[Ongoing] Dréd-Son - Chapter 10: Fate and Foreboding
Title: Dréd-Son - Chapter 10: Fate and Foreboding
Fandom: Johnny's & Associates
Pairings/Characters: Totsuka Shota, Hashimoto Ryosuke, Kitayama Hiromitsu
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None really...except, this is an AU!
Disclaimer: Not mine. Owned by J&A. The AU is mine though as well as aymagun's.
A/N: Current word count of this AU: 23,724 \o/ But I'm afraid I'm getting a little sidetracked with other projects...mainly the Kamen Rider one. But I will try to update this regularly still, as long as people are still interested in reading. ♥
Summary: It's called the 'gift' or 'soul' by most. A strange, mysterious force only few possess on the planet that is half ocean and half desert. The people on the plant have lived in harmony with each other and their environment for centuries but something yet unknown is threatening to throw everything into chaos.
“I would rather be ignorant than wise in the foreboding of evil.”
(- Aeschylus)
Totsuka shielded his eyes from the sun. After days in the wharf and hangars it was quite a big change to step outside again. But tradition had commanded it. Today was a day of resting for sailors, marines, even pirates. It was a resting day for the ones who rode the oceans of water and sand. Instead of pouring over designs and other work related things, today was the day to take part in festivities and to celebrate. The area around the university and most of the town had been decorated for the two-day festival and many people were out celebrating already. The main celebration and festival wouldn’t be until the next day but people were already gearing up for it with smaller parties today.
All the ships and smaller cities which had been in the vicinity of the capital had docked and the harbor area was crowded and even livelier than usual even. Totsuka could only imagine how it would be the next day when things got started properly. The crowds would be insane probably.
“How do you think they celebrate in Kwa’agnaa?” Hashimoto asked Totsuka, genuine curiosity and excitement visible on his face. Totsuka had to smile at how easy Hashimoto’s emotions could be read.
Shrugging, Totsuka replied, “I don’t know? Or at least, I heard a lot of things about how they do but I’ve never experienced it myself before.”
“Really? Even you? Tottsu has travelled a lot before, no? You never went to Kwa’agnaa?” Hashimoto asked. Then his face lit up in a smile. “Well, then I guess there’s no other way than to go and find out!” Without waiting for an answer from the other, Hashimoto grabbed Totsuka’s hand and tugged the other along, dragging him through the throngs of people on the streets. After all, they weren’t the only people who wanted to take a look at the celebrations in Kwa’agnaa or the other cities.
They seemed to be walking around randomly, taking turns here and there, and running down one street, a narrow alley and past an array of tiny roads. It seemed to happen at random but Totsuka knew better. He had noticed how Hashimoto seemed to be able to navigate around areas, even those unfamiliar to him and find the best route for situations. At the moment, the least crowded one and the one that got them to where things were happening the fastest. He remembered one of the teachers at the university telling him how somebody’s ability did not always come with intelligence. An ability was something that went beyond thought processes or cognitive awareness. An ability was something that was there and that you most of the time did not need to think about.
He almost stumbled when Hashimoto tugged him onto the central square of Kwa’agnaa.
For a brief moment, Hashimoto stopped and looked around, expression changing from the carefree one to a slightly distant and serious one.
“Hasshi?” Totsuka asked softly.
“She’s afraid. Someone hurt her,” Hashimoto whispered.
“Who?”
“Her,” the other touched a pillar on his side.
Totsuka furrowed his eyebrows, “The city? The ship?”
Hashimoto nodded but then the serious expression vanished again and he smiled at Totsuka again. “I can smell food. Let’s go and see what they have? I’m tired of the meals at the wharf.”
Even though he was used to Hashimoto’s strange moments like these, Totsuka was left wondering at times. They all knew Hashimoto was special but none of them really knew just how ‘special’. Most of the people would just wave Hashimoto off as an idiot but there was more to the other than met the eye. A lot more. Maybe that’s why Totsuka and the other three had been grouped with Hashimoto. It took experienced people to handle someone like this most likely. Someone able to look beyond appearances.
“Ah, Hasshi, wait up!” he snapped out of his thoughts and followed the other onto the square.
~*~
Kitayama had been out on an errand for Master Ma’yaa originally. It had not been his plan at all to go and take a look at the festivities in the city. Going to a festival alone always made him feel a bit lonely. And yet, for some reason, his feet had carried him towards the main square of Kwa’agnaa, right into the middle of the festival. At this time of the day, almost everyone seemed to have come together to party.
He didn’t join the crowd but kept to the side. His eyes wandered over the throng of people. They weren’t looking for anyone in particular. So it was all the more surprising when he did catch sight of a familiar figure, a familiar person. His heart ached at the sight. It was one of the people he had least wanted to see right now, right here.
