[Naya]
by measuringlife
Three Ghosts
1. The Yagura Castle (Or: Tsutsui no Shougi)
Tsutsui had practically sleepwalked into it. While setting out Go boards in the science lab, he brushed against something different:the cool feel of wood.
It was an old Shougi-ban, hidden behind kifus and covered with years of dust.
Tsutsui was used to newer, more portable Shougi-bans. White and plastic, they looked like graphing paper. While he liked the aesthetics of Shougi, he had always preferred Go, for personal, sentimental reasons.
Tsutsui brushed off the Shougi-ban. His hand stopped mid-movement as he noticed a mark on the side, a scar deep in the wood. He blinked in confusion, and wiped at the cigarette burn on the side.
"Such carelessness. I can't believe someone would do that to a Shougi-ban," he muttered in disapproval.
It's about freaking time someone found this.
"Wha-!" Tsutsui cried out. Hei jumped back, his glasses fell down his face and he frantically pushed them up. He hadn't seen anyone else in the room.
Wait, you can hear me?
"Um, Um-"
Eh, bit on the small side, but any chump will do.
Up from the Shougi-ban floated a form. In his left hand was an outspread fan, the kanji for king emblazoned on it in red. His hair was reddish brown and spiky. He reminded Tsutsui of a particular bully who used to steal his lunch every day and use him as an excuse to hide from the gym teacher.
Tsutsui's glasses fell down again. This time, he didn't push them up.
"...Kaga?"
The spirit frowned at him in concentration. When Tsutsui pushed his glasses up, a light seemed to go off in the spirit's head.
Tsutsui? All this time and you're still in this no good place? Can't say as I'm surprised. Ok, that settles it. I'm going to make you less of a loser, and we're going to play Shougi.
"But, I'm part of the Go club!" Tsutsui threw up his arms in protest.
Nope. Not anymore. You're playing Shougi with me.
"I have a match tomorrow!"
The ghost stared at him a long time. His gaze was intense, glowering, and Tsutsui moved back. Maybe irritating the spirits of the dead on the very first meeting wasn't such a good idea after all. Especially one that used to shove him into lockers (although technically, Kaga had been the gentlest of his bullies and had even beaten up some of the worse ones on a few occasions ‘because he was bored and felt like it.')
Fine. We'll play Go. Then after we crush them, we're playing Shougi.
*
It was something of a surprise when the quiet, mediocre player Tsutsui hit the Go scene. He gained title after title, and with little more than a bout of a school league in his past. He was a rising star, though he always seemed more harried than calm during the matches. Several teachers wondered if the rule of total mental clarity was wrong after all.
It was another surprise when at the height of his rising career, Tsutsui switched to Shougi. If anything, his career with Shougi was even more brilliant. He seemed to claim each title with no effort. When playing Shougi he became almost arrogant, making daring plays as if he'd become another person entirely than the shrinking violet who kept a book of rules at his side every time.
And that was how Tsutsui had been in all things, he'd kept his head down and hoped he didn't make a faux pas. Now he was standing taller and showing more strength - if not with some strange cases of paranoia where he would throw a glance over his shoulder to where there was apparently nothing and evade blows when no one had tried to hit him.
Still, not everyone was surprised at these turns of events. When Kuwabara heard, he laughed, but said little else except It's always the quiet ones you've got to look out for.
2. There Once Was a Boy... (Or: Sai no Go)
Sai was an enigma. He took the Go world by storm, even across the ocean, players felt the reverberations of his presence. He seemed to be a vestige of an lost age, of manners and courts. Many were reminded of the Heian era, of nobility from long ago. His Go was unmistakably old; it seemed elegant, and yet he had a penchant for turning his few mistakes into strength.
Legends and mythology sprung up around him, like weeds, like grass. There were whispers that he wasn't quite human, that he was a reincarnation of another player. Of course, the more logical members shook their heads at such gossip, but then also kept their eyes on Sai.
Sai was polite, almost unfailingly so, except when he showed a much more childish side. He refused all offers of interviews. The titles themselves seemed to have little meaning to him, for it was the Go he was truly interested in. He took a joy in the game which was almost unprecedented. He was even willing to play with children and regular members of Go salons simply for the thrill of the stones between his fingers, the territory open before him.
What people didn't see was the faint shape of a boy sitting above him, overseeing each play as he went.
*
"After this is done, can we play more Go, Hikaru?" Sai said hopefully.
