Impossible Fantasy

By Dyaoka

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Prince of Tennis nor do I own Final Fantasy.

Notes/Warnings: Alright. Guess what? I found out, after rereading this fic, that I’ve forgotten one important flashback. A very important flashback. So yeah…I will put up the flashback in the next chapter. Oh yes, this chapter will focus on the group in Haven and the happenings in the castle that Eiji’s at…A lot of ‘discovering the past’ too. Oh yeah…one more note: Very cheesy chapter. And, if anyone is interested, a reference to a sequel…if anyone can spot it. It requires a lot of thinking to get it though…;) It would be easier to think of if you’ve played FFX-2…

 

Scroll Ten: Sitting By The Bedside

 

Fuji sighed as he looked over to the deathly pale boy that lay upon the hard ground. Tezuka had just rode off several moments ago and Inui was hard at work trying to fix up Ryoma’s wounds with Momo. There was a part of his arm that was bent at an odd angle, which was enough proof that it was broken.

“He’s gotten off lightly,” Inui murmured. “He managed to save himself from death.”

Fuji only nodded, but said nothing in return. Shifting his gaze from Ryoma to the snake-like youth, Kaido, Fuji continued to wonder what was going through Tezuka’s mind. He had commanded that Kaido lead them to this…‘Haven.’ Wherever this place was.

“Ssss…” Kaido hissed. He was deep in thought, looking into the fire as if in a trance. Oishi was hovering around Inui and Momo, giving them assistance when needed. Ryoma, however, didn’t even wake up when they reset the bone in his arm.

“There” Inui said finally after several more moments of near-silence. “We’ve done the best we can. It is time we should be off…” The bespectacled youth gave Kaido a pointed look. The snake-like youth looked up and nodded slowly, obviously still thinking of something. Nevertheless, he rose from where he sat and looked around at the group.

“Ssss…It will be a five day walk to get there,” Kaido hissed. “If we hurry, we might make it in three.” His glance over at the unconscious Ryoma didn’t go unnoticed. Kaido sighed and then looked away, walking away from the deep crevice in the earth.

“But…that’s back the way we came” Momo said. “What are you, stupid?”

“Sss! Do you know nothing?!” the snake-like youth hissed. “Just follow me and I’ll lead you to Haven.”

Momo rolled his eyes, but gathered his packs and Ryoma’s as well. He swung them over his shoulder and looked at the rest of his companions. Fuji looked paler than normal, worry was evident upon his face. The always-present smile upon his face was gone. Inui’s face was composed, as usual. In his arms, he carried the smaller body of Ryoma. Taka had taken his bags, as to not weigh the taller youth down. Oishi was ready as well, his face contorted with worry and confusion. Momo felt sympathies with the older, green-eyed youth. He was confused as well. Of course, he wouldn’t be surprised if everyone else was confused as well.

First, Eiji’s vehemence against not going to Bevelle…then, his disappearance. From there, everything seemed to go downhill. Momo sighed as he trudged onward, after the disappearing figure of Kaido. Whatever destiny had in mind for them, it was in a tangle of mess. ‘Must be from too many threads of fate that destiny couldn’t hold on to anymore…’ Momo mused silently to himself. He imagined a old woman, sitting at her loom trying to weave something and there was a tangle of thread in one area. ‘The tangled knot would be us…’ Momo thought.

In silence, they walked. There were occasional places where Kaido had broken into sprints. He was a fast individual, Momo admitted, but Momo has seen others that were even faster. As the sun rose and set (not that anyone could tell. The sky was always a strange, dark gray and covered in clouds), they continued to press onward, mostly to Kaido’s persistence. They went one night without rest, running for the most part. “We must get there soon…otherwise who knows what would happen back at the ravine…Ssss…I never should have agreed to this,” Kaido said with a sigh. He seemed deeply worried, to Momo. What was so special about that ravine anyway?

However, soon, they begun to notice that the hard, cracked, dusty ground was left behind them and soil and grass stood underneath their feet. The sun started to become visible in the sky once more and the bleak and bleary landscape melted into grassy wilderness once more. It was their third day of traveling. “We’re almost there,” Fuji commented. Kaido only nodded in response.

They trudged onward, deep onto the forest. Momo looked around him…for some odd reason; everything seemed so…familiar. He looked around at the trees. They all looked alike, yet different. Momo shook his head, trying to get his thoughts away from the forest. He’d never been here before.

“Has a battle happened here?” Taka asked, breaking the silence.

Kaido looked over at the shy youth in surprise. “Sss…long time ago. He…He, the one whom no one knows his name, sss…He took over our land first. Then, he moved onto another, this place. Ssss…but that one was much more difficult to conquer. He needed to gain the people’s trust and then strike. He is a deceiver, a liar. Everyone hates him, but He is powerful. Ssss…He sees all” the snake-like youth looked rather dejected.

“Who is this He?” Inui questioned.

“To know someone’s name is to have power over him…correct?” Fuji asked, icy blue eyes peering around the forest. “That’s why no one knows.”

“So…he is out to conquer the world?” Momo asked sarcastically. Kaido only shrugged.

“Ssss…I don’t know. I’ve only met him once. Ssss…and the only communication I have with him is through mail,” the snake-like youth answered. “I am not allowed up into the castle.”

“Castle?” was the words everyone else echoed in unison.

“Does that mean…Eiji is there? At the castle?” Oishi asked, a sudden dawning realization coming upon him. Kaido nodded.

“His top agents reside there,” Kaido said.

“Agents?” Fuji questioned. He might as well ‘milk it for all it’s worth,’ as the saying goes. Kaido didn’t seem to have an opposition against it, so might as well, Fuji thought.

“Ssss…he didn’t tell you?” Kaido asked. “Knowing Eiji, he would have been talking about it.”

All of them missed the rather guilty look upon Inui’s face, but within moments, the bespectacled youth had covered it.

“Ssss…there was a total of at least thirty agents living in the castle, but right now, only a few reside there. The rest have been killed,” Kaido walked around a rather large tree twice, tapping at occasional places upon the trunk. He reached under one of the roots and retrieved a rather small, clear, blue ball. “The agents do all the dirty work for whatever it is He wants them to do.” 

“What sort of work?” Inui questioned.

“Weren’t you involved with one of them? Sss…Eiji told me that. Negotiations with kings and other such higher powers…sss…kill those who refuse. I don’t know much more than that, sss…Now stop standing around and help me find a yellow, red, and green ball. They’re somewhere in this forest.”

