A WIND NAMED ANEMONE
by Johann Chua (cjchua@skyinet.net)
a serialized story based on CLAMP's _Magic Knight Rayearth_
Prologue: Saturday Night
It was a light snowfall that greeted three young women as they
entered the bar. One of them had never been in one before. Because she
wasn't supposed to, and because she didn't particularly want to be in one.
But Fuu Hououji felt she had to give in to Umi Ryuuzaki, just this once.
This particular bar seemed to be filled with college students like
themselves. Several of the young men tried in vain to capture their
attention. Unfortunately for them, this was a girls' night out for the
former Magic Knights. The three of them made quite a group.
Umi was stunning, as always, dressed in a light blue blouse and
tight black pants that outlined her svelte figure.
Hikaru had grown a bit since becoming the last Pillar of Cephiro,
but still fell short of Fuu's height. She wore a tight little pink sweater,
loose corduroys and a well-worn pair of Air Jordans.
Fuu was as lovely as ever with a gentle smile that even the most
cynical could not ignore. Her hair was now past her shoulders, though not
quite as long as Umi's.
"C'mon, Fuu. Where's your spirit of adventure? One glass of beer
won't make you drunk, unless you've got really low tolerance for booze," Umi
started off. "You'll be twenty tomorrow, plenty old enough to drink or get
drunk," she declared, slapping Fuu hard on the back.
"Yeah, Fuu-chan. We won't have too much to drink. We're just
celebrating your birthday. A little bit won't hurt," urged Hikaru Shidou.
"Besides, I hear this place serves fugu," added Umi.
"All right, Umi-san. Didn't I agree to come here with you and
Hikaru-san? It's just that, I've never had liquor in my life. I wouldn't
want to make a mess if I couldn't handle it," Fuu responded.
"Oh loosen up! If you start feeling sick, I'll call in the
paramedics!" Umi dismissed Fuu's concern with her usual flair for the
dramatic.
They found themselves a corner table and waited to be served. Umi
lit a stick of Mild Seven and took a small puff.
"OK, that'll be a pitcher of Yebisu, three mugs and keep it coming.
Oh, and some tessa for her," Umi rattled off to the waiter when he arrived.
"Um, Umi-san, do you really think I should try to drink that much
for my first time?" Fuu voiced out after seeing the size of the pitchers in
this establishment.
"Don't be silly. First time I went drinking, I downed three of
those suckers. If you can't finish it, _I_ will."
"Fuu-chan has a point, Umi-chan. I can't handle more than one glass
myself."
"That's because you're smaller than us!"
Hikaru felt a little peeved at the remark, especially since she
wasn't all that small anymore.
"Your order, ladies," announced their waiter, who was somewhat
unsure about Hikaru's age.
"Okay, drinks're here. Kampai!" Umi exclaimed as she lifted her
mug. "So how's life at Tokyo University?" Umi asked Fuu.
"Well, I manage to keep myself busy," Fuu replied.
"You're too modest, Fuu-chan. How many people manage to get into
Toudai on the first try?" Hikaru inquired of Fuu.
"I haven't bothered to look that up," Fuu answered in her typically
straight-forward manner.
"One thing's for sure: you need to start drinking. You need to have
something to take the edge off after all that studying. I'll bet you're the
only one in your class who doesn't drink," Umi blurted out.
"But I'm still underage..." Fuu began to protest.
"Age, schmage, what are you, a baby? Didn't they have drinks at
your freshman party?" Umi interrogated Fuu.
"...and the legal age for drinking is 20..." Fuu continued.
"...which is how old you'll be tomorrow." Umi finished. "Now start
drinking!" she ordered.
If Fuu had learned only one thing in the time she had known Umi, it
was that she usually didn't stand down till she got her way.
{Well, I've come this far}, Fuu thought as she brought the mug to her
lips and took a sip.
"Fuu, Fuu, Fuu. You don't _sip_ beer. You're supposed to gulp it
down so you can _feel_ it inside of you," Umi instucted her. "Like this,"
she said, taking a swig that drained her mug half-empty.
"Um, Umi-chan, you really shouldn't be drinking that much all at
once," Hikaru voiced out.
"You worry too much. See? I'm perfectly all right," came a for now
still-sober Umi. "Let's see how much Fuu can take before she gets sick."
"But Umi-san, if you get drunk..."
"No problem. I'll just call home and ask Papa to send over the car.
Honestly Fuu, you worry too much."
Fuu managed to down three-fourths of her mug. Umi was well into her
second, with no signs of intoxication. Hikaru on the other hand was feeling
a bit queasy.
"I don't feel so good," she managed to say before passing out.
"Hikaru-san, are you all right?"
