Beginnings III: Movement
"My name is Jun." The pale raven-haired boy spoke, in a voice, only slightly more audible than a whisper.
"Good Morning Jun! I'm Aiba" the energetic young blond gleefully replied, extending a hand in friendship.
Jun nodded his acknowledgment, yet refused to hold out his hand in acceptance; opting instead, to hug his knees closer to himself, while cautious, jet-black eyes intently studied Aiba's face...
"Jun... Are you okay?" Sho intervened; concern painted across his features, as he stepped in front of Aiba and tried to place his palm on Jun's forehead to feel for signs of fever.
"Don't touch me, I'm okay!" Jun suddenly exclaimed, swatting Sho's hand away.
"I'm sorry." Said Sho, taken aback by Jun's violent reaction, "I was only trying to help."
"S-sorry" Jun replied, breathless. His brow wrinkled as he fought to remain focused and upright. After taking a few deep breaths to compose himself, Jun whispered, "It's... I-I can't control it yet." He tried to suppress a shudder that shook his small frame, and his hands went up to hold his head still while his fingers began to massage his temples in an attempt to ease the pain. Up-close, Sho could see that Jun's skin was covered with a thin veil of sweat; the dark circles under his eyes were made more pronounced by his wan complexion, and his lips were tinged with a bluish hue. Jun seemed like he was about to throw up or pass out at any second and was only barely holding himself up. It was obvious to Sho that Jun was in immense pain, yet he would rather endure the torture than give in to the sweet peace that oblivion offered. Sho was concerned that Jun was refusing help and was slightly irked that the others seemed oblivious to his suffering...
"Are you going to turn into a monster?" Aiba suddenly asked, shooting a puzzled glance towards Jun, "My cousin's a werewolf and he looks like that once a month. Is it the full moon yet?"
"N-no." Jun replied; the tiniest hint of a smile grazing his features, " I'm an Empath"
"Oh." Sho replied, finally making sense of things, "That must mean that your powers are very strong, else you wouldn't be having that terrible migraine... "
"What's an empath? What's happening to Jun?" Aiba interrupted.
" An empath can sense what others feel. " Sho explained, "If he wants to, he could also influence their thoughts and feelings. I don't think that it makes Jun sick, but if he picks up a lot of other people's feelings all at the same time, I think it kind of gives him a really bad headache."
"Ohh." Aiba said as he looked at Jun, who weakly nodded in reply. "Well, you should let Sho heal you. He's really good!"
"I know that I can't block off everything that you're picking up, but I'm sure I can at least remove your headache-- that is, if you trust me enough. " Sho said, squatting down to meet Jun's eyes and waiting for some sign of approval.
"Thanks," Jun replied, "I normally use a spell to block some of it off, but I think this place is somehow warded from certain types of spells. It seems to work outside these walls, but in here, I can't stop anything from coming in."
"So, does this mean yes?" Sho asked.
"I don't sense any malice coming from you." Jun, in his desperation, acquiesced, "I just hope that your magic works here."
"Okay then..." Sho stood up and pressed a palm against Jun's forehead.
As soon as he had touched Jun, a comforting warmth seeped through his hands. The violent assault of a million nameless thoughts and emotions gradually hushed down to a distant, blurred background noise that Jun was able to ignore with ease. The tightly wound knots throbbing in his head gently untangled themselves and the sharp pain in his temples had gone. Jun was at peace; he felt as though he was floating aimlessly upon calm shores on a clear and sunny day. His tense shoulders drooped, and his breathing, which had been shallow and erratic, slowed down to an even and steady rhythm. Warmth brought a slight blush back to his cheeks, and his lips, which were tinged with blue moments ago, were now a healthy shade of pink.
Jun's eyes slid shut as he further relaxed and submitted himself to Sho's treatment. Unintentionally, he found himself probing Sho's psyche. Jun saw a mix of various hues and colors, much like most of the other people he had probed. Some had as much darkness as they did light, and most usually fought to contain the dark, while a few sinister ones, had terrifyingly chosen to embrace it. Jun found plenty of pain and sadness which stemmed from a deep sense of abandonment and longing, and though he could not probe memories, nor put into words what had happened, he knew that something tragic took place. He also knew, however, that Sho was able to find the love and the sense of belonging which enabled him to reach some kind of peace within himself, and kept his inner turmoil from consuming him.
