Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Atonement - Rei's Story ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: jasonulloa 
Ryoku makes a decision that will affect the rest of his life, and Rei is uncertain as to the reason for his decision.
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.17.2004 | Pages: 6 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 283 | Status: Completed
Ryoku makes a decision that will affect the rest of his life, and Rei is uncertain as to the reason for his decision.
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.17.2004 | Pages: 6 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 283 | Status: Completed
Atonement: Rei's Story
by Jason C. Ulloa
Chapter 7
Rei really couldn't remember when it started.
She could be sitting in front of the sacred fire, meditating. Or, Grandpa could be training
her in the performance of another rite that she had to know in order to perform as a miko.
Or, she could be practicing one of the rites that she did know.
No matter what she was doing, sooner or later, Ryoku would show up and watch. Sometimes he
would watch for a few minutes, or sometimes he would show up as she began a rite and stayed
until she finished, then leave without saying a word. She asked him about it a few times,
but he would always give her the same answer.
He was curious.
He always gave that same answer. No more, no less. Sometimes it made her upset, since it
felt like he was hiding something from her. She could insist on more than that simple
answer, but no matter how many times she asked, he would not change his answer.
"So, he's just... curious?" Makoto asked, blinking. "That's all he says?"
"That's all he'll tell me," Rei agreed, sighing as she sat down on the steps of the haiden.
"I can't get him to say any more than that."
Makoto had come from Shirokoyama to visit, as she did whenever she had the opportunity.
However, Ryoku was out shopping for groceries at the moment with Grandpa, so it was just
her and Rei alone at the temple. Normally, Rei would've gone with Grandpa and Ryoku to
go shopping, but since Makoto had called to say that she would be coming over to see
her and Ryoku, she had been asked to stay behind. It was no problem at all, really.
"Maybe he likes you," Makoto teased as she gave her friend a cat-like grin.
Rei shook her head while trying to hide the blush that was threatening to color her
cheeks. "No way. He's too preoccupied with his quest for self-forgiveness to even think
about things like that...." She turned back to stare toward the entrance to the shrine
grounds, waiting for Grandpa and Ryoku to return.
"Hmm...," the ponytailed brunette mused as she studied the other girl from out of the
corner of her eye while she also watched the shrine entrance. From the look of things,
she had a suspicion that the raven-haired miko might have a crush on her elder brother.
She liked Rei, especially because she was also trying to break Ryoku out of his depressive,
self-accusatory funk.
"Anyway, I heard from Ryo-kun that you're trying to get Myouken-san to transfer you to a
school out here," Rei said.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't know where Ryo-chan is going to be enrolled next, though."
"Most people who go to Juuban Elementary go to Juuban Junior High next," Rei told her.
"Or, you could always transfer to my school," she said with a laugh.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, really...," Makoto said thoughfully.
Rei blinked. "Eh?"
"That way, it doesn't really matter what school Ryo-chan transfers to, I'll be in a school
close to his," she continued, smiling.
"I guess so," she agreed, smiling back. Her smile then widened. "Maybe we could get
Grandpa to let you live here, too."
"That would be wonderful! Do you think that Grandpa would say it was all right?" Makoto
asked.
"Why not? He let Ryo-kun stay here, didn't he?"
"Yeah," she agreed. "Well, I'll see if Oyaji will enroll me in your school. Even if he
can't, I can always go to Ryo-chan's school. Either way, I'm going to be coming down
here after I finish sixth grade."
Rei smiled as she turned back to watching for Grandpa and Ryoku. That definitely sounded
good to her. Besides Ryoku and Makoto, she didn't have that many friends. It would be
great to have another friend around.
"We're home!" Ryoku shouted as he struggled up the last few steps to the shrine, loaded
with several bags in his arms.
"Ryo-chan!" Makoto called out as she and Rei rushed over to take some of the bags from
him before he could lose his balance and fall back down the stairs.
"Ryo-kun, why're you carrying so many bags?" Rei demanded. "Did Grandpa buy half of the
store?"
"I did not buy the entire store," Grandpa replied as he walked up to the top of the
stairs empty-handed. "Ryo-kun is just carrying everything for me."