"Geez, I guess we'll have to take her home now. I was hoping to top
my old record, too..."
Despite her remarks before accompanying young Ms. Shidou home, Umi
was very much concerned about her. Fuu seemed all right after her first
taste of beer. Which was just as well, since even though Hikaru was the
smallest of the three, she wasn't exactly light.
"And I thought she was just kidding when she said she could only
take a little bit... Serves me right, I guess," Umi rebuked herself.
"Perhaps you shouldn't have brought up her size," Fuu replied.
"You really think so? Me and my big mouth... Maybe I should change
my name to Oguchi," Umi joked feebly.
"Wouldn't that cause problems?"
"What do you mean Fuu?"
"Well, doesn't everyone know you as Umi Ryuuzaki? If you change
your name to Oguchi, how will they know who you are?"
"That's what I like about you Fuu. Your wit." Umi laughed so hard
she nearly let go of Hikaru.
Fuu scanned the area for Umi's car.
"Who would have thought that Hikaru could weigh so much?" Umi
grunted.
"Hikaru-san _is_ somewhat young-looking. I'll bet a lot of people
think she's still in junior high," Fuu remarked.
"I didn't know you gambled," Umi replied.
"Just a friendly game of mahjonng every now and then," Fuu smiled
back. "But I manage to win most of the time."
Just then they spotted it. They climbed aboard, and headed for the
Shidou residence.
Chapter One: Sunday
It was dark. I couldn't see my hand in front of me as I tried to
feel my way around. Where could I be?
Then I noticed a strange smell. Like something had died in here.
The floor seemed to be covered in something sticky, but what exactly, I
couldn't tell. Suddenly there was flickering flame and the most abominable
odor I had ever experienced.
I looked down and saw a slowly browning puddle of crimsom covering
my feet. I remember what this reminded me of. Anatomy class. Except it
smelled a bit different, not at all like dead dogs... There was a steady
drip to my right. I turned to see what it was.
Bad idea. It was a corpse. A human corpse. It looked like some
wild animal had ravaged it on the operating table. What was it's left leg
was acting like an eerie leaky faucet, slowly trickling blood onto the
floor. The stench came from burning fat stripped from the body.
By now I couldn't help but feel sick. I felt a burning sensation in
my gut as I was about to puke.
"Hikaru-chan! Wake up!"
Hikaru Shidou tossed and turned in bed as her brother Kakeru tried
to shake her awake. As her eyes began to open, Kakeru felt a little bit
relieved.
Hikaru sat up with a start, breathing heavily. Eyes so wide open
that it seemed they would never shut. And then a splitting headache hit her
in mid-breath.
"Are you all right?"
She turned to her brother, saying, "I'll be fine. I just had a bad
dream, Kakeru-niisama."
"I was really worried when Fuu-chan and Umi-chan came in last night
with you dead drunk."
Just then, her insides erupted, spewing forth a wave of what she had
last night. Kakeru picked up the waiting basin and caught chunks of
hamburger patty, french fries and dissolved chocolate cake.
As he wiped her mouth, Hikaru apologized, "I'm sorry for causing so
much trouble for you."
"Never mind that. Just promise me you won't do something like this
again." He got a cup of black coffee and offered it to his sister.
As she sipped her freshly brewed cup, Hikaru asked, "I guess I
should explain myself, huh?"
"Fuu-chan and Umi-chan were so worried about you, they slept in the
spare bedroom. They should be up and about by now."
"Hikaru-san?"
"Ah, Fuu-chan. You really didn't have to sleep over."
"We were just concerned about you, Hikaru-san. Are you feeling
better now?"
"Yeah," she nodded, "Kakeru-niisama's been taking care of me."
"Just take care of yourself next time, okay?"
"Hai, oniisama." Turning to Fuu she said, "I'm sorry for spoiling
your first drink."
"It's okay. Umi-san was the only one who really wanted to go
drinking anyway..."
"I'm the one who should be sorry."
They turned to see Umi step into the room and sit next to Hikaru.
"You wouldn't have drunk so much if I didn't goad you into it."
This was not exactly how Fuu Hououji had envisioned the morning of
her twentieth birthday. She had expected a special breakfast lovingly
prepared by her mother and Kuu. Perhaps a little bit of congratulatory
singing. Not standing in one of her best friends' room, watching her have
a hangover.
As if expecting further reprimanding, Hikaru added, "I'm so sorry
for spoiling your birthday, Fuu-chan."
"Please don't be. It wasn't really your fault, after all."
Hikaru felt better at hearing Fuu's reassuring words, in that firm
yet soothing tone of voice she possessed.
"Please come to dinner at my house tonight, Hikaru-san. It wouldn't
be a celebration without you," Fuu smiled as she gently patted Hikaru's hair
into place.
