Digimon Fan Fiction / Ragnarok Fan Fiction ❯ Where Fate Turns ❯ Chapter 6: Higher Than the Sun ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Splash 
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction / Ragnarok Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 06.24.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 382 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction / Ragnarok Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 06.24.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 382 | Status: Completed
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Where Fate Turns
Chapter 6: Higher Than the Sun
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Both sides in this chapter. ^^;
Hehe, seems like I confused a lot of people with the Kouji thing. Yes! I'm just going to insist that Kouichi's not evil, and that it'll be explained eventually~ The confusion is intentional. ^_^;
Ragnarok Online doesn't really have much of a plot, so a lot of this I have to make up. ^^
Thanks shoutout! rachiru-rebonu, Dark_Fox, Sillie, LadyLobomon Warrior of Shadow, Pinali, Blackout12 (I'm so glad you enjoy reviewing ^^), KAWAIIROXY, Lady Moon3 (there's no use denying it, you're very right! But that's not all ^_^), Darcy335, Linnda, Catgirl Rahen (bulletin, hehe), Saya (blood? hmmm *evil grin*), Zlankrilanchinage (Please call me Splash. It's only FF.N's fault that the Yaoiluv needs to be attached. Cute Shaman King muse. =D), otaku no baka (This fic is based on Ragnarok Online ^^ But Ragnarok Online is based off the manga Ragnarok, so it has similar ties. Although, the game has little to do with the manga.), KawaiiKaren (Wow, you're like, one of the few people reading this who's actually played RO, lol! I completely forgot about battle acos, gomen! Is it any consolation if I say that Kouichi's a hybrid build? XD BTW, I kept seeing Mimi as an aco since I saw a Japanese fanart with her dressed as one, with Bunny Band! I kind of have Digimon in here, if anyone's noticed that the Knight Sefirot is from Digimon Frontier. The female Wizard and male Blacksmith were Rana(mon) and Arbor(mon), respectively. I plan to have them up again~ ^^ I don't know much about Kingdom Hearts, though ^^)
Quick note: Blacksmith is an advanced class of the Merchant.
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~To defeat another person, you must know what it's like to walk in their shoes... Is it worth it in the end?~
****
Takuya woke up the same morning by rolling onto his back, spreading his entire body across the bed. He exaggerated a yawn, then rubbed his eyes at the sun shining down at him. Those several extra hours of sleep really helped, but he hoped Kouji wasn't too upset. Speaking of which, where was Kouji?
The brunette swung over to the single desk in the room to get dressed up. He grabbed for his goggles, then paused at the sight of Kouji's dirt yellow bandana. Kouji rarely went anywhere without his bandana... this was unusual, not to mention his Damascus and other equipment were left behind.
' Oh, well. We have this room for another day, so I shouldn't worry too much about it.'
Heading outside in full attire, Takuya welcomed the sun shining down at him, delighting at the sounds of the birds outside. There were a lot of things he wanted to see in this town. The previous night's Falconry Festival had kept him away from the other sights, but now that it wouldn't come back until that night, he was free to check out what was in store.
Takuya spotted a rather intriguing vendor in the light atmosphere of the Archery village. While most of them were selling silver arrows for the undead monsters in Payon Dungeon, this one had something completely different... daggers. And not just ordinary daggers, they gave off ferocious auras. Takuya went up to the vendor to inspect the merchandise.
" There must be a dozen Damascus daggers here..." Takuya said in stark awe.
Behind the display of weapons, the Merchant turned to face him. He had an unshaven chin and he had a pipe in his mouth, although no smoke was coming out of it. " How good are ya, kid?"
Surprised at the firm question, Takuya jerked his head to face the Merchant, not knowing what to say. " I... uh..."
" Where are you from? I've never seen you in my travels around Payon and Alberta."
" I'm from Morroc, sir."
" Ah, that explains it... I feel sorry for you... the most of the monsters you get are Desert Wolves, Hodes and Sandmen... and it takes a while to find 'em."
Takuya's mind started spinning. He had never heard of these creatures before, but they were in his home area. How come this foreigner knew about them, but he didn't? There was so much he had to find out about the world around him...
" Is that Damascus your only equipment?" the Blacksmith asked, observing the sheath case on Takuya's side.
" Yes."
The Blacksmith shook his head. " You're not going to get very far with only that, especially as a Thief. Did you take a good look at what I've got here? I've made every one of these with my own hands."
The young Thief's eyes bulged. " ALL of these? But, there's dozens and dozens..."
" Daggers are slightly easier to make than swords, my other specialty," the Blacksmith noted. " All of these are elemental."
" Elemental...?"
" Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water," the Blacksmith listed off, " A set of all four is only 200,000 zeny, which is a really good deal, considering everything it takes to make one of these weapons. You'd be lucky if you could find ONE of these for that price. You interested? With this set, you can fight off just about anything."
' That's 2/3 of our money,' Takuya contemplated, ' No... I have an extra 50k that I kept for emergencies. We'll be fine...'
" I'll buy a set."
Suddenly, the Blacksmith stood to his full height, making Takuya's eyes bulge again. He was gigantic with broad arms that definitely showed he wasn't lying when he claimed he made so many weapons. With one massive scoop, he handed four neatly crafted sheath cases to Takuya. Each sheath had clear labels for which element dagger was inside. The red fire symbol, the yellow wind symbol, the brown earth symbol, the blue water symbol...
" And for being my first customer in a long time, here's a complimentary Buckler."
While Takuya was still trying to fit all the weapons on his belt, the Blacksmith shoved a large, round chunk of metal into his arms. The brunette tipped over slightly from the momentum, but managed to stand back up.
" W... what is this?" Takuya said as he peered at it, observing the circular shape and the spike protruding in the center.
" Commonly used among thieves and acolytes, the Buckler will protect you from just about any attack and fend off enemies with its large spike," the Blacksmith said, imitating a salesman. " Wow, that brings back old Merchant memories..."
" Thanks," Takuya said openly, " I wonder what I should do next..."
