Forever SK (04)

[kanu_x]

Edited: 2014.10.24

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chap03

* * FOUR * *

(Unlike Sho and Jun), Tohru and his group had not had a glorious debut.

Mine and he were childhood friends from a small, obscure town. They often hung out together with a few others down in an abandoned warehouse. While they drank and fooled around, Tohru would often bring out his guitar to play.

One day, a drunken Mine started singing along and that was how they started. She had an interest in singing and he had an interest in playing for her. Soon, two others were added to their group, a drummer and a bassist.

None of them had been serious and they had only played for small events in town, until Mine and Tohru began dating. She confessed to him that she wanted to be a star, and he was willing to do everything for her.

In the middle of their high school years, they traveled to Tokyo with the drummer and eventually found a person to play bass. Still, their group could only get into small clubs to play their music and they had yet to find a big label that would host them. In the end, due to Mine's impatience they went with a small agency that barely had an impact.

Their first CD did not reach extraordinary sales, and for years after their debut Tohru's group had to work hard to get somewhere. Finally, when the group's name was becoming known, Jun stepped into the picture.

The man was only a few years younger than they but he was very small for his age. The first time when Tohru and Mine happened to catch sight of Storm in another studio, Mine had said he was cute and Tohru hadn't thought it would be a problem then.

Years later, Mine started gasping Jun's name in bed and Tohru had to ask her about it. She told him she couldn't help it, that it was unconscious. And whenever he demanded if she still love him, she gave the affirmative. Yet she did not deny admiring Jun, too.

Maybe the reason Tohru hated Jun so much was because of Mine. Maybe the reason he liked disturbing Jun was only because Mine frustrated him. Maybe Matsumoto Jun and Tohru would have been friends. But that was now impossible. Tohru had to get at Jun, like the Idol had gotten to him with Mine.

At last, after many years of frustration he found a key: Jun never really talked about his family who lived away. Now, there was this cousin named Kazunari.

SATOSHI:
At that time, Kazunari was already over one century old.
I took him out to the Blue Lake and we walked on the surface of the water while holding hands. Kazunari hated water, but I told him he shouldn't. He clung to me and said that as long as we held on, it was okay. And then we were at the center.

He stumbled and lost grip. Kazunari plunged into the depths of the Blue Lake.

He drew liquid into his lungs and I had not expected the Bond to be so strong. I felt his terror, his fear. I jumped into the Lake to retrieve him. In his panic, he released bursts of energy into the water and I gasped when the first few shocks hit me. They were dangerous and I would die if I stayed any longer. For my own safety, I had to come onto the surface and wait until he drowned, until the electrocutions stopped.

I felt his life fading and wept. I had to wait for Kazunari to be dying.

I did not know how long it took. At last, his bursts of electricity came to an end. At last, I jumped in and brought his limp body out onto the shore.

I resuscitated him.

His eyes opened and he gasped for air, clinging on to me. We both cried shamelessly while I held him and promised to never hurt him again.

Later, Kazunari recuperated in his chamber. His life force was coming back.
And at that time, in my own chamber I realized that my nose bled. My eyes were bloodshot.

That was the first time I knew.

[ Earth, Tokyo ]

Everything passed like a dream. It was just like when he had been with Sho at the mall, when his partner had passed out. It was a nightmare.

While the smaller man struggled with life, Jun clutched Kazunari tightly and he could not let go, even if he wanted to. He called an ambulance and followed the stretcher out to the vehicle. He sat beside the bleeding man while the paramedics worked.

Outside the operation room, he waited alone while trembling, his clothes soaked in Kazunari's blood. And when the surgeon finally came out and said Kazunari had somehow, somehow, made it, he had demanded to see the patient right away.

Kazunari was pale, lying so lifelessly on his hospital bed that Jun realized he really hated this side of the usually talkative creature. The silence from this man was aggravating, disturbing. The constant beep of the cardiac monitor did not help his insanity.