Hikaru wondered how she had ever gotten used to Satoru leaving. It
seemed like only yesterday that he announced his marriage to Manami. She
was touched when she held her niece in her arms. If only he didn't have to
move to Osaka for his job. Still, hearing his voice was the next best thing.
"I know you're old enough to drink, but do please take care of
yourself, Hikaru-chan."
"Hai, Satoru-niisama."
"Oh, and the little lady would like to talk to you as well."
"Ohayou, Yukari-chan. Don't worry about me, Aunt Hikaru is fine."
Yukari was still learning to speak, but Hikaru felt as if she understood
every word she said.
"You really understand every little thing she says, don't you? I'm
her father; half the time I can't make out a word she says."
"I guess it just comes naturally to me--understanding children, that
is."
"Are you sure you're not a child youself?" joked Satoru.
"Oniisama, that's not funny. I'm twenty years old already."
"Well, we'll be coming over for Christmas, so lay off the beer and
sake till then, okay?"
"Oniisama!"
The Hououji residence was situated in a relatively well to do suburb
of Tokyo. There had been talk of commercializing the area, and it was
roundly rejected in favor of preserving the wide open spaces for the
enjoyment of the residents. Fuu particularly liked to watch the sun set as
she stood on a hill just a few blocks away from her house. It was even more
spectacular in winter, as the setting sun bathed the white landscape in a
warm coat of color. Despite the cold, this was one of Fuu's favorite
pastimes.
"Fuu-san, shouldn't you be waiting for your guests at the house?"
As she stood up, Fuu remarked, "I never tire of seeing the sunset.
It's just so beautiful. Don't you think so, Kuu-oneesama?"
Her sister smiled as she chided Fuu, "It's lovely, but we'd best be
headed home, Fuu-san."
Fuu nodded as she followed her sister back home. "Kuu-oneesama?"
"Yes?"
"Did you ever wonder what it would be like, if one of us was gone?"
Kuu Hououji stopped in her tracks, not sure that she had heard
right. "Are you feeling all right, Fuu-san?" she asked.
Fuu wasn't quite sure of herself just then. "Gomen nasai. I seem
to be having some strange thoughts lately."
"Ah, you must be getting hungry. You'll think a lot better on a full
stomach," Kuu assured her.
Back home, the Hououji sisters helped their mother prepare dinner.
Yuu Hououji was the type of cook who insisted that she could handle
everything, but gladly accepted any assistance offered her.
As she worked, diligently slicing raw tuna and vegetables, Fuu
hummed an old enka tune her mother often sang. Kuu had often remarked how
good her singing was, but Fuu always replied it was something for her
enjoyment and not to entertain anyone else.
Yuu had a knack for extracting the full flavor from even ordinary
ingredients. Kuu seemed to have it as well, which she ably displayed
whenever Toshihiro came over for dinner. She insisted on handling all the
culinary responsibilities on such occassions.
At a little past seven, Aya Mizuno was the first to arrive. She had
known Fuu since junior high and was privy to most everything save anything
concerning Cephiro. She always wondered how Fuu had gotten along so well
with Hikaru and Umi, when they had only met for a few minutes on the field
trip to Tokyo Tower.
"Okay, just remember not to touch the sake."
"Umi-chan, I can take of myself." Hikaru Shidou was still a bit
sensitive about her tolerance, but she couldn't help it. People expected
her to drink, but quickly changed their minds when they saw what too much
does to her.
Table conversation ranged from college, family life to dating,
though Aya and Kuu were the only ones talking about that.
"Oh Kouji is so wonderful. We're going skiing next week, and he
said he had the most darling little gift for me," Aya sighed with joy.
"Toshihiro-san said something about a special Christmas present, but
I can't imagine what it could be."
The head of the table was vacant. Fuu understood that her father
had an important project to work on that evening. She knew he would get
home before her birthday was over. Hikaru hadn't seen _her_ father in over
a decade. Fuu wondered if she ever felt lonely, but Hikaru shook her head.
Her brothers were always there for her, as their mother had to work to
support them. Satoru would still help by sending a check every month. His
mother insisted that he needed it for his own family, but Satoru replied
that he made more than enough money for himself, Manami, and Yukari.
Dinner got cold but still no sign of Mr. Hououji. Just as she was
about to turn in, Fuu heard the door open and was greeted with the welcome
sight of her father. "Tadaima, Fuu-san."
"Okaeri nasai, otousama." Fuu was glad she put off going to bed.
She so wanted to be there when he came home.
"Anata, you're a bit late," Yuu noted with concern.
"Gomen nasai, I had to pick up something for Fuu-san."
