Digimon Fan Fiction / Ragnarok Fan Fiction ❯ Where Fate Turns ❯ Chapter 13: Jumping Dragon ( Chapter 13 )
[ 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: 8 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 370 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction / Ragnarok Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 06.24.2004 | Pages: 8 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 370 | Status: Completed
****
Where Fate Turns
Chapter 13: Jumping Dragon
****
Does anybody want me to write out explanations for the little quotes at the beginning of every chap? I get the feeling they're too vague for some people. Or am I paranoid? ._.
Substitute for Love/Pinneh: Weee for the fanfiction world! It's never to late to start it again. XD Thanks for the review, Pinneh~!
Dragi: It's so cute how you end all of your reviews with "love." Thank you ^_^
Crystal Ketchum Darklight: "Chido?" What language is that? XD Kudos! *glomp*
kawaiidark: Glad we got the little issue settled. XD Thank you so much for leaving feedback~
Rave~n: Yamato's... part... thing... Which part thing? My mind went completely to the gutter at first. There are several things awaiting Yamato... >D
Lady Moon3: Omg... heavy petting... xDDDD I love that! The events in this chapter also occur during the... petting. XD Hope it explains a little. Censorship fails in the world today. ^_^
Keiito Ishida: Mya, I love your reviews!! You're so insightful *nudgepokeglomptackle*. ^^ Citrus writing takes so long...! I feel so strange writing it! The Frontier gang still have quite some exploration left in the relationship field. >D
KawaiiKaren: Thanks for the spam, I shall make good use of it! *glomp* Darn FF.N.
devilsalternative: Your mom is sick? Oh. ;p
BloodMistress: Confused? Feel free to ask in more detail, although I try my best to answer stuff in notes or the story itself... ^^;
And this chapter has many corny scenes. BEWARE. ^_^
****
~A cygnet that refuses to mature remains ugly forever~
****
' She spotted me. She dodged. I was not discouraged. I kept shooting. I shot silver arrows. I always love silver arrows, they shine with such lively power. They make me believe in light...'
' This was my choice... lightness over darkness. Creation over destruction. Love over hate.'
' Belief... choice... why do certain unrelated words have so much in common?'
' Exist... I will exist for Yamato.'
' I shot. Shot for human lives. Shot for Yamato. Shot for myself.'
" Yagami boy... you impudent..."
' Meaningless words to me. All that mattered right now was what happened...'
' An arrow landed in her thigh, her arm, but none in vital areas. She moved with insane swiftness, twitching a muscle, flicking a wrist. It didn't really bring my confidence up... still, I kept shooting. She couldn't live forever. Nothing lasts forever...'
" Why do you fight so persistently? Do you humans value your lives so greedily?"
" Do you monsters value YOUR lives so greedily?"
' No answers were given. Only actions. Perhaps we were all feeling exceedingly supercilious.'
' No... I did have an answer. Moonlight did as well... we just never mentioned them. Moonlight fought for herself. She could care less about the other MVPs. I fought for everyone I had to protect... Even if she was human, she threatened all others...'
' This thought carried my attacks, allowing my arrows to do damage. My arrows did... Moonlight didn't even have room to fight back. She struggled... she summoned a Nine Tail, who lunged after me. An arrow came into its side and caused it to miss me. I turned... Yamato was there, smiling beautifully. Of course he wouldn't just stand there...'
' He ran across to continue attacking the Nine Tail. Moonlight caught fury in her eyes at that time. I didn't know what hit me first, but soon she was face-to-face with me, my bow taken out of my reach.'
" I'll just kill you since I already have one of your comrades. I should have done this long ago... DIE!"
' I had no time to heed her words. She swung her bell stick. I grabbed it out of her grip like she had done to my bow. We glared at each other.'
' Carnage broke loose. I brought out my Cutter, which I had not used for... so long, and slashed like mad.'
" I won't let you do any more harm to us, Moonlight!"
' Red gushed out everywhere. I remembered slashing like a butcher, merciless and frustrated. I also remembered Moonlight clutching my head as I thrust the Cutter into her chest area. I hit her heart. But... I went down as well. I went down to the same place she did.'
' I could sense Yamato kneeling at my side, pulling me away from the disgusting display of red and onto his lap. He touched me anxiously, calling my name over and over again. I couldn't answer... my eyes remained closed and I stayed limp against him. I wanted to answer him... I tried with my whole will, and nothing came out. He cried on my shoulder, curling onto himself.'
" Moonlight."
' She stood in front of me, staring at the nonexistant ground in her dark abyss. I stood opposite of her. We were two lost beings with the same rights.'
" I won't go. And I'm sure you don't want to, either. But one of us has to win."
" Is that true?" I asked. Moonlight furrowed her eyebrow in question. " Does there have to be a winning side? What happened to cooperation?"
" That's the law of survival. Think about it. You humans spend so much time valuing 'care,' 'love,'" she spoke with a sneering tone at each word. " You don't realize that all of this ' love' is your weakness. This 'love' that you succumb to will lead to your destruction. You insist on keeping each other alive... and you destroy the balance of the world in order to keep your kind in power! And you overcrowd, and you continue to overcrowd. Ever heard of maximum capacity?"
" Why are you telling me this?"
" Why are you asking me such a question? Is it because you don't want to hear it? You don't want to hear that your actions will lead to the death of all humans sooner or later?"
' I fell silent... a tense silence.'
" I'll go for the latter. Moonlight... you lost long ago. I will stand by my current decision. In case you haven't figured it out, even THIS is a fight for survival between you and me. I have people who are depending on me out there... I won't let you get in the way of their happiness."
" And I won't let you get in the way of MINE! Your selflessness will only cause the ending of all humans, anyway. I'm practically doing you a favor."
" Favor my ASS! What happens will happen, learn to accept it as it comes. If you don't... you won't survive!"
" SELFISH BOY!"
' We charged... and I realized... unless I fought with all of my will, without a doubt in my mind, I would not be able to defeat her. If I gave a hint of sympathy for her, I would lose.'
' Our heads were about to hit, when, suddenly-'
" TAICHI!"
' Yamato's voice...'
' Moonlight's eyes widened in fear. I struck.'
" Impossible... how could he have reached this place? I... this is my place... I rule it..."
' Moonlight fell to her knees in front of me.'
" This is your power? Sickening..."
' I looked upon her, unsure of what to say.'
" Your destruction is inevitable... and with such power, the event will be beyond dreadful. Why couldn't you just let me free?"
' She started to fade. And I could feel the guilt-welling inside me already. I felt less kind.'
" Don't think you're fighting on the good side..." she said before she closed her lips forever.
' I wanted to tell her why I did what I did. I wanted to show her the beautiful person I was fighting for, the wonderful beings in my life who I wanted to cherish for years to come. She thought that getting rid of all of us would eliminate all of our suffering and bring her happiness. I gave her an opportunity to end her loneliness. Maybe she'll take it, maybe she won't. For now, we could move on.'
' I wanted to show her why I wanted to suffer by living rather than dying. Why fighting for more than oneself means so much more...'
