Venomous Blossom-7th and last post-
A/N: I know I haven't updated this in ages,but after what shinji08 said about having OCs makes my writing less appealing,I didn't feel like posting and keeping it in my draft never seeing light.
But then after all,I put all my heart and time in this story,it might be the last work of fiction that I do, so whatever,even if it wasn't good,I never claimed to be a world renonwned author.
Here goes nothing
Dark Fates
At the gates to the underworld, he paused a little, wondering why no one was there, " maybe it's the angel's doing? " he wondered, yet shrugged the thought off and continued, the outcome of this fateful meeting is the only thing that matters.
Hiromi changed to his female form, for this he became an Oiran again , he remembered as he had to fix the combs and pins himself , Erin used to help him with his get-up , somehow that was nostalgic.
After a walk for a time not so long yet not so short, he arrived at a huge castle-like building , he entered the hallway , as the door was open , a small narrow walkway can be seen at the far end of where he is standing , something told him that's where he'll find what his heart desires.
It was dark and cold, skulls with candles inside of them lit the hallway, and every now and then one could hear hysteric laughter.
Hiromi never been to the place his father came from, nor did he tell anything about it, as if he never once lived there.
Again the corridor reached a smaller hall with a very different atmosphere, there were scented candles and different chambers scattered around, they were all locked, he was going to leave the vicinity when a familiar scent drew him "black roses? How odd!! "Only Shiki had that unique scent, but he wasn't sure if this is a trick his mind was playing, or Shiki is somewhere in here, Hiromi following the faint scent came across a door which wasn't locked, he opened it slowly, since he heard voices coming from behind it.
He saw the person he came here for, his enemy, he had a succubus at each side, they were drinking something and laughing, Hiromi made sure his presence was known.
"Oh dear me…I'm sorry, I seem to have lost my way..." he made sure that their eyes would meet.
It took the demon lord a moment and then he stood up from his bejeweled chair "wait…don't go..." but Hiromi was already walking away.
Regardless of the presence of anyone with him in that room, he found himself walking after that somehow familiar beauty.
He didn't know where to go exactly , but it had to be a place out of sight , he ran slowly , because of his garments he can't run very quickly , he kept his way in the corridor and without hesitation he opened the last door in that corridor.
This room was different , it smelled of flowers and spring, the bed was neatly arranged , the windows half covered by the curtains made of maroon silk , it looked like a fancier version of his own room back in the human world.
He heard the door unlock and there was the demon lord "you didn't wait pretty lady, I just want to ask you something…" he approached Hiromi slowly, the latter held his peace.
"Pretty lady, you look like him, I would've sworn you are from his own flesh and blood, but I don't know of a daughter from that person, or am I mistaken?" he said and stretching his hand to touch Hiromi's face.
The latter responded by backing away a little.
"don't be startled, I don't harbor you any harm, it's funny how you chose this chamber in particular…you know it opens for no one except her owner and me, that makes me wonder indeed" he said genuinely intrigued.
Hiromi reached out for hair ornaments took them all off, his very long hair now all loose a never ending black stream.
"Do I look familiar my lord? Do I remind you of him? "Hiromi said waiting for a response.
The latter only nodded then went to a small picture frame picked it up then said as he was still looking at it "I haven't seen you here before! Did you know? The person in this picture was the best incubus that I had, he brought me souls like no one ever did….I even took him as my lover, but that human witch charmed him away, he came back to me one day and he said that he'll leave here and live as a human with her, you can only imagine how I felt, I forced him to stay.
Never leaving here, I had his body yet his heart I didn't have…" he smashed the picture into pieces on the floor.
"He eventually left despite the fact that he'll be cursed…."
Hiromi decided to make his move he approached the demon lord, he kept gazing deep into his eyes spoke soft words of comfort in an ancient tongue and held his hands still keeping his gaze.
"Who are you an enchantress of some sort? or are you…" the demon lord held his tongue , this much hate reflected in those violet eyes , the irresistible charm , all the same as that person, even far worse.
The demon lord didn't realize that when Hiromi let his hair loose he also took from his obi a dagger, the dagger that killed his best friend hid it behind his back.
He stood face to face with his enemy, he leaned over and whispered "that person had an only son and that is me, you took him away from me!"
Before the other gets a chance to react Hiromi pierced him in the stomach, startled touched the wound looking at his bloody hand "blood? How is it possible? A half demon like you..? "
"You didn't bother to seek me out yourself, just relied on pathetic beings to kill me, did you really think I am that weak?" he smiled evilly.