" You should try Payon Cave, since it's right there," the Blacksmith pointed to a cave close by. " The fire Damascus works well on the Undeads, even if it's not as great as a holy weapon."
Takuya nodded, then went into the cave without further hesitation. He was immediately incased by a mass of people and the cave-dwelling monsters. Zombies covered the narrow hallways of the dungeon, and bats pestered people here and there. All in all, it was a pretty chaotic area... Takuya observed the others (mainly Archers) slaughtering Zombies.
" Are you here for the money, too?" someone randomly from behind him. He turned around to see another Thief just like him. Even in his hometown, he wasn't used to meeting other thieves... his business wasn't like the normal Thief's, after all...
" Money? How can you get money here?" Takuya figured the monsters were just there to train people.
The Thief snickered. " Like I'm going to tell you."
Takuya was too shocked to do anything as the Thief walked away. ' What kind of person does something that rude? Gese...' Despite the short and rude encounter, Takuya continued on in cheerful spirits.
" I saw that Thief blow you off. What a cruel thing to do to a fellow class member."
Once again, Takuya turned to meet the voice, but this time, it was a female Hunter who met up with him.
" You must be new around this city."
" Who are you?" Takuya asked tentatively.
" The name's Sakura. I can finish what the Thief should have said for you."
" Please?"
" Wow... it's hard to find a male with manners these days," Sakura said, frowning. " The Zombies and Familiar bats have teeth that are excellent for Blacksmiths to use in their forgery. There aren't too many weapons that haven't been spiffed up with these things. Anyhow, they sell for a lot of money if you gather a bunch of them."
Takuya spotted a Zombie approaching him and decided to try out his new fire Damascus. Taking the weapon out of its sheath, he slashed at the ugly creature. A strange blaze erupted from inside the Zombie before it fell over. As it disappeared, a single tooth formed where it once lay.
" That was easy..."
Takuya turned around to thank Sakura, only to find no one there. That was unusual... Then again, everything that happened on this world was unusual. Takuya shrugged and picked up the tooth, then continued traveling through the cave for more monsters.
****
He lost himself in time in the cave, collecting teeth and selling them to excited Blacksmiths outside of the cave. While it was good money-making, it was dull without Kouji... Where could he have gone? When Takuya went back to the Inn they were staying at, there was no sign of Kouji. He started to get worried from this discovery, especially since they were in a foreign place. Kouji could be lost, or people could have done something to him...
The second choice conjured a vile churning inside him. Was all this... his fault? He tried to remember the events earlier in the day... he just woke up, when Kouji...
Ah, that's right. Kouji ran off in a rather dismayed state... he was probably off somewhere being angsty. Takuya almost laughed at the thought, then thought better of it. He could just imagine Kouji sitting off in a lonely dungeon corner in a fetal position...
Takuya held back more chuckles. He wouldn't do that, would he?
Having cheered himself up slightly from the joke, the brunette adjusted his goggles and headed back out to explore the town some more.
****
After fighting a bout of Poring mobs with his wind Damascus, Takuya had just about enough of the city. The old buildings were pretty and all, but the atmosphere just didn't seem right. The festivities didn't hide the dangerous aura it was giving off. Perhaps it was something in the cave... with all the people fighting so many monsters, something seemed unusual. Was this city always that busy? The activity seemed... artificial, almost.
Curiosity unsatiated, Takuya went back to Payon Dungeon, trying to ignore the usual activity of the tooth-Hunters. Something was strange, certainly...
Suddenly, Takuya shuddered, as if a gust of wind had ganged up on him. Someone nearby gave him a strange look before stepping up to a Zombie. Takuya could hear something... standing still, he focused on a distant murmurring. It sounded like.... flapping?
As soon as he could distinguish the sound, he opened his eyes and saw a bird frantically flapping in his direction. It looked like a Hunter's falcon, except it was much smaller. Takuya didn't have to hesitate further, however. He followed the falcon as it flew back the way it came. It flew as fast as Takuya could run down endless corridors of the cave. Takuya didn't know where he was going or what the falcon was trying to do, but he could feel that something important was about to happen...
When he started tiring from the running, he put a hand to the wall and stopped to catch his breath. The falcon also stopped, to his surprise. In fact, it was rather peculiar when the falcon landed on his shoulder...
" What is..." He started to speak, hanging on to the side of the cave, when he realized he was in a rather open area. It wasn't crowded with Zombies or Familiars...
Instead, there was someone dressed in dark blue... and he was floating. What the hell? Takuya could see something behind the person, battered on the ground. The dark blue figured turned around and spotted him, giving a not-so-pleasant look. Was it going to attack him?
Takuya didn't have to answer his own question... he pulled out his fire Damascus and swung it before he knew what he was doing. The figure, wearing a large hat with some sort of amulet hanging in front of his face, wobbled forward and attempted to punch the brunette. It was slow this time, however. Something inside Takuya made him move almost instinctively... almost as if he had no control of himself. Takuya easily slipped behind the other creature and slashed it across the back. The creature gave out a keen wail, ripping apart from the slash outward until it withered into nothingness.
Takuya blinked, then took a step back, as if recovering from a push. What the heck just happened? He knew what he was doing, yet he made no mental effort to stop himself. It wasn't as if something possessed him, more like... a part of him had awakened for a moment. He had never killed another creature like that before... not one that looked as human as that one...
His thoughts were cut off as he spotted the person the creature had been blocking earlier. He was unconscious, it seemed, since Takuya highly doubted anyone would fall asleep in a dungeon as dangerous as this. He had not a scratch on him, and all of his supplies were still with him. A large, powerful looking bow lay at his side, along with a pack of arrow. The boy was blonde and he had a strange pair of white wings on his head...
The falcon, who had moved off Takuya's shoulder as he attacked, nudged the fallen boy's head. Abruptly, the body spasmed, and the next thing Takuya knew, the blonde boy had jolted upright. Takuya took another step back, his fire Damascus ready in hand.
" TAICHI!"
To Takuya's surprise, the blonde was breathing heavily, clutching his bow close to his chest. The Archer scanned the area with frantic eyes, then narrowed his eyes at Takuya. " Who are you?!?" he snapped.