“Oh…you meant these?” Fuji asked innocently, producing three small balls from his pockets, each a different color. Momo snickered as Kaido hissed yet again. “Well, that means we get a move on, yes?” Fuji asked, a small smile upon his face. Kaido wordlessly took the small spheres.

“This way,” Kaido said, leading them onward again. They eventually stopped at a small clearing, where Kaido placed the stones. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then each of them started to glow and float. The red one floated upwards, to the left. The blue one floated upwards also, going to the right, instead. The yellow and green balls rolled on the ground, one going to the right and the other going to the left. “Step through it” Kaido said. “Sss…this is the doorway to Haven.”

Fuji chuckled but stepped through nevertheless. Inui did as well and soon, they all went through. They were met with the most unexpected sight.

“Wow!” Momo exclaimed as he looked down over the city. It was literally built around the large trees that surrounded the areas. A river ran through it, since there was a waterfall in the middle of the city. It was a beautiful place.

“This is…the same place that He took over?” Fuji asked, bewildered. Kaido nodded. “But it was won back by the Queen, she chased Him out of her lands and this is how it’s been since then. This is a Haven.”

“The Queen?”

“She’s dead now,” Kaido hissed. He took a step forward, towards Haven. “Hurry up.”

They walked down the steep hill, Inui had to take extra care since he carried the still-unconscious Ryoma. Momo had just taken a flying leap off and promptly landed upon his face.

Up to the large gates they went, but were stopped by one of the guards that stood there. They looked young, too young to be guards. ‘They look the same age as me!’ Oishi realized as he studied their faces. ‘So young…’

“State your business,” one of the boys said.

“Move,” Kaido hissed. “Didn’t Tezuka come here?”

“Ah…you lot,” the other said with a smirk. “Let them through,” he waved his hand and the gate slowly opened to them. “Have a good day.”

Kaido led them quickly through the city, seeming to know exactly where he was going. They stopped in front of a large house, right next to the waterfall that stretched upwards and sideways…an extremely large and important looking house. A cloaked figure stood at the entrance. “You’re late,” he said, turning around.

“Tezuka!”

“Sss…it wasn’t my fault,” Kaido said as he walked pass the taller youth.

“Come, you are expected,” Tezuka said to the rest of them. He briskly led them down several halls, each of them trying to keep up with Tezuka’s fast pace. They’d all forgotten how quickly Tezuka could walk, let alone run. He opened one of the doors and ushered them all into the room. It was large, connecting to several other rooms as well. They laid Ryoma onto the only bed in the room. “Has he woken up yet?” Tezuka asked.

Karupin meowed sadly. “Not once…He doesn’t even move. It’s like he’s dead, but I hear his heart still beating.”

“But of course,” said an unexpected voice. They all looked up to see Shinji walking in, dressed in dark robes. “Why would he be dead? How silly…he’s here, alright, but not mentally.” Shinji’s eyes were closed…but it wasn’t like he needed them anyway. The blind youth sat down on the bed, carefully avoiding sitting on Ryoma. He held up his hand just slightly over Ryoma’s forehead. A slight glow emitted from it and Fuji couldn’t help a strange sensation in his stomach. The glow didn’t seem to be a good sign. “He hangs on, but by a thread…” Shinji said cryptically.

“When did you get here?” Taka couldn’t help but ask.

“Before you did,” Shinji answered cynically. He couldn’t help but flick a finger at Ryoma’s forehead. “He’s so troublesome. Come, first have food, then, we shall discuss whatever else that needs to be discussed. It’s so simple…so easy. Don’t know why you all make things seem so desperate and difficult. It’s not the end of the world yet.”

“You make no sense,” Momo muttered.

“When have I ever made sense to you?” Shinji muttered in return.

Momo made no effort to make a witty retort. He couldn’t think of one.

~*~

“Oshitari,” came a commanding voice. The said youth looked up from where he was reading next to the window. A smirk appeared on the bespectacled youth’s face as his glasses gleamed brightly under the sunlight. ‘Him…’

“What is it that you need, sir?” Oshitari asked politely. The smirk was wiped off his face when a hand roughly connected with his face, throwing him to the other side of the room. Nonetheless, Oshitari stood up again. “Sir, is there something wrong?”

“Is there something wrong?!” He roared out, striding over to Oshitari. “That child is here! Where is Tezuka? He had better not be fooling around again! I had ordered him to kill the child!” He ranted.

“Shall I go find out, sir?” Oshitari asked. A glare froze him in place, but did not scare him.

“You, Oshitari, will assemble all the remaining agents. Those who are disloyal or incompetent…dispose of them. Give them to Mukahi or whatever; I don’t care! But I want that child dead!”

“He’s escaped once already,” Oshitari mumbled.

“You will not speak back to me!” He turned around abruptly and walked towards the door with angry steps. “And Oshitari, do not even think of raising a revolution against me.”

“Yes sir,” Oshitari answered. The door slammed shut and the bespectacled youth sighed as he touched his cheek. “But you’re loosing your powers,” he continued to say to an empty room. “What can you do about it? Your hold is loosening over us…you cannot keep us locked forever…” The bespectacled youth chuckled as he picked up the book he dropped and continued to read as if nothing had happened. His glasses continued to gleam under the sunlight.

~*~

Eiji sighed. He was back at the stupid castle, just walking around, pacing back and forth. Kajimoto just watched his friend go to one end of the room (1, 2, 3, 4, 5…turn…1, 2, 3, 4, 5….turn) and back. It was quite unlike Eiji to pace.

“What are you so worried about?” Kajimoto decided to ask.

“Worried?! Nya, I’m beyond worried!” Eiji nearly exploded.

“Is this about Tezuka?”

“Yes!” Eiji exclaimed. “Why, why, why, why, WHY did he have to take them there?! Nya!”

“It is the only other civilization around for several hundred miles,” Kajimoto stated. “Perhaps that is why. He did state that one of the members was injured…‘quite badly,’ I quote.”

“I know what he said!” Eiji snapped. “But of all places…” Eiji stopped his pacing and collapsed into his chair. “Of all places in the world…it just had to be there…”

“It is dangerous,” Kajimoto said. “But he is willing to take the risk. That means we must do our best to protect them…especially from Him. Right, Eiji?” Kajimoto said, hoping to get at least some semblance of logic into the red head’s mind. Eiji sighed.

“Unya…but if he finds out, that whole place just might be destroyed! My people are hiding there!” Eiji exclaimed. “Against the agents, my people there have no chance!”

“But are we not agents as well?” Kajimoto asked.

“Don’t state the obvious” Eiji said as he closed his eyes. “Nya…everything is just so…frustrating! Urgh! I don’t know what to do…stupid Tezuka…Kajimoto, be a friend and get me something to drink.”

