Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction / Tactics Fan Fiction ❯ Cyclical ❯ Cyclical ( One-Shot )

I don't own Tactics, or Descendant of Darkness. They're not even owned by the same people. The plot is mine... mostly... if you count the creepy shadow-creature that lurks at the back of the third basement hallway in my brain as part of me. Can't imagine why no one else thought of this...

 

xxx

 

Youko sat motionless, a silent river of tears flooding down her pale cheeks. “My Luka. My beautiful Luka,” her lips murmured steadily. “My little Luka.”

 

“I take it that Luka-chan has died?” Kantarou asked quietly. The white tengu nodded, casting a quick glance at the kitsune.

 

“I don't understand. She wasn't the girl's mother...”

 

“We raised them. We raised them as though they were our own. Haruka and Rosalie were special to us, so naturally their children...” He shuddered, blood pooling at the edges of his mouth.

 

“Human, stop moving. You're making your already short life shorter.”

 

“Maa, maa Sugino-san. I'll be dead soon, whether I sit still or not. Luka-”

 

“The brother, Asato killed her. He has lost all control.”

 

Gently Sugino eased the old man into a more relaxed position. “I was a fool. I wanted a stable future. I thought marrying into this family would be the best thing that had happened to me. To think, all this time they were simply after Haruka's bloodline.” He spat, and smirked wryly. “Kurosaki Kantarou, it had a nice ring to it, promises of wealth and security if I would completely integrate myself into this family of vipers.”

 

“Human...”

 

“I never saw it. Not even when my own son was lured by his cursed blood. I always was the idiot you thought I was Sugino-san.”

 

There was a 'Muu' at the ornate window. The tiny goblin hopped in, landing expertly on deep, soft carpets. For a few moments she talked to the white tengu in her language. “She says he's waking up. He's stopped killing. For now anyway.”

 

“Un.” Kantarou's eyes slid closed. “For him the torment has only just begun. Sugino-san, I have a favor to ask of you. The last wish of a dying fool.”

 

The tengu inclined his head in agreement. “Ask.”

 

“Take the boy away from here. As far away as you can before he realizes what he's done. Leave him in medical care; make up whatever information they would need, a false family name probably. Tsuzuki, it's common enough. I want him away from their eyes, their greed. They think his blood will will break their curse, and they would destroy him without any remorse.” There was a flutter of white wings, and the tengu vanished. “And Muu, you little imp, you've always been such a great help to me. Can I ask you for one last favor?”

 

“Muu!” Muu snuggled next to his side, careful not to touch the bandages swathed around his stomach.

 

“The baby in the nursery, bring him to me would you Muu?”

 

Muu scurried off quietly, slipping in and out of the shadows.

 

A feather-soft hand brushed Kantarou's gray hair from his eyes. “Kan-chan.” Youko's voice trembled as the cradled her master's head. “Kan-chan, can I die with you? I don't want... I lost Rosalie and Haruka, then Luka, and now you... please Kan-chan.” A thin, aged hand reached up to grasp her eternally young one.

 

“Youko, you knew that you would outlive me.”

 

“But-”

 

“There's still Asato.”

 

Youko bit her trembling lip. “Asato-kun-”

 

“Will probably try to kill himself when he finds out what he's done to me and his sister. He will need someone to watch over him.”

 

“He's strong. Asato-kun can...”

 

“Youko,” Kantarou smiled sadly. “I order you to live for Asato.”

 

Absently her fingers moved, caressing his hair. “Until he no longer needs protection. After that can I...”

 

“I would be lying if I said I didn't want you with me, even in the afterlife.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Muu hopped up on the low bed, a baby held carefully in her mouth. Kantarou took the sleeping child in his arms, wondering at the golden hair that was so like his own, and so different. “Even though this is not your fault, you will no doubt become as guilty as the rest of this family. Shigekazu... the firstborn of Shige. To think that my son would be so uncreative.” He grunted, struggling to hold himself up. Youko and Muu each grabbed one shoulder to steady him.

 

“Kan-chan!”

 

“One more. Let me have enough strength for one more...”

 

“Kan-chan what are you...”

 

Kantarou placed a palm flat on the child's head. “Shigekazu, son of Kurosaki Shige, grandson of Ichinomiya Kantarou, I curse you and all your descendants. You children will live in turmoil. Happiness will depart from your house as snow vanishes under the blazing sun. All that you cherish will become as poison, pain will be a familiar comrade. Demons will torment your souls, and the spirits of the world you've exploited will delight in your misery. May suffering live under your roof until that day. Until the day when you undo the wrongs you have brought on the children of the Oni-kui Tengu, until the day a descendant of Kurosaki heals the broken descendant of darkness, only then will this curse be broken. Until then, may not even death give you rest.”

 

He tumbled back, the frightened screams of his friends distant. They paraded before his eyes, images, names, places, slivers of the future. Iwao and Nagare. Rui and Nui. Finally Hisoka. Kantarou smiled as he slid quietly into death.

 

Hisoka. Nice to see that someone inherited my genes...

 

xxxx

 

Tsuzuki blinked, surprised. “Wait, just how many curses is your family under?”

 

“Don't talk with cake in your mouth,” Hisoka snapped crossly. The older shinigami didn't apologize, but he did swallow.

 

“So someone cursed your whole family so no one can be happy?”

 

“The story says that some ancestor caused a great demon's daughter to die. So we were cursed. Again.”

 

“That's pretty bad.” As stealthily as he could, Tsuzuki snatched another piece of the boy's cake. With a huge sigh, Hisoka shoved the whole plate over to his partner. Tsuzuki squealed in delight. He paused long enough to exclaim “Thanks 'Soka,” before shoveling the dessert into his mouth. Suddenly he paused, tapping the fork against his lips thoughtfully. “Hey Hisoka.”

 

“What?”

 

“You're here with me now... eating cake and talking like this.”

 

“What about it?”

 

“Well...” Tsuzuki grinned impishly. “Doesn't that make you happy?”

 

Hisoka turned away quickly, hiding the red creeping up his neck. “Don't be moron.” He stood quickly, striding away from the table. “Hurry up, we're working you know.”

 

“Aww!” Tsuzuki dropped some bills on the table and rushed to keep up with his disappearing partner. “I DO make you happy!”

 

“Baka!”

 

But for some reason the insult lacked most of the boy's usual vehemence.