"Now? But the best dramas are on!"
Sai whimpered. He was in possession of the most potent puppy eyes in the world. It was a shame that Hikaru was almost immune to them.
"Hiiiikaaaruuuu...." he whined.
Hikaru sat stonily and kept his eyes on the tv. He never could resist a MatsuJun drama and had made Sai come home early each time so he wouldn't miss Hana Yori Dango.
"Hiiiiikarruuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."
Hikaru twitched. Sai sniffled and stared at him with a most pitiful gaze.
As Sai began to quiver in sadness, Hikaru finally sighed.
"Fiiine. But only after my show is done."
Sai instantly cheered up. He threw his arms out and fell back on the couch.
"Pfft, Go. It's always Go Go Go with you. You'd date Go if it was a girl, admit it."
"Well..." Sai said.
"Or even if it was a boy. I mean, look at that Idol we were looking at! You said she had ‘beautifully long fingers, perfect for playing Go'!"
"They were! I bet I could teach her if I tried!"
"You're Gosexual."
Sai hardly denied it. If he could keep playing Go, just a little more, just for the rest of his life, he would be content.
He had met Hikaru the first time he had touched a Goban, curiously. Hikaru had leapt into him and said it's been such a long time, Sai! I missed you!
Sai of course, didn't remember, but Hikaru let him in on it. First, their time together when his name had been Hon'ibu, not Hikaru. Then another time, in 1976 when his name had been Hikaru. Shortly after Sai had gone that time, Hikaru had died in a plane accident to his first Go tournament in Korea.
So this time, it was he who was the ghost.
And ever since he'd met Hikaru, everything felt a little lighter. They fought and played Go together, and Sai didn't feel like some relic of another time. Knowing that Go existed in this era too, he could be happy even if his manners and style was still back in the Heian era.
His soul hadn't changed at all in this reincarnation. Perhaps Kamisama had finally shown mercy.
However, a shadow marred that happiness: the rival he had never been able to meet. Sai closed his eyes. He remembered the Meijin's fingers over the Goban, worn with age and yet able to handle the smooth stones
with such reverence. That's someone who would understand, he thought.
It felt as if Sai had been playing Go all his life, and lifetimes before. The former Meijin was the only person who he'd thought could understand this. He'd only wanted one game to test this, to match wits and find a true rival.
But it seemed that time had bested him, yet again.
Sai did not settle in his melancholy. If he could not play the former Meijin, he would become the Meijin. At seven-dan, such a title wasn't thar far off.
With his upcoming match against Yoshida-nine-dan he would be that much closer.
Closer to the Hand of God.
3. But You Don't See Me At All (Or: Touya no Go)
Touya was an odd child. Adored by parents, obviously dressed by a mother who thought her little prince would look just dashing in argyle, the general consensus among children his own age was fear, loathing, and on occasion, suspicious tolerance.
But Touya had a secret that he kept deep inside.
Touya saw dead people.
He focused on the board, avoiding the white in at the corner of his eye. Ghost ashes fluttered down.
"Lower corner, Touya."
Touya looked with irritation. Ogata looked on with a smug smile, but that seemed to be his default expression.
(Though, Touya thought his father wouldn't mind that he heard voices in his head, as long as they were talking about Go. And technically, his father knew this voice.)
Ogata looked down at the kifu Touya was recreating.
"Ahh... isn't that the game where Sai made your game look like the kind of things you'd see from a three year old playing with Go stones?"
Touya bristled. "I don't care about Sai at all."
"Oh tell the truth. You're definitely aiming after him... I suppose I don't blame you, considering what a beauty he is."
Touya scoffed. "Everything is sex with you! It really makes me wonder about your rivalry with Kuwabara."
This shut Ogata up, wiping the smirk off of his face, and even caused his beloved cigarette to fall to the ground. He looked positively repulsed.
"Also, stop watching me while I shower!"
Touya tossed his head in an undeniably feminine manner and stormed out.
Ogata waited until after Touya had left to pull out another cigarette. He hadn't actually meant to spy on Touya, while Touya was distinctly effeminate, Ogata preferred the real thing.
It hadn't been that long since his death, but already he missed some of the more human pursuits. Taste and touch were now just distant memories. But one thing still remained: he could still play Go. Even if he had to cling to the Touya's consciousness, he would still have that comfort.
