Shocked
Wow. I can't believe it. I got second place in a one-shot contest at iyfic_challenge! These people must be on crack. It's the only explanation! Seriously. There were just so many good stories out there! Especially those dealing with Madness/Insanity not to mention other focuses. It's just...shocking. Absolutely shocking...
Here's my 2nd place banner though so it must be real!
And here's my entry that somehow got second place out of 14 outstanding pieces! Still say they're on crack....
Title: Madness
Rating: PG13
Genre: Angst
Pairings: None
Word Count: 902
Chink went metal sliding on metal. Schlurp was the sound of blood-slicked blades pulling away from clinging flesh. Clank were chain links rubbing against itself as it uncoiled flying through the air. Sounds, they were all maddening sounds echoing in my head. I couldn’t stand it. No more. Please, no more. I grabbed my head, squeezed it between my shaking hands. Anything, anything to block out the sounds of gasping breath, shocked murmurs, the thud of my blade biting into their soft, giving flesh.
“Weak, foolish boy.”
Who’s there? I wondered, convulsions racking my body as the deep penetrating voice pierced the veil shrouding my mind. It was right. No matter how much I wished to deny it, I am weak. I was unable to prevent my body from being controlled by the very thing I trained my whole life to destroy.
Youkai.
Another shudder rippled along my nerve endings. It was so cold sitting in the dark, empty room with my thoughts, my memories. I could still see papa’s face as it hit the ground. The regret and disappointment fading quickly from his eyes as death claimed his soul. It hurt.
Crying, I curled tightly into myself, feeling the sticky residue of blood flowing from the wounds on my back. I could smell the cloying sweetness of blood on my hands, my back, my still drenched blade. The arrows where gone that had made my body a pin cushion, but my sister was dead.
Sango! Ane-ue! Don’t die. Please don’t die.
Whimpering, who’s that whimpering? Brown eyes flitted through the room, searching the shadows for the intruder, but there was no one. To many sounds. To many memories. To many regrets,
Stop it! Just stop. No more. Let me die in peace. I failed chichi-ue, failed Sango, failed my heritage. I’m a disgrace.
Tears leaked from my eyes, coating my chin and cheeks with a fresh layer of brackish substance. Reminiscing, the past over-flooded my already strained senses. Just to many memories.
Flash. Sango’s playing with Kirara behind me, so happy and content. She was the best fighter in our village. Swish, the passing of my chain-blade as it flew through the air, striking the pottery off the solitary posts. Perfect aim. Fear clouding my heart as I thought of facing a real youkai.
“Ane-ue? Do youkai really breath out fire and poison?”
Sango turned to look up at me with those all to kind and understanding eyes. “Sometimes.”
She knew I was scared, frightened. I couldn’t hide it from her. Fear was a blade stabbing through my heart. I didn’t want to die then and still don’t. But death is close. I can feel its fingers creeping up my spine, digging into my wounds, mocking my death and the senseless deaths of my family and friends.
Why wasn’t I stronger?
“Coward,” said that voice again, filling the room with more unwanted sounds.
Cringe. More memories resurfacing. Stop it! Leave me alone. I don’t want to remember…
Chichi-ue proudly stood in front of the lord of the castle.
“You call them experienced but she appears to be a girl, and there’s even a child…” the man skeptically prodded.
Chichi-ue smiled charmingly. “These two are my own son and daughter. In our town, they are the best and second best experts at fighting.”
“If you say so,” said the man unconvinced as he led my father away while a single word echoed in my head. “Liar.”
He always lied, wanting to be proud, wanting me to take up our heritage with my whole body and soul. I just wanted peace, a quiet glade to study. Not war. Not the fear of failure, the fear of disappointing father.
Why couldn’t I be more like Sango? She was perfect. She was calm, poised, assured of herself and her skills. She could be trusted to work alone and get the job done. Me? I trained, and trained, and trained, and always found criticism lying at my door at the day’s end.
“Chichi-ue!” I cried, sniffling into my cupped hands.
“Ane-ue,” I whispered feeling myself slip closer to oblivion.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered expecting darkness to engulf me momentarily.
“Would you like a chance to redeem yourself?” whispered a voice into the darkness. It was that same voice that mocked me in my last moments, in my madness.
“Yes!” I wept wondering when even this voice would abandon me to the abyss of despair.
“I can take away your memories; make you the perfect warrior like your father wanted you to be. Such a shame he had to die.” The silky voice trailed off as my body stilled in bittersweet hope.
Could I finally be the man my father wished me to be? Could I find forgiveness in forgetting the horrifying reality of my weaknesses? Could I?
“Do you want to be free?” whispered the voice in my ear.
I looked up from my huddled position on the ground. “Yes,” I whispered again, knowing I would do anything to fulfill my father’s dreams. Even if it meant denying my true self, I would take whatever chance I had left to restore my family’s honor.
Excruciating pain pierced my back. Something pressed into the tender flesh of my open wounds. Menacing laughter ricocheted off the hollow walls, madness personified and blessed oblivion. Darkness. Sweet, endless darkness…
Chichi-ue, I wish I was who you wanted me to be.
Summary: After the death of his sister (ane-ue) and father (chichi-ue), Kohaku hangs on by a thread, guilt-ridden. As he slips closer to eternity, he is presented with a choice.
Author Note: Based off the manga chapters 85-87 as translated by Chris Rijk on Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi.
I'll probably revise this a little bit later on since shiinabambi was kind enough to give me more Kohaku references, but I had to share.