Takuya kneeled next to the blonde, giving him an irritated look. " Great attitude toward the person who just saved your life. Did that blue-clothed person really knock you unconscious?"
The blonde paused, realizing that the boy next to him was not an enemy. Though he was not the most pleasant person at first impression, that wasn't the main point... " I was taken down by an Assassin... your advanced class, in fact..."
Takuya ignored the blonde quirking his eye at him, then offered the blonde a white cloth he took out of his supply. " Here. Your back is... all red."
The blonde jerked his head to glance at the Thief, as if he had not heard him correctly. " I..." he suddenly wheezed, coughing into his hand. When he pulled back, his hand was covered in a most recognizable pure crimson... " Oh my G...g..."
The Archer started to lurch sideways, unable to stop himself. Takuya brought his arm around him to keep him up. " Hey, don't die out on me now!" he said, almost enraged. " Show a little respect here!"
Slowly, The blonde took the cloth from Takuya's open hand and covered his mouth with it. What does one do in such a situation? Respect... he knew how to show it, but his pride kept him back most of the time. This wasn't a good time to show it. " I'm Yamato," he mumbled into the cloth.
The brunette smiled thoughtfully. " I'm Takuya. Can I ask what you're doing here?"
" I should ask the same thing," Yamato replied, although without malice. Their conversation had taken an unusually delicate turn, contrasting the earlier tense atmosphere. " But since you asked first, I'll answer. My apprentice Taichi was taken by an Assassin and Priest duo. I... I have to find them..."
He started to get up, but Takuya held him back. " Hold on... do you even have any idea where you're going to find them?"
" I can ask around the people in the dungeon, and Hawkes can scout for me," Yamato said, his words still somewhat garbled. " There aren't that many dark-haired Assassins with ponytails."
He tried to get up again, but Takuya stopped him again, this time more forcefully. Again, something strange came over the brunette, and the words spilled out of his mouth before he could recognize what he was doing. " Take me with you!"
The blonde frowned as his eyes grew wide, staring at the Thief. ' There's something about this person's eyes... They're like Taichi's...'
Takuya flustered, then shook his head. " Sorry... it's just that I- when you mentioned the Assassin... um..." he twisted his mouth slightly and started over. " I'm worried for my friend, and I think he's in here somewhere..."
Yamato's falcon suddenly gave a shriek, startling the both of them. Swiftly, Yamato turned to where Hawkes was facing, then narrowed his eyes. He shot up from Takuya's grip and started running, ignoring Takuya's immediate protest. Nevertheless, Takuya looked up to see where Yamato was heading. He could catch a glimpse of something yellow... Intrigued, he sprinted to catch up with Yamato, falcon trailing along with him.
Takuya caught up to the blonde rather quickly, much to the Archer's amazement. " What is that up there?"
" A Nine Tail," Yamato breathed, staring at the yellow flickering in the darkness, " Taichi saw one earlier right before the Assassin appeared."
Takuya nodded and continued running. ' It'll lead us to the Assassin again... the Assassin...'
Not long after, Yamato stopped running. However, Takuya kept going, following Hawkes as a guide. He didn't realize Yamato had stopped until he turned around, before running into a bandaged chest. He felt something familiar enveloping him a split-second later. Bewildered, he looked up, and his breath gave out as he uttered, " Kou..."
The person in front of him was startled for sure, probably more so than Takuya. By some mysterious instinct, the Assassin had wrapped his arms around the Thief. Usually, he would have slaughtered it, or at least that was what he was trained to do...
The Thief glanced around frantically. Yamato and Hawkes were no where in sight, and he was in the unsuspecting arms of an Assassin...
" W-when did you change class?" Takuya said nervously. Everything was confusing him... why was Kouji in this cave? Why was he wearing Assassin clothes? Why wasn't he saying anything? Why did he have to look so... sexy...
" You must be pretty strong to make it up this far, kid," Kouji said indifferently, removing his arms to his sides. " But watch where you're going next time."
Takuya blinked several times, noticing several things about the situation. One... Kouji seemed to have no idea who Takuya was, two... there was a Priest behind Kouji, carrying a different, unconscious Archer on his back. There was definitely something amiss...
The brunette gasped, his voice raising several pitches. He recognized the Priest from Geffen Dungeon... but hadn't he said he was going to some other place? And why was he wearing advanced class clothes, too? What was he doing here with Kouji...?
His thoughts were interrupted as Yamato burst out of hiding and slam-tackled the Priest. The unconscious Archer slipped off of the Priest's back and into Yamato's prepared arms. The blonde yelled out something that seemed like a command of retreat.
Takuya hesitated. What choices did he have? Kouji had seen Yamato's actions and the look on his face wasn't pleasing. It looked like...he was going to kill everything in sight. The brunette had never seen such an intense look before... Frightened, Takuya stepped away from the Assassin, then sprinted to follow Yamato. The Assassin didn't come after them, but went to inspect the Priest.
Yamato and Takuya didn't stop running until they were in the presence of the people slaughtering Zombies in the shallow area of the cave. Panting heavily, they were unable to say anything. Yamato dropped Taichi from his back, then slumped against the cave wall. Hawkes flew over with several red herbs in his claws. Yamato took them gratefully, then gave some to Takuya, who was breathing just as vigorously.
" I can't believe he didn't come after us," Yamato said huskily, " If he was the mean, killing machine I saw him as before, he would have left the Priest behind..."
It wasn't a very important thought to him, however. He was just amazed that they escaped alive, and with Taichi... he caught his breath. " Let's move out into the city, they could still be after us."
Yamato wrapped an unconscious Taichi's arm around himself, then proceeded to trudge out of the dungeon. Any Zombies that headed their way were immediately swacked by prospecting money Hunters. Takuya suggested his hotel room to let Taichi rest, which Yamato gratefully accepted. They discussed no further until they reached their destination, where Yamato placed his willing burden on the single bed.
" ...Feel like talking now?" Yamato asked tentatively to Takuya.
The young Thief was visibly shaking by now. The assorted daggers covering his belt were making subtle rattling noises. " I'm... going to take a break at the pub nearby," Takuya said, " You're free to rest here for the remainder of the day."