Exhausted, he sat beside the bed motionless until his manager walked in and placed a hand on his shoulder while laying a bag of his things at his feet.

"How are you?" she asked.

Jun painfully closed his eyes and drew in a deep, ragged breath. "Unfortunate. I don't even know where Sakurai is. Now my apartment's destroyed as well and I'll have to talk to the police tomorrow. Again."

"Your cousin will be fine?" she asked.

"He might. It's a miracle. But I don't know about that intruder. I don't think he's finished with Kazunari yet."

Mutant, the man had said before he passed out. Jun wasn't so sure what his charge had meant, but he was positive that Kazunari knew what had attacked him. If it wasn't human, wasn't of Earth like the victim, Jun wasn't sure what he was going to tell the police.

"Matsujun," his manager said, breaking through his thoughts. "I will clear your schedule tomorrow so you can get some rest. Don't return to your apartment tonight. I reserved a room for you at the A_ Hotel. Stay there for a while."

"Fine," he murmured sleepily, rubbing a hand against his forehead. "I'll go in a sec. And thanks."

After she left, Jun sat there beside Kazunari for another hour before he finally got up and unconsciously reached a hand towards the patient. Kazunari was supposed to be awake for three more days before sleeping again. Jun had been looking forward to his presence even if he didn't want to admit it.

"How much longer are you going to sleep?" he whispered, his finger tracing a smooth line down the man's deathly white face. He didn't even know anything about this person, and yet the want to protect the small creature was so strong, it was almost strangling.

Jun tightened his fingers into a fist and pressed his lips firmly together. Then he turned and stormed out of the room.

Because he couldn't get in any sleep that night, the next morning he met the police officers with a stiff back and heavy eye-lids. It was the same man who had questioned him about the incident at the mall. The same man who had questioned him about Sho's apartment. The man who now wanted to know what had happened to Kazunari that sat across from him with a pencil and pad.

"You didn't see anything," the officer repeated for the third time. "You came in when the intruder had already left."

"Right," Jun agreed wearily for the third time also.

The officer sat back with a sigh. "And once again, your cousin is no help at all. He's not up yet?"

"I haven't received a call from the hospital or had a chance to call," Jun answered. "But if you're done here, I might get that chance. So are we finished here, officer?"

The policeman nodded reluctantly. "Go." However, as Jun reached the door to pull the handle back, he said, "You seem to be getting into a lot of abnormal mishaps lately, Matsumoto-san."

Indeed I am, Jun thought as he left the room, bringing up a hand to rub his tired eyes. He hoped on his way out that he would not have to come again, but knew that it was a vain desire. He couldn't deny that the coincidences weren't suspicious. The officer's last remark certainly proved to him that the man thought there was something else. Damn luck. He wouldn't be left alone like last time.

Instead of driving back to the hotel to get some rest, Jun kept to his plan and drove straight to the hospital. As he trudged to the front desk to sign in as a visitor, he tried to keep a steady pace. No keeling over from stress and worry. No showing that he was actually tired. Even if the creature was still asleep, Jun knew he just had to get a glimpse and make sure that Kazunari was breathing. Make sure before he could feel at peace and finally get some rest.

Though his head knew he was being impractical, Jun couldn't push the strong uneasiness away. In the end, he had to settle with not understanding.

Relief came. In the room, Kazunari was still in place like the day before and the cardiac monitor continued to beep rhythmically. Of course, Jun knew he had worried for nothing. No way that Mutant, Kazunari had called it, could have gotten in here.

Jun sat beside the bed anyway and fell into an uneasy sleep thinking that Kazunari must be dreaming about that Satoshi and he would never know how much Jun suffered.

[ Core ]

The pain was too much for Sho. Before the healing even progressed, his eyes had already rolled back and he fell in a heap on the ground, as if he hadn't just woken up a few minutes ago.

Masaki continued and his hands trembled as he used his greatest ability to pressure the bone of the leg to rejoin and bond. Sho's state eluded his mind at the moment. While he worked, tears blurred his vision.

