Full Moon Wo Sagashite Fan Fiction ❯ Finding the Gateway to Heaven ❯ Hopeful Disparity ( Chapter 7 )

…Chapter 7 - Hopeful Disparity…

Eichi stared at a girl much younger than he, standing on the other side of a huge chasm. A road wound lazily away behind him, climbing up into distant mountains and beyond. As he scanned this horizon, two faces which he scarcely recognized suddenly appeared before him, and his will was directed to a black area of deepest pitch. He felt motion, suddenly, and noticed that he seemed to be moving along the road towards the abyss, unable to stop himself. The two faces slowly lost their stability as the three of them approached ever more quickly, and Eichi could inwardly feel the battle being lost as he futilely struggled to change their course. Soon enough the two figures which he no longer recognized faded into the blackness, leaving Eichi alone, bewildered, frightened, and with a harsh sadness that enveloped every fiber of his being. Suddenly he was alone, back on the chasm's edge, and felt himself reaching for the girl on the other side, an urgency slowly developing in his breast. She slowly turned her back to him, and he could see that she was scarred heavily, as if rocks had been thrown forcefully at her, leaving pocks the length of her body. As her back fully met his gaze, she began sinking backwards, her falling evidently taking her frail little body directly into the chasm below. Eichi screamed voicelessly, a strange and harsh panic building in his mind, as he began watching her fall helplessly from his side of the gulf between them. A tear began forming in his eyes, followed by a sudden surge of willpower, and ferocity gave him a desperate strength. His decision made with barely an instant's hesitation, huge wings emerged from his back, and suddenly given the power of flight, he sped to the other side just in time to brace her before she fell. Holding each others' hands as he gently placed her back on the cliff's edge, she turned her head to gaze into his eyes, and for a brief moment there was recognition in both pairs of orbs, but it was a short-lived instant, as he found his wings fading. The startled look in her eyes as he fell became an intense, silent shout from the edge as she kneeled over the edge and watched him fall, but Eichi could only notice that his descent had increased, for he could see the two recognizable faces on the rapidly approaching ground below, before he finally …

Awoke.

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The three sat around the table, talking lightly about Mitsuki's school, Takuto's fruitless search for a band, Wakaoji's overwhelming workload, and else.

"Wakaoji-sensei, you are Ooshige-san's boyfriend, now?" Mitsuki asked amidst the conversation.

Blushing, Wakaoji almost denied the steady love affair that had been building up between the two, but decided that these two were in many ways more adult than most adults that he knew. After a moment, he stated, "Yes, Mitsuki, actually we see each other quite often, in spite of our both being so busy," here he laughed, "Most nights we just sit here and watch old movies, and cartoons," noting the expressions on the two's faces, Wakaoji faltered a moment before continuing, "ah, well, um... that is… we really like, oh…" pausing, "nevermind. Well, um, yes, Mitsuki," he concluded, his reddened face turned towards the floor.

"It's ok, Wakaoji-sensei, I know you're still just a little kid," Mitsuki said, smiling cheerfully.

Takuto pitched in, "She's right, you know, I bet you're still working up the courage to ask for a kiss," and he and Mitsuki laughed as they looked at each other, soon joined by Wakaoji.

The conversation silenced suddenly as the three heard footsteps approaching from the stairs, followed by the click of the doorknob as apparently Ooshige-san arrived.

"Wakaoji-sensei," she called, "I picked up a great anime by Arina Tanemura today, we can watch it toni… Ahhh!!" she cried, upon entering the room, "Mitsuki! I didn't know you were here," and spotting Takuto, she pointed carelessly rudely, her eyes wide and mouth gaping, "ahhhh! And Takuto! Ahh, oh no, what are you two doing here!"

Wakaoji talked over Ooshige, as she continued, "Ooshige, I told them that we watch anime together, it's ok, already, come have a seat with us," "Oh, I mean, I rented a movie for myself, an adult movie with lots of adult themes and things and romance and what children wouldn't watch, because I'm a lone adult living by myself and watching what I should be watching, which is romance and drama, and…" at this point it seems Wakaoji's words sunk in, for Ooshige's shoulders slumped and she meekly slid in to sit across from Wakaoji at the table.

"So you know that we sit alone here and drink tea," she began, Wakaoji coughing and attempting to interrupt with, "Ooshige" before she finished the sentence.