They gave one small look at each other before understanding. There was one word that could describe them... drained.
Yamato didn't need to thank Takuya, who left so quietly that he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't watched him leave.
The blonde scratched the back of his neck as if it had been irritating him for hours, sighing a huge sigh of relief. He dropped his arrow pack and bow, then slumped onto the bed next to Taichi. He stared blankly at the ceiling for several minutes, not thinking about anything. He could see his own eyelids flickering in front of him. Finally, he willed himself to let his mind wander.
' At times like this we have little time to idle away by reflecting,' he remembered saying to Taichi. " I'm a hypocrite."
This made him feel all the worse, seeing Taichi in front of him, unawake. Only now did Yamato start feeling the pain in his back. Yamato had taken a full hit from one of the Assassin's daggers. With a hit like that, he was rather surprised that he still had any strength left. His back didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, either. Perhaps the Priest had something to do with it... Still, the injury was painful. After all that running, he was more exhausted than he had ever been.
Shifting closer to the center of the bed (one of his legs were dangling off the side), Yamato flushed as he noticed that the bed was rather small for two people. Hesitantly, he brought an arm over Taichi's limp figure and closed the space between them. Even though Taichi wasn't conscious, Yamato hoped that the contact would help him sleep. " Taichi..."
He felt horrible. Here he was, unable to defend Taichi from the advanced classes and having to run away... and he was still depending on Taichi to help him sleep. It was pathetic, but there was little he could do. Maybe some day, he could properly return the gift Taichi had given him... He didn't find Taichi's method to be awkward at all, actually. It frightened him slightly, how much he anticipated talking to Taichi again. He had never gone through such efforts for anyone else before, so what made Taichi special? Aside from the burning personality, enthusiasm, innocence, and the adorable way the Kittyband fitted on his beautiful hair...
****
The pub was crowded with Hunters. This wasn't what Takuya wanted, but he couldn't find any better spot. He still didn't know what to think... all he could do was sit with a blank face on the pub chair. The Hunter falcons surrounding him were all the prime of their breed; they were extremely clean and most people wouldn't even be able to tell they were real birds from their manners.
Takuya didn't stir as two Hunters approached him, one of them apparently drunk as his arm was slung over the other.
" Do you mind if we take these seats next to you?" the sober one asked.
Takuya didn't reply, so the Hunters took the seat next to him anyway. The drunk one didn't bother sitting down, but he kept his arms over the other for support.
" What's your name?" the sober one asked lightly.
Takuya was too unmotivated to reply, but the Hunters didn't seem to mind. They continued to look at the small boy with indescribable faces. " Something happen to ya, kid?"
Naturally, Takuya didn't say anything. Sometimes, he just wished he could carry around some sign that could conveniently tell people what he was feeling... a sign like the one the drunk Hunter was wearing... it was right on top of his head. It was a wooden sign, peculiar how it seemed to sprout right out of his hair... the sign had a clear "|-D" sign on it. Takuya peered at it sideways to observe the drunk person's emotion. After he finished, he turned away and finished his business with the Hunters.
" Che, offer help to a guy and he blows you off," the sober hunted muttered.
Takuya paused. He was being unreasonably rude, he realized. These Hunters had done nothing to him, yet he was treating them like dirt...
" Why would you want to help me?" he asked tentatively, turning towards them.
The Hunters didn't answer for a long while.
" Because we can," the drunk one said.
" Don't mind him, he's a bit out of proper thought," the other added, " but no one should be feeling down during the Falconry Festival! We've made a habit to go around cheering people up during this time, so you're up next! What's on your mind?"
Takuya slowly told the Hunters his story, from leaving Morroc to the full incident in Payon Dungeon...
The drunk Hunter put his hand on his chin and nodded knowingly. " Yes, yes, something weird did happen indeed..."
" I have no idea what to do now, it seems like... Kouji's entered a completely different world or something. I have no idea how he became an Assassin in that short period of time either. It's so..."
The sober was imitating the drunk's position now. " You say you met Kouichi and him deep inside Payon Dungeon? Together?"
Takuya nodded.
" This Nine Tail you mentioned," the Hunter continued, " Nine Tail follow the Moonlight."
This was new to the brunette. " What?"
" You don't know the Moonlight? That's scary that you don't know. She's the highlight of Payon Dungeon, everyone wants to fight her! But only a rare few stay alive to boast about it..."
The drunk one suddenly lurched over the other Hunter. " Oh my God, she's gorgeous! I've seen her! Better yet, she wears absolutely nothing on her-"
" You dumbass, you saw the illustrated card picture," the other said, somewhat annoyed. Takuya just blinked at them innocently. " Anyway, Moony's been known to possess her victims. It's possible that Kouichi and Kouji were taken..."
The Thief felt abruptly enlightened. He noticed at that moment that instead of freaking out, he could think this out stategically with the Hunters.
" That's probably it," Takuya said with a strange sense of acceptance. " Is there a way to return them to normal?"
" Well... there isn't much information about the people she possesses. We can't tell who's possessed by her, or if they're possessed permanently. Actually, we don't know if any of them are alive still."
" Alive..." Takuya uttered in a low pitch, nearly causing the Hunters to shudder. " I'm going to fight Moonlight and make her free Kouji and Kouichi."
" Whoa, whoa," the drunk one butt in, " Easier said than done, fella. It's impossible even for a single second class, let alone a first class like you."
" You never know unless you try!" Takuya nearly shouted. His sudden burst of determination startled the Hunters.
They didn't say anything for several minutes, as the bar chattering continued around them. Finally, the drunk one shrugged, while keeping his arm on the other Hunter.
" At least you could become an Assassin before trying Moonlight," he said, sighing.
Takuya's eyes bulged. He looked at his Damascus set on his belt with a new meaning. It hadn't occured to him until now. Why pout about being beyond Kouji's reach, when he hadn't even tried going for the same level?
" If Kouji's an Assassin, there's no reason why I can't be one, too. I'll do that. Then I'll go have a tiff with that Moonlight..."