“Of course,” Kajimoto said as he left the red head to his thinking. Just as he walked down the hall, he heard a loud, frustrated scream emitting from Eiji’s room. A small smile appeared on Kajimoto’s face. Eiji would never change.

However, when Kajimoto was just about to enter the kitchen, he was met with someone rather unexpected. It was the usually elusive and dark Oshitari Yuushi.

“Hello there, Kajimoto, my friend,” the bespectacled youth drawled out with a book in hand.

“Oshitari,” Kajimoto greeted with a slight bow. “Are you hungry or thirsty?” Kajimoto opened the door to the kitchen.

“Hm…for something tasty, perhaps,” Oshitari answered. “And where is your…friend, Death?”

“He’s not anymore!” Kajimoto snapped at Oshitari’s irritating drawl. “Don’t call him that anymore.”

“I, for one, remember when he slaughtered that village…Can you still say that he’s not Death? He’s killed so many more than I have in a lifetime and you know it. Perhaps even more than Gakuto…” Oshitari said as he helped himself to some of the wine. “Though I won’t doubt it if he did.”

“Those were all accidents, Oshitari,” Kajimoto said in a low voice. “Is there something you need? Otherwise, please leave us alone.”

“Us?” Oshitari mocked and then fell into laughter. “He wants all the agents summoned. It seems that he wants to put us through a trial of trust…or something of the kind. Apparently, something big is going to happen soon…” The bespectacled youth smiled mysteriously as he waved briefly to Kajimoto and disappeared through the kitchen door, all the while chuckling to himself.

~*~

Momo had been curious, of course. He just couldn’t help himself. Several things…seemed quite familiar, yet he knew that they were foreign. So he had decided to go and see this ‘Haven’ place for himself, wanting to see how it was like. No one else had wanted to accompany him, having vouched for staying and discussing things that Momo wasn’t to enthused to talk about. So here he was, out in the streets, browsing and looking around. Though his clothes were quite different from the people in Haven, he didn’t think he looked as odd as Taka, who was wearing a set of clothes that came from Bevelle; clothes from Bevelle looked very strange. However, everyone was staring and Momo couldn’t help but feel perturbed about that.

“Oh my gosh!” someone exclaimed suddenly. Momo looked over at the exclamation. Two youths were running towards him. “Momo, is that you?!” one of them exclaimed.

“Eh…?” was the only intelligent thing that Momo could say.

“I saw you walking around earlier, but I wasn’t sure if it was you! I thought that you’d died, all those years ago! But when I saw your eyes, I knew it was you! Nobody has violet eyes like yours!” the youth continued to ramble. When the youth noticed that Momo was looking at him with a confused expression, the youth smirked. “It’s been a long time since I saw you! I bet I changed a lot, huh? My hair’s been cut! It’s me, Shishido! This is Choutarou!”

“Um…” Momo begun. “My name is Momoshiro Takeshi…but I don’t know who you are. I’m probably not the person you’re looking for…” Momo said sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“What?!” Shishido exclaimed. “But…that can’t be! You look exactly like…”

“I’m sorry about that,” Choutarou said, stepping in front of Shishido, completely shielding the shorter one from view. “We didn’t mean to mix you up. It’s just that you look a lot like…someone we use to know…”

“Our old friend!” Shishido exclaimed, peeking out from behind Choutarou and then glared up at the taller youth before stepping out from behind him. “You look a lot like our old friend!”

“Well, I certainly don’t know you, so I doubt I’m your old friend,” Momo said. “And if that’s all, I’ll be on my way…”

“Yes, I’m sorry we bothered you,” Choutarou apologized politely and ushered his friend away, who was still spewing words, claiming that Momo was their long-lost friend. Momo only sighed as he continued on his trek around the place. A strange feeling was tugging at his heart and mind; it was as if Momo really did see the two before, though they didn’t look remotely familiar to him. But their presence…it was almost as if he’d…found something missing; something that had been taken away from him.

However, Shishido and Choutarou weren’t the only ones that approached him. A pretty woman, who had introduced herself as Hanamura, had fell into tears and embraced him fiercely.

“Excuse me, miss…”

“You don’t recognize me?!” Hanamura exclaimed.

“I’m sorry…You must be mistaking me for someone else…” Momo said. The brunette looked like she was going to cry again.

“My apologies…” she said. “You look so much like my younger brother…”

Feeling his curiosity arise (after all, it wasn’t very often so many people would mistake Momo for someone else), Momo decided to question her. “Would you mind if I asked what happened to your brother?”

Hanamura blinked up at the youth, her eyes glassy from her tears. “I guess…I wouldn’t mind…” she said slowly. “Walk with me?”

Momo nodded and let the lady lead the way. As they walked to whatever destination they were going to, Hanamura asked many questions about Momo. They had finally walked to someplace near the waterfall that the violet-eyed youth had seen upon his arrival.

“Tell me, Momoshiro,” Hanamura said as she paused for a moment, looking into the water. “You said that you were…adopted. What is that?” 

“Adopted is when someone takes a child in to be their own…I think…” Momo elaborated as he scratched as his head.

“Then…do you remember anything before you were taken in?” Hanamura asked.

“I was just a street rat,” Momo said. “I don’t really remember, but I was taken in for a while by a orphanage, since they found me and then I was taken to a new home…But that’s about it…I guess.”

“Did they give you the name?”

“What name?” Momo asked.

“Your name,” Hanamura answered patiently. “Momoshiro Takeshi.” Momo shook his head. They weren’t the ones that gave him the name, but he refused to elaborate on the fact that the name had just stuck with him even in the streets.

“You asked me what happened to my brother, Momoshiro,” Hanamura said. “His name is exactly the same as yours, you know. He was my half brother…but I loved him all the same.” She took in a deep breath and started her tale. “A long time ago, we didn’t live here in this place; Haven. We use to live far, far away from this place, to the north. But there was an unexpected battle that took place and forced us to escape here. That same day as the battle, my younger brother had run to the palace. He was the Prince’s playmate, you see…”

“Let me guess,” Momo interrupted. “They attacked the palace?”

Hanamura nodded glumly. “They attacked the palace at the same time as they attacked our homes; it was to prevent us from getting and giving help. Most of us had fled, but we were all split up…only a few of us had actually made it here, to Haven. My brother…I never saw him after that day…”

“You’ve never gone to look for the body?” Momo asked.