' Abruptly, all went white.'
****
" Taichi..."
Rusty, brown eyes fluttered open to his new desire's gaze. " Did we do it?"
" Look in your hands."
The brunette peered down and came across a long yellow tuff of fur across his palms. " A tail..."
" That's not all," Yamato added, taking one of Taichi's hands into his own. Taichi felt something solid and smooth slip into his grip. " A Topaz jewel for your interest."
The blonde Archer smiled, fully content. Taichi, sitting on the plain, held the stone in front of him and observed its glistening shine. The golden reflection caught the afternoon sun's rays and beamed a light of hope. Hope...
" It's beautiful," Taichi said. It was a large jewel indeed, occupying all of Taichi's grip and more. He was mesmerized.
Around them, various people applauded, while others continued fighting the monsters in the vicinity.
" Congrats!" one of them hollared.
" Thanks..." Taichi said, itching the back of his Kittyband. He turned his head as he noticed several people walking towards him. " Hey, you're..."
He looked around for Crossbow and frantically grabbed it. " Don't come any closer! Your master's gone."
They shook their heads. " We're not under her control any more."
Taichi counted... ' Kouji, Assassin... Kouichi, Priest... and Takuya, Assassin... whoa, haven't seen him in a while.' Taichi raised his eyebrows. " ...Control?"
The pony-tailed Assassin let his Katars hang listlessly against his side. " Moonlight... she had us. Psychic... mind-control, you know."
" I'm not convinced." Taichi aimed his Crossbow.
" U-uh..." Kouji pulled down his Assassin mask and raised his arms in a surrendering gesture. " You don't see me pointing my blade at Takuya, do you?"
" Why would you? You're after ME."
The Priest sighed. " They don't know some details, it seems."
Kouji's expression lifted, then settled back to his normal nonchalant frown. " Details later. We need to clean up the mess in this town."
The other Assassin perked. " Kouji... you actually want to fight for once?"
" Takuya..." his ponytail flew as he turned on his heel. " I have a reason to fight now."
They stared at each other in silence. However, their moment was broken as a booming sound shook their senses.
" GYARGH! Who sealed Moonlight? Who dared to defy us of our living?"
Taichi announced himself before anyone could stop him. Yamato freaked. " Taichi! Not a good idea! That's..."
" LORD OF VERMILLION!"
" Baphomet..." Yamato grabbed Taichi's arm. " Get out of here, fast!"
They sprinted out of the plain with the other 2nd classmen following closely behind. The entire plain suddenly erupted in radiating lava. The impact was so ferocious that Taichi could feel the ground shaking beneath him even though he was far away from the actual attack.
" Any place is safer for us than this place right now," the Priest noted. " We can't fight someone like Baphomet yet... I'm warping us out."
He set up a warp portal and pushed the two brunettes in. Kouji glanced back at the area before gritting his teeth and hopping in to the portal. " The one time I'm in the mood..."
" See you on the other side," Yamato said as he entered as well.
" Prontera... again?"
This time, Taichi wasted no time gawking at the mass of vending stores. Yamato walked up to him and touched his shoulder. " You have to admit, it has a lot of good meeting places."
The Priest's warp had led them to the graveyard behind the Prontera church. The tall church's shadow overlooked the tombs and crosses that jutted out from the grass. Nobody else came by. They sat with their backs against the church wall.
" So... a plan of action..." Takuya began. He and Kouji stood up and put their hands to their chins in thought. They did it in such sync, Kouichi couldn't help but chuckle.
" Takuya, care to explain first?" Yamato said plainly.
" Oh yeah... Well, Moonlight had possessed Kouichi and Kouji to act as her servants. And... um... for some reason, they took me captive rather than killing me..."
" Aa," Kouji interupted somewhat meekly. " Moonlight identified you as the inheritor of one of the four humans that sealed the MVPs a thousand years ago."
" W..." A shocked expression bestowed itself onto Takuya's face. " How... I... I never knew my family..."
" That's not the only thing that needs explaining," Kouichi added, " I don't know why I'm in this mess in the first place. We had only met in a party once prior to the encounter with Moonlight, so..."
" Yes, it's very strange..."
" I'm tired," Taichi said lightly, " Now that Moonlight's sealed, our main threat is gone. We should take a break."
" Not so fast," Kouichi interjected, " Moonlight's nothing compared to some other MVPs like Doppelganger and Baphomet. We can't have a break with them around."
" Relax, Kouichi," Takuya said, smiling, " We've been through a lot, and we kind of need a break. The other MVPs don't really know who we are, or at least they haven't gone after us. And we need some time to train, if what you say about the other MVPs is true."
Kouichi sighed. " Ah, you're right. I do feel rather fatigued..."
" Exactly! How about we meet back here in 7 suns?" Takuya recommended.
" Suns?" Yamato queried.
" In a week at this time," Kouji corrected.
" All right," Yamato said, nodding. He turned to give Taichi a vague look... but Taichi had a pretty nice grip of what that look meant...
The brunette with the Kittyband blinked innocently, then changed his view to the other three boys.
" I'll go with Takuya and Kouji to help them train, if that's all right with them."
" Okay," Kouji replied. Takuya smiled again, softer this time.
" One week, then..."
" Yeah... we should go to Glast Heim... good training there," Kouichi suggested, " And maybe we can figure out a few things."
They strolled off, Kouichi blabbing some nonsense about zombies.
" Hmm... can we go item shopping?" Taichi asked meekly.
Tiredly, Yamato leaned until his chin rested on the brunette's shoulder. " Yeah..."
" Euh... don't go to sleep yet! We've only been active for a few hours."
" I thought I had lost you..."
Taichi blinked. He didn't know how to respond at first.
" Oh... sorry," he said, " If you want, we can find a place to rest."
" No, it's okay. I think looking around will liven me up for the better."
The Prontera market was busy as usual, people putting up signs for auctions and card trades, headgears, weapons of all sorts.
" Oh yeah... with all the killing we've been doing, we're loaded with zeny, too," Yamato noted.
" How much?"
He checked himself before he answered. " A few million."
" Geh..." Taichi's eyes widened. Mrs. Gates wasn't lying when she said she could sell the Doppelganger card for such a high price. " How did we get so much?"
" Well... Merchant connection. I get discounts by getting elemental arrows for 2z instead of 3z, and I have Merchants overcharge our loot. It's really worth the effort."
Taichi wondered. " Maybe I should've been a Merchant."
As the brunette idly gazed at one of the Merchant's shield inventory, Yamato pulled him in, causing him to squeak.
" You make a much better Archer," the blonde said bluntly.
Taichi blushed. People around them were staring... " You sure about that?"
" I am. Oh... accessory cards."
" Huh?"
Yamato broke out of their grip, much to Taichi's confusion. " And the accessories, too..."
Taichi watched quietly as Yamato quickly made a business transaction. When he came back, he thrust a couple gloves into Taichi's hands.
" Wear 'em," Yamato half-commanded.
" But I like my own gloves! I don't need new ones."
