A beautiful woman stepped out from the shadows. Long dark
green hair framed her face and her heavy-lashed gold-red eyes met
his. Her black gown was strapless and long, dragging across the
ground. Darkness and shadows seemed to cling to her, sweeping out
from her feet as she glided forward.
She inspected Tenkou. "Welcome to my temple, little girl,"
she laughed. "A place where many pretty young things have met
their end." She smiled at the Star. "You remember the last
darling that I stole from you, Kurayamino-san. Perhaps, I should
let
the blood of this one drip down my black altar."
Darkness' eyes narrowed. "Shut up! You won't lay a finger
on Tenkou."
Yasha laughed, enjoying how he clenched his fists and grit
in teeth in rage. "I've always thought it was time that you found
a new love, anyway, Kurayamino-san," she told him. "I suppose
she's no Tenshi, but she does resemble the other little girl,
doesn't she?"
Tenkou stared at the strange green woman. "Tenshi? My name
is Tenkou Stone and I--"
"I know who you are." Yasha snapped her fingers, and ropes
of cold shadows encased Tenkou. "And I know what I'm going to do
to you." She laughed as the shadows began to seep into Tenkou.
"Think you can save this one, _chiisai hoshi_?"
The shadow ropes tightened and Tenkou gasped, as the world
faded away.
~*~
Darkness: Dreams
Two: Dreams of the Past
by: Chandra Rooney
darkness@cloak-and-dagger.co.uk
~*~
Revised: May 2001
~*~
There was nothingness-- a period of darkness-- and then the
ropes loosened enough for Tenkou to breathe again and she forced
opened her eyes. Darkness had a bow and arrow that seemed to glow
and pulsate in his hands. Once her eyes focused she saw that it
was somehow constructed of wavering black energy.
"Don't harm her, Yasha," Darkness warned. "Or I swear
I'll kill you."
Tenkou tried to make reality make sense. But reality
didn't often bend to fit the will of humans. Reality was reality
and every once in a while it asserted itself, destroying the
fabricated version of it that one clung to. All she could discern
was that one moment she had thought she was dead and now she was
still alive.
Yasha sneered. "I knew allowing you to keep your soul was
a mistake, Kurayamino-san, you had such promise. You could have
ruled the Night by my side."
"I don't wish to rule anything," he replied. "And you
destroyed any sympathy I had for you when you killed Tenshi." He
smiled a little. "I'm far beyond your control now, Yasha. Demons
may obey you, but Stars do not."
Tenkou stared at him and at the woman. Oh, that was right-
- she was trapped between the Queen of Demmons and some sort of
weird creature that wasn't human but seemed to be on her side.
An ugly look appeared on Yasha's face. "Enough," she
snapped. "I'll take that smug look off your face, Kurayamino-san.
We'll see how you handle losing another pretty friend!" She
pointed a hand at Tenkou. "Demonic incantation!"
"No!" he moved his hands in some gesture of incantation.
"Shadow Wall, protect!"
A glowing light softly encased Tenkou, and Yasha's magic
energies dispersed as soon as they came into contact with it.
Yasha glared at him. "You've gotten stronger."
"I'm going to get even stronger," he replied.
"If you live long enough." Yasha replied evenly, and
pointed at a tent this time. From the tent soft snores could be
heard; they belonged to Alan Stone. "Rise up." The tent flapped
open and Stone walked out with a glazed look in his eyes.
"Dad!" Tenkou cried out, but the soft light muffled her
voice and no one heard her.
"What are you up to, Yasha?" Darkness asked, confused by
the new development.
Yasha smiled wickedly as Alan Stone came up to stand beside
her. "Professor Stone, you've spent your whole life studying the
demons and monsters of this land, haven't you?" Stone nodded.
"Would you like to see one of the ultimate demonstrations of the
powers of the Demon Queen Yasha?" He nodded again, like a mute
puppet.