“No. No one was allowed to go back…nobody wanted to go back; He has his eyes there, on that place. If we did go there, we’d be even worse than dead,” Hanamura said. “You know, my brother would probably be the same age as you, right now…”

“Well then, if you’ve never seen the body, you shouldn’t give up hope on him! He could be alive, you know! He could have escaped, but wasn’t able to find this place!” Momo said reassuringly.

“I do hope you’re right,” Hanamura said with a small smile. But it never reached her eyes.

“Momo!” interrupted a voice. Both looked up to the newcomer; Tezuka.

“Tezuka!” the brunette exclaimed. “How…” But whatever she was saying, Tezuka glared at her anyway. She fell silent.

“Oi, what did she ever do to you?” Momo asked, noticing the exchange. “That is no way to treat a lady!”

“This is none of your business. Go back, Oishi has something to discuss with you,” Tezuka said, looking pointedly at Momo. The violet-eyed youth bristled angrily, but complied anyway. Tezuka turned his attention back to Hanamura.

“That was he, wasn’t it?” Hanamura asked quietly, digging her nails into her arm. “It was…Momo…”

“He doesn’t remember. Don’t pester him,” Tezuka said after a moment of silence.

“This is my brother we’re talking about!” the woman snapped.

“I brought him back, as per our contract. It is time for you to fulfill your end of it,” Tezuka said. Hanamura sighed and nodded, letting her hands fall freely to her sides.

“I work hard everyday to reconstruct it. However, we don’t have all of the Gems. You have two of them, He has five, six were lost, and my lord has the last one. Recovering the six would be the most difficult…since it just wouldn’t work without all of them,” Hanamura said.

“I have found one,” Tezuka said. “The Prince has it.”

“The Prince…is alive?” Hanamura asked, surprised. Tezuka didn’t respond to that question.

“You will continue to reconstruct the stone. As of now, I cannot hand the Gems over yet. They are…still of use. I will have someone send them over when I need them no more,” Tezuka informed. “That is all.” With that, Tezuka turned around and ambled off in a quick pace.

~*~

Fuji was looking out the window of Ryoma’s room. The dark haired boy had yet to stir from his rest, but according to Shinji, Ryoma wouldn’t be waking any time soon. Fuji gritted his teeth, disliking how it seemed that Shinji knew everything that was going on. For one, Fuji hated to be kept in the dark. He liked to know what was going on around him, but in this case, it couldn’t be helped. It seemed that he and the rest of them were all caught up in something bigger than they imagined.

“Fuji,” Oishi said. The blue-eyed genius turned to his friend.

“Yes?”

“Everything…will reveal itself in time,” the youth said, looking down at Ryoma. “That’s what Eiji told me one night…and I had absolutely no idea why he said that. I’m…starting to understand now.” Gently, he brushed some of Ryoma’s hair away from his face. “There are so many things that are happening right now…”

“There is, isn’t there?” Fuji asked in a quiet tone. “It seems that we’re quite behind on what’s going on here. I have a feeling even Inui’s figured out most of the things…”

“Whatever it is, it has to be big…”

Fuji’s only response was a soft nod.

The two trailed off into silence, both withdrawing into their minds as they thought. A short while later, a soft knock on the door startled the two out of their thoughts.

“Yes?” Oishi answered. “The door is open.”

The door opened to reveal an irritated Momo.

“Did something happen, Momo?” Fuji asked.

“Tezuka happened, that’s what…” Momo muttered. “Anyway…Oishi, did you want to talk to me?”

Oishi thought for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, I remember now,” the green eyed youth said slowly. “Shinji said that he needed help on something…I’m not sure what it was. Inui’s with him right now; they’re in the study. It’s the room that’s down the hall.” Momo shrugged and then nodded.

“Sure…” Momo said, glancing over at the unconscious Ryoma before leaving. He made his way down the hall, as Oishi had instructed. When he was about to go guessing at which door he was suppose to go through, he heard the whispering voices of Inui and Shinji.

“I don’t know if it’ll work…but it’s worth the try,” Shinji was saying. “I need someone with a strong and deep connection with him.”

“True, but Momoshiro might not be the one we’re looking for…Do you think you can try them all?”

“No. I don’t have enough energy for that. Does it look like I would? I spent the majority of my energy already…I’m already almost down to my last straw. It’s been a while since I’ve replenished my energy too. No way would I be able to do all of them…that’s why you’re here, you know. Of course, I would like to ask Tezuka to help, but that idiot is gone to god knows where now. And where is Momoshiro? I thought that Tezuka had caught him outside already…”

Expressionless obsidian-black eyes gazed over to the door.

“Momoshiro, you can come in already.”

Slowly, Momo pushed opened the heavy door to the study. Books littered the place and Shinji sat behind a messy desk that was filled with leaflets of paper and books. However, only one particular one lay out in front of him. Why a blind person would be ‘reading’ was beyond Momo. Maybe that was why Inui was there.

Inui just pushed his glasses farther up his nose, but said nothing.

“Momoshiro,” Shinji said. “I’m going to need your full cooperation on this.”

“You have to tell me what it first…” Momo said weakly. He was already thinking that it was a bad idea going to help Shinji.

“It’s to help Ryoma,” Inui spoke before Shinji said anything else. “From what we’ve been looking through, with a little help from Kaido,” Inui peeked over to a shadowed corner where the snake-like youth stood with his back against the wall. Momo completely missed the other’s presence. “We’ve found what seems to be a answer to Ryoma’s situation.”

“And that is…?”

“He tried to use magic when he fell. Naturally, that’s what anyone who knew magic would have tried to do. But in his case, it not only rebounded on him at the last moment just when he thought he was going to be safe, the rebound of his magic mixed with the ravine’s. Who knew what was living down there, in that place, but something happened and his consciousness was sucked away…or rather, switched.”

“Wait, wait,” Momo said, holding up a hand. “What did you mean by the ravine’s magic?”

“There’s something that lives down there,” Kaido spoke up. “Even I don’t know what’s down there…but it never comes up so I don’t worry about it much.”

“I wasn’t asking you!” Momo snapped. “Anyway, what happened to his consciousness? What did you mean by that?”

“Ssss…what are you, stupid or something?” Kaido muttered. Inui sighed as Shinji explained.

“Whatever was living down in the ravine had magic. That thing’s magic combined with Ryoma’s, creating a sort of void. However, the void had switched Ryoma’s consciousness with another’s.”

“Switched with another?” Momo asked.

“Yes. With who or what, neither of us knows,” Inui said. “But right now, we’re not focused on that. We need to find where Ryoma’s consciousness was sent. It could be anywhere in the world…or something. That’s what Shinji says, anyway. I’m still trying to figure it out though.”