Jun felt energized and refreshed when Sho finally removed his hands.The pain had completely subsided, and in his calmness, Jun's mind regained its sharpness. He was now able to distinguish the myriad sensations that floated about him; it no longer assaulted him chaotically as it had, once the effects of his spell were worn down by the palace walls. As Jun looked up , Sho and Aiba were finally able to see his face in full view. Jun was beautiful. His fair skin and his raven hair which fell in tendrils around his small face reminded Aiba of the frail, but beautiful rose that his sister so admired, it was quite a moody plant which surrounded itself in prickly and poisonous thorns which prevented anyone from casually picking it up. It chose to talk to Aiba once in a while, but then quickly grew impatient when Aiba decided to spend more time with his animal friends instead.
Aiba, tilting his head, looked at Jun and asked: "Are you okay now?"
"Yes, I am. Thank you very much...." Jun replied, "Although I'm afraid I may have pried, I'm sorry, Sho..."
"Well, as long as you keep it to yourself... unless I ask, think nothing of it." Sho replied, smiling.
"Hello Aiba, my name is Jun." Jun finally extended his hand to Aiba who then shook it enthusiastically. A look of understanding crossed Jun's face once he released Aiba's hand. His gaze traveled from Aiba to Sho, and a small, knowing smirk formed upon his lips, but he refused to say what it was that he found out about the two.
"Pleased to meet you." Jun said, as Sho and Aiba exchanged confused looks with each other...
"So let me get this straight," a fourth voice piped up from out of the blue, "you're an empath, you're a healer and you..."
"... can talk to plants and animals," Aiba replied, surprised at the sudden interruption. The three had been so wrapped up in what they were doing that they failed to notice when the other boy stood up and observed events up-close. The boy had an expression on his face that was both curious and calculating, and looked as though he were trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together.
"Your highness, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to--" Sho began to stutter apologies, but the prince interrupted.
"It's okay. You can call me Nino, I could really do without the formalities." Nino replied. "None of the others here know I'm the prince, and you're wearing the brown robe that the monks do. Have you been here before? I don't seem to remember you."
"Ah yes, your high-- I mean, Nino. I've been to the palace several times and I've been called once to heal the princess"
"Oh! So, you're the one!" Nino exclaimed "Well, you all seem to know my name now. I'd like to know yours, and none of this 'your highness' stuff"
"Um... okay. My name is Sho Sakurai, my friends call me Sho"
"You can call me Aiba"
"My name is Jun"
" Who's he?" Aiba pointed to the quiet boy whose unfocused gaze gently shifted to the noisy group beside him.
"I don't know, he just got here too." Nino replied
"Does he talk?" Aiba asked, earning him a light smack on the head from Jun.
"Ow! I was just asking. He's so quiet!"
Ohno smiled in amusement and said: "My name is Ohno. I'm pleased to meet you..." after a while, he added: "Your sister and your father are on their way... She's not happy about the spiders you put in her drawer..."
"What?! How did you know?! What's she going to do next?"
Ohno frowned, a grim look crossing his face, "Not good news..."
However, before they could question Ohno any further, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Each boy scampered back to their former places around the table, as moments later, a tall well-built man entered, accompanied by a young woman and the head wizard. The King looked to be in his early 50s; hints of his age showed through the salt and pepper hair peeking from under his heavy crown, set with rubies and emeralds. The young woman beside the King was tall and slender. She had black hair that reached her waist and piercing gray eyes set on a small, kittenish face. She wore a white gown and held an ornate silver staff. The head wizard in his midnight blue robes trailed behind them; he carried a black staff, and on his other hand was a thick book bound in black leather which had various runes and symbols etched on its cover.
The playful atmosphere of the place had been replaced with an air of seriousness as the King, the princess and the head wizard took their places around the table. Their faces were humorless, and Jun could already sense the bad news waiting to come out, as a mixture of barely contained anxiety and grim determination filled the air. Ohno was right; it was not good news...
Previous: Beginnings: An Important Day Next: Beginnings: Premonitions
(So much for wanting to finish the series before Christmas, huh? XP)
*PS- I still owe you a fic, nicadj ! Promise to post it in time for Christmas =D hee.