"Dad, no!" Tenkou tried to scream, but no one could hear
her.
"Shimatta!" Darkness cursed, realizing where the situation
was headed.
"Do pay attention, Professor, I can only show you once."
Yasha pointed at Stone. "Demonic Incantation!"
An aura surrounded Alan Stone as his soul lifted from his
body. The body burst into flames, and the soul twisted in agony.
Tenkou stared at the boy in black, her eyes asking the
question her voice could not. Couldn't you help him?
Darkness hung his head. "It's too late for him."
The soul burst in a flare of black and then sank into the
ground. A shape rose from the ground-- the new form of the soul
that was once Alan Stone. The being was a scaly black humanoid
with red silts for eyes and huge bat wings. A forked tongue
licked out from between its lips as it hissed. "I see, Yasha-
sama. How may I serve you?"
"Humans are so weak and easy swallowed by darkness," Yasha
remarked, and then laughed. "Oh hoo hoo hoo hoo! You may serve
me by taking care of the girl and the Star."
The lizard-like demon bowed. "As you wish it, it shall be
done, my Queen."
Darkness cursed again and looked at Tenkou. "Forgive me,
dear Tenkou. You're not going to like what happens next."
Tenkou stared. "Forgive you?" she echoed within her cocoon.
He unleashed the whip from around his hips. "Shadow Flare!"
The whip wrapped around the lizard demon's right arm and a blast
of powerful black lightning raced along it. The lizard demon
yanked back its arm, ripping the whip out of the Star's grip.
Simultaneously the lightning ceased. The demon tossed the whip
against one of the tents.
"My turn," it hissed, as its tongue licked the air beyond
its mouth. It belched dark energy flames at its opponent.
Darkness leapt, but it was almost too late. His cape caught
fire, and he hastily cast it off. "Shadow Sword, come forth!" he
cried, and the black sword materialized in his hands.
The Lizard Demon laughed again; it spat fire once more.
Darkness slashed at the flames; he waited for the power of the
sword to transform them into harmless sparks. That was not what
happened. The flames slammed into the sword and both were
dispersed into shadows.
Yasha laughed. "The flames are too hot for your sword,
Kurayamino-san. The power of my servant's faith is stronger that
your own." She observed. "Perhaps you're reluctant to kill
Professor Stone?"
Darkness grit his teeth, annoyed that Yasha had so easily
seen his weakness and exploited it. It clearly wasn't Alan
anymore, but
he didn't believe that. His main attacks were all based on
drawing energy from his faith in his own actions so none of them
would successfully work against the demon. "Then, I will have to
use something stronger," he continued the thought aloud. "I'll
use something hotter than its fire. You remember Judgement's
Flame, don't you, Yasha?"
She gasped. "You wouldn't dare. It would rage out of
control and destroy everyone here. Your-- your respect for life
forbids it."
He looked at her and smiled coldly. "You could call my
bluff, Yasha, but I'm deadly serious. Let's find out if your new
demon can take the heat, shall we?" He placed his index and
middle fingers on the star on his forehead. His silver eyes
glowed brightly, and his body became surrounded by a blazing white
aura. "Judgement's--" he began calmly, as he brought his fingers
to rest together and extended his arms out in front of him.
"Don't--" Yasha began. "Let's negotiate a little,
Kurayamino--"
"Too late for that." He slammed his wrists together and
flung his palms open. "--Flame!" The mass of darkness, of dark
matter, that was created was released into the air. It formed a
blazing black ball of fire and began to grow in size.
Yasha screamed. "You'll destroy me as well!"
"I told you I wanted to end it tonight, Yasha," he said "Or
are you going to run away?"
The ball swelled to a huge size. Tenkou watched it,
a detached part of her mind noting that it didn't really look
anything like a
flame.
Yasha screamed again. It was hard to say whether it was in
terror or frustration, but in either case she hurried to escape
through a portal to the Nether World.