“It’s quite simple,” Shinji muttered. “How can anyone not grasp the concept? Very simple…of course, if you have a simple mind, it’ll be difficult to grasp. Voids are not so very difficult to understand. They are the things that defy all rules of logic. They are the impossible, but through them, the possible. It is not matter as it does not have mass nor does it have density. Every void is different…”

“Shinji,” Inui interrupted.

“Ryoma’s consciousness was sent to the other end of the void…where it could be god knows where. The only way to locate him now is to go through links…the person with the strongest link to Ryoma will be able to lead us there. But I can only do this once a day…it will take a long time and will put you into a lot of pain. I will also need willing consent for me to through your mind and heart, because I will need to locate the link,” Shinji explained.

“Huh?” was the most intelligent reply Momo could think of. He didn’t understand Shinji at all. Kaido and Inui exchanged glances and sighed. 

“Do you, Momoshiro Takeshi, allow me to go through your mind and heart?” Shinji asked, completely ignoring Momo’s reply.

“I’m not sure I understand…Why do you have to go through my mind…and heart?” Momo asked.

“Because, fool!” Kaido exclaimed. “Everyone has a link. Just think of it as a sort of string; the string is attached to another person, forming a link! We’re going to use that link to find the brat!”

“Hey! I understood that!” Momo snapped in return. “I was asking why!”

“Because that’s where the link is located!” Kaido retorted. “You are an idiot!”

Momo glared at the snake-like youth and turned back to Shinji, who had closed his eyes. “Yeah, I give you permission.”

“You cannot just say it,” Inui said. “According to the text, one must fully, in body and mind, agree. If not, it will not work.”

“If I say yes, then yes!” Momo insisted.

“Alright, alright. You lot are even rowdier than the little boys back in Bevelle!” Shinji snapped. “If this doesn’t work, it’s only one day wasted. Let’s see if I remember how this worked…” The blind seer stood and walked shakily over to where Momo stood. He lifted his hand and ghosted his touch over to Momo’s shoulders and then to both sides of Momo’s neck. A strange glow encompassed the two and the last thing that Momo knew was an intense pain all over his body before passing out.

“Don’t touch him,” Shinji said. He was still in the same position, though Momo had fallen to the ground. Inui watched in fascination, as Shinji seemed to be moving his hands at things only he could see. Movements under his eyelids showed that he really was seeing things that only he could see. “Ah…I found it…” Shinji said at a whisper. “But it’s not very strong…” Shinji took a step over Momo and help up a hand as if he was holding something in it. “I see it…Now where does it leads to…”

He continued to mutter as he persisted with his work. His head would occasionally dart in different directions, as if seeing something quick go past. For what seemed like many, many hours later, Shinji finally opened his eyes. His forehead was damp with sweat and he was breathing heavily. “The link wasn’t strong enough,” he announced quietly before collapsing onto the floor next to Momo.

~*~

To say that Oishi was surprised when Kaido and Inui came into the room with an unconscious Momo and Shinji was an understatement. When the two were just dumped onto the floor unceremoniously had the green-eyed youth pestering Inui what they were doing to reduce the two to such a state and why they weren’t being put into a proper bed.

“Shinji’s quarters are not in this area,” was all Kaido said. “The floor will suffice for them for now.”

“I’ve already spoken to Tezuka about the bed issue. They’ll be moving in several beds by tonight,” Inui said in all seriousness.

That night, as according to Inui, the beds were carried in. They moved Momo and Shinji onto them; Momo had regained consciousness by then, but he wouldn’t speak. He was in a trance-like state, it seemed, and no matter what the others had tried, they couldn’t snap him out of his state.

Oishi had gone into a frenzy of worry and not even Inui and Tezuka’s reassurances that the two were all right got through his head. Taka, though not to the degree of Oishi, had worried as well and had entered the kitchen to make some ‘healthy food for when they feel the need to eat.’

Fuji sighed as he watched Oishi pace around the gardens. Oishi had been chased from the room, since he needed to ‘take his worries outside,’ as Tezuka had said. Needless to say, Oishi hadn’t been pleased, but Fuji and Inui had accompanied him outside. Fresh air would do everyone good.

“Oishi,” Inui called out tiredly. “Sit.”

“How can I sit?! So many things are happening and none of them make any sense! Not to mention that Eiji’s still missing and now we have three bedridden people with us!” Oishi exclaimed angrily.

“Momo will be better with some rest, as will Shinji,” Inui said, massaging his temples.

“Yes, but when will that be?” Oishi countered.

“Oishi, please,” Fuji said, trying to settle his riled friend down. “Inui isn’t in the best of shape to deal with a questioning right now.” Oishi’s expression softened and he looked to the ground.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t mean to…”

“That’s alright. We all have our thoughts,” Inui said. “But of course, I had been expecting that. There was a ninety-two percent that you would have exploded today.”

“That’s Inui,” Fuji said with a half smile. “Always the data-man.” Then, the youth looked over to somewhere to the other side of the garden. “…Tezuka?”

With that catching the other two’s attention, Inui and Oishi looked in the same direction. The stoic youth had just walked into the garden and had not noticed the other three. He had an angry look on his usually stoic face. “What do you want?” he spoke aloud and at first, the other three had thought he was speaking to them. However, another voice answered Tezuka.

“So you did get my message,” drawled a voice. In the shadows of the garden, behind the grape vines, a dark figure stood with his arms folded across his chest. However, a pair of glasses gleamed mysteriously in the dark. “Finding this place was rather difficult. It was quite by accident that I even managed to get in here at all…”

“What do you want?” Tezuka repeated.

“Now, now,” the person said. “That’s not the tone you want to speak to me in. After all, I do know where this place is and how to get in…” Tezuka was silent and the person continued to speak. “He has summoned us. All of us; he wants to test our…loyalties, so to speak. Yours is probably failing now; he ordered you to kill the child…and I see that he is still alive. I would have thought you’d kill him in Bevelle, you know.”

“When is this?”

“Probably as soon as possible, you know. I’ll have you know that I still have several more to find; you know the ones that disappeared? Those five. It would be helpful if you’d tell me where they’re hiding…since you wouldn’t want me to tell Him about this place…would you?”

Tezuka glared at the hiding figure. “They’ve split up all over the place. How would I know?”

“Hm…well, you could at least give me a clue, you know.”

“Why do you need them anyway?” Tezuka asked. “They’ve already renounced Him.”

“I’ve been given a order to find them. I don’t plan to do what you did and ignore it, you know,” the person snorted. “So, are you going to tell me or not? I don’t have all day. I need to be at other places too.”