"I am beyond demonic rules; I am a far superior being now!!"
The demon lord, staggered and fell to the floor, bleeding.
To his victim, Hiromi sat on top of him, held his pendant " just bear with me then I will set you free " he said to it and with all his might he lifted the dagger as high as possible again, and continued stabbed the person lying below him, he didn't feel any need to stop at the second stab, although one stab was about just enough, this ritual dagger and the soul of his best friend infused to it, all would've sufficed.
All his frustration, anger and hate, all was in this dagger, in the moment he waited for, all his life.
He didn't realize that he was tired already, until he stopped.
"I didn't want it to happen like this, I didn't want any of this" he leaned back, the room now dyed deep red, even he himself.
He leaned back from his position " I am going crazy, I can't think clear anymore, I used all what was left of my energy, naa Shiki will you hold me? " staring at him upside down.
The other said chuckling "so, you knew I was here? That's no fun" faking a frown.
Hiromi stood up went to the mirror "I think I look pretty in deep red, maybe I should wear this color more often , oh I almost forgot" he took out the pendant from around his neck and was about to shatter it on the floor, when Shiki stopped him.
"If you smash it here, he'll be back but time will rewind without you, they will forget you, the whole world as well, like you never existed; only the demons won't"
"Shiki…you better escape, I won't return to the angel, I hold responsibility for killing this thing right here" and he shattered the pendant.
Shiki said nothing; instead with a swift move he tugged Hiromi from his kimono and threw him towards the garden-pond overlooking the chamber, the glass with his move shattered, he jumped following him.
"What was that for?" said Hiromi nothing but happy, dripping wet, glaring at the tall figure standing there grinning.
"So, now did you wake-up from your daze?"
"I am done with you doing one stupid thing after another, did you really think you can get away after this easily, just by handing yourself to the ancients? They would never let you see the light of day again and humiliate you, oh and let us not mention physical and psychological abuse, all you can hope for is the fate sisters would look kindly on you "he helped Hiromi stand up.
Up to now Shiki was always observing, he owned so much to the person who gave him his name, but he was done with seeing him running down the hill, he disapproved of him summoning the angel, but Hiromi didn't listen to him.
" I…can't keep going on , as I said earlier I don't have any energy left , seems like when I was with the angel I didn't need any type of energy to sustain me, but other where I still do…" he sighed barely able to walk away to sit on a chair placed in front of the pond shore.
Shiki sat beside him "do you know why everything was easy? You did wonder why there was no guards, nothing, am I not mistaken?"
The black haired demon only nodded.
The other picked up a leaf from a tree nearby and let it float on water, then he explained to Hiromi how the angel can't enter this world, her promise to assist Hiromi, made her turn to Shiki because she knew there is no one to trust but him.
Being independent, affiliated with no party, his loyalty is only for Hiromi, she knew he wouldn't fuss over doing anything for him even killing other demons, he could care less.
"Here!! Let us get out of here, the sooner the better, I will take you, ride on my back" Shiki said smiling gently.
What Fates took and what was taken from them
Shiki knew where to find the fate sisters; it's a different part of the underworld a place where no one has touched before.
A secluded piece of land, they came by a dry land, only solid rock there, they saw a big tapestry depicting plenty of people, and they heard voices coming from it, and an old ugly lady carrying scissors cutting pieces of that tapestry, every time she did cries and sighs would be heard.
"I see that you came here, I am the past, I hold only death in my hands, you ought to visit my other sister she holds life and the present"
Moving on , they came across a land with adult trees, dark green grassland, wilting flowers and a mature looking lady standing there holding a thread , still the same mural extended , she stopped mending parts of the tapestry and looked at them , smiled weakly.
"I am life as it is and the present, go to my younger sister, then come back to us"
They did as they were told.
Finally, they reached the end of the big woven piece.
In a spring field, flowers were blooming; butterflies everywhere, her part of the tapestry depicted children while the one before all adults.
"I am the future, life that is yet to be shaped; I hold the threads to shape the tapestry of life only to be ruined by my older sister in the end"
The scenery changed and it was dark, only a small light was there, Shiki panicked he knew something bad has happened, he reached in the dark for Hiromi but he couldn't find him.
"Are you looking for him?" the old lady said holding Hiromi, her scissors pointed at his neck.