"No one escaped the fire," the Mage of Air and Breath had told him earlier as soon as he had been conscious.

It was that intruder's doing and Masaki knew it was his own fault for not finding the man. He was too late. Always. As he was with Satoshi's condition.

Masaki sobbed, stifling the sound of his voice even while he mended Sho's limb. The only thing he could do now was hurry and help the other Mages bury the bodies. And then he swore to himself that he would hunt down this murderer without mercy.

A whole village had been burned down? The very idea was unthinkable. Should never be possible. Even with the frequent invasions of the Mutants in the last hundred years, a whole village had never been annihilated. It was a tragedy that Masaki just couldn't accept. His sobs wracked his whole body, causing his hands to shake.

"She's right," Air and Breath said at his back, referring to the Mage of Creation. "You feel too much."

"I'm sorry," Masaki murmured, truly apologetic.

"Concentrate," the latter ordered.

The Caretaker tried.

The healing took a greater part of his energy and longer than usual. Because he could not put his whole mind in the process, Masaki had to take a few small breaks. And when Sho's leg was finally whole, an hour had already passed. Masaki finally moved back from Sho. Done. The limb was now as good as new.

Air and Breath quickly assessed the Caretaker. "You shouldn't go," he stated in the end.

"I want to!" Masaki argued, standing up indignantly.

On the ground, Sho groaned. Both ignored him.

"You can't just leave. We had no idea you have an Otherworldly in your charge. I'm sure the others would understand."

"I'm going!" Masaki retorted adamantly. "I need to see for myself."

Air and Breath returned his gaze, but glaring daggers. He stared coldly at the Caretaker. "Caretaker, listen very carefully. You do not need to see. Especially you," he stated. "I will tell the others that it was my decision. Take care of this Outlander. Calm down. When you have done that, you can continue to look for this intruder. We'll meet up once all of us are close on this person's heels."

"I want to go," Masaki implored one last time, though he knew he had lost.

"They will understand," Air and Breath assured him.

It was after he had left and Masaki was alone with the unconscious Sho that the Caretaker's feelings relapsed. Depressed though he was, he revived the dead ground beneath Sho, creating a bed of grass for the man to sleep on. And then while waiting, Masaki had a lot of time to think.

He thought about the dying Core. Satoshi's mysterious and failing condition continued to be that problem. And as the Caretaker in charge of their Guardian he could not figure out what was wrong.

Masaki frowned. It was at his down moments like these that the usually sharp-tongued Kazunari kept him high-spirited. Standing by himself, he rubbed the dry tears lines from his face and took a deep breath. He missed his childhood friend. He wished the Guardian would wake up and get Kazunari back from wherever he had gone. He was sure Kazunari hated wherever he had disappeared to.

At his side Sho suddenly stirred and Masaki's thoughts shifted.

Satoshi waking up meant that Sho would also have to go back.

He had forgotten. Definitely, Sho would be gone. Just that thought was enough to still Masaki. Sho was often annoyed at him (just like Kazunari), but the grumbling man had grown a little on him. No, maybe a bit more than that. Much more.

"It makes sense," he convinced himself. "He's not of Core." Just like the intruder. But no, how could he compare the two? Sho was different. Sho was so very, very different. He was trusting and humble and all else the other intruder must not be.

Masaki realized as he thought this that he had been too wrapped up in his own misery. He had not cared for Sho in the past hour. And he felt extremely regretful. Slowly, the Careatker lay down and drew an arm around the Idol. He was sorry. He had wanted Sho's trust but truthfully, Masaki knew he did not deserve it.

*

Later, as Sho came into consciousness the first thing he felt was something heavy on his chest. The second was hot breath on his cheek.

"EHHh!?" he shouted when he realized that it was Masaki lying on top of him.

At his loud voice, the Caretaker blinked awake and sleepily turned around in confusion. "Wha!?"

"You're awake!" Sho declared, pushing Masaki off him while he tried to calm down.

"Oh! You're awake!" the latter exclaimed instead.