He supposed his not-life wasn't that bad. Sai was beautiful, stunning in Go, so much so that he'd even overlook his general preference to females. Sai was a good enough chase to make even sex pale in comparison. There really was nothing like a game of Go with a master, and Sai was indeed a master.
Maybe death wasn't such a bad thing in the long run.
*
Touya followed after Sai, chasing him through professional cups and Go salons alike. Much as Sai had at his age followed the works of Touya's own father, and almost just as unsuccessfully. Sai was polite, yet the age difference was too great; his eyes were for Touya's father alone.
Whenever Touya looked at Sai, it was as if he was looking past him, searching for the traces of another's fingerprints, finding where his footsteps had gone.
It was their own unknown tragedy: Hikaru and Touya reaching their hands out unknowingly and never quite being able to touch.
*
Hikaru could never leave far, but he strained at the tethers of Sai's body until he temporarily floated free. He flew over city lights and cars rushing below him. He saw his reflection in skyscrapers, echoing over window panes. Touya had fallen asleep over his Go board, something hardly uncommon for him. A kifu of his first game with Sai, drawn with quick yet careful attention on a notebook.
Hikaru looked down and squinted at the game.
"Geez, Touya, you'll have to practice a lot harder if you to go against me"
He reached out, and his hands went right through Touya's skin. Touya shivered, lost far in his own slumber. Maybe he was happy there, maybe he could feel it there and they were playing Go together without Sai as a kind of go-between.
Hikaru looked on, sadness sweeping through him. He'd never be able to play a game face to face. They'd never be rivals, he'd never be able to tease Touya about his horrendous argyle or have friendly fights. They'd never eat ramen together or stay out late on the beach.
He reached out again to Touya's arm, his shapelessness going straight through. Touya shivered and recoiled from the cold, this time turning to face the wall.
Maybe if Touya could see him this steady panic would disappear, maybe then when Sai grew to not need him, Kamisama would still let him stay down here, unconnected.
In another life, in another life... Maybe the next life. He'd met Sai again now, so he'd just have to wait and play through Sai until they could be the kind of rivals they were meant to be.
I won't be watching you from afar forever, so don't let your Go stagnate while I'm gone. It'll be great, just you see. So wait for me, Touya. One of these days, I'll be reborn and we'll be rivals for real!
Three Ghosts
1. The Yagura Castle (Or: Tsutsui no Shougi)
Tsutsui had practically sleepwalked into it. While setting out Go boards in the science lab, he brushed against something different:the cool feel of wood.
It was an old Shougi-ban, hidden behind kifus and covered with years of dust.
Tsutsui was used to newer, more portable Shougi-bans. White and plastic, they looked like graphing paper. While he liked the aesthetics of Shougi, he had always preferred Go, for personal, sentimental reasons.
Tsutsui brushed off the Shougi-ban. His hand stopped mid-movement as he noticed a mark on the side, a scar deep in the wood. He blinked in confusion, and wiped at the cigarette burn on the side.
"Such carelessness. I can't believe someone would do that to a Shougi-ban," he muttered in disapproval.
It's about freaking time someone found this.
"Wha-!" Tsutsui cried out. Hei jumped back, his glasses fell down his face and he frantically pushed them up. He hadn't seen anyone else in the room.
Wait, you can hear me?
"Um, Um-"
Eh, bit on the small side, but any chump will do.
Up from the Shougi-ban floated a form. In his left hand was an outspread fan, the kanji for king emblazoned on it in red. His hair was reddish brown and spiky. He reminded Tsutsui of a particular bully who used to steal his lunch every day and use him as an excuse to hide from the gym teacher.
Tsutsui's glasses fell down again. This time, he didn't push them up.
"...Kaga?"
The spirit frowned at him in concentration. When Tsutsui pushed his glasses up, a light seemed to go off in the spirit's head.
Tsutsui? All this time and you're still in this no good place? Can't say as I'm surprised. Ok, that settles it. I'm going to make you less of a loser, and we're going to play Shougi.
"But, I'm part of the Go club!" Tsutsui threw up his arms in protest.
Nope. Not anymore. You're playing Shougi with me.
"I have a match tomorrow!"
The ghost stared at him a long time. His gaze was intense, glowering, and Tsutsui moved back. Maybe irritating the spirits of the dead on the very first meeting wasn't such a good idea after all. Especially one that used to shove him into lockers (although technically, Kaga had been the gentlest of his bullies and had even beaten up some of the worse ones on a few occasions ‘because he was bored and felt like it.')
