Fiction - Update
Hello there,
this chapter got delayed by a hectic schedule, a sick room mate and midterms. But now that those are all over, I hope things will calm down in the future (okay, all November weekends are already completely booked, but as I'm teaching in December, I won't be traveling and going out as much.) ;)
For now, the next chapter ^^
Title: What Should Have Never Been Found
Part: 22/26 (?)
Genre: Suspense
Wordcount: ~3500
Warnings: Violence, character death.
Characters: Tezuka, Fuji, and some others.
Summary: Due to circumstances, Tezuka is forced to make an after school trip to a house belonging to friends of his grandfather. Fuji accompanies him and encounters something unexpected.
Disclaimer: PoT is not mine (which is probably for the better)
Prior Parts: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Twenty-two
There were no words to describe what Tezuka was feeling.
Frozen to the spot, he couldn't help wishing it wasn't true. The words he had just heard, the decision Yumiko had hinted at - would he really have to watch Fuji die a second time? Those white walls seemed to be closing in, and Tezuka unconsciously clutched the door handle tighter.
The clicking of Yumiko's heels faded into the distance, another door fell shut, and Tezuka was once more entirely alone with Fuji. Or the empty shell that remained of his friend. Very slowly he drew a deep breath. No matter how desperately he prayed this wouldn't come to pass, a little voice that sounded suspiciously like the logical part of his mind urged him to accept this truth.
Once more his eyes came to rest on Fuji's motionless figure.
He didn't want to lose his friend.
The experience had been horrifying enough the first time. Never again, a part of his soul had screeched, while the pain left him wordless. Never again did he want to lose somebody so close to himself.
His heart ached.
There was another feeling bubbling up in his chest. Almost unnoticeable beside all the desperation, anxiety and hopelessness, but there was something else, something foreign. Deep in himself he could feel anger rising.
Anger at the demon.
Anger at what had happened.
And a grim determination not to let such events pass twice. He might not rationally understand where the conviction behind that sentiment stemmed from, but it was frighteningly strong.
After everything Fuji had done to protect him from harm, Tezuka found there was little he should stop short of. The demon hadn't pulled her shots, either. His fingertips were tingling - that foreign reservoir of energy longed to be put to use.
It was time for him to act, before more innocent bystanders became involved. His stomach twisted reflexively as the memory of Hasegawa's gory end rose to the surface, but he could brush it aside his time. He wouldn't wait until the demon came to him now.
Tezuka glanced at Fuji's pale face one more time. Eyes closed, expressionless yet peaceful - part of Tezuka's heart throbbed at the thought that his own foolishness had condemned Fuji to this fate. But whatever it took, he wouldn’t passively watch the nightmare unfold.
Not any longer.
"I'll take care of things from now on," he vowed silently, his lips unmoving; "I won't let you die."
+ + +
Leaving the small hospital room, he almost ran into Yumiko. She was whiter than her brother, and her eyes faintly red-rimmed, but the expression in them was hard. Tezuka recalled the coldness of their last encounter, and couldn't help but swallow as Yumiko fixed him with a very critical, gauging stare.
"Tezuka-kun," she greeted, formally inclining her head, "Did you say your goodbyes?"
Tezuka couldn't help the widening of his eyes. Did she know he had overheard the earlier conversation? Yumiko caught his reaction and smiled bitterly.
"You should do so," she said, "The good doctor isn't willing to keep Syusuke hooked to the machines a minute longer than strictly necessary - and unless you know something I don't, my brother isn't going to wake up on his own."
There was a spark behind the hard facade she wore, Tezuka abruptly realized. Yumiko didn't believe this situation was beyond hope, either. Though unlike him, she couldn’t rationalize her impression - nor could she convince the attending doctor.
Tezuka pressed his lips together. "I think it might be too early to say goodbye yet."
Yumiko’s facial expression didn’t change in the slightest. Instead she pressed her lips firmly together. "What happened?"
Tezuka surreptitiously glanced down the corridor, but aside from two nurses chatting at the information desk at the far end, it was empty. Still he kept his voice low, fearing somebody to overhear their conversation.
He wasn’t entirely certain he read Yumiko’s behavior correctly - never before had she scrutinized him that critically. And a part of him - as unfamiliar as the sensation was - was very wary of her and her abilities. Even though he logically understood that she was the one person who could provide help now.
But his own powers surpassed hers, now. Surpassed hers by far. What help could he expect from her, a small, malevolent voice whispered. Wasn’t he just wasting time?
