of his name, or a syllable, but she had spoken his full name without a thought.

If they were not a friend or an ally and yet knew his name, then they were an enemy that knew what they were doing.

And yet, he found himself watching in morbid curiosity and fascination as she trembled and was unable to even squirm for fear of her life beneath him. If she truly was an enemy, she should have retaliated as soon as she saw the threat in him rise. There was no lie to her words and emotions that bared her fear of him, and his own all-seeing eyes confirmed it themselves.

One would have to be a celestial being of some sort to be able to fool his eyes. And maybe not even then.

It was enough for him to make a light decision to put her to sleep for easy transport. He didn't want to deal with this and yet, it didn't feel minuscule enough that he could just slice her open and let it end there.

So he'd just delegate it.

Securing the Talon and his dropped dagger away, he shifted to crouch beside the girl and not over her.

And just for one more time that night, he allowed his eyes to close and blink once more before he opened them to resume staring at the girl with a face he had gazed upon before.

The big cat boss would definitely want this dragged in.

"...Can you not hear me?"

Notes:

Nox-Gloom Talon: Talon removed from the rare Adarnae bird. Its powerful sleep-inducing magic has been gathered and sealed within this beautiful though severed claw through the use of dark magic. With this method, the victim Adarnae bird was spared its life but is magically forced to regrow its talon, again and again, providing the caster with an infinite stock of its magical talons. Fetches a high price in the black market.

Let me just say, Reader MC is gonna suffer from sleep issues like all of us xp
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and Alternate Bokuto Koutarou, who hooted exactly 8 times in this chapter lmao! And do look forward to the alternates of the other boys too! I know I will enjoy writing them up!
It's still in the early stages but I am excited to build the story and world up and hope you all will enjoy the ride with me.
Comments are highly appreciated, and always a good motivator for me ^w^

Tumblr for Ghosts We See:

Chapter 3: The Other World

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Nekoma Dominion

Notes:

I have finally decided to make Kita Shinsuke one of the potential love interests in this story. At first, I was apprehensive as this story is going to be one monster of a series already, on top of all the various characters that need to be given enough time to develop, so I was not sure if adding him is a good idea as I am likely to struggle writing him.
But I had a very nice inspiration for his story path which I personally like the most currently, and felt it would be a shame to let his story get told without being a love interest.

Thank you to those who commented on the last chapter!
A small serving of information vomit coming!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"It's so quiet..."

"Why can't you hear me?"

"Who is that?" a cool voice asks.

Bokuto glances to his side, watching as his long-time companion and confidant glides up from the forests below to fly beside him. A pair of dark medium-sized wings are spread out behind him, black feathers lined with horizontal white wavy bars fluttering in the night wind.

Similarly, a much broader pair of silver-grey wings lined with dark streaks are spread on Bokuto's own back where he has morphed them. Size-wise, his wings are larger and possess more power, but the wings of his companion allow him greater control and mobility.

"Akaashi," he acknowledges his confidant and friend.

Gunmetal blue eyes glance briefly down to your sleeping figure in Bokuto's arms as they fly through the sky, the unspoken curiosity clear in the air.

Adjusting you in his hold, Bokuto shifts you so that Akaashi can glimpse your face. His eyes widen in recognition, flickering up to Bokuto who keeps his gaze ahead.

"Is that…" The question trails off in uncertainty.

Bokuto shakes his head with a frown. "Don't know. Don't want to think about it."

Akaashi purses his lips and merely nods at his answer, having no intention to further question him although curiosity pulls at his mind. If you want someone dead or caught, send Bokuto, but don't ask him to do work that requires him to mull and think for too long. He hates that type of exertion.

To the east, the beginnings of the new day are peeking over the distant horizon, a lone pillar of orange glow cutting the sky in half as it pushes against the heavy night. He had already been flying for a few hours and seeing that Akaashi has appeared, it means that they will arrive at his intended destination soon.

"I was going to ask how your scouting mission went, but I can see it has proved fruitful somewhat," the dark-haired male begins in light conversation, doing a quick 360-degree spin in the air merely for the sake of feeling the wind on his skin. Whereas Bokuto prefers to fly quickly and straight to his destinations, Akaashi is the type that enjoys a dance with the wind, if the situation allows for it.

A scoff comes from the silver-winged male beside him. "We'll see. Don't know anything right now."

Akaashi shakes his head, pushing a little further up in front of Bokuto and turning his head to look behind so that the other male can see his face. "Shall I fly up ahead and let them know of your arrival?"

Even without the added weight of an additional passenger, Akaashi was more agile than his silver-winged companion. Any distance that Bokuto flew, Akaashi could do in half the time at his full speed. He is one of the, if not the fastest, flyers of his people.

"Do what you want," the silver-haired male grunts, adjusting his arms once more. He isn't tired, but it is starting to get irritating having to keep his arms held out for a prolonged period of time, whilst the subject of his annoyance snores away in oblivious bliss.

You had not budged or even fluttered your eyes once since he put you to sleep. The magic of the Nox-Gloom Talon certainly lives up to its name.

Akaashi smiles softly as he usually does, used to the rough mannerisms of his friend. They had lived through times of war and uncertainty, survived countless battles and close-calls together, and honed their skills as deadly hunters through vigorous training that made him wish he wasn't alive altogether. As different as they are, they understand one another best in this damned world.

"As you wish my liege." He tips his head in a make-shift bow, right arm crossing across his chest. A scowl crosses Bokuto's face, which he does not miss.

"I hate that."

"I know."

With that, Akaashi beats his wings in one powerful burst and surges forward, arms and wings tucking in as he corkscrews through the air at an incredible speed. He is gone in mere seconds, figure disappearing amongst the clouds.

Bokuto had hoped to terrify the people of their enemies the night before, maybe taking out some of their soldiers while he was at it. The turmoil plaguing the world has barely changed in the last several centuries, since the time of his grandfather, and his fathers before him, and he has been restless. Everyone is.

It has steadily gotten worse over the last several years, and progressively deteriorated further in recent months.

But picking up you, this strange girl in the Blessed Forest - or what used to be the Blessed Forest as it is now just a dead and forbidding swath of land - changed his plans, and he is in all honesty, irritated. His fingers twitch underneath you, craving for the curve of his daggers.

No matter. He'll just have the cat bastard go at it with him when he arrives.

For what seems like the umpteenth time in the last twenty-four hours, you pry your eyes open blearily.

Dear God, you feel like you slept for ages and your eyes are so drowsy. There is a heavyweight on your limbs and an equally burdensome haze on your mind.

Scrunching your eyes several times, you push at your lids with your palms, squeezing the residue of sleep out of them. It feels like you slept too much now instead of not enough.

What happened?

You were hit by a volleyball and then you passed out. And then you woke up in the forest and then….and then….

You bolt straight up in bed, the events of before come back to you in waves. The forest, the hoots, the owl - the owl! - and scary Bokuto Koutarou!

Wait, bed?

Frantically looking around, you find yourself on a large circular bed lined with soft animal fur. The structure of the room itself is that of a cave, the ceiling and walls curving up, down, and to the sides in dynamic formations that remind you of the crests of ocean waves. It was sparsely decorated, with only a simple wooden table and chair in one corner. A stone bench carved out from the cave wall lined one side of the room, animal furs draped over it. Lamps hang from the walls, spheres of moving light flickering around inside them.

Your eyes bulge, curious and nervous to find out what they are.

This is not your room or an infirmary. Where the hell are you? Why are you in a cave? And why did Bokuto attack you like that? Kuroo said he is a nice guy!

Shifting, you wince at the ache that spreads across your body, particularly your back and neck. Your leg that was injured from your fall is wrapped in cloth bandage, and a leaf with a bitter scent is sealed onto the bump on your head with bandages.

"Oh, you're awake!"

A voice suddenly startles a yelp out of you. The sound of objects clattering has you whirling wide eyes to the cave door where someone has their head down, arms pressed across the top of their heads from under which - are those cat ears? - poke out. Golden hair drapes across their features, blocking your view of their face.

Hold up...that hair...is that…

They lift their head and you almost feel yourself losing consciousness again at the sight of that familiar face.

"Kenma?!"

Why is Kenma here? Where is here?! Why does he have - cat ears! - on top of his head? Is he cosplaying with Bokuto too? Did you miss the memo on a uni-wide larping event?

'Kenma' looks at you, golden-eyes blinking rapidly in surprise before a large grin breaks across his lips and you recoil, repelled at the bizarre sight of a grinning Kenma in equally bizarre clothes. Just like Scary Bokuto, he wore clothes that remind you of the medieval times or those worn by characters in a fantasy RPG game: a black vest over a short dark-red tunic with black pants that tighten midway on his calves, and ankle-high boots with black belt straps and aesthetics lining them.

'Kenma' ignores your scandalized expression, quickly approaching the bed with excited steps; the jug and plates on the tray he carries clatter unsteadily. The cat-like grin (that suited his features way too much) never left his face and you only further shrink away at the alien sight.

The Kozume Kenma you know hardly ever smiles. And even if he did, it was always a small, barely there tug of his lips and quietly unassuming. The smile on this Kenma is radiant with childish glee and you saw the orange-gold cat ears on the top of his head flick in glee. Aren't those fake?

"You know my name too!" 'Kenma' cries in joy, dropping the tray on the table carelessly before leaping onto the bed in one long jump, landing right before you. "Amazing!"

"Wha-?!" You jump back in surprise at his sudden proximity, bed bouncing up and down below the sudden weight.

"I can't believe it! I heard that you knew Sir Bokuto's full name too and almost no one knows his name and that you spoke of strange things like cosplay and larping and - what was it, band? - and bands and something called a t-shirt!"

'Kenma' speaks at a hundred miles per minute, eyes shining in glee and hands waving around in the air in sweeping arcs as if he can't contain the excitement in his body and needs to expel it somehow. And Sir Bokuto?

He kept talking and talking, retelling you the things he has heard, repeating them again when he listed them all as if he did not want his little tale to end, and you just sat there, mouth gaping wide in disbelief at the super energetic Kenma before you.

And that shocks you more than the fact that there is an awfully realistic-looking pair of fluffy orange ears on top of his head that reminds you of a ginger cat.

'Kenma' finally notices your silence and staring, as he stops talking and waves a hand in front of you. "Miss? Are you alright?" He places a hand on your forehead and that snaps you out of your stupor.

"E-Excuse m-me?" you croak.

"Ah, you must be thirsty I bet! Here, I brought some warm milk for you, it'll help soothe your throat!" He bounds off the bed like a child, going over to the table where he pours milk from a wooden jug into a cup before plodding back to you, milk sloshing around dangerously.

"Here!"

"I...u-um...t-thanks…." You reach for the offered cup with shaky hands and take a small sip. Then you down the whole thing in one swift go, wishing it was vodka. You don't usually drink but damn you need one right now.

'Kenma' sits back down on the bed beside you, gold eyes blinking happily and curiously at you as he watches you chug the milk.

"How do you feel? You had some nasty bruises on your legs and back when Sir Bokuto brought you in. We've patched you up though and they should be gone in a few days."

"I...I feel fine. T-Thank you," you mumble out, and you see his cat ears flick again.

'It looks so soft-'

Catching your thoughts, you shake your head to whip them out of your mind and slap your palms onto your cheeks, cup rolling onto the bed where Kenma picks it up as he keeps now baffled eyes on you.

"Look, Kenma, what is going on? What's up with the ears? Are you guys larping? Why are you smiling so much ?" Not that you did not think the smile looks wonderful on Kenma and makes him impossibly cute (the cat ears are undeniably adorable), but you have had about enough of this strange series of events, and Bokuto really did scare the hell out of you last night. You still have classes in the morning!

You are breathing hard as you shoot out question after question, a sense of hysterics bubbling within you, barely being held in check. A small part of you is starting to tell you that everything so far is weird, and that maybe you should start looking at things from a different perspective, but the larger part of you, the logical side, is still reigning things in, filling in the gaps and questions with reason.

There must be an explanation for how Bokuto could have kept his eyes open for so long, his realistically chilling acting (perhaps you should ask who his drama teacher is), how they did those nightmarish hoots, and how he was able to remain deathly quiet with his movements. This place must be one of those themed love hotels in Shibuya, and you will not even attempt to question the tastes of those who have this fetish. Kenma's ears are definitely animatronics, and they must have promised him a shit ton of games or something to convince him to play along and-

"What do you mean, miss?" His question breaks you out of your spiraling train of thoughts, head tilting questioningly at you. "I'm always like this, and I don't know what larping is. I'm excited to learn if you will teach me though!"

You blink owlishly at him. "Right...Kenma, we have classes in the morning. Can we s-stop this and just go home?"

His brows furrow and you watch in dismay as his ears flatten forward on his head. "I'm afraid I don't know where your home is Miss...but I am already home," he quietly trails off before brightening again, like a flipped switch. "I can show you around if you like!"

A strained and awkward silence falls between you as you stare at Kenma like the way Bokuto stared at you. Unblinking and unmoving. The blindingly bright grin continues to remain on him and you could feel your eyes water (whether s because of dry eyes from staring too long or from Kenma's radiant grin, you aren't entirely sure).

"...this really isn't funny…"

"I'm not trying to be funny, Miss?"

Your head jerks in realization and you purse your lips, fingers fidgeting above your outstretched lap. He keeps calling you 'Miss.' "Kenma...what's my name? Do you...k-know me?"

His ears perk up again and his eyes shine even brighter as he speaks your full name, briefly quelling your dread and anxiety. But then-

"The Prophesied One! The Blessed One!"

"..."

Kenma's wide eyes continue to blink excitedly at you. His cat ears perk up high and straight, and his hands clench in front of him eagerly as your heart just drops to your stomach.

"T-The w-what?" Why...won't he drop the act already...

"The Blessed! The Prophesied-!"

You take a very deep gulp of air that cuts him off and let it all out in one big puff as you fall forward, head dropping to your hands in frustration. "This really isn't funny Kenma-"

"No, it isn't. Why should it be?"

Your head snaps up at the familiar voice and your body freezes in - you're not even sure how you should feel anymore - Confusion? Surprise? Anxiety? Frustration?

When did everyone get together to plot one giant prank on you?

Because there at the doorway stands Kuroo, tall and proud, and decked out in full garb of jet-black clothes composed of leather and armor, accented with wine red embellishments and lines of gold. Metallic gauntlets of red and black leather run up his arms, and leg guards of similar design cover the top of his black leather boots. A majestic coat made of velvet red and lined with gold is slung across his shoulders, its sleeves and length lightly flowing behind him with each of his steps, equally depthless black lining the inner side of his coat.

A circular emblem not unlike Bokuto's is clasped across his front, held in place by chains of gold; but instead of an owl, it depicts a fully bloomed red flower with rings of green within it that gradually thins out towards the center.

"Ah, Master Kuroo!" 'Kenma' quickly stands up and bows at the appearance of this majestic-looking Kuroo.

You gawk at Kenma, dumbfounded. Master? A large burst of laughter threatens to spill from you and your shoulders tremble from holding it in. This is getting ridiculous. You really want to know how Kuroo and Bokuto convinced Kenma to do this.

Majestic Kuroo waves an arm coolly at Kenma, dismissing his bow. "At ease. You know I don't appreciate that." His voice is certainly Kuroo's voice, with the same husky tones but something is different that you can not place. It's more...chilled? Impassive?

And you wonder if all the roles they are playing are opposite of their original personalities?

"Yes, Maste-, I mean, yes milord. But I can't help it. You deserve the utmost respect." A strange glow of motivation shines in Kenma's golden eyes, the cat-like shape of his irises fitting painfully with the cat ears on his head.

"H-Hahahahaha! O-Oh my g-od- hahahahahaha !"

This is too much. You can't take it anymore.

Laughter rockets through your body and you shake so hard that your already sore muscles ache. It actually hurts to laugh, but you can't stop. Body doubling over, your arms clutch at your stomach and your chest heaves desperately as you wheeze at the lack of air entering your lungs.

'Kenma' gawks at you with eyes blown wide in horror while Majestic Kuroo barely changes in demeanor, molten eyes trained steadily on you. The usual snarky grin he would have or playful glimmering eyes are absent, and your laughter slowly dies off as you begin to sense something off and...awkward.

"H-Haha...hah?"

Like a fish out of water, Kenma's mouth opens and closes multiple times and he looks like he is about to say something when Kuroo turns his body to fully face you, standing at the foot of your bed. Kenma zips his mouth shut, ears flattening on his head.

"It seems you have the luxury to find amusement in this."

There are no upward lilts or downward tilts to Kuroo's voice. It's straight, flat, and detached; as if he's speaking to a wall or someone below him. It throws you for a loop that you know shows clearly on your face. You had been expecting Kuroo, at least, to finally break character and guffaw at you, with you, making fun of your scared expressions and incredulous reactions.

But no, he just tosses cold, dispassionate eyes on you. Eyes that narrow in a gaze that make you feel both cold and awfully empty, as if all the mirth was taken out of you alongside the embers that often burn in his amber eyes.

The part of you that you have been keeping down, the little voice that had briefly tried to tell you in small bouts of hysterics numerous times throughout this whole sequence of events, came rapping at your mind, telling you again and again that they are all acting weird and unlike themselves, that they did not look like they are larping.

"Kenma, leave us."

With a small bow, Kenma quickly shuffles out of the room, and your eyes momentarily catch sight of the cat ears on his head going up in wisps of orange smoke before disappearing completely. You have no time to question or even reel from the sight because 'Kuroo' strides to your side in two long steps, gracefully sitting down on the bed by you with legs crossed.

A tension that you had never felt before in the time you knew Kuroo Tetsurou locks into your body. Subconsciously, you begin gnawing on the inside of your bottom lip.

"Tell me, what are you?" The cool tones of his voice wash over you like biting ocean waves at night, drenching you in a heavy blanket of cold.

His presence is heavy.

A domineering aura that naturally emanates from him grows and stretches to encase you under its massive ripple, and you just know that he is not doing it intentionally.

It's purely his natural state of presence.

Your mouth opens in an attempt to answer but nothing comes out. You were not even aware that you had been trying to answer. It was a reflexive move, like when someone calls your name and you would turn to look without even thinking about it.

Long fingers begin to drum evenly on his lap, and you are hyper-aware of his unmoving gaze on you. Your eyes pointedly avoid his, focusing on the sheets between you and him instead. A thin sheen of nervous sweat begins to form on the back of your neck.

"Don't make me repeat myself again. What are you?" A steady finger pushes your chin up firmly. Your eyes lock with familiar amber eyes that are now wholly unfamiliar.

"I...I-I don't know you mean." You bite your lip, continuing, "What do y-you mean, what am I?"

"Are you a shapeshifter? Perhaps one of the fox-folk?" He speaks in cool, even tones, unaffected by your many questions. A far cry from your shaky, raspy ones. "I rather not have to kill you to find out."

K-Kill you? He is joking right?

"I-I d-don't understand. S-Shapeshifter?" The last part of your question comes out in a small squeak that makes you wither inside, bending under the pressure of his aura that feels as if the ocean is crashing onto you, sinking you into its endless depths. Bokuto terrified you the night before because of the unnatural atmosphere he ignited with his tenor, but Kuroo is way worse.

Kuroo looks at you, keeping his gaze locked on yours, searching for any signs of a lie. He finds none; only a din of garbled questions and confusion flurried within. More than that, the scent of your skin and that of your wound told him all that he needed to know, that you are indeed human. Bokuto's nose might have failed him but where Bokuto has his eyes, Kuroo has his keen sense of smell.

It seems Bokuto spoke the truth.

But how could it be? Are the reports false? It has been years, so why now?

Kuroo has many questions of his own, but they do not show on his own features, nary a hint on his brows or lips; unlike you, displaying your thoughts for the whole world to see. He drops his finger from your chin, lacing his hands elegantly over his lap.

"I want you to tell me your tale, from before you met Bokuto in the old Blessed Forest and up till now. Your story as you saw it, as you experienced it; your thoughts as they unfurled, even now. Everything."

Your brows furrow in confusion, but you begin your story regardless, recounting to him that you were at university, watching a volleyball match, whatever that is, when the last thing you remembered was the ball colliding into your head before you woke up in the forest. He quietly listens as you recall the horrific hoots - typical of Bokuto to mess with his victims - your thoughts on their clothes, briefly freaking out as you spoke about Kenma's ears and personality, Bokuto's unfriendly demeanor, and how you think that he, Bokuto, and Kenma are all playing one elaborate joke on you.

Still are.

Kuroo knows many things, and it is this vast knowledge that he possesses that allows him to split and dissect everything into individual parts; to recognize that there are many strange and bizarre things in the world that he both knows and does not know. It is his knowledge and intellect that lets him see things unobstructed, clear of biases, assumptions, and pre-established logic and reason.

The deduction that he had already begun to form from when he first heard Bokuto tell his version of events is further solidified with your story. It is only because it is he himself that this deduction could be formed. No one else would have entertained the thought.

It is too far-flung, too outlandish, even for denizens like them.

You fidget under his stare once you finish, waiting for him to say something. Perhaps to tell you that it is indeed all a big joke, that he and Bokuto had so much time on their hands to play games, to break character.

In one smooth motion, he stands up, looking down at you over his shoulder.

"Come with me."

Surprise, and anxiousness flits across your eyes all at once, but you stand up nonetheless on shaky legs. He makes no move to help but gives you time to find your bearings, waiting with boundless calm and patience by the door.

Kuroo leads you through the stone corridors and tunnels that he has navigated for most of his turbulent life, the aid of the lamps with the moving lights lining the halls unnecessary; he knows the lay of the tunnels in his heart, and would have found his way even in the dark. For you though, you stumble along behind him, sticking close enough to not lose him but remaining far enough to give you time to run if he turns on you. Kuroo can both sense and smell the waves of trepidation emanating from you.

Well, given your situation, if he was right, he does not blame you.

He leads you on for a while, making various turns and taking several flights of steps and slopes, going up higher and higher. He senses the presence of several of his people around the dim cavern halls and from beyond closed doors, but they slink into shadows when he nears, giving him the space that he prefers with their guest at this moment. Distinctly, he catches the scents of Lev and Yaku nearby, but those too disappear completely soon after.

You haven't been walking long or particularly far, but the path has many steps and sloped hallways, and the air is getting thinner. The body needed time to adjust to the altitude.

Kuroo can hear your breaths coming out in quick puffs but you push on, keeping up with his long strides. He has to hand it to you; regular humans would be too tired by now to keep moving. This told Kuroo that you are at least somewhat physically fit.

Moments later, you reach the top of the last flight of stairs for their trek. A wide stone corridor stretches out to the open air, and Kuroo's sensitive eyes blink to adjust to the light streaming in from the tunnel opening. At the end of the tunnel, his sharp ears pick up your soft gasp as you stop beside him with tentative steps.

"I thought it would be faster to show you," he tells you, arms crossing as he gazes out at the view before him. Pride briefly wells up in his chest before it evens out, no trace of it ever being there.

You are high up on a mountainside, on a small rocky outcropping that emerges from the tunnel behind you and ends with a deep-diving cliff side. The mountain you came out from continues to tower up behind you, and though many more mountain peaks surround it in a half-circle formation, the mountain you are on is easily the tallest.

Countless cave holes open up on the sides of all the peaks with an array of paths and stairs carved into the mountain surface. Some, like yours, end as a simple vantage point and others have paths that continue on the mountainside to other caves. Figures walk on these mountainside trails, with no ropes or railings lining the paths; it is a one-way fall to death if you miss a step.

The entire scene reminds you of a complex network of ant tunnels, but instead of underground, it is carved onto the faces of the mountains, and the colonies are the mountain peaks themselves. Long, swinging wooden bridges crisscross at varying heights between the peaks, joining them together in one massively intricate system.

Lush, green vegetation grows abundantly across the peaks, and you can even see small streams, ponds, and bubbling springs scattered across the areas below you.

Pagoda-like structures rise and tower from numerous points on the mountain, some lower down and some higher up than others. They push through the greens that grew copiously around them to rise even higher. Rocks, stones, iron, wood, steel, and glass were all thrown together to build these pagodas, resulting in a mash of materials that come together to create a one-of-a-kind style you have never seen before. Smoke billows from the roofs and windows of these pagodas, a sign of life within.

But the most astounding piece of the view is the sprawling city that tumbles down from the sides of the mountains, towards the yawning valley in the center.

A jumble of iron sheets, wooden walls, stone roofs, glass windows, limestone roads, and metal doors. A cacophony of materials, with no pattern or system, all thrown and blended together to create a slummy city that brims with life and noise, pillars of chimney smoke spearing the city skyline. The city is most concentrated towards the center, gradually climbing up on a meshwork of hills and slopes towards the surrounding mountains before tapering off.

The din and racket of the city echoes far below, clashing with the stillness and quiet of the mountain network of pagodas and cavern tunnels above.

You barely hold in a choke as you feel your lips and cheeks tremble in disbelief.

"T-This is…"

You hear your own heart thundering in your chest, jumping at the sight before you, unable to believe it even if your eyes continue to tell you that what you see is right there. You feel both sick and amazed by the staggering view.

"I believe you are not in your own world anymore."

You hear the voice of Kuroo, this one, the one you do not know, ring like distant bells. It brings with it a new wave of nausea that threatens to make you hurl despite the beautiful sight. You tear away from the city to look up at who you are quickly understanding to be a completely different Kuroo from the one you know.

You feel the blood drain from your face.

"This is the Nekoma Dominion."

He glances at you with molten eyes, taking in your paling face.

"And I am its ruler."

"Are you calm now?"

Kuroo watches as you place down your fifth cup of herbal milk tea that Kenma brewed for you.

"It's warm milk steeped in lavender, chamomile, and three other types of relaxing herbs and roots."

Kenma had said.

Whatever it is, it certainly helps in calming your frayed nerves and short-circuiting brain. You are ashamed to admit that you might have had a little breakdown at Kuroo's revelation that you are no longer in your own reality.

"This is the Nekoma Dominion. And I am its ruler."

"...is this China?"

You grimace, embarrassment scalding you when you recall the exchange that happened barely an hour ago and the lone brow Kuroo quirked at you, clearly having no idea what or where China is.

After that, you pretty much lost all sense of leg-hand coordination, breaking out in at least five separate bouts of sudden tears, laughter, and loss of breath.

Not wanting to babysit you through your breakdown, Kuroo had Kenma plop you down in a room at one of the pagodas with orders to bring you back down to sanity.

Hah, sane. You're in a different fucking world.

'You try surviving a night out on the streets of Shinjuku, Majestic Kuroo!'

But you bite back any snarky comments you might have for the tall male that sat cross-legged before you. You want to figure out your situation as much as the Kuroo of this world seems intent on solving the mystery of why you are there and how.

The room has bamboo sheets laid over wooden floor panels and red cushions placed around a low center table where you and Kuroo sit across each other with Kenma beside you. Behind Kuroo, a large octagonal window is left wide open, hatches thrown out to the sides, to let the mountain breeze in. Jasmine scented incense burns in a copper incense holder by the window.

Kenma refills your empty cup with that wonderful milk tea. A whole jugful of that holy drink sits by his side on the floor. Why not leave it on the table so you can reach for it whenever you want?

As if reading your thoughts, Kenma beams at you sheepishly. "Drinking too much of this would adversely affect you instead. It can be as potent as a sleeping draught at the right concentration. You probably shouldn't drink anymore after that cup."

"O-Oh...that makes sense."

It is working marvelously on you. You feel so relaxed as if you were laying on the clouds. What were you even panicking for anyways? This isn't too bad.

With Kenma next to you, you don't feel as nervous around Kuroo like you initially did. The relaxing milk tea probably also has a hand in it as well but Kuroo's aura did not feel as heavy as it was earlier.

"From what you have told me, you were brought to this world when a ball knocked you unconscious," Kuroo begins.

You nod in affirmation.

"I would deduce that the trigger has something to do with losing consciousness, at the least. But when Bokuto pricked you with the Talon, effectively putting you to sleep - in essence, losing consciousness - you are still here," he pauses in momentary thought.

"That would mean you are either stuck here permanently, or the method of losing consciousness is key."

You blink at Kuroo, mouth slightly agape. Everything he said made sense in theory. Was the Kuroo of your world this smart? He says some weird things that make no sense sometimes…

"Y-Yea...that makes sense," you add lamely, wincing at having nothing better to contribute. All things considered, you were just a regular university student and these look-alikes of your friends were obviously not ordinary.

The cat ears on Kenma's head, for one. You note with a side glance that they are back and resist asking for permission to touch them.

Then there were the other - people? Nekoma citizens? Cat-folk? - that you had come across on your way to this room. Each one of them was dressed as if they had come from a high-fantasy cosplay event and had animal features on them. It only serves to exacerbate your mental fragility, but you're getting used to the sight. Accepting is just easier than trying to find an answer right now.

Kuroo did not have any cute animal parts growing out of him, and you cannot help the small pinch of disappointment at the thought. It would have been fun to get a photo to show the Kuroo you know...if Majestic Kuroo allowed you a photo anyways, which was another problem entirely. Maybe Energetic Kenma will let you take a photo?

...trying to sort out everyone in your head like this is surprisingly difficult.

"Milord is the wisest in the land! If there is anyone who can help you find a way home, it'll be him!" Kenma gushes and your heart just can't handle the adorable way his ears flicked about.

"I hope so, too," you smile at him, and then timidly at Kuroo. His face remains inexpressive. Ouch, he's a tough one...you might prefer snarky Kuroo.

"You said that there are people who not only look like us but also bear the same name in your world? And that is how you knew our names?" Kuroo pushes the discussion onward, coolly going over yours and Kenma's side conversations.

"What am I like in your world?! What is Master Kuroo like?! And Sir Bokuto?!" Kenma bursts in before you can say anything, and Kuroo shoots him a warning glance. Kenma flinches, the ears on his head withering in orange smoke.

"Y-Yes…," you lightly wave the smoke circling towards you away, noting that they were odorless yet distracting with its bright colors. "You're all very different though, from what I can tell…"

Kenma fidgets restlessly beside you, eyes shooting back and forth between you and Kuroo. The stoic male closes his eyes, a sigh restrained on his lips. "You may answer Kenma's prior questions."

The cat ears immediately return in a flurry of orange wisps that gather from thin air and transform into ears. So they are present when he is happy and vice versa?

Licking your lips, your eyes flicker to Kuroo.

"You're a snarky person, and always saying things to provoke people on purpose, so you anger a lot of people sometimes. But I think you're - sorry, the you of my world - is a nice person overall, and I quite admire you - him," you nervously finish, hoping the Dominion leader did not find any offense in your blatant bias.

You turn to Kenma, scratching the back of your head as you wonder how to tell this Kenma that they are absolutely nothing alike.

"The Kenma of my world is...completely opposite to you. He's very quiet, and doesn't like socializing."

Orange ears flatten in disappointment at your description.

"B-But he's super smart, and I always ask him for help when I don't understand something," you quickly add. It was enough to cheer him up again.

Then your mind wanders to the other male who looks like someone you know...

"Bokuto is...well, I don't know him very well, but I know he is very loud and has a lot of friends."

"That doesn't sound like him at all," Kuroo mutters lowly to himself and for an instant, you think you saw the Kuroo Tetsurou of your world before you. Unconsciously, you smile.

"One person might have been a fluke, but three is no coincidence, so I would theorize that there are alternates of everyone from your reality here in Hyquile," Kuroo continues with his eyes trained elsewhere, not noticing your wistful gaze.

"Hyquile is the entire collective realm, all the known continents included," Kenma whispers to you, curiously watching as you jerk back to attention.

"Does that mean there is one of me here too?" you inadvertently ask, not noticing the tension that fell over the room from your question. "You said something about me being The Blessed One?" This time your question goes to Kenma. Kuroo does not reply immediately, and Kenma remains silent.

The black-haired male begins slowly, deliberately choosing his words, "I would assume that there is a version of you in Hyquile somewhere."

Then he looks disapprovingly at Kenma, which makes it the first time you saw this Kuroo express anything besides nothing on his face. "What Kenma spoke of are mere ramblings from an old tale that the people have spun to their own beliefs. And because you knew Bokuto's true name, he made a grave assumption and jumped ahead of himself. Ignore it."

"Y-Yea, I suppose I got too excited since not many know Sir Bokuto's full name, and you knew mine too. I just assumed," Kenma says, waving his hands nervously.

"Oh." You are not sure if you should believe what they say, but you suppose it does not matter. As curious as you are about what your alternate self is like, there is something else that is more important to you. Something like-

"So do you have any idea why I am here and how I can go back?"

The answer comes immediately.

"No."

Your hands shoot out for the cup of relaxing milk tea and you take a long drink.

Stay calm, calm, calm.

It is no use, your hands visibly tremble around the cup and it does not escape the notice of the other two.

"Be glad that you ended up here," Kuroo crosses his arms across his broad chest, head tilting at you. "I will be personally looking into this occurrence. I have a great interest in the reason and method. It has never happened before in the history of Hyquile as far as I know, and I wish to understand the phenomena. In the meantime, you may stay here in the Dominion, where it is safe."

"That's great news!" Kenma grabs your upper arm excitedly with eyes gleaming in the same way the other Kenma would when he bought a new game. "Master Kuroo will find a solution in no time, and I can show you around Mt. Nekomata and Moggie Boroughs while you are here! Oh, we should go to Cat Alley!"

Swept up by the energetic male next to you, you laugh, the worry that has been gnawing at you subsiding.

Even if they are not the Kuroo and Kenma you know, they have treated you well so far (unlike Bokuto…) and, for an inexplicable reason, you find yourself easily trusting them. The Kuroo and Kenma of your world are your friends, and despite their differences, you can see faint traces of similarities between them.

And this Kenma is so adorable, you cannot help yourself from trusting him, believing him when he said Kuroo will find a way for you to go back home. When you get home, you will be back with the reserved Kenma again, so you should take advantage of this as much as you can and perhaps find some incriminating evidence against gamer Kenma.

"Kenma, I leave you in charge of watching over her," Kuroo instructs. He is about to stand to leave when strong winds surge into the room, knocking over the incense holder, your cup, and other smaller items that weren't nailed down.

The wind whips through your hair and you cry in surprise. The sound of beating wings reaches your ears over gusting wind.

The figure of Bokuto Koutarou appears at the open window, where he lounges across the sill as if he did not just make a mess of the room with his entrance, wings folded away behind him. Having seen the cat features of the denizens in this mountain, you should not have been shocked by the wings, but you still are.

"Bokuto, I told you before to use the door," Kuroo says to the man impassively, but there is a less than subtle hint of disapproval in his voice.

Scary Bokuto, as you have now termed him, smirks with a careless shrug. "My apologies."

There is not a shred of remorse in his 'apology', even you can tell. "But the windows are so much faster."

"I would appreciate it if you did not make a mess whilst you are here," Kuroo clips back, eyes taking in the strewn incense ashes on the floor.

"I'll have Akaashi clean it up later."

"I-I will clean it up, Sir Bokuto! No need to trouble Sir Akaashi!" Kenma offers almost too eagerly. Or perhaps loyally.

Bokuto nods at the golden-haired boy before his eyes slide over to you.

You freeze.

It was Bokuto who brought you here, you remind yourself. Kenma had explained to you before this that Kuroo and Bokuto are allies. So it stands to reason that you are safe now, but...

Your bones tremble when his eyes land on you, and you are reminded of his terrifying visage in the forest.

As if knowing the effect he has on you, Bokuto leers at you, golden eyes narrowing with a glint. The owl emblem clasped on the front of his clothes shines in the sunlight.

A velvet red coat suddenly blocks your view of Bokuto, and you look up at Kuroo's tall figure as he towers over the sitting male, cutting off his line of sight of you.

"She will be staying here as a guest of Nekoma Dominion as of today. So I would appreciate it if you did not trouble my guests."

Kuroo's voice is cool and even as you have come to expect from him, and though you can not see his face, you imagine it is as equally detached. In your heart, you thank him for what he did, even if it is because you are a guest in his domain.

You are still far from being comfortable around Bokuto.

"Don't get hissy. I am the one who brought her to you."

"And I thank you for that."

"Care to fill me in over a duel? Consider it my price."

"...Very well. Let us meet at sundown at the usual."

With that, Bokuto gets on his haunches and gives a mocking salute to Kuroo before falling backward and out the window. His wings spread wide before he spins in the air, taking off into the white clouds.

"Umm Kuroo...thank you...for you know, just now."

An odd sense of shyness takes over you as you speak to this collected Kuroo. Maybe the effects of the milk tea are waning, but then why are you not suffering under his overwhelming aura instead?

"It is no matter. You are now my guest and deserve to be treated with proper respect. Bokuto is an ally and my brother-in-arms, but he frequently oversteps his boundaries."

He makes for the door. "If you need anything, please speak to Kenma."

"Yes sir!" Kenma bows, and you quickly call out a "Thank you!" after his retreating back.

You suck in a breath, collapsing onto your back spread-eagle as you exhale it all back out. Wow, you are tired.

The adrenaline and tension from the absurdity of the day finally leave you with the long shadows of Kuroo's figure and the gusts of Bokuto's wings. Kenma smiles as he peers down at you.

"Shall I show you to your room so you can get some rest? I can show you around after that."

"Yeah...that would be great Kenma. Thank you," you return with a tired smile of your own.

Energetic Kenma does not know it but you are immensely grateful for his presence. He helped keep you grounded with his friendliness and familiar face.

He leaves you in one of the guest rooms within the mountain. Although Kenma and Kuroo both had rooms within the main mountain itself, Kuroo moves between his mountain room and his private pagoda at irregular intervals.

The new room is similar to the one you woke up in, but it is larger, and just a bit more lavishly decorated. You flop onto the bed, hoping to get some sleep before Kenma returns to pick you up.

The entirety of your physical body and mind are absolutely exhausted, strained with all the astounding developments since that volleyball spiked you. And yet, rest evades you once more, for entirely different reasons.

This time, instead of falling asleep and waking up unrested, you fail to even sleep as thoughts keep whirling in your head. The endless revolving of your mind kept you awake and you lay there blankly, eyes staring listlessly at the stone ceiling.

Your chest feels empty, but there is a crushing weight on your heart that will not leave you, and it distresses you greatly. Before you realize it, tears begin to silently track down the sides of your face, and it's not long before you curl onto your side, cocooning into yourself as you try to make your form as small as possible in this cavernous room that is choking you with its hollowness. You crush your palms harshly into your face, sobbing and gasping into them as you try to muffle the sounds of your crying. It echoes through the empty room regardless, mocking you and the situation you have been thrown into.

Even if they share the same face and the same names, they are not the same people. You are in a strange world for reasons beyond your understanding with no known way on how to get home. There is nothing you could do to connect with your family, with Tsum-Tsum and 'Samu, with Oikawa or Iwaizumi, with your Kuroo and Kenma because you were in a whole fucking separate dimension from them, and you have never felt so scared in your life.

All the tension, all the stress, fear, and nerves, the apprehension and bafflement that has been building up since you first woke in the forest catches up to you as you are finally left alone in an unfamiliar room, no deceiving look-alikes by your side to keep you grounded or to tamp down the swell of overwhelming dread, or their smothering auras.

You feel so stranded.

"Why is my voice not reaching you?"

Hyquile: The entire realm of the alternate dimension. It primarily refers to all the known continents and their individual kingdoms and territories. There are still many unexplored lands and continents in Hyquile, so it is always a hot topic of debate between scholars if other undiscovered territories would accept calling the world Hyquile.

Nekoma Dominion: Realm under the rule and protection of alternate Kuroo Tetsurou. Consists of Nekomata Mountain and Moggie Boroughs. Its people generally have cat-like features that they can shift of their own free will; some, particularly the younger generations, have trouble controlling their shapeshifting. Those of the Dominion are capable of fully shifting into one type of feline each that is revealed when they fully shift for the first time. They have a strong affinity for earth magic.

Nekomata Mountain (Mt. Nekomata): A range of mountain peaks in a half-circle formation, with a large valley in the middle where the slum city Moggie Boroughs is built upon. Many pagodas built for various purposes (mainly housing) can be found across the mountain peaks. A high mountain pass behind it leads to Owl Vale.

Moggie Boroughs: Slum-like city built in the valley at the base of Mt. Nekomata. Used to be named Grimalkin Pass. When the current leader Kuroo Tetsurou took over, he renamed it to Moggie Boroughs because he believes everyone is equal, regardless if they are a tabby cat or a lion, as they are all together in the war against those who look down on them as lowland dwellers. The whole city is basically founded on an expanse of hilly areas that gradually goes higher and steeper until it stops part way up Mt. Nekomata. From afar, you can see a clear gradation of jumbled colors (the result of the various materials used to build the city structures) and density from the city center to the mountain base.

Notes:

Once again, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time and effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till 3am to write my own chapters.
So leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way :)

Oh, and I pretty much bastardized the title Haikyuu into Hyquile xD
The emblems Kuroo and Bokuto wear on their front are basically the logos for Nekom/Fukurodani, minus the kanji characters and definitely more stylized as a circular emblem :3

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

Chapter 4: The Nekoma Dominion

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Nekoma Dominion

Notes:

Thank you to those who commented on the last chapter! There was some very good feedback that I have noted and hope I can incorporate in the future.
I really appreciate it and you all are the reason why this chapter came out so fast once again!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Perhaps you're not listening?"

It has been several days since you woke up in Hyquile.

You barely slept, managing only a handful of hours each night, if any. Despite knowing you are safe and taken care of, the distress of being in a place completely separate from what you knew, and the lack of certainty that you would be able to return home, is taking its toll on your mind and body.

The daily and always bright "Good morning! Did you sleep well? " of Energetic Kenma, with a jug of what-is-now-a-usual-for-you relaxing milk tea, helps you remain sane, even if it feels like you are walking on the set of a fantasy movie with a plastic wrapper sealed around your head.

Did you adjust to life here in the last few days? Somewhat.

The fact of the matter is that no matter how many times you pinch yourself under the soft fur blankets in the dead of the night, you are indeed not waking up from what you still hoped to be a very long and powerfully lucid dream.

Stop expecting. Start accepting. Life becomes easier.

You read that on the internet once.

On the third day of waking up in the same cavernous room and not your Tokyo bedroom, you began to take that typical but sensible quote to heart. After all, there is truth to the simplest and most basic of words.

Look on the bright side, you're in a different world! Might as well enjoy it and get into it; you always wanted to go to Middle-Earth, didn't you? Well, your wish reaaally came true this time.

The clothes you wore when you first arrived had been switched out to garments that the people of the Dominion wear. The ratty band t-shirt is now your sleep pajamas. It and the few belongings in your bag - mainly your phone, wallet, some books, and stationery for class - are the only things that tethered you to your world; they provided you with immense relief during the moments you are left alone in your room.

You never thought Business Mathematics & Statistics would ever bring you comfort. When Majestic Kuroo finds a way for you to get back to your world, you're going to put more effort into that class. You're going to make your professor proud in return for his support during these hard times.

You're worried about your family, and you're starting to miss the twins, wondering if they are losing sleep looking for you, too. Probably not.

Would Kuroo be asking Kenma where you were? And Oikawa pestering Iwaizumi if he has seen you in class? Maybe when you got back, your face would be plastered all over campus and the new.

Energetic Kenma believes that Majestic Kuroo can find a way to send you home, and if he believes so, so will you. Believing was all you can do.

But in the meantime, you made it a point to learn more about your hosts and Hyquile in general, during the last few days. In all honesty, the history and geography of this world interest you more than your own.

'The grass is always greener on the other side,' you supposed.

Hyquile is made up of several kingdoms and territories, each realm and its people having their own distinct features and affinity.

There is the White Eagle Empire up in the north and the State of Date, a loyal vassal state of the Empire, famed for constructing and defending the Iron Wall that protects the borders of the Empire. Alongside them is the Kingdom of Aoba, also known as the Blue Leaf Province. Then there was the Crow's Nest Coalition, a lesser power made up of ragtag groups - marauders, bandits, mercenaries - that joined forces in rebellion and have been growing stronger in recent years as diplomatic relations between The Empire and The Kingdom of Aoba continue to deteriorate. There have been rumors that civil war might break out soon in the north.

To the west are a multitude of minor states all vying to be the largest power on their side of the continent, and battles regularly break out between the different powers as they try to sabotage and best one another. The largest threat on this side is the Inarizaki House, fox-folks infamous for their shapeshifting abilities with a talent for illusion magic.

Everyone is everyone's enemy and no one is a friend, but if a fox is present, then we are brothers-in-arms.

A famous minstrel once wrote that about the foxes in the west. He has not been heard from since.

Like the west, the east is in a similar state of disarray, with various houses and families jostling for control. The ones that stand out amongst them are the ones who control the area around Mount Weasel. Not far from them on the south-east side is Owl Vale, the realm of the sky-folks, that is under the leadership of the Bokuto Koutarou of this world.

There used to be a long and bloody war between the land-dwelling cat-folk and sky-flying avians, but that was put to a stop when Kuroo came to power and extended an olive branch to Owl Vale. It was rocky at first, but both leaders worked hard to ease the decades of blood and hate between their people. Although it is not always friendly between their people, relations have vastly improved to the point where even trade is possible.

Lastly, Nekoma Dominion, which Kuroo oversees, lies to the south of the continent, its people possessing an affinity for earth magic and the ability to transform into felines.

Their lineage traced back to when a human male from the State of Date first fell in love with a female cat-folk, and their love resulted in the first mix of the two races. It was a union that was denounced by both humans and pure cat-folk, leading to rising tensions that strained an already rocky relationship that later culminated in wars between the two races. The overwhelming numbers of the human race eventually wiped out the cat-folk, and a purebred cat-folk has never been seen in Hyquile since. The lovers and their children that were never accepted by either side had disappeared to begin their own family, but the stigma that came from their love remains to this day, and the cat-folks are still widely looked down upon, particularly by humans.

The cat-folk nowadays are believed to be descendants of the ill-fated couple and their children's children, but as generations passed, their line gradually diluted, and their descendants started to look more human and less feline.

In turn, their affinity for earth magic - which the origin human male excelled in - grew stronger, inheriting the talent for magic that humans naturally possessed compared to other races. Through the channeling of this evolved gift, they are also able to channel the spirit essence of their cat-folk ancestors, granting them the power to shapeshift and transform into felines.

Each cat-folk is capable of morphing into one type of feline that is revealed to them the first time they succeed in a full transformation, after which they are able to control how much of their body they wish to shift.

Energetic Kenma in particular likes to keep his cat-ears out, as he claims he hears better with them, but he still struggles to maintain his form, especially when distressed. In his full transformation, he took on a form that was akin to that of a house-cat though his size is far from one, standing at your height when he stood on his two hind legs, with a body of white fur and patches of golden brown.

You had gushed and babbled excitedly about how 'amazing, and cool!' that he can do that, but he claims that it is nothing compared to others like Kuroo or a fellow named Lev, a friend of Kenma's, whose full transformations are one of the largest amongst his people. When Lev had graciously shown you his transformation at your curious request, you tripped and fell on your ass when a massive snow leopard appeared before you.

Curiosity about what Kuroo turns into gnaws at you, but you never dared to ask. You noticed that alternate Kuroo never displayed any cat-like features apart from his eyes, with sharper slitted irises than the Kuroo of your world. Sometimes, you think they even glow in the dark.

You lament how mundane and ordinary your world is.

Despite the rough history of cat-folks with humans, the people of the Dominion are an accepting bunch for the most part. They never give you any trouble when you wander the mountain network or districts. There are still those who sneer at you but the presence of Kenma, Kuroo's right-hand, ensured no harm came to you.

You often explore Moggie Boroughs, the city below the mountain, with Kenma as your escort.

Sometimes, Lev and a cat-folk named Yaku would join you. Lev and Yaku are far from sociable when compared to Energetic Kenma but they are nice. They often ask you questions about your world and life there.

The trio seem to think that technology in your world is magic, which only has you scoffing in bafflement, claiming their version of ' magic' is significantly more marvelous and fantastical.

It is also of note to you that they balked when you first mentioned that cats in your world are domesticated animals kept as pets by humans. After which they made you swear to never say that out loud ever again during your time in Hyquile.

At times, you wonder what they are like in your reality.

Most of your time in Moggie Boroughs is spent exploring Cat Alley, the entertainment district in the Boroughs. Cat Alley is perpetually bustling with life, the entire district built on an expanse of hills with many steep, narrow slopes and stairs weaving between the plethora of low buildings, like the rest of the city.

During the day, children would play on the outskirts of Cat Alley, running and play-fighting amongst themselves as they weave between the crowds, their cat ears, nose, tails, and even paws appearing and disappearing rapidly in colorful wisps of smoke that hang in the air, painting the streets in color. Their worried parents would always howl for them to get back on the outside of the district area as 'it is no place for young children.'

Come nightfall, food establishments would pop up on the streets, roofs, and even balconies, their chairs and tables lining the building walls, making the already narrow streets even narrower. Hawkers would yowl out, enticing customers to visit their stores. The scent of grilled fish permeates the air, and lanterns hang on lines threaded above the streets would light up, a finishing touch of low hanging stars to a nightly festive atmosphere.

Fully shifted cat-folk can be seen jumping across roofs and railings, using their gift to quickly maneuver otherwise difficult-to-pass areas. It almost makes you feel bad that Kenma and the others have to resort to walking and suffering the crowds because of you.

At the district center, the area's highest point, tall buildings tower over Cat Alley. That particular zone is a district within a district, also known as the red-light district of Moggie Boroughs - Pussycat Square.

How fitting.

Kenma never takes you there, but you are so damn curious. Who wouldn't be curious about a place called Pussycat Square? He says that it isn't safe to visit, especially for a female human. Your mind was quick to assume that perhaps they enslaved humans there, but he vehemently denied that. Kuroo would undoubtedly shut down a place immediately if it was discovered they ran anything dubious, but it doesn't mean that there won't be establishments that will try.

There are, of course, humans - both male and female - that willingly work there alongside folks of other races, catering to every taste imaginable out there. The folks who work there are mainly wanderers, loners, outcasts - those who were unable to build a life for themselves in their society, those who had lost everything to war, or those who lost themselves somewhere along the way. They congregate at Pussycat Square from all over because they never turn anyone away.

You begged Kenma to take you there, just for a quick peek. It doesn't even have to be at night, when the place really comes alive. You want to know what a place of sin and debauchery looks like in this world.

"Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back!" you had said to him with a wag of your finger as Lev and Yaku looked on, both with a brow quirked.

Somehow, you managed to convince Kenma to take you there. Though a part of you knows that as amiable as this Kenma is, he too had a limit, and agreed only because he wanted you to stop asking. He made you a deal that you will not ask again in exchange for taking you there during the day

Barely able to contain your excitement, you walk beside Kenma as the three of you climb flight after flights of stairs to reach the square. Yaku is, unfortunately, not joining your group today, claiming he had to go on patrol. Lev hadn't been too interested but he tagged on regardless, trailing slowly behind you and Kenma.

It is a lot less... sinful than you had been expecting. Then again, it is morning and the sun is beating down brightly on all of you from clear, blue skies. Doors and windows are closed, and elderly folks are out cleaning the streets, sweeping away trash, propping up young 'uns that passed out where they were, and washing away the remains of someone's half-digested dinner.

Honestly, it just looks like Shibuya at 6 am on a Sunday with the occasional stray underwear.

You are a teensy bit disappointed, but it could not be helped. The agreement was to go during the day, and Kenma fulfilled his end of the promise so you will not bother him with it any longer. As you were about to tell them you wanted to go back to Cat Alley again, screams and shouts erupted from a building up ahead.

Before you could even ask what was going on, Lev sprints ahead in powerful bursts of his long legs, leaving you and Kenma to run after him.

"Oh wow," you could not help but gasp as Lev disappeared in mere seconds behind a corner, "-he is fast."

Kenma chuckles beside you, turning down the same corner as Lev did and making sure you were not left behind. "He is our strongest not just in name."

Both of you come upon a crowd of people surrounding the front of a building, and you see Lev's tall figure speaking to someone at the center of the crowd. Kenma flashes an emblem he pulled from his pocket, and you recognize it to be the same as the one Majestic Kuroo wore on his front. The crowd immediately makes way for you and him to pass through at the sight of the emblem, proof that one is a member of the Dominion's High Council, the governing body of the Dominion and the closest confidants of their leader, Kuroo Tetsurou.

"Lev, what's going on?" Kenma asks as he stops by the tall male.

"H-He has it! I'm sure of i-it!" A young female cat-folk is trembling and speaking hysterically to Lev.

"And how do you know this?" Lev questions her calmly, motioning for her to not move when she tries to approach him further, the surrounding crowd also taking several steps back. "Did he touch you?"

She stops in her tracks and pulls her arms across her body, shivering. "I-I...no, I don't think so." She looks so terrified, and your heart goes out to her, even if you do not understand what is going on. Her grey ears are flat on her head and her paws digs into her arms, drawing blood.

"I w-went to clean his room j-just now. H-He was collapsed on the floor, and he was having trouble b-breathing." She swallows, eyes trained on the ground before continuing. "When I went to h-help him, he suddenly w-went mad! He started screaming and b-breaking all the furniture. So I fled and l-locked the d-door, but I don't know if it will hold him...our walls are old..."

Kenma frowns, a knowing look on his face. "Did you see any signs? What did you see?"

She nods her head fervently at Kenma's question. "H-He had these thick, dark veins on his neck...as if some parasite was moving underneath his s-skin…"

Suddenly, there is a loud roar, and a body tumbles out from the building, the door falling off its hinges and landing below the writhing body. Painful howls erupt continuously from the cat-folk thrashing on the ground, his clothes disheveled and torn, eyes rolled back in his head, leaving nothing but empty white in his sockets. The tail and ears on him disappear in a swift cloud of dispersing black smoke. When it clears, you see bulging dark lines crawling across his skin, slithering up his arms and neck. The skin around the veins had turned grey and dark, akin to a decaying corpse. Similar black veins creep down from his hairline and across his forehead, and you gag as it moves into his flared nostrils.

Your eyes widen in horror as he starts foaming thick crimson-black ooze at the mouth. Without realizing it, you start taking steps towards him, screaming out to the stupefied crowd to, "W-We have to help hi-"

"Stay back!" Kenma flings his arm in front of you, stopping you from approaching any further.

The people that surrounded you until moments ago scatter in flurries of cloth and shrieks, fleeing as far as they can behind walls and closed doors.

The grey-eared female gasps and sobs, skittering away quickly, leaving only you, Kenma, and Lev in the immediate vicinity.

And even then they do not approach the cat-folk, watching tensely as dark foam and crimson bubbles spew from his mouth endlessly, choking to his death on spit and regurgitation.

"Kenma!" you frantically cry, trying to reach him even if you did not know what you would do once you did. Kenma's arm turns to latch onto your shoulder, barring you from moving.

"Don't. You mustn't approach him. It'll be bad if you touch it."

"But he's dying!"

"It's too late. He's beyond saving," Lev speaks slowly, piercing green eyes never moving away from the cat-folk as he watches him choke to death. "Kenma, we will have to contain this area…"

"But you're not even trying!"

You couldn't believe it. Why aren't they trying to save him? He's one of their people, isn't he?! Your body trembles in disbelief and anger, unable to accept that even Kenma, who has been nothing but sweet to you, isn't lifting a finger to help. Someone is dying right before you.

It is then that you realize that the trembles wracking your body aren't coming from you, but from Kenma.

You look at him and are shocked to see despair, anger, helplessness - all painted across his face that has always shone bright. Kenma bites down on his lips in deep frustration. The hand clutching your shoulder shook, and his hold had tightened to the point of bruising. Gone were his adorable ginger ears.

Several steps away, Lev is in a similar state, with his fists clenched at his sides as he refuses to turn his eyes away from the cat-folk, forcing himself to watch to the bitter end the last horrible moments of this stranger, one of his people, as his life gradually left him in excruciating spurts of ooze before he went limp on the ground.

You realize then that Kenma and Lev are probably more horrified than you, having to watch one of their brethren helplessly die before them. The painful ease at which they did it told you more than you wanted to know, that this wasn't the first time they had to be helpless.

You reach one shaky hand to grasp Kenma's hand on your shoulder, holding onto it silently until the shaking stopped.

It would be silent in the red-light district that night, and it would continue to be silent for the next several nights as everyone stayed away in fear and mourning; the area was shut down for inspections and decontamination by Lev.

You did not know what happened to the man or what it was. Lev had immediately moved to prepare the proper steps to safely remove the body, as Kenma quietly leads you to return to Nekomata Mountain, leaving Lev there on the street with the body.

You do not dare ask Kenma the questions burning on the tip of your tongue, not with the way he looks. When he escorts you to the point where he knows you would be able to find the rest of your way, he instantly takes off, and you are left on your own.

Immediately, you run over to a cluster of bushes and hurl, heaving out last night's dinner of fish stew, your breakfast of fruits and veggies, and Kenma's calming milk tea. You threw up until you were dry-heaving air.

Your eyes and throat burn, and you clamp two hands over your mouth, resisting the urge to dry-heave.

You just saw someone die right in front of you.

A life, gone, right in front of you.

You could use another cup of that milk tea right now.

Moving away from the remains of your regurgitation, you drag your feet away to no particular destination. In your head, you send a remorseful apology to whoever has the misfortune of cleaning it up.

When you come across a small stream, you wash your face and mouth and scrub your eyes furiously. As if that will get the image of that man - spasming on the ground, dark ooze spewing and spurting from his mouth, his tattered clothes fluttering in the wind, Lev as he watched on with determined and regretful eyes, Kenma's shoulders as it shook - out of your mind.

This is the first time you have ever seen death.

Your grandparents are alive and well. Your relatives are all alive and well. Your pet cat is alive and well. Your life has been so blessed. You didn't want to be alone right now. You wanted the relieving presence of Kenma, the safe presence of Lev, or even the stern presence of Yaku- someone, anyone! But how could you ask any of them to comfort you when it is one of their own that died?

How could you bring yourself to rely on them for comfort right now when they surely needed it more than you? How do you forget that someone just dropped dead in front of you? People don't just die in your world. Outside of accidents and disasters, which are always far-removed from you, playing on a tv screen- they just don't. And this man, he just came tumbling out of a building and painfully spent his last moments in a street full of people who only watched. No one helped him.

No one tried.

Unwilling to return to your cold, empty room, you roam around carelessly for who knows how long. But it must not have been very long because the sun is still high in the sky and its rays do nothing to ease your discomfort. So you slink into the cool shadows of the caves, slumping down against the tunnel floor with your knees pulled to your chest.

And you sit there, images of the cat-folk - his open mouth, the specks of black blood splattering in the air, red bubbles running down his jaws, the black veins and his greying skin - playing on a reel in your head.

Your sniffles reverberate in the tunnel.

It is sometime in the late afternoon when you hear footsteps echoing and then stopping in front of you.

"So this is where you went off to."

Barely lifting your face from where it has been hiding in your knees for the past few hours, you peer up at Kuroo from underneath the hair draping across your eyes. He looks down at you, impassive as ever, trademark red coat draped on the back of his shoulders. More than ever, he feels impossibly tall and you impossibly small, crouched before him.

You want to reply, but you don't trust your voice, which is surely hoarse, and your throat hurts from how dry it is. There is the tingling of pinpricks on your forehead where you imprinted them onto your knees for too long. You must look horrible.

A barely audible sigh leaves Kuroo, which you only heard because of the absolute silence reigning the tunnel.

"Come with me."

The same words he had said to you when you first arrived, right before he revealed to you an earth-shattering revelation. Will he show you another life-changing event?

You hope not; your quota for the day has been filled.

He hardly waits for you before he walks out of the tunnel exit from where you entered hours ago, and you scramble to your feet, stumbling at the static that assaults your legs. Kuroo walks at a slow, almost leisurely pace, as if he knew that would happen, giving you ample time to catch up to him.

Following after him quietly, he leads you to a pagoda slightly removed from the others scattered mainly at the front of the mountain. This pagoda is less loud in colors, constructed mainly from wood with the occasional glass and metal. It is more refined, quieter, unlike the mesh of bright colors the ones on Mt. Nekomata displayed.

You follow him up several flights of stairs, arriving on a floor that opened up into a wide room.

Two connecting open-walls bare the room to the outside, where a spacious balcony made of fine wood stretches. Wood-curtains were drawn up to let the mountain air in. By the balcony, a tall tree growing up from below caresses the banisters, pieces of leaves fluttering down to rest on the railings before the wind takes them away.

Bamboo sheets are laid across the floors. A large circular shelf lined with paper books stands on one side of the room. Next to it is a table stand, decorated with a live miniature tree, its roots dangling off the side of its holder. On the other side of the room, a low hearth is sunk into the floor; a pot hangs over it, with various utensils and clay jars arranged neatly in a small cabinet nearby.

A low table is placed by the edge of the open walls with cushions around it; one would be able to enjoy the sunlight and breeze flowing in. There are two floor-chairs with high backs by this table, facing out to the mountains beyond.

It is to these chairs that Kuroo walks over to, motioning for you to take a seat. "This is my pagoda."

You quietly shuffle over, wind nipping at exhausted eyes as you approach. You remember Kenma telling you that Kuroo had his own private pagoda that he used. Only he and his High Council members are allowed in freely.

As you make yourself comfortable as best you can, Kuroo walks off and you can hear light shuffling and things being moved around behind you before he reappears, a round tray with a teapot and two cups balanced on one hand. Setting it down, he sits on the other chair next to you, crossing his legs.

You suddenly feel very nervous, yet he gives you no reason to be.

It was just his presence. Every movement, every stride, every glance Kuroo makes is filled with a purpose; there is no redundancy in his motions. His steps are filled with a certainty that made you feel inferior, wishing you were just as certain of yourself. The commanding aura he naturally exudes due to this constantly impresses on you a pressure that your mind created as a reflexive defense, submitting itself to avoid bringing unwanted attention from someone superior.

The Kuroo Tetsurou of this world is a leader with every fiber of his being.

The capable leader of a mighty realm is now pouring tea into a cup for you.

You thank him quietly as you take the offered cup from him, nearly dropping it when your fingers accidentally brush.

"Chrysanthemum tea. It'll help you relax," he simply says as he pours his own cup.

The two of you sit there, accompanied by the sounds of soft sipping, the whispers of the wind, and the brushing of leaves. You begin to relax; the tension that you didn't even notice up until now dropping from your shoulders and neck.

"I heard of what happened today from Kenma."

You lick your lips, taking another long drink of your tea, emptying the cup.

"I...am not used to it." You pause, unsure of how to put your thoughts into proper words.

Kuroo picks it up for you easily. "To seeing death?"

You nod hesitantly. "I never saw...it was my first time...seeing someone die. No one helped him...I…," you take a breath of air and continue, hands gripping the cup, "I wanted to help him but...I did not even know what to do."

Your gaze falls. "I felt so useless."

Large hands gently remove the cup from you. You lift your gaze to watch as Kuroo fills it with more tea before he places it down on the table.

"There isn't anyone that will ever acclimatize to death. Not even the most battle-hardened warrior," he speaks, steady voice blanketing the rustling air between you. "If there should ever be such a person - one who does not flinch at the end of life...then I lament for his soul."

He glances at you from the corner of his eyes. "You, Kenma, Lev, and all the other people there this morning shall not bear the burden of his death."

Kuroo looks back out at the horizon of mountain greenery, the dimming afternoon light caressing his face, with a heavy veil in his eyes that you never noticed before.

"That is my responsibility."

You barely hold back a muffled choke, eyes misting at his words. For all his impassiveness, Kuroo is carrying on his shoulder a weight you will never come close to understanding.

As a university student struggling to pass your classes and the frivolous dance training that you were so proud of, your daily struggles seem so trivial compared to what he goes through. What could you understand of his troubles, of his responsibilities, as the leader of an entire nation in a tumultuous world?

And here he is, pouring you tea and effectively comforting you with only two sentences when he has more pressing issues that demand his time and attention. Time that he is also dedicating to finding a way for you to get home.

Kuroo is indeed a good leader, and you fully understand now why Kenma and the others follow him with such fervor. You felt ashamed of the initial thoughts you had of Kuroo, for thinking he was terrifying

It was not terror at all; it had all been your own nerves, the result of your weaker spirit in the face of his unmoving one - calm and dense like a still mountain. He is not very different from the volleyball-loving Kuroo Tetsurou, the senior student that is always looking out for his juniors, his teammates, and his friends. The same Kuroo Tetsurou that went out of his way to speak with you just to make sure you are alright because he heard Kenma mention that you looked tired. The one who always helped you and Kenma with your work when you hit a wall. You smile to yourself, wistfully wondering how the other Kuroo is doing.

Looking up at him, you had to ask, "Why...why didn't they help him?"

"We call it The Rot."

Kuroo stares at the flower petals floating at the bottom of his cup pensively. "It's a disease. A magical disease. We do not know much about it as those who attempted to study it up close end up turning mad and dying prematurely, like the man you saw in the square."

"A magical disease?" Your brows furrow, trying to grasp his words. Your own understanding of how magic works in this world is terrible, despite the excitement you listened with when Kenma explained it for the first time.

"All living beings have some form of magic in them. Even the smallest of fishes will have bare traces of magic essence because magic comes from the soul."

"Kenma explained to you that the souls are made up of ten parts, correct? Three ethereal and seven corporeal." He watches as you nod in understanding.

"I won't go into detail, but from what we can understand so far, The Rot attacks these parts of the souls, tainting and feeding on the magic they harbor. Some turn mad, some grow weak. How The Rot affects each person is different, but the end is the same: death."

"And there is no cure?"

"No." His lashes lower in disappointment. "Those who attempt to cure it need to be able to study it but-"

"-they catch it, and before they can find a cure..." you finish for him, trailing off on words you rather not say.

You are beginning to understand the situation, somewhat. It is like a virus that spreads through direct touch with that ooze. You recall the events of this morning when Kenma told you to not approach any closer, understanding now why they did what they did. And it only wrenches your heart further when you remember their anguished faces, unable to imagine how infinitely helpless they felt.

A small tug pulls at Majestic Kuroo's lips at your quick understanding, one you would not have caught if you weren't already looking at him. He looks so much nicer with a smile. Kuroo always had one of the best laughs too…

You could not help but recall the volleyball player as you look at his alternate, unaware of your own staring.

Unphased by your stare, Kuroo removes the chrysanthemum flower that was used for the tea from within the cooled pot. He holds the drenched flower in his palm, rivulets of tea running over his hand and onto the table.

You watch in awe as a soft golden light that reminds you of his eyes emit from his hand, gathering and concentrating around the flower.

The petals of the flower that were once wilted and wrinkled, flopping under the weight of water, suddenly begin to quiver. The wrinkles that covered each individual petal begin to even and smooth, and the entire flower that was drooping mere moments ago is now tilted up and bright, the water no longer weighing it down and instead sparkled under the sun like dew on the flower.

It looks alive.

"This is healing magic, propagated by my earth magic," Kuroo explains, lifting the flower up to you, the glow continuing to envelop his hands. You cup your palms out and he places the flower in them. You can feel the warmth of the magical glow caress your fingers. Or is it Kuroo's own warmth?

With wonder, you gingerly brush your fingers on the damp petals.

"As it is a flower, my earth magic is capable of healing it to a limited extent. However, it is far from effective, unlike nature magic which would work better on plants." The glow subsides and several seconds later, the flower begins to droop and wilt in your hands again..

"Why did it…?"

Didn't he heal it?

"Like I said, limited."

He picks up the flower from you and places it on the table. "The plant was already dead when it was cut off from its stem. I was only pushing my earth magic - which comes from a part of my soul - through it. As long as that is circulating in the flower, it will heal and live, but as soon as it is cut off, it will return to the state it is meant to be in." He pauses. "The dead should remain dead," he finishes softly, and it is quiet until he speaks again.

"Healing magic does not work on The Rot."

Kuroo turns to look at you with an intense gaze that makes your heart pound. You do not understand why he is looking at you like that, when his emotions are usually kept well-hidden, schooled behind a cool facade. "It spreads through touch, and we cannot heal it with known conventional healing magic because it attacks magic itself. If there is a healing spell that will work on it, we have yet to find it."

The intensity flickers and disappears from his eyes, and he turns to the horizon as if the answer to his many questions lies there. Looking down, you see that his hands are gripping tightly onto his thighs, even as his face remains blank.

You have many questions you want to ask Kuroo about The Rot, but you could not find the courage in yourself to do so at this moment. Even if he does not show it, you sense that Kuroo was suffering, the fleeting breaks of his impassiveness and tension of his arms a bigger sign than any words that could come from him.

"I have lost many good friends, brethren...and even family, to The Rot," he says, gaze on the distance and his eyes even farther away, as if remembering a distant memory.

'Who?' You want to ask, want to know more about this enigmatic man that seemed to be hiding so much more. You see that now. But you stay silent, waiting for Kuroo to speak as much as he would allow you to hear instead.

"Even now, as I look for an answer to the cure, the best I can do for my people is to minimize the spread." His throat moves with a hard swallow. "It was not an easy choice, choosing to abandon those who have already been tainted, forbidding everyone from approaching them. But at least that way, only I will be responsible for their deaths. It is by my orders that they are to be left for dead."

The fingers on his thighs curl, clenching into a fist that shakes imperceptibly, something you would not have seen if he was not right here, close beside you, and the shadow of his limbs did not quiver along their length.

Yet his face remains impassive as ever, and you wonder when was the last time he allowed his emotions to show, how long he had kept a tight lid on his own feelings.

He has to remain strong - no, the strongest - as the leader of his people. They all rely on him to navigate them out of the troubles plaguing the realm, be it politics, wars, calamities, or The Rot.

He isn't impassive, cold, or detached at all. Far from it.

The leader of Nekoma Dominion, Kuroo Tetsurou, feels more than anyone else in his entire realm.

It is all locked away behind that detached, vacant wall of a facade he put up, a dam to clog up the waterfall of emotions that he could not allow to show.

You could not hope to understand the depth of his feelings. You have barely seen the tip of it: the few words he spoke as he recalled that memory that placed the far-off glaze in his eyes, his order to not approach any of those tainted, his stern but lenient ways with Kenma, him looking for you today and serving you tea, him offering to let you stay in his realm as he looked for your way home...they were all glimpses of his thoughts, his care, his consideration for the people around him.

He really...isn't different from that snarky volleyball player at all, who, behind the provocative attitude and snide remarks, is a thoughtful and reliable senior and friend.

Kuroo looks down when he feels soft hands reach for his clenched on the top of his thigh. They are hesitant at first, but then they move forward to cup his hand with gentle courage. He turns to look at you sitting beside him, a flush on your cheeks as your eyes waver in embarrassed uncertainty, but you remain resolute.

"It m-might not mean much but…" you say, pausing as you search for the words to express what you want to say. "I believe that you are doing the best you can with what you have. And for those that look up to you...that is more than enough."

The radiance of the sun strokes your skin, casting light around you similar to the healing glow of his magic, and a nervous smile lifts your lips. "I...I can't help you with your magic, or research, or anything complicated like that but... I am here for you if there is anything you need."

Something deep within his chest, the ocean surface that has remained as still as a mountain ever since he took over the leadership from his grandfather as a young boy, stirs at your words.

They are simple words, words that would not change the tides of anything, coming from a stranger from an even stranger world, one without the knowledge or abilities needed to survive in his world but...it is more than enough.

His people love and respect him. Kenma constantly worries over him alongside the rest of the High Council. They will carry out his commands with no hesitation, loyal to a fault, and would lay down their lives for him without a thought.

His grandfather, when he was still here, loved him and raised him to be the great leader he believed he would be; that he is still trying to become.

And he, in turn, has been giving his all and more to that end, to live up to the expectations of everyone, including himself.

But when was the last time someone actually told him that they will be there for him? They, as a person - no rank, no label, no allegiance, no relations - but just they, themselves, will be there for him, as just him, and not the leader of the Dominion.

They are simple words from a simple girl from another world.

For the first time in a long, long time, Kuroo Tetsurou allowed himself to smile.

When you woke up later that evening, having dozed off from fatigue and the lack of sleep without realizing it, you find yourself lying on the floor of the tearoom you spent the afternoon with Kuroo in, cushions arranged neatly beneath your head and body.

And over you, a red velvet coat is draped across your body, shielding you from the cool night air. Sitting up, you held the coat in your arms, blinking down at it in pleasant surprise.

It smells like the cool mountain forests with a hint of chrysanthemum.

Yawning as you make your way down the mountain steps, you make your way to Moggie Boroughs. After a refreshing morning bath in one of the mountain springs, you look for Kenma and even Lev or Yaku, but they are all busy after the events at Pussycat Square yesterday; you have not seen Kuroo since waking up at his pagoda the previous evening either.

It was understandable and could not be helped. They likely have many things they needed to do to ease the fears of the people, especially when a case of The Rot had gotten so close.

You have been to the city and back many times already; you were sure you could go and come back on your own. Maybe you can even look for a nice spot to do your stretches and dance practice. Just because you were stuck in another dimension did not mean that you could just forget all about maintaining your skills. When you return, things will go back to normal, and you will be back at the studio and performing before you know it.

As you reach the outskirts of the city that started at the base of the mountain, someone bumps into you from the back, the person in a hurry for whatever reasons.

"Hey!" you yelp, and they stop in their tracks to look back at you.

It is a girl with short, ashy hair and dull grey-colored eyes. Her figure is small, about your size, and maybe a little bit shorter than you.

You expect her to apologize, but instead, she just frowns, a scowl crossing her pretty features. And just as quickly, she ignores you and continues on her way, running faster than you would have thought a girl of her stature could run.

You gawk, unable to believe her rudeness.

"Maybe if you weren't walking so slowly, she would not have bumped into you," someone mocks with a drawl above you, the hints of a sneer lining his words.

You stiffen, turning to look up into the tree beside you.

Piercing golden eyes leer down at you, and distinctively streaked silver hair glimmers from under the shade of the trees.

Lounging on a branch is Bokuto Koutarou, with the same wide eyes from many nights ago, staring at you.

And you resisted the urge to run away just as fast.

"Please try to listen."

The Rot: A magical disease of unknown origins. Efforts to study and understand it have been hindered by the fact that those who tried usually succumb to it before any progress can be made. The effects it has differ depending on its victims. Currently, it is only known to spread through touch, and conventional healing magic does not work.

Souls: A soul is made up of ten parts; three ethereal and seven corporeal. But what are these ten parts exactly?

Magic: The essence of magic comes from the soul. All beings that have a soul have the potential for magic, be it large or minuscule. Some races are more adept at it than others, and humans are the most adept at using magic.

Notes:

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
As I was mentioning to a commenter in Chapter 3, I inadvertently converted myself into a Bokuto fan with my OWN writing of him! *needs an author is an idiot tag*
I haven't decided yet, but I am seriously considering making him one of the relationship pairings as well...oh my god, I am going to kill myself at this rate.
Due to my own indecisiveness, I am slotting in some Bokuto time to give myself that leeway to make a last-minute decision if I need to! If this didn't happen, we would already be moving on to introducing a different realm now...but Bokuto just had to fly in and stir up trouble.

Chapter 5: Of Owls and Cats

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Nekoma Dominion

Notes:

This one is a monster of a chapter as the story NEEDED to move along, so I apologize if it feels rushed. I tried to kill that sensation as best as I could but I did a banged-up job of it.
I am itching to bring in the rest as much as you all want to meet the other good bois. I also dearly miss the modern bois and I hope you all do too, so we really needed to high-tail it out of Nekoma and get things moving so we can get to the juicy content in the middle. I know ya'll just here for that HMMM
As much as I love Kuroo (and now Bokuto), he ain't the only pairing here so time to shareeee boi.

And shout-out to everyone who commented the last chapter! Ya'll defo the heroes that helped me push this chapter out!
Also thank you to those who subscribed, bookmarked and gave kudos 3 Appreciate it all!

Please enjoy this chapter and get ready for word/info vomit. I'm sorry.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Aghh- hot damn this hurts."

"It's just a little bit more, you can do it."

"Remind me again why I am doing this?"

"You said you wanted to improve your flexibility to help with your strength training."

"Ah, please say no if I ever ask again."

You giggled as Kuroo's face continued to contort in pain before you. His hands are held in yours, and your legs were gently but not too gently pushing his legs out to the side; your bare feet are planted firmly on his calves, slowly edging them out further every other interval as you kept leaning back and pulled him towards you.

A garbled sound left his throat as he looked down at the floor, back stretched out front to its limits, and you eased up a bit to give him a break. An audible sigh of relief left him immediately but it was short-lived as several seconds later, you pulled again and another strangled sound left him.

"Just a few more minutes and we'll be done. Relax your muscles."

"Nghhh!" His large hands tightened on your smaller ones, the sweat of his palms sliding against your skin.

"Annnd- relax!" You stopped pulling and pushing his limbs and he immediately flopped down onto his sides, hands still joined with yours as he looked up at you with exhausted eyes.

"I feel...more tired...than I do after a 3 set match." He panted.

You laughed as you shook his arms up and down with yours, relieving the tension that has accumulated in his limbs. "It's your first time doing this so that's normal. It's not so bad once you do it a few more times."

"I don't know what I was expecting when I asked for your help in stretching but it certainly wasn't this."

"Well, you guys stretch too at your own volleyball training. I figured that wasn't the type of stretching you wanted to learn when you came to me."

You stood and grabbed both of your water bottles by the wall, moving back to hand his to him, still sprawled on the floor of the university dance studio. He sat up with a groan and thanked you, taking large gulps of his drink.

"Are you good on time? You said you were meeting a friend for a club meeting after this?" You asked as you wiped your face with a towel.

"Yea, I have to meet him soon. I'm just going to change since there isn't enough time for a shower. I didn't think I would be sweating this much by stretching." Kuroo said as he flicked some sweat from his palms at you. His trademark grin tugged at his lips.

A laugh of surprise and mild disgust left your lips as you hastily wiped the second-hand sweat away. "When done properly and with the intention to expand your limit, it takes as much effort and energy as if you were doing a sport. Don't look down on stretches!"

"I learned that too late." He grimaced as he stood up. But then his legs buckled and you instinctively propped both hands against his shoulders in support. "Oh shit-" Kuroo chortled at himself as he caught his balance with your help. "My legs feel like jelly. Like, I'm not even exaggerating."

You joined him with your own giggles. "You should probably take it easy from volleyball for a few days."

"Ushiwaka's going to kill me."

"But he'll be so impressed when you start saving balls with your long leg-reach."

"Hah, that'll happen the day you manage to receive a ball without it flying away." He snarked at you, ruffling your already messy and sweaty hair.

"Ngh, not happening then." You pouted with a flush, swatting his hand away with your arms. "We should get going, our time slot is almost up."

Leaving the studio with Kuroo once the both of you have changed, you both made your way to the campus gates whilst chatting about the benefits of stretch and flexibility in strength training. He quipped in with the occasional whine about the lack of feeling in his limbs but you knew he didn't mean it, for he mentioned several times since your session ended that he'll be up for doing it again.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're sweating up a storm! What have you been up to?"

A loud and boisterous voice boomed at the two of you from up ahead, and you looked to see a tall male with spiky silver hair, hands on his hips with legs spread wide. Everything about him just screamed 'Look at me!' from that hair to his stance.

"You're loud as usual Bokuto." Kuroo snickered at the other male, waving a lazy hand in the air as the both of you approached him. "I was getting this small child here to help me with improving my stretches." Kuroo jabbed a thumb at you, and you gawked at him in disbelief.

"I'm not a small child!"

"You're small compared to us."

"She is small!" Bokuto chipped in much too exuberantly and you turned wide eyes on him. He doesn't even know your name and he's already throwing jabs at you, the nerve!

But as they stood side by side, any words you have to contradict them pretty much died in your throat as they are indeed tall, and you are left staring up at a roughly 190cm tall two-man wall.

Instead, you sulked at Kuroo. "See if I help you with stretches again."

He snickered and patted your head roughly like you would a dog. "Don't sulk, you know we mean nothing by it." His pats were just driving home his continued mocking of your inferior height.

"Hey, hey-! Don't ignore me, Kuroo! Introduce me already, hey!" Bokuto whined from beside the male, shaking Kuroo's other arm as he did so.

"Oh right. Forgot about you for a sec there." Another 'HEY!' was thrown at Kuroo that was ignored, who looked down at you and jabbed his thumb at Bokuto this time. "This airhead here is Bokuto Koutarou. He's in the volleyball club."

"It's nice to meet you, Bokuto-san." You introduced yourself with a smile at the spirited male who was grinning proudly about himself.

Bokuto was about to say something to you, his mouth opened wide to release another string of booming words when Kuroo suddenly grabbed him by his arm in hurried motions, and he was being pulled away roughly. "Shit, we're going to be late Bokuto! The club meeting starts in five minutes!"

"W-Wait Kurooo! I was gonna-" Bokuto wailed helplessly against the force of Kuroo who casually waved back at you as he dragged Bokuto down the path.

"Thanks for today! Let's do it again!"

"S-Sure…!"

"Kuroooo!"

You remembered the first time you met the Bokuto Koutarou of your world.

You barely saw him after that and did not have the opportunity to get to know him better, simply because there was no reason for both of you to; in the you-rarely-ran-into-each-other sense. You didn't share any classes with him, and though something told you he is likely to be part of the volleyball circle as well, there hasn't been much going on in the circle since you met.

If you recalled correctly, he was always hanging out with someone else, an Akaashi?- who you did not know beyond his name.

Combined with the absolute terror and bafflement that assaulted you mentally during the moment, you could hardly be blamed for not immediately realizing who that hair and face belonged to when Scary Bokuto jumped you on your first night here.

How is it that the Bokuto Koutarou of your world seemed like such a fun, loving guy to be around but the one in this world downright terrified you?

Even now, knowing he is no longer a threat (you hoped that was the case at least), he still sent chills up and down your spine with his mere glance.

It's definitely a mental thing on your side. First impressions are important after all and your first impression of Scary Bokuto was...well, scary. You just had to shake that off, find something more positive to relate him to.

But that task was proving very difficult as his unnatural staring just...unnerved you.

"W-Why are you following me?"

"I don't have to explain myself." He said simply.

He really did not have to and it wasn't in his habit to explain his actions either. He is the leader of an entire realm of deadly hunters, and the distressed curiosity of a human girl is the least of his priorities, even as she turned her head away from him to hide a grimace that was no doubt marring her face.

A human from another dimension, another world.

His ally Kuroo had filled him on the available details during their training session the other day.

"Another world?" With a beat of his wings, he flew up and dodged an earth spike that lunged towards him from under his feet.

"Yes, it's the only explanation I have for her similarities. Even a fox can't hide the scent of their blood so we know she isn't a fake. And we know that memory loss isn't likely." Kuroo explained coolly, barely breaking a sweat as he cast spell after spell at Bokuto before finally sneaking in a knife throw at him amongst the flurries of magic he has been casting.

"Hah, you sneaky cat. You have to do better than that to get me." Bokuto will admit the knife flying towards him from behind the showers of rocks surprised him a little, but it wasn't anything he could not handle with ease. "How can you be sure though?"

"I am sure. I do not detect any lies in her words when she spoke of her world, or how she knows versions of us. It explains why she knew your name when she shouldn't have." Another knife, this time hidden within a cocoon of earth.

"Lying is an easy thing." A pause. "So it won't be an issue if we tested it?" The knife and rocks were flung away with the beat of large wings.

There was a break in the exchange of blows. And then it continued. "You know it was only assumptions, even before she arrived in this world. If we are wrong, it would be her that pays the price."

"A small price in exchange for the lives of countless others," Bokuto said with a narrow of his eyes, finally drawing the blades from his back. "Sounds fair."

Amber eyes peered at him before columns of particularly menacing spikes rained down on him, nearly pinning one of his feet as he flew back several steps to avoid it.

"I rather not throw life away meaninglessly, especially for something that is not guaranteed. She is also not a denizen of this dimension. Involving a stranger from another world is below us."

"Speak for yourself." Bokuto sped towards Kuroo at an indescribable speed, sailing low over the ground before spinning upwards to bring his two blades down at the Dominion leader, who blocked his blow with his own blade that shimmered in a crimson hue. "I could care less."

"You know as well as I do that I speak for the both of us." A rare smirk graced the black-haired male's lips, and Bokuto sneered at the sight. "If you are truly as wicked as you want us to believe, you wouldn't have accepted my proposition for an alliance now, would you?"

"But here we are, exchanging friendly blows and your people are tasting some of the best grilled fish on the continent and my people have fine feathers for quills now, instead of those scratchy crow ones."

A leg was brought up to kick Kuroo in his abdomen, and he jumped back, landing softly on his feet like a cat despite the weight of his boots.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I was just tired of batting off the filthy paws of your soldiers from my borders." Golden-eyes glared at equally molten amber ones; their eyes shared similar shades, but they glowed with different tenacity.

Bokuto sheathed his blade and promptly began to walk out of the mountain clearing where they had been practicing the past hour. "I'm done."

Kuroo watched him walk off impassively but could not help the shake of his head to himself "Whatever you say."

He stood by his words to Kuroo. Between the life of this one human girl and that of even a quarter of his people, there was no choice between the two for him.

So it irritated him to no end when Kuroo did not agree and refused to test out his assumptions. Bokuto didn't fly for hours carrying her in his arms just so Kuroo can send her back with no other benefits to their cause.

He continued to try and convince the other male the last few days to no avail. If they had not been in an alliance, he would have acted on his own already, Kuroo's opinions be damned. But he had put his agreement to the pact, and he might he dishonorable in battle but he wasn't honorless.

Akaashi can say that he made no sense as much as he liked but Bokuto knows his own code.

He had spoken to Kuroo once more yesterday night, insistent that they need to know for the good of the realm, but the Dominion leader had shut him down immediately, with a finality that wasn't there before during the other times he tried.

"This is the last time I will repeat myself. We will not use her as a test subject."

His scowl deepened at the memory, unblinking eyes trained in a furious intensity on the back of the girl in front of him.

So why was he following her? He didn't care about her world or what their version of him is like.

It was just frustration in its simplest and most basic form; because Bokuto is unable to act as he wishes unless he wanted to risk the alliance with the Dominion, his instincts naturally pulled him here, just urging him to do what he wants.

And yet he can't. It's similar to how you want something and you end up going out of your way to seek it out, only to stare from a distance.

The leader of the sky-dwellers is one who moved with his instincts, his guts, his body.

He wants to put her to use. It's just her life anyways.

Your hair on the back of your neck all stood up on their ends, and you felt perspiration on your back, sweating like bullets and making your clothes cling to your skin.

His gaze is intense.

You could almost physically feel it on you, dragging deep lines into your skin and bones. Your hands kept clenching and unclenching themselves, not knowing what to do with the awful sensation he is raising in you with just his eyes. His goddamn unblinking, wide eyes. Even in broad daylight, they shimmered under the sun like the warning headlights of a car.

A harsh gulp of air trawled down your parched throat. Yea, forget trying to find something positive to relate to him. That is a nigh-impossible task with how on edge he can make you just by looking at you.

The whole way you had pointedly avoid looking at him directly- walking in front of him, focusing on his chest, a point behind his shoulders, the ground- anything but his eyes. You dearly hoped this will still not be the case when you are back and talking to the other Bokuto, the loud and exuberant one, if you ever spoke to him again.

"How long are you going to keep walking?" His voice laced with blatant annoyance, almost venomous in its irritation, stabbed you from behind.

"I-I didn't ask you to follow me!" He was the one who started following you, just like he did several nights ago. You didn't ask him to on both occasions, so he will have to deal with it! If anything growing up with the twins taught you, it was to not bowl over to bullying. Even if you almost bit your tongue in your haste to respond.

A clicking sound came from him but still he continued to follow after you as you weaved through the streets of Cat Alley.

Cat-folk peered curiously at the both of you, some of them already familiar with your figure as the one that often accompanied some of their High Council members as of late. But many more eyes were focused on the new male companion with you instead, obviously trying to figure out why their enemy-turned-ally is accompanying a human, one of the races that still tended to look down upon them?

Sure, the discrimination might not have been as bad as it was centuries ago, and cat-folk can still be found in human cities and vice versa in the name of trade and so-called peace, but the tension is still there; a tension that was easy to ignite.

It was not open war, but it certainly still can be.

Had the denizens of Cat Alley not already seen her with officers of their realm, and the news that she was staying as a guest of their leader did not spread like wildfire, they doubted they would have been as cordial. They would not openly mock her or turn her away- their leader expected them to be better than that- but they might not be as willing to speak to her and answer her many questions.

As that was far from the case, several of the denizens who had interacted with her on more than one occasion had slightly warmed up to her, some more than others, especially with her open and honest curiosity about their people. In a way, it was refreshing to see a human so openly interested in them without malicious intent. They did not know why she was there in their realm, why she is a guest of their leader, and why she is frequently accompanied by Dominion Council members, and now the leader of the sky-dwellers, but it wasn't their place to ask openly.

Curiosity killed the cat and unfortunately, they did not have nine lives.

"R-Really, why are you following me? I can find my way on my own." You tried again, tamping down the nerves crawling on your skin. You're safe, if he wanted to harm you, he would have done so already. Right?

Right.

"It doesn't matter to me if you get lost." As expected, he did not bother with sugar-coating his words or hiding his lack of interest in your life.

"Then why are you here?" You looked behind you with a frown at the male, momentarily risking looking up at his face.

He had his face turned away from you, looking off to the sides as if the things that lined the various shop stands were more interesting than what you had to say. That did not bother you one bit; the Miya twins certainly trained you well for this, their intentional ignoring of you to grate your nerves a common thing in your life with them.

If he didn't want to answer you, there was nothing you could do you supposed. You were rarely the pushy one.

Feeling slightly famished, you picked up one skewer of marinated white fish from a stand nearby. The elderly male cat-folk grinned with pointed teeth at you as he quickly prepared the skewer you handed over to him on the fire. Just as you were about to pay with the money Kenma left for you, you hesitated before adding one more.

Turning around to face Bokuto who was staring daggers at the ground as if it wronged him, you held one skewer up to him wordlessly.

His eyes slowly trailed up to meet yours.

You gulped.

"I-It..it felt rude to just get it for me when you are here so...here." You were all too aware that your grip on the skewer held out to him was unnecessarily tight.

His lids lowered at you, low enough that you thought he was finally going to rest his eyes but no, it did not close in the end but remained hooded, golden gaze scrutinizing you from under dark lashes.

"I-It's not poisoned." You felt pressured to add underneath his leer.

"Why?"

You flinched at his tone, your lifted hand faltering and the skewer along with it. Biting down on the instinct to retract your hand, you kept it stretched out to him. He hasn't bitten off your hand yet so that was a good sign.

You should treat it as if you are talking to Atsumu when he's really angry at something.

'Something positive. Find something positive.'

You kept chanting that in your head and allowed your eyes to rove over his figure quickly.

Taut shoulders, arms held at his sides loosely with sharp metals glinting from under his wrists. A sneer dragged over his lips, teeth peeking out in threatening rows, full brows slanted down in sharp hills. And his most outstanding feature, his eyes once more- burning with an undying molten menace that never rests from the world.

Your brows furrowed at him in confusion, the first for an emotion besides distress to surface in his presence.

"I was...hungry? Thought you might be too so..."

An awkward silence cocooned the distance between the two of you; the sounds of the street echoing in the background.

When his hand finally shot up to sharply rip the skewer from you, you breathed a blatant sigh of relief, quickly retracting your hand to you and cradling it with the other hand, your skewer still held in place.

He didn't say thank you to you. At all.

Well, you weren't exactly expecting him to but you hoped for it nonetheless. You thought some progress was made when he accepted your offering but guess not.

As you walked, you recognized a figure in the middle of the street a little way up ahead, struggling to pull their arm away from a large male cat-folk who was scowling down at the person they had grasped in his massive brown paws.

"You didn't pay yet! Pay and I will let you go!"

Ashy grey hair bobbed up and down as the girl hissed back at him, sharp fangs baring out. It was the girl that bumped into you this morning. Rounded grey ears the same shade as her hair was flattened down on her head and an equally grey, thin tail flicked wildly behind her.

"I don't have to pay for that disgusting sludge!" She barked back, not backing down despite her small size.

Who you assumed to be a restaurant owner growled dangerously at her. Some folk in the vicinity tried to placate him and asked the girl to pay at least half as it was only fair.

"No." She bit out, making no effort to hide the fangs that protruded from her mouth.

"You little-!" His other paw raised, claws out.

"I-I'll pay for her!" The words left you before you could stop it.

Ooohh you just had to meddle but it looked like it was going to turn bad and bloody and- black ooze, red bubbles, spewing from his gaping mouth, empty white eyes and then limp - you don't want to see another person die again. You don't want to see blood spilled, not after yesterday. Not if you can help it.

You don't know any magic, you won't be able to hold your own in a fight, you weren't the best at mathematics, but breaking up fights? That's second nature to you now especially when you grew up with the Miya brothers.

You felt Bokuto's stare on you as you quickly made your way up the short flight of stairs that led to the pair that had their angry eyes trained on you.

Yikes, you offered to pay already, the least they can do is look a little grateful; especially the girl.

"H-How much does she owe?"

"Are you her friend?"

"No, she isn't." The grey-haired female hissed, once more trying to pull her arm away. "Let go of me!

"Not until I get my money!"

"H-Here! This is all I have!" You pushed whatever remained from the last few days into the raised paw of the shop owner. His brows furrowed as he counted it in his head.

"You're a bit short."

"Um…."

Embarrassment burned your cheeks and the tips of your ears in a shade of bright red as you looked up at the angry shop owner and then to the pretty scowling girl who was looking at you expectantly. It didn't look like she was even going to try paying for the rest.

Nervously wringing your fingers, you looked around at the people watching the scene, hoping someone would step up but no one did. "I-I can wash the dishes for an hour?"

The owner huffed incredulously. "I ain't having a human, least of all the guest of our leader, working at my shop! But I ain't letting her go until I get all that I am owed!"

The ears of the scowling girl flicked up at his words but came back down again.

Mouth opening and closing in exasperation, you looked around, trying to think of a way out of this. Your eyes came across Bokuto's figure where he was leaning against the wall of the store next to where you were.

Immediately your eyes caught his and he sneered.

"No."

"Bo-" His eyes flashed dangerously and you quickly rectified your mistake. "Please!" Your hands clasped in front of you, begging him for his help. "I got you the fish skewers!"

"I didn't ask you to."

"Please!" You tried again, making your way up to him and held your clasped hands up to your face as if you were praying to him for his saving grace. Which, you were.

A beat passed and you swore even the surrounding crowd and the shop owner were watching with bated breath.

"You owe me."

Relief flooded you as your shoulders drooped and your arms relaxed. Bokuto pushed off the wall and approached the owner, promptly dropping several coins into his palms.

"That should be more than enough."

With a satisfied nod, the owner released the arm of the girl who was still silently scowling at whoever looked her way. Disaster averted and drama concluded, everyone continued about with their way and you were left standing awkwardly between Bokuto and the girl with ashy grey hair.

"Are...you okay?" You asked hesitantly, looking at her arm where a light bruise was forming.

"I didn't ask for yer help." She snarled at you.

You blinked in surprise.

Beside you, you felt a spike of annoyance emit from Bokuto towards the girl. "Hey, hey, you little shit. We could have just as well let him claw you."

"Like I said, I did not ask for either of yer help!" Her fangs were back and this time she trained her fiery grey eyes on Bokuto who shifted to his full height threateningly.

Oh no, you did not embarrass yourself in front of a crowd and literally begged Bokuto for his help just to have him dice her up. You took one small step towards the girl, enough to put yourself partway between her and Bokuto's direct path.

"Y-You're right, you didn't. I'm sorry for meddling."

You had no reason to apologize. You were far from the one who needs to do any apologizing. But you were used to this. You had apologized on behalf of the twins many, many times in your childhood. A small smile graced your lips at the memory of them, one you weren't even aware of. It's been only a few days but it felt like forever; and you missed them.

Her eyes shifted to you with a squint. Then a huff. "Whatever, stupid girl."

With that, she turned around with a proud flick of her hair and tail and walked off.

The people of this world really don't like saying 'thank you,' do they?

"Why'd you do that?" Bokuto suddenly asked you.

You looked over at him and were not surprised to find him looking at you with unblinking eyes once more. But you might have imagined that the edge to them was not as sharp as usual.

"Do what?"

"Apologize."

"If I didn't, you would have hurt her, wouldn't you?"

"She deserves it."

"Violence isn't the answer to anything."

"It's the easiest answer."

You sighed, suddenly feeling tired even though it wasn't even the afternoon.

"It's so much nicer if everyone got along though."

"How naive of you."

You ignored Bokuto's comment in favor of giving him an uncertain smile, your hands wringing around themselves behind your back nervously. "T-Thanks by the way...for paying the rest."

If you were being honest, you did not expect him to help, even if you did beg. You half expected him to leave you out to dry. Maybe he isn't so bad after all.

There was a slight pause where he didn't say anything but just stare at you again. And then- "As I said, you owe me."

"F-Fine...what do you want?" Nevermind. He just wanted to put you in his debt.

"I'll collect when I know."

You resisted groaning. You didn't like not knowing what he will potentially lord over you.

The both of you began making your way back to Nekomata Mountain and you're not sure if he knew but you noticed, with a tiny bit of happiness in your heart, that you didn't walk in front of him nor he behind you this time.

'Something positive.'

That night, as you had your dinner with Kenma like you always did, Kuroo joined you, along with Lev and Yaku who were with him. It was a first, and you were surprised when he turned up. Then again, you rarely saw him at mealtimes as he was always off somewhere, busy doing something else besides eating the proper meals.

"So I heard Bokuto accompanied you today." He said, looking at you with his usual cool facade. But it felt slightly different somehow, you couldn't say exactly why, but it felt just a little bit lighter. Like a small load was finally chipped off from a heavyweight.

"More like he followed me." You mumbled, poking at your meal. "Wait, how do you know anyways?"

"Rarely anything happens in the Dominion without my knowing it. Particularly when it pertains to my guests and allies."

"Oh...makes sense." You grinned at him. "You must have spies everywhere."

"Less spies and more systematic reporting." Yaku explained as he took a seat. "We do have a lot of spies though."

"I still can't believe that girl got mad at you for helping," Kenma whined for you, his orange ears flicking in agitation. You had told him of the events today before Kuroo and the other two showed up.

"What girl?" Yaku asked as he heaped a large helping of stir-fried vegetables onto his plate.

