Fan Fiction ❯ Calling the Storm ❯ Calling the Storm ( One-Shot )

Calling the Storm

The night sky stood unforgiving in appearance. Empty arms of the near winter trees reaching toward the pale light of the moon unobstructed by clouds. Hayate stood alone; despite his true purpose in being in this place his body remained unmoving, arms crossed over his chest. The only thing that disturbed the night air was the slight brush of his copper colored hair against his cheek. He made no move to brush it away, disturbing the stillness that prevailed over this night over everything except...

Within.

The barest of breaths escaped him as his eyes fell closed a moment, the scenery still fresh in his mind even though he tried to clear it. Reminding him of another time the bear trees reaching toward the sky as the snow fell softly… her voice rose like a ghost in his memory…

This has nothing to do with you! Please understand...

The image of Ayanes face as she had pleaded with him for understanding, even then he had had to close his eyes to it. He had wished however briefly at that moment that he couldn't understand. Though he had long ago learned by that time how it felt when feelings conflicted with what was demanded. She sought only to free her foster father from that which had been forced upon him, her intentions were more than admirable but she knew the ways of their people…and what his place had to be in this.

Stay back Ayane.

When it had become apparent that there would be no other way he had opened his eyes once more to face her. A fire had awakened within her one that lit within her violet eyes; making it apparent. He was only her opponent now….

A bitter battle had ensued between them, neither one wanting to lose for their own sense of duty. Years of intense training together had afforded them the ability to know one another's movements better than most, their hands and feet moving to counter moves almost before they'd even been made, Ayanes eyes had continued to burn with intensity causing him to wonder just how far they would be forced to go….

It was then that he had found the opportunity he knew would be the only one. Unable to allow himself to hesitate he raised his arm while her back was to him brining it down landing straight between her shoulder blades…

The image of her face as she'd fallen was one he was not soon to forget, her eyes widening slightly, the realization was painfully clear within them…although he allowed his own to fall closed at that moment he knew that her legs were giving out beneath her …

Lowering his hand his eyes had opened once more to find her lying not far from his feet, stray strands of her lavender hair brushed her cheek, her face appearing relaxed as the snow gathered slowly in her lashes and melted on her skin. She didn't appear to be seriously harmed only knocked out…. he found himself thankful that their fight hadn't taken the turn it very easily could have …..

Hayate had hardly recognized the being Genra had become, upon seeing him it was evident that there was nothing left of the man who had raised Ayane as his own child despite her true heritage…he found himself thankful Ayane had not been forced to confront him this way…. soulless...not even a shadow of what he once was…

The battle against Genra had been one of the most intense he had faced in this life…his latent Hajin-Mon powers would have been hard enough to contend with…what they had made of him was closer to what they had wanted than he had ever hoped to see his eyes burning with an empty fire to rival that which had been scorching the scenery around him…he would never forget the bright flashes of light as Genra brought his weapon down successfully causing the intense burning in his shoulder to begin…

His breath had escaped him in quick intervals, slowing after several moments as he had stood still when it had ended…looking down on Genra , his mind had shifted to Ayane. He couldn't help but feel for her… even though she herself had been willing to put him down he knew this pain would be one like no other for her. His eyes had then moved to where Genras weapon lay, once again having returned to its normal size, buried into the near frozen earth. Moving to where it rested he leaned freeing it from the ground that had imprisoned it, Despite the feeling still rising within him he would do what he had to do…

It is done.

His voice had emerged evenly despite the difficulty of the words he spoke. Ayane remained unmoving in her place her legs tucked slightly beneath her she was still seated in the place where she'd fallen; her head was down lavender hair falling in her face obscuring his view of it. She made no effort to respond to his words so he knelt, his shoulder to offer up a sharp pain resonating from the single deep wound he had sustained. Pushing the pain aside he placed the weapon in front of her before rising again.

This belongs to you now.

She remained still for what could have been several moments before her hand moved to encircle the weapon that had been her foster fathers. The snow that was still falling shone in her hair as her head bowed farther turning more in the direction of her hand, though he couldn't see her expression he knew she must be feeling more hurt than she had in many years. Maybe more than she had ever ..…

You should return home, Ayane. There is nothing more to be done here.

He had watched, as her hand tightened on the weapon at his words, her knuckles turning white between the spaces in her leather gloves. Her hand was trembling now with the intensity of her grip though she made no other movements. He could just make out the barest of breath that escaped her lips, like a secret she'd been trying to keep. Causing him to pause a moment before he turned from her taking a few steps before he found his voice once more.

I am sorry Ayane, this is how it had to be.

He knew his words would not comfort her, Ayane had only ever truly allowed her self to become close to two people in her lifetime. One lay fallen not far behind and the other…

He could still see her from where he stood. She had not moved from her place only brought the weapon closer to her, her head bowed low touching against it in part, her shoulders beginning to start the slightest of motion the softest of sounds escaping her as they trembled….

He had brought himself to turn then, moving away his eyes focused on the scenery before him as he did, trying to keep the image from his mind that the soft sound he could hear in the distance implied of anguished tears slipping from her soft violet eyes….

Ayane had taken leadership of the Hajin-Mon in the event of Genras death, though he knew she had been wounded deeply Ayane had never mentioned to him her feelings about what had happened instead seeming to push it all aside in favor of concentrating on her leadership but he had seen it... if only briefly when there would be a silence or a far away look came over her...in ways she still felt betrayed by the one person she had believed would understand above all others…

Much as Kasumi must feel….

Hayate could feel it against his face, the slight brushing of the night air, brining him from his reverie. His eyes opened regarding the night once more, the light of the moon drawing sharp shadows from every angle of the landscape, bringing to mind what lay within them reminding him of his true purpose in this place…his heart feeling heavy as his lifted his hand in indication of what the actions of those who accompanied him should be, the hardest order he would ever give….

He heard them before he saw them moving on his command, his body sprung into action almost without thinking as he leapt into the air, turning a flip before simply falling a few moments the cool wind of the night rushing up to greet him something in the past that had brought, however briefly the illusion of freedom…his feet landed evenly on the forest floor before moving the scenery around him quickly becoming no more than a myriad of color, despite anything he may feel fate had chosen this path for him and he would do as he must, always moving forward never to rest…

Calling the storm.