The black haired demon as usual, was just standing there, his features calm and emotionless.
The other sisters came beside her, the light was faint but he could make their faces and saw them standing next to the tapestry.
"This little demon here, has caused a lot of disruption in our threads of fate, more than anyone has ever done, young demons like you can't understand how much trouble we go through when you break our threads " she continued, her scissors still as it is.
The mature one picked up "my tapestry needs to be mended again now, so much to mend, it takes a millennium to complete each part of this tapestry, you kept changing what we had woven, and my sister had to cut many parts…"
Lastly, the youngest continued her sister's speech "I had to change many threads, start from nothing again, you caused us lots of trouble, punishment is inevitable!!"
"If it wasn't for you Shiki we would've cut his thread of fate long ago..." they said.
Shiki having been acquainted with the fate sisters, for many years, had them favor him.
"I know what he did is unforgivable but it's the angel's fault as well, don't blame it all on him, besides his soul belongs to her, you can't do that, these are the rules, aren't they? " the elegant brown haired demon said.
"Your words hold no wrong in them, still we can make him wish for death for all eternity or until the angel gives us his soul to cut his thread of fate and let him have his peace"
Hiromi began feeling uneasy and agitated "if I caused such many troubles, I don't need to be in anyone's favor, just do what you please already!, I don't care about what you have to do, the rules between life and death of superior beings I do understand, let’s be over with it!!"
He was about to grab the scissors from the old lady's hand, taking her by surprise to dig it deep in his neck, but he stopped half way.
" I have my say in this, I chose my path and the future that will unfold before me , is one without the ones that I love , what's woven by your hands I won't ask you to change again, I never will ,but isn't a future without them is a punishment worse than torture or death? That I ask…" he said nothing after.
All of those present, knew the reason behind choosing that future, if he hadn't shatter the pendant, Sayran's soul will have to be replaced with one of equal status and value to Hiromi, which means his sister Sterrin, and naturally he would not settle for that.
"Sing us a song Shiki, we haven't heard your beautiful singing in a long time, Hiromi you can accompany him with your unmatchable shamisen skill and we will let you go from this wretch's world" the sisters said.
Shiki smiled sarcastically "you love my songs of misfortune, and death? Then my song you will hear"
"long long ago, a lonely spirit lived in an small pond , that spirit had the songs of the sirens , those who hear the song strive to come closer, sorrowful yet alluring , a song that brought calamity and death"
"All those who've heard the song drowned trying to reach the spirit , save one girl , hair the color or sunset , everyday she came by picking up the black roses growing on the banks of the pond , making a necklace out of them and offering it to the spirit, she strived for the impossible , the spirit was not oblivious to her existence, but nothing can be done, the spirit couldn’t speak only sing the same sorrowful-alluring songs , the girl frustrated with her one sided actions , threw herself in that pond , drowning the spirit promised her to keep her by his side eternally , hearing the songs of the sirens and watching the doom of those who hear it…"
When the song ended, the scenery changed again, Shiki and Hiromi both stands on a land that holds a secret they share, where it all started between those two.
Tears unshed and lives forgotten
Hiromi returned to the angel, his wish was to return to the human world, she was hesitant to grant him this wish, she did after all, conditionally, to come back to her every full moon, and not accept the offer to succeed the demon lord.
He wasn't going to accept anyway, but she just wanted to make sure, once he goes to the underworld she will lose him forever.
"How will you sustain yourself until you come back to me? Touching humans will only result in their demise, with your current state "the angel said wondering while she leaned on Hiromi's chest listening to his heart beat.
"I have Shiki, he is higher than me, anything I can take from him will last for a long time" he grinned absent mindedly.
"Good luck with that, he won't even touch you except in dire situations let alone sleep with you" she giggled.
He didn't comment back on her last statement.
He isn't an Oiran anymore and neither associated with the castle nor the demons inhabiting it, he left the reigns for Erin and he wasn't going to take it from her.
Although he still looks like a modern version of an Oiran, hair pins are necessary for him too, but no ornaments or combs, even arguing daily with Shiki over letting his hair grow again and wearing like him instead of whatever he likes.
"I don't want to look like a damned doll" he always says.
He and Shiki are wandering demons, they might bring disaster or peace depending on how they see fit, living among humans who are oblivious to their true identity except a handful.
Every now and then Hiromi would visit the siblings home at night, when they are asleep, or observing them silently from a distance.
