[Ongoing] Dréd-Son - Chapter 17: Signs and Signals
Title: Dréd-Son - Chapter 17: Signs and Signals
Fandom: Johnny's & Associates
Pairings/Characters: Tamamori Yuta, Senga Kento, Miyata Toshiya, Fujigaya Taisuke, Nikaido Takashi, Kitayama Hiromitsu, Yokoo Wataru, Iida Kyohei mentions of others
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: 46,552 \o/ New month, new chapter :D Have fun 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 planet have lived in harmony with each other and their environment for centuries but something yet unknown is threatening to throw everything into chaos.
“Whenever there are great virtues, it’s a sure sign that something’s wrong.”
(- Bertolt Brecht)
“So, what exactly did you hear from that guy at the café,” Fujigaya didn’t beat around the bush once all of them were assembled and the others had been told briefly about the weird light at the horizon.
Miyata looked at Tamamori and then back at the others. He tried to recall the story of the old man as accurately as possible. It had been a while ago after all and back then he had stored some of the information somewhere in his mind but not in too much detail. “It wasn’t much really. Tama heard it, too. An old storyteller in the street cafés of Dréd-Son was talking about something he called a ‘Sick Star’ or a ‘Death Star’. It appears that tribes in the desert have witnessed it and started fearing it because it is an ill omen and will lead to death. He talked about how such a light would appear before a city would just vanish or a ghost-town would appear. Or at least I think that’s what he said.”
“That sounds really screwed up,” Kitayama commented. “But we cannot ignore the possibility of some truth behind the story.” He looked at the rest. “We should find out whether people witnessed such a light before. Nobody in the lower city seems to really have noticed that the city was attacked before. This leads me to the theory that it was a targeted attack on the tower only and the lower city didn’t see or hear anything when it happened because they don’t have a good view of it.”
Yokoo looked at Fujigaya, “Did you hear anything, Taisuke?”
Fujigaya frowned, “Not yet. But I am to meet with some people from higher up soon. What about you and Iida, Wataru? Anything new?”
“People haven’t noticed anything off about the tower nor have they noticed anything weird or unusual around the city in particular it seems,” Iida replied. “The people we talked to didn’t lie. So it might be as Kitayama said. The attack might have centered on the tower only.”
“In that case, Fujigaya, do you want anyone else to help you out? You’re the only one in the upper city as of now,” Kitayama looked at the other. “We should focus our search on that part for now.”
“Miyata and Tamamori, you two have been lying low, right? Not too many people know which part of the city you were in or are in right now, do they?” Fujigaya asked.
Tamamori nodded, “We’ve kept to the shadows mostly, yes.”
“Then you two move to the upper city starting tonight or tomorrow,” Fujigaya told them.
“Tomorrow might be better,” Yokoo suggested, “We’ll be making a brief stop at a small oasis to pick up goods and people. So the sudden appearance of two new people in the upper city will arouse less suspicion than if they just appear in the middle of a journey.”
“Let’s do it like that then,” Fujigaya nodded in agreement. “Anything else?”
The rest shook their heads. “Alright, then let’s separate again. Good night.”
“Night.” With that the group of them disbanded and walked their separate ways again.
~*~
Yokoo and Iida were strolling back to the Yokoo Family’s residence slowly. Iida was lost in thought.
When answering Fujigaya’s question, Iida had to admit that he hadn’t told the complete truth. There had been something bothering him but since he hadn’t told any of them about it, not even Yokoo, he thought it would be better to keep it to himself a little longer.
The night Yokoo had tired him out, he had luckily had a dreamless and deep sleep but things had changed again the night after. The screams had returned.
Iida wondered whether the weird light the others had witnessed earlier and the screams in his dreams getting louder and more pained were connected somehow, or whether it was just a coincidence. Maybe it the intensity had changed because he hadn’t heard them for a night? Who knows.
The thing that bothered him more though, was something else. He thought he had picked up traces of familiar souls somewhere among the pain and the anguish that had assaulted him again when he had napped earlier. It worried him. If the description of the others had been accurate, the light could have come from the direction they were going towards, Sunäa. And he knew for sure that someone he knew was waiting there for them.