"Good Morning Jun! I'm Aiba" the energetic young blond gleefully replied, extending a hand in friendship.
Jun nodded his acknowledgment, yet refused to hold out his hand in acceptance; opting instead, to hug his knees closer to himself, while cautious, jet-black eyes intently studied Aiba's face...
"Jun... Are you okay?" Sho intervened; concern painted across his features, as he stepped in front of Aiba and tried to place his palm on Jun's forehead to feel for signs of fever.
"Don't touch me, I'm okay!" Jun suddenly exclaimed, swatting Sho's hand away.
"I'm sorry." Said Sho, taken aback by Jun's violent reaction, "I was only trying to help."
"S-sorry" Jun replied, breathless. His brow wrinkled as he fought to remain focused and upright. After taking a few deep breaths to compose himself, Jun whispered, "It's... I-I can't control it yet." He tried to suppress a shudder that shook his small frame, and his hands went up to hold his head still while his fingers began to massage his temples in an attempt to ease the pain. Up-close, Sho could see that Jun's skin was covered with a thin veil of sweat; the dark circles under his eyes were made more pronounced by his wan complexion, and his lips were tinged with a bluish hue. Jun seemed like he was about to throw up or pass out at any second and was only barely holding himself up. It was obvious to Sho that Jun was in immense pain, yet he would rather endure the torture than give in to the sweet peace that oblivion offered. Sho was concerned that Jun was refusing help and was slightly irked that the others seemed oblivious to his suffering...
"Are you going to turn into a monster?" Aiba suddenly asked, shooting a puzzled glance towards Jun, "My cousin's a werewolf and he looks like that once a month. Is it the full moon yet?"
"N-no." Jun replied; the tiniest hint of a smile grazing his features, " I'm an Empath"
"Oh." Sho replied, finally making sense of things, "That must mean that your powers are very strong, else you wouldn't be having that terrible migraine... "
"What's an empath? What's happening to Jun?" Aiba interrupted.
" An empath can sense what others feel. " Sho explained, "If he wants to, he could also influence their thoughts and feelings. I don't think that it makes Jun sick, but if he picks up a lot of other people's feelings all at the same time, I think it kind of gives him a really bad headache."
"Ohh." Aiba said as he looked at Jun, who weakly nodded in reply. "Well, you should let Sho heal you. He's really good!"
"I know that I can't block off everything that you're picking up, but I'm sure I can at least remove your headache-- that is, if you trust me enough. " Sho said, squatting down to meet Jun's eyes and waiting for some sign of approval.
"Thanks," Jun replied, "I normally use a spell to block some of it off, but I think this place is somehow warded from certain types of spells. It seems to work outside these walls, but in here, I can't stop anything from coming in."
"So, does this mean yes?" Sho asked.
"I don't sense any malice coming from you." Jun, in his desperation, acquiesced, "I just hope that your magic works here."
"Okay then..." Sho stood up and pressed a palm against Jun's forehead.
As soon as he had touched Jun, a comforting warmth seeped through his hands. The violent assault of a million nameless thoughts and emotions gradually hushed down to a distant, blurred background noise that Jun was able to ignore with ease. The tightly wound knots throbbing in his head gently untangled themselves and the sharp pain in his temples had gone. Jun was at peace; he felt as though he was floating aimlessly upon calm shores on a clear and sunny day. His tense shoulders drooped, and his breathing, which had been shallow and erratic, slowed down to an even and steady rhythm. Warmth brought a slight blush back to his cheeks, and his lips, which were tinged with blue moments ago, were now a healthy shade of pink.
Jun's eyes slid shut as he further relaxed and submitted himself to Sho's treatment. Unintentionally, he found himself probing Sho's psyche. Jun saw a mix of various hues and colors, much like most of the other people he had probed. Some had as much darkness as they did light, and most usually fought to contain the dark, while a few sinister ones, had terrifyingly chosen to embrace it. Jun found plenty of pain and sadness which stemmed from a deep sense of abandonment and longing, and though he could not probe memories, nor put into words what had happened, he knew that something tragic took place. He also knew, however, that Sho was able to find the love and the sense of belonging which enabled him to reach some kind of peace within himself, and kept his inner turmoil from consuming him.
