Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Violet Eyes ❯ Meeting The Magician ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Weiß Kreuz. I probably never will, no matter what I do. <sobs>

Author's Note: This is the uncorrected version, my beta-reader didn't have the time yet to check it on spelling and grammar. It will be updated as soon as she sends me the corrected version. Till then, you have to do it with my bad English. Sorry….

Summary: Ran's sister, Aya, gets ill after their parents have died in an accident. But no doctor in Torlossen can help Aya. So Ran decides to undertake a journey through the Stolen Land to Onafross, in hope the doctors there can help him. Will he ever get through the Stolen Land alive?

Warnings: NC-17, Hentai, Alternate Universe, Yaoi

Pairings: So far only Yohji/Aya(Ran)

Character's thoughts

//…// = telepathy

Chapter Five: Meeting The Magician

I woke up the next morning, finding myself on soft cushions, swaying slowly on a calm rhythm. My hand still gripped the hilt of my sword. Half sleeping, I wondered how I could ride a horse if I laid on cushions. I shifted into a more comfortable position, gazing drowsy at a wall. Realisation struck me.

I don't have a horse… A horse doesn't have walls… Where am I?

I shot up, immediately awake. I found myself in a wayhut, but the swaying remained. I walked over to the window, where the sun shone brightly through it. Trees passed by. I looked down, then I shrinked back from the window. I panted slightly as I slowly returned to the window. The ground was at least ten metres down! This wayhut was flying!

"Stop! Stop! Let me out!" I shrieked. The wayhut responded immediately and I stumbled forward on the cushions.

"You want to go outside?" a strange voice asked. "Fine, there's the door. You might wanna take a book with you, though. It's a long way down." Whoever said it surely had fun. I muttered something in the cushion, then pushed myself up. In the doorway stood the silhouette of a young man. I could only see half of his face. Two green eyes sparkled, twinkling with amusement, as if they were two jade stones. A broad grin lightened up his face.

"Who are you?" I held my katana ready for attack, in case he dared to come any closer. His grin faltered for a moment and his eyes flashed with a sudden anger. Then the smirk was back and he ignored the point of my katana. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see more of this man.

"I'm the owner of Koneko. And you are an unwanted visitor. But I thought you were looking for the door. Make sure you close it behind you. You simply have no idea how cold it can get at this height with the door open."

Owner? Koneko? What the hell was he talking about? "Of course," the man continued, "it would be a pity if you wasted your life after I saved it. Not that I ever asked you to enter my Koneko and bring in the Unseen…"

The Unseen…

I immediately remembered the dream and my encounter with the Unseen. I recalled running into a wayhut. I didn't know it was owned by someone. "…Thanks. But I have to go."

"And what," he retorted, "do you think will happen if I let you go? You might survive the day, but as soon as it's dark, they come back again. The same thing will happen again. The Stjarna don't like it when Amaians wander through their land. And even if you survive the night, where will your next meal come from? Do you know where the rivers are?"

I didn't know. I had enough food in my bag, but the bag was still at the open place. The stranger was right, the chances of survival had suddenly become very small. "I don't need your help," I said, lowering my katana.

"And I don't need your company," he replied. "I don't offer help, I'm simply not letting you go like this after saving your life. So, once again, you stay with me or you get yourself killed. The door's there. Leave all my belongings here. I don't feel much like picking up cushions all dusty and dirty after I've saved them from a fire." He turned around and walked away.

He surely must be a helper or so of the Unseen. What other reasom would there be for him to live here?

I didn't know what to do. I didn't trust him, whoever he was, but if he had wanted to kill me, he could've done that while I was asleep. And I needed help. I wouldn't survive on my own, I couldn't escape from the Unseen forever. A night lasted long and last night had shown me they would get me if I ran away. Whether I liked it or not - and I definitely didn't like this - only this smirking stranger could help me.

I leaned against the wall, with me back to the stranger. "Fine. I accept your assistance."