“Kyouhei,” a soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“Yes?”
“You’re walking past the house. We’re here,” Yokoo pointed out.
Blinking, Iida looked at the building on the side. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Are you still tired?” the other asked, concern written all over his face. “You slept earlier as well.”
“Maybe it is taking longer to adjust than I thought,” Iida looked down and apologized. “Sorry to worry you like this, Wataru.”
“Don’t apologize. You can go to bed early. I’ll be with you later,” Yokoo went to unlock the door.
Iida smiled, “Take all the time you want. I know you want to be with your family.”
He just hoped that the discomfort the screams and the pain caused wouldn’t show on his face too much as he rested. Iida didn’t want the other to see him like that.
~*~
Fujigaya returned to the tree lined alleys of the upper city. This was where the wealthy people lived and wandered - the big merchants and the crew. No scholars were around in the travelling cities most of the time because they all gathered at the university in Dréd-Son. Of course there were teachers and schools for the normal folk but that was a different kind of education.
The air around him and his attitude had changed completely from when he had been with the seven others. Up here, he had to play a role and had to be part of a society different from the one they were used to. The rich lived differently, carried themselves differently and talked differently as well.
He wrapped the expensive stole tighter around his shoulders and adjusted the pendant around his neck made of gold and gemstones. The people at the guest house greeted him humbly and with clear admiration shining in their eyes. They only lived in the upper city because of their business and even the business was owned by one of the wealthy patrons living higher up still.
“Young Master Fujigaya,” one of the servants walked up to him. “This was brought in for you just a few minutes ago.” The man handed Fujigaya a sealed letter.
It was an invitation. And the seal made Fujigaya smile. He still had friends in the right places it seemed. And things had moved a lot smoother and faster than he could have hoped. Maybe having Miyata and Tamamori move to the upper city would no longer be necessary after this.
“I won’t be eating here again tomorrow, I’m afraid. I’ve been invited to have lunch with the honored captain himself,” he instructed the staff. “Prepare an appropriate present by morning.”
All the servants seemed to straighten up immediately. “Of course, young master!”
“We’ll ready the bath for you. We’ll do everything to make you look your very best tomorrow! You shall not be disappointed in us and have no reason to complain!”
When Fujigaya walked back to his quarters, he could hear them whisper excitedly and nervously behind his back. They didn’t know much about him after all. Only that he was rich and influential in some way. But now things had changed. According to them, he had to be a pretty big shot when he got an invitation by the captain himself. They would treat him like a king or maybe even someone akin to a god.
Fujigaya didn’t mind the thought of that at all. He enjoyed getting spoiled once in a while.
Pulling off the stole and tossing it into a chair, he went to sit down on a large, comfy sofa and opened the letter to read it. Most of it was a normal, formal invitation. But he recognized the handwriting. The last line also made him smile again.
I look forward to seeing you again. Let’s catch up and talk about that time.
- Sincerely, Captain Yamashita Tomohisa
Yes, he was looking forward to seeing Captain Yamashita again as well. He wondered whether the other had changed a lot since the last time they had met a few years back, when Fujigaya had just been promoted to a higher position within the Ghayi. It had been only been the second mission he’d been given to go on by himself. Things had gone more or less well - he had survived.
Fujigaya had befriended the young captain back then without knowing the other’s real position and standing. The two of them had met as travelers and explorers and had thought of each other only as such and nothing more. Only when they had been about to part that Yamashita told him the truth. Fujigaya had been more than a little shocked and surprised but he had appreciated the other’s trust in him. They had parted with the promise to meet again someday. And that day had come now.
He wished that he could tell the other the truth about himself as well but he knew he was bound by the codex of the Ghayi and the promise of silence. Even if he trusted Yamashita, nobody could ever be sure whether the information wouldn’t be leaked to someone who wasn’t supposed to know or would abuse it. Maybe one day he’d be able to. But that day wouldn’t be tomorrow.