The ball of energy cracked and light began to seep through
the breaks in its outer shell. The Star turned and leapt, taking
Tenkou in his arms and then sprinting off into the forest
surrounding the Temple. Behind him, the ball of energy exploded
outward and became a bright flash of light that swallowed the
temple and all around it.
The lizard demon found himself caught in the explosion. The
rays of light entered his body and instantly the darkness that
swallowed his soul was stripped out in a painful flash. Alan
Stone's soul flickered in the light of an ancient power and then
was snapped up towards the Heavens.
But Tenkou saw none of this. All she saw was the flash
flare of white light that came towards them and then swallowed
them whole...
*
At first she didn't know where she was. Then she began to
recognize the buildings; it was the Square in the center of town,
but everything looked so different, newer in some way. Like it
was many years in the past. Night shadows fell on the
cobblestones and no street lamps existed to chase them away. The
only defense against the dark were the stars glinting down from
heaven. She looked to the fountain, and then she knew it must be
a dream. The water-pouring angel was missing.
Two young lovers sat on the edge of the fountain. The boy
had long, brown hair pulled back from his face with a leather
strap. His pale blue eyes were filled with affection. Beside him
was a beautiful but unearthly girl. She had pale pink hair, and
it curled about her face in soft pigtails. She also had the
oddest red eyes and was dressed in a white gown.
The boy was waiting for something, Tenkou could tell from
the look in his eyes. And now the girl was going to give an
answer. She said something, and it was then that Tenkou realized
the dream was without sound.
But it must have been a happy answer. The boy smiled and
embraced the girl, then they kissed.
The sky turned black and empty; the stars all vanished. No,
something was covering them. A giant hole in the sky.
Yasha appeared, looking just as she had a few moments ago in
the waking world. The boy cried out something and jumped up to
protect the girl. Yasha laughed at him. She spread her hands in
a gesture of harmlessness and waved the boy forward, begging him
to come closer. The girl grabbed his arm and tried to hold him
back, but the boy gently slipped from her grip and went to Yasha.
Yasha laughed a little at him and continued speaking.
Tenkou was really beginning to wish she could read lips. The boy
looked really confused, and Yasha reached forward to touch his
forehead.
What an odd spot she chose, right over his "third eye", the
seat of psychic power. She then yelled something-- it might have
been five words. But it obviously was something powerful. The
boy fell back in pain. The girl rushed to his side, and now that
she was no longer sitting Tenkou could see her angel wings.
*
Tenkou coughed and opened her eyes. What a strange dream.
She looked around. Somehow she'd gotten in a hospital room. A
kind looking nurse noticed her moving. She smiled down with kind
brown eyes and graying hair in a tight bun.
"Well good morning, dear!" The nurse exclaimed. "Thanks be
to God you're awake. When we found you, you were almost dead."
"Who found me?" Tenkou asked. She looked around. "Where am
I?"
"Take it easy, Miss, you're in no condition to be getting
needlessly excited," the nurse warned. "You're in the hospital,
Tenkou."
"What am I doing here?" she asked. "And how do you know my
name?"
"A young man brought you in, he said he'd found you on the
road to the Ryuujin Temple. He told us your name was Tenkou
Stone and that you were up there with your father studying the
temple."
"Who was he?" Tenkou asked. "And how long have I been
here?"
"The young man suspiciously vanished," the nurse replied.
"The police would like to find him too, dear. They're worried he
had something to do with the terrorist attack." The nurse patted
her hand. "You've been here unconscious for about a week, dear.
I was starting to worry that you might not come out of it. But
all this is just a taxation on your weakened system. I'll let
you rest a bit more. If you need anything, you just press this
button here and I'll come. I'm Nurse Himiko."
Before Tenkou could say anything the nurse left. She
sighed and turned to look out the window. Only a few minutes
passed before she fell asleep again.
*
It was the dream again.