"Even if they never met you in this reality you yearn for them, don't you?" Shiki whispered to him.
"Look, even our picture since we were children has changed!!" he held a picture frame decorated with sea shells and showed it to him.
Indeed the picture had only two smiling children with auburn hair and yellow eyes instead of the one they took long ago which had the two and one black haired child with violet eyes.
"I am pathetic, I keep holding to people that I end up losing…." Hiromi said sarcastically.
He said to himself that at least now, they can live a normal life, they will grow older, marry and have children and grandchildren.
Shiki though, comforted him by saying "do you see Sterrin? Look on her mirror is the hair pin that you gave me; the fates did look kindly on you, a small twist to their fate and yours "he smiled.
One would think that he would be happy but he wasn't, he looked at the brown haired demon "
I want them to live like normal humans, having even a small chance to remember me would prevent that..."
He kept being upset even when he left to see the angel who said:
"You underestimate those two; if I were in their shoes I would be offended".
"Seriously, did you think they would be able to live a normal life, in a town where your demons still inhabit, and are the secret that lies there? They weren't normal for start, that hasn't changed"
Later that night Hiromi went back to the castle, they knew about everything somehow to them he wasn't more fearful he was the person they respect and look up to.
He asked her for a favor, after picking up from where they were separated.
He asked if he could spend the night in his chamber, she informed him that it's always there for him, they haven't touched it or changed anything in it, except cleaning it and adding more cherry blossoms and adding a few black roses.
She didn't lie, everything was the same, his kimonos and hair ornaments, his make-up, everything.
"It's been years but I have to use that" he went to the mirror, staring deeply into his reflection.
" Mirror of souls guide me , for I am lost , wake up from your deep slumber , I am in need of your guidance , my heart is crying , yet my tears are dry , I hurt and lost so many , that… I do not want anymore "he wiped the mirror with his hand, and voices came from the murky mirror with answers.
In the end he decided to leave things as they are and accept the fates gift, after all there is no telling when the siblings might remember.
Only watching from the sidelines, it's for the best he came to accept that.
He will deal with what happens when the time comes.
If you did read my lousy,poor story,please let me thank you, although I still have a spin-off more like a mini-chapter.
It's dedicated for Shiki, since little is mentioned about his origins and how is he acquainted with Hiromi,but I wonder if it'll see light or stay in my draft.
Au revoir
But then after all,I put all my heart and time in this story,it might be the last work of fiction that I do, so whatever,even if it wasn't good,I never claimed to be a world renonwned author.
Here goes nothing
Dark Fates
At the gates to the underworld, he paused a little, wondering why no one was there, " maybe it's the angel's doing? " he wondered, yet shrugged the thought off and continued, the outcome of this fateful meeting is the only thing that matters.
Hiromi changed to his female form, for this he became an Oiran again , he remembered as he had to fix the combs and pins himself , Erin used to help him with his get-up , somehow that was nostalgic.
After a walk for a time not so long yet not so short, he arrived at a huge castle-like building , he entered the hallway , as the door was open , a small narrow walkway can be seen at the far end of where he is standing , something told him that's where he'll find what his heart desires.
It was dark and cold, skulls with candles inside of them lit the hallway, and every now and then one could hear hysteric laughter.
Hiromi never been to the place his father came from, nor did he tell anything about it, as if he never once lived there.
Again the corridor reached a smaller hall with a very different atmosphere, there were scented candles and different chambers scattered around, they were all locked, he was going to leave the vicinity when a familiar scent drew him "black roses? How odd!! "Only Shiki had that unique scent, but he wasn't sure if this is a trick his mind was playing, or Shiki is somewhere in here, Hiromi following the faint scent came across a door which wasn't locked, he opened it slowly, since he heard voices coming from behind it.
He saw the person he came here for, his enemy, he had a succubus at each side, they were drinking something and laughing, Hiromi made sure his presence was known.
"Oh dear me…I'm sorry, I seem to have lost my way..." he made sure that their eyes would meet.
It took the demon lord a moment and then he stood up from his bejeweled chair "wait…don't go..." but Hiromi was already walking away.
Regardless of the presence of anyone with him in that room, he found himself walking after that somehow familiar beauty.
He didn't know where to go exactly , but it had to be a place out of sight , he ran slowly , because of his garments he can't run very quickly , he kept his way in the corridor and without hesitation he opened the last door in that corridor.