Tezuka energetically shoved those thoughts aside and forced his lips to move. "Fuji... He did something to manipulate whatever the demon was doing; I believe it caused some of the demon's powers to be transferred onto myself. Before that came to pass however, the demon killed him..."
He swallowed, still wondering how he could best explain his sudden urge to flee the scene then. Yumiko frowned. "That's not good, though it does explain quite a couple of things. As you probably realized, unlike you, my brother wasn't bodily present in that place. Neither he nor me wield enough power to enable a bodily transportation from one place to another, so instead I employed a technique to transport his ... spirit, or soul, if you will, while his body stayed here and I was acting as the anchor connection both."
Tezuka nodded, his mind picturing an invisible thread. The idea appeared weird to him, but familiar and easy to understand at another level. He blinked.
His mind was acting strangely.
"However the moment he was killed that connection was cut," Yumiko looked more than unhappy, "It was a foolish idea to use that technique..."
Tezuka bit his lip. It all came back to him - if he hadn't allowed the demon to drag him away, Fuji wouldn't have had a reason to chase after him. Yumiko wouldn't have had to employ this technique, and things would still be alright.
She sighed. "This is an area I am not very familiar with, as it is only accessible to those with power far surpassing my own. But I have reason to believe, there's a good chance the connection between Syusuke's soul and body could be restored."
Yumiko caught his eye, and Tezuka held his breath. "Though for that one would need to go back to that place and search."
It fit with what Tezuka's instincts were telling him to do. Use his new powers, go back to the place, find the demon and reverse the events that had occurred. He might not know how to do this, but he could feel the power necessary tickling his fingertips.
In response to Yumiko's statement he nodded.
If there is any way, his mind supplied, though his lips remained silent.
"The pond outside will do," Yumiko muttered, turning away again, "Your own powers are more than sufficient."
He felt her eyes gauging him once again, and couldn't help but wonder how much the demon's work had changed him in her eyes. Were the changes in him obvious to everybody capable of seeing this kind of thing? Would Fuji, too, gaze at him with that distant, gauging expression?
"Go and say hello to your grandfather. I will be waiting outside in an hour."
+ + +
Tezuka stopped in front of the door leading to his grandfather’s hospital room for a moment to take a breath and collect himself. He was nervous, anxious - while going to visit his grandfather was important, he’d rather go and seek Fuji right now.
Waiting was straining his nerves.
And he felt horrible. He should be worried for his grandfather just as much. That everybody told him Kunikazu was well did not mean much - nobody had given him details, and the last he had seen was him collapsing after the demon’s careless attack.
How could he dismiss his own grandfather so lightly?
He clenched his fists, then raised his hand and knocked before entering.
His parents, as well as his grandfather turned to see him. The room was well lit, there were already two bouquets of flowers sitting on a nearby table, and several teacups filled with steaming liquid. Warm air rushed to meet his cheeks, carrying a faint aroma of tea and sweets.
“Kunimitsu,” his mother rose to greet him, “Come in and sit down. Do you want a cup of tea?”
Tezuka swallowed, and then followed his mother’s invitation. He couldn’t help but carefully observe his grandfather - but the old man appeared healthy, down to the color of his skin.
“How are you?” he heard himself ask, and his voice sounded oddly choked.
“Fine, fine, you all worry far too much,” Kunikazu replied with a kind smile, before his face became serious again, “But how are you, Kunimitsu? Ayana couldn’t give me details, but between what I saw and what she said, your day did not pass quite so well.”
Tezuka felt how even his father’s eyes came to rest on him, filled with curiosity and confusion. A part of him wanted to turn and run.
Where should he even begin to explain? How to, without appearing insane?
“Kenta called me earlier,” Kunikazu continued after a moment, “They arrived here just two hours ago and are on their way. They’re very sorry about everything that happened. Furthermore, they already informed me that I had to accept an explanation involving the supernatural.”
He took a sip of his tea before carrying on. “While I might not be fond of such, I understand that a demon or a creature of that kind is involved here. So please, Kunimitsu, if you could just tell us what occurred to you.”
“We aren’t expecting any rational explanations or anything,” Ayana added, “We’re just worried.”
Something deep in Tezuka’s stomach twisted. Here he was, with three persons concerned for his welfare, willing to drop everything they believed in until now, just for his sake - while only two floors away Fuji and his sister were on their own, with nobody offering to accept anything defying the laws of nature for their sake.
And there wasn’t anything he could do to change it.