The boy was getting up. But he'd changed. His brown hair
had become pale blue and his skin snow white. His ears had become
long and sharply pointed; his caring pale blue eyes were now a
cold silver color. A black, five-pointed star appeared over the
spot where Yasha touched him.
The girl cried out as he pushed her away. She watched in
horror as he went to Yasha's waiting arms. Yasha smiled smugly at
the pink-haired girl, who started to cry. She turned to climb up
into the fountain. She filled a jar and it looked like she was
going to throw it on the boy. But as she bent to pour the water,
Yasha yelled something and the angel girl turned to stone. The
angel of the fountain was where she was in the waking world.
The boy looked up at Yasha, and Tenkou could see how his
eyes were clouded over. They had the same haze that her father's
had when he had become that-- thing. The boy must be under the
same some sort of spell. The poor girl must've thought she could
break it by throwing the water on him.
Yasha bent towards him; she was taller than he was. The
angel began to cry. Tenkou had no idea how a stone statue could
cry, but tears were coming from its eyes. Yasha was just inches
away from the boy and opening her lips to kiss him. The two of
them leaned against the fountain; the look of victory was clear in
Yasha's eyes. But a single tear from the Stone Angel dropped and
fell onto the black star on the boy's forehead.
The spell broke, and the boy's eyes cleared. He threw Yasha
away from him with a shout and turned to look for the girl. His
eyes found the angel and he yelled something; a pained look spread
across his face as he jumped up into the fountain.
Yasha recovered from her rejection quickly. She laughed and
said something to him that caused him to look down at his
reflection. He cried out again and fell against the angel in
dismay. That made Yasha laugh even harder as she vanished.
The black hole in sky disappeared and the stars returned.
The boy put his arms around the angel's neck and cried on her
shoulder. After a few moments he stopped.
Tenkou blinked, and suddenly she could see his face so
clearly.
The determination in his silver eyes was mixed with the pain and
hatred of his loss. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead
tenderly, and then he leaned back, stroking her cheek.
"I promise, Tenshi," he began softly.
"Darkness?" she gasped, finally able to place him, but her
voice had become silent.
"I will make her pay for what she's done," he told her.
"Make no mistake about it. I'll make it my purpose to keep people
safe, just like it was yours. This town will not suffer because
of my stupidity. I love you." He kissed her lips, then leapt
down from the fountain and walked away, becoming a shadow in the
night.
"No! Don't leave me here!" Tenkou screamed wordlessly. "For
Godsake! You can't leave me here!"
*
Tenkou woke up screaming. She found herself back in the
hospital room. Nurse Himiko rushed into the room.
"Shush, child, it was only a dream." Himiko patted her
hand. "You're safe here."
"My father--" Tenkou blinked. "What happened to my
father?"
"Oh Miss Stone," Himiko continued to pat her hand. "Try to
understand, they haven't found anything yet so don't lose hope
for him."
"What happened?" Tenkou demanded. "What happened to me and
my father?"
"They've decided it was some kind of fire bomb that went off,
dear. The area was flash burnt. Half of the Ryuujin temple was
toppled." She paused. "You have no idea how lucky you are to be
alive. It was God's grace, child. A miracle."
Tenkou let this sink in. Then she cleared her throat and
braced for the worst news. "What about Zellar?"
"Who?" The nurse looked surprised.
"There was a boy with us. He had brown hair. Pale blue
eyes, maybe a little older than me. Is he-- alive? Is he the one
who brought me here?"
"Heavens no, dear. The boy who brought you here had black
hair. This other boy-- Oh, you mean the one who they think
planted the bomb?" Himiko frowned. "I'm afraid they haven't
caught him yet." She stopped and a look of guilt spread across her
features. "I shouldn't be telling you this, you aren't well
enough--"
"Planted the bomb!" Tenkou exclaimed. A bright flash of
pain shot up her side.
"Careful, dear, you're still bruised," Himiko warned.