Kenma eagerly recounted to them in your place what happened with Bokuto when they weren't around. When he was done, Lev blinked slowly. "I'm surprised Sir Bokuto would do that."

"That certainly is unexpected." Yaku mused too.

"You don't have to tell me. I straight-up thought he was going to leave me there to figure it out by myself." You said with a laugh. "I'm not going to complain though...no, I am going to complain a little. He said I owe him. Don't know what yet though."

"Oh, well that ain't good." Lev looked at you from across the table.

"Yea, good luck." Yaku threw in carelessly.

"Best case scenario, he'll forget?" Kenma tried to add helpfully.

"Never owe an owl anything. It'll come back to haunt you down the line." Lev spoke again, nodding sagely.

"Bokuto isn't as terrible as you all make him out to be," Kuroo said evenly, smoothly defending his ally who wasn't even here to defend himself.

You shook your head at the tall male next to you with large round eyes. "He scared me out of my mind just several nights ago. He had a dagger to my neck. You can't blame me for my skewed bias."

"No, I certainly can't. Bokuto is as wicked and abrasive as they come." Amber eyes trailed around the table, looking at all of you gathered. "But, he is a very capable leader and not without his reasons."

"Sir Bokuto is always giving me advice about my archery. I've improved a lot with his help." Kenma agreed with Kuroo, though you were never surprised when Kenma agrees with anything Kuroo says.

"Having him as an ally is certainly very relieving." Lev agreed. "Knowing that he's out there looking out for you, you can focus on your mission without worrying about your back."

"Except when he's out for your back." Yaku said what was supposed to be a joke, but as it came out so flatly it barely passed as one.

You blinked rapidly in response, unsure of how to react.

"Yaku." Came the stern voice Kuroo always used when his confidants stepped out of line.

"Sorry. That came out wrong."

"It sure did…" Lev trailed off, looking down at the male to his side with a scrutinizing eye.

A chortle escaped you which you tried to quell but ended up choking on the food in your mouth instead. "S-Sorry!"

As Kenma came around and patted your back, you can't help but think how normal this felt, sitting around here with everyone and talking about the day's events and Bokuto as if they weren't all ranking members of a realm and you weren't stuck in another world.

It's...nice.

And something in your stomach twisted uncomfortably when you thought about when you will finally have to leave.

Sitting down on one of the low rocks by a spring, mindlessly cleaning yourself off, you thought about what Kuroo and the others discussed during dinner earlier. Your clothes and robes were laid in a neat pile nearby.

There was another case of The Rot in the city. Elsewhere, this time, not too far off from Pussycat Square but occurred similarly. A female cat-folk this time, young and bright, suddenly went mad and started attacking the people nearby. But they were lucky that she was a small thing and a few youngsters managed to throw thick rolls of blankets and cloth over her, subduing her until help arrived. No one else got tainted during the whole affair, luckily enough. They were holding her in a sealed-off area of the infirmary in the mountains now, waiting for either a miracle in progress towards a cure or...for her time to pass.

Your heart turned heavy at the thought.

It was unreasonable for you to feel the way you do, but you felt...guilty, somewhat. That you were just passing your time here exploring a new city like a tourist whilst depending on Kuroo to solve your problem while The Dominion is beginning to catch the development of something menacing on their doorstep.

Something that up till now had not reached their city, not with the careful patrols and checkpoints Kuroo and Bokuto had set up across their realms. They know there had been slow but steadily rising reports of other cases of The Rot popping up across the continent, not just their realms. But it hasn't been anything major so far, and there was no clear connection between the areas and cases.

So everyone was admittedly worried. The atmosphere around the table had turned heavy partway through the meal, and you can't help the gnawing guilt in your gut again that you were just going to up and leave them when it came time to.

You had planned to ask Kuroo if he has any idea yet of how you might get home but you could not find it in yourself to do so.

'Just a few more days,' you told yourself. 'Then I'll ask.'

The mountains were silent save for the occasional chatters from the surrounding pagodas that filtered the air and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. The stars shined just as beautifully as the first night you arrived here, even brighter actually, being high up and far removed from the lights of the city below.

You leaned back against the rocks of the spring and thought back to the night sky of Tokyo, and how you will not see a starry sky as clear as this there.

You missed your family and friends, your own reality. And it had only been a few days but you were starting to think that this world isn't so bad, once the shock of being in another reality has subsided. The people you got to know here, however brief it was, were wonderful and you just know that you will miss them too.

Why you were here in the first place was still a question you have no answer to, and you wondered if you ever will. Perhaps it was just a fluke in the workings of the universe.

A soft sigh left you as you looked down at the effervescent water. Will the guys believe any of this if you told them?

Probably not, especially Kenma. Atsumu and Osamu might tell your parents that you need to be admitted. Maybe Kuroo will humor you for a moment before telling you that you've been touched in the head, that the volleyball hit you too hard.

Well, it certainly hit hard enough to propel you to a different plane of existence.

Your eyes closed as you tried to relax into the warm water of the spring, pushing down the strange guilt you felt and worries about what you shall say to everyone when you got back. Those were problems you will tackle when the time came. There wasn't anything you could do right now.

You felt the soft bubbling water of the spring clearly against your skin and tilted your head back in bliss. The mountains were quiet, and the rustling of the leaves had stopped and the wind was no longer brushing its cool fingers against you, which caused you to exhale a deep breath as you are no longer col-

?

Opening your eyes, your head remained tilted up to the stars as you strained your ears to listen as best you could. The mountain is certainly silent, the winds has hushed and so did the swaying of the leaves, there was no longer any chatter from the surrounding pagodas, and the bubbling of the spring has ceased.

You looked down and you shrieked.

Staring up at you in the still water was the reflection of a girl you recognized all too well.

The steam from the spring was no longer there, and the absence of bubbles left a perfect surface for a perfect reflection that would have been impossible when you first entered the water.

A perfect reflection of you.

With a reflective rippling hand reaching out towards you.

You screamed again, so loud this time that when it echoed back to you from the stone walls, the hand in the water recoiled and that made you recoil, and you jumped out of the water, haphazardly pulling your robes over yourself as you backed away from the sides of the spring.

When you turned frantically to look back at the spring, the water was steaming and bubbling again, the winds were playing with the leaves, and there were the curious sounds of voices from the pagodas permeating the air.

The sound of footsteps from outside the spring area reached your ears and you heard Kenma calling your name.

"Are you okay?!"

Not caring that you only had your bathrobe on, you cradled the rest of your clothes close to your chest and ran out of the spring.

You were never bathing after sundown ever again.

When Kenma saw you as you emerged from the narrow tunnel that led to the women's mountain spring, you were shaking all over and your skin was cold despite the warm waters of the spring. Your face and hands were pale, and eyes constantly whipping around, looking for anything that might have a reflective surface.

You told him of what you saw, and he immediately alerted Kuroo who had been in a meeting with several people of his Council, as well as Bokuto and a man with gunmetal blue eyes.

Kuroo allowed you to sleep in an empty room next to his at his pagoda that night when you refused to return to your hollow room, assuring you that he is right next door, should anything else happen.

Kenma had automatically prepared for you another jugful of his drink, upping the concentration of lavender and chamomile.

You had more than six cups of Kenma's relaxing milk tea that night, relying on the drink to take you away.

It took a full day to pass before you even began to feel remotely comfortable being by yourself and walking pass anything that even has the potential to reflect. Which were a lot of things: water, mirrors, the shields and armors of the Dominion soldiers, metal trays to name a few.

Kuroo was pensively more silent than he usually is the following day when you saw him, as he offered you chrysanthemum tea again and asked you to tell him one more time in detail the incident as you perceived it.

He had no immediate answer for you but his presence beside you calmed you in a way that was different from Kenma's friendly company. Where Kenma made you feel not so alone in a world where you knew no one, Kuroo gave you a sense of comfort and safety, his powerful aura enveloping you in a protective bubble, and you felt immensely safe when he was around.

That no eerie reflection was going to appear to you when he was nearby.

You stuck close to him for most of the day without explaining why. He didn't ask, and Kenma didn't stop you either, merely sticking by you wherever you chose to go. Even Lev and Yaku took time out of their busy days to accompany you a little.

It seemed word of how absolutely terrified you looked that night went around fast. You probably looked like a reflective ghost yourself that night.

Bokuto was not around, but you saw the man with gunmetal blue eyes flying in aimless circles up above you when you had emerged from the mountain tunnels to follow Kuroo to his next destination.

You knew by the wings on his back that he was one of Bokuto's people.

By the third day, you were finally brave enough to return to your room and stop sticking to Kuroo, although he told you in his velvet voice that you were free to stay at his pagoda again should you feel the need to. Half of you wanted to, but the other half was aware of how desperate and needy you had been the last two days, clinging to him like a shadow.

As reluctant as you were, you tried your best to not be in his presence today.

Today marks the day you have been in Hyquile for a full week.

Kenma suggested for both of you to visit Cat Alley, having spent the last two days in the mountains. He babbled on excitedly about letting you try this amazing street delicacy of fried fish paste as you slowly made your way down the mountain paths and stairs, until you got to the lower areas that were more grounded and would not lead to your immediate deaths.

The golden-haired male suddenly stopped in his tracks and you bumped into him.

"Kenma, what's wrong-" You began as you peered around him. You gasped as you saw the person a short distance away from you, at the top of the stairs that lead down to the city.

A young female cat-folk was staggering around on her feet, chest heaving, and hands desperately clutching at her chest as she tried to keep moving forward, making her way down the steps in front of her. But the most shocking sight was the telltale black veins on her neck, slithering and crawling ever so slowly up and down her neck as if it was blocked from moving any further.

"T-That's the girl from three days ago but why is she here? She should be isolated and secured in the infirmary area. Who let her out?"

"Didn't you say she went mad?"

"Yes, she was downright feral when we brought her in," Kenma told you tensely, sharpened eyes watching the girl who hasn't noticed the two of you. His orange ears stood up straight and alert.

But that did not last for long when her head suddenly turned towards where you stood with Kenma and her already wide eyes only widened further when her eyes diluted in panic at being spotted.

"P-Please…" A rasped cry left her lips.

Kenma's eyes filled with shock at the sight of her speaking. She should not be lucid enough to be able to speak.

"L-Let me g-go…" She pleaded as she continued down another step. It was clear she could barely hold herself up, body shaking all over just like you did when you saw the reflection in the water. "I h-have...f-family…a l-little b-brother!"

Kenma gritted his teeth and you saw his fists clench. He could not allow her to go any further lest she spread it to somebody else. Assistance wouldn't arrive fast enough.

"I w-wish to s-see him!" Sobs wracked her body and yet she continued to push herself forward.

He had to...he had to-!

You saw orange light begin to glow faintly up his arm, and having seen Kuroo's own hands glow before, you knew without a doubt that he was going to use magic on her. And the remorseful yet resolute look in his eyes and the crackles of bright orange told you it was not healing magic.

"Kenma, don't-!"

Your hands grabbed his arm just as he lifted it towards the young girl who gasped at the sudden wave of orange that shot at her, barely missing its intended target, and the earth behind her impaled empty air instead.

"She's just like us!" She was barely older, if not younger, than you!

"We can't risk her tainting anyone else!"

"But you can't just kill her!"

"I have to!"

With his other arm, he shot out another wave at the girl who is now hobbling down the steps as fast as she could in her unstable state. You pulled on the arm you held in your grasp, tugging Kenma backward and causing his magic to miss, striking the stairs and cleaving deep crevices into the earth.

The ground around her trembled and the stairs she was on began to rupture, and you watched with horrified eyes as the girl teetered around on loose earth before her body lurched down back-first, hands stretched in front of her as if reaching for someone to grab her, to save her, in the empty air before her. She will not survive this fall on her neck, and if she did, she would be lucky to be able to walk again.

You had never moved so fast in your life, leaping through the air as you would in ballet to close the gap between you and her, your legs stretched out in familiar practiced movements that came to you instinctively.

Your hand reached out for hers and you barely heard Kenma shouting at you.

"DON'T!"

Her hands curled around yours in a tight grip and you pulled back with all your might, feeling yourself fall onto your back as the girl toppled on top of you on the now still ground. In your head, your thoughts swirled about how she had The Rot and how you might catch it but it shouldn't matter.

You wanted to help her. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if you didn't try.

A yellow, almost white light enveloped both of you for an instant before it vanished just as quickly.

You feel your arms trembling around the back of the girl where you held her tightly to you, harsh breaths of air leaving you in rapid exhalations. Her own arms were wrapped tightly around you, burning hot gasps fanning across the skin of your neck.

"Are you alright?" Kenma was by your side in an instant, eyes wavering between disbelief and relief. What was that light?

"Y-Yea…" Unsteadily, you pushed up on one elbow, looking down at the girl who still clung to you. "A-Are you o-okay?" Damn your voice was shaky from the burst of adrenaline.

She sniffled against you, tightening her hold on you as she cried.

"I can't...believe it…" Kenma's whisper brought your attention to his hand hovering by the neck of the girl.

The black veins were gone.

Your own bulging eyes turned up to look at him as he furrowed his brows at you, quickly realizing the implications.

"T-That can't be r-right…"

"...I don't know, but let's get her back to the infirmary for a once over for the time being."

"M-My brother…" She finally choked out.

Kenma's lips pursed but he nodded. "We will bring him to you once we confirm it is safe."

She gave out a strangled sort of relieved sob and repeatedly muttered 'thank you' into your neck.

For once, someone of this world thanked you but you were too unnerved to register it, only realizing it much later.

None of you noticed the rustle of leaves from a nearby tree or the ashy-grey bob of hair that flittered away.

"She does not carry The Rot anymore?"

Kenma answered in the affirmative to Kuroo's question.

"Yes. The physicians have deemed her safe and her brother is currently visiting her at the infirmary."

"And there was a white light when you touched her?" Kuroo asked you this time and you fidgeted under his gaze.

"Y-Yes..according to Kenma...I...w-wasn't too aware of it myself at the time."

"Is it healing magic?" Lev asked from his spot in the room, where you all sat around a table with Kuroo at the head.

"But healing magic doesn't work on The Rot." Yaku spoke this time.

"Only to the extent that we know of." A man named Kai shook his head from his seat to the left of Kuroo. You sat to the right of Kuroo, where you figured Kenma would sit if you weren't here, whilst the golden-haired male sat in the chair next to you. "It could be a new type of healing magic."

"How many types of healing magic can there be?" Yaku drawled out with a tired roll of his eyes.

"We don't know for sure it is healing magic though. The healers were unable to detect any traces of it in the girl. Healing magic usually leaves behind a trace in the person for a few days." It was Kenma's turn to pipe up.

Your hands clenched at them using the word magic in regards to you. You didn't have magic. If you did, you would know it, shouldn't you?

As if sensing your discomfort, Kuroo turned to you. "How do you feel? Do you feel any different?"

"I feel...fine. Like I usually do." Besides, you know, the stress from the unbelievable series of events that seem to be occurring in rapid succession the past few days. Another warm cup of milk tea had been placed in front of you before the discussion even began. "I don't feel any different."

"I told you." Bokuto bit out from where he was leaning against the wall, sharp eyes trained on Kuroo. Who you came to know to be the 'Sir Akaashi' that you have heard mentioned around the past week was standing beside him. "We should have tested it right from the start."

"Perhaps, but I stand by my decision to not recklessly risk lives," Kuroo responded evenly, unphased by the vicious way Bokuto looked at him.

Your brows furrowed in confusion, unable to follow the conversation that took place.

Noting your questioning stare, Kuroo looked towards you once more, something akin to regret lacing his voice.

"I have to apologize to you." He paused for a moment. "I have not been completely forthright with you."

Your confusion only deepened at his words as you waited for him to explain what he meant.

"Your other self, the ' you' of this world," he began and you noticed the others in the room either turn to listen more closely or begin tensing. "Some of us here have met her before."

Your mind blanked out, not sure of what to say. So they have met the 'you' of this world? Seeing as you knew a bunch of them in your world, you didn't think that should be strange. What is strange is how calmly you are now treating all this, compared to your hysteria earlier in the week.

"I wouldn't exactly use the word 'met.' " Bokuto remarked sarcastically. You saw Akaashi smile slightly at his leader's quip.

"I suppose but bear with me." Kuroo glanced back towards you. "We don't know her on a personal level but we at least know how she looked like. That is why Bokuto and I regarded you with such suspicion in the beginning."

"I...see." A lot of things still didn't make sense though. Why would they be suspicious of you instead of mistaking you for her? You definitely kept mistaking them for the ones in your world.

And what did Bokuto mean by test?

"What did Bokuto mean?" You voiced the question in your head.

"It is not uncommon knowledge to those in the know that the version of you in this world had displayed potential for healing. Bokuto had wanted to see if you had the potential to cure The Rot. It was a risk I did not want to allow, as you could be infected yourself."

"Clearly, she didn't." Again, Bokuto.

"So I- well, she- had healing magic?"

"Not quite," Akaashi spoke for the first time. "My information never had any mentions of her being able to heal those physically ill."

Okay, so he was spying on her?

"Her gifts had been unstable," Kuroo continued. "I imagine the Empire and Aoba have more details about it seeing as she was from their realm. But as you know, we do not have the best of relations with them. We don't know much about it besides rumors of cases where she healed people who have lost their minds in the past."

"But much of those cases were before The Rot so there hasn't been a clear connection or proof," Lev added on to Kuroo's explanation, his piercing green eyes finding yours from across the table.

"I still don't understand. If she had the potential to heal The Rot, why didn't she try then?" Wouldn't the Empire care if their people are getting infected?

"It's very...complex, I would imagine." There was a rare type of hesitancy in Kuroo when he spoke this time. "We do not have the full details."

A frown pulled at your lips. How complicated can it be to try to help others? Is the 'you' of this world that much of a coward? You don't think you are the bravest nor the smartest of the bunch but even you would not sit idly by if someone was hurt.

"Have you tried to reach out to her? Maybe she would help, even if she is from their realms." It certainly would not hurt to try. Everyone in the room but you looked at one another, a weird sort of uncertainty and tension passing through the air.

"Maybe if I talked to her it would help? From self to self." You almost giggled at your joke but no one shared in the sentiment, and you grew uneasy in your seat. Did you say something wrong?

"I think that would be hard to do," Bokuto said, his clear voice ringing to you from where he stood.

The uneasiness seemed to intensify and your stomach twisted, and you turned to Kuroo to try to find that sense of comfort you had been finding in him as of late. "Why?" You asked.

"Where is she now?"

Kuroo locked his amber eyes to yours in an unwavering gaze, clear of any hesitation or uncertainty, as if telling you that his words were not a mistake.

"She's dead."

There was a loud explosion from a tunnel not far off from the meeting room, and everyone that had been gathered sprung to their feet, Bokuto and Akaashi immediately heading in the direction of the explosion. Several more loud blasts rang through the tunnels, and the whole cavern rumbled threateningly around you.

Your ears rang incessantly, you weren't sure if it was because of the explosions or the revelation that the 'you' in this world is dead.

Dead? Dead?

Did that mean anything to you? Should it mean anything to you? The others and their alternates were all alive. You don't have an example of one where either is dead to use as a reference.

Does it affect you? Would it affect you? Will it affect you?

You had no time to ponder as Kenma urged you out of your seat and out of the meeting room.

The acute scent of burning black smoke assaulted your nose, and you immediately coughed into your sleeves, eyes watering.

"It's dangerous to remain inside with all this smoke. Get her out to safety." Kuroo commanded with no room for protests to Kenma.

"Yes, milord. What about you?"

"I will find out who is behind this." There was a piercing shine to Kuroo's eyes and you shuddered, thinking that whoever dared to put that in his burning eyes were going to regret it immensely.

This time, you indeed felt that Kuroo's eyes glowed in the dim tunnels, shining bright despite the smoke beginning to writhe up the air.

"Kai, Lev, Yaku- the three of you go with Bokuto and Akaashi to find the perpetrators. The rest of you, prioritize the civilians and the defenseless. "

Everyone understanding their orders, they all split off in dashes of different colored smoke as several with smaller feline forms transformed for speed.

Kuroo turned to go but not before your hand found the crook of his elbow, the hard edge of his gauntlets cold beneath your palms. You were not sure why you did it, but something in you wanted to properly see him off, the one who had been your anchor in recent days.

You felt like you couldn't just let him go with the foreboding way your last conversation ended, that it would cling to you with a vice if you did.

"Be careful."

It was barely a whisper but Kuroo's ears heard it anyways, the sincere words reaching him over the noise of thundering earth and echoing cries of his people.

His arm in your grip lifted to lightly touch the crown of your head before it slid down your temple to your cheek; the cold brush of his crimson gauntlets a sharp contrast to the warmth of his fingers on your skin.

An image of Kuroo Tetsurou- the player, the senior, the friend- patting your head, and the teasing words "small child" flashed across your mind.

For one fleeting moment, you saw that rare smile that he had shown you that day in the tearoom, the one that reminded you of chrysanthemum tea and quiet mountains.

You felt a light press of his fingers on your cheek and then he was turning away, your hand slipping out of the securing fit of his elbow, his whispered words to you lingering in the space where he had been.

"You'll be alright."

Kenma hurriedly led you out of the tunnels, emerging to see the vermillion sky streaked with orange and yellow. Columns of black smoke billowed from various tunnel openings, the majority of them concentrated on one side of the mountain as if the purpose was not to take out the whole peak.

"W-Who would do this?" You gasped as you scrambled to keep up with Kenma in front of you, rapidly climbing down paths and steps. Your soul nearly left your body when your foot slipped on a loose rock and you would have fallen had Kenma not had a tight grip on your hand.

You had a mind to tell Kuroo to rethink the architecture of this place and suggest adding railings.

"I don't know, it could be any one of our enemies! I would guess the snakes?!" He shouted over his shoulder at you.

"Snakes?" You almost screeched back at him. You did not want to find out what they were like.

An explosion opened up a hole in the side of the mountain and Kenma jumped back to pull you to him, throwing both of your bodies down the steep but sloping mountainside to avoid the flames that burst forth from the newly opened hole.

A cocoon of thick soil enveloped the two of you, shielding your bodies from the sharp stones and branches as you went rolling down to lower ground. A sharp groan left you and Kenma simultaneously, your cocoon of soil taking the brunt of your harsh landing and unraveling as your momentum slowed, Kenma rolling out to stop a bit further ahead than you.

The world was spinning and you squeezed your eyes close to fight off the dizziness that was invading your senses as you pushed yourself onto your knees.

"A-Are you okay?" Kenma's voice rasped from somewhere nearby.

"Y-Yea...I can feel your milk tea coming up though." Head still hanging down, you kept your eyes closed and resisted the queasy feeling in your stomach.

You heard him laugh a dry and throaty chuckle and then-

"Look out!"

Your eyes snapped open to the sight of a large piece of rock hurtling down at you from up the hill where you and Kenma tumbled down. Orange light glowed in your peripherals and you felt that push in the air that told you Kenma was using his magic from somewhere behind you.

But even you knew he was not going to make it as you watched the rock that would crush you to death descend upon you. There was no feeling in your limbs nor your chest, and all you could keep thinking about is that the 'you' of this world is dead, and that this is likely destiny coming to finish its work.

There wasn't even enough time for you to have any sentimental last thoughts, or for your life to flash before your eyes before the boulder was on you.

Air rushed around you and your body felt weightless for a transitory second. And then you felt yourself settling back down into thin arms that were firm against your back and legs.

The thunderous sound of a massive weight pounding into the earth resounded in the air.

"Can't believe ya' were just gonna let yourself get crushed like a bug."

Your eyes opened to dull-grey eyes scowling down at you from a pretty face framed by short grey hair, round ears twitching at the top of her head.

"Y-You're that g-girl…"

The one who bumped into you the other day, the one you paid off for at Cat Alley!

She had you cradled in her arms as if you weighed nothing despite her smaller figure, standing on the thick branch of a tree. The sound of your name being called pulled your attention down to Kenma, who was looking up warily at you and the girl who continued to hold onto you.

"Kenma, she's the one I told you about with the shop owner!"

His eyes flickered, remembering your tale, but remained cautious. "I see. Thank you for your help." He called up to her.

You expected her to scowl down at him before dropping you ungraciously on the ground but she didn't.

Instead, an emotionless mask fell across her features for a fleeting moment, before a broad smirk tugged at her pretty pink lips.

And you watched in a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and finally, horror as her skin and features morphed right before your eyes. In glaring clarity, you saw her skin rise and fall with ridges and bumps, contorting and twisting as it moved to accommodate the scaling of her eyes, lips, and nose that warped and deformed before taking on a new shape. The round grey ears on her head twisted and scaled away to be replaced by larger, pointed ones.

Her arms holding you poked and prodded all over your back and legs as similar ridges moved across her skin in waves, and all the tiny hairs on your body stood up at the alien sensation of it expanding against you.

You saw the shift in height of the markings on the trunks and branches relative to you, witnessing over her head and shoulder as they moved down and you, up. Her short figure was no longer short, and without a sliver of a doubt, she now towered over you.

Grey hair shrunk, sliding up against newly formed cheeks to a shorter length that parted in soft wisps to the left as short black hair grew beneath the strands of grey, shining like silver under the burning sun.

Your jaw went slack, and the horror in your eyes gave way to a flurry of emotions you could not even begin to comprehend, as newly formed eyes opened and you were suddenly looking up at the familiar face of Miya Osamu.

"Are you ready to listen now?"

Notes:

Did anyone see that coming at the end btw? I really want to know if I surprised you all! w

I am excited to move onto another realm for now *breath of relief*
MC is missing the modern bois, and I know some of you are too and so do I but just be patient a little! They'll be back! Soon! I hope!
Let me know what you thought of this chapter! I know it feels like I pushed it forward though, and I hope you all won't mind because the Inarizaki Boys are swooping in next chapter!

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

Chapter 6: The Forest Chase

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Inarizaki House

Notes:

Thank you to everyone who commented the last chapter! Once more, you are the heroes that drive me to keep writing! It was the most feedback I ever got in one chapter and it made me so happy that I woke super early in the morning to write ^.^;
I noticed it has only been like 10 days since I posted the first chapter and so many words have already been written.
Thank you to those who expressed worry about me not taking enough breaks! I am trying to slot in more breaks and rests now, but the fire to write burns so bright with every single comment ToT ILY ALL!

I struggled quite a bit with this chapter. I definitely need to improve on writing action scenes (also action+humor scenes) and making them more smooth . I lost count of how many times I kept going over it and rewriting x.x still not satisfied but I'm just gonna bite the bullet.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Mornin'!"

"Morning."

"Good morning!" You greeted back, round cheeks full with a happy smile as you ran up to the twins at the kindergarten gates, the yellow uniform hat bouncing on your head haphazardly. Good, easy days like this with the twins were the best and most fun.

"Stop copying me every time I greet her 'Samu!"

"I wasn't copying ya', we're both just greeting her, ya scrub!"

"Well, I said it first!"

"We said it at the same time!"

Or not.

"Ya' finished the last piece, so ya' clean the dishes 'Tsumu."

"What, ya' ate more than two of us combined so ya' clean it up!"

"The person who used something last should clean it."

"No, the one who used it more cleans!"

"I-It's okay, I'm the guest so I'll clean it…!"

"That makes no sense!" They said simultaneously.

"Why'd ya' make her cry for 'Samu?"

"I didn't make her cry, ya' threw the snowball too hard 'Tsumu."

"It was yer stupid bag she tripped over!"

"I-I'm not crying, it just hurts a little...I slipped on the ice..."

"I want to sit in the front!

"Ya' sat last time 'Tsumu."

"No, I didn't, stop making up lies!"

"The both of ya' will sit in the back!" Their mother reprimanded as she ushered you into the passenger seat of the car instead, off on your way to the nearby supermall.

"Hee-hee!" You stuck your tongue out at them and they scowled back in return.

"This is stupid, I don't wanna do it!"

"S-Same here! Let's just not!"

"I'm telling you guys, this will work! This was how my dad pulled my brother's loose tooth out too!" You told the twins as you held onto the doorknob with two strings attached, the other ends leading to a tooth of Atsumu's and Osamu's each.

"It'll be over before you know it!"

"NO-!"

"AHH-!"

"G-Guys...I-I think I'll just wait for my parents to take me to the dentist…"

"What do ya' mean, remember when ya' helped us? Ya' remember don't cha', 'Samu?"

"I sure do 'Tsumu. We really appreciated yer help then. We're just returning the favor."

"P-Please DON'T-!"

"Heh, ya' better be grateful! We don't show this skill to just anyone ."

"Yea, we especially don't show it to girls ."

They simultaneously remarked proudly to you.

"What are you guys talking about?"

They proceeded to do a setup and spike that they learned on their own.

Then came junior high and actual volleyball.

"My spikes are so much better than yers."

"What, no they aren't. Stop being delusional."

"Whose spikes do ya' think are better?!"

"I'm...not the best judge for these things?"

"Ya' joined dance classes?"

"Do ya' even know how to dance?"

"Yer such an idiot 'Tsumu. That's why she's going to go to classes. But you're clumsy though, so it's gonna be hard."

"You guys don't have to be so blunt about this."

"Listen, yer piece of shit! I told ya' over and over I didn't touch yer filthy stuffs nor do I even want to look inside yer stinkin' bag!"

"Then tell me why my favorite sports bottle is missin' if ya' didn't take it!"

"The hell would I know! Ya' lose yer shit all the time!"

The old lady next door hushed loudly at the twins, squinting wrinkly eyes at them.
You bowed deeply at her three times, before forcefully pushing the twins along, slotting yourself in between to separate their flying arms.

"Oi, are ya' actually still going to dance class?"

"Do ya' even like it?"

"She's just doing it cause she can't play volleyball with us."

"That's such a lame excuse. You're lame."

"H-Hey! I like it just fine, thank you very much!"

"My mum asked if you guys wanted to come over for dinner."

"Is yer brother going to be home? I want a rematch with him on FIFA."

"Ya' know yer suck at FIFA so why do ya' even bother?"

"Speak for yerself!"

"Maybe I'll tell nii-san to eat out tonight…"

"So where's our valentine chocolate?"

"Oh right, ya' didn't give any to us today yet."

"You already got a bunch from the other girls, do you even need any from me?"

"The more the better…"

"Those are like, giri-chocolates to us! Yers is honmei right?"

"Who would ever want to give ya' honmei chocolates?"

"...whatever, here. I just thought you guys didn't need anymore...They aren't honmei though. You two better get me something for White Day."

"How long are ya' guys gonna hog the televi-"

"Shhh, he's sleeping." You whispered, motioning at a sleeping Atsumu who was sprawled across the couch, head on your lap, lightly snoring. You closed your book as Osamu approached.

"Ya' can just push him off ya' know," Osamu said but kept his voice low despite his words as he sat down on the floor in front of the couch.

"I know, 'Samu."

You spent the next hour reading at the Miya household whilst Osamu played Winning Eleven on mute, a box of animal chocolate biscuits shared between the both of you. Atsumu blissfully continued his afternoon nap.

"Uhm...my family is moving to Tokyo."

"What?!"

"Why?"

Then the dreaded move.

"Well, you'll visit us right?"

"Of course! And you guys should come to visit Tokyo too! We can go to Disneyland together!"

"Disney is lame. We should hit up Fuji-Q instead!"

"Let's promise to always keep in touch!"

For as long as you can remember, your relationship with the twins has always been an extreme cycle of sorts, ranging from them arguing with one another, teaming up against you, you playing peacemaker, and the once in a blue moon peaceful days.

Those days were your favorites.

Despite the gap of several years in between due to your moving away, they have always been a big influence during your most formative years and remain a big part of your life now. If it wasn't for them, you would never have discovered dance. If it weren't for them, you wouldn't have met so many new friends at university.

You were very glad you threw mud on Atsumu that day in kindergarten.

"'Samu," you breathed.

That girl had been Miya Osamu.

She had been your childhood friend, one of your best friends, 'Samu, all along.

She had been 'Samu all along.

Your mind was both a blank and a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings, your eyes glued to that familiar face you have missed so much in recent days.

Those grey eyes you knew so well flickered down to glance at you, a brief frown pulling at his brows. But then it was gone and in its place, a broad, confident smirk you were more used to seeing on Atsumu appeared, his attention back on Kenma whose eyes were wide with shock at the sudden transformation.

"Sorry lil' cat but we'll be taking her with us. No hard feelings, eh, distant cousin o' mine?"

Before either you or Kenma could react, 'Osamu' threw you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and jumped off the branch with one powerful push of his legs, beginning a fluid rhythm of leaps as he hopped from tree to tree.

You yelped as you flopped nauseatingly against him, scrambling to grip his clothes in your hands to keep yourself from repeatedly imprinting your face into his back. Looking up in front of you to where 'Osamu' left Kenma, you saw a large cloud of orange smoke filtering amongst the green leaves of the forest.

From that cloud came Kenma's fully transformed feline form, his lithe body of white with patches of brown and gold soaring through the air as he bounded after you and 'Osamu'.

"Kenma!" You called out for him, even as your mind tore itself apart from indecision, not knowing if you should be so complacent with the one who looks like your childhood friend or struggle to get back to the one who has been your friend during this entire ordeal.

You have no idea what is going on but it was obvious that they were not on the same side of the court.

The decision was made for you however, when you felt 'Osamu' slap a hand on your back, and thick, red rope slithered out from the sleeves of his clothes and up your body, binding your arms together in front of you.

'Wha-?!'

Then with the same arm, Osamu lightly waved it out in an arc and several branches behind him shimmered and disappeared into thin air. Kenma's figure faltered, slowing down as he adjusted midair to find footing against the trunk of a tree instead, but did not stop in his pursuit as he switched to using tree trunks as his propulsion board.

Osamu grinned viciously over his shoulder, eyes almost glowing a bright silver instead of their usual tranquil grey. He looked like he was enjoying this.

"I guess what they say about cats landing on their feet every time is true!" He barked out in laughter, whether to you, to Kenma, to himself, or someone else entirely, you did not know. Each branch he leaped off wavered and disappeared, along with several others in its proximity, confusing and disorienting Kenma who was trying to catch up.

'Shit,' Kenma cursed to himself.

Even in his full feline form, he was having trouble catching up to their retreating figures; the fox-male was without a doubt superior to Kenma in physical capabilities. Kenma himself wasn't much for physical battles in the first place, as his role with The Dominion has always been tactical, preferring strategy and long-range magic rather than close combat. He makes the plans whilst soldiers like Lev and Yaku carried them out. He wished they were here right now, acknowledging with dismay that if it was them, they would have caught up immediately.

The disappearing illusions the fox left behind in his path didn't make things any easier for Kenma to find footing for him to jump off. Even if he knew the branches were still there, it was hard to keep track of what was originally there or absolute thin air, not at the speeds the fox was going at.

Why were the foxes here? Were they the ones behind the attack on Nekomata Mountain? Did they act alone or with another party? Was it separate events?

There were too many questions and too few answers.

His mind raced to cover all the possibilities, but as he slowly lost pace to the fox and his captive, he decided he had to focus on the present and figure the rest out later.

Kuroo entrusted her safety to him. He will not allow himself to fail.

His stamina reserves are on the lower side, so he needs to finish this quickly and decisively. Yet he couldn't risk using any powerful offensive magic lest he hurts you as well. His only other option would be containing them.

Concentrating his magic into his legs, his next jump brought him to the forest floor where the magic zapped out from his forelegs and traveled rapidly across the ground towards its target. A large wall of earth rose high, towering above the treetops in the fox's path.

The grey-haired male barely stopped, continuing to run up and across the wall at a diagonal path instead as he made to cross it.

Kenma kept up, chasing after them from the ground before he raised several pillars of earth at staggered heights, creating make-shift stairs.

With his magic essence that still lingered in the earth wall, he manipulated them to raise as blocks of cages in swift succession, aiming to catch the fleeing male in them and sealing him in. But the light-footed fox managed to dodge or escape their confines with quick jumps, scaling up the wall and getting closer to the top.

With a snarl, Kenma channeled magic into his four legs, using surges of earth to give himself an extra push forward with each step he took on the erected wall.

He was catching up, but it wasn't enough!

You watched with panicked eyes at Kenma's figure bounding after you, white fur soiling with the dirt of the earth, noticing the strain and frustration pulled across his expressive golden eyes as he tried to keep up. You want to do something, anything, to help him but there was nothing you can do.

Arms bound or not, it took all you could to keep yourself from hurling and losing consciousness as you were bounced roughly against 'Osamu's' back, blood rushing and sloshing up around in your head. The speeds they were moving at was too much for your regular body to mentally and physically keep up with.

You tried kicking him (mentally muttering an apology to the Osamu of your world), but with another tap to your legs, more red rope tied themselves around you, binding your legs together.

'Oh my god, I'm going to be sick,' was all you could think as your body flailed to the side, flopping like the carp banners you hung up with the twins as children in the wind, unable to resist gravity as 'Osamu' ran up the wall. You squeezed your eyes shut and clenched your teeth.

Then your axis suddenly righted itself and you opened your eyes at that moment when it felt like you could finally breathe right. It was a bad decision on your part as 'Osamu' had jumped off the top of the wall, leaping up high into the air, the wind gushing and whipping through your hair, and your stomach lurched at the sensation of weightlessness overtaking your body.

At the same time, your heart dropped down to the dirt far below you as if pulled by an anchor descending to the ocean depths.

Your body went numb at the view.

Nekomata Mountain was burning.

The mountain that had sheltered you for the past week with its kind denizens was covered in red flames that spewed thick, black smoke into the equally scarlet sky. Bells were ringing across Moggie Boroughs, and the city was in an uproar at the state of their beloved mountain, flames licking at the once beautiful trees and pagodas that covered the center peak.

Columns of dark fumes belched from the tunnel holes all over the central peak where your room with your belongings was, where Kenma's, Lev and even Yaku's room was, where Kuroo's pagoda was, where you had recently enjoyed dinner with everyone, where Kenma made your favorite milk tea and where the tearoom you relaxed with Kuroo was.

'No…'

Tears pricked at your eyes, pure white anger rushing through your entire body and your body trembled, knuckle-white fists clenched tightly on 'Osamu's' clothes.

You screamed sharp and loud, without words, just madly and agonizingly, yells and cries of frustration and pain for the people who called that mountain home.

It felt as if you were watching your own home burn.

At your thrashing and tormented expression, Kenma looked behind to find the cause and his breath stopped, golden eyes widening in pure shock.

His home was in flames.

Despair constricted around his heart. He wanted to desperately turn around, to go look for Kuroo, for Lev, for Yaku, for his companions and friends, all the people he loved and cared for; your screaming voice ripped into his ear and he knew without a second thought that turning around was not an option he could take. Not just because Kuroo trusted him to look after you, but because they had just barely begun to unravel the unknown that was a cure to The Rot.

His head was already thinking, planning, strategizing for the long road.

Homes can be rebuilt, nature restored...but The Rot was an impending issue that they have to find a solution for before it got any worse. And if you even had a sliver of potential to do more of what you did for that young girl this morning, then they absolutely could not lose you.

And most of all...

You are his friend too.

He gritted his teeth, his jaws contorting themselves over his protruding fangs in agony. With newfound vigor, he vaulted far into the air with a piercing cry after the only person he could hold accountable at this moment in time.

"ARGHHH!"

His one powerful leap fueled by fury closed the last gap between them, and his jaws opened and his stretched arm rose to hurt the grey-haired male.

At the last possible moment, right before you thought Kenma's claws would rip into 'Osamu,' he twisted in the air and your world spun with his movement.

"You're surprisingly persistent, aren't cha?!"

Suddenly, your body was flung away from him like a weightless doll. In the hazy vision of your panic and terror, you saw a large grey fox tackle at Kenma's much smaller white figure. You heard your own shriek ringing in your ear as you flew through the air, before feeling that dreaded pull of gravity on your entire body and you started hurtling towards the trees and ground.

Dead. Dead. She's dead.

Destiny coming to finish its work.

A flash of gold and red darted at you from the surrounding greenery below, colliding into your plummeting figure, and you were propelled up into the air once more, your eyelids slamming down tight at the jolting change in direction. You thought your neck would snap.

Is this what a volleyball feels like?

"Say somethin' next time will ya' before ya start tossin' shit!"

Atsumu's painfully familiar voice rang in your ears, and your eyes snapped back open to look up at a mess of golden-hair and caramel eyes; the hair that used to muss up endearingly in your lap as its owner habitually napped on you in your younger years.

A pair of equally golden fox ears mixed with a short layer of red was slowly forming on the top of his head; unlike the smoke that accompanied the shifts of the cat-folk, strands that seemed to stretch out from his hair twisted and coiled themselves together to form the ears. By this point, you were unable to even will yourself to feel surprised at seeing this.

The part of your chest where your heart resided writhed, twisted and clenched on itself horribly.

The other half of your pair of childhood friends that you have been missing.

And yet…

The image of burning has been emblazoned in charcoal black in your mind; the scent of chrysanthemum tea now the smell of acrid smoke.

You told yourself, repeated to yourself, that even if they looked the same, they were not the twins you knew and missed.

You don't know how, you don't know why- but these two are part of the reason Kuroo's and Kenma's home is blanketed in flaming red. The coincidence was too great not to be.

Your intense gaze- filled with anger, frustration, sadness, confusion, helplessness- brought 'Atsumu's' attention down to you.

His eyes that you always thought was a pretty shade of honey that complemented Osamu's pearly grey looked at you in a way you have seen before.

It was the narrowed look that he sometimes had when it was a close match and it was his turn to serve, or when some idiot said something terrible about Osamu behind his brother's back, or that one time the members of his fan club who didn't know any better cornered you and threatened you for being too close to him.

Only he has never set those eyes on you before. And it punched the breath out of you.

He blinked and it was gone, in its place, a smug smirk that fit all too well on his face appeared instead.

"Sorry doll, no hard feelings, eh?"

And then in the same manner 'Osamu' had carted you, 'Atsumu' threw you on the opposite shoulder his twin had carried you mere moments ago, and you were back to being bounced carelessly around as he dropped back down into the cover of the trees and continued leaping away.

"Let me go!" You screamed at him as best you can while being manhandled.

"No can do!" He quipped back lightly, very much like the Atsumu of your world.

This isn't Atsumu. He is not Atsumu.

Something shone from the shade of the forests, and then two gleaming knives flew at your figures, one nearly taking off a lock of your hair as Atsumu dodged away.

"Woah, that's a bit dangerous, isn't it? Nearly poked my cargo here too." The Atsumu-Not-Atsumu laughed gleefully, obviously enjoying himself.

Menacing gold and striking silver flashed from the shadows of the trees, and you watched with a mixture of hope, appreciation, and lingering fragments of fear as the figure of Bokuto expertly weaved through the trees towards you.

An intimidating grin not too different from the one that was surely on 'Atsumu's' face was pulled across his lips. His naturally intense eyes were blown wide, golden pinpricks focused on you and your captor; his head scarcely shifted from its extended forward position as his body turned and twisted behind him amongst the trees.

Like a true predator of the night.

"Hah, so long as it isn't fatal, she can handle a few cuts!" Bokuto said, teeth showing in a callous sneer.

That...was not reassuring at all, Bokuto!

You grunted when there was a particularly hard jab into your stomach from where 'Atsumu's' shoulder dug in as he jumped up to higher leveled branches, hoping to disorient Bokuto's movements with the increase of branches. The forest was already a clear disadvantage to Bokuto and his wings, but years of training and practice were evident in his motions as he dived up after you, wings folding, spreading, and spinning as he navigated the dense forestry.

Gusts of wind blew from his wings during a small break in the trees, and you yelped, burying your face into your tied arms and your kidnapper's back.

'Atsumu' rolled forward with the harsh winds that tried to topple him over from behind, using the added momentum to his advantage instead, his excited laughter ringing around you as his other arm came up against your back to secure you to him as he rolled through the air. You were unable to keep your eyes open as everything spun in rapid circles, losing track of which way was up and which was down.

"This is pretty fun!"

You did not share his sentiment as your stomach reeled on this horrendous roller-coaster ride that was the shoulders of 'Miya Atsumu'.

'Oh god, I-I think my n-neck might really break!'

Another dagger aimed at his leg flew at 'Atsumu'. It grazed him as he side-stepped, and Bokuto's lips pulled back in a provoking smirk.

"Did you know owls hunt foxes?" Bokuto's taunt echoed in the trees, reminding you of the night he found you in the forest.

"Well, did ya' know foxes eat baby owls?" The golden-haired twin teased back loudly.

No, you don't know either and you don't care! These two were more intent on playing chase rather than actually duking it out, and you did not know how to feel about it! On one hand, you were glad you did not have to watch copies of your friends hurting each other, on the other, you were passing your maximum discomfort limit. Thank god you had a light dinner.

"It must really suck to be unable to use magic well! Have you ever seen fox-fire before?!" 'Atsumu' called back as floating orbs of golden-red fire, sometimes flickering purple, began appearing around him; the wisps chillingly conjured images of ghosts and spirits in you despite the heat radiating from them. These wisps launched towards Bokuto who evaded expertly, resulting in the orbs colliding with trees that instantly combusted into flames.

What did he say? Bokuto was unable to use magic well? Weren't the winds he kept blasting out part of his magic?

"Us sky-folk don't need magic when we got wings!"

As if proving his point, a gust of wind so powerful whipped forward with the beating of his large silver wings, culminating into a column of tornado as tall as the trees, gouging up a path through the forest in its fast approach.

H-He remembers that you are here right?!

A curse resounded from beside you. "It's like he doesn't care if you're collateral damage, does he?!" There was a snicker in 'Atsumu's' voice.

You resisted vocally agreeing with him.

'Atsumu's' speed picked up as he raced to outpace the tornado that was hot on his heels, cutting through the forest at an angle in an attempt to get out of its path. But as if the tornado had a mind of its own, it changed its course in the same direction, gradually gaining on 'Atsumu.'

The gales whipped wildly in the air, your hair flying about you just as madly, painfully lashing at your face. It was starting to get difficult to breathe as the surrounding air was sucked away by sheer force.

Dirt, rocks, branches, and bushes from all around were uprooted and pulled up into the devastating tornado, some nicking and scratching at 'Atsumu' as he barely swerved around them.

You felt something scratch across your cheek and arm as well.

Up in the sky, out of reach of the tornado, you saw the figure of Bokuto gliding along as he watched with excitement at the destruction his tornado was causing.

"Ah, damn it, if ya' weren't just gonna get sliced up like a leaf in that tornado, this would be no issue for me to handle!" 'Atsumu' complained as he continued to manhandle you, arm tightening harshly around your body. "You humans are so fragile."

Was he seriously blaming you?

"I didn't ask you to kidnap me!" You snapped, unable to resist as your head whirled around to glare at the back of his head as best you could from the uncomfortable angle.

Aghh, it looks like he kept the other Atsumu's infuriating attitude and the ability to irk you with it.

"Watch yer mouth. You're the captive here." He said threateningly, turning narrowed gold eyes on you. His hair blew violently around him, and he looked almost savage with the dangerous glow in his eyes.

"Well, you're doing a great job of kidnapping me."

"Why didn't 'Samu tie up yer mouth too." He lowly grumbled, before he darkly grinned, the ears on top of his head perking up.

"Speak of the devil~!"

You were suddenly tossed forward again without warning, a scream leaving your lips before you even realized you had been thrown into the air once more. Like a goddamn volleyball!

Your body collided into the arms and hard body of 'Osamu' as he caught you mid-air, paying little attention to you as he turned to frown at his twin a little ways behind.

"Say somethin' before tossin' ya' piece of lug!" 'Osamu' threw his brother's words from earlier back to him.

"Took the words right outta my mouth there 'Samu!"

You want them to tell you before they threw you around! Better yet, you want them to stop passing you back and forth like a ball!

Then it hit you with dread that if 'Osamu' was here, then where was Kenma?

Slung like a sack once more over 'Osamu's' back, you saw 'Atsumu' stop fleeing from the rampaging tornado, turning around to face it head-on instead, diving into its center.

Immediately, scarlet flames combusted from within the twister, and it was quickly pulled up into the gales, turning it into a blazing pillar of vermillion flames. Your eyes bulged out of your head as now not only was everything in the area being uprooted, it was burning.

Fiery images of Nekomata Mountain flashed into your mind again, and you bit your lips harshly as the heat of the fire-tornado spread through the air.

"That bloody idiot." 'Osamu' hissed from below you. With a wave of his hand, a transparent bubble that shimmered and refracted in the light formed around both of your figures just in time to shield your skin from the flames that rapidly expanded in a large radius, momentarily engulfing you in a ball of red.

When the flames dispersed from around you, the pillar of flame had continued to burn brighter and stronger as if fire was continually being pumped into it, and you gaped as the fire soon overtook the height of the tornado, swirling up higher than the forest trees and reaching Bokuto who corkscrewed in the air to avoid it.

There was one last loud and blazing discharge from within the tornado, containing enough force to cancel out the winds with its shockwaves. A spear of purple fire shot up from the smoky aftermath to Bokuto at a blinding speed.

You heard yourself yell something garbled as the flaming spear struck Bokuto who was caught off-guard on one end of his wings, watching in horror as he started to plummet from the sky.

Just as he was about to hit the trees, his falling figure wheeled in the air, righting himself and once more propelling towards the three of you, smoldering smoke emitting from his struck wing.

"Wah, he's persistent too." 'Osamu' grumbled. "'Tsumu!"

"Yo!"

"Don't you dare-!" You squealed when you were flung to the side where 'Atsumu' appeared to receive you.

"Nice pass!"

You screamed not from being thrown like a ragdoll for the umpteenth time but from pure unadulterated frustration at the treatment as 'Atsumu' pulled ahead of his twin, slinging you over his shoulder yet again.

'Osamu' whirled back to face Bokuto's oncoming onslaught. He had his blades drawn as he went charging at 'Osamu' from above, the trees doing nothing to dissuade him. This guy was either crazy or did not give a shit. 'Osamu' focused, spreading his magic and energy out to the surrounding area, smirking to himself.

He raised the same transparent shield he used to shut out 'Atsumu's' flames moments ago, this time as a wall that moved with his arms as he deflected Bokuto's fast attacks.

Grey eyes narrowed at Bokuto's vicious golden eyes, the shimmering shield between them distorting their visions of one another. For a split second, the image of the female cat-folk with round ears rippled on the shield, and Bokuto snarled.

"You're that nasty one from the market."

"Thanks for paying my way out." A mocking smirk played on 'Osamu's' lips.

"I should have cut you down then."

"Well, I have the girl to thank for stepping in for me then."

The metal of Bokuto's blades screeched as they slid on the surface of 'Osamu's' unwavering shield wall, both of them caught in a deadlock as they tried to overpower the other.

"The hell you want with her?" Bokuto bit out lowly.

"Ya' don't think we're going to allow ya' to keep the cure all to yerself, are ya'?"

If Bokuto was surprised, he didn't show it. However, in his mind, he wondered how it was that these foxes found out when they only discovered it today? How did they even have time to plan out an attack? How long have they already been planning? How long have they been compromised?

"As much fun as I am having," his opponent speaking once more brought Bokuto's focus back to the grey-haired male before him, "-we're unfortunately in a hurry. Please have fun with our snake friends instead."

And with that, Bokuto toppled forward into thin air when the foe before him suddenly flickered and disappeared completely. He realized with a frustrated shout that it had been an illusion the whole time! When did that bastard even manage to switch himself out?

The forest area around him scintillated, and he suddenly found himself surrounded by more of the snake-men that had attacked the mountain. He wasn't sure when he got caught in the illusionary trap, but even when knowing that these were only illusions, he knew he had to defeat them to break out of it.

He laughed to himself sardonically. Damn foxes really knew how to play.

They certainly were not Master Tricksters for nothing.

When he finally broke out of the surprisingly strong illusion he had been caught in, Bokuto could not help the pinch of fury and frustration that licked at him; they were too far now to give chase, and he would be unable to track them at this point, especially not with that grey-haired illusionist who will most likely have masked their trail expertly by now.

He begrudgingly admitted that they were strong opponents. He might have been able to handle it if it was only one of them but he did not expect a twin to pop up from nowhere.

And he knew the combination of their illusions and fire-based offensive attacks was the absolute worst for anyone who had the misfortune of facing them, and he had only seen the surface of it. Who knows what other abilities they might have been hiding.

Clearly, they needed to update their information on the Inarizaki foxes but they were elusive as all hell and constantly proved difficult for any spies to locate, even his spies. And they were one of the best in the realm.

If his sky-dwellers and owl-folk are the best at espionage and digging out intelligence, then the Inarizaki foxes were the best at camouflage and hiding it.

It was going to prove difficult to get the girl back if that was the path they chose, as he doubted even Kuroo knew where they were based. The West side of the realm is large enough as it is, without the added mess of all the warring powers there.

As he flew back towards the home of his allies, the fires mostly placated, his sharp eyes spotted the figure of Kenma in his human form, lying on the forest floor and he dove down to the younger male. He checked his pulse and breathed a very small sigh of relief to see that he was only unconscious.

When he had finally emerged from the smoking tunnels of the mountain earlier, he had seen the massive earth wall rising over the forest top and instantly knew it was Kenma's doing. There weren't many in The Dominion that could raise a wall like that on the spot, and the other ones who could have had just emerged with him from the tunnels, chasing after the snake-soldiers that attacked and bombed the mountain.

Looking around at the damage, he could tell that Kenma fought hard against who he assumed to be the grey-haired half of the twins, as he had been engaging the golden-haired one when the other interrupted.

Kenma was smart and magically talented, but when faced with even just one of the twins who were both physically and magically gifted, Bokuto was not surprised that he lost. Heck, even he got trapped in the bastard's damn illusion.

Lifting Kenma in his arms, Bokuto took off for the mountains once more, silently brooding over the events of today.

"Why are you doing this, Daishou?" Kuroo trained impressively calm eyes on the male standing a short distance away from him.

Although his expression was composed, Kuroo was raging underneath.

His home is in flames.

His people have been hurt, and so are his companions in this uncalled for and cowardly sneak attack.

Daishou scoffed angrily, his slitted eyes glowing madly, flickering between its natural silver and the tinted yellow of the setting sky.

"You know better than anyone else why!" He yelled at the Dominion leader, and continued his rampage of weakened attacks, despite having been deflected and thrown back by Kuroo countless of times during this battle.

The winner was clear but he could not stop, could not let him get away with it!

He was thrown back by a boulder that was flung at him by Kuroo.

"What are you talking about?" Amber eyes focused on the leader of the Snake Tribe. For the leader himself to come all the way out here to battle, he must either be desperate or had completely lost it. Perhaps both, he mused, as he noted the crazed glint in Daishou's eyes.

"Mika! You are responsible for Mika's disappearance!" Daishou howled in unbridled fury. A little ways off from where the two faced off, several of Daishou's underlings appeared, rushing towards their leader.

"Give her back!"

"Mika?" Kuroo's eyes narrowed. Daishou's lover?

"I don't know what you are talking about. We have nothing to do with her."

"Lies! It was your people that took her!"

"For as long as we have feuded with one another Daishou, I assure you, on my honor as the Leader of Nekoma Dominion, we did not take her."

"I don't care about your honor, give Mika back!"

"Leader!" Numai, one of Daishou's top soldier, pleaded with him as he neared with the others. "We need to retreat! Now!"

Daishou hissed lowly, wrath coursing in his veins. They had snuck into The Dominion to look for Mika but were unable to locate her, so they must be keeping her elsewhere. It was supposed to be a quiet mission, to go in undetected and leave with Mika. They did not have the numbers to take on The Dominion in a straight battle. But when he did not find her at their holding cells, he lost control of his temper and emotions, seeking out Kuroo to get the answers directly from the man himself.

And yet the devious feline keeps to his disgusting lies!

Then that damn fox just up and left amid the chaos after setting things off, abandoning them! He never should have trusted a fox.

Kuroo gripped his sword tight in his hand and exhaled harshly, reigning his boiling emotions in, pushing them deep down under the still ocean surface of his heart.

It was clear to him that Daishou, as vile as the snake can be sometimes, is acting on pure desperation out of love for Mika. His people and the Snake Tribe had never gotten along, despite Kuroo's efforts on many occasions to mend relations; they were a vengeful group and held onto old resentment with a vice and diplomatic talks had consistently proved unfruitful.

It was a true shame, considering that even Bokuto and his sky-folk were able to try and put the past behind them for a more peaceful path forward.

...One time. He can afford it one time.

"Go, Daishou. My people will not follow." His eyes glowed threateningly as he trailed his gaze across Daishou and the men that now surrounded him. "But if you do something like this again, I will not show you mercy a second time."

Daishou howled wordless sounds at him, moving to charge him again but his men held him back.

"Let me go!"

"Daishou! We are not equipped for this! We need to go!"

"Y-Yea! If anything happened to you now, who will save Mika?!"

As if that was the magic words he needed to hear, Kuroo watched as Daishou's men forcefully dragged him away. One of them, Kuguri if Kuroo recalls correctly, looked at him with a small nod, silently thanking him for his mercy.

Kuroo sheathed his weapon once he sensed they were clear of the area, fists clenching as he mulled over Daishou's accusations. It was easy to deduce that someone is setting them up, but who? And why? How did they slip past their guards? Did someone help them?

He rather not have to fight Daishou and his Snake Tribe under such circumstances if they are being manipulated, but as he looked back out at the dying flames and smog blanketing his home, he meant his last words to them.

There were a lot of questions that Kuroo needed to find answers to, but as of this moment, helping his people get through this was his priority.

Off in the distance, his sharp eyes picked out the form of Bokuto flying in the sky, carrying...Kenma?

If Kenma's there, then where was...

There was a ripple on the ocean surface, and Kuroo breathed deeply.

Once. Twice.

The ripple subsided and the ocean stilled once more.

With powerful strides, he made his way to where Bokuto landed with an unconscious Kenma in his arms.

You stared silently into space in a jumble of dismay, simmering anger, sadness, and confusion as you were carried further and further away from Nekoma Dominion over the shoulders of 'Osamu.' It was the only assumption you could make, as you have never gone beyond or Moggie Boroughs before.

'Osamu' had caught up to you and 'Atsumu,' who promptly tossed you back to his brother, saying something about being too tired to carry anything or anyone. Without the chaos that dogged them during their escape with you, you finally got a good look at the twins of this dimension.

'Atsumu' wore a red sleeveless robe- partially open and loose on the front- that stopped at his thighs, with an inner layer of black that lined tighter underneath the upper red layer. A wide, black obi secured the robes around his waist, with a thick, red rope running through the center of the obi-belt.

Black leather armguards started from the middle of his forearms and ended halfway on his upper arms, covering his elbows, and he donned fitting black trousers that ended right below his knees. Black leg guards with platings of the same shade of red ran up his calves, and black socks covered his feet, protected by dark sandals with white straps.

Where Kuroo, Bokuto, and the others of were garbed in what you attributed as fantasy medieval western-styled clothes, the clothes of this world's Atsumu leaned towards an eastern-style, blending between a Chinese and Japanese flair; you half-expected him to have a fox mask on. Ironic, considering their home was to the West of the continent.

'Osamu' was dressed similarly, only his outer robe was short-sleeved and a deep shade of blue, and was fastened more securely compared to his flashy twin. The obi tied on his waist was the same as 'Atsumu's' with the same red rope, but the platings on his leg guards were the blue of his robe.

Much like Kuroo and the rest, they were exact carbon copies of the Miya twins of your world. But…

Your lips trembled as you thought about Nekomata Mountain burning, of Kenma fighting hard for you, and even Bokuto as he chased after you.

They are not the Miya brothers you know.

You don't know what their situation is, but they were obviously involved in the fire engulfing the home of the cat-folk- having witnessed 'Atsumu' using fire only added fuel to your assumption- and there is no excuse to ever lay such destruction upon other people.

You wanted to lash out at them, at something!

You were just feeling so much pain and anger at them, at your helplessness, at your situation, at everything!

Why are you here in this world?! What did they want with you?! Why did they take you away?! What was that stupid white light? Why was your other self dead?! What's happening at Nekomata Mountain?!

...are Kuroo and the others at alright?

A low, quiet sniffle escaped you as you hung limply over 'Osamu's' shoulder, bound hands dangling down wearily, defeated by your impossible situation.

You were so tired. So, so tired. Physically and mentally.

So tired that you didn't even have the energy to argue or struggle when one of the twins made a snarky comment about you being a surprisingly good captive, or to even ask them the barrage of questions that you know you have but are too exhausted to sort out.

You just want to go home.

Through the mess of your fatigue and your mixed emotions, you never realized that your thoughts at this very moment were filled with not only memories of your family and your university friends, but also with vivid images of Nekomata Mountain and even Moggie Boroughs.

You were suddenly lifted and with an " Oof-," was dropped ungracefully onto the grass, back planted against a tree. Unconsciously, you brought your bounded arms and legs closer to you, curling into yourself.

'Osamu' looked down at you with frosty eyes, and you shivered, wondering where the 'Osamu' that bantered with his brother mid-battle from earlier went.

Frosty Osamu's grey eyes looked darker than it ever did under the dimming light of the sun, the shade of night slowly creeping over the skies and his somber eyes.

This Osamu chills you.

"'Samu, what gives?" 'Atsumu' complained, wondering why his brother suddenly stopped and threw their captive to the floor. "We don't have time for a break. We have to get back."

Caramel eyes glanced at you and you swallowed. The way he looked at you with those eyes earlier was still fresh in your mind; it had been a vicious gaze.

Frosty Osamu sighed, turning dull eyes to his twin. "I've been carrying her more than half the time. I'm tired."

"I didn't know ya' were that weak."

"You carry her then ya' slug."

Your lips pursed at the sight. It was almost like watching the Miya brothers of your world.

It made you squirm uncomfortably.

So far, your experiences with Majestic Kuroo, Energetic Kenma, and Scary Bokuto had been complete opposites of how you knew them to be.

Watching the two twins before you now, there was hardly a difference in their mannerisms and how they act but you just know that it is different. Besides the obvious of him having less of a filter compared to the Osamu you know, and that chillier attitude, there was something else that you weren't sure about. Vicious Atsumu was very much the same and you could not pinpoint what it was that gave you this strange feeling in your gut.

You've known the twins long enough to be able to understand their weird and dynamic mood cycles most of the time where others would falter. And that read that you usually had on them was just...barely off.

"Oi."

Osamu stared down at the girl as she blinked out of her reverie, his voice pulling her back from her thoughts.

It surprised him a little when she helped him out with that annoying shop owner, he will admit. The sludge that he called food was disgusting and Osamu would rather die a thousand times over than pay for it. Atsumu chewed his ear off for dragging so much attention to themselves but whatever. It didn't change anything in the end, and the piece of information that he caught that she was a guest of the Dominion's leader had been good to pocket.

It did surprise him a lot more when he saw her and that- what did she call him? Kenma?- and what transpired with the infected girl at the outskirts of the city. He distinctly saw the black veins disappear when she made contact with the tainted cat-girl.

His spying on her had not been intentional; it was pure coincidence on his part but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. He had been in fact following the tainted girl (he was the one who let her out after all, mainly out of spite and vengeance on The Dominion), to see if she will be able to bring him to any leads to answer their questions but alas, he didn't find what he was looking for.

He found something even better.

It was like fate stepped in and placed her in his path. And though someone with their history absolutely abhorred the idea of fate, he would be stupid to let that go.

Atsumu had been dubious and did not believe him at all.

"Are you sure ya' weren't just looking at an illusion?"

"How the heck am I supposed to put myself under my own illusion?"

"You tell me. Maybe you triggered yer own traps."

Atsumu had been infuriating about it but considering the fact that they were in Dominion territory, sneaking around on their own...well, those were not the actions of people who had a reign on their emotions.

After that, it was only a matter of using the snakes they had found sneaking around the borders of The Dominion (The Dominion was really attracting the wrong kind of attention, weren't they?) and using them as a distraction.

It was easier than expected, but he supposed The Dominion had been completely caught off guard; Atsumu went a bit overboard with the flames and the explosives given to the snake-men though, and could have been a bit more inconspicuous.

However, something else had been bothering him since he picked her up…

"Why do ya' know my name?"

Her doe-eyes looked back up at him, confused.

Atsumu gave him a similar look, but less innocent. "What are ya' talkin' about?"

"When she saw my real form, she said 'Samu." Osamu's eyes narrowed intensely at her, daring her to try and lie.

A visible gulp traveled down her throat and he could see her try to make herself smaller, pulling her knees further in.

"I-I…"

Shit.

What are you supposed to tell them? The truth?

As it stands, you were clearly on the side of Kuroo and Nekoma Dominion since they took care of you. You didn't know who these twins are, at all.

They are not the Miya twins you know.

You chewed on your lips, trying to think of something to say, to feed them. But you had zero ideas.

Why would you know his name?

It was the same with Bokuto; your mentioning of their names had only brought about negative reactions so far (well, except for Kenma) but it was all spur of the moment! You uttered his nickname without even realizing it, bowled over by the shock at seeing your childhood friend's face!

"Well?" He pushed, taking one sinister step forward, towering over you within his shadow.

"I-I...I-..." Ahhh, dammit, think of something.

"I…"

A cold nervous sweat started to gather at the tips of your temples and your palms.

You...you had nothing. You had absolutely nothing.

Lips beginning to tremble, you felt the familiar telltale pricks at your eyes.

You wished you were smarter. You wished you were better with words and able to talk yourself out of situations. But you weren't and you have one of the worst poker faces you've ever seen! Why are you in this situation anyway? You never should have gone to that awful practice match! You wished this never happened to you!

You gasped and bit down on your bottom lip, resisting the urge to cry. You don't want to cry in front of these...replicas!

"Ah-, ah-, ya' made her cry 'Samu. Just what we need."

"Why'd ya' make her cry for 'Samu?"

"Shut up. I just asked her a question."

"Yea well, as much as I want to know too, we need to get back before we get in trouble and I'm tired! We can play questions when we're back home."

"...tch, fine. Ya' carry her this time."

"Wha- hey! I used a lot of energy dealing with that tornado back there!"

"And ya' still didn't manage to take the guy down. But I did, so ya' carry her."

"Ugh, fine!"

Vicious Atsumu approached you with a languid smile and you withdrew from him. The ropes around your arms twisted further, reddening the surrounding skin and you winced.

His caramel eyes flickered to that small movement and sighed boredly.

"'Samu, we probably can let up on the ropes now. They bother my skin too."

"If she escapes, you're going after her alone."

"Oh come on!"

With a loud sigh, Frosty Osamu walked back to where you sat with Vicious Atsumu crouched before you. He looked down at you with a squint, waving his hand and gesturing lazily at the bindings. You momentarily entertained the thought that the twins of this world were...more abrasive?

"You're a magic-user aren't you? Can't ya' tell these aren't real?"

You definitely were no magic-user, at least, you still don't believe that you are but what?

"W-What…?"

He scowled at you, much like he did when he was disguised as the petite girl you inadvertently helped and tugged at the rope on your wrists.

"They're illusions."

"..." Is he for real?

He waved his hand and sure enough, the bindings around your limbs shimmered and flickered before vanishing completely.

...He has got to be shitting you. You have been bound by an illusion the whole time?! But it felt so real...

"What?! I thought ya' used real rope 'Samu!"

"Are you an idiot? Why would I when illusions work just as well? And you should be able to tell they are illusions too!"

"I don't pay attention to everythin' ya' do!"

"Ya' shouldn't need to pay attention to notice this!"

You reminded yourself once more that they are not the twins you know.

You weren't sure how long it has been since the alternate twins continued on their trek, taking turns carrying you though Vicious Atsumu was forced by Frosty Osamu to do it more comparatively.

During a short break they took, you stupidly tried your luck at sneaking off but got caught almost immediately by Frosty Osamu, who put the bindings back onto your legs. They had let you walk up till that point and now you were cradled in Vicious Atsumu's arms, who was whining about being tired again for the 11th time that hour.

You can't blame him, you weren't the one walking after all.

"Finally! We're back!" Vicious Atsumu breathed an exaggerated sigh of relief, and you curled your hands around his neck with a yelp when he suddenly stretched his arms out with you in them.

"D-Don't drop me!"

"Have some faith, I didn't drop you the past few hours did I?" He squinted at you and you grimaced uncomfortably at the feeling in your chest.

"Can ya' not be so loud for once?" Frosty Osamu drawled dully, slouching where he stood. "We don't want everyone to know."

"Yea, yea."

You looked around in confusion.

They said that you've arrived but...

You've left the forest some time ago and have been walking (in your case, carried) along a narrow beaten path of dirt and rocks, and for as far as the eye can see, there was nothing but stretches of abandoned farms and fields. Multiple, large swaths of land have been flooded by muddy water with insects buzzing incessantly overhead, and brown weeds grew in abundance.

Two tall, skinny and barren trees stood on either side of the equally deserted road, painting a pitiful image of desolation and abandonment.

...this doesn't look like a place the greatest threat of the West resided.

Vicious Atsumu rolled his eyes with a smug smirk that was also on Frosty Osamu's face when they saw the confusion on your face.

"Ya' better be grateful. Not a lot of outsiders get to see this."

"Heh, ya' better be grateful! We don't show this skill to just anyone."

"Not a lot of humans especially get to see this."

"Yea, we especially don't show it to girls."

They simultaneously remarked proudly to you.

"What are you guys talking about?"

"W-What are you talking...about…"

You trailed off as Osamu brought his palms flat together horizontally in a resounding clap, and then slowly separated them, as if he was gently lifting the lid off a treasure chest, languidly revealing its precious contents to your ignorant eyes.

And oh, how ignorant your eyes truly were.

I know you're there.

Fox-Folk: Master Tricksters and experts of camouflage, their ability to shapeshift and talent for illusions is a deadly and troublesome combo that is difficult to counter. With the proficient application of these gifts, they are capable of chipping down and overturning entire hierarchies of their enemies from within.

Fox-Fire: Manifestations of the magic of the fox-folk. Adept magic users of the fox-folk can manifest them at will, allowing for a wider scope of attack options with the added range and mobility. It takes away the need for the presence of their controlled element as it can be conjured with fox-fire, for example, fire or water; it consumes a lot of energy due to this than if they used magic regularly like the other races who rely on the element being present. Looks like Will-O'-The-Wisps.

Bird-folk/Sky-folk/Sky-dwellers: Denizens of Owl Vale, the realm under the leadership of alternate Bokuto Koutarou. They are naturally adept hunters and many of the best assassins and spies of Hyquile hail from this region. Their gifts for magic are low compared to other races, with a few exceptions; they typically rely on magical tools and artifacts instead, like the Nox-Gloom Talon Bokuto Koutarou carries. Consists of mainly owl-folk and a mix of other avian-folk.

Notes:

2020/08/03 Update: So I made a tumblr and drew a basic sketch/design of Atsumu's and Osamu's outfit in Hyquile. Granted, it has changed from when I first wrote their description in this chapter HAHA but I hope it gives people a better idea.
Hyquile Atsumu
Hyquile Osamu
I plan to post further designs/maps/indexes etc and basically enrich the worldbuilding experience for all of us there with art.
(not that I am asking for fanart or anything, but I don't mind it either if anyone has their own take of things in Hyquile and wish to draw it, just putting it out there hahaha)
-

The Miya Twins are too OP.
I definitely had too much fun tossing Reader around 3
And does anyone know Daishou's eye color? I have been squinting at colored art of him and his iris so tiny I can't tell. I assume it is silver but is made to look gold/yellow for coolness points. But phew, that was one big chapter!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Man, this series is gonna be loonnng so I hope ya'll ready for this road trip!

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary.
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 7: The Inarizaki Foxes

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Inarizaki House

Notes:

Oh wow, 1000 hits in 15days! Thank you so much for everyone's support, all the comments, kudos, subscriptions and bookmarks!
And especially a big round of appreciation to the commenters since without you guys, this story might still have been at chapter 3!

Information vomit incoming.
Story is starting to snowball. Ish. I hope you like snowballs.

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time and effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till late to write my own.
Leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way, on top of motivating them to update faster :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It had been barely sundown when the twins took off with you, and now the moon was high in the sky and the stars sparkled dimly from behind chalky clouds.

You were not aware of how far you have traveled, especially not when the twins kept up a fast and steady pace with you in either one of their arms after your pitiful escape attempt, through the various forests and landscapes as they sprinted from the realm of The Nekoma Dominion.

Whenever you gazed out at the beautiful horizon from the top of Nekomata Mountain, you did not remember seeing these boglands where your captors have stopped.

It meant you must be far.

The surrounding land was desolate and sad, dark-brown overgrown weeds and tufts of dry vegetation growing and spilling onto the narrow dirt path. Two skinny trees stood awkwardly and despondently across from each on either side of the path, their dead branches sticking out in the night sky like gangly limbs. Dirty, brown water rippled silently as bugs skimmed across their surface and there were no other sounds save for the beat of their tiny wings. Even the wind was quiet.

Then with a resounding clap in the silent air that startled you, Osamu slapped his hands together and ever so gently, slowly, drew them apart.

It was like a veil was lifted from your eyes.

An enchantment falling over you at the vision that was unveiled to your ignorant, oblivious, blind eyes.

The Realm of The Nekoma Dominion was calming, beautiful, magnificent, with its still, lush mountains and bustling city of lively folk.

But this...

This was magical.

There was a soft ripple in the air, faint creases fanning over the navy sky and plains; then a sliver of colorful light stretched across the plane of empty air, cutting the desolate fields away, spreading and growing to the pace of Osamu's parting hands. Rainbows of colors swam in the stream of light like the surface of bubbles, gradually fading into white as the light grew wider and brighter.

Atsumu took a step across the boundary of light with you in his arms and your breath caught in your throat.

The glum, dark bogs faded away, revealing plains upon plains of rich rice fields as they left, bountiful stalks dancing in the night wind and gleaming silver in the moonlit night. Terraces of fertile lands climbed on the backs of one another, lifting each one higher and higher as if reaching for the sky, their watery surfaces reflecting the light of the moon and the stars.

The skinny barren trees were no more, and in their very place stood a monumental red torii gate, straight and dignified with its vermillion red against the backdrop of the full moon.

Beyond the first gate, many more smaller torii gates lined the path, creating a long red tunnel along the path that was striped with cascading moonlight.

Torii gates marked the transition of one from the mundane into the sacred, and you feel like you finally understood why.

As Atsumu proceeded along the torii lined path with Osamu beside him, you could not help but be in awe, taking in everything with a dizzy haze of wonder as you admired the vast rice fields that filtered in between the torii columns.

For a moment, you forgot about the fact that you have just been kidnapped by look-alikes of your childhood friends in another dimension, about the fatigue that plagues your mind with countless questions that have no answers; you just took it all in, wondering how this frantic, strange world could be so beautiful.

"It's amazin', right?" Atsumu remarked to you with unconcealed pride, eyes on the path.

"It's beautiful." The answer left you with no hesitation, your gaze still on the mesmerizing view, breaking the rule you had set for yourself to not talk to either of the twins. Not that you had been doing a good job of keeping to that rule, but you decided you should not speak too much lest you divulge any information needlessly. You still did not trust them, not after what they did to Nekomata Mountain.

He blinked down at you, surprised at your direct and sincere praise of his home, but returned to smirking smugly about it.

It was short-lived as he suddenly stiffened, grasp tightening around you unconsciously; Osamu next to him reacted similarly.

"And where did you two run off to? It has been weeks ."

A voice boomed from the top of the stairs that ran from the end of the torii tunnel.

"Ah, shit..."

"Damn it…"

The twins muttered lowly to themselves and curiously, you looked up to the newcomer.

A dark-skinned man (man-like?) stood with arms crossed firmly on his chest, legs spread intimidatingly as he frowned sternly down at this world's Miya twins.

Your eyes bulged at the sight of him.

He...is huge .

He towered over even the twins who were already quite tall, easily going well over the two-meter mark. Muscles rippled with even the tiniest shifts of his movements, and you gulped when the muscles on his large arms flexed when he tightened them across his chest. Thick, full brows were slanted down, accentuating his golden-brown eyes that glinted in the darkness. He had no immediate animal characteristics on him but he reminded you of a bear.

A very large bear.

"Aran, didn't think you'd still be up at this hour," Atsumu laughed nervously and Osamu shifted in his place.

The man named Aran responded stonily. "I wouldn't be if you two did not go off on your own."

"Don't tell me you've been waitin' for us the whole time?" Osamu chanced asking and you could see he immediately regretted his decision.

"In fact, I have. " Anger and annoyance pointedly laced his words. "So care to enlighten me on where you've been and why you have brought a human girl back with you?"

You could not help it even if you tried- you reflexively flinched alongside Vicious Atsumu and Frosty Osamu at his tone.

"We have a good reason!" Atsumu replied bravely and the other man frowned further.

"I can't wait to hear all about it."

Sigh.

You rolled around wearily on the simple straw cot that was in the room you have been thrown in carelessly, with barely a second glance, sleep evading you despite the exhaustion weighing on your limbs.

Besides the cot, there was nothing else but an unsteady wooden table and creaky chair in the room. There was a wood bucket in one corner that you can only guess what it was for and you grimaced.

The door has been bolted shut from the other side and there was no window in the room. Clearly, you were a prisoner and this was their holding cell.

With an aching clench on your heart, you wished that Kenma was here with a jug of his relaxing milk tea, or Kuroo with a cup of his chrysanthemum tea. It was almost funny how just a week ago you crash-landed in Hyquile, got your soul spooked out of you at the strange way everyone was acting and had multiple meltdowns regarding this unbelievable situation; now you find yourself taken captive by alternates of your childhood friends, thrown in a cell and, ironically, wishing for beverages prepared by the very people you were spooked by in the beginning.

Ohh, how things change in such a short amount of time.

Staring listlessly up at the ceiling, you solemnly wondered if you will ever get out of this and make it back home. Regretfully, you know that you've been relying solely on Majestic Kuroo- you huffed softly to yourself; you should stop referring to them as Majestic Kuroo, Energetic Kenma, and even Scary Bokuto as such. It felt rude now, as it was something you only started doing because you could not accept them as them and merely saw them as duplicates, needing a way to separate them from those you considered your friends.

But...that wasn't the case anymore.

Being locked in a cell now made you appreciative of them far too late, remembering that Kuroo did not throw you in a cell even at the beginning despite his lingering suspicions. And sure, Bokuto had been scary and threatening but he was looking out for his realm, and finally knowing that the other 'you' is dead, you could hardly blame him for being wary. It didn't make what he did right by you but you understood that he isn't a bad person, especially not if Kuroo trusted him.

Speaking of the other 'you'...

...was that her in the spring water the other night?

It was definitely a reflection of you, moving in a way that did not reflect you. You had been so scared then and did not want to think about it at all. But since Kuroo revealed the truth of the matter to you yesterday...you had to wonder if it was her.

And that day in the dance studio... you thought you saw someone's reflection in the mirror that wasn't you in your sweaty clothes.

"Ahhhh!" With a frustrated whine, you rubbed your head harshly with both hands, feeling a headache coming on the more you thought about things.

Rolling over onto your side, you squeezed your eyes shut and took deep breaths, hoping to get some sleep, even if only for a few hours.

And just like when you were back in Tokyo, you slept the remaining night away as if you did not sleep at all.

When you woke the next morning, the first thing you did was scream yourself hoarse when you came face to face with dull yellow eyes; you jumped back, unwittingly hitting the back of your head against the hard wall, cutting your scream off with a harsh wince.

"Ow!"

"Are you alright? That looked like it hurt."

Hissing under your breath, you looked up from where you had your torso bent over, hand grasping the back of your head.

Yellow eyes, almost grey in tone, looked back at you blankly but it wasn't a heartless gaze. Dark-brown hair parted down the middle of his head neatly, though stubborn strands still stuck out here and there. He wore robes of red and black similar to what Vicious Atsumu wore last night, but the upper red layer had long tapered sleeves and fitting black garment made the layer below it. The black trousers he wore ran the full length of his leg.

You...you know him.

You've seen him play with them at the Tokyo National games you've attended. He's one of the university volleyball club players that Atsumu and Osamu hung out with. He didn't speak much and was quiet most of the time but you know his name at least, in the many times Atsumu dragged him out to parties with your group. He always disappeared soon after though, quietly slinking off before you ever had the chance to talk to him more.

But you've learned your lesson with Bokuto and Osamu, deciding that pretending to not know him, or anyone else you might come across, would be easier on you in the long run.

"W-Who are you?" You winced at your own voice which was dry from the lack of liquid sustenance.

"Suna Rintarou." He answered plainly, handing you a cup of water that he brought from a tray beside him. Hesitantly, you reached out to take the cup, cautiously sniffing it before drinking; your eyes remained on the stranger that pretty much had his face in yours when you woke.

There was a brief silence before he spoke again. "And you?"

You didn't know if you should answer, and your expression must have said as much because he tilted his head at you, sharp eyes blinking slowly.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"...your friends kidnapped me last night." You couldn't keep the bitterness out of your voice.

"I apologize for that. They are being reprimanded as we speak." His voice remained even, dull in nature. It wasn't like the cool dulcet tones Kuroo spoke in; it was just...dull, void of unnecessary intonations, but it wasn't cold or unkind. You did not feel threatened by his presence nor his actions, besides him having invaded your personal space whilst you slept. It felt more like he didn't want to waste any unnecessary energy in enunciating his speech. It fit the quiet image you have of the Suna Rintarou of your world, in a different way.

When he lifted a small box filled with bandages and what looked like a jar of medicinal paste and gestured to the cut on your arm (you forgot you even got this yesterday), you reluctantly gave him your name.

Anyone who tended to the injured was good in your book.

Quietly, the male named Suna began to tend to the cut on your arm and the one on your cheek.

You gnawed on the inside of your mouth, before finally asking the question you want an answer to the most.

"Why am I here?"

He paused in his ministrations but continued again. "It's a long story."

"I feel like we have time…"

He hummed. "Maybe."

But he didn't give you an answer and you sighed.

"...am I in danger?" The next question you want answered the most.

He finished laying the small strip of bandage on your cheek, putting the unused supplies back in the box. Then he shook his head at you and replied in that flat voice of his that was both strange and soothing.

"No, you aren't."

The relieved slump of your shoulder was obvious.

"At least, I think."

The tension returned full force and you stared at him worriedly, the beating of your heart loud in your chest.

Short but wide fox ears the color of his hair began to form on the top of his head, strands rising from his hair and coiling together intricately as it took shape. You watched it form curiously, finding the difference from the cat-folk's smoky method fascinating, and admitting in the back of your mind that one week ago you would have been having a mental breakdown.

It both scared and excited you, how you were starting to get used to this world, and all the new things it kept throwing your way on a daily basis.

Mindlessly, your eyes drifted to the human ears that poked out from underneath his hair; you didn't pay any attention to it yesterday on the twins, having been too caught up in everything but it looks like the fox-folk have both ear options too, much like the cat-folk; lucky them, being able to use either according to needs.

You lightly touched your own head; maybe when you get home, you'll pick up a pair of cat or fox headband for yourself for fun.

The ears stopped forming, and he cocked his head, listening to something you couldn't hear. Well, you actually couldn't hear anything in this windowless room.

His ear flicked once before he turned to you, a small tug at his lips. "It seems they've come to a decision of sorts."

"Huh?"

"You're safe for now by the sounds of it."

"O-Oh…that's reassuring?"

Okay, you'll take it. Maybe Kuroo will come to save you before you are no longer safe. Or you can try to escape…? No, that was a stupid idea; you know nothing about this world and have no way to defend yourself. Who knows what else is out there in Hyquile.

Suna went to the door, waving his hand on the knob. There was a clicking sound. Well, escape is out of the question then if you can't unlock it magically.

"Come with me. You're hungry and want a bath, right?" He motioned for you to follow him.

Right, you can only imagine how you must smell like right now to his fox nose.

You followed him down a stone corridor with several more doors like the one you came out of. They were holding cells similar to yours. You thought you might have seen a human skeleton in one room that had its door slightly opened and dearly hoped you were just hallucinating from fatigue again.

After climbing a flight of stairs, you emerged from the underground through a trapdoor that was once more magically unlocked by Suna. It seemed like everything here required magic. Great.

Climbing out to another corridor with wooden walls, you heard arguing voices resonating from somewhere, one of them sounding like an aggravated Vicious Atsumu before there was the loud sound of a door slamming shut.

Suna led you outside to where the bright noon sun beamed down at you with its glaring rays and you flinched at the blinding brightness, compared to the dim darkness of where you have been the last several hours.

One thing you noted right away was that the Inarizaki House was less a 'house' and more of a village community.

You weren't exactly expecting a large manor of sorts where they all lived together when you first heard about them from Kenma, but you also definitely did not expect this quaint little village you currently find yourself being led through.

Simple cottages, some smaller and some larger but all equally modest, made up most of the buildings in the Inarizaki territory. There were a few other buildings like the one you emerged from that stood out starkly against the rather humble architectures surrounding it but these buildings looked to be serving larger purposes.

Much of the territory from what you can see was dedicated to terraces of beautiful rice fields, which looked even more mesmerizing under the light of the sun, shimmering like jewels.

It had been dark yesterday and you were unable to tell clearly but the expanse of the fields was far larger than what you initially thought.

Did the fox-folk consume this much rice?

You must have voiced your thoughts aloud because Suna quirked an amused brow at you as he answered, startling you with his willingness to divulge information on his brethren; all you've ever heard about them was that they were elusive and secretive.

"We have a few big eaters like the Miya twins who brought you here but no, we sell most of the rice we produce or trade them for other resources."

Interesting. So the fox-folk traded with other folks then?

Another thing you picked up on was that the Inarizaki territory is not very populated, unlike The Dominion that was thriving with life, occupying whole mountains and a city within a valley.

You can see figures in the rice fields closer to the village borders hard at work on their fields, so part of the community must be out now. But even when taking that into account, you thought there would be a lot more making up the Inarizaki House, the supposed largest threat of the West.

The village was very large, but you could not help but feel that it was way too large for the population you can see so far, leaving an uncanny sense of emptiness in the space.

Children ran around with their fox ears and tails, and the adults in general always had a fox-trait out too, unlike the cat-folk who liked to shift back and forth as they wish.

It made Suna who did not have either stand out in your eyes, the ears he brought out only moments ago already gone.

Suna led you to a bathhouse near the village's central area where he waited for you outside whilst you bathed. There weren't many people in the bathhouse when you entered, but the lady and her child who had been inside quickly left when you entered.

Biting your lip, you ignored their jumpy reactions towards you and opted to wash as fast as you can.

When you emerged from the bath, there was a new pile of fresh clothes waiting for you and you were unable to locate the ones you wore at The Dominion. It made you a bit sad as you had liked those clothes that Kenma got for you...but wearing the clothes of the territory's enemy doesn't do you any favors, does it?

The new ones you received was similar in style to the yukatas you would wear to festivals back home but with elbow-length sleeves and stopped around your knees. Many of the children and female adults you saw in the village wore similar garments with their own personal variations so this must be a standard style for the foxes.

It...would make working in the rice fields easier, you supposed.

"It looks good on you," Suna commented blandly when you stepped out, and you thanked him awkwardly, feeling the stares of nearby fox-folk on you, a stranger, a foreigner, wearing their clothes.

You continued to notice with an uncomfortable stirring in your stomach that whenever you passed by, the fox-folk would stop what they were doing and shiftily look at you, and conversations would halt altogether. The few children you were able to see would gather and huddle in wary circles, some would run back to their parents nearby and there were a few windows and doors that quickly slid shut as soon as your shadow entered their corner.

And you weren't sure if it is just your imagination, but you noted with a chilling curl in your stomach that you did not see any elderly fox-folk. They all looked young, most looking to be around your age, some a little older, but there weren't any that were along in years. You don't know what the lifespans of fox-folk are but to not have a single strand of aged silver hair in sight? And the children...there were so few of them.

Suna walked on as if he did not notice the wary staring, which didn't help your discomfort but you walked closer to him regardless.

At least he did not look at you the way they would.

"This is my home. You'll stay here until further notice." He spoke suddenly, opening the door to a modestly sized cottage that was a little removed from the others that were built closely together.

Wood made up the walls and the majority of the materials used to build it, unlike The Dominion that used whatever they found that works. It was taller compared to the other housing cottages you have seen so far, about three floors high, where the rest had only one or two floors. The thatched roof was extremely slanted at a deep angle, and made of large leaves with an underlay of thick straws, stacked and pulled together tightly for insulation.

"S-Sorry, what?" That took you by surprise. "You aren't going to put me back in the…"

Shaking his head no, he motioned for you to take a seat at one of the chairs around the plain dining table at the back of the cottage.

"That doesn't seem to be the decision they came to for the time being. But I doubt that any of the others would bother with rehousing you somewhere so you can stay here." Suna said as he set down a simple serving of soup and rice before you.

"I…" You had so many questions so where do you even begin?

What was the decision they came to? Why did the Miya brothers bring you here? Why is he being so nice to you? Why is everyone looking at you so strangely? What is going on exactly?

But you went with something else instead.

"Thank you."

It didn't take a genius to figure out from the eyes of the villagers and the cold way the brothers and Aran spoke about you that you aren't a welcomed presence but here was Suna, tending to you and opening up his own home to you. You did not know what was going on at all and saying that you are completely lost is an understatement but you at least know that Suna is being nice to you when he has no reason to be.

A smile lifted on his lips and you could feel the heat creeping up your neck. You never saw the Suna Rintarou of your world smile like that before.

You stuffed your face into the simple food, hoping he did not catch the red flush of your cheeks, as he joined you at the table with a bowl of his own.

For the next few days, you stayed at Suna's house, rarely leaving it or straying far from it.

Suna was a very easy person to be around. He didn't speak unnecessarily, and always answered your questions and curious glances though not always with the answers you sought. He treated you regularly, not as a prisoner or a human or a stranger; just with simple kindness and respect.

No one else came to get you or see you.

You didn't see Vicious Atsumu, Frosty Osamu, or even the bear-like man, Aran.

And when you did muster the courage to go outside for a short walk or a breath of fresh air, the fox-folk who caught glimpses of you would immediately make efforts to avoid you and shut you out.

Their jumpy and blatant apprehension unnerved you, and in a way...made you sad.

The cat-folk of The Dominion hadn't always been kind, some even downright rude, but they didn't shut you out like this.

Then again, you were a guest of the realm there and here...you're not even sure what you are right now.

You had been a prisoner for a very brief period but now what?

No one told you anything, there was no gossip in the air for you to eavesdrop on as everybody stopped talking as soon as you were in their line of sight, and Suna didn't tell you anything either, mumbling something about how it was still an 'ongoing discussion.'

It should be the least of your worries but you were starting to feel very lonely, something you did not feel when Kenma was always with you, and Lev and Yaku would sometimes pop by to accompany you. Heck, even Bokuto's staring would be welcomed compared to this isolating bubble the fox-folk had put you in.

And you noted with painstaking reluctance that you were sorely missing Kuroo's calming voice and reassuring presence.

Suna treated you well, but he was rarely around during the day, leaving before you were up and returning late towards the night. Most of your time was spent alone in his house or wandering near the edges of the rice fields that were located away from the direction of the village.

You had also tried looking for that same red tunnel of torii gates you entered from but had no luck locating it; it should stand out amongst all this peaceful green, shouldn't it? Then remembering all the times Osamu used illusions before you, you defeatedly accepted that it was likely hidden away.

You know you should just be grateful for the fact that they haven't killed you or hurt you (yet?) but it felt like you were stuck in limbo, with no way or information on how to proceed forwards or even backwards; you don't know for what purpose you were brought here (both to this world and to Inarizaki territory) and you don't know how to get out.

You just floated aimlessly in the village like a ghost.

These thoughts plagued you every day and your sleep pattern was certainly not the better for it.

Even now, as you tried to focus on your stretches as best you could, your mind kept whirling with questions that kept multiplying with zero answers.

There is a spot of nice ground with soft grass you discovered when you wandered away from the villagers. You've been coming here to do your stretches and practice your dance the last two days, hoping the activity would help clear your mind. It didn't but at least you need not worry about being out of shape when you returned home...eventually.

It was strange and awkward at first, just moving around without music to set the rhythm, even if you had the beats in your head. You must look like an idiot to the denizens of this world if they ever saw you, swinging your limbs and spinning all over.

"The heck are ya' doin'?"

"Ya' shouldn't look too much 'Tsumu, it might rub off on ya'."

You froze, with your leg thrown up high and your arms spread out mid-motion.

You looked over your shoulder to see the two faces you both missed and did not want to see.

Vicious Atsumu and Frosty Osamu were looking at you with a mix of ferocious suspicion and cold curiosity, clothes disheveled with sweat and dirt mussed all over. But what drew your attention was the blood that was clearly splattered onto their cheeks and clothes.

Whose...blood are those? Did you even want to know?

Quickly bringing your limbs back to you, you turned to face them if only to make sure you kept them in your sight.

"I was just….e-exercising."

There was a brief silence where they stared at you blankly, looking very much like the twins when they were tired and hungry but- the bright red blood splattered on Vicious Atsumu's cheeks and his hands, the little specks of red below Osamu's left eye and jaw, the large, dark stains on both of their clothes - you felt your hands shiver so you hid them behind you, grasping them across both arms tightly.

"Those are some mighty weird exercise movements. Sure ya' ain't casting some curse on us?" Atsumu's eyes narrowed at you.

"I didn't ask to be brought here," you replied before you could stop yourself- reactively, habitually, intuitively; just like when you bantered with the twins. Your hands tightened further.

Before you could even blink, Frosty Osamu had phased from his spot and appeared right in front of you; your breath hitched. He towered over you, bent with his face right in front of yours, the blood specks on his cheek shining under the sun. There was a shift in the air and you felt heat from behind, then Vicious Atsumu's breath right by your ear just as Osamu's puffed on your nose.

The air became heavy, dense, filled with a heat that was neither warm nor welcoming.

You dare not breathe as you felt calloused fingers touch the sensitive part of your neck where your jugular ran life-giving blood underneath your skin.

"Ya' can be quite snappy when ya' want to be, aren't cha'?" Atsumu pinched the vein lightly in his fingers, still moist blood imprinting from him to you.

"Ya' speak way too familiarly with us. We brought ya' here but ya' should know yer place, human." Pearly grey eyes narrowed, and a thumb pulled at the corner of your lip in a gentle manner that only served to make you nervous.

The scent of blood wafted up from them to you.

They saw the quick flicker of your eyes to their blood-stained clothes and they smiled just like the twins would when they scored a point on the court.

"Ya' want to know whose blood this is, don't cha'?" Vicious Atsumu whispered by the shell of your ear.

"Shall we give ya' a hint?" Frosty Osamu tugged the corner of your lip.

"It's closer to ya' than it is to us." Vicious Atsumu.

"From a silly lady that did not run." Frosty Osamu.

"When she could have." Vicious Atsumu.

"While we were finishing off the others." Frosty Osamu.

"Somethin' bout love and shit." Vicious Atsumu.

"Humans and their arrogance." Frosty Osamu.

"As if they know anything about love." Atsumu.

"Cruel creatures they are." Osamu.

"How hateful."

"How vile."

"Disgusting." The Miya Brothers.

The quaking in your chest was unbearable.

It felt so impossibly cold, pressed between two burning bodies under the scorching sun.

Your hands- clammy, trembling- still clasped behind you dug into the skin of your arms, crescents marring the skin; the heat from Atsumu's stomach seared the thin gap between your arm and him; the same way both their breaths were suffocating you, burning up the oxygen around you.

Air was not passing through your nose nor your lips where Osamu was now pulling down on your bottom lip painfully with a sneer, and there is a ringing in your ears that kept turning louder and louder. Your ears hurt.

"Ya' still haven't answered my question."

Question, question...his question. What question? Oh, right, his name. His nickname. 'Samu.

The metallic scent of blood got stronger, Atsumu's bloody finger running under your nose. Something sticky smudged over the top of your lip.

Your neck is hot and your head just as stuffy, burning even. The nape of your neck ached.

'Samu.

'Tsumu. Tsum-Tsum.

You're scared.

'I can't breathe.'

"Atsumu, Osamu, leave the human girl alone and go clean up before he sees you."

Air returned to your lungs. You were no longer suffocating.

In an instant, the twins had stepped back from you, sulking at Aran who just came from the same direction the twins had come from.

He too, had blood all over him, if not more.

Drenched. Head to toe. As if he bathed in it. Human blood.

"This is inane. What was the point of us bringing her here if we aren't gonna use her?" Frosty Osamu drawled as he casually walked away, away from you, towards Aran. As if nothing happened.

"I don't make the decisions. And you know how he feels about it." The large man-bear huffed, lightly wiping blood from his face.

"Well, you're the second-in-command, can't ya' convince him or somethin'?" Atsumu quipped back, disappearing and appearing beside Osamu who is now by Aran.

"Unfortunately, I can't do that kind of magic." Aran glanced at you, face stony and bloody, as he turned away with the twins by his side.

They went off chattering as if they were talking about what they will have for dinner, laughing, and arms swinging animatedly, Atsumu getting kicked by Osamu when the blood on his hand flicked to the ground.

Your knees buckled and you crumpled to the floor, heaving harshly as you fought off the tail-end of a panic attack that almost latched onto you before Aran interrupted.

Hunching over yourself, you tried to keep yourself warm with your arms despite the sun blazing on your back.

When did you start crying?

The sound of footsteps crunching over the grass was what finally got you to look up from the position you had been in since the twins left.

"...are you alright?"

It was a young boy, with short black hair and auburn eyes, almost gold under the afternoon sun.

His clothes were large and did not fit him at all, covering his limbs in waves. From underneath the hem of his robe, you could see the dark tips of a tail sticking out. He looked to be about fourteen, maybe even less.

Though he asked after your well-being, he stood far away from you, watching you with wary eyes just like everybody else in this village.

You looked back down, burying your head back into your arms and the ground where you lay.

Quietly, you shook your head.

There were the sounds of crunching grass again and when you tiredly turned your head to look to the side from underneath your messy hair, the boy had come closer but kept his distance.

His hands were clenching and unclenching at his sides, and he was biting his lips nervously.

Like he was scared.

Of you.

A dry laugh stirred in your chest and that seemed to have shocked him because he took a cautious step back, eyes wide with fear and slight panic.

How ironic.

Here you were, scared out of your mind about the fox-folk and the fact that they kill people- specifically your kind of people- with ease and this one here is frightful of you.

As best as you could without moving from your fetal position, you smiled lightly up at him, body drained and eyes also drained of tears.

"I won't hurt you."