"while sitting next to each other watching movies," she continued, scarcely noticing Mitsuki and Takuto's widening eyes and Wakaoji's second, more forceful, "Ooshige-san…" … "and of course that we cuddle."

"And that we sometimes even kiss," she finished, causing all three of the others to blush, even though her 'kiss' was slightly drowned out by Wakaoji coughing hastily and saying very loudly, "OOSHIGE-CHAN!"

"Ahhh, my life is on display for everyone, and I'm not even the star, but I have to answer for them and take all of the calls. No, Full Moon isn't around, no, I don't know where she is, even though she's sitting right next to me, but…" placing her head on her arm and sobbing tearlessly and not all that miserably, Ooshige was yet still oblivious to the effect of her words on those around her, until she lifted her head to continue, "but Mitsuki-chan, you'll sing again one day, even if Takuto can't change you back. When you're sixteen we'll dye your hair blonde, right, all you have to do is…" finally she noticed the shock on Takuto and Mitsuki's faces, and Wakaoji's defeated look as he supported his face in the palm of his hand, "eat right… and… um, exercise, nee?"

Looking at each of them in turn, Ooshige tried to get someone to speak, "Right, Mitsuki? … Right, Takuto? … Takuto is here, right. You tried…" she paused, "waaaa, why don't I know what's going on?" and then she began crying in earnest.

"Takuto can't remember anything from then, Ooshige-san. We still haven't had a chance to tell him."

"We have not talked about it, because of me, right?" asked Takuto, "well, perhaps it is time I heard. What do all of you seem to know about me that I don't?" his demeanor had become quite defensive, posture erect with arms crossed. Takuto's stare was harsh compared to the ease with which he had sat only minutes ago, and seeing the tension in everyone's expressions, especially the cheerful girl's downcast face, Takuto forced himself to relax slightly as he said, "I'll sit and listen to everything this time, and won't get angry."

"Takuto," said Mitsuki gently, but said nothing further.

"Maybe I should tell him, since I brought it up," offered Ooshige, though it was evidently not her desire, "even though I don't understand what is going on now…"

A few moments passed before Wakaoji stepped in, "No, I should be the one, from his perspective I'm the one he knows best, after all."

And yet, Wakaoji said nothing, seemingly at a loss for how to begin.

"Gah," exclaimed Takuto impatiently, "any of you! Just tell me where I've been these past two years!" again forcing himself to calm down a bit, he pleaded, "Please…"

"Takuto," began Mitsuki, gently, softly, "about a year and a half ago, you appeared from a poster above my bed…"

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Eichi was slowly disappearing before her eyes, frighteningly reminiscent of Takuto's transformation into a ghost. Meroko watched helplessly as he lay in her arms unconscious, crying violently as she clutched him tightly to her.

"No, please no, not again, not again, please," she said softly to the nothingness around her, her face staring at Eichi's, "Please, stop, please."

Suddenly, Eichi's eyes popped open and his form stabilized, though an odd look of peaceful horror on his face scarcely hinted at whatever he had just experienced. His arms were reaching out to the air, and in that moment Meroko once again felt the presence of a Shinigami nearby, this time a dull and far away sensation, a sharp contrast to the excruciating pain from before. Soon she realized just where the feeling was coming from, and called out, "Why? Why is he changing into a Shinigami! Someone help him, please!"

The dark figure suddenly coalesced from the emptiness surrounding her, pulsing waves of intensity washing over Meroko. It seemed that the figure shimmered before her eyes, seemingly the female form now, then back to the dark one.

"He had regrets when he died," came a voice from within, both female and male, "It was only his complete willingness to sacrifice himself for another that prevented him from joining us sooner. Would you sacrifice yourself to save this boy, as well? You will return to being a Shinigami, and have to endure the pain of taking lives with your new," the voice halted for a moment, "compassion."

Meroko instantly took up the defensive and nearly shouted her acceptance, but something deep in her heart, a maturity she had never felt before, silenced her. She gazed down at Eichi's quivering face for a time, before finally asking, "What would happen to him?"

"He will continue to live in this realm, that is all."

"Please, what do I need to understand?" Meroko asked forcefully, calmly, quietly.

Suddenly the air shimmered, and Meroko found herself alone, an emptiness surrounding and encompassing her so heavily that she shook as if from the chillest of colds.