But at least he could assuage his family’s worries.
“It’s all quite complicated, and I don’t really understand the details either,” Tezuka eventually said, “The demon has been chasing after an object Nakayama-san left in grandfather’s care. She needed it for some sort of a ritual concerning a transfer of power - at least that was how I understood it.”
He had to swallow and speak past the odd lump in his throat. “Fuji and I were needed for some reason, but Fuji did something to make that ritual go wrong. Afterwards everything got quite chaotic and I escaped…”
His voice trailed off - probably everybody in the room could tell he had neither told the entire story, nor everything he knew. But his grandfather nodded in satisfaction.
“So you aren’t injured?”
“No, I’m perfectly fine,” Tezuka replied.
“That’s good to hear,” his father commented with a lopsided smiled, “If I have to be honest, I’m utterly confused at the moment. But how is Fuji-kun? I heard he was hospitalized as well, though you said he was at that odd place with you…”
Blood drained away from Tezuka’s face. “There was some odd … well, Fuji-san made it possible for Fuji to follow me to the demon’s pocket dimension, while his body remained here.”
His father blinked. “Okay, well, no, I don’t really understand that, but it sounds logical. As long as everybody knows what they’re doing, I guess it’s okay.”
“But how is Fuji-kun doing right now? Did he wake up?” Ayana tilted her head, observing Tezuka’s reactions closely.
“No,” Tezuka muttered, wondering how on earth he was supposed to break the news to his parents. Nobody in the room expected words as drastic as those he ought to speak - ought to tell them that by all modern medical standards, Fuji was dead.
“He…” Tezuka took a deep breath, “Fuji-san told me that the doctors here consider him comatose with no chance of recovery.”
It wasn’t the truth, but it was close.
Ayana paled, the relaxed smile vanished from his father’s face and his grandfather frowned deeply. “How on earth… what happened?” His father uttered, shell-shocked, “I mean, how do they know he won’t recover? Coma patients have woken up after years, so why…?”
“When Fuji-kun stopped breathing then,” Ayana’s voice cut sharply through her husband’s ramblings, “Did we notice too late?”
Tezuka shook his head and turned his gaze to the floor. “When Fuji disturbed the demon’s work at that place, she attacked him. That attack … was fatal.”
“Even though his body wasn’t actually there?” His father inquired, disbelief thick in his voice.
“Yes,” Tezuka replied, “I don’t know how it worked, but it was what caused Fuji’s condition.”
“Oh dear,” Ayana muttered and fell silent. The warm air suddenly felt suffocating to Tezuka, as he watched his parents mull over his words. He longed to leave the room, to make his way to the lake, but he had still almost half an hour left.
“Is there no way to reverse it?” his grandfather inquired abruptly, “I may not understand much of these things, but if you were to explain the details of what occurred to Fuji-san, might she not know a method?”
“I already talked to her,” Tezuka replied, “We’re not certain.”
“But are you going to try?” His father asked.
Tezuka nodded, and a shadow of a grim smile crossed his father’s face. “That’s good. If we can help with anything, you’ll tell us, won’t you?”
“Yes,” Tezuka muttered, and found he couldn’t stay any longer. There was time left, but the staying with his family only made him grow painfully aware of the support he had. He had to leave before he ended up dragging them deeper into this mess.
His parents shouldn’t be sitting here, worrying for him and Fuji.
Or offering this sort of unconditional support that made his insides twist.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll go now,” he said and drained his teacup. The liquid was still warm - when all Tezuka could think of was how cold Fuji had looked, alone in that colorless room.
“I’ll come with you,” his mother announced and stood up, “I’d like to speak to Fuji-san for a moment.”
+ + +
His mother silently followed Tezuka to the staircase. When he turned to head down, she stopped and questioningly tilted her head. Fuji’s room was upstairs.
“I’ll first head to the cafeteria,” Tezuka explained - he’d rather spend time alone to concentrate on what would come next. Maybe he could think up some sort of a plan before he met up with Yumiko, “I expect Fuji-san will still be upstairs, though.”
Ayana nodded. “I see. Kunimitsu,” she took a deep breath, “Promise me one thing. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t endanger your own life. I don’t want to see Fuji-kun die - but I’m certain he wouldn’t want to see you die for his sake either.”
A cold shudder ran down Tezuka’s spine. It was with a dry mouth, that he uttered a reply.
“I will, mother.”