He presented a lovely ornamental sword to his daughter. The fine
lacquered ebony scabbard was clear as the night sky, and the gilded hilt was
shining brightly as the sun at mid-morning, with an emerald-hued gem in the
center.
Fuu was speechless. "It took a while to find this. I know you may
think it's too much--" her father began.
"But it is, otousama."
"Allow me to spoil you, just this once. You've never asked us for
anything and given us so much to be proud of. Please accept it."
By this time Fuu had an inkling that of what her father had been
working so hard for. It was something she had always wanted, but never
thought of asking for. "Arigatou gozaimasu," she said with a bow.
Her father smiled at her acknowledgement. Katsuhiko Hououji had
worked hard to ensure his family's happiness and it helped to be reassured
of it from time to time.
Chapter Two: Reflect
Fuu admired the sword from her bed as it hung on the wall. It was
so generous of her father to get it for her coming of age, yet it made her
feel uneasy, for reasons she could not begin to formulate. Even though it
was winter, she still slept with her bedroom window open. She marveled at
the tiny flakes of dancing crystalline water flutter in and slightly moisten
the carpeting. Yuu would have a little bit more work the next day after Fuu
left for class.
She didn't notice the green gem in the hilt stare at her like a hawk
seeking its prey.
Hikaru Shidou wrapped herself tight in a worn and tattered old
comforter. It had long since ceased to be a source of physical warmth.
Instead, she sought something more elusive: memories of her father. It had
seemed strange to her that even though she was old enough to remember, she
barely recalled anything about him. Almost as his shadow and footprints had
vanished from the face of the earth.
{This doesn't look good}, thought Kakeru Shidou. He knew Hikaru to
cuddle up in that old rag only when she was depressed. And he couldn't
possibly imagine why she would be at this time of year.
In Osaka, the pair that was Satoru and Manami Shidou was
experiencing a slight problem with their first child. She absolutely
refused to eat anything. Not even her favorite, chocolate fudge sundaes.
"Perhaps we should see Dr. Tezuka," Manami voiced in decidedly
concerned tones.
"Well, if she still doesn't eat abything, I don't see what else we
should do. I wonder how Hikaru is doing."
"I'm sure my cute little sister-in-law is just fine. Kakeru can
take care of your old home just fine while Masaru is studying abroad.
"I suppose, but..."
"Anata, you have your own family to worry about now. Please don't
worry yourself to death over whether or not you've been a good son. If you
keep this up, I guess I'll have to hold out on certain...conjugal
intimacies," she mentioned with a slightly seductive tone.
"You wouldn't."
"Try me," she laughed softly.
Yukari stared at them with a puzzled face, having no idea what they
meant by "conjugal intimacies."
Fuu's first class for the day was computer programming. Naturally
this meant having to hear her classmates rant about Professor Takahashi.
"All right you slackers, how does this procedure affect the output
of the given program?"
No response, save Fuu's readily raised hand.
"Anyone _other_ than Hououji know the answer?" Scanning the room
she found no sign of the desired show of hands. "As I thought.
"Just great. A class of one genius and twenty-nine MORONS!!"
They didn't even blink at this outburst; they were used to it.
"Hey, Hououji, wanna go for a drink tonight?"
"I appreciate the offer, Takahashi-sensei, but--"
"But what? You've been studying too damn hard lately. You need a
little internal lubrication, if you know what I mean."
Hikaru insisted she felt well enough to attend her veterinary
classes. Kakeru wasn't so sure.
"Hikaru-chan, I'm sure Dr. Sakurazuka will understand if you miss
just _one_ class."
"But I--"
"Oh, all right. But promise me, if you feel the slightest bit
unusual today, you'll come straight home."
"I promise, Kakeru-niisama."
Umi was sleeping soundly in bed. She rather liked not having to
wake up at the crack of dawn, like some of her friends. She needed her
beauty sleep, after all.
She didn't really plan to work. All she wanted to do was perhaps
work for a while as a restaurant or hotel manager. HRM wasn't an especially
tough course for her. So when the right guy came along, she could quit
without much fuss and get married. Too bad the right guy didn't seem to
exist. At least, not on Earth.
A lone figure stepped into the temple's main hall. He lit a few
candles, burnt some incense, and proceeded to engage in a deep, meditative
trance. As the wind tore in, shattering the wooden oak shutters and
plunging the room into darkness, he stood up and said, "The time has come."
Chapter Three: Coming Home Now
The snow came down in tiny flakes that floated above the slightly
heated air of a city in celebration. Traffic was heavy; usual for this time
of year, as people tried to take advantage of the latest bargains offered by
various merchants. Hikaru was trying to find something before Satoru came
over for Christmas. She wasn't quite sure what to get, since he had most
everything he needed already, mostly gifts from her and Manami.