"What?!?" Rei shouted as she set down her bag and turned on Grandpa. "Why in the world did
you make him do such a thing?"
"Wait, Rei-chan," Ryoku said calmly. "He didn't make me do anything."
"What?" she said as she turned back to stare at him incredulously.
"Why, Ryo-chan?" Makoto asked, still holding her bag.
"Let's get these inside, then Grandpa and I will explain," Ryoku said as he started for the
shrine with Grandpa following behind him.
Rei and Makoto exchanged a curious look before following them inside, Rei stopping only long
enough to pick up her grocery bag.
**********************************************
"You're joking," Rei stated as she sat down on the floor beside the table. "Tell me you're
joking, Ryo-kun."
Ryoku's expression never wavered. "I'm not."
"But, you can't be serious," she replied, glancing between him and Grandpa, who were both
already seated. "He is joking, right, Mako-chan?"
Makoto didn't say anything as she sat down beside Rei. "You're... serious, Ryo-chan?"
"I am," he replied solemnly.
"I've already talked to him, Rei," Grandpa said, speaking for the first time since they
entered the haiden. "He's made up his mind. If he wants to dedicate his life to the Shinto
religion, then it's his decision."
"Well, Ryo-chan, if you want to become a priest, then I'm behind you all the way," Makoto
said seriously. "But if this's because of what happened with Keiko-chan, then I don't think
you're doing this for the right reason."
"Why are you doing this, Ryo-kun?" Rei asked.
Ryoku stared down at the table for a long time before speaking. "My reasons are mine alone,
Rei-chan. I'll share them when I feel the time is right." He then stood up and left, leaving
everyone staring after him.
"So, you're gonna start teaching him to become a Shinto priest, Grandpa?" Makoto asked.
"That's what he asked me to do," he replied with a nod. "He seemed quite serious about it,
too...."
**********************************************
Rei and Makoto left the haiden to go look for Ryoku. It wasn't long before they found him
praying in his usual spot.
"There you are, Ryo-chan," Makoto began.
"Don't bother," Rei told her. "As long as he's praying, he won't respond to anything."
Makoto walked up to her brother and peered at him closely. She walked around him, peering
at him from different angles, trying to see if he would react.
Nothing.
"See?" she said knowingly. "I told you he wouldn't respond to anything."
"Oh, yeah?" Makoto said smugly. "We'll see about that."
"Mako-chan, you shouldn't interrupt him while he's praying...."
"I won't," she said reassuringly. "Say, Rei-chan, I've got this really embarrasing story
I wanna tell you about this time when Ryo-chan, Keiko-chan and I were playing Kick the Can
with some of our friends...." She paused to take a look at her brother.
No reaction.
"Mako-chan...," Rei began, but paused. An embarrasing story? About Ryoku?
"...and Ryo-chan was it," she continued, while watching her brother. "Keiko-chan and I were
hiding behind this huge tree when he found both of us. We were both sitting down, so he had
to reach down to tag one of us." She paused to look at her brother again.
No reaction.
"Then what happened?" Rei asked. She didn't think he was paying attention, anyway. At least,
this way she could find out for certain if he was aware of anything while he prayed.
"We were both scooting back as quickly as we could since he would tag us for certain if we
tried to stand up. We could always roll out of the way if he lunged at us when we were on the
ground like we were and he knew it. We were hoping someone would kick the can before he could
tag us." She checked again.
No reaction.
"Anyway, since Keiko-chan was closer, he was aiming for her. As he drew closer, he tripped
over a root that was sticking up out of the ground. He fell face-forward... and landed with
his face in Keiko-chan's lap. I never saw her blush as hard as she did right then."
Rei burst out laughing. "Did she slap him?" she asked as she got her laughter under control.
"No," she said as she checked her brother again. "It was an accident."
Still no reaction.
"Hmm.... I guess you were right, Rei-chan," she sighed. "If he didn't move for that story,
he won't move for anything." She turned and headed back to join her friend. "How long does
he usually pray like this?"