" You'll like these more. Trust me."
After a suspicious look, Taichi complied and exchanged his gloves. Instantly, he could feel the difference.
" What's on these?"
" Kobold cards," Yamato answered, " They're like the Solder Skeleton cards."
Taichi stared at them silently, Yamato standing absent-mindedly next to him.
" Yamato..." he started very seriously, but then... " Thank you!" He latched onto the blonde.
" Oi, public, Taichi. Public..."
" Since when did you care about that? Cuddling up to me earlier..." Taichi half-pouted as he detached himself.
" Well, I don't, really. It's just... eh... just let me sell your old gloves first."
He did so, then wandered over to Taichi's side, bringing an arm around the brunette's waist. Taichi just gaped slightly.
They browsed through a few shops cuddled together like that, warm feelings comforting them. Yamato never wanted to let go...
" See anything you like?" Yamato said softly. " Then again, you'd like just about anything here."
" Hey, I have preferences... how about that?"
Yamato turned to observe the flower Taichi was gazing towards.
" A witherless rose? ...Why?"
" It's... romantic?"
" I don't put such value in inanimate objects."
" Then what about this Kittyband?"
" That was purchased for a different purpose," Yamato replied with a straight face.
" Right... right..." Taichi said, patting Yamato's back, " You don't have to get it. I was just playing with you."
" ...Okay..."
" But, hey, can I try your Angelband yet?"
" Um..."
" Just this once~"
" Eh? But-"
" Nya~" Yamato stepped away as Taichi cat-pounced him. The Kittyband-wearer wrapped his arms around thin air as Yamato gave him a peculiar look.
" I'm still faster than you on my feet, it seems."
" Grah! I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!"
Yamato picked up his feet and wandered off in a separate direction. Taichi grabbed him, causing them to bump into someone.
" Hey, watch it!"
" Sorry!" Taichi said quickly before running after Yamato again.
They came upon a slight clearing where 2nd classmen gathered in groups. Taichi tackled Yamato to the tiled ground in laughter.
" I caught ya!"
" Eh-!" When Yamato was able to recompose himself, his head felt different. " You actually switched it..."
" You think I wouldn't? I have to admit, I'm more suited for the Kittyband than this."
Yamato frowned. He wasn't getting such pleasant thoughts with the angelic figure in front of him. " I'm not used to this."
" Neither am I. You almost look like an elf," said Taichi as he proceeded to take the Angelband off. " Switch back!"
Yamato wouldn't stop staring at Taichi even though the brunette didn't seem to notice. He had quite a heavy amount of restraint...
After browsing through a long line of stores, the pair decided to pick a shady place near the China-seller for a shopping break. Conversation near the area was always lively...
" Hey, hey, there was a mass MVP invasion in Payon earlier today. All of the toughest ones were there! I got so many things for upgrading..."
" Wish I could've been there," a male Rogue with a Joker Jester hat said, " More things for my collection."
" Hey, hey, but there's a huge party going on later tomorrow to hunt Baphomet. There's a whole new guild dedicated to party-hunting him. I want to join..."
" You wouldn't stand a chance, Pico. You're still a measly Aco. And you want to be a Monk, to top it off. It's the Priests who get the MVPs, you know that." The Rogue chuckled behind his Goblin mask.
" Hey, hey, you're not much better, Pie," said the Acolyte.
" Hmph. You picking a fight?" the Rogue replied, switching his Goblin mask to a Mr. Scream face.
" No! No dueling until I'm a trained Monk, cheapskate."
Taichi smiled at the pleasant conversation, leaning against Yamato's shoulder as they sat silently. " I could do this all day..."
" Me, too."
But, alas, their peace was thwarted.
" It's you again! Yamato!"
Yamato turned lazy eyes to the female who greeted him.
" Congrats on becoming a Knight and Priestess, you two."
Sora and Mimi had successfully moved on to the 2nd classmen stage during the boys' short absence from Prontera. Mimi looked particularly stylish in her pink robes and Western Grace hat, while Sora settled with a Gemmed Sallet and red-tinted armor.
" Yeah, after we gave you... the news, Mimi went to the church to change class, and then I went to Izlude for this. Since then, we've been hunting Goldie in Culverts. I finally got its card! Now I'm ready to take on a greater range of MVPs."
Taichi joined in the conversation. " Goldie?"
" Golden Thief Bug," Sora informed. " It's one of the easiest MVPs to defeat, but an MVP nonetheless. Its card is in high demand because it nullifies ANY magic attack."
" Duu..." Taichi blinked, and Yamato watched him to make sure he didn't salivate too much. " Dang, I want one of those!"
" Unless you plan to fight one-handedly, I'd forget it. Goldie card compounds to shields." Sora brought out a shining white shield. That shine... Taichi could tell it held great powers.
" Not happy enough with a Doppel bow?" Yamato said teasingly.
" Eh! Doppel?!?" Mimi shrieked. " Luckyyyy...!!!'
Taichi frowned. " I'm really grateful, but more help doesn't hurt, right? There are so many things out there waiting to be used..."
Sora burst out in laughs at Yamato's dumbfounded appearance. The two boys sitting in the shade had their own ways of interacting with each other, which the girls could obviously see.
" You want to hunt Goldie with us? Mimi's getting the next one, but you guys can sell any other ones for a hefty price! How about it? It'll be easy to kill now that I have this shield."
Taichi's eyes brightened, but Yamato cut in without hesitation.
" We're on a break. We've had too many battles lately."
" Aw, you're sure?" Sora said, pouting, " I'll do all the tanking."
" Hey, Yama, it should be okay..." Taichi said innocently.
Yamato shot him a firm look. " This is our BREAK. And you'd end up..." Yamato leaned in to get intimate with the brunette's ear, " -sealing it, remember?"
" Ooh," Taichi vocalized. He blinked when Yamato didn't make much of an effort to move away.
" If you guys don't want to hunt, we can just chat for a bit," Sora suggested.
Taichi heard Yamato exhale differently than usual, an exhale he recognized as "troublesome." He could read the blonde to such detail... At that moment, Taichi could almost read his thoughts... ' She's inviting herself...'
But Yamato was calm on the outside. " How did you find out about Taichi's mother?" he asked.
" We were hunting Sohee in Payon Dungeon, and when we went to the village to go to Alberta, I saw it with my own eyes," Mimi said, " The Archer Guildmaster saw it as well. He was desperately asking everyone nearby if they knew Taichi Yagami. When I answered, he told us to find you... and... yeah. Sorry for bringing you such bad news."
Yamato gazed at Taichi, knowing it was his to answer.
" No, I should thank you," Taichi replied softly, " It helped me become a stronger person... I'm really thankful."
" Speaking of strong, why aren't you guys Hunters or Bards or such yet?" Sora asked, " Especially with that Doppel bow, you would be outstanding even in the 2nd classmen realm."
This time, Taichi observed Yamato, knowing how he might react. Controlling himself, holding himself back...
" If I find it necessary... in the meantime, Taichi and I can accomplish anything we set out mind to... as Archers."