Fine. We'll play Go. Then after we crush them, we're playing Shougi.
*
It was something of a surprise when the quiet, mediocre player Tsutsui hit the Go scene. He gained title after title, and with little more than a bout of a school league in his past. He was a rising star, though he always seemed more harried than calm during the matches. Several teachers wondered if the rule of total mental clarity was wrong after all.
It was another surprise when at the height of his rising career, Tsutsui switched to Shougi. If anything, his career with Shougi was even more brilliant. He seemed to claim each title with no effort. When playing Shougi he became almost arrogant, making daring plays as if he'd become another person entirely than the shrinking violet who kept a book of rules at his side every time.
And that was how Tsutsui had been in all things, he'd kept his head down and hoped he didn't make a faux pas. Now he was standing taller and showing more strength - if not with some strange cases of paranoia where he would throw a glance over his shoulder to where there was apparently nothing and evade blows when no one had tried to hit him.
Still, not everyone was surprised at these turns of events. When Kuwabara heard, he laughed, but said little else except It's always the quiet ones you've got to look out for.
2. There Once Was a Boy... (Or: Sai no Go)
Sai was an enigma. He took the Go world by storm, even across the ocean, players felt the reverberations of his presence. He seemed to be a vestige of an lost age, of manners and courts. Many were reminded of the Heian era, of nobility from long ago. His Go was unmistakably old; it seemed elegant, and yet he had a penchant for turning his few mistakes into strength.
Legends and mythology sprung up around him, like weeds, like grass. There were whispers that he wasn't quite human, that he was a reincarnation of another player. Of course, the more logical members shook their heads at such gossip, but then also kept their eyes on Sai.
Sai was polite, almost unfailingly so, except when he showed a much more childish side. He refused all offers of interviews. The titles themselves seemed to have little meaning to him, for it was the Go he was truly interested in. He took a joy in the game which was almost unprecedented. He was even willing to play with children and regular members of Go salons simply for the thrill of the stones between his fingers, the territory open before him.
What people didn't see was the faint shape of a boy sitting above him, overseeing each play as he went.
*
"After this is done, can we play more Go, Hikaru?" Sai said hopefully.
"Now? But the best dramas are on!"
Sai whimpered. He was in possession of the most potent puppy eyes in the world. It was a shame that Hikaru was almost immune to them.
"Hiiiikaaaruuuu...." he whined.
Hikaru sat stonily and kept his eyes on the tv. He never could resist a MatsuJun drama and had made Sai come home early each time so he wouldn't miss Hana Yori Dango.
"Hiiiiikarruuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."
Hikaru twitched. Sai sniffled and stared at him with a most pitiful gaze.
As Sai began to quiver in sadness, Hikaru finally sighed.
"Fiiine. But only after my show is done."
Sai instantly cheered up. He threw his arms out and fell back on the couch.
"Pfft, Go. It's always Go Go Go with you. You'd date Go if it was a girl, admit it."
"Well..." Sai said.
"Or even if it was a boy. I mean, look at that Idol we were looking at! You said she had ‘beautifully long fingers, perfect for playing Go'!"
"They were! I bet I could teach her if I tried!"
"You're Gosexual."
Sai hardly denied it. If he could keep playing Go, just a little more, just for the rest of his life, he would be content.
He had met Hikaru the first time he had touched a Goban, curiously. Hikaru had leapt into him and said it's been such a long time, Sai! I missed you!
Sai of course, didn't remember, but Hikaru let him in on it. First, their time together when his name had been Hon'ibu, not Hikaru. Then another time, in 1976 when his name had been Hikaru. Shortly after Sai had gone that time, Hikaru had died in a plane accident to his first Go tournament in Korea.
So this time, it was he who was the ghost.
And ever since he'd met Hikaru, everything felt a little lighter. They fought and played Go together, and Sai didn't feel like some relic of another time. Knowing that Go existed in this era too, he could be happy even if his manners and style was still back in the Heian era.
His soul hadn't changed at all in this reincarnation. Perhaps Kamisama had finally shown mercy.
However, a shadow marred that happiness: the rival he had never been able to meet. Sai closed his eyes. He remembered the Meijin's fingers over the Goban, worn with age and yet able to handle the smooth stones
with such reverence. That's someone who would understand, he thought.