"I don't know that." His voice was soft, suspicious, alert; there was something in it akin to curiosity but much more intense, you think. A young boy like him probably had a lot of questions about a lot of things. Especially the foreign human girl that everyone in the village is wary of.

You hummed listlessly, exhausted. You don't know what it is, perhaps it is the loneliness that has plagued you since you got here or the stress and discomfort you felt from being the one singled out in an otherwise what looks like a close-knit community, or it could just be the lingering dread from your encounter with the Miya brothers prior...but you made the effort to try and talk to him, even if all you wanted right now was to be left alone.

"What's...your name?"

He didn't reply for a long time, and you had started to think that maybe he didn't actually want to talk to you after all and only came here to gawk at the miserable foreigner on the village ground.

You turned your head back into the ground, dirt digging into your forehead and further tangling your hair.

Several more minutes passed, maybe longer; you weren't sure, you felt so numb and alone that time was the least of your worries when he finally replied.

"Minami."

"Suna…"

"Hm?"

Suna looked up from his spot on the ground in front of his cottage, where he had been sharpening his weapon and energizing his newly made talismans under the light of the moon. Slips of paper with strange symbols drawn on them were laid in rows on the earth, held in place by small stones.

Suna immediately assumed she wanted to ask him about the mysterious papers, already used to her questions about the many strange things she came across. He can't answer them all, but this one he saw no harm in telling her.

"These are talismans. Right now they are mere slips of paper, but through energizing them with luna-"

"Do you ki-...do your people...kill others?" Her voice was low and somber.

She had been that way since he got home earlier this evening, pale and restless.

He already knew what it was that was bothering her, that would put her in such a state. The twins liked to talk after all. He wasn't blind to her discomfort with the way everyone in the village was treating her, but he wasn't responsible for the actions of his brethren.

He didn't particularly agree with them and their biases, but then again, his own opinions were on the rare end of the spectrum amongst his people.

He placed his weapons and tools down, moving to sit next to her on the steps leading up to his front door.

"I don't think there's any one race in this world that hasn't killed another." He stated simply. "We live in turbulent times after all."

The way her shoulders tensed and hands clenched together did not escape his notice. He had heard Osamu's and by extension his brother's reasons for bringing her in (snatching her from the Nekoma Dominion which they also set fire to- Suna swears the antics of those two will be the death of him one of these days), that Osamu witnessed her healing a cat-folk of The Rot.

However, in the last few days she stayed with him, she displayed an amazing lack of knowledge about many things in Hyquile. If it was just knowledge about his brethren and their ways, he could look past it as they are elusive and secretive, especially from humans, for good reasons.

But the lack of knowledge she exhibited about even the most basics of things in Hyquile like geography and magic had made him just a slight bit suspicious, his guts pinching in the way it usually did when his intuition sensed something was off.

When he asked where she was from, she said she was from Nekoma Dominion! Sure, the twins might have taken her from there but everyone knows that no human is ever from The Dominion.

That was the first nail of doubt that made him begin questioning this girl and her origins.

The next was that though she knew the basics of the state of things in Hyquile, she was awfully clueless about anything more detailed beyond the bare minimum. Even the children in the village knew more than she does.

The third and final nail was magic. Osamu mentioned that she had healed The Rot, and regardless of how true that is, it must at least mean she knows how to utilize magic but she did not know anything besides the fact that souls were made of ten parts. She couldn't even name the ten parts.

All of these were very simple and basic things to know in Hyquile regardless of race and origin, that everyone learned growing up.

And for someone of her age to not know them? Well, Suna's doubts have been fortified but he just did not know what it is about exactly.

He had quietly brought this up to their Alpha-leader and their second-in-command, Aran, as well as Akagi and Omimi who made up the upper tiers of their hierarchy. Though he and the twins are technically included in the upper ranks as well, it was due to pure talent that was acknowledged. Societal hierarchy wise, they were below the other four.

Hence, the twins were not alerted about this and the information is only known by the four and Suna who discovered it.

The Miya brothers are brash loose cannons, figuratively and literally, that even their seniors have trouble controlling so the last thing they needed was for them to act rashly on their own again. This latest incident with The Dominion is damaging enough and they will be lucky if The Dominion and its allied forces did not come knocking on their door, even hidden away as it is.

The Inarizaki House is strong, but when it comes to numbers, they were no match and would be at a severe disadvantage in a straight battle; they had always relied on manipulations and shock tactics.

And right now, they needed to lay low; they definitely did not need Atsumu going around setting things on fire or Osamu playing his tricks on high profile figures.

Suna doesn't know what their seniors will decide though. All he knows that it is an 'ongoing discussion' and that the girl will be in his care in the meantime, as no one else wants anything to do with her.

And knowing the disposition of their leader, he doubts that a decision will be made any time soon...if at all.

"I saw Atsumu and Osamu today. And Aran." She spoke again. "They were...covered in blood."

He grimaced. Ah, right. They went out today on a...raid session, as they put it. For stress-relief.

"The twins said that...well, they implied that it was," she gulped, hands shaking as she turned towards him with wide, distressed eyes, "-that it was human blood."

"If they said it was, then it likely is." There was no point sugar-coating it. It wasn't his nature to cover things up anyways.

A long and shaky breath made its way past her lips and she looked down, hiding her face away from him.

"Suna, do you...hate humans?"

He sighed, thinking to himself that this was going to be a long conversation.

But...he had time now.

"No, I don't hate humans." He began, noticing the light startle in her shoulders and the way she turned to him in surprise. "But I cannot speak for my other brethren, the twins included."

"Why do the fox-folk hate humans? And Aran...he isn't a fox-folk but...I feel like he hates humans too." Her voice was sad, extremely so, as if it meant so much more to her than just merely trying to understand why the twins bullied her so terribly.

Suna smiled wryly; guess the fact that Aran isn't exactly one of them by blood is obvious no matter how he tries to hide it if even this girl noticed.

"It's a very long and convoluted history but the fox-folk have been persecuted by the humans for as long as any one of us can remember. Aran is one of the bear-folk, but he was picked up by our leader when his family was hunted by humans." Suna sighed. He never liked talking about it even if he did not harbor the same resentment that the others in his community did.

"I'm sure you noticed the imbalance between the size of our village and the actual population." He shifted to look at her, watching the way a horrific realization dawned on her features at his words. "And you saw the barren boglands when you first arrived, did you not? Though they are mere illusions now to keep unwanted visitors away, the mirage isn't something we just randomly conjured. Where we live now is the very same place my people have always made our homes. The illusion was the state of our land after humans came and burned it down, flooded it all away."

She gasped, hands rising to cover her mouth and Suna almost felt a confused frown on his lips at her reaction. He hasn't interacted with many humans before but he did not expect her reaction, especially not with how their elders had instilled stories of the atrocities humans had wrecked on his ancestors and people- still continue to wreck.

"But...why?"

"Why does anyone do anything?" Suna shrugged carelessly but she shook his arm, imploring him to answer properly.

"It isn't because of any one reason but there are a few. The West of Hyquile has been in this mess of a state for centuries, and relations have always been bad between all the various struggling powers here. Humans, fox-folk, bear-folk, dog-folk, and so on. Everyone wanted to be the ruling power on this side of the continent, and our leaders of old were no exception. It was just non-stop battles day after day." One of his hands lifted and gestured in the air aimlessly.

"So you can only imagine how bad everyone hated each other." Yea, Suna can only imagine too. He is glad he doesn't have to go to countless battles every single day now. He hates fighting.

"Then at one point under our previous leader, we Inarizaki came to be considered the biggest threat in the West."

"Everyone is everyone's enemy and no one is a friend, but if a fox is present then we are brother-in-arms." She recited the famous line softly and Suna could not help the chuckle that left him.

"You've heard of it then."

At her nod, he continued. "Our previous leader was said to be a powerhouse of a warrior, brilliant both on and off the battlefield with his shrewd tactics. He was the one who taught our people how to properly utilize our shapeshifting and talent for illusion magic to disable our enemies from within, whilst sustaining little to no damage to ourselves. Many of our enemies fell to ruin and chaos under his leadership. That was the peak of our power, and when we really thrived; our numbers then was easily several times of what we are now, our village vastly larger than what you see here." He gestured at the cluster of cottages a slight distance away, hand waving in the air.

With the same hand, Suna raised two fingers up. "And the second reason. Us fox-folk are unable to breed with other fox-folk."

Her head tilted, confusion clear in her expressive features. Now, this response he expected. "What? B-But then...how do you...? There are children in the village..." A light pink tinted her cheeks and Suna curiously eyed the color staining her skin, the darkness doing little to hide it from his sharp sight. Huh, what do ya' know.

He decided to not comment on her chaste reaction, deeming it irrelevant to the topic at hand.

"Ironically, fox-folks are only able to produce offsprings with humans. But-" he stopped her, already knowing the words she was about to say, "-it does not mean we wed them nor do we live with them. It is only and only for reproduction purposes."

"Female fox-folk might stay with their human mates till their pregnancies are confirmed to be stable, or up to a year from conception, and will leave with the child after; but most times the human male wouldn't even know he has a child unless the mother tells him. Male fox-folk on the other hand never stay after the deed. If a child is conceived from the act, they return to take the child away once they turn a year old."

"So you steal the children away?"

Suna sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wouldn't call it stealing. Fox-folk might pretend to be human for a chance to create an offspring, but I doubt any of us actually promise anything but a brief tryst to the humans, both male and female. Human society never looked kindly upon those who bear children out of wedlock anyway, so I like to think most of them are glad to be rid of us unwanted children." There was a bit of bitterness to his tone that he let slip, and he cleared his throat, hoping the girl did not notice and would not pry.

"And as a human yourself, I am sure you know that your people haven't always taken kindly to other races." He watched her expression closely, once again noting the tensing of her shoulders and hands, hinting at a secret held.

"Put both of these together with all the warring, humans have developed a particular hatred for us fox-folk, telling stories of evil foxes who steal children and ravish maidens in their sleep to their own children, calling us heartless monsters."

"I...I don't even know what to think," she pulled at her sleeves, mulling over his words. "Then why don't the fox-folk try to co-exist with the humans?"

Suna really had to laugh at this one, and he did, a very rare tittering running up his throat. "I wonder that myself too sometimes. It makes the most sense, doesn't it? But I suppose fox-folk have always been solitary in nature, especially with non-foxes." His laughter trailed off, fizzling out into the night and his lips pulled back into its empty slate, eyes dull once more.

"...I think somewhere over the centuries of spilled blood, piles of corpses and burning homes...all of us forgot what peace could be like."

A heavy silence followed the trailing of his voice but Suna did not allow it to settle.

"Then one day, a little over a decade ago, the humans attacked us in one fell swoop...it was a massacre."

This time, it was Suna's turn to clench his fists and you watched as a tension you have never seen in him before claw into his neck, his eyes crinkling as if something painful had stung him.

"Several of the human forces of the West have banded together to attack us. Whilst the brunt of our warriors was lured off to battle, a unit of the human troops managed to sneak into the village, killing the ones left behind- the defenseless, the children, the elderly, and the she-foxes, even the ones expecting and the newborns. Anyone they could find was cornered and slaughtered."

He heard a shaky breath from beside him as he continued his recount of history. A history he lived.

"The ones who managed to survive are the ones you see now; the lucky ones, or unlucky, depending on how you see it…-" Something bitter painted his lips, and your heart throbbed painfully at the sight of it, your chest hurting at the words Suna is sharing with you in the quiet night.

"...me and the twins included."

Yellow eyes dulled with somber grey looked at you and this pain you felt only intensified; maybe a long time ago, his eyes had never been so dull.

"It's no excuse for the way the twins acted or any of the behaviors of the others especially because you weren't involved but...none of us have ever been able to put that day behind us."

"And now my brethren's hatred for humans is at its highest yet."

"..."

Notes:

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

I am a softie for soft Suna. And Reader needs a friend (ish) to help her navigate each realm for harem trope purposes. Now I just need to be careful not to fall for Suna too much and accidentally make him into a potential pairing...orz
From the friendly Nekoma Dominion to being ostracized by the Inarizaki foxes. Whiplash, whiplash.

I wanted to get to Kita in time for his birthday but I messed up the timing of it all sooo you all get a slice of tragedy instead. Suffer with me.

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary.
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 8: A Tale of Rice

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Inarizaki House

Notes:

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment last chapter! You all made me very happy and this chapter is for ya'll! (I know I made a lot of you sad last chapter). I tried to lighten up this chapter to take off the edge from the last but...WHELP!
I legit woke at 5am to write this today because I kept waking up from nightmares about Suna, Miya Twins and rice. I just gave up trying to sleep after the 3rd nightmare of rice-field stalking Miya bros and fox beast Suna.

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time and effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till late to write my own.
Leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way, on top of motivating them to update faster :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Why don't you hate humans, Suna? They... we have done something terrible to you and your people."

"It isn't like the fox-folk weren't out fighting against the humans and other races either."

"...you know what I mean. The massacre...you were so young…"

"...all of us alive now were."

"So then...why? All the other fox-folks hate us."

Dry laughter. "Not everyone." No, he could think of at least one other who doesn't but...

A pause.

"Even if we are fox-folk, we are still half-human, regardless of how much my brethren deny it."

"You don't hate humans because you're half-human then?"

Suna hummed in thought, the sound reverberating in the quiet space between your forms, sat close together on the steps of his home. His yellow eyes, dull and grey in the night, was pointed high up to the sky above, reaching for a memory deep within his mind.

"You can say that I have seen the good humans are capable of as well, not just the bad." He said enigmatically and your head tilted, the corners of your eyes still taut and dry from when you started crying at Suna's tale.

The tall male had awkwardly patted your back roughly at your sudden tears, at a loss of what to do. You thought you had run out of tears for the day but you couldn't stop it from happening, knowing what you do now, why the twins of this world, why Aran and the villagers…why they look at you the way they do.

"W-What do you mean?" You prompted the vague male again, pinching your nose in an attempt to lighten the stuffiness of it.

He tapped your forehead then with a slender finger, startling you. "It's getting late. We can save that story for another time," Suna said as he stood, amusement lightly tracing the otherwise dull yellow of his eyes as you nursed your forehead. "Your eyes are going to be all puffy tomorrow."

Your lips curled between a grimace and a smile. "You don't have to tell me. I've been crying way too much since I got here. I just...there's a lot going on and a lot to take in."

'Since she got here?'

"Do you hate the twins?" He asked, watching your reaction closely.

Your lips pursed, brows furrowing as you seriously considered his question.

"I can't honestly say I forgive them for their attack on , at all , and I certainly do not appreciate how they scared the life out of me," you said, pouting when Suna chuckled at your words, "-but no, I don't hate them...how could I?" You had whispered the last words, but Suna's sharp fox-hearing caught it all the same.

His brows rose at the sincerity with which you answered him and the peculiar way your eyes clouded as you thought of the twins, a tenderness in them that he did not understand.

You were referring to the same twins as him, right? The ones who have been nothing but crude with you in the short time you have known them. Hell, Suna has known them for years and he definitely can't speak of the twins with the same tenderness you just did.

He doubts anyone in this village could, being the absolute beasts that they are (and he meant it figuratively and literally). Suna is pretty sure even the she-foxes that fawn over them do it out of pure physical desirability rather than anything more.

He filed this unusual detail away, as he always did with anything and everything he noted. He wasn't one of the more talented at espionage in Inarizaki for nothing.

"I'm going to head to bed now then, Suna. Sorry for taking up your time."

"It's no issue. I needed to wait for the talismans to be ready in any case."

"Oh, right! Will you tell me more about these talismans another time? I've never seen anything like them before…"

"Of course." As curious as ever, he noted with a light smile.

Your hands shaped and rolled the rice in your hands as you absentmindedly thought about everything you have learned from Suna some nights prior about the history of the fox-folks. Knowing what you do now, it made your awareness of everything in the village much clearer than it previously was because now you have a context for...well, everything.

They have suffered so much.

And to think you're actually witnessing them still on their road to recovery.

It explained why you didn't see any elderly-folk, and why there are so few children; since the massacre, the idea of procreating with humans was undoubtedly…..but their people were in danger of dying out if that continued to be the case.

The few that chose to bear children, both male and female alike, were consequently treated as heroes even.

You sighed heavily at the thought of it; you wouldn't know how to act either if you were put in their shoes.

You doubted that you would be able to forgive 'humans' either, even when speaking as one yourself right now. Even in your own reality, humanity has always been capable of some of the greatest horrors and treachery to not only themselves but other life too.

The Suna, Atsumu, and Osamu of this world...had all suffered immensely.

The current generation of Inarizaki folk had all suffered immensely, including Aran.

It didn't make you feel any less uncomfortable or troubled by their ostracization of you, but could you blame them? According to Suna, it was barely more than a decade ago when it happened.

That itchiness in your throat started again and you swallowed. You couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like.

War or not, what the perpetrators did was...unforgivable. You don't care about their differences as races, humans, or fox-folk or whatnot; to target those who were helpless was inexcusable.

A clawing sadness bubbled in your heart for them, as it did for the folks of Nekomata Mountain.

You don't know if you can forgive the twins for what they did to Kuroo's home, but you can still sympathize with the pain they must have endured.

It made you all the more curious as to why Suna did not hate humans like the others. Perhaps you'll ask him again once a little more time has passed.

"You're up early."

Suna's sleepy voice pulled your attention to him. He was watching you strangely, wondering what you are doing in his kitchen. "What are you doing?

With a nervous titter, you replied. "I thought I would make breakfast? I've been staying for a few days now but you're always making breakfast before you leave and always make enough for lunch. And you make dinner most of the time too…"

"That's cause you-," Not a prisoner, no, and not an esteemed guest, but Suna didn't know exactly what you should be categorized as either, "-your situation is unique."

He couldn't have put it better, could he?

"Unique, exactly that. So I'm technically allowed to cook, right?" You weren't banned from using tools or wandering to any areas in particular either.

"I suppose."

"I'm not used to the tools you use here but I've seen you do it for dinner a few times so I think I got it…"

Suna wonders then if you have never cooked before. Another strange utterance from you that he files away. He eyes the rice balls that you have lined on pieces of dried bamboo leaves from his food stores.

"What's in them?" He asked, curiously eyeing the combination of fillings. Grilled meat and eggs?

"Ah-I hope you don't mind that I used what you brought back from the market. I don't think the villagers would sell anything to me anyway...not that I have money." He watched as you passed the one he had been eyeing to him.

"This one's grilled meat with eggs. And this one's salmon."

Though they loved all flavors, 'Salmon and grilled meat with eggs were both of their top two favorites.'

You absentmindedly thought as you watched Suna try your riceball.

The shape was slightly off, having struggled with getting the correct amount of water to rice consistency (you did always rely on your rice cooker with its fancy settings) but it didn't turn out too bad, in your opinion.

"It's good." Suna complimented as he took another bite. "Meat and eggs are a unique combination." He eyed you closely.

"O-Oh...are they? They're pretty common where I'm from."

'This girl is horrible at lying.'

"Hm. Nekoma Dominion, was it?" He hummed with unconcealed amusement.

"R-Right." Ah, damn. You totally forgot about that. "It's a new trend there." Shit, you just said it was common.

"I wasn't aware the cat-folk used rice as one of their staples."

"Well, fish and bread are more common but some people use rice here and there."

Crap, crap.

"A-Anyways, I made a lot so here." You quickly passed two large bundles of the rice balls towards him, hoping he'll drop the subject.

Suna stared at you but didn't say anything as he took the bundles, mumbling a quick "thank you" as he left. He did not comment on the fact that you gave him way too much for lunch.

As soon as he was gone, you deflated against the table; you were a terrible liar.

"Hm?"

You looked up from where you had your arms stretched straight in front of you, legs equally stretched straight, hands grasping the back of your foot.

It was that boy Minami again.

Since he found you lying on the ground miserably at what you now deem your 'exercise spot,' he has come back each day to watch you do your stretches and practice.

He never got too close to you, and you didn't make any attempts to approach him either, especially knowing how traumatized by humans the fox-folk are now. You noted with every visit that he closed the distance just a little bit and now you were at the point where you could reach out for him in four wide steps.

It was mostly silent at first; you'd ask him a question every now and then, just basic ones like how old he was, what he likes, and he would answer simply, warily. You never were the best at making the first approach, but considering the situation, you knew it had to be you and not him.

Over time, he started asking you questions, also basic ones like what you were doing and where you are from, all the while watching with curious auburn eyes.

Today isn't any different.

"How have you been?" You asked conversationally, even though you just saw him yesterday afternoon.

"I'm...good. And you? How was your night?" He shifted around, pulling at the blades of grass below his legs.

"I'm alright. You know, considering my situation." You laughed at your own joke and was pleased to see it pulled a small smile from him.

"Do you want to do some stretches with me again today?"

"If it is no bother, I would like that."

He is also very polite, especially for a teenaged male.

The both of you did stretches for a bit each day, him diligently following your every movement and poses, asking when he did not understand the purpose of it or if he was unsure if he was doing it right. And each time you would answer him patiently, never approaching him or touching him, and guided him from whatever distance he set between the two of you for the day.

You watched with amusement as his arms trembled below him as he attempted to split his legs further out. "Don't force it. You just started doing this, so it'll take time but keep at it every day and you'll be able to do it like me before you know it." It really depends, but a little encouragement never hurt anyone.

"And you say you have been doing this since you were a child?" He huffed, brows furrowed with strain.

"Hmhmm. My best friends got swept up in an activity that I wasn't very good at, so I wanted something else to keep me occupied when they weren't around."

"That's a very peculiar reason to pick up something." He remarked, momentarily giving up on his stretch.

"I guess. But I'm glad I did. I really enjoy dance now though I hated it at first."

"Do the people where you are from partake in dance a lot? As a culture?" His head tilted in question.

Ehmmmm. "N-Not really? I mean, there are others but I do it for myself now rather than a cultural thing."

"I see. Some of your movements are very strange; I have never seen a dance like that before."

"Oh, w-well, it's still pretty new. It isn't very popular but I like it."

He looked thoughtful for a moment as he went back to pull at the grass again. "You said you hated it at first so...why did you continue it? Why didn't you stop?"

You blinked at him with surprise. You hadn't thought that hard about it before but the serious expression on his face as he waited for you to answer made you feel like you should give him a proper answer and not another half-assed story.

Dropping from your current stretch, you leaned back onto the grass on your arms as you considered his question. He waited for you with extraordinary patience, never once prompting you a second time.

"I can't say I have some grand reason for it considering the reason why I started it, but I just didn't want to give up and lose, you know?" You scratched at your cheek with a sheepish smile. "There weren't a lot of things I was good at, and my brother and closest friends are super talented at whatever they did and they never failed to let me know it. I didn't want to fall behind them if that makes sense. And then, when I discovered that I might actually have a talent for this, I couldn't just drop the thing that I knew only I could do." Rubbing your neck in embarrassment, you looked over to Minami who was actually pondering over your words carefully.

"Something only you could do…" He whispered to himself.

"Uh...it's a very stupid and selfish reason. You don't have to think too hard about it." You waved your hands at him, alarmed at the grave expression on his face. Maybe you shouldn't have tried to act all cool with an impressionable youngster.

He smiled suddenly, shaking his head, black locks waving against his skin. "No, I think it's admirable."

"Admirable? It isn't anything that grand-"

"You didn't run away, even though you could have, even though you disliked it. You didn't give in to what the people around you were expecting of you." He spoke up, a shimmer of respect in his eyes. "I think that's very admirable."

"I...thank you, I guess? That's kind of you to say." For some reason, you had a feeling he was thinking about things on a higher level than you were.

"Oh right, I made some rice balls today. You want some?" You opened and pushed the bundle you brought along for your lunch towards him.

He eyed the one with meat and eggs with intrigue. "Are you sure? I don't want to take from your lu-"

"I'm sure. I'm not very hungry anyway. Ate too much for breakfast." You grinned, pushing the bundle a little bit more and was pleased when he finally reached out to take one.

"This is a strange combination. I have never seen it before." Minami commented, turning the rice ball in his hands as if it was a newly unearthed treasure.

"It's a new trend from The Dominion." Recalling the conversation you had with Suna this morning, you tried not to stray from your established story. You couldn't exactly come clean and say it was something started by one of the major convenience store chains in your country.

He smiled at you with a maturity beyond his young age. "I see. Thank you."

"How was it?" You asked once he has had some time to chew into it.

"It's new but I cannot say it is bad. It's quite delicious." He looked at the rice ball with fascination as he said those words and you could not stop yourself from wondering why he shows such an interest in a simple rice ball.

"Right? New things aren't always bad. I've been learning that a lot myself lately!" Laughing at your own inside joke, you proceeded to eat one yourself.

The rice ball tasted so much more delicious than it was this morning as you shared it with Minami. Food did always taste better when shared with friends.

"What is that ?"

Suna hardly reacted to the voice right behind him. "Rice balls."

"We can see that but what's in it? It's bulky." And then the other voice.

"Grilled meat and eggs." He finally looked up at the twins who were busy staring at the oddly shaped ball of rice in his hand.

"Huh? Isn't that weird?"Atsumu quirked a brow down at him. Calling people's food weird, how rude.

"Don't tell people their food is weird when they are eating it." Akagi reprimanded from where he sat cross-legged beside Suna. Aran nodded in agreement from his spot closer to the river with his legs dipped in the cool water. The man did always like being in the water.

Omimi was stretched out on the grass nearby, eyes closed, basking in the sun.

They had been relaxing by the river that ran through their territory. It was a gathering spot of sorts for them, coming and going as they like depending on their schedules. And it looks like today is one of those days where most of them have gathered, Suna noted as he saw Ginjima emerging from the woods, returning from his patrol.

"But it is weird," Osamu said, crouching down to look at the rice ball in Suna's hand closer.

"If you want one, just say it," Suna remarked dryly.

"We all know he always wants one." Ginjima snickered as he walked up to them, wiping his slightly bloodied weapon on his clothes.

"Was there trouble?" Aran asked him.

"Not really. Just one of the dog-folk that wandered too close, trying to mark our territory. I let him go with a clear warning."

"They keep wandering too close. It happens way too often lately." Akagi shook his head in dismay. Omimi grunted what everyone assumed to be agreement.

Suna had been silently continuing with his food as everyone discussed their patrols of the day around him but gave up ignoring the set of eyes that were trained on him after a while. How was he supposed to eat comfortably when they kept staring at every bite he took? It's creepy.

He shoved the other unopened bundle into Osamu's waiting arms (bastard was already waiting for it by the looks of it).

The twins attacked the contents immediately.

"Oh-! This one's salmon! My favorite!"

"Meat and eggs filling for rice balls are certainly weird…but I like it."

Suna agreed that it was weird, but did not say anything. It was good in any case, so he has no complaints. And he didn't have to spend time making it either which was even better.

From the sounds of contentment and approvals the twins were making beside him, they must like it too.

"Hey, pass one here," Ginjima said, squatting beside the brothers.

Turning to the trio, Suna deadpanned at them. "Don't eat all of my food."

"Ya' got a lot anyway, you can't finish all of this yourself!" Atsumu retorted with his mouth full, specks of rice littering his cheeks.

"Don't speak with your mouth full 'Tsumu. It's disgusting."

"Yer face is disgusting, that's what!"

"We have the same face."

"This is pretty good. What gave you the idea to use meat and eggs for the filling?" Ginjima asked Suna, ignoring the arguing twins; he already spends a good amount of his time keeping them in check when the seniors weren't around, he deserves this break.

Aran had returned to join their circle from the river.

Suna chewed the last bits in his mouth slowly, pondering how he should answer and if he should answer truthfully. He made a decision.

"I didn't make it." Suna unwrapped another one with the meat and eggs.

"Oh? Did you buy it from the market?" Aran asked, intrigued.

"I am not aware of any stands that sell this though. Not even the one with all the weird seasonal flavors," Akagi said as he rubbed his chin.

Suna shook his head.

"Did a she-fox from the village make it for you?" Atsumu and Ginjima asked together.

Close but..."Not a she-fox."

There was a brief silence where everyone stared at Suna as the implication was quickly put together between them. Even Omimi had sat up to look over at him.

"Don't tell me…" Osamu started with a grimace, wavering between dropping the remainder of his meat and eggs rice ball or finishing it.

"Are you serious?!" Atsumu pulled at his hair with two hands, arriving at the same conclusion as his brother at the same time.

"Food is food. Does it matter who made it?" Suna continued with his own rice ball, unfazed by their reactions.

"Of course it does if it's by a human! What if she poisoned it?!" Atsumu cried, irritated. He made an extremely exaggerated motion of gargling with the water from his leather waterskin.

"You give the girl too much credit. She's as plain as an open book."

"I'm only adding my opinion here, but aren't you too liberal with that girl Suna? I know you've been tasked with her but I can't say I agree with all the freedom you're allowing her." Aran looked down at his junior, arms crossing.

"So are you saying we should put her back in the cells?" One of Suna's brows quirked up at the bear-folk.

"I don't know how to feel about this…" Ginjima mumbled as he looked at the half-eaten rice ball in his hand.

"It's where she belongs," Osamu muttered lowly.

"The two of you brought her here; do you think locking her up is the wisest choice if you want her to help us?" Suna asked them in his ever dull voice, but there was a hint of exasperation in it.

"It doesn't matter! She's a human!" Atsumu exclaimed.

"We can always force her to do what we want." Akagi shrugged.

"Not without the Alpha's consent." Omimi quietly reprimanded. "He hasn't decided on anything."

"Where the hell is he recently anyways?" Akagi asked the generally silent male. "It's about time he addressed the issue; he can't run from everything forever."

"Did you forget what the humans did to us?!" Atsumu shouted over the other conversation, glare focused intensely on his friend.

"Atsumu," Aran warned but Suna's eyes had already narrowed threateningly at Atsumu.

"No, I haven't." He bit out, feeling a little bit of his cool going up in smoke. "Doesn't mean I have to regard her the same way as everyone else."

Another round of tense silence settled over their group.

"Suddenly, I'm not so hungry anymore," Osamu remarked to no one in particular, glancing off to the side.

Suna could not help but agree with Osamu. He finished off the remainder of his rice ball nonetheless, aware of everyone's gazes on him as he did so as if they were expecting him to start foaming at the mouth and drop over. When he was done, he stood up, casually brushing his trousers.

"I don't think it is right to consider them all the same," Suna turned pointedly to Aran, Akagi, and Omimi, the three seniors in the group, "-especially considering she knows nothing about everything."

"It doesn't prove anything though." Akagi grimaced.

"That goes both ways."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" The twins and Ginjima looked around at the other four in confusion, unable to follow their conversation.

"I'm just saying, as the only one here who actually bothered to talk to her normally," Suna ignored the three, turning to leave,"-she's not just another 'arrogant human' and is more understanding than you might think."

He paused briefly, trying to recount the number of times he has had to humor her endless questions and curiosities. "At the very least, she is genuinely trying to learn about us. Which is more than I can say for all of you."

Satisfied, Suna left for his patrol, hoping that his words would at least have some sway on the ones with leadership roles amongst his people. If the ones up top did not change their ways, how can he expect anyone else to?

On top of it taking too much energy, Suna is, in all honesty, tired of the animosity that plagues their realms.

He wishes for that elusive peace that lies beyond the mountains of dead bodies.

"What is this?"

"It's rice. I cooked them before coming here."

Minami placed a wood rice bucket filled with cooked rice next to you before taking a seat a little way away from you.

Three wide steps today.

"But why would you give me this?" Confused, you opened the lid of the bucket and sure enough, it was filled to the brim with freshly cooked white rice. A stream of starchy steam wafted up to you and you hummed at the pleasant scent. You cooked rice for breakfast and lunch today too but the rice Minami gave you were definitely better made.

"I noticed that your rice was a bit too sticky even for rice balls yesterday."

A zap of embarrassment struck you and your skin immediately reddened at his words, hastily jamming the lid back down.

"I-I, I just wasn't used to using the fire stoves here, that's all!" Haah, to be told that your rice cooking was off! It's the greatest embarrassment you've ever felt yet.

Minami's brow furrowed in curiosity at your remark. "What did you use to cook before then, if not a fire stove?"

"...magic. We relied on magic back home." A rice cooker can be considered as magic in this world so you technically weren't lying.

"You use magic to cook rice?" He looked even more confused and you could not help the pinch of guilt in you.

"Y-Yea. S-Someone else usually prepares the rice anyways so I don't know how they do it though." Please, just take it and drop it. Don't be curious for once, Minami.

"...I see." He smiled knowingly and you knew he didn't buy it at all but he stopped pressing you for an answer.

"T-Thank you for the rice though." You muttered, playing with the lid of the bucket. "You didn't have to…" You would have figured it out eventually, you reassured yourself. To be told by a younger boy that your rice was inconsistent and to be given cooked rice by the same boy...what would your mother or even worse, your grandmother would say?

Minami smiled gently and it filled your heart to see that he no longer had that same fear and panic he initially had the first time he approached you. It was completely gone now, almost like the distance he was always careful to put between you, and in its place was a bright, young kid who was genuine and curious.

"My grandma always said that the way we prepare rice is always important. The word for a meal, is the same as rice, after all.* And without good rice, we cannot have a good meal." Minami told you with a gentle smile but you cannot help but notice the thin veil of sadness that clouded his eyes.

"Your grandmother is very wise. She speaks the truth." His words made you think of your own family, particularly your mother and grandmother who first taught you how to use the finger-method to measure water for rice. They must be so worried about you…

"Yes, she was." He murmured softly, looking out to the terrace of rice fields that stretched out below where you sat.

"...was?" A familiar unease curled in your stomach, and you felt silly for even saying what you just did, which will inadvertently force him to admit it. You opened your mouth to say something else, to shove the topic off its current tracks but-

"She was killed in the massacre about a decade ago."

Your fingers curled next to you, digging into the dirt and you looked away from Minami, feeling an immense sense of secondhand shame overtaking you. She was killed by humans...people like you…

"I-...I'm sorry." Anger at the people responsible pounded within you, followed by anger at yourself. Sorry? Really? That was all you can say? His grandmother was killed .

"She was the only other family that was dear to me." Minami started and you forced yourself to look at him, rapt with attention. If he needed an ear to listen to him, then you will be the best damn ear he can get.

"My birth mother was a human and I never got along with my father...we never agreed on much and he was very strict. Grandma was always there to hold me when things got bad." A forlorn smile crept across his lips and his lids hooded under a heavyweight. "She smelled like rice fields."

You hummed, waiting for him to continue at his own pace. With a deep breath, you took in the scent of the rice fields that the wind carried to you. Minami did the same from beside you.

"My father died in the battle that occurred on that same day. He and the rest of the warriors were lured into an ambush by the banded human forces. They tell me it was a heroic death but my grandma..."

"She was too old to run away. I-...I couldn't possibly leave her." Tears started trickling down the sides of his cheeks, fat with grief and fast in their descent to his chin where they clung. "I s-stayed. I would rather have died together with her than leave her. But she-" Minami took a large, shaky breath, air desperately trying to replenish his trembling body.

"She t-told me I had to l-live. That I had a responsibility! What responsibility did I have other than protecting her?!" Torrential drops of his anguish began to fall to his palms where he had them raised before him, horrified eyes staring at the phantom of a figure laying in them that only he could see.

You bit your lip, breathing in deeply through your nose and pushed back at the prickling in the corner of your eyes. It is not your right to cry, not this time. It is not your right.

A heartwrenching sob tore from Minami's throat, his figure wracked with the thunders of sorrow that pushed him down, folding him into his stomach where he tried to hide.

"But she protected me instead! S-She hid me away in the large p-pot we store our rice for the winter...e-even making sure the r-rice c-covered me before she-...before she led them away and-!"

Minami could still see the details of the day as vividly as if he was still there, living the nightmare in the present.

The brush of his grandma's soft wrinkled hands over his brow and face, as she pushed his hair out of his eyes. Her soothing hushes as she carefully poured the rice over his neck and shoulders, the feel of the grains running down his clothes and back. Her beautiful smile, timeless in its age, as she told him she loves him more than life itself; a life she is giving to him. Then her eyes, crinkled with warmth and free of regrets, beaming down at him as she covered the lid of the pot, encasing him in the darkness with nothing but the scent of rice; the scent of her.

He remembers the weight of her frail body in his arms, when the cries have stopped and all was silent.

He remembers her feeling lighter when he carried her and laid her down to the earth.

He remembers how weightless and empty his arms were when it was done.

How weightless and empty they still are now.

And then he felt a gentle weight over him, pulling and drawing his own weight into their arms, cradling him in their embrace. Then the faint scent of cooked rice, its aroma lingering from the morning stove, enveloped him.

There were the soft sounds of low hums and hushing, vague in words but clear in their purpose, coaxing out a decade's worth of grief from him. Slowly, before he realized it himself, Minami felt his arms circle around the figure who held up his weight with their thin arms.

And through the haze of revisited sorrow, he felt his heart fill with brimming comfort that his arms don't feel so weightless and empty now.

You held Minami to you, letting him lean into your lap for as long as he needed, even if your legs quivered under your combined weights and your arms turned sore. Loosening the robe you wore, you pulled the sleeves down to shield his exposed neck and the sides of his face from the prying rays of the sun.

If this was all you can do for him, then you'll give it your all.

The Miya twins and Aran had been going around their entire territory searching for their Alpha-Leader when they came across the human girl holding the familiar figure of a fox-folk boy in her arms.

They saw a nervousness creep into her but then her eyes steeled in resoluteness as she looked at them, as if telling them to leave them alone; not for herself but for the trembling form in her arms. Her hold on one of their own tightened, her body and sleeves curling over him in a protective cocoon.

Atsumu took a slow, small step forward but Osamu placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head reluctantly. Aran made a grunting sound from beside them, and they looked up to him motioning for their group to move on.

As they left, the twins could not help looking back over their shoulders to find that she was no longer focused on them and was pouring her entire being to the one in her embrace.

Two days later, you find yourself nervously following Suna as he led you through the early morning mist blanketing the village, saying that you need to go with him.

When you asked what was going on, all he would say is that their Alpha-Leader is finally ready to meet you. Beyond that, he only says that you will find out.

Through the mist that gradually got thicker as you proceeded, it was hard to see exactly where he was leading you but based on the amount of time taken and all the curves walked, you had the feeling you weren't in the village center anymore when he motioned for you to be careful as he led you up a flight of stone stairs; the surrounding area was completely shrouded in fog, blocking your view of it. You could see nothing through the shrouds of white and had to rely on Suna to guide you. Sticking close to him so you wouldn't get lost, you resisted the desire to reach out to grab onto the back of his robes; you don't think he would mind but...just in case he did.

You thought you faintly heard the sounds of a waterfall or rippling body of water, but it was so indistinct that you weren't sure if it isn't just white noise in your ears from fatigue and a trick of the fog on your senses.

When you got to the top of the steps, you continued forward further before arriving at several more stone steps that brought you directly onto the wooden floors of what seems to be a large, open hall, shrouded in mist that had funneled in through the open wall that served as the entrance.

Around the room, you recognized the figures of the twins, of the one named Aran, and three others you do not recognize. They were all lined on either side of the room, whilst Aran stood slightly to the side at the center-front. As soon as you stepped into the hall right behind Suna, you felt their gazes shifting towards you almost simultaneously. You were particularly aware of the two pairs of honey and pearly grey eyes.

Tensing visibly, the nervousness intensified within you, culminating in the quickening of the organ in your chest. If you could hear your own heart beating, they surely could hear it in this silent hall.

Suna lightly pushed your back, urging you to move forward as he gave you what was supposed to be a reassuring nod (you were not reassured in the least).

"Suna has returned with the girl." Aran's voice cut through the silence, startling you.

As best as you could under the focus of all present, you took slow, steady (unsteady?) steps forward, stopping in the center once you were parallel to Aran.

Looking up at what appears to be a dais, you saw the shadow of a figure shifting through the shroud, and then the others present suddenly straightened their stance.

You reflexively tensed together with them.

A soft laugh echoed from the figure on the dais.

"You all need not be so tense. It makes me uncomfortable too."

This voice…

Squinting up, you watched as the figure cloaked in mist stepped forward and a familiar dark-haired teen emerged.

"M-Minami?" What? He's the leader of the Inarizaki House? What?!

The young fox-folk smiled at you, shaking his head once, twice, before his form flickered like dispersing mist. The layer of white mist in the air surrounding him began to shift, swirling across the air in graceful curls as they wreathed around Minami's form from his feet up. It shimmered in the dim morning light as the clouds moved upwards, cloaking his shoulders and furling around his neck and finally climbing up and over his head.

That's…

From the scattering vapors that diffused around his figure as he stepped forward is the face of someone you knew well, and you could feel disbelief start to close around your neck and head, holding you in its hazy grasp.

'I can't believe this…even him?'

The robes that had been too large for the one named Minami now fit perfectly on the taller and now filled out body of the man, no longer boy, standing on the dais. Silver-hair dipped in black glistened like dew from the morning waters clinging to the air and him. You see now in hindsight the dark-auburn eyes of Minami fitting perfectly on his face and could not believe you did not recognize their similarities earlier. Minami, the sly fox...

He smiled down at you with the same maturity and gentleness that Minami had.

"Forgive me for deceiving you but...I am Kita Shinsuke, Alpha of The Inarizaki House."

"Please, wake up. I really need to talk to you."

Notes:

*The word for cooked rice in Japanese is gohan (ご飯), which also means meal.In Mandarin/Cantonese/Chinese Dialects, the word for rice and meal is also the same.

Kita means North. Minami means South :E
Soooo, for those of you who guessed Minami is Kita, dammit, I will get you another time! (If ya got it last chapter , salute to you! ) Grandma and rice are such big hints though hahaha
For those who didn't...WELL, first Osamu and now Kita?! Got you once, got you twice now! Bwahahaha *cackles* : But ya' know I love ya'll.

And yes. I killed off Kita's granny. I'm sorry T_T She had to go. For story and character development purposes T_T I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON! But it hurt me to do it too T^T Forgive me Kita *grovels*

I've also been writing so much for this story recently my keyboard key broke laaawl. Been typing on a broken keyboard and it is the WORST! DX

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it the plot, the characters, the writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the HQ characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 9: The Reasons We Endeavour

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Inarizaki House

Notes:

Burn with the slowburn people. Buuuuurn!

Thank you everyone who commented on the last chapter! I swear each time I see a new comment, my motivation is refueled to full tank and I start writing regardless of where I am! Half of this was typed on my phone xD

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

With a simple nod of his head to Aran, the others in the hall filed out at Aran's timing, leaving you with Kita Shinsuke. Or at least, the Kita Shinsuke of Hyquile.

Also known as Minami.

...these foxes were going to give you trust issues.

First Osamu and now Kita! Unbelievable!

Within the bafflement that was tangling itself in your mind (because really, how many more people from your reality are you going to meet? Will you meet your family as well then? This is too much), there was a pinch of annoyance at the silver-haired male who shares the same face and name as your university senior.

You had...trusted him...somewhat! You had been nothing but honest with him (besides the little white lies of you not being from Hyquile) and actually believed that he was nothing but sweet, genuine Minami who opened up to you, let himself be vulnerable with you, and cried into you. Being tricked twice now by the fox-folk made you severely question your naivety.

A frown made its way onto your face as you glared up at the silver-haired male on the dais, unable to keep your irritation from making its way onto your face.

He at least had the decency to look somewhat sheepish as he motioned for you to come up to where he was with a light beckoning of his hand.

Stopping several steps before him, you asked with a slight sulk, "Was it all a lie then? About…"

His sheepish expression made way for a much more even and somber one, even as the corners of his lips pulled up ever so faintly and he shook his head no.

"Other than my name and appearance, everything I have ever told you as Minami is my truth as Kita Shinsuke."

"Why didn't you just appear to me as," you gestured at his appearance before you, "-as you from the beginning then?" Though you doubt you'd have been able to speak to him as freely as you had with 'Minami' if you knew he was this world's alternate of your senior and fellow volleyball circle member.

"There are still many things I have yet to speak with you about as Minami but…" Kita puffed an almost inaudible sigh, "it is not without shame that I admit that I am afraid of humans, still am, and did not know if I could trust you."

"...so your solution was to disguise yourself and approach me?"

Kita chuckled, chimes like bells echoing in the vastly empty hall.

"Forgive my deception, but I had to know you could be trusted from a safe distance first." Kita nodded his head towards the back of the dais, asking that you follow him.

Trailing after him, you closely watched as he led you through a set of doors that were at the back of the dais, right behind a high-backed floor seat that you hadn't noticed through the shroud of mist. Right behind the door, a red lantern hung which Kita removed from its hook on the wall, using it to light your way forward.

As Minami, his movements had always been slow, polite, and just a little bit awkward as he often struggled with the oversized garment and trailing hems but as Kita, all of that was gone and he was just...graceful. It made you a little self-conscious of your own loud footsteps behind his silent ones...that is until he tripped on something you couldn't see and your hands reached out reflexively to pull on the back of his clothes, nearly stumbling in your own haste.

He looked at you, abashed, with an embarrassed grin. "Oops."

...this guy was definitely not like the Kita Shinsuke that you knew. You had never known Kita Shinsuke as someone who made mistakes, especially simple ones, like tripping.

You weren't any better with your own clumsy tendencies so you had absolutely no right to judge but you were just a regular student and he was supposedly the leader of the Inarizaki House power. Is he alright as the leader of an entire territory…?

Slowly, he led you through a dimly lit corridor with wooden walls, speaking as he did so.

"My father was the previous leader of Inarizaki, as you might have guessed by now."

Well, you didn't think exactly make the connection right away but now that he mentioned it, it made sense. So his father was the powerful warrior-leader that led Inarizaki to its peak then?

"He was wise and full of experience, and one of the oldest leaders of Inarizaki to have ever lived. Previous leaders had always died young due to the numerous battles that would one day claim their lives, but my father had outlived them all until that fateful day." Kita began, stopping momentarily for you to catch up to his slightly longer strides.

He looked at you, shadows from the lantern casting across his features before he looked away. "My father hated humans the most, out of all the folks he has had to fight with to gain control of the realm. I never really understood his reasonings."

"I remember, you said you didn't get along." You recalled what he told you when he was still Minami.

"He saw them as nothing but tools for the creation and expansion of fox-folk, believing that they were born to serve the fox-folk." A deep frown that you felt did not fit the always gentle features of Kita Shinsuke, both the one from your reality and this reality's, carved onto him. "I was young and was unable to understand him. As a result, he was severely strict with me, forceful even, but whenever he wasn't around, my grandmother always made it feel better." At the thought of his grandmother, his frown was immediately replaced with a tender smile and you felt tension you didn't even notice leave you.

"Grandma didn't hate humans at all. She always told me that we have to be appreciative of them, as, without them, the fox-folk would not exist. Even when she knew her death was approaching at their hands, she never said any different."

You had never met her, but Kita's grandmother must have been a truly amazing woman.

Kita looked up at you, russet eyes glowing with the orange warmth of the lantern.

"Do you know what her last words to me were?"

A rhetorical question to both of you, but you shook your head quietly.

"I believe you will bring peace to the realm. That is your legacy and not the ambitions of your father...because you are my dear grandson, Shin."

His grandmother's whispered words echoed around him as he looked up at her face for the last time, from within the encasing darkness of the pot that hid him.

As the lid began to eclipse over the face of his grandmother, ever his moon and ever his sun, her final words reached him before everything was muffled into silence.

"Someone is always watching."

Biting your lip, you allowed Kita's words to settle within you.

"For a while, I didn't understand what she meant, and I wanted to hate humans just as much as the rest of my brethren. But..." Another clumsy but gentle smile graced his lips once more. "Her love and words had always held me back from turning into my father. And I am grateful for that."

He began walking once more, leaving you slightly startled at the abruptness of it and you quickly followed, matching your pace to his as you pulled at your sleeves awkwardly.

"She's amazing," you mumbled quietly, berating your lameness in your head.

Kita smiled at you gratefully. "She was, and I believe she is watching me, even now. And I wish to meet her final wishes for me but... I was still afraid of humans, even if I didn't hate them. And that fear has ruled me for a long time, even now to be honest…" he sighed regretfully, the arm holding the lantern lowering.

"That's why I did not dare approach you as I am, as even if I told myself you would not hurt me, my mind wouldn't allow me to think so; I thought at least you would have a bit more mercy on a youngster than an adult if you had less than honest intentions." He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair, mixing up the locks of silver and black. "I have caused a lot of trouble for my retainers with my frequent disappearances, not just recently."

His reasoning threw you for a loop. He was...that afraid? And disappearances?

"My people do not believe I have the capacity to lead them and to be honest, neither do I. If it weren't for my most loyal retainers that you saw in the hall just now, I imagine they would have rebelled by now. Rather than me, the people follow them, those who are strongest amongst us."

You had doubts about his words, unable to believe that strong-headed and stubborn people like the Miya brothers, if they were anything like the ones from your world, would just blindly follow anyone. You also didn't see Suna just following any random person either- he didn't speak much but you felt he was a strong-willed person in his own way.

But then Suna, Aran, and even Atsumu and Osamu are his most loyal retainers? Perhaps Suna you could understand...

"But Atsumu and Osamu, and even Aran, hates humans. I don't know about the others but I don't doubt they do too." You said, giving him a confused look. "Why do they remain loyal to you if you don't hate humans?"

Kita smiled. "You will have to speak to them to learn their truth about it but I believe it is because…"

"I'm hungry, 'Samu." A young Atsumu whined, weakly, forlornly, as he trailed after Osamu who held onto his hand firmly in his own weakened tiny hands.

"Me too 'Tsumu…me too." Osamu mumbled back, his voice hoarse and parched.

They have been wandering for who knows how long now, through the devastation of their village in search of food and clean water. But the humans had either burned or flooded away everything: their food stores, rice fields, wells- anything that could have given them hope and sustained them.

Atsumu and Osamu ate a lot, as growing fox-children with healthy appetites. And they have not eaten in days. They didn't know where their mother is, having been washed away by the flood the humans summoned. Her last moments were used to push them onto the roof of their now broken house, giving the last bit of her time to saving her sons. They didn't even have enough time to look at her face one last time before a large wave swept up and over her, dragging her under and away with the rest of their village.

Atsumu and Osamu had cried, a lot, a lot; and searched for their mother, a lot, a lot but to no avail. And as the days passed with no news or sight of her, dead or alive, and the cries of the remaining survivors around them began to settle, the reality of their situation began to truly sink into their young minds.

They've always been loud and happy kids. And they haven't smiled in what felt like forever.

No one left in the village did.

Everyone was trying to pick up the pieces of what was left, looking for family and friends they hoped to be alive but...the twins had already accepted the fact that their mother was not returning.

In the span of a few days, they had been forced to grow from the mischievous village brats to adults who had to feed and fend for themselves. No one could spare anything in this scarce environment, not even to the two scrawny runts who used to run up to their market stands and peek over the table at the delicious food that lined the stall.

Atsumu and Osamu learned quickly that everyone was selfish, and everyone only looked out for themselves.

And that if they wanted to survive, they had to be just as selfish and self-serving.

They stole from the others, got beat up when caught, and they fought and bit back just as harshly for the smallest scraps of food, feral in their hunger.

The twins came to understand that they only had each other, that it was them against the world as they huddled together under broken pieces of wood, split the grains of rice they dug out from the mud between them, and took turns sipping from the chipped bucket that barely held any rainwater.

They were bruised all over, and a fever is beginning to take hold of Atsumu and Osamu is pretty sure that the wound on his leg is showing signs of infection and will fester soon.

A harsh tug on his outstretched arm made Osamu look back to see that Atsumu had fallen face-first to the dirt, hand still in his brother's grasp. Osamu pulled at Atsumu's hand, willing in his mind with their twin telepathy for him to get up. But Atsumu just laid there, face down, breathing the dirt with barely-there breaths that were further muffled by the earth.

Osamu returned to Atsumu, never letting go of his hand, and with whatever strength he had left in his starved body, he rolled his brother over, body collapsing on top of him when he finally succeeded.

He turned to look at Atsumu, feeling the brown soil press into his cheek as Atsumu stared blankly up at the grey sky above, skin pale and missing the cheeky shine he always had.

It was about to rain. Ironic for the sky to finally decide to bless them with its life-giving tears when it has been dry for days. Just when they were about to...

Dull honey eyes shifted to look down at somber grey, neither moving but the bleak thoughts and helplessness they both felt passed between them as clear as the laughter they used to share.

'Maybe...it's time to give up.'

A foreign emotion to them, giving up.

They were very competitive siblings, fighting for everything and anything- both between them and with others.

It was the first time they ever thought about giving up since they were brought into this world. Their mother had been very tenacious, and the twins had rightfully inherited that from her. To think that they would waste the tenaciousness she gave them with the last of her being like this. They hadn't even found her body yet.

But they were children, and they've fought for weeks to no end on their own now.

'I think we've used up all our lives, 'Samu.'

'We're not cats but I think you're right, 'Tsumu.'

It was when the twins thought they could finally relax and succumb to a very long sleep, there in the dirt, with Osamu collapsed onto Atsumu almost like a thin protective blanket, when they first heard his voice.

"Aran, help me carry them."

They never speak about it to anyone, not even to each other, but to this day, Atsumu and Osamu are sure that they had truly given up that day, and that it would have been their last if Kita hadn't reached out to them.

He was not much older than either of them and was hardly doing any better but he took them in regardless, tending to their injuries and sharing what remained of his food with them.

In fact, Kita shared what he could with those he came across that needed it more than him, which was almost everyone.

Aran worked tirelessly to bring back game from his hunts, and Kita continuously used his limited healing magic to do what he could for others, which took a large toll on his body especially at his young age.

When they finally learned that he was the son of their previous leader and next in line to inherit the title of Alpha-Leader, Atsumu and Osamu had silently but mutually decided that they wanted to serve this person who brought them back from the brink, no matter what.

They thought it was the two of them against the world but Kita Shinsuke showed them otherwise.

They did not agree with his beliefs and ideals in regards to humans, and they always made that clear to him, but they and Kita both know in their hearts of hearts that they will never do anything that will betray him or Inarizaki.

When they went out on raids, usually without the knowledge of their leader, and took the lives of humans, the twins always made sure that it was those that posed an actual threat to Inarizaki...but they were merciless when they did so and always tied up every single loose end.

And they really meant every single loose end, leaving no room for potential vengeful family members or lovers to come after them.

They will not allow humans to take anything from them, ever again.

You silently listened to Kita as he told you about how he had found Atsumu and Osamu in this world. In similar ways, Aran and the others had gathered around him though some like Omimi's line has always been loyal to Kita's family lineage. Your body, mind, and heart were already heavy with the tales and history you had heard from Suna and Kita the last several days, and you didn't think it could get any heavier but it did.

You thought of the Atsumu and Osamu of your world, always smirking, always confident, and always causing trouble with mischievous glints in their eyes.

...and you wished that the twins of this world could be that way too because you knew that to be their true selves.

Not the vengeful and hateful ones you have seen.

You wished that the Suna of this world didn't have that dull undertone to his bright yellow eyes, finding the lazy hood of his lids as he scrolled through his phone to be more carefree; that Kuroo didn't walk around with all that weight on his shoulders, that airy shrugs and provocative grins looked better on him; that Bokuto didn't have to sound so menacing as boisterous laughs sounded much better from him; that Kita didn't have that sad smile, as even though they were extremely rare, his real smile was better.

"...aren't you afraid of me now then?" You asked the Inarizaki leader quietly.

He stopped in his tracks, pausing momentarily before turning to look at you. "Should I be?"

Immediately, "No!" you replied, your voice accidentally louder than you intended it to be and you winced when it bounced back at you in the hallway.

He laughed softly, continuing on his way with your answer. "The brief time I have had to know you as Minami has led me to believe I have nothing to fear from you." He stopped walking again and so did you.

"I have been careful to keep my distance from you, and I am sure you have noticed. But when you allowed me to merely grieve for my grandma the way you did I...I did not realize how much I needed it until then. It has been a decade but as the leader of Inarizaki, I did not have much room to just confide and express myself like that to anyone, not even to Aran." Kita spoke quietly, avoiding your gaze, long fingers rolling the wood handle of the lantern in his grasp.

You thought you saw a hint of pink on his cheeks but dismissed it as your inferior human eyes failing in the dim light.

"At very least...my instincts told me I could trust you, if not other humans." His auburn eyes flashed up to make eye contact with yours briefly before they quickly looked away again. Was he...embarrassed? Shy?

His ensuing footfalls were a tad bit faster than prior and it made you smile to know that you were perhaps right that he was embarrassed. It must not be easy to just open up to the enemy of your people like that, and it was very brave of him to try to take the first steps, awkward as they may be.

You reached out to lightly tug on his sleeve, causing him to stop yet again.

"I'm glad then, that you found it in yourself to trust me. I won't break that trust."

It was embarrassing for you too to say something like this, but you made sure to keep your eyes on his even if you wanted nothing more than to hide your face, to make sure he understood that you were sincere and they weren't just empty words.

You meant it; you didn't want him or his people to suffer at the hands of humanity anymore and even if you're not from Hyquile, if you can even be one less human to worry about taken off their mind...

Kita blinked slowly as your words sunk in, and he gave you that tender smile that was so strange to your eyes on the face of your university senior but you find yourself not minding if you saw it more often.

"In that case...would you mind telling me your truth then?"

You blinked, surprised.

"You…"

"We've had our suspicions since Suna told us about your strange remarks and dubious origins. They rarely matched up." He grinned sheepishly at you.

You groaned with a slump. "For how long?" There was no use denying it if they already got this far.

"Almost immediately, ever since you told Suna you were from The Dominion. A human from The Dominion is almost unheard of, even if they might migrate there later in life."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," you muttered with a small sulk. "What else gave me away?"

"Besides your various tales that do not match what we know of Hyquile? Well, your utter lack of understanding about the most basics of things like magic and geography, the proper way to use a fire stove, and even your grilled meat with eggs rice balls that was absolutely unheard of. Not to mention your...unique dance and stretches." Kita listed off, and he continued listing several more silently as he counted them on his fingers.

"I was a bad liar, wasn't I?"

"Terrible." He smiled. "Suna agrees."

"I knew Suna didn't believe me but I just hoped he wouldn't have said anything...wishful thinking I guess." You sighed, bringing a palm to your face.

"Yes but...the first tip-off was Osamu, actually," Kita said.

"O-Osamu?"

"He said that you knew his nickname even though it was the first time you met him."

Oh...right.

You fidgeted under his knowing smile.

"So...will you tell me your truth?"

"Another world?!"

"Another dimension?"

Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu both stared incredulously at Aran who just said that they suspect the human girl they picked up from The Dominion might not be from Hyquile.

And he did not mean not just from the known realms and continents.

"That's a bit too farfetched, even for ya' Suna." Atsumu looked over to Suna who apparently first brought his suspicions to their senior leaders.

"Even if you're trying to protect her at least come up with somethin' better," Osamu added, also looking at Suna.

Suna resisted rolling his eyes, opting to sigh instead and turned away from the twins' judgemental gaze. "This is why you weren't informed from the beginning." He muttered lowly.

"Hah?! What did ya' say?"

"That's harsh, Suna."

"In any case, we have enough reason to suspect so and it would explain a lot of her strange behaviors and habits." Aran turned to the other younger ones in their group who just found out, namely the Miya twins and Ginjima. "We are just letting you know now so you are in the loop and wouldn't do anything reckless again." He pointedly looked at the twins when he said this who feigned ignorance.

"Aran's right. Though we understand you wanted to help, bringing The Dominion's and its sky-folk allies' attention on us is not the best of results. Kuroo Tetsurou and Bokuto Koutarou are not people we want to trifle with." Akagi explained.

"Sorry, I should have known they were going to sneak off…" Ginjima muttered with a glare at his two friends.

"You're not responsible for their actions Ginjima." Omimi stoically assured the younger male, further bringing a cloud of shame onto the twins who were now looking at the ground.

"We just wanted to help Kita."

"We know it's been tough on him."

The twins mumbled with similar angry frowns on their faces, fists clenching.

"It's alright. We all do. I don't always agree with Kita and think he's too idealistic in regards to humans, but I trust him to do what he believes is best for us all." Aran said, reluctance clear on his face.

"So he's really going to show it to her?" Ginjima asked. "Our most protected secret?"

"That's why she's in there with him and we're out here." Suna finally said, turning to face them again. "She would have to see it at some point if she could really heal The Rot."

"I really did see it. My eyes do not deceive me." Osamu said firmly.

"We believe you, Osamu." Akagi nodded at the grey-haired twin.

Atsumu rolled his eyes. "I still think you were hallucinating- ow!" Osamu kicked his brother in his back, and Atsumu swiftly retaliated with a swing of his fists. The two quickly ended up on the ground in a scuffle and Aran sighed deeply as he looked up at the sky, as if asking an omnipotent being why he has to have the misfortune of dealing with them.

Even as Ginjima and Akagi worked to pull the twins apart, and Suna stood off a little away from the others, and Aran and Omimi both retreated into their thoughts and the twins began to settle down, a similar thought coursed through all of them gathered, despite their differences.

More than even humans, there is now something else that is an even bigger threat to them.

"So you've been sneaking off?" You laughed, eyes bulging in slight disbelief at Kita.

"I am ashamed to admit it but yes. I did not believe I was up to the task of being the Alpha-Leader, and I've been running away from the role for as long as I can remember." Kita sighed.

Wow, if only your world's Kita Shinsuke could hear this. That guy never messes up or slacks off. He'd be so shocked.

"It's why they didn't come looking for me as Minami right away because they're so used to it. Unfortunately, things recently are getting to the point where I can no longer keep running away…" Kita sighed deeply, shame crossing his features.

"...and that's what you're going to show me now? Because you think I can help?"

"Osamu said he saw you cure a cat-folk of The Rot, which is why he...took you from The Dominion. I must apologize on his behalf."

"They certainly could do it in a less frightening manner...I thought my neck was going to break." You recalled the chase in the forest with a shudder.

"Atsumu and Osamu are two of our most talented- by no means not without years of hard work from them- but they are also our most reckless. They don't always listen to me, and I don't blame them, especially not with how I have been running from facing my own duties…" Kita turned to you, admiration in his sincere russet eyes.

"Which is why when I heard that you refused to give up on dance even though you didn't enjoy it, it moved me. It made me think that perhaps, I would be able to rise to my role one day too if I persevered."

"What?!" Spluttering, your hands waved in the air at him wildly. "Dance and being the leader of an entire power are two very different things!" Your hands slapped to your head in disbelief. "They aren't on the same level to be compared!"

"Aren't they? Take the titles and labels away, the basic essence of it is the same. It comes down to one's resolve and the will to not run away." The calm, logical way with which Hyquile's Kita approached this reminded you of Kita's cold logic and you could see a clear line of similarity between them right now.

"Maybe? I really don't think so but I told you now that I'm not from Hyquile. My world doesn't have magic, and everything is completely different from Hyquile...except the appearances and names of my world's version of you all." You frowned again, looking down at your hands. "I don't know magic. I can't do magic. Kuroo didn't have time to look into it further because...you know, was set on fire by Atsumu-"

"The twins have been severely reprimanded and I have asked Aran to see to it that they are appropriately disciplined."

"-well, that's good I suppose but I rather if they apologized to Kuroo and the cat-folk. And Bokuto and Kenma." You lightly joked. "But they were unable to learn anything other than Kenma mentioning it might not be healing magic. I think it was just a fluke."

Kita tilted his head at you, a softness in his gaze that felt like he was peering into your soul as he placed a warm palm on your shoulder, halting your gait and turning you to look at him.

"I don't know much about your world, but in Hyquile where we are largely governed by magic and the soul, rarely anything is a fluke."

You went silent at his words, mouth closing shut as you looked up at him.

"Do you truly believe that you have been brought into this world merely because a- what was it, volleyball?- hit you in the head?" Your lips tightened and you shifted your gaze to his neck, unable to face him...unwilling to accept the ringing truth you hear in his words.

A part of you had wondered it, mulled on it, for some time now; ever since that haunting face in the spring appeared to you and since Kuroo told you that the version of you in Hyquile is dead...you had thought about it but you had been choosing to ignore it, choosing to look the other way.

You...didn't want to accept that you were here for any other reason than a fluke.

You're just a university student from an ordinary world.

"I'm...just an ordinary student," you murmured and you felt Kita squeeze your shoulder lightly.

"Having been in Hyquile for a bit now, do you not think ordinary is relative? What is ordinary to you is magic to us, and what is magic to you is ordinary to us." Kita's hand on your shoulder gently trailed up to your chin, lightly coaxing you to look back up at him with two fingers. Russet eyes shone warmly at you.

"I for one, think you are anything but ordinary. You have been thrown into a world completely different from your own, and I can only imagine how much you have gone through since. You have faced the scorn of my people, especially that of the twins which is a feat in itself. Yet you still opened your embrace to one of those whose people looked down on you, and as Minami, I have seen you persevere every day since I met you."

Tender fingers brushed themselves across your cheek from your chin, and the corners of his mouth turned upwards with a heartfelt smile.

"From my perspective, I think you have been nothing but extraordinary."

When you finally emerged at the end of the surprisingly long hallway Kita led you through, you found yourself standing at the beginning of a narrow wooden bridge that traverses over a body of water. The mist continued to shroud the surrounding, and you were unable to tell how large the body of water was. You heard the sound of rushing water permeating through the white clouds.

Kita extended a hand to you as he helped you up the steps that brought you on the low bridge, and raising the red lantern up once more, he guided you through the mist, a soft yellow glow illuminating the wisps swirling around the two of you.

Peering over the side of the bridge, you could make out the still surface of the water below you; the bridge was barely two feet higher than the surface of the water.

"Kita, where are we?"

Without looking at you, Kita answered. "Where we are now, where I am taking you, is the most sacred of places to the land of my people. It is one of the reasons why despite our home having been ravaged, we never left and continue to build our livelihood here."

"...are you sure it is alright to bring me here?" You suddenly feel as if you were treading where you shouldn't be; where humans shouldn't be.

Kita smiled, flitting a quick glance at you. "Do not worry, your presence in here is allowed. If it wasn't, you would never have been able to leave the tunnel we came from."

"...really?"

"Really. It is enchanted to remain a neverending tunnel to those who are unwelcomed."

"So it wasn't a coincidence that it was super long?"

"Hmm, no, that was merely a coincidence. We are a bit of a distance away from the village. To protect the sanctity and location of this place, only those I have revealed its location to would be able to enter without falling to the illusion mist I have placed over it."

"So all of this mist is you?! Ever since I entered the hall?!"

He chuckled lightly, the sound reverberating in the silence, magnified by the thick mists rolling over your figures. "Yes. Fox-folks are gifted with illusions and though there are basic illusions that all of us can conjure, ultimately we all manifest our illusions- in other words, our magic- differently depending on our affinities. If you haven't guessed it already, mine is mist and by extension, water. And you have seen Osamu's illusions? His is light, which is why his illusions refract and shimmer the way it does, like a mirror."

"And Atsumu? He was using fire."

"Atsumu's fire is a bit different; that is what we call fox-fire."

"Fox...fire?"

"Like other folks of Hyquile, our illusions and hence our magic is strongest when our affiliated element is present for our use. In my case, mist or water. For Osamu, light. But sometimes, the element might not be available for us. With fox-fire, we can conjure the element itself; of course, this will consume the appropriate amount of energy to do as conjuring physical manifestations of an element is no easy task, and takes years of mastery. Atsumu and Osamu are famed for being the youngest ever to achieve fox-fire."

"...wow, that is some major mojo right there."

"...mojo?"

"Nevermind. It's just...amazing, that's all." You laughed at his confusion. "I wish I can do things like that."

"You were able to heal The Rot, were you not?"

You went silent again and looked away.

Suddenly, you felt very nervous. Whatever Kita was taking you to, he said he wanted your help with it...and they believe you can heal The Rot. You don't believe you have magic. You don't know how to use magic. But you can't help feeling scared of their dismay when they finally see that you can't do anything for them, even if you had already told them so.

It was something that obviously meant a lot to them, given the amount of protection and secrecy that went into this place, and the fact that the Alpha-Leader himself had felt the need to verify your authenticity before bringing you here.

Even if you knew it was coming, you didn't want to face their disappointment.

The bridge ended abruptly over the middle of the water which continued to stretch beyond. You and Kita stood at the very edge of it and Kita took a moment to hook the lantern onto the column that signaled the end of the path. A simple wooden boat rocked gently in the water next to the bridge, a rope tethering it to the column. The rushing sound of water had gradually gotten stronger as you progressed on the bridge, and it was now a roaring torrent that echoed around you.

You squinted into the mist but was unable to peer through it.

Kita shifted beside you, and before you could clearly see what he was doing through the veil, the blanket of mist begun to move, wispy puffs and clouds shifting and dispersing to the air, and you find yourself standing in the middle of a large lake.

Up ahead, a little further beyond where you stood, there was a large wall of rushing water, torrenting down in a half-circle into the end of the lake, water and mist rising up into the air in thick clouds of white.

Standing before the spraying clouds of white, a red torii gate stood quietly in the water, its crimson reflection rippling across the blue surface in a contrasting painting that only made the view more beautiful.

As you looked at the view in awe, you could not help but feel that something looked off.

"The water from this lake, this waterfall, is what feeds through the rice fields my brethren work tirelessly at every day. Its water runs through our wells, leads to the rivers coursing through our village borders. Its magical properties promote the growth of our fields and encourage the populations of fish in our rivers that keep my people fed. This waterfall is a closely guarded secret of Inarizaki since our first forebearers, and is why the fox-folk have always been able to maintain an elusive lifestyle that did not require us to go out to hunt or clash with other powers for land to expand our fields."

Kita looked out over the lake and waterfall with a quiet pride in his eyes as he told you this, and you knew that he meant every single word.

"We were lucky that our enemies did not know about it when they attacked, else I fear they would have desecrated it. It took a bit of time, but with this waterfall, my people were able to slowly build up here again."

"I really feel like you shouldn't have shown me something this important," you muttered again and Kita laughed. But it was brief and he turned grave instead, eyes looking at something distant in the water.

"Do you see it?"

You squinted once more but all the clouds and specks of water rising in the air were making it hard for you to make anything out.

"In the water, by the torii gate." He said.

You focused on where Kita said instead and soon enough, you finally understand what it was that felt strange to you about the entire view.

All around, the water was clear and pristine; blue on its mesmerizing surface. But there, right by the foot of the red torii, there was something...dark.

You couldn't tell if it was the water itself that was dark or the pillar itself that was discolored.

"It's The Rot."

Your head whipped around to Kita, your eyes going wide. "W-What? I thought The Rot only effected living beings?"

"That was what we thought too, as the fundamental theory is that it feeds and festers on magic. And magic comes from the soul, hence the simplest theory was that it only affects living beings. But the water here itself possesses magical properties, blessed with the magic and souls of my brethren for generations."

He nodded at the torii gate. "It is said that the souls of my ancestors, all the fox-folk, return to that torii gate where they await the day they are reborn; a gateway for their souls between the realm of the living and the dead. It is also where the magic in the water begins."

Kita shook his head somberly.

"I don't know anything about the after-life, or the truth of the stories my ancestors passed down to us, but I do know that this water is important to my people, and The Rot has begun to taint it." His eyes narrowed with a glower at the dark water surrounding one leg of the torii gate, small in its width but menacing with its black-grimness all the same, clawing at the red of the pillar.

"And with this, we now know that The Rot does not just affect the living. It potentially affects all things with magic and spreads through it."

Your hands carded through your hair, clutching at it roughly, unable to process all that you were seeing and hearing.

This is...way worst than what The Dominion initially thought then, isn't it?

Immediately, you were concerned as to whether Kuroo or Bokuto had discovered this yet, for the potential to spread not just through touch between people or animals makes it graver than initially thought.

"H-How long has it been like this?" Worry laced your voice.

"We don't know exactly how long, but more than a month, I would guess. Its progress is slow from what we can tell, so we didn't detect it right away." Kita lifted his hand, and you watched as a swirl of mist formed and drifted down from the surrounding air, circling around his wrists. He pointed his palm out to the torii gate, and the mist began to swirl towards it, wreathing around the tainted water before glowing bright and fusing with the water.

"Currently, I have managed to slow down its spread even further with sealing magic but it won't last. It constantly feeds away at the magic, weakening the seal. I have to renew the seal every so often, and it has only gotten more frequent."

Nervousness lanced your body and you rubbed your lids with a hand. This is serious...and they expect you to be able to stop it?

"This is...I don't k-know if I can," you stuttered, unable to keep the nerves from your voice.

Kita laid a calming hand on your shoulder. "Forgive me, it was a sudden ask and not the lightest of requests. But understand that no one will blame you if it does not work...It is just a hope."

And that is what you are afraid of, you could not help but think as you looked up into hopeful auburn eyes. They were desperate enough for the twins to risk a battle with The Dominion for a human, all in the hopes that The Rot tainting their sacred waters could be cured.

You were going to disappoint that hope.

With a shudder and long breath, you nodded hesitantly. "W-What should I do?"

"When you healed the cat-folk, you touched her?" At your affirmative, a hand lifted to Kita's chin as he thought to himself. "Between living beings, direct contact with the ooze secreted from them leads to its transmission...but this is water we are dealing with."

Waiting nervously for Kita's instruction, you stared into the surface of the still water, frowning at your own pale and nervous face looking back up at you.

"Magic can travel through water, and though I think it will be more effective to have you directly near the affected area, I do not want to risk possible infection on you. Let's just try with touching the water from here first. Do not worry, my seal ensures that the taint will not come anywhere close to us."

"O-Okay."

You kneeled down and carefully leaned over the end of the bridge, your own reflection growing larger below you as you peered down at it. You gulped, remembering the night in the spring.

It's okay...Kita's here with you. He wouldn't let anything happen to you…

Sensing your nervousness, Kita crouched close next to you as well, patiently waiting for you to move at your own pace.

Sucking in a deep breath, you stuck your hand into the water with one swift shove before you chickened out.

….

"Nothing's happening," you said aloud to no one in particular, tugging your wet hand back out to look at it. Not that you were expecting any different but...you kind of hoped against all hope that you could do it.

"Hmm. When you helped the cat-folk, what were you thinking about?" Kita asked you supportively, not a single note of disappointment or accusation in his voice that you had feared.

You thought back hard to that day with Kenma at the mountain path, remembering the events as they happened and what you desperately felt, needed to do, at that moment.

"I...wanted to help her."

Kita nodded. "Try thinking something along those lines again as you try."

"Okay." Turning back to the water, you closed your eyes and thought back to everything you have learned about the fox-folk: the massacre, Suna's dull yellow eyes, Kita's grandmother and his cries, Atsumu and Osamu's hatred and suffering, the hollowness of the village...you allowed all the emotions you felt for them, all their pain and anguish, all the sadness, all the shame you felt that humanity did this to them- you allowed it to fill your thoughts and clench your heart.

You lowered your hand back into the water.

….

Prying your eyes open, you were disappointed to see nothing but your hand hanging limply in the water, thrust through your reflection, distorting it.

"I'm sorry…" you mumbled dejectedly, pulling your hand up and looking up to Kita next to you.

There was nothing on his face that gave a hint as to what he was feeling; he kept it expertly schooled and even, quietly staring at the water where your hand was.

Then he smiled at you, eyes creasing and lightly patted your head. "Don't be. There is nothing for you to be sorry about. I have to thank you for trying, nonetheless."

You frowned, turning to look back down into the water in utter dismay at the uselessness you felt.

Kita stood back up, gazing out over the water at the torii gate.

The both of you remained there, lost in your thoughts, neither breaking the deceptive quiet that lay over the water, despite the thundering of the waterfall.

Your fingers curled over the edge of the bridge, glaring down at the water, at your own face glaring back up at you.

Why...why can't you do anything?

Why were you even here if there wasn't anything you can do?

So focused on your thoughts and gaze focused beyond your own reflection, peering deep into the depths of the water, you barely felt yourself slowly leaning over the bridge, slowly lowering your head, and bringing your face closer down to the water.

There was a ripple on the still surface and you blinked.

Your moving mouth and furrowed eyes stared back up at you but...you weren't speaking and your own brows were firmly raised, feeling the pull of the taut skin on yourself.

'Can you hear me?'

You gasped.

And fell headfirst into the water.

"Are you ready to wake up?"

Fox-Fire: Manifestations of the magic of the fox-folk. Adept magic users of the fox-folk can manifest them at will, allowing for a wider scope of attack options with the added range and mobility. It takes away the need for the presence of their controlled element as it can be conjured with fox-fire, for example, fire or water; it consumes a lot of energy due to this than if they used magic regularly like the other races who rely on the element being present. Looks like Will-O'-The-Wisps.

Notes:

I know I have been breaking some hearts and making people sad the last two chapters so here, have some Kita fluff. This chapter took some time as I kept changing how I wanted to portray Alternate Kita but I'm pretty satisfied with this: Clumsy Sweet Kita 3
I hope you all like him too!

But the plot thickens and we see more of the history of the Inarizaki boys!
...is this too much worldbuilding for you all? Are you keeping up with all this information?!

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it the plot, the characters, the writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the HQ characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 10: Mutual Learning

Summary:

Introduction Arc: The Inarizaki House

Notes:

.GOD! You guys! All your comments last chapter made me SO happy! That was the most feedback I ever gotten in a chapter! I was so MIND BLOWN when I woke up the next few mornings and saw all of your supportive messages!
I will keep working hard for all of you all! I LOVE YOU ALL!
I was gonna wait for my new keyboard to write this chapter but I just did most of it on my phone again and worked with a broken keyboard to save you all the long wait 3
Forgive me if there are typos and mistakes.

Please enjoy and a little bit of worldbuilding vomit incoming!

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"A҉r҉ e҉ y҉ o҉ u҉ r҉ e҉ a҉d҉y҉ t҉o҉ w҉a҉ k҉e҉ u҉p҉?"

"Is҉ m҉y v҉ o҉i҉c҉e҉ re a҉c҉h҉ i҉n҉g y҉ o҉u҉?"

"P҉e҉r҉hap҉s҉ yo҉u're҉ n҉o҉t҉ l҉i҉s҉t҉e҉ning҉?"

"I am h҉ e҉r҉e҉."

"...Y҉ o҉u҉'r҉e҉ ther҉e҉ a҉r҉en't y҉ o҉u҉?"

"Can y҉o҉u҉ feel m҉ e҉?"

" ..."

"I kn҉ o҉w y҉o҉u҉'r҉e҉ the҉ r҉e."

"Are y҉ o҉ u҉read҉y to l҉i҉s҉ t҉ e҉n҉ now?"

"Plea҉se, w҉a҉ k҉e҉ u҉p҉. I r҉ eally n҉ e҉e҉ d҉ t҉o҉ talk to y o҉u҉."

"Plea se҉t҉r҉y to ll҉i҉ s҉t҉en."

"W҉hy are y҉ o҉u҉ so q҉ u҉iet?"

"Itt҉'s҉ s҉ o҉ q uiet…"

"Yo҉ u҉c҉an he҉ ar me, cn҉ 't҉y҉ o҉u҉?"

"Why c҉ a҉n҉'t҉ y҉ o҉u҉hear m҉e҉?"

"Why i҉s҉ m҉y҉ voi c҉e not rec҉h҉i҉n҉ g҉ y҉o҉u҉?"

"Wh҉a҉t҉ about n҉o҉w҉?"

"W҉ i҉l҉l҉ y҉o҉u҉ listen a҉ l҉r҉e҉ady?"

"Y҉o҉u҉'r҉e҉ ther҉e҉, aren't y҉o҉u҉?"

"Please w҉ a҉ k҉e҉ up...:"

"Can y҉o҉u҉ hear m҉ e҉no҉w?"

"Please d҉ o҉n҉'t҉ igno҉re me."

"J҉u҉ s҉t҉ listen t҉ o҉ me."

"...ca҉n y҉ o҉ u҉still not hear m҉e҉?"

"He҉y…"

"Are y҉ o҉u҉ awake?"

"Can y҉o҉ u҉ hear m҉ e҉?"

"He҉y…"

"Are yo҉u҉ there? Can҉ you hear me҉?"

"Wake up."

'I can't breathe.'

Everything is dark, heavy, suffocating, cold.

It felt like you were being pulled under, held under a deep, dark, mass of something dense.

You hear a voice.

Voices?

You can't tell, everything sounds the same.

It was all around, echoing, ringing, resounding, muffled.

You tried to move your frozen arms, kick your legs but you can't tell which way was up and which way was down, and your limbs felt like lead; something was pulling you, keeping you down.

Your arms struggled and flailed against this unseen dark force, trying to claw at your throat where air was not passing through.

Panic. You were starting to panic.

"C y҉o҉ u҉r e҉?"

There were hands.

Whose hands? Was it your own hand?

Calming squeezes on your shoulders; soft sweeping of your hair from your eyes; firm grasps on your left-hand; fingers trailing your cheeks; light strokes on your right-hand; gentle brushes on your brow; airy fiddling on your fingers; warm touches on your arm.

You're scared.

What's happening? Where are you? Why can't you see? Why can't you move?

"█l҉e҉a҉s҉ e҉ w҉e҉ u҉"

The muffled voices, the sounds keep reverberating around you.

You tried to open your eyes, but there was a bright, white, light that blinded you!

Your eyes slammed back shut, hiding from the light that threatened to burn your eyes.

"B҉r҉ a҉t҉h҉e."

You can't hear it.

You know someone is speaking to you but you don't know from where nor what they are trying to say.

You tried to open your mouth, to say something, to tell them you can't understand them, to call for help but nothing came out and you choked, panic filling you as you begin to grab at your throat once more.

Then you felt hands on your cheeks, holding you, keeping your swinging and swerving head steady, frenzied in your panic and the feeling of suffocation.

Something neither warm nor cold touched your forehead, pushing against it.

A strange sensation began to seep into you, beginning from your forehead, sailing down your body, and all the way to the tips of your toes and fingers.

It didn't feel like you were suffocating anymore; you were calm, the panic mysteriously leaving your body and the cold subsided.

Your arms and legs ceased their struggles and hung limply at your side, and you felt your whole body slump into the dense mass around you.

You tried to open your eyes again but find that you couldn't.

"Yo҉ h҉a҉ e҉ t҉o҉ h҉e҉ p҉ t҉h҉ m҉"

"█e҉r҉p҉s҉ yo҉u're҉ o҉t҉ l҉i҉s҉t҉e҉nng҉?"

Your mouth opened, trying to tell them that you can't understand what they are saying, can't hear them, but your voice would not surface.

The hands on your cheeks moved to your temples, grasping you firmly, desperately, as sounds echoed everywhere once again.

White noise assaulted your ears, and a jumble of colors seeped into your mind's eye from the corners of your shut lids.

You felt all the hands on you, all at once; soft, gentle, tender, and only growing more prominent in tandem with the tighter grip of the pair on your head.

"P a҉ e, a҉ k҉e҉ p҉"

Masses of colors and bright flashes of white streaked with the same mess of vivid strokes flashed and churned like a highspeed reel in your mind, bringing with it a sharp pain that drilled into your head from all angles.

A discolored tree. Fires, smoke, and ash. A city of trees. Black earth. A frozen wasteland. Bleeding stones. A crying statue. Ice peaks. A desolate land. Rusting iron walls. A shared kiss. A dark mass.

The disconnected images kept running, and running, and running with no connection or end to them, only becoming more convoluted as they increased in variety and frequency.

"Y҉h҉ v҉e҉ t҉ e҉lpt҉ m҉

" ██ n҉ y҉o҉ 'r҉e҉ e҉ r҉e."

Anguish, sadness, despair, hopelessness, hope, anger, agony, gloom, hate-a roulette of emotions attacked you in tandem with the reeling images and you felt yourself struggling to breathe again.

The pain in your head only kept getting sharper and sharper and you tried to lift your limbs to move.

You had to get away, get away from whatever is causing you this immense pain!

"Y҉u h҉ v҉e҉ t҉ he҉lp t҉ m҉

Your head shook in their hold as much as you could manage.

What? Help? What help?!

Help who?

Help you?

"L҉oo k҉ f̵̣̈͆o̷̡ ̴͖̼͆̅r̶͉̺̃͋ ̵̼̊ t҉he҉ "

Look?!

" ██ s҉,, look f҉o҉r҉ t҉h҉e҉ "

What? Look for what?!

'I can't hear you!'

You screamed in your head, eyes squeezed shut and you don't know if you were crying; the mass on you was so dense, so heavy, and you did not know where you begin or where you ended.

"████you҉ cd!"

You fought against the hold on your head, trying to push them away with your own head but it only tightened.

" ██u҉c҉an h a me cn҉ 't҉y҉ o҉u҉?"

"O҉ y҉ou҉ c҉ hell҉p҉ t҉m҉!"

Fighting against the force on your lids, you tried to force your eyes open again, pushing and pulling with all your might to pry your eyes open.

"█ o҉ u҉h̷̩̻͒̌a̵͚͝ v҉e̶̛͍ ̴̙̈́ț̴̅̋o҉ helpt҉e҉m҉ !"

You readied yourself for the bright, white light but only darkness greeted you when your eyes finally flew open.

"Help"

Your body surged up, a force pulling on your arms, hauling you against the heavy mass that had kept you down.

Cold air latched onto your wet clothes and skin as your body broke the surface of the mass, the lake of water.

You felt yourself being placed down, and a soothing sensation started spreading across you as someone gently but firmly ran their palm across your back.

A bubbling surge of liquid burst up your throat, and you turned to your side and heaved, coughing out all the water from within you until it was just air that you kept trying to eject.

You hear Kita's voice calling your name in calming tones.

"You're okay." He soothed you, his hand glowing with a soft white light as he ran it in slow repetitive circles on your back. As the soothing cool of Kita's magic took effect, it felt like you were being swathed in a gentle morning's air, the tranquility of the previous night's rain hanging in the dews and rolling clouds of mist.

The stinging in your throat faded and the fear, panic, and almost hysteria that had taken hold of you subsided.

"W-What h-happened?" Your voice and your body could not help the shivers that lingered.

"You fell into the water. I pulled you out immediately but...you were already in quite a state." Kita helped you to slowly sit up, concern evident in his expression as he looked you over closely.

So...all that happened in the span of a few seconds? It felt longer. Much, much, longer.

"I-I...I d-don't…" you tried to tell him what you thought happened, what you felt happened, but you were struggling to speak your mind properly; everything in your head is still a mess, and that burdensome feeling of ignorance, of not knowing anything scratched at you incessantly.

What did the hell happen?

"You're still in slight shock. Let's get you changed and warm first. We can talk about this another time when you are feeling better." Kita offered gently, wrapping one arm around your waist and the other supporting an arm as he helped you clamber to your unsteady feet, your body shaking. You were so, so cold.

The water was so, so cold.

You were soaked from head to toe and Kita's sleeves and the upper half of his clothes were also drenched from when he pulled you out and leaned you against him.

He led you back out of the lake area and through the long tunnel from where you entered, all the while keeping a hold on you despite your assurance half-way through that you can walk fine.

You ignored the slight shaking and the feeling of lightness in your legs.

When you finally arrived back at the entrance of the hall from this morning, the others were still gathered around the misty courtyard outside.

They expressed different variations of shock, surprise, and distress at the sight of you and Kita wet like dogs.

"Lord Kita, what happened?" Aran immediately went to Kita's side, throwing you a wary and almost suspicious glance as he did so.

"We had a little bit of an accident. It's nothing to be worried about." Kita reassured his retainers before turning to Suna.

"Suna, can you take her back and make sure she gets warmed up?"

"Of course." Suna nodded, making his way to you and reaching you just as you abruptly sneezed right into him.

"S-Sorry!" You sniffled, mortified.

Suna merely shook his head at you that he didn't mind as he took over supporting you from Kita.

The sounds of laughter and snickering pulled your attention to where Vicious Atsumu and Frosty Osamu stood with a male that sported spiky light-grey hair. All three of them were throwing self-satisfied grins and snickers at Suna who ignored them.

"Make sure ya' don't catch anythin' unnecessary from her Suna." Atsumu simpered.

You didn't understand what he meant, but it likely had something to do with you being human and spreading human cooties.

Suna ignored them as he led you through the thick mist once more.

When the figure of Suna and the girl disappeared through the white shroud, Kita looked over at the rest of his remaining retainers, aware of their expecting stares even as the snickers died down.

He shook his head. "It didn't work."

Atsumu immediately turned on Osamu with a glare. "I told ya'!"

Osamu rolled his eyes. "It was better than doin' nothin'." Then he looked at Kita seriously, eyes resolute. "I know what I saw though, even if I can't explain it."

"You are right, Osamu. I do not approve of how you approached it, but it is better to try than doing nothing at all. And I believe you still." He paused for a moment as he wrung out the sleeves of his clothes. "I have renewed the seal again and will come back again soon to refresh it."

"But what shall we do? We can't just leave it as it is." Akagi said, brows furrowing in worry with Omimi nodding in agreement beside him.

"And we will not leave it as it is." Kita comforted him. "I will have to speak with her later about what happened when she fell into the water when she is better but our suspicions are correct. She is not from Hyquile."

"Are ya' serious?!" Atsumu sputtered incredulously, a hand carding through his gold locks.

"What if she's deceivin' you?" Osamu questioned their Alpha-Leader, clearly dubious despite the suspicions and well-thought theories from his seniors.

"She has a very well thought out and elaborate tale if she is, and you should know she is like an open book." Kita smiled as the twins frowned and looked at each other.

"That's what Suna said too," Atsumu muttered to his brother.

"I will update all of you with what I know so far when Suna returns. You are all dismissed in the meantime but Aran," he turned to look at the large bear-folk standing protectively beside him. "I wish to hear and discuss with you about the Miya twin's discipline for their recent transgressions."

At his words, two heads whipped over in horror at Kita, mouth hanging agape.

Aran nodded. "As you wish."

"But didn't we already finish it?!"

"We already did all that Aran asked!"

"Are you absolutely sure this is the area?"

"I'm absolutely positive."

"Well then, we've been looking here for days now and I don't see any signs of any foxes." Bokuto snarled, large wings flapping in agitation behind him.

Kuroo ignored his companion's hundredth complaint of the day, focusing his eyes out on the view before them from their perch on a rocky outcropping of a fairly large hill.

"It's either we got this place wrong or Kenma did." Bokuto continued again, rolling his neck and shoulders.

"Maybe," was all Kuroo said, as he thought back to the events leading up to where he and Bokuto were.

A few days had passed before Kenma finally woke up, and when he did the restoration of the damage to was already well underway. They were lucky the fires did not spread to the other mountain peaks, as it seemed the attack was only focused on the main central peak so restoration efforts are easily just as focused.

During times like these, Kuroo truly felt the support he receives from his subjects as everyone worked together to overcome the disaster that has befallen a part of their home. Everyone worked to look for survivors, in taking care of the wounded, looking after the grieving, rebuilding homes and restoring what was damaged.

Bokuto has even sent for some of his men to come in from Owl Vale to bolster their patrolling units, to ensure that no more enemies were sneaking around their lands.

Once they heard Kenma's account of the events, Kuroo had decided that they were to look for the girl. There were a lot of things to consider (the who's and the why's and not to mention the Snake Tribe) and answers to look for, but Kuroo felt responsible for her; he promised her that she would be safe in his care and that she would be alright.

He wouldn't leave her like that to the hands of her captors.

That said, he is also responsible for his realm and so it was decided only he and Bokuto would go look for her and Kenma would act in his stead during his absence, to the mighty protests of his retainers.

Akaashi merely shrugged, already knowing and accepting that his own leader will not change his mind or listen otherwise anyways. The leader of Owl Vale can be pretty vengeful, and he made it clear he wants payback with the twins that bested him.

Kuroo's High Council and retainers were more adamant that he remained behind and that one of them would go instead, but he knew that if he didn't go, he will never be at ease with the knowledge that he failed her.

He needs to be there for her, in the same vein that she promised to be there for him if he ever needed it.

Kuroo was burdened with a lot of things since the attack, and he was stretching himself thin to do everything that needs to be done. Ironically, he would very much like her to be here right now, if only just to share a simple pot of chrysanthemum tea and just listen to her stories of what she saw that interested her in Moggie Boroughs. He did always find her excitement at everything she discovered amongst his people to be endearing, refreshing even as he was treated to her thoughts and views about his realm and people from someone who was not from their world.

Kenma had tried to take responsibility for losing her to the foxes but he was shut down when Kuroo firmly told him that it was Kuroo that chose Kenma, so the ultimate responsibility rested with him, and that the golden-haired cat-folk will not be allowed to agonize over it further; that Kenma turn his energies elsewhere to things that Kenma does best, like governing The Dominion in Kuroo's absence and magic.

"Tracing magic?" Bokuto squinted his golden-eyes at Kenma who nodded.

"Yes. It's a bit unstable as I thought of this spell myself but it's our best bet if we're dealing with fox-folk." Kenma explained, reluctantly rummaging through the bag that she had with her when she arrived in Hyquile, having gotten out of the attack unscathed. The side of the mountain where their rooms were located was mostly undamaged for the most part, save for the rooms closer to the main communal areas.

Kuroo lifted a slim, black item with a glassy surface up, eyeing it with interest and curiosity. Around him, Yaku and Lev were also glancing at the items that Kenma pulled from her bag one by one. Yaku was holding what seemed to be a writing tool in his hand, though the black ink came out without having been dipped in an ink bottle at all.

"What strange things…" Lev muttered, warily touching one of the buttons of the item in Kuroo's hand, flinching when the button pressed down but nothing happened.

Akashi held up a large book, looking at the title and reading "Business Mathematics & Statistics." He flipped through the book, brows furrowing at the contents.

"I feel bad going through her things like this," Kenma sighed, even as he pulled out another item from one of the pockets in her bag.

"But you need something that belongs to her for the spell to work, don't you?" Kuroo placed the slim item back down, and Lev immediately snatched it up to inspect it further.

Kenma nodded as he pulled out a small piece of smooth paper; an extremely smooth paper. Smoother than any type of paper they have in Hyquile.

And it had the colored faces of people printed on it. A picture, unlike anything they have in Hyquile.

Kenma held it up to get a better look, and the others gathered shifted to look at this new mystery item as well. Even Bokuto could not help the movement of his eyes as he subconsciously snuck a glance.

It had bright colors in the background with strange drawings of flowers and squiggly stars all over. But what shocked them the most, or at least Kenma and Bokuto, was the faces of the people on it.

"The hell?" Bokuto snatched the picture from Kenma, glaring down at it with such a furious intensity that Akaashi thought it might shrivel up in flames in fear of his leader.

"What's wrong, Bokuto?" Kuroo asked.

"These are the damn foxes that we fought!" Bokuto growled, shoving the picture over to Kuroo who took it to scrutinize the faces better.

He noted that the girl was printed on the picture, smiling brightly with round cheeks and two hands held up in front of her in lightly curled fists. On either side of her were two identical-looking males with different colored hair, holding up V signs of their own as they squeezed over the smaller figure between them to fit in the box.

They had white and yellow lines drawn over them in what Kuroo guessed to be a poor replication of fox ears and noses. The girl herself had black cat ears and whiskers drawn over her face, and Kuroo almost smiled.

In the background, the words 'Reunited Again Tokyo!' were scrawled in a horrible script that reminded Kuroo of a child's handwriting.

Kenma looked up over his shoulder at his leader, brows furrowed. "The grey-haired one was the one pretending to be the cat-folk in Cat Alley that she and Bokuto helped."

"And the other one shot at me with a flaming spear!" Bokuto's fist punched his other palm, still pissed at having been bested.

"My liege, you threw a tornado at him." Akaashi supplied, and Bokuto whipped his head to glower at his right-hand man. Was he with him or against him?!

Kuroo frowned. "She said there were versions of us in her world...she must know them there then."

Even though he was the one who made the connection and came up with the theory, it was still hard to fully register it without questioning everything they know, especially now that there is actual proof showing her world's version of folks his companions had the misfortune of clashing with.

Showing Kuroo the face of the one who helped set fire to .

He pocketed the picture, brushing off the looks Lev and Yaku shot him. "It might come in handy when we are out looking for her."

Akaashi moved the various items on the table around, going through them carefully with Kenma. "So we need to pick something that is most closely tied with her…" he murmured, gunmetal blue eyes scanning the items.

"We don't know what these things are though so it'll be hard guessing how important or close it is to her." Yaku dropped the writing tool back into the pile.

"What about the picture with her and the foxes printed on it?" Lev asked.

"It might work since it has all three of them connected to it." Kenma looked back to Kuroo again. "But I cannot guarantee that it will survive the spell."

As Kuroo pondered whether to sacrifice the picture in his pocket, Bokuto pulled something out from his pouch and held it up between two fingers. "I have this."

"What's that?" Akaashi peered into the vial, squinting at the single drop of liquid inside.

"Her tears."

...

"Forgive me, but that's kind of disturbing, Lord Bokuto." Yaku grimaced, addressing Bokuto with respect in an attempt to lessen the blow of the insult.

"So scary…" Lev muttered, rubbing his arm.

"Bokuto, even as your trusted ally and friend, I cannot speak in your defense this time." Kuroo sighed.

"If you were a bit nicer, people wouldn't cry around you so much." Akaashi blandly said and Bokuto almost crushed the vial in his hand at the remarks that came one after another.

Kenma quickly took it from him before the vial suffered any damage.

"Lord Bokuto, why didn't you say so sooner?! This will work perfectly!"

"At least someone appreciates my genius." Bokuto sneered at everyone besides Kenma. He knew corporeal reagents charged with emotions is always handy!

They soon found themselves gathered in the area where Kuroo and Bokuto usually held their sparring sessions, Kenma with the help of Akaashi finishing up a drawing of Hyquile's known continents and realms in the soil with a stick; they drew the west side of the continent in more detail compared to the rest.

Once the roughly drawn map was completed, Kenma removed the vial from his pocket and in his other hand, held a rock.

Orange light began to emit from his palms, latching onto the rock as Kenma chanted verses that were unfamiliar to the rest in the room. This was a spell that Kenma created on his own; no one else knew it but him.

When the verses ended, Kenma popped the vial's cap open with his thumb, and carefully poured the single drop that was preserved in the enchanted vial onto the rock.

He then threw the rock in the air, over the map.

The rock landed on the ground with a thud, rolling several paces before coming to a stop.

Everyone watched silently.

...

"Is that it?" Lev asked, confused. The rock had landed in the middle of the ocean north of the White Eagle Empire.

Kenma squinted at the tall male, shaking his head in disbelief before turning back to the crude map, eyes watching the rock intensely.