To be continued...
Fandom: Johnny's & Associates
Pairings/Characters: Tamamori Yuta, Senga Kento, Miyata Toshiya, Fujigaya Taisuke, Nikaido Takashi, Kitayama Hiromitsu, Yokoo Wataru, Iida Kyohei mentions of others
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: 46,552 \o/ New month, new chapter :D Have fun 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 planet have lived in harmony with each other and their environment for centuries but something yet unknown is threatening to throw everything into chaos.
“Whenever there are great virtues, it’s a sure sign that something’s wrong.”
(- Bertolt Brecht)
“So, what exactly did you hear from that guy at the café,” Fujigaya didn’t beat around the bush once all of them were assembled and the others had been told briefly about the weird light at the horizon.
Miyata looked at Tamamori and then back at the others. He tried to recall the story of the old man as accurately as possible. It had been a while ago after all and back then he had stored some of the information somewhere in his mind but not in too much detail. “It wasn’t much really. Tama heard it, too. An old storyteller in the street cafés of Dréd-Son was talking about something he called a ‘Sick Star’ or a ‘Death Star’. It appears that tribes in the desert have witnessed it and started fearing it because it is an ill omen and will lead to death. He talked about how such a light would appear before a city would just vanish or a ghost-town would appear. Or at least I think that’s what he said.”
“That sounds really screwed up,” Kitayama commented. “But we cannot ignore the possibility of some truth behind the story.” He looked at the rest. “We should find out whether people witnessed such a light before. Nobody in the lower city seems to really have noticed that the city was attacked before. This leads me to the theory that it was a targeted attack on the tower only and the lower city didn’t see or hear anything when it happened because they don’t have a good view of it.”
Yokoo looked at Fujigaya, “Did you hear anything, Taisuke?”
Fujigaya frowned, “Not yet. But I am to meet with some people from higher up soon. What about you and Iida, Wataru? Anything new?”
“People haven’t noticed anything off about the tower nor have they noticed anything weird or unusual around the city in particular it seems,” Iida replied. “The people we talked to didn’t lie. So it might be as Kitayama said. The attack might have centered on the tower only.”
“In that case, Fujigaya, do you want anyone else to help you out? You’re the only one in the upper city as of now,” Kitayama looked at the other. “We should focus our search on that part for now.”
“Miyata and Tamamori, you two have been lying low, right? Not too many people know which part of the city you were in or are in right now, do they?” Fujigaya asked.
Tamamori nodded, “We’ve kept to the shadows mostly, yes.”
“Then you two move to the upper city starting tonight or tomorrow,” Fujigaya told them.
“Tomorrow might be better,” Yokoo suggested, “We’ll be making a brief stop at a small oasis to pick up goods and people. So the sudden appearance of two new people in the upper city will arouse less suspicion than if they just appear in the middle of a journey.”
“Let’s do it like that then,” Fujigaya nodded in agreement. “Anything else?”
The rest shook their heads. “Alright, then let’s separate again. Good night.”
“Night.” With that the group of them disbanded and walked their separate ways again.
~*~
Yokoo and Iida were strolling back to the Yokoo Family’s residence slowly. Iida was lost in thought.
When answering Fujigaya’s question, Iida had to admit that he hadn’t told the complete truth. There had been something bothering him but since he hadn’t told any of them about it, not even Yokoo, he thought it would be better to keep it to himself a little longer.
The night Yokoo had tired him out, he had luckily had a dreamless and deep sleep but things had changed again the night after. The screams had returned.
Iida wondered whether the weird light the others had witnessed earlier and the screams in his dreams getting louder and more pained were connected somehow, or whether it was just a coincidence. Maybe it the intensity had changed because he hadn’t heard them for a night? Who knows.
The thing that bothered him more though, was something else. He thought he had picked up traces of familiar souls somewhere among the pain and the anguish that had assaulted him again when he had napped earlier. It worried him. If the description of the others had been accurate, the light could have come from the direction they were going towards, Sunäa. And he knew for sure that someone he knew was waiting there for them.