The Idol frowned. "What do you mean? What happened?" He moved further back. Just in case.
Masaki smiled at him, his mood somehow bright. "Can you walk now? Want to try?"

It all came rushing back. Masaki had been healing him. Out of reflex, Sho's hands flew to his previously broken leg. The memory of the pain was still so strong, Sho tentatively pressed on the limb, no pain, and he gaped while raising it. Unbelievable. It was really whole.

Watching the disbelief on his face, the Caretaker became somber. He stared silently as the Idol gawked at his perfectly healthy limb. But the patient made no effort to move.

"Try walking," Masaki instructed.

Sho shook his head. Too fast. Too surreal. Even if over the past few days he had come to accept the notion of magic, had it really worked this time? Something like this? Truly unbelievable. Maybe he hadn't come to trust in it completely after all.

"Just try," the Doctor persuaded. "Or do you still want me to carry you?"

Sho made a face. No! He would never let another person carry him ever again. "I'll do it," he said, more to himself.

"Go," the other supported.

Reluctantly, Sho held his breath. He made yet another face and slowly stood on his leg. No pain. Healed. And again, he gaped and stood still.

That over with, Masaki ran his back hand across his groggy eyes and gathered his courage while trying to wipe the sleep away. It was now or never while the latter was still preoccupied. He had to get to the point. "Hey, Sho."

"I can walk," Sho gasped in shock.

"Sho," Masaki started again.

The Idol took one small step forward though he had been so reluctant to move before. Another step. "It's true," he whispered to himself and again, he was struck dumb in wonder. Everything was so surreal. He had seen it before, but now he must really accept that magic was true. It even worked for something like healing in this world. Could magic heal diseases?

"Sho!" Masaki called again and this time, the Idol finally heard. He turned with blank eyes to the Doctor. The Mage of Nature and Life stared back. He asked the question he had been contemplating when he fell asleep. "Hey Sho, will you still go with me to find the intruder?"

Without even thinking, Sho touched his healed leg and blurted, "No."

Silence pursued his answer.

"Will you go with me?" Masaki asked again after a few seconds, not sure what he should do after the blunt refusal.

Sho got a grip of himself. His mind began racing. He was perfectly fine now. Wasn't it time that he went back to his world? He shook his head hurriedly. No.

Masaki's heart fell, but he would not give up. "Let's go. Go with me. Where would you go anyway?"

Where would he go? Sho's brows narrowed at the latter's confusion because it was quite obvious. "Home," he replied.

Home. Masaki flinched for some reason though the truth of the statement had already been established. Rebellion rose in his chest. "No. You can't." He shook his head. "You have to help me find the intruder first. In Core, I'm in charge of you." And Satoshi was still the Key. Sho couldn't leave even if he wanted to.

"How the heck are you in charge of me?" Sho wanted to know, suddenly perplexed and unaware of the conditions required to open the passages to the other worlds. This was not like one of them being manager and the other talent. He had followed Masaki only because he had needed help healing his leg, right? And it was perfectly whole now.

"Satoshi put me in charge of you!" Masaki explained vehemently, trying unsuccessfully to convey the truth to Sho so that the man would understand. Though it was not like Sho had a choice, but to agree anyway. "And-and I really have to find this intruder! He killed so many. I can't just let him go. Please go with me, Sho!"

"Ehh!?" Sho stared in shock. Killed? Now someone had committed a crime? "I thought we just had to find a person! What's this about catching a killer? We're not the police!"

"I know!" Masaki returned just as loudly. "But he killed and I WILL NEVER forgive him!"

His fury was so strong, Sho flinched and took one unsteady step back. When he looked up again, Masaki was watching him in concern. And there was something more on his face. Sadness? Desperation?

Sho's chest constricted. He swallowed and tried to calm himself down. He really had to return. How was his family? How was Jun and Storm? But Masaki had healed him. Home. Earth. His family. Storm. Matsumoto Jun who must be waiting for him. But Masaki wanted his help. It was right to give it, especially after what the man had done for him. He had been trapped unknowingly. Inside, a mix of emotions fought for control.