+ + +
He was early, almost by fifteen minutes, but Tezuka couldn't stand to wait any longer. So he had left the suffocating warmth of the hospital cafeteria and made his way to the small pond on hospital grounds. Snow crunched under his feet, his breath fogged in the frosty air and he found he had almost forgotten the feeling of icy air biting into his skin.
He stuffed his hands deeply into the pockets of his coat and tilted his head up. Beyond the white walls of the hospital the sky was dark, and not a star visible. The lights of the city enabled him to faintly discern the outlines of heavy clouds, and he wondered when this winter was finally going to be over.
In his mind it felt like it had been going on for years.
The hospital yard looked desolate, half-swallowed by snow and not a soul in sight.
Better for what he was about to do, Tezuka resumed. Maybe they should relocate to a place fader away from other human beings, but... Time was short as it was.
"Waiting for somebody?" an eerily familiar voice cut through the silence.
Tezuka whirled around. Seated on a snow-covered stone, wearing a light beige coat, was the demon. Once again it had taken Mori-san's form, down to the benign smile on her weathered face.
The snow next to her was melting, Tezuka noticed.
For a split second he was surprised at the lack of fear he felt at seeing the demon once again. Things had drastically changed.
Instead of replying, Tezuka merely tilted his head.
"Your friend did throw quite a wrench in my plans," she chuckled, "But I guess you aren't really happy with the results either."
Tezuka swallowed. Was she offering to cooperate? Why wasn't Yumiko here yet? She would be able to judge the situation better.
He kept his silence, stalling for time.
"Well, as you might have already guessed, there is a way to reverse this," she smiled invitingly, "A very simple way that would save your friend - what do you say, Tezuka-kun, are you willing to give up those new powers in exchange for your friend's life?"
His fingers clenched in his pockets, and Tezuka let out a long breath, watching the small cloud disappear into the winter night.
"What are the details of your offer?"
"You're asking where the catch is," Mori concluded, "Well; there is small risk to your health, but nothing dramatic. If you want the details - first I need my powers back, after that we need to search for your friend's soul, but I can't do that without my powers."
It sounded... reasonable.
“Or don’t you want your friend back?” she tilted her head, her smile widening. Carelessly she wiped a few snowflakes from the lapels of her coat, “I heard the poor boy isn’t doing very well. How long does he have left? I guess not too long from your expression, but I might err.”
Tezuka’s blood ran cold. His logical failed to answer, and even those new, foreign emotions remained silent in response to her bait. Only his heart desperately clung to her promise, urged him to agree - even for the hint of a chance.
He didn’t know how to bring Fuji back, after all.
And for all horrors the demon had committed, she held that knowledge. She could help where even raw power failed.
“How curious. I remember standing on a pond - not too different from this one - and when your friend was in danger of drowning, you didn’t hesitate to help,” she shrugged, “Well, maybe you changed your mind since them. Maybe you feel your association with him only brought you into this?”
Thoughtfully she gazed through the dark yard. The pleasant greenery had been buried by layers of snow and eyes, and the darkness did the rest to dispel any notion of comfort. Tezuka’s breath kept forming small clouds in the icy air.
“The world did not change a lot, I see,” there was an odd note to her voice. Almost wistful, or - dare he say it - melancholy, “Still not inclined to accept the supernatural or those associated with it. Does your friend know about your changed feelings?”
Tezuka could only blink in confusion. His mind was racing to catch up with her words. What… what was she implying? Was she still trying to bait him into accepting her offer?
“Well, if you don’t intend to save him,” she smiled, and it struck him as honest, “It might be better if he dies without knowing of your betrayal.”
There were no words to describe the feelings that rose in his chest. Indignation, coupled with furious anger - and a grain of icy doubt - what if his actions really looked like betrayal? Hadn’t he run away then? He’d believed Fuji dead, but was that really enough of a reason?
“It’s …” he started.
A shot ripped through the night.
Blood splattered on the snow.
And Tezuka watched in helpless fascination, as Mori’s body jerked before sliding limply of the stone. Her body hit the ground with a muffled thud - and the snow around her began to turn red.
“Those poisonous words are not to be underestimated,” a familiar voice coolly announced. Tezuka slowly turned his head, his heart hammering in his chest. His brain still frantically tried to catch up with what had just occurred - and then he recognized Nakayama Kenta standing in front of the hospital exit, clad in a dark coat, black metal glinting in his gloved hands.