****
There's some pics on both the Taito and the Takouji sites for this fic. =3 Gogogo review! X3
Splash
gottaito.cjb.net
Where Fate Turns
Chapter 6: Higher Than the Sun
****
Both sides in this chapter. ^^;
Hehe, seems like I confused a lot of people with the Kouji thing. Yes! I'm just going to insist that Kouichi's not evil, and that it'll be explained eventually~ The confusion is intentional. ^_^;
Ragnarok Online doesn't really have much of a plot, so a lot of this I have to make up. ^^
Thanks shoutout! rachiru-rebonu, Dark_Fox, Sillie, LadyLobomon Warrior of Shadow, Pinali, Blackout12 (I'm so glad you enjoy reviewing ^^), KAWAIIROXY, Lady Moon3 (there's no use denying it, you're very right! But that's not all ^_^), Darcy335, Linnda, Catgirl Rahen (bulletin, hehe), Saya (blood? hmmm *evil grin*), Zlankrilanchinage (Please call me Splash. It's only FF.N's fault that the Yaoiluv needs to be attached. Cute Shaman King muse. =D), otaku no baka (This fic is based on Ragnarok Online ^^ But Ragnarok Online is based off the manga Ragnarok, so it has similar ties. Although, the game has little to do with the manga.), KawaiiKaren (Wow, you're like, one of the few people reading this who's actually played RO, lol! I completely forgot about battle acos, gomen! Is it any consolation if I say that Kouichi's a hybrid build? XD BTW, I kept seeing Mimi as an aco since I saw a Japanese fanart with her dressed as one, with Bunny Band! I kind of have Digimon in here, if anyone's noticed that the Knight Sefirot is from Digimon Frontier. The female Wizard and male Blacksmith were Rana(mon) and Arbor(mon), respectively. I plan to have them up again~ ^^ I don't know much about Kingdom Hearts, though ^^)
Quick note: Blacksmith is an advanced class of the Merchant.
****
~To defeat another person, you must know what it's like to walk in their shoes... Is it worth it in the end?~
****
Takuya woke up the same morning by rolling onto his back, spreading his entire body across the bed. He exaggerated a yawn, then rubbed his eyes at the sun shining down at him. Those several extra hours of sleep really helped, but he hoped Kouji wasn't too upset. Speaking of which, where was Kouji?
The brunette swung over to the single desk in the room to get dressed up. He grabbed for his goggles, then paused at the sight of Kouji's dirt yellow bandana. Kouji rarely went anywhere without his bandana... this was unusual, not to mention his Damascus and other equipment were left behind.
' Oh, well. We have this room for another day, so I shouldn't worry too much about it.'
Heading outside in full attire, Takuya welcomed the sun shining down at him, delighting at the sounds of the birds outside. There were a lot of things he wanted to see in this town. The previous night's Falconry Festival had kept him away from the other sights, but now that it wouldn't come back until that night, he was free to check out what was in store.
Takuya spotted a rather intriguing vendor in the light atmosphere of the Archery village. While most of them were selling silver arrows for the undead monsters in Payon Dungeon, this one had something completely different... daggers. And not just ordinary daggers, they gave off ferocious auras. Takuya went up to the vendor to inspect the merchandise.
" There must be a dozen Damascus daggers here..." Takuya said in stark awe.
Behind the display of weapons, the Merchant turned to face him. He had an unshaven chin and he had a pipe in his mouth, although no smoke was coming out of it. " How good are ya, kid?"
Surprised at the firm question, Takuya jerked his head to face the Merchant, not knowing what to say. " I... uh..."
" Where are you from? I've never seen you in my travels around Payon and Alberta."
" I'm from Morroc, sir."
" Ah, that explains it... I feel sorry for you... the most of the monsters you get are Desert Wolves, Hodes and Sandmen... and it takes a while to find 'em."
Takuya's mind started spinning. He had never heard of these creatures before, but they were in his home area. How come this foreigner knew about them, but he didn't? There was so much he had to find out about the world around him...
" Is that Damascus your only equipment?" the Blacksmith asked, observing the sheath case on Takuya's side.
" Yes."
The Blacksmith shook his head. " You're not going to get very far with only that, especially as a Thief. Did you take a good look at what I've got here? I've made every one of these with my own hands."
The young Thief's eyes bulged. " ALL of these? But, there's dozens and dozens..."
" Daggers are slightly easier to make than swords, my other specialty," the Blacksmith noted. " All of these are elemental."
" Elemental...?"
" Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water," the Blacksmith listed off, " A set of all four is only 200,000 zeny, which is a really good deal, considering everything it takes to make one of these weapons. You'd be lucky if you could find ONE of these for that price. You interested? With this set, you can fight off just about anything."
' That's 2/3 of our money,' Takuya contemplated, ' No... I have an extra 50k that I kept for emergencies. We'll be fine...'
" I'll buy a set."
Suddenly, the Blacksmith stood to his full height, making Takuya's eyes bulge again. He was gigantic with broad arms that definitely showed he wasn't lying when he claimed he made so many weapons. With one massive scoop, he handed four neatly crafted sheath cases to Takuya. Each sheath had clear labels for which element dagger was inside. The red fire symbol, the yellow wind symbol, the brown earth symbol, the blue water symbol...
" And for being my first customer in a long time, here's a complimentary Buckler."
While Takuya was still trying to fit all the weapons on his belt, the Blacksmith shoved a large, round chunk of metal into his arms. The brunette tipped over slightly from the momentum, but managed to stand back up.
" W... what is this?" Takuya said as he peered at it, observing the circular shape and the spike protruding in the center.
" Commonly used among thieves and acolytes, the Buckler will protect you from just about any attack and fend off enemies with its large spike," the Blacksmith said, imitating a salesman. " Wow, that brings back old Merchant memories..."
" Thanks," Takuya said openly, " I wonder what I should do next..."
" You should try Payon Cave, since it's right there," the Blacksmith pointed to a cave close by. " The fire Damascus works well on the Undeads, even if it's not as great as a holy weapon."