I want to go back to Earth, Sho thought even as he asked weakly, "How long have I been away from my world?"

Masaki did not know why the other man wanted to know. He sulked and dropped his gaze. "Two weeks."

"Two weeks!?"

Silence came from the Caretaker's end.

Sho stared down at his foot, furious at himself for his indecision. He thought about his leg and Masaki's kindness.

"I'll go with you to find this person," he muttered, hating those words that spewed from his mouth. Jun. He would have to bow on his knees to his partner when he returned. Why couldn't he just leave? Why did he decide to stay?

Masaki's head shot up.

"If you said this intruder really killed, I will go." For the sake of doing good. Sho took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He didn't want to be a part of it. He already regretted his decision. "But after we find him, you must send me back to Earth immediately."

"Agreed," Masaki said, although he knew it was not within his power. Satoshi would wake up soon though, probably, and Kazunari would be back. Then Sho would be gone.

Sho will be gone.

A thousand miles away, Kenji woke up from his nightmare and found himself sticky with his own perspiration. He heaved and stared up at the darkness above him.

The screams of the villagers as they burned haunted him. He had vowed to continue with his plans, but what now? What did he actually have planned?

Once more, Kenji covered his eyes and sobbed. He just wanted to be king, to be someone valuable. Was that too much to ask for? The pain filled eyes of the child that stared accusingly back at him as she burned told him yes. How was Kenji going to continue?

The Palace, he decided. He would go to the heart of the problem, the king of this world.

Wearily, Kenji hauled himself up. His legs were unsteady. He felt like throwing up and as he walked he quavered. The death of the first man had been a mere accident. Kenji had convinced himself to look beyond that. The deaths of the villagers were eating at him.

[ Earth ]

Kazunari had been near death and at that point his reflexes had taken over and drawn on his brother's life force. On that surgery table, his mind sent him to the past and Kazunari relived an old memory while he fought to live.

At approximately two hundred years ago, he and Masaki had wanted to complain to his brother about the fact that nothing had been growing properly, that the plants around the Palace were rotting. (All except Masaki's Green Gardens that thrived on the Mage's energy.) When he and Masaki went to the Chamber of Mirrors to find the Guardian, Satoshi was not there.

They searched all over the Palace and found him nowhere.

And then in his dream Kazunari had a crazy idea. More like he remembered. He knew this situation had happened before and at that time Kazunari had been the one to find his brother. He remembered where Satoshi would be.

The Prince dragged Masaki with him to the Chamber of Souls and truly enough, just like he thought, they found Satoshi there in the sacred hall, curled up on the polished tiles and sleeping.

After all, this was just a replay of what had happened at that time. And so Kazunari remembered the next steps. He went to his brother and shook the Guardian awake. "Satoshi, what are you doing here?" Kazunari asked, like he had back then.

"I'm tired," Satoshi had blearily answered in the past. So in this dream, Kazunari waited for those exact same words from his brother.

The Guardian said, "It's you, Kazunari." Different.

He woke.

Kazunari stared up at the ceiling of the hospital room and he tried to calm himself down. What did Satoshi say? He took deep breaths and knew this dream was his unconscious mind speaking. What did it want to tell him? What did Satoshi mean?

The steady sounds of a beep distracted him and Kazunari turned to see a monitor glaring at him. Now what the heck was that? He tried to sit up but in vain. His whole body hurt and pain flashed through his stitched sides.

The Prince winced and carefully laid himself back down. He suddenly remembered what happened that attributed to his pain. That damn stupid Mutant had the nerve to attack him while he was on Earth. First things first, as Kazunari laid there he swore revenge. He was going to cut that monster to pieces!

"That's a nice expression you have there," a familiar voice broke into his vicious imagination. Jun was there.