“But without her powers, this demon is just an ordinary human,” he said, “And as thus vulnerable to human weapons.”
tbc
Please feel free to share your thoughts and impressions with me ^__^
this chapter got delayed by a hectic schedule, a sick room mate and midterms. But now that those are all over, I hope things will calm down in the future (okay, all November weekends are already completely booked, but as I'm teaching in December, I won't be traveling and going out as much.) ;)
For now, the next chapter ^^
Title: What Should Have Never Been Found
Part: 22/26 (?)
Genre: Suspense
Wordcount: ~3500
Warnings: Violence, character death.
Characters: Tezuka, Fuji, and some others.
Summary: Due to circumstances, Tezuka is forced to make an after school trip to a house belonging to friends of his grandfather. Fuji accompanies him and encounters something unexpected.
Disclaimer: PoT is not mine (which is probably for the better)
Prior Parts: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Twenty-two
There were no words to describe what Tezuka was feeling.
Frozen to the spot, he couldn't help wishing it wasn't true. The words he had just heard, the decision Yumiko had hinted at - would he really have to watch Fuji die a second time? Those white walls seemed to be closing in, and Tezuka unconsciously clutched the door handle tighter.
The clicking of Yumiko's heels faded into the distance, another door fell shut, and Tezuka was once more entirely alone with Fuji. Or the empty shell that remained of his friend. Very slowly he drew a deep breath. No matter how desperately he prayed this wouldn't come to pass, a little voice that sounded suspiciously like the logical part of his mind urged him to accept this truth.
Once more his eyes came to rest on Fuji's motionless figure.
He didn't want to lose his friend.
The experience had been horrifying enough the first time. Never again, a part of his soul had screeched, while the pain left him wordless. Never again did he want to lose somebody so close to himself.
His heart ached.
There was another feeling bubbling up in his chest. Almost unnoticeable beside all the desperation, anxiety and hopelessness, but there was something else, something foreign. Deep in himself he could feel anger rising.
Anger at the demon.
Anger at what had happened.
And a grim determination not to let such events pass twice. He might not rationally understand where the conviction behind that sentiment stemmed from, but it was frighteningly strong.
After everything Fuji had done to protect him from harm, Tezuka found there was little he should stop short of. The demon hadn't pulled her shots, either. His fingertips were tingling - that foreign reservoir of energy longed to be put to use.
It was time for him to act, before more innocent bystanders became involved. His stomach twisted reflexively as the memory of Hasegawa's gory end rose to the surface, but he could brush it aside his time. He wouldn't wait until the demon came to him now.
Tezuka glanced at Fuji's pale face one more time. Eyes closed, expressionless yet peaceful - part of Tezuka's heart throbbed at the thought that his own foolishness had condemned Fuji to this fate. But whatever it took, he wouldn’t passively watch the nightmare unfold.
Not any longer.
"I'll take care of things from now on," he vowed silently, his lips unmoving; "I won't let you die."
+ + +
Leaving the small hospital room, he almost ran into Yumiko. She was whiter than her brother, and her eyes faintly red-rimmed, but the expression in them was hard. Tezuka recalled the coldness of their last encounter, and couldn't help but swallow as Yumiko fixed him with a very critical, gauging stare.
"Tezuka-kun," she greeted, formally inclining her head, "Did you say your goodbyes?"
Tezuka couldn't help the widening of his eyes. Did she know he had overheard the earlier conversation? Yumiko caught his reaction and smiled bitterly.
"You should do so," she said, "The good doctor isn't willing to keep Syusuke hooked to the machines a minute longer than strictly necessary - and unless you know something I don't, my brother isn't going to wake up on his own."
There was a spark behind the hard facade she wore, Tezuka abruptly realized. Yumiko didn't believe this situation was beyond hope, either. Though unlike him, she couldn’t rationalize her impression - nor could she convince the attending doctor.
Tezuka pressed his lips together. "I think it might be too early to say goodbye yet."
Yumiko’s facial expression didn’t change in the slightest. Instead she pressed her lips firmly together. "What happened?"
Tezuka surreptitiously glanced down the corridor, but aside from two nurses chatting at the information desk at the far end, it was empty. Still he kept his voice low, fearing somebody to overhear their conversation.
He wasn’t entirely certain he read Yumiko’s behavior correctly - never before had she scrutinized him that critically. And a part of him - as unfamiliar as the sensation was - was very wary of her and her abilities. Even though he logically understood that she was the one person who could provide help now.
But his own powers surpassed hers, now. Surpassed hers by far. What help could he expect from her, a small, malevolent voice whispered. Wasn’t he just wasting time?