“Kyouhei,” a soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“Yes?”
“You’re walking past the house. We’re here,” Yokoo pointed out.
Blinking, Iida looked at the building on the side. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Are you still tired?” the other asked, concern written all over his face. “You slept earlier as well.”
“Maybe it is taking longer to adjust than I thought,” Iida looked down and apologized. “Sorry to worry you like this, Wataru.”
“Don’t apologize. You can go to bed early. I’ll be with you later,” Yokoo went to unlock the door.
Iida smiled, “Take all the time you want. I know you want to be with your family.”
He just hoped that the discomfort the screams and the pain caused wouldn’t show on his face too much as he rested. Iida didn’t want the other to see him like that.
~*~
Fujigaya returned to the tree lined alleys of the upper city. This was where the wealthy people lived and wandered - the big merchants and the crew. No scholars were around in the travelling cities most of the time because they all gathered at the university in Dréd-Son. Of course there were teachers and schools for the normal folk but that was a different kind of education.
The air around him and his attitude had changed completely from when he had been with the seven others. Up here, he had to play a role and had to be part of a society different from the one they were used to. The rich lived differently, carried themselves differently and talked differently as well.
He wrapped the expensive stole tighter around his shoulders and adjusted the pendant around his neck made of gold and gemstones. The people at the guest house greeted him humbly and with clear admiration shining in their eyes. They only lived in the upper city because of their business and even the business was owned by one of the wealthy patrons living higher up still.
“Young Master Fujigaya,” one of the servants walked up to him. “This was brought in for you just a few minutes ago.” The man handed Fujigaya a sealed letter.
It was an invitation. And the seal made Fujigaya smile. He still had friends in the right places it seemed. And things had moved a lot smoother and faster than he could have hoped. Maybe having Miyata and Tamamori move to the upper city would no longer be necessary after this.
“I won’t be eating here again tomorrow, I’m afraid. I’ve been invited to have lunch with the honored captain himself,” he instructed the staff. “Prepare an appropriate present by morning.”
All the servants seemed to straighten up immediately. “Of course, young master!”
“We’ll ready the bath for you. We’ll do everything to make you look your very best tomorrow! You shall not be disappointed in us and have no reason to complain!”
When Fujigaya walked back to his quarters, he could hear them whisper excitedly and nervously behind his back. They didn’t know much about him after all. Only that he was rich and influential in some way. But now things had changed. According to them, he had to be a pretty big shot when he got an invitation by the captain himself. They would treat him like a king or maybe even someone akin to a god.
Fujigaya didn’t mind the thought of that at all. He enjoyed getting spoiled once in a while.
Pulling off the stole and tossing it into a chair, he went to sit down on a large, comfy sofa and opened the letter to read it. Most of it was a normal, formal invitation. But he recognized the handwriting. The last line also made him smile again.
I look forward to seeing you again. Let’s catch up and talk about that time.
- Sincerely, Captain Yamashita Tomohisa
Yes, he was looking forward to seeing Captain Yamashita again as well. He wondered whether the other had changed a lot since the last time they had met a few years back, when Fujigaya had just been promoted to a higher position within the Ghayi. It had been only been the second mission he’d been given to go on by himself. Things had gone more or less well - he had survived.
Fujigaya had befriended the young captain back then without knowing the other’s real position and standing. The two of them had met as travelers and explorers and had thought of each other only as such and nothing more. Only when they had been about to part that Yamashita told him the truth. Fujigaya had been more than a little shocked and surprised but he had appreciated the other’s trust in him. They had parted with the promise to meet again someday. And that day had come now.
He wished that he could tell the other the truth about himself as well but he knew he was bound by the codex of the Ghayi and the promise of silence. Even if he trusted Yamashita, nobody could ever be sure whether the information wouldn’t be leaked to someone who wasn’t supposed to know or would abuse it. Maybe one day he’d be able to. But that day wouldn’t be tomorrow.
To be continued...