It should work...it has to! He created this spell when he was a kid to help him with hide and seek against Kuroo when they were kids, for even as a kid The Dominion's leader was quite crafty and sneaky. He never told Kuroo about this spell until now but still kept the fact that he cheated during their games a secret.

Suddenly, the rock began to move, rolling back and forth in its place before it began rolling first to the center of The Empire, then to the side towards the Kingdom of Aoba.

Kenma's brows furrowed as he watched the rock move around to various places as if it can't decide where to go, or where she is, before finally, it rolled to an area in the west, spinning into the soil and then stopped.

"There." Kenma quickly marked the spot onto a map that Yaku held out for him, who then passed it to Kuroo.

Looking over to Bokuto, Kuroo smiled one of his rare expressions at the leader of Owl Vale.

"Hope you're ready, my friend. We're going on an adventure."

Bokuto cracked his knuckles, grinning back menacingly at his ally.

"Time to go fox hunting."

Now here they were, in the area marked by Kenma but no sign of their quarry.

It has been 3 days of travel from as they took measures to cover their tracks and ensure that they were as inconspicuous as possible; the West is largely unfamiliar to them with its constantly changing territories and powers. Under normal conditions, it'll take Kuroo possibly two days max and Bokuto less than a day of flight, considering they did not know the area.

And it has now been two days of circling the area to various degrees, looking for a sign, anything!

Bokuto was getting irritated and turning more irritating as a result. Even Kuroo had a limit to his infinite calm when it comes to the owl.

He sighed when Bokuto flapped his wings again, blowing stray leaves and branches everywhere. "Bokuto, we're trying not to alert them of our presence here."

"That's if they are even here." He snapped back but recalled his wings anyway, the long appendages dispersing into the air in a flurry of silver feathers behind him before dissolving into glittering particles of silver that blew away in the air.

"We have to remember that they are Inarizaki foxes. It is very likely that we are nearby without even realizing it." Kuroo reminded his friend, standing up from his crouch.

"Of all the people that she just had to get captured by, it had to be the damn foxes. I'd rather fight a thousand Death Worms than deal with foxes."

Kuroo chuckled. "Hmm, I rather not. I do agree the fox-folks are not the easiest to contend with due to their elusiveness but...," he frowned then, recalling something he heard many years ago when he was but a mere child. "I heard the news that they have been wiped out in a battle almost a decade ago, however; the words of bragging humans from the West."

"Obviously not then." Bokuto scoffed. "If anything, it'll only make them retreat into themselves further as it'll be another several decades before they fully recover; they'd have to play it safe. Which only makes our work harder so damn the ones who attacked the foxes." He was really, really irritated right now to the point that he blames those that forced the foxes into more secrecy.

"I wish I learned more about it from Grandfather Nekomata but I do sympathize with them if such a thing did happen." Not that it made their assault on his own home any better.

Bokuto only shrugged, gold eyes glaring to the side at nothing. "We've all suffered. I don't know of any folks or races that haven't."

"Perhaps, but I'd dare say that we are doing better off than most, don't you agree?" Kuroo smiled at Bokuto knowingly, causing the other to roll his eyes and look away.

"Like I said, I was getting tired of batting off the paws of your men from my borders."

"Whatever you say."

"I can't believe this!"

"Me neither. This is cruel of Lord Kita."

Note, Osamu and most of his other loyal retainers rarely addressed Kita with an official title like 'Lord' except for when they were being serious, desperate, or pissed. Or all three.

"It's about time you two took your medicine." Suna simpered smugly up at the twins from where he sat on the steps of his home. Atsumu and Osamu were both standing before Suna's house, identical looks of annoyance planted on them.

"I really can't believe this," Atsumu muttered again.

"Why do we have to do this?" Osamu muttered in addition.

Suna shrugged. "Kita decided that he wants to work on his fear of humans and if the Alpha-Leader is going to do it, so are his closest confidants?"

"I didn't know you knew how to joke, Suna." Atsumu griped, staring down intensely at the sitting male, hand on his hip.

Osamu sighed, whipping his idiot brother behind the head. "I don't think he's joking. Kita's serious."

"He does this all the time. Give it a few weeks and he'll be disappearing off somewhere again, maybe as Higashi this time!" Atsumu huffed, rubbing the area where Osamu clocked him. Damn, that one actually hurt.

Suna rubbed his fingers over the talisman he had been working on before the twins showed up, smoothing out the crinkles, as he thought about what the twins just said.

It was true that Kita had been running away from the more important aspects of his role for the most part, ever since he took over the title officially when he was still young.

He was kind and quick to offer his help to those in need, and his people all loved him for that. But the people also needed someone who was strong enough to lead them, to restore them back to their former selves and that was not going to happen if Kita continued to be passive in his rule. Inarizaki had always been elusive but even more so now than ever since Kita decided that they were to erase themselves from the world as much as possible.

It was the smart choice, in the beginning, to preserve the lives of the remaining fox-folk and ensured they didn't die out due to battles. But they are a bit more stable now although still few in numbers and Kita continued to choose to keep the foxes reclused, where it is now beyond the point of just being elusive and was in all meanings of the word, isolation.

Isolation is not what the fox-folk needs or wants.

No, isolation provides them with a bubble of safety for as long as they remain undiscovered; and that won't last if history and recent events taught them anything. Safe they may be, but everyone is tense, living in constant caution.

And that is no way to live.

So even if Suna understands where Atsumu is coming from, he hopes that he is wrong and that this time, Kita won't abruptly turn tail again this time.

And Kita thinks reforming the fear and prejudices against humans his people bear is the first step; because how can they even face the world where more than half of its population is made up of humans if they are either fearful of humans or want to do nothing but slit their throats?

Not only that but the human girl...though it had been a failure when they showed her the waterfall, her recount of what happened when she fell into the water after and what she knows from The Dominion had given them all something to think about.

The 'her' of this world is dead? And she apparently cured people who went mad before proper documentation of The Rot? Visions and voices in the water?

There were too many unknowns and not enough answers, another setback of being isolated.

But regardless of the matter, big or small, the next step for the Inarizaki fox-folk begins with the one human girl who is currently living in his home.

So as much as the twins, particularly Atsumu, can grate on his nerves sometimes, Suna will help them do what Kita has ordered all his retainers to do: to work on moving forward.

There'll be many who will be against it, so Kita had to first make certain his very own circle of closest confidants are capable of it first before he can even attempt to bring it to his people.

It definitely won't be easy; Suna and Kita were possibly the only ones amongst the fox-folk who has ever shown any semblance of moving forward. It didn't mean they had forgotten, no - on the contrary, they remember it clear as the day itself.

...but they had just been a slight bit luckier than the others to have known a love that didn't paint humanity as a whole as monsters. Kita in his grandmother's wisdom and heart and Suna in…

"Look, why don't both of you start with just remembering that she isn't from Hyquile?" Suna advised the twins, dull eyes moving from Osamu to Atsumu and then back to Osamu. Osamu is the more reasonable of the two so Suna hopes he will have a quicker uptake of it and be able to 'influence' his brother who will surely not want to lose. "It's not going to be a solution, but it's a start if it will help you retain that the humans who did it to us are not all of the humans out there. The fox-folk haven't been exactly giving the best representations of ourselves to humans either."

Osamu crossed his arms and looked away from Suna, pensive. Suna can see he was struggling to reign and compartmentalize his feelings and thoughts; it isn't easy to just accept being told to let go of a hate you have been fueling for the better part of your life. Suna gets that, and he does not blame them.

Atsumu, on the other hand, was just hot boiling water, very much like his affinity magic; and all the anger, frustration, and unwillingness was flashing off in his entire body, including the way his fox ears were standing up.

In general, the fox-folk did not always need the manifestation of their fox qualities but ever since the massacre, the village as a whole made it a point to keep part of it manifested at all times to remind themselves that they are not humans, even if they were born of humans.

Suna prefers not to have any of his fox qualities manifested unless needed, as he found it more trouble than it is worth. He hated having to sweep up all the fur and or making sure his tail didn't drag in the mud wherever he walked. Little things like that.

"Maybe teach her about magic whilst you guys are at it. It'll help you focus on something at least. Being the top two of Inarizaki, I'm sure you two will have no trouble teaching a 'silly human' about magic, would you?" Suna dropped that out to see if that will trigger their competitive sides but they continued to fume quietly.

Suna sighed, yellow eyes narrowing.

"I'm not saying it's going to be easy and Kita isn't asking any of us to forget." He stood up, brushing his trousers off before placing a hand on the handle of his front door, gesturing for the twins to come up.

"He's asking us to be stronger."

You chewed on your lips nervously, very, very, very conscious of the- Stares? Glares?- on your back which was definitely sweating bullets.

Kita and Suna had given you a pre-warning, hell, Kita personally asked for your cooperation and help on this but you were still shocked when Suna suddenly walked in through his front door with two scowling Miya twins in tow.

Kita had asked if you were willing to allow his retainers, besides Suna, to just spend some time with you to help them work on their dislike of humans. Aran and Omimi accompanied by Kita, and then Ginjima and Akagi accompanied by Suna, had seen you in their respective pairs already. It was tense, awkward, nervous and the air was so thick it felt like it could be peeled off in layers if you just reached out with your fingers; it went over smoothly enough (kind of) when their curiosity about your world was piqued and you, in turn, had a lot of curiosity about the fox-folk and Hyquile itself.

It was almost like a weird cultural exchange of sorts.

But the twins...

The other pairs had been slightly more mature in a sense- strained but cordial.

Vicious Atsumu and Frosty Osamu were not even trying to hide their disdain, particularly Atsumu. They sat stiffly at Suna's simple dining table, Atsumu with his arms crossed and glaring non-stop at everything and Osamu with a rigidness to his features, a small frown tugging his lips down.

Suna had merely rolled his eyes and muttered something along the lines of "Can't help those who don't want to be helped" and went about his own business, leaving some time ago for a task Aran had asked of him.

Your protest at his leaving had fizzled out sadly into the space of his home, as you watched him close the door.

How could Suna leave you here like this with them?! With the other two pairs both him and Kita had stayed till the end!

No one was talking and you had needed an excuse to escape the atmosphere (or you might just shrivel up like a dried scallop) so you had tried to focus on making lunch instead.

Everybody will be happier with a full stomach, right?

"Don't poison it." Atsumu had grumbled lowly when you got up some time ago but you heard it all the same, wincing at his voice, the only thing either had said since they entered the house.

You tried to focus on prepping the ingredients, but your mind was everywhere but there.

Kita and the others did not know what to make of the visions or what you heard in the water but Kita said that as the water had magic running through it, it makes for an easier medium to communicate with you compared to the spring at . Not to mention it is also supposedly where the souls of the fox-folk returned to...

When you told them everything you knew, including everything from your time in The Dominion, Kita had looked at you and smiled gently whilst saying, "Still believe it is a fluke?"

No, having your dead self appear to you again was certainly not a fluke.

But you could make no sense of it!

What did she want? What was she trying to tell you? What did she want you to look for?

And her cries for " Help " kept ringing in your head, keeping you up at night. Sleep evaded you the first night after it happened, and you barely slept the following nights either.

It haunted you, evoked a type of fear in you.

Her cries for help was desperate, pleading; and a disturbing feeling in your gut was telling you that her call for help was not for herself, that she had already accepted that she was dead and beyond saving.

Is she truly dead though? Was this her trying to reach out to you from the beyond? Or was she actually alive and still trying to reach out to you?

You hoped it was the latter cause the former meant you were being haunted by a spirit and you did not do well with ghosts and whatnot.

Kita had taken you back to the waterfall, accompanied by Aran this time, to see if she will try to reach out to you again but nothing happened. Why was the 'you' of Hyquile so flakey?!

You startled from your thoughts and flinched when the knife slipped against the vegetable you had been cutting, nearly nicking yourself in the process.

"I can't watch this anymore."

Osamu's voice suddenly speaking up from behind nearly scared the ten parts of your soul out of you (you are in Hyquile; your soul is probably made of ten parts too now) and you whirled around to see him standing up from his seat and making his way over to you with barely subdued annoyance.

"E-Excuse me?" You squeaked, eyes bulging and fingers clenching down on the knife in your hand reflexively; it'll work as good as anything for a defensive weapon.

His grey eyes squinted at you and he shoved his body next to yours at the cooking table, bumping you out of the way of the cutting board, causing you to release the knife in the process.

"Ya' have been cuttin' this all wrong and yer method sucks. It'll be sundown by the time you're done with this." He muttered with irritation, proceeding to chop the vegetables cleanly and smoothly at a faster pace than you've been doing.

You were alright at cooking but your knife skills definitely needed work...even the Osamu you know tells you so.

'I guess...some things don't change,' you thought as you watched Frosty Osamu work the knife. Even in Hyquile, it would seem he has the same talent for cooking.

"T-Thank you…" you mumbled back to him and he only gave a low grumble in response. Since Osamu took over the cutting work, you were about to go start the fire stove when he stopped you with a mere glance.

"Where do ya' think you're goin'?" He asked, eyes narrowing sternly.

"U-Uh I was going to put wood in the f-fire stove since you're already cutting…" you stuttered, nervous under his steely gaze and proximity.

"I didn't come here just to do all the work for ya'. Watch and learn so ya' can do it yourself next time." His head shook, incredulous, as he gestured with his eyes down to the cutting board in front of him, telling you to watch. "'Tsumu, go start the fire."

"Hah? Why do I have do it?!" Atsumu protested loudly from his spot at the table, hand slipping from his chest in absolute disbelief.

"Ya' can conjure fire," Osamu stated matter of factly without even turning to look at his brother.

"What if I don't?" Atsumu stubbornly challenged.

"If ya' don't, you ain't gettin' any. Slackers don't get to eat."

With an extended and annoyed final sound of protest, Atsumu got up roughly and stalked over to the fire stove on the other side of where you and Osamu stood.

The whole time you watched their interaction, you had to bite down on your lips to keep yourself from laughing, knowing that they will not be very forgiving if you didn't. They were just like the Atsumu and Osamu of your world; an angrier version but very much still like them.

Truly, some things don't change.

"Did ya' know us in yer world?" Atsumu finally broke the silence at the table, the first thing he said to you that wasn't bitter or angry.

Lunch preparation ended quicker than it usually took you with the help of the twins, although Atsumu nearly blew up the stove when he pushed too much of his fire into it in his irritation.

To his credit, Osamu had been expecting something like that to happen and already had one of his shields up without your notice, blocking the flames from reaching your side of the kitchen or scorching Suna's kitchen.

The atmosphere had become a little less tense once you all settled down with your own plates, but it was still quiet.

You hesitated to answer Atsumu's question, wondering if telling them that you are childhood friends with them in your world is the best choice, considering their animosity towards you. Will telling them make it worse or open up the path to a possible understanding with them?

You opened your mouth to answer truthfully, that yes you knew them, more than they could possibly know.

"Yes but not very well. We just go to school together," was what you said. "In my world, you call each other with the very same nicknames as you do here…'Tsumu, 'Samu."

Tsum-Tsum .

"So that's how ya' know my name." Osamu huffed. "Makes sense now."

"Yea well, we only allow each other to call us by those names so ya' can't use it." Atsumu bit out, irritation back once more.

"...of course, I apologize," you said with a small smile, sad with Vicious Atsumu's words all the same.

You know they aren't the Miya brothers you know but...it still hurt.

It didn't feel right, telling them they are one of your closest friends just to make things easy for yourself.

It wasn't fair to them, who had their mother and everything else taken away from them by humans like you.

To be told they are close friends with a human, even if it is just the alternates of themselves...it wasn't going to be easy for them to hear.

When Atsumu began to shove food into his mouth as if it wronged him, you and Osamu began to eat the food that was made with your combined efforts.

Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Frosty Osamu closing his eyes in bliss, much like your Osamu would when the food is to his liking. You quickly brought food to you to hide the grin that was threatening to break across your face.

It was just a simple meal of grilled fish and stir-fried vegetables drizzled with a simple sauce but it was Osamu himself that taught you the sauce when you had complained to him that your stir-frys always came out bland or tasting like pepper.

"Do you like it?" You asked Osamu with a smile.

"...It's good," he answered honestly albeit reluctantly, avoiding your eyes.

Atsumu's eyes narrowed at his brother. "You're way too easily influenced with food," he complained with a growl.

Osamu rolled his eyes. "Food is food. Does it matter who made it?" Suna's words to them from several days ago.

"Don't throw Suna's words back at me!"

They quickly started arguing, though most of it was Atsumu being bitter at his brother who merely retaliated Atsumu's fiery words with cold rebuttals of logic.

This time, you really laughed, dropping your chopsticks to grab your stomach as you almost doubled over, the laughter bursting from deep within you in cheery peals and reverberating through the house.

You don't understand why you were laughing so much, and neither did the twins as they stopped their argument to look at you in bafflement and confusion.

"Why're ya' laughing?" Atsumu asked indignantly.

Osamu pulled Atsumu's fists out of his collar, also turning to look curiously at you.

Catching your breath, you wiped the lone tear that had formed on your eye from your bout of laughing.

You shook your head at them that it was nothing but the wide smile on you wouldn't leave, and you felt another tear, of nostalgia this time, gather at the same eye. It trickled down your cheek before you could catch it.

"You just...remind me of two friends whom I miss very much."

When Suna returned to his home later that afternoon, he was surprised to find that it was still standing and not in flames courtesy of Atsumu (Osamu later ratted Atsumu out to him that it did nearly go up in flames). But what surprised him most was to find you sitting outside on the steps of his home again, only with the twins standing before you, holding large sticks each.

They were angrily yelling at you (in Osamu's case, he just had a frustrated frown on him and was speaking more than usual) as they pointed at charts and words crudely drawn on the earth with their sticks.

"Does this make sense to ya' yet?!" Atsumu huffed, loudly tapping his stick onto one part of the chart on his side, exasperation rolling off him in waves.

"I still don't get why there are ten parts to a soul!" You cringed at the vicious look Atsumu gave you, rubbing your temples. "A soul is a soul, it's like the essence of us and there's only one of us. It makes more sense for the soul to just be one thing."

"They are teaching ya' all the wrong things in yer world!" Atsumu groaned loudly, hands going to his hips in defeat.

Osamu sighed tiredly. "You're thinking about this in terms of your world's definition of souls too much. Forget that and take this in with a new slate." Osamu took over from Atsumu, beginning from the top once more.

"The ten parts of a soul are made up of three ethereal and seven corporeal parts. Ya' understand up to this point?"

"The ethereal parts govern the formless consciousness. They are the Heart, Mind, and Life."

You interrupted Osamu, pointing at the part of the chart that says Life. "This is what I don't get; why is Life ethereal and not corporeal? Life is something physical and substantial."

"No, ya' simpleton." Atsumu grimaced, circling Life on the chart with his stick furiously. "Think of Life not as literal 'Life' like yer blood or the air ya' breathe. Life here is like, the Spark Of Life, what gives ya' meaning to life, what makes ya' want to actually live . Imagine if ya' did not have this part of the soul; yer body will continue to live, you will continue to absorb food and water but you're essentially dead. You're like an empty shell, a walking dead."

"How is this different from Heart and Mind then?" You asked, still unable to tell the difference.

Osamu took over again as Atsumu hunched over his knees in exhaustion. They have been explaining this over and over under the hot sun now.

"Mind governs yer intelligence, yer wisdom, yer reactive mind. Yer fight or flight instincts? All part of the Mind. If ya' lose this part of the soul, you're no better than a feral animal or dumb rock."

"The Heart is simply what it is; it governs your potential for love. If ya' don't have this, you're just a heartless beast."

"Okay, okay. I think I'm getting it for the ethereal parts now. What about the corporeal then?" Quick, before you forget.

"The seven corporeal governs the tangible consciousness and corresponds to the seven emotions," Osamu explained slowly, watching your expression to make sure you were following.

"The seven emotions are happiness, joy, pessimism, jealousy, love, mindlessness, and fear."

"If any of these parts of the souls are imbalanced due to lack of care, it can result in negative manifestations of it- for example, happiness to sorrow, joy to anger, and love to hate- or the deterioration of one's physical and mental health due to an overwhelming overflow of one part of the soul compared to the others."

"...this is so complicated." You grimaced, trying to remember all of this.

"It isn't. You're just making it more complicated than it is." Atsumu threw down his stick, done with explaining for the day. They already did what Kita asked and what Suna suggested, to teach you the fundamentals of magic; now he can't say they aren't capable of teaching a 'silly human' girl about it!

"I'm surprised you guys got this far," Suna commented as he walked up, finally moving from his viewing spot. They were certainly doing better than he expected them to. There were still the very evident annoyance and irritation but at least they were trying and weren't out for blood.

"Ah, Suna! Welcome home!" You greeted him happily with a smile, standing up as you did so.

Weird looks passed between Atsumu and Osamu when you did so that escaped your notice.

"'Samu, I'm done with this for the day. Let's go home." Atsumu went to rub the charts away from the dirt with his foot but you quickly called for him to stop.

"C-Can you leave this there? It's pretty useful and...I'd like to review it again on my own."

"Yea, sure, whatever," Atsumu shrugged, already turning to walk away.

Osamu nodded at you and Suna in farewell, following after his brother.

When the twins got back to their own home, rebuilt on top of the ruins of their old house, the same sweeping sound of silence that had greeted them as it always had for the last decade was waiting for them. They were used to it and never really thought about it.

But for reasons neither of them could really comprehend, when they saw you greeting Suna back home happily, naturally, it had unearthed long-forgotten memories from deep within them. The door closing shut behind Osamu rippled in the still air, sending an empty shiver over the equally quiet occupants now within the hollow walls of the silent house, void of memories.

They hadn't thought about it since they were kids, didn't have the time or capacity to do so in the flurry of rigorous training and angry determination that hounded them in the following years since they decided to serve Kita. But it had taken only one second, just one passing moment and several fleeting, carefree words from a human girl to suddenly make them think about it, feel like they missed it.

The phantom voice of a ghost long gone, swept away to the unknown depth of their hearts, echoed from their memories.

'Welcome home, Atsumu, Osamu.'

Souls: A soul is made up of ten parts; three ethereal and seven corporeal. The three ethereal parts govern the formless consciousness and are: Heart, Mind, and Life (The Spark of Life). The seven corporeal govern the tangible consciousness and correspond to the seven emotions which are: happiness, joy, pessimism, jealousy, love, mindlessness, and fear.

Notes:

Remember what Bokuto did towards the end of Chapter 2 in regards to the tears? Hahahaha Lemme just say I like dropping little hints and tidbits everywhere like a leaking bag of rice that will then be picked up later to be added to the rice cooker...as long as I don't forget abt it orz

And I was so appalled at the lack of Suna content here on AO3 that I almost feel obligated to make him a official pairing! Heck, I'm already dropping the rice grains(read: seed) to make him one because he needs more loving! But I'm just so worried about the massive cast I have to write for lol which will make this story even longer hahaha

But I can't believe its been 10 chapters and it's still the introduction arc! (°ー°〃)
The whole damn forest is burning with this slowburn.

I know many of you are in suspense and anticipation for a lot of things like Ushijima, Oikawa and the damn water for the foxes xD but wait till everything else hits ya...*whistles*

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it the plot, the characters, the writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the HQ characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 11: Enemy Of An Enemy Makes Us Friends

Summary:

Interlude

Notes:

I've been trying to catch up with the manga (I'm so far behind it ain't even funny) but ended up rereading the Nekoma vs Karasuno Nationals match again and just bawled my eyes out reading it with the knowledge that the manga is gonna end soon T_T Everything just hits so differently...I JUST CANT GUYS!Im not ready to let them go! *mass crying and hysteria*
(I hope I am not spoiling for anyone here) but mah boi Kuroo is back and I'm so happy! I was freaking out for real with worry as he was my first HQ stan haha I legit got spoiled about him on insta but I ain't mad. Im happy to know I get to see him a bit more once I finally catch up x.x

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time and effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till late to write my own.
Leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way, on top of motivating them to update faster :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"You're improving. Your reach is further than what it was when you first started," you observed Kita with awe, both of you parallel to each other at your usual exercise spot above the view of rice field terraces.

Since the whole thing with the waterfall and his reveal to you as Minami, you continued the routine that you've already begun to set up when he was Minami; meeting at the usual spot, relaxing and chatting about your world and lives (with less lying on both your parts) and doing stretches together.

Kita is surprisingly nimble, much more than he was when he was Minami which surprised you. He definitely filled out when in his real form, lean muscles from years of battle training lining his arms and body in interconnected waves. As Minami, he always kept his robes on when he worked with you but as Kita, he removes the upper layer to let it hang around his waist, revealing a toned body underneath the body-fitting and sleeveless bottom layer.

No, you have not been checking him out.

...not much anyway.

Berating yourself mentally and pulling your eyes away from the sweat sliding down his neck, you focused on your own stretch instead, pushing yourself above your normal limit.

"I actually find all these stretch routines you've shown me to be quite relaxing; it's different from the training we do for battle which focuses a lot on strength and agility rather than flexibility," Kita replied, seamlessly moving into the next pose alongside you. "I can see how it might be a useful attribute to have for warriors as well, rather than pure brute strength."

"If you were in my world, you can totally try for a yoga instructor license. You might actually be good at it," you chuckled, trying to imagine Kita leading a class of hopeful yogis.

"Is this what this is called? Yoga?" He looked over at you curiously.

"Kind of. It incorporates some of it but a lot of it is also movements from my university's dance club stretch routine and my own regimen, so it's a mix." You explained, watching as he tried to recall everything you told him about your university life in Tokyo.

"It's strange to hear about a place where everyone goes to learn and also participate in different activities." He chuckled breathlessly.

"Are there no schools in Hyquile?" You asked, tilting your head questioningly.

A nervous and sheepish chuckle rose from him. "There is. I have heard stories of the various universities and academies in the human realms, especially up in the North. One of the largest educational institutions in Hyquile is in The White Eagle Empire, and then there is also the famous Institution of Soul Magic in the Kingdom of Aoba. I don't think they have things such as clubs or circles though..." he trailed off with a thought.

"What about in other parts of Hyquile? Or in the West?"

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, the West has not been as fortunate in terms of institutionalized education, not with all the constant chaos that plagues us. It isn't uncommon to have new territorial borders drawn every other month as all the powers here are constantly fighting back and forth. We have a simple school here in Inarizaki to teach the young ones what they need to know about our world. After that, most of it is focused on magic and battle training…" He sighed, relaxing from his stretch to cross his legs instead, hand resting in his lap. "I wish that one day, the younger generations would not have the need for such training and can instead be free to choose to pursue other learnings of their own choice."

You frowned sadly, also dropping out of your stretch to look at Kita gazing pensively at the fields where his people worked. When you got back to your world, you were never going to complain about classes ever again…

Your hand reached out to one of Kita's, squeezing it with as much reassurance as you can and giving him one of your most confident smiles. "With you as their leader, I am sure it will happen. You're a good person Kita."

An evident trail of pink crept across the bridge of his nose, highlighting the auburn of his eyes and the black tips of his hair that stuck to his skin, causing you to laugh at the adorable sight. Never have you thought the leader of the fox-folk, which you have heard nothing but tales akin to bedtime stories of bogeyman about, to be this sweet and clumsy person before you.

It certainly reinforces the fact that one should not judge a book by its cover, or in this case, believe in the tales of others.

He coughed into his other hand, and you let go of him to let him collect himself. "How has it been for you recently? I hope the twins are not giving you any more trouble."

"Well...since your whole decision to have them get used to humans more, Aran and the others have been nicer in general though I can tell they are still tense around me some times...I guess it isn't easy. I can tell that they are trying their hardest to meet your wish, especially Atsumu and Osamu. They're still quite thorny but...at least they aren't trying to scare me every time now," you laughed, shuddering when you recalled the last time they scared you with their talk of human blood.

"I feel terrible asking this of them but...I believe that this is the next step my people will have to take. We will never be able to achieve peace in the realm if we lived in constant fear and hate of others, particularly humans." Kita's fingers pulled at the blades of grass below him, a habit that you noticed from when he was Minami.

"Is that what you are trying to achieve? Peace in the realm for your people?" You asked him. You know he wants peace, but you never had much of a chance to hear more about his vision from the Alpha-Leader himself. It was usually by word of mouth from Suna, telling you what Kita talked to them about.

Kita stopped pulling at the grass and got up to move closer to the edge of the overhang that slopes down to the rice fields below. Stalks of gold danced in the calming winds, the water caressing them sparkling under the sun's rays. A dozen or so fox-folk villagers can be seen in the distance, working hard at the earth, talking to each other over calls and yells of jest and joy.

Kita watched this little bubble of peace and calm in one small area of his territory, his little slice of life and happiness in the everchanging landscape of chaos that was the West of Hyquile, shielded from said chaos with the illusion magics of his people.

But how long will the peace last? Will they be discovered again? When will the next attack come? Will it be from humans again or perhaps other folks?

"I want peace not just for my people but for all the folks, including humans, in the West," Kita said, breathing the cooling wind that caressed his sweat-stained skin and closing his eyes, imagining a vision that has always eluded him in the years he let fear rule him-and still does.

"Someone is always watching."

He does not wish to disappoint his grandmother any longer.

And he does not believe that the appearance of the girl in Hyquile or his territory in the arms of Atsumu is mere chance or a fluke; especially not in the midst of all that is going on in the bigger picture: The Rot that has suddenly appeared in their sacred waters and Hyquile, a human from another dimension, a human in the Inarizaki House territory that has remained hidden from Hyquile and has both despised and feared humanity for the last decade...

No, Kita does not believe it is a coincidence. He doesn't know if it is fate or destiny, but nothing in Hyquile happens on a simple whim: everything is connected, through the magic that flows in their veins, stemming from the souls of its occupants, reaching and extending through the generations and centuries of history.

Whether by the hand of destiny, or the hand of someone from the beginning of the annals of the history of Hyquile, both you and Kita are here in the present, of a mysterious string of occurrences that usually would not happen.

"I have been running away from my duties out of fear for a long time." He laughed quietly to himself, looking at his raised arms much like he did when he cried before you as Minami; seeing something, someone , cradled there that only he can see. "I want to become the leader, the grandson, she believes me to be."

His arms dropped to his sides and he turned to look at you, resolution gleaming in his russet eyes. "Your appearance and presence here have given me the impetus I needed to do so, and I will not lose it now. Not again."

Standing up from your spot, you walked to stand before Kita, accepting his openness, his vulnerabilities, his vision that he has allowed you to hear, entrusted you with. You were unable to heal their sacred waters, and your mere presence in the village makes his people tremble and hide behind their doors, tests the wills of his retainers...and just like with Kuroo, you did not know what you can possibly do for him. But if he found something in his interactions with you...even if it evaded your understanding, then you will continue to be that for him.

"I still think dance and being the leader of an entire power is a ridiculous comparison but...if that's what you need, then I'll give you as many kickstarts as you want." You laughed, a wide grin splaying across your lips which he returned with his own sheepish smile.

Abruptly, you pulled at his arms and dragged him back from the edge, and then immediately pushed him down by his shoulders into a tricep stretch, pushing his elbows to his limits from the get-go.

"So you can't slack off now! Stretch!" You squealed in cheery peals as he spluttered from suddenly being manhandled, and the strain that assaulted his arms from nowhere.

Kita knows that he can easily overpower you and get out of this crude handling you have on him but he merely chuckled softly and winced when you continued to push his elbows further back.

With you, he finds that he's not fearful of humans at all.

"I still don't see how this is a good idea." Vicious Atsumu complained, swatting a low hanging bundle of leaf away from his face.

"It isn't," Frosty Osamu simply said, all even in tones but there was a frigidness to his voice.

"How the hell did Kita even agree to this…" The golden-haired half of the twin angrily swatted another branch away, fox ears twitching in agitation.

"S-Sorry…" you mumbled quietly from behind Osamu, Suna following close behind you.

"Kita thought it fair that she wants to see more of our territory and Hyquile outside the village," Suna sighed at the twins ahead of you. "She's been limited to our village borders for some time now; she's not a prisoner."

"It doesn't make it any better if she can't defend herself," Atsumu looked over his shoulder pointedly at you and Suna.

"That's why there's three of us here," Osamu exhaled tiredly. "Not that there should be any trouble with how often we clear these areas."

"I-I honestly meant it as a joke to Kita...kind of...I didn't think he would take me seriously," you mumbled, pushing your fingers together nervously.

You might have mentioned in passing to Kita as a joke when you were relaxing with him that you were tired of being stuck in the village and wanted to see more of Hyquile. It had been a joke on your side, cause you were quite realistic about your chances of survival on your own in an unknown world, but Kita did not seem to think so. He thought that experiencing more of Hyquile would be a good thing for you if you were going to be stuck here.

His words 'stuck' had created an uneasy coiling in your stomach but you could not deny that since you got here, you had been stuck either within the Nekoma Dominion's territory or the Inarizaki territory. You are curious about what Hyquile was like beyond the borders of any power or nation. Though you were hoping you'd get to see more than just...forests and trees.

Beggars can't be choosers you supposed; it was a last-minute afterthought arranged early this morning, meant to be nothing more than a simple trek. Like a hiking trip.

"As much as I respect Kita, he can be quite dense," Suna muttered behind you. "You'd all do well to watch what you say around him."

Atsumu and Osamu made disgruntled sounds of agreement in front of you as they paved ahead through the dense forest.

"At least we're getting our patrols done at the same time," Atsumu huffed, sharp eyes scanning the area ahead of him.

The group isn't wandering too far from the village border and merely making a simple route through the surrounding forests, which also cuts into the patrol path that Atsumu and Osamu had to cover. Suna did not have patrol duty today but he was tagged on by Aran as insurance with the approval of Kita, in the case the twins did something reckless, much to their insult and chagrin.

"Are ya' having fun yet?" Osamu asked you sarcastically, rolling steely grey eyes at you.

You looked away with a sulk. "...the plant with the bell looking flowers was pretty cool," you said, recalling the patch of tall-growing plants your group came across early on, with scarlet bell-shaped flowers that hung down from its stem. According to Suna, it can be used as a spice in cooking; he and Osamu had harvested several bells that were now tucked safely in a pouch with Suna.

Besides that it had been...well, you had been spoiled by the beauty of The Dominion, and the rice fields of Inarizaki so far so maybe you were expecting too much but it was just a lot of trees and more trees. And grass. Tall grass that tickled and scratched at your bare legs.

"If we go further out there are really nice views but we're not going any further with ya' tagging along," Atsumu called back indignantly at the lackluster tone of your voice. The fox-folk were proud of their lands and he was no different.

"Y-Yea...I know. I'm not complaining," you said to him apologetically. "The village is just really beautiful so I might have overhyped myself," you laughed nervously. Although better compared to the beginning, the twins were still quite prickly and you were worried that if you aren't careful, Atsumu might just blow up. Literally.

Hearing your praise of his village, Atsumu squinted his eyes at you as if gauging your sincerity. When he saw no hint of a lie on you, he huffed, chin tilting up in the air smugly. "Maybe one day we'll show ya' a really amazin' site. Mine and 'Samu's favorite spot."

Osamu shot his brother a pointed, questioning look with one eyebrow raised that went unnoticed by Atsumu.

Your group of four continued onwards, reaching the last leg of the patrol path the twins had to cover before turning to head back towards the village. It had been a little less than an hour since you started, so you were surprised at how quickly it ended.

"You wouldn't last if we actually did a full patrol so we're shortening it," Suna whispered to you as Atsumu and Osamu broke off momentarily to check out a nearby cave. "Usually we'd be covering larger grounds in our fox forms for speed."

"O-Oh…" You cringed, feeling bad that your careless words have interrupted their work.

Suna noticed your discomfort and the guilt that briefly flashed across your features. "You shouldn't feel too bad. I think it's a good idea for you to be more familiar with the area as well if you're going to stay."

"Right…"

Were you going to stay though? No one talked about it and it wasn't brought up or addressed at any point. Unlike Kuroo who gave you a clear vision for your stay and an end goal (him finding a way to send you back), none of that was brought up...it was like everyone just assumed you were going to be stuck with them for the time being, for an indefinite amount of time.

Even you yourself...you hadn't actually thought about it until recently when Kita's words struck a chord within you and now Suna with his own words.

What were you going to do? You can't stay here in Hyquile forever.

You had to get home.

You had family and friends waiting for you; a life waiting for you.

When you got back to the village, you'll have to talk to Kita about it.

Maybe he'll be willing to send you back to The Dominion…?

With the twins return, they took up the lead again with you in the middle and Suna in the back, and just as you took the first few steps to move on you heard something that stirred a memory within you.

hooo

Why does that sound so familiar…

hoooo

You looked up just as the three fox-folk around you also narrowed their eyes warily.

"The hell? It's still light out. There ain't no owls." Atsumu's golden ears perked up straight in attention, trying to pinpoint the location of the echoing call.

"Ya' idiot. We don't have owls in our territory." Osamu hissed as he stepped back closer towards you. Suna did the same from behind.

"It's trying to disorient us with the sound," Suna mumbled, and you saw that his own fox ears that were usually not present have already manifested.

hooooo

"W-Wait, I think I kno-"

Everything happened so fast and all at once that you barely registered yourself letting out a short scream when you were suddenly grabbed by Suna the same time a large silver and black blur tackled Osamu far away from you, and chunks of earth surged around Atsumu and caged him in a ball of thick soil.

A dagger flew at Suna's head and he ducked, pushing you down by the head as he did so.

Thrusting out his hand, slips of talisman that you have seen him drawing on occasion flew out from within his sleeve, flying towards a dark blur that dodged the paper from tree to tree.

Each tree that the talisman latched onto was split in half by a lethal beam of light that flashed and disappeared just as fast as it appeared. To your human eyes, you were not able to see what exactly happened, and all you saw was the pieces of paper touching the trees before they were cut in half.

"I'd rather avoid a fight if I could, so I would appreciate it if you would willingly return her to us."

This voice!

You looked up with a mixture of joy, confusion, and surprise to see Kuroo, neatly crouched on one knee on the top of a thick branch, garbed in his familiar imposing black attire. Even without his red coat, he looked as majestic as ever and his aura just as commanding.

"Kuroo!" You called out to him, surprised at your own excitement and elation at seeing him again.

Those ever-steady amber eyes glanced over Suna at you, and that ever rare smile of his briefly flitted across his lips. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. We're going to get you home."

You didn't even stop to think if he meant home as in Nekoma Dominion or your real home; you just smiled widely at him, the happiness in your heart swelling at seeing him again. You hadn't realized how much you missed him until he was here, just paces away from you.

But you were brought back down to earth when Suna stepped in front of you.

His eyes were narrowed to dangerous slits, gleaming a threatening yellow that was brighter than you have ever seen his somber eyes. It was the first time you saw Suna like this.

He didn't look like the always dull-eyed, calm Suna that you've only ever seen and known.

"Leader of The Nekoma Dominion, Kuroo Tetsurou, I would presume?" Suna spoke evenly, serenely even, but there was an underlying bite to his voice.

"It seems my reputation precedes me." Kuroo dropped from his perch in one smooth motion, landing quietly on his feet to the grass below.

"Cat eyes of the brightest gold, unparalleled control of earth magic, and that infamous hairstyle? I wonder which trait gave you away." There was barely a hint of a sly smirk on Suna when he said those words.

Unperturbed, Kuroo titled his head to the right, allowing the bangs over his eye to fall in light waves to the side, revealing both glowing golden eyes.

A sharp and chilling sensation ran up your spine at the sight and you saw Suna's body tense, hands raising to the front of his face, palms out and fingers curled. Even knowing Kuroo wasn't your enemy, his eyes evoked a primal instinct within you and evidently Suna too; the feeling of being in the presence of a dangerous hunter.

You hastily pushed yourself up; you had to stop them!

"Kuroo, wai-!" You called but were cut off by a loud explosion from the ball of earth, shattering it and spraying solid chunks of earth everywhere.

Swirls of red hot fire shot towards Kuroo who shifted his attention to the new threat, leaping away on light and agile steps.

"You're the one who set fire to my people's home."

Kuroo's voice was low and dark, like the deepest mountain caves and the most fathomless of oceans, as he turned his glowing eyes to Atsumu who wore a vicious shit-eating grin as he chased after Kuroo, clearly looking for a good fight.

"I hope ya'll had a nice barbeque with the fire I prepared for ya'!" More of his golden-red fox-fires appeared around him, swirling in practiced movements and patterns alongside Atsumu as he went on the offensive.

Simultaneously, gusts of winds blew in from the other side, and fractals of mirror-like fractures shimmered in the air everywhere; Osamu and Bokuto were engaged in an intense battle with Bokuto ferociously attacking Osamu relentlessly who was put on the defensive.

"Can't believe ya' came back for more." Osamu drawled out smugly as he blocked a sharp slice of wind from Bokuto who sneered back at him.

"You'll eat those words when I have fox for dinner."

Crap, this is bad!

Either side had their reasons to fight each other but they just can't! They can't be enemies! You know them, you know neither sides are bad! They didn't need to fight!

"Suna! You have to stop them!" You grabbed at Suna's arm who turned his attention from Kuroo's fight with Atsumu to you, eyes narrowing at you disapprovingly.

"You might have had your allegiance with them but they have trespassed on Inarizaki territory and attacked us here. That owl-folk also clearly has a vendetta against Osamu and the Dominion's leader seems to have brought his own vengeance here as well. We have more than enough reason to subdue them."

You knew all that; you know what Osamu and Atsumu did to and Bokuto and even Kenma is bad, you also understand that Kuroo and Bokuto started the fight on Inarizaki territory but they were only doing it because they came to get you!

?!

….they are…

They are...fighting...because of you.

They are all fighting because of you.

An unsettling feeling curled in you at the realization and your grip on Suna tightened.

The twins attacked because of you- because they thought you could heal The Rot; Kuroo and Bokuto were here because of you- because you got taken by the twins.

And for whatever reasons they are fighting for now, it only began because of some great misunderstanding that you could heal The Rot.

How...how did you not ever think about this or realize that something like this will happen? Instead, you had spent your time frivolously cooking and stretching and dancing a-and...and acting like a damn clueless tourist! You had been so short-sighted!

You couldn't heal The Rot, the incident at the waterfall was proof enough.

They were fighting over nothing, this is all over nothing!

"No, they...they have to stop! It's neither sides' fault!" You pleaded with Suna, both hands holding onto his arm now. "Whatever the reasons it had turned into, this fighting only started because of me, because I supposedly healed that cat-folk!"

There was a hint of hesitation in Suna as he processed your words, quickly coming to the same understanding of what you only realized moments ago and his frown deepened.

It was a tricky situation for all parties involved with emotions running high. Even if logic said the best solution would be to stop fighting and try to reach some semblance of negotiations, the twin's attack on Dominion territory and now vice versa were immense transgressions that are only made worst with how personal it is, in particular for The Dominion leader.

You saw the hesitation and reluctance in Suna's eyes as he rapidly thought over the best solution and conclusion to this in his head, and you bit your lips.

"Kita wouldn't want this! He wants peace, does he not?! Kuroo wants peace too and he'll be open to listening to Kita!" You yelled at Suna over the stray gusts of wind that blew in from where Bokuto and Osamu were tearing up their side of the surrounding forest, both your hairs whipping wildly forward.

"Help me stop them and we can surely-"

You cried a sound of surprise when Suna suddenly grabbed you around the waist and jumped forward, just as a huge form lunged from the shadows of the forests towards where you stood seconds prior. But it didn't stop there and quickly turned, diving at Suna who had you shielded below him. Suna began to turn with an arm raised and you screamed as you looked over his shoulders- it was too close, Suna doesn't have enough time to-

Sharp spikes of rock and earth flew at the new enemy that was about to claw Suna's arm off, and you looked over to see Kuroo with one hand raised to cast the magic that protected Suna and you; the other hand emitted wisps of smoke from when Atsumu managed to hit him, when Kuroo was distracted with aiding Suna.

"The hell?" Atsumu growled when he saw what Kuroo did and then whirled to look at who interrupted his fight with the Dominion leader. Suna in his shock and surprise did the same, pulling you up with him as he turned to face his would-be-attacker.

It was a massive brown dog, more like a bear than a dog, hunched and taut with muscles, with dirty, matted fur that stood up straight in aggression, hackles pulled back to reveal rows of thick sharp fangs that continually exuded drops of saliva that raced down its fur and dripped to the earth. Its eyes, what used to be a beautiful hazel brown was blown wide to pinpricks and thin red lines ran all over the white of its sclera.

But the most startling aspect of the feral foe before all of you was the black ooze that was mixed in with its saliva, coating the green grass it touches in a layer of slimy black.

"It's been tainted with The Rot," Kuroo spoke aloud grimly, lips pursing into a thin line. The glow in his eyes began to dim and fade.

A clashing sound from behind you made you look behind to see Osamu deflecting Bokuto's latest attack off with one powerful push of his shimmering shield, his attention also pulled to the tainted foe.

"It's one of the dog-folk," he said darkly but clear enough for all present to hear.

"Your friend?" Bokuto sneered at him causing Osamu to frown back, shaking his head.

All of them, including Suna, abruptly straightened in attention, and everyone moved instantaneously and simultaneously, evading the multiple figures that leaped without warning from the cover and shadows of the forests, aiming at everyone and no one at the same time.

You were lifted up into Suna's arms who is now hounded by the first feral dog-folk as well as an additional one that had joined its friend. Bokuto and Osamu were attacked by three equally tainted and feral dog-folk, all fully transformed to canines of various sizes but no less threatening. On the opposite side, Atsumu and Kuroo had two on each one of them but Kuroo attempted still to move towards you and Suna, trying to draw the attention of the two on Suna away.

Fear and confusion gripped at you with everything that was happening at rapid speeds as you held on tight to Suna, reminding you of the time Atsumu and Osamu carried you through the forest; an immense feeling of helplessness fell over you just like that day when you watched Kenma desperately trying to get to you, and now, as Suna is handicapped in trying to protect you at the same time as he tries to evade the dogs.

But there was nothing you could do in this situation; this is beyond anything you could ever do to help them!

"Shit!" Suna cursed as he narrowly avoided a claw from one of the dogs, tearing at the sleeves of his clothes.

"Damn mutts!" Bokuto snarled and sent one flying with a tunnel of swirling wind. But it immediately got back up onto its feet as soon as it landed. "Our battle must have drawn them here!"

"Don't let them bite you or you'll catch it!" Kuroo's voice rang out from amongst the smoke and debris of rocks, wood, and leaves that were sent flying up everywhere from the multitude of magic going off at the same time.

Atsumu's fire scorched the surfaces it touched and Osamu had sharp shards of crystalline spikes revolving through the air and stabbing at the rampaging dog-folks who were avoiding most of them with ease, taking minimal damage.

"The hell are they so fast?!" Atsumu yelled in frustration as another one of his fire spells missed. "I don't remember the dog-folks being this fast!"

"It must be The Rot! It's done something to enhance them!" Osamu called back to his brother, raising a shield in time to deflect two lethal claws.

"They've gone mad, any natural limitations on their bodies has been released and are being ignored by their brains!" Suna shouted at them from above you, ducking behind a wall of rock that Kuroo manifested right by you.

He quickly placed you down to your feet and you stumbled against the wall, temporarily shielded from the onslaught of attacks.

Kuroo appeared beside you in a flash of black, grime and sweat staining his skin. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yea!" You nodded quickly. "W-What are we going to do?!"

They were all outnumbered against foes that had no care for their own well-being and were acting beyond their natural physical capabilities, which made for one of the more dangerous types of opponents.

"There's too many of them, we've got to get out of here."

Kuroo shoved you behind him when one of the dogs broke through the wall of solid rock with its body, jaws snapping and snarling at anything that it came across.

At lightning speed, Suna slapped one of his talismans onto its forehead and the dog seemed to freeze but not completely. It's motions have been slowed, suspended, and you can see its muscles straining and bulging as it fought against the sudden intrusion on its body's system. Its eyes were still whirling around in manic circles, flitting from you to Suna to Kuroo and back again.

"Their recovery rates are fast, it's not going to hold," Suna informed Kuroo who nodded his acknowledgment and understanding.

But there was no time for you to even begin to question what Suna did as two more followed, one going for Suna and the other leaping towards you and Kuroo.

Ohh shit, shit, shit- was all you can think as Kuroo raised his blade against the dog who snapped its large jaws around Kuroo's sword, not the least bit bothered by the sharp edges of the blade, and engaging in a power struggle as they tried to push either to the ground.

"Run!" Kuroo grunted as he pushed back against the dog that was almost twice his size.

"We'll keep them off!" Suna jabbed his head harshly behind him, gesturing for you to quickly move.

You didn't want to but you knew you were nothing but a distraction and handicap to them in the fight. So you quickly turned to flee, spotting Osamu hastily signaling you to head beyond the direction he and Bokuto were at.

"The village is that way!" He yelled, ducking and swinging his light shards in consecutive motions.

"You better run like your life depends on it!" Bokuto called down from above as he swooped down to lift one of the dogs into the air with him.

Is he joking with you right now?!

'He doesn't need to tell me!' You screamed in your mind as you ran like your life depended- never mind.

Heat licked at the air behind you and you glanced back to see a burst of fire from Atsumu blowing away another foe who relentlessly got back up again and again against his flames, even as the fur on him turned black and singed off.

"I knew it was a bad idea to bring ya' out!" He shouted angrily, training piercing honey eyes on you. "Stop lookin' and go!"

Gritting your teeth, you turned back forward, aware that the others were never too far around you as they moved from enemy to enemy who moved in conjunction with them and you.

It was like the feral dog-folks didn't care who they were fighting, as they kept changing targets to whoever was closest or easiest to pick off from wherever they land, which ended up being you half of the time as you not only had your back turned but were moving much, much slower compared to the rest.

A clean and neat escape path was not possible with the movements of the enemies, and the battle only followed behind you no matter how much you ran; a moving gauntlet through the forest.

They were akin to a zombie horde that kept coming back to take the place of one another no matter how much you push back, only they were doing it with a mere count of nine instead of a horde of a hundred.

Adrenaline coursed through your veins but most of all, anger and frustration that you were nothing but dead weight to them and had to be protected in such a manner.

You obviously didn't belong in this world where you can't even survive on your own! Why are you here?!

Whether it was sweat or tears you weren't sure but drops of liquid ran down the corner of your cheeks as you pushed your legs to move as fast as they could, not daring to look anywhere else but the path in front of you.

The sounds of battle continued to echo around you, from the back to the sides and even from up above, mixing in with the sounds of your own labored breathing.

God, your lungs and chest feel like it is on fire!

It didn't take long for one to circle around through the protection of the trees to leap out in front of you and you skidded to a stop fearfully. Your sandals dug into the vulnerable flesh of your toes, and your teeth clashed and clamped down on the inside of your cheek from the sudden loss of momentum, drawing blood.

But the dog-folk only managed to snarl at you before one of Suna's talismans flew at it from over your shoulders, temporarily suspending its movement. Bokuto dived in with a tackle right after, taking it howling and writhing away with him.

Another one immediately took its place, bounding towards you from the side but Atsumu intercepted it with the help of Osamu, flames and mirror shields blocking its paths.

"Agh, there's too many of them!" Atsumu's shout of frustration reached your ears.

"They're very persistent!" Osamu grunted back in the heat of the fight.

You started to run again but a force pummeled into your back, throwing you face-first into the ground and squeezing the breath out of you when powerful limbs stepped down on your upper and lower back; you saw a thick glob of dark saliva drip onto the grass beside your head. The grass around it immediately withered and blackened as if burned.

Just as quickly, the weight on your back was gone and in its place came Kuroo who hurriedly helped you to situp. A wince escaped you when you felt a sharp ache on your back.

It's more than likely bruised.

"Can you still move?" He asked you, quickly scanning you over for other injuries.

You nodded shakily and both of you made to get up but Kuroo was immediately engaged by another that came for the two easy targets sitting still on the battlefield.

Immediately after that one, another followed up to pounce back on you from your front, and you screamed this time as you stared up at a set of large wide jaws. In your peripherals, you were barely aware that everyone else was occupied or tag-teamed by the enemy allies.

No one was immediately available to help you.

One of your arms instinctively went up to shield your face, and the other shot up to latch a hand over the eyes of the feral dog-folk looming over you, a futile attempt to push it away from you. Its head did not even budge, the amount of strength you had against its own power was comparable to a fly buzzing against an elephant.

Its snarls grew exponentially more ferocious at the obstruction to its sight and its jaws dove for your neck. You didn't even have time to scream at what was happening.

Burning breaths enveloped your neck and there was the graze of something sharp when a yellowish-white light shone from your hand that was latched on the brow of the dog-folk, blasting out in a small radius of light around your figures.

You dared not open your eyes but when the pain didn't arrive and your blood wasn't gurgling out of you from a tear in your throat, you hesitantly lowered your arms to look.

The dog-folk above you was groaning and whimpering, breathing harshly with trembling hackles. His arms and body that continued to cage you to the floor began to emit snapping, creaking sounds- the sound of bones being shifted and moved into place.

Eyes blown wide, you watched as the fur that covered his body began to retract back under his skin, revealing regular human skin as it disappeared; several clumps and strands fell off of his arms to the forest floor. The limbs by your head shivered ruthlessly and crumbled under his weight as his bones snapped and locked into new places below his skin. His body size began to shrink.

The long fangs lining his mouth shrunk to regular human-sized teeth, leaving only two smaller canines on either side, and the fur over his head changed and grew to light blond hair that now framed the strained and confused face of a human-looking male with chocolate eyes.

He stared down at you in shock and confusion, obviously still dazed from his transformation, and you did the same to him, bulging round eyes blinking up at him in disbelief.

D-Did you j-just…?

W-Was that-?

What?

"Look out!" Someone shouted, and both of your heads turned in time to see another of the feral dog-folk's huge figure descending down at you from mid-air.

The man above reflexively grabbed you to him and rolled away in time for the dog-folk to crush the earth beneath its large paws, sending soil and rocks scattering everywhere.

"Shit!" The man cursed and you were suddenly shoved away from him roughly as he went to lunge and grab at the dog-folk with his bare arms, muscles taut and rippling with strain.

Your body rolled across the rough grass from the added force of the man's inhuman shove. You felt your back and head collide against something hard and uneven, drawing out a mangled choke from your throat. As your body arched forward, your head was thrown backward, and you saw the long looming branches of a tree towering over you.

Great, you hit...a tree...

There were yells and shouts of your name that faintly reached your ears, very much like the day of the practice match when the volleyball hit you in the head. Your consciousness began to slip, vision turning dark before your eyes even completely closed.

You saw the blurred figures of the others in the scene before you, each one desperately fighting off the feral canines that went at them relentlessly; blurs of black, gold, silver, brown, and grey.

A feeling of falling and weightlessness blanketed your body, and even though you remember last rolling across uneven ground, you didn't feel it beneath you anymore. Only the sensation of falling through empty darkness remained.

.

.

.

.

.

Your eyes snapped open alongside a harsh, painful gasp.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

Breathing hard and heavy, your eyes flinched and squinted at the bright white light that stabbed at your vision.

What is this white light?

What's going on? Where are you?

Blinking rapidly, your eyes began to slowly adjust, and you could start to make out faint grey lines running across the white above you in square blocks.

W-What?

Weren't you just in a forest? Where are the others? Where are the dog-folks?

Where is this?

Even as your mind reeled and whirled with an endless gushing stream of questions, your body was slow and heavy, like you haven't moved in forever or just woke up from an extremely long and extended period of sleep.

"Shit, she's awake!"

"Shit, ya' are awake!"

There were the sounds of shoes and chairs squeaking hurriedly against the floor and the rustling of clothes and sheets, and then your body sinking when two weights leaned down from either side of you.

Blurry shapes of bright gold and grey mixed in with the expanse of white above you.

"W-What…" you tried to speak, voice coming out as a raspy croak.

The cogs in your mind continued turning and churning at breakneck speed whilst your eyes lethargically blinked close and open several times, squeezing the fog of sleep out of it.

The blurry shapes began to even and sharpen out, and when your eyes were finally able to focus them properly, the extremely shocked and relieved expressions of Atsumu and Osamu were staring down at you.

"...Vicious Atsumu and...Frosty Osamu…?"

Notes:

Here's an art of Majestic Kuroo on my Tumblr based on the scene here when he confronts Suna.
Majestic Kuroo Profile Sketch

DUN DUN DUN! *hides from everyone who thought they were heading to a new realm with Oikawa or Ushiwaka*
Man, it was so hard for me to keep myself from spoiling anything about my own story and not blurt out to you guys that she gonna get booted back to Tokyo first, especially when some of you keep bringing up questions about the modern boys and the real world xD hahaha

And FUCK IT GUYS! SUNA/READER PAIRING IS REAL NOW! Suna is amazing and I feel he's so underrated right now (it'll probs change once the new season hits though) and there is NOT ENOUGH content for him here on AO3 and I am hungry for Suna in general and Suna/Reader stories! I will be a poor Suna stan if I did not do my part and write for him.
I'm still working on Bokuto as there's been just as much demand for him as Suna, but man, I really did not plan this story with them in mind originally so I apologize waaaay early in advance if I don't fit them in naturally enough or if it feels more forced sometimes T^T I'll do my best though to give Suna (and hopefully Bokuto) justice.
And I have been bit by the Kuroo bug and been having dreams of him lately telling me to write a fic solely for him; which I really want to but...can't start a new fic till this gets at least quarterway OTL
I'm still so bad at writing action and still struggled as much as I did for chapter 6 sighhh. I hope I am better at it by the time we are at the end x.x

Please do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it the plot, the characters, the writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the HQ characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 12: Hospital Day

Summary:

Interlude

Notes:

My God, you all went absolutely mad for Kuroo last chapter, to my surprise! I laughed so hard and find it to be such a treat that you all enjoy my version of Kuroo and other characters so much! I wish I can do a polling every chapter to see how popularity for the character changes as the story progresses xD Kita's popularity here has been skyrocketing too.
...actually, is there a site that lets me do something like that easily? If you know one, please let me know!
And I'm not confirming or denying anything, but I also kept laughing at so many reacting to "mad dog-chan" cause feral dogs xD ahahahaha I love ya'll 3

Thank YOU so much for all the comments last chapter! Reading your comments always motivates me and makes me so happy to be writing this story! It is one of the aspects I love most about doing this story, besides weaving the story itself (I admit, I struggle some times and that makes it not so fun haha). I certainly never thought I would be updating so often and fast for this story when I started, and you all have yourself to thank for that : And 2500+ hits in less than a month? WHAT?!
Chapter not checked for mistakes etc cause I need sleep but wanted to share it with you all asap haha will come back in a few days to fix .;

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time and effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till late to write my own.
Leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way, on top of motivating them to update faster :)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Hey, 'Samu…"

"What, 'Tsumu?"

The moonlight cascaded and basked the twins in its ethereal light, sitting on the roof of their silent house, overseeing the equally silent village.

Everyone was in their homes, asleep in their beds; the lucky ones who still had surviving family and friends nearby, and the unlucky ones who were probably alone, with nothing but their thoughts and memories for company, staring up at dark ceilings in the quiet of their beds.

In a way, the twins are considered one of the lucky ones but they were never sure of it themselves.

"Ah, Suna! Welcome home!"

"Why do we have things like memories?" Atsumu asked his brother, looking out at the empty village streets with a bored and tired expression that was more common on Osamu.

"What kind of stupid question is that?" Osamu drawled back, leaning back on his arms as he rolled the rice stalk he was chewing between his lips, watching the long leaves flutter before him. He looked just as bored as his brother, if not pensive.

"Welcome home, Atsumu, Osamu."

Atsumu didn't react or explode at his brother like he usually would when Osamu responded to him with mockery. He dug his chin into the hand that held it up, propped on a raised knee.

Off towards the edge of the village, strategically placed just far away enough from the other cottages, his sharp fox eyes picked out the flickering lights coming from Suna's cottage.

It's a familiar view to them, whenever they lounged on the roof of their own home. Suna slept unusually late (not that the twin brothers were any better on most occasions), playing with his talismans and doing whatever else he did, so it was not unusual to see a flame flickering and bathing one of his cottage windows in its light.

Suna, another one of the unlucky ones.

Lately though, there is always more than one window lit up in warm yellows, indicating at the extra life that Suna now shared his cottage with. For how long, who knows, but tonight was no different, with three different windows lit up in yellow and orange.

The central living room, Suna' room, and probably the room of the human girl.

It's been a couple of days since they explained to her the basics of souls at their friend's doorstep and first glimpsed her greeting Suna back home. A couple of days since that stupid memory was dug up with her careless words that probably did not mean anything more than just sheer politeness on her part.

And yet it weighed so heavily on their hearts.

"Think about it; memories just tie us down, burdening us to useless things in the past. It's dead weight," Atsumu drawled with empty annoyance, tone and huffs void of any true irritation. It was just Atsumu playing with and putting up the facade he always wore. "What's the point of memories if that's all it's gonna be?"

Osamu didn't care if Atsumu wanted to play pretend with the world, that was his choice. But Osamu never understood why Atsumu even bothered doing it when it was just them. It's not like it'll ever work with him.

Osamu understood Atsumu best and Atsumu understood Osamu best. ...maybe Osamu understood him a little better but that's another issue entirely.

"Are you sayin' ya' want amnesia then? I can give ya' a good knock to the head if ya' do," Osamu suggested to his brother casually, tilting his head up to look at the moon, away from the flickering window lights.

There was a 'tch' from Atsumu and a low complaint about Osamu's crude treatment of him on a daily basis.

"The answer's real easy, ya' know? Cause without yesterday, we won't have today." Osamu said matter of factly.

"That isn't what I meant." An exasperated groan came from Atsumu beside him, who now fell onto his back, arms propped behind his head to help him comfortably stare up at the night sky and the stars winking down at them.

"I know exactly what ya' meant." Osamu shot back with a roll of his eyes; the rice stalk that was between his lips was now being rolled around in endless circles between his fingers.

"Yesterday disappears behind us, and all of those many, many yesterdays become a part of us as our muscles."

Become a part of their strength, their magic, with which they use to fight for and protect Kita and the Inarizaki House, and whatever left that they hold dear, which wasn't very much.

"So yea, they are dead weight that holds us down but it is dead weight that we want to shed, that makes us move forward to escape it. And that's why we are strong." Osamu allowed the wind to take the rice stalk away from him, watching it as it fluttered in the air for an ephemeral second before falling to the roof of their home, rolling off the edge and to the hard ground below.

"And what matters in the end is-"

"What we shall do today." Atsumu finished Osamu's thoughts for him and Osamu allowed a small smile to tug at his lips.

Like he said, they understood each other best.

They were shoveling the same pile of memories that littered the floors of their new living area, that was etched into the walls of their new bedrooms, and permeated the air of their new kitchen after all.

Shoveling it into the same empty hole that was the grave of their mother.

"After all-" Osamu began and Atsumu finished:

"We don't need things like memories."

"Vicious Atsumu and Frosty Osamu? Yer must have lost the few loose screws in yer head when ya' got hit," Atsumu's teasing voice from your right.

"'Tsumu, she just woke up," Osamu's reprimanding voice from your left. "I'll go get the doctor. Can ya' let auntie and uncle know she's awake?"

"Yea, sure. I'll drop a message to the group chats too to let the others know."

"That's a good idea from ya' for once."

"The heck? Rude!"

"Yea, yea. Move it already."

You heard Atsumu calling your name and then two firm pats on your brow. "We'll be back real quick so just sit tight."

"...was that supposed to be a joke?"

"Shut up! I was just tryin' to be nice!"

"Please don't say things like that, it's creepy."

Their arguing voices echoed and disappeared beyond the white door, faintly reverberating through the wall until someone shushed them.

9 days.

.Fuck.

You have been out for nine days.

Nine fucking days from a volleyball spiking you in the head.

Has it really only been nine days?

It felt...longer.

Although your days in Hyquile blended and blurred together easily (especially after losing count since arriving at Inarizaki), you're sure you have been there for at least a little more than two weeks.

So one day in your reality was about two days in Hyquile? Is that it?

There wasn't anything wrong with your body, you were just unconscious for an abnormally long amount of time for getting hit in the head with a ball.

When you didn't wake up immediately, they admitted you to the hospital and that's where you've been since.

It was a Thursday when you were knocked out. It is now a Saturday morning of the following week.

Really, .Fuck.

The doctor and nurse asked you routine questions, questions that you did not pay attention to, only buzzing as meaningless words into your right ear and out your left.

Your mouth moved, answering their questions just as blandly.

Yes, you know your name.

Yes, you feel fine.

No, nothing hurts.

Yes, you can see and hear fine.

Yes, you remember what happened.

. .

You remember getting hit in the head with a volleyball alright.

You also remember hitting your head against a tree and running away from feral dogs.

What does this all mean?

Was it all just a dream?

A long, long, long, and very lucid dream like you had first hoped?

How lucid can a dream possibly be?

You're back.

You are actually back in your reality, sitting in a hospital bed in Tokyo, with regular, ordinary humans asking you questions, with Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu sitting in chairs in the corner of the room, legs jostling up and down impatiently as they wait for the doctor to be done with their long-winded standard practice questions.

You were no longer in a different dimension and reality, not running for your life away from magic-wielding folks, not being asked otherworldly questions about what your world is like by non-ordinary folks, and Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu are not looking at you like you were responsible for killing their mother and destroying their village.

Was it all seriously just a dream?

"C-Can I-" you interrupted the doctor halfway into his twentieth question for you, "-leave, already?"

Bushy grey eyebrows slanted down at you and the doctor peered at you from over his glasses. "If you are absolutely sure you are well, we can possibly discharge you tomorrow-"

"I meant today," you said, lips pursing at him earnestly.

His brows slanted so far down you thought it might slide off his nose. "You were unconscious for quite a bit for being hit in the head by a volleyball, even if there were no other issues. It would be prudent to remain here for another day or two."

"I feel fine," you insisted firmly, hands fidgeting with the blanket covering your legs. " And I will have a lot to catch up to in school so I would prefer to leave today…" you pleaded with your best puppy dog eyes (which you are often told looks more like a kicked puppy) to the doctor. "...please. I promise I will be careful and if I feel anything wrong, I will come in for a checkup immediately."

From over the shoulders of the doctor, you see the twins flailing their arms at you with dubious "are you sure" looks.

There was a pause as the doctor considered it, going over the paper in his hand several more minutes, listening to their continued barrage of pleas and insistence, before he acquiesced.

"Very well. I will approve your discharge but only from this evening. I want you to remain here until then so we can monitor your condition."

You thanked him and as they left, Atsumu and Osamu immediately pulled their chairs up to your bedside, taking up their previous positions on the left and right.

"Are ya' sure you're well enough to leave? It wouldn't hurt to stay another day." Osamu said as he placed a plastic bag full of snacks from a nearby 7-11 store on your blanket-covered lap.

"She's been here for days now 'Samu, I don't blame her for wantin' to get the hell outta here," Atsumu said, grabbing a jelly drink from the bag. Right before he could open it up, Osamu reached over and snatched it out of his brother's hand, placing it in your hand instead.

"Get yer own if ya' want one. That's for her."

"Wah- why are you so mean to me 'Samu!"

"You're not the patient here."

They bickered back and forth as they always did before realizing that you had remained quiet the whole time, squeezing and releasing the pack in your hand repetitively.

"Oi, ya' alright?" Atsumu flicked your forehead a bit too hard, leaving a small patch of red on your skin.

"Ow! Y-Yeah, I'm fine Atsumu. Just spaced out for a bit," you forced a smile for them then gestured at the jelly drink in your hand. "Thanks for this Osamu."

Uncapping the packet, you gulped it down in quick succession, tongue tingling at the taste and texture. You had been drinking nothing but water or drinks made from natural ingredients in Hyquile for a while now that you actually thought this tasted unfamiliar, despite having it hundreds of times through the years now.

...you paused momentarily, as you pondered again whether it was actually just a dream and your body just lacked proper sustenance.

This is when you finally noticed the twins were staring at you with weird and disturbed looks.

Your head tilted at them questioningly. "What is it?"

"Ya' never call us that," Osamu said, never removing his eyes from you as he pulled out a bag of Country Ma'am cookies from the bag on your lap.

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "Call you what?"

"By our names. Ya' just said Atsumu and Osamu. It's always 'Tsumu or Tsum-Tsum and 'Samu," Atsumu's eyes squinted at you disapprovingly. He didn't like it, it didn't sound right.

"Wha-, no I don't. I call you guys by your names sometimes."

"Like when?" Atsumu's eyes squinted further, treating this as if it was a grave crime that he had to inspect closely.

"Like when I'm angry?" You're pretty sure you revert to their full names when you're angry.

"Are ya' angry now?" One full brow raised at you. "Ya' hardly ever get angry and even if ya' do, it isn't a 100% that you'll call us that," Atsumu insisted stubbornly, his body leaning towards you in his persistence as if doing so will convince you that he is right because Miya Atsumu is always right.

A cookie flew at his cheek with a ploof , falling to the bed in halves.

"Leave her alone ya' hooligan. She just woke up." Osamu drawled at his brother with a frown. Even if he did agree with Atsumu that no you never called them anything besides their nicknames in the years you've known them, you did just wake up from unconsciousness so he could be more forgiving. Your brain was probably still fogged from that long period of unconsciousness. He's never been unconscious for that long, not even when he was starved and exhausted from athletics, so he wouldn't know how it feels like.

You sucked on the jelly drink with more force than necessary, hollowing both the packet and your cheeks.

...shit, maybe Atsumu's right? You weren't so sure now if you had always referred to them by their nicknames. Sure, you're pretty confident you used it most of the time but there must be times you didn't, right?

You definitely didn't call them by their names because Hyquile Atsumu told you that you can't use their nicknames with them and you've been getting used to calling them Atsumu and Osamu in Hyquile the past couple of days.

Cause that was a dream, wasn't it?

It absolutely had nothing to do with that.

"Cut me some slack, 'Tsumu? I just woke up after sleeping for nine days," you tried to push on from the thought in your head, picking up a piece of the fallen cookie from the bed.

"Yea, about that. Really? Nine days? Ya' need to knock out for nine days just from a volleyball? I need to rethink inviting ya' to future matc-" Atsumu mocked and you stuffed the broken cookie piece in his mouth in retaliation. He coughed from the sudden intrusion of the dry snack stealing all the moisture in his throat.

"Serves ya' right." Osamu deadpanned at his brother, the smallest hint of a smirk on his lips. Then he turned to you, offering the bag of cookies. "Don't mind 'Tsumu. He just doesn't want to admit he's been worried sick and that's his way of sayin' it cause he can't speak his feelings like an adult."

"No I haven't! And I can totally speak my feelings and my feelings are that she's so weak to be taken out like that!" Atsumu protested angrily, grabbing the remaining half of the fallen cookie and launching it at Osamu who dodged it.

You laughed, lightly patting Atsumu's clenched fists on your bed. "It's okay 'Tsumu. I know you care."

"He wouldn't stop yellin' at Ushiwaka when they were takin' ya' to the hospital," Osamu whispered to you conspiratorially, but still loud enough that Atsumu can hear it without issue. "Wouldn't set to him for days until the coach finally intervened."

Oh, so at least you know who spiked you now.

Atsumu huffed, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair defiantly with a petulant scowl. "If he can't aim properly he shouldn't be playin' on the court."

In Atsumu lingo, that meant that he was royally pissed at Ushijima.

Then he glared at Osamu. "It's not like ya' were any better! Ya' were just as pissed at him as I was!"

Osamu shrugged carelessly, not the least bothered by Atsumu's accusations. "Of course I was. But accidents happen and I moved on the next day."

"Well, ya' move on too fast! Be a bit more bothered by things, why can't cha'?!"

"Cruel creatures they are."

"How hateful."

"How vile."

"Disgusting."

Watching them arguing over your well-being here in front of you like this, made everything feel almost unreal.

Was it the Miya twins of Hyquile with their justified hatred of humans that was unreal? Had they really trained those cold eyes on you, circled you with the stench of blood, and intimately expressed their disgust for humanity, for humans like you, a mere week ago?

Or was it the Miya twins before you now that was unreal? Who cared for you in their own ways and had been visiting the hospital almost every day, just to check if you have woken up yet?

Your hand grasped at your heart, fisting at the hospital gown you wore as you took in a shaky breath to clear your head and heart, wavering with an uncertainty you cannot explain nor wish to delve into at this moment.

No, the Miya twins before you now, you've known them for almost your entire life.

They were real.

You grabbed one of each of their hands, stopping their endless bickering and turning two sets of identical but different colored eyes on you.

Stubborn gold and tranquil grey.

You ignored the one split second you imagined it to be a vicious gold and an almost silver glow.

"I'm glad to be back...and that you guys are here. I'm sorry I worried you."

You squeezed their hands, imprinting the warmth of their calloused hands into your significantly frailer ones, weakened from your state of comatose.

These weren't hands that have fought in battles and taken lives.

A drop of tear trailed from your eye and down to your chin before you could stop it.

You don't know for which or what reason exactly that tear fell.

Relief to be back? Appreciation for the twins before you? Some inexplicable form of guilt and regret for a similar pair of twins who were fighting for their lives and people when you last saw them?

And for once in their lives that is filled with incessant curiosity, the Miya brothers did not tease and prod about why you were crying when they usually would not let you live it down, nor did they question the faint shiver of your hand over theirs.

But Atsumu obviously had to say and do something to break the silence and tension cause he doesn't do well in situations like that. "Aw shit, don't start doin' that now." He groaned and you choked out a laugh, the tears coming on in full force at this moment.

"S-Sorry! I d-don't know why I'm crying!" You sniffed, hand tightening on theirs and head falling forward to bury your face into your outstretched thighs.

"This is yer fault 'Tsumu." Osamu smoothly blamed his brother who spluttered indignantly.

"Me?! I didn't do nuthin'!"

A hand that was free of your clutches pulled at your shoulder, coaxing you to sit back up. "Here, ya' look like shit." Osamu smiled with unhidden amusement as he pushed layers of tissue from the tissue box on the bedstand onto your nose.

You released Atsumu's hand to grab at the tissue, uglily blowing into it. "I was out for nine days. I'm literally Sleeping Beauty," your muffled voice sulked at him.

A snort from Atsumu to your right. "Ya' look more like Beast right now."

You slapped his arm with the hand that held all the wet tissues, prompting an "Ew!" from the golden-haired twin before he locked one arm around your neck and pulled you into a rough hug that was more appropriate for his volleyball teammates than a patient in a hospital bed, ruffling your already mussed hair with the other.

You yelped indignantly at the less than gentle treatment and tried to wiggle out and under from his grip but his arms tightened around you.

"I swear if ya' pull another stunt like this, I will spike ya' myself." Though Atsumu's words came out in an angry grumble, the way his hand shifted from rumpling your bangs to subtly running through the sides of your hair told you he was anything but truly angry at you. Maybe a little pissed.

"He means he missed ya'," Osamu supplied, squeezing your hand reassuringly in both of his.

"Fuck 'Samu, the last time she was hospitalized was when she fell on her head from slippin' off a damn pole. Thought she broke her neck."

You half-groaned and half-laughed into the crook of Atsumu's shoulders, one eye peeking out to look up at them. "I wish you guys would just forget that."

"Hell no."

"'Tsumu's right. Hell no."

Fuck, you really…

"I really missed you guys," you mumbled into Atsumu's shirt, now stained with your tears.

Atsumu rolled his eyes but Osamu smiled at you, his words enough for the both of them.

"Yea, we missed ya' too."

They didn't understand too much how you could have missed them when you were unconscious and unaware of the time moving forwards, but they didn't question it. They will have plenty of time to bother you about it another day.

There was a knock on the door.

"Apologies for the intrusion. May we come in?"

You looked over and your jaw fell open in surprise.

"K-Kita?" You stuttered, blinking owlishly at the male standing at your hospital room door. The twins stared at you which caused you to remember where you were, and you hastily rectified your mistake, "-san."

Steady auburn eyes looked at you as he nodded in acknowledgment, either missing or dismissing your blunder (knowing this is the Kita of your reality, it was likely the latter), then lightly stepped to the side for another taller figure to shuffle into the frame of the door and your eyes bulged.

"S-Suna-san?"

Atsumu and Osamu stood up from their seats, moving to greet their beloved senior.

"Kita-san, we didn't think ya' would come by," Osamu said, pulling out the extra folded chair by the wall for Kita.

"I didn't think Suna would." Atsumu grinned smugly at his friend and teammate, reaching over to clap him on the shoulder but Suna stepped away with a grimace. "We were out looking for materials we needed for our respective classes when we saw the text," Suna said as he swiped down in the volleyball club group chat. "Kita-san said we should visit."

Kita came by your bedside and you subconsciously sat up straighter. He held up a plastic bag filled with some fruits and a bottle of barley tea, placing them on your bedstand.

"How are you feeling?" He asked you kindly, gracefully sitting down in the chair Osamu had pulled out for him prior.

"I'm good for having slept for nine days." You laughed sheepishly at your own joke, recalling the view of golden fields and the scent of rice fields blown in by the winds.

"You had everyone worried; you need to be more careful." He said softly, pulling out the transparent bag filled with mandarins and beginning to peel one.

His words, though mindful and meant to show that he cared, made you wince when he didn't laugh and joke like you had expected him to.

This isn't Hyquile.

This isn't the other Kita Shinsuke.

It must have been a dream.

"S-Sorry…" you mumbled, shyly taking a slice of the peeled mandarin he offered to you.

"Have you eaten a proper meal yet?" He asked, reaching into the bag he brought and pulling out several rice balls.

"Ah- the nurse brought me food just now-"

"But I bet the twins ate most of it," Suna said languidly as he came up beside Kita, glancing knowingly at the twins who flinched.

"N-No, we only had a few bites!" Atsumu said, eyes avoiding Kita's gaze who turned on them.

"...it was too good," Osamu mumbled, also looking away from Kita's piercing eyes with apparent guilt.

It doesn't matter how old they got or how much time passes. Kita still holds the same power over them as he did in high school.

"Hospital meals are planned with the proper nutrition in mind for each patient that they will need to fully recover, especially after waking up from a coma. You shouldn't eat their food as they need it more than you." Bluntly and without hesitation, Kita reprimanded the twins for having eaten your food. Two bright heads bowed in guilt as they let his words rain arrows of retribution over them, Suna quietly filming the scene with his phone with a sly smile.

Your fingers twitched, the feeling of witnessing something unreal and feeling disconnected picked at your stomach for the third time that day, leaving an uncomfortable sensation of static inside your gut and chest.

The twins were suddenly grabbing their wallets and phones from the bedside where they have left it, moving to leave the room as if they were about to go run laps around the block.

"Are they leaving already?" you asked the remaining two in the room, shocked that they just left without even saying goodbye.

Suna snickered as he typed away on his phone. "They went to get you food from one of the restaurants nearby. Kita-san's lecture made them want to repent, so they volunteered to go buy food without us even suggesting it." He paused typing to look up at you. "Osamu is asking what you want to eat."

"Uhm- Thai? They should know what I like." You've had Gapao rice with them more times than you can remember and have even cooked it with Osamu before. If they didn't know what to get you, you'd be disappointed.

He went back to typing, probably giving your order to the twins who will now be out on the streets looking for Thai food. Thankfully, it was sunny out.

"Are your parents coming soon?" Kita turned back to you, starting on another mandarin.

"Ah, yea. 'Samu informed them already and they're coming back down to pick me up now. They just left to go visit my grandmother this morning." Your grandmother on your dad's side has always been a little frail, and your family usually made sure to visit her often on either day trips or to stay over. Though you told Osamu to tell them they didn't need to come back down today, they insisted; your mother's cries and sobs that you were finally awake and how sorry she is that she wasn't there when you finally woke withered your heart. "The twins volunteered to stay with me today in their place."

"Even the Miya twins can be considerate sometimes it seems," Suna idly mumbled, brows furrowing as he looked at Kita as if he was thinking about something, thumb lazily running over the back of his phone.

Speaking of which, where is your phone? You should have asked the twins earlier.

"Thank you, by the way, for coming by." You lightly bowed your head at Kita and Suna. "I didn't expect anyone to be coming here today."

Kita shook his head with a small smile. "It is nothing. We had all been very worried."

Maybe Kita Shinsuke you could imagine worrying over you, but Suna? You barely talked enough to know each other that well.

"We've never spoken much, but I know you always pull the twins off me when I try to leave any parties or events early," Suna told you as he took a seat beside Kita, reading the confused expression on your face when you glanced at him.

You couldn't help but laugh at his words sheepishly and his lips pulled up in a very small smile too, both knowing how terrible the twins can be. "How did you know?"

"Besides Kita-san, you're probably the only one who has a chance of stopping the twins at anything. I sent you the video I just took of them by the way. Blackmail material if you need it."

You couldn't help but laugh a little bit harder at the ease with which Suna moved from saying something logical to blackmail material of the twins, and the whole time his expression barely changed.

But his golden eyes glimmered from under his sleepy hoods, with a strange sort of quiet pleasantness that you have glimpsed on occasion before, in a world where you knew Suna much better.

That feeling picking at your gut pulled just a bit harder.

Kita's blank expression turned to Suna and the younger male tensed. "You shouldn't do that Suna. It might get you in trouble one day, filming everything." A brief pause and then he smiled conspiratorially just ever so slightly. "But Atsumu and Osamu deserve it this time."

Suna almost dropped his phone at the sight of Kita smiling like that- it was small but it happened all the same- and you certainly dropped the remainder of the mandarin slices you had been bringing to your mouth.

There was a tense silence over the room.

"I was joking," Kita said, face straight as ever, smile gone.

If you could drop the mandarin slices again you would have but Suna definitely dropped his phone this time. The Kita Shinsuke just joked?

The faraway echo of a sheepish laugh that was distinctly Kita but also not Kita danced in the corner of your subconscious.

"It might really get you in trouble one day Suna if you filmed the wrong thing." Kita went on, wholly unaware of what he just did.

"Right...of course…" Suna muttered, picking up his phone and cleaning it off with a grimace, glad that it wasn't damaged.

It was another 15minutes before Atsumu and Osamu finally returned, surprisingly with food for everyone and not just you.

You leaned towards Suna and whispered quietly to him, "Even the Miya twins can be considerate sometimes it seems," repeating his earlier words back to him. He didn't say anything but the corner of his lips did twitch up in a smirk, and you giggled, drawing the attention of the twins who eyed you two suspiciously.

"Since when are ya' two that close?" Atsumu asked, honey eyes roving back and forth between you and Suna. He doesn't remember seeing you two say more than two words to each other.

"Idiot, they share classes together," Osamu as always never lets a chance to remind his brother that he was mentally inferior pass by him, but passed a wondering look at you and Suna as well. When did you two ever speak more than two words to each other?

And Suna being Suna and never letting the twins get an upper hand over him shrugged carelessly but a smug smirk played lazily on his lips. "Even as a set, you two can't keep track of anything close to you."

As if expecting the twins to immediately react and reading steps ahead of what is likely to occur, Kita spoke up right after Suna's words. "Atsumu. Osamu. Suna. We are in a hospital." A potential verbal fight was prematurely nipped in the bud, just like that.

You near snorted into your food as all three of them winced and looked away from Kita.

Their relationship with each other is nice.

...it reminded you so much of how it was in your dream...despite the differences, the core of it was not very different.

Three knocks on the door.

"Come in." You said without a thought, thinking it was the twins returning from seeing Kita and Suna (mainly Kita) off.

"Yo, is Sleeping Beauty finally awake?"

"Hi…"

"Kuroo-san! Kenma!"

Your jaw dropped for the second time that day at the two heads that popped their heads in from behind your hospital room door. Well, Kuroo popped his head in whilst Kenma's bright bob of long hair was visible against the bright hallway in the back.

The tall volleyball player grinned at you, hair as messy and spiky as always, pushing the door open further to let himself and Kenma in.

"I- what? I wasn't expecting you guys to visit." Unable to keep the shock and surprise from your face and voice, you gaped up at the two close friends as they approached your bedside, Kenma shuffling in from behind Kuroo quietly.

"It isn't just us," Kenma mumbled, looking slightly worried as he glanced behind.

"He'll be fine Kenma. It's just the toilet, he won't get lost." Kuroo's grin pulled even wider when you tilted your head in confusion.

"So there's more of yo-"

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Ah, you get it now.

There were loud shushings and reprimanding voices from the hallway before the door clicked open, and then a mop of slightly less spiky silver hair peeked in.

"B-Bokuto-san…" you trailed off with a half chuckle, both surprised at his visit and the fact that his hair seemed to be drooping like the slump of his shoulders.

Kuroo exhaled a loud sigh though it was neither annoyed nor condescending in the least, as he watched Bokuto close the door as quietly as he can manage, a half-grimace, half-smirk on his lips. "Need I remind you that we're in a hospital, you loud owl."

Bokuto laughed loudly, flinched when Kuroo and Kenma simultaneously lifted a finger up to their mouths, and then continued trying to laugh but at a much lower volume, which was still pretty boisterous by normal standards.

"I did forget until the nurse told me. That explains why there were so many people in nurse and doctor uniforms!"

Kuroo snorted in disbelief whilst Kenma just dropped tiredly into a chair.

It was only when Bokuto approached the bed and focused his big, round, bright golden eyes on you did you feel yourself tense ever so slightly.

And Bokuto's attention, short as it may be, when focused on something can be pretty intense.

"I can't believe you're finally awake!" He gushed excitedly, and Kuroo sighed at his lack of tact. Golden eyes focused on your face as Bokuto pushed in towards you in his excitement. "What was it like sleeping for so many days? The longest I slept was two days after some really intense matches and practices and you've done nine days!"

Remember, this isn't Hyquile.

This isn't the other Bokuto Koutarou.

Even as you told yourself that, you found yourself unable to meet his eyes, your own gaze focused intensely on his neck instead, hyper-aware of his eyes glued to your face.

Your fingers started drumming nervously on your lap without your permission.

To his credit, Bokuto did not notice your nerves at all and the intensity of his stare only seemed to heighten.

"Did you dream at all? Could you hear anything?" Breathe, this Bokuto's harmless.

God, you can't look at his eyes. No, you have to, just move your damn eyeballs up.

"I tried shouting in your ear when we visited earlier but you didn't react at all-"

He was yanked away by Kuroo who reprimanded his friend with slight annoyance. "Bokuto, dude, give her some space."

Kenma's gold eyes flicked from the way your throat moved as you gulped nervously and then down to your drumming fingers and then to Bokuto.

"Ah- sorry!" Bokuto flinched, slapping his hands onto his face so hard there was a resounding clap in the room.

Fingers dragging down his face, he peeked out from behind them, eyes having lost a bit of that excited glow, brows turned up apologetically. His hair even drooped back down again. "I got a bit too excited and got carried away…you were just out for a while and..."

...ahh, a sad and apologetic Bokuto just doesn't look right for some reason.

"It's alright...," you forced your eyes to look at him, heart sweating in your chest, sucking in a deep breath.

It was just a dream.

"I might have slept for nine days, but all your voices were so noisy I hardly rested at all. Your 'Hey's were really loud!" You grinned widely and the effect was immediate on Bokuto.

Laughter rumbled from his chest and his hair went back up alongside his chin jutting up in the air in a lively laugh.

"You even knew what I said!"

"It probably isn't hard to guess." Kuroo slapped his own forehead before turning to you with a grimace. "Sorry for his behavior. He's pretty much an idiot when he isn't on the court...and sometimes even when on the court," Kuroo whispered the last bit but Bokuto heard him anyway, protesting with an indignant 'Hey!' and a petulant frown.

"It's okay. I was just...surprised." You weren't going to tell them you had nightmares about a Bokuto look-alike chasing you through a forest. Nope.

"Kuroo," Kenma called out to his friend, pointing down at the bag in Kuroo's hand.

"Ah right, we brought you these-" then he noticed all the half-filled plastic bags around and wrappers in the bin, "-but looks like someone already beat us to it."

"The Miya twins are here right? Where's Tsum-Tsum and his bro?" Bokuto asked, plopping into the chair next to Kenma.

"They went to see Kita-san and Suna off. They were visiting just before you."

"You're Miss Popular today," Kuroo teased, setting the bag of snacks he was carrying next to the other bags before moving to the other side of the bed and sitting down.

"Which reminds me, why are you all here?" You looked around at the three of them with furrowed brows. First Kita and Suna and now the three of them? Did Atsumu send out a volleyball meetup invite?

"Tsum-Tsum dropped a message in the group chat that you were finally awake," Bokuto said, sitting up straight as he answered, a determined fire burning in his eyes for reasons only he could understand.

"The three of us were already hanging out so we came by. Had to check on my kouhai after her beauty sleep." Kuroo grinned widely, resting his chin on one hand. "You caused quite a commotion."

"It must have been a spike that could take your arms off…" Kenma muttered, brows furrowing as he imagined receiving the spike that knocked you out.

"Ushiwaka's amazing as usual!" Bokuto praised the man who did this to you, causing Kenma to sigh and resist the need to facepalm.

"How do you feel though?" Ignoring Bokuto, Kuroo asked you with genuine concern, any hint of his usual teasing and coyness absent from him as he looked at you worriedly.

You flushed at his concern, reminded of how he always easily managed to make you red with his straightforward and intense gazes.

"I'm...alright. All things considered, you know?" You scratched at your cheeks, eyes flitting to the side. You weren't lying, you felt totally fine for having just woken up. Besides the initial lethargy and fog clouding your head, you really...don't feel any different.

Just filled with new memories that you weren't sure ever happened or not.

Your eyes briefly flickered to Kenma, unable to erase the image of orange cat ears on the top of his head. He noticed your gaze however brief it was, for he sunk lower into his chair, mumbling something under his breath.

"What was that Kenma?" Bokuto prodded the younger male beside him with a finger, clueless to his discomfort at being poked like that.

"...you missed a lot of class. I'll share with you my notes when you're better." Kenma spoke up a tad bit louder, body leaning to the side to avoid Bokuto's fingers.

You blinked, not expecting Kenma to have offered. You had already thought about asking him and a few other people for the notes you missed but you certainly didn't think Kenma of all people would bring it up to you first.

"You weren't taking up the seat next to him so he has had to deal with a bunch of strangers who took up your seat, which he hated cause they kept annoying him and telling him to do things he didn't want to," Kuroo snickered.

You giggled, remembering Kenma's various habits in class and how he sometimes focused on his phone instead of the lecture. You can imagine the more studious students being peeved with him for it. And though it did not happen very often, Kenma sometimes unconsciously crosses his legs on his chair, especially when the lecture is really boring. Whether it bothered people or not you didn't know, but you didn't mind; sometimes, you even crossed your legs with him.

"They keep telling me to put my phone away," He mumbled with a grimace.

"But you're in class Kenma! You must be pretty smart to not need to pay attention." Bokuto admired him causing Kuroo to roll his eyes.

"Bo, don't encourage his bad habits! And you can pay attention to your lectures a bit more Kenma, even if you know the materials. You might pick up something new." Kuroo lectured his two friends and you smiled, watching him with a faraway look in your eyes, recalling the numerous times you have seen something similar in your...dreams.

The red light jacket he wore fitted his form, reminding you of an equally red velvet coat from said dreams.

Kuroo's long fingers snapped in front of your face, bringing you back to focus on the others in the room, who were all training their eyes on you curiously. "You alright?"

Three pairs of sharp golden eyes belonging to natural hunters.

Another shudder of breath left you.

"Sorry, was just remembering something. I'm alright."

"We're going to pop by the store to buy more snacks and food. Ya' want anything?" Osamu asked you as he stood up, Atsumu stretching out beside him.

"You guys really don't need to stay with me the whole day," you told them, though grateful all the same. "I'm sure you have much better things to do."

"Yea, well, this ain't for free. I want homemade bento lunches for a whole week and if something like this happens to me or 'Samu, ya' better do the same for us," Atsumu grinned down at you smugly, patting your covered foot with which you playfully kicked his hand.

"Ya' have a problem with the lunchboxes I make?" Osamu looked at his brother. His expression didn't change, but you picked up on the slightest shift in his tone that told you he was annoyed.

Atsumu looked away with a huff, crossing his arms behind his head. "It's different when a girl makes it and not my brother."

"Then I'll stop making lunchboxes for ya' forever." Osamu simply said as he started to leave.

"Huh- wha-, 'Samu, do ya' want me to starve?"

"Yes."

You laughed, quickly informing Osamu what you wanted from the store before they disappeared behind the doors.

Suddenly, there were the sounds of two people speaking loudly before turning into full-blown yelling, and then two loud smacks that reverberated through the walls. Two different sets of voices whined and died out.

Less than a minute passed before the door opened again and a tuft of familiar brown head poked in.

"Ya-hoo~!" Oikawa greeted with a wide grin, flashing you a peace sign from behind the door.

"Move it, Shittykawa!" Then the sound of a hand hitting skin and a yelp of pain from Oikawa as he stumbled in.

"That hurts, Iwa-chan! You hit the same spot!"

"You were blocking the door. And do you have to pick a fight with that guy every time you see him?!"

"That Demon Twin One was the one who started it!" Oikawa whined, flinching when Iwaizumi raised his fist again.

"You were just as bad!"

"Oikawa-san? Iwaizumi-san?"

The two said males turned and waved at you, one with a slightly pained look and rubbing the back of his head.

You looked at the white hospital door leading to your room, mystified. That door just kept bringing in surprises after surprises.

"W-What brings you here? And is...everything okay? I heard yelling..." you watched worriedly as they approached.

"This dumbass here was just being an idiot outside with Atsumu." Iwaizumi jabbed a thumb in Oikawa's direction, who pouted and clutched his chest in dramatic hurt.

Oikawa whined your name and grabbed one of your hands. "I would never! I'm being falsely accused! It's that Demon Twin One that wouldn't leave me alone!"

You laughed, patting Oikawa's hand with your free hand. These two will never stop, will they?

"Thankfully Osamu was there to handle his brother else we'd still be outside and in trouble with the nurses." Iwaizumi sat down in a chair, dropping his bag to the floor. "Oi, Trashykawa! Give it to her already."

"Why must you be so bossy Iwa-chan, I was getting to it." Oikawa sighed dramatically, before lifting up a plastic bag with a box inside, a large grin plastered on his face. "We brought you cake cause you said you like sweets! Let's all have it together before the Demon Twins return! There isn't any for them here and I'm not sharing with them!"

You chuckled at Oikawa and his antics, Iwaizumi sighing hard into his palm next to him.

"Oh, thank you. You guys didn't have to," you accepted the cake with a smile, pulling out the box as Iwaizumi leaned over to grab the tissue box from the bedstand.

As Iwaizumi helped you take out the pre-sliced cake and layered tissues under each of them and pulled off their wrappers, Oikawa leaned his elbows onto the bed right by you, leaning forward in his chair to peer up at your face closely. His round chocolate eyes were mirthful as ever but sincere concern and worry could be found within them.

"Are you okay, (Name)-chan? How are you feeling?"

"If I got a hundred yen for every time I got asked that today, I can afford a bowl of ramen by now," you joked, smiling at him and his worry for you. He might have an infamous reputation as a Prince Charming but he can be pretty thoughtful. "I feel perfectly fine though. Maybe still a little lethargic? But good, overall."

"You must be fine if you can joke around like that." Iwaizumi raised an inquisitive brow at you, passing you a slice of cake before grabbing one for himself.

"Hey, where's mine Iwa-chan?"

"You have hands, get it yourself."

"Why are you so mean to me!"

If you didn't know any better, you would have thought Oikawa was about to cry but you did know better. Regardless, you held out the slice Iwaizumi unwrapped for you to Oikawa; it was the least you can do as they had taken time out of their days to come to visit you.

"You shouldn't be too nice to him." Iwaizumi rolled his eyes with a huff, taking a large bite out of his own slice.

Oikawa whispered your name and gave you a look full of such charming adoration when he saw you holding out your slice to him; he dabbed at tears you were unable to see in his chocolate eyes.

Reaching up to take the slice from you, you blinked up at him in surprise when he held onto the cake slice with one hand and the other came up below your hand that was still holding the cake. And he pulled one of the most adorable puppy dog eyes you have ever seen (you need to ask him to teach you how to do that) and asked, "Will you feed me too?"

The cake was promptly shoved into his mouth by Iwaizumi, tissue and all together.

"Use your own hands!"

"Ga-h! Iwa-chan!"

You laughed cheerily at them, unwrapping a new slice of cake whilst Oikawa tried to remove the tissue paper stuck to his mouth; Iwaizumi crushed his cake wrapper with more ferocity than necessary and proceeded to spike the silver ball at Oikawa's head.

It feels like forever since you've seen them.

A small voice in your subconscious slyly whispered to you that it has been about 18 days since you have last seen them because you never came across them in Hyquile, so yes, it has been a while since you have seen them.

You never met alternates of them in Hyqu-

-in your dreams (It was just a dream, a dream that felt very long and lucid; just a dream).

"But I was pretty shocked when I saw the message from Atsumu in the volleyball circle group chat." Iwaizumi said as he finally settled back down, done with his current dose of Oikawa abuse. "Not to say I wasn't happy. Glad to see you're awake and okay now."

"Did 'Tsumu tell everyone or something? There's a lot of people visiting me today, surprisingly."

"Don't know. I know he sent one to the volleyball club group cause Trashykawa here got the news, and Atsumu will never directly text him. He also sent one to our volleyball circle group, which is how I found out."

You sighed and rubbed a hand over your eyes. "I was hoping this wouldn't become overblown and I could just return to classes quietly…"

Iwaizumi snorted. "Yea, good luck with that. Atsumu dropping it to the volleyball club and circle group chats is one thing, but it was blowing up way before that thanks to Crappykawa here and Atsumu."

"Hey! I didn't do anything!"

"Oh, yea? The two of you made a big deal about never setting to Ushiwaka ever again and nearly cost the team the practice match that day-"

"We still won in the end." Oikawa pouted, petulantly looking away.

"And still didn't set to him the following few days in practice-"

"It's not like Demon Twin One did either! Why are you singling me out here?!"

"Then you kept making shitty remarks to Ushiwaka whenever you see him on campus-"

"Again, why are you singling me out?! Atsumu did it too!"

"It's good that this is Ushiwaka and nothing ever gets to him but your passive-aggressive attitude was pissing me off too-"

"Wha-? But aren't you upset that he spiked her?! Since when are you on Ushiwaka's side?!" Oikawa near wailed in disbelief at Iwaizumi, utterly believing in the possibility that his best friend has betrayed him for his long-time archrival.