Tezuka energetically shoved those thoughts aside and forced his lips to move. "Fuji... He did something to manipulate whatever the demon was doing; I believe it caused some of the demon's powers to be transferred onto myself. Before that came to pass however, the demon killed him..."
He swallowed, still wondering how he could best explain his sudden urge to flee the scene then. Yumiko frowned. "That's not good, though it does explain quite a couple of things. As you probably realized, unlike you, my brother wasn't bodily present in that place. Neither he nor me wield enough power to enable a bodily transportation from one place to another, so instead I employed a technique to transport his ... spirit, or soul, if you will, while his body stayed here and I was acting as the anchor connection both."
Tezuka nodded, his mind picturing an invisible thread. The idea appeared weird to him, but familiar and easy to understand at another level. He blinked.
His mind was acting strangely.
"However the moment he was killed that connection was cut," Yumiko looked more than unhappy, "It was a foolish idea to use that technique..."
Tezuka bit his lip. It all came back to him - if he hadn't allowed the demon to drag him away, Fuji wouldn't have had a reason to chase after him. Yumiko wouldn't have had to employ this technique, and things would still be alright.
She sighed. "This is an area I am not very familiar with, as it is only accessible to those with power far surpassing my own. But I have reason to believe, there's a good chance the connection between Syusuke's soul and body could be restored."
Yumiko caught his eye, and Tezuka held his breath. "Though for that one would need to go back to that place and search."
It fit with what Tezuka's instincts were telling him to do. Use his new powers, go back to the place, find the demon and reverse the events that had occurred. He might not know how to do this, but he could feel the power necessary tickling his fingertips.
In response to Yumiko's statement he nodded.
If there is any way, his mind supplied, though his lips remained silent.
"The pond outside will do," Yumiko muttered, turning away again, "Your own powers are more than sufficient."
He felt her eyes gauging him once again, and couldn't help but wonder how much the demon's work had changed him in her eyes. Were the changes in him obvious to everybody capable of seeing this kind of thing? Would Fuji, too, gaze at him with that distant, gauging expression?
"Go and say hello to your grandfather. I will be waiting outside in an hour."
+ + +
Tezuka stopped in front of the door leading to his grandfather’s hospital room for a moment to take a breath and collect himself. He was nervous, anxious - while going to visit his grandfather was important, he’d rather go and seek Fuji right now.
Waiting was straining his nerves.
And he felt horrible. He should be worried for his grandfather just as much. That everybody told him Kunikazu was well did not mean much - nobody had given him details, and the last he had seen was him collapsing after the demon’s careless attack.
How could he dismiss his own grandfather so lightly?
He clenched his fists, then raised his hand and knocked before entering.
His parents, as well as his grandfather turned to see him. The room was well lit, there were already two bouquets of flowers sitting on a nearby table, and several teacups filled with steaming liquid. Warm air rushed to meet his cheeks, carrying a faint aroma of tea and sweets.
“Kunimitsu,” his mother rose to greet him, “Come in and sit down. Do you want a cup of tea?”
Tezuka swallowed, and then followed his mother’s invitation. He couldn’t help but carefully observe his grandfather - but the old man appeared healthy, down to the color of his skin.
“How are you?” he heard himself ask, and his voice sounded oddly choked.
“Fine, fine, you all worry far too much,” Kunikazu replied with a kind smile, before his face became serious again, “But how are you, Kunimitsu? Ayana couldn’t give me details, but between what I saw and what she said, your day did not pass quite so well.”
Tezuka felt how even his father’s eyes came to rest on him, filled with curiosity and confusion. A part of him wanted to turn and run.
Where should he even begin to explain? How to, without appearing insane?
“Kenta called me earlier,” Kunikazu continued after a moment, “They arrived here just two hours ago and are on their way. They’re very sorry about everything that happened. Furthermore, they already informed me that I had to accept an explanation involving the supernatural.”
He took a sip of his tea before carrying on. “While I might not be fond of such, I understand that a demon or a creature of that kind is involved here. So please, Kunimitsu, if you could just tell us what occurred to you.”
“We aren’t expecting any rational explanations or anything,” Ayana added, “We’re just worried.”
Something deep in Tezuka’s stomach twisted. Here he was, with three persons concerned for his welfare, willing to drop everything they believed in until now, just for his sake - while only two floors away Fuji and his sister were on their own, with nobody offering to accept anything defying the laws of nature for their sake.
And there wasn’t anything he could do to change it.
But at least he could assuage his family’s worries.