Tezuka sighed and answered the question. “Tachibana…is at a monastery somewhere near Bevelle. The Atsushi twins have gone to Lindblum Palace and Atobe has gone back to his homeland. Akutsu is wandering around somewhere; you should ask Taichi about him.”

“Ah…Tachibana at the Bevelle monastery? How like him…”

“Go now, Oshitari, if you want to live.”

“Yes, yes, Mr. Grumpy,” Oshitari said with a laugh. “I will see you soon.”

Oishi, Fuji, and Inui exchanged glances as they watched Tezuka walk from the gardens. It seems that something was up…

~*~

Two days had passed, yet Momo had yet to snap from his trance-like state. He didn’t sleep, nor did he eat. He just sat there, staring into space. Occasionally, if a question was directed at him, he would answer, but most of the time, he was silent and immobile. Shinji had awoken as well, and was trying to explain what happened to Momo to Oishi. The poor blind youth was having a difficult time trying to explain.

“He had suppressed memories in his mind; things that he wanted to forget about in his mind. All that had been unleashed when I looked into his mind for the links…” Shinji said for about the fifth time.

“I understand, but couldn’t you have done this in a gentler way?” Oishi asked. “Just look at him! He’s a zombie!”

“Oishi, calm down,” Tezuka said as he walked into the room with Fuji in tow. “He’ll be back to normal soon.”

“You keep saying that! But what if he doesn’t?” Oishi asked.

“There are people here that can help him,” Tezuka answered. “He’s only in a confused state at the moment. What he needs is support, not argument. Now, Oishi, if you would kindly leave. We have work to do.”

“I’m staying right here,” Oishi challenged.

“Suit yourself,” Tezuka said. “Don’t do anything rash.”

“So…what am I suppose to do?” Fuji asked, opening his vibrant blue eyes to stare candidly at Shinji.

“Inui has explained, I suppose?” Shinji asked. Fuji nodded.

“I want to know the whole and complete process that is involved here,” Fuji said. “I don’t want to be left in the dark.”

With a sigh, Shinji launched himself into a long and complicated informative that left some of the room’s occupants behind. Oishi had a difficult time trying to comprehend Shinji’s words, but eventually gave up. Finally, they started.

“Do you, Fuji Syusuke, allow me to go through your mind and heart?” Shinji asked in a way that gave Inui the reminiscence of what happened two days ago with Momo.

“Yes,” Fuji said without hesitation, his blue eyes sparkling with an unknown expression.

Silently, Shinji rose from his seat and walked towards Fuji. Like what he did with Momo, he brushed his touch against both of Fuji’s shoulders and then on both sides of his neck. A light, strange glow covered the two. There was a slight tug in the back of Fuji’s mind and the blue-eyed genius knew that Shinji was going through his ‘links.’

Suddenly, an unbearable pain shot through his body, forcing Fuji to collapse to his knees. As he stared at the floor, trying to stay conscious, Fuji was aware that Shinji had stepped past him, and was murmuring under his breath. Fuji strained his ears to hear them; his vision was already starting to blacken around the edges and he was starting to go towards unconsciousness. The pain made him completely immobile.

“…quite a link. Stronger than Momoshiro’s…Let’s see where this leads to…” Shinji was moving his hands around in the air again, quite like the time with Momoshiro. “Ah…I see it…It’s here…” Shinji moved his head so it looked like was seeing something on the ceiling. “Away…Hm.” He took a step towards the far wall of the room, his hands reaching forward as if trying to find something. “He’s not here…” His expression turned stern as he frowned. “Not enough…not enough…”

Fuji closed his eyes as he tried to steady his breath. Even breathing was painful…How did Momo stand it?

“A focal point…how odd. Perhaps the void is there?”

His heart was pounding at his throat. He could hear the blood rushing in his blood stream.

“Fuji…” Shinji said slowly. “Are you trying to push me back out?”

“N-no…” Fuji answered, still trying to gather his breath. The glow faded from Fuji and Shinji.

“You almost shut yourself off,” Shinji said, kneeling down next to Fuji. A thin layer of sweat covered the blind boy’s face. “Go rest.”

“Did you find him?” Tezuka asked.

“Almost,” Shinji replied. “Some time will be required…however…”

“Time is always required,” Tezuka said as he quickly strode out of the room.

Oishi immediately dashed to his fallen friend’s side, helping Fuji up from the ground. “Can you stand, Fuji?” Oishi asked, concern written all over his face and was evident in his voice.

“I think so…” Fuji answered. “But I probably just can’t walk.”

~*~

Eiji growled as he paced around the room yet again. The red head’s mind was currently running in circles and was almost impossible to stop. His friend, Kajimoto, was sitting in front of the fireplace, deep in thought as he ignored Eiji’s pacing and random shouting and grumbling.

“This is not fair!” Eiji was saying. “It’s all Tezuka’s fault! If only he had returned here with a excuse, we probably wouldn’t be going through the stupid test, nya!”

Kajimoto nodded absently, not really hearing what Eiji was saying.

“Nya, he already hates me and probably wouldn’t think twice about getting rid of me! Unya! This really sucks!”

“I think you’ve said that before,” Kajimoto said, pulling himself out of his thoughts and getting up from the chair. “You should go to bed; tomorrow will be a long day…”

“It will be exceptionally long!” Eiji said, pulling on the taller youth’s ear. “Although He is weak, he isn’t weak enough! No way I can do anything about him!”

“Eiji, get some sleep,” Kajimoto said. He had no idea what Eiji was talking about; the poor red head’s mind must have gone into overload.

“Nya…how can I? I’m not Jiroh!”

“Just…try,” Kajimoto said. “Good night.” With that, the blonde had walked out of the room and had shut the door soundly behind him.

The halls of the castle were eerily silent and very dark and dank for reasons unknown. Kajimoto shivered unconsciously, wondering what the sudden ominous chill was doing, drafting down the hall.

“Oh-ho…” drawled a voice. Kajimoto spun around to face none other than Mukahi Gakuto. “Kajimoto…I haven’t seen you around in a while…”

“Mukahi,” Kajimoto greeted politely as the deeply shadowed figure came out into view, though the shadows still covered him. “What rare occasion brings you out of the dungeons?” The other gave a hallow laugh that resounded loudly throughout the halls. Gakuto smiled mysteriously and pressed something into Kajimoto’s palm.

“A message,” Gakuto said. “This had accidentally made its way into my hands…” He walked past Kajimoto, but the whisper did not escape the other’s hearing. “We gather on the twenty sixth of this month. His powers have weakened considerably since the first several years…The time to strike is now, when he’s concentrated on his heir…”

With that, the torturer had disappeared down the dark hall; even his footsteps were gone. It was as if he was never there.