"A couple of hours, usually," she replied. "Hey, got any more embarrasing stories, Mako-chan?"
"Sure," she replied with a smile. "After all, it's not like he's gonna stop me from telling
them." She paused. "I know he doesn't react to anything, but can he hear what we're saying?"
She shrugged. "I don't think he can," she told her. "At least, as far as I know. There's one
way we can find out, though," she finished with a grin.
"Right," Makoto nodded as the two girls sat down. "This happened a few years ago, when
Ryo-chan and I attended different boarding schools...."
**********************************************
"Welcome back," Makoto said as Ryoku concluded his prayer. "You sure were out of it for a
long time."
"I know," he replied, nodding slightly. "I wanted to ask Keiko what she thought of my
decision." He turned back toward the haiden with a wistful look on his face. "I got the
feeling that she would've accepted whatever decision I felt was best."
Makoto nodded. "I know. That's exactly what I thought she would say." She smiled sadly, then
looked up at her brother. "So, your mind is made up. You're going to be a priest."
"Yes."
"Well, as long as you don't become like a monk and swear off such things like falling in love
and such," she admonished as she shook her finger at him. "If you do something like that,
I'll never forgive you!"
Ryoku smiled slightly. "I guess I can't do that, then," he said with a small shrug of his
shoulders. "I'll have to live with that small sacrifice, then. I can't guarantee I'll ever
fall in love again, but if it'll make you feel any better, I'll promise that I won't ever
swear off falling in love."
"Promise me, then," Makoto said seriously. "On your honor."
He blinked twice at her request. "It's that important to you?" he asked.
"I don't want you to go through life denying yourself something as special as falling in love
just because you're blaming yourself for something that's not your fault," she stated firmly.
"I know you're going to continue to blame yourself, no matter what I say, so I want to make
sure that you at least have this. Now, promise me."
He nodded solemnly. "I promise."
"On your honor."
"On my honor, I promise I won't ever swear off falling in love."
Makoto nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, Ryo-chan."
Rei glanced from one sibling to the other, thinking over the significance of what she had
just witnessed. She had the feeling that it was something very important; something that would
affect his future... and maybe even hers.
**********************************************
After Makoto left to go back home, and after dinner, Rei went into the room with the sacred
flame in order to meditate. She wanted to think over everything that happened today. She
couldn't help but feel that what happened today was going to affect her in some way in the
future. Maybe it was her developing sixth sense talking.
Whatever it was, she needed time to think.
When she slid open the door, she found that Ryoku was already there, sitting in front of the
fire.
"Ryo-kun?" she called out as she slid the door closed behind her. "Do you mind if I join you?"
There was no response.
"Ryo-kun, did you hear me?" she asked again, louder.
There was still no response.
She walked up to him and stood at his side, glancing down at his face. His eyes were closed
and his face completely serene. It almost looked as though he was praying, except that his
hands were down in his lap.
"Well, I guess you're meditating, then, aren't you?" she asked as she sat down beside him and
assumed a similar position. "I hope you don't mind if I join you. Not that you'd notice or
anything, if the way you meditate is anything like the way you pray."
She took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled as she let herself relax. "Is that why you've
been watching me all this time? So you'd know what it's like?" She closed her eyes and let
her hands rest in the same positions that Ryoku's hands were in.
"If this is your way of trying to achive atonement for Keiko-chan's death, then I suggest
you forget trying to become a priest, Ryo-kun," she said without opening her eyes. "It's
not the way to solve your problems. It's not going to make everything go away. And it's
certainly not going to make her forgive you any quicker, if that's what your reason for
doing this is."
Rei began to slow down her breathing as she cleared her mind of all thought. Grandpa had
suggested trying this in order to bring out her sixth sense. If her mind was clear of all
thought, then perhaps her sixth sense would be able to show itself without her having to be
asleep.
Minutes passed. Minutes turned into hours.
Nothing came to her.
She opened her eyes to find Ryoku sitting in front of her, watching her intently. "Wha?"
she exclaimed as she fell backward in surprise.
"You all right?" he asked as he extended a hand toward her.
"Don't startle me like that," she snapped as she sat back up. "What was that all about?"