Takuya nodded, then went into the cave without further hesitation. He was immediately incased by a mass of people and the cave-dwelling monsters. Zombies covered the narrow hallways of the dungeon, and bats pestered people here and there. All in all, it was a pretty chaotic area... Takuya observed the others (mainly Archers) slaughtering Zombies.
" Are you here for the money, too?" someone randomly from behind him. He turned around to see another Thief just like him. Even in his hometown, he wasn't used to meeting other thieves... his business wasn't like the normal Thief's, after all...
" Money? How can you get money here?" Takuya figured the monsters were just there to train people.
The Thief snickered. " Like I'm going to tell you."
Takuya was too shocked to do anything as the Thief walked away. ' What kind of person does something that rude? Gese...' Despite the short and rude encounter, Takuya continued on in cheerful spirits.
" I saw that Thief blow you off. What a cruel thing to do to a fellow class member."
Once again, Takuya turned to meet the voice, but this time, it was a female Hunter who met up with him.
" You must be new around this city."
" Who are you?" Takuya asked tentatively.
" The name's Sakura. I can finish what the Thief should have said for you."
" Please?"
" Wow... it's hard to find a male with manners these days," Sakura said, frowning. " The Zombies and Familiar bats have teeth that are excellent for Blacksmiths to use in their forgery. There aren't too many weapons that haven't been spiffed up with these things. Anyhow, they sell for a lot of money if you gather a bunch of them."
Takuya spotted a Zombie approaching him and decided to try out his new fire Damascus. Taking the weapon out of its sheath, he slashed at the ugly creature. A strange blaze erupted from inside the Zombie before it fell over. As it disappeared, a single tooth formed where it once lay.
" That was easy..."
Takuya turned around to thank Sakura, only to find no one there. That was unusual... Then again, everything that happened on this world was unusual. Takuya shrugged and picked up the tooth, then continued traveling through the cave for more monsters.
****
He lost himself in time in the cave, collecting teeth and selling them to excited Blacksmiths outside of the cave. While it was good money-making, it was dull without Kouji... Where could he have gone? When Takuya went back to the Inn they were staying at, there was no sign of Kouji. He started to get worried from this discovery, especially since they were in a foreign place. Kouji could be lost, or people could have done something to him...
The second choice conjured a vile churning inside him. Was all this... his fault? He tried to remember the events earlier in the day... he just woke up, when Kouji...
Ah, that's right. Kouji ran off in a rather dismayed state... he was probably off somewhere being angsty. Takuya almost laughed at the thought, then thought better of it. He could just imagine Kouji sitting off in a lonely dungeon corner in a fetal position...
Takuya held back more chuckles. He wouldn't do that, would he?
Having cheered himself up slightly from the joke, the brunette adjusted his goggles and headed back out to explore the town some more.
****
After fighting a bout of Poring mobs with his wind Damascus, Takuya had just about enough of the city. The old buildings were pretty and all, but the atmosphere just didn't seem right. The festivities didn't hide the dangerous aura it was giving off. Perhaps it was something in the cave... with all the people fighting so many monsters, something seemed unusual. Was this city always that busy? The activity seemed... artificial, almost.
Curiosity unsatiated, Takuya went back to Payon Dungeon, trying to ignore the usual activity of the tooth-Hunters. Something was strange, certainly...
Suddenly, Takuya shuddered, as if a gust of wind had ganged up on him. Someone nearby gave him a strange look before stepping up to a Zombie. Takuya could hear something... standing still, he focused on a distant murmurring. It sounded like.... flapping?
As soon as he could distinguish the sound, he opened his eyes and saw a bird frantically flapping in his direction. It looked like a Hunter's falcon, except it was much smaller. Takuya didn't have to hesitate further, however. He followed the falcon as it flew back the way it came. It flew as fast as Takuya could run down endless corridors of the cave. Takuya didn't know where he was going or what the falcon was trying to do, but he could feel that something important was about to happen...
When he started tiring from the running, he put a hand to the wall and stopped to catch his breath. The falcon also stopped, to his surprise. In fact, it was rather peculiar when the falcon landed on his shoulder...
" What is..." He started to speak, hanging on to the side of the cave, when he realized he was in a rather open area. It wasn't crowded with Zombies or Familiars...
Instead, there was someone dressed in dark blue... and he was floating. What the hell? Takuya could see something behind the person, battered on the ground. The dark blue figured turned around and spotted him, giving a not-so-pleasant look. Was it going to attack him?
Takuya didn't have to answer his own question... he pulled out his fire Damascus and swung it before he knew what he was doing. The figure, wearing a large hat with some sort of amulet hanging in front of his face, wobbled forward and attempted to punch the brunette. It was slow this time, however. Something inside Takuya made him move almost instinctively... almost as if he had no control of himself. Takuya easily slipped behind the other creature and slashed it across the back. The creature gave out a keen wail, ripping apart from the slash outward until it withered into nothingness.
Takuya blinked, then took a step back, as if recovering from a push. What the heck just happened? He knew what he was doing, yet he made no mental effort to stop himself. It wasn't as if something possessed him, more like... a part of him had awakened for a moment. He had never killed another creature like that before... not one that looked as human as that one...
His thoughts were cut off as he spotted the person the creature had been blocking earlier. He was unconscious, it seemed, since Takuya highly doubted anyone would fall asleep in a dungeon as dangerous as this. He had not a scratch on him, and all of his supplies were still with him. A large, powerful looking bow lay at his side, along with a pack of arrow. The boy was blonde and he had a strange pair of white wings on his head...
The falcon, who had moved off Takuya's shoulder as he attacked, nudged the fallen boy's head. Abruptly, the body spasmed, and the next thing Takuya knew, the blonde boy had jolted upright. Takuya took another step back, his fire Damascus ready in hand.
" TAICHI!"
To Takuya's surprise, the blonde was breathing heavily, clutching his bow close to his chest. The Archer scanned the area with frantic eyes, then narrowed his eyes at Takuya. " Who are you?!?" he snapped.
Takuya kneeled next to the blonde, giving him an irritated look. " Great attitude toward the person who just saved your life. Did that blue-clothed person really knock you unconscious?"