Nearly crying, Meroko sat down on her knees, delicately flapping her wings behind her, somehow finding solace in the gentle motion. The air was still and unmoving, however, and she felt as if she were truly in the very essence of void.

Determined, suddenly, she looked up to find that she was gazing at a glowing path. Two paths, three, six, a hundred, and then her vision was filled with a glow, as all the paths merged into a solid single one.

Oddly, she felt calm in a way that might have frightened her moments ago. With barely a second's hesitation, she stepped forward, and so doing, found herself walking along the single path which had first appeared.

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Takuto had sat rather stonily through the entire tale. Since Mitsuki had finished, not a single part of his body had moved an inch, even his eyes seemed fixed in place, and to the others it seemed that he may have stopped breathing.

Ooshige carefully waved her hand in front of Takuto's face, as if he were a stray that might bite her. The lack of reaction gave her a bit of courage and desperation, and she called his name as she waved her arms wildly in front of him. When he continued in his repose, Ooshige slumped back in her chair, her arms at her sides, and heaved a deep sigh.

Mitsuki merely looked down at the table, Wakaoji gazed at Takuto for a while, holding his own breath amidst glances of concern.

Still, Takuto just sat there.

"We, um, don't know how you got back here, though. Mitsuki says she was led to you by Meroko, but why you are alive is something we just don't know," offered Wakaoji.

Still, Takuto just sat there.

Finally, the intense silence became too much to bear, and Ooshige glanced at her clock and exclaimed, "Oh no, I need to get to sleep, everyone, you're going to have to…" noticing Takuto's unchanged posture, Ooshige halted and quieted on the last words, "go home, please, because I need to meet with Sakura tomorrow, and answer the telephone over and over explaining that Full Moon can't be back because the Shinigami became human and lost his powers and can't transform the little girl anymore, but maybe the little red bunny will appear…"

"So you two adults believe this as well," said Takuto, suddenly, interrupting a startled Ooshige, "I mean, Wakaoji, you are a doctor, this lady seems rather flighty, and you, Mitsuki. You, I was dead and changed you into some fancy pop idol who has now disappeared, we became lovers, and this is where I was for at least this last year."

"Everything is true, Takuto. Ooshige and I met you ourselves, we saw you change her, we saw… well, from episode 19, at least."

"So, suddenly I'm alive again, and you want me to snap my fingers and make Full Moon again, is that why I'm here? Or do you really think that I love you, and do you really love me, eh?" Takuto noticed that he was seriously affecting Mitsuki with his words, but continued despite, "No, it's to heal me and make me better because you three are the kindest people in the world!" Takuto paused a moment, standing up as he placed his hands on the table, "And this bunny death angel helped you find me, you think she even brought me back to life! Maybe we can find her and she can tell us what happened," forgetting himself, Takuto began shouting, "Meroko! Meroko! Where are you, huh?!" A surge of pain washed over his throat, and after a severe coughing fit, Takuto slumped over the table unconscious, clutching his cancer-ridden throat in pain.

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Meroko again found herself face to face with the lady. Understanding, this time, she looked with determination at the figure before her. The scene between Takuto and Mitsuki had been a severe lesson in the consequences of her actions, and yet here she was, the only one of the three to defend them, the last of the three to have decided to fight against fate.

"You know why you are here, Meroko."

"Yes. I intend to help him."

"Do you understand the cost?"

"No, how could I?"

The lady smiled, and continued, subtly shifting her tone as if she were speaking to a peer.

"Simply, Eichi will have to overcome the force of his recovered memories himself. If he fails, he will become a Shinigami."

"But why did you make him remember? What did you let him remember?"

The scenery vanished, and Meroko was again confronted with the dizzying array of glowing paths. The lady pointed to one of them.

"That is a choice. He simply chose. Your relationship was what made him remember, nothing else."

"Then why did I meet him, why did things happen like this?"

"You ask the right questions, Meroko. And yet you sound like such a child. Perhaps little Eniki could answer your question for you, I cannot."

Meroko gaped wide-eyed with incomprehension, as she was suddenly brought back to Eichi's side. He seemed somewhat recovered now, though when he stood it was weakly, and lacked the spirit which he had shown in the short time of their acquaintance.