Manami. Her beloved sister-in-law was only two years older than she
was, yet she seemed so much more worldly than herself. Maybe it was because
she had the protection of three loving older brothers hovering over her most
any hour of the day. Or could it be that fathers are supposed to teach
something to even their daughters as a rite of passage? She didn't know.
Umi wondered. Wondered why her parents only had her. That they did
not try until they had a son. Papa always told her that sons were overrated
and more often than not caused more trouble than they were worth.
Mama always said that they'd be happy with the son she would bring
to them when she married. Umi thought about it for a while. She was not
exactly a traditional Japanese girl. She spoke her mind. She drank. A
lot. Yet she seemed perfectly happy to get married and have children. She
joked that she thought of herself as, "a little weird," to her friends, but
she wasn't sure it was just a joke.
Fuu stared into the clouds above, counting snowflakes one by one.
It was a frustrating exercise at best, but she didn't mind. She thought of
Ferio; how wonderful it would be if her family could only meet him. Then
they
wouldn't worry so about her lovelife and marital prospects. But lest they
were able to reach Cephiro, or Ferio journeyed to Earth, it was highly
unlikely.
As each of them started to make their way home, a monk clad in
barely adequate winter garb, trudged along the highways on the outskirts of
the greater Tokyo metropolitan area. He paused, as if to recall some long-
forgotten pathway to his destination. It was not that he was unfamiliar
with the area; rather, he had been away for the longest time. I suppose
this was a homecoming of sorts, but not all such events are joyous. This
seemed to be leaning towards the latter.
He raised his staff and planted it firmly in the ground for support.
Making his way to the neighborhood policebox, he asked for directions to a
certain household in the area. Thanking the officer on duty, he continued
on his way.
He now stood in front of a traditionally constructed Japanese
dwelling. This particular house even had a dojo attached to rear end, where
the back entrance would normally be.
Our wanderer made his way up the path through the snow-covered rock
garden, imagining the exact position of each stone as he had remembered
them, from a long time ago.
He slowly walked back to the gate. It was coated in the past few
weeks' snowfall, and it seemed heavier than it actually was. He wiped off
the flakes covering the nameplate every Japanese house had. He marveled at
how well the wood had withstood the years of winter and summer since he had
been gone.
Walking up the path to the main entrance, he tapped on the frame of
the finely crafted sliding door. He had made it himself, with help from his
father. But he was destined for greater things than a mere craftsman. For
he found his calling early enough, that of a swordsman. To follow the
teachings of kendo. His children followed him as well. None was more
adept than his youngest. The thought of this brought a few brief tears to
his eyes, which were quickly frozen into sapphire crystals.
He had diligently cleared the front gate of obstruction, and the
name of this household was now readable: Shidou.
Chapter Four: Hazy Shade Of Winter
Kakeru was surprised that Hikaru had gotten home so early. At least
he thought it was Hikaru. The unexpected arrival was a welcome surprise for
him.
"Otousama?! Welcome home!" He lunged forward gripping his father
in a vise-like hug.
"Kakeru?" he asked, not sure if this was indeed his youngest son.
Such was the passage of time that separated him from his family.
"Yes, it's me. There've been a lot of changes since you left..."
He then proceeded to tell his sire about Masaru's studies in Italy,
Satoru's move to Osaka along with his family.
"So, I'm a grandfather. Now I _really_ feel old," he laughed, and
then scanned the living room.
"It's just the way I left it, yet everything's changed, hasn't it.
I doubt that I could even spar for one round with Hikaru or yourself now.
Speaking of which, where is your sister?"
"She should be coming home anytime now. She's studying to be a
veterinarian, like Dr. Sakurazuka."
"Doctor who?"
"Oh yeah, he came to town a few years after you--"
"After I left. I realize that you may have some questions about
that. I can assure you that I'll answer everything you need to know, when
the time comes."
Across town, Fuu Hououji sat in her room, admiring her new prized
possession. It was somehow more satisfying than the various archery
trophies she had accumulated over the years. It was not something that
_she_ felt that she had earned, but rather her father. It seemed strange
that a gift could instead give pause every time you saw it. The bejeweled
blade almost seemed...alive.
Without warning, she stood up and took it off the wall. Her fingers
ran over the smooth finish of the ebony scabbard. The green eye in the hilt
felt warm to the touch, not like any other gem she had handled.
Suddenly, her Heart flashed hotter than she had ever known it to be.
The sword's eye reciprocated, pulsating light in sync with her own inner
sensations.
"I thirst."
She knew not where the voice came from. The only thing that
mattered was that it must be answered.
"What do wish to drink?"