“It’s all quite complicated, and I don’t really understand the details either,” Tezuka eventually said, “The demon has been chasing after an object Nakayama-san left in grandfather’s care. She needed it for some sort of a ritual concerning a transfer of power - at least that was how I understood it.”
He had to swallow and speak past the odd lump in his throat. “Fuji and I were needed for some reason, but Fuji did something to make that ritual go wrong. Afterwards everything got quite chaotic and I escaped…”
His voice trailed off - probably everybody in the room could tell he had neither told the entire story, nor everything he knew. But his grandfather nodded in satisfaction.
“So you aren’t injured?”
“No, I’m perfectly fine,” Tezuka replied.
“That’s good to hear,” his father commented with a lopsided smiled, “If I have to be honest, I’m utterly confused at the moment. But how is Fuji-kun? I heard he was hospitalized as well, though you said he was at that odd place with you…”
Blood drained away from Tezuka’s face. “There was some odd … well, Fuji-san made it possible for Fuji to follow me to the demon’s pocket dimension, while his body remained here.”
His father blinked. “Okay, well, no, I don’t really understand that, but it sounds logical. As long as everybody knows what they’re doing, I guess it’s okay.”
“But how is Fuji-kun doing right now? Did he wake up?” Ayana tilted her head, observing Tezuka’s reactions closely.
“No,” Tezuka muttered, wondering how on earth he was supposed to break the news to his parents. Nobody in the room expected words as drastic as those he ought to speak - ought to tell them that by all modern medical standards, Fuji was dead.
“He…” Tezuka took a deep breath, “Fuji-san told me that the doctors here consider him comatose with no chance of recovery.”
It wasn’t the truth, but it was close.
Ayana paled, the relaxed smile vanished from his father’s face and his grandfather frowned deeply. “How on earth… what happened?” His father uttered, shell-shocked, “I mean, how do they know he won’t recover? Coma patients have woken up after years, so why…?”
“When Fuji-kun stopped breathing then,” Ayana’s voice cut sharply through her husband’s ramblings, “Did we notice too late?”
Tezuka shook his head and turned his gaze to the floor. “When Fuji disturbed the demon’s work at that place, she attacked him. That attack … was fatal.”
“Even though his body wasn’t actually there?” His father inquired, disbelief thick in his voice.
“Yes,” Tezuka replied, “I don’t know how it worked, but it was what caused Fuji’s condition.”
“Oh dear,” Ayana muttered and fell silent. The warm air suddenly felt suffocating to Tezuka, as he watched his parents mull over his words. He longed to leave the room, to make his way to the lake, but he had still almost half an hour left.
“Is there no way to reverse it?” his grandfather inquired abruptly, “I may not understand much of these things, but if you were to explain the details of what occurred to Fuji-san, might she not know a method?”
“I already talked to her,” Tezuka replied, “We’re not certain.”
“But are you going to try?” His father asked.
Tezuka nodded, and a shadow of a grim smile crossed his father’s face. “That’s good. If we can help with anything, you’ll tell us, won’t you?”
“Yes,” Tezuka muttered, and found he couldn’t stay any longer. There was time left, but the staying with his family only made him grow painfully aware of the support he had. He had to leave before he ended up dragging them deeper into this mess.
His parents shouldn’t be sitting here, worrying for him and Fuji.
Or offering this sort of unconditional support that made his insides twist.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll go now,” he said and drained his teacup. The liquid was still warm - when all Tezuka could think of was how cold Fuji had looked, alone in that colorless room.
“I’ll come with you,” his mother announced and stood up, “I’d like to speak to Fuji-san for a moment.”
+ + +
His mother silently followed Tezuka to the staircase. When he turned to head down, she stopped and questioningly tilted her head. Fuji’s room was upstairs.
“I’ll first head to the cafeteria,” Tezuka explained - he’d rather spend time alone to concentrate on what would come next. Maybe he could think up some sort of a plan before he met up with Yumiko, “I expect Fuji-san will still be upstairs, though.”
Ayana nodded. “I see. Kunimitsu,” she took a deep breath, “Promise me one thing. Whatever you do, make sure you don’t endanger your own life. I don’t want to see Fuji-kun die - but I’m certain he wouldn’t want to see you die for his sake either.”
A cold shudder ran down Tezuka’s spine. It was with a dry mouth, that he uttered a reply.
“I will, mother.”