Kitayama lingered for only a moment but it was enough to make something inside of him break painfully. Turning away, he made his way back towards Dréd-Son and the ghayi. He shouldn’t think about it anymore, much less act on it. It wasn’t good for him. The damage had already been done. He should not make it any worse than it already way. But somehow he doubted that he’d be able to do that.
Totsuka had made his decision. Kitayama should accept it. They had not said goodbye for forever after all. It shouldn’t hurt this much. But it did.
~*~
Despite the large crowd around them, their eyes met so easily. It was only a brief eye-contact. Totsuka was the one to end it. He’d made his decision. He would stick with it. A long time ago, he’d vowed not to go back on his own words. It was not the time to break the vow just yet, if ever.
He did see from the corner of his eye though how the other disappeared into a dark alley and left. A ripple of emotions went through him but he brushed it off. Totsuka would not look back. The past was in the past now and there was only one way now. Forward.
“Towards the future,” he mumbled softly.
Hashimoto blinked at him, “What did you say, Tottsu?”
“Me? Ah, nothing. I was just wondering if we should take something back from here for the others. I think they stayed in Dréd-Son today,” Totsuka shook his head and smiled at the younger male.
“Oh, right! But you know,” Hashimoto smiled back, “The best thing would be to just come back here with everyone tomorrow! Then we can all have fun together!”
Totsuka had to ruffle the other’s hair fondly. “How do you always find the right words, Ryosuke?”
Sticking out his tongue sheepishly, Hashimoto replied, “I don’t try to? I never try to, really!”
“I know.”
For the time being, he would be accompanied on his future path by these four people. Kitayama was no longer part of his future, for now. It did not mean that they would part ways forever. Maybe. A part of Totsuka was left wondering what would happen the next time they me, who they would be then. Because one thing was for certain, they would not be the same people anymore. They would not be the people who had parted ways here in Dréd-Son.
Totsuka wondered what person Kitayama would be when they met again. A part of him was afraid that he’d no longer be able to recognize the other. Another part of him scolded him for even thinking about things like this. He had been the one to make the decision after all.
He would deal with these things again when it was time to deal with them. Right now, he had other things to think about and to focus on. More important things - or so he told himself.
“Let’s celebrate until the lights go out,” Totsuka smiled at Hashimoto.
The other returned the smile brightly, “You’re going to let me do that, Tottsu? Really?”
“Just this once.”
To be continued...
Fandom: Johnny's & Associates
Pairings/Characters: Totsuka Shota, Hashimoto Ryosuke, Kitayama Hiromitsu
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None really...except, this is an AU!
Disclaimer: Not mine. Owned by J&A. The AU is mine though as well as aymagun's.
A/N: Current word count of this AU: 23,724 \o/ But I'm afraid I'm getting a little sidetracked with other projects...mainly the Kamen Rider one. But I will try to update this regularly still, as long as people are still interested in reading. ♥
Summary: It's called the 'gift' or 'soul' by most. A strange, mysterious force only few possess on the planet that is half ocean and half desert. The people on the plant have lived in harmony with each other and their environment for centuries but something yet unknown is threatening to throw everything into chaos.
“I would rather be ignorant than wise in the foreboding of evil.”
(- Aeschylus)
Totsuka shielded his eyes from the sun. After days in the wharf and hangars it was quite a big change to step outside again. But tradition had commanded it. Today was a day of resting for sailors, marines, even pirates. It was a resting day for the ones who rode the oceans of water and sand. Instead of pouring over designs and other work related things, today was the day to take part in festivities and to celebrate. The area around the university and most of the town had been decorated for the two-day festival and many people were out celebrating already. The main celebration and festival wouldn’t be until the next day but people were already gearing up for it with smaller parties today.
All the ships and smaller cities which had been in the vicinity of the capital had docked and the harbor area was crowded and even livelier than usual even. Totsuka could only imagine how it would be the next day when things got started properly. The crowds would be insane probably.
“How do you think they celebrate in Kwa’agnaa?” Hashimoto asked Totsuka, genuine curiosity and excitement visible on his face. Totsuka had to smile at how easy Hashimoto’s emotions could be read.
Shrugging, Totsuka replied, “I don’t know? Or at least, I heard a lot of things about how they do but I’ve never experienced it myself before.”
“Really? Even you? Tottsu has travelled a lot before, no? You never went to Kwa’agnaa?” Hashimoto asked. Then his face lit up in a smile. “Well, then I guess there’s no other way than to go and find out!” Without waiting for an answer from the other, Hashimoto grabbed Totsuka’s hand and tugged the other along, dragging him through the throngs of people on the streets. After all, they weren’t the only people who wanted to take a look at the celebrations in Kwa’agnaa or the other cities.