This room was different , it smelled of flowers and spring, the bed was neatly arranged , the windows half covered by the curtains made of maroon silk , it looked like a fancier version of his own room back in the human world.
He heard the door unlock and there was the demon lord "you didn't wait pretty lady, I just want to ask you something…" he approached Hiromi slowly, the latter held his peace.
"Pretty lady, you look like him, I would've sworn you are from his own flesh and blood, but I don't know of a daughter from that person, or am I mistaken?" he said and stretching his hand to touch Hiromi's face.
The latter responded by backing away a little.
"don't be startled, I don't harbor you any harm, it's funny how you chose this chamber in particular…you know it opens for no one except her owner and me, that makes me wonder indeed" he said genuinely intrigued.
Hiromi reached out for hair ornaments took them all off, his very long hair now all loose a never ending black stream.
"Do I look familiar my lord? Do I remind you of him? "Hiromi said waiting for a response.
The latter only nodded then went to a small picture frame picked it up then said as he was still looking at it "I haven't seen you here before! Did you know? The person in this picture was the best incubus that I had, he brought me souls like no one ever did….I even took him as my lover, but that human witch charmed him away, he came back to me one day and he said that he'll leave here and live as a human with her, you can only imagine how I felt, I forced him to stay.
Never leaving here, I had his body yet his heart I didn't have…" he smashed the picture into pieces on the floor.
"He eventually left despite the fact that he'll be cursed…."
Hiromi decided to make his move he approached the demon lord, he kept gazing deep into his eyes spoke soft words of comfort in an ancient tongue and held his hands still keeping his gaze.
"Who are you an enchantress of some sort? or are you…" the demon lord held his tongue , this much hate reflected in those violet eyes , the irresistible charm , all the same as that person, even far worse.
The demon lord didn't realize that when Hiromi let his hair loose he also took from his obi a dagger, the dagger that killed his best friend hid it behind his back.
He stood face to face with his enemy, he leaned over and whispered "that person had an only son and that is me, you took him away from me!"
Before the other gets a chance to react Hiromi pierced him in the stomach, startled touched the wound looking at his bloody hand "blood? How is it possible? A half demon like you..? "
"You didn't bother to seek me out yourself, just relied on pathetic beings to kill me, did you really think I am that weak?" he smiled evilly.
"I am beyond demonic rules; I am a far superior being now!!"
The demon lord, staggered and fell to the floor, bleeding.
To his victim, Hiromi sat on top of him, held his pendant " just bear with me then I will set you free " he said to it and with all his might he lifted the dagger as high as possible again, and continued stabbed the person lying below him, he didn't feel any need to stop at the second stab, although one stab was about just enough, this ritual dagger and the soul of his best friend infused to it, all would've sufficed.
All his frustration, anger and hate, all was in this dagger, in the moment he waited for, all his life.
He didn't realize that he was tired already, until he stopped.
"I didn't want it to happen like this, I didn't want any of this" he leaned back, the room now dyed deep red, even he himself.
He leaned back from his position " I am going crazy, I can't think clear anymore, I used all what was left of my energy, naa Shiki will you hold me? " staring at him upside down.
The other said chuckling "so, you knew I was here? That's no fun" faking a frown.
Hiromi stood up went to the mirror "I think I look pretty in deep red, maybe I should wear this color more often , oh I almost forgot" he took out the pendant from around his neck and was about to shatter it on the floor, when Shiki stopped him.
"If you smash it here, he'll be back but time will rewind without you, they will forget you, the whole world as well, like you never existed; only the demons won't"
"Shiki…you better escape, I won't return to the angel, I hold responsibility for killing this thing right here" and he shattered the pendant.
Shiki said nothing; instead with a swift move he tugged Hiromi from his kimono and threw him towards the garden-pond overlooking the chamber, the glass with his move shattered, he jumped following him.
"What was that for?" said Hiromi nothing but happy, dripping wet, glaring at the tall figure standing there grinning.
"So, now did you wake-up from your daze?"
"I am done with you doing one stupid thing after another, did you really think you can get away after this easily, just by handing yourself to the ancients? They would never let you see the light of day again and humiliate you, oh and let us not mention physical and psychological abuse, all you can hope for is the fate sisters would look kindly on you "he helped Hiromi stand up.
Up to now Shiki was always observing, he owned so much to the person who gave him his name, but he was done with seeing him running down the hill, he disapproved of him summoning the angel, but Hiromi didn't listen to him.