It felt as if Sai had been playing Go all his life, and lifetimes before. The former Meijin was the only person who he'd thought could understand this. He'd only wanted one game to test this, to match wits and find a true rival.
But it seemed that time had bested him, yet again.
Sai did not settle in his melancholy. If he could not play the former Meijin, he would become the Meijin. At seven-dan, such a title wasn't thar far off.
With his upcoming match against Yoshida-nine-dan he would be that much closer.
Closer to the Hand of God.
3. But You Don't See Me At All (Or: Touya no Go)
Touya was an odd child. Adored by parents, obviously dressed by a mother who thought her little prince would look just dashing in argyle, the general consensus among children his own age was fear, loathing, and on occasion, suspicious tolerance.
But Touya had a secret that he kept deep inside.
Touya saw dead people.
He focused on the board, avoiding the white in at the corner of his eye. Ghost ashes fluttered down.
"Lower corner, Touya."
Touya looked with irritation. Ogata looked on with a smug smile, but that seemed to be his default expression.
(Though, Touya thought his father wouldn't mind that he heard voices in his head, as long as they were talking about Go. And technically, his father knew this voice.)
Ogata looked down at the kifu Touya was recreating.
"Ahh... isn't that the game where Sai made your game look like the kind of things you'd see from a three year old playing with Go stones?"
Touya bristled. "I don't care about Sai at all."
"Oh tell the truth. You're definitely aiming after him... I suppose I don't blame you, considering what a beauty he is."
Touya scoffed. "Everything is sex with you! It really makes me wonder about your rivalry with Kuwabara."
This shut Ogata up, wiping the smirk off of his face, and even caused his beloved cigarette to fall to the ground. He looked positively repulsed.
"Also, stop watching me while I shower!"
Touya tossed his head in an undeniably feminine manner and stormed out.
Ogata waited until after Touya had left to pull out another cigarette. He hadn't actually meant to spy on Touya, while Touya was distinctly effeminate, Ogata preferred the real thing.
It hadn't been that long since his death, but already he missed some of the more human pursuits. Taste and touch were now just distant memories. But one thing still remained: he could still play Go. Even if he had to cling to the Touya's consciousness, he would still have that comfort.
He supposed his not-life wasn't that bad. Sai was beautiful, stunning in Go, so much so that he'd even overlook his general preference to females. Sai was a good enough chase to make even sex pale in comparison. There really was nothing like a game of Go with a master, and Sai was indeed a master.
Maybe death wasn't such a bad thing in the long run.
*
Touya followed after Sai, chasing him through professional cups and Go salons alike. Much as Sai had at his age followed the works of Touya's own father, and almost just as unsuccessfully. Sai was polite, yet the age difference was too great; his eyes were for Touya's father alone.
Whenever Touya looked at Sai, it was as if he was looking past him, searching for the traces of another's fingerprints, finding where his footsteps had gone.
It was their own unknown tragedy: Hikaru and Touya reaching their hands out unknowingly and never quite being able to touch.
*
Hikaru could never leave far, but he strained at the tethers of Sai's body until he temporarily floated free. He flew over city lights and cars rushing below him. He saw his reflection in skyscrapers, echoing over window panes. Touya had fallen asleep over his Go board, something hardly uncommon for him. A kifu of his first game with Sai, drawn with quick yet careful attention on a notebook.
Hikaru looked down and squinted at the game.
"Geez, Touya, you'll have to practice a lot harder if you to go against me"
He reached out, and his hands went right through Touya's skin. Touya shivered, lost far in his own slumber. Maybe he was happy there, maybe he could feel it there and they were playing Go together without Sai as a kind of go-between.
Hikaru looked on, sadness sweeping through him. He'd never be able to play a game face to face. They'd never be rivals, he'd never be able to tease Touya about his horrendous argyle or have friendly fights. They'd never eat ramen together or stay out late on the beach.
He reached out again to Touya's arm, his shapelessness going straight through. Touya shivered and recoiled from the cold, this time turning to face the wall.
Maybe if Touya could see him this steady panic would disappear, maybe then when Sai grew to not need him, Kamisama would still let him stay down here, unconnected.
In another life, in another life... Maybe the next life. He'd met Sai again now, so he'd just have to wait and play through Sai until they could be the kind of rivals they were meant to be.
I won't be watching you from afar forever, so don't let your Go stagnate while I'm gone. It'll be great, just you see. So wait for me, Touya. One of these days, I'll be reborn and we'll be rivals for real!