Kajimoto looked at the old, worn note that Gakuto had given him. Apparently it was another letter that would only be passed amongst the agents…Kajimoto frowned as he quickened his pace to his room. Once there, he shut the door and lit the candles in his room and lit the fireplace as well. He quickly sat down in front of the large fireplace and unfolded the note to read it. However, he was surprised to find that the date of the note was almost five years ago.

Agent: We act on the date appointed by the sender. The place will be the same. Double crossers will be identified; will be taken care of. Pass the note onto the one after you.

Kajimoto stared at the note suspiciously. A note that was dated to almost five years ago…and not to mention that Gakuto was the one who had given it to him. Gakuto was one of the many agents that Kajimoto was rather wary of. It wasn’t because that he liked torturing people; no, not that reason, but for something entirely different. Gakuto didn’t really listen to anyone other than Oshitari, who had always been the one to keep the torturer on a leash, if albeit a loose one. If given a choice, Kajimoto had no doubt that Gakuto would have just gone and slaughtered the rest of the agents…

Just like how he did so in the past.

A long time ago there was sixty agents, spread out far and wide all over the globe. When missions and orders from Him became much more difficult to do…they started to die, one by one. Then, that left forty-five of them…and a battle happened. All agents were called to the front line and only twenty-nine remained. They gained one more that day…the new agent’s name was Tezuka. The bespectacled youth was the last to join the team of agents.

And so…now, they only had fifteen agents. Of the original sixty; only fourteen remained…though no doubt there were some deaths that he hadn’t heard about. What had happened to the original number of twenty-nine? Many had died in a brawl years ago, a little after Tezuka had joined. Gakuto had been mostly responsible for that…

The blonde sighed.

Oh yes, tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

~*~

A little less than two weeks had passed and Momo had recovered, albeit rather slowly. But after a short talk with Oishi had the violet-eyed youth back on his feet, though he was lacking his usual energy. Fuji had recovered quickly and hadn’t taken the time that Momo had to recover. Apparently, from what Inui had explained, it was because Momo had suppressed memories.

“Fuji,” Inui had called out. The other didn’t hear. He was busy staring out of the window; looking at nothing in particular. “It’s time for dinner.” When the other didn’t answer him, the bespectacled youth tried again. “It’s time for dinner, Fuji. Are you coming?”

“Ah…yes,” Fuji answered slowly, turning around to face his tall friend. A sad smile was present instead of his usual smile. “Do you think he’ll ever wake up?”

Inui sighed and looked over to the unconscious Ryoma. He pushed his glasses a bit farther up his nose and answered; “He will. Tezuka and Shinji are apparently still looking…”

“I know that!” Fuji suddenly exclaimed. “But there is no guarantee, is there?!”

Inui smiled wryly and closed the door to the room and stepped next to Fuji. “There is never a complete guarantee for everything, Fuji. I work with numbers and percentages; but even sometimes the worse could happen despite the fact that the positive is very high. It’s just like gambling, Fuji. You should know.”

Fuji looked to the floor, his smile gone from his face. “He’s going to die, Inui, if he doesn’t wake up soon. I can feel death in the room…it’s reeking in, somehow. But he still hangs on; but by a thin lifeline. It will only hold on for so long…”

Inui placed a hand onto his shorter friend’s shoulder. “It is not my place to say, as that I am not a doctor, but I can tell you that he will survive. No matter what…” The bespectacled youth trailed off, as if listening to something. Fuji cocked his head to the side in curiosity.

“Inui…?”

“Shh. Quiet,” the taller youth whispered. Fuji obeyed and stayed silent. Suddenly, Inui had sprang to life and rushed over next to Ryoma. “Fuji, go get Shinji and Tezuka. Now,” he commanded. When he saw Fuji hesitating, he yelled. “Now! He’s not breathing!”

Fuji ran.

Long moments later, Ryoma was breathing once again, though his breaths were shallow and uneven. Dinner had been abandoned when Fuji had burst into the room. He didn’t even need to say anything and everyone had bolted for the door.

“It seems that the cause of that was me,” Shinji said from where he stood at the corner of the room. “His link was already weak…and since I’ve been trying to find him, I suppose I nearly severed it…”

“Then stop trying to sever it!” Momo shot back.

“Momo! He’s not doing it intentionally!” Taka exclaimed, going to his charge’s defense. “It’s a complicated process and accidents do happen. We want Ryoma back, don’t we? That’s why we just have to take the risks to get him back.”

“What he says is right,” Inui said. “It’s not a nice idea…I personally don’t like the idea either, but we do need to take risks. Without any risks…there is no gain.”

Of course, there was no argument there.

~*~

Shinji had been at the study at the time, with Tezuka. The two had been trying to pinpoint the direct place where the idiot brat had disappeared to when the link suddenly changed from its original direction and started to trace itself back. Right back to where they were…Haven. Shinji had tried to get out of his trance as quick as he could and yelled for Tezuka to take him to Ryoma’s room. Tezuka had been reluctant to obey, since Shinji could move on his own well enough, but when Shinji had said that he sensed something, Tezuka hurried the two of them over to Ryoma’s room.

The two had burst in on a scene where Fuji and Momo had been talking.

“Don’t move!” Shinji exclaimed, pointing at an empty space next to Fuji. Tezuka had just nearly dropped Shinji onto the floor, if not for the blind seer’s tight grip on his shoulder. Dark obsidian eyes ghosted over Fuji, then to the empty space next to the genius, over to something…that was emanating an odd aura. “Where are you…?” Shinji had asked, feeling around for something. To Momo’s eyes, it was absolutely ridiculous. The seer had gone insane.

He was just about to voice his thoughts when he heard a strangled gasp. It didn’t come from Tezuka, Shinji, Fuji. It definitely didn’t come from himself.

“Keep quiet,” Shinji said firmly. To whom he was speaking to, Momo wasn’t sure. “…go back to your body…” the seer was saying. “Go back and return.”

Suddenly, before Momo knew what was happening, a bright flash of light had appeared and the seer had fallen to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain. However, the silhouette of a person stood out next to Fuji.

“R-Ryoma…?” Fuji barely managed to say louder than a whisper. The silhouette distorted and then disappeared.

“We’ve found him,” Tezuka said as he collected the still screaming Shinji into his arms as he tried to take the seer out of the room. “Sleep,” he muttered and the spell was cast, sending the seer into the land of slumber.

Momo’s only response was to blink.