" Oh. I see," Sora replied. She seemed to appear somewhat guilty for asking. Somewhat... " Um... so what have you guys been up to?"
" Mm... killing MVPs. We just finished Moonli-" Yamato clamped a hand over Taichi's mouth. Taichi whined in protest.
" Simple-minded," was all Yamato said to him. " We've just been going about our usual business, Sora."
" Oh, don't hold the poor guy back!" said Sora, " I wanted to hear him. Something about... Moonlight? Did you guys meet her?"
' A little more than met,' Yamato corrected irritably. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know, but he couldn't help but feel a little sickened by her innocence. " We're on our break now, so we're not really fighting anyone."
" Oh." Sora thought for a moment then resorted to shuffling her feet.
Yamato had successfully killed their conversation. And his hand was still over Taichi's mouth. Taichi appeared to be holding back his struggle.
" Hey, Sora... that shop over there looks interesting," Mimi said in the awkward silence. " Can we go see?"
" Taichi and I should find an inn before they all get booked," Yamato said as he pulled himself up to stand. " See you some other time."
" Wait! We should have some way to stay in contact with each other." Sora stopped Mimi from pulling her arm, " You know... in case you wanna set up a party hunt or something."
Yamato gave her a straight glance. " Sorry, I'm not interested. We really have to go."
The females stood bewildered as Yamato herded his partner out of the china-seller's area.
****
" What was that all about, Yamato?" Taichi demanded as they entered their inn room. " You were really rude to them."
" I know," Yamato said, his eyebrows wrinkled. He set their supplies down in a corner and took off the heavier parts of his outfit, setting it next to Taichi's.
" Why? They didn't do anything to deserve such treatment."
" Aside from the fact that she acted like she wanted to date us."
" ...Eh? How could you...?"
" Why else would she bother trying to 'stay in contact' with ordinary 1st classmen? ... Who happen to be males close to her age..."
" Well, it's possible those were her intentions, but you were still rude. You weren't that rude with the blue-haired sisters."
" But I know they're not interested. They're very different than most people. You could sense it too."
" Still..."
" I just did what I believe was best for all of us. If those were her intentions and I had accepted, it'd become harder down the line. The earlier it is solved, the less pain we'll have to go through. It's easier to move on."
Taichi fell silent. Yamato sat down on their bed and started to knead his forehead.
" I'm sorry for ruining your innocence like this," Yamato said in almost a whisper.
" Yama..."
" I'm such a jerk..."
Taichi stood next to him, yet without contact, he could sense something. Yamato's past... years of trying to do favors for others to make them happy... years of being accused of causing misery, when in actuality, he was preventing it... years of being misunderstood and powerless to stop it...
The brunette didn't even need empathy to know what Yamato wanted to scream. Being with Yamato made him want to do more, he understood that now.
" You're not," Taichi said through barely-parted lips. He sat down on the bed and put a hand on Yamato's shoulder. " I just now realize even more... how much I admire you."
Yamato made a small noise in response. He didn't expect such words...
" You also carry a heavy burden," Taichi continued, " Because you're never recognized for having it."
They caught each other's gaze as the words flowed naturally.
" If you want to let it out... I'll listen. I want to keep understanding," Taichi said.
Yamato was awestruck. He was unused to this, having someone he could trust with his deepest thoughts without fearing rejection.
... He wanted to keep this feeling forever.
As Taichi brought his other arm around Yamato's back and Yamato leaned in, the memories spilled...
****
~Eight years ago~
Yamato watched the group of Novices playing with toy balls, tossing them carelessly around the village. The young blonde had grown up knowing the joy of play away from other humans. He hadn't questioned it, thinking it was just natural to play by oneself. His only company was his falcon, who could observe him while he played. When he saw the other children of his age playing together, he wanted to join them, to try new things...
He approached--
" Eeck! What is that? It's scary!!!"
Yamato stood frozen from these words of fear. The children weren't happy anymore for some reason... why?
" Hey you! Get away from us! We don't want your kind to play with us."
Young beings, so innocent, so unaware...
Unfortunately, some of them would remain unaware for long lengths... some forever. Most unfortunate. But... a butterfly flapping its wings can lead to a windstorm in the future. When one domino falls, the rest follow.
Yamato discovered loneliness that day. At first, he was afraid of the intense feelings inside him, so he spent many hours in the day crying behind trees. He wanted to be away from other people, accompanied only by Hawkes. When he couldn't take it anymore, he decided to find something to do so he could forget the sad feelings. Hawkes never disappointed Yamato. He never spoke piercing words to Yamato. They trained together, ignoring everyone else...
He sheltered himself with his birthright. And life continued.
****
He always found it difficult to trust someone. Was it his fault for being so? If people just accepted things in the first place, that domino wouldn't have to fall... but humans are faulty.
" It's our tragedy. There is nothing we can do to stop it..."
" But there are a LOT of things we can do to make it enjoyable beforehand," Taichi said, " There's no fair reason to not make it enjoyable."
Yamato let the words sink in, then he smiled softly. " How did you find such words, Taichi?"
" You made me realize," the brunette replied, " You're wonderful for that."
They nuzzled in their hold for a moment before Yamato spoke again. " As long as there are those understand, there's a chance..."
Yamato closed in to give Taichi a kiss, but Taichi spoke quickly. " Do you think Moonlight understood?"
Lips nearly touching, Yamato took a deep, heavy breath. " There was a possibility... but a very small one. It was a shame... but she threatened lives. And she was given a chance... she didn't take it."
" But there was still a possibility," Taichi replied, " I can't help but feel guilty for not reaching that small chance of success."
" Taichi..." Suddenly, Yamato pushed Taichi down onto the bed, looming over the brunette. " I know this is horrible of me, but I need you to be a little selfish. This is our break. Treat it as one... for everyone's sake. You deserve it. This burden you carry shouldn't go unrewarded."
Taichi observed Yamato, noticing the blonde's heavy respiration and longing gaze. He answered in return. " There you go again... too kind."
Yamato blushed, but kept his expression. " I... I'm just..."
Taichi pulled forward and grabbed the other for a passionate kiss. " You deserve more, too..."
Yamato attempted to mumble something, but it came out as a moan. Eh... whichever works. He didn't care for that...
****
Sora - Knight
Weapon: Double Hurricane Saber (Andre x2)
Shield: Shield of Deaf (Golden Thief Bug)
Head 1: Gemmed Sallet
Robe: Mocking Manteau (Whisper)
Armor: Ghost Full Plate (Ghostring)
Shoes: Green Boots (Matyr)
Accessory: Safety Ring x2
Mimi - Priestess
Weapon: Stunner
Head 1: Western Grace
Robe: Mocking Muffler (Whisper)
Armor: Ghost Saint's Robe (Ghostring)
Shoes: Soul-Enchanted Shoes (Sohee)
Accessory 1: Clip Under a Cast (Phen)
Accessory 2: Earring
At the end of this fic, I'll reorganize all of the chapters and stuff most of this extraneous stuff into a separate chapter. XD I have some other things to say, anyway... please leave a review, they cheer me up beyond imagination when I'm feeling down and out. =D
Splash
gottaito.cjb.net
Where Fate Turns
Chapter 13: Jumping Dragon
****
Does anybody want me to write out explanations for the little quotes at the beginning of every chap? I get the feeling they're too vague for some people. Or am I paranoid? ._.