"I desire the blood of a maiden pure, untouched by man. A mere drop
shall suffice."
Fuu calmly reached into her dresser, sword in hand with its gold
leaf now noticeably resembling some form of ancient script. Taking out a
medium-sized needle, she proceeded to sterilize it in alcohol. She then
pricked her right middle finger with it, letting the drop fall onto the
jade eye of her sword.
If the sword until now had only _seemed_ to be alive, it was now
ummistakably so. As eldritch energies flowed from the verdant jewel and
Fuu's Heart, a sudden gust filled the room, yet not a single snowflake made
its way in.
"As you can see, I've spent the past few years as a monk. It was
for a very important reason that I am now able to tell you all..."
"Tadaima," Hikaru announced as she came through the door. As she
slipped off her boots for her household slippers, she noticed the middle-
aged man Kakeru was speaking with. He seemed so familiar, yet she didn't
recall ever having met him.
"Ah, Hikaru-chan. Welcome home. I suppose you're curious about our
guest?"
She nodded in response, all the while racking her brains for the
identity of the stranger.
"I suppose it's only natural that you wouldn't remember, considering
how I left, 14 years ago."
At that her eyes lit up. It had been a long time since she last saw
him, and much had changed. His hair was now graying and his broad shoulders
now sagged, as if tired from years of struggle with God knows what.
"Is it...really you, Father?"
"Yes, kitten, I've come home."
Kitten. No one except her father ever called her that. Yet she
didn't like it, not one bit. But she put her apprehensions aside, to relish
the moment of her wandering father's return.
As her glasses slipped off, Fuu felt herself raised off the ground.
The feeling in her Heart was stronger than it had ever been, even back on
Cephiro. She felt the finely crafted ebony crack and finally splinter in
her grasp, revealing a finely honed blade of unearthly origin. She ran her
left forefinger along the edge, recalling all those who had met their end at
the hands of this sword's masters. She smiled, glad to have been found
worthy of carrying this badge of honor, a mark of the divine executioner.
"Are you satisfied?"
"Yes."
"You are no longer Fuu Hououji. Does that displease you?"
Strangely enough, this did not disturb her in the least.
"You must sever all your earthly bonds. Neither friend nor foe,
lover nor family must encumber you. Do you accept?"
Fuu glanced at her reflection in the pure, heavenly blade. Her hair
lacked some refinement for a warrior on a mission from on high as she was
now. She gathered her hair into a ponytail, as samurai might've sported
centuries ago.
"I accept all this and more, for I am the Fuuma."
Chapter 5: Missing
Winter was light, save for the mist of frozen breath that rose above
the streets of Tokyo. The night was young but it wouldn't last.
Youth never does.
But to the woman who was Fuu Hououji, it was hers for the taking.
As she stood watch over the unsuspecting populace, she thought of how
much longer they had to live--and how utterly meaningless their lives would
be in the days to come. The blade she grasped in her left hand held power--
power that rightfully belonged to her--that she would use as she saw fit:
To lay waste to the masses as if they were struck by a swift, silent
and invisible plague.
For tonight, the Dark Wind of Death has been reborn in this world.
Kaoru Shidou had much to do and little time to do it.
Despite help from her youngest children, she still found it necessary
to do the holiday cooking herself. There was something a mother's love added
to the mix that simply could not be replaced.
She was not quite as young as she used to be, but to her credit, she
was healthier--and better-looking--than most women ten years her junior.
Work was still making its only slightly unreasonable demands on her
time even as the snow promised to blanket the city in white. The trains ran
like clockwork, a regularity she wished had always been present in her life.
She had been mother and father both to her children for nearly a
decade and a half. She thought she had put her husband behind her.
She was mistaken.
For tonight, she saw his face and could think only of hate.
"How dare you."
The object of her derision stood silently aware of her presence. He
had hoped for a better homecoming, but that was not to be.
"Okaasama, what's the matter? Aren't you glad he's home?" asked
Kakeru.
"Kakeru, Hikaru--go into the next room. Your father and I have a
matter that needs to be discussed in private."
Hikaru felt uncomfortably relieved at the chance to get away from her
father's presence. Her mother never acted this way before--what had gone on
fourteen years ago when Keisuke Shidou left his family?
As the door slid shut, the estranged pair attempted dialogue:
"Kaoru, I--"
"Say nothing--that's what you are. What gives you the right to
return? What you took from me, my family--even your own daughter!"
Her abrupt silence signalled him to speak.
"It is in the past," he tried to say with conviction.
"And the past has now come back to haunt this house." She stared
down into his hollow eyes and saw his sullnness. "State your business here
and begone."
"I've come to give it back--that which belonged to your family. What
now rightfully belongs to Hikaru."