He looked so fresh and wholesome Kazunari wanted to gag even though his heart skipped a beat. Back in that apartment, he must have given the Earthling a shock, so instead of retorting smartly, Kazunari tried to play the seriousness off. He quirked an eyebrow because anything else would be too troublesome and said, "Hello."

As always, Jun seethed. He would admit, he had been quite relieved when he first entered and saw Kazunari awake. Now he wondered why had felt such an aggravating feeling in the first place.

"Don't feign innocence!" Jun glared down at the smaller man on the bed. "I need some answers. Now."

"You're always in need of answers," Kazunari declared, even as he thought to himself it might be good to have Jun know what was really going on.

"That's right and it's time I received them." Jun was adamant. Today, he would not lose in their struggle. He indicated the needle in Kazunari's arm and then pointed to the machines. In the last few days that Kazunari had been unconscious, Jun had found his advantage. At last. He tried not to smile as he said, "These are the monsters of our world, Kazunari. And if you do not tell me, I swear they have the power to kill you."

Another beep sounded on the cardiac monitor. The Prince inwardly cursed and tried to sit up unsuccessfully. His injuries stopped him. As he fell back against the pillows, Kazunari closed his eyes and thought Jun was not lying. He couldn't deny the stupid pain. Back in Core, Masaki usually healed him right away. Fuck, how did he get into such an inferior situation?

Jun hid a triumphant grin and clapped a hand down on Kazunari's shoulder, more like to flaunt his sudden superiority over the latter. "Where is Sho and what attacked you?"

As if he would answer. Kazunari refused. Not like this when he felt so powerless. There was just something frustrating about being forced into doing something. Pride was his most troublesome trait and he was also stubborn in his own way.

"Kazunari!" Jun bellowed, impatient.

Kazunari flexed his fingers. He did not even have enough energy to summon a spark of electricity. He cursed that Mutant.

"I told you," he began, hating every word he had to utter, "I was attacked by a Mutant."

"Is it from your world?"

"No, it's not! Such vile things don't exist in Core!" Angry at the insult, the Prince glared up at Jun. "But they are from the same universe so that when the Barrier comes down, even the Key is not necessary. They can invade."

Jun barely understood. He continued with his interrogation anyway (it was suicide to let the creature see a weakness). "Then where is Sho?"

"He's in Core."

That was Kazunari's world, Jun concluded. "Bring him back," he demanded, horrified. If the Mutants invaded Core while his friend was still there, that would definitely mean Sho's end.

"I can't! It's not in my power!" Kazunari responded, hitting Jun's limp hand away. "It's Satoshi and I don't know what's wrong with him! He must be sleeping because I can't feel him anymore." The constant emptiness every time he pulled on their bond was proof.

But Jun thought it was just that name again. "Who the heck is Satoshi!?" he asked, momentarily distracted from his objective. Jealousy twisted in his stomach.

"The Guardian of Core," Kazunari replied nonchalantly.

What the heck is that? Jun hated these answers that were so vague. "G-guardian?"

Kazunari folded his arms. This was part of the reason why he didn't want to answer. It was not like the other man would understand anything he said.

Jun frowned at the rude dismissal. Guardian? That must be like a soldier, he finally decided. And Kazunari was in love with this soldier in his world. Somehow, that thought made him feel uneasy. He disliked the idea.

"H-how can Sho return then?" he croaked out.

"Not until I get in contact with Satoshi," Kazunari answered. He had not heard his brother's voice in such a long time. They'd never been separated this amount of time before without contact. The knowledge was breaking to Kazunari. He changed the direction of his thoughts and turned to Jun. "While we wait, you have to help me deal with this Mutant."

Mutant. Just the name was frightening enough. The memory of what the damn things had done to Kazunari tipped Jun's fear. "Why should I?" the Idol asked. It wasn't a direct refusal.

"If you care enough about your Earth, you should," the Prince answered. "The vile things eat flesh. I'm sure I haven't been the only one attacked."

"That's disgusting," Jun stated. "But I have my job and thanks to you, I have so much more work now since my partner's gone."

"Are you refusing?" Kazunari asked, aghast. He didn't think Jun would be such a coward.