" I…can't keep going on , as I said earlier I don't have any energy left , seems like when I was with the angel I didn't need any type of energy to sustain me, but other where I still do…" he sighed barely able to walk away to sit on a chair placed in front of the pond shore.
Shiki sat beside him "do you know why everything was easy? You did wonder why there was no guards, nothing, am I not mistaken?"
The black haired demon only nodded.
The other picked up a leaf from a tree nearby and let it float on water, then he explained to Hiromi how the angel can't enter this world, her promise to assist Hiromi, made her turn to Shiki because she knew there is no one to trust but him.
Being independent, affiliated with no party, his loyalty is only for Hiromi, she knew he wouldn't fuss over doing anything for him even killing other demons, he could care less.
"Here!! Let us get out of here, the sooner the better, I will take you, ride on my back" Shiki said smiling gently.
What Fates took and what was taken from them
Shiki knew where to find the fate sisters; it's a different part of the underworld a place where no one has touched before.
A secluded piece of land, they came by a dry land, only solid rock there, they saw a big tapestry depicting plenty of people, and they heard voices coming from it, and an old ugly lady carrying scissors cutting pieces of that tapestry, every time she did cries and sighs would be heard.
"I see that you came here, I am the past, I hold only death in my hands, you ought to visit my other sister she holds life and the present"
Moving on , they came across a land with adult trees, dark green grassland, wilting flowers and a mature looking lady standing there holding a thread , still the same mural extended , she stopped mending parts of the tapestry and looked at them , smiled weakly.
"I am life as it is and the present, go to my younger sister, then come back to us"
They did as they were told.
Finally, they reached the end of the big woven piece.
In a spring field, flowers were blooming; butterflies everywhere, her part of the tapestry depicted children while the one before all adults.
"I am the future, life that is yet to be shaped; I hold the threads to shape the tapestry of life only to be ruined by my older sister in the end"
The scenery changed and it was dark, only a small light was there, Shiki panicked he knew something bad has happened, he reached in the dark for Hiromi but he couldn't find him.
"Are you looking for him?" the old lady said holding Hiromi, her scissors pointed at his neck.
The black haired demon as usual, was just standing there, his features calm and emotionless.
The other sisters came beside her, the light was faint but he could make their faces and saw them standing next to the tapestry.
"This little demon here, has caused a lot of disruption in our threads of fate, more than anyone has ever done, young demons like you can't understand how much trouble we go through when you break our threads " she continued, her scissors still as it is.
The mature one picked up "my tapestry needs to be mended again now, so much to mend, it takes a millennium to complete each part of this tapestry, you kept changing what we had woven, and my sister had to cut many parts…"
Lastly, the youngest continued her sister's speech "I had to change many threads, start from nothing again, you caused us lots of trouble, punishment is inevitable!!"
"If it wasn't for you Shiki we would've cut his thread of fate long ago..." they said.
Shiki having been acquainted with the fate sisters, for many years, had them favor him.
"I know what he did is unforgivable but it's the angel's fault as well, don't blame it all on him, besides his soul belongs to her, you can't do that, these are the rules, aren't they? " the elegant brown haired demon said.
"Your words hold no wrong in them, still we can make him wish for death for all eternity or until the angel gives us his soul to cut his thread of fate and let him have his peace"
Hiromi began feeling uneasy and agitated "if I caused such many troubles, I don't need to be in anyone's favor, just do what you please already!, I don't care about what you have to do, the rules between life and death of superior beings I do understand, let’s be over with it!!"
He was about to grab the scissors from the old lady's hand, taking her by surprise to dig it deep in his neck, but he stopped half way.
" I have my say in this, I chose my path and the future that will unfold before me , is one without the ones that I love , what's woven by your hands I won't ask you to change again, I never will ,but isn't a future without them is a punishment worse than torture or death? That I ask…" he said nothing after.
All of those present, knew the reason behind choosing that future, if he hadn't shatter the pendant, Sayran's soul will have to be replaced with one of equal status and value to Hiromi, which means his sister Sterrin, and naturally he would not settle for that.
"Sing us a song Shiki, we haven't heard your beautiful singing in a long time, Hiromi you can accompany him with your unmatchable shamisen skill and we will let you go from this wretch's world" the sisters said.