Now, if you could kindly beat me over the head with a skillet, it'd be much appreciated. I gotta wake-up somehow!
Here's my 2nd place banner though so it must be real!
And here's my entry that somehow got second place out of 14 outstanding pieces! Still say they're on crack....
Title: Madness
Rating: PG13
Genre: Angst
Pairings: None
Word Count: 902
Chink went metal sliding on metal. Schlurp was the sound of blood-slicked blades pulling away from clinging flesh. Clank were chain links rubbing against itself as it uncoiled flying through the air. Sounds, they were all maddening sounds echoing in my head. I couldn’t stand it. No more. Please, no more. I grabbed my head, squeezed it between my shaking hands. Anything, anything to block out the sounds of gasping breath, shocked murmurs, the thud of my blade biting into their soft, giving flesh.
“Weak, foolish boy.”
Who’s there? I wondered, convulsions racking my body as the deep penetrating voice pierced the veil shrouding my mind. It was right. No matter how much I wished to deny it, I am weak. I was unable to prevent my body from being controlled by the very thing I trained my whole life to destroy.
Youkai.
Another shudder rippled along my nerve endings. It was so cold sitting in the dark, empty room with my thoughts, my memories. I could still see papa’s face as it hit the ground. The regret and disappointment fading quickly from his eyes as death claimed his soul. It hurt.
Crying, I curled tightly into myself, feeling the sticky residue of blood flowing from the wounds on my back. I could smell the cloying sweetness of blood on my hands, my back, my still drenched blade. The arrows where gone that had made my body a pin cushion, but my sister was dead.
Sango! Ane-ue! Don’t die. Please don’t die.
Whimpering, who’s that whimpering? Brown eyes flitted through the room, searching the shadows for the intruder, but there was no one. To many sounds. To many memories. To many regrets,
Stop it! Just stop. No more. Let me die in peace. I failed chichi-ue, failed Sango, failed my heritage. I’m a disgrace.
Tears leaked from my eyes, coating my chin and cheeks with a fresh layer of brackish substance. Reminiscing, the past over-flooded my already strained senses. Just to many memories.
Flash. Sango’s playing with Kirara behind me, so happy and content. She was the best fighter in our village. Swish, the passing of my chain-blade as it flew through the air, striking the pottery off the solitary posts. Perfect aim. Fear clouding my heart as I thought of facing a real youkai.
“Ane-ue? Do youkai really breath out fire and poison?”
Sango turned to look up at me with those all to kind and understanding eyes. “Sometimes.”
She knew I was scared, frightened. I couldn’t hide it from her. Fear was a blade stabbing through my heart. I didn’t want to die then and still don’t. But death is close. I can feel its fingers creeping up my spine, digging into my wounds, mocking my death and the senseless deaths of my family and friends.
Why wasn’t I stronger?
“Coward,” said that voice again, filling the room with more unwanted sounds.
Cringe. More memories resurfacing. Stop it! Leave me alone. I don’t want to remember…
Chichi-ue proudly stood in front of the lord of the castle.
“You call them experienced but she appears to be a girl, and there’s even a child…” the man skeptically prodded.
Chichi-ue smiled charmingly. “These two are my own son and daughter. In our town, they are the best and second best experts at fighting.”
“If you say so,” said the man unconvinced as he led my father away while a single word echoed in my head. “Liar.”
He always lied, wanting to be proud, wanting me to take up our heritage with my whole body and soul. I just wanted peace, a quiet glade to study. Not war. Not the fear of failure, the fear of disappointing father.
Why couldn’t I be more like Sango? She was perfect. She was calm, poised, assured of herself and her skills. She could be trusted to work alone and get the job done. Me? I trained, and trained, and trained, and always found criticism lying at my door at the day’s end.
“Chichi-ue!” I cried, sniffling into my cupped hands.
“Ane-ue,” I whispered feeling myself slip closer to oblivion.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered expecting darkness to engulf me momentarily.
“Would you like a chance to redeem yourself?” whispered a voice into the darkness. It was that same voice that mocked me in my last moments, in my madness.
“Yes!” I wept wondering when even this voice would abandon me to the abyss of despair.
“I can take away your memories; make you the perfect warrior like your father wanted you to be. Such a shame he had to die.” The silky voice trailed off as my body stilled in bittersweet hope.
Could I finally be the man my father wished me to be? Could I find forgiveness in forgetting the horrifying reality of my weaknesses? Could I?
“Do you want to be free?” whispered the voice in my ear.
I looked up from my huddled position on the ground. “Yes,” I whispered again, knowing I would do anything to fulfill my father’s dreams. Even if it meant denying my true self, I would take whatever chance I had left to restore my family’s honor.
Excruciating pain pierced my back. Something pressed into the tender flesh of my open wounds. Menacing laughter ricocheted off the hollow walls, madness personified and blessed oblivion. Darkness. Sweet, endless darkness…
Chichi-ue, I wish I was who you wanted me to be.
Summary: After the death of his sister (ane-ue) and father (chichi-ue), Kohaku hangs on by a thread, guilt-ridden. As he slips closer to eternity, he is presented with a choice.
Author Note: Based off the manga chapters 85-87 as translated by Chris Rijk on Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi.
I'll probably revise this a little bit later on since shiinabambi was kind enough to give me more Kohaku references, but I had to share.
Now, if you could kindly beat me over the head with a skillet, it'd be much appreciated. I gotta wake-up somehow!