"I am on nobody's side and I was upset but you can't tell me you have never spiked someone by accident before-"

"-I would like to spike Ushiwaka and Demon Twin One by 'accident' actually-"

"-but accidents happen and Ushiwaka knows his own mistake better than anyone. He certainly doesn't need you reminding him about it loudly in the hallways every day."

"It's not like he didn't deserve it! His face is so flat I don't think he was even sorry!"

"Uhm- guys?" your voice interrupted their debate on the morality of Oikawa's treatment of Ushijima following the accident.

They looked at you, then followed the direction your index finger was pointing at, turning their heads to look at the hospital door.

Where Ushijima Wakatoshi stood with one hand on the open door handle, holding a bouquet of roses.

…..

"Ushiwaka?!" Oikawa near screamed, shooting up from his seat and pointing an accusing shaky finger at the olive-haired male, a look of absolute horror replacing his usual charming features.

Iwaizumi blinked at the stoic Ushijima, nodding his head in a silent greeting which Ushijima returned.

And Oikawa was only further incensed that Ushijima only nod-greeted Iwaizumi and not him too.

"Why are you here?" Oikawa icily asked but the chilliness of his tone did not affect Ushijima at all. Not even a little bit.

"I saw the message that (Last Name)-san is awake so I came to visit and give her my apologies," Ushijima replied matter of factly, turning dark olive eyes to you. "May I come in?" he asked. Straight to the point and polite.

"Uhh…" You were still so baffled that The Ushijima Wakatoshi that you had only admired from afar is here, in your hospital room, visiting you, that you forgot how to speak. Your hospital room door was like a magic door that led to the men's volleyball clubroom.

"No, you may not!" Oikawa answered in your place which earned him another slap to the head from Iwaizumi.

"He's asking her not you!"

If Ushijima was bothered by Oikawa and Iwaizumi, he did not show it and just stood there quietly staring at you, waiting for your answer, with a bouquet of roses in one arm.

Anyone else would have looked awkward as all hell but not The Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Nope.

He looked perfectly normal; as if everything about this was normal.

A poke on your leg from Iwaizumi snapped you out of your state of shock, and you hastily cleared your throat before attempting to speak to Ushijima.

"O-Of c-course! P-Please, c-come in."

Smooth.

Stuttered on every single word but one.

He nodded, closing the room door behind him before walking closer at which Oikawa let out an audible hiss and moved to the other side of your bed, away from Ushijima. Chocolate eyes remain narrowed at the olive-haired male who, once again, was not affected at all.

"I brought these for you," Ushijima said when he got close enough, holding out the bouquet of roses with two hands and presenting them to you.

With a bright flush to your cheeks, you accepted it with shaky hands and mumbled a stuttered "T-Thank you."

The Ushijima Wakatoshi just gave you flowers.

Only cause you were in a hospital which he sent you to but details.

"T-they're lovely." You tried to smile up at Ushijima but it came out looking closer to a painful grimace due to your nervousness.

If he noticed it, he didn't mention it and just nodded again. "Tendou said I should bring flowers and the lady at the shop suggested roses are good if I was giving it to a girl."

….

"Well, she's not wrong." Iwaizumi chuckled, breaking the silence. "Though she might have suggested it for the wrong reasons."

You don't know who this Tendou is but you thank him in your heart, for without him, you would never have received roses from The Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Oikawa huffed loudly, one hand on his hip and foot tapping impatiently at a fast-paced rhythm of tap, tap, tap, tap.

"Well, you've given her the flowers, so just say you're sorry and go already- Ow! Why'd you hit me this time for Iwa-chan?"

"Stop being a shitty bastard for once!" Iwaizumi grabbed him by the collar and began dragging him forcefully.

Oikawa spluttered, "I-Iwa-chan! W-Where are you taking me?!"

"We're going to give them some privacy! It's the polite thing to do, not that you would know what that means Trashykawa!

"What if he knocks her out agai-"

"You really think that'll happen?!"

You watched with Ushijima silently at the duo who left the room noisily, the door swinging close and finally muting their voices, particularly Oikawa's whines of protests.

Though you understood where Iwaizumi is coming from….

You really wished he didn't leave you here alone with Ushijima all of a sudden.

Was it just you or was the silence unbearably heavy? No? Just you?

Gulping, you held the roses in your lap with one arm and nervously gestured at the chair next to you with the other.

"P-Please, have a seat, Ushijima-san."

"Ah, thank you."

He sat down, his broad and tall form still managing to tower over you despite the lower height of the folding chair compared to the bed.

Okay, what do you say next? What should you say next? Or do you wait for him to say something? No really, isn't the silence kind of tense? Does he not feel it?

It's really just you? Really?

"How are you feeling?"

You almost reflexively threw out the same hundred yen joke you said to Oikawa at Ushijima but saved yourself the embarrassment at the last moment.

"I-I'm alright. I did just sleep for nine days so I got a lot of rest!"

….

Ahh, that was really dumb.

Ushijima merely blinked at you, face not changing in the slightest beside that one blink before he looked down slightly.

"I see. I am glad to hear that then."

Did he...did he not get the joke? Granted, you didn't mean to tell a joke at all and it came out without you thinking about it but still.

He was the one who spiked the ball that literally sent you to another dimension (No, wait, wrong, that was just a dream and he only knocked you out for nine days. Yea, that sounded marginally better) so that should have been awkward for him. Shouldn't it?

In all honesty, you were at a loss of what to say in response but Ushijima broke through the weird tension you idiotically cast on yourself with ease.

"I apologize for spiking you with that ball. It was not my intention."

Oikawa was right when he said that Ushijima's expression was so flat, it didn't look like he was sorry at all. But him being here and bringing you a bouquet of roses, of all things, told you a lot. Also, you did not have the rivalry prejudice clouding your judgment.

You shook your head with a small smile, head tilting at Ushijima. "It's alright. It isn't really your fault. Accidents happen and like you said, you didn't intend to hit me."

"No, I did not. Nor was it my intention to make an error like that." He said, brows slanting down ever so slightly that you almost missed it.

Wow, he really expects only the best of results from himself, doesn't he? You supposed that's why he's considered one of the best players and commands so much respect from nearly the entire student body, minus people like Oikawa and Atsumu.

"I take it you don't make mistakes very often then," you joked, feeling some of the tension you felt earlier leave you.

"No, I don't."He replied, serious as ever.

Ahh...maybe you should stop trying to throw jokes at this guy.

"I'm...actually jealous to hear that." You scratched at your cheeks sheepishly, wishing you had a quarter of the self-confidence this guy has.

He looked at you quietly, and you understood it to mean that he was still waiting for you to continue.

"I'm pretty careless, clumsy really, a lot of times. So I make a lot of mistakes which I wish I didn't." You sighed, fingers lightly playing with the bud of a rose. "Wish I had your confidence to not make any mistakes too," you added on with a low, bitter mutter.

"You're one of the featured dancers on our university dance team. You would not be on the team if you weren't qualified." Ushijima said and it felt like thunder striking your brain. Did he just compliment you?

"I...I guess? T-Thank you...I did not expect to hear that from you." Nope, you really did not.

His head tilted to the side, and if it wasn't The Ushijima Wakatoshi doing it, you would have giggled and told him it was cute. Scratch that, it still was cute but you were definitely not saying that to Ushijima. Ever.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I...did not think you paid attention to the university's dance club." Or any club besides volleyball, really. Ushijima's fervor and passion for the sport were as well known as Oikawa's prince charming personality. His next words caused your expression of awe and surprise to fall quickly, however.

"I don't."

"O-Oh…"

"But I have seen your dance team come up on our university news portal several times. Your team will be competing in several competitions this coming summer and fall, and slated to perform at several local festivals and school events, and will be the main performance at our school's annual Sports Festival. You are also one of the few from our university who will compete in the Miss Pole Japan competitions in the winter."

You were not aware of your jaw falling open slowly the more Ushijima spoke. He said he did not pay attention to the dance club but he sure knows a lot about it. Do people actually read the university news portal? Maybe you should start doing so too.

"You...got all that from the news portal?" You asked, the astonishment clear on your face and voice.

"I read everything on the news portal."

Your jaw closed and opened again, and then closed again before you gave up trying to say anything, choosing to blink down at the bouquet in your lap instead to allow you time to collect your thoughts.

The Ushijima Wakatoshi knows your team and even you?

There was a mental screech of amazement in your head that reflected your true self; outwardly you continued to blink quietly, during which Ushijima continued and your mental screeching stopped to listen to him.

"If you make as many mistakes as you claim to make, you should work on eradicating those mistakes. There is no need for unnecessary movements in any sports or athletics. And if you are part of the team representing our university at that many events, you ought to have more confidence"

Other than the fact that you were getting lectured by Ushijima Wakatoshi in the hospital bed he put you in, the fact that The Ushijima Wakatoshi is both complimenting and lecturing you at the same time is enough to put you into a coma for another nine days.

If someone told you nine days ago that Ushijima would be sitting by you and giving you advice, you would have not believed them at all.

Most of all, his words were nothing grand or epic, and were just mere common sense and logic. But hearing it from Ushijima made it so much more empowering than if the words came from someone else. It isn't just because you had always admired Ushijima from afar but also because you know from this interaction and the stories of your volleyball player friends that Ushijima is the type of person who only says what he truly feels and thinks.

"Y-You're right," you finally managed to say something after your prolonged silence and faced Ushijima with whatever calm and confidence you had left in his presence. His words had lit this sudden urge in you to want to head to the university's studio right now and just practice. This must be what being inspired feels like, and how some of the others can just want to jump onto the court at the oddest times of the day.

You couldn't keep the corners of your mouth from lifting up even in the face of the blank-faced and stoic Ushijima. "Thank you, Ushijima-san. I will work hard, and make sure you'll see newsworthy articles of the dance team on the news portal next time."

He nodded, apparently satisfied with your response when a commotion from the other side of the room door drew both of your attention there.

"What?! Ushiwaka's in there?!"

Atsumu's distinct shout from outside gave you less than a second of warning before he burst in through the door, huffing and puffing as dramatically as Oikawa, who was right behind him. Both of them had similar looking scowls on their faces as they glared at Ushijima.

"This is the first time I have seen both of ya' in sync," Osamu said with a languid drawl as his eyes trailed over Atsumu and Oikawa, entering the room holding a bag with what you assumed was the snacks they left to get.

Iwaizumi's figure revealed itself from the side of the door frame on which he shifted to lean against. "Ushiwaka's the only thing they can unite against," he sighed. Can he just leave this to Osamu?

Atsumu ignored the two, focusing his gaze on Ushijima and narrowing his eyes the most you have ever seen him do. Then he pointed at Ushiwaka. "What are ya' doin' here?"

"I asked him the exact same thing!" Oikawa tagged on.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Osamu filming the scene with his phone.

"I saw your message that she is awake and came to apologize," Ushijima replied in his natural Ushijima way, which rubs people like Atsumu and Oikawa the wrong way without fail every single time.

"Ya' put her in here!" Atsumu accused and Oikawa nodded fervently behind him.

"That's why I came to apologize."

Ooof-, that bland logic of his just makes them so mad.

"Ah- the fact that he's being so honest about it just irritates me even more!" Oikawa groaned, hands carding through his styled hair in exasperation.

"Yea, well, ya' aren't welcomed here," Atsumu said with finality, arms crossing and back straightening out as he imposed his authority to...absolutely no one.

"'Tsumu, be nice. He came to apologize and I have accepted his apology," you tutted at the golden-haired twin. He can be such a child sometimes. "Look, he even got me roses!"

"What are ya' gonna do with a bunch of roses? Ya' can't eat them and they're just gonna wilt and rot!" He argued back petulantly, unwilling to let Ushijima off that easy.

You barely registered yourself suppressing a shiver when you heard the word 'rot' from Atsumu.

"This is why people don't like ya' 'Tsumu," Osamu commented from the side, continuing to film the scene. Did he pick this habit up from Suna?

"It's true though. Roses are nice in certain situations but you should be bringing cake to a hospital patient!" Oikawa backed Atsumu up, lining side by side with him.

This really is the first time you have seen them sync up ever since they met each other.

"Stop being an idiot Dumbkawa," Iwaizumi, currently the most reliable and responsible of the four finally stepped in, having decided he has seen enough unreasonable stupidity to last him for the rest of the year. He latched an arm on Oikawa's shoulder, tugging him back. "Come on, we're going to leave now."

"Wha-, Iwa-chan, we can't just let Ushiwaka win!"

"No one's competing at anythin' except for the two of ya'," Osamu said to Oikawa with a shake of his head, as if showing his disapproval of the two dramatic setters. He was obviously trying to incense them for his film.

"Are ya' on our side or not 'Samu?!" Atsumu barked at his brother.

Ushijima quietly standing up from his seat momentarily silenced all of the bickering in the room.

You straightened up with a frown as well and hoped he wasn't offended by all the animosity being thrown at him relentlessly.

"Ah, U-Ushijima-san, please ignore them. They can be idiots some times." Ignoring the indignant shouts coming from two different sources, you craned your neck to look up at Ushijima.

"I have to be taking my leave now. Once again, I am relieved to see you are well and I apologize once more." He lightly dipped his head and body towards you, and you covered your blatantly open mouth to save your modesty.

Without a doubt, Osamu's camera was facing your direction now.

Straightening, his brows faintly lifted, but it was more than enough when it was Ushijima whose expression hardly changes; the small shift augmented exponentially the effect on his features, softening it with just that slight lift of his brow.

You could feel the heat creeping on your cheeks at the rare sight.

"I will see you on campus."

And your heart nearly gave out at those words.

Ushijima left the room without incident after, and you saw Osamu approaching to film your red face up close. You grabbed the closest thing to you which was the bouquet of red roses Ushijima gifted you, and used them to hide your face from his probing camera.

"Why is ya' face so red? I didn't have a good angle of Ushiwaka..." He sounded almost sad at his lack of good material on Ushijima that prompted this reaction from you.

"S-Stop it! Stop filming!"

Your parents finally arrived in the evening to pick you up, after driving straight back down from your grandma's home. They would not stop fussing over you as soon as they latched onto you, your mother even insisting that she followed you into the toilet as well in case you fell unconscious again; you firmly reassured her and your dad that you will not return to a coma whilst on the toilet.

They dropped Atsumu and Osamu off at their shared apartment with the family car after treating them to dinner for spending the day with you, much to the joy of the twins, especially Osamu. With further reassurances that you will actually wake up tomorrow, you promised to send them and everyone else who visited you today a message the next morning as insurance.

Your parents would not allow you to return to your own apartment tonight and insisted you stay at your family home, which you did not mind. You did miss them dearly, and they have been so worried. Heck, even your brother came over to stay the night from his own apartment so the whole family would be together that night.

You were surprised to find your bag with all your belongings in your bedroom at your parent's house (should you be surprised though? This proves that it was indeed a dream and nothing more) where they held onto it for you.

...in your dream, you left it in your room at , entirely sure it got burned up in the fire that scorched the beautiful mountain.

Even as you told yourself it was merely a dream, you still could not help the feeling of sadness when you remembered that horrific sight.

Before your mind fell down the proverbial rabbit hole of doom and gloom consisting of your experiences in Hyquile, you quickly popped into the shower, glad for the chance to finally freshen up.

God, you missed hot showers and conditioners.

Well, the natural springs at and bathhouses at the Inarizaki village were pretty amazing too but it wasn't anything like modern-

...no, you can't do this. You had to stop thinking about it.

It was when you were drying yourself off and stretching out your back that you noticed a weird ache on your lower back that you did not feel before.

Turning to look in the bathroom mirror, you saw nothing on your back that indicated a bruise...but you did find a small but dark bruise-like mark on the side of your hip instead. You poked at it tentatively but it didn't hurt, unlike your lower back.

Eh, you must have hit something somewhere today and your back hurting was likely cause you had been lying down in a stiff hospital bed for nine days.

Ignoring it, you were about to turn off the lights in the bathroom when your hand paused on the switch...before you tentatively looked back towards the mirror.

You don't know why you did it.

You just...felt the need to...to check something.

Looking at the mirror with an odd tension in your shoulders you couldn't shake off, you just stared at your own reflection staring back at you.

….

A few moments passed with nothing changing and you could not stop the small breath that left you.

Shoulders finally relaxing, you turned off the light switch and quickly jumped into bed, happy to be back in your own bed after what felt like forever.

You imagined you would be able to sleep well that night- with a full belly, safe in your own home, in your own bed, your family in rooms nearby, and your phone constantly vibrating with new incoming messages from friends, extended family, and your hospital visitors.

Sleep you did...with the same restless feeling of not having slept at all…

And the sense that there was an echo of a voice that constantly spoke to you in the deep recesses of your unconscious mind.

"I'm here."

Notes:

This chapter was so hard to write. Wow, writing all the characters in one chapter was kind of stressful though fun haha
So MUCH struggle trying to think of how certain characters would be like, especially around each other, especially cause there isn't enough content showing it for some of them.
My lameass doesn't know how to put images in the story body but this sums my feelings
God, I hope I didn't butcher them too much (or by putting them in the same room as each other). I'm not too satisfied with how I wrote the modern boys so far, as it's always been to quickly introduce them in but I hope to improve and expand more on them as the story progresses.

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :)
It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I get the feeling that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, people are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 13: His Thoughts

Summary:

Interlude

Notes:

This took a bit longer than usual cause I was focused on catching up to the manga...which has finally finished. And then I was just in a depressed state for a bit orz I feel so sad. I just...no words T^T *sob*
Then I started making the popularity poll for this story and whilst looking for images for each character, I fell into the rabbit hole of HQ fanart for several hours OTL
Poll!
Favorite [Ghosts We See] Hyquile Alternate Characters Poll (1)

I definitely had too much fun making this and went all Quizilla-esque on it haha I was originally just gonna put the character names but then I started writing shit and placing pictures xD
I picked the pictures carefully, not at random.
Now, the pictures aren't exactly the way I imagined them/what they are wearing in my story, but I think it gives a better image than nothing. I will not say it is a 100% fit of how they are in GWS, but the style of clothes/image/feeling given off will hopefully give you a general idea (ie: Kuroo in more western style, the Inarizaki boys in Eastern style etc).
It isn't necessary to take the poll but it would be fun I hope, for me and for everyone else to see who is popular etc 333
And maybe I will write more content based on who is more popular?

ANYWAYS! Can't say I am too happy with this chapter; I was messing with writing styles a little and I dunno what happened; It just turned out like this.
*scratch head* I hope you enjoy? I certainly felt a little crazy writing this chapter hahahaha
And I hope a warning/disclaimer isn't necessary because we are all sensible adults here but don't do dangerous things like trying to knock yourself out or intentionally lose consciousness. Yea. And this is obviously a story, and I know absolutely nothing about losing consciousness so again, this is fiction. Don't do anything silly, and don't believe that this will work easily in reality. It's a story with magic and alternate dimensions after all.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Y҉h҉ v҉e҉ t҉ e҉lpt҉ m҉

" ██ s҉,, look f҉o҉r҉ t҉h҉e҉ "

"█ o҉ u҉h̷̩̻͒̌a̵͚͝ v҉e̶̛͍ ̴̙̈́ț̴̅̋o҉ helpt҉!"

"Help us!"

Sunday

Eyes of brilliant honey gold, ironically lacking the saccharine sweetness of the coveted nectar.

.

The smell of smoke from a burning mountain.

"It's amazin', right?"

The circling smell of human blood.

"Yea well, we only allow each other to call us by those names so ya' can't use it."

What is a soul?

"No, ya' simpleton."

A massacre.

"How hateful."

The unlucky ones.

Vengeance. Anger.

Hate.

"C y҉o҉ u҉r e҉?"

"Ya' look like shit."

"Gee, thanks 'Tsumu," you grumbled, stepping aside to let Atsumu and Osamu into your family home.

"Ya' didn't get any sleep last night?" Osamu asked as he removed his shoes, neatly arranging his and elbowing Atsumu to do the same for his.

Letting out a long bubble of air past your lips, you shook your head. "Not very well."

"Ya' probably slept too much already," Atsumu quipped, reaching two fingers out to pull at your visible eyebags.

Swatting his hand away with a whine, you lead them into the living room where you plopped onto the couch, Atsumu plopping down beside you and Osamu sat at the foot of the sofa on the low beanbag chair.

It's the day after you woke up from your nine days of sleep.

The first thing you did when your eyes blearily opened this morning was grabbing your phone to fulfill your promise of sending out a text to everyone to let them know you are awake but saw that the twins already sent you a couple of texts asking if you're up and alive.

You decided to return straight to classes tomorrow from your parent's place and will return to your own apartment from school to save you the trouble of needing to leave the house today.

That feeling of lethargy and of never having slept at all continued to plague you, even after your nine days of unconsciousness.

It felt like it had gotten worse.

The whole of last night as you slept, you were subconsciously aware that your body is asleep and your mind was playing a reel of garbled voices and images.

It feels like you were lucid dreaming only you weren't because you had no control over anything, and it was just a mess of things that made no sense to you playing in your head at random intervals throughout the night.

There would be blank gaps where everything was silent and dark, and maybe you actually got some rest during those moments but before you know it, the mess of a recorder would start playing again and you would feel your body tossing and turning as you slept.

You were not surprised to wake up in the morning with your pillows and blankets strewn all over the floor.

"Where are yer parents?" Osamu asked as he accepted the tv control you handed to him, beginning to flick through Netflix in search of something to watch.

"No food documentaries!" Atsumu warned, earning him an eye roll from Osamu. "Or cooking shows!"

"They went with my brother to LalaPort in Chiba. He needed new furniture for his place so they went with the car."

"And left ya' sorry ass here?" Atsumu asked with a raised brow, lightly poking at your thigh with his outstretched foot. "Ah, hey 'Samu, play that one!"

You lightly slapped his sock-clad foot for his jibe. "They asked me to join them but...I'm not really feeling it. Too tired." On cue, a cavernous yawn wrenched itself from you, and you covered it with both arms.

"Here I thought it is cause ya' preferred to hang with us," Atsumu smirked, resuming his previous action of jabbing you with his foot.

"Yer foot stinks 'Tsumu." Osamu blandly told his brother when he noticed your grimace.

"No it doesn't! Here, take a whiff and tell me it ain't the best smellin' sock ever! Smells like lavender fabric softener." He lifted his foot up to your face and you near wailed at him, furiously pushing his foot back down.

"'Tsumu! I don't want to smell your foot! And don't you have club practice or something?!"

Atsumu shrugged, allowing you to wrestle his leg back down, stretching it over your lap as Osamu emptied his backpack of the snacks they brought over for your Netflix and chill session.

"Not today. Got mornin' practice before class tomorrow though." He scowled at the thought of having to wake to catch the first train to campus.

The twins, as childish and sometimes even selfish as they can be, had graciously asked if you were up to doing anything today to celebrate your first day back in the real world (hah, they have no idea how much their words made you cringe and laugh at the same time). Seeing as how you wanted to stay home today, it was quickly decided you would all just stay in and chill.

It was something the three of you would do once in a while, either at their place or yours; sometimes, your other friends would even join you. You haven't done it in a while however, and you had a suspicion that they agreed to it this time because you just got out of the hospital and they were being considerate of your desire to stay in and rest, instead of taking advantage of the wonderful weather outside.

And you were grateful to them for it.

In all honesty, you didn't want to be home alone today but you were not up for going out with your family either. Perhaps you should be moving about today if only to ease the stiffness of your body but you'll leave that for tomorrow.

You just want today to...just be a quiet one. Well, as quiet as it can be with the twins around.

Maybe quiet isn't the word. Perhaps 'normal' would be the better term.

Yea, normal.

You just want today to be a normal one.

In your own home, in your own clothes, enjoying modern TV with your childhood friends and eating familiar food in the comfort of your home couch.

"'Samu, you think you can make ramen or cola with the way Senku does it?" you questioned, utterly humored by the show Atsumu chose.

If only you knew all of this before you ended up in Hyqui-

No.

Just, no.

"Ya' wanna give it a go?" He asked with a glint in his eyes that you knew very well. The same glint was in Atsumu's eyes.

It was the shine when they wanted to try something new and different.

"Yes, but I'm not leaving the house for ingredients." You grinned, settling into the depths of the couch and eyed the twins. "One of you can go. Or both. Either works."

They looked at each other with matching frowns.

"Best out of three?" Osamu asked.

"Nah, one round deathmatch."

"Fine by me."

They readied into their respective stances, and you sat up with three fingers and recited the familiar phrase to all in Japan, their shoulders and arms tensing as you counted down.

"Jan...ken...PON!"

Two arms flashed out simultaneously like lightning, and Atsumu instantly jutted his chin up into the air with a haughty laugh.

"As if there can be any result other than this!"

Osamu stood up with a grumpy frown, picking up his phone and wallet from his bag. "It was a fifty-fifty chance ya' moron."

"Whatever, loser." Atsumu's smug smile elicited an obvious twitch from Osamu's brow, and you patted him on the arm lightly as he walked by.

"Sorry 'Samu! You can choose what we have for lunch later as a reward! Oh, and take the house keys from the wall. "

As you waited for Osamu to return with the ingredients needed to make a pseudo-cola, both you and Atsumu settled into a comfortable silence, playing with your respective phones.

Ever since you saw the video Suna sent you yesterday of the twins getting grilled by Kita, you had been texting with him back and forth most of the night and this morning, wholly surprised at how much he has to say through text compared to how quiet he was in person.

If this whole volleyball thing had never happened, you probably would not have known Suna had an opinion on everything, including in particular how much he wants Kita to just mess up for once. It was easy to bond with him over this little tidbit, as you easily agreed when you remembered the Kita Shinsuke in your dreams who was ever so sweet and clumsy.

If only that Kita Shinsuke had not just been a dream.

"What are ya' grinnin' at?"

Atsumu watched as your eyes flicked up briefly from your screen, lips pulling up cheekily and crinkling the edges of your eyes. His eyes unwillingly drew to the faint shade of grey that lined the skin.

"Just texting Suna."

"Seriously? I didn't know ya' guys were close enough to text."

"We bonded over you and 'Samu getting scolded by Kita-san."

He rolled his eyes. Figures.

Quiet as he is, Suna never fails to take any opportunity to put him and Osamu in their places whenever it presents itself; has been that way since high school. Apparently, according to Ginjima, it was one of his main concerns to not let the twins get away with making him the butt of their jokes, and it just continued to evolve from there over the years. Sometimes, it feels like there's a third Miya brother amongst them with how often he flames the both of them, just as often as they flame him and each other.

Throwing his phone onto the coffee table, he mindlessly stared at the tv screen, paused on the next episode of .

The nine days you had been out of commission had been...weird, for both him and Osamu.

He still remembered your immobile form on the floor of the gymnasium, him telling you to "get the fuck up cause this shit isn't funny " and his hands shaking your shoulders before Kuroo stopped him, advising him not to move you as Oikawa called for an ambulance at Iwaizumi's instruction.

You weren't bleeding. You didn't have any large bruises on your head from the spike or from when you hit the floor.

You just laid there, as if you were sleeping.

It was...unsettling to see, for him and Osamu both, who was knelt right beside him as he picked up your bag that had slipped off your shoulders.

In the years they had known you, ever since you threw that stupid pack of mud at his face, you always had a comeback of some sort for them. Yet, there you were, silent and deaf to his mocking words in the echo of the gym as Iwaizumi instructed them on how to safely move you to the side until the ambulance arrived.

Atsumu didn't have a lot of friends.

He has a lot of fangirls, and the number of people who admired him (both male and female) through the majority of his educational years was insane but none of those people were his friends.

He knows that people didn't like him for the most part, because they couldn't take the brutal honesty that he likes to dole out on the regular. And he didn't care. He didn't need them.

But when he finally does consider someone his friend?

Without a doubt, he'll still continue serving them his usual meal of dirt for breakfast but he'll bury anyone who ever hurts them.

Like that one idiot from another school that dared talk shit about Kita and his lack of specialty despite being a team captain. Those serves to his face during the match were no accident and neither was the spike Osamu sent his way with Atsumu's set.

And then those gossiping housewives about Aran and his 'differences'? If looks could kill, those ladies will never visit that boba shop where Aran gets his fix ever again.

Let's not forget those arrogant senior students during their first year of university and their obnoxiously loud comments about Suna and his 'silent attitude and lack of respect for his seniors.' Suna easily dealt with it himself with some sharp rebuttals of his own, but Atsumu was ready to jump in if they decided to get physical with him.

There was also that one time in junior high, some girls from his so-called fanclub thought you hung out with him and Osamu too much and decided you needed to be properly warned. New members to his local fanclub apparently, for they didn't get the memo that you pretty much grew up with the twins. Doesn't matter either way as they were definitely no longer his fans when he was done verbally ripping them apart after he found out about them cornering you.

Atsumu knew he cared for you. Hell, he cared for all his teammates, old and new, and whoever has enough guts and stupidity to befriend him (aight, he might have to rethink it a bit regarding Oikawa but he still wouldn't let a rival team talk shit about his fellow teammate; only he has the rights to do that).

What Atsumu didn't know was how much he cared. He still wasn't sure how much he cared but the flare of pure rage at Ushiwaka he felt when they were loading you onto a stretcher?

If Osamu wasn't already familiar with how violent Atsumu could get, Ushiwaka would have had a broken nose that day. He had got about as far as getting a fistful of Ushiwaka's collar in his clenched fist and the other arm pulled back before Osamu grabbed him, calling him a "fuckin' bloody moron."

The fist went to Osamu instead, funnily enough. Atsumu really wanted to hit someone that day and Osamu wasn't letting him so he got it instead. Atsumu only stopped shouting at his brother when Osamu roughly grabbed his shirt with both hands and told him to "hit the fuckin' ball and finish it up so they can go to the hospital."

The following days when you didn't wake had been strangely tense and quiet between him and Osamu. They weren't fighting or anything.

It was just...weird, knowing you weren't going to be around for a while, for who knows how long. That you were in a hospital bed in the city.

They certainly didn't feel it like this when you moved to Tokyo from Hyogo.

Sure, it had been a sad and disappointing affair when you left, but they always knew they could text or call you, not that they ever did it much (he's pretty sure Osamu made more of an effort than him though). They were growing boys who had better things to do than calling someone on their phone, what did you expect?

But whenever all of you reunited, be it at the national games in Tokyo, on their family trips to Tokyo or yours to Hyogo, it always feels like nothing has changed despite the months of silence in between. The three of you always managed to pick it back up from wherever you left off; from the last "have a good trip back!" or "great seeing you guys again! See you whenever!"

His and Osamu's connection with you is full of clean cuts, like a heavily edited roll of film; ending at one scene and picking right back up again at another scene sometime later with no transition whatsoever, as if nothing has changed in between.

Reuniting in university has finally allowed that film roll to continue without disruption and removed that faint feeling of disconnection that comes during the gaps.

It's probably why Atsumu didn't know he would react this way to you getting hurt before him until now. He had a feeling Osamu felt the same way.

He had been baffled and worried when you went for a doctor's checkup when you landed on your head slipping off a pole, but you were all athletes and injuries weren't all that uncommon. He and Osamu had their fair share of doctor's visits too.

But this?

Watching a spike hit by one of his own teammates, who hits one of the nastiest spikes he knows, strike you dead center on the head, from a ball that Atsumu himself set?

Atsumu honestly didn't know how much he actually cared until then, still doesn't, but it was certainly more than he thought.

He roused when he felt your leg poking his thigh, much like his had done to yours earlier.

Looking over, he saw you tilting your head inquisitively at him, the grey under your eyes once again grabbing his attention.

You've been having that a lot, even before you got spiked.

"You okay, Tsum-Tsum?"

"Yea, just thinkin' about how crap ya' look right now- Ow!"

That night, your brows furrowed in your sleep, deep creases lining your forehead and your lips pulled into a grimace even in your state of unawareness.

A voice that you felt had been there for a long, long time kept calling to you and whenever you woke up with a start, you wondered at the uneasy feeling of dejavu that sat like a ghost on your chest.

How is it that you can feel like you've been hearing the voice for a while, and yet you are unable to actively recall hearing it?

Monday

Disks of radiant grey like silver moonlight, lacking the tranquil touch of a lunar night.

Scowling lips on a pretty face.

Cold. Dark.

Black veins on pallid skin.

Massacred by humans.

"Watch and learn so ya' can do it yourself next time."

What are the ten parts of a soul?

Heart, Mind, and Life.

"Ya' understand up to this point?"

Somber grey.

"Are ya' having fun yet?"

The metallic taste of blood.

"...it's good."

"Yo҉ h҉a҉ e҉ t҉o҉ h҉e҉ p҉ t҉h҉ m҉"

"Here, last bottle from that batch of cola we made yesterday."

Osamu accepted the bottle you held out to him, eyes giving you a quick once over.

The tiredness hasn't left your face this morning either.

Atsumu had gone to morning practice before class and Osamu offered to meet you at the station closest to campus so that you could walk there together.

"Didn't sleep well again last night?" He asked, watching as you subdued a yawn.

"Yea...I keep having these stupid dreams."

"What dreams?"

A shrug. "They don't really make sense. I can't explain it."

"Why don't ya' take today off?"

"Nah, I have to go back to dance practice already or the captain will boot me off the team."

"You're goin' back to practice already?" His brows furrowed. You didn't look like you should be doing any strenuous activities.

"I have to. My body is all stiff now and we do have a team routine to practice." A pause. "And...I think I need it, to help me focus in general."

He sighed. He wasn't going to stop you if that's what you need. Osamu understands how athletics can help one focus and clear their minds of things that might be bothering them otherwise. Though lethargy seems to be your enemy right now, working out might actually help you defeat this lethargy as well.

"I don't know if auntie made you a bento for today, but I brought you one if ya' need it." He said, watching as your eyes lit up with surprise and awe at his words. "Made a bunch for me and 'Tsumu yesterday night and figured we have enough for ya'."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Ohh, I missed your food! Mum made me some rice balls for lunch today but I'll have them as an after practice snack in that case." You grinned up at him and he lightly laughed.

"Sure. Meet me and 'Tsumu for lunch. I'll give it to ya' then."

"You're the best, 'Samu!"

Osamu smiled, relieved that this little act had at least put some life back into your face.

He and Atsumu both know about your recent sleep problems, from even before your comatose state. He had momentarily forgotten about it during the nine days you were out but now that you were awake, he was reminded of it again with that light shade of grey under your usually bright eyes and the faint drag to your walk.

Osamu was used to your easy-going albeit careless nature. He's always liked it.

It's the main reason why you could even get along- tolerate, really- him and his brother in the first place.

Most other kids back in kindergarten and through their elementary school years were easily put off by the blunt and slightly bullish attitudes of him and Atsumu. More so Atsumu's.

You hadn't been exempt from their teasing back in kindergarten either and always made some sort of half-hearted attempt to make them stop.

But then you snapped one day at something Atsumu said, shoving a fistful of mud into his face and Osamu found that refreshing as all hell that he could not help but turn against Atsumu too in that moment when usually it would be them against you and everyone else.

When that had quickly escalated into a mud fight through their kindergarten playground and you got lumped in together with them by the other kids, desperately throwing mud right and left as all three of you stood back to back, Osamu already knew that something shifted that day even if he did not know what it was at his young age.

He still isn't really sure what it is now, to be honest, but it didn't really matter because it wouldn't have changed a thing.

Maybe because it's always been him and Atsumu versus the world or Osamu versus Atsumu. But that one moment where it was you and Osamu versus Atsumu, with mud in his shocked face and mud in your and his fists, it had placed a spin on the familiar dynamic he had with Atsumu.

A spin that existed still now, despite the stuttering gaps in between with your move from Hyogo.

You never ganged up with Atsumu against Osamu.

It is always Atsumu and Osamu versus everyone else, versus you, Osamu versus Atsumu or you and Osamu versus Atsumu. But never Atsumu and you versus Osamu.

Mild-mannered you might have been but you never fully took their shit face down. Or you simply dealt with it by letting it pass over you like many other things. Whether that is because you were spacing out or you have some infinite well of patience within you, Osamu isn't too sure sometimes but it was usually hard to rile you up to the point you got truly angry.

It was a big factor in why you were able to tolerate them.

Were you a crybaby? Sure, you definitely cried a lot; he lost count the number of times you cried during Lord of The Rings or even when doing something simple like cutting onions.

You cry when your favorite character in a show dies, when a good series comes to an end, when they fought so violently that they needed to go see a doctor, cried like a damn baby when Sadako crawled out of the TV (Atsumu almost did too, even if he denies it), or when you see a helpless animal.

You were sensitive, he could say, but it was strangely in terms of tears for others rather than anger. But he supposed that is why you could deal with him and Atsumu more than other kids could.

At first, it was hard for them to figure out how to get you to stop crying which stressed Osamu out and irritated Atsumu to no end. But after they first saw you cry for them when some kids bad-mouthed them, they figured they could deal with it.

Atsumu and Osamu can easily conjure up enough anger for your trio at any given moment so they'll let you deal with the tear-shedding for them. God knows the Miya twins never cried enough; Atsumu didn't even shed a tear at the fact that everyone in the volleyball club hated his guts back when they were younger. Osamu didn't either of course, it wasn't him that was under fire, though he decided he didn't want to be an asshole like his brother.

You, however, were saddened by that fact in their place.

It wasn't pity or anything like that, cause Atsumu would have lost it if it was pity; Atsumu didn't want anyone's pity, neither did Osamu.

You had just been saddened by the fact that the others couldn't see him and his brother the way you did, and had merely cried at the loss for the others.

It was a strange reason to cry, was what he thought at the time, as he dully watched you sniffle next to him on the bus. Then again, you picked up dance for a strange reason as well.

But Osamu appreciated that you could feel that way for his emotionally stunted brother, and him when he needs it. And he knew Atsumu did too.

So it was natural for him to worry about your well-being.

During the nine days you were in the hospital, Osamu imagined that the 'spin' on the dynamic between the three of you slowed down and almost stopped.

Nothing changed between him and Atsumu, though they had been quiet and restless. But Osamu felt a sense of discomfort that wasn't there even when you lived in Tokyo and them in Hyogo.

He rarely felt emotionally restless that way, and he didn't like it.

So when you woke up, he had hoped that you'd be better.

But you still suffered from this sleeping problem even after, and it was starting to bother him a little.

His brows furrowed as he watched your form trudging sleepily before him, slanting down even more when you stretched and he saw a dark bruise on your hip from where your shirt slid up; did you hit yourself somewhere in your sleepy state? His hand reached out to pull your shirt back down.

"I hope ya' can sleep better tonight," Osamu said, and you nodded in agreement.

He really does hopes that your sleep problem will be better soon.

Despite Osamu's well-wishes, you didn't sleep any better that night.

The first night back at your own apartment, you had the worst sleep you have had in weeks.

At 1 am, you woke up with a scream, sweat running down your back and temples despite the cool air of the AC blowing on you.

his open mouth, the specks of black blood splattering in the air, red bubbles running down his jaws, the black veins and his greying skin

You kept seeing the cat-folk that choked on black ooze and blood in Cat Alley that day in your other dream, with Energetic Kenma and the other fellow named Lev.

And your own voice constantly calling your name over the sounds of gurgling ooze.

Your heart would not stop its rapid beating in your chest as you stared up at the ceiling. The seeds of doubt of whether it had been a dream dug into you.

The vision, the sound, the smells...felt so real .

Tuesday

Gentle russet eyes crinkled in a smile, golden stalks reflected in its depths.

Silver hair dipped in black swaying in the wind, the smell of rice fields and water in the breeze.

Soft. Kind.

"I think that's very admirable."

Arms trembling in the air, holding the weightless phantom of a figure only they could see.

"The word for a meal, is the same as rice, after all."

The starchy scent of rice entangled with the stench of blood.

"She was killed in the massacre about a decade ago."

Eyes full of hope and the wish for a miracle.

"I think you have been nothing but extraordinary."

Fear.

"Y҉h҉ v҉e҉ t҉ e҉lpt҉ m҉

"Here."

"K-Kita-san? I...what's this?"

"Chamomile tea. It's good for relaxation before sleep."

"I...thank you. How did you know?"

Kita smiled at you as he pushed the box of tea towards you, taking a seat beside you on the courtyard table.

"The twins like to talk. And I saw you yesterday in the hallways. You didn't look too good."

In all the time Kita has known you, you were usually cheery with an easy smile, always willing to help whenever someone needs it. Even if you didn't play volleyball, you often helped him with organizing and planning the events for the volleyball circle, which he always appreciated. People enjoyed the sport and circle activities but not many liked being the organizer and the responsibility that comes with wrangling down a group of rowdy boys and girls who liked flinging balls through the air at high speeds.

On top of his own coursework, organizing activities for the circle would have been a nightmare without you and a handful of other students' help. He wasn't even the leader of the circle, but the real circle leader has been drowning in his 4th-year coursework and it somehow naturally fell to Kita to keep things together.

So seeing you nearly stumble down the stairs yesterday in your fog of sleep was worrying, and he was glad Osamu was there to catch you before you put yourself into another coma.

"Yeaaah...I think I slept too much during my coma that now I can't sleep." You said with a sheepish laugh but Kita frowned.

"That isn't good. If it persists, I suggest you see a doctor to help you find out what might be causing it."

"Y-You're right. I've just been having bad dreams lately that disrupts my sleep."

"What kind of dreams?"

"It's just a bunch of things that make no sense."

Kita didn't miss the way your eyes glanced away from him. If you did not want to tell him, he will not push you to. He trusts that if it was something you wish for him to know, you will open up to him on your own accord.

"Well, we'll probably begin planning events and activities for the volleyball circle soon." He shook his head when he saw you open your mouth. "But I will not let you help unless you are better. There's still some time, so get better if you wish to participate."

A sigh. "You're right as ever, Kita-san. There's no arguing with you."

"Have you been going to dance club training already?"

A guilty wince. "...well-"

"You should be resting." The reprimand came quickly.

"I know, I know. I've just been awfully stiff and I thought the workout will help me rest better at night since I'll be so tired."

"Please try the chamomile tea tonight. It isn't much but I hope it will help relax you, even for a little. You should go home though if you are unwell."

"I will try it. Thank you, Kita-san. I definitely want to help with arranging the circle events so I'll make sure to get better."

"I'm glad to hear that."

A cheery laugh. "You're very diligent, Kita-san. I wish I was more like you."

"I suppose I have my grandmother to thank for that."

"...your grandmother?"

The corners of his lips pulled up affectionately when he thought of his grandmother back home. "She used to tell me that 'someone's always watching,' as in deities. Regardless of deities though, the habits she has instilled in me gives me a sense of peace, so doing things like cleaning or taking proper care of one's health does not feel like a chore. What everyone calls diligence, to me is just daily life."

"Someone's always watching...huh."

Kita's head tilted as he watched your brows furrow over his words, seeing you mulling over them far more than he thought you would.

Like your swift avoidance of his eyes prior, he certainly didn't miss the way you bit your lip unconsciously, nor the shaky breath you took. His intellect told him that something was troubling you but he could not understand why the mention of his grandmother would elicit such a reaction. Before now, he has never spoken to you about his grandmother.

"Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Huh? N-No, not at all…" Your fingers drummed on the table and Kita patiently waited for the question he knew was coming. He just didn't know what it was going to be.

"Is your...grandmother well?"

He briefly thought the question and its focus on his grandmother were strange, but he saw no immediate harm in it. "She is. She's back home in Hyogo so I often return to visit her as much as I can. I plan to move back there once I graduate."

"I see. You love her a lot, don't you?" You smiled at him, the tension that had pulled on your features easing.

"I do. I miss her every day."

"Yea…"

He wondered if your own grandmother is well when he saw a shadow pass over your eyes; he remembers you mentioning before that your grandmother on your dad's side was slightly frail.

He called your name, patiently waiting until he had your full attention before taking your hand and placing the box of chamomile tea from the table in it, lightly curling your fingers over the box.

"If there is something bothering you, please do seek help. If it is something I can help you with, please do not hesitate to tell me. I would certainly appreciate your help in running the activities for the circle again, so I wish for you to get better soon."

He looked at you gently, also not missing the way a light pink bloomed and covered the gray under your eyes. The rosy tinge certainly looked better on you than the pasty shade that can be found on you as of late. "There is a three day weekend coming up, so I hope you will take that time to rest properly."

Your hands closed on the box of tea and as Kita moved to pull his own hand back to himself, one of yours reached out for his, squeezing it lightly.

You smiled up at him gratefully. "You're a good person Kita."

Kita blinked in brief surprise but nodded at you in appreciation of your words. He did not find it in himself to correct your address of him.

It was the first time you had ever said those words to him and somehow...it didn't feel new at all.

Your eyes snapped open and you looked at the clock.

Pristine blue water blanketed with shrouds of grey mists and white clouds. The thundering roar of a waterfall.

A red torii gate.

Dark tendrils in the water, lapping at the rippling reflection of red on the beautiful water, tainting it.

The crushing feeling of despair and hopelessness raking your heart.

3am.

Another dream. More garbled voices.

You were starting to get frustrated, angry even, from the inability to sleep well.

From the constant disruption.

Throwing your blanket off you, you stalked to your bathroom, flicking the bathroom light switch on a with a harsh slap and faced your mirror with a glare. Your fists clenched at your sides.

What the hell!

All you want is some sleep! Is that too much to ask for?!

You've hardly slept in weeks!

Even during your time in Hyquile!

You couldn't help it. You screamed at the mirror in your frustration, your exhausted eyes and pale skin scrunching back at you.

Just…

Just..-!

Your hands slammed against the mirror.

"What do you want from me?!"

…

Huffing and puffing, your breathing slowly came back down from its agitated state, and you leaned against the side of the basin, taking in deep breaths in an effort to calm yourself down.

Wow, screaming at yourself in the mirror.

You rarely got angry but you really lost it there.

Exhaling a sharp breath, you splashed cold water on your face and rubbed roughly at your eyes, letting the water drip off your skin in languid pitter-patters . From your hunched position, you saw the fading dark bruise on your hip.

It was just a dream.

Hyquile was just a dream.

An annoying voice, your heart's voice, rapped at the back of your consciousness, telling you things you did not want to hear. That your mind, your head, did not want to hear.

Denial- it isn't a good look.

Are you really sure it was just a dream?

You've been having dreams of things you were claiming to be dreams far too much.

Too much of a coincidence, no?

Didn't every bit of fear, every taste, every scent, every smile shared in your so-called dream of Hyquile...feel too real to be a dream?

How could you remember the scent of rice fields or the metallic smell of blood so clearly? Hear so vividly the sound of rushing water and cries of the tainted folks from your dreams? Feel the heat of fox-fire flames or the crushing fear of unblinking golden eyes in the forest?

How do you know the taste of a relaxing milk tea you have never had before? Or know the calm of a relaxing cup of chrysanthemum tea?

How do you explain the alien sensation of pain and sadness, for folks that do not exist, that was coiled around your heart like an unyielding chain? That you've been pointedly ignoring ever since you woke?

Denial isn't a good look.

You shuffled back to your bed, feeling the most drained you have ever been, and fell facedown onto your bed, burying your face into your pillow.

You don't care if you can't breathe properly.

You just want sleep to take you.

"Are you finally acknowledging me?"

Your eyes snapped open but it was dark. And cold.

It felt like you were back under the tainted water of the lake at Inarizaki but this time, you are aware that your eyes are open.

...is this another dream?

"Please don't do that. It makes it almost impossible for me to reach you."

That voice...it's the voice that has been plaguing you since before your nine days of unconsciousness.

The one that you weren't aware of and yet kept hearing.

"Finally. I was starting to think you will never hear me."

There was no one around you, just pure darkness. You looked down at yourself, clearly seeing your body, your hands.

So you can see. But you don't see anyone.

"We don't have much time. Please, you have to help us. Help them."

You...don't understand.

How? How are you supposed to help?

You're...you're just a simple university student.

"I wish I can help you more but I...can't. There's no time to explain, you'll wake soon. But you must return to Hyquile."

Return?

Are you fucking crazy?

Why would you want to return to a world you clearly did not fit in? How can you return?

You sure as hell will not ask Ushijima to spike you again.

"You've done it twice now. It isn't an ideal method but it'll have to work for now. My remaining tether to you will be enough to pull you through. It doesn't have to be strong, you just need to initiate the first moment of unconsciousness. Please. I know...it's a lot to ask."

What?

Initiate it how?

The last two times were you getting spiked in the head and….hitting your head...against a tree…

Are you fucking crazy ?! You have to hit your head?

Blunt force trauma, is that it?!

"That'll do too. Forced unconsciousness. The shock will be enough to propel you through with our tether until you are able to bring yourself over. My magic will pull you through the rest."

Tether? What tether?

Pull you through?

None of this makes sense!

What's going on anyway?!

"You're going to wake soon. Please, I wish there was another way but it has to be us...no, it has to be you. Go to the North. Find-"

Your eyes snapped open.

But it wasn't dark around you anymore.

The ceiling of your bedroom stared down at you, mocking you with its plainness, the nightly witness to your tossing and turning.

The only witness to the trembling of your entire body in your bed.

Wednesday

"Kenma...how can a person knock themselves unconscious?"

Kenma looked at you as if you just grew another head.

"S-Sorry, stupid question."

"...why are you asking?"

Did he even want to know? He could drop the conversation right now and turn back to his game. There was still some time before the professor arrived. He could clear one more level.

He watched out of the corner of his eyes as you shrugged, feigning carelessness, pretending that you didn't really care. "Just curious."

The shaking of your legs up and down told him otherwise and his eyes narrowed.

Did he really want to know? Were you joking with him?

That sort of thing feels like it was more up Kuroo's alley rather than you though, casually looking for ways to throw Kenma off his game early in the morning.

He wasn't Kuroo however. He doesn't prod and pry into people's minds for the why's of it.

He just looked at the how's.

"A quick online search would give you some results…" His fingers danced across his phone screen with ultimate familiarity, quickly finding the icons and letters he needed.

"I've never knocked myself or anyone unconscious before outside of a game but…" He sent you a link that seemed the best?

Hell if he knows.

Kenma isn't sure if he should even be entertaining your question like this.

Ahh, it's still too early in the day for this. His brain isn't at full power yet.

"Oh...thanks. I'll take a look."

Then your eyes drifted to him and you laughed, waving a sheepish hand in the air. "Don't worry! I just had a weird dream last night and the question just popped into my head."

Kenma threw you a baffled look, acute eyes picking up on all the signs of lethargy and lack of sleep on you.

Grey tones. Sleepy eyes.

Slow reflexes, more clumsy than usual, he noted as you bent down to pick up a pen you accidentally brushed off your desk.

The frequent twisting of your neck and your fingers massaging the base of it.

He certainly believes you had a weird dream alright, judging from how tired you look.

"Don't push yourself too hard, alright?"

"Yea, I'll be careful," you smiled up at your dance team captain as she stood from her stretch, wiping herself off with the towel around her neck.

"I mean, all things considered, we need all the practice we can get but I understand if you need a couple of days off from practice. This isn't Sparta after all." She laughed, patting you on the back. "Make sure to clean up and turn off the lights when you're done."

"Of course, standard rule," you nodded, waving her and the rest of the dance team goodbye as they left for home or their own respective training.

As everyone shuffled out, a mop of spiky black hair poked his head around the door, eliciting a giggle from you.

"Hi, Kuroo-san."

"Hey, you look warmed up already," Kuroo greeted as he approached you, plopping down next to you on the floor in his volleyball clothes. "You sure you're up for this? If you're tired, we can always do it another-"

"No, I'm good. I was the one who asked if you wanted another stretching session," you waved his concern off lightly with a laugh, bending straight over your outstretched legs.

"To be honest, I was surprised when you texted me. You did just get out of the hospital...no one would be surprised if you needed time off from practice or anything," Kuroo looked over at you as he began stretching, following your movements.

"I know. But I feel better moving like this than not so you're doing me a favor, really." You also had the option of doing solo practice but...you didn't feel like being in a room filled with mirrors by yourself right now.

Kuroo hummed as a comfortable rhythm settled over the two of you, going through basic stretches at an easy pace. He was already pretty beat from volleyball practice but found that this kind of stretching after running around the court to be great for relaxing his taut muscles.

"So you have any plans for the upcoming three day weekend?" He asked during the lull in your conversation, wincing when you pushed down on his knees to straighten out his legs.

"No bent knees. That's cheating," you told him with a grin and he stuck a cheeky tongue out at you. "Hmm, I haven't really planned anything but I think I might stay home and take it easy. What about you?"

"I'll probably hang with Kenma and Bokuto on one of those days. We also have volleyball practice and a practice match arranged." He turned his head to look at you with an impish smile. "Care to attend the match?"

"Hah, no thanks! I would say I rather get spiked in the head but I already did!" Your laughs were joined with his snickers through the empty dance studio, echoing in airy peals off the walls.

This was one of the sides that Kuroo liked most about you.

You were always easy-going regardless of most circumstances, easily laughing and brushing off matters that would have possibly bothered other people. It's easy to get along with you, once you got past the initial awkward, timid stage of first meeting someone.

He still remembers the first time he met you when you and Kenma had been working on a project together. You didn't laugh as easily with him then, but it wasn't long before you felt comfortable enough.

Kuroo can't help his snarky comments some times, always enjoying riling up other people to see what makes them tick. It isn't so fun though if those people did not react the way he had hoped, or took his comments more negatively than he intended.

With you, his teasings usually went one of either way- you either groan and try to hide your red face or you would react with a bright laugh, just like now, batting back a light-hearted joke of your own at him.

He didn't have to worry too much about his provocations coming back at him the wrong way.

Stretching sessions like this with you were not only relaxing for his muscles but also his mind.

If he was being honest, when he visited you at the hospital with Bokuto and Kenma several days ago, he was actually more nervous than he let on. Bokuto, airhead that he is, definitely did not notice though he is sure that Kenma did though he didn't say anything.

Trust Kenma to have his back, cause he definitely didn't want to talk about anything that might give Bokuto ammunition to use against him.

If you asked him to, Kuroo wouldn't be able to explain clearly why he felt nervous as they made their way to the hospital and approached your room.

A part of him wasn't sure how he should speak with you and what was appropriate. He was just so used to strolling up to you and saying whatever snide remark he had on the tip of his tongue by then.

But you had just woken up from a nine day coma.

Should he be careful with what he says a little more? Or would you prefer something more light-hearted to lift your spirits? Amiable as you were, you were still a girl, sensitive from what he could tell, and he sure hadn't known you long enough like the Miya twins to just start spouting whatever nonsense whenever he wanted. Silly things like that.

So when he opened the door and the first thing out of his mouth was some stupid comment about Sleeping Beauty finally waking up instead of the polite greeting he had initially prepared, he had mentally slapped himself for his inability to control his irreverent tongue.

He was so relieved to see that you didn't take offense or reacted any differently despite being in a hospital bed.

You just...went on being you. Open book, honest, laughing easily.

The way you cheered Bokuto up, despite your obvious discomfort with him when he had invaded your personal space and his lack of tactful comments- Kuroo honestly admired you for that. He was slightly worried at first that the atmosphere might turn awkward and tense but you didn't make a big deal out of it, didn't let it strain anything, and took it with a mellow stride.

Kuroo himself wasn't sure if he could have reacted the same way if he was in your position. He liked provoking others but he was just as easily provoked some times.

"Agh-! Ease up a little!" He cringed, reflexively flinching when you pulled further on his arms.

"You won't improve if you don't push at your limits!"

Kuroo felt that there was a lot he could learn from you besides stretches.

The physical touches were an added bonus.

You felt crazy.

Were you actually going to try doing this?

There's a three day weekend coming up, and you've been telling the twins and everyone else that you were going to be occupied.

To your family, you said you had already made plans with your friends.

To your friends, you said you had plans with your family.

The only way either would find out is if the twins contacted them or they contacted the twins.

Chances of that happening were low though.

You'd make sure to contact both sides plenty before then.

Shit, you really felt crazy for even considering this.

What if it didn't work? Then you'd just feel like a fool, really.

But if your voice from your dreams...the other you…

She said you just had to initiate a forced unconsciousness.

You were sure as hell wasn't going to try ramming your head against the wall or dropping a watermelon on your head (you considered it but decided you didn't want to find out how much pain you would feel).

The search result Kenma sent you would work. You looked it up a bit more and told yourself that if it didn't work, you weren't going to try anything else.

Cause...this is absolutely insane.

Admitting to yourself that the possibility of an alternate world is real makes you so uncomfortable that you honestly questioned your own mental well-being.

People could get admitted to psychiatric hospitals for this sort of thing.

One time.

If it didn't work, then...yea. That's it.

Thursday

Bright yellow eyes shaded with somber grey, tiredness settling over irises with the color of life.

An even voice that soothed with its steadiness.

Dull. Logical.

The warm steam of simple soup and rice caressing over skin.

"No, I don't hate humans."

The sound of paper fluttering in the night wind, a tale of history told into the silent darkness.

"You can say that I have seen the good humans are capable of as well, not just the bad."

The welcome of a home in a village where the traveler is the foreigner.

"...I think somewhere over the centuries of spilled blood, piles of corpses and burning homes...all of us forgot what peace could be like."

Warm. Tired.

Bleak.

You didn't hear your voice.

"...is it alright if I sat next to you?"

Suna looked up at you from his sprawled position across his desk, suppressing a yawn.

Huh, you've never asked to sit with him before and he never asked you either. But he supposed since the hospital visit, you've been texting each other back and forth enough that you felt confident enough to ask.

It didn't matter to him too much either way. The lecture is going to be long and dull as usual.

He nodded. "It's free seating. You are free to sit wherever you wish."

He watched as you grinned sheepishly, nodding dumbly and carelessly dropping into the chair next to him.

"I still laugh at that video of the twins you sent me by the way. They'll never forgive you if they find out."

He smirked, silently agreeing with you.

You hummed as you took out your books and materials for class and Suna went back to lounging on his arms over the top of his desk, glancing at you from the corner of his eyes.

He's always known you as the childhood friend of the Miya twins. He hasn't spoken to you that much, despite having known the twins since their school days in Hyogo. Doesn't mean he hasn't noticed you around when all of you hung out in some weird get-together for volleyball circle, or when you showed up with Osamu to meet Atsumu after club practice, or when Atsumu drags them all out to yet another party.

Besides the usual quiet greetings, the two of you have never interacted with words all that much.

Doesn't mean that you've never interacted before, albeit indirectly. Suna's sharp and noticed a lot of things about people and his surroundings, even if he might not say anything.

He wasn't dumb to think that Atsumu would just let him slink off from a party or leave the izakaya early; each time he dips behind the corner before the louder twin can thwart his escape, Suna has seen you reaching out to Atsumu, distracting him with some obvious excuse or an offering of food, giving him that few extra seconds to complete his Irish goodbye.

Then there were the times where the twins truly lived up to their moniker of Demon Twins One and Two, bestowed upon them by Oikawa, and would just not leave Suna the hell alone. He wasn't going to take their shit silently but he certainly did not have as much energy to expend like they did, nor did he want to. Your brief and quick chastising of them during such times have saved Suna more energy than he can recall, and there was always the customary shoulder shrug of "Miya twins, what are you going to do" exchanged across the space between the two of you after and his silent thanks.

He had been apprehensive at first when Kita suggested they visit you at the hospital, especially because Suna didn't feel like he knew you very well that it warranted a visit from him. But who was he to say no to a suggestion from Kita Shinsuke? No one, that's what.

Speaking to you at the hospital would be one of the first times Suna had a full conversation with you, and it wasn't as unpleasant or difficult as he imagined it to be.

There was an easy vibe that came from you and the synergy you shared with the twins eased the apprehension he had when he silently shuffled into the hospital room behind Kita. He supposed the presence of Atsumu and Osamu made things a bit easier for him due to his familiarity with them but he'll be dead before ever telling them so.

You had looked at him and spoke to him in a manner that suggested that you've done so many times before, though Suna himself does not recall ever interacting with you for more than two words. A part of him actually had the same question as Atsumu when he asked "Since when are ya' two that close?"

He wondered where you found that simplicity to laugh at his words and whisper to him jokes as if you've been friends for a long time.

He found that he didn't mind too much, as you did the work for him by breaking the wall of ice that has been there since he first met you. If it was left up to Suna, he doubts the wall would ever go down no matter how much time passed since it would have taken effort.

And he certainly didn't expect you to send him a barrage of texts after he sent you the video but it wasn't a bad result, he supposed.

It had been entertaining texting with you during downtimes and exchanging secrets on the twins and Kita.

Suna straightened as the professor walked into class, and he saw his phone light up with a gif from you of some character dying of boredom.

He pocketed his phone but he knows you didn't miss the slight tug of one corner of his lips.

Alright.

You still felt crazy and silly as all hell doing this but you had your belongings with you the first time you landed in the forest so it made sense to assume that you will have your belongings with you again, right?

Right.

You had a backpack of possible necessities ready instead of Business Mathematics & Statistics and a bunch of pens and paper.

Shit, this is absolutely nuts.

You were actually packing to…

To…

Augh, even trying to formulate it as a sentence in your head made you question your sanity.

To travel to an alternate reality!

There, you said it. In your head, but you said it.

Actually formulating it into a sentence makes it feel so much more...real and unreal at the same time than just thinking about it.

It's a super-duper rough guess on your part, but one day in your reality was about two days in Hyquile.

With the half-day you have after class tomorrow and the three day weekend, that will give you about 7~8 days in Hyquile, give or take.

No matter what, you have to be back before the weekend is over.

Friday, After School

"I can't believe I'm actually going to attempt this…" you muttered to yourself lowly, hugging your backpack to you as you sat on your bed.

At least no one was around to bear witness to your stupidity. If it didn't work, no one would know.

If it did work...well, then you'd likely have bigger problems to worry about.

Like, how do you get to the North of Hyquile?

How do you even know where you'd end up?

The best-case scenario would be you plopping smack dab in the center of or in Inarizaki House territory.

Your supposedly dead self in Hyquile haven't been very helpful; she didn't speak to you in your dreams since Tuesday night (well, before dawn on Wednesday if you were being detailed) and you have absolutely no clue on what to do besides that:

One, you have to attempt to force yourself into unconsciousness and the shock will supposedly be enough for this…tether, to bring you through? You didn't understand it but you understood that she will do the rest as long as you can bring yourself to an unconscious state that isn't sleeping.

Two, you had to go North and...find...something? Someone? You really hoped you will hear voices in your head again upon your return to Hyquile; you could really do with the advice.

…. If you managed to return, that is.

Wow, you sound more and more like a lunatic as time passes.

As mentioned multiple times before, this is nuts.

You've sent fake texts to your parents, to your brother, to Atsumu and Osamu, and pretty much everyone else who you think might try to contact you over the weekend, telling them that you wouldn't be able to respond much as you'll be busy with family or friends.

The guilt still bothered you but IF you truly did end up in Hyquile again, and this is a big IF, you don't want people to worry about your lack of a social presence.

There were just so many things wrong with this situation you don't even know where to begin.

Taking a deep breath, you read the instructions you wrote down again, biting your lips nervously.

God, this won't kill you, right?

Slinging the backpack over your shoulders and positioning yourself in the center of your bed, you forced yourself into a state of hyperventilation.

. . . . .

Faster.

. . . . . . . . . .

Stand.

Black spots entered your vision and a feeling of lightheadedness swirled you.

You felt yourself stumble on the soft covers of your duvet and a familiar tingle in your fingers.

There was the sensation of something, hands? Or something less concrete? Pulling at your body and you felt yourself fall back, the ceiling of your room quickly filling in with spots of black until there was nothing but darkness.

"Thank you."

"How...are you here? You disappeared. They saw you disappear."

"I...did. I think. I don't really know how I got here. I'm just as lost as you are."

Fuck, it actually worked?!

Notes:

Let me repeat again, this is fiction and it is not easy to do anything mentioned here nor is it recommended. Thank you 🙇
I made the part brief as it isn't the focus of the story nor is it a good thing for anyone to focus on 🙇

And yes, slowburn, but I have to push this along. No apologies for stuffing so much in one chapter again ^^;; but hey! more content for you guys!

Question: When writing from another character's POV, do you guys like it if MC is referred with 3rd Person (her/she) or 2nd person (you)? I wrote using 3rd originally, and then tried it with 2nd this time and I definitely have my own preference but wanted to know what you guys think.
The irregularity bothers my slight perfectionist tendencies but I guess this fic has always also been for me to figure out and improve my writing haha

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything, from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you all think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here at least, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 14: Late Night Talks with Sir Kieij

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two

Notes:

This author is an idiot. I just realized after so many chapters I wrote Osamu as the elder twin in this fic OTL I don't know why I did that, probably cause I was writing at 4am in the morning and my brain was frying from deprived sleep...I literally abruptly sat up in bed at 3am when the realization suddenly hit me from nowehere just as I was falling asleep.
He COULD be, but it was never confirmed (if I wrote headcanons I totes see Atsumu as the elder for various shenanigans reasons) so I went back to previous chapters to fix where I could find it. Just FYI!
I could have rolled with it, but I don't know how everyone would feel about that since it isn't canon so yeah. Fixed. SORRY EVERYONE! Forgive this idiot author orz

Thank you to everyone who gave kudos, bookmarks and subscriptions!
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Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

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Chapter Text

Ohh, shit, shit, shit!

You're not really sure if you were cursing the fact that your half-baked method from a sketchy forum post actually worked (cause really? It must be the magic; your alternate self must have some major mojo) or the fact that a group of armored men is chasing you, the 'strangely dressed woman who trespassed on someone's kitchen' through narrow streets and alleys.

Can't you have landed somewhere better than someone's kitchen?!

It's not like you asked to trespass, and you had apologized to the lady and child who screamed "Thief! Guards!" as if you've murdered someone.

You ain't no thief! It's all a great misunderstanding!

The most you've ever stolen is food from Atsumu's plate but it isn't like Osamu doesn't do it either!

The sun in the sky was low and dim, and there were few on the streets that you rushed by in your sprint, the clinking and clanking of metal following not far behind you accompanying your heaving breaths. Several people gasped and quickly stepped to the side to avoid your barrage, and a lady pushed her child back into the door they just stepped out from.

Your backpack jostled on your back, and you grimaced now in hindsight that everything about the way you look does not fit in and would bring attention to you.

You're grateful though, for the fact that you were in sneakers and dressed much, much more lightly than fully grown men in plates of armor.

However, you don't know where you are and where each random turn you take leads you. You certainly won't be able to keep this up for long and it'll only be a matter of time before they catch you.

M-Maybe you should consider stopping and trying to talk to them?

Haha, yeah, right.

Tell them you dropped in from a different world by the instructions of the alternate version of yourself in this world who is dead and has been haunting you in your dreams.

They'll take that well.

"Agh-oompf!" You were suddenly yanked upwards, leaves and branches skimming across your exposed skin. When you were haphazardly plopped onto your feet, a hand with long fingers clamped down over your mouth, and you felt yourself being pulled against someone behind you. The person's other arm snaked around your forearms, holding your limbs down against your waist.

A lance of fear and panic shot through you and your legs instinctively kicked out to struggle when the person who had you in their hold shushed you.

"Shh, it's me. Be quiet."

You stilled, your once rapidly beating heart beginning to slow at the sound of the familiar voice.

He never spoke much to you before but you recognize his low dulcet tones and the quick flash of the gold emblem between two fingers that he held out to show you, before it was curled back into his palm which then laid back firmly on your arms. The sight of the emblem further calmed you down, knowing you were not in the arms of an enemy if you were wrong about his voice being familiar.

The people who have been chasing you for several minutes since you arrived in Hyquile passed by below before splitting off into two groups and disappeared into dark street corners.

You quietly sighed and slumped against the hands around your body and mouth.

He released you and carefully helped you turn around on the tree branch he had pulled you up to, your feet slowly rotating on the narrow space.

Gunmetal blue eyes looked at you from within the sheltering shade of the thick leaves that hid you from your pursuers, lines of confusion furrowing the brows of their owner.

"Akaashi." You breathed, relief filling you at the sight of a familiar face.

At least you weren't alone in who-knows-where now.

He nodded at you in a silent greeting, pocketing the owl emblem that he showed you moments prior to prove his identity and allegiance.

"What are-" In a flash, his hands were back on your mouth, silencing you and he shook his head at you with a finger pressed to his lips.

Unclasping the dark cloak that he wore, Akaashi drew it around you and fastened it with a feather-shaped silver clasp before pulling the hood up around your head. Beneath his cloak, he was wearing simpler clothes than you've seen him with before, lacking most of his light armor and belts lined with weapons. If you didn't know any better, he could pass as an ordinary folk who you may spot ambling down the streets of Cat Alley and not the right-hand of the leader of Owl Vale.

Akaashi leaned towards you and whispered so only you could hear. "Your clothes are too conspicuous. We can speak elsewhere. Come with me."

And with that, Akaashi lifted you into his arms in one smooth motion, dropping to the cobbled street below without a single sound, very much like Kuroo did when he confronted Suna near the borders of the Inarizaki territory, despite the added weight of your body and backpack. How did they keep their landing so quiet?

Placing you on your feet, he gestured for you to follow him, leading you through this unfamiliar place you have ended up in, whilst all the while sticking to the shadows.

You had so many questions but Akaashi made it clear that he did not wish to speak out in the open so you kept quiet, trying to keep up with him as silently as you could.

Though you wore lightweight sneakers, your footfalls still created evident thumps on the stone streets, especially when Akaashi's own footfalls were completely silent, no matter how much you strained your ears to listen for it.

If you remembered correctly, he was a spy? At least, that is what you assumed from the conversation in the meeting hall with everyone before was attacked.

He had been gathering information on your alternate self.

Akaashi led you pass a crowded square, and you momentarily stopped to look in your curiosity, never leaving the shadow of the narrow back alley you were in.

The square was crowded with people bustling about, their cheery laughter and conversations permeating the darkening sky. Various food stands and other stalls lined the sides of the square, families with their young ones and couples joyfully perusing the array of items on offer. Men dressed in similar armor to the ones who pursued you earlier patrolled the square in loose pairs, lightly conversing with the people they pass by. They looked much friendlier than when they chased you.

In the center of the square, a majestic fountain, both in size and design, carved from stone and marble sprayed its pristine waters high up into the sky from miniature stone statues that lined its five tiers. People sat on and played around the base of the fountain, girls coyly splashing water at their partners and one child even jumped into it before he was quickly fished out by his mother who reprimanded him fiercely.

At the center of the fountain, on the highest tier, stood a lifesize and headless statue of a woman with her hands held up high above her. Her dress, carved from the finest marble, depicted in detail the waves and folds of her simple gown that lightly swayed and billowed around her beautiful form; even as a headless statue, there was a beauty to her figure that could be seen in the intricate and detailed carving of her body and clothes, displaying the care and time the artist has dedicated to its creation. From her hands sprouted the tallest column of water of the fountain, which glowed an ethereal cerulean blue from within the center of its gushing pillar.

Two tiers below her, seven other lifesize statues surrounded the headless woman. Unlike the woman, they have their heads but their faces were all smooth, leaving them faceless and expressionless, their feelings a mystery to all who gaze upon them. They were all posed in various positions of prostration, reaching for the headless woman above them with outstretched arms.

Were they revering her? Or were they suffering, because of her? Or perhaps something else?

The lack of faces on them and her missing head made it impossible for one to be able to decipher what the whole scene meant.

But the beauty and craftsmanship of the fountain took your breath away all the same, and you wished you could view it up close. It reminded you of pictures you've seen of the various grand fountains and statues in Versailles and many other places in Europe.

When you rid yourself of this alternate reality mess, you are going to treat yourself to a trip around Europe.

A hand lightly touching your shoulders quickly drew your attention back around and you came face to face with Akaashi who had backtracked to get you when you didn't follow. You flushed, muttering a low "Sorry" to him before continuing on with him.

You were curious about the square and wished to go explore it, maybe peruse the foods that were on display, but you weren't here as a tourist this time. The fluffy looking snack this girl was snacking on that you saw had successfully stirred your inner foodie.

No...No!

The last time you were in Hyquile you were nothing more than a silly tourist that spent her time idly around Moggie Boroughs, amongst the lively steps of Cat Alley, and the peaceful ledges of the rice terraces of Inarizaki as you relied on Kuroo to get you home.

But this time, you came here at the request and pleadings of her. Of your alternate self.

Even as you attempted to bring yourself back here, some part of you still hoped that it had all been a dream.

But the fact that you're here now is very much a slap to your face that it hadn't been a dream, and the people you've met here- Majestic Kuroo, Scary Bokuto, Energetic Kenma, Vicious Atsumu, Frosty Osamu, Clumsy Kita, Thoughtful Suna and everyone else here who has helped you…

There's a lot of this world you don't know but you've heard, you've seen, and you know that they need help with The Rot. You don't know how you can help or what you can even possibly do with your limited knowledge of this world but…

You've witnessed yourself healing The Rot, twice, now.

"It is not uncommon knowledge to those in the know that the version of you in this world had displayed potential for healing."

Kuroo, The Dominion's leader's words from what seemed like forever ago.

"Do you truly believe that you have been brought into this world merely because a- what was it, volleyball?- hit you in the head?"

Inarizaki's Alpha-Leader Kita's words ringing around you in the silent tunnel.

"Help us!"

Her incessant cries and pleas that constantly haunted your dreams and as of late, even your waking hours.

You were in over your head.

Everything was just too much- too out of the world - literally and figuratively, for you.

But if the ones you've met, the friends you've made, aren't figments of your dreams then…

You will never be able to live with yourself if you left them to suffer their fate alone, especially if there was a chance you could help them, with whatever it is.

The feelings of pain and sadness you felt as you listened to the Kita Shinsuke of your world tell you about his grandmother, how much he loves her and how she said to him the exact same words as the one slain by humans;

The tinge of guilt you felt at your world's Kuroo's concern for you, him telling you to rest with an easy grin, evoking memories of the burdened shoulders of a nation's leader with impassive yet heavy eyes;

The same feeling of guilt that stirred in your stomach with each text message filled with stories and secrets of people you exchanged with Suna, brought to mind the teachings and bloody histories another shared with you over countless nights on the steps of his home that he opened to you;

The pangs of discomfort and sadness in your heart as you watch Atsumu and Osamu bicker and laugh with you with bright eyes, parallel to visions of identical sets of eyes burning with hatred and vengeance...

You would never be able to live with yourself if you had just gone on as if it was all a dream.

As much as you did not want to admit it, everything you felt was real.

"Sir Kieij, you've returned! And I see you have brought a lovely lady friend with you tonight."

The rotund man across the counter beamed and gave a wink to Akaashi as you entered, a bell jingling above your head as you stepped through the door.

You saw a sign with the words "The Rotund Pub & Inn" just outside the establishment.

Akaashi gave the plump man an amicable smile, and you could not help but stare at him. You hadn't spent all that much time with him but you had to admit that Akaashi is a handsome man (errr, owl-folk?) and the smile he just gave the inn owner sent little flutters to your heart.

Akaashi dropped several coins into a wooden coin holder on the counter. "This will cover for her stay tonight. Going forward, if you could just add any additional charges from her to my tab as well, I will greatly appreciate it, Master Bosco."

"Please, just call me Bosco. You're one of my favorite customers and regulars! No need for formalities between us," Bosco laughed as he patted his rotund stomach, beaming you that same bright smile from when you entered. "That goes for you too, young lady! Any friend of Sir Kieij here is a friend o' mine. This man here is a fine catch so you are one lucky lady," he winked and waggled his eyebrows at you and you blushed, hiding your face in the folds of the cloak Akaashi lent you.

"Would you like to like to switch rooms, Sir Kieij?"

"No, that's fine. I would not want to needlessly trouble you or the Madame."

"What nonsense you speak! But you are the guest so what you say goes!"

'Kieij' shook his head with a chuckle, accepting the key Bosco slid to him across the counter.

"Let me or the mistress know if you want a change of rooms! If there's anything either of you might need, you know where to find me!" Bosco winked at you once more with a hearty grin as Akaashi ushered you along with a light hand on your shoulder. From beyond an open door at the bottom of a flight of staircases, you could see a pub (hence the name of the place then) with several patrons eating and drinking in jolly chatters. A plump lady was flitting about, serving food and drinks to her customers, giggling and chatting with them as she passes by, her hair bouncing on top of her head in a large and messy bun.

As you climbed the steps, you peered up at Akaashi with your still red face. "Aren't you going to correct him?"

"It gives us a better cover if he misunderstands," he whispered even though you were the only ones around, a small smile on his face. "As you obviously saw, Master Bosco does not know my true identity and I would like to keep it that way. He is a goodman but my profession often requires me to deceive the people I meet."

Yep, Akaashi Keiji is a spy. This confirms it.

He opened the door to a room at the end of the corridor on the second floor, letting you in before locking it behind him.

The room is simple, nothing fancy but homely, much like the inn owner himself. There was a bed that could fit two people if both slept straight and a small couch in front of a humble low table. Against one wall was a desk and chair with various items strewn across it. A closet was lined in the corner and there was a door that led to what you assumed to be the bathroom.

Outside the only window in the room, colorful flowers grew from the flower box, enhancing the feeling of simplicity and homely feeling of the room.

Though the room isn't messy, you could see items and clothes that clearly belonged to Akaashi around the room, which was likely why he didn't want a room change.

Eyeing the one bed in the room, you guess you'll be sleeping on the couch tonight.

But you couldn't complain, as it just occurred to you that if you hadn't run into Akaashi, you would have absolutely nowhere to sleep and would likely still be outside on the dark streets, hiding in an alley somewhere.

Yeesh, talk about lucky.

Next time you spoke to her, you'd bring up to her the need to drop you in places that isn't a forest or a stranger's property. Did she not have control of where you ended up at all?!

Akaashi strode over to the window and drew the curtains close before moving to light several candles placed around the room.

"Make yourself comfortable." Akaashi suddenly spoke up as he lit another candle when you didn't move from your spot in front of the room door.

"T-Thanks…" you shuffled over to the couch, gingerly sitting down on the edge of it with your backpack next to you.

"Sorry for the mess. I only use this as a place to sleep and rest, and never share the room so there was no need for me to keep it tidy and I wasn't expecting to...see you here." Akaashi explained, as he quickly moved several items on the desk together into one haphazard pile.

"I-It's alright! I mean, I wasn't expecting to see you either…" you mumbled. You didn't even know where you were. "Thank you for letting me stay with you. I really don't know what I would have done if you hadn't helped me."

"Best case scenario, probably staying the night in a dungeon cell somewhere in the city," Akaashi chuckled and you half-heartedly laughed with a grimace as well. That sounded very likely. You don't want to know what the worst case scenario is.

Akaashi pulled out a metal token with a rose carved onto it from his bag on the desk. He walked over to the room door and placed the token on top of the door frame. You watched curiously as he did so, hearing him murmur the words "Silentium est Aureum" under his breath; there was a brief ripple in the air of the room that stilled in the blink of an eye.

Your brows furrowed. "What was that?"

"Silence is Golden," Akaashi said, translating the verse he spoke to activate the enchantment in the token. He gestured with his head at the token. "That is what we call a Sub Rosa Token; we use it in silence enchantments. Placing one at each entrance to a room and invoking the proper verse allows us to soundproof a room. No one will be able to hear our conversations from the outside so we may speak freely."

Hmm, a professional spy alright. He must be here for spy work then, wherever you are.

He took a seat on the couch next to you, watching you with inquisitive blue eyes. Your thumbs twiddled nervously under his gaze.

"How...are you here? You disappeared. They saw you disappear."

You sighed. "I...did. I think. I don't really know how I got here. I'm just as lost as you are."

Unclasping the cloak from around you, you folded it and placed it on the table as you began telling Akaashi your side of the story from when Kuroo and Bokuto ambushed Suna and the twins, to waking up in the hospital and then your dreams and her voice asking for your help, and her instructions to go North.

Akaashi listened quietly as you spoke, only speaking up to ask brief questions for clarity. When you were done, he had a hand on his chin, pensively silent as he stared off into space.

"So she has reached out to you again, several times even, and has been speaking to you in your dreams," he said, referring to your alternate self.

"Yes...I can't really explain it but I think she has been trying to speak to me for a while now, but I was unable to hear it...didn't realize it even. It wasn't until that night when I got really angry that I could finally hear her voice clearly."

He nodded. "Hm, you did pretty much ask her then what she wanted from you, directly addressing her. I suspect that doing so has cleared up the line between your connection."

"What do you mean?" You asked with a confused frown.

"You have not been truly accepting her or the existence of our world up till then, even when you were comfortable staying with us. A part of you has been denying the reality of it all." He looked at you then as if asking if any of what he has said so far is wrong.

You pursed your lip, unable to object. You have been questioning and denying everything at every chance you got...you never truly accepted the things you were experiencing in Hyquile, which was further proven by how quick you were to dismiss it all as a dream upon waking up in the hospital.

Akaashi understood your silence to be an agreement with his remark.

"That night in the springs of , and even during your fall into the lake at Inarizaki, she had reached out to you but because of your fear of her, your denial of everything, she was unable to fully reach you; same with your dreams. But when you finally got angry, you essentially admitted to yourself that her existence is real, that Hyquile is real...that we are real."

Akaashi looked at you with gentle eyes, not a single ounce of blame in his gunmetal blue that said that you had been a fool to have taken this long to realize this, or accused you of denying the existence of his world and even himself.

"Yeah...when I screamed at the mirror...I really was addressing her existence," you admitted softly.

He hummed in acknowledgment of your own understanding. "I am curious about this tether she spoke of though, and how she even brought you over…" Your eyes jumped down to his hand where he began fiddling with it, lightly pushing the fingers of one hand with the other. You wondered if he is aware of his actions or whether it was a subconscious habit on his part.

"It must be strong for it to be enough to bring you to this world with just initial forced unconsciousness as a trigger." He mused.

"But...it sent me back to my world too when I hit the tree." You reminded him, beginning to feel confused again as to how this all works. "Why would she send me back just to bring me back?"

"I don't think she meant to send you back that time. But when you hit the tree, the shock must have severed her connection to you, thus sending you back. If I were to make an educated guess, the shock incurred by you weakens your consciousness and your mind- by this I mean your soul- allowing her to take hold of it to pull your soul through."

"Right...the Mind part of the soul?"

"Not just the Mind. I mean your entire soul." He chuckled at the blatant confusion on your face that only got worse the more he spoke. "You wouldn't be a functioning human being without all parts of your soul."

Akaashi took one of the pillows on the couch and handed it to you, making you hold it with both your hands in front of you. "Think of the soul as an object made of ten parts in your hands," he patted the pillow in your hand. "This pillow is the soul in its entirety, all ten parts."

Then he moved his hands to cover over yours that held onto the pillow, and you resisted the urge to startle at his warm touch. "Your hands here is your body containing your soul."

"The two times you hit your head and when you forced yourself to lose consciousness, even for less than a second…" Akaashi's right hand suddenly slapped down on the pillow, thrusting it loose from your grip and you yelped, hands instinctively flying to grab the pillow in the air before it fell to the ground. "Your soul was momentarily weakened and loosened."

When you caught it and looked back up at Akaashi, his shoulders were shaking in laughter from your pitiful show and you pouted with an indignant flush. "Could have warned me…"

"If I did, you would have known it was coming and you didn't know the ball or tree were coming, did you?" He chuckled, his laughter low and even. "But do you understand now? Forced loss of consciousness is nothing like willful unconsciousness like going to sleep. And with a method and magic strong enough, she can definitely pull your soul over to our world."

"But how is my body both here and in my world then? And my belongings?" Does this mean you have two phones and two copies of Business Mathematics & Statistics now?

"I am not an expert on magic like Kenma or even Lord Kuroo, and this is just another guess based on my own knowledge of magic and souls, but I believe your body is still in your world and you are here as a corporeal projection. When you disappeared from Inarizaki, your belongings at disappeared too."

Okay, so you don't have two phones. Damn it.

"I see…" you tried pinching yourself, wincing at the pain you still felt. "The pain feels completely real though," you lamented, wishing you didn't have to feel things like pain.

"Of course it does; corporeal projection does not mean you do not exist. You exist here now in Hyquile in every sense of the word. Only that when the connection is severed, you disappear instead of leaving a body behind, as morbid as it may sound."

You leaned back on the couch with a heavy sigh, head tilting back against the back of the couch. "This is insane…"

"I agree. I am not the best at magic but anything involving the transference and transportation of souls, or anything of the like, is not easily done and would incur a heavy price. It might even be considered as necromancy depending on the case and uses of it."

You grimaced at the thought; you're not a zombie, are you?

Akaashi saw the look you pulled and laid a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "Like I said, depending on the case and use. You are not undead so do not worry."

"...how is she doing all of this if she is dead?" You asked suddenly, breaking the tentative silence that had begun to fall over the room. "She is dead, right?"

Akaashi was silent as he took in your question. It was several moments later before he finally replied, having taken time to sort his thoughts and tale.

"I was gathering information on her up till about three years ago." He began tensely.

You giggled. "I gathered from the meeting at that you were spying on her. I hope you didn't see anything weird cause then I'd feel weird."

Akaashi smiled at you, the tension surrounding him easing at your breezy words. "Do not worry, I kept it professional." He paused before a furtive smile curled on his lips. "Though if I did see anything, I would not tell you."

You gasped audibly, gawking at him in disbelief and lightly slapped his arm, eliciting an airy and carefree laugh from him. When your laughter settled, Akaashi picked up from where he left off before your interruption.

"Cases of The Rot were still rare back then; people didn't even know if the few available cases were correlated and it wasn't even known as The Rot yet. But even then though, Lord Kuroo was already looking ahead and began efforts to look into it."

"Do you think Kuroo knew that it was going to become a problem now, in the future?"

Akaashi shook his head uncertainly. "I don't know. Lord Kuroo is smart, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I cannot be certain, however…" Akaashi trailed off into silence, thoughts running through his mind that he did not voice to you.

"Akaashi?" You touched his shoulder and he startled from his musing with a slight jerk of his shoulders.

"Forgive me. I was pondering some things." He leaned back into the couch as well, languidly turning his head to the side to look at you. "I have my own guesses and assumptions, but they are hardly concrete or proven. If you wish to know more, it is best if you asked Lord Kuroo himself when you see him again for it is not my place to presume, especially regarding the leader of The Dominion, ally of my own Lord and people."

You nodded understandingly, sensing Akaashi's reluctance to speak of conjectures regarding someone as important as The Dominion's Leader, Kuroo Tetsurou. "Of course."

Smiling in appreciation of your understanding, he continued once more. "There have been rumors of a human in the North who was able to heal people that have lost their mind back then, and I was sent by Lord Bokuto to investigate, in assistance to Lord Kuroo's investigation into what is now known as The Rot."

Akaashi stood up and went to his bag on the desk, pulling out a scroll of parchment paper from it before returning to the couch. He passed the scroll to you and gestured for you to open it.

You sat up, feeling slightly nervous for reasons you could not explain.

What was in the scroll that he couldn't have explained to you…?

As you unfurled the paper, your eyes slowly widened as more of the contents of the scroll was revealed to you.

You let out a long and shaky breath that you did not even realize you had been holding in.

On the paper was a rough but detailed portrait sketch of a girl, dark lines flying across the page in haphazard but precise strokes. Your fingers ran over the lines that created her familiar face.

A face that was clearly you, but also not you, smiled back at you from the paper.

Her eyes... your eyes, were gazing off to the side with her head slightly turned, looking away from- perhaps even unaware of- the artist drawing her, lips curled with a vibrant and airy smile.

Do you look like that too when you smile? You never thought of your own smile as bright and breezy like hers.

Her hair was held up in a messy yet tasteful bun, loose and stray strands falling and curling around her chin, ears, and neck. A hairpin depicting blades of wispy, curled leaves was affixed to one side of her hair.

Another shaky breath entered you and you swallowed loudly, carefully rolling the paper back into its scroll.

You handed the drawing back to Akaashi, a strange sense of dissociation tugging on your heart.

"Who drew it?" You asked in a soft whisper.

Akaashi took the scroll back from you, noticing the confusion and unease on your features and in your aura.

"Would you believe me if I said that I did?" He asked with a small smile, treading carefully with your current sensitive state.

Your lips pulled up shakily into an unsteady smile. "It's a good drawing. You're a good artist."

He nodded with a hum, his smile remaining. "Not at all, it was the subject that was beautiful."

You couldn't help the laugh that left you at his words, the unreal weight on your chest lifting slightly.

International spy and a smooth talker. He could be the next Bond in your world.

His drawing must be why Kuroo, Bokuto, and the others knew what you looked like...unless they all spied on her too at some point which you wouldn't put past them, especially Bokuto who was frighteningly stealthy.

One of your hands came up to your face to cover your eyes, and you leaned your head back on the couch again as you tried to reign in the remainder of your unease from seeing her face... your face.

This is the absolute and final nail in the coffin that an alternate of you existed in Hyquile, and that everything now is real. You can't fake this sense of disconnection you were feeling if it was a mere dream.

"Are you alright?" Akaashi asked you with concern in his voice.

You took another few moments to breathe deeply before dropping your hand from your face, nodding resolutely. "Yeah. I'm good now."

Sitting up, you turned towards him once more with purpose in you. You have already accepted the fact that all of this is occurring when you decided to listen to your voice in your dreams; you won't allow yourself to be discouraged or unnerved from finally seeing proof of Hyquile's version of you.

"Please, continue."

Akaashi's gunmetal blue eyes stared at you, flickering across your features for several beats before he nodded, acknowledging the resolve in your eyes.

"From what I was able to gather and witness, she had healed several folks who have lost their minds but it wasn't always successful. It seems that her abilities were unstable, or she did not have full control over it…" he paused briefly as his eyes shifted to look into yours. "Not unlike you."

You bit your lips, nodding in admission. You've only done it twice so far, and each time you don't know how you triggered it but it didn't work with the water.

"Besides that, she moved often between The White Eagle Empire, also known as the Realm of Shiratorizawa, and the Kingdom of Aoba, locally adored as the Blue Leaf Province." Akaashi's brows furrowed in a grimace as he mentioned this. "This made it hard for me to keep tabs on her as it is extremely difficult to keep sneaking in between these two kingdoms, particularly The White Eagle Empire. Their defenses and security are tight and have only become tighter over the years, particularly against non-humans. And barely a few months after I started tracking her, her trail went cold one day…"

Silence lingered in the air after the implications of his words.

"Why did she move between these two places so often?"

Akaashi's eyes glanced to the side, words hesitating on the tip of his tongue, causing you to tilt your head in confusion. Was it something bad?

You quickly changed the subject, not wanting to put unnecessary stress and pressure on him. If it was important, you trust that he will tell you when the time is right.

...perhaps a part of you was also apprehensive to finding out.

"How is...Kuroo and Bokuto, by the way? After I...disappeared, what happened to them? Are they all safe? Is alright?" These were the questions that had been nagging at you since you arrived and met Akaashi.

You wondered if you will be able to see Kuroo, Kenma, and the rest at Nekoma Dominion soon. Heck, even Bokuto. You wish to know how they are doing after the fire, and whether they managed to escape the dog-folk safely.

Akaashi blinked at you, surprised at your change in question but he answered nonetheless.

"They are fine. According to them, reinforcements from the Inarizaki House arrived soon after you returned to your world, and they defeated the feral dog-folks. Lord Bokuto and Lord Kuroo escaped right before the last dog-folk was subdued, as it seemed unlikely that the fox-folk would be any friendlier towards trespassing outsiders. The one that you healed also ran away during the chaos."

You were both disappointed and relieved to hear the news; relieved that everyone got out safely, but also disappointed that teaming up together against a common enemy did not bridge the gap between the three forces. You had been naive to think that major transgressions like trespassing and direct attacks on ones' people could be mended with a momentary truce for survival.

"I'm glad that everyone is safe though."

"Yes, it was fortunate. Although the discovery that the Inarizaki House numbers have dwindled to such a state was shocking. They used to be a large force to be reckoned with, and though Lord Kuroo and Lord Bokuto did not uncover the exact location of their home territory, the number of arriving reinforcements and the movements of their alerted patrolling units that Lord Bokuto spied in the air during his escape tells us much."

You don't know if Akaashi knows about the massacre of the fox-folk by humans, and whether you should tell him if he didn't. There was no doubt in your mind and heart that Akaashi is your ally and friend, and so is The Dominion and by extension Owl Vale. But you were still unclear about the politics between them and the fox-folk, and the detailed politics of this world in general.

It is clear to you from their encounter that they were not on friendly terms however, and you do not want to give out any information that might compromise Kita and the others. Not until you were more certain at least.

It is better to play on the side of caution for now; you did not want to be the human that wiped out the fox-folk by unwittingly saying unnecessary things.

You didn't say anything to confirm or deny Akaashi's remark, and he did not push or ask you for more information either, which you were grateful for. You sensed that he sensed your uncertainty and reluctance.

"I am glad that they did not mistreat you, in any case. From what I have heard, it seemed that the fox-folk was working to protect you from the feral dog-folks as well. For that, we were grateful." He smiled at you, attempting to ease the tension that had seeped into your posture.

Exhaling, you tried to expel the tension from within you. "Y-Yea...they left me alone to do my thing for the most part and didn't hurt me in any way."

Best not to mention them throwing you in a cell at the beginning and the ostracization of the entire village. Or the tyrannical attitudes of the twins.

Akaashi stood up suddenly, lightly stretching his arms out. "I'm going to head out to look around a bit more-"

"Spying you mean," you interjected with a cheeky grin.

He chuckled. "-If you wish to call it that. There should be towels in the closet if you wish to take a bath, and if not, you may ask Bosco for new ones. I'll have him send some food up for you as well. It's best if you did not wander around on your own lest something like earlier happens again."

You wholeheartedly agreed. Until you learn more about the habits and customs of the different places in this world, you shouldn't be alone too much. Your time in The Dominion and Inarizaki taught you this much.

You suddenly groaned, however, when you abruptly thought back to why you came back here in the first place, causing Akaashi to look at you inquisitively.

"So she told me to go North to look for something but I don't know what. Or maybe even someone. I didn't catch it before I woke up."

"Perhaps if we're lucky she will appear to you again soon; we have time," Akaashi tried to comfort you but it didn't work very well as you began stressing about the time limit you placed on yourself.

"About that…" you fiddled with your fingers, gaze flickering between your digits and Akaashi. "I need to go back to my world in about seven or eight days, give or take."

His head tilted to the side, waiting for you to elaborate.

"I...have a life. In my world. Time passes slightly slower there compared to Hyquile but march on it does. I can't spend all my time here."

"...that is understandable." Akaashi seemed to almost sigh as well, his brows slanting down, perturbed. But then he straightened and turned towards you with a serious expression.

"You came back here to give us your assistance, even though this isn't your world, at the cost of your own time, and even inflicted unconsciousness on yourself to do so. On behalf of Owl Vale and The Dominion, allow me to first thank you for that." He suddenly bowed, body bent deeply at his waist with one arm crossing over his chest and you immediately flushed, jumping to your feet in a hurry.

"P-Please, there's no need for that!" You pushed his shoulders to bring him back up, embarrassment burning at your neck and ears.

"I know that it has only been a short time, but everyone has been nothing but kind to me since I got here. I came back here to help of my own accord because you are all my friends, and if I can help somehow, I wish to do what I can."

Sure, there have been some...misunderstandings and differences with certain individuals (like Bokuto and the twins) but that has hopefully changed for the better. It also does not mean the rest should be doomed due to the actions of a few.

Akaashi said your name and smiled down at you, gunmetal blue eyes shimmering with the orange hues of the candles in the room. His right hand came up to brush several strands of hair away from your eyes, before settling to lightly stroke the top of your head affectionately like one would a younger sibling or dear friend.

"You are truly a kind soul. Hyquile will be in your debt."

"P-Please, I haven't done anything yet." You waved a hand carelessly in the air, trying to brush off the flush of your cheeks.

"Still, the fact that you have taken the initiative and steps to return here…" The hand that was on your head fell to your shoulders and he squeezed it lightly.

The shine of his eyes, the firm hand on your shoulder, the lilt of his voice…

They conveyed all the thanks he would ever need to say to you for the rest of your time in Hyquile, for within these gestures were enfolded the deepest sincerity from the male before you, beyond words could ever express.

"Thank you."

You were further resolved to help them.

In the end, she did not appear to you yesterday night in your dreams, or even in the mirror, or water whilst you bathed.

It took everything in you not to curse her, lest she heard you. Pissing off spirits isn't very high on your list of favorite things to do.

Akaashi had taken the liberty of picking up new clothes for you early in the morning- a simple corset and dress set variation that you saw several girls wearing at the square yesterday night- that attracted less attention compared to your modern wear. You aren't sure where he found a shop that opened that early in the day but you didn't ask, doubting that he would have done anything unruly to acquire it. You kept your sneakers on though, preferring the comfort and lightweight of it compared to the boots he picked up. Akaashi didn't complain as the length of the dress was enough to hide your footwear. The Madame of The Rotund Pub & Inn had been more than happy to help you wear the corset as you had no idea how to don one and Akaashi had quickly fled to call the Madame when you looked at him helplessly.

Before you departed from the inn for the day, Akaashi sent a letter by owl to Kuroo and Bokuto, informing them of your return to Hyquile and of what you discussed with him yesterday night and this morning over a hearty breakfast of freshly baked bread and vegetable chowder; it was decided for the time being that you would remain here with Akaashi, as he had his own task to accomplish here, and for one other reason.

For now, until you knew what you should be looking for, the next issue that you needed to address was your method of travel between Hyquile and your world.

Based on the words of your alternate, Akaashi deduced that there must be a method for you to move between worlds more freely that did not require blunt force trauma or you to force yourself into unconsciousness.

You agreed with furious nods of your head.

Apparently, you were in one of the best places to find out how to do so, for you were in "One of the most magically progressive realms in the known continents of Hyquile and are already in the North so half your mission is done," Akaashi had told you as you followed him through the crowds of the city, huffing and puffing. You had been about to ask "Where?" but was interrupted by a man and his young daughter pushing around you.

Now that the sun was up, the streets that had been empty yesterday were filled with people going about their daily lives and business; you had to do your best to stick close to Akaashi or you would have easily lost each other in the crowd, especially with your lesser height. Even so, you maintained a grip on the back of his cloak that you returned to him yesterday.

There were the high-pitched squeals and screams of the crowds around you as you weaved and pushed against the waves of bodies that pushed back against you in their fervor and excitement along the lengthy avenue.