"Assistance?" The stranger laughed. "Is that how you call it? Why don't you call it help? That's what I'm offering, help. Spelled H-E-L-P. Help. I don't offer assistance, since that makes me an assistant and I simply hate being an assistant. Being an assistant means someone else can give you orders and trust me, they usually give ordders and I don't like being told what I should do or not. I do take requests and offer some help sometimes, 'cause-"

"I need to go to Onareyru," I interrupted him harshly. His talking was irritating. I didn't care you he called it, help, assistance, it all meaned I now depended on this stranger. I turned around and stood in the doorway to look at my 'helper'. I gasped surprised. Before me, on the ground, sat the blonde man cross-legged and dressed up in purple clothes.

A Sudema worshipper.

Even though the man sat with his back to me, he seemed to know what I was thinking, for he laughed bitterly. "Surprised, aren't you? Probably never thought you would meet a true Sudema worshipper. But don't worry, I won't bite nor sacrifice you in some kind of demonic ritual nor deliver you to the Stjarna. Besides, why being afraid with those eyes of you? I'm sure you didn't have an easy life in the land of the Amaians."

I stood frozen in the doorway, though I did my best not to show any emotions. Could this guy read minds? Like… like the Perfect of a few weeks ago?

The man rose up and turned around. For the first time, I saw his full body. He was well-muscled and all those shades of purple suited him in strange way well. The bitterness he had spoken with before was gone, his jade eyes sparkled and his lips curved in a grin. "Now, before you call me demonworshipper or worse, my name's Kudou Yohji. And I prefer to be called either Yohji or Kudou and not demonworshipper. I bet you don't like it either when I call you demon or Sudema's child."

I glared at this man, who had introduced himself as Yohji. "Aya." At the questioning gaze of Yohji, I added, "That's my name, Aya." That was all I wanted to tell him. He didn't need to know my whole story. "And I need to go Onareyru," I said again.

"Onareyru?" He lifted is head and looked at me sharply. I stared quietly back, challenging, though my heartbeat quickened of fear. Was he now reading my mind, trying to find the reason why I wanted to go to Onareyru? "I can't take you to Onareyru," he finally said, "since the guards would arrest me immediately. But I can take you to the border of the Stolen Land and Onafross. I'll drop you there and you can find your way to Onareyru. Okay?"

"Hn," I replied. I didn't have much choice. Either I did what he wanted or I had to cross the Stolen Land on my own. From the two options, I didn't feel much for the last one. Left me travelling with this grinning blonde man called Yohji. This promised to be a very long journey…

* * * * * * *

"So, tell me something about yourself." Yohji let himself fall on osme cushions before me. I was staring through the window,thinking of how I could repay him for 'helping' me. I hadn't expected he would be interested in me and rather cofused, I looked up.

"Hm?"

"Your life. Tell me something about it. How old are you, for example?" Yohji looked expectantly at me. I returned my gaze to the trees outside.

"Sixteen."

"Sixteen. Then you probably already had to make your choice of becoming Sublime or married, right? Or are you running away from home, hoping to delay the decision? I know quite some guys who have done that. Running away, I mean. They're usually brought back and forced to make a decision. Those who have fled to the Stolen Land are usually killed. Not by the guards of course, but-"

"I haven't made my decision yet," I interrupted curtly. "And I'm not running away either." I wished he left me alone, but I figured out that was a bit difficult in a wayhut with only three rooms and no doors. I was already missing my privacy, but then again, this Yohji quite suddenly had also lost his privacy. And this was his wayhut after all…

"Then what are you doing in the land of the Unseen? Did you do something against the law?" His piercing green eyes studied my face.

Yeah, I did something against the law. Being born.

But I chose not to say that. "No," I replied, silently counting the trees we passed. I was looking for a way to cure my sister. I was trying to find someone with the right knowledge to help my sister. That was my reason for wandering alone in the Stolen Land. I glanced quickly at Yohji. He was also travelling through the Stolen Land alone. But he was a demonworshipper. Would that make any difference?

Yohji didn't ask further, something I was thankful for. He laid down and stared at the ceiling. After a few moments, I saw images appearing on the walls. They started with Ama and Sudema and the Eternal Break, followed by the creation of Eileah. I snorted and returned my attention to the window.