"Hasn't she suffered enough!"
He blinked hard and saw her calm demeanor dissolve into twisted fury.
"That sword was meant to be passed on to--"
"It is time." Keisuke said no more and saw that she understood. "We
wed not out of any great love for one another, but I hoped you would not be
so bitter towards me. There are greater forces at work that must be dealt
with. My crimes are of no consequence at this point."
"So, the Fuuma has awakened," she noted.
"I'm certain. Isn't that what _you_ needed me for--to inform you of
such things?"
"I'm well aware of the reasons we entered wedlock. My father taught
you well, Keisuke. It doesn't matter if you are my husband--you're nothing
more than an instrument in the greater scheme of things. As am I," she wept
haltingly, punctuating each sob with regret no mother should ever feel.
For the moment, her anger subsided. What he did to their daughter
once before, she must now do herself.
She silently prayed for forgiveness.
Keisuke Takada was an ordinary boy with an extraordinary gift. He
could sense spirits of the departed--and "see" what they had seen in life.
This gift was not always welcome.
The merest touch of something--_anything_--that belonged to one who
had just passed on would flood his mind with that soul's memories. In time
he learned to control his "gift," but not before it was an urban legend
people _knew_ to be true.
Kaoru Shidou had his eye on him the moment she heard of it. She was
a proud girl who cherished her skill with a sword more than the affections
of any man save her father. An untouchable goddess in a prestigious high
school.
"Hey, Takada-kun," she called one day, pulling him by his lapels
into an alley. "Come over to my house. My father would like you to put on
a demonstration."
"What kind of 'demonstration' did you have in mind, Shidou?" he
stammered.
She looked at him as if he were mentally impaired. She resembled
a ruffian girl one might find in cinema, save that she was far less
forgiving.
"Don't be coy, Takada. Show him your _talent_. I'm sure he would
take you on as a student if you did."
To be a student of Takeru Shidou was considered quite an honor in
those days, when warrior's blood still commanded a high degree of respect.
"But why?"
"Don't ask. You'll see when you get there."
With no further questions asked, he followed her like a stray dog.
To his surprise, the "old master" was a rather friendly man, if a
bit strict. Not at all what he expected from Kaoru's attitude.
"Please don't misunderstand. Once you are a student of mine, I
will be every bit as unrelenting on you as I was with my daughter."
He looked harmless enough, yet Keisuke knew that he was serious.
"Shall we begin, then?" the elder Shidou asked as he brought out an
antique sword. "Legend has it that this sword holds the power of Heaven."
Young Takada took it that this was no jest as he _felt_ something
not of this world about the blade's composition, before he even layed a
finger on it.
"May I? Touch it, that is, sir," he requested meekly. Kaoru
looked at him with an expression of equal parts fascination, condescension
and pity.
{How can he be of _any_ use to this family?} she wondered.
"Of course. That's why you're here. But take care not to unsheath
it. Only it's true master can do that--sad to say, it is not I."
{But one of your descendants will be, Father.}
Keisuke felt the lacquered scabbard seethe with living energy. The
hilt was a golden amber he had never seen before--or since. The last to
wield this blade in battle was a samurai greater than any before him--or
since.
The sword had not been drawn for 400 years but he knew underneath
it's sheath it still gleemed bright as the day it was forged in blood and
fire. It sparkled with electric radiance that could only be sealed in
lacquered oak laden with wards and inscriptions--a barrier meant to protect
the unwary as well as the sword itself.
"What is it?"
Takeru was pleased to see that Keisuke had sensed all that he was
supposed to--perhaps even more.
"That is the most prized possession of this house. Until you are
a part of this family, I can say no more."
Kaoru was expecting this. It was not exactly the most elegant of
proposals, but even Keisuke Takada could see the benefits of such an
arrangement, for himself and his family.
"I can see you are amenable to carrying on my family's name. You
will find Kaoru to be the perfect wife, in all respects. But make no
mistake: she is my flesh and blood and you are not."
A gifted heir for a family of means. A fair bargain.
If only youth had the wisdom of age.
The old Shidou household was no more. It was destroyed in a fire,
soon after Kaoru and Keisuke wed.
How fortunate, then, that he was a carpenter. His true calling let
him provide his bride with a home she was used to, equipped with it's own
dojo. She could almost feel the presence of her father who had perished
while trying to rescue his precious blades from the relentless flame.
Miraculously, though not unexpectedly, one sword remained unscathed,
scabbard and all. In fact, it looked even _better_ than before the fire
had engulfed it, as if it was being cleaned of human imperfections that had
tainted it through the ages--if there were any to begin with, that is.
"To tell you the truth, I've missed you. Even with all the hate I
had, I still missed you. Perhaps I had even come to love you, before you
went away in shame."