Yeesh, you can't even take in the scenery and views of the new city you were in because of all the people. It was almost like Shibuya on Halloween night!

You gasped for air through a momentary break between the bodies of skin and clothes. "I-Is it always this crowded?" You asked Akaashi as you tried to take in air that wasn't tainted with the stench of sweat and the pungent smell of perfumes.

Akaashi did not have the same problem as you for he easily towered over at least half the crowd (the female half) and stood quite tall even amongst the men.

He squinted over the heads of the people around you, looking towards the center of the street, shaking his head. "Yes, but not to this extent. There looks to be something going on over there. A procession perhaps?"

Turning to look down at you, the amusement was clear on his face. "Let's try and get out of this rabble quickly before you suffocate."

"Har, har, very funny," you pouted but pushed on after him anyways, grunting and groaning each time someone elbowed you on your head or shoulder.

The massive horde of people oscillated left and right as they shoved one another, undulating up and down in impassioned jumps of excitement the further up the street Akaashi led you.

A particularly painful wince wrenched from you when someone's elbow sharply jabbed you in your waist, and the leg of a child sitting on the shoulders of her father kicked your ear.

At this point, even Akaashi was having a little bit of trouble with the crowd who gave little regard to the people around them, all their attention focused on the center of the avenue that you were trying to traverse up, against the horizontal directions of the crowd.

What the hell is going on anyways? You felt like you were caught in the center of a large-scale music festival, what with all the wild, rowdy screams and hopping as people tried to get a glimpse of the avenue center.

"Akaashi!" You yelled in a panic when the crowd suddenly surged forward in a frenzy, taking you to the side with them. Your hold on Akaashi's cloak was wrested from you by a well-dressed lady that pushed in between you and Akaashi; well-dressed but clearly lacking in etiquette!

You faintly heard Akaashi calling your name from somewhere amongst the crowd, but it was impossible to pinpoint where he is. Around you, the voices of the crowds reached a fever pitch as their cheers and squeals crescendoed and reached high up into the heavens; your ears rang and hurt from the shrill sounds. The voices of the fairer half of the population, in particular, were maddening and drowned out nearly all other sounds and stabbed at your ears in head-splitting peals.

You shook your head around in a daze, the density of the mob caging you in with its airless and oppressive force, and you stumbled as people pushed into your sides, sweeping one of your foot off balance.

"Acckk-!"

You squealed as you tottered to the side from the lack of balance; your last remaining foothold on the ground slipped from underneath you as people continued to push into you from one side, and the people on your other side moved away when they felt you fall against them, opening up a gap in the crowd through which you tumbled through.

"Oof!" Tumbling to your hands and knees on the stone streets, you found that you were finally able to breathe as you were released from the merciless crowd. Your hands found purchase against the cobblestones, and you pushed yourself up onto your elbows, swinging your head around to blow your messy hair out of your face.

With a relieved gasp of air, your eyes opened only to freeze in absolute mortification and horror when you saw where you had fallen upon.

You had staggered out of the crowd and onto the avenue center.

It was clear to your eyes now that the crowd that coughed you out was lining the avenue on one side, and the other side was just as crowded with barely any space for people to walk. All along the lengthy avenue- to the front where you faced and the back to which you dared not turn to look- the crowd thronged to the brim on both sides. Even on the rows of buildings that lined the avenue, there were people out on balconies and up on roofs from where they stared down at the spectacle below. All available windows were thrown open from where a multitude of heads popped out of to gaze down at the avenue below them.

And you were just spat out into the center of it, gaining the eyes and attention of hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of people on you.

Why.

Just why you.

There were gasps, murmurs, whispers, and various other audible sounds of surprise, shock, distress, anger, dismay, upset and even glee coming up from the mass of people who now had their attention on you.

You felt your fingers begin to tremble against the stone ground which suddenly felt very cold despite the warm sun. The same trembles were on your lips as you felt the burning heat of embarrassment begin to burn its way up your neck.

Footsteps clicked on the stone ground from behind, approaching you.

"Are you alright?"

You flinched, still completely shocked and caught in your state of absolute humiliation and mortification in the eyes of probably the entire city, or at least half of it. Your wide and bulging eyes flickered rapidly around the faces of the crowds closest to you before you squeezed them shut towards the stone ground.

The footsteps stopped behind you, and you felt a hand lightly touch your right shoulder.

"Are you hurt?" The same voice spoke to you again.

"Your H-" A second voice spoke up but immediately ceased.

The hand that touched your shoulder laid more firmly against you now, gently squeezing your shoulder in reassurance.

"It's alright."

Nervously and shakily, you pried your eyes open to the sight of your fingers that still trembled on the ground below you. You could feel the entirety of your cheeks burning a brilliant red, and your heart hammering in your chest in furious lamentation of your horrible luck.

With unrestrained tension, you slowly turned your head to the right as if any sudden movements will set off the crowd that had their hundreds -thousands- of beady eyeballs on you, towards the voice and hand that reassuringly coaxed you towards them.

When you finally laid eyes on the owner of the voice, your already uneven breathing hitched in your throat, and your eyes widened even further in...you don't want to say shock, because you really can't be shocked at this point, but shocked you were.

In your state of utter humiliation and panic, your flustered mind had completely failed to register the voice that spoke to you.

Beyond the figure that is now in your sight, stately flags of a vivid turquoise hue, with a white crest depicting a bejeweled crown encircled by two wreaths of leaves emblazoned on them, fluttered in the wind on long posts hoisted by men in steel armors. Alongside them, white banners with the same crest in turquoise danced in the air, the words Kingdom of Aoba embellished on them in a splendid print.

Chocolate-brown eyes widened when they glimpsed your face, and the easy smile that had been playing on the lips of their owner fell away to drape open in surprise and shock. You heard their breathing catch in their throat, very much like the way yours did.

The heat on your skin continued its flaming trail as you felt the eyes of the city on you, looking into the eyes of Oikawa Tooru.

Notes:

DUNDUNDUN! *jazz hands around a smug Oikawa who has been waiting forever for his turn*
I was debating real hard on whether Oiks or Ushi should make their grand entrance first but it had to be Oikawa; nothing to do with me missing his bday and the manga end. Story reasons. Completely.
And in my head, I hear Akaashi's anagram of Kieij pronounced with a silent J; like KI-AY haha I considered using a diff name but I stubbornly wanted to use an anagram but there wasn't a lot of good ones I could come up with OTL

If you haven't and want to, the poll is still up:
Favorite [Ghosts We See] Hyquile Alternate Characters Poll (1)

Though Kuroo is WAY in the lead right now haha it's such a joy to see how each character is faring. There'll definitely be more polls/voting Grandprixes once the remaining pairing bachelors have been introduced. And the fact that Bokuto isn't even a confirmed pairing yet but already getting quite a few votes is 👍👍 But of course, in the end, we love all the boys 3 Just as I love you all 33
I've been wondering if I should do a supporting character poll too haha I can already SEE a few characters coming up for that race.
Alright, time for this author to go catch some ZZZs.

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 15: The Kingdom of Aoba

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The Kingdom of Aoba

Notes:

I KNEW ya'll would ask for Akaashi to be an official pairing too xD seeing everyone go mad over smooth-talking-spy Akaashi was just 3 I WANT to make him an official pairing too but this author will never get any sleep for the next decade at the rate we're adding pairings xD
I am, however, already thinking about side stories (one shots etc) for some characters, particularly the popular ones/non-official pairings, to expand their relationship with the MC, as it might be hard to fit/do all I want for all characters within just this book due to storytelling reasons. Or I might just put it in this book as well as a side story, I haven't decided yet :
Cause we are STILL in the Introduction Arc after 15 Chapters! Whaaaa-? *mind explodes* So much more to go...

This chapter took longer than usual because life got in the way OTL I worked to push it out asap in the end but I definitely am not satisfied with how it turned out .; Ugh, LIFE! Stop sapping my energy to write. Originally had a whole action scene planned for this but canned that as it would have taken another whole chapter or two to move things along hah

But I hope you enjoy it anyways! I will come back and check for mistakes/edit more after some rest...I should really proofread before posting OTL

Worldbuilding/Information vomit incoming!

As always, please leave a comment if you enjoy my story or any stories here on AO3 :)
A lot of time/effort is put into writing each chapter by every author, and I myself spend several full days staying up till late to write my own.
Leaving a comment is a simple and great way of showing your support and thanks to them. It really goes a long way, on top of motivating them to update faster :)

**This story is only posted here on AO3.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Chocolate-brown eyes widened when they glimpsed your face, and the easy smile that had been playing on the lips of their owner fell away to drape open in surprise and shock. You heard their breathing catch in their throat, very much like the way yours did.

The heat on your skin continued its flaming trail as you felt the eyes of the city on you, looking into the eyes of Oikawa Tooru.

Your arms shook under the weight and tension of your shoulders, and there was a harsh drag in your throat when you swallowed, neck craned to the right to look at the person who had approached you.

Oikawa Tooru was crouched by you with one hand stretched out to you.

He wore a dignified and immaculate white coat that was embellished with refined turquoise embroidery of silk, silver buttons that shimmered with a sea-green hue under the sunlight snugly fitting the coat over his robust form. Equally pristine white trousers fitted his long legs, ending neatly over finely-made white leather shoes. A velvet cape of the same turquoise hue as the flags that billowed in the air was clasped and draped over one shoulder, falling in graceful waves over his arm and back. Below the coat's left-breast pocket hung a decorative silver chain, on which a valuable silver emblem was fastened. The emblem depicted the same crest found on the flags, of a bejeweled crown encompassed by two wreaths of leaves.

You've always dubbed the Oikawa Tooru of your world as a Prince Charming and here he was in Hyquile, looking exactly like a prince. If the volleyball player ever found out, it would definitely go to his head.

A male with dark spiky hair stepped out of line from the row of armored men behind him, a passive scowl etched on his face. He was wearing steel armor, in contrast to several few around who wore grander, decorated armors of white. In his hand, he held one of the long ivory poles that hoisted the splendid blue-green flags.

"His Royal Highness asked you a question!"

Oh.

So he is a prince.

Well.

That must mean you've stumbled right into the middle of a royal procession then.

Again:

Why you.

The second voice from earlier spoke up, ringing to your ears through the disruptive noise of the gossiping city crowd with clear-cut clarity.

"Kindaichi. In line."

No way.

Your eyes flitted to the back of Oikawa's silky chocolate locks, glimpsing the sturdy frame of Iwaizumi Hajime, decked in grand white armor that was embellished with intricate designs in embossed white and silver. He was focusing a reprimanding stare on the young male that had yelled at your stupefied form.

The one named Kindaichi immediately stiffened with pursed lips, before stepping back into his row tersely.

Another harsh swallow clawed its way down to your stomach.

The hand on your shoulder tightened painfully and your wide, alarmed eyes met Oikawa's, whose own chocolate-colored eyes wavered ever so faintly as he took in your face.

You stared at each other for what seemed like forever when it was really only mere milliseconds.

Out of nowhere, you scrambled to your feet as if your life depended on it, the mortification and panic finally catching up to your brain and body.

The hand on your shoulder fell away from you to linger in the air before him.

'Prince Oikawa' never moved from his crouch, despite his royal status in this world, kneeling before you in whatever stupor that had taken hold of him.

Hazel eyes stayed on your face the whole time, never moving away, as if imprinting you onto its dusky irises; as if you will disappear if he even so much as blinked.

And for reasons incomprehensible to your flustered mind, you were unable to immediately break away from the hold of his intense gaze.

Over the noisy confused whispers, murmurs, gossip and chatters of the crowd, you heard a mellifluous call that seemed to be only for you, as it succeeded in tearing your eyes away from Oikawa's, and you momentarily looked up to see a dark feathered owl circling high up in the air, away from the attention and eyes of those who were not seeking it out.

No one seemed to notice the owl but you.

You turned and ran, sprinting back into the crowd that pushed you out but this time, they easily parted for you in their surprise.

In the corner of your eye, you saw the owl fly upward and ahead, guiding you with its flight.

Oikawa Tooru stood up from his crouch, lightly dusting off the knee of his white trousers that now sported a fine film of dust from the ground.

He sensed the figure of his closest confidant stepping in close behind him and heard the trots of his royal mount alongside him. He didn't take the reins, leaving it in the hands of his confidant instead.

With an easy and practiced charming smile ruling his features once more, he signaled for their impromptu royal procession to proceed.

As if nothing happened at all and the disturbance earlier hadn't occurred, Oikawa continued with his princely duty, his knights and entourage of soldiers easily falling in behind and around him with rehearsed movements.

He felt the stare of the one closest to him burning into his temple, and he smiled with a wave at the crowd. The throng of people closest to him reacted instantaneously with loud cheers and screams of love, adoration, and support for their Crown Prince.

"Iwaizumi."

Despite the cacophonous shrieks of the people around them, Oikawa Tooru knew without a doubt that Iwaizumi heard him.

"As soon as this is over…" Oikawa didn't finish his sentence, allowing another grateful smile for his people to lift his lips instead.

But Iwaizumi knew what he wanted, as he always did.

"As you command, Your Royal Highness."

Oikawa resisted his habit of telling Iwaizumi to not refer to him as so, that he was exempt from such protocols.

Not because of all the eyes on him but because whenever Iwaizumi spoke to him with such stern formality, it always meant that the task will be done without fail.

Which is what Oikawa Tooru, Crown Prince of The Kingdom of Aoba, commands with absolute finality right now.

He demands to know who it is that dares masquerade her face.

"Are you alright?" Akaashi immediately asked you as he jumped to the ground in front of you from a nearby roof, his owl familiar that guided your way warping in a ball of dark light before dropping into his palm as a carved, wooden owl-totem.

Through some sheer miracle, you managed to squeeze into a side street from that crowded avenue, the people having let you push past them in their stupor before it was broken when the procession continued, allowing you to escape that horrid avenue that will be your biggest humiliation for the rest of your life.

And if you ever have the bad luck of experiencing something even more humiliating than that, well, you hope death finds you quickly.

You'll never be able to forget the eyes of thousands staring at you on your hands and knees.

Never.

"Y-Yeah!" You gasped, panting from your leaning position against the wall, the embarrassed flush of your skin slowly but gradually easing.

"T-That was-"

"Embarrassing," Akaashi said for you and you laughed a self-deprecating chuckle, nodding your head reluctantly.

Akaashi reached out to pull the cloak of your hood back up that had fallen when you stumbled, though you much rather keep it down as the cloth only served to trap the heat generated by your flushed skin and the sweat you had built up from your humiliating escape.

"Come on. We aren't far. We can speak further later. Keep your hood up."

Leading you through the stone city streets, you were too exhausted and still too embarrassed to enjoy the sights of this new place- The Kingdom of Aoba from what you saw on the banners- only tugging your hood closer to your face and sticking close to Akaashi, determined to not lose him again.

The majority of the city seemed to be built with stones of white and grey, contrasted by dark blue roofs. But what stood out most to you as you walked up stone streets and white flights of stairs was the abundance of greenery in the city, offsetting the equally copious amount of stone buildings, both high and low.

The same species of tree can be seen lining every street, the same tree Akaashi had hidden you in last night, growing up to different sizes to accommodate the aesthetics of the area it had been planted in. At regular intervals on the roads, along the outer sides of tall flights of steps, around square corners and parks- the tree is everywhere.

The sun was bright and warm in the sky and was it not for the shade of the many trees that lined the city like a second skin, you might have suffered under the cloak that Akaashi gave to you with your new clothes. The leaves of the trees grew bountifully, and they curiously shimmered with a tint of teal under different angles of light.

"Zelkova trees," Akaashi told you when he noticed you eyeing them with curiosity. "The Kingdom of Aoba is famous for them. It's an icon of the realm. The capital city, Seijoh, where we are, is also known as The City of Trees."

The City of Trees.

It definitely fits the name. You are not sure why the term tugs at something in your mind, but it is a minuscule feeling that you immediately forget when you and Akaashi arrive at your destination.

You and Akaashi entered an immense domed building with a majestic navy roof that reminded you of dome cathedrals in Italy.

Only you quickly figured out that it wasn't a cathedral and is in fact a library, when you entered the main hall and saw the rows and rows of books that lined the shelves that towered over you like trees. Literally.

You gaped up at the shelves. They were not ordinary bookshelves.

The shelves themselves are the branches and trunks of the zelkova trees that grew in different corners and sections within the library.

The thick and sturdy trunks moved and glided along the height and length of the tall walls, its many branches keeping the books lined on top of them from toppling over to the sides. Lush, green leaves that shimmered blue under angles of light cushioned the books and protected them from damage like plush pillows, and vines wrapped and dangled down books to waiting hands on the grounds.

A mix of humans and a few non-human folks were perusing the innumerable books in the library, walking along moving trunks that extended to the ground for them to step on, before rising and reaching for higher parts of the shelves, like living walkways.

Engraved on the wooden pillar right by the entrance where you stood, you read the words Blue Leaf National Library.

You had absolutely no words for the fantastical sight before you.

If libraries in your world were like this, maybe you would visit them more often.

Akaashi told you to wait for him as he went off to pick up books on souls and magic, quickly disappearing amongst the ever-shifting trunks and leaves, nimbly and silently pacing and jumping from trunk to trunk.

If you or someone that wasn't as light-footed as Akaashi had attempted something similar, you were pretty sure the librarian would have popped up with some choice words about being quiet in a library by now.

As you waited for him to return, you explored the library, sticking to the ground where you felt safest. That was when a trunk had slithered up to you, as if expecting you to walk onto it, though it was more likely you have walked by one of its set routes. Eyeing the others in the massive hall and two young humans walking along the trunks as if it was the most natural thing in the world (you supposed for them, it is) you gripped your fists and steeled your breath.

You had to admit, you wanted to try it and who knows if you'll ever have the chance again.

You certainly won't once you're back in your world.

With a cautious step, you placed one foot on the trunk that groaned on the ground under your weight, waiting for you to walk along its length. Once you felt that it was steady enough, you brought your other foot up and took one step, then two steps. Then three steps.

At the fourth step, the trunk moved and you instinctively yelped at the sudden movement, arms flailing out. A branch grew out and appeared at your side, a handrail, and your hands immediately grasped onto it for balance as your bulging eyes looked down at the ground that was slowly going further and further away as the trunk ascended.

You don't even know what corner of the library this trunk leads to but you could not help the smile that broke out across your face, both bewildered and amazed at this magical experience that was happening to you right now.

Several folks nearby had cast you weird glances for your yelp, and you suspect also for the stupid grin on your face.

You were in a library. What are you smiling excitedly about as if this were an amusement park?

Biting your lips in a poor attempt to quell the cheek splitting grin that kept threatening to break out, you walked along the trunk on unsteady and shaky legs, using the branch that continued to grow with your pace as support. Your fingers reached out to brush along the spines of the books that passed by you, leaves skimming across the skin of your arms. At another point, you gave out a low gasp when another large trunk grew out right above you, transporting a male human that was sternly flipping through the book in his hand, steady and firm in his stance despite the shifting limb he stood on.

All worries and troubled thoughts about Hyquile, The Rot, your alternate self, this morning's humiliation- everything left you to be replaced with pure and utter wonder.

This is amazing.

For as long as you live, you will never forget this experience.

It was a small and normal everyday thing for the folks of Hyquile.

But to you, it was nothing short of magic.

And just like the first time when you laid eyes across the expanse of Nekoma Dominion, and when the red torii tunnel and rice terraces of Inarizaki revealed themselves before you, this was one of the things that showed you that Hyquile is a beautiful world with its own rich culture.

It is not just a world filled with dangers and dark things like The Rot.

It is not just a mere figment of your imagination because you would never be able to imagine all of this.

And you thought to yourself, you wouldn't mind seeing more of Hyquile.

You returned to The Rotund Pub & Inn with Akaashi after your visit to the library, his bag filled with scrolls and books that he had selected.

With the Sub Rosa Token once again sitting above the door leading into your shared room, Akaashi flipped through all the various pages and paper scattered before him on the low table, and even on the floor.

You stayed out of his way as much as possible from your perch on the far side of the couch, munching on the food that the inn's Madame had prepared, quietly musing over and replaying what you saw this morning.

One of your thumbs unconsciously rubbed at the spot on your hip where the dark bruise from days ago was, nursing it. It was now a faint hue that could be barely noticed.

Akaashi suddenly looked up from the scroll he was reading and glanced at you with furrowed brows, expecting you to ask him something. He spoke when you only continued to chew, on whatever it is that had been in your mouth the past few minutes, mindlessly staring out into space.

"Don't you have something you want to ask me?"

You finally swallowed, eyes flickering to his.

With a heavy sigh, you placed down your plate of food and sat up, scooching closer to him on the couch, scrolls and books dipping under the weight of your legs.

Fingers fiddling with the folds of your dress, you voiced to him what has been on your mind ever since you stepped out of the library.

"He...looked at me like he knew me...like he knew her," you murmured, recalling the way his hazel eyes widened and wavered, and the surprised slip of his lips. You looked up to Akaashi for confirmation.

"Did they know each other?"

Akaashi rolled up the scroll in his hand, turning his full focus to you. "I do not have the details but...I can say at least that she and the Crown Prince of Aoba might have known each other. She lived in the royal castle after all."

…

"What?"

"She lived in the royal castle," he repeated blandly.

"I heard you the first time!" You exclaimed, back straightening to lean towards him.

"W-Why was she living there? Was she a p-princess?"

Please don't say she was royalty.

"No, I am quite certain she wasn't a princess because the entire city would have recognized your face by now if she was." The way Akaashi spoke about this was so calm, amused even, in contrast to the flustered flailing of your arms and bewildered expression.

"She lived in the royal castle but she was not royalty. As far as I know, she was of common folk, though I am unclear as to her relations to the castle. I surmised that she was perhaps an apprentice healer or something similar but I was unable to gather any concrete information before her passing. She wasn't a well-known figure strangely enough, despite the small rumors beginning about her gift... the number of people she has successfully restored to sanity were few and far in between after all."

Akaashi crossed his arms as he leaned into the couch with a thoughtful look. "She kept a low profile...certainly did not attract attention to herself the way you did." A teasing smile flitted across his lips, mirthful blue eyes glancing at you.

You rolled your eyes. Ugh, he's never going to let you forget this. Not that you would have forgotten anyway.

"Why didn't you tell me? Isn't it kind of important that she might have known The Prince of Aoba?"

Akaashi sighed tiredly as if he's spent countless hours mulling over that very question. Which he probably did, given that he barely slept last night as he sat on the couch whilst you took the bed at his insistence. You had heard his low sighs in the quiet night, and the frequent shifting of his legs across the cushion cloth through the dark hours.

"I will be honest. I was not sure if I should have divulged that information to you without consulting Lord Kuroo and Lord Bokuto. The information I have isn't always free for me to give. Furthermore, I did not know to what extent she and the prince knew each other; living in the castle does not necessarily mean that they are aware of the existence of each other. There are hundreds who live and work in the castle."

Akaashi was apologetic but what he said makes sense.

Hearing that piece of information had been shocking, but you weren't upset with him. It wouldn't have changed anything immediately for you even if you knew...

No, wait.

You abruptly leaned further towards Akaashi, one hand shooting out to grab his upper arm without your realizing it, startling him.

You looked up at him with wide eyes.

What if…

"What if he's the one I'm supposed to find?"

Before Akaashi could say anything else, there was a tapping on the glass of the window, drawing both your attentions.

Akaashi made his way over to the window, cautiously peeking out of the drawn curtains. Once he has deemed it safe, he opened up the window without undrawing the curtains, allowing just enough space through the glass for something small to step through.

You leaned to the side to try and get a better look at what it was that tapped at the window.

From under the folds of the curtain, a tiny owl poked its head out.

It was the cutest thing you have ever seen.

The owl, barely the full size of your hand, peered at you with its large, round eyes, before swooping off the window sill and perched itself on the top of Akaashi's head.

Akaashi closed the window again before moving towards you on the couch, one hand raised up to the owl that has made itself comfortable in his hair to gently remove it.

You could not help the breaths of adoration that flitted past your lips as Akaashi held the owl out to you, a little thing in his large hands.

"This here is Mori, one of my spy owls," Akaashi introduced you to the small creature in his palm, affectionately running a thumb over the top of its head. Mori closed its eyes in bliss at the attention and you gushed.

"He's so cute!" You can't see your face, but you're pretty sure you have nothing but hearts and stars in your eyes for the little owl.

"He's one of the Elf Owls that serve as spies for us in Owl Vale. Their miniature sizes and unassuming nature makes them perfect for espionage."

This little guy? A spy? Really?

He's so cute he can't possibly do anything unsavory like spy work.

Akaashi seemed to know what you were thinking for he shot you an offended look. "Spying is just a different form of defense. There is honor in spy work." Though he sounded offended, you knew he didn't mean it with the tiny smile that played on his lips.

You watched as the little owl flew up to Akaashi's shoulder and began cooing low, lyrical notes to him. Judging from the way Akaashi zoned his attention to the owl, you guessed that the owl was speaking to him; not that you could understand bird speak.

Akaashi's brows dipped once Mori ended its hoots and coos, and it went huddling into the folds of Akaashi's clothes, closing its eyes.

"What is it?" you asked, curious what the little owl could have said that brought such a troubled expression on the usually pleasant Akaashi.

"...The Prince's men are looking for you."

Oh.

"What?" Your eyes blinked rapidly.

"They have been going around, questioning people if they have seen anyone with your description, which isn't hard given half the city saw you this morning," The frown etched on his brows deepened. "One of the Royal Blue Knights is leading the inquiries and has been seen in this neighborhood."

You worried your lips, wondering if this was a good or a bad thing, feeling a light sheen of anxious sweat begin to coat your palms.

"Do you think it has to do with this morning?" The question felt silly as soon as you voiced it.

"Absolutely," Akaashi answered without hesitation. "It's too much of a coincidence, no?" He smiled wryly and you could not help but agree, grimacing at your own question.

"But this solidifies at least one thing for us, in addition to what you described of this morning. And it is that she and the Crown Prince more than likely knew each other." One of Akaashi's hands went up to his chin where he held onto it with his thumb and finger, retreating into his mind as he contemplated his options. In the end, he muttered lowly words along the lines of "I need to update Lord Bokuto and Lord Kuroo."

A clear shine glinted in his eyes when he came to a decision. "We need to leave now. We're going to ."

"Wait, what? Why?" You followed after Akaashi as he started to gather up the scrolls and books scattered everywhere.

"One of the Blue Knights is looking for you. They are the cornerstones of Aoba's army, and it will be highly disadvantageous for me if they take notice of me." He paused to look at you pointedly. "Spy, if you've forgotten."

You pouted at him with your arms crossed. "You're still capable of throwing out jokes at least."

Akaashi's movements slowed, causing you to pause as a result. For a second, you worried you might have offended him with your petulance.

But then it passed, and there was a quiet lightness to his features that did not reflect in the precise way his hands moved, organizing each book and scroll into clean piles that went into a rucksack, one after another.

"I have found that sometimes, humor is the only thing that can shield you from the harms of a long night...and even a long day."

Akaashi turned his head to the side to look at you, the same lightness still in his eyes and also tugging at one corner of his lips. His expression was pleasant but it did not reassure you, and only made you feel sad, seeing it on him.

It felt anything but light.

"I hope you will never have to use such a shield."

Your own brows tilted upwards at his words, but Akaashi merely allowed his smile to spread and turned back to his packing. Mori continued to sleep peacefully in the crook of Akaashi's neck and shoulder, feathered chest languidly rising up and down.

That look remained on Akaashi and you didn't like that it was.

You picked up a loose parchment and began rolling it up, handing it neatly tied to Akaashi when you were done, with a sheepish grin on your face.

"I rather use a sword than a shield if I had the choice though."

Akaashi took the scroll from you with a dubious brow raised. "I'm not sure if you can lift either."

There was a whack from where your hand met his arm, jostling Mori awake. "Hey!"

He laughed and that lightness you didn't like disappeared from him, replaced by laughs that were much better and truly lighter.

You helped Akaashi gather his things, your own things still neatly packed away as you had only been here a night.

When you were almost done, you addressed the elephant in the room; your question from earlier, before Mori interrupted. Somehow, you felt that he was avoiding it, hoping you wouldn't bring it up again.

You're a foreigner here in Hyquile but you weren't a complete idiot; there was absolutely no way a talented spy and the right-hand of the leader of an entire realm would let slip any tiny detail this blatantly.

"What if the prince is the one I'm supposed to find?"

Akaashi immediately sighed, turning to lean back against the desk as he trained a scolding look on you.

"No."

"But I haven't said anything."

"I know what you're going to say."

"No, you don't-"

"You're going to suggest letting them find you."

He wasn't wrong.

"But it makes sense. She could have been asking me to go North because she knew the prince?" Who also happens to be the alternate of another volleyball player you know. You don't know if the two are correlated though.

A rare frown found its way onto Akaashi's face. "In the absence of Lord Kuroo, it is my duty to keep you safe for The Dominion. I can't allow you to hand yourself over like that. We don't know if they are potential allies or future enemies."

There was nothing wrong with his words at all but...your own frown pulled deeply at your face. It wasn't Akaashi you were angry at; you aren't sure exactly what it is you are angry at but words went launching past your lips without your consent.

"I only have about seven days here before I have to possibly hit my head on something again, and I rather not do it without gaining something from this trip. Even if it's a long shot it's the only lead we have! I don't want to wait around for her to pop up in my dreams to give me another cryptic message! It might be dangerous, hell, maybe relations between her and the prince were bad and now he wants payback but I literally forced myself into unconsciousness to come here, again! I'm potentially giving myself brain damage already so I'm already in danger! And he's the prince of The most magically progressive realm in Hyquile, isn't he? Then he must know something that can help me move back and forth without…-!" Your hands swung in the air around your head as if you could find words there where your mouth struggled. "-...without mushing my brains each time!"

An eloquent finish.

Your chest heaved, not quite sure where all of that came from.

Perhaps from that same well of anger borne from lack of sleep and exhaustion that made you scream at your mirror; perhaps your annoyance at her, your alternate, for placing this on you without any proper explanation, leaving you to figure out a tangled mess of problems that shouldn't even be yours to solve. You can't really pinpoint the source of your abrupt bout of frustration at this moment, not with your breaths rising and lowering rapidly, a sticky light sheen of sweat starting to form on your neck.

Akaashi blinked at you. Once. Then twice. Then-

"One of the most magically progressive realms. Not The most."

He corrected your speech.

!

A flare of something puffed up your cheeks but before you could unleash it again, Akaashi rubbed his right temple with two fingers, a discomposed scrunch marring the space between his brows whilst a sardonic laugh pushed past his lips.

His head fell back, gunmetal blue eyes languidly staring up at the ceiling as a loud, resigned sigh rolled from his chest.

"Lord Bokuto's going to have my head and wings if Lord Kuroo doesn't."

Iwaizumi Hajime is one of the strongest warriors of The Kingdom of Aoba.

He is also the closest friend and confidant to the Crown Prince of his beloved kingdom.

He has known Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru ever since they were young kids, having trained together under Iwaizumi's own father who also used to serve the royal family as a Royal Blue Knight.

Like his father before him, and his father's father before him, Iwaizumi is loyal to the royal family of Aoba, and Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru.

He can be strict with his best friend, reprimanding and advising him with stern finality whenever it looked like the prince was about to do something dangerous or foolish. It is only his position and familiarity with the prince that allows Iwaizumi to get away with some of the things he says and does; others would have either been banished or sentenced to a lifetime in the dungeons of the kingdom for treason.

Iwaizumi Hajime, The Knight, grew up with Oikawa Tooru, The Crown Prince.

And accordingly, he grew up knowing the other people that comes into and goes out of Prince Oikawa's busy life.

So when he saw her face this morning staring at the prince, then her eyes flickering briefly to Iwaizumi before shifting back to the prince, Iwaizumi knew exactly how Prince Oikawa felt.

Anger.

Cause what sort of heartless demon would prance about wearing the face of someone who has died?

It is only made worse that it is the face of someone they know.

Why would they do that? Who or what would do it? Fox-folk? Some other dark creature that has yet to be identified in this vast world? Someone's shapeshifting familiar? And why?

Why?

Why her of all the dead people in the bloody history of Hyquile?

Pick someone else, someone like the friend of this so-called cousin of his, who Iwaizumi isn't even sure if they are really cousins, that died when he choked on a chicken bone.

But no, it had to be the person that took Iwaizumi almost the full three years since her death to bury, for both Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru and himself.

He honestly isn't even sure if he is done burying her yet, as it feels like he has been throwing dirt on top of dirt for so long, he wasn't sure if it is safe to stop.

Iwaizumi was determined to find the impersonator no matter what- prepared to turn every brick and stone over, uproot every tree in the city to find the pretender.

It wasn't just a standard formality when he said to the prince, "As you command, Your Royal Highness."

Not at all.

He is very fast and efficient in his work for the Crown, and he was confident that he would locate the girl- whatever and wherever she is- before the sun went to sleep.

He will not let her roam another day longer with that face.

He was, however, not expecting her to hand herself in.

His green eyes narrowed at you, your own gaze shifting nervously and avoiding his piercing stare.

He had it on good information that someone with your description had been seen in this particular district of Seijoh earlier today, accompanying a cloaked male.

There were only a few streets left for him and his men to check in the district, including a street with an establishment with the funny name of The Rotund Pub & Inn when two of his men came back with you.

Apparently, they found you hiding in the narrow shadows between two buildings not far from where they were. Your companion, the cloaked male, was nowhere to be found.

Iwaizumi Hajime was suspicious, of course. He didn't believe that his men had just found you out of sheer dumb luck. It was obvious to Iwaizumi that you allowed yourself to be discovered, not to mention the sudden disappearance of your companion.

A pretender masquerading the face of the dead- who knows what kinds of dark magic or treachery you were capable of.

Which is why, even as he led your willing figure to the castle to meet the prince, he kept an acute eye on you and never allowed you out of his sight for even a millisecond, even when he had you surrounded by his men on all sides as they moved.

One of his most valiant and motivated men, Kindaichi Yutaro, diligently kept watch on you as he walked by your side. Your other side was flanked by Kunimi Akira, a childhood friend of Kindaichi. The two had enlisted together in the hopes of being part of the Blue Knights one day, and though they had potential, they still had much to learn.

Kunimi held onto the strange bag Iwaizumi had confiscated from you, warily holding it at arm's length; it wasn't an arrest, and until given reason not to, he wasn't going to treat you like a criminal, but he wasn't going to let you have access to whatever nefarious artifacts you might be carrying either.

Their group attracted attention as they walked through the streets but that was not Iwaizumi's problem; he didn't miss the way you anxiously pulled your hood closer to yourself, the act telling Iwaizumi that you were uncomfortable with the attention. Around them, a few of the citizens whispered about the interruption this morning, recognizing you as the one who caused it.

He mentally scoffed, remembering the careless spectacle you caused before the sun was even at its highest.

The citizens thought you were just a silly commoner that had the misfortune of stumbling to the middle of the avenue; they didn't know that you were wearing the face of someone who has died years ago.

As long as Iwaizumi and the other Royal Blue Knights handled you efficiently however, there was no need to alarm the entire city that there might be a dark sorceress amongst them. He is certain the prince would prefer to keep the peace in the city as well.

Iwaizumi is confident he could handle you himself, which is why he did not ask for the help of any of the other knights in his search for you. He knew though, that they are likely keeping two ears and eyes open on the situation and how it will progress, wherever they are.

Having climbed up the long and wide stone steps leading up to the elevated central path that leads to the castle entrance, Iwaizumi watched as you looked around with wide, mystified eyes, eagerly taking in the sights of the area leading to the castle grounds.

His brows creased in annoyance.

He didn't like that you were pretending to look amazed and captivated by what you are seeing, your face looking too awfully honest and familiar.

Impersonating someone who used to live in the royal castle, Iwaizumi is sure that this is not the first time you have seen the Blue Castle.

If it was left up to Iwaizumi, he would have just sentenced you immediately for the crime of impersonation.

He didn't like that he had to bring you in to see the Crown Prince himself, that he wanted to question you for your bold transgressions.

He trusted the Crown Prince, believed in his intellect and leadership. But having seen more deaths than someone his age really should have due to his time on the battlefield, Iwaizumi knows that even the greatest warriors and generals were not immune to the failings of the heart; especially when it involves the death of someone dear.

His calloused hands instinctively gripped the handle of his sword when their group stopped right before the main castle door, waiting for the entrance guards to heave the majestic doors open. With vigilant eyes, he watched you tentatively turn to look behind, gazing past the two soldiers that brought up the rear.

He didn't need to turn himself to know what you were looking at; he knows the sight like the back of his hand, having gazed out at the view for almost his entire life:

A breathtaking view of the entire city of Seijoh, magnificent with its deep navy roofs and stone buildings and flourishing trees. In the spring, the zelkova trees graced their city with its shimmering blue-green leaves and in the fall, with its fiery red dress that rivaled the ripest apples.

Iwaizumi is familiar with the beauty of his city, as even after so many years, he still thinks it is beautiful.

Admiration and mesmerization danced across the eyes of the impostor before him, looking out at the city below them, and Iwaizumi gripped his sword harder.

The City of Trees.

Walking on the streets of it was one thing, but seeing a landscape view of it was entirely different.

You breathed out softly, ears aware of the groaning of the castle doors sliding open, but your eyes took in what you could of the view.

The Nekoma Dominion was lively, bustling with its spirited people, colors, and mesh of materials that were balanced with the viridescent peaks of .

The Inarizaki House territory had been graceful with its bold crimson torii gates, serene with its vast terraces of golden rice fields that danced in the wind.

And The Kingdom of Aoba's Seijoh was beautiful, refined, and elegant, with its relaxing tones of white, blue, and green that created the majority of the city. In the not-so-far-off distance, you can faintly make out the square with the fountain with the headless and faceless statues.

Though apprehension ate at you with your upcoming audience with actual royalty (even if it is the royalty of an alternate dimension), you could not help but feel a little blessed that you had the chance to see the sights you have seen, the things you have experienced.

As frustrating as a lot of your time in Hyquile has been, it has also been wonderfully eye-opening.

But...

Taking one last look at The City of Trees, you were unable to comprehend the feeling of déjà vu that brushes your mind as you stepped across the threshold that led into the great castle.

You eyed your backpack that laid at the other end of the table farthest from you, where the Iwaizumi Hajime of Hyquile stood guarding it. Guarding it against you, you assumed, from the stern way he kept staring at you.

You shall dub him Stern Iwaizumi.

Whatever happens, you hope they will give your bag back to you by the end of it...your phone was in there ( why did you bring your phone to an alternate dimension anyway?) and so is your wallet (again, why?).

So are the items Akaashi had given you.

Akaashi had given you the wooden owl totem that he used this morning to summon his owl familiar that helped you navigate your way when you got separated from him in the crowd.

"If you are ever lost, he will help you find your way." A cheeky smile flashed at you. "And if you ever feel that you will be in danger, call on him and he will bring me to you."

Was what he said as he curled your fingers around the intricately carved totem, with instructions on how to summon his familiar. He had also slipped you the Sub Rosa Token, as a "Just in case."

"B-But how can I use these? I can't use magic."

Akaashi ruffled your hair airily, smiling assuredly at you. "Don't forget, you already have used magic."

You licked your lips in an attempt to alleviate the dryness from it that you hadn't noticed on your way here. Sure, maybe you have used magic but...you weren't conscious of how you did it or why.

In hindsight, maybe you should have taken the time to strategize a better idea than just outright handing yourself over to the people looking for you but according to Mori, who Akaashi had sent back out to scout, the men led by Stern Iwaizumi were closing in.

Akaashi did not want to trouble Bosco nor compromise his favored hiding spot in the city so he had to leave quickly and erase all traces of his presence in the room. Bosco didn't ask any questions though he did level a steady stare on Akaashi and you, surprised at your sudden departure. After a few seconds of you fidgeting nervously next to a composed Akaashi, Bosco merely winked at the two of you and said to Akaashi, "Come rain or shine, you are always welcome here, friend."

You are pretty sure Bosco suspects that Akaashi is no ordinary guest, and you are also pretty sure that Akaashi knows too when he only smiled gratefully at the rotund inn owner as he handed him his room key.

He was a jolly man, and you hope you will see him again.

After your little tirade, Akaashi relented and agreed to let you seek out this...Prince Oikawa (Gods, it's so weird referring to him as a prince); you really hoped you weren't making a mistake.

He left you with clear instructions that if things went awry, that you were to use the totem immediately and he will go straight to you, that he will be nearby.

You really hope nothing will go wrong.

Remembering how Kuroo and Bokuto reacted when they first saw you in Hyquile as well, you were at least somewhat prepared for a grilling and had an idea of what to expect.

...it kind of scares you how used you are getting to all of this.

This Prince Oikawa Tooru though was sure taking his sweet time gracing you with his presence.

They had told you (not asked) to stay in this luxurious room and wait for the Crown Prince without any further explanation given. Then again, you supposed you were in no position to be demanding with the way they brought you in surrounded by armored men.

At least they had been civil for the most part, compared to how the twins manhandled you the entire journey to Inarizaki from .

The room you were in was stately, a mix between a living room and an office. It was likely where they received guests, judging from the open yet private way it was decorated: a desk, two couches, two armchairs, a coffee table, and several decorative dressers were arranged around the spacious room.

This one room is easily twice the size of your entire Tokyo apartment, if not more.

And every single piece of furniture and decoration looks like it would cost a fortune.

A voice from beyond the closed door announced the arrival of the Crown Prince, and Stern Iwaizumi immediately moved to stand by the doors, all the while keeping two eyes fixed on you.

You had to resist the urge to throw a jab at him and constantly reminded yourself that though your world's Iwaizumi was always nice to you, this one didn't look like he took kindly to you.

The door to the room opened with a resounding click, and you automatically rose from your sitting position on the couch, suddenly feeling extremely nervous.

What reason do you have to be nervous?

It's just Oikawa Tooru.

Silly, charming, popular, childish Oikawa Tooru.

Who now looks every part the prince of an entire realm, dressed in his dignified, royal clothes, velvet turquoise cape draping over his shoulder.

You will never be able to look at Oikawa Tooru, the volleyball player, the same way again after this.

The one here in front of you was just so...regal. Refined. Elegant, even.

You swallowed as you looked at Refined Oikawa standing by the door, suddenly very self-conscious of your simple clothes. Without realizing it, you shifted your foot to better hide the tips of your sneakers underneath your dress.

The silence and tension in the room curled in on itself, folding and intensifying thickly upon his entrance.

As he walked further into the room, approaching you with slow, smooth steps, you could not help but recall the vibrant volleyball player, always smiling and waving childishly, with a cheeky tongue peeking out, always looking far too happy and exuberant beyond normal.

But this Oikawa Tooru…

You're not sure what to think yet.

Refined Oikawa stopped several paces in front of you, quietly breathing a sigh as he removed the cape from his shoulder. He draped the silken cloth over the back of the couch and looked over his shoulder at Stern Iwaizumi.

"Iwaizumi, can you give us a moment, please? Make sure we are not disturbed." His voice was lilting, pleasant, polite. Not unlike the Oikawa Tooru you know but it didn't have the overly melodious joy that can often be found in the excited chatter of the volleyball player.

The scowl of objection was instantly obvious on Stern Iwaizumi.

"Oikawa, I'm not going to leave you alone with her. I don't trust her."

For a brief second, you were shocked that he addressed who was supposed to be the Crown Prince with such...casual firmness.

Granted, you're used to seeing Iwaizumi beat Oikawa and take him down a peg or two when he goes overboard but...this is Hyquile. Not Tokyo.

Refined Oikawa smiled, the gentle lift of his lips further enhancing his already handsome features. Was the Oikawa of your world capable of a pure smile like that? Have you ever seen Oikawa, the volleyball player, smile a smile that wasn't playful or cheeky? You weren't sure right now, as you studied the features of the prince.

His fan club would go mad if they saw him like this...

You should really take pictures to sell. You still had to get that picture of Energetic Kenma with his cat ears.

"It's fine. You, Kunimi, and Kindaichi will be right outside, and you know my skills."

Stern Iwaizumi looked like he was about to argue, green eyes shifting from Refined Oikawa to you (narrowing ever so slightly when it did) and then back to the regal male. In the end, he only straightened and bowed, making his way to silently leave the room. He shot you one last fiery look before the door closed.

The silence was palpable.

Or was it just you?

You had a feeling it was just you when Refined Oikawa unhurriedly motioned for you to sit (and sit you did, without even questioning it, legs buckling down to the cushion below in one swift move) whilst he remained standing. He walked around the room, idly looking up at the paintings that decorated the walls.

A long finger ran across the surface of a small table that supported a vase. Chocolate-brown eyes inspected imaginary dust on his finger.

You were about to ask him why he was looking for you, why he looked at you like that, apologize for interrupting his royal parade or whatever this morning, and basically just spew words to break the uncomfortable silence (again, just you) when he spoke.

"So," he began and you straightened. Why are you so damn nervous around Oikawa Tooru, of all people? He hasn't even done anything yet (unlike Scary Bokuto) to give you a reason to be this jittery; even his search party had been mannerly.

"Care to tell me why you're wearing the face of our...so-called Blessed One?" He didn't look at you, merely rubbed his fingers clean of that same imaginary dust.

Blessed one?

You remembered Kenma saying something similar to you when you first came here.

"You're The Herald! The Prophesied One! The Blessed One!"

Refined Oikawa waved a hand, dismissing what he said with a soft puff of breath. "It was a silly nickname given by the people who were healed by she whose face you now wear. People like to find things to idolize during their times of hardship. There was no weight to it, just the fledgling start of what would have been kinder to further rampant rumors."

He turned to face you, leaning back against the table behind him. The vase on the table barely tottered with his weight.

"I'm familiar with rumors; plenty of rumors of our own within these stone walls after all," Oikawa looked around the room, seeing beyond the four corners of the room and into the vast halls and corridors that make up the humongous castle. His chin tilted up, gaze on the high ceiling above.

Hazel irises flickered down to you.

"I don't like rumors though. They are always very far-off from the truth but people seem to like them anyway." His eyes tapered calculatingly. "And unfortunately for you, she wasn't a 'Blessed One,' was hardly known and was quite a private person, so you've picked a less than valuable face to wear if you were hoping for something to come of it from the common folk. What were you hoping to gain? Worship? Money? A favor from the Crown Prince?"

You didn't entirely understand everything he was talking about, but despite the callous way he was dismissing the rumors and title that surrounded...her (Blessed One? Sounds like something people would just make up and stick on someone alright), you sensed that he was not happy that you shared her face.

You took a deep breath, a leaden sigh pushing from deep within you. How does someone in your position even begin telling their tale?

With the straight truth, you supposed, because there was no other way to go about it.

It's a tall tale, that sounded unbelievable even to you, who is experiencing it.

"No...not money or worship or anything like that…"

Oikawa the prince hummed pleasantly, an uneasy sort of patience in his aura, his posture, his expression.

...you felt that you shouldn't beat around the bush with this Oikawa Tooru.

So you told him everything you could, carefully omitting impersonal details such as the current state of the Inarizaki House, the traits and skills of the people you've met since you arrived, landscape specifics of The Dominion and the illusions of Inarizaki...anything that you felt wasn't your place to share, you avoided mentioning them, made it vague, always keeping in mind that you do not know their politics. And unless necessary, you were going to keep them a secret.

But besides that, you disclosed with complete honesty and clarity of the things you have personally experienced; beginning from how you were spiked by a volleyball and woke up here, to the cat-girl and the dog-folk you've healed of The Rot, about how you have been hearing the voice of Hyquile's version of you for some time now, how you were not from Hyquile and are in fact from another world…

Even though you know it to be the truth, the words still sounded crazed, deranged, and you could only hope that he will not cross you off as of unsound mind.

Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru listened to your account of your bewildering story, silently taking in every word, solid and unmoving from his position across the room.

It was a tall tale, no one could deny that.

Another world? Alternates of themselves? Voices of the dead?

And yet here you were, sitting before him in the Blue Castle, with the same face and same transparent features of...your alternate, according to your tale.

It was far-fetch enough that he had to consider the possibility of it being true; if you indeed had malicious intentions by parading around as someone who has passed, would you have come up with a story as unbelievable as this?

To be honest, Oikawa himself didn't know.

For a fleeting second, he regretted asking Iwaizumi to leave as it is during moments like this that Iwaizumi's pragmatic and level-headed perspective on things helped Oikawa filter the muddled and disarrayed ball of mess that was his logic, his emotions, his intellect, and his instincts.

Sometimes, Oikawa isn't sure which is which anymore.

Hardly practical or fitting for someone who is slated to ascend the throne of Aoba.

He could call on Iwaizumi, his most trusted friend and knight, and the other Blue Knights to discuss it with them as he so often did with many things. He trusted them with his life.

As the prince, he also had a slew of council members and advisors that he could also turn to for their opinions.

There is also his uncle, Mizoguchi, that he could always seek out for wisdom.

And then there was his other uncle, the current king, King Irihata Nobuteru, who he is supposed to take the throne after.

When Oikawa was young, he often turned to his two uncles for company and advice when his own father had been busy with his kingly duties.

But then his father passed, and Irihata took the throne as king regent until Oikawa is old enough to ascend, which should have been done years ago but…

Oikawa did not feel he was ready, nor fit, to ascend. Not yet.

Not with that ball of mess coiling within him.

It didn't help that King Irihata's health is failing, constricted to his bed more often than not, and the last thing Oikawa wanted was to put the stress of the formalities surrounding such a process on his frail uncle.

The Kingdom is still in good hands with him and the royal advisors as regent.

His people were happy, and that is all that Oikawa could ask for.

In summary, Oikawa had a lot of people he could rely on to help him navigate the turbulent waters that is the royal court, and the countless dangers and enemies that lurk behind succulent meals, luxurious gowns, and courteous greetings.

But this is you. This was her.

"And so you sought me out in turn, believing that I am who she wants you to find, and also on the off chance that I might be able to help you find a better method of moving between your world and ours?" Oikawa condensed the final goal of your long narration.

He watched you nod your affirmation, head bobbing in familiar movements.

You had the same face, the same name.

Right now, it was just you and him in this room.

No Iwaizumi, no Blue Knights, no royal advisors, no uncles.

And Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru made a choice for himself.

A choice that wasn't given or conferred to him by the many people around him who often gave him their council, both solicited and unsolicited.

Perhaps it is one of his less responsible judgments.

But that ball of mess- logic, emotions, intellect, instinct- rolled and bounced about, demanded that he listen to it for once in his life closely governed by others.

What's the worst that can happen?

The Blue Knights are capable of subduing any threat that comes his way.

What about his own skills?

He is a talented swordsman and magic-user himself; he's more than able to look after himself.

What if what you are saying is true?

He will never find out without first taking a chance.

What if it was all a lie?

Well then, he has the Blue Knights, the entire army of Aoba and his own skills at his disposal.

What about The Rot?

The most talented healers of his Kingdom were already looking into a cure too, and Aoba has been quite safe from it so far. It should only be a matter of time before his state healers found something.

What if The Rot gets worse?

What if there is no cure?

What if you are truly capable of curing it?

What if you are meant to find him?

What if you are a shapeshifter sent to assassinate him?

What ifs, what ifs, what ifs...

You blinked and looked up at him with clear eyes; the eyes of a ghost.

The ball of mess spun, rolled and coiled.

"Very well. I'll take a chance and help you."

He can already hear Iwaizumi's voice telling him "You are a bloody idiot of a prince that needs to be more careful or you will doom us all."

"Did ya' get a reply from her yet?" Atsumu looked up at his brother from beneath the bleachers, capping the bottle in his hand.

Osamu took his phone out of his pocket to give a quick check, then shook his head. "Nope. She didn't even read it."

"What the hell? She can't even find time to let us know how's it goin' with her fam?" Atsumu felt a little offended at your blatant ignoring of his texts to you in your shared group chat.

Osamu rolled his eyes at his brother, resting back on his arm with his legs stretched down the bleachers below him; he was waiting for Atsumu's morning practice to be over. "She said she wouldn't be able to respond much so stop yer whinin'. Don't be clingy."

Atsumu bristled at Osamu, hands going to his hips indignantly and denying Osamu's accusations. "Am not! And what's so hard about sendin' back a quick reply? She can do it on the toilet!" He then turned to Suna who had just taken a seat to rest on the bench next to Atsumu. "Oi, Suna, did ya' text her recently? Did she respond to ya' instead?"

Suna internally berated himself for the mistake of taking a seat here; it was entirely his own damn fault. Now he definitely won't get any rest before he has to return to practice. "It's none of your business."

Before Atsumu could continue wrangling an answer out of Suna, Osamu intervened, inquiring in a much nicer manner than his brother who was puffing his cheeks at his fellow clubmate.

"We're just worried 'cause she got out of the hospital recently."

Suna acceded with a tired sigh. "No, she hasn't said anything since our last texting session-"

"Session?! How long do ya' guys text for?" Atsumu interjected, baffled. You don't even have texting sessions with him and he's known you since you had your hair in pigtails and his hair was still its natural color!

"-but she said she would be busy with her family so I'm not surprised." Suna ignored Atsumu, looking towards Osamu on the bleachers above who silently agreed with Suna.

Of course, Osamu was concerned about you too as they haven't seen you since lunch on Friday, and you've not been looking good the whole week ever since you got out of the hospital; but Atsumu's just being a big baby as usual and blowing things out of proportions.

You've diligently informed them, and Suna too, it seems, that you won't be on your phone much through the extended weekend; your family must want their own personal time with you after the whole KO'ed-by-a-volleyball shindig.

The sounds of volleyballs rebounding against walls and floors resounded around the gym, members of the volleyball club each focusing on their recommended training regime as instructed by their coach.

Ushijima was taking his break on the other side of the gymnasium, Oikawa was still on the court practicing his hundredth or so serve and Kuroo was running block practice with the first-year members of the club.

Osamu briefly wondered if you told any of them the same thing, but prayed Atsumu wouldn't ask them too.

Suna lazily shifted his eyes to Atsumu. "If you're that desperate-"

"I'm not!"

"You can ask Kita-san. Bet she'll respond to him."

'Everyone will respond to him,' was the simultaneous thought that ran through all three of their heads, and Atsumu's agitation shuddered to a stop at the suggestion. Even Osamu felt a chill run up his spine.

Did Suna really have to do them in like that?

Atsumu clicked his tongue, tossing his bottle up to Osamu who deftly caught it single-handedly with an annoyed scowl.

"'Tis fine. I thought she might be bored with her fam but if she wants to be a lame scrub the whole weekend, it's her loss!" Atsumu huffed, waving a haughty hand and playing off his previous questions as nothing more than generosity on his part to bestow you with some coveted chat time with The Miya Atsumu.

Lots of girls would line up for that.

Heck, he has at least fourteen unread chats from different girls and guys clogging up his app since Thursday, all asking if he has time to hang out this weekend (not really, by the way, because volleyball). But his group chat with you and Osamu, and Atsumu's own private chat with you is stacked at the top, ending on an unread from your side.

It stung his pride somewhat, as he was used to you responding to him as soon as you see any notifications from him, though he'll never admit it.

He caught Osamu's deadpan look at him and grumbled underneath his breath, immediately understanding the telepathic message from his twin.

Fine!

You're with family, he'll cut you some slack and not give you shit about ignoring him (and by extension Osamu).

He wasn't entirely worried that you felt distant since you woke up.

Osamu didn't seem bothered by it, so why should he?

The Kingdom of Aoba: Realm under the rule of the royal family of Aoba. Also known as the Blue Leaf Province, a name given by the locals of The Kingdom due to the blue-green leaves of the zelkova trees that can be found in abundance in its territory. It is one of the most magically progressive kingdoms in the known realms of Hyquile, its people relying on and studying magic more than any other realms. The majority of its population are humans, reinforcing the use of magic in the realm due to the natural talent for magic humans possess. The current king is King Irihata Nobuteru, uncle of Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru. King Irihata ascended the throne upon the death of Oikawa's father, the previous King, and was meant to pass the throne to Oikawa when he came of age but due to his health, and Oikawa's own decision, it has not officially come to pass. The capital city is Seijoh.

Seijoh: Capital city of The Kingdom of Aoba. Also known as The City of Trees for the zelkova trees that generously decorate the city streets and corners. The Blue Castle, where the royal family resides is a famous landmark of the city that attracts curious adventurers from all over for a glimpse of it.

Blue Castle (Royal Castle of Seijoh): Residence of the royal family of Aoba. Named as such not for its beautiful blue roofs and spires, nor for the blue waters that run in the pools and canals within its walls, but because of the enchanting blue magic lights that light up the castle when the sun goes down, illuminating its pristine white walls in an ethereal cerulean glow.

Royal Blue Knights: Elite unit of knights of The Kingdom of Aoba. They are the cornerstones of the military might of The Kingdom, and their orders override any commands issued by generals of other units in the kingdom's army. The Knights do not have an appointed leader though there is an unspoken agreement amongst them that Iwaizumi Hajime is the unofficial leader of the current generation of Knights. There are only a small group of them serving the kingdom in any one generation due to the selectiveness of the training process. Though it is common in human realms in Hyquile for entry to an elite unit such as The Royal Blue Knights to possibly only be gained through noble familial ties, The Blue Knights of Aoba welcome folk of any race and background to try their hand at the selection process that occurs annually.

Notes:

If you haven't and want to, poll is still up:
Favorite [Ghosts We See] Hyquile Alternate Characters Poll (1)
Once Ushijima is introduced as well, I will probably make another poll.
But wow, Kuroo is sure popular! And I DID NOT expect Suna to suddenly take over Kita and the others to come into 2nd place! Suna stans are RISING!
Fudge, I want to get out of the Introduction Arc purgatory sooooon!

But yeaaaah! Not truly happy with this chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless.
And guys, I hope ya'll remembering everything you read, alll the tiny details and all the worldbuilding! Hope everyone is keeping up! hahaha

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 16: Blooming Talent & Understanding

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The Kingdom of Aoba

Notes:

Damn, Mori be out here stealin' hearts. Mayhaps you all will start asking for a Mori official pairing too? lmao if that happens.

So a few questions came up about the Introduction Arc: We will leave Intro Arc purgatory when all pairing kingdoms have been introduced, meaning once Ushiwaka & cohorts appear, we run through their basic intro, we FINALLY bid this arc goodnight. I know, I know, what about Bokuto? Owl Vale? I am still working on something worthy for Bokuto so if he ever becomes an official pairing (It's 50/50 right now), he/Owl Vale won't have an specific intro arc like the others and will just be built into the story.
Ngl, I didn't expect the demand for him and did not leave a lot of room for me to write him in as part of Introduction Arc haha but ya'll learning about the owl folks naturally through the story anyway xD Tbh, the original plan was to have one pairing from each Kingdom (Inarizaki was supposed to be Miya Twins only) and now look where we are- 4 diff pairings at Inarizaki alone lmao and demand for Akaashi incoming.

Nothing set in stone but after Intro Arc, the story is currently split into parts (within the parts, there are individual arcs) that's something like this?
1) Relationship development- fluff, shenanigans, shojo/harem tropes, drama galore pretty much so we can all run wild with our imaginations with all the boys; like, beach weekend anyone? : Story won't move too much here, maybe a bit of progress but minimal. This is where the requests I said you guys can make comes into play lol
2) Story development- the plot moves and I expect it to be a whirlwind roller coaster ride here with no ups. Just corkscrews. Will likely be the biggest section.
3) Climax? Still planning and changing things but I expect storylines for each character will have come to a head here.
4) ?
And then side stories sprinkled around I think.
The above is always subject to change but that's the general idea since so many of ya'll asking questions xD

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

You can hear their voices- doubts, remarks, questions, protests- firing back and forth in rapid turns on the other side of the door.

Refined Oikawa's lilting voice and Stern Iwaizumi's determined voice.

They were arguing. In even, steady tones but arguing nonetheless. They've been at it for a while now.

Occasionally you can hear the voices of who you assumed to be the one named Kindaichi, and the one with hair parted down the middle that carried your bag on the way to the castle, break into the heated debate unfurling between Refined Oikawa and Stern Iwaizumi with low tones.

Even in a different world where Oikawa is the Crown Prince and Iwaizumi is a knight serving him, the former ace of his own high school volleyball team never backs down from Oikawa.

Some things never change.

Iwaizumi was vehemently protesting against Oikawa's unexpected decision of helping you. You were taken off guard too if you were being honest, although you are relieved that he didn't throw you into a cell.

Iwaizumi made no effort to hide his displeasure from you, openly and outwardly saying multiple times in a short span that he doesn't trust you, that they shouldn't trust you, and that everything surrounding you is suspicious and unbelievable.

You can't blame him.

If someone came up to you and told you what you told them, you wouldn't trust them either.

The arguing finally stopped and the door opened, revealing an unperturbed Refined Oikawa and Stern Iwaizumi that wore an even deeper, sterner scowl on his face.

You fear that the look will etch onto his face over time, the longer you are around his vicinity.

"My apologies for making you wait," Refined Oikawa began politely and you couldn't help but think the volleyball player could benefit with some lessons from his alternate. Not that you thought Oikawa was rude in particular but...he can be childishly demanding at times. But you suppose that's part of his charm that makes many girls want to dote on him, their motherly instincts ignited. You certainly were not completely immune to his doe-like puppy dog eyes and casual brushes of his hands.

"You are free to stay here at the castle during your time here. Unless you have somewhere else to stay?" Refined Oikawa asked courteously with a light tilt to his head, hazel locks swaying with the motion.

Behind him, the scowl on Iwaizumi pulled further down. Clearly he did not agree to this.

"N-No s-sir...I m-mean, Your H-Highness?" Referring to Oikawa Tooru as 'Your Highness' will definitely make your top ten weirdest moments of the year, if not your life.

"Just Oikawa's fine. I imagine your world does not have the same rules and customs as us so I see no need for unnecessary formalities."

Down goes the corner of Stern Iwaizumi's lips. How much further can it go?

You suppose there is royalty in your world too but it's not like you'll ever have the chance to meet any royalty there. Nonetheless, you thanked Refined Oikawa for his...leniency, and for allowing you to stay, nervously shifting under Iwaizumi's glare.

Stern Iwaizumi stepped forward, addressing you firmly as he did so.

"This does not mean you get to do whatever you want. Other rules still apply and you will not be allowed to roam the castle grounds freely. If it isn't me, someone else will accompany you at all times."

"O-Of course," you agreed with a start. All things considered, you can't really complain and you certainly weren't able to argue with Stern Iwaizumi the way you can with the sports science student.

"Well then, it's getting late and I am sure you wish to refresh yourself and get some rest. Iwaizumi here will show you to your quarters. We can begin your magic lessons tomorrow," Refined Oikawa said with a flourish of his turquoise cape that he picked up from the couch, draping it back over his shoulders.

Wait a minute.

"W-Wait, magic lessons?" You blinked owlishly, confusion clear on your face.

He paused on his way out the door, looking over his shoulder at you with a pleasantly blank look. "You don't expect to be able to move between worlds just like that without understanding how magic works, do you?"

With that, he strode out of the room, royal cape lightly fluttering out in the air behind him. The two others that had been outside followed after him, leaving you with a still scowling Iwaizumi.

You gulped as he turned to you.

Without a word, he grabbed your bag and motioned with his head for you to follow him.

Silence reigned between the two of you as he led you through the grand, maze-like corridors and levels of the castle, your footsteps the only sound shared in the space between your figures.

He opened the door to what would be your quarters during your time here in Seijoh, wordlessly signaling for you to enter.

The room was comfortably spacious and furnished with furniture suitable to a royal castle but it wasn't overly done. There is a balcony with a view of part of the city, several floors up from the ground.

"You'll stay here. You're not allowed to use the communal castle baths or pools so there's a private bathroom through those doors you can use."

Your eyes flitted to a closed door in the room where Stern Iwaizumi nodded with his chin. He really doesn't like wasting any physical effort on you.

"Someone will send food up for you later. And a change of clothes, if you need it." His gaze flickered down to the tips of your sneakers peeking out from underneath your skirt, and his eyes narrowed.

"Either me or someone else will come to get you in the morning so be ready. Don't make His Royal Highness wait for you," he warned, thrusting your bag out to you roughly. You took it from his grasp tentatively and clutched it to your chest.

"Thank you…" you started to say but he cut you off with a sharp rise of his palm.

"Don't get the wrong idea. Prince Oikawa is letting you stay and I don't know if he truly believes everything you are saying or not. But I certainly do nottrust you." He took one threatening step towards you and you reactively flinched, hands lifting your bag further up your front as if it would protect you should he decide to use the sword at his hip.

Green eyes burned with the orange of the dying sun that basked the room in its fire.

"If you do anything, and I mean anything , even remotely suspicious or harm the Crown Prince, different world or not- I will hunt you down without fail."

He leaned back, form easily towering over yours. Unconsciously, your body shrunk underneath the weight of his stare, and the shadows cast by him over your smaller figure encased you.

"You might wear her face, but that does not mean you are her."

He left you with those final words, and you shakily took a seat on the soft bed.

Sweating under the heat of the sinking sun, you wondered with a quiet sniffle if you made the right choice coming here.

Rhythmic tapping on the glass of your balcony doors roused you from your sleep, and you groggily rubbed your eyes.

What's making that sound?

Your eyes nearly bulged out of your head in a panic when the doors to the balcony slipped open, fears that Prince Oikawa decided to retract his words, that Stern Iwaizumi finally managed to change his mind and had sent someone to silently finish you off reeling in your mind.

When it was only Akaashi that silently stepped into the room, you breathed a long sigh of relief.

His brows furrowed at your nervous state. "Did they hurt you?"

"N-No...they didn't," you sat up, bare feet brushing on the carpet as Akaashi approached your side. "How did you know where my room was?"

"Trade secret," he smiled furtively as he looked around your room. "Although I was expecting them to put you in the dungeons."

You laughed self-deprecatingly at his words. "Me too."

His blue eyes slid over to you and he leaned against the wall across from you, arms resting on the front of his chest. His dark wings furled lightly around his figure, enveloping him in an additional layer of darkness. This is the first time you have actually seen his wings this close, and you could not help but admire the soft shine of the dark feathers in the dim moonlight, broken by waves of silvery-white lines.

"Care to tell me what happened?" He asked.

You relayed to him everything that occurred since he left you in the alley. Akaashi quietly listened to you, expression flat and masking what he was thinking. His poker face, one you have also yet to see until now.

"I see. It seems you are safe for now but keep your guard up. I don't know what their intentions are, but they obviously do not trust you and things can change abruptly."

You rubbed a hand over your eyes tiredly. "Yeah...but it's a better turnout than what I was expecting. Maybe I can find out more about her from them…"

"Keep an ear open but don't push it or go out of your way to do anything reckless. I prefer to be able to return you to The Dominion unharmed and in one piece," he quietly laughed. "Did she appear to you yet?"

"No, she's been silent since I got here…" Her silence was actually starting to worry you.

Akaashi hummed in thought. "You still have the totem and token, right? Keep it on you at all times in case you need to use either at a moment's notice."

"What are you going to do? Will you be going to Mt. Nekomata to see Kuroo and Bokuto?"

Akaashi shook his head at your question. "I will stay around in case you need help. I should be able to keep from being detected as long as you don't bring attention to yourself again."

He threw out a joke at your expense, but you didn't feel at ease.

Chewing on your lip, you mused silently.

The Blue Knights were still on the lookout for your 'cloaked companion' and Akaashi had his own tasks to look to... But he is placing it on hold because of your reckless decision to hand yourself over to Aoba. If it wasn't for you, he would have been off to The Dominion by now.

Thoughts about Kenma desperately chasing after you, Bokuto facing off the twins to save you, the memory of everyone protecting you from the dog-folk, the still waters of the Inarizaki waterfalls unreactive to you...you remembered all of these clearly, and the immense helplessness, how useless you felt during each moment.

You've been nothing but a burden on an already burdened world.

"You should go to The Dominion," you looked up at him, reaching a decision.

Two brows shot up dubiously. "And leave you here at the mercy of The Kingdom? Lord Bokuto will absolutely take my head and wings."

You shook your head in protest. "I'll be fine. You need to speak with them and update them in person. A note by an owl messenger can only do so much, and there'll be much they'll want to discuss."

He opened his mouth to fire off a snarky comment but you pulled out the totem he had gifted you from the drawer by the bed. "I have this, so I can let you know if there is anything. And…" you hesitated, not entirely sure of your following words and assumptions. "I don't think they will kill me or anything. Maybe throw me in the dungeons if it goes bad but as long as I don't do anything stupid, I won't give them a reason to. I came here to help...not be a burden."

You gave a small smile to Akaashi, hoping to reassure him though you yourself were not completely confident. Your hands gripped at the silk of the bed below you, suddenly feeling the need to anchor yourself to the world and reminded yourself that you made the choice to come back.

"Worst case scenario, I just have to knock myself out again and send myself back as an escape." You joked to alleviate the tension.

Akaashi did not say anything for several seconds as he stared at you before a sardonic chuckle rose from him.

"You know, when I first saw you around The Dominion, you had been so lost and scared of everything around you- of this world and all of us. You were so fearful of magic, of The Rot, of Lord Bokuto, of her...you were very helpless and clung to Kenma and Lord Kuroo."

"Gee, thanks."

A sincere smile pulled across his lips, and clear gunmetal blue caught your gaze.

"Look at how you've grown."

Standing out on the balcony, you smiled up at Akaashi as he took one of your pens from you to use as an indicator to alert them if you were still in Hyquile or back in your world.

Then you threw your arms around him, startling him as you held him tightly with eyes squeezed shut. He stiffened but gradually relaxed in your hold, his own arms coming up around your shoulders. Akaashi's scent is woody, like fresh cedar and vibrant leaves, reminding you of the forests.

You breathed deeply, trying to steady your thoughts and reassure yourself that everything will be fine, that you'll be fine without Kuroo, or Kenma, or Akaashi, or even Suna looking out for you.

"Say hi to everyone for me. Tell Kenma I miss his milk tea. Tell Bokuto that even though I still think he is scary, I miss him too and that I haven't forgotten that I still owe him a favor. Tell Kuroo that I miss relaxing with him over a cup of chrysanthemum tea," Your arms tightened ever so slightly around Akaashi. The feathers of his wings brushed against your sides.

"...and tell him 'thank you,' as I never got to say it to him last time."

You stepped back from Akaashi when he gently pushed against your shoulders and looked down at you. "I'll pass the message to everyone except…"

He moved away from you and lithely climbed onto the balcony banisters, the night winds rustling his hair and wings. He lightly smirked down at you.

"You can thank Lord Kuroo yourself when you see him."

With that, he bade you goodbye with a swift flick of two fingers from his temple before falling backward, plummeting down. You rushed to the banisters and looked over, spotting his dark figure twirling around and up into the air, a swift shadow cutting through navy skies before he disappeared amongst the grey clouds.

"And that's all you know about magic? That it comes from the soul? That's surprisingly little for someone who managed to travel between worlds and, according to you, healed The Rot. Twice."

Perfectly shaped eyebrows rose at you dubiously from behind a pair of glasses.

Refined Oikawa sat across from you, hands folded neatly in front of him whilst you sat fidgeting in the chair on the other side of the table from him. A pair of glasses sat across the bridge of his nose, reminding you of the rare times you've seen the volleyball player wearing his own.

You grimaced. "My world doesn't have magic like Hyquile…"

Parlor tricks certainly do not count and the only magic that happens is on movie screens.

Oikawa sighed and your fingers played with themselves further. You couldn't help but feel tense and nervous around the Oikawa of this world, ever since you met him yesterday.

He has been nothing but courteous and politely pleasant, yet you could not help but feel there is a wall between you whenever you were in his presence. Something in his demeanor, his aura, his postures, the way he looks at you...everything feels immensely guarded. Like you were being kept out on one side of the wall whilst he remained on the inside.

The two of you sat in what looks like someone's study; probably Refined Oikawa's, you assumed.

Stern Iwaizumi had been dismissed by Oikawa, despite his protests. The Crown Prince claimed that he can't focus on the lesson if Iwaizumi kept glaring at the table where you sat.

You almost snorted at the close resemblance in their interactions with the volleyball players but managed to hide it behind very badly faked coughing.

Outside the study doors, the two guards from yesterday- Kindaichi and you learned the other one's name to be Kunimi when Iwaizumi called on them- were stationed, ready to intervene should you attempt anything malicious against the future king of Aoba.

"We'll start with explaining magic in general then since you know about souls at least." Long fingers drummed against the table before Oikawa suddenly flicked a finger in the air. Branches abruptly shot out from the potted plant in the room, extending to the desk where it coiled around a bottle of ink, a quill, and pieces of parchment paper before slithering through the air to where you and Oikawa sat.

You gaped in shock and awe at the display.

Sure, the library yesterday had been way more fantastical but besides blasts of fire and exploding rocks, this is one of the few times where you saw anyone apply magic for a practical purpose besides hurting others (you still remember the image of Vicious Atsumu angrily lighting up Suna's fire stove and your envy at the convenience).

"Magic comes from the soul, so all living beings- be it human, non-humans or other creatures- possessing a soul will have some potential for magic. Whether they grow this potential is another matter entirely." Refined Oikawa began and you instantly ceased your gaping, pulling your eyes away from the branches that had started to shrink back to the plant it grew from to focus on Oikawa instead.

He continued explaining as he drew out charts on the parchment, helping you visualize his words.

"Like anything else, you have to nurture and train your magic to be able to utilize it efficiently and properly. If you don't nurture it, even if you have a gift and talent for magic, it'll go nowhere. Talent is something you make bloom." He remarked, eyes focused on the parchment his hands were gracefully flying over.

"Is that what you did? Nurture it?" You asked, curious about his words, wondering if he was saying it out of experience or just spouting words of wisdom passed on to him.

His hands paused and chocolate eyes shifted to look at you.

"Yes," was all he said.

He went back to drawing his charts, sliding the paper to you when he was done. You looked at the paper, drawn with charts and visuals showing different elemental symbols, and also a rough map with the same elemental symbols assigned to places.

"There are different types of magic affinities and each person has a natural affinity from their birth. Of course, lineage plays a part in this too; for example, people from Aoba are usually attributed to nature magic because a large percentage of the population has an affinity for it, due to generations of families with the nature affinity propagating it here. Likewise, The Dominion is attributed to earth and so forth. It does not mean everyone from Aoba has nature magic nor earth magic for The Dominion, it is just the general majority. If you're looking for a nature magic user, you'll have an easier time finding such a person in Aoba compared to elsewhere."

Peering over his glasses, he checked to see you were following his explanations.

You nodded at him, brows scrunched in concentration. Compared to the twins switching back and forth between them and frustratedly yelling at you about what a soul is whilst digging at the dirt with giant sticks, Refined Oikawa's lesson is definitely much easier to follow.

More comfortable too since you were in a nice, cooling room and sitting on a plush cushion, and not under the sweltering sun on wooden steps for hours.

"Affinity can also be nurtured. For example, one might have nature magic as their birth affinity but if they chose to surround themselves with say, water, and dedicated enough time and effort to it, they might be able to build an affinity for water magic. This takes years and is extremely difficult compared to just nurturing your natural affinity so not many people do it."

"You have to constantly surround yourself with the element you wish to nurture, live and breathe with the element to attune your body and soul to it. This is why certain elements like fire are rarer because that would mean constantly surrounding yourself with fire- you are always prone to burns and harm. But, it is one of the more powerful affinities so it continues to attract people."

At his words, you could not help but remember Vicious Atsumu's fire and wondered if he had a natural affinity for it, or if he nurtured it. You hoped it was the former.

"Trying to control affinities that are outside of your natural affinity will always expend more energy accordingly. It is always easier to control and channel your birth affinity."

"But with enough determination and effort, one might even be able to dual wield affinities or even more."

"Are you able to dual wield?"

At your question, Oikawa paused and pointedly looked at you with tapered eyes again, and you mentally scolded yourself for your less than tactful questions. They just came out before you could even think about it; everything he was teaching you is so new, so different, so...magical, and you were honestly interested and curious to know more.

You bit your lip and dipped your head dismally. "S-Sorry...I was just curious."

He tapped a slender finger on the tabletop. "That's fine. An interest to learn and grow is always good, and is a good sign that I am not wasting my time here. We might need a lesson on court manners for you though; careless words can carry serious repercussions in the royal court." His demeanor or words weren't threatening in the least but something about the clipped and strict way he said it just drove your shame further into you. Your head bowed remorsefully.

The presence of the wall between you grew stronger.

He moved on and your question was left unanswered. You did not mind it at all, happy that he is willing to move past your inconsiderate question so easily.

"Next, how to channel and focus magic. This is what children are generally taught to introduce them to magic and teach them how to use it. After that, it is up to them whether they wish to pursue and hone their magical talents."

He placed the quill he used to write in the middle of the table and gestured for you to watch.

As soon as your eyes glanced down at the quill, it moved and hovered in the air for several moments, flipping and swirling in the space above the table before falling back down.

"I can always use my nature affinity to pick up this quill. Or, I can focus magic energy onto it and use that to move it. It isn't the most efficient method as it will take more effort and energy compared to if I just used a plant. But it is just a quill so it is inconsequential. Bigger and heavier things would be another matter entirely. This is how you learn to use magic."

Refined Oikawa sat back in his seat and looked at you expectantly.

You blinked at him several times before jerking up in your own seat in shock. "Y-You want me to do it?"

"You're here to learn magic, are you not?" He replied back smoothly.

"I meant looking for a way to move between worlds," you clarified, eyeing the quill uncertainly. You wanted his help on finding a method that allows you to return to Hyquile and back without needing to hit your head but this…

Refined Oikawa sighed in a manner that was not very stately. "I don't know how you are moving between worlds yet, but I do know that even if we know the how , you would not be able to do it if you don't know how to channel magic."

Piercing hazel eyes stared at you with a calculating veil.

"You said you wish to help with The Rot, didn't you? Or were those mere frivolous words backed with no intention?"

His words cut sharply at your resolve, not in the way that slices it down, but rather in the way that makes you reflect and understand that just saying it and being here is not enough.

You recalled again the still water of Inarizaki, how it did not change despite your eager wish to help.

'Just wanting and wishing it will not be enough,' is what Crown Prince Oikawa is telling you, teaching you.

You can't just depend on Majestic Kuroo to find a way to send you back; you can't rely on Refined Oikawa to find a method and expect it to just work; you can't wait for her to pull you through each time.

You have to work for it and put in the work.

"If you don't nurture it, even if you have a gift and talent for magic, it'll go nowhere. Talent is something you make bloom."

Was what Refined Oikawa said earlier.

Did he say it because he knew you would react this way?

You don't know if he did, and you definitely know that you don't have the talent for magic but…

You understand from his words that regardless of talent or not, you can learn. And you will have to learn if you want to be able to do anything for them.

"Okay...what do I do?"

"So? How is it going?"

Oikawa slid his gaze to the side where his longtime friend Iwaizumi took a seat beside him.

He hummed and relaxedly shrugged his shoulders, enjoying the breeze and scent of the zelkova trees that carried over to them in the wind. He's always loved the scent of the trees that decorated his homeland.

"Kunimi's with her right now but she still hasn't been able to move it, if that's what you're asking."

Iwaizumi snorted derisively beside him. "What did you ask her to move?"

"A quill."

Another scoff. "Light. A child can do it as long as they will it enough."

"Have some mercy. She comes from a world without magic." Oikawa's voice was light, and Iwaizumi wondered if the man himself truly believed what he was saying.

Iwaizumi didn't say anything, allowing a peaceful quiet to blanket them. The two unlikely friends, separated by rank and status, looked out over the beautiful city of Seijoh they call home. A place both of them similarly serve and made a promise to protect, despite their differences.

Leaning his arms over his knees, Iwaizumi hunched to rest his body against his legs. He broke the silence first.

"...why did you agree to help her?"

Oikawa didn't immediately reply and merely kept his attention on the city below them. One of his hands drummed his fingers continually against the stone bench they sat on. When he finally replied, his voice was sharp and weighted.

"I'm fine."

"That's not what I'm asking."

"Isn't it?"

Silence stretched between them once more, but it was tense this time.

Green eyes shifted to look at the brown-haired male next to him, tapering studiously.

"You're going to hurt your head if you think too hard."

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes away with an exhausted shake of his head. "If you weren't the Crown Prince, I'd have beaten you to oblivion years ago."

Oikawa laughed, the sound coming from within him in honest rings. Iwaizumi huffed in frustration but his own short chuckles joined his friend's.

When their shared laughter finally settled, Oikawa sighed, leaning his own arms on his knees in a position much like Iwaizumi's.

"I don't know why I agreed to help her. I can't clearly explain it but I just wanted to make the choice to."

" Wanted to make the choice to? " Iwaizumi repeated with bewilderment, eyes widening in disbelief. This guy will carry the future of an entire kingdom and he's making choices because he just wants to?

"Why can't you have some faith in me, Iwaizumi?" The prince protested, hazel eyes narrowing dismally at his friend.

"You're the future king of Aoba. You can't just make choices because you want to." Iwaizumi scoffed.

Oikawa was quiet for a while before he finally spoke again.

"I wish I could."

"Yea, I know."

A small smile flitted onto Oikawa's lips at Iwaizumi's response.

But the Blue Knight only frowned, staring down at the viridescent grass between his feet.

"I don't think we should trust her, and you as the Crown Prince of all people especially should not be making decisions on a whim-"

"-again, have some faith in me why can't you-" Oikawa protested but Iwaizumi continued on, bowling the prince's words over with his own.

"-but you're the best friend that I can proudly boast about. And you're an amazing prince, and you'll be an even greater king. No matter what happens, that will never change. And no matter what happens, I got your back, even if it means beating you down like I always do when we spar."

"...I can't tell if you're encouraging me or mocking me."

A short but loud laugh erupted from Iwaizumi. "Does it have to be one of either?"

Hazel eyes narrowed and a rare, non-princely grimace pulled at Oikawa's features. "I suppose not."

There was a short pause during which Oikawa's hands gripped on themselves tightly with a strained tension.

"Thanks."

Iwaizumi eyed the clenched hands of his friend, faintly shaking under the force he was putting into them.

"Like I said, no matter what happens, I got your back."

You flopped onto the green grass with an annoyed groan, mentally drained from your endless attempts at trying to move the damn quill to no avail.

What is this, some training in using The Force?

It's not working!

The blasted feather was not moving at all no matter how much you stared or glared at it. You were starting to get dry eyes from your constant open-eyed staring.

The one named Kunimi had even said, verbatim, that you did not have to look at the quill that way like it's a piece of meat and you are a hungry dog.

Grrrr! But how else were you supposed to get it to move?

Despite Oikawa's- and later Kunimi's when he switched over for the prince- instruction that you had to focus your intentions to move the quill, it didn't move no matter how much you willed it with your mind, your heart, your entire being, that you wanted it to move.

Even if all you did was sit in a chair and stare at the quill the whole of this morning and afternoon, you felt worn and completely drained.

You've spent nearly the entire day today and yesterday trying to move a feather with your mind! How crazy is that?

With another irritated sigh, you sat up from your lying position on the grass, frowning out at the view of the city of Seijoh that expanded below the castle. The sun was once again beginning its descent, lighting the earth with a vermillion haze. Around the castle, the magical blue lights were beginning to light up the grounds in preparation for the blanket of night, slowly painting the white walls with a soft layer of cerulean blue.

There were the sounds of music and chatters from one of the dining halls near the garden where you were at. Kunimi had left you to yourself, stating that he would come back with food for you but he has yet to return.

You wondered if he snuck off to slack or maybe even forgot about you amongst the mingling castle staff, but you decided not to take the chance to wander off on your own. Best not to piss off Stern Iwaizumi when Kunimi reports to him that you disappeared instead of remaining where he told you to wait.

They weren't trying to hide your presence from the other people living and working in the castle but they certainly were not bringing you around to places where many gathered.

Even your meals were usually had alone with whoever had the misfortune of accompanying you. For both yesterday and today, you got Iwaizumi at breakfast, lunch with Kindaichi, and you supposed dinner will be with Kunimi. In between, you sat in the study with Oikawa as he watched you try to move the quill, repeatedly instructing and demonstrating to you how it was done. Polite as he is, even he must be getting tired of watching you scrunch your face at the feather by now.

It almost reminded you of your earlier days at Inarizaki, where you spent most of your day alone before things changed with Kita's revelation. Even though someone is always accompanying you now, it wasn't anything like how Kenma, Lev, or Yaku accompanied you at The Dominion with their welcoming presence, openly sharing with you and showing you their beloved home.

It's strange considering that they are denizens of a different world but you missed everyone at The Dominion and even Inarizaki.

You gazed out at the orange sky, remembering how you looked upon the same setting sun from the mountains of and the edge of the rice fields of Inarizaki.

You wondered if anyone of them were staring out at the sky now too? And whether any of them missed you as you did them.

A resigned sigh heaved from your chest. Probably not; everyone is likely busy and have more important things to worry about than think about some foreign human girl.

Kuroo would be busy with running The Dominion and his investigations with The Rot, Kenma diligently helping him; Bokuto is likely training or listening to reports from his spies- maybe Akaashi had even arrived at The Dominion by now and is giving his report; Kita is definitely worrying about the tainted waterfall and busy with restoring his seals on it; Atsumu and Osamu would be coming back from their patrols about now and Suna will start working on his tools and talismans soon.

...you wondered what everyone in your world is doing, and whether they are enjoying their extended weekend.

The music from the nearby dining hall permeated the air, filtering through your troubled thoughts, your worries, and the accumulated exhaustion of the last two days.

Come to think of it, you haven't actually danced in a while.

You've been so preoccupied and haunted with everything that was going on with Hyquile, from when you first landed here to when you woke up. Though you stretched here and there, and returned to dance practice in the week you were back, your mind had never been into it, merely moving through the motions.

You haven't truly just danced for the sake of dancing in a while.

Standing up, you kicked off the new shoes one of the castle servants had given to you with your change of clothes the night you arrived. Moving closer to the edge of the garden where a low row of verdant bushes grew- serving both the purpose of enhancing the garden and to mark the end of the garden from the drop to the city streets below- and stopping where there was ample space, you took a deep breath and shook out your arms before letting them fall naturally around you.

You breathed the air of the green city, the fresh scent of the greenery bringing a smile to your face as you listened to the music that lightly suffused the air.

And you just...allowed your body to move.

No practiced steps, no set routine, no rehearsed movements.

Just pure motions that your body yearned to do as it fell to the soft rhythm of the music.

As your arms lifted and your legs spun, the folds of the local dress whirling together with you, the fatigue of the days withered away, and the things that constantly plagued your mind faded.

You don't know how long you just allowed yourself to dance, to just lose yourself to the thing that you grew to love with time- could have been seconds, could have been minutes, or perhaps even an hour.

When you finally stopped and opened your eyes clearly to look back out at the warm colors of the city, you felt infinitely better.

The sounds of clapping caused you to jump in surprise, and you whipped around to see Oikawa leaning against the stonewall of the castle, an appreciative smile on his pleasant features.

...how long has he been watching?

"Ehm...h-how long have you been watching?" You asked, hastily rushing to pull your shoes back on, and hoping that he did not see the embarrassment on your face.

He pushed off the wall and approached you, watching as you haphazardly wore your shoes, bent over ungracefully in front of royalty.

Maybe you should consider taking up those lessons on court manners he mentioned during your first lesson with him.

"Long enough to know that you have a talent for dance," he said, giving you a small smile when you finally straightened with your shoes on, brushing your messy hair out of your face.

"T-Thanks...I'm not talented though," you mumbled, looking away to hide the red flush that was still on your face at having been caught off guard.

"No?" His head tilted inquisitively. He walked over to the nearby stone bench and took a seat, looking at you wordlessly. You understood his silent invite to take a seat.

Shuffling over, you tentatively lowered yourself onto the cool surface next to him, leaving as much distance between the two of you as possible in the limited space. Though he invited you to take the seat, that proverbial wall was still there with the way he guardedly crossed his legs and kept his arms close to him.

Perhaps you were overthinking it, but you could not help the feeling from pervading you.

"I...wasn't always good at it," your brows furrowed, then corrected your words. "I still don't think I'm good at it but I work hard at it."

"Why do you say that?" He asked with his head turned towards you.

You sighed. "Well…"

You told him about how you started dancing merely because you didn't want to feel left out by Atsumu and Osamu filling their time and discovering their gift for volleyball, that it was something you only began so you had something to tell them about instead of being a 'lame scrub.' That you continued it because you didn't want to be a 'lame scrub.'

How you only truly began to enjoy it after years of hard work.

"So yeah...I wasn't good at it, really. Didn't even like it at first. But I can't imagine not doing it now." You finished, keeping your gaze down at your twiddling thumbs.

Oikawa hummed a pleasant sound of acknowledgment. He turned to look at you once more, tearing his eye away from the sun that had almost set.

"So you made your talent bloom."

His words made you look up at him with a surprised blink. There was no amusement, or judgment, or mockery, or anything in regards to your ridiculous reasonings for dance in his chocolate-brown eyes that melted with the flames of the sleeping sun.

There was only sincere acknowledgment of the vast time and effort you put into your chosen athletics.

Your straight back relaxed, and your shoulders languidly fell as you smiled at him with silent gratefulness for just simply accepting and acknowledging your years of toil.

Speaking of, the Oikawa Tooru of your world also worked hard, didn't he?

Recalling the words Refined Oikawa said to you during your first lesson with him, you could not help but wonder if he worked hard too. Or maybe he had been gifted with magic from the start, the skill coming to him with graceful ease like he seems to have for everything else.

He looked away from you and back out at the darkening city.

"She used to dance too."

"Oh…" You didn't know what to say. So you remained quiet.

"She wasn't great at it, but she enjoyed it. Did it to pass the time amongst other things."

The cover of grey that had now fallen over the sky shaded his eyes from you, occluding you from clearly seeing his eyes and what he was feeling.

"Seeing you dance reminded me of her." His voice that was always courteous, amicable, sounds encumbered, weighted by the memories of a ghost.

"...what was she like?"

He laughed suddenly, airy yet empty sounds. "You're the her of another world, aren't you? Shouldn't you know?"

Your lips pulled into a small protest. "I know the you of my world too and you're nothing alike."

At this, he turned to face you with a curious brow raised. "Oh?"

You talked with Refined Oikawa.

You talked with Oikawa Tooru, the Crown Prince of Aoba, about Oikawa Tooru the volleyball player and fellow university student.

You told him about how popular he is and always have a gaggle of girls following him about, how he is always getting berated by the Iwaizumi of your world, how you often see him practicing in the gym as you leave your campus studio in the evening, how he likely stays even later, how Iwaizumi will then scold him for overdoing it whilst angrily massaging his knees during lunch, how he likes to stick his tongue out at people and how he always look camera ready.

You told him about how you met him, that you thought he worked very hard and it shows even though he always has a cheeky smile in place, that Iwaizumi complains to you about him often because he worries, that he competes with Atsumu who is equally talented and hardworking- that they do it not out of petty pride and competitiveness (maybe just a little) but because they acknowledge each other's talents and that pushes them to keep working hard; you told him all you know and all you thought about Oikawa Tooru the volleyball player.

And Oikawa Tooru, the Crown Prince of Aoba, told you a little about her, the you of Hyquile.

He told you that she liked to dance too but that you were better, that you and she were quite similar in temperament and disposition from what he can see of you so far, that she wasn't the greatest at magic either, that she was from The Kingdom of Aoba, that she hailed from a small village in the Blue Leaf Province; that she was brought to live in the Blue Castle by demanding adults when she was very young, in the hopes that her gift of restoring the insane could be nurtured under the best magic tutors The Kingdom have, that this was how he first met her because the best magic tutors of The Kingdom are his tutors and that he grew up with her and Iwaizumi...

You breathed out into the gradually chilling night air, blinking back non-existing tears as you looked up at the sky.

You understood better now, why they reacted the way they did when they saw you, why Stern Iwaizumi was so distrustful of you who looks like his childhood friend who is supposed to be dead, and possibly why Refined Oikawa feels so guarded around you.

It also felt like you knew her better now, the one whose voice had been cryptically and mysteriously haunting you for who knows how long.

She was supposed to be your alternate and ipso facto, you were supposed to know her best but you hardly knew anything about her until now.

And there was still so much more for you to learn about her.

Oikawa stood up and motioned for you to do the same. "Come with me."

"Ah- Kunimi was supposed to come back with my dinner…"

He shot you a bemused look. "We've been here for some time and he still hasn't returned. Does that not tell you anything?"

You flushed and tried to defend yourself. "W-Well, I did not want to think he was slacking off!"

"He didn't. He came back some time ago but you just didn't notice during your tale about this volleyball player. I told him that he was free to go for the night."

"Wha-? But I didn't see you talk to anyone else!"

"Signals. We use it in the army." He simply said as if it was an obvious fact, motioning for you to follow him once more.

You muttered under your breath that you've never been in the army or even anywhere near anything like it as you trailed after him.

He led you through the castle, near to where your current room is but then took a different corridor down the opposite direction.

Oikawa stopped in front of a door and you watched as he lifted a hand to the handle, hesitated for a fleeting second, then pushed it open.

He allowed you in first then followed after you, quietly shutting the door behind him.

The style of the room wasn't very much different from yours but it felt...simpler, somewhat. The embroidered duvet and pillowcases were switched out for plain colors, and in place of the decorative vases, there were pots of plants and flowers, growing vibrantly. The room is clean, free of dust and the balcony doors were left open for it to air. Personal items were placed around the room, some neatly tucked, some messily thrown over surfaces or over edges.

You pursed your lips to quell the trembles that were beginning.

You had a feeling that…

"This was her room."

You exhaled with a shudder.

The plants in the room, the cleanliness, and lack of dust...the room was still being maintained even after her passing. And her belongings...were left as they had last been by their owner.

Your heart sank at the realization.

Taking several tentative steps further in, you looked around, noting with a strange sense of dissociation how although everything was new and foreign to you, you felt comfortable with the things in the room; the colors, the style of decor, the design of the ribbon on the edge of the dresser…

It felt like these were items you would have picked out yourself too.

Your eyes were drawn to a polished jewelry box made of wood on the dresser, and you gently ran your fingers over the intricately carved lid. You could tell it was well-taken care of, from even years before its owner left.

Glancing at Oikawa, he nodded at your silent question, asking whether it was alright for you to open it. With his permission, you pushed the lid open.

Laid on top of a dark velvet cushion was the leaf hairpin from Akaashi's portrait sketch of her.

It was beautiful in Akaashi's drawing, but here in your hands, in color…

It was stunning.

The craftsmanship was evident in the carefully embossed veins of the leaves and the delicately smoothed edges; wispy blades that were lovingly shaped shimmered in the dim light of the night with an alluring shade of teal.

"It was a gift."

You turned to Oikawa, staring at him where he stood with a well-placed distance between the two of you, the space of his guarded walls.

"Did you…" you stopped yourself, recalling at this moment your numerous tactless questions to Oikawa the past few days. This was going to be another tactless question.

But he understood it anyway.

"It was from me."

You looked back down at the pin, pursing your lips harder than before.

Piece by piece, you were beginning to understand how dear she had been.

You moved to close the lid but Oikawa's voice caused you to pause in surprise and uncertainty, and your eyes dragged back to him once more.

"You can try it on if you wish."

He was looking away from you, and there was a careless shrug to his shoulder, brushing off his words as if they did not mean anything. You believed otherwise.

"No one else is wearing them. It's a waste of a good piece of craftsmanship." Another careless dismissal that felt insincere, and for some reason, you were reminded of the way the volleyball player would always brush off his strains and worries whenever Iwaizumi or anyone asked, hiding behind a facade: a wall.

"I can't possibly…" you started to say but when he looked at you, something in his eyes caused your heart to squeeze in on itself painfully.

You can see Oikawa's eyes clearly now, lit by the slivers of moonlight that seeped through the open balcony doors. His eyes that had been hidden from you in the darkness of the garden…

They shone with a haunted ache that wasn't present during the day when you spoke with him. Eyes that were usually lit with a pleasant light were hollow, drained; tormented by a phantom that cloaked his dusky irises with a leaden veil that sapped all the light that should have been there.

You've never seen an Oikawa Tooru with such anguished eyes before.

It probably wasn't a good idea to do it, to feed into...whatever desperate grasp he was trying to keep onto a specter of the past but his eyes…

You thought it would be fine, to do it just this once, to allow him to briefly glimpse at a ghost of the past.

Carefully picking up the hairpin, you looked into the mirror, heart squeezing even further as you wonder if she will appear to you at this very moment, as you gingerly threaded the hairpin into the side of your hair. The feeling of dissociation grew within you, that everything felt unreal, as you stared at yourself in the mirror with the hairpin glinting with its teal hues.

Through the mirror, you looked at Oikawa's reflection behind you, still with that meticulously placed distance between you.

You couldn't clearly see his eyes once more, shadowed by the slight dip of his head and the locks of brown falling over his gaze.

He didn't say anything and after several moments, you reached up to remove the pin.

As your fingers curled around the pin- the last few strands of your hair still sliding off its metal- a strange but not unwelcome sensation began to tingle at the tips of your fingers. The sensation spread from there and similar tingles diffused faintly across your body, and you shivered. Goosebumps rose on your skin but it wasn't from the cold or a feeling of unpleasantness.

You don't know how to describe it but the entire sensation...it felt like coming home.

" Ah-! "

Suddenly, there was an intense pain in your head, like a white-hot rod was drilled into the base of your skull and you cried out, fingers clenching around the hairpin reflexively. The edges of the pin dug painfully into your skin.

And just like that time in the waters of Inarizaki, a plethora of images and emotions wheeled through you in rapid successions.

You felt yourself go down, and your head would have slammed against the edge of the dresser were it not for Oikawa's arms pulling you back and away safely, carefully lowering you down onto his crouched legs. You were aware of your own quickening breaths- hyperventilating- much like the day you forced yourself into unconsciousness.

Only this time you weren't forcing yourself.

Oikawa's voice calling out to you reverberated in your brain and around you, but you were too dazed and hazy from the pain to make out his words.

You felt his hands cradling the back of your head and shoulders, holding you up against him.

When the pain finally stopped and the images ceased, you blinked blearily. The soft material of Oikawa's clothes was pressed against your cheek and there was the light scent of...zelkova trees, perhaps? And something minty.

It was fresh and crisp.

You groaned, one hand coming up to press against your forehead but you felt the press of metal instead.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Oikawa's concerned voice broke through to you in clear-cut clarity this time.