"What, a good Amaian not interested in these pictures? Isn't that a bit blasphemous? I'd be careful if I were you. I'd rather not have Ama visiting poor Koneko. She would burn down." The images changed into Ama as a man, surrounded by flames, entering the wayhut for a little chat with me. Yohji chuckled, but I didn't find it amusing.

"He doesn't seem to have problems with your way of living," I said acidly, while I tried to ignore the images. Ama was just busy putting me on fire and though I knew it wasn't real, a nasty burning feeling crawled over my skin.

"Ah, but that's something else." He sank down next to me, putting his arm over my shoulder as if we had been friends for years. "But isn't it marvellous how one story can determine the way thousands of people live? You, as an Amaian, should love those stories. The elders tell them every day, over and over again."

I pulled myself free and stood up. "I don't believe in Ama," I declared curtly. Then I turned around and walked to another part the wayhut. I could just hear him muttering, "He doesn't believe in Ama? Wonder why not."

* * * * * * *

He let me alone, the rest of the day, and after I had asked to stop using me in his pictures, only landscapes of Torlossen, Onafross, but also from non-existing worlds filled the walls around me. He seemed not that bad as I first thought, although he could talk on endlessly. I soon learned to ignore the cascade of words coming from him. I even sometimes wondered if he was really talking to me or to himself.

I decided to confront him during dinner about how he expected me to pay him back. I had no money or whatsoever - I had left all I had behind for Aya-chan - and I wasn't planning to give him my sword. My sword was the only thing I had and I didn't feel much for travelling withou a weapon. I didn't know what was waiting for me in Onafross.

I studied Yohji's profile, who sat across me, while I thought of how to bring this forward. I wasn't good with words, I had never really been much of a talker, not even when I was with Aya-chan, though it was easier for me to talk to her than to others. Most of the time, however, I listened to her.

I played with my food. It looked different than the meals I had in Torlossen. It also smelled different, more spiced. Without looking to Yohji, I asked, "What do you expect in return?"

"Hm? What do you mean?" He calmly continued eating, gazing with his piercing jade eyes at me. I shifted uncomfortably. Not that he looked accusing or disapproving, I wouldn't have minded that. No, he looked friendly, curious, as if he wanted to become friends with me. It was different from Ken's gaze, which had held warmth and sympathy, because he had thought I was blind. Yohji's look was one of friendship, kind, but there was no real sympathy.

The thought of Ken somehow shocked me as I realised I hadn't thought of him for two days. I wondered how he was doing, but immediately dismissed the thought. Of course hewould be all right and it wasn't of my concern what he was doing. I realised Yohji was still waiting for an explanation. "How do I pay you back?" I asked. "I don't have any money…"

Yohji laughed. "And even if you had, what good would it be for me? It's not like there are shops here in the Stolen Land and I can't enter Onafross or Torlossen without being arrested. No, I don't want money, I'd rather have something else."

I froze. I didn't like the way he said that. All kinds of thoughts of what he could expect from me raced through my mind and I didn't like them. Yohji must've guessed what I was thinking, for he laughed even more, throwing his head backwards, his laughter filling the air. "Oh great Ama, you were not seriously thinking I would propose such a thing to you?"

"……………"

"You were thinking I wanted sex with you, right? Sorry for you, but I'm straight. Don't know about you." To my dismay I coloured high red and I looked away. It had occurred to me he might have wanted sex with me. And he might have forced me to do it and I doubted if I could win from him if it came down to a fight. And he could always leave me behind if I didn't do what he wanted.

"No, I want you to listen to me," Yohji said with a sudden seriousness. I tilted my head in puzzlement, silently demanding an explanation, a repetition of what he had just said, in case I misunderstood him. The blonde man shrugged indifferently. "It's been a long time since I've talked to someone. I like a good conversation, but walls don't talk back, you know. Not even when there are images of people on them."

His voice trailed off and he stared to the wall behind me. He was lost in thought for several moments and I wondered what he was thinking. Probably thinking back of when he lived in Onafross or so. I pricked some food on my fork and lifted it, but dropped it when he suddenly chuckled. "So, that's all I ask. Listen to my endless conversations, my ideas and all the other things I have to say. Endure my insanity and I drop you off at the border of Onafross.

