The Fading Light

Kimagure Orange Road and all of its characters and
situations were created by Matsumoto Izumi. I use these
characters and situations without permission.


This is based on the original series.
Post Ep. 48, but Pre-First movie.


Prologue: The Announcement

    "Do you want power?

    "More precisely, do you want power over people?

    "Do you want the power to command someone to die
for you?

    "And for that power to be so absolute, so complete,
that they not only die for you willingly, they go to their
deaths so full of joy, so full of pride that they cry out
your name with their final breath?

    "Do you want that kind of power?

    "Do you?"

    There was a time I would have said no. A time I
would have cringed at the very thought of being able to
control people in such a way. A time where I believed
everyone should have free will.

    But now is not that time. Not since he came to this
place. Into my life.

    But I'm getting too far ahead. I've got to tell
this story the way it was meant. From the beginning.

    From the day I had my second first kiss with
Ayukawa.

    More precisely, that night.

****

    Kazuya Hatta walked down the street the way he had
a million times before, with Komatsu. The only difference
this time, was Komatsu wasn't present.

    In fact, Komatsu was having a nice sleep in his
warm bed.

    Hatta sighed. The least he could have done was
offered to walk home with him. Especially so late at night.

    It wasn't that big if a deal, though. He knew the
streets like the back of his hand, and could find his way
home in no time at all. Just take a left at the entrance to
the park, walk up the rows of steps, find his way to the
other side and he's there.

    Quite simple, really. There was little crime in
this part of Tokyo, besides the odd Sukeban gangs and
motorcyclists.

    Hatta paused just before he turned to walk up the
steps. Green Castle was right across the street, he could
see if Kyousuke was still awake.

    Checking his watch, he decided against it. As much
as he would have liked to see Manami, and as much as he
liked to impose, there were some things that he drew the
line on.

    Sleeping was one of them.

    Sighing, he turned to walk up the steps.

    Letting his mind wander, he kept walking. He often
found Kyousuke sitting at the top of them. In fact, on
several occasions he had. He'd even seen Madoka Ayukawa
sitting there from time to time.

    But now it was too late. Neither of them would be
there.

    He was all alone. But almost home.

    "Well, what do we have here? A little butterball."

    Hatta paused. It was a girls voice... Sukeban?

    He looked around. Nobody to be found.

    "Hello?" he called. "Is someone there?"

    "Indeed. There is something else... I can feel him
tied to the clan."

    Another voice. Hatta frowned, removed his glasses
and wiped them clean with the handkerchief in his pocket.

    Placing them back on his nose, he looked around.
The various lamps were illuminating the park, allowing him
to see, but... there was still nobody to be found.

    "Hello?" he called again.

    "What is your name?" the male voice asked.

    Hatta frowned. "Why don't you come out, so I can
tell you my name?"

    "Ooh, the butterball thinks he's got guts, dear,"
the female taunted.

    "Tell me your name and I may allow you to pass
without harm."

    Hatta felt his heart jump. He'd been harmed by
gangs before. He and Komatsu had both been beaten up by the
Sukeban gang Red Wolves the month earlier. But even then,
it was mostly exaggeration.

    However, now it seemed serious. The mere chill in
the voice of the man seemed to haunt him.

    "I... I'm Kazuya Hatta. Who are you?"

    "Well, Kazuya Hatta, you don't need to know who I
am. But since you gave me your name, I shall give you
mine."

    Kazuya sighed. The voice had become a bit warmer.

    "I am Eimin."

    Hatta narrowed his eyes. Eimin... Death.

    "What do you want from me? I don't have any money,"
he whimpered.

    "Money. Money is of no importance to me, child."

    Hatta began to back up. He wasn't that far up the
stairs. He could make it down to Green Castle and hide out
at Kyousuke's place before these people even got to him...
He could.

    "Going somewhere, child?"

    Hatta didn't reply. He merely ran.

    "Kikin?"

    "Yes, my love?"

    "Get him."

    "Yes."

    And suddenly, the air rippled, as if a jet plane
had passed through it, though one hadn't. The force was
both equal to that of a jet, or bullet, as was the speed.
The mass, however was much smaller. Much less grand.

    But Kikin reached him in seconds, knocking him
over, sending him tumbling down the concrete stairs.

    Hatta frantically tried to stop himself, only
succeeding after having his leg bent at the knee on one of
the steps... backwards.

    He cried out in pain. His clothes were tattered,
his glasses missing, and his leg broken.

    He was blind, hurt and crippled.

    "You should not have run, Butterball."

    "Please," Hatta choked. "I've done nothing to you.
Why are you doing this?"

    "Oh, you may not have done something to us,
Butterball, but someone you know has."

    "Please... Don't hurt me, just... leave me alone. I
won't tell. I won't--"

    "Oh, but you don't understand. We want you to
tell."

    "Then I'll tell!" he screamed. "I'll do anything you
want! Just don't hurt me!"

    "Oh, but Butterball," the woman began, standing
over Hatta. "You'll do anything we want anyway."

    Hatta gasped. Although his glasses were off, he
could still see shapes. Blurs, shades of light.

    But what he was seeing was impossible. The very air
before him rippled, revealing a shape of a woman.

    A tall woman with long hair and dark clothing. A
belt at her side revealed various metals.

    Weapons.

    Hatta shook his head. "Please, spare me! I'll do
ANYTHING!"

    He heard the slink of a weapon being pulled from a
sheath, and let tears flow from his eyes.

    "You're right," the woman said.

    She took the length of her katana and slid it along
Hatta's neck, cutting the flesh from ear to ear. Hatta let
out a final whimper as he clumped to the ground, his blood
spraying from the wound in his throat.

    "You will," she finished, wiping the splattered
blood from her face.

    A moment later, there was a presence behind her.

    "That's all?"

    Kikin smirked. "We need the clan to be able to
recognize him, don't we?"

    "Of course. Still don't you think we can leave the
head, then hack and slash at the body?"

    "I suppose we could, my love. But do we really want
to overdo it? All we're doing is announcing ourselves to
the clan. I don't see the need to expend the extra energy
mutilating him."

    "Yes, you're right. There's no point. Not as much
of a thrill."

    "Have the others come yet?"

    "Not yet. I sent the message about an hour ago. I
can feel the presence of the clan in this city. The whole
place reeks of the power."

    "Especially here. These... steps."

    "Yes."

    "Well, then. Shall we go dancing, my dear?"

    "Let me wash up, first. I'll meet you at the club."

    "Very well. I'll see you there."

****