Jun felt energized and refreshed when Sho finally removed his hands.The pain had completely subsided, and in his calmness, Jun's mind regained its sharpness. He was now able to distinguish the myriad sensations that floated about him; it no longer assaulted him chaotically as it had, once the effects of his spell were worn down by the palace walls. As Jun looked up , Sho and Aiba were finally able to see his face in full view. Jun was beautiful. His fair skin and his raven hair which fell in tendrils around his small face reminded Aiba of the frail, but beautiful rose that his sister so admired, it was quite a moody plant which surrounded itself in prickly and poisonous thorns which prevented anyone from casually picking it up. It chose to talk to Aiba once in a while, but then quickly grew impatient when Aiba decided to spend more time with his animal friends instead.
Aiba, tilting his head, looked at Jun and asked: "Are you okay now?"
"Yes, I am. Thank you very much...." Jun replied, "Although I'm afraid I may have pried, I'm sorry, Sho..."
"Well, as long as you keep it to yourself... unless I ask, think nothing of it." Sho replied, smiling.
"Hello Aiba, my name is Jun." Jun finally extended his hand to Aiba who then shook it enthusiastically. A look of understanding crossed Jun's face once he released Aiba's hand. His gaze traveled from Aiba to Sho, and a small, knowing smirk formed upon his lips, but he refused to say what it was that he found out about the two.
"Pleased to meet you." Jun said, as Sho and Aiba exchanged confused looks with each other...
"So let me get this straight," a fourth voice piped up from out of the blue, "you're an empath, you're a healer and you..."
"... can talk to plants and animals," Aiba replied, surprised at the sudden interruption. The three had been so wrapped up in what they were doing that they failed to notice when the other boy stood up and observed events up-close. The boy had an expression on his face that was both curious and calculating, and looked as though he were trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together.
"Your highness, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to--" Sho began to stutter apologies, but the prince interrupted.
"It's okay. You can call me Nino, I could really do without the formalities." Nino replied. "None of the others here know I'm the prince, and you're wearing the brown robe that the monks do. Have you been here before? I don't seem to remember you."
"Ah yes, your high-- I mean, Nino. I've been to the palace several times and I've been called once to heal the princess"
"Oh! So, you're the one!" Nino exclaimed "Well, you all seem to know my name now. I'd like to know yours, and none of this 'your highness' stuff"
"Um... okay. My name is Sho Sakurai, my friends call me Sho"
"You can call me Aiba"
"My name is Jun"
" Who's he?" Aiba pointed to the quiet boy whose unfocused gaze gently shifted to the noisy group beside him.
"I don't know, he just got here too." Nino replied
"Does he talk?" Aiba asked, earning him a light smack on the head from Jun.
"Ow! I was just asking. He's so quiet!"
Ohno smiled in amusement and said: "My name is Ohno. I'm pleased to meet you..." after a while, he added: "Your sister and your father are on their way... She's not happy about the spiders you put in her drawer..."
"What?! How did you know?! What's she going to do next?"
Ohno frowned, a grim look crossing his face, "Not good news..."
However, before they could question Ohno any further, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Each boy scampered back to their former places around the table, as moments later, a tall well-built man entered, accompanied by a young woman and the head wizard. The King looked to be in his early 50s; hints of his age showed through the salt and pepper hair peeking from under his heavy crown, set with rubies and emeralds. The young woman beside the King was tall and slender. She had black hair that reached her waist and piercing gray eyes set on a small, kittenish face. She wore a white gown and held an ornate silver staff. The head wizard in his midnight blue robes trailed behind them; he carried a black staff, and on his other hand was a thick book bound in black leather which had various runes and symbols etched on its cover.
The playful atmosphere of the place had been replaced with an air of seriousness as the King, the princess and the head wizard took their places around the table. Their faces were humorless, and Jun could already sense the bad news waiting to come out, as a mixture of barely contained anxiety and grim determination filled the air. Ohno was right; it was not good news...
Previous: Beginnings: An Important Day Next: Beginnings: Premonitions
(So much for wanting to finish the series before Christmas, huh? XP)
*PS- I still owe you a fic, nicadj ! Promise to post it in time for Christmas =D hee.