Tsubasa Chronicle Fan Fiction ❯ Tenshi no Mikomi ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

What a wonderful day it was turning out to be! The sun was shining, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky! Oh, who am I kidding? The sun wasn’t shining, and the clouds were a dark, abysmal gray, heavily laden with the promise of rain as the faint sound of thunder filled the air, small, desolate breezes passing through lazily that did nothing to alleviate the humid temperature in the air that left the atmosphere hot and muggy. Horses trotted through the wide dirt pathway, passing by small houses and sparse fruit stands and various other produce stalls, spread out along the congested area. Suddenly, the soft clapping of thin wicker sandals filled the air, growing louder before a small form flashed by, narrowly dodging a few fruit stands and earning angry protests by the vendors, waving their fists in the general direction from which the small figure was rushing.

The narrow, almost childish figure belonging to a young girl with short cinnamon colored locks and light brown irises that shimmered eagerly as she ran, her arms pumping at her sides as she willed herself to run faster. Her eyes widened, however when she saw the vegetable cart coming from her left, giving her no time to dodge it as her side came in contact with the wooden crate, and pain shot up her side as she stumbled, throwing her arms out in front of her clumsily as she regained her balance and resumed running, shouting a short apology over her shoulder before turning back, a small smile tugging at her lips as her eyes alighted upon the small building in front of her pathway, a small sign that hung before it by two short chains, now a dark red-brown from the rust that had eroded the black paint long ago, though the words on the wooden plate still legible. Curving golden painted letters managed to spell out ‘ Hoshi Inn.’ With a short burst of speed she didn’t know she had, the girl made one last desperate lunge, her small frame flying through the door, making the tall slab of honey colored wood slam against the wall as she came to a stop, her slim left hand gripping the frame of the doorway for support as she struggled to regain her breath.

“Imouto?” came a soft, male voice, carrying natural warmth with it as it floated through the air, breaking the deafening silence as the girl regained her breath. Her light brown irises widened, the dark pupil dilating as they flickered from a head of dark, almost ebony hair that was untidy, sticking up in random places, down to the muscular frame, covered partially by a weather beaten faded green traveling cloak and then back up to connect with soft blue eyes.

“Nii…nii-san!” the girl cried breathlessly, flinging herself towards the boy that stood by one of the many polished oak tables that littered the large dining area, her slender form ramming into his, nearly knocking him back as she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he stumbled back a few steps clumsily, looking down at the head of cinnamon colored tresses before wrapping his arms around her body, his black gloved hands clutching at her white shirt that was decorated by gold trim.

“Sayoko…” he whispered, closing his eyes as he breathed in the familiar scent of lavender and jasmine that his little sister always seemed to give off, her hair always soft and silky to the touch. Sayoko closed her eyes as she inhaled her brother’s scent. He smelled of dirt and clay- a rather familiar, almost comforting scent that allowed her to believe that he was there, in front of her and not just a dream.

“I missed you.” she whispered softly, nuzzling her face into her brother’s firm chest as she wrapped her arms around him more firmly, as if she would never let go. He had always been off on some mission, some new artifact to discover, new runes to translate, leaving her alone, to fend for herself. She missed him terribly, more than he would probably ever know.

“I’m back. I’m back.” He whispered in her hair, his warm breath ruffling her silky cinnamon hair, making it tickle slightly. He frowned when he felt his sister’s form shake, and a soft cough erupted from her throat, making her pull away to cover her mouth as she coughed a few more times. Pushing his sister into a near by chair, Tokune frowned as he discarded the black glove of his right hand, pressing the calloused appendage against the younger girl’s forehead, his frown deepening as he felt the unnatural warmth emanating from her forehead. Pulling his hand away, he sighed.

“Sayoko, did you run all the way here?” he asked firmly. Sayoko shook her head, hair flying around her head in a cinnamon halo as she looked up at her brother, flinching slightly at his stern blue eyes.

“Okay, so maybe I did, but…” she faltered, looking at him with light brown irises, the colored optics filmy with unshed tears as she hiccupped slightly, her face flushed.

“I miss you so bad when you’re gone, and I wanted to see you…” she said, rubbing her eyes. Tokune sighed again before lifting his sister into his muscular arms with ease, her head pressed against the front of his shoulder. Turning, he walked towards the wooden staircase at the left, his boots thudding heavily against the wooden floorboards.

“I know you wanted to see me, but...” he said as he ascended the stairs, “ You should be more careful, Sayoko. You know you get sick easily.” He finished as he turned to the left, shifting his sister’s small frame to open the bronze knob of the Oakwood door and stepping inside, looking around as he did so.

The chalky walls of the room were painted a light peach, giving it a warm look. Various stuffed animals, ranging in size, littered the room, a few laying on the pale pink sheets of the large bed that was pushed to the side, underneath the small cove that held a pair of double windows that were latched by a silver chain that glinted in the artificial light of the fixture above his head. Shaking his head and ruffling his dark locks in the process, Tokune strode across the room, pulling back the light peach fabric of the blankets and placing his sister on the soft mattress, pulling the covers over her tiny body as she turned her head, staring at the small drops of glistening water that fell upon the crystalline windows, the soft pitter patter of rain filling the air for several moments as Tokune knelt beside the bed, watching his sister with a soft smile.

“Nii-san?” asked Sayoko softly as she turned, her hair rustling against the pillow as she gazed at her brother.

“Nani?” answered Tokune. Sayoko smiled gently as she moved her small right hand, clasping her brother’s larger one with her own, her slender fingers intertwining with his.

“I missed you.” She said, and Tokune smiled.

“I missed you too. Now sleep.” He said and rose to leave, blinking when Sayoko grasped his hand, tugging him back.

“No. Stay here…for a while.” she said softly and Tokune sighed, but smiled all the same.

“Alright, but only if you go to sleep.” He said and knelt back down, watching as his sister held his hand with both of her own as her eyes slowly slid shut, her breathing becoming soft and rhythmic as she fell asleep.