The blonde paused, realizing that the boy next to him was not an enemy. Though he was not the most pleasant person at first impression, that wasn't the main point... " I was taken down by an Assassin... your advanced class, in fact..."
Takuya ignored the blonde quirking his eye at him, then offered the blonde a white cloth he took out of his supply. " Here. Your back is... all red."
The blonde jerked his head to glance at the Thief, as if he had not heard him correctly. " I..." he suddenly wheezed, coughing into his hand. When he pulled back, his hand was covered in a most recognizable pure crimson... " Oh my G...g..."
The Archer started to lurch sideways, unable to stop himself. Takuya brought his arm around him to keep him up. " Hey, don't die out on me now!" he said, almost enraged. " Show a little respect here!"
Slowly, The blonde took the cloth from Takuya's open hand and covered his mouth with it. What does one do in such a situation? Respect... he knew how to show it, but his pride kept him back most of the time. This wasn't a good time to show it. " I'm Yamato," he mumbled into the cloth.
The brunette smiled thoughtfully. " I'm Takuya. Can I ask what you're doing here?"
" I should ask the same thing," Yamato replied, although without malice. Their conversation had taken an unusually delicate turn, contrasting the earlier tense atmosphere. " But since you asked first, I'll answer. My apprentice Taichi was taken by an Assassin and Priest duo. I... I have to find them..."
He started to get up, but Takuya held him back. " Hold on... do you even have any idea where you're going to find them?"
" I can ask around the people in the dungeon, and Hawkes can scout for me," Yamato said, his words still somewhat garbled. " There aren't that many dark-haired Assassins with ponytails."
He tried to get up again, but Takuya stopped him again, this time more forcefully. Again, something strange came over the brunette, and the words spilled out of his mouth before he could recognize what he was doing. " Take me with you!"
The blonde frowned as his eyes grew wide, staring at the Thief. ' There's something about this person's eyes... They're like Taichi's...'
Takuya flustered, then shook his head. " Sorry... it's just that I- when you mentioned the Assassin... um..." he twisted his mouth slightly and started over. " I'm worried for my friend, and I think he's in here somewhere..."
Yamato's falcon suddenly gave a shriek, startling the both of them. Swiftly, Yamato turned to where Hawkes was facing, then narrowed his eyes. He shot up from Takuya's grip and started running, ignoring Takuya's immediate protest. Nevertheless, Takuya looked up to see where Yamato was heading. He could catch a glimpse of something yellow... Intrigued, he sprinted to catch up with Yamato, falcon trailing along with him.
Takuya caught up to the blonde rather quickly, much to the Archer's amazement. " What is that up there?"
" A Nine Tail," Yamato breathed, staring at the yellow flickering in the darkness, " Taichi saw one earlier right before the Assassin appeared."
Takuya nodded and continued running. ' It'll lead us to the Assassin again... the Assassin...'
Not long after, Yamato stopped running. However, Takuya kept going, following Hawkes as a guide. He didn't realize Yamato had stopped until he turned around, before running into a bandaged chest. He felt something familiar enveloping him a split-second later. Bewildered, he looked up, and his breath gave out as he uttered, " Kou..."
The person in front of him was startled for sure, probably more so than Takuya. By some mysterious instinct, the Assassin had wrapped his arms around the Thief. Usually, he would have slaughtered it, or at least that was what he was trained to do...
The Thief glanced around frantically. Yamato and Hawkes were no where in sight, and he was in the unsuspecting arms of an Assassin...
" W-when did you change class?" Takuya said nervously. Everything was confusing him... why was Kouji in this cave? Why was he wearing Assassin clothes? Why wasn't he saying anything? Why did he have to look so... sexy...
" You must be pretty strong to make it up this far, kid," Kouji said indifferently, removing his arms to his sides. " But watch where you're going next time."
Takuya blinked several times, noticing several things about the situation. One... Kouji seemed to have no idea who Takuya was, two... there was a Priest behind Kouji, carrying a different, unconscious Archer on his back. There was definitely something amiss...
The brunette gasped, his voice raising several pitches. He recognized the Priest from Geffen Dungeon... but hadn't he said he was going to some other place? And why was he wearing advanced class clothes, too? What was he doing here with Kouji...?
His thoughts were interrupted as Yamato burst out of hiding and slam-tackled the Priest. The unconscious Archer slipped off of the Priest's back and into Yamato's prepared arms. The blonde yelled out something that seemed like a command of retreat.
Takuya hesitated. What choices did he have? Kouji had seen Yamato's actions and the look on his face wasn't pleasing. It looked like...he was going to kill everything in sight. The brunette had never seen such an intense look before... Frightened, Takuya stepped away from the Assassin, then sprinted to follow Yamato. The Assassin didn't come after them, but went to inspect the Priest.
Yamato and Takuya didn't stop running until they were in the presence of the people slaughtering Zombies in the shallow area of the cave. Panting heavily, they were unable to say anything. Yamato dropped Taichi from his back, then slumped against the cave wall. Hawkes flew over with several red herbs in his claws. Yamato took them gratefully, then gave some to Takuya, who was breathing just as vigorously.
" I can't believe he didn't come after us," Yamato said huskily, " If he was the mean, killing machine I saw him as before, he would have left the Priest behind..."
It wasn't a very important thought to him, however. He was just amazed that they escaped alive, and with Taichi... he caught his breath. " Let's move out into the city, they could still be after us."
Yamato wrapped an unconscious Taichi's arm around himself, then proceeded to trudge out of the dungeon. Any Zombies that headed their way were immediately swacked by prospecting money Hunters. Takuya suggested his hotel room to let Taichi rest, which Yamato gratefully accepted. They discussed no further until they reached their destination, where Yamato placed his willing burden on the single bed.
" ...Feel like talking now?" Yamato asked tentatively to Takuya.
The young Thief was visibly shaking by now. The assorted daggers covering his belt were making subtle rattling noises. " I'm... going to take a break at the pub nearby," Takuya said, " You're free to rest here for the remainder of the day."