Shiki smiled sarcastically "you love my songs of misfortune, and death? Then my song you will hear"
"long long ago, a lonely spirit lived in an small pond , that spirit had the songs of the sirens , those who hear the song strive to come closer, sorrowful yet alluring , a song that brought calamity and death"
"All those who've heard the song drowned trying to reach the spirit , save one girl , hair the color or sunset , everyday she came by picking up the black roses growing on the banks of the pond , making a necklace out of them and offering it to the spirit, she strived for the impossible , the spirit was not oblivious to her existence, but nothing can be done, the spirit couldn’t speak only sing the same sorrowful-alluring songs , the girl frustrated with her one sided actions , threw herself in that pond , drowning the spirit promised her to keep her by his side eternally , hearing the songs of the sirens and watching the doom of those who hear it…"
When the song ended, the scenery changed again, Shiki and Hiromi both stands on a land that holds a secret they share, where it all started between those two.
Tears unshed and lives forgotten
Hiromi returned to the angel, his wish was to return to the human world, she was hesitant to grant him this wish, she did after all, conditionally, to come back to her every full moon, and not accept the offer to succeed the demon lord.
He wasn't going to accept anyway, but she just wanted to make sure, once he goes to the underworld she will lose him forever.
"How will you sustain yourself until you come back to me? Touching humans will only result in their demise, with your current state "the angel said wondering while she leaned on Hiromi's chest listening to his heart beat.
"I have Shiki, he is higher than me, anything I can take from him will last for a long time" he grinned absent mindedly.
"Good luck with that, he won't even touch you except in dire situations let alone sleep with you" she giggled.
He didn't comment back on her last statement.
He isn't an Oiran anymore and neither associated with the castle nor the demons inhabiting it, he left the reigns for Erin and he wasn't going to take it from her.
Although he still looks like a modern version of an Oiran, hair pins are necessary for him too, but no ornaments or combs, even arguing daily with Shiki over letting his hair grow again and wearing like him instead of whatever he likes.
"I don't want to look like a damned doll" he always says.
He and Shiki are wandering demons, they might bring disaster or peace depending on how they see fit, living among humans who are oblivious to their true identity except a handful.
Every now and then Hiromi would visit the siblings home at night, when they are asleep, or observing them silently from a distance.
"Even if they never met you in this reality you yearn for them, don't you?" Shiki whispered to him.
"Look, even our picture since we were children has changed!!" he held a picture frame decorated with sea shells and showed it to him.
Indeed the picture had only two smiling children with auburn hair and yellow eyes instead of the one they took long ago which had the two and one black haired child with violet eyes.
"I am pathetic, I keep holding to people that I end up losing…." Hiromi said sarcastically.
He said to himself that at least now, they can live a normal life, they will grow older, marry and have children and grandchildren.
Shiki though, comforted him by saying "do you see Sterrin? Look on her mirror is the hair pin that you gave me; the fates did look kindly on you, a small twist to their fate and yours "he smiled.
One would think that he would be happy but he wasn't, he looked at the brown haired demon "
I want them to live like normal humans, having even a small chance to remember me would prevent that..."
He kept being upset even when he left to see the angel who said:
"You underestimate those two; if I were in their shoes I would be offended".
"Seriously, did you think they would be able to live a normal life, in a town where your demons still inhabit, and are the secret that lies there? They weren't normal for start, that hasn't changed"
Later that night Hiromi went back to the castle, they knew about everything somehow to them he wasn't more fearful he was the person they respect and look up to.
He asked her for a favor, after picking up from where they were separated.
He asked if he could spend the night in his chamber, she informed him that it's always there for him, they haven't touched it or changed anything in it, except cleaning it and adding more cherry blossoms and adding a few black roses.
She didn't lie, everything was the same, his kimonos and hair ornaments, his make-up, everything.
"It's been years but I have to use that" he went to the mirror, staring deeply into his reflection.
" Mirror of souls guide me , for I am lost , wake up from your deep slumber , I am in need of your guidance , my heart is crying , yet my tears are dry , I hurt and lost so many , that… I do not want anymore "he wiped the mirror with his hand, and voices came from the murky mirror with answers.
In the end he decided to leave things as they are and accept the fates gift, after all there is no telling when the siblings might remember.
Only watching from the sidelines, it's for the best he came to accept that.
He will deal with what happens when the time comes.
If you did read my lousy,poor story,please let me thank you, although I still have a spin-off more like a mini-chapter.
It's dedicated for Shiki, since little is mentioned about his origins and how is he acquainted with Hiromi,but I wonder if it'll see light or stay in my draft.
Au revoir