"What was what all about?" he asked, tilting his head inquisitively.
"The way you were staring at me," she said as gestured at him.
"Oh. That," he said sheepishly. "Sorry. I was just curious."
Rei grimaced. "That again. You always say that."
"That doesn't mean it's not true," he replied.
"But you never tell me what you're curious about," she retorted. "What is it about me that
you're curious about? Tell me, Ryo-kun."
Ryoku stared at her for a few moments before standing up. "If I knew, then I'd be more than
happy to tell you, Rei-chan," he told her. "If I offended you, then I am very sorry," he
added with a bow, then turned to leave.
"Wait," she said as he slid open the door. "Did you hear me talking to you while you were
meditating?"
He hesitated before answering. "I wasn't paying any attention, so I don't know if you were
talking to me or not," he replied without turning his head. "If you said anything to me, I
apologize for not paying attention to you." He then left and slid the door shut behind him.
**********************************************
As Ryoku slid the door shut behind him, he looked up to see Grandpa walking up to him.
"So, how do you feel, Ryo-kun?" he asked. "Did it help?"
He hesitated slightly before replying, "A little."
Grandpa frowned slightly, then replaced the frown with a grin so quickly, the frown may as
well have never been there. "Well, a little is better than nothing, right? So, what do you
say?"
"I've given it as much thought as possible, Grandpa, and I'm certain that I still want to
become a priest," he replied.
"And you're sure that the reason has nothing to do with Keiko's death in any way?" he
asked. "You know that I won't train you if that's the case. And you also know that I won't
train you if you're lying to me."
"I'm certain, Grandpa," he affirmed. "And, on my honor, I swear I am not lying to you."
"Very well, then," Grandpa nodded. "Starting tomorrow, I'll begin training you along with
Rei. She'll be training you as well, mostly only the basic rites and rituals that
apprentice priests first learn."
"So, in a way, I'll be helping her train as she trains me, right?" he asked.
"That's it, exactly," he said as he slapped a jovial hand on Ryoku's back. "You're a smart
kid. I think you'll do fine."
Ryoku stumbled slightly from the slap. "Thanks, Grandpa," he said appreciatively. "I won't
let you down."
"I know you won't," he said with a satisfied nod of his head. "Now, how about we celebrate
your new apprenticeship with some sake?"
"But, Grandpa, you know I'm underage."
"Really? More for me, then!" he said gleefully as he headed for the kitchen, leaving Ryoku
staring after him and shaking his head in amusement.
**********************************************
As Ryoku was heading for bed, he saw Rei waiting for him outside his room. As soon as he
reached his door, she looked up at him and smiled.
"I heard you talking with Grandpa," she told him. "It's good to know that you're not
doing this to run away from your problems. If that was true, then I would've lost all my
respect for you."
"I don't run from my problems, Rei-chan," he replied simply.
"You don't?" she replied. "That's funny; I seem to remember you running away from your
boarding school-"
"That's different," he cut her off sharply. "A fool is someone who tries to fight a
losing battle.
"I had to leave in order to maintain my hold on my sanity and come to grips with Keiko's
death. Slowly, I am coming to terms with the fact that I was unable to save her.
"If I were to do what I had originally wanted to do when Keiko first died, then you
could accuse me of running away. But I am alive and I made it through most of my grief."
Rei nodded understandingly. "That's good to hear, Ryo-kun. And that's part of why I like
you. You're strong. You don't give up, even when things seem impossible."
He gave her a small smirk. "That's only because Mako-chan would kick my butt if I even
thought about giving up."
"I can imagine that," she said, laughing.
"Are you ready to begin my first lesson in becoming a Shinto priest tomorrow?" he asked
after she stopped laughing.
"Yeah," she said with a nod. "You just better pay attention to what I have to say,
Ryo-kun. I won't have you ignoring me or slacking off. You hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said with a smile.
"That's good," she said as she turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good
night, Ryo-kun."
"Good night, Rei-chan," Ryoku said as he slid open his door and slid it closed behind
him.
**********************************************
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.
The Question and all stories included are:
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.