"I…" Your eyes opened to see what it was that was in your hand, scrunching in confusion to see that it was the leaf hairpin. You were still holding it. "I'm not s-sure...there was a weird feeling and then...pain."

With another strained moan, you attempted to push yourself up and Oikawa's arm slid from the back of your head to support your shoulders, leaning you up. His other hand held onto your forearm, ready to catch you should you fall back or to the side.

His hazel eyes wavered with worry in the dim light and you remembered his haunted eyes from moments prior. You...don't want to see those eyes again.

Pulling your lips up into a feeble smile, you grinned up at him with a half-hearted joke to alleviate that look in his eyes. "I-I t-think I'm just faint from having skipped dinner. Kunimi didn't bring me my food after all."

He studied your face- checking your eyes, your breathing, the light sheen of sweat on your temple- and his lips pursed into a thin line.

But he played along with your attempt at a joke.

"I'll see to it that he is fittingly reprimanded." He gave you a strained smile.

"Let's get you some food and rest then, shall we?"

"I...can't believe it."

A surprised hum. "It seems like you did it."

"A-Are you sure? M-Maybe I accidentally breathed on it or something…"

Oikawa laughed at your words, a laugh that was different from his other courteously pleasant ones. This one felt lighter, breezier; it comes from within him. The walls around him didn't feel as high as it did after your talk in the garden and your little fainting incident in her room yesterday evening.

"You can try doing it again and if it moves, you will know for certain."

"Right-...!"

Squinting at the feathered quill on the table, you concentrated once more, willing and wishing with all your heart and mind for it to move.

….And it shifted! Barely, hardly a millimeter, but there it was- a very small tilt to its side, changing the angle of the quill ever so slightly.

"It moved!"

You squealed excitedly at your minuscule achievement, arms thrown high above you, simultaneously amazed and bewildered that you did it: magic!

Fantasies of throwing spells around and being able to impress your friends invaded your mind during your bout of excited fervor.

Oikawa's shoulders shook at your overly zealous reaction at such a small achievement, one hand raised to press a fist to his mouth in a poor attempt to mask his laughter.

You sulked at him from across the table. "...I think it's a pretty good job considering I come from a world without magic."

"Of course." He acceded without qualms, amusement still clearly tugging on the corners of his lips.

You were about to retort with a petulant come back when there was a knock at the door.

Kunimi entered the room, and you spotted Kindaichi's rigid figure dutifully standing guard outside behind him.

"Your Royal Highness." He bowed respectfully towards Oikawa as he addressed him.

"What is it, Kunimi?" Oikawa questioned the hopeful future Blue Knight.

"He's returned and requests an audience with you, sir. Sir Iwaizumi is with him now."

"I see." Oikawa acknowledged courteously, head nodding in understanding. He picked up his turquoise cape that was draped over the chair next to him, speaking to you as he clasped it back over one shoulder.

"I'm afraid I have matters I need to attend to. Kunimi and Kindaichi shall accompany you in my stead. Keep working on this in the meantime." He gestured at Kunimi who stood respectfully by the door, holding it open for Oikawa.

Before he left the room, he turned to you one more time and gave you an honest, encouraging smile.

"I expect to see it flying around when I see you next. Make it bloom."

You smiled at him in turn, determination filling your heart at his words.

"I will."

Notes:

So I just made a tumblr account for Ghosts We See/future Haikyuu fics!
Renesis-JJ

I don't know if anyone is interested in this, but if you guys like Ghosts We See, I hope to build a little community of Haikyuu fans/fellow readers to just gush/discuss/simp/listen to conspiracy theories about MC/etc on Tumblr as well, since it is hard to chat back and forth on AO3 as you all know haha.
I drew a basic design of Atsumu's outfit in Hyquile which you can also check out there.
Hyquile Atsumu
I plan to post further designs/maps/indexes etc and basically enrich the worldbuilding experience for all of us there with art.
(not that I am asking for fanart or anything, but I don't mind it either if anyone has their own take of things in Hyquile and wish to draw it, just putting it out there hahaha)
But yea! I have never used Tumblr before so I am hoping this can be a fun and new experience, and hope you all will enjoy it with me 3

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader and writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple "thank you for this story." It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 17: Interconnection, Part One

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The Kingdom of Aoba

Notes:

THE PLOT MOVES! Long chapter is long! Time to push things forward! I had a goal of what to tell in this chapter and there was supposed to be more but I'm splitting the chapter into half since there's too much and I don't want ya'll straining your eyes reading for extended amounts of time lolol (guys, there's 150k+ words in this fic already. What. Is this okay?)

Thank YOU to everyone who commented once more! SO SO APPRECIATIVE OF IT ALL and every time I read your comments, I feel so energized and inspired to write haha It's crazy. And thank you to those who kudos, subscribed, and bookmarked! I never thought my writing could reach such a wide audience but every day it reaches more and more of you. I hope you guys will enjoy the ride with me! 3
I will come check for mistakes etc after some sleep, as usual. But enjoooooy!

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Kita."

Kita lifted his face off his palm where he had been resting it, elbows supported on the top of his crossed legs. He recognized the familiar silhouette through his mist shroud.

Suna stood at the bottom of the dais where Kita sat in the open hall that served as the entrance to their sacred waterfall.

"Suna, you're back early."

"I managed to finish my rounds early."

The younger male made his way up the dais with Kita's silent permission, holding out a wrapped bundle to the Alpha-Leader when he reached the top.

"What is this…?" Kita blinked questioningly up at Suna as he accepted the bundle.

"Rice balls with grilled meat and eggs. Made them this morning."

A brief knowing smile was exchanged between them as Kita opened the wrapped food, offering it to Suna as well.

"The combination still surprises me but it is quite good," Kita commented and Suna lowly hummed in agreement. The two quietly ate the food of a foreign world, a peaceful silence drifting in the air much like the white mist that permeated the area.

"So what brings you out here? Did I forget about a meeting again?" Kita broke the silence when he finished his portion. His brows scrunched in worry, hoping he did not forget another meeting; he can't handle another round of the twins' and Ginjima's teasing and snickers.

Suna shook his head. "No, there's no meeting. I wasn't aware we needed a reason to pay our Alpha a visit."

Kita exhaled with relief, then scratched at his cheek sheepishly. "I suppose not."

Suna shifted, the cushion he rested on dipping underneath his weight, swirls of mist parting around his movements.

"How is it?"

An exhausted sigh was pulled from the silver-haired male at the question. "It hasn't improved."

Kita pulled at loose threads on the edge of the cushion he sat on, frayed and unraveled from repeated irritation over months. Suna noted the habit, as he always did, whenever Kita did it.

Kita's lips pulled into a thin line. "It's spreading. Slowly, but surely."

Suna shifted his eyes from the fingers that kept pulling at the threads to their owner, dull yellow meeting worried russet.

"How bad is it?"

A wry smile tugged the corner of Kita's lips up. "It's not cataclysmically bad...though the fact that its water has been tainted is bad no matter how we put it." Kita stopped pulling at the threads and folded his hands together in his lap. His brows slanted down.

"It's minimal but the area of infection is certainly larger than a few weeks ago."

Suna's own brows tipped down at the news as well. "How much larger?"

Kita lifted a hand up, spreading his thumb and index finger apart the furthest they could go. "About this much?"

"...that's very specific." Suna blinked slowly at his leader, resisting the urge to shake his head at Kita's visual explanation.

The silver-haired male laughed quietly, the sounds ringing clear like bells in the mist-covered hall. "Forgive me. I don't have a better form of measurement."

Slowly, his shoulders drooped around him to the fading of his laughter. "It could be weeks, months, maybe even years...before it completely taints the water. I don't know whether it will continue spreading at its current rate, which would be the best we can hope for. We've always considered the possibility it might grow faster."

"You're right. Slow or fast, the main issue is that it is there...we have to stop it somehow," Suna stared down the steps stretched before their figures, absently watching the particles of mist slowly slide through the air.

Kita didn't say anything, merely nodded his head quietly, his own russet eyes staring emptily down the steps and the blanket of mist, much like Suna beside him.

"How have you been feeling?"

A small, fond smile flitted across Kita's lips at Suna's fourth question for him. The villagers like to paint Suna as the village loner- estranged even, with his radical opinions about humans- but Kita doesn't think so. Suna cares about the state of Inarizaki House just as much as any of them, if not more; he just prefers his privacy and the quiet space to work on his magic; it really reflects in his magical skills.

"I'm alright, I've been doing nothing but resting here the whole morning. Sealing magic always takes up a lot of energy; it's fortunate that the area is small so it doesn't burden me."

There was an unvoiced question in the way Suna glanced out of the corner of his eyes at Kita.

'But what about when it isn't?'

"Don't worry Suna. I'm not that frail."

Suna rolled his eyes with a small smile at his Alpha-Leader's humor.

It's always a jarring thing for Suna to witness the gap difference between the previous Alpha's leadership- Kita's father- and Kita himself.

The previous Alpha had been a powerful man, confident, strict, aggressive even.

Whilst his son Kita is just...Kita; forgetful, clumsy but kind.

Extremely so.

No matter what the others in the village said, Suna prefers Kita as the Alpha-Leader rather than his stronger father. Even if he hadn't lived under Kita's father's reign for very long, it was long enough for Suna to decide that he didn't like it- not with the way he kept going on about humans being nothing more than tools of reproduction for the expansion of fox-folk.

If Kita hadn't been next in line to be the Alpha-Leader after the massacre of their people, Suna honestly wasn't sure if he would have chosen to stay.

As it is, they were the only two in the village that shared a common thought about humans- that they are not all the same. That the fox-folk cannot hold the entire human race at fault.

That the hatred they harbored for humans cannot persist if they want peace.

"Teach it to me."

"Huh?"

"Sealing magic. Teach it to me," Suna repeated. His eyes were not on Kita so he missed the way Kita's brows furrowed with perplexion.

"You know sealing magic isn't easy to master, and your affinity might not necessarily allow for it."

"We wouldn't know unless we try. It'll be better to have two who are capable of it so someone can help you, should you need it. I also think that I stand a better chance of learning it, considering my skill set."

Kita hummed thoughtfully. "I'll think about it."

There was a brief pause.

"How are the twins?" Kita asked a question this time, pulling Suna out of his troubled thoughts.

A low, reflexive groan rumbled from Suna. "Why are you asking me?"

"As much as you avoid them, you know them quite well." Kita smiled knowingly at Suna who looked away with a grimace.

"That's because they won't leave me alone. I wish they would bother someone else with their jokes."

"It used to be Aran but as he grew stricter with them over the years, I think they turned to you instead."

"I wish they didn't. Why can't they bother Ginjima or Akagi? Or even Omimi."

Clear laughter rose from Kita while Suna only continued to grimace dismally next to him.

"Omimi is unlikely to react to them. Ginjima and Akagi are much too polite that they don't react the way the twins want them to."

"So they bother me because I react the way they want me to?" Suna asked, appalled at the thought though his features did not betray his feelings.

Kita shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? I'm just guessing."

"For being complete idiots, they are very hard to understand sometimes," Suna grumbled as he lowered his head to rest in a propped palm, dull eyes drooping further.

"I don't know about hard…," Kita tapped a finger against his chin as he looked upwards at the ceilings high above him, searching for the words to describe his thoughts to Suna who hardly seemed interested in a conversation about the Miya twins. "They are just...very determined, I would say. And that drives them to do things beyond what a lot of us would think of doing...are capable of doing."

"That isn't always a good thing." Suna frowned, remembering the time a year ago when the twins went...on a violent rampage on a human trade caravan that passed too close to their territory. There were no survivors.

It wasn't even a caravan that would have posed a threat to Inarizaki, which the twins at least usually made an effort to check before doing anything. Granted, their reasoning was that the caravan had been right on the borders of their protective illusions.

Kita didn't let them off easy on that one, and though Aran thoroughly disciplined them for acting on their own, the mutual hatred in their village easily fueled the idea that what they did was okay.

That it was worth it as long as the village was protected.

Violence begets violence was not an idea widely shared in their community unfortunately, especially in regards to humans.

"No, it isn't," Kita's hand dropped from his chin, a forlorn smile slipping across his face. "But I truly hope that they will be able to grow for the better. They are brash, but they mean well."

Suna just hummed, neither agreeing or disagreeing. Merely acknowledging the fact of Kita's hopes for the twins.

"They are very attached to the past."

Suna glanced up at Kita who was tracing a finger into the mist, russet eyes deep in thought.

He looked away.

"They'd say otherwise," Suna replied, recalling the times through the years he heard the twins loudly spout their nonsense about not needing the past, or memories, or something along those lines; they've been mentioning it again in recent days when caught up in heated spars during their training sessions, screaming and howling profanities at each other like madmen, yelling at each other that-

"Ya' think yer gonna shed the past when ya' can't even shed my illusions?!"

Or,

"I'll burn ya' till yer turn to charcoal like our old house! Roasted fox for dinner!"

The twins trained a lot, and for reasons not entirely clear to Suna, they've been going at it more furiously than ever recently, driven by some invisible force that chased after them.

"Do you agree with them?" Kita stopped drawing images into the mist, turning his attention to Suna instead. He was referring to the twins' fervent rambles and implications about the past; they were loud and transparent with their voices and words- as always- and it easily caught the attention of the others, making everyone wonder what's bothering them now.

Several moments passed as Suna thought about Kita's question, reflecting it against the twins and their own reasons for hating the past- memories- so much.

Everyone here at the Inarizaki House has different yet similar memories of the past, having all gone through the same tragedy.

It's extremely funny how some came out of it differently.

"Neither." Suna finally said, closing his eyes to rest them; to look at his own memories of the past behind the screen of darkness.

No, Suna doesn't agree with the twins. But he doesn't disagree either.
"Their reasons are their own. I don't think it's right or wrong, knowing what we've all gone through. I have no right to tell them otherwise."

Kita smiled at his younger retainer, though the yellow-eyed male couldn't see it.

"I see. Perhaps we are of the same thought then."

"And that is?"

"That we need memories; that memories are important."

They didn't say anything further, but they did share the same thought.

That yes, memories are important.

Even if they didn't voice it to the others.

To Kita, the memories of his grandmother's love and wisdom are memories he will never want to forget. They kept him afloat during the dark nights when he thought he would lose himself to fear and hatred, especially when he was younger and the scent of her blood was still fresh amongst the tattered ruins of his house. And even now, they still keep him afloat on the nights when he questions himself and his position as Alpha-Leader, drowning in the weight of his father's ambitions and his grandmother's legacy for him, insecurity looped around his wrists and anxiety on his neck.

And to Suna, his own memories allowed him to keep his wits; it stopped him from becoming one of those who allowed hate to govern them, which was exactly what happened to all the unlucky survivors.

Suna never liked relinquishing control.

He liked being in control: be it of himself, his thoughts, his emotions, his opponents, or the flow of battle.

It reflected in the abilities he developed that focused on restricting and controlling his opponent's movements.

"I kind of wish she is still here," Kita said suddenly, prompting Suna to open his eyes.

"It's a selfish thought, but I really believed that her presence would have been good for not just the twins, but everyone," he continued, russet eyes recalling the figure of a human girl standing at the bottom of the dais; it felt like a long time ago when it really wasn't.

"Hm, maybe. At the very least, it helped the others get used to the presence of a human without outright fleeing or slaughtering them," Suna too, recalled the memory of the human girl that he opened his home to.

He wouldn't outright say that he missed her but...it had been somewhat nice to return to a home that wasn't empty, hearing her voice welcome him back.

It brought back fond memories for him.

"I wonder how she's doing…" Kita murmured softly, not really expecting an answer in particular.

"Probably still a terrible liar and struggling to get her story straight somewhere," Suna responded in his dull tone but there was a glimmer in his yellow eyes.

Suna exchanged a furtive smirk with Kita who had his own wily smile.

"Do you think we'll see her again?" Kita quietly wondered, his breath swirling the mist directly in front of him.

Another shrug. "I don't know."

Kita sighed regretfully. "I wish I hadn't made the mistake of allowing her to venture out with you all." His fingers began pulling at the loose threads once more- the signs of his nervousness, his failing confidence.

It made Suna straighten up in his seat with a rare frown. "It wasn't a mistake."

Suna's voice was firm, a tone of resolution seeping into his usually even, bland voice.

"All things considered, none of us knew how long she would have been around for and it was a practical choice to have her be more familiar with our territory. The attack by the leaders of The Dominion and Owl Vale was unfortunate but it wasn't something that we were completely unexpecting; it's always been considered ever since the twins came back with her."

"But the battle also drew out the feral dog-folk. They've managed to avoid our detection so it was a good thing that we found out about them now rather than later. It also told us that The Rot is starting to affect those around us and not just Inarizaki."

"So it wasn't a mistake," Suna repeated, yellow eyes hardening into sharp gold, losing the dull veil that always curtained it.

Kita allowed Suna's words to sink into him silently, feeling them claw away at the insecurities and anxieties that had been plaguing him for so many nights ever since she disappeared; the way the twins described it, she "literally dispersed and disappeared into the air."

He had blamed himself that it happened.

In all honesty, he still does but...for now, Suna's words comforted him, assured him that he wasn't the unreliable leader his people believes him to be.

That he believes himself to be.

His fingers stopped pulling at the threads.

"For what's it's worth," Suna added, yellow eyes noting the halt of Kita's fingers, "I hope we see her again."

Yellow eyes flickered away from the now still fingers and up to wavering russet eyes.

"Her presence was good and can still be. I believed in your choice. Still do." Suna told his Alpha-Leader, reminding Kita of his decision to have the other retainers get used to her presence, and how surprised Suna had been to see the twins actually making an effort to communicate with the girl, a human.

That particular development surprised all of them, not just Suna, truth be told.

"All of us believe in you, even if some of them might be idiots about showing it."

Kita looked down at his lap, at his arms that continued to hold the weight of a phantom in them.

His lips trembled despite his smile.

"...I'm very lucky to have you all."

You hummed happily as you dug into your lunch despite Stern Iwaizumi's piercing stare trained on you from across the dining table.

You don't know if it is a regional cuisine or anything of the sort, but a lot of the food they served you at Seijoh consisted of fresh vegetables cooked into a variety of stews, soups, and salads with a side of freshly cut fruits.

From Oikawa's lessons and from what Kindaichi and Kunimi told you during the times both of them accompanied you, Aoba's major affinity is nature so plants grow easily in abundance, imbued and propagated by the magic of the local farmers and citizens.

"What are you so happy about?" Iwaizumi interrogated (his tone of voice was definitely not a casual conversation one), picking at his own plate of food. He had barely eaten anything off his plate, and you noticed with a slightly concerned frown.

It was hard to hold his animosity towards you against him, knowing what you do and considering that he shared the same face as your fellow university student.

Then again, it was the same for him as well…

But the Iwaizumi of your world isn't dead.

None of your friends were dead.

But his childhood friend who you happen to look like is .

So...no, you can't really blame him.

Although it would be nice to be able to eat without him burning a hole into your head.

You swallowed, forcing yourself into a smile (the corners of your lips kept trying to shrink back down but you kept pushing them back up again; you can only imagine how crazed you must look) and tried to keep your eyes from flinching as you looked up at him.

"I managed to get the quill to move a little this morning, and it's only moved more since!"

Your voice got louder and higher as you spoke, unable to keep the excitement from spilling over.

"And what do you plan to do once you learn how to use magic?" Stern Iwaizumi didn't share your excitement (you weren't expecting him to) and instead continued interrogating you.

Your smile faltered and the hand holding your fork lowered unconsciously.

His question was valid.

What were you going to do once you knew magic?

Travel between Hyquile and your world once they find out how? Heal those tainted with The Rot? Rid the waters of Inarizaki of The Rot?

There is the idea, the goal but...they were lofty. Heavy. Unrealistic.

You could barely flip the quill over now and you still didn't know how you were moving between worlds nor how you were curing people of The Rot.

No one did.

Your hand lowered, the fork clinking against the plate with an acute ring.

"I...I don't know."

The scowl did not disappear from Iwaizumi's face but he did allow a momentary blink of his eyes that took away just a little bit of the hard edge that is always in them whenever he faced you.

But that did not stop the derisive scoff that came from him. "Bit out more than you could chew, huh?" He stabbed at a piece of vegetable, the leafy green contorting under the weight of his fork.

"...yeah."

The fork clattered against the plate when you dropped it, leaning back in your seat with a barely concealed sigh of frustration, hands running through your own hair. Your fingers gripped at your scalp, as if that will help you find the answer.

"I...I really don't know. I didn't think about it."

His words had been a harsh but well-deserved slap that you didn't even know you needed.

What were you going to do?

Green eyes looked at you from across the space that was perfectly measured for casual conversation over food, but conversation of any sort rarely passed between the two of you in the time since you've met.

Did you really think that you can just pop up in an alternate world and hope everything will move in your favor? Is it even Oikawa that she wanted you to find? How exactly are you even going to set about helping them with The Rot?

"Why did you even come here in the first place?" Another soul-piercing and thought-wringing question from Iwaizumi that made you rub your eyes with two fingers, the worries and insecurities that had left your thoughts since your success this morning coming back in full force.

"She...she asked me to. She asked me for help."

Stern Iwaizumi's lips pulled thinly.

"And that was enough to make you travel to a world apart from your own? The voice of the dead?" The disbelief and mistrust was clear in his voice.

Your fingers unconsciously reached out for your abandoned fork, body seeking the need to fiddle and distract itself with something, anything, as your mind began churning and processing the things Iwaizumi was dragging out of it with his pointed words.

Were they deliberate? Who knows.

You poked and rolled at what remained of your meal, long cold. "...I thought it was all a dream. But when I realized it wasn't, I...I couldn't just leave everyone I met here like that."

It was the basic truth, as ridiculous and naive as it sounds.

"That's naive. Impulsive." Obviously, Stern Iwaizumi thought so too.

"Yea...yea, it was."

"Sounds like something she would have done." The sound of his leather gloves rubbing loudly against the armor of his arms sliced into the thick air.

"You might wear her face, but you are certainly not her."

Stern Iwaizumi's words to you from the first night you arrived at the castle danced in your head.

No, you weren't her. You never will be, and you didn't think to be.

You never got to tell him or Oikawa that.

Maybe you should.

"I came here because of her but...I'm not here to replace her." You said, willing yourself to face your conversation partner and not your plate.

His eyes narrowed sharply at you, an unspoken warning hanging in its dense, verdant colors.

No, you certainly will not.

"I know you don't trust me but...I truly do want to help."

"We'll see." The scowl deepened on his face as he glared down at his full plate of food. He was aware of your eyes on him, staring.

"You really care for Prince Oikawa, don't you?"

"What's it to you?" His menacing snarl of a reply was instantaneous, making you flinch at the sudden spike in his mood. Not that it wasn't already pretty high-strung.

"I-I didn't mean anything bad by it! I just...I just thought it's very much like you." You really did.

"What?" Iwaizumi bit out, as if daring you to say something tactless that will have him temporarily throwing you in the cells.

Your fork scratched at the surface of the plate and the noise irritated Iwaizumi. But you didn't notice, an absent look falling over your face and eyes gazing into the plate, at a world beyond the ugly mess of shredded food that was unfortunately reminiscent of his world.

"In my world, we're friends, you know?" You began and Iwaizumi barely contained his scoff.

No, he didn't know. Why should he?

"Not childhood friends or anything like that, but still friends." The sound of your fork scratching at that plate continued to grate on his ears. "And it's easy for anyone to see what great friends you and Oikawa are, even if the situation is different. Even someone like me can tell."

He didn't say anything. One of his ears was focused on your words, the other on that annoying scratching sound.

"You probably don't believe me but...I hope we can be friends too."

He detected what he supposed was honesty in your voice, your eyes finally pulling to look at him and not that damn plate of unsightly leftovers.

"...Like I said, we'll see."

The scratching didn't stop.

"Who's that?"

Your feet halted mid-step, falling back down to slightly turn your body towards the side of the large courtyard where Refined Oikawa stood speaking with a man you haven't seen before. Behind Oikawa, there are two others dressed in similar white armor as Iwaizumi, one with dark short-hair and the other's tinted with a pinkish hue.

"They are my fellow Blue Knights." Stern Iwaizumi followed your gaze, casting it across the green grass that sparkled under the warm sun.

You could tell from what they wore but you resisted pointing that out to Iwaizumi. No need to make him more prickly towards you.

"What about the other one? The one that Oika- uhh, Prince Oikawa- is speaking with."

He didn't say anything in regards to your slip of the tongue but noted your effort at trying to address the Crown Prince properly, at least whilst in Iwaizumi's presence.

Both of you looked at the young man speaking with the equally young prince amicably.

He wore green clothes of a darker tone than the flagship color of Aoba's traditional turquoise. A dark moss green mask covered the lower half of his face, his lips a faint outline moving against the silk material over his skin.

What a strange outfit.

Although, you were the one who wore sneakers and a T-shirt in a world where such clothes didn't exist so who were you to judge?

"That's Sir Aloes Yuj. One of our Royal Court Advisors." Iwaizumi told you, his own eyes tapering at the darkly dressed man. "He just returned from a diplomatic visit this morning so the prince has been busy with him."

"He looks very young to be a royal court advisor," you remarked without realizing it, noting the youth of his eyes and the lack of age and wrinkles. When Iwaizumi turned his slanted gaze towards you, you hurriedly explained yourself. "I-I mean, I imagined court advisors to be old...and wrinkly."

Gods, why are you so lame. Maybe you were a lame scrub, as the twins would say.

Iwaizumi huffed, but there was a tinge of humor that lifted his lips. "They usually are. He rose in ranks not too long ago."

"He must be really talented then."

"I guess."

You didn't miss the lack of conviction in his tone. Where he usually spoke with a stern firmness, there is an apparent lack of energy in how he speaks of this Sir Aloes Yuj.

"You don't like him?" Then again, Stern Iwaizumi didn't like you too.

"What makes you say that?" That sternness returned now as he looked at you almost defensively.

You winced at the sudden edge in his voice. "W-Well...you just don't sound very interested in him."

He didn't say anything to agree or disagree with you, merely looked back towards the small group on the far side of the courtyard. One of the knights, the pink haired one, took notice of your figures and lightly waved, prompting the other dark-haired one to nod in your general direction with his own greeting.

Iwaizumi nodded back.

Then their eyes shifted to you, blinked, and very lightly smiled.

Timidly, you hesitantly waved the fingers of a hand at them, feeling a little awkward and out of place. You couldn't help but wonder if they knew her too.

Your exchange attracted the gaze of the royal court advisor, who turned his body to look at you and Iwaizumi. With him facing you now, you could see that his eyes were a brilliant emerald green.

The cloth of his mask moved, the only sign that he was speaking, and his head nodded towards you. Refined Oikawa glanced over now too, giving you and Iwaizumi a small nod of his own, replying to whatever this Aloes Yuj said as he lightly gestured at you.

It wasn't hard to figure out they were talking about you.

As if satisfied (or perhaps disinterested) with Oikawa's answer, Aloes Yuj turned around so that his back was towards you, completely ignoring your existence without so much as a polite greeting unlike the others.

You decided then that you didn't like his high and mighty rudeness.

As you and Iwaizumi began your trek to the study room once more, you couldn't help but mutter petulantly to yourself.

"I don't like him."

Then, realizing that you said that out loud, you gulped and slapped a hand over your mouth, hoping Stern Iwaizumi didn't hear you.

The slight tilt of his head towards you told you that he did but the menacing scowl you have come to expect from him did not arrive.

What he said surprised you instead.

"I don't like him either."

A tired sigh left you as you sat on the same stone bench you did with Oikawa when the two of you spoke of your respective alternate selves.

Once again, you spent the entire day moving that quill and you were absolutely exhausted.

This time though, you weren't drained from the frustration and mental exertion of futile attempts but rather, Oikawa was not exaggerating when he said using magic as a force outside of your affinity would be exhausting.

Your entire body was heavy and sluggish, as if you've run laps nonstop when all you've really done is sit in a chair. All of your limbs felt like there were lead weights on them, and you did not even need to think about lowering yourself down onto the bench when you arrived; your legs just gave out and plopped your bum on the cool surface of its own accord.

But despite this, you could not help but feel happy with your progress.

You were able to move the quill around now, not as freely or easily as Oikawa, but it would flip and jump when you willed it to instead of just sitting there, mocking you with its immobility.

Honestly, you were very surprised that you were able to do it so abruptly and only in a few days since you started attempting it.

Everyone was surprised, even Stern Iwaizumi when he watched you flip the quill across the table towards him this afternoon after lunch, although it was quickly replaced with his standard frown again. Kindaichi had muttered something about him taking longer to do whilst Kunimi only clapped slowly when he witnessed your progress.

Oikawa was especially impressed when he returned to check on you earlier, almost proud even. You weren't sure if he was proud of you for achieving this in such a short span of time, or proud of himself for having successfully taught you how to do it in that same amount of time.

Perhaps a mixture of both, as you saw the confident smirk he slyly gave the glaring Iwaizumi, who rolled his eyes heavenwards at the un-princely actions of the prince.

Which brought you here to this stone bench, sitting on the same side as you did when you spoke in length with Oikawa, who told you to wait for him here as he went to retrieve something.

You didn't know what he wanted but you relished the momentary solitude, finally having some space to yourself and not having to be constantly watched.

Looking out over the city of Seijoh, you breathed in the green air relaxedly, even as that feeling of deja vu that raps at your mind every time you looked out at the city returned.

You couldn't figure out why you felt that way each time your gaze passes over the beautiful city, and you've managed to ignore it, for the most part, your attention having been occupied by other more immediate matters like keeping up with Stern Iwaizumi's fast strides, Oikawa's magic instructions, and even Kindaichi and Kunimi's nagging for you to keep up.

Even now though, despite finally having some peace and quiet for yourself until Oikawa returned, you didn't want to focus your already tired mind on something that will surely drain your mental capacity further.

Is it such a sin that you just want to relax?

No, it isn't, is what you thought.

So you kicked your legs out, swinging them as you leaned back on the stone bench and tried to just enjoy the view and the fresh air.

Keyword being tried.

Contrary to what you expected, having nothing to distract you from the annoying rapping at the walls of your mind only served to make you zone in on it, unable to clear your mind of the feeling of having seen the city before.

You frowned, squinting against the sunlight that beamed at you from the city horizon.

But why?

Why wouldn't this feeling leave you?

"My sincere apologies for making you wait."

You jolted from your thoughts at Oikawa's voice, head whipping to look up at him. He elegantly sat down beside you, unlike the shameful way you plummeted to the bench.

The jarring difference between him and the volleyball player still catches you off guard often, especially when he speaks so politely with you. No one can blame you for having been used to Oikawa the volleyball player's flippant way of speech after all.

"Ah, no, it's alright. I was just enjoying the view." You shook your head, unable to keep a shy smile from your face at the way the sunlight streamed over him, the crown emblem on his breast pocket glinting with a dazzling yellow.

Maybe it was solely because of the talk you two had, or maybe it was him having seen you when you were vulnerable- gasping for air on the floor against him-, or maybe a combination of both, but you didn't feel so nervous talking to Refined Oikawa anymore.

There are still those careful, calculated edges to his movements around you, but they were not as chasmic as you initially imagined them to be; they felt justified, in fact, born from a care taken to tread on a rocky path that was communicating with someone who looks exactly like a dear friend that has passed.

You definitely felt the same change in Oikawa's shift towards you too, ever since this morning when he truly laughed at your overzealousness at successfully moving the quill.

It still feels strange- unreal- sometimes but you felt better about him now.

He wasn't just some mighty prince that was prickly towards you for the sake of it.

If anything, he's just struggling with your presence here in Hyquile as much as you were struggling with yours here.

And for Stern Iwaizumi, and whoever else that knew her and might have the pending misfortune of meeting you, you felt that it was the same for them.

His fingers rubbed over a familiar object in his hand and your eyes were immediately drawn to it.

It was the box that held the hairpin.

"That's…"

Oikawa looked down at the box in his hands with an emotional depth you are unable to fully comprehend, filled with so many different feelings that one couldn't possibly cleanly separate them into individual parts.

There was affection, sadness, regret, longing, uncertainty, tenderness, grief, happiness- a whole tessellation of emotions and memories in that one small gaze and the lines pulling at his otherwise unmarred skin.

How did he go about his day with a pleasant smile, a polite word always on the tip of his tongue, and kept all of these at bay on a daily basis?

Did these feelings bother him in his everyday life, or did it only show because you are here in front of him now, dredging up memories of a ghost from his past? You weren't stupid to think that you had no part in it but even when in your presence most of the time, he has a carefully placed facade- a mask of a wall- that hid this plethora of emotions.

It made you feel like a villain, knowing that you are one of the triggers that can bring out these wounds in his walls.

If more of what lies beyond the wall he has erected is this, then maybe you don't want the walls to come down.

Oikawa held the box out to you with one hand.

"I want you to have this."

What?

"W-What?" You were aware of the higher pitch of your voice and the shock evident on your face.

He sighed and placed the box down on the space between you, lightly pushing it towards you with his long fingers.

You almost flinched back from the box that approached you. "W-Why would you give this to me? I can't…" Shaking your head, you pushed the box back towards his side.

"I can't accept this."

An ironic laugh rumbled his shoulders and his other hand, the one that wasn't pushing the box that trapped memories and feelings that weren't meant for you to even see, ran through his soft hair, pushing them up messily over his head. It ruined the neat mess it always naturally fell into.

"It's strange that you are saying the exact same thing that she said when I first gave it to her."

Your lips pursed tightly at his words, heart squeezing with a guilt that shouldn't be yours to bear.

"Whatever you are thinking now, believe me when I say that I have thought the same before reaching this decision." He said, eyes on the closed box between your figures.

Maybe Stern Iwaizumi is right in that he makes some terrible choices.

"I didn't make this choice on a whim, or out of some morbid fascination because you share the same face." His joke fell flat on you for you didn't smile, merely continued to frown at him looking down at the box.

His thumb rubbed over the intricately carved lid.

"If you're worried that the object is cursed because you nearly passed out from wearing it, don't be. I checked that it isn't." He chuckled another nervous joke that didn't reach you although the corners of your lip did pull wider slightly, reluctantly.

At your lack of any positive reaction to his attempts to alleviate the heaviness setting around you, he sighed once more. Dusky eyes finally lifted to look at you, all morbid humor gone but a crystal clear clarity shone in them.

He was sure of his choice.

Your lips parted leadenly to allow the following one single word out. "...Why?"

There was another low sardonic laugh that you felt didn't suit the prince.

"Fate? Destiny? Coincidence? I don't have all the answers but…"

The Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru recalled the recent memory of seeing you begin to fall, your head nearly coming into contact with the hard edge of the dresser.

As he pulled you into his lap, your breaths coming out in short bouts of strained gasps, he wondered if this was how she looked too during her final moments.

A chill of the like he has never felt before had seeped deep into his bones, freezing his blood at the thought, one that he couldn't shake no matter how he tried.

He didn't tell Iwaizumi of what happened; if you brought it up to Iwaizumi, then so be it but Oikawa hadn't breached the topic with his only remaining childhood friend even if he knew that Iwaizumi would want to know.

He had eyed the hairpin in your hand as you inadvertently pressed it to your temple, having held onto it tightly despite the rest of your body going down and limp. Of course, he didn't believe your nonsense of feeling faint because you haven't eaten; Kunimi wasn't reprimanded at all because it was not his fault in any way whatsoever.

Just as much as he didn't believe you just happened to teeter and almost slammed your head into the dresser out of nowhere at that exact moment, like some passing fluke.

In a world largely governed by magic and the soul, rarely anything is a fluke.

"...I think she would want you to have it."

He pushed the box towards you again, and he watched as your eyes wavered, eyeing the box as if it contained the secrets and evils of the world itself.

He wanted to laugh at your expression because there wasn't any deep, dark secret or rooted evil in the box.

There was only a gift born out of love for someone he held close to his heart.

As you finally relented and slowly took the box into your hands, Oikawa felt that he made the right choice in giving it to you.

If you happened to wear it and Iwaizumi saw, he did not doubt the knight would give him an earful and tell him he shouldn't have done that.

But as your fingers brushed over the shimmering teal in your hand, Oikawa Tooru could not help but indulge his imagination that the hairpin would look just as good on you as it did on her, and not because you looked the same.

He couldn't help but feel that it fitted your person as a whole.

When Oikawa left, you continued to sit on the bench as you waited for Kunimi or Kindaichi to come to get you for dinner.

The hairpin felt as heavy as a sinking anchor in your hand as you absentmindedly stared out at the view of Seijoh, The City of Trees.

The City of Trees.

Your fingers gripped onto the hairpin tightly when the rapping in your head finally ceased at the same moment the feeling of deja vu disappeared.

You know where you've seen it before.

When you fell into the waters of Inarizaki.

You couldn't help but groan behind Kunimi and Kindaichi as you followed them up flights of stairs and long corridors that would take you to where your quarters were, one of your hands holding on carefully to the box with the hairpin.

"Why did they make this castle so big?" You couldn't help but complain when your limbs screamed out for you to stop moving, that they were tired even though you barely moved. Did you have to keep practicing with that quill again tomorrow? Will you be sore the following day like if you did sports?

"It's a royal castle, not your house," Kindaichi grumbled at you, rolling his eyes. He was like a mini version of Stern Iwaizumi, always strict and firm and constantly having one eye trained on you. But he spoke a bit more with you compared to the Blue Knight, especially when Kunimi was also around.

"I don't blame you though. It gets tiring climbing these steps day after day." Kunimi tiredly agreed from beside his friend.

"Right? I suppose it's good for exercise though…" you trailed off, and the two young soldiers shook their heads at you with slight amusement, keeping their eyes to the front.

As your group of three passed by a T-junction, someone coming down from the corridor to your right ran straight into you (or did you run into them?) just as you passed the corner, the other person obviously not expecting another person to follow after the two soldiers up in front.

"Oof-! S-Sorry!"

You exclaimed, hurriedly righting yourself to properly apologize to whoever ran into you (or you into them; it's clearly both your faults no matter how you look at it).

"Hm? What's this?"

You blinked up at the tall figure, his shadow spilling as a liquid and lanky blanket of darkness on the floors of the dimly lit white stone corridors.

"Ah, please forgive her, Sir."

"She's a newcomer so she doesn't know the proper etiquettes yet!"

Kindaichi and Kunimi rushed back, hurriedly apologizing deeply on your behalf to this person who barely turned to regard them. Even with half of their figures hidden behind the large shadow cast by this person, you could tell they looked nervous.

Red eyes glinted with an alarming intensity down at you; one boldly burning with the orange of the flames from the wall, the other reflecting the sharp white of the moonlight filtering in from windows.

His eyes curled into crescents as a similarly shaped grin split widely across his lips, red irises locked onto your form.

"Newcomer, hmm? I see."

His spiky bright red hair looked menacing as horns when he smiled that way.

You gulped.

"I-I'm sorry. I w-wasn't watching where I was going." You apologized once more, not entirely sure if it was both your faults anymore. It suddenly felt like it was your mistake alone.

"No, no, it's quite alright~ I wasn't watching where I was going either." He said cheerily, almost too brightly for the time of the night.

"I should have known that lots of things creep in these hallways~" He added, almost as a song, and his smile pulled even further up.

Weren't smiles supposed to be reassuring?

With a sudden flourish of his arms that caused you to jump back in surprise, he swiftly bowed. And just as quickly, his body straightened. There was no sincerity in that act; it felt like he did it just for show. Long legs carried him away, down the hall you had come from.

"Well then, you three should run along to your beds now. Children shouldn't be playing when it is this dark out~"

His voice echoed towards where you stood stiffly beside Kunimi and Kindaichi who weren't doing any better than you.

For the second time that day, you asked this question.

"W-Who's that?" You whispered to the two, fearful that he might hear you even if you could no longer hear his footsteps. You were secretly glad that the two soldiers were just as rattled as you with that man, meaning you weren't insane and it wasn't all in your head that he was chilling as all hell.

"That's Sir Tendou Satori," Kunimi told you, lips pursing and unpursing as his nerves returned to him. "He's a visiting dignitary from The Empire."

Tendou? Where have you heard that name before?

"The Empire? Why is he here?" If you remembered correctly, The White Eagle Empire was also on the northern side of Hyquile.

"They're coming here for several important diplomatic meetings about the relationship between Aoba and The Empire," Kindaichi answered you this time, his wits finally having settled down from wherever this Tendou Satori sent it.

"They? So there's more of them coming?" You hoped they weren't all like him.

Kunimi nodded. "Sir Tendou is here ahead of the other dignitaries to assess the situation and brief the king on key points that they wish to address. Though it is likely that Crown Prince Oikawa will represent His Majesty in the meetings as King Irihata isn't well as of late."

"Oi, Kunimi!" Kindaichi shushed his friend, nudging him harshly in the shoulders, causing the droopy-eyed male to rub it with a grimace.

You looked back and forth behind them, confusion on your face.

Kindaichi looked at you then Kunimi with a reprimanding frown. "Not just you Kunimi but you too," Kindaichi pointed at you accusingly, as if he was sure you were going to do whatever he is about to tell you not to do. "Don't speak so freely and casually about our king, especially his health." He whispered the last part.

Kunimi grumbled underneath his breath. "It's the truth though…"

"Whatever it is, just don't speak about it. It's the easiest option."

They continued leading you to your room but you had no complaints about your tired body this time as you lost yourself in your thoughts.

As you laid in bed that night, you stared at the hairpin you held in your hand next to your head, the soft pillows pressed onto your cheeks.

Though you relented and accepted this...gift, from Oikawa, a part of you could not help but continuously chew and wonder whether it was okay for you to accept it.

Your eyes began to droop, sliding close against the teal that shone brightly even in the night, as the exhaustion from your magic attempts finally took you.

Your eyes snapped open to find yourself in darkness.

Even though there was nothing around that could possibly tell you where you were, you recognized it as the same darkness that surrounded you in the waters of Inarizaki, and in your dreams when you spoke to her.

"You did it."

You whipped around towards that voice that always made you question yourself if you really sounded like that. Did you sound like that? Is that what others heard whenever you spoke with them?

And for the first time ever, you saw her.

You saw you.

Looking back at you from the mass of darkness around your figures.

But…

You could only see her face.

The rest of her was covered by the darkness that clung to her, enveloping her like a dense blanket that sapped all existence of light.

You couldn't even see the silhouette of her shape.

The hairpin dug into the skin of your palm.

Notes:

So I drew Hyquile Osamu too, which can be found here at tumblr:
Hyquile Osamu
And throwing out some Iwaizumi for the Iwaizumi fans in here. Also quietly mentioned Makki/Mattsun due to popular demand. And originally didn't plan to use Tendou too much but someone begged for Tendou in the comments so I switched his role up laaawl (I'm so easily influenced ) Why did I think of such a long story loool but hope you guys are keeping up!
I feel like some of you might rush back to previous chapters to try and make the connections after this chapter, or maybe that's just me hahaha
I was re-reading the manga end and MY IDIOT BRAINS just noticed that ATSUMU'S OLYMPIC SHIRT NUMBER IS 11! My heart can't...*clutches at chest, feeling a heart attack coming* The feels got me so bad. I love their brotherly dynamic T^T

Poll can still be found here if anyone still wants to take it!
Favorite [Ghosts We See] Hyquile Alternate Characters Poll (1)
Unsurprisingly, Kuroo is still way ahead in the lead, and Suna made a sudden comeback to overtake the other Inarizaki boys! Are Suna Stans finally rising?
Not decided, but I might use poll results to decide which character to write content for first, or who to write more for. I'm still too preoccupied with just planning out the overarching plot of this thing to think too much about the individual contents in detail yet x.x Once Ushijima is out, I'll likely create another poll and I think Kuroo might have a hard time keeping his position as favorite the 2nd time around...

Please leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be anything from a simple thank you note to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling and bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader/writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think, even with a simple thank you. It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other in this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 18: Interconnection, Part Two

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The Kingdom of Aoba

Notes:

I reworked this chapter SO many times because of the initial part.
I wanted so bad to write it in a way that made sure all of you understood it but also did not want to make so much convo in there/break Alt MC's character though it happened anyways lol. I will drop an explanation at the end note to clarify it due to how convoluted it is without giving everything away...though it might still be convoluted even if you know everything? 😭
This chapter was very hard to write for the above reason and also cause the humid summer heat of Tokyo is KILLING me. I just can't; my brain just fries and stops moving and the words won't come out as smoothly OTL Feels like a SAUNA whether I am indoors or outdoors, and I just fall over to take a mental break legit every 5mins 😭😭
How are you all coping with summer where you are?

As usual, please enjoy and I will come back to re-read this again for the 50th time to fix and improve the flow

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: This is where I post my art/designs for Hyquile, and answer additional questions and details for GWS. Bonus stories are also posted here first, if you want the early scoop. It is still small, but I hope to grow the community with a group of fellow HQ fans.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"You did it."

You whipped around towards that voice that always made you question yourself. Did you sound like that? Is that what others heard whenever you spoke with them?

And for the first time ever, you saw her.

You saw you.

Looking back at you from the mass of darkness around your figures.

But…

You could only see her face.

The rest of her was covered by the darkness that clung to her, enveloping her like a dense blanket that sapped all existence of light.

You couldn't even see the silhouette of her shape.

The hairpin dug into the skin of your palm.

She finally appeared to you.

After so many days since you returned to Hyquile, she's finally appearing to you.

There were so many things you wanted to ask, things you needed to know from her but now that she's here…

Your words failed you.

Your eyes roved over what you could see of her, which wasn't much.

Just her face, all features you've known your entire life, and the parts of her that weren't blanketed by the cowl of darkness around her, slithering onto her like inky fingers.

She looks...tired. Exhausted.

It reminded you of you, how equally tired you looked the past several weeks. Every time you looked in the mirror you could not help but note the faint traces of gray that varied in intensity daily.

Seeing it in a mirror and seeing it on a copy of your face is...different.

Are your bodies somehow connected? When either one of you is fatigued, the other would be too? You hoped not, as that sounds as inconvenient as it likely will be.

...it also kind of scared you, seeing nothing but your face looking back at you in the darkness.

When you swallowed, you consciously felt the feeling of something roughly dragging its fingers down your throat.

"You managed to find it."

She spoke again, and her familiar eyes droops down to the hairpin you held in your hand, a faraway look in her eyes.

"So it wasn't Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru you wanted me to find?" You blurted out immediately, finding your voice.

Her eyes dragged back up to yours with such a slowness that you were worried she would not make it.

A small, sad smile crossed her lips.

(Is that how you looked when you're sad?)

"Yes and...no."

Her lids lowered, staring out forlornly into the abyss of darkness that stretched between you and her.

"Tooru...should not have to suffer because of me. Neither should Hajime...or any of them."

Tooru.

Hajime.

The way she spoke their names told you of the years of familiarity, nostalgia, and affection between them.

"But the hairpin from Tooru was one of the few things I could think of at the time, right before I…" she trailed off but the implications behind her words were not lost on you.

She didn't want Oikawa or Hajime to be reminded of her by the sight of you either. But it was all she was able to do before whatever happened to her.

But you still didn't understand.

"What do you mean? Why did you want me to find this?" You held out the hairpin lying harmlessly in the palm of your hand.

Her eyes met yours.

"You are able to channel magic now, aren't you?"

The way she said it told you that she already knew the answer but you went along with it, if only to make it easier for her.

"Yes.

Another small smile, this time of relief, lifted her lips.

"I'm glad. That means it was successful."

"What was successful?" You ask, unaware of yourself taking a step forward.

"The Merging."

She paused, wondering how to explain to you whatever was on her mind.

"I merged a part of my soul with yours."

What?

You could feel your jaw sliding open, gaping at her in confusion and shock.

She what?

The what now?

Just...what?

"Y-You merged...your s-soul? W-With mine? What? How? Why?" The questions fired out of you in succession with no breaks and there were more where they came from but you stopped yourself, seeing the way she tiredly, but patiently, smiled at you.

"I wanted to merge it entirely with yours but...I only had enough time to transfer one small part of my soul directly to you in your world. The tether that first allowed me to bring you to Hyquile...it was a very small part of my Life."

You remembered the frustrated teachings of the twins.

Life, one of the ethereal parts of the soul.

Not literal life.

The Spark of Life.

"Life here is like, the Spark Of Life, what gives ya' meaning to life-"

"-Imagine if ya' did not have this part of the soul; yer body will continue to live, you will continue to absorb food and water but you're essentially dead."

"The remainder of my Life, the one that I couldn't finish giving to you...I sealed it into the gift that you now hold."

Tired, hollow eyes falls to the hairpin in your hand again, an empty longing within them.

"When you finally found it, the remainder of my Life rejoined what was already in you."

"It is why you now have the potential to channel magic consciously. Before, you only had a small drop of it in you. It wouldn't have been enough for you to call on."

So that's why you weren't able to consciously decide when or where your so-called magic worked.

That's why you weren't able to move the quill until you came into contact with the hairpin; that's why there was that tingling sensation of feeling like something was finally returned to you when you held the hairpin.

It was...her soul.

(A small sensation akin to nausea bubbled in your throat at the thought)

Is it also why you almost lost consciousness again?

"Why?"

"Why didn't you just tether it to me completely from the beginning instead of splitting your Life apart? What are those images I saw when I fell into the water at Inarizaki, and again when I touched the hairpin?"

"Why did you split your soul apart? Why did you give it to me ?"

Why?

Why?

Why?!

To your relief, she remained unperturbed by your constant barrage of questions, patiently (or was she just tired and couldn't find it in herself to interrupt you?) allowing you to spurt all your words out.

She repeated what she said prior, ensuring you understood her words.

"I tried to merge the entirety of my soul, all ten parts, to you but I did not have the time. I only managed to give you a small part of my Life before realizing I would not make it...so I made an instant decision; I sealed the rest of my Life into the hairpin." A sad and wry smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "It takes more to transmit souls between worlds, after all, compared to keeping them within the same plane of existence."

Hah, 'after all' she says. As if you would know.

"That small bit of my Life, it was enough to act as a tether to pull you over into Hyquile. The connection allowed me to open up a path for you between your world and Hyquile. But I had to wait until your spirit was weakened to do it. There wasn't enough tethering us for me to bring you over at will."

So...she had been waiting for you to suffer some form of blunt force trauma to the head.

And the moment you met that particular trauma at the hands of Ushijima's spike, your soul was pulled over. This is also why when you hit your head against the tree, it was severed and you were sent back.

And again when you forced yourself to lose consciousness, she was able to bring you back.

Each time, each incident...your spirit, your soul, was momentarily weakened.

It's just like what Akaashi said.

As understanding slowly began to seep into you at her explanations, your shoulders fell weightily around you, anchored further down by the hairpin in your hand.

"Why me?"

She smiled at you as if the answer was obvious.

"Because you're me...and I'm you."

Your hand clenched on the hairpin.

You're her and she's you?

Something began to simmer quietly in the center of your chest.

Those words made you feel...

Frustrated.

You weren't smart or super talented. You were nothing special.

But you were at least still your own person. You want to be your own person.

You don't like that she just said that she was you in such an easy, nonchalant manner.

You don't want to be her.

You don't want her to be you.

She interrupted your thoughts.

"You were the only one I could merge my soul to, as your soul and my soul share the same essence, even if we are not from the same world. We're two halves of the same coin."

Stop saying that.

"Just like how one would not be able to mix oil and water, there was no one else I could do it with."

You breathed in deeply, reigning in your bubbling emotions. There were other things you need answers to right now. You can argue and dispute with her another time.

"But why are you doing all of this? What is happening? And what if I never found the hairpin? Where is the rest of you? Are you-"

The final question died on your throat.

Are you dead?

"You were always meant to find the hairpin because it held part of my Life that has now fully merged with you. Your instincts, your guts...one way or another, it would have led you to it. Incorporeal as it may be, a soul, too, wishes to be whole."

You wish the twins told you that, if that was something they knew. If you ever see them again, you should give them feedback on their lesson and how they can improve it.

Is...is this why you made the reckless decision to let Iwaizumi find you? Did this all somehow influence your choice?

Something cold and sickly curled in your stomach at the possibility that your decisions weren't solely your own.

"...What's going on then? What is The Rot? Why did you bring me here?"

You knew she wanted your help, that is why she brought you to Hyquile.

But you need to hear the direct truth of it all from her, not as some faceless voice in your head.

Her face slightly tilted down, the only hint of it was the lowered shift in her facial features and the darkness that crept up to take up the space she left behind.

"I don't know everything but I will tell you what I know with what time I have left."

Wait, with what time she has left?

So is she...alive? Is there a chance she could be saved? If there was, she would be the better option to tackle whatever the problem is compared to you, a nobody from another world who barely knows any magic.

"This gift…no," she started but then shook her head with a pained smile, although the movement was so faint, so weak, that you almost missed it, "I don't think gift is the right word…"

Your brows furrowed in confusion but you waited quietly for her to speak as you had more questions than you had answers right now.

"This ability to cure The Rot...it isn't mine, to begin with. At least, I don't believe it is."

"But you possess this ability! They said you restored the insane from even before The Rot!" You interjected, temporarily unable to hold your silence.

"Yes, that is true. But like you, I had no idea how I was doing it and it didn't always work. Sometimes their sanity returns, sometimes it doesn't. I didn't know what I was doing…"

"The first time it happened, I was very young and still lived in my village with my family. There isn't a lot, if any, of magic that restores the mind. When word got out, I was brought to the Blue Castle to nurture this ability by the village chief but…"

Everything she said so far fits with what you already know, confirming the rumors and stories you've heard.

"As the years passed, I was still unable to control it and use it at will no matter how hard I tried."

You were mildly relieved to hear that it isn't just you that sucked at using this power.

As if she knew what you were thinking, she gave you a weak smile. "I wasn't very good at magic either, and this ability didn't fit into what my natural affinity should be able to do which made it all the more difficult."

There was a small pause as she took a breath, resting from the strain that speaking so much seemed to be causing her.

"Even now, I don't know what affinity or magic it is, and neither did the tutors who tried to help me. We just assumed it is a new form of healing magic."

But Kenma said it wasn't healing magic…

"Then one day, I started seeing the same visions that you saw. It was just an image or two at first, in my dreams as I slept, but they kept growing and increasing over the years."

"So those visions I saw weren't from you?" You hadn't thought much about what they were as you doubted you would be able to figure it out but a part of you always assumed it was her memories or something to do with her…

She hesitated. "...yes and no. I'm not entirely sure."

Her uncertainty regarding all of this reminded you of yourself and your own uncertainties about a lot of things.

"I think some of them might be my memories, the places I have seen like Seijoh, but I have no proof that it is mine or just another vision, especially when put together with the other visions we've both seen."

She chewed on her lips, very much like you did when you were lost in a raging sea of your thoughts, doubts, and uncertainties.

You squeezed your eyes shut in a feeble attempt to remove the image of it from your mind.

"Remember how I said I don't believe the ability is naturally mine?"

Prying your eyes open, you nodded weakly, willing yourself to glance towards her.

Your tired face looked back at you.

"I think the ability and the visions...are from someone else."

… is she serious?

Please don't say that there is another alternate of you out there somewhere.

One is enough. More than enough.

"How do you know? What makes you say that?"

Her head shook imperceptibly again and you thought you will never get used to seeing it. There was something...unsettling about the whole sight.

"I...it's just a feeling. I can't explain it well but...magic comes from the soul, which is the very essence of us at our truest and purest. And every time I see the visions, every time the ability is triggered without my intention...I can feel it within me, something that doesn't fit in with the rest of me; the feeling that I'm channeling magic from something that isn't entirely mine. From a soul that isn't mine."

"...are you saying that someone else might have merged their soul with you? Which you then passed to me?"

"I suspect it but I have no proof. It is the only thing I could think of."

"But I don't feel anything like that…"

She smiled feebly. "This is still very new to you so you likely won't notice it. But once you're more attuned, I'm sure you'll feel it too. The feeling that you're channeling something that isn't...you. Something foreign."

You couldn't stop the scoff that left you. "Well, I'm definitely channeling something that isn't me, considering I come from a world without magic." You pointedly looked at her, calling her out as the one who gave you magic in the first place.

A round of weak chuckles left her, the darkness clinging to her cheeks moving with the motion. "You're right."

Silence as uncomfortable as the darkness around you draped in the air, and you shifted your feet, pointedly avoiding looking down towards where you hovered over empty darkness.

….

"What do I have to do?" Your fingers gripped the hairpin and you stared resolutely at the empty space behind her head.

The end goal hasn't changed for you. You came back here to help her.

To help them.

She blinked slowly, tiredly, at you but there was a shine of gratefulness within her drained eyes, faintly traced by the glint of something wet along the ridges.

"When the visions started increasing in intensity three years ago, I started trying to look into what they could possibly mean. But the places I could easily identify, like Seijoh, I was unable to discover any leads. And the others...I don't even know where they are, to begin with, or if they even exist."

"Once you are attuned with the newly merged part of your soul and magic, I hope you will be able to feel it too but...whoever's soul it is we are channeling the ability from, it feels incomplete. Broken, fragmented."

Whelp, you thought things would be clearer and easier once you spoke with her but it seems you'd still have a lot of work to do.

You rubbed your temple, harshly pushing your fingers into the skin as you processed everything she was telling you.

This is too much.

You naively did not think it would be this complex when you decided to return to Hyquile.

"So to summarize...I have to continue where you left off, figure out what these visions mean, and find out whose soul it is that gave us this ability?"

This is like a messed up version of Inception.

A Soulception.

Her lips pursed, forlornly nodding her confirmation at your concise conclusion of everything (if you had to say so yourself).

You were still very much confused, the details of the picture still lost to you, but the bigger picture was a little bit clearer.

"And what do you plan to do once you learn how to do magic?"

At the very least, you'll have a better answer for Iwaizumi now.

"How can you not know from who and where you got a piece of their soul from...like, even I know I got it from you," you muttered in frustration, rubbing your thumb across the surface of the hairpin that shone in your hand.

"...forgive me. I wish I did not have to push this on you but...I had no other choice. The Rot...is slowly but surely spreading over the years, even now. And no cure has been found. If what we have- no… , if what you have is the only way to stop it, then all the more reason I could not let it end with me."

End with her.

Those specific words brought your eyes back up to her.

"...what about you? You said you gave me the Life part of your soul…" You hesitated, but the way she looked at you told you that she already knew what you are going to ask.

"What about the rest of your soul? And are you..."

She didn't say anything for what felt like forever, the silence beating palpably in your ears.

Finally, one corner of her lips tugged up in a crooked smile.

"You have a lot of people that care for you."

You blinked rapidly in confusion at her. That totally had nothing to do with your questions.

"When I tried to speak to you in the waters of Inarizaki, there were a lot of other voices I had to fight with to make myself heard."

Your eyes squinted in further confusion. "What do you mean? Wasn't it you that kept nagging me in my head at the time?"

She chuckled softly. "I was but...I wasn't the only one."

Huh?

"You probably weren't able to tell it apart because of the immense stress your body and mind were under but...the people who care for you in your world, their voices kept interrupting mine as I tried to speak to you."

Her gaze on you was steady despite the weary lines pulling at her skin and brows.

"Have you ever noticed that whenever I try to reach out to you, we are always surrounded by darkness?" She asked you and your eyes widened.

Now that she mentioned it…

"When you fell into the water, the tether between us was nearly severed and you almost got sent back. It is only due to the magical properties of the Inarizaki waters that allowed me to keep you here. But I almost lost my hold on you."

Your brows furrowed furiously as you recalled the memory of almost drowning in the water that is still vividly etched into your mind.

There was one moment, just one brief moment, where you tried to open your eyes and was met with a bright white light instead of the darkness like now...no way, was that-

"That white light...wasn't any white light was it?" Your mouth slid open in shock and the slightest hint of teeth peeked through her crooked smile.

"It was the hospital ceiling..." A huge, deep, and large breath puffed from you at the realization.

If it wasn't for her, you would have woken from your coma earlier.

"There isn't a second that goes by where I do not feel regret and guilt for placing this task on you, knowing how dear you are to many in your world." The bottom of her lips quivered.

"So no matter what, please, you have to survive. Make sure you return to those dear to you."

Her voice cracked, echoing in the endless dark like a fracture in the earth.

"Don't end up like me."

Your lips felt impossibly dry at her words and the sight of her looking so...lost. So broken.

So…

Hopeless.

"What happened to you…?" You asked once more, whispering the words, not entirely sure if you wanted to know as much as she didn't want to tell you.

"I...I was targeted. But I don't know who…"

Her eyes slid close, and you saw the darkness around her move with a sickening slither that began to expand across what little you can see of her.

"I guess I am out of time..."

Your eyes widened in alarm.

"H-Hey-!" You yelped, and you tried to make your way over to her.

But no matter how much you ran, the distance never closed.

"I don't know if we will be able to speak like this again," A long branch of jet-black crawled across her left eye, obscuring it from your sight, leaving nothing but a gaping hole of that endless darkness.

"No, wait! There's still so much I need to ask you! How can I reach you?!" If she can't reach out to you, then you can reach out to her, right?!

"The part of my soul that I gave you, my Life...it is all I have left to give and now that it is completely yours, I'm afraid I don't have much magic or anything else left in me…" Another inky finger slid across her nose.

"Wait! You're alive, aren't you?! We can save you!"

The beginnings of a smile lifted her lips but it quickly disappeared behind a dark limb.

All that was left of her was her remaining right eye, the trails of a tear drying on her skin.

There was appreciation, a silent thank you, in the crinkles at the corners of her eye that was purely for you.

But in her irises...you found nothing but the empty shell of someone who has accepted their end.

"Please look after all of them, after Hyquil-"

"No, wai-"

You gasped, body shooting up in bed like a drowning man fighting for air.

Sweat slicked down your forehead and back, and the duvet covers were thrown haphazardly on the floor.

There was the press of something cold in your hand and you opened it to see the hairpin from Refined Oikawa. The skin of your palm is red, lined with ridges from where the accessory carved deeply into it.

Falling over your lap, the skin of your forehead dug into your knees and your mouth opened in a silent wail.

You weren't crying; there weren't any tears to shed. But there was this immense goliath of a chain that coiled itself around your chest, your heart, binding and crushing it with this deep unrest and disorder that you didn't know how to articulate.

And most of all…

You've seen how you would look when brought to your knees in defeat.

"Are you alright?"

You made a noise listlessly from the back of your throat at Refined Oikawa's question. His neat brows pulled into a frown, marring his pleasant features, at your lackluster response and the deep grey that settled underneath your eyes.

The quill you continued to practice on flopped around just as listlessly as its caster.

"Don't make me pull a royal decree on you just to get you to answer," he lightly threatened with a small smile, showing that he meant no ill-will with it.

The quill flopped one more time and you sighed, leaning back into your chair and rubbing your tired eyes with two knuckles.

You haven't told anyone yet of what happened yet, only silently eating your breakfast with Iwaizumi who also gave you questioning (if not suspicious) looks at your unusual silence. Even if easy conversations between the two of you were uncommon, there was usually some question about The Kingdom or Hyquile from you and he would either be in the mood to answer you or just scowl at you to shut up.

You might as well tell Oikawa.

Out of everyone, not only is he readily available near you (Kuroo is in The Dominion, unfortunately. You could definitely use his infinite wisdom now) but he grew up with her and might shed you more light about her.

But…

Telling him will be like holding a flame that will light up the shadows that Oikawa has cast with his wall that keeps whatever he has buried hidden.

And yet, if not him, who do you turn to?

"I...saw her last night. In my dreams…" Although it felt the furthest from a dream and was closer to a nightmare than anything else.

Oikawa tensed visibly at your words, understanding what you meant immediately.

His eyes steeled and a firm line pressed onto his lips.

A light motion of his head signaled for you to continue.

He listened with expressionless eyes, his walls up at full force, and reinforced with his linked hands that covered the bottom half of his face, elbows leaned onto the table that creaked under the weight of the intense aura he radiated.

You paused several times as you relayed everything you spoke with her to Oikawa, nervously watching his eyes that just stared at the space in front of you.

He didn't say anything for a while after you finished, and you fidgeted in your chair, wondering if you made a huge mistake telling Oikawa, whether you broke something in him by literally telling him that his childhood friend whom he obviously cares a lot for recently appeared to you in your dreams.

And left it very...cryptically in a manner that wasn't very hopeful or promising.

You shouldn't get your own hopes or anyone's hopes up.

For some reason, Kuroo's words to you from a long time ago suddenly flitted across your mind:

"The dead should remain dead."

Oikawa's eyes closed and you heard him breathe against his hands that remained laced in front of his face.

When he finally leaned back in his chair and opened his eyes to face you, the Oikawa that you first met when you arrived at the Blue Castle greeted you.

The one with a serious, respectful, polite, pleasant wall of a facade. Only the wall towered higher than it ever did before at this moment.

You were unaware of your head shrinking into your shoulders, feeling nervous around Oikawa again.

"I see." Long fingers drummed across the table.

"I think I know how you are moving between worlds now."

You blinked at him, surprised, nervousness momentarily forgotten at the tremendous and unexpected news.

"You do?"

He nodded his affirmation, eyes even as an unbreachable wall. "Her merging the Life part of her soul to you acts as an effective tether that connects you to this world. A soul is one of the most valuable and potent things you can have in Hyquile. So it would work as the perfect medium to move you between worlds. Your own soul is the gate to your world and the Life she gave you is the door into ours. By merging them, it creates the path that connects these two entrances."

A gate into your world and a single open door to Hyquile...when he puts it that way, it makes sense. Your full ownership of your soul is much bigger than the single part she gave you.

A gate and a door.

"So you'll be able to teach me how to do it?"

Oikawa nodded again, confident. "I'm not the Crown Prince of Aoba for nothing. I'll have to look a little bit further into it but I should have something in no time."

Your legs subconsciously began to shake, from a combination of excitement and restlessness; you're finally getting somewhere after so many days.

There are only a few days left before you had to return to your world and who knows when you would next return to Hyquile.

One perfect brow arched at you in knowing accusation, and his eyes glanced down below the table and then back up at you. You flushed, made aware that you had been jostling your legs up and down shamelessly, in front of a royal prince no less.

You really needed a lesson on proper manners.

"And these visions…" His eyes tapered and one hand grabbed at his chin in thought.

"Has she ever mentioned them to you before?" You asked Oikawa.

His head shook faintly in the negative. "No...well, she might have mentioned it a few times when we were younger but we all thought they were mere dreams or nightmares. She stopped mentioning them when we got older."

There was a stiff locking of his jaws as the realization that she kept it quiet to spare him and Iwaizumi the trouble sank into Oikawa.

The wall wavered ever so slightly.

"Tell me what you remember of these images, these visions."

So you told him what you remember (some of them were admittedly still a blur and you aren't sure if you actually saw an image of them or made it up) but you definitely saw Seijoh. Oikawa looked as perturbed and confused as you felt about these images.

He muttered something about one of them possibly being- no, but it doesn't look like that, not in the dismal way you described it - and other things you didn't fully understand, the hand on his chin absentmindedly rubbing along the shape of his jaw.

"There's not enough information to draw a concrete conclusion but perhaps these places are connected to whoever's soul it is that enabled you to heal The Rot. Especially since one of them was Seijoh and you acquired the hairpin with her soul, and by extension the originator of the ability, here. And if that isn't it and they are two separate things then…"

You rubbed your eyes, Oikawa's continued listing of theories and guesses going in one ear and out the other. This is too much for your brain to handle.

He noticed the strained expression crossing your features because he stopped.

He released a soft breath. "Why don't you have the day to relax? You can already channel magic energy onto the quill without much issue so we don't need to do this anymore; you can always practice on your own. Next time, we'll work on securing your path between worlds."

You peeked at him from between the fingers splayed across your eyes. "...really?"

The restrained relief in your voice was obvious. A day of not having to stare at this blasted quill anymore?

Hell yes.

"Of course." There was a small smile that lifted his lips up and just a little, that wall lowered a little. But every time that wall lowered or showed any signs of weakness…

"...did she say anything about me? Or Iwaizumi?"

Your hands dropped from your head and into your lap, and you looked at the collar of his coat rather than him.

Not pity, don't show him pity.

"...Besides what she said at the beginning...no." It was impossibly hard to say these words.

Oikawa was silent as ever with his eyes closed, hiding his thoughts and feelings from you.

Then like one of those magicians who deftly switch their masks with the swipe of a sleeve, the polite and pleasant prince mask was back on.

You wanted to say something to soothe him, to somehow justify the way she callously failed to ask about the well-being of her friends but…

"The dead should remain dead."

You didn't say anything.

"In any case, I'll be having some important guests visiting soon so please do try and stay out of trouble as much as possible. Don't give Iwaizumi more reason to pull that terrible frown of his." Refined Oikawa nonchalantly brushed off the tense air, smoothing the faint cracks that had started to show in that towering wall of his.

Your ears perked at his mention of important guests, reminding you of the red-haired man you saw last night. "Ah, yea, from The Empire right? I literally ran into someone named Sir Tendou Satori yesterday night."

Oikawa's movements momentarily stilled and his hazel eyes looked at you. His lips pursed briefly. "Did you tell him anything about yourself?"

The serious tone of his voice slightly worried you. "Uhh, n-no, Kunimi and Kindaichi were there with me and they told him I was a..newcomer?" What sort of newcomer they never clarified.

"I see…" his brows furrowed as he thought. His body turned to fully face you and you straightened, sensing the slight shift in his aura to something more...authoritative.

"You shouldn't tell anyone that you are not of this world if they don't already know. If they ask, run with the newcomer to the castle story; pretend you're a visiting relative to one of the castle title members."

"You allow your staff to bring visitors to the castle?" You asked, head tilting in confusion. Oikawa gave you a mildly perturbed look that entirely questioned why you focused on that and not the other more important things he had said.

He answered you nonetheless. "We're not tyrants. As long as they have the proper clearance, all castle staff of a certain rank and above are allowed to have family visits."

Then his eyes tapered, training a critical gaze on you that reminded you of Stern Iwaizumi.

"Those who need to know about your origins already do, but other than that, it is not in anyone's best interest to go around spouting about a visitor from another world. What's more, there are still many unknowns about your ability to heal The Rot but with the lack of a working cure in Hyquile, it wouldn't be wise for you to carelessly spread word about it either. We don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention."

"R-Right..." Everything he said made sense, especially when you remember that you have already been the victim of a kidnapping, courtesy of the twins. They took you away from The Dominion because they thought you could cure The Rot.

If possible, you rather not be kidnapped again.

"Who else knows about me?" You might as well find out so you are better prepared about who you can talk to it about.

"All the Blue Knights and several castle staff that have been working with us for a long time. They are the ones who knew her from before so we can trust their loyalty and discretion. And I suppose my uncle."

Your brows rose. "Your uncle?" You've heard from Kunimi that the current king is Oikawa's uncle.

"Is it that strange that I have an uncle?"

"N-No...so the king knows about me?" You all but squeaked at the idea that the person at the pinnacle of Aoba's hierarchy would know about your lowly existence.

Oikawa replied in the negative, a troubled crease appearing on his brow. "No, my other uncle. His Majesty has been unwell as of late, and I try not to trouble him with things that can be handled by me."

Right, Kindaichi just told you yesterday to not speak so casually about their king and here you are, casually bringing it up. He had been right to reprimand you.

Although your curiosity desperately wanted to ask more about what ails his uncle, you decided to heed Kindaichi's advice and stop distressing Oikawa.

Then you remembered one more person that you wanted to clarify about. "So that Aloes Yuj guy you were talking with yesterday doesn't know then?"

"Sir Aloes Yuj? I didn't want to brief him about it in the open so he doesn't know yet but I plan to discuss it with him sometime today. He's a very talented and knowledgeable man who is skilled at magic too. He might even know something that can help us."

You decided then that you should keep your thoughts of disliking the man and his rude vibe from Oikawa, even if Iwaizumi bluntly stated that he didn't like him either.

When Oikawa finally had to go for another council meeting with his court advisors, you were finally released from the study room, bouncing with joy and excitement at finally having time to just explore the castle grounds.

Kindaichi and Kunimi had done some sort of weird game between them that was strangely similar to rock-paper-scissors to decide who should accompany you, causing you to pout at them at their treatment of you as if you were some dog who had to be taken on a walk.

Drawing the losing hand, Kunimi had sighed loudly as he acquiesced to your requests to have a tour of the Blue Castle to areas you have never seen before whilst Kindaichi meandered off to train.

Having stayed here the last several days, you thought the Blue Castle was a majestic and beautiful castle in every meaning of the word but as Kunimi pointed out to you other less known 'scenic' spots in the castle (so-called secret gardens, the best window or balcony to view Seijoh, or the castle pools and the like), you imagined that the castles in your world were like this too. Surely the kings and royal families of old in your world had their own secret spots and hideouts in the castle, places that only those who had lived and worked there would know.

"Did you know her?" You asked Kunimi as the both of you munched on your respective plates of lunch, enjoying the cooling breeze that blew in over the edge of the castle garden.

As droopy-eyed Kunimi always looked, you learned quickly that he is very sharp as nothing you ever do is overlooked by him (you had tried to touch this beautiful looking statuette the second day you were here and he called you out on it, effectively halting your attempt even though he was looking elsewhere). He understood immediately that you meant your alternate.

"No, me and Kindaichi only got stationed to the castle from the surrounding province after the whole...thing. So we never met her." He vaguely gestured in the air, grimacing, telling of how uncomfortable he was with this topic and did not want to talk about it further.

Oh...you had hoped to ask him or Kindaichi more about her as you spent so much of your time around them (if you were keen to have a finger lobbed off, you would have considered asking Stern Iwaizumi) so this was a shame.

When the both of you were finished with your food, Kunimi left to find a castle servant for a serving of tea and dessert for you, even though you mentioned that you didn't really need to have tea or dessert (you had a sneaking suspicion he was using you as an excuse to get what he actually wanted, which was this salted caramel treat that you often see him requesting from the castle maids who prepared your food).

Unlike Kindaichi who is pretty strict about keeping you within his eyesight at all times and took you with him everywhere, Kunimi definitely had no qualms about leaving you on your own whilst he disappeared to do whatever task he 'has to do to keep you fed and alive,' and he often did it whenever it was his turn to accompany you. He always took his sweet time coming back too.

One of the times he did that led to Refined Oikawa catching you dancing and ended up with an eye-opening talk with the prince that helped you understand him better.

This time it led to that chilling dignitary from The Empire staring down at you where you sat on the grass, whistling a cheery tune that did nothing to ease your nervousness around him.

"What are you doing sitting here little birdie?" Tendou asked with a curious head tilt that was almost exaggerated.

"U-Umm...I-I'm waiting for s-someone…"

He whistled his tune in between your answer and his question, distracting your mind that tried to answer him.

"You're a newcomer to the castle? Whatever for~?"

"I-I'm…-" What did Oikawa say again? Pretend you're visiting a relative? "I-I'm Iwaizumi Hajime's sis- cousin! I'm his cousin."

A thin red brow quirked inquisitively at your answer and it almost felt like his whistling got louder.

A large grin broke onto his face and his eyes closed into dark crescents. "I see~! In all the times I have visited this beautiful castle the past few years, I have never seen Sir Iwaizumi bring any family around. I'm surprised!" Even under the bright blue sky and sun, he continued to unease you just as much as he did in a dimly lit corridor.

"A-Ah yea...it's just like Iwa- Hajime to be super private and all. H-He doesn't really like mixing work with his family." That wasn't such a bad lie, was it? You thought you certainly improved since your time at Inarizaki. Spending all that time with folks who were Masters of Disguises and Illusions was starting to pay off.

His whistling switched to a hum. "Hmm~ Sounds like Sir Iwaizumi alright!"

But the way he spoke made you question if he actually believed you.

He suddenly squatted down, long arms resting across the top of his knees to stretch out lazily in the space between you. You resisted the urge to scoot back in an attempt to increase the distance.

"So how do you like it here so far? How long will you be here? What do you think of Aoba in general? How about the king and the crown prince?" Bright red-eyes shimmered like gems in the sunlight as his head tilted with curiosity again, wide eyes unmoving from you.

The big gap between his questions was not lost on you and you were slightly taken aback by his blatant questioning. Though perhaps being an important dignitary from another realm excuses him for things that others would not be easily forgiven for…

You gaped in shock at him like a fish, unsure of how to answer.

Kunimi! Come back already!

"I uhh...will be here for only a few more days. And it's nice here? A-And Aoba is nice too. And so is the p-prince."

You sounded like a total idiot. You totally did not learn anything from the Masters of Disguises and Illusions.

Another long and stretched out hum emitted from his chest at your vague answers, but he did not seem like he minded or cared. His head suddenly righted from its tilt, and his eyes narrowed excitedly at you.

"Are you good at magic?" He suddenly asked, throwing another question that had no connection to his previous ones, widening the chasm of difference between his inquiries.

Well, this question you can answer honestly at least. "N-No...not really."

"Hmmm~" One hand rubbed his chin as he studied you as if you were an alien specimen brought into the lab for dissection, lips jutting out in a shape that would have been cute on anyone but this strange man. "How curious~"

You could not help the look of distressed confusion on your face. "W-What do you mean?"

He continued humming and the hand on his chin extended a slender finger to tap against his cheek. A smile slipped slowly across his lips that coyly whispered at you that he knew something you didn't.

"Have you ever tried having your fortune divined?"

"Sir Tendou!"

There was the sound of plates clattering against a tray, and your head whipped around to see Kunimi, a tray of what is your tea and salted caramel snacks in his hands. His droopy-lids were further lowered in a grimace at the sight of the foreign dignitary. Like your knight in shining armor, Kunimi interrupted him, bringing Tendou's attention to him and away from you.

"Ahh, Kunimi~" Tendou drawled with a lazy grin, standing up from his squat.

You audibly breathed a sigh of relief when he finally stepped back, only now realizing what an immense pressure you had been feeling under his unmoving gaze and relentless questions.

It chillingly reminded you of the night you first met Bokuto in the forest.

"Snacks and tea with the little lady? How very quaint of Aoba~"

Your eyes shifted up to look at Tendou, wondering if he was mocking Kunimi and Aoba. It was...hard to tell.

Kunimi didn't say anything for Tendou promptly began walking, continuing on his way to wherever he was headed before he spotted you. He briefly stopped beside Kunimi and plucked a piece of the salted caramel from the young soldier.

A gleeful sound bubbled from his throat. "They definitely don't make this like they do here in The Empire~"

Kunimi respectfully bowed his head before silently making his way over to you as Tendou moved on. You quickly stood to help him with the tray, eyeing him with worry.

Kunimi rarely expressed a lot about how he was feeling but you at least understood that you were both mutually rattled by Tendou.

"Are you okay?" You softly asked him, setting the tray down between both of your figures on the grass.

His eyes closed fleetingly in a show of frustration but returned to its regular droopy state right after. "Yea, the cook wasn't around so it took longer to get these. Sorry for the wait."

You hadn't known him for very long but he definitely didn't strike you as the type to apologize for anything so you almost bowled over in shock at his apology. Tendou must have really done a number on him.

"N-No, it's okay! Thanks for always taking care of me."

He shrugged tiredly, turning his head away from you. "I'm just doing my job."

Your lips pursed in a smile and you offered him the plate of salted caramel treats.

He could have easily waited for Tendou to finish whatever he wanted with you and go on his merry way but he didn't. The soldier with a knack for slacking stepped in.

"Well, I think you're doing an amazing job."

"So they're really going all out with these people visiting from The Empire, aren't they?"

You noted to Kindaichi as you looked around at the castle servants running around with decadent trays of food and decorations.

Apparently, they were preparing one of the large dining halls for the guests tonight.

"They usually don't do this much if it is just one or two guests, depending on who they are, but they're pretty important this time so I guess we're putting in a bit more effort." Kindaichi shrugged as you walked out of the busy corridor with him, entering a courtyard that was much more quiet and relaxed.

"What's the relationship between Aoba and The Empire like anyways?" You were honestly curious as you haven't heard much nor had the mental capacity to until now. Your attention had been so concentrated on moving that quill amongst other things surrounding your magic and her that you haven't learned as much about Aoba as you usually would have.

Kindaichi's brows scrunched at your question. "We're a vassal state of The Empire."

Oh, wow, you didn't expect that.

"Seriously?"

With a look of exasperation, he sighed. "Of course I'm serious. Why would I joke about that?"

"I guess I just wasn't expecting that. I don't know much but I just assumed Aoba is independent, I guess, especially since you have Oikawa as the Crown Prince."

And you really meant that. Refined Oikawa was the very definition of a proper prince and his people obviously loved him, if the screaming crowds during the procession you stumbled into told you anything. And though they aren't of the same world, you couldn't see Oikawa -both the volleyball player or the crown prince- as someone who would ever undermine or forgo the happiness of his friends and those closest to him.

Oikawa the volleyball player's friendship with Iwaizumi and their tales of camaraderie with their old volleyball teammates always brought a smile to your face when they started talking about it.

And then Oikawa the Crown Prince's equally strong friendship with Iwaizumi the Blue Knight, and how they looked out for each other despite their statuses, showed that he didn't care about someone's rank despite him being a prince. And then there was his friendship and care for her, your alternate…

"Crown Prince Oikawa is loved by all of us, and we're all looking forward to the day he finally ascends the throne. King Irihata has taken very good care of us since the previous king's passing, and we're all very grateful to him too." The way Kindaichi spoke of the rulers of his realm reflected the deep love and respect he has for them, showing in the way he dutifully and seriously performs even the simplest of his work.

You don't know anything about the process to become a Blue Knight but both Kindaichi and Kunimi deserved to become Blue Knights, in your opinion; even if they are technically your jailers but they were nice about it once they warmed up to you somewhat. You tacked a mental note to speak their praises to Stern Iwaizumi and Refined Oikawa.

A familiar voice entering from the other end of the courtyard startled both you and Kindaichi.

"That sounds like Sir Tendou…" Kindaichi muttered. "He's so...bluntly cheerful it's scary."

You couldn't help but agree. Tendou wasn't scary in a violent way but there was something about the way he keeps smiling and looking at people that unsettles them, as if he held all their deepest, darkest secrets and was dangling it over their heads, playing with it.

At least, that was the vibe you got from him since you saw him earlier today.

Kindaichi stopped in his tracks suddenly, visibly stiffening as his eyes spotted the figures rounding the corner and into the courtyard the two of you were crossing.

"Ah, that's…"

"Hm?"

You turned to look at what has got him all tense and you literally choked on air, eyes bulging in disbelief.

No, no-, no, no, no, no!

Kindaichi's rough hands patted your back to ease you through your coughing fit.

"You alright?" He gave you one last harsher pat.

"Y-Yea, I-"

"We've got really bad luck running into them. Their meeting must have finished early. Don't do or say anything stupid," Kindaichi hissed at you lowly as he helped straightened you.

You and Kindaichi were clearly reacting over different matters entirely, was what you thought, as you roved your eyes over the group talking amongst themselves as they walked further into the courtyard; their uniformed yet individualized clothes of black and purple stood out against the white stones of the Blue Castle.

"Ah- it's the little birdie and her pal again! I keep running into the three of you, don't I? Maybe I should keep a pet bird~"

"With all due respect, please don't, Sir Tendou. The last time you kept a plant, it turned out to be an invasive species that killed a quarter of the plants in the royal gardens."

"Don't be that way Goshiki, my boy~, they cleared up the hedge blocking your window view, didn't it?"

"...I shall decline to comment further."

"Did you make a new friend Sir Tendou?"

"Depends on your definition of a friend, Semi, but it's the strangest thing! I keep running into that Lil' birdie over there and her two pals, though one of them is missing right now. Maybe I scared him off earlier~"

"Hmm, you mean them-?"

The one speaking broke off, pausing and blinking with surprise, then a light frown.

Ash-blonde hair with dark tips ruffled in the wind messily, a stupefied look slowly returning to replace his frown.

Tendou grinned in that unsettling way of his and saluted you and Kindaichi with two fingers flicking off his temple. The other dark-haired male with neatly trimmed hair stoically looked over at where you stood, a disinterested look adorning his young features.

But it wasn't them that caused you to nearly burst a windpipe.

It was the final figure quietly flipping over the pages of a book as he walked behind their group, unaware of his surroundings and focus turned away from his companions.

You would recognize that frame anywhere, having admired him from afar in countless volleyball matches.

The youngest of the group quickly lost interest in you, eyes bored, as he turned to his tall companion with his face buried in a book.

"Your Highness, you must cease this habit of reading and walking at the same time. What if you hurt yourself?"

The male finally brought his face out of his book, turning to the one who addressed him. "But Goshiki, that is why I have all of you around; you'll stop that from happening before I can even try, am I wrong?"

A warm small smile lifted his lips.

You choked on your saliva this time at the sight, bending over to hide your unsightly fits behind two palms.

Kindaichi's palms are back and beating on your back.

T-That was…

The Ushijima Wakatoshi!

Another violent round of coughs forced its way up your chest at the two unbelievable sights you just witnessed:

One, Ushijima Wakatoshi has an alternate in this world too.

And two, The Ushijima Wakatoshi smiling so warmly.

You don't know which is more shocking, finding out Oikawa is a prince in this world or a smiling Ushijima Wakatoshi.

The second round of your gasps and wheezes brought the attention of the entire group back on you and Kindaichi who grimaced at the disgraceful display the two of you were putting up.

The book fell from 'Ushijima's' grasp.

His long legs were suddenly making fast strides over the green grass that separated your groups, and Kindaichi vocally panicked at his imminent approach.

"W-Why i-is he- why is he coming over h-here?!" The poor boy went back and forth between patting your back and standing straight at attention, unable to decide, which further amplified your already unattractive performance.

You pushed yourself up, repeatedly clearing your throat as your wide eyes continued to stare wildly at Ushijima who was definitely making a beeline over towards you and Kindaichi.

More specifically you.

"W-Wha-" You staggered and took a surprised step back at his quickly advancing figure.

His strides closed the distance between you in no time, and suddenly he was upon you and his arms stretched out.

?!

The Ushijima Wakatoshi is hugging you.

He is hugging you.

There was a muffled gasp of a mixture of shock, surprise, embarrassment, anxiety, nervousness, and even a tiny dab of elation, that tore itself from you, the sound mushed against Ushijima's clothes.

"It's you."

His deep voice rumbled from his chest against the top of your head and you thought you felt a heart attack coming on.

What the hell is happening?!

"Huuuh~ What's up with him?" Tendou's head swung to the side in confusion at the sight, red eyes gleaming with curiosity and amusement.

"You two joined our ranks after so you never met her but that's…" The ash-blonde sported his own set of wide, shocked eyes, alarm and bewilderment splattered all over his face.

There was a hint of mild disturbance that creased his brows.

"She was Crown Prince Ushijima's fiancée."

The Merging: A spell to fuse one's soul with another. Your alternate used this in her attempt to fuse the entirety of her soul with yours but only managed to do it for a small part of her Life before she realized she did not have time to finish the spell. She sealed the remaining part of her Life into the hairpin from Crown Prince Oikawa Tooru. Akaashi said once that anything involving the transference of souls would incur a heavy price.

The Ability (?): Your alternate kept referring to it as the ability to cure The Rot, not understanding what it is exactly. She said she does not believe it belonged to her, and that it came from someone else's soul but she doesn't know from who or even when she got it. But magic that restores the mind is rare in Hyquile, if not unheard of.

Souls: A soul is made up of ten parts; three ethereal and seven corporeal. The three ethereal parts govern the formless consciousness and are: Heart, Mind and Life. The seven corporeal govern the tangible consciousness and correspond to the seven emotions which are: happiness, joy, pessimism, jealousy, love, mindlessness, and fear. A soul is the very essence of us at our truest and purest. Being attuned to your soul, and thus your magic, is a direct correlation to your magical skills. A high level of attunement paves the way for greater magical sense and control.

Notes:

So if you did not understand the convo between MC and her Alt because of my crappy writing, please forgive me. I feel like I am forgetting to clarify something here but if there is anything you don't understand, feel free to ask!

Basically, Alt MC merged the Life part of her soul with MC; she wanted to merge all ten parts originally but was only able to do it for a small part of Life. The rest of her Life soul that she was unable to merge, she sealed it into the hairpin from Oikawa, because it is a gift from one of the dearest people in her life. When MC touched the hairpin, the remainder of Life that was in the hairpin merged with the rest that was already in her, hence "the feeling of coming home" that MC felt in Chapter 16. The other nine parts were left unanswered by her.
The Ability to cure The Rot, Alt MC does not feel like it is from her own soul (and thus her own magic) as it feels like driving someone else's car. It still gets you to where you are and is still a car, but it definitely isn't as comfortable as sitting in your own car, get me? It is currently implied by Alt MC that someone or something has slipped their own soul with the ability into her, and thus got passed onto MC too as a result.
The Visions that MC has been seeing, Alt MC is not entirely sure what they are, whether they are a mixture of her memories and visions or just pure visions. She had just started looking into it when, ya' know, she went POOF!
SOULCEPTION!
And the voices MC heard at the beginning of C10, the left side is Alt MC and right side are the various modern boys hahaha that has always been the intention.

...why did I think of such a convoluted story (this story needs an Author Regrets Everything tag now).
Buuuuuut! DUNDUNDUN! USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI! The long and awaited man himself! I am as happy as you all (maybe even happier) that he is FINALLY here and we've got all the boys introduced now. I...I need a sabbatical.

Do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be a simple thank you to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling/bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader/writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think. It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 19: A Bucket Of Mess

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The White Eagle Empire

Notes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAKATOSHI! I finally got a chapter release timing for a character's birthday right! Totally missed Kita's and Oikawa's by a two days during their arcs T.T
I might have caused several of you to choke like MC with the last chapter hahahaha *no regrets*

ALSO! I have just received my first fanwork for this story! Yui-chandaydream on tumblr (SweetDaydream on AO3) has drawn me this sweet art of Alternate MC
This is her take on the drawing Sir Kieij *coughakaashicough* showed of AltMC in Chapter 14! Being a reader-insert, I have never thought about MC's characteristics but if I had to give her features, it would be with regular, simple dark brown hair and eyes as she really is just your regular girl-next-door; none of that platinum neon hair and glowing eyes things for her haha Yui never asked me for a description , and she merely took into consideration that AltMC is from Aoba and matched it to Oikawa's colors which amazed me at her thought! She just completely took what I would have done for MC without even needing me to say it! *floored* 33 Thank YOU SO MUCH for this Yui, you have really made my day when I saw this, more than words can express! I was in a slump for this chapter and you definitely lit the flame under my ass to get me moving!

The Fave Hyquile Bachelor Poll is still exciting! Mainly cause Kuroo just can't be beaten but Atsumu has finally broken his steady tie with Osamu (#bettertwin) and is now fighting w/ Kita neck to neck, changing positions every other week as chapters gets released! HAHA It's like ya'll just revolting after each chapter about the boys! 😂
Thank you to everyone who commented! And also the new subscribers, bookmarkers and kudos! This chapter was a bit of a struggle as I was in a slump, and pored over it ceaselessly over sleepless nights💀💀💀 But please do enjoy!

**This story is only posted here on AO3.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Ahh man, my arms are so sore! Ushiwaka, can't you ease up on your spikes, even just a little?" Kuroo plopped onto the bench as he groaned at their volleyball team captain, massaging his palms and arms. He's been practicing blocks with Ushijima for the better half of their practice and it shows on his angry red skin.

Ushijima blinked down at the spiky-haired middle blocker, hands pausing midway to his face with a towel. "It defeats the purpose of practice if we do not give it our all as if we are in a match."

Kuroo grimaced at Ushijima's blatant lack of understanding, and Bokuto laughed boisterously as he approached the pair, clapping his friend harshly on his back. "Don't tell me you're at your limit already, Kuroo?! We're barely halfway through practice!"

"Not everyone carries extra batteries like you!" Kuroo swiped Bokuto's hand off him with a laugh.

From a bench over, there was a dramatic sigh from Oikawa as he scrolled through his phone, face scrunched.

Kuroo leaned around to look at the other dramatic setter of the team with a grin. "What is it, Oikawa? Not enough likes on your latest Instagram post? Iwaizumi roasted you again?"

The setter brushed his sweaty locks from his face with a smile that was quickly replaced with a childish huff. "Neither, actually! I sent a text to (Name)-chan on Friday asking if she's alright and she still hasn't seen it! I thought we were friends!"

"Really, that's it? That's what's bothering you?" Kuroo couldn't help a small exasperated chuckle. He always knew Oikawa was a bit of a social butterfly (okay, not a little) but he didn't think he'd be that bothered by an ignored text. The guy was pretty much pouting at his phone screen as if it held all the answers.

Bokuto moved over to Oikawa, clapping him on the shoulder this time as if to comfort him but it felt more like condescension with his horrible timing and laughter ringing around the gym. "Don't mind! I'm sure she's just busy!"

"She said she would be with family over the weekend and would not be able to respond." Ushijima calmly stated, wiping down his face and neck.

"Did she text you that?!" Oikawa exclaimed incredulously at his rival/teammate. How could you be fraternizing with the enemy that spiked you in the head?

"Ah yeah, she mentioned something like that," Kuroo drawled, eyes rolling up as he recalled getting a text of a similar manner from you.

Oikawa tucked his phone away, somewhat appeased by the fact that at least it wasn't just him that was being singled out. He certainly wasn't used to any of his texts being ignored (particularly by the fairer half of the population), other than perhaps by Iwaizumi and his ex-volleyball teammates. And his current teammates. And sometimes his sibling. And nephew.

But he is legitimately concerned about you as it hadn't been that long since you were discharged from the hospital. Oikawa has never been in a coma before (here's to hoping he will never) but he has spent his fair share of time in the hospital over the years, what with his injury and all.

Granted (and fortunately), the longest he has ever had to even stay at one consecutively was only a couple of days, when his injury was at its worst. But even then, there was a sensation of just moving on a plane that was a little bit misaligned to the rest of the world when he was discharged, and it took a little bit of time to realign himself back to the pace of everyone else.

Considering that, he figured that someone who spent nine days unconscious in a hospital bed would be feeling more than ungrounded.

It wasn't hard to not notice the hints of exhaustion that always brushed the bottom side of your eye the past week either.

"Shouldn't you show just a little bit more concern, Ushiwaka-chan? You did put her in the hospital after all, and it hasn't been that long since she left it," Oikawa waved a hand airily in a gesture at Ushijima, hazel eyes pointed with just a little bit of a bite to it.

It doesn't matter if you've forgiven him or moved on, this is Ushijima and Oikawa wasn't going to let him get away with just a slap on the wrist in regards to anything. It shouldn't be his business and call him petty but he just wants to put a crack in that confident, blank wall he calls a face.

"Oi, come on Oikawa, that isn't fair," Kuroo interjected, sitting up from his resting position with a sigh.

The last thing they needed was another round of dramatics from Oikawa, and Ushijima unknowingly adding a barrel of fuel to the fire. They barely got out of the last one which involved Atsumu too and he rather not have to keep playing peacemaker. He likes riling up the peace, not keeping it, preferring to tilt the boat just enough to keep things interesting but these three were just a bad combination half of the time when outside the court.

Bokuto's gaze switched rapidly between Oikawa and Ushijima, unable to understand this weird sizzling he felt that was beginning in the air, particularly from Oikawa's side. His head tilted in confusion, blinking slowly.

Ushijima turned to look at Oikawa with an unreadable expression on him as per usual, and Oikawa tensed, prepared for a piercing remark regarding his attitude, or pride, or whatever to come tearing his way.

"You're right. I will speak to her when the weekend is over and see how she is doing," Ushijima's eyes lowered in thought (at least, it is what the other three players could only assume it to be, as it was really hard to tell). He looked back up at Oikawa with a firm nod of his head. "Thank you for the advice, Oikawa."

Oikawa thought he heard the sound of a volleyball dropping and bouncing loudly on the quiet gym floor but no, it was just a figment of his imagination because countless volleyballs were still being tossed around the large university gym which wasn't silent at all.

He stared up at Ushijima with large, round eyes that were bugged wide in utter shock.

A small part of his mind was glad he had already put his phone away, for it would have definitely slipped from his hand that just went limp.

Even Kuroo was gaping slightly at Ushijima, amusement flickering in his golden eyes.

The only one who didn't seem to understand the significance of this moment besides Ushijima himself was Bokuto.

"Now that you've mentioned it, you guys are totally right! I should do the same as well! Thanks, Oikkun!" Bokuto thanked Oikawa too, swept up in the flow Ushijima started.

Bokuto's outburst effectively snapped Oikawa out of his stupor, and he cringed at the terrible nickname Bokuto gave him. "I told you not to call me that, Bokkun! It's not cute at all!"

Kuroo laughed heartily at the two, unable to find it in himself to correct Bokuto on his blatant misunderstanding of what just happened.

Ushijima placed his folded towel away and turned to head back to the court. "We should return to practice."

"Right behind you," Kuroo nodded at Ushijima in acknowledgment, moving to pull Bokuto off Oikawa who was complaining about how that nickname sounded suspiciously like an animal.

Kuroo was just entirely happy their boat is safe and steady once again.

You can't breathe.

Not for a detrimental reason like fear or panic, oh no, not at all.

It's more due to the fact that a Ushijima Wakatoshi look-alike is holding you tightly in his strong, broad arms and he smelled faintly of something like Italian bergamot, citrusy and fruity with a rich, smoky blend of-

No, wait, that's not it!

Yes, it is the fact that Ushijima's alternate is hugging you that is disrupting your air circulation but only because you were feeling so flustered, embarrassed, and downright nervous about the whole thing!

You are very aware of the stares of Kindaichi and the people that had been accompanying 'Ushijima,' which made your skin burn even hotter, searing a bright red onto your neck and cheeks.

On top of that…

Did you hear that right? Did someone say fiancée?

How is it that no one mentioned this to you? Did Akaashi know?

Did it happen to slip all their minds in light of the bigger picture? If that was the case, you can kind of let it slide that she didn't mention it during your dream, what with her limited time and all, but Oikawa? Or even Stern Iwaizumi?

Maybe you heard wrong?

They are a little bit of a distance away? Close enough for you to hear pieces of their conversations but far enough for you to mistake their words.

But it was pretty hard to mistake a word like fiancée.

You might need a bucket.

"I can't believe this, how can it be? You're here…" You were lightly released from his hug that smothered and enveloped your entire frame. But he still kept you within his close grasp, and you blinked up owlishly at his bewildered eyes of a sentimental olive-green.