They gave one small look at each other before understanding. There was one word that could describe them... drained.
Yamato didn't need to thank Takuya, who left so quietly that he wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't watched him leave.
The blonde scratched the back of his neck as if it had been irritating him for hours, sighing a huge sigh of relief. He dropped his arrow pack and bow, then slumped onto the bed next to Taichi. He stared blankly at the ceiling for several minutes, not thinking about anything. He could see his own eyelids flickering in front of him. Finally, he willed himself to let his mind wander.
' At times like this we have little time to idle away by reflecting,' he remembered saying to Taichi. " I'm a hypocrite."
This made him feel all the worse, seeing Taichi in front of him, unawake. Only now did Yamato start feeling the pain in his back. Yamato had taken a full hit from one of the Assassin's daggers. With a hit like that, he was rather surprised that he still had any strength left. His back didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, either. Perhaps the Priest had something to do with it... Still, the injury was painful. After all that running, he was more exhausted than he had ever been.
Shifting closer to the center of the bed (one of his legs were dangling off the side), Yamato flushed as he noticed that the bed was rather small for two people. Hesitantly, he brought an arm over Taichi's limp figure and closed the space between them. Even though Taichi wasn't conscious, Yamato hoped that the contact would help him sleep. " Taichi..."
He felt horrible. Here he was, unable to defend Taichi from the advanced classes and having to run away... and he was still depending on Taichi to help him sleep. It was pathetic, but there was little he could do. Maybe some day, he could properly return the gift Taichi had given him... He didn't find Taichi's method to be awkward at all, actually. It frightened him slightly, how much he anticipated talking to Taichi again. He had never gone through such efforts for anyone else before, so what made Taichi special? Aside from the burning personality, enthusiasm, innocence, and the adorable way the Kittyband fitted on his beautiful hair...
****
The pub was crowded with Hunters. This wasn't what Takuya wanted, but he couldn't find any better spot. He still didn't know what to think... all he could do was sit with a blank face on the pub chair. The Hunter falcons surrounding him were all the prime of their breed; they were extremely clean and most people wouldn't even be able to tell they were real birds from their manners.
Takuya didn't stir as two Hunters approached him, one of them apparently drunk as his arm was slung over the other.
" Do you mind if we take these seats next to you?" the sober one asked.
Takuya didn't reply, so the Hunters took the seat next to him anyway. The drunk one didn't bother sitting down, but he kept his arms over the other for support.
" What's your name?" the sober one asked lightly.
Takuya was too unmotivated to reply, but the Hunters didn't seem to mind. They continued to look at the small boy with indescribable faces. " Something happen to ya, kid?"
Naturally, Takuya didn't say anything. Sometimes, he just wished he could carry around some sign that could conveniently tell people what he was feeling... a sign like the one the drunk Hunter was wearing... it was right on top of his head. It was a wooden sign, peculiar how it seemed to sprout right out of his hair... the sign had a clear "|-D" sign on it. Takuya peered at it sideways to observe the drunk person's emotion. After he finished, he turned away and finished his business with the Hunters.
" Che, offer help to a guy and he blows you off," the sober hunted muttered.
Takuya paused. He was being unreasonably rude, he realized. These Hunters had done nothing to him, yet he was treating them like dirt...
" Why would you want to help me?" he asked tentatively, turning towards them.
The Hunters didn't answer for a long while.
" Because we can," the drunk one said.
" Don't mind him, he's a bit out of proper thought," the other added, " but no one should be feeling down during the Falconry Festival! We've made a habit to go around cheering people up during this time, so you're up next! What's on your mind?"
Takuya slowly told the Hunters his story, from leaving Morroc to the full incident in Payon Dungeon...
The drunk Hunter put his hand on his chin and nodded knowingly. " Yes, yes, something weird did happen indeed..."
" I have no idea what to do now, it seems like... Kouji's entered a completely different world or something. I have no idea how he became an Assassin in that short period of time either. It's so..."
The sober was imitating the drunk's position now. " You say you met Kouichi and him deep inside Payon Dungeon? Together?"
Takuya nodded.
" This Nine Tail you mentioned," the Hunter continued, " Nine Tail follow the Moonlight."
This was new to the brunette. " What?"
" You don't know the Moonlight? That's scary that you don't know. She's the highlight of Payon Dungeon, everyone wants to fight her! But only a rare few stay alive to boast about it..."
The drunk one suddenly lurched over the other Hunter. " Oh my God, she's gorgeous! I've seen her! Better yet, she wears absolutely nothing on her-"
" You dumbass, you saw the illustrated card picture," the other said, somewhat annoyed. Takuya just blinked at them innocently. " Anyway, Moony's been known to possess her victims. It's possible that Kouichi and Kouji were taken..."
The Thief felt abruptly enlightened. He noticed at that moment that instead of freaking out, he could think this out stategically with the Hunters.
" That's probably it," Takuya said with a strange sense of acceptance. " Is there a way to return them to normal?"
" Well... there isn't much information about the people she possesses. We can't tell who's possessed by her, or if they're possessed permanently. Actually, we don't know if any of them are alive still."
" Alive..." Takuya uttered in a low pitch, nearly causing the Hunters to shudder. " I'm going to fight Moonlight and make her free Kouji and Kouichi."
" Whoa, whoa," the drunk one butt in, " Easier said than done, fella. It's impossible even for a single second class, let alone a first class like you."
" You never know unless you try!" Takuya nearly shouted. His sudden burst of determination startled the Hunters.
They didn't say anything for several minutes, as the bar chattering continued around them. Finally, the drunk one shrugged, while keeping his arm on the other Hunter.
" At least you could become an Assassin before trying Moonlight," he said, sighing.
Takuya's eyes bulged. He looked at his Damascus set on his belt with a new meaning. It hadn't occured to him until now. Why pout about being beyond Kouji's reach, when he hadn't even tried going for the same level?
" If Kouji's an Assassin, there's no reason why I can't be one, too. I'll do that. Then I'll go have a tiff with that Moonlight..."
****
There's some pics on both the Taito and the Takouji sites for this fic. =3 Gogogo review! X3
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