All Rights Reserved.
by Jason C. Ulloa
Chapter 7
Rei really couldn't remember when it started.
She could be sitting in front of the sacred fire, meditating. Or, Grandpa could be training
her in the performance of another rite that she had to know in order to perform as a miko.
Or, she could be practicing one of the rites that she did know.
No matter what she was doing, sooner or later, Ryoku would show up and watch. Sometimes he
would watch for a few minutes, or sometimes he would show up as she began a rite and stayed
until she finished, then leave without saying a word. She asked him about it a few times,
but he would always give her the same answer.
He was curious.
He always gave that same answer. No more, no less. Sometimes it made her upset, since it
felt like he was hiding something from her. She could insist on more than that simple
answer, but no matter how many times she asked, he would not change his answer.
"So, he's just... curious?" Makoto asked, blinking. "That's all he says?"
"That's all he'll tell me," Rei agreed, sighing as she sat down on the steps of the haiden.
"I can't get him to say any more than that."
Makoto had come from Shirokoyama to visit, as she did whenever she had the opportunity.
However, Ryoku was out shopping for groceries at the moment with Grandpa, so it was just
her and Rei alone at the temple. Normally, Rei would've gone with Grandpa and Ryoku to
go shopping, but since Makoto had called to say that she would be coming over to see
her and Ryoku, she had been asked to stay behind. It was no problem at all, really.
"Maybe he likes you," Makoto teased as she gave her friend a cat-like grin.
Rei shook her head while trying to hide the blush that was threatening to color her
cheeks. "No way. He's too preoccupied with his quest for self-forgiveness to even think
about things like that...." She turned back to stare toward the entrance to the shrine
grounds, waiting for Grandpa and Ryoku to return.
"Hmm...," the ponytailed brunette mused as she studied the other girl from out of the
corner of her eye while she also watched the shrine entrance. From the look of things,
she had a suspicion that the raven-haired miko might have a crush on her elder brother.
She liked Rei, especially because she was also trying to break Ryoku out of his depressive,
self-accusatory funk.
"Anyway, I heard from Ryo-kun that you're trying to get Myouken-san to transfer you to a
school out here," Rei said.
"Yeah," she nodded. "I don't know where Ryo-chan is going to be enrolled next, though."
"Most people who go to Juuban Elementary go to Juuban Junior High next," Rei told her.
"Or, you could always transfer to my school," she said with a laugh.
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, really...," Makoto said thoughfully.
Rei blinked. "Eh?"
"That way, it doesn't really matter what school Ryo-chan transfers to, I'll be in a school
close to his," she continued, smiling.
"I guess so," she agreed, smiling back. Her smile then widened. "Maybe we could get
Grandpa to let you live here, too."
"That would be wonderful! Do you think that Grandpa would say it was all right?" Makoto
asked.
"Why not? He let Ryo-kun stay here, didn't he?"
"Yeah," she agreed. "Well, I'll see if Oyaji will enroll me in your school. Even if he
can't, I can always go to Ryo-chan's school. Either way, I'm going to be coming down
here after I finish sixth grade."
Rei smiled as she turned back to watching for Grandpa and Ryoku. That definitely sounded
good to her. Besides Ryoku and Makoto, she didn't have that many friends. It would be
great to have another friend around.
"We're home!" Ryoku shouted as he struggled up the last few steps to the shrine, loaded
with several bags in his arms.
"Ryo-chan!" Makoto called out as she and Rei rushed over to take some of the bags from
him before he could lose his balance and fall back down the stairs.
"Ryo-kun, why're you carrying so many bags?" Rei demanded. "Did Grandpa buy half of the
store?"
"I did not buy the entire store," Grandpa replied as he walked up to the top of the
stairs empty-handed. "Ryo-kun is just carrying everything for me."
"What?!?" Rei shouted as she set down her bag and turned on Grandpa. "Why in the world did
you make him do such a thing?"
"Wait, Rei-chan," Ryoku said calmly. "He didn't make me do anything."
"What?" she said as she turned back to stare at him incredulously.