"Hn." It was a relative low price he asked for bringing me to Onafross, letting me sleep here and giving me food. But I guessed travelling around in the Stolen Land was lonely.

* * * * * * *

I looked at the young man, at his crimson hair, his violet eyes. Even though he was sixteen, still a boy, he had a deep, rich voice one usually expected coming from an adult. I let my eyes travel down, to his broad chest, his delicate pale hands, then back to his pale face. His eyelashes fluttered as he slowly ate the meal I had prepared. If I hadn't known he was a boy, I would've thought he was a girl. Well, that had been exactly my thought when I saw him sleeping last night.

Come on, Yohji. You've been away from civilisation for too long if you forgot the differences between boys and girls.

I sighed. It had been almost three years since I left Onareyru. Apart from the Unseen, also known as Stjarna in their language, I hand't met anyone from Torlossen or Onafross. From the way he spoke, he came from Torlossen. I wondered if there were more people like him. Girls, for example.

Shut up, Yohji. You know that's no life for you anyway. Besides, who could ever replace her?

On the wall behind Aya appeared the shadowy image of a young female. I smiled sadly, then removed the image. "If you're feeling tired, you can sleep in the other room, with all the cushions. That's what I've called the bedroom." His cheeks had turned slightly pink, though he tried to stay awake. He muttered a short answer and I chuckled. This guy was so completely different from me. I liked talking. He apparently not.

"Or you stay here. At least I've got someone to talk to." He glared at me and I laughed. "Don't take things that seriously. You'd better go sleeping. Or is there something you're worried about?" I gazed at the redhead, who seemed startled by my question.

"……No, I'm fine." He stood up. "Goodnight."

I watched him leaving the room, before I called, "Goodnight."

* * * * * * *

"Demonchild! Demonchild! Demonchild!" chanted the mass of people. Stones flew through the air and I did my best to dive away from the stones, but nonetheless some hit me and bruises formed on my arms, my face.

"Stop! Stop it! I'm not a demonchild! I'm not!"

I raised my arms, trying to protect myself.A sharp stone cut my head just above my eyebros and warm blood trickled down my face, mixing with my tears and the mud on my face. I wiped some blood away and searched for my sword.

A white flash almost blinded me. The mass back away, though they still shouted at me. I tilted my head and gazed dazedly at the Arch-Perfect. I suddenly had my sword back. Without really thinking, I ran towards him.

"Takatori!!! SHI-NE!!!"

Too late I realised two Perfects were holding my sister. I recognised one as the stranger, the telepath of when I tried to escape. As my sword sliced through the Arch-Perfect, they cut her throat. As life faded away from Takatori, my sister fell on the ground. My blood, his blood, her blood… they mixed together, making my hands read. Dark spots coloured my clothes.

"Aya-chan… Aya… Please stay alive… don't die, don't die, I'm so sorry…" I wrapped my arms around her, rocking back and forth, but it had no use. She was dead. "Aya?...... AAYAAAAAAA!!!!!"

* * * * * * *

I woke up from a loud scream and noticed my new partner was the source of that scream. A bit annoyed, 'cause I was woken up pretty roughly, I was about to give an angry remark, when I saw he was trembling violently. His red locks were dishevelled, his amazing violet eyes were wide open from fear.

Oh dear Ama, what must I do? If I don't do anything, he'll start crying. And I can't stand people crying!

People crying brought too many sad memories I tried so hard to forget. A bit unsure I thouched his shoulder. Aya shied away. I looked rather helplessly, realising I'd been away from civilisation for too long to know how to comfort someone.

"Aya?" It hurt to see him in such state. It reminded me of Asuka, just before she told me the bad news. But I also remembered what I had done to comfort her. I crept closer and wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened and I almost let him go, when he slowly relaxed and started to lean against me. I stroke his hair, whispering calming words. He did not cry, but I could see he was crying inwardly.

Finally he sighed and laid his head at my shoulder. I almost expected he would start sucking his thumb, but he only fell asleep. I stayed awake, cradling him protectively in my arms, wondering who this strange, beautiful redhead was.