"Yes, planted the bomb. But don't worry, his description has been
all over the news. It's only a matter of time before they catch
him and fear not. There isn't much pity for terrorists in this
country."
*
Days later, Tenkou Stone sat in her hospital bed. She
stared out the window and tried not to fall asleep. She didn't
want to sleep because every time she did the dreams would come.
Nurse Himiko said no one had ever reported seeing the boy
Tenkou had known as "Zellar" again. But a boy had left a single
white rose for Tenkou at the Nurse's station; a boy with black
hair and, to quote Nurse Himiko, "a charming smile".
Tenkou wasn't sure who the black-haired stranger was, but
she hoped one day he'd come when she was awake and maybe stay long
enough to let her thank him for saving her.
As far as the police investigation was
concerned this "Zellar" had disappeared from the area. He might
have even got as far as Aomori, so he could have hopped a ferry
to Hokkaido. To Tenkou that was a lie. To her he hadn't gone
anywhere; she saw him every time she closed her eyes.
Every time she fell asleep she dreamed about him. If what the
dreams told her was true, then he'd been around for a very long
time. If didn't want to be seen; he wouldn't be seen. It was
that simple.
Secretly, though, she hoped he still wanted to be seen by
her.
*
Tenkou looked up as Nurse Himiko came into the room. The
older woman smiled pleasantly. "Feeling better, dear?"
She shrugged and looked back out the window. "I guess."
"Would you like to talk a walk today?" Nurse Himiko
asked, opening the small drawer in the nightstand and pulling out
some clothing. "Maybe get outside and breathe something other
than this stale sterile air? I know a lovely chapel just a few
blocks from here. We could light a candle for your father." She
sat on the bed and touched Tenkou's hand. "I know what it's like
to lose a loved one, Tenkou. If you need to talk about
anything...?"
Tenkou bit her lip. "I've cried myself to sleep for the
past week, Himiko. I've said everything I needed to say to the
wall."
"Maybe you were making peace with God," Himiko suggested.
"Often we blame the higher powers when things like this happen."
She paused. "Still, it is a lovely chapel. It dates back to the
fifteen hundreds when the Missionaries first came to Japan."
Tenkou shrugged again and remained silent. Himiko sighed. "Miss
Stone, with all due respect, you can't spend your life in this
hospital bed. Please, won't you come simply for a change of
scenery?"
Tenkou sighed and rolled over. "Okay."
"Lovely." Himiko smiled. "I hope these clothes will be
the right size."
*
"Father Cloud," Nurse Himiko was saying to Tenkou as they
walked up the stone steps of the church, "is a truly wonderful
man. I never met anyone with so sound a faith as him. Maybe you
should talk to him about your father, he's a very good listener."
"Yeah, maybe," Tenkou replied. The last thing she wanted to
do was talk to some old man who would tell her about how God loved
her and was watching over her father as they spoke. It was bad
enough that Himiko was pushing it onto her. Tenkou had never been
a religious person. Her mother had been fairly devout, but she'd
died shortly after Tenkou had been born. Her father had never had
the patience for God. He'd once told her that he'd worry about
all that when he was dead and standing at those Pearly Gates.
But despite her cynicism, Tenkou couldn't help but gasp once
she entered the church. It was beautiful; it had intricate
moldings and columns, beautiful stain glass windows of angels,
paintings and sculptures galore. Before the most impressive
sculpture, which was of the Virgin Mother holding the infant
Christ, were several candles in colored glass holders. A donation
box sat beside some lighting sticks. A few candles were glowing
softly.
The pews were made of polished wood as was the floor. The
golden floorboards warmly caught and held the filtered light from
the stain glass windows. An altar with a white satin cloth was at
the center of the back of the church. A crucifix hung on the wall
behind it.
She shuddered when she looked up at the sculptor of the man
nailed to a cross. In her mind, there was nothing beautiful or
even tasteful about that.