Large hands brushed your hair away from your face, softly holding your head in place as his gaze roved all over your features, taking every detail in.

The ease with which he did it was not lost on you. The organ in your chest thudded at the act and you're pretty sure all ten parts of your soul just left you.

You feel nausea and another choke threatening to rise in your throat, but for an entirely different reason than shock.

He doesn't know...and you're going to have to tell him. Now.

"How is this possible…" His deep voice was almost a whisper, a sound you've never heard from Ushijima before nor thought you would ever hear.

You pushed the unbelievable discovery that you would need to reaffirm later (you really hoped it was just your ears that's the problem) out of your mind, biting your lip in a feeble attempt to ground you to the present.

"I-...I'm not-" Something was lodged in your throat and your hands felt clammy despite the sunny day.

You kind of wished it would rain once in a while, as it's been nothing but great weather for the majority of your stay here, making it that much harder to just wallow in your less than savory emotions. It just wasn't as satisfying when the sun was bright out.

You tried again.

"I'm not...her," you couldn't stop the audible gulp in between your words.

Confusion flitted in his eyes and you flinched at the knowledge that you were once again delivering the shovel that would dig up the memories of the past for yet another person. As if Oikawa and Iwaizumi weren't enough.

His hands wavered from around your temples, softly gliding down to fall around your shoulders.

"I don't understand...what do you mean?"

You could really use that bucket right now.

"She's not from Hyquile."

Refined Oikawa's voice cut through the strained atmosphere that was wrapped around you and 'Ushijima,' momentarily releasing you from the air-tight bubble that made your head dizzy and heart faint.

How many more times will you have to look at eyes that only reflected pain and confusion when they fell upon you?

'Ushijima' looked at the Crown Prince of Aoba, the confusion and lack of understanding deepening on his face. Just ever so slightly, his grasp on your shoulders loosened.

"She's...not her, even if they might look the same," Oikawa continued, his voice echoing from behind you.

His hands fell away completely.

You couldn't help but look down to where his hands were, calloused just like the volleyball player's, lingering in the air with a very indiscernible shiver. You almost wanted to reach out to just stop that light tremble, finding it eerie attached to the rest of his sturdy frame that was immovable as a fortress.

You looked back up at 'Ushijima' to find him looking down at you, an unreadable expression in his eyes that was so much like the Ushijima of your world, and yet...different.

Where Ushijima, captain of your university's volleyball team, was unreadable in an impartial kind of way, the way Hyquile's Ushijima was looking at you now was...difficult, intricate...complex; indecipherable with a mere glance but filled with...something you can only describe as sad.

From around the side of his arm, you can see Tendou and the other two Empire dignitaries making their way over.

"Crown Prince Ushijima, are you alright?" The stony looking one with a bowl-cut hair asked as soon as he was close enough.

Hold up, did he say Crown Prince?

You gaped up at Ushijima with wide eyes.

Now you understand why Kindaichi had been in such a panic when he approached; it was because the Crown Prince of The Empire, the very same empire that Aoba is a vassal to, had been descending upon the two of you during your unsightly fits. Said boy is now standing next to you, straight at attention and stiff as a statue; the mild panic that had set upon him still lingered in the nervous strain of his facial muscles which was only made worse with the presence of Crown Prince Oikawa, his very own Kingdom's regent ruler.

You're just a visitor from a different world and even you felt nervous; you can't imagine how Kindaichi is feeling, suddenly thrust into the presence of two powerful royalties.

At the same time, realizing that you are now in the presence of two crown princes made your head slightly dizzy.

Oikawa being a prince in Hyquile was one thing but Ushijima too?

It...didn't really fit the mold that you imagined to be Ushijima Wakatoshi but yet, strangely enough, it wasn't a completely imperfect fit either.

There was a stiffness that was starting to make itself present at the base of your neck, one you recognized to be the early signs of a headache.

Or maybe it was just because you've been craning your neck up to look at 'Ushijima' for a while now.

Ushijima broke eye contact with you and you let out a breath you didn't even realize you had been holding, head instantly relaxing to bring your gaze down towards his torso. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a brilliant emblem with the crest of a mighty eagle with its wings spread out gleaming on the lapel of his clothes.

'Ushijima' looked towards Oikawa, and his brows dipped in a furrow, which prompted a sigh from Oikawa.

"I think we need another meeting," Oikawa said, almost reluctantly.

"Please, if we may, Prince Oikawa," 'Ushijima' replied politely, and the troubled crease of his brow deepened.

When Refined Oikawa said they needed another meeting, you didn't think you'd be involved.

But here you were, sitting at a mahogany oval table with Oikawa to your left and Stern Iwaizumi taking up a standing position in the space behind yours and Oikawa's chairs.

Next to Oikawa, Aloes Yuj had his eyes closed as he waited for the meeting to begin, faint annoyance lining the ridge of his nose.

From what you gathered, they had just finished a very long diplomatic meeting before the whole incident in the courtyard, and everyone was already mentally exhausted from that (minus you and maybe Tendou, who looked chipper as ever).

You fidgeted as you eyed him over Oikawa's figure, wondering what he looked like underneath his mask. His dark hair was neatly trimmed and combed, several strands framing his face in gentle waves. You saw that he wore an earring on his left ear that curled from the top of his ear and around the shell, twisting to pierce into his lobe. At this distance, you were unable to see the details of the earring but it looked pretty stylish in your opinion.

Maybe it was a trick of the mask, but based on the outline of his jaws and what you can see of his facial features, you doubted that he was wearing a mask to hide anything for aesthetics purposes. That combined with his sense of style, he could probably pass as a model in your world.

His eyelids suddenly slipped open and verdant eyes glanced at you.

With a tiny "eep!" you straightened back into your seat, face flushed from having been caught outright staring.

A snicker bubbling from the space next to you alerted you to the fact that Tendou had decided to occupy the empty seat next to you, cheek leaned against a hand that was lazily propped up.

Why he would not sit at the other side of the table with the rest of his party like a normal person, you will never know.

It was also at this moment when it clicked in your head where you heard the name Tendou before, as the man himself hummed a tune. When you were in the hospital, it was someone named Tendou that suggested to Ushijima to bring flowers to you.

You wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all but kept your mouth shut, watching as the one named Semi made himself comfortable in the chair across from Aloes Yuj.

'Ushijima' was seated directly across from Oikawa, pensive, and lost in his thoughts.

The stoic one named Goshiki opted to stand close by 'Ushijima,' arms crossed behind his back and looked over the room disinterestedly.

If you had to make guesses for their roles, Semi would be the advisor that matched Aloes Yuj on your side, Goshiki the guard that was matched by Iwaizumi, and Tendou…

You don't know what his role with The Empire could possibly be, what with his beady red eyes, cheerful smiles and tunes (is anyone ever that happy with their work?), and there wasn't anyone else from Aoba's side that you could match him up with.

You'll just call him the wildcard for now, until you could understand his role a little better.

Little assignments like this helped you make sense of things in a world that didn't make sense, very much like how you still assign distinguishing traits to the alternates of your friends.

You had yet to think of one for 'Ushijima' for he had been silent ever since the courtyard, sticking to the center of his group of dignitaries that surrounded him protectively as Oikawa led the way and Kindaichi parted to call on Iwaizumi and Aloes.

You so desperately wanted to ask somebody about what was going on, and why you might have heard the word fiancée in the quiet courtyard, but the tension in the air did not allow room for you to carelessly unleash your torrent of questions that were writhing on the tip of your tongue.

You were pretty sure Oikawa felt your incessant stares on him the whole time during your trek to the meeting room.

'Ushijima' breathed deeply to gather his thoughts, lifting his gaze to meet Oikawa's.

He pointedly avoided looking your way.

"Oikawa, pardon my informal manner of address, but if you would please begin explaining what you mean by…" There was a pained and almost regretful crease on his brow as he fleetingly glanced towards you before quickly looking back at Oikawa, "- her, not being the same and not from Hyquile?"

A pleasant smile slipped onto Oikawa's lips.

"Not at all Prince Ushijima, you may address us with what makes you comfortable," Somehow, the dry way Oikawa said that didn't feel sincere or accommodating in the least. You eyed him out of the corner of your eye, unable to comprehend the easy smile he was giving 'Ushijima,' who either did not sense the underhanded tone of his words or chose to ignore it.

...unless he was like the Ushijima of your world then he probably took it at face value.

Oikawa relayed in your place the tale you told him the first time you met him, and all that has happened since. The Empire dignitaries and Aloes Yuj, who is also hearing this for the first time, listened with a mixture of disbelief, suspicion, and awe.

When he finally brought up your dream with her the previous night and the fact that he gifted you the hairpin, the intense aura from Iwaizumi was immensely palpable and you had resisted the urge to turn around to look at the knight. You hoped he wasn't unconsciously channeling his magic energy on you or something.

Goshiki was immediately vocal about his suspicions and distrust towards you, much like Iwaizumi had been.

Semi, although bewildered, did not dismiss the possibility and truth of yours and Oikawa's words, giving the Crown Prince of Aoba more credit than the younger Goshiki.

Tendou had moved to rest his head onto his splayed arms, inquisitively staring up at you with blatant disregard of your discomfort with his attention. If possible, his smiles only grew wider the more Oikawa revealed to the group in the room. Subconsciously, you inched towards Oikawa in your chair.

'Ushijima' barely said anything, merely asking a few questions here and there regarding technical details, all the while avoiding addressing or looking at you directly as much as he could. He looked...uncomfortable, and was doing his best to retain his composure as a royal guest at Aoba.

"Your Highness," Aloes Yuj suddenly spoke up for the first time since the meeting started, making it the first you've heard his voice.

It was low and lilting, calm and even in speech, and firm with his delivery; it was the type of voice that made people want to listen to what he had to say.

Fitting for a royal court advisor, beyond what you have imagined of them. If you were being honest, your idea of court advisors had been of groups of wrinkly, old men arguing and screaming at each other like politicians in your world. Aloes Yuj single-handedly decimated this idea with just two words and his voice.

You can almost understand how he came to be a royal court advisor at such a young age, and Oikawa obviously trusted him a lot, proven by his inclusion of Aloes into this entire matter and even mentioning asking him for guidance earlier today.

"As you know, I trust in your decisions and leadership but have you ever witnessed her actually curing a case of The Rot?" Aloes asked Oikawa calmly, green eyes bright and piercing.

Oikawa's lips pursed and after a moment of hesitation, he shook his head.

"No, but considering their uncanny similarities and recent events with her magic lessons and dreams, it makes sense. I do not doubt the truth of her words."

Aloes ran a finger along the shell of his ear, finger playing with the straps of his mask and earring lightly. His green eyes were a darker shade of emerald now, eyeing Oikawa from under hooded lids.

"I cannot speak for their similarities but as your most trusted advisor, it is my duty to ensure the safety of Your Highness and the realm. I cannot blindly trust the words of a girl who claims to be from another world, or anyone for that matter, without proof. We have not seen her perform this 'cure' and her supposed visions and dreams can all only be validated by her and no one else. It is not the most assuring of situations."

There was truth to his words that no one could deny, not even Oikawa.

You almost expected Iwaizumi to mutter something along the lines of "I told you so" but he remained silent, glaring at the wall space by Goshiki's head.

Semi followed up on Aloes.

"Be that as it may, what would you suggest then, Sir Aloes? There are no active cases of The Rot here in Seijoh currently as far as we are aware, and it will take time to find and contain one for her to attempt a cure."

Bless this Semi person for not blindly agreeing to send you in the path of a tainted person.

Tendou hummed loudly next to you, drawing the attention of everyone to him, but his red eyes were on 'Ushijima'.

"We have one~"

Iwaizumi and Oikawa looked at him questioningly but 'Ushijima's' eyes widened slightly in understanding. Then he frowned.

"Tendou, surely you don't mean him. He's in Aquila."

"I sure do, Your Highness~"

"W-Who are you talking about?" You spoke for the first time in the meeting, hands sweaty from nervousness. But if Tendou was talking about a victim of The Rot and they expect you to attempt to cure him, you want to know what you'll be involved in.

Red eyes happily snapped to you. "One of ours is being isolated at the Empire capital city of Aquila with The Rot. Caught it somewhere or somewhere, doesn't matter~" He waved a carefree hand around, blatantly skipping over details which none of the other Empire dignitaries called him out on, apparently used to his antics.

"What matters is that we have one contained and he's just gonna kick the bucket anti-climatically at this rate! So might as well see if you can really help him out?" His grin hardly matched his subject matter.

"Are you suggesting we bring her to Aquila?!" Goshiki narrowed his eyes at Tendou.

"No."

Before Tendou could say a snarky confirmation in response, Oikawa had interjected with a chilly snap.

Surprised at the bite of his usually pleasant voice, you looked at him and was startled to find that Oikawa already has his dusky eyes trained intensely on you, a thin line pulled across his lips. The objection was clear in his dark eyes.

Tendou whistled impishly and Iwaizumi's fingers twitched at the sound. "Hmm~ Are you sure that's wise, Prince Oikawa? We'll take good care of her~"

"It would allow us to clear any doubts we may have…" Semi mused, glancing at his own Crown Prince who remained painfully silent.

'Ushijima' turned his gaze on you with the same unreadable yet sorrowful look in his eyes from the time in the courtyard. But barely a beat passed before he looked towards Oikawa instead, the sorrow disappearing alongside the complexity of other emotions behind it.

"I agree. It would be foolish to blindly move on without further proof. Bringing her to The Empire to affirm the truth of her words is the smart choice. We don't need your permission but it would be easier on all of us if you agreed. Regardless of politics, The Rot is an issue that needs to be nipped in the bud across Hyquile."

The warm and uncomfortable 'Ushijima' you've only glimpsed till now seemed to be gone, replaced with someone that reminded you of his athlete counterpart: authoritative and final.

An Emperor in the making.

There was a flash in Oikawa's eyes of something you couldn't catch and a very subtle shift in his lip from where his teeth cut into it, a movement you were only able to see because he was still staring straight at you and you were sitting right by him.

Under the table, the hand on his thigh painfully dug into the cloth of his expensive clothes, and your own hand instinctively flew out to grip his, unseen by everyone else except Iwaizumi. You weren't sure if Tendou could see from his position behind your back.

You squeezed Oikawa's hand, not knowing why you reacted the way you did; you also know that it didn't feel wrong for you to have done so.

Oikawa was struggling with something which had reared its head at this very moment, and the tight grip he had on his own leg was enough to hurt the skin beneath. He would have hurt himself inadvertently if no one stopped him.

The brief but sharp moment passed with your touch, and his hand immediately relaxed under yours, the cloth of his trousers wrinkled and displaying sharp crescent marks on its delicate material.

Large, hazel eyes gazed at you in a way that drew your breath away with the depths of emotions within them.

His hand turned under your palm to curl over yours, seeking out something that only he knew of.

"Prince Oikawa, I'm afraid I am in agreement with them. It is unwise to continue assisting her without proof," Aloes urged.

When Oikawa did not immediately reply, you gave his hand another squeeze, smiling reassuringly at him as best you could.

"I don't mind. I've been moving from realm to realm and even traveled between worlds now! What's a trip to The Empire?"

At your words, Oikawa finally closed his eyes and breathed deeply, releasing your hand to straighten in his chair.

"Very well, I shall entrust The Empire with her safety. I trust that you will keep us informed about the success of your...test and that she will be brought back here after?"

"Oh~? Is she one of your subjects now? I did not think we had to bring her back to Aoba," Tendou said with a finger to his chin and an inquisitive pout as his red eyes rolled towards Oikawa. Then out of nowhere, a thin but wide and sly grin, wholly devious in nature, split across his face.

"Aoba's a vassal state of The Empire. So what's yours is technically ours~"

You wanted to face Oikawa, to reassure him like before but the air was so taut and rigid that your body went stiff along with it. There was the clink of Iwaizumi's armor behind you.

"Tendou."

'Ushijima's' warning tone cut through the room, disapproving olive eyes finding the red-head from across the table.

Tendou heaved an exaggerated sigh, throwing one arm over his chair with a childish pout. "Yes, yes, my apologies for my crass words."

Oikawa, who had been awfully silent and static, gave Tendou a strained smile. "Not at all, you are right, after all, Sir Tendou."

You bit your lip. Oikawa's interactions with The Empire from the very start of the meeting has been really...frigid. And strained.

Forced.

"Well then, I suppose we are done here then. It has been a long day and we still have so much of it to go," Semi said with an appealing smile, futilely trying to smooth the tension that Tendou has sowed with his careless behavior.

"As I am sure all of us would prefer an answer sooner rather than later, would it be alright if I borrowed some of your people's help in preparing a teleportation spell, Prince Oikawa? It would be faster than traveling by mount, both ground and air."

"Of course, Iwaizumi will help gather several casters together for you."

As everyone stood and left the room at their own pace, Oikawa squeezed your shoulder as he passed by you, quietly promising that he would explain things and brief you further once he had gone over details with Semi.

You were about to head off with Iwaizumi when 'Ushijima' stopped you with a choked call of your name, as if the syllables that made it up had been long out of use and rusting, and only time would be able to polish and shine it back to its original state.

When you turned to face him, his eyes instantly looked away but then a crease pinched his brows, and he forced himself to properly face you once more.

"May I speak with you...in private?"

You glanced at Iwaizumi hesitantly, who frowned at 'Ushijima' but tapped you on the shoulder before leaving as well.

As Goshiki closed the doors to the meeting room to give you and 'Ushijima' his requested privacy, you glimpsed Aloes whispering lowly into Oikawa's ears on the far side of the corridor, their figures pressed close to the walls.

The others had left, Goshiki had his back turned and 'Ushijima' was looking down.

No one but you witnessed something dark pass over Oikawa's eyes at whatever Aloes said to him, and for a brief moment, Oikawa's hands clenched into tight fists that were uncharacteristic of the Aoba Crown Prince, who was always charming and pleasant to all around him.

Right before the door closed, his hands relaxed and he looked up, hazel catching your eye through the small gap right before Goshiki's figure engulfed the space and the resounding thud of the door closing shut echoed.

'Ushijima' pulled a chair out for you and you nervously sat down as he pushed it back in perfectly, matching your awkward timing to the dot.

He silently sat in the chair next to you, and you couldn't help the sense of deja vu, feeling the same sort of tension and nervousness you did when Ushijima visited you in the hospital.

But where with the volleyball player it was due to his stoic nature and the fact that he put you into a coma with his spike (you know now that it technically wasn't his fault; he may have spiked you but it was her that pulled you into a coma), this 'Ushijima'...

He's the Crown Prince of The White Eagle Empire and…

Her fiancé.

Oh, you were going to be sick.

Where is that bucket again?

In this still silence, you took the chance to fully look at 'Ushijima.' Everything had been a flash and a blur from the very moment you set eyes on him and you hadn't had the capacity to actually take him in.

Like the others you've met, he looked exactly the same as Ushijima Wakatoshi, like Ushiwaka the athlete. The clothes he wore were not unlike Oikawa's, neatly pressed and closely fitted, but instead of a body of white, ebony cloth lined his frame and he lacked many of the aesthetical embellishments Oikawa's princely clothes had. Royal purple fitted along the lines of his clothes, and he didn't wear a regal cape like the prince of Aoba. Instead, a striking coat sat on his wide shoulders, simply enhanced by a luxurious purple inner and trims, with gold shoulder pieces. On the lapel of his uniform, a golden emblem depicting an eagle was pinned, gleaming and catching all light on its mighty wings.

In all, he was the complete opposite of Oikawa who resonated with an air of breezy charm with his garment of white and silver accompanied by exquisite teal. 'Ushijima' was donned in a full body of deep ebony and regal purple, sparingly highlighted by the occasional brilliance of gold. But the darker shade did not bring upon him a daunting air, and instead gave him a countenance of authority and integrity.

"I-"

"I-"

Both of you started in surprise at the other speaking at the same time, your eyes blinking at one another.

.

"You first-

"Please, you fi-"

…

He closed his eyes in a small sigh and an equally small smile, raising a hand towards you to signal for you to speak first. "Please, go ahead."

A tiny nervous laugh tittered up your throat and you scratched at your cheek with embarrassment.

Now that he gave you the green light to speak first, you weren't really sure if what you wanted to say was the most appropriate.

"I-..I just-," You subconsciously made a whine at the back of your throat as you struggled for the words, "I guess I just wanted to say...I'm...sorry. I didn't know about her being your..." You trailed off, suddenly unsure as to why you were apologizing to him in the first place.

It isn't your fault and yet, you couldn't easily forget how crestfallen he looked when he found out you weren't who he thought you were.

He shook his head, olive eyes looking down at the minimal space that was between his long legs and yours, less than two small steps of distance, and yet, it felt like there was an aching chasm of misunderstanding and unknowns that needed to be filled.

"No...you should not need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing."

Your head tilted in confusion. "Why would you need to apologize?"

His eyes faintly scrunched in discomfort and you had to blink twice to register the expression.

You've seen more emotion from Hyquile's Ushijima in the short period since you've met him than your world's Ushijima in a whole year.

Hyquile's Ushijima is definitely more attuned to his emotions. More sentimental and tender, as seen by the smile he gave his confidant Goshiki in the courtyard (you can't get that scene out of your head).

A Sentimental Ushijima.

"Earlier, at the courtyard, I must apologize for my presumptions. I acted without thinking, acted too hastily, and I can only hope I did not...make you too uncomfortable," he rubbed the bridge of his nose at the memory of his abrupt act of embracing you.

Was he trying to hide the light flush that was creeping over the top of his nose?

No, surely that's just a figment of your imagination and partly due to your admiration of the athlete.

"No, it's alright...I mean, I was surprised but I don't blame you," You downplayed the absolute shock you felt when he held you; it literally felt like your heart was going to burst but he didn't need to know that. "It's a weird situation after all…"

"It is but all things considered, there are still many unknowns to discover in Hyquile and many more mysteries to unravel. Your being here shouldn't be considered an impossibility," he said, the moment of embarrassment that had been whittling at him disappearing as your conversation eased.

"I thought you didn't believe me and Oikawa? It's why I'm going with you to The Empire after all..." Surely he did not forget what he said already?

His eyes flickered at the informal way you addressed the Crown Prince of Aoba.

"It is less a matter of trust and more of confidence. As the future Emperor of The Empire, it is both my responsibility and duty to ensure the safety of The Empire's realm," Ushijima explained.

There was no argument you could make against that.

A silence that was just awkward enough to make you fidget but not outright bother you followed him, your thoughts whirring with various unanswered questions and Sentimental Ushijima looked like he had a lot on his own mind.

"So…" Your voice croaked out in the silent room and you cleared your throat. Olive eyes refocused and turned to you. "How did you...uhh, h-how did you two get engaged?"

Is this alright for you to ask? Is this too private? Is it any of your business, being her alternate and all?

You weren't sure what the proper rules of conduct are for someone in your shoes, and what boundaries there are (is there even any?) that you need to be mindful of. It isn't like there is anyone you can look to as an example.

He blinked at your question but you were relieved to see that it did not offend him.

"I guess Prince Oikawa didn't tell you? Nor her when she spoke to you…" The soft lift of his brows and corners of his lips alongside the glaring lack of purpose of his words, twisted at your heart, knowing full well the answers.

"I suppose you deserve to know, especially after what happened earlier in the courtyard." The tug of his smile turned dry.

You didn't say anything, merely gave him a shake of your head to tell him that wasn't the case. Your voice and heart felt too heavy, for him (for them); it felt very much like the time when Oikawa asked if she spoke of him or Iwaizumi less than a day ago.

He exhaled heavily from his chest the mass of many things you do not know nor understand. Like Refined Oikawa, Majestic Kuroo, and Clumsy Kita...on his shoulders stood the legs of an entire realm. Even Thoughtful Suna and the twins were hauling horrendous histories you can never understand, even if you knew their tales.

"It was an arranged marriage."

Oh...okay?

You weren't really sure what sort of answer you had been expecting, and maybe you just assumed that they had the whole first meetings and first experiences type of love that ended up in a romantic proposal that was bursting with stars and passion like they do in the movies, especially with the hasty way he embraced you, but you were just reminded again that Hyquile is nothing like your world and movies do not exist here.

"It was decided in our younger years before we even met, by the current Emperor who is also my grandfather, Emperor Washijo," he explained. "It is rare already to have unions between any common folk and lines of nobility, needless to say royalty, but our case was...special, you could say."

"What do you mean, special?"

Ushijima laced his hands together and leaned them on the top of his knees, bringing his body forward and just ever slightly closer to you.

"Her ability that restored the minds of those who lost it, which we now believe to be correlated to The Rot, was valuable even then. Magic that restores the mind is extremely rare as it essentially means restoring the soul."

One of the other ethereal parts, the Mind. Makes sense theoretically, and if you understood it correctly. You should check with someone about this later.

"Emperor Washijo aimed to solidify his influence and hold over Aoba with the marriage, offering his grandson and future Emperor to a citizen of Aoba, and King Irihata agreed to the arrangement. When you consider it from a simple calculation of value, the future Emperor outweighed what Aoba was offering, so it was an arrangement that the king easily accepted."

"We...didn't meet until a few short years after it was arranged but we were always made aware of it. Both I and her accepted our roles to the realm, I suppose…" he trailed off with lidded eyes and a faraway gaze.

He relayed how their engagement came about with just the bare necessity, like it was a political document under presentation, but there was something in the way he spoke and his expression that did not feel like mere words on a binding contract.

"Did you...want to marry her?"

Ushijima glanced up, his deep olive eyes meeting your own.

He was expecting to see sympathy (even worse, pity) but he didn't. And he felt a sense of relief at that, as being pitied for losing his fiancée was the last thing him or anyone would ever want.

There was only an understanding, or at least, the efforts of understanding; whether of him or of her, it wasn't too clear but perhaps there wasn't a need for a clear line of definition between the two.

As he looked at you, he could only think that Prince Oikawa was right that you were uncannily similar down to the last detail, to the slope of your cheeks and even the bend of your ear.

Had she lived, would she have grown and changed into how you looked at the present?

But like the Crown Prince of Aoba said, and like you said... you weren't her.

He looked back down at his laced hands, lightly tightening and loosening his fingers over his knuckles as he pondered how to answer your question.

Though their marriage had been arranged, it wasn't publicly announced as that was only planned for when they were older and closer to it becoming a reality. Only those in the upper tier were officially informed, with the rest being on a need-to-know basis to avoid unnecessary trouble or fawning. Being engaged to the future Emperor could attract unwanted attention but...it didn't matter in the end.

Oftentimes, the engagement felt more like a distant dream than something that would actually happen, with how far-off it seemed in his younger years and the muted way they approached it.

But that didn't mean it adversely affected them. On the contrary, the secret-but-not-so-secret quality of it all had often been a bit of an inside joke for him and her.

So…

"Yes...yes, I did."

You scribbled on a piece of paper torn out from your mini-notebook that you brought with your old pen that was about to run out of ink. For some reason, you thought having writing tools on you could never go wrong so you had packed them in your bag.

You're pretty sure Kindaichi or Kunimi would be more than happy to provide you with a paper and ink if you asked though (maybe not wholly happy but wouldn't deny it to you). And you've been to Oikawa's study enough times for lessons now that you could always find your way there and steal his.

Imagine that an owl turned up at The Dominion with a message written on paper with The Kingdom's royal crest embossed; Energetic Kenma might really jump with excitement at the novelty.

You were writing a message updating Kuroo, Bokuto, and the rest at The Dominion on everything that has happened since Akaashi left, and how you were going to be...teleported to The Empire shortly, in the case Akaashi or someone else came looking for you and did not find you at your room in Seijoh. The conversation you had with her and the fact she merged her Life with you were points that you felt was important enough that they should know sooner rather than later.

If possible, you wanted to inform Kita and the others at Inarizaki too so they know that you're here and well, that you plan to help with ridding them of The Rot in their waters and that you haven't forgotten them. But you only had one owl, and you weren't entirely sure if he could be instructed to bring messages to someone else besides Akaashi or Bokuto, his masters.

The owl probably wouldn't be able to locate the village due to the illusion either, and would likely spend days flying over the mirage of a barren bogland.

Hopefully, this wouldn't be considered as spying as though Oikawa knew you had met those of The Dominion and Owl Vale, he doesn't know that you have the means to reach them with the totem Akaashi gave you.

Surely he wouldn't mind if you updated them?

Having learned how to focus magical energy from Oikawa immensely helped you understand what you had to do with the owl totem now as you held it in your hand.

Akaashi had told you to will it, visualize your intent for the owl spirit residing in the totem to materialize itself when he first gave it to you. You had absolutely no idea how that would work originally and naively thought you could just wing it, if there ever came a time you needed it, but you are so glad you took the lessons from Oikawa now, as you watched the totem glow and distort in the air above your palm, growing and extending to take the shape of a beautiful owl with layers of feathers that reminded you of Akaashi's wings.

You tied the rolled piece of paper to its leg gingerly as its large unblinking eyes watched you (like Scary Bokuto...), hoping it wouldn't claw you and also hoping it understood your instructions to bring this to either Kuroo, Bokuto, Akaashi, or Kenma as you did not speak bird.

You watched as the owl flew away with your scrap of paper, hoping it would actually arrive where it is supposed to go and not get lost in the international seas of horrible postal service.

Actually, you might trust this owl with your post more than certain postal services in your world.

When you turned to head back into your room from the balcony, you screeched when you spotted something moving across the top of the wardrobe closet.

What the hell is that?

You nearly screamed again when wings suddenly spread around it, like discovering a cockroach only to see that it was one of the ones that can fly but when it suddenly let out a low and mellifluous hoot, your panic immediately ceased.

"M-Mori?"

The tiny Elf Owl hopped off the closet and glided towards you with cute flutters of its wings, perching itself onto your arm that reflexively stretched out for it.

"W-What are you doing here?" Not that you would have understood whatever it would say.

You almost expected Akaashi to suddenly pop up too but a wary check around your room showed no signs of the spy being in the vicinity.

Mori hooted and cooed up at you which caused you to stare at it helplessly.

"I can't understand what you're saying, Mori."

More coos.

You sighed, immediately accepting you will never understand owl-speak and merely watched the tiny bird with amused eyes, running a hand over the top of its head.

Its large eyes blissed out and something equivalent to a sigh puffed from its tiny chest.

Awwww!

How can he ever be a spy when he is this darn cute, you will never understand.

There was a knock at your door and Oikawa's voice reverberated through the wood.

"May I come in?"

Shit!

"Ah, h-hold on a minute!"

You don't know why Mori is here, and not that you did not want to see the adorable owl again but he has amazing timing!

In your panic, you hurried around with Mori teetering on your arm, and even tried to shoo him off the balcony banister but when he didn't fly off like you wished for it too, you carefully but quickly as you could, nudged him into your mostly emptied backpack, closing it enough to hide him but ensure he had air.

Haphazardly throwing a stray dress over the top of the bag as an added insurance, you opened the door for Oikawa, hoping he wouldn't question why you were mildly sweating.

"Is everything alright?" He asked with a quirk of his brow, hazel eyes glancing above your head and casting around your room.

"No! I mean, yes, everything's fine."

He smiled in amusement at the pitch of your voice but did not question it. "That's good then. May I come in?"

"Of course! It's...a bit of a mess though. I was packing for The Empire, and I didn't really know what I would need or should expect."

He chuckled lightly as he eyed the items strewn on your bed and even the floor, things from your world that he wished to ask you about, learn more about, when there was the time and luxury for it.

He hasn't had much time to just relax and speak with you about more mundane and less critical matters ever since you've arrived. The short time he spoke with you in the gardens about your respective alternates had been nice, even if the subject matter wasn't light. But he came out of it feeling just a little bit lighter, like a small hole was chipped into a thick enclosing wall, allowing a small sliver of light to filter in.

It was a hardly significant change but that small gap was a little bubble of fresh air in the shadows of his responsibilities, duties, goals, that bundle of mess in his gut -logic, emotion, intellect, instinct-, and everything else that was expected of him as the crown prince.

He made a mental promise to himself to make the time in the near future, to grasp chance and opportunity when they were there instead of putting it off in favor of duties.

He's learned his lesson the first time.

"You shouldn't really need anything as I don't expect you to be there for long. They will also be able to provide you with whatever you need whilst you are there. But if there is anything you wish to bring with you, it is no issue," Oikawa said, passing a curious gaze over the bag on your table that was strangely covered by your clothes.

"The teleportation spell should be ready soon, and it will take you straight to Aquila, the capital city of The Empire."

So teleportation spells are really a thing in Hyquile.

"That sounds super convenient! Why doesn't everyone just teleport around then instead of traveling by land or even air?" You asked, remembering how Akaashi flew to The Dominion and how the twins moved around on foot.

"Teleportation spells take time and resources to prepare, so they aren't always the most convenient method depending on your needs. They can also only be done when location markers have been set up beforehand; these markers are essentially the teleportation path between two points, acting as the door to either side, kind of like the situation with your soul. So you can't just do it whenever you want," Oikawa explained and lightly laughed at the disappointed sigh you released.

"Also, the more people and things you need to teleport, the more resources and time you will need to prepare for the spell. So for this trip, only Prince Ushijima, Sir Goshiki, and Iwaizumi will accompany you."

Surprised at the names he listed, you blinked at him rapidly. "Iwaizumi is going too?"

"Yes, your…'cousin,' as Sir Tendou commented when I saw him just now, is going," An impish grin that brought to mind the equally impish volleyball player sprung upon his face. "Sir Tendou didn't seem to believe you one bit that Iwaizumi is your cousin."

You groaned at the reminder of your terrible attempt of a lie again. And it seems Tendou is babbling about it, that tattletale.

"I know Iwaizumi hasn't always been the friendliest towards you but he's one of my best, and he'll make sure you return here safely."

Oikawa's right; even if Stern Iwaizumi is now a teensy bit less hostile than the first moment you met him, he was still pretty gruff and well, stern towards you. You don't know if he hated your guts but he definitely doesn't like you. "Did you ask him to go?"

Oikawa hummed as he ran a hand across the leaf of the potted plant in the room, having walked around as he spoke with you. A soft light glowed from his hands, a beautiful turquoise that shimmered between hues of blue and green. The plant grew just a little bit taller and straighter, and a bud even began to sprout at the base of it.

You rubbed your eyes in amazement at the sight and immediately rushed over to watch in awe at the display.

"I already planned to but he asked to go first, actually."

Your furrowed eyes looked up at Oikawa who continued to watch the plant grow ever more verdant underneath his gentle touch. "He probably just wants to keep a close eye on me so that I don't do anything "suspicious." He still doesn't trust me." You totally did the air quotes.

Oikawa eyed your fingers in the air inquisitively, making a note to ask you about them later. The glow of his hand began to dim and fade.

"Iwaizumi is rough, brute that he is, but he isn't the most complex person in the world," There was a fond smile from Oikawa as he spoke of his last remaining childhood friend. "Just bear with him for a little while and give him some time."

Your face scrunched as you remembered all the hostile and blatant remarks of not trusting you that Iwaizumi kept throwing at you. Refined Oikawa and you were definitely seeing different Iwaizumi's.

"I don't know about that but if you say so."

You watched quietly as the glow finally trailed off and underneath his rejuvenating palm, the simple potted plant had transformed, its color lusher than you've ever seen them and its leaves standing tall and proud.

It wasn't dying or wilting before Oikawa used his magic on it but the difference was still astounding to see.

Will you ever be able to use magic like this one day? Besides the ability to cure The Rot, would you have inherited her natural affinity as well?

"I…"

The low and almost hesitant way Oikawa sounded startled you.

"I must apologize for not telling you about her being engaged to Prince Ushijima."

Oh…

Yea, that.

You had been a little frustrated, and miffed, that no one had told you before you were blindsided but all of that dissipated when you saw how melancholic Oikawa is now, standing before a plant that waved gaily up at him, as if the magic used to energize it was Oikawa's very own happiness.

You touched the leaf of the plant next to the one Oikawa continued to hold, feeling like you could actually feel his magic that coursed through it.

"It's alright but...why didn't you tell me?"

He didn't answer for a long while, and you almost thought that he wouldn't when a pleasant smile- that pleasant smile, the one he wore over the cracks of his protective wall- shone brightly at you.

"You and her aren't the same, so I naively thought that the information didn't matter."

It wasn't an honest answer. He knew it and he knew that you knew it too, especially with the obviously forced way he said it.

He messed up, he delivered it with more pleasantry than he wanted.

And Oikawa toned his smile back, leveling it to something more believable.

Something more natural.

Shifting nervously, you adjusted the straps of your backpack that Mori was still inside of carefully.

You didn't get a chance to properly send him off, having been led by Oikawa straight from your room to the area where the teleportation spell was prepared right after your conversation.

Having no other choice, you were forced to bring him with you, profusely thanking your lucky stars that nothing that could potentially crush the poor owl was in your bag. Just several snacks from home and some other things like notes and pens. At some point, you probably had to start jotting down everything you were learning, if only to help you remember them.

To his credit, Mori was very quiet although sometimes you could feel a little peck at your back through the thin cloth of the bag and your clothes. It was like he knew the situation required him to remain undetected; like a true spy.

You watched as Semi activated the teleportation spell alongside several other people from Aoba, their hands glowing with different colors of light.

On the ground, around a thin and curiously shaped tree sapling that you assumed to be the location marker Oikawa spoke of, was drawn what looks like a map of an area. The soil, grass, and roots that made up the lines of the map glowed brightly as Semi and the other casters channeled their magic.

Tendou stood off to the side with his arms thrown behind his head and a pout on his face. He had wanted to go but Semi had said needlessly adding another person would add another few hours of preparation time to open a path large enough for everyone, hence his current silent tantrum.

He honestly seemed like a child sometimes…a creepy child but a child, nonetheless.

You were right by Ushijima on the edge of the glowing map, Iwaizumi scowling next to you as usual whilst Goshiki balanced him off by retaining his stoic and blank face from Ushijima's other side.

What a group this was.

Peeking over your shoulder, you found where Oikawa waited with Aloes Yuj who was watching over the scene with disinterest. He was whispering to Oikawa, his mask moving with the faint lines of his lips.

The two Blue Knights you saw from before, who you learned to be Hanamaki and Matsukawa when you were briefly introduced to them moments ago, stood guard protectively behind Oikawa. They had come to see Iwaizumi off but only got a reprimanding in return for their efforts from the eternally scowling knight.

They smiled and waved when they saw you looking, eliciting a giggle from you. They seemed really nice.

Very different from Stern Iwaizumi.

To your great but very pleasant surprise, Kunimi and Kindaichi had been waiting for you when you arrived, stuttering and mumbling something about you having been "-nothing but a burden but take care and don't cause any trouble for Sir Iwaizumi," and "-it was tiring, but it was alright, you'll be back anyways."

You couldn't help the wetness that welled in your eyes at their words and presence, and could only hastily rub it away before it got worse. Considering the circumstances that led you to them, you shouldn't be feeling like this but you couldn't help the ache in your chest, that didn't really hurt but ached all the same in a tender way.

You don't know how long you'll be gone for, not very long from the sounds of it, but you couldn't help but miss them already. They've been constantly at your side since your arrival at the Blue Castle so you had been nothing but attached to them.

You caught Oikawa's eyes, and he smiled at you encouragingly, mouthing "See you soon" from across the grounds. Little, surprising acts like this really reminded you of the athlete.

Giving him your own timid smile, you nodded with determination filling your heart.

You'll prove to them that you can do this, that Oikawa was not wrong to take a chance and trust in you.

"Are you ready?"

Ushijima's voice pulled your eyes away from dusky hazel to meet olive-green.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good, cause the spell's ready," Semi said breathlessly as he gave you a tired smile. The spell must taken a lot of energy from all of them for him to be this exhausted even with help.

He motioned for your group to step forward into the glowing map.

"You might want to close your eyes," Ushijima quietly said to you right before you stepped in.

"Huh? Why?"

A scoff came from Iwaizumi. "If it's your first time traveling by teleportation, you're definitely going to feel sick."

"If she can't even handle this, I don't see how she can handle The Rot," Goshiki blandly and quite sharply slid out, causing you to wince at the unexpected remark.

"As if you didn't feel sick the first time either!" Iwaizumi snapped back at him just as fast, coming to your defense, which surprised you.

"I didn't."

"Uh-huh, I believe you."

Semi sighed loudly with exasperation. "Can the two of you please act more appropriately and try to get along?"

At Semi's scolding, the two soldiers zipped their mouths shut but wore equally indignant expressions, both turning to face away from where the other was.

Sentimental Ushijima laughed lowly at them, and your ears and eyes bugged out of their sockets at the sound.

First Ushijima smiling and now laughing?

Hyquile is just full of new and surprising experiences.

With a gentle hand on your lower back, Ushijima guided you forward into the glowing map.

"Close your eyes," he repeated again, and you listened, relying on and trusting him to lead you forth.

Turning up on Empire grounds puking was the last thing you wanted to do. You still didn't have a bucket after all.

There was a sensation of your body, consciousness and all, being pulled and sucked into a single point and as Iwaizumi said, you started to feel sick.

You know that feeling when you're sleeping and sometimes it feels like you're falling through space, and there's a touch of dizziness and possibly a headache that accompanies that feeling of falling, right before you're suddenly jolted awake onto your pillow?

It kind of felt like that, only infinitely and exponentially worse.

The last thing you heard was:

"Good luck little birdie~!"

Bonus Content from a Tumblr Ask:

'Tsumu sized up the strange being standing across from him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed calculatingly.

Gleaming honey eyes that were strikingly similar to his own squinted back at him in turn, condescension and derision clear in their bright irises.

"So yer the reason why she won't call me 'Tsumu anymore," the golden-haired volleyball player hissed, disliking the way his opponent did the same.

"Watch yer tongue, human," Atsumu snarled at the human male that dared to speak to him in such a manner, his fox ears twitching angrily on the top of his head. He could easily rip this haughty human apart. "I don't see what she sees in ya'."

'Tsumu gritted his teeth, wishing that he had a volleyball in hand that he could use to spike this creature's face in.

"I guess those fox traits are just for show, cause this 'human' here has better eyes than ya'!"

"Ya' humans are all disgustin' lookin' but yer the worst I've seen."

"Hah? Have ya' looked in the mirror?!"

"I don't need to since I'm lookin' at ya'!"

As the two golden-haired twins bickered violently between themselves, their grey-haired counterparts stood off to the side, quietly watching their brothers quarrel amongst themselves.

"Are they both idiots? What scrubs," 'Samu muttered as he watched 'Tsumu argue with Atsumu, disappointment in his eyes.

"Don't they realize they look exactly the same? Bloody stupid," Osamu shook his head with shame, unable to believe he has to call such an idiot his brother. His fox ears laid flat against his head in dismay.

There was a brief silence that stretched between them as 'Samu and Osamu glanced at each other.

…

"Ya' want to switch?" Osamu asked the volleyball player.

"Ya' mean 'Tsumu for you and vice versa, right?"

"What else?"

With a nod, they fist-bumped each other to seal the deal and promptly walked off, leaving the other pair of Miya twins behind.

"What should we do to celebrate this occasion?" 'Samu asked his new twin.

"I really liked the food from yer world that (Y/N) made for us." The thought of food instantly perked his fox ears back up.

"Oh, that's a good idea. I'll tell her to meet us and we can celebrate together."

"Yer so much better than that idiot."

"Likewise. We should have done this earlier."

"Hey wait, where do ya' think yer goin' with that scrub, 'Samu?!"

"Oi, come back here or I'll really burn all ya' shit at home!"

Notes:

Sentimental Ushijima, I couldn't stop laughing every time I wrote that lmao rip Spent so long thinking about his nickname and still think it is WILD as hell but Im going with this for reasons.
AltMC Survey
I have made a survey here about AltMC! Some theories are really starting to get wild here and I want to find out what everybody thinks about her state of existence 👄

Tumblr for Ghosts We See: Renesis-JJ
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Do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be a simple thank you to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling/bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader/writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think. It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 20: A Failure In The Empire

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The White Eagle Empire

Notes:

Sorry this took a while everybody! Life has been troubling lately and it's been a bit hard to write, even if I want to💀 I'm writing on the move more and more now, and as a multi-task, rather than when I am settled at my PC .;
Thank you to everyone who commented! Reading your comments when it was hard to motivate myself to write has really helped, and honestly keeps me excited to tell this story especially with how invested everyone seems to be hahaha I know the story is slow and long, and I hope you are all enjoying yourself. I have considered speeding up the story but...I don't know, what do you guys think? I personally like the slow pace but we are hitting CHAPTER 20 and not out of Introduction purgatory (almost there though). I tried really hard to finish introduction arc by C20 but I would have had to double the length of the last few chapters for that 💀💀💀

Edit: And WOW 8000 hits came upon me as I was updating this chapter! I am so happy and excited to know people are enjoying this story so much! In C12, I was only at 2500hits and here we are...*teary eye*
As always, I will come back to check and edit after some sleep zzzz if you see any major mistakes, please feel free to tell me too!
**This story is only posted here on AO3.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"This concludes the end of my report, sir."

Bokuto craned his neck in a stretch, having spent the past half hour listening to Akaashi's report on his activities in The Kingdom of Aoba.

"I see. Good work, Akaashi. When Kuroo gets back from his ground survey, report this to him as well."

So you made the choice to come back to Hyquile of your own accord to help them?

When you disappeared in the forests surrounding Inarizaki, Bokuto half-expected that it would be the last they would see of you but you proved him wrong. And now you've given yourself over to Aoba, willingly, for the chance to discover more about your alternate and your powers.

He gave you less credit than he thought you deserved then.

"You're not upset that I allowed her to hand herself over to the Crown Prince of Aoba?" Akaashi asked curiously. The spy wasn't fearful of repercussions from Bokuto, if any, but did want to know if he made the right choice in his service to his leader.

Akaashi understood Bokuto well, but it was a combination of years of knowing him and more than a healthy amount of goading questions that led to his near-perfect understanding of his leader.

One did not learn about this enigmatic-yet-strangely-not brusque owl leader without asking a lot of risky questions.

Bokuto pulled several daggers out from the many hidden sheaths on his body and Akaashi immediately thought that there is a less than two percent chance that one of those daggers would come his way; that thought also disappeared moments before Bokuto flung them through the air in consecutive motions, seamlessly continuing the training session that he had been doing before Akaashi appeared with his report.

"I'll admit, I briefly considered sending you on a futile fishing mission to Thunder Lake-"

"My liege, I'll be struck out of the sky the second I enter the area-"

"Hence, I was going to send you there for handing over our cure for The Rot to Aoba. Especially since Kuroo and I had to deal with those damn dogs and foxes and she just went back to her world," Bokuto breathed deeply with his eyes closed, annoyance spiking all the walls of his stomach as he recalled that day in the forest. If those damn mutts hadn't shown up, he'd have shown those twin foxes a thing or two. "But all things considered, you did what you thought was the right choice at the time. Bringing her back here wouldn't have done much in the long run; we'll just be back where we started before she even got taken by the foxes."

He turned around to pin Akaashi with a gleaming golden-eye.

"Opportunity can be found in the midst of chaos. Hopefully, the mouse will find it before it eats her up," he grinned in an almost ruthless manner but Akaashi knew better.

Bokuto might be working for peace for the good of his people but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy a good round of chaos here and there. Better yet if it isn't on his doorstep and is on someone else's.

And you were one of those brewing balls of chaos if past events were anything to go by. You had been nothing but trouble and in trouble ever since Bokuto found you in the forest.

"Maybe she'll even stir up the leaves there for us. Sometimes the best attack is born from upsetting the balance of stillness and motion," Bokuto shrugged and turned back to his knife throwing, missing the way Akaashi squinted at him in confusion at his last words.

There have often been times where Akaashi did not fully comprehend what Bokuto says, wondering if the owl-leader actually understood the snippets of 'wisdom' he likes to dole out from time to time.

But a light titter carried up from Akaashi that gave Bokuto pause. "She was already starting to do it the moment she landed in Aoba." He can still recall the perturbing sight of you running through the streets of Seijoh with a group of armored city guards coming after you, a supposed 'thief.'

A very subtle but sharp smirk lifted a corner of Bokuto's lips. "Good. Those Empire scoundrels and their lapdogs have been on their haughty thrones for too long."

Akaashi made a low hum as he mused over the latest news and developments in the north that he has gathered during his time there. "Under the Crown Prince of Aoba, The Kingdom doesn't seem to be in much agreement with The Empire though."

Bokuto took his time flinging a few more knives and moving to pick them up before he said anything in response, snapping at no one in particular. "It's about time someone didn't."

He resumed his training.

"Is that all?"

Akaashi ran through everything in his mind, double-checking that he did not leave any details out. Nope, he has indeed reported everything there is to report.

What's left are only the messages he had been asked to deliver.

Off goes the first one.

"She also told me to pass a message to you," Akaashi said, the hints of a furtive smile threatening to break across his lips. But he kept it down as best he could, in the face of his lord who turned back around with slight frustration.

Bokuto grunted and waved a disinterested hand because really, what could the human possibly have to say to him? Nothing important, that's for sure.

"Go on."

"She told me to tell you that although she thinks you are still scary, she misses you and that she hasn't forgotten about the favor she owes you."

Bokuto looked at Akaashi with his wide and unblinking golden eyes at the verbal missive that had just been delivered to him.

Gunmetal blue looked back at him equally with mirth.

Narrowing his eyes, Bokuto scoffed at Akaashi and dismissed him with another wave of his hand.

Akaashi moved to leave but not before catching the words, "I wouldn't have let her forget anyways."

So here is what you know of The White Eagle Empire from Refined Oikawa before you left for the teleportation map which took you from Seijoh to Aquila, capital of The Empire.

Records show that early in the history of Hyquile - as in way before The Empire was even an empire, before all the current Northern territories even existed- humans and other folks lived as either nomadic tribes or fostered their own humble villages, scattered around the North.

There were clashes between the various tribes, and even the villages were involved in ambushes or subjected to raids and thefts; everyone wanted the best space and commodities, leading to fights for these prime resources.

There wasn't prejudice or bias on who fought who; humans fought humans, non-humans fought other non-humans, and humans fought non-humans.

You have fertile land that is perfect for grazing? Good luck defending it as everyone and their grandmothers vie for that land too.

As time passed and communications started between the multitude of parties, it gradually became clear that there was an underlying bias that had been naturally occurring; no one took notice initially because it always looked like a simple winner-takes-all battle royale.

"Our village got attacked by those damn cats yesterday night, sneaked in while everyone was asleep and stole our livestock."

"Blasted humans raided our nests and took our treasures!"

"It's the creatures from the coast! It's an ambush!"

"Those cursed humans used their earth magic to blockade the roads! It's impossible for us to traverse that area now."

Folks began to communicate and trade news, and that was when everyone began to realize that there is a rift between humans and non-human folks. It was easy to unite with those most similar to you, after all.

Even as everyone gradually gave up their nomadic lifestyles and started establishing larger communities and towns, the rift only continued to writhe and spread.

It honestly didn't sound too different from what the West of Hyquile is going through now.

One day, there was a raid on a human caravan from a village that would become the State of Date in the present. A combination of purebred cat-folks (before they evolved to what they are now), reptilian-folks, and other stragglers that saw an opportunity for easy pickings were attacking the caravan.

A traveling human male, recently an adult and eager to see the world, came across the battle and moved to assist his fellow humans.

The humans he aimed to help thought he was a fool because what could a single human do? And the non-human folks attacking the caravan laughed and hollered in derision at the foolish traveler.

What they didn't expect was for this young man to be blessed with the rare natural affinity of lightning.

Lightning was deadly and even rarer than fire for it was not naturally available commonly, nor was there a means to store and contain it, making it near impossible for anyone to even attempt to master the affinity unless they already had it as their natural affinity.

...the other option being them willing to risk their lives in unpredictable lightning storms for at least a decade. Compared to that, fire is easier to learn as a second affinity.

Word spread about this miraculous wielder of lightning, and a combination of towns and villages asked for him to be their leader, their protector.

Their king.

And that was how The White Eagle Kingdom first began.

From there came a royal law where all succeeding heirs to the White Eagle throne must have lightning as their natural affinity to be eligible, regardless of age. If the youngest of five siblings had the affinity, he would become king rather than his elder brothers, ensuring the magic that gave them their power and influence remained in the royal line.

It didn't take long for those of Date to swear their allegiance to this fledgling kingdom, remaining loyal to them ever since.

Then followed the scattered river people, who united under the Empire to become the Kakugawa River Tribes.

After them, the bands of the Windy Canyons - Wakutani of the present- joined The Empire.

Generations passed and The White Eagle Kingdom rapidly grew in size and power, extending its protection to other human communities. Aoba was one such state that needed help, and the King of Aoba at the time had eagerly sworn his fealty to the superior White Eagle King.

Thus slowly did the White Eagle Kingdom became an Empire.

An empire consisting primarily of humans.

Non-human communities that had the misfortune of being in the area The Empire expanded to were annexed, but they were rarely, if ever, given equal treatment.

Being a power that was founded from a raid on humans by non-humans, that little fact was never forgotten and is constantly drilled into their soldiers and taught to their children in schools.

Annexed non-human folks are treated with disdain, eking out meager lives in the harbor slums of Aquila and roughing it out in the wildlands of the North which is entirely under Empire control, unafforded the same comforts given to humans in The Empire.

And it has been that way since the time of the first White Eagle King.

It is also the main rift of discontent between The Empire and The Kingdom of Aoba now.

Aoba, having prospered and flourished under the protection of The Empire for generations, have always been allowed to maintain their autonomy for the most part due to their people's talent for magic.

It was this autonomy that led to Aoba becoming one of the most magically progressive realms, given free reign to pursue and study magic to their fullest potential.

But it is this same autonomy that led to Aoba developing into a Kingdom that was more open to non-human folks, compared to other vassal states in The Empire. Having been exposed to the magic, teachings, and cultures of other folks in their pursuit of magical knowledge, they very slowly but gradually allowed more and more non-humans into Aoba territory, in the name of magical research and knowledge as they would say to their Empire lords.

The inclusion of non-human folks was controlled for the most part (something akin to a guest visa system and certain limitations whilst in Aoba), and it wasn't until Oikawa and his uncle's generation that it started to really become a problem with The Empire.

Emperor Washijo is infamous for his dislike of non-human folks.

If you thought the city of Seijoh was huge, then Aquila was massive.

Aquila is carved and built, onto, into and along, a rocky cliff wall overlooking the ocean, extending from the very bottom of the cliff where the ocean waves lapped into the sprawling city harbors, to high above the grounds that should have been the end of the cliff, and reaching up into the sky in tapered tiers, before finally ending with the royal castle at the very top of the city.

Rows and rows of buildings were also built along the length of the cliff's edge, extending far into the land before the city buildings gradually tapered out into farmlands and rolling hills.

The main city itself is leveled into tiers, a terrace of buildings that consistently dwindled in numbers and increased in grandeur as they moved higher up the city levels.

Like Seijoh, Aquila was mainly built with stones, but unlike Seijoh, the stones were shades of dark grays and browns, further highlighted by the light color of concrete walls that were built atop dark stone foundations.

Arches and vaults, both high and low, rose and supported high walls, buildings, towers, and even bridges. The bridges with tall arches below them, in particular, were multi-functional as pathways, gateways, and even as defensive barriers.

Between each tier of the city, there were checkpoints that consisted of these tall arch-bridges, the gates opening and closing to regulate the flow of people in and out of each tier. Armored guards patrolled along the top and bottom of the bridges.

Where Seijoh used woodwork in their architecture together with stone, Aquila favored concrete and metal, with the occasional wood. Beams, balconies, pillars, and fences of steel and iron lined the gray stones, both functional and decorative, the sheen of their green and pearl surfaces standing out against the dark stones.

Large domed buildings curved high above the wide streets of the city, reminding you of Seijoh's Blue Leaf National Library. Spires built around several of these domed buildings encased them in a square area, and more spires can be found throughout the city, lifting the height of the city further skyward in a union of soaring towers and spherical vaults. It was a unique yet inspiring sight to see various distinct styles of architecture coming together in the city.

Like a true empire, Aquila absorbed and took the culture and themes from their vassal states; from what you can see, the domes and wood were clearly from Seijoh, and it made you wonder from where the other parts of Aquila were inspired from.

From your vantage point on the roof of one of the castle towers that your group was teleported to, you can make out in the distant horizon the silhouette of what you assumed to be the Iron Wall that Kenma told you about.

Even if your eyesight was that of a mere human, it wasn't hard to make out the lengthy and dark block that ran around the land, disappearing to extend further out beyond your eyesight; you imagined that the Great Wall of China looks something like that too.

Along the Iron Wall, vestiges of smoke rose in the air from the buildings along the base of the Wall, signs of bustling lives and activity clear from even this distance.

With the ocean on one side, a city built inland and heavenwards, and the Iron Wall encasing the lands bordering the city, combined with ally vassal states in the surrounding territories outside the Wall, Aquila is a fortress city through and through.

You staggered on your feet and crumbled to your knees, with Ushijima carefully lowering you to the ground so that you could steady yourself.

"T-Thank you," you croaked sickly, honestly thankful that he had the foresight to keep a hold on you as you stepped into the teleportation circle.

Iwaizumi was not kidding about feeling sick.

Usually, you had no problems with roller coasters and other similar rides but that teleportation spell really gave you a bad case of motion sickness.

Your vision was swimming as if you were freefalling in circles with a loose parachute, and a severe migraine was beginning to scratch its way up the base of your neck.

There was an audible scoff from Goshiki, and you're pretty sure he's rolling his eyes too.

A hand waved in front of you and a bottle was stuffed obnoxiously right under your nose.

Iwaizumi's voice echoed in the haze of your head. "Smell this. Keep it to your nose for a bit."

An extremely strong smell wafted up your nostrils with sharp and minty claws, the smell of menthol, cinnamon, camphor, and a mixture of other roots and herbs, pushed back against the dizziness and pain developing in your head.

The robust smell had a cleansing effect, piercing through the haze, clearing your head and you blinked blearily at the bottle in Iwaizumi's hand.

"W-What is this?"

"It's a medicated oil made from plants. It works well in relieving light nausea and other minor illnesses," Iwaizumi explained as he capped the bottle and handed it to you. "Hold onto it."

"Are you sure?" You hesitated taking it. If you were being honest, you could go for a few more seconds of smelling it but receiving something from Stern Iwaizumi when he was still so prickly towards you wasn't very reassuring. You don't think he would give or do anything to harm you (not without reason) but...it definitely felt like you were being a burden again, having to be taken care of like this.

He scowled at you with mild annoyance. "Just take it. You need it for the trip back too. It's not mine anyway. One of our medic-soldiers, Yahaba, gave it to me."

Accepting the bottle, you took one last whiff before stuffing it into your backpack, using the opportunity to quickly check on Mori, dreading in hindsight that the teleportation spell might have made him sick as well.

A light peck and brush of his head against your palm reassured your fears.

"Your Highness, you've returned earlier than planned."

A young male with uneven copper-hair had been waiting on the outer edge of the teleportation map like what they had in Aoba, but with a different map drawn onto the ground.

He approached Ushijima, the strong winds cutting through the tower's roof creating a further mess of his hair. He wore similar dark military clothes as Goshiki.

"Shirabu." Ushijima acknowledged, naturally taking up the vanguard of your group with Goshiki following right behind him.

Shirabu's copper eyes flickered curiously towards you and Iwaizumi in the back, wondering why a Blue Knight and some girl was here with the Crown Prince of The Empire.

"Certain things have...occurred. The plan has changed for now. Goshiki can relay it to you on the way but we have matters we need to attend to." Ushijima explained briefly. "You're one of our leading clerics. Can you take us to see Kawanishi?"

Shirabu blinked and gaped in surprise. "Kawanishi? But he's tainted, sir, as you know. It's not safe for you to-"

"This girl here claims to be able to heal The Rot. We're going to test it." Goshiki cut him off gruffly, jerking his head in your direction which brought a light scowl onto your face. Next to Iwaizumi, the two of you looked like quite the angry pair.

Shirabu's brows furrowed, obviously looking like he had much more to say and argue on his tongue, but the urgency with which Ushijima was already starting to move to the roof entrance gave his words pause. He quickly caught up to Ushijima with Goshiki, leaving you and Iwaizumi to trail several paces behind them.

"Your Highness, your grandfather would like to see you and your guests."

Your ears perked up. His grandfather, Emperor Washijo, huh...Oikawa told you that he didn't like non-human folks, and you would be lying if you said that the knowledge didn't make you feel uncomfortable, and always made you think about everyone in The Dominion and Inarizaki without fail.

You eyed Ushijima's broad back, wondering how he felt about non-humans and whether he disliked them too...

Ushijima stopped midway down the spiral stairs, and all of you followed suit. His shoulders were tense, and you noticed one of his hands lightly flexing as if he was mulling over something indecisively.

He finally acquiesced with a light sigh. Ushijima turned to you and Iwaizumi on the steps above him with an almost apologetic gaze (you don't think you've ever seen Ushijima with an apologetic look before either...even when he apologized for spiking you, his face had been completely blank).

"My apologies but we will have to make a detour first before anything else."

You shifted nervously beside Iwaizumi who glanced at you but otherwise remained stoic in the presence of the Eagle Emperor.
The whole time Ushijima was reporting why he was back earlier than planned with half the original group switched out (and why Aoba hasn't agreed to Empire terms yet) and what he learned in Aoba regarding you, Emperor Washijo would not stop casting narrowed looks at you with a deep frown that rivaled Iwaizumi's.

You supposed you couldn't really blame him?

He was the one who arranged the engagement between Ushijima and her and here you were, popping up from a different world with the face of who would have been married to his grandson. But you weren't entirely sure if it was just his suspicious glares your way that made you this nervous under his scrutiny.

Something about the way he looked at you made the skin of your arms cold, more than what simple nerves should. But you were pretty sure it was you and your weak spirit, as everyone else did not seem bothered when equally disapproving glares were shot their way by the Emperor. Iwaizumi didn't even blink when the Emperor had frostily questioned the presence of a Blue Knight in his realm and court without his prior approval.

Ushijima answered all of Washijo's questioning with his head bowed respectfully (or obediently?). Behind him, Goshiki and Shirabu were lowered to kneels, also submitting their lowered heads to the Emperor. Iwaizumi had warned you to curtsy when you saw the Emperor, but the two of you were spared from having to kneel for extended periods as guests of Prince Ushijima.

The way Emperor Washijo questioned everything, demanded that his consent be asked first, and spoke to his own grandson and his closest confidants, showed that he was a very paranoid or very controlling man. Or both.

For good or bad, you didn't know, but you couldn't take your eyes off Ushijima's rigid figure, stiff as a tower in the gales of an approaching thunderstorm.

It might just be your projection of the powerful athlete onto the Crown Prince but it made you feel uncomfortable, watching the form of the person who commanded so much respect and admiration in your world, submit himself to the whims of someone else, even if it is his grandfather and Emperor of his realm.

You've been in Aquila for less than an hour and have yet to step beyond the castle grounds but Emperor Washijo felt...oppressive.

Tyrannical.

You felt it in the quiet hallways and courtyards you had traversed to reach the throne room and the skitterish, silent movements of the castle servants. Even Mori felt it, having gone eerily still in your backpack, the occasional pecks he would give your back ceasing completely.

It's only been less than an hour but you were sorely missing the sun-kissed gardens and warm chatters that always permeated the corridors of Seijoh's Blue Castle.

A part of you suddenly felt sad at the thought that Sentimental Ushijima, short-time it is since you've met him, had to grow up in the suffocating air of this castle.

Ushijima and your group were finally dismissed with a lofty wave of Washijo's hand, and as you shuffled as quickly as you can out of the throne room, you couldn't help the tiny hairs on the back of your neck standing as Washijo's chilly glower found you once more.

"I want a full report once you are done with your test on the tainted boy, Ushijima."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The group was mostly silent as everyone followed after Shirabu who was leading you to this Kawanishi person.

The oppressive atmosphere Emperor Washijo projected had followed you, it would seem.

Sentimental Ushijima is stonily silent, eyes staring straight ahead with his head held high. Seeing him now, it almost felt like the warm smiles and laughter you had seen him display at Aoba was nothing more than a hallucination.

He's closer to Ushiwaka the star athlete now, but it didn't feel the same.

Where Ushiwaka was filled with quiet confidence and certainty, Ushijima the Crown Prince was akin to the weather before the rain; the grey skies, shivering and trembling under the oppressive weight of the waters collected in their cloudy grasp, threatening to break out in torrential rain but didn't, their watery prisoners remaining just light enough to continue anchoring the clouds that should be their jailers but are instead burdened with their weight, unable to drift free.

You very much wanted to speak with Ushijima, if only to attempt to lift that tension in his shoulder but everybody was so silent, it was hard to speak.

Shirabu finally stopped at a room on the far side of the castle grounds, dismissing the two guards that had been watching the locked door.

His eyes shifted to you, then at Ushijima with hesitancy. "Are you sure about this? If she gets tainted..." Somehow, you felt that his question wasn't actually meant for Ushijima.

"He's not feral, but we have him locked down both physically and magically so it would be safe from a distance but...as you know, we don't know everything about The Rot, and I don't know if it is capable of spread through other means beyond direct contact..."

When Shirabu had been updated with your news about The Rot being seen in water infused with magic, he had been visibly shaken at the implications of it.

Ushijima looked at you, a brief flicker of what you thought to be worry in his dark eyes. "If you so choose to not attempt this now...we will not blame you. No one will."

That feeling you had when Kita showed you the sacred waters of Inarizaki...that very same feeling of nervousness, of feeling scared that you will fail them rose in your blood, abrupt as a landfall.

You had been determined, still were, to help with The Rot, to learn and discover more about this ability that had been passed on to you but…

What if you can't do it?

You had barely begun to learn how to channel magic, and that was only basic magic channeling that children were capable of doing.

How did you actually activate the ability to heal The Rot itself? Do you just do it like when you try to move the quill?

You hadn't noticed the quivering of your freezing hands clasped before you until a large hand fell over them.

Timidly, you glanced up at Ushijima.

The warmth of his hand seeped into your cold skin and the steady weight of his palm gradually stilled your shivers.

He had told you that if you wanted to back out now, no one will blame you. You couldn't say the same for yourself but in his eyes, you saw a firm certainty that had not been present before; they were there now, but it wasn't for himself, never had been for himself.

It was for you.

Regardless of what you chose or what you believed, Ushijima is believing that you can do it.

You don't know where his confidence in you came from, perhaps because you shared the same face as the person who he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with, but you took it; accepted it, allowed his confidence to make up for your own lacking one.

You inhaled deeply, fingers curling into fists under the heat of Ushijima's palm like glass in the hands of a master artisan.

And nodded at Shirabu wordlessly.

As you stepped into the room, the others stayed further back at the instructions of Shirabu; a precaution in the event that something went wrong, and not everybody had to be tainted with The Rot.

The confidence that you had gained from Ushijima almost flickered out at Shirabu's words but it wasn't his fault. He was just doing his duty as a medic and watching out for his prince.

It was a choice based on logic.

You had placed your backpack with Mori inside gently down on the ground, feeling the Elf Owl shuffle lightly as if he knew exactly what was happening.

You approached the bed in the room, where a man was held down by thick chains on his arms and legs, to the point where you thought if it was even necessary to have two separate chains on each limb, totaling to eight ropes of iron, binding him to the bed and floor.

A thick collar was clasped around his neck, which Shirabu had informed you prior that it was infused with explosive fire magic.

On top of that, a metal mask was fixed to his mouth, like a muffler to a dog, and your heart clenched at the sight.

This person...Kawanishi Taichi is a friend of both Goshiki and Shirabu, you had learned. They had trained together, and he worked alongside Goshiki as Royal Guards for Ushijima.

When he was tainted, Emperor Washijo had ordered that he was killed off and his body burned before it could spread but Ushijima resisted the order with all his might, clinging to the non-existent hope that a cure might be found before The Rot took him. Ushijima had personally guarded the room where Kawanishi was placed in, protecting him from anyone that Washijo sent to end his life.

It was one of the reasons why Washijo had been so dour when Ushijima reported that you were going to attempt to cure him, amongst whatever other reasons he had to be a prickly and cranky old man.

The Emperor acquiesced in the end if only to stop the future emperor from jeopardizing his own life, but it came at the guarantee that Kawanishi was never allowed to leave the bed, much less leave the room, and had to be fixed with a tool that will allow for a kill from a distance and that he is muffled at all times outside of mealtimes. Even his meals had to be fed to him.

Sentimental Ushijima had fought against these conditions but it was the final straw Washijo was willing to even entertain. It was either that or Washijo would have ordered his soldiers to detain even The Empire's Crown Prince to get to Kawanishi.

No matter how you tried to understand the paranoia with which Washijo ordered this...this was too much. Tainted or not, you can't understand this.

This was cruel, degrading, and inhumane.

Is this how Washijo treated his subjects?

Kawanishi was feeble and weakened, body weak from weeks of disuse. His skin was pallid from lack of sunlight and his hair mussed and grimy, not having been given the opportunity to properly shower for who knows how long now.

The confidence and certainty with which Ushijima looked at you...perhaps it was born from the hope that you will be able to release Kawanishi from this torment.

Dark veins crept along his exposed arms and legs, the skin around them a sickly grey that was not natural.

He isn't feral like any of the others you have seen.

He's just…

Frail.

"Some turn mad, some grow weak; how The Rot affects each person is different, but the end is the same: death."

You recalled Kuroo's calming voice in the tranquility of his pagoda.

Whether it was because he hasn't gone feral or because The Rot had a different effect on him, it didn't matter.

Kawanishi's eyes blearily opened to look at you at the sound of your approach, brows weakly furrowing in confusion to your presence.

Shakily and slowly, you knelt down beside him, watching as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

Even you could tell he likely didn't have much longer, not with the way the dark branches slithered all over him and was slowly starting to creep up his neck.

Up close, staring at the ghastly veins and corpse-like color of Kawanishi's skin, the confidence that Ushijima gave you faltered and dispersed.

It's...so bad.

Can you really do this?

What if you can't?

If you can't...then he will die, all his torment for nothing; all of Ushijima's hard-fought sacrifice for nothing; Shirabu's and even Goshiki's unwilling but silent hope as you passed by him into the room for nothing...

Oikawa's trust in you would have been for nothing, and his reputation would be ruined with your failure.

Dark brown eyes blinked wearily at you, and you choked on a sob.

His eyes were so hopeless.

He just wants the suffering to end.

Whether by a miraculous cure or a more final means, Kawanishi didn't seem to care anymore.

The Rot took away not only his physical vitality but also the vibrancy of his soul.

He said something you couldn't make out, his voice an inaudible croak that was further muffled by the metal mask digging into his cheeks.

So you tamped down the whimper that wanted to crawl up your throat and gave him what you hoped was a reassuring smile (but the strain and tautness of your cheeks you were all too aware of told you otherwise).

"I-I'm going to try and heal you, o-okay? E-Everything will be f-fine."

You tried not to think about how you didn't even believe in your own words as you lifted your shaky hands, tried to ignore the glimmer of hope in Kawanishi's eyes as he watched your face.

You tried to not focus on the fact that he can see the uncertainty in your expression, lost as to what to do.

The room was deadly silent, as if Death itself was paying an early visit, as you placed your hands over Kawanishi's clothed chest.

You hated yourself for thinking that perhaps the thin cloth will be able to protect you from being tainted.

All too aware of the fact that your breaths were shaky and short, you squinted and focused your eyes on your shivering hands, feebly ignoring the clamminess of your palms and the uneven thudding in your chest.

It felt like your heart was going to burst out of your chest, wanting to run away from all the eyes, the expectation, the bated breaths,the immense weight of the combined specks of hope of everyone in the room.

Tears began to well in your eyes when seconds, then minutes, passed with nothing happening.

Your palms pressed down harder on Kawanishi's chest and you wished, and wished, and wished with all your heart and mind for it to work.

You faintly heard yourself mumbling and muttering to yourself, begging and wishing for the magic to come to you, to take the dark veins away from Kawanishi's ailing body.

Just, please, let it work!

Please work. Please work!

Please work…

Just...

PLEASE!

Your cheeks were wet and your whimpers and sobs were no longer lodged within you; they were out, leaving you in rapid cycles of gasps and wracks of your shoulders. Your fingers curled painfully into your palms, bunching the cloth of Kawanishi's clothes to the point that they might tear and your fists shook against him.

Why isn't it working?!

Why won't it work?!

Why?

Why now of all times?

Why?!

A loud cry tore itself from you, echoing in the soundless room that was only broken by your pathetic cries.

This is so pathetic.

You were so pathetic.

The sound of clinking chains resounded, and you faintly saw that Kawanishi had tried to lift an arm to comfort you, to reassure you, but the chains prevented his hands from lifting more than an inch. So instead, he extended a weak finger to brush against your elbow that was dipped into the bed by his hand.

The tears came harder and harsher, renewed further at this realization.

A hand touched your shoulder and you looked up to Iwaizumi who was looking at you without a scowl for once. There was only a sad understanding in his dark green eyes, and he didn't try to pity you for your unsightly attempt.

No one did, not even Goshiki, but you couldn't help avoiding the gazes of everyone that was in the room with you, in particular Kawanishi and Ushijima.

A heavy and numbing haze had fallen over your entire being, obscuring all thoughts, awareness, and emotions except for debilitating shame and disappointment.

You barely registered Ushijima's gentle voice telling you that it's alright, that you tried and that's all that matters, that they'll find another away (what other way was there? No one found anything ).

More than the fear and dismay at failing the others, you were most disappointed in yourself.

You didn't sleep that night, even if your body and mind cried out for you to give them the rest they wanted, needed.

You had locked yourself in the guest room, listlessly declining Ushijima's offer to show you around the castle and the city, disregarded Shirabu's soft whisper that it wasn't your fault and Goshiki's clenched fists, ignored Iwaizumi's reprimand that you need to eat.

The dinner that Iwaizumi had brought up for you remained untouched on the table in your room.

You didn't even shower.

What did you even come here for?

You had so easily, so breezily told Oikawa that you didn't mind coming here, carelessly promised him that you were able to do it.

How could you have so naively thought you could just come back to Hyquile and hope to be of help?

So what if you could move a quill now? How could you have been so happy about that fact, so high on confidence?

It didn't matter if you couldn't use what had been passed to you.

Her face, broken and hopeless with a withered smile, staring at you from the darkness. Her wishes and hopes that she had passed to you…

She had been as stupid and naive as you to think that you could do it.

You sniffled and tightened your arms around your knees, the corner of the room wall digging uncomfortably into your spine.

Mori rubbed his head onto your legs, his own attempt at cheering you up.

You smiled sadly down at the owl but beyond that, you didn't move.

You hadn't moved for a while, cowered into the corner of the room as if distancing yourself like this would somehow remove you from this situation.

As if the walls would somehow turn into arms to comfort you.

You suddenly missed your mum and dad. You missed your annoying brother, your entire family. You missed those conniving twins and your friends.

You wanted someone to comfort you, someone you can talk to, and whine to, about all the worries and stresses that were assaulting you daily, the insecurities and anxiety that always crawled beneath the surface of awe and wonder for a strange, new world.

You felt all of this with glaring clarity as you huddled alone in the unfamiliar room.

But you were alone in that same strange, new world; unable to fully confide in the people here and there was no one you could even confide to in your world, no matter how much you trusted them.

You are always accompanied by someone in Hyquile, and always surrounded by friends and classmates in your world with your family only a phone call away but…

You had never felt more alone.

As if he understood your thoughts, Mori's tiny chest puffed out in a ruffle of feathers and he flew with angry flutters of his wings to your backpack, diving into it with a messy fervor.

You sighed, thinking that he must be trying to get to the snacks in your bag.

You failed Mori too, you can't even keep him fed right.

And if something happened to him, then you would fail Akaashi and by extension Bokuto.

You failed Kita, Suna, the twins, and the other fox-folks; you wouldn't be able to help with their water and you were glad that you never got to tell them you were back. They didn't need a second round of disappointment.

You failed Kuroo, Kenma, and everyone at The Dominion. You could only hope they will be able to forgive you for prematurely raising their hopes and expectations with your letter.

You failed Oikawa's trust, and the chance he took with you.

And you failed Ushijima, Goshiki, and Shirabu; their friend was going to die in a few days and you can't stop it.

You were such a failure.

"Ow!"

With a yelp, you rubbed your forehead where Mori flew straight into you, ricocheting the back of your head against the wall.

What the hell…

"Mori! Why'd you do that for?!" You grimaced loudly at the owl, wincing as you touched the back of your head. There's already a small bump that was starting to form.

Mori hooted and chirped louder than you have ever seen the little owl do before. He pushed with his head towards you something shimmery on the floor that he had carried over.

With a frustrated groan, you unhooked your knees to stretch them out so you could grab whatever Mori had brought.

Your eyes widened when you saw that it was the leaf hairpin and your hand faltered.

Mori pushed the hairpin towards you again, urging for you to take it with another angry hoot.

Picking up the pin, you stared at it in the darkness of your room, admiring the way the emerald sheen glowed even in the dimmest of light.

Oikawa gave you this pin, believing it was the right choice to do so.

And she entrusted a part of her soul to you with this pin…

"Please look after all of them."

She entrusted her final wishes and hopes to you.

There was a light tickle on your leg and you looked down to see Mori holding one of his own feathers in his beak, blinking up at you with his round eyes almost expectantly.

Actually, it was expectantly.

This owl wasn't just some cute, tiny owl. He is a spy that worked for Akaashi and Bokuto.

And he is smarter than you gave him credit for.

You groaned with a dry laugh into your palm, gripping the hairpin tightly.

When you first met Bokuto in the forest and he scared the life out of you, you thought then that you hated owls.

You take it back completely.

With a giddy grin, you picked Mori up and accepted his offered feather, planting a smothering kiss on the top of his head.

You weren't alone.

Mori is here with you.

And he's telling you to not give up.

With renewed vigor thanks to Mori, you moved positions to the table and gobbled down your long cold meal, opening a pack of biscuits from your world for Mori before you did so.

You can't work on an empty stomach after all.

Mori settled himself onto the corner of the table as you pushed your plate aside after a speedy midnight dinner.

Placing the feather at the center, you breathed deeply, welcomed the thought that you will not sleep tonight-

And focused.

Knock knock knock

Iwaizumi waited patiently for a minute for you to answer him. When two minutes passed and you still haven't opened the door or answered him, his patience withered and his trademark scowl appeared.

He knocked again, more loudly this time.

He told you that he'd be here at this time to get you in the morning, so that you could both have breakfast in a timely manner before you had to teleport back to Seijoh.

Surely you didn't let the fact that he had been nicer to you when you were crying your eyes out go to your head, did you?

Another minute passed and he pinched his nose in frustration.

That's it.

Your attempt didn't work yesterday, and you were feeling horrible and down about it, he gets that. He understands failure more than you will ever know but he wasn't going to let you mope and coop in your room any longer than what you already had done.

There are people waiting on both you and him; even if he didn't like being a vassal to The Empire or Emperor Washijo, you were both still here as representatives from Aoba, especially him. He'd be the last person in the entire Kingdom to tarnish Aoba's reputation.

He gave one last loud rap on the door as a warning.

"If you don't open up, I'm going in!"

No answer.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, a smidge of worry crept into him, and the thought that something bad might have happened fleeted across his mind.

Assassins weren't as rare as one might think, even with the best security.

With a hand ready on his sword, he warily opened the door to your room and stepped in, ready for whatever he would find or jump out at him.

But all Iwaizumi found was you sprawled across the top of the table with a feather resting across your face, the light plume fluttering up and down your cheek and lips to the rhythm of your breaths.

A few more feathers littered the top of the table, and one was on the floor by the foot of the chair.

Had you been practicing with these feathers?

Where did you even get-

Iwaizumi squinted and blinked with confusion when he spotted the tiny owl resting in the crook of your neck.

...what?

Where did that owl come from?

He quietly approached the table where you slept, noting that you were still in the clothes you wore yesterday. His eyes followed the trace of exhausted grey that lay beneath the hood of your lashes, and watched the heavy breaths you took in your sleep.

You were still deep in your sleep, dead even, if you didn't hear his loud knocks and voice.

He glanced at the bed that was still made, untouched and unwrinkled.

He scowled, then sighed, in conjunction.

'Idiot didn't sleep and just passed out here.'

If this had happened the first few nights you were in Seijoh and he had come to get you, Iwaizumi was one hundred percent sure he would have either thrown water on your face or pulled out your chair to wake you.

But that wasn't the case.

Iwaizumi pulled out one of the lighter layers of the bed covers, messing up the whole arrangement in the process. Grabbing a pillow as well, he walked back over to you and slotted the pillow carefully between your back and the chair as best as he could, careful not to wake you.

Then he placed the light blanket over you, brows furrowing in confusion again at the owl snoring against your neck, haphazardly but gently tucking the blanket around you and the owl so that it wasn't smothered.

Whatever that owl is, it obviously provided you with your...training feathers.

He will still ask you about the owl later but it obviously wasn't a threat.

The Empire's spellcasters were likely already on their way to prepare the teleportation spell back to Seijoh for all of you but…

Iwaizumi figured they can be kept waiting while you snoozed for another few hours.

He didn't like the Eagles anyway.

When you finally jerked awake, sending Mori fluttering to the table with an indignant hoot, you momentarily panicked that you had slept beyond the time Iwaizumi had told you to be ready by. But then you noticed the pillow and blanket around you, and you rubbed your eyes, unable to recall ever touching the bed.

You definitely didn't pull the blankets off nor brought a pillow with you to the table. Did you?

All you remembered was ceaselessly channeling magic into one feather, then two, then three, then four, and more all through the night, practicing with furious determination to go beyond the limit of one feather that you had been easily satisfied with.

No one, not even Oikawa, told you to try moving more than one quill before. It was just something that occurred to you not long after you began practicing last night. Who said that you had to stop at one feather?

Talent is something you bloom, after all. And Oikawa had told you to make it bloom.

You weren't sure what time it was when you finally passed out from exhaustion and sleepiness, but a soft light had just started to crack across the horizon when you did.

You remembered that now, seeing the orange light seep into the room through the crack in the curtains. You hadn't moved to your bed at all.

Running your fingers down Mori's head, you smiled at the owl who accompanied you through the night and provided you with the feathers you needed.

Pulling the blanket tighter around yourself, you smiled sleepily into the soft fabric, hoping Iwaizumi won't mind if you took another ten minutes for yourself.

You weren't as alone as you had thought.

Notes:

I personally have nothing against Washijo, but for story purposes, he just be a bad grandpa :D
And lmao Bokuto isn't even a confirmed official pairing yet but I have to keep dragging him along in the story and giving him screen time in the case he finally does become an official pairing *shoots self in foot*💀
Also made a sketch of Majestic Kuroo that is loosely based on C11 from when he confronts Suna and ya know, tilts his head and his eyes glow? Or at least my poor attempt at it hah
Majestic Kuroo

If you have tumblr (or even as a guest!) Please do come chat and Ask, or even submit! I'm so bored sometimes, and sometimes I want to be able to just chat/bounce ideas with people whilst I write to help get the creative juice flowing...would people be interested in a Discord server if I made one?
Tumblr for Ghosts We See: Renesis-JJ

Do leave a comment if you enjoy my story :) It can be a simple thank you to a long commentary. I would love to hear what you think of my story, be it plot, characters, writing, or even just fangirling/bonding over the characters 3
As both a reader/writer, I understand that sometimes I do not know what to say, or a kudos is enough, but reviews/comments to writers are like water to plants. It encourages and motivates us a lot more than one might think. It lets us know without a doubt that people are reading, are enjoying it, that our efforts are worth it. I am sure many of us also tend to write faster when shown support in the form of words :D
It might seem frivolous, but I wish to create and encourage a community where readers and authors support each other this way, through their written words. I definitely cannot do it across the site, but I wish to start here, with my own story and hope to be able to grow that supporting circle that will hopefully stretch to other parts of the community 3

Chapter 21: Side Story, Iwaizumi Hajime: The Blue Knight, The Best Friend

Summary:

Introduction Arc Part Two: The White Eagle Empire

Side Story
Iwaizumi Hajime

Notes:

So my idea for side stories were side adventures with the boys(official/non-official), but I also wanted to expand on non-officials with MC, like a side chapter in Otome games! Shiiit, does this mean I gotta include non-official pairings in the tags and clarify who is official and isn't in notes? x.x

Will come back to edit and fix later, as usual zzzz...I should stop this habit .
Neways, please enjoy! Especially Iwaizumi stans! Man, he's been rocking in popularity lately here...what happened to stanning Akaashi? XD

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The first time Iwaizumi Hajime the Blue Knight saw you, he had been furious, appalled, disgusted, and sad, all at once.

Some terrible creature was walking around the streets of Seijoh with the face of his deceased childhood friend. Then claimed she was from another world and is here in Hyquile because of said friend.

Its been three years since she died, but it was three years too short, and three years too long.

Three years since they received news of her death, three years that felt like forever.

Three years that wasn't nearly enough to completely move on, not when there was no body to bury; when nobody saw it coming.

The earth beneath the stone that marked her resting place at her village is empty, hollow as the space that was left behind in the hearts of her family, her friends, him, Oikawa...and heck, even Ushijima, as much as Iwaizumi didn't play well with The Empire.

It had been sudden, abrupt, and everyone had been blindsided. Completely taken off guard. She went out one day and never...

As a knight, as a soldier, Iwaizumi is not unfamiliar with death. There is always some battle or skirmish that is bound to happen, even during a period of so-called peace- whether with bandits, unruly creatures, dark monsters, and whatever else is out there in this vast world with much still to be explored.

But death never gets any easier.

Iwaizumi doesn't think he wants it to get easier either, because what would that mean for his soul?

There is gossip that King Irihata might not live long, and people whisper about preparing themselves. Iwaizumi always scoffs at that; even if you have time to prepare, death doesn't get easier.

Not for him anyway.

It certainly didn't for Oikawa.

His friend, his best friend, the Crown Prince of Aoba...he might not show it, hide it from others pretty well, but Iwaizumi knows that idiot of a royalty better than he knows himself sometimes.

Iwaizumi supposes the same can be said for him, from Oikawa's point of view. And very likely, the same can be said for the two of them, from her point of view.

And Iwaizumi thought the same can be said for both him and Oikawa, in regards to her. That they knew her well.

But he was wrong.

He must have been.

She must have known or at least felt something akin to a threat, that perhaps her life was in danger. Yet, he didn't see anything, didn't suspect anything.

Maybe they could have done something, save her from her premature end.

How did she manage to hide it so well? Did she hide it, or did he just miss the signs?

He'll never find out though, cause she's no longer here.

But you were.

Iwaizumi felt almost sick when he saw you and the perfect resemblance you had with her. It was, however, quickly tamped down by another emotion, a stronger and more easily recognizable feeling.

Anger.

All this talk of another world, The Rot, alternates, and what not- it's all...so unbelievable! And yet, not completely and truly unbelievable, especially not in the world of Hyquile.

Your world, perhaps.

But not his world, where they are governed by souls and magic; by things that they do not yet fully understand themselves.

Iwaizumi knows that.

But it is just so hard looking at you.

It's so much easier to let red cloud his vision, cover it up so he doesn't have to see.

He's always prattling to Oikawa about how he should be more honest with himself but you've made him out to be a hypocrite.

When she died…

The days, weeks, months, and even years that followed after were…

Difficult. Challenging.

Even more so when his only other remaining childhood friend, best friend, is the Crown Prince, and he...he is a Blue Knight. Sworn to protect the king.

Sworn to protect the future king.

His best friend is the future king he has to protect.

Be it from assassins, enemy fire, dark creatures, conniving tricksters, or even Oikawa himself...Iwaizumi took his role seriously and with pride, further driven to go beyond because it involves his best friend.

His one last remaining childhood friend.

And when they heard the news...

Oikawa...took it very badly.

He didn't handle it in a way a Crown Prince should have.

He handled (or rather, didn't handle) it as one-third of their trio...as Oikawa Tooru.

As Tooru.

(not the Crown Prince)

Iwaizumi still remembers the first moment Oikawa Tooru saw her; when they first met her.

They had been in the study with Oikawa's royal magic tutor, the very same study where Oikawa taught you magic. Iwaizumi had been there as well, granted a privilege to learn magic alongside the Crown Prince because of his father's own lineage as a Blue Knight.

His future as a Blue Knight had been sealed the moment he showed talent with a sword.

Which Iwaizumi didn't mind.

He met Oikawa because of this, met her, and was afforded some of the best magic and swordsmanship classes in the realm. Doesn't mean he didn't work hard though, because he did. But there's only so much you can learn from someone else, and the rest you have to figure it out for yourself.

But the moment she had walked into the study, trailing nervously behind one of the senior magical advisors of Aoba, the two young boys had been easily curious.

Especially Oikawa, who was rarely allowed to interact with people beyond the castle walls then.

Iwaizumi's own home was in the city of Seijoh itself, so he had the freedom to move between his house and the castle, for training and lessons, but Oikawa didn't have that.

He's the Crown Prince, and that title meant there were a lot of restrictions and limitations to where, and with whom, he could go.

And even though she was brought in as a special case, she was, in all essence of the word, a commoner.

Mandatory etiquette lessons were drilled into her later on but she didn't know anything about which spoon to use first, or how to sit and cross her legs like a noble lady.

She was rough...free.

She spoke to both him and Iwaizumi without the proper titles (even after she learned it, she didn't really stop, only making an effort in the presence of someone strict.. kind of like you in his presence, with your half-heartedly tacked on 'Prince Oikawa's'), ran and danced on the grass without her shoes (the appalled faces of noble ladies visiting the castle were always fun to watch when this happened), and actually ate to enjoy food rather than being caught up with countless rules of whether the small fork is appropriate or the larger fork.

And Oikawa took to it like a plant took to the sun.

He was enthralled, beguiled, fascinated.

Over the years as the three of them grew up and really got to know each other, saw each other at all their best and worst, that fascination evolved and matured to something else.

Iwaizumi saw it all happen firsthand, so he knew he wasn't wrong, even if Oikawa didn't say it; didn't admit it.

Oikawa loved her.

He fell in love with her.

Him, a prince. And her, a commoner.

A fantasy that surely played in the dreams and imaginations of countless girls that fawned over the beloved and handsome Crown Prince of Aoba.

And Oikawa surely knew that himself, that nothing could possibly happen between them. That it is all just a fantasy, a dream.

It is when her engagement to Prince Ushijima was made that Iwaizumi saw the first signs of it in Oikawa; of the immense jealousy, upset, and anger that it is Ushijima she was engaged to, and not Oikawa. That even though Ushijima is a Crown Prince himself, he got arranged into a marriage with the girl that Oikawa fell for by The Emperor.

They had still been young when the engagement was agreed upon but whenever Iwaizumi reflected on the past, in hindsight, Iwaizumi is pretty sure that even then Oikawa already had some semblance of feelings for her; even if their young minds didn't process it well at the time.

Oikawa had been devastated at the news of her death and disappearance.

"What do you mean there isn't a body ?!"

"Go find her!"

"No, she is NOT dead! Until I see a body, she is not dead!"

He wasn't very...princely, for a while.

But that didn't matter if you're the Crown Prince. It's not just a job title or a role he could just back out from when it didn't suit him.

Iwaizumi lost count of the number of times he has to inconspicuously steer Oikawa- or others- away before he said something that might potentially cause a revolt from a noble family; lost track of the amount of time Oikawa spent looking for her- personally- until he ran himself dry; lost count of the number of training dummies and walls that Oikawa broke in his relentless training sessions, that quickly turned into him taking out all his despair in uncontrolled bursts of his magic and swings of his sword.

Iwaizumi didn't lose count of the number of times he had to drag Oikawa back to his room though, exhausted and spent (sometimes, he would even be unconscious).

Didn't lose count of the number of nights they would just sit together, quietly, reminiscing and reflecting (perhaps even regretting) in their own heads and memories, looking for what they missed that allowed this to happen.

Iwaizumi also didn't lose count of the number of times that he has seen Oikawa cry.

Really, truly, cry...

One.

Perhaps the prince cried more in the privacy of his own walls, who knows? But as far as Iwaizumi knows, Oikawa only cried once in front of him.

It was one time too many, and...too little.

Iwaizumi dealt with all of that as best as he could, made sure Oikawa didn't hurt himself or others, or the realm.

There had been some close calls that would have made people question his worthiness as Crown Prince (because people didn't really know nor understood, you know? They didn't understand the depth of their friendship, or Oikawa's feelings for a commoner) but Iwaizumi got them through it, somehow.

For three years, Iwaizumi fulfilled his role as a Blue Knight and Oikawa's best friend, doing what he can to keep Oikawa from falling apart (whilst trying to keep himself together but his wellbeing isn't as important as that of the Crown Prince).

Three years he spent burying her for Oikawa and himself.

So when you appeared, Iwaizumi had almost been afraid (afraid isn't the right word, he's rarely afraid...maybe worried? Concerned?) that you would undo the pieces of Oikawa that had been glued back together by him in the last three years.

Unearth all the careful words, prudent diversions, and vigilant observations he has done since her death...he doubts he ever stopped burying her; it's just automatic now, for him to throw another shovel full of dirt when even the slightest hint of something that will remind Oikawa of her in a bad way comes up.

It would have been an easy thing for an enemy of the realm to find out what she had looked like, to shapeshift to her semblance and prance about in front of the Crown Prince, playing at his emotional wellbeing.

It was the very first thought Iwaizumi had when he saw you, and he had good reason to be guarded and suspicious.

He had been wary that Oikawa would have another breakdown. Was expecting it.

But he didn't.

Oikawa took it in stride, opening the doors of the Blue Castle to you. His decision to trust you, to take a chance on you, was honestly unnerving. Iwaizumi thought Oikawa might be doing it because of your resemblance (from your face right down to your disposition, despite the minor differences) to her; that perhaps this is some morbid way of trying to replace her with you, that the prince didn't realize he is doing.

Then he heard about the hairpin, the dreams and visions, and the merging of her soul to you, and everything else (oh, he had been so angry that Oikawa kept the details from him, leaving him to find out in the meeting) and he's still wary, but he's keeping an open mind now. With the visions and dreams happening, maybe it had been a good thing Oikawa took a chance on you.

It still remains to be proven whether what you say is true though, and honestly, the outlook isn't great for you considering you failed to heal Kawanishi.

And though the above is important to Iwaizumi too, it isn't as important as the small effects you were starting to have on Oikawa.

He doesn't know the details or what happened exactly, but a few days after your arrival, Oikawa seems...lighter, somewhat. Just a little bit, whenever he talks to you.

Iwaizumi is very familiar with the mask Oikawa puts on for the public, a mask that has only been tinged with a heavy color since her death.

But once or twice, Iwaizumi has seen the real Oikawa break through the mask when he speaks with you; when he smiles at you.

It came naturally to him to worry at first; that this might not actually be a good thing becauseyou are her alternate.

Then Iwaizumi saw you reach for Oikawa- reflexively, naturally, instinctively- during that highly stressing meeting with Prince Ushijima and his retainers.

There was no hesitation in your movements, no doubt in your features, when your hand just took Oikawa's like it was the natural thing to do.

Took his hand that was certainly hurting his own skin, and stopped him from hurting himself. Prevented the monsters Oikawa wrangled with from doing something terrible that might possibly jeopardize their relations with The Empire in catastrophic ways…

Stopped Oikawa from succumbing to the same monsters in the same way Iwaizumi had been endeavoring to do for three years.

And Iwaizumi thought, perhaps you're the real deal.

Perhaps he is wrong.

He wants to be wrong.

He wants you to prove him wrong.

It is the main reason why he asked to accompany you to The Empire; sure, he wanted to keep a watchful eye on you as well but more than that, he wants to see firsthand, with his own eyes, as you healed someone of The Rot.

But you didn't.

You failed.

And though Iwaizumi was disappointed, he found that he isn't immediately looking to send you back to your world (he was surprised himself).

If you truly meant harm to Oikawa and Aoba, if you had really been just some evil feeding on their memories of her...could you really have cried the way you did at your failure?

It was unnerving, watching and hearing you cry over Kawanishi's weakened body, hunched over on him and yourself (it's a sight that will surely be found everywhere in the realm if The Rot kept spreading).

Your devastation was real.

The disappointment he saw in your eyes towards yourself was real.

And Iwaizumi understood disappointment in oneself very well.

And suddenly, Iwaizumi isn't so angry anymore.

Still angry, sure, but he isn't angry at you because he suspected you were going to pull out a dagger to slit the Prince of Aoba's throat at a moment's notice.

He is angry that all of this had to happen.

Is happening.

Angry that her life just ended when she still had so much to live for.

Angry that she didn't turn to them for help, angry that she did something as drastic as merging part of her soul with yours.

And maybe, he is even a little bit angry for you, that you were pulled from your quiet life in your own world into his world; into their mess.

A mess that shouldn't be yours to handle.

(he doesn't know too much about your world, but it sounds peaceful...more peaceful than theirs at least)

She always had the tendency to not think things through properly.

And it seems like you have the same tendency, especially with the way you just allowed yourself to be found by him and the way you decided to come back to Hyquile, even though you managed to return to your world.

And that...mindless sense of nobility in you, that inexplicable need to do what is right…

She had it too.

Iwaizumi pressed two fingers onto the lids of his eyes, his other hand clenching into a hard fist on his thigh.

And shit, Iwaizumi is actually, maybe, a little worried that he too, is starting to see too much of her semblance in you.

You're not her, and she's not you.

He is very clear about that.

You could never replace her, just like how she could never replace you.

Iwaizumi sighed, crossing his arms once more as he waited for you to wake up, wondering if he should pull the pillow you were hugging to your chest, with your head lolled to the side and leaned on the back of the chair.

When you still haven't shown up, Iwaizumi had come back up to check on you but found that you were still sleeping. Your new sleeping position told him that you likely woke up and went back to sleep, albeit a lighter one.

At his entrance, that strange owl had immediately fled to hide inside your backpack and Iwaizumi almost groaned at the realization that you had been carrying the bird in your backpack this whole time.

So here he is now, sitting at the foot of your bed and wondering how many more minutes his oh-so-generous heart is willing to give you before he inadvertently woke you up again, perhaps with a pillow to the face this time.

This would be the first time he has actually seen you with your guard fully down, with all the nerves that frequently pinched at your face gone (it wouldn't be the first time he has seen your sleeping face though...their little overnight camps in the royal gardens had been one of his favorite activities as a kid).