One look at the man's expression, and Jun decided no way would he lose to the creature.

"I didn't say no," he said knowing he would regret his decision later.

Kazunari stared smugly back at him. Control returned back to him just like that.

Infuriated Jun pointed to the monitor and said, "They're watching" which immediately wiped the smirk off his face. "Anyway," the Idol continued. "Since you're awake, the investigators will be coming to question you. Think about what you want to tell them."

"Should I tell them about this Mutant, too?" Kazunari asked playfully.

"Whatever you want. Just know that they'll get in our way. And that they don't believe in this other world crap like I do. If anything goes wrong, they'll go digging into my life to see how we're connected. You have to throw them off our back."

Kazunari quickly sobered.

*

Later when the investigators did come, Kazunari sat upright in his bed looking depressed.
The two men introduced themselves and gathered around him. The Prince frowned at them as they immediately began asking questions.

"There were no signs of forced entry on the door. The shards inside the apartment meant your attacker must have come through the window. Did you hear him break in?"

Kazunari shrugged. "I was asleep. I woke when I felt a sharp pain in my back."

"Did you see your attacker's face?"

Jun quietly watched from the doorway as the Prince slowly leaned forward somewhat painfully and sighed. "I don't want to talk about this."

"We need your help to catch this criminal, sir."

"I didn't get a good look. I tried to stop him by shielding myself." Kazunari indicated his bandaged hands and arms. "And then I only thought of running. If you want something, he had black hair. Short and to the ears. Straight. That's all I can say."

"Can you tell us about his build? His height?"

"I don't know!" Kazunari shouted, feigning and somewhat really feeling frustration. "I told you, I tried to run. He was taller than me? That's it. I don't know anymore."

"Do you think you recognize this person? From your life?"

"I don't. I didn't get a good look and I'm not from here. Who will know me? Here, I'm always alone when my cousin goes out. Maybe he knew that."

Then the officers turned to each other, mutual understanding on their faces, and whispered a few words to one another.

They returned their attention to Kazunari. "Could it have been a stalker? Have you felt anyone watching you in the last few days?"

"No. I felt nothing. Plus I've only been inside and never went out."

It was a handful of minutes later when the questions finally came to an end. They pulled Jun off to the side.

"This could be one of your fans that have been stalking you for a while now, Matsumoto-san. And he immediately saw your cousin who have just arrived as a threat."

Jun sighed. Damn Kazunari making everything worse.

"Don't go back to your apartment until everything's safe. Please watch the people around you very carefully, see if anyone tries to approach you. You need bodyg--"

"I don't need any bodyguards," Jun told them vehemently. "And don't tail me. Any of you!" He turned on his heels and walked out knowing that what he had said would be useless to those men. They would find a way to confine him. And so he cursed Kazunari as he stomped down the hallway. Stalker? Impossible. It was a Mutant. Whatever that was.

[ Core ]

Sho woke.

He stared up at the dark sky he had somehow gotten used to and waited for the sleepiness to dissolve. Beside him, Masaki's evened breathing could be heard. How much longer would the man sleep? Oh right, he remembered. Two more days.

Masaki suddenly shivered.

Miles away, Kenji was also sleeping up against a barren tree. He was in the midst of a nightmare. A woman screamed while she was being burnt alive.

Masaki had not been there, but he heard the screams in his dream. He was the one who could've saved them and hadn't.

Kenji sobbed even as he went on sleeping.

Sho saw the tears on the Caretaker's face and he couldn't help pausing. Why was Masaki crying? Why did it matter to him?

"I-I'm sorry," Masaki whimpered, and Sho thought that he didn't know anything.

He moved in close to the Caretaker and rubbed a hand down the his back. Masaki visibly calmed down and Sho's heart lightened. Jun was so strong that through the years it had seemed that Storm didn't really need Sho. Now, it was a strange feeling to have someone dependent on him.