"Father Cloud?" Nurse Himiko called. "Are you here Father?"
A tall man with gray hair and faded brown eyes came out from
the back wearing a Priest's outfit. "Himiko," he smiled. "It's
good to see you again. I didn't know you were back in Japan."
Himiko smiled and gestured to Tenkou. "This is Tenkou
Stone, Xavier. She's also a visitor to your little town."
Father Cloud paled, and looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Did
you say 'Tenkou Stone'?"
Oh great, he knew who she was. But then anyone who watches
the news would know.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Stone," Father Cloud
forced a smile. "What brings you here?"
"Nurse Himiko here thought I needed to get out of my
hospital room," Tenkou replied. "Do you really believe there's a
God, Father?"
The man blinked. "Why, of course I do, Miss Stone. I see
evidence of his will everywhere."
"Was it his will that had my father killed?" Tenkou asked.
"Perhaps you'd feel better talking in the confessional?"
Father Cloud suggested. Tenkou shrugged.
"Go on," Himiko urged Tenkou. "I'll wait
out here for you. When you're done, we'll light a candle for your
father's safe return." Tenkou didn't budge.
"It's not required for you to believe in God to speak to
me, Tenkou," Father Cloud told her softly. "The confessionals are
simply more private. I would lead you to my office, but it's a
mess. Books and notes all over the place." He smiled. "The
confessional is just over there. I'll be in right after you."
Tenkou stared at the two of them for a moment and then
slowly trudged off towards the wooden booth.
*
Tenkou walked back and opened the door to the confessional.
Behind her, Himiko and Father Cloud spoke softly to one another.
"That poor girl," Father Cloud remarked. "She's the one
that lost her father nearly two weeks ago, isn't she?"
"Yes," Himiko replied. "And they still haven't found the
one responsible for the destruction of the Ryuujin Temple. I
don't think the chances of catching him are very good at all."
"Terrible, terrible things. This used to be such a safe,
quiet town." Father Cloud paused. "Is there anything I can do
for the girl, Himiko?"
"Father Cloud," her voice shrank to a whisper. "I believe
she is not safe at the hospital. I would like to bring her here.
Would you allow her to stay here till we can arrange
transportation for her back to Tokyo?"
Tenkou strained to hear the priest's answer, but the door
to the other section of the confessional opened then closed and
someone sat down on the other side of the screen.
Wasn't Father Cloud supposed to come? She looked at the
screen separating her from the priest on the other side. Peering
at the wooden mesh she couldn't make out the features of the
person on the other side. She felt like an idiot, but it was best
to get it over with. "Um, I've never really done this before,"
she began, after clearing her throat. "And to tell you the truth,
I'm not sure why I'm even here. I don't think I believe in God."
She sat back and waited for the priest to say something
enlightening.
"Tenkou," the voice was soft. But the tone was filled with
sorrow, as if the mention of her name brought great pain to the
speaker. It was not the voice of Father Cloud.
"How do you know my name?" she asked, wondering who this
other priest was. "Did Father Cloud tell you I was coming back
here?"
"Are you all right? You were hurt too badly at the temple,
were you?" the speaker continued softly, concerned. "I tried to
see you, but the security at the hospital made it impossible to
get near your room. Did you get the rose I left for you?"
Slowly, Tenkou leaned forward and pressed her face against
the screen. The face on the other side was young man, maybe
twenty. He had black hair and elegant features. His eyes were
what shocked her; they were a dark blue-violet. It wasn't the
color that shocked her, though, but the depth and look of them.
"You're the one who took me to the hospital, aren't you,
Zellar?" she asked.
"My name is Yamato," he replied softly. "Yamato Hihane, but
I did take you to the hospital, Miss Stone."
"You're a lying, murdering monster," she snapped. "And I
don't want to be anywhere near you." She stood, edging towards
the door, but he slid the screen back and thrust his hand through,
locking a grip on her and holding her there.