Keisuke Shidou was moved by his wife's tears. He had always loved
her from afar, even after being wed--and for the first time, he felt like
he could approach her, as any man would his spouse.
Hot tea cooled as they discussed what was to come.
What was to become of their only daughter.
Chapter 6: Lover's Soul
Keisuke Shidou had never thought of Kaoru as his lover.
She wouldn't let him.
Oh, she acted affectionately enough when the occasion called for it,
but it was hardly the way she really felt about him.
He was merely a tool to be used like any other.
Was her declaration of love just another attempt to use him?
Perhaps.
Perhaps not.
Honesty can, after all, be a very useful tool itself.
So for what may have been the first time, they made love.
Aya Mizuno couldn't be any happier.
She and her boyfriend, Kouji, were on their way to a little action
on -- and perhaps off -- the slopes of Sapporo.
She still had a hard time believing he actually blew his savings to
get first-class accommodations.
"Just the two of us," he had told her with a charmingly lecherous
grin.
She felt like giving him what he wanted right then and there at
Anna Miller's.
Propriety won out, of course.
Though, it seemed, not for much longer.
If anyone cared to look up, they might have noticed a somewhat
beautiful young woman carrying an ornate--and quite functional--sword.
Though the fact that she was floating in mid-air, alighting on
telephone poles and the like on occasion, would likely have drawn more
attention.
Alone, but not for long.
Death rarely is in this world.
And the company she keeps more often than not has little say in it.
"Mmm. Still haven't lost your touch," Kaoru Shidou said as she
slipped back into her night shirt.
Keisuke was still naked under the sheets.
"I suppose you got tired of celibacy."
"You know that's not why I came back."
"Of course."
"I know you still haven't forgiven me."
"That's true. But I don't hate you anymore. That's a start."
With that, she leaned down and kissed her husband, letting him see
down her shirt.
"You don't have to show off how young your body is." He got up to
get dressed, quite disgusted at how she was going about his return.
But the real sinner was he.
He sacrificed the Fate of their daughter for his own benefit.
He had a power he barely understood and wished for Kaoru to be ever
youthful--as lovely as on the day they married.
She hated it. She never asked for his "gift." When her children
all have children of their own, she would look like their sister rather
than their mother.
And when she died she would be alone.
"So, Aya, are you all set?"
"Uh-huh. I have the tickets right here...our bags...and..."
"The condoms?"
"Um, yes, I have them. Two dozen, actually."
"Good. Wouldn't want an unexpected package to burden you."
"Kouji...you really want us to make love, right?"
"Sure. We've been seeing each other for over two years, haven't
we? That's more than enough time to know each other well enough, don't
you think?"
"But, are you sure you can afford the trip? You withdrew all
your savings, and I know your band is good, but your gigs don't pay
all that much, and--"
She felt his tongue stopping her last word from escaping.
She sucked it in, gently biting it as their mouths became one.
A thin thread of spittle was suspended from the corner of their
lips as they split off.
"Don't worry about a thing. I found this producer who's gonna
sign up me and the boys. You too, if want to be our vocalist."
"I don't sing that well."
"You do--cut out the humility. It's not doing you any good,
y'know? That Hououji girl, she was smarter than you. She sang better
than you--hell, she probably kisses better than--"
"STOP IT! Fuu-san is my friend! How can you even think that
I'm actually..."
"Jealous? Of course you are. You were just too nice to admit
it. Whether that makes you a good friend...."
"I'm sorry. It's just--since I've known her for so long, people
can't help but compare me with her. I thought I was her best friend, but
these two girls she met on our field trip to Tokyo Tower seem like her
sisters! It isn't fair!"
"Crying won't solve anything...but go ahead if it makes you feel
better."
"Thank you, Kouji-san."
"I suppose I should let them live a bit longer."
Anemone Zephyrantes bore a remarkable resemblance to Fuu Hououji.
She should, for it was Fuu's body she now possessed.
There had been no untimely deaths to attend to save that of the
Hououjis. It was an unfortunate side-effect of Fuu's acceptance of the
Sword of Fuuma. It needed blood to fully awaken, and her family were the
only possible donors.
Her mother and father were blissfully unaware as they died in their
sleep. Yuu and Katsuhiko Hououji were locked in an embrace as rigor mortis
set in.
Kuu was awake and slightly shocked by what she felt from her
"sister." Her death was painless as well for she did not struggle or even
cry for help she knew would not arrive.
The Fuuma was almost sorry she had to do it. But that was Fuu's
heart speaking, not hers. She had feelings for one, and only one, other in
all Creation.
And she would not rest till she found her--either among the quick
or the dead.