"I could see a girl, Meroko. And I had to save her," he said, not looking up at her.

"You did, Eichi-kun," Meroko fumbled, still lost in the grip of her own thoughts.

Eichi only continued staring at the ground between his legs, tears welling up in his eyes.

(these guys sure are sissies, huh?)

"I wonder who she was, but I'm glad, for some reason."

Meroko again allowed herself to be merely a comfort for another, as she struggled to make sense of her own mixed emotions in the oddly familiar circumstance. In spite of her confusion, she managed to exude the gentle compassion which she had only just begun to awaken within herself. Eichi seemed to find solace in her arms, at least, and fell into something of a sleep, and again suddenly the two of them were back on the streets of Japan, very near to Mitsuki and the others. The powerful urge of job assignment slowly faded from her being, signaling to her that Eichi would be ok, for now. Meroko heaved a deep sigh of relief, though it became quickly tainted by her own quiet tears as she buried her face in Eichi's shoulder.

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Slowly opening his eyes, Takuto's gaze was overshadowed by the worried eyes of Mitsuki.

Gently, he spoke as he looked at her, "Mitsuki."

"Shh, Takuto, you hurt your throat, just rest for a bit," she told him, eyes cast down and away from the bed.

"No, there is something I need to say," he rasped through the pain, "It's not that I don't believe you. That is why I am so troubled. I died, Mitsuki," at this, Takuto turned his gaze towards the window, and fought back tears as he tried to hide his shame from the girl who was now staring at him intensely, "I mean, I don't remember it, but I was dead. And then, you say that I did something …"

"Wonderful, Takuto, everything you did, you helped me, protected me."

"Bah, let me finish!" Takuto said irelessly, "I just want you to know that I'm sorry. This must hurt you so much, to see me like this, but I don't remember you at all, and I promise, I have tried, and tried. I feel as though I should, especially when I heard you sing, I felt it so strongly, but my memory must have really been erased that last time, with .. with.." he paused, trying to remember the entire story, "was it a flower? I ate a flower. Heh, it sounds so ridiculous, and yet for some reason my heart tells me that it is true," Takuto finally fell silent, the tears in his eyes gently flowing down the side of his face which was turned to the moonlight, glowing as it ran down its path.

"Takuto," said Mitsuki softly, and rested her head gently on his chest, her left hand allowing itself to be clutched by his left hand.

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Takuto joined Mitsuki to her final school dance, both of them enduring the hounding of countless questions and quiet stares, as well as the persistent teasing of Mitsuki's closest friends.

"So this is what you've been hiding from us, it's not fair, he's so cute!" said Tomoe while Takuto was away getting them juice.

"He's a singer? What band was he in?" asked Wakana.

"Route L, the same band as my parents," replied Mitsuki.

"Ohhh," chimed the three friends.

"So he knew you when you were little!" said Kumi.

"I think so," Mitsuki blushed, as Takuto returned.

"So what was she like!" the three assaulted Takuto. "You knew her as a little girl, right?" "Mitsuki, well, what was she like!" "What about her parents, what were they like?"

"Heh?!" he exclaimed, and skillfully dodged the questions by handing them all more little drink glasses than he could have possibly carried, and diverted their attention by pointing out a pair of glowing eyes in the corner, "what's that?"

"Wakana, I think Saoho wants to dance with you, he's been staring at you all night long," said Tomoe, causing Mitsuki and Kumi to smile, and Wakana to blush, for the boy's gaze had indeed been plastered to her the entire evening.

"I promised him that I would dance with him once we were here," said Wakana, though it was evident from the light flush in her cheeks that she really wanted to go. She quickly headed in Saoho's direction without a second glance back at the group.

Soon it was Kumi's turn, as one of the upperclassmen who had attended asked her for a dance, and though it was not Rei-senpai, she gladly accepted.

Tomoe, Mitsuki, and Takuto talked for about five minutes before the last of the trio was swept away, by none other than the principal of the school. Afterwards, she was approached by various others, leaving Mitsuki and Takuto alone.

"Wakaoji tells me that you are writing songs, Mitsuki. Do you think that I can change you into… her, still?" he asked, leaning over and whispering directly into Mitsuki's ear.

"Haven't you already tried, Takuto?"

Takuto blushed, "Well… yes," for he had tried quite a number of times, snapping his fingers when he thought she hadn't been noticing.