"No, wait," he protested. "Just for a moment, Tenkou.
Please? We need to talk."
"Why should I listen to you?" she snapped, trying to squirm
free of his grip. "I know what you are! Let me go, you demon!"
The word seemed to hurt him. He shut his eyes, and drew
back a little. "Tenkou, please. You deserve an explanation.
Allow me to at least give you that much."
Memories of dreams stirred in her, but she forced them
down. It might be interesting to hear what he had to say. She
did deserve an explanation.
"All right," she tugged her hand free and sat back down.
"I'm listening."
"Not here," he told her softly, but she could still hear the
strain in his voice. "Not now."
"Then when and where?"
"Tonight, outside this church; on the steps at midnight."
He paused. "Listen to me, this church is a Holy Place. Inside it
you are safe. Nothing demonic may enter it without harm befalling
them."
"Including you?"
"Yes," he said softly. "Including me."
Tenkou considered it for a moment and then nodded. "All
right, Zellar, you have a deal." She looked up to see his
response, only to discover she was talking to an empty booth.
He'd vanished again.
But he wouldn't stay gone. Midnight. It was a date,
Zellar-- Yamato--whatever he was calling himself. Tonight she'd
get some answers.
*
Midnight, the time when pure darkness and soft starlight
were guarded by the night's ruler-- the moon. Up in her palace of
space, resting in a throne of clouds, she overlooked her kingdom
of Earth as it slept beneath her watchful gaze.
The boy with the silver eyes was an old friend of the moon.
Lean, tall and dressed in a black shirt and pants he blended
easily into the shadows her beams created. His snow-white skin
seemed to collect the starlight creating a glowing sensation. In
the center of his forehead the black, five-pointed star marked the
kinship he shared with darkness. Sharp, pointed ears poked out
from his pale blue hair.
He waited. He didn't know if she would come, but he'd wait
all night. There wasn't really anything else for him to do.
Tenkou Stone appeared from the doors of the church. In her
left hand she held a vial of Holy Water and a crossbow in her
right. She came prepared and determined. She wasn't some weak-
willed little girl who lived with a sugarcoated view of reality.
No, she'd seen the bad things that waited for people in the dark,
but she'd made up her mind not to spend her time hiding in her
room.
"You came," he said.
She saw him and started, but she recovered smoothly and
leveled the crossbow at him. She remained at the top of the
stairs, and he remained at the bottom.
"You asked me to," she replied.
"That didn't mean you would."
She smiled, her lips quivering. "How could I refuse a
request from such a handsome devil?" Her expression turned
serious again. "I want my explanation."
"You don't need that," he said as he gestured to the
crossbow. "You have my solemn vow that I won't hurt you."
"All right." She set the bow at her feet, within reach,
all the while never taking her eyes off him. "Now, the
explanation, please. You said it yourself, you owe me at least
that much."
"I didn't use those exact words. I'd like to think I'm
above melodramatics." He paused, frowning. "But, yes, I did
promise an explanation. Where would you like me to start?"
"A name would be nice. Your real one, since Zellar
Kurayamino and Yamato Hihane obviously aren't it."
He shrugged. "Any name you'd like to call me will do. I
have no need for one. At first I clung to the name that my
adoptive parent had given me, but I've changed names a few times
since then. People get suspicious if someone never ages."
"You're not going to deny that it was you who went up to
the temple with my father and I?" Tenkou demanded.
He was silent for a moment, a thoughtful look on his face.
"No, I won't deny that, nor will I deny that I saved your life and
took you to the hospital."
"You may have saved my life, and I guess I should thank
you for that, but--" She looked away and wiped at her eyes. When
she finished waiting for her voice to steady, she continued. "But,
you killed my father."
He shook his head. "I didn't kill him. Yasha killed him.
I failed to keep her from doing it, and I accept the
responsibility for the failure to save him."
Silence fell over them, and they stared at each other.