Substitute for Love/Pinneh: Weee for the fanfiction world! It's never to late to start it again. XD Thanks for the review, Pinneh~!
Dragi: It's so cute how you end all of your reviews with "love." Thank you ^_^
Crystal Ketchum Darklight: "Chido?" What language is that? XD Kudos! *glomp*
kawaiidark: Glad we got the little issue settled. XD Thank you so much for leaving feedback~
Rave~n: Yamato's... part... thing... Which part thing? My mind went completely to the gutter at first. There are several things awaiting Yamato... >D
Lady Moon3: Omg... heavy petting... xDDDD I love that! The events in this chapter also occur during the... petting. XD Hope it explains a little. Censorship fails in the world today. ^_^
Keiito Ishida: Mya, I love your reviews!! You're so insightful *nudgepokeglomptackle*. ^^ Citrus writing takes so long...! I feel so strange writing it! The Frontier gang still have quite some exploration left in the relationship field. >D
KawaiiKaren: Thanks for the spam, I shall make good use of it! *glomp* Darn FF.N.
devilsalternative: Your mom is sick? Oh. ;p
BloodMistress: Confused? Feel free to ask in more detail, although I try my best to answer stuff in notes or the story itself... ^^;
And this chapter has many corny scenes. BEWARE. ^_^
****
~A cygnet that refuses to mature remains ugly forever~
****
' She spotted me. She dodged. I was not discouraged. I kept shooting. I shot silver arrows. I always love silver arrows, they shine with such lively power. They make me believe in light...'
' This was my choice... lightness over darkness. Creation over destruction. Love over hate.'
' Belief... choice... why do certain unrelated words have so much in common?'
' Exist... I will exist for Yamato.'
' I shot. Shot for human lives. Shot for Yamato. Shot for myself.'
" Yagami boy... you impudent..."
' Meaningless words to me. All that mattered right now was what happened...'
' An arrow landed in her thigh, her arm, but none in vital areas. She moved with insane swiftness, twitching a muscle, flicking a wrist. It didn't really bring my confidence up... still, I kept shooting. She couldn't live forever. Nothing lasts forever...'
" Why do you fight so persistently? Do you humans value your lives so greedily?"
" Do you monsters value YOUR lives so greedily?"
' No answers were given. Only actions. Perhaps we were all feeling exceedingly supercilious.'
' No... I did have an answer. Moonlight did as well... we just never mentioned them. Moonlight fought for herself. She could care less about the other MVPs. I fought for everyone I had to protect... Even if she was human, she threatened all others...'
' This thought carried my attacks, allowing my arrows to do damage. My arrows did... Moonlight didn't even have room to fight back. She struggled... she summoned a Nine Tail, who lunged after me. An arrow came into its side and caused it to miss me. I turned... Yamato was there, smiling beautifully. Of course he wouldn't just stand there...'
' He ran across to continue attacking the Nine Tail. Moonlight caught fury in her eyes at that time. I didn't know what hit me first, but soon she was face-to-face with me, my bow taken out of my reach.'
" I'll just kill you since I already have one of your comrades. I should have done this long ago... DIE!"
' I had no time to heed her words. She swung her bell stick. I grabbed it out of her grip like she had done to my bow. We glared at each other.'
' Carnage broke loose. I brought out my Cutter, which I had not used for... so long, and slashed like mad.'
" I won't let you do any more harm to us, Moonlight!"
' Red gushed out everywhere. I remembered slashing like a butcher, merciless and frustrated. I also remembered Moonlight clutching my head as I thrust the Cutter into her chest area. I hit her heart. But... I went down as well. I went down to the same place she did.'
' I could sense Yamato kneeling at my side, pulling me away from the disgusting display of red and onto his lap. He touched me anxiously, calling my name over and over again. I couldn't answer... my eyes remained closed and I stayed limp against him. I wanted to answer him... I tried with my whole will, and nothing came out. He cried on my shoulder, curling onto himself.'
" Moonlight."
' She stood in front of me, staring at the nonexistant ground in her dark abyss. I stood opposite of her. We were two lost beings with the same rights.'
" I won't go. And I'm sure you don't want to, either. But one of us has to win."
" Is that true?" I asked. Moonlight furrowed her eyebrow in question. " Does there have to be a winning side? What happened to cooperation?"
" That's the law of survival. Think about it. You humans spend so much time valuing 'care,' 'love,'" she spoke with a sneering tone at each word. " You don't realize that all of this ' love' is your weakness. This 'love' that you succumb to will lead to your destruction. You insist on keeping each other alive... and you destroy the balance of the world in order to keep your kind in power! And you overcrowd, and you continue to overcrowd. Ever heard of maximum capacity?"
" Why are you telling me this?"
" Why are you asking me such a question? Is it because you don't want to hear it? You don't want to hear that your actions will lead to the death of all humans sooner or later?"
' I fell silent... a tense silence.'
" I'll go for the latter. Moonlight... you lost long ago. I will stand by my current decision. In case you haven't figured it out, even THIS is a fight for survival between you and me. I have people who are depending on me out there... I won't let you get in the way of their happiness."
" And I won't let you get in the way of MINE! Your selflessness will only cause the ending of all humans, anyway. I'm practically doing you a favor."
" Favor my ASS! What happens will happen, learn to accept it as it comes. If you don't... you won't survive!"
" SELFISH BOY!"
' We charged... and I realized... unless I fought with all of my will, without a doubt in my mind, I would not be able to defeat her. If I gave a hint of sympathy for her, I would lose.'
' Our heads were about to hit, when, suddenly-'
" TAICHI!"
' Yamato's voice...'
' Moonlight's eyes widened in fear. I struck.'
" Impossible... how could he have reached this place? I... this is my place... I rule it..."
' Moonlight fell to her knees in front of me.'
" This is your power? Sickening..."
' I looked upon her, unsure of what to say.'
" Your destruction is inevitable... and with such power, the event will be beyond dreadful. Why couldn't you just let me free?"
' She started to fade. And I could feel the guilt-welling inside me already. I felt less kind.'
" Don't think you're fighting on the good side..." she said before she closed her lips forever.
' I wanted to tell her why I did what I did. I wanted to show her the beautiful person I was fighting for, the wonderful beings in my life who I wanted to cherish for years to come. She thought that getting rid of all of us would eliminate all of our suffering and bring her happiness. I gave her an opportunity to end her loneliness. Maybe she'll take it, maybe she won't. For now, we could move on.'
' I wanted to show her why I wanted to suffer by living rather than dying. Why fighting for more than oneself means so much more...'
' Abruptly, all went white.'
****
" Taichi..."
Rusty, brown eyes fluttered open to his new desire's gaze. " Did we do it?"