They seemed to be walking around randomly, taking turns here and there, and running down one street, a narrow alley and past an array of tiny roads. It seemed to happen at random but Totsuka knew better. He had noticed how Hashimoto seemed to be able to navigate around areas, even those unfamiliar to him and find the best route for situations. At the moment, the least crowded one and the one that got them to where things were happening the fastest. He remembered one of the teachers at the university telling him how somebody’s ability did not always come with intelligence. An ability was something that went beyond thought processes or cognitive awareness. An ability was something that was there and that you most of the time did not need to think about.
He almost stumbled when Hashimoto tugged him onto the central square of Kwa’agnaa.
For a brief moment, Hashimoto stopped and looked around, expression changing from the carefree one to a slightly distant and serious one.
“Hasshi?” Totsuka asked softly.
“She’s afraid. Someone hurt her,” Hashimoto whispered.
“Who?”
“Her,” the other touched a pillar on his side.
Totsuka furrowed his eyebrows, “The city? The ship?”
Hashimoto nodded but then the serious expression vanished again and he smiled at Totsuka again. “I can smell food. Let’s go and see what they have? I’m tired of the meals at the wharf.”
Even though he was used to Hashimoto’s strange moments like these, Totsuka was left wondering at times. They all knew Hashimoto was special but none of them really knew just how ‘special’. Most of the people would just wave Hashimoto off as an idiot but there was more to the other than met the eye. A lot more. Maybe that’s why Totsuka and the other three had been grouped with Hashimoto. It took experienced people to handle someone like this most likely. Someone able to look beyond appearances.
“Ah, Hasshi, wait up!” he snapped out of his thoughts and followed the other onto the square.
~*~
Kitayama had been out on an errand for Master Ma’yaa originally. It had not been his plan at all to go and take a look at the festivities in the city. Going to a festival alone always made him feel a bit lonely. And yet, for some reason, his feet had carried him towards the main square of Kwa’agnaa, right into the middle of the festival. At this time of the day, almost everyone seemed to have come together to party.
He didn’t join the crowd but kept to the side. His eyes wandered over the throng of people. They weren’t looking for anyone in particular. So it was all the more surprising when he did catch sight of a familiar figure, a familiar person. His heart ached at the sight. It was one of the people he had least wanted to see right now, right here.
Kitayama lingered for only a moment but it was enough to make something inside of him break painfully. Turning away, he made his way back towards Dréd-Son and the ghayi. He shouldn’t think about it anymore, much less act on it. It wasn’t good for him. The damage had already been done. He should not make it any worse than it already way. But somehow he doubted that he’d be able to do that.
Totsuka had made his decision. Kitayama should accept it. They had not said goodbye for forever after all. It shouldn’t hurt this much. But it did.
~*~
Despite the large crowd around them, their eyes met so easily. It was only a brief eye-contact. Totsuka was the one to end it. He’d made his decision. He would stick with it. A long time ago, he’d vowed not to go back on his own words. It was not the time to break the vow just yet, if ever.
He did see from the corner of his eye though how the other disappeared into a dark alley and left. A ripple of emotions went through him but he brushed it off. Totsuka would not look back. The past was in the past now and there was only one way now. Forward.
“Towards the future,” he mumbled softly.
Hashimoto blinked at him, “What did you say, Tottsu?”
“Me? Ah, nothing. I was just wondering if we should take something back from here for the others. I think they stayed in Dréd-Son today,” Totsuka shook his head and smiled at the younger male.
“Oh, right! But you know,” Hashimoto smiled back, “The best thing would be to just come back here with everyone tomorrow! Then we can all have fun together!”
Totsuka had to ruffle the other’s hair fondly. “How do you always find the right words, Ryosuke?”
Sticking out his tongue sheepishly, Hashimoto replied, “I don’t try to? I never try to, really!”
“I know.”
For the time being, he would be accompanied on his future path by these four people. Kitayama was no longer part of his future, for now. It did not mean that they would part ways forever. Maybe. A part of Totsuka was left wondering what would happen the next time they me, who they would be then. Because one thing was for certain, they would not be the same people anymore. They would not be the people who had parted ways here in Dréd-Son.
Totsuka wondered what person Kitayama would be when they met again. A part of him was afraid that he’d no longer be able to recognize the other. Another part of him scolded him for even thinking about things like this. He had been the one to make the decision after all.
He would deal with these things again when it was time to deal with them. Right now, he had other things to think about and to focus on. More important things - or so he told himself.
“Let’s celebrate until the lights go out,” Totsuka smiled at Hashimoto.
The other returned the smile brightly, “You’re going to let me do that, Tottsu? Really?”
“Just this once.”
To be continued...