Finally, Tenkou spoke. "Mathew Zellar," she said. "Your name was
Mathew Zellar. The missionaries that accompanied the first Father
Cloud to Japan, the ones that helped build this church, adopted
you. No one was sure who your birth parents were; the
missionaries found you one morning near the well they had dug.
They guessed you were about ten years old and going on that
figured out that you would have been born in 1597. The records
say you died in 1616. You would have been just a few months shy
of your nineteenth birthday."
At first, he was shocked, and then it faded away into
growing admiration for her. "I applaud your source, Tenkou. That
was, indeed, the name my adoptive parent gave me. I haven't heard
it spoken in quite some time, as I'm sure you know. Mathew Zellar
is said to have died on December 21st, 1616, but they never found
his body. He died in an abstract sense, but he did die in the
very Square where his beloved was turned to stone. I awoke the
moment he did."
"They call you many things," she continued. "The 'Kurayamino
Hoshi' usually. You've been watching over this town for a long
time."
He nodded again. "You... you know a lot about me."
"I picked up some things from the dreams, or maybe it'd be
better to call them nightmares, that I have every time I close my
eyes," she informed him. "The rest I heard from a new friend."
"Dreams?" He asked. "You dream of the past? Of my past?"
"It would seem so."
He came closer to her. "You know of the things I'm capable
of, yet you still came to meet me."
"I want answers. You offered them."
"It appears I can't tell you anything that you don't already
know. You took a great risk coming to see me, you know, it's very
dangerous to be out after dark."
"Well," she began, not impressed, "I suppose you'd know all
about danger, wouldn't you, Darkness?"
"I've seen my fair share."
"Well, I actually had a little talk with Nurse Himiko before
I came here," Tenkou said, smiling and coming down the stairs to
stand closer to him. "She had something really interesting to
tell me. It seems she knows all about you."
"Himiko, you say?" He raised an eyebrow. "I assumed she'd
be dead by now."
Tenkou slipped something around his neck. The black star
pendant on the chain glinted in the moonlight. "She created this
nice little restraining talisman for you, with the half of the
star Father Cloud had and the half that I had."
The demon frowned. "Who gave it to you?"
Tenkou hesitated. She searched for the answer, but
couldn't find it. "Himiko must have given it to me," she
muttered, and as she said it, the memory came to her that verified
her belief. "Himiko said that she belonged to a group of demon
hunters that had been working with Father Cloud's family for
generations to keep an eye on the Dark Star as they call him
outside of Japan."
"You know Tenkou," the demon tried to tug the star talisman
off. "Himiko doesn't belong to the sort of people you want to
fall in with--"
She ignored him. "She said that he was a really unique type
of creature, really the only one of his kind. And that he was so
much more able to behave himself when he was wearing this amulet.
So, since we were going to meet tonight, it was only convenient
that I should give it back to him. Of course I agreed completely
with her. I'm sure you're interested in hearing what she has to
say, aren't you? She's promised she really doesn't mean you any
harm."
Darkness gave her a very dark look. "Of course. I suppose
she mentioned the little catch about whomever places the
restricting amulet on, didn't she?"
Tenkou patted him on the shoulder again. "Oh, you and I
are going to have a long talk about that, Darkness. In the, how'd
did you put it? Oh yeah, in the _safety_ of the church."
"You know, if your arm wasn't broken--" he began.
Tenkou blinked. "My arm? My arm is fine. I wasn't hurt.
Just a bruised rib." She frowned. "My arm was never broken--"
She broke off, a wave of dizziness passing over her. Tumbling
forward into his arms, the darkness reached up and swallowed her
again.
*
chiisai hoshi: "little star"
shimatta: "damn" in the "oh no" sense
*
9:36 pm 03/03/2000
8:48 pm 21/03/2000
6:10 pm 20/05/2000
11.11pm 04/10/2001
10.26pm 05/24/2001
3.52 pm 08/01/2001
(
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