" Look in your hands."
The brunette peered down and came across a long yellow tuff of fur across his palms. " A tail..."
" That's not all," Yamato added, taking one of Taichi's hands into his own. Taichi felt something solid and smooth slip into his grip. " A Topaz jewel for your interest."
The blonde Archer smiled, fully content. Taichi, sitting on the plain, held the stone in front of him and observed its glistening shine. The golden reflection caught the afternoon sun's rays and beamed a light of hope. Hope...
" It's beautiful," Taichi said. It was a large jewel indeed, occupying all of Taichi's grip and more. He was mesmerized.
Around them, various people applauded, while others continued fighting the monsters in the vicinity.
" Congrats!" one of them hollared.
" Thanks..." Taichi said, itching the back of his Kittyband. He turned his head as he noticed several people walking towards him. " Hey, you're..."
He looked around for Crossbow and frantically grabbed it. " Don't come any closer! Your master's gone."
They shook their heads. " We're not under her control any more."
Taichi counted... ' Kouji, Assassin... Kouichi, Priest... and Takuya, Assassin... whoa, haven't seen him in a while.' Taichi raised his eyebrows. " ...Control?"
The pony-tailed Assassin let his Katars hang listlessly against his side. " Moonlight... she had us. Psychic... mind-control, you know."
" I'm not convinced." Taichi aimed his Crossbow.
" U-uh..." Kouji pulled down his Assassin mask and raised his arms in a surrendering gesture. " You don't see me pointing my blade at Takuya, do you?"
" Why would you? You're after ME."
The Priest sighed. " They don't know some details, it seems."
Kouji's expression lifted, then settled back to his normal nonchalant frown. " Details later. We need to clean up the mess in this town."
The other Assassin perked. " Kouji... you actually want to fight for once?"
" Takuya..." his ponytail flew as he turned on his heel. " I have a reason to fight now."
They stared at each other in silence. However, their moment was broken as a booming sound shook their senses.
" GYARGH! Who sealed Moonlight? Who dared to defy us of our living?"
Taichi announced himself before anyone could stop him. Yamato freaked. " Taichi! Not a good idea! That's..."
" LORD OF VERMILLION!"
" Baphomet..." Yamato grabbed Taichi's arm. " Get out of here, fast!"
They sprinted out of the plain with the other 2nd classmen following closely behind. The entire plain suddenly erupted in radiating lava. The impact was so ferocious that Taichi could feel the ground shaking beneath him even though he was far away from the actual attack.
" Any place is safer for us than this place right now," the Priest noted. " We can't fight someone like Baphomet yet... I'm warping us out."
He set up a warp portal and pushed the two brunettes in. Kouji glanced back at the area before gritting his teeth and hopping in to the portal. " The one time I'm in the mood..."
" See you on the other side," Yamato said as he entered as well.
" Prontera... again?"
This time, Taichi wasted no time gawking at the mass of vending stores. Yamato walked up to him and touched his shoulder. " You have to admit, it has a lot of good meeting places."
The Priest's warp had led them to the graveyard behind the Prontera church. The tall church's shadow overlooked the tombs and crosses that jutted out from the grass. Nobody else came by. They sat with their backs against the church wall.
" So... a plan of action..." Takuya began. He and Kouji stood up and put their hands to their chins in thought. They did it in such sync, Kouichi couldn't help but chuckle.
" Takuya, care to explain first?" Yamato said plainly.
" Oh yeah... Well, Moonlight had possessed Kouichi and Kouji to act as her servants. And... um... for some reason, they took me captive rather than killing me..."
" Aa," Kouji interupted somewhat meekly. " Moonlight identified you as the inheritor of one of the four humans that sealed the MVPs a thousand years ago."
" W..." A shocked expression bestowed itself onto Takuya's face. " How... I... I never knew my family..."
" That's not the only thing that needs explaining," Kouichi added, " I don't know why I'm in this mess in the first place. We had only met in a party once prior to the encounter with Moonlight, so..."
" Yes, it's very strange..."
" I'm tired," Taichi said lightly, " Now that Moonlight's sealed, our main threat is gone. We should take a break."
" Not so fast," Kouichi interjected, " Moonlight's nothing compared to some other MVPs like Doppelganger and Baphomet. We can't have a break with them around."
" Relax, Kouichi," Takuya said, smiling, " We've been through a lot, and we kind of need a break. The other MVPs don't really know who we are, or at least they haven't gone after us. And we need some time to train, if what you say about the other MVPs is true."
Kouichi sighed. " Ah, you're right. I do feel rather fatigued..."
" Exactly! How about we meet back here in 7 suns?" Takuya recommended.
" Suns?" Yamato queried.
" In a week at this time," Kouji corrected.
" All right," Yamato said, nodding. He turned to give Taichi a vague look... but Taichi had a pretty nice grip of what that look meant...
The brunette with the Kittyband blinked innocently, then changed his view to the other three boys.
" I'll go with Takuya and Kouji to help them train, if that's all right with them."
" Okay," Kouji replied. Takuya smiled again, softer this time.
" One week, then..."
" Yeah... we should go to Glast Heim... good training there," Kouichi suggested, " And maybe we can figure out a few things."
They strolled off, Kouichi blabbing some nonsense about zombies.
" Hmm... can we go item shopping?" Taichi asked meekly.
Tiredly, Yamato leaned until his chin rested on the brunette's shoulder. " Yeah..."
" Euh... don't go to sleep yet! We've only been active for a few hours."
" I thought I had lost you..."
Taichi blinked. He didn't know how to respond at first.
" Oh... sorry," he said, " If you want, we can find a place to rest."
" No, it's okay. I think looking around will liven me up for the better."
The Prontera market was busy as usual, people putting up signs for auctions and card trades, headgears, weapons of all sorts.
" Oh yeah... with all the killing we've been doing, we're loaded with zeny, too," Yamato noted.
" How much?"
He checked himself before he answered. " A few million."
" Geh..." Taichi's eyes widened. Mrs. Gates wasn't lying when she said she could sell the Doppelganger card for such a high price. " How did we get so much?"
" Well... Merchant connection. I get discounts by getting elemental arrows for 2z instead of 3z, and I have Merchants overcharge our loot. It's really worth the effort."
Taichi wondered. " Maybe I should've been a Merchant."
As the brunette idly gazed at one of the Merchant's shield inventory, Yamato pulled him in, causing him to squeak.
" You make a much better Archer," the blonde said bluntly.
Taichi blushed. People around them were staring... " You sure about that?"
" I am. Oh... accessory cards."
" Huh?"
Yamato broke out of their grip, much to Taichi's confusion. " And the accessories, too..."
Taichi watched quietly as Yamato quickly made a business transaction. When he came back, he thrust a couple gloves into Taichi's hands.
" Wear 'em," Yamato half-commanded.
" But I like my own gloves! I don't need new ones."
" You'll like these more. Trust me."
After a suspicious look, Taichi complied and exchanged his gloves. Instantly, he could feel the difference.
" What's on these?"