"Why, Ryo-chan?" Makoto asked, still holding her bag.
"Let's get these inside, then Grandpa and I will explain," Ryoku said as he started for the
shrine with Grandpa following behind him.
Rei and Makoto exchanged a curious look before following them inside, Rei stopping only long
enough to pick up her grocery bag.
**********************************************
"You're joking," Rei stated as she sat down on the floor beside the table. "Tell me you're
joking, Ryo-kun."
Ryoku's expression never wavered. "I'm not."
"But, you can't be serious," she replied, glancing between him and Grandpa, who were both
already seated. "He is joking, right, Mako-chan?"
Makoto didn't say anything as she sat down beside Rei. "You're... serious, Ryo-chan?"
"I am," he replied solemnly.
"I've already talked to him, Rei," Grandpa said, speaking for the first time since they
entered the haiden. "He's made up his mind. If he wants to dedicate his life to the Shinto
religion, then it's his decision."
"Well, Ryo-chan, if you want to become a priest, then I'm behind you all the way," Makoto
said seriously. "But if this's because of what happened with Keiko-chan, then I don't think
you're doing this for the right reason."
"Why are you doing this, Ryo-kun?" Rei asked.
Ryoku stared down at the table for a long time before speaking. "My reasons are mine alone,
Rei-chan. I'll share them when I feel the time is right." He then stood up and left, leaving
everyone staring after him.
"So, you're gonna start teaching him to become a Shinto priest, Grandpa?" Makoto asked.
"That's what he asked me to do," he replied with a nod. "He seemed quite serious about it,
too...."
**********************************************
Rei and Makoto left the haiden to go look for Ryoku. It wasn't long before they found him
praying in his usual spot.
"There you are, Ryo-chan," Makoto began.
"Don't bother," Rei told her. "As long as he's praying, he won't respond to anything."
Makoto walked up to her brother and peered at him closely. She walked around him, peering
at him from different angles, trying to see if he would react.
Nothing.
"See?" she said knowingly. "I told you he wouldn't respond to anything."
"Oh, yeah?" Makoto said smugly. "We'll see about that."
"Mako-chan, you shouldn't interrupt him while he's praying...."
"I won't," she said reassuringly. "Say, Rei-chan, I've got this really embarrasing story
I wanna tell you about this time when Ryo-chan, Keiko-chan and I were playing Kick the Can
with some of our friends...." She paused to take a look at her brother.
No reaction.
"Mako-chan...," Rei began, but paused. An embarrasing story? About Ryoku?
"...and Ryo-chan was it," she continued, while watching her brother. "Keiko-chan and I were
hiding behind this huge tree when he found both of us. We were both sitting down, so he had
to reach down to tag one of us." She paused to look at her brother again.
No reaction.
"Then what happened?" Rei asked. She didn't think he was paying attention, anyway. At least,
this way she could find out for certain if he was aware of anything while he prayed.
"We were both scooting back as quickly as we could since he would tag us for certain if we
tried to stand up. We could always roll out of the way if he lunged at us when we were on the
ground like we were and he knew it. We were hoping someone would kick the can before he could
tag us." She checked again.
No reaction.
"Anyway, since Keiko-chan was closer, he was aiming for her. As he drew closer, he tripped
over a root that was sticking up out of the ground. He fell face-forward... and landed with
his face in Keiko-chan's lap. I never saw her blush as hard as she did right then."
Rei burst out laughing. "Did she slap him?" she asked as she got her laughter under control.
"No," she said as she checked her brother again. "It was an accident."
Still no reaction.
"Hmm.... I guess you were right, Rei-chan," she sighed. "If he didn't move for that story,
he won't move for anything." She turned and headed back to join her friend. "How long does
he usually pray like this?"
"A couple of hours, usually," she replied. "Hey, got any more embarrasing stories, Mako-chan?"
"Sure," she replied with a smile. "After all, it's not like he's gonna stop me from telling
them." She paused. "I know he doesn't react to anything, but can he hear what we're saying?"
She shrugged. "I don't think he can," she told her. "At least, as far as I know. There's one
way we can find out, though," she finished with a grin.