~*~

It had been more or less a day or two when Shinji had also fallen into a deep ‘sleep.’ The only one he even bothered to inform was Tezuka, who had only given a few words of explanation to the others.

“He’s found the location of Ryoma.”

However, those words are not enough.

“Three weeks! Three weeks have passed!” Oishi was saying. He sounded and looked terribly angry. “Tezuka, you cannot possibly tell us to wait any longer!”

“Unfortunately,” the stoic youth said. The snake-like youth, the one called Kaido, stood next to the bespectacled youth with irritation written all over his face.

“Ssss…I have told you to turn away at the ravine, but did you listen? No…” Kaido hissed. “You have been lucky to be even given entrance here…at Haven”

“Indeed, but like Oishi said, three weeks have passed,” Inui reasoned from his seat across from Kaido. “Action needs to be taken. Ryoma’s condition is growing worse and worse—he needs to wake up. His body is loosing energy rapidly; and a simple cure spell can’t sustain him very long. We use to cast it upon him every week, now, it’s every five hours. Though Shinji’s body is in the same comatose state, he is also unable to sustain himself. Fuji and I are constantly at their sides; Kaido, Tezuka. They will die soon. And we don’t know how long it will take Shinji to get Ryoma back.”

“We can’t do anything,” Tezuka finally said through gritted teeth. “I have no power here, do not ask anything more of me. I have given you admittance here, lodgings, even food. I had guided you here.” 

“Then who is in power here?” Momo demanded from where he stood behind Fuji, looking exhausted and weary like he hadn’t slept for days. He probably hadn’t. “We could at least get some doctors or something!”

“I know that! I know that they need doctors!” Tezuka exclaimed, slapping his hand down on the table top in frustration. “I have tried many, many times to ask for some doctors. The one in charge is as stubborn as a mule and refuses to be budged because he has faith in Shinji’s task. All we wait for now is Shinji to come back with a report—but neither have been back. We know nothing of what is going on.”

“Kaido, can you perhaps persuade the person in power here?” Oishi asked, turning to Kaido. The snake-like youth shook his head.

“If he doesn’t listen to Tezuka, ssss…what’s the use of him listening to me?”

“It is best that you just wait,” Tezuka said.

“We cannot carry on like this for much longer,” Inui pointed out. “Because Fuji and I are the only ones that know a basic cure spell, we must be staying alert and awake at all times, though Taka does help us out. Taka’s cure spell takes up much of his energy, however, and the three of us cannot go on like this for much longer. It has already been three days since I’ve last slept, and I’m sure it’s been even longer for Fuji. Taka is resting right now.” 

“I understand. Then go get some rest as well,” Tezuka said finally with a sigh. “I will watch over them. It is the best we can do now.”

Oishi groaned in frustration. Not only was he unable to see Eiji; Ryoma and Shinji were floating around in a different void or something. Fuji, Inui and Taka were doing their best at helping the other two and Momo was out and about all the time, doing God-knows-what. It was such a letdown and frustration.

“Don’t fret so much, human,” Kaido said in his hissing tone. “Ssss…they will come back.”

“When? They might come back,” Fuji snapped. “Might.”

“Ssss. Did you not hear me? I said they will.”

“And did you not hear me?” Fuji hissed back. “I had asked when.”

“That I do not know,” Kaido said. “But don’t fret so much and get some rest. Ssss…I’ll go see what I can do…” The snake-like youth gave a tired sigh, a giveaway that he’d been on his feet the entire time, and left the room the same place that Tezuka was.

“As for the moment, we must trust in Shinji to bring him back. He’s the only one who can.”

“He’s snapped,” Momo said finally, his voice laced with frustration and anger. “I don’t even know if we can trust him!”

“But you must trust him, after all, who else have you to trust?” Tezuka said in a voice just a bit louder than a whisper.

There was no answer.

~*~

Eiji looked at the letter in his hands that Jiroh had delivered. “He’s asking for doctors…again, nya,” Eiji said with an exasperated sigh.

“He is?” Jiroh asked sleepily as he yawned.

“I don’t know how serious the situation is, yeah, but look at what he wrote!” Eiji exclaimed furiously. He shoved the message in Jiroh’s face as the sleepy boy quickly skimmed through the message.

“Eh…I don’t know. I mean, why not just send them a doctor?” Jiroh asked as he stretched. “I mean, it would only be a tiny dent in your money bank…or you can always threaten them. Of course, it would also get Tezuka off your back.” 

“Unya, then seriously, you don’t think it’s dangerous?!” Eiji exclaimed. “My people are in Haven! He is intent on finding Haven! And Oshitari has infiltrated the place! I can’t risk anymore! I have my people living there…I cannot risk so many lives for one!”

“Um…even if it’s your friend?” Jiroh asked.

“Even if it is my friend…” Eiji sighed as he collapsed into his bed. At first Jiroh had thought the red head was fuming, but as several moments passed, sniffles were heard and the normally sleepy youth knew that his friend was crying.

“Oi…what’s wrong?”

“Why is everything so complicated?” Eiji asked between sobs. “I can’t handle it!”

“Can’t handle what?” Jiroh asked, trying to coax Eiji into telling him what was wrong.

“I have so many things to do, but so little time!” Eiji exclaimed. “I’m doing my best to protect my people and my friends! And I have to protect myself too!” He sniffled. “Then there’s Him. He’s always the biggest issue! Centuries of hard work will be gone down the drain in just several moments if I let my guard down, nya!” Jiroh’s head was spinning at these words. He had no idea what Eiji was talking about, but pretended to anyway.

“I know, Eiji. But He will be gone soon, right? That’s why you gave me the note!” Jiroh said. Eiji sniffled again.

“Yeah…” Jiroh smiled brightly at his friend. Eiji tried to return the smile.

Of course, Jiroh had completely missed the dark foreboding look on Eiji’s face.

 

--To Be Continued…

 

Oh my god! I finished this chapter! I’m like…FINALLY! And I don’t care what ff.net’s word count is. THIS CHAPTER WAS FRIKIN OVER 10000 WORDS!!! So if anyone is complaining about how short this chapter is; I’m going to shoot them! And I’m too lazy to make review responses because my hands are really tired and my mind is running in circles. More Ryoma in the next chapter! And then…the final chapter. The conclusion! The showdown! The…revelations…

 

I’m rambling now. But GOD! ARGH! WHY DID I MAKE THE FIC SO LONG?!?! Oh well. Now go review! >.< or I’m not writing anymore because I seriously feel like giving up this fic. It’s just too long for me to handle. (ok. It could just be me in a pissy mood.)