" Kobold cards," Yamato answered, " They're like the Solder Skeleton cards."
Taichi stared at them silently, Yamato standing absent-mindedly next to him.
" Yamato..." he started very seriously, but then... " Thank you!" He latched onto the blonde.
" Oi, public, Taichi. Public..."
" Since when did you care about that? Cuddling up to me earlier..." Taichi half-pouted as he detached himself.
" Well, I don't, really. It's just... eh... just let me sell your old gloves first."
He did so, then wandered over to Taichi's side, bringing an arm around the brunette's waist. Taichi just gaped slightly.
They browsed through a few shops cuddled together like that, warm feelings comforting them. Yamato never wanted to let go...
" See anything you like?" Yamato said softly. " Then again, you'd like just about anything here."
" Hey, I have preferences... how about that?"
Yamato turned to observe the flower Taichi was gazing towards.
" A witherless rose? ...Why?"
" It's... romantic?"
" I don't put such value in inanimate objects."
" Then what about this Kittyband?"
" That was purchased for a different purpose," Yamato replied with a straight face.
" Right... right..." Taichi said, patting Yamato's back, " You don't have to get it. I was just playing with you."
" ...Okay..."
" But, hey, can I try your Angelband yet?"
" Um..."
" Just this once~"
" Eh? But-"
" Nya~" Yamato stepped away as Taichi cat-pounced him. The Kittyband-wearer wrapped his arms around thin air as Yamato gave him a peculiar look.
" I'm still faster than you on my feet, it seems."
" Grah! I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!"
Yamato picked up his feet and wandered off in a separate direction. Taichi grabbed him, causing them to bump into someone.
" Hey, watch it!"
" Sorry!" Taichi said quickly before running after Yamato again.
They came upon a slight clearing where 2nd classmen gathered in groups. Taichi tackled Yamato to the tiled ground in laughter.
" I caught ya!"
" Eh-!" When Yamato was able to recompose himself, his head felt different. " You actually switched it..."
" You think I wouldn't? I have to admit, I'm more suited for the Kittyband than this."
Yamato frowned. He wasn't getting such pleasant thoughts with the angelic figure in front of him. " I'm not used to this."
" Neither am I. You almost look like an elf," said Taichi as he proceeded to take the Angelband off. " Switch back!"
Yamato wouldn't stop staring at Taichi even though the brunette didn't seem to notice. He had quite a heavy amount of restraint...
After browsing through a long line of stores, the pair decided to pick a shady place near the China-seller for a shopping break. Conversation near the area was always lively...
" Hey, hey, there was a mass MVP invasion in Payon earlier today. All of the toughest ones were there! I got so many things for upgrading..."
" Wish I could've been there," a male Rogue with a Joker Jester hat said, " More things for my collection."
" Hey, hey, but there's a huge party going on later tomorrow to hunt Baphomet. There's a whole new guild dedicated to party-hunting him. I want to join..."
" You wouldn't stand a chance, Pico. You're still a measly Aco. And you want to be a Monk, to top it off. It's the Priests who get the MVPs, you know that." The Rogue chuckled behind his Goblin mask.
" Hey, hey, you're not much better, Pie," said the Acolyte.
" Hmph. You picking a fight?" the Rogue replied, switching his Goblin mask to a Mr. Scream face.
" No! No dueling until I'm a trained Monk, cheapskate."
Taichi smiled at the pleasant conversation, leaning against Yamato's shoulder as they sat silently. " I could do this all day..."
" Me, too."
But, alas, their peace was thwarted.
" It's you again! Yamato!"
Yamato turned lazy eyes to the female who greeted him.
" Congrats on becoming a Knight and Priestess, you two."
Sora and Mimi had successfully moved on to the 2nd classmen stage during the boys' short absence from Prontera. Mimi looked particularly stylish in her pink robes and Western Grace hat, while Sora settled with a Gemmed Sallet and red-tinted armor.
" Yeah, after we gave you... the news, Mimi went to the church to change class, and then I went to Izlude for this. Since then, we've been hunting Goldie in Culverts. I finally got its card! Now I'm ready to take on a greater range of MVPs."
Taichi joined in the conversation. " Goldie?"
" Golden Thief Bug," Sora informed. " It's one of the easiest MVPs to defeat, but an MVP nonetheless. Its card is in high demand because it nullifies ANY magic attack."
" Duu..." Taichi blinked, and Yamato watched him to make sure he didn't salivate too much. " Dang, I want one of those!"
" Unless you plan to fight one-handedly, I'd forget it. Goldie card compounds to shields." Sora brought out a shining white shield. That shine... Taichi could tell it held great powers.
" Not happy enough with a Doppel bow?" Yamato said teasingly.
" Eh! Doppel?!?" Mimi shrieked. " Luckyyyy...!!!'
Taichi frowned. " I'm really grateful, but more help doesn't hurt, right? There are so many things out there waiting to be used..."
Sora burst out in laughs at Yamato's dumbfounded appearance. The two boys sitting in the shade had their own ways of interacting with each other, which the girls could obviously see.
" You want to hunt Goldie with us? Mimi's getting the next one, but you guys can sell any other ones for a hefty price! How about it? It'll be easy to kill now that I have this shield."
Taichi's eyes brightened, but Yamato cut in without hesitation.
" We're on a break. We've had too many battles lately."
" Aw, you're sure?" Sora said, pouting, " I'll do all the tanking."
" Hey, Yama, it should be okay..." Taichi said innocently.
Yamato shot him a firm look. " This is our BREAK. And you'd end up..." Yamato leaned in to get intimate with the brunette's ear, " -sealing it, remember?"
" Ooh," Taichi vocalized. He blinked when Yamato didn't make much of an effort to move away.
" If you guys don't want to hunt, we can just chat for a bit," Sora suggested.
Taichi heard Yamato exhale differently than usual, an exhale he recognized as "troublesome." He could read the blonde to such detail... At that moment, Taichi could almost read his thoughts... ' She's inviting herself...'
But Yamato was calm on the outside. " How did you find out about Taichi's mother?" he asked.
" We were hunting Sohee in Payon Dungeon, and when we went to the village to go to Alberta, I saw it with my own eyes," Mimi said, " The Archer Guildmaster saw it as well. He was desperately asking everyone nearby if they knew Taichi Yagami. When I answered, he told us to find you... and... yeah. Sorry for bringing you such bad news."
Yamato gazed at Taichi, knowing it was his to answer.
" No, I should thank you," Taichi replied softly, " It helped me become a stronger person... I'm really thankful."
" Speaking of strong, why aren't you guys Hunters or Bards or such yet?" Sora asked, " Especially with that Doppel bow, you would be outstanding even in the 2nd classmen realm."
This time, Taichi observed Yamato, knowing how he might react. Controlling himself, holding himself back...
" If I find it necessary... in the meantime, Taichi and I can accomplish anything we set out mind to... as Archers."
" Oh. I see," Sora replied. She seemed to appear somewhat guilty for asking. Somewhat... " Um... so what have you guys been up to?"