"Right," Makoto nodded as the two girls sat down. "This happened a few years ago, when
Ryo-chan and I attended different boarding schools...."
**********************************************
"Welcome back," Makoto said as Ryoku concluded his prayer. "You sure were out of it for a
long time."
"I know," he replied, nodding slightly. "I wanted to ask Keiko what she thought of my
decision." He turned back toward the haiden with a wistful look on his face. "I got the
feeling that she would've accepted whatever decision I felt was best."
Makoto nodded. "I know. That's exactly what I thought she would say." She smiled sadly, then
looked up at her brother. "So, your mind is made up. You're going to be a priest."
"Yes."
"Well, as long as you don't become like a monk and swear off such things like falling in love
and such," she admonished as she shook her finger at him. "If you do something like that,
I'll never forgive you!"
Ryoku smiled slightly. "I guess I can't do that, then," he said with a small shrug of his
shoulders. "I'll have to live with that small sacrifice, then. I can't guarantee I'll ever
fall in love again, but if it'll make you feel any better, I'll promise that I won't ever
swear off falling in love."
"Promise me, then," Makoto said seriously. "On your honor."
He blinked twice at her request. "It's that important to you?" he asked.
"I don't want you to go through life denying yourself something as special as falling in love
just because you're blaming yourself for something that's not your fault," she stated firmly.
"I know you're going to continue to blame yourself, no matter what I say, so I want to make
sure that you at least have this. Now, promise me."
He nodded solemnly. "I promise."
"On your honor."
"On my honor, I promise I won't ever swear off falling in love."
Makoto nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, Ryo-chan."
Rei glanced from one sibling to the other, thinking over the significance of what she had
just witnessed. She had the feeling that it was something very important; something that would
affect his future... and maybe even hers.
**********************************************
After Makoto left to go back home, and after dinner, Rei went into the room with the sacred
flame in order to meditate. She wanted to think over everything that happened today. She
couldn't help but feel that what happened today was going to affect her in some way in the
future. Maybe it was her developing sixth sense talking.
Whatever it was, she needed time to think.
When she slid open the door, she found that Ryoku was already there, sitting in front of the
fire.
"Ryo-kun?" she called out as she slid the door closed behind her. "Do you mind if I join you?"
There was no response.
"Ryo-kun, did you hear me?" she asked again, louder.
There was still no response.
She walked up to him and stood at his side, glancing down at his face. His eyes were closed
and his face completely serene. It almost looked as though he was praying, except that his
hands were down in his lap.
"Well, I guess you're meditating, then, aren't you?" she asked as she sat down beside him and
assumed a similar position. "I hope you don't mind if I join you. Not that you'd notice or
anything, if the way you meditate is anything like the way you pray."
She took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled as she let herself relax. "Is that why you've
been watching me all this time? So you'd know what it's like?" She closed her eyes and let
her hands rest in the same positions that Ryoku's hands were in.
"If this is your way of trying to achive atonement for Keiko-chan's death, then I suggest
you forget trying to become a priest, Ryo-kun," she said without opening her eyes. "It's
not the way to solve your problems. It's not going to make everything go away. And it's
certainly not going to make her forgive you any quicker, if that's what your reason for
doing this is."
Rei began to slow down her breathing as she cleared her mind of all thought. Grandpa had
suggested trying this in order to bring out her sixth sense. If her mind was clear of all
thought, then perhaps her sixth sense would be able to show itself without her having to be
asleep.
Minutes passed. Minutes turned into hours.
Nothing came to her.
She opened her eyes to find Ryoku sitting in front of her, watching her intently. "Wha?"
she exclaimed as she fell backward in surprise.
"You all right?" he asked as he extended a hand toward her.
"Don't startle me like that," she snapped as she sat back up. "What was that all about?"
"What was what all about?" he asked, tilting his head inquisitively.
"The way you were staring at me," she said as gestured at him.
"Oh. That," he said sheepishly. "Sorry. I was just curious."
Rei grimaced. "That again. You always say that."
"That doesn't mean it's not true," he replied.