+ + +
He was early, almost by fifteen minutes, but Tezuka couldn't stand to wait any longer. So he had left the suffocating warmth of the hospital cafeteria and made his way to the small pond on hospital grounds. Snow crunched under his feet, his breath fogged in the frosty air and he found he had almost forgotten the feeling of icy air biting into his skin.
He stuffed his hands deeply into the pockets of his coat and tilted his head up. Beyond the white walls of the hospital the sky was dark, and not a star visible. The lights of the city enabled him to faintly discern the outlines of heavy clouds, and he wondered when this winter was finally going to be over.
In his mind it felt like it had been going on for years.
The hospital yard looked desolate, half-swallowed by snow and not a soul in sight.
Better for what he was about to do, Tezuka resumed. Maybe they should relocate to a place fader away from other human beings, but... Time was short as it was.
"Waiting for somebody?" an eerily familiar voice cut through the silence.
Tezuka whirled around. Seated on a snow-covered stone, wearing a light beige coat, was the demon. Once again it had taken Mori-san's form, down to the benign smile on her weathered face.
The snow next to her was melting, Tezuka noticed.
For a split second he was surprised at the lack of fear he felt at seeing the demon once again. Things had drastically changed.
Instead of replying, Tezuka merely tilted his head.
"Your friend did throw quite a wrench in my plans," she chuckled, "But I guess you aren't really happy with the results either."
Tezuka swallowed. Was she offering to cooperate? Why wasn't Yumiko here yet? She would be able to judge the situation better.
He kept his silence, stalling for time.
"Well, as you might have already guessed, there is a way to reverse this," she smiled invitingly, "A very simple way that would save your friend - what do you say, Tezuka-kun, are you willing to give up those new powers in exchange for your friend's life?"
His fingers clenched in his pockets, and Tezuka let out a long breath, watching the small cloud disappear into the winter night.
"What are the details of your offer?"
"You're asking where the catch is," Mori concluded, "Well; there is small risk to your health, but nothing dramatic. If you want the details - first I need my powers back, after that we need to search for your friend's soul, but I can't do that without my powers."
It sounded... reasonable.
“Or don’t you want your friend back?” she tilted her head, her smile widening. Carelessly she wiped a few snowflakes from the lapels of her coat, “I heard the poor boy isn’t doing very well. How long does he have left? I guess not too long from your expression, but I might err.”
Tezuka’s blood ran cold. His logical failed to answer, and even those new, foreign emotions remained silent in response to her bait. Only his heart desperately clung to her promise, urged him to agree - even for the hint of a chance.
He didn’t know how to bring Fuji back, after all.
And for all horrors the demon had committed, she held that knowledge. She could help where even raw power failed.
“How curious. I remember standing on a pond - not too different from this one - and when your friend was in danger of drowning, you didn’t hesitate to help,” she shrugged, “Well, maybe you changed your mind since them. Maybe you feel your association with him only brought you into this?”
Thoughtfully she gazed through the dark yard. The pleasant greenery had been buried by layers of snow and eyes, and the darkness did the rest to dispel any notion of comfort. Tezuka’s breath kept forming small clouds in the icy air.
“The world did not change a lot, I see,” there was an odd note to her voice. Almost wistful, or - dare he say it - melancholy, “Still not inclined to accept the supernatural or those associated with it. Does your friend know about your changed feelings?”
Tezuka could only blink in confusion. His mind was racing to catch up with her words. What… what was she implying? Was she still trying to bait him into accepting her offer?
“Well, if you don’t intend to save him,” she smiled, and it struck him as honest, “It might be better if he dies without knowing of your betrayal.”
There were no words to describe the feelings that rose in his chest. Indignation, coupled with furious anger - and a grain of icy doubt - what if his actions really looked like betrayal? Hadn’t he run away then? He’d believed Fuji dead, but was that really enough of a reason?
“It’s …” he started.
A shot ripped through the night.
Blood splattered on the snow.
And Tezuka watched in helpless fascination, as Mori’s body jerked before sliding limply of the stone. Her body hit the ground with a muffled thud - and the snow around her began to turn red.
“Those poisonous words are not to be underestimated,” a familiar voice coolly announced. Tezuka slowly turned his head, his heart hammering in his chest. His brain still frantically tried to catch up with what had just occurred - and then he recognized Nakayama Kenta standing in front of the hospital exit, clad in a dark coat, black metal glinting in his gloved hands.
“But without her powers, this demon is just an ordinary human,” he said, “And as thus vulnerable to human weapons.”
tbc
Please feel free to share your thoughts and impressions with me ^__^