" Mm... killing MVPs. We just finished Moonli-" Yamato clamped a hand over Taichi's mouth. Taichi whined in protest.
" Simple-minded," was all Yamato said to him. " We've just been going about our usual business, Sora."
" Oh, don't hold the poor guy back!" said Sora, " I wanted to hear him. Something about... Moonlight? Did you guys meet her?"
' A little more than met,' Yamato corrected irritably. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know, but he couldn't help but feel a little sickened by her innocence. " We're on our break now, so we're not really fighting anyone."
" Oh." Sora thought for a moment then resorted to shuffling her feet.
Yamato had successfully killed their conversation. And his hand was still over Taichi's mouth. Taichi appeared to be holding back his struggle.
" Hey, Sora... that shop over there looks interesting," Mimi said in the awkward silence. " Can we go see?"
" Taichi and I should find an inn before they all get booked," Yamato said as he pulled himself up to stand. " See you some other time."
" Wait! We should have some way to stay in contact with each other." Sora stopped Mimi from pulling her arm, " You know... in case you wanna set up a party hunt or something."
Yamato gave her a straight glance. " Sorry, I'm not interested. We really have to go."
The females stood bewildered as Yamato herded his partner out of the china-seller's area.
****
" What was that all about, Yamato?" Taichi demanded as they entered their inn room. " You were really rude to them."
" I know," Yamato said, his eyebrows wrinkled. He set their supplies down in a corner and took off the heavier parts of his outfit, setting it next to Taichi's.
" Why? They didn't do anything to deserve such treatment."
" Aside from the fact that she acted like she wanted to date us."
" ...Eh? How could you...?"
" Why else would she bother trying to 'stay in contact' with ordinary 1st classmen? ... Who happen to be males close to her age..."
" Well, it's possible those were her intentions, but you were still rude. You weren't that rude with the blue-haired sisters."
" But I know they're not interested. They're very different than most people. You could sense it too."
" Still..."
" I just did what I believe was best for all of us. If those were her intentions and I had accepted, it'd become harder down the line. The earlier it is solved, the less pain we'll have to go through. It's easier to move on."
Taichi fell silent. Yamato sat down on their bed and started to knead his forehead.
" I'm sorry for ruining your innocence like this," Yamato said in almost a whisper.
" Yama..."
" I'm such a jerk..."
Taichi stood next to him, yet without contact, he could sense something. Yamato's past... years of trying to do favors for others to make them happy... years of being accused of causing misery, when in actuality, he was preventing it... years of being misunderstood and powerless to stop it...
The brunette didn't even need empathy to know what Yamato wanted to scream. Being with Yamato made him want to do more, he understood that now.
" You're not," Taichi said through barely-parted lips. He sat down on the bed and put a hand on Yamato's shoulder. " I just now realize even more... how much I admire you."
Yamato made a small noise in response. He didn't expect such words...
" You also carry a heavy burden," Taichi continued, " Because you're never recognized for having it."
They caught each other's gaze as the words flowed naturally.
" If you want to let it out... I'll listen. I want to keep understanding," Taichi said.
Yamato was awestruck. He was unused to this, having someone he could trust with his deepest thoughts without fearing rejection.
... He wanted to keep this feeling forever.
As Taichi brought his other arm around Yamato's back and Yamato leaned in, the memories spilled...
****
~Eight years ago~
Yamato watched the group of Novices playing with toy balls, tossing them carelessly around the village. The young blonde had grown up knowing the joy of play away from other humans. He hadn't questioned it, thinking it was just natural to play by oneself. His only company was his falcon, who could observe him while he played. When he saw the other children of his age playing together, he wanted to join them, to try new things...
He approached--
" Eeck! What is that? It's scary!!!"
Yamato stood frozen from these words of fear. The children weren't happy anymore for some reason... why?
" Hey you! Get away from us! We don't want your kind to play with us."
Young beings, so innocent, so unaware...
Unfortunately, some of them would remain unaware for long lengths... some forever. Most unfortunate. But... a butterfly flapping its wings can lead to a windstorm in the future. When one domino falls, the rest follow.
Yamato discovered loneliness that day. At first, he was afraid of the intense feelings inside him, so he spent many hours in the day crying behind trees. He wanted to be away from other people, accompanied only by Hawkes. When he couldn't take it anymore, he decided to find something to do so he could forget the sad feelings. Hawkes never disappointed Yamato. He never spoke piercing words to Yamato. They trained together, ignoring everyone else...
He sheltered himself with his birthright. And life continued.
****
He always found it difficult to trust someone. Was it his fault for being so? If people just accepted things in the first place, that domino wouldn't have to fall... but humans are faulty.
" It's our tragedy. There is nothing we can do to stop it..."
" But there are a LOT of things we can do to make it enjoyable beforehand," Taichi said, " There's no fair reason to not make it enjoyable."
Yamato let the words sink in, then he smiled softly. " How did you find such words, Taichi?"
" You made me realize," the brunette replied, " You're wonderful for that."
They nuzzled in their hold for a moment before Yamato spoke again. " As long as there are those understand, there's a chance..."
Yamato closed in to give Taichi a kiss, but Taichi spoke quickly. " Do you think Moonlight understood?"
Lips nearly touching, Yamato took a deep, heavy breath. " There was a possibility... but a very small one. It was a shame... but she threatened lives. And she was given a chance... she didn't take it."
" But there was still a possibility," Taichi replied, " I can't help but feel guilty for not reaching that small chance of success."
" Taichi..." Suddenly, Yamato pushed Taichi down onto the bed, looming over the brunette. " I know this is horrible of me, but I need you to be a little selfish. This is our break. Treat it as one... for everyone's sake. You deserve it. This burden you carry shouldn't go unrewarded."
Taichi observed Yamato, noticing the blonde's heavy respiration and longing gaze. He answered in return. " There you go again... too kind."
Yamato blushed, but kept his expression. " I... I'm just..."
Taichi pulled forward and grabbed the other for a passionate kiss. " You deserve more, too..."
Yamato attempted to mumble something, but it came out as a moan. Eh... whichever works. He didn't care for that...
****
Sora - Knight
Weapon: Double Hurricane Saber (Andre x2)
Shield: Shield of Deaf (Golden Thief Bug)
Head 1: Gemmed Sallet
Robe: Mocking Manteau (Whisper)
Armor: Ghost Full Plate (Ghostring)
Shoes: Green Boots (Matyr)
Accessory: Safety Ring x2
Mimi - Priestess
Weapon: Stunner
Head 1: Western Grace
Robe: Mocking Muffler (Whisper)
Armor: Ghost Saint's Robe (Ghostring)
Shoes: Soul-Enchanted Shoes (Sohee)
Accessory 1: Clip Under a Cast (Phen)
Accessory 2: Earring
At the end of this fic, I'll reorganize all of the chapters and stuff most of this extraneous stuff into a separate chapter. XD I have some other things to say, anyway... please leave a review, they cheer me up beyond imagination when I'm feeling down and out. =D
Splash
gottaito.cjb.net