"Well, maybe if I'm trying too, it will work. Let's give it a shot!"

"What, right now?"

"Yes! Come on!" she said, and led him out of the main hall into one of the nearby classrooms.

"Ok…" said Takuto, and bracing himself, turned to Mitsuki.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

Takuto snapped his fingers, and sure enough, there was a poof! and a cloud of dust swirled in the air as Takuto and Mitsuki jumped back in surprise, knocking over a stack of erasers due to the sudden opening of the door.

"Mitsuki! I saw you and your friend go off alone, and I will not allow this perverted action while I am on duty!" said the chaperone to them.

"Oh, it's not like that!" began Mitsuki, but seeing the situation from the teacher's perspective, flushed and let herself be led back to the main hall, "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Takuto, we can try again later," she began, once they were back in the main hall, only to find Takuto laughing.

"What's so funny?" Mitsuki asked, oblivious to their appearance, "Takuto!"

Through his fit of laughter, Takuto said, "Look at yourself, Mitsuki!" and looking at himself, stated, "Or just look at me!"

Finally, Mitsuki noticed that the two of them were covered in chalk dust, giving them a rather ghostlike appearance. It seemed that she had been the last one in the entire hall to notice, as everyone else had already been staring at them since their return.

Mitsuki and Takuto stood in the corner of the room talking, fending off the occasional question by Wakana, Kumi, and Tomoe as they and their partners passed by. Finally, Mitsuki said gloomily, "This is my last week in middle school."

"Bah, well junior high is not so different."

"Yes it is! I hear that you have to read a book a week! And, some of our friends are moving to another school. And," she added with slight humor, "it's not called middle school anymore."

Takuto laughed, but could tell that Mitsuki was still feeling down about her eminent leave of youth. He tried telling her several jokes to cheer her up, but her whitened face still kept its faraway look. "Wait here," he said suddenly, and walked off, leaving Mitsuki alone in the corner.

Ahhh, look at everyone having fun, Mitsuki thought to herself as she glanced around the room, I guess I just need to relax and enjoy myself. Sure, there are reasons to be sad, but… I should be having a good time, too!

Takuto returned, carrying two glasses of water and some napkins. Mitsuki looked at him puzzled as he dipped the napkins in the water and handed her one, before using the other to wipe his face. Catching on, she proceeded to do the same.

"Ah, we could have just gone to the bathroom!" she said.

"I don't think guardian-sensei would let us, at this point," Takuto said, his head rotating all the way around to look at the door, and making eye contact with the teacher, who was still glaring at the two.

Exclamation points of surprise floated above his head, and he turned back to Mitsuki, heaving a bubble-shaped sigh, "See?"

Mitsuki only laughed as she noticed the interaction and said, "Well, then thank you, Takuto!"

"Now!" exclaimed Takuto, and grabbed Mitsuki by the arm before she had even set down the water cup.

"Wh-wh-wh-what?!" she cried, though not loudly enough for others to hear.

"Let's dance! It's time we started having fun!"

So you think just like me, eh. I guess you really are the same Takuto that I knew, thought Mitsuki to herself, and she enveloped herself in his arms to the beat of the slow song that was currently playing.

"Takuto, this reminds me of a time when I was really sick, and you changed me into Full Moon to save me," Mitsuki spoke into Takuto's body, her eyes closed as the two moved on the dance floor, "You were so gentle, carrying me in your arms that time."

The compliment returned seriousness to Takuto's demeanor as he glanced down at Mitsuki as she snuggled into his breast. When the song ended, she noticed his slight disquiet, and said, "You know, back then I still loved Eichi-kun, and you were just the Shinigami who would one day take me away. And yet, you were always helping me out, and became my best friend. Takuto, somehow I'm going to sing again, and I want you to be there with me."

Takuto opened his mouth to speak, but Mitsuki gently placed her index finger over his mouth, "First, I need to change into a sixteen year old, so you have a lot of time to think about it."

Takuto looked at her compassionately, and nodded slightly. The music's beat picked up considerably, and Mitsuki and Takuto soon found themselves dancing much more energetically than before, causing them to leave their thoughts behind. It was easy to enjoy the rest of their evening in each others' company, and their friends joined them in their merriment as the night slowly wore to a close.