"But you never tell me what you're curious about," she retorted. "What is it about me that
you're curious about? Tell me, Ryo-kun."
Ryoku stared at her for a few moments before standing up. "If I knew, then I'd be more than
happy to tell you, Rei-chan," he told her. "If I offended you, then I am very sorry," he
added with a bow, then turned to leave.
"Wait," she said as he slid open the door. "Did you hear me talking to you while you were
meditating?"
He hesitated before answering. "I wasn't paying any attention, so I don't know if you were
talking to me or not," he replied without turning his head. "If you said anything to me, I
apologize for not paying attention to you." He then left and slid the door shut behind him.
**********************************************
As Ryoku slid the door shut behind him, he looked up to see Grandpa walking up to him.
"So, how do you feel, Ryo-kun?" he asked. "Did it help?"
He hesitated slightly before replying, "A little."
Grandpa frowned slightly, then replaced the frown with a grin so quickly, the frown may as
well have never been there. "Well, a little is better than nothing, right? So, what do you
say?"
"I've given it as much thought as possible, Grandpa, and I'm certain that I still want to
become a priest," he replied.
"And you're sure that the reason has nothing to do with Keiko's death in any way?" he
asked. "You know that I won't train you if that's the case. And you also know that I won't
train you if you're lying to me."
"I'm certain, Grandpa," he affirmed. "And, on my honor, I swear I am not lying to you."
"Very well, then," Grandpa nodded. "Starting tomorrow, I'll begin training you along with
Rei. She'll be training you as well, mostly only the basic rites and rituals that
apprentice priests first learn."
"So, in a way, I'll be helping her train as she trains me, right?" he asked.
"That's it, exactly," he said as he slapped a jovial hand on Ryoku's back. "You're a smart
kid. I think you'll do fine."
Ryoku stumbled slightly from the slap. "Thanks, Grandpa," he said appreciatively. "I won't
let you down."
"I know you won't," he said with a satisfied nod of his head. "Now, how about we celebrate
your new apprenticeship with some sake?"
"But, Grandpa, you know I'm underage."
"Really? More for me, then!" he said gleefully as he headed for the kitchen, leaving Ryoku
staring after him and shaking his head in amusement.
**********************************************
As Ryoku was heading for bed, he saw Rei waiting for him outside his room. As soon as he
reached his door, she looked up at him and smiled.
"I heard you talking with Grandpa," she told him. "It's good to know that you're not
doing this to run away from your problems. If that was true, then I would've lost all my
respect for you."
"I don't run from my problems, Rei-chan," he replied simply.
"You don't?" she replied. "That's funny; I seem to remember you running away from your
boarding school-"
"That's different," he cut her off sharply. "A fool is someone who tries to fight a
losing battle.
"I had to leave in order to maintain my hold on my sanity and come to grips with Keiko's
death. Slowly, I am coming to terms with the fact that I was unable to save her.
"If I were to do what I had originally wanted to do when Keiko first died, then you
could accuse me of running away. But I am alive and I made it through most of my grief."
Rei nodded understandingly. "That's good to hear, Ryo-kun. And that's part of why I like
you. You're strong. You don't give up, even when things seem impossible."
He gave her a small smirk. "That's only because Mako-chan would kick my butt if I even
thought about giving up."
"I can imagine that," she said, laughing.
"Are you ready to begin my first lesson in becoming a Shinto priest tomorrow?" he asked
after she stopped laughing.
"Yeah," she said with a nod. "You just better pay attention to what I have to say,
Ryo-kun. I won't have you ignoring me or slacking off. You hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said with a smile.
"That's good," she said as she turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good
night, Ryo-kun."
"Good night, Rei-chan," Ryoku said as he slid open his door and slid it closed behind
him.
**********************************************
Disclaimer: All original materials belong to their respective owners. Sailor Moon belongs
to Naoko Takeuchi and a bunch of big companies. No copyright infringement is intended. This
story belongs me, so I would appreciate it very much if you would ask for permission before
posting it anywhere else. Thank you.
The Question and all stories included are:
Copyright © July 6, 2001 Jason C. Ulloa.
All Rights Reserved.