I still have to go back soon, Sho told himself. Because Storm was a duo. He stood up to stretch as Masaki curled in tighter and Sho was glad, just a little bit, that he had agreed to stay for a while longer.

*

Later, after he returned from his not very long walk (no more hopping around at least), he found Masaki wide awake waiting for him. "You're not going to sleep some more?" he asked, surprised when the Caretaker stood up ready to depart.

The man shook his head and smiled. "I've had enough of that. I want to leave quickly."

They went on their way walking through the plains with Masaki stopping every now and then to check the ground for disturbances. And then they also had to stop for Sho who was not used to walking for continuous hours yet. Along the way they passed a large field of dead crops. Sho said nothing, just wondered why everything on the Land was dying. Were the people so afraid to venture out, they dared to leave their fields to rot?

Soon after, he was surprised when Masaki veered off the path and towards a smaller route. They had always taken the larger roads. Why? Did Masaki suspect the intruder to be close by? And when he caught a glimpse of the first village he was to see in the distance, Sho was taken back.

The inhabitants who stood outside when they arrived smiled broadly.

"People. Humans," Sho gasped. Except from the creepy looking man with the scar on his face a few days ago, Sho had not seen another soul aside from Masaki since he had come here. Of course, he had seen the signs of life veering to various villages. Of course, Masaki had said no one was taking the roads now after that last invasion, whatever that meant, but the Idol never thought he would have the chance to see the others of this world.

As he stood there staring after a young child, so much like the children in his world, voices rang across the small community.

"It's the Mage of Nature and Life!" the voices called.

"It's the Caretaker!"

Masaki laughed as the children ran to him and one young girl hugged his knees tightly. Sho had never seen him so happy before. He blinked again, something in his chest warming because of that sunny smile. He wondered if he was really going insane.

Some elderly stepped out and approached. The adults stopped what they were doing and crowded around him.

"We are honored by your presence, Caretaker," they said. "If you would spend the night, we would be glad to find a room for you." They glanced at Sho. "For the both of you."

Masaki beamed as he carried the child into his arms. Sho was ignored. "Yes, ma'am!" he said. "And if all the field hands would gather, tonight I can raise the crops for you."

They looked at each other, shocked, then realization dawned on their faces. The eldest bowed low. He choked out, "We are h-honored, Mage!"

"It is Harvest Year and I'm sorry I won't be able to save everyone's hard work," Masaki stated, his mood suddenly dropping. The child tightened its arms around the Mage's neck and Sho was too preoccupied with feeling a little jealous of the young girl to think the sentence through.

*

Later while in their shared cabin, Sho had to ask Masaki as the man checked their surroundings, "I thought we were finding this intruder? It's not like I have a problem with being here, but why are we here? And what did you promise to help them with?"

"I can't just leave them like this," Masaki answered, not turning around to face Sho. "It's just a little detour. I've decided, I'm not going to ignore the people again." Far off, he could still hear the cries of death his nightmares provided. He shivered and shook his head. He couldn't say more.

Because of his silence and the anguish on his face, Sho didn't pry further.

Sho spent the rest of his day watching the children play by lamplight and wondered where the Caretaker had run off to. The kids were jumping around and throwing rocks onto the ground. He wished he knew what they were playing. He liked children. If he didn't feel so out of place, Sho would've talked to them. But he was a stranger anyway and probably the kids in the village were taught to leave strangers alone.

Probably not. One of the older boys stopped and turned to Sho. "Do you want to join?" he asked because he had seen the strange man watching in interest.

Sho blinked at the kind invitation. Jumping around? Not for him. But he stood up awkwardly and approached the group anyway. "What game is this?" he asked.

The rest of the kids stopped what they were doing and beamed up at him. Sho felt a little brighter watching their young faces. Maybe he was a little happy about this detour too.

"Ken, Kaori, and Hiro are still sleeping so we don't have enough players," the boy from earlier told Sho.

That got the Idol thinking. He momentarily counted the smiling faces. Seven total. So there were more? "You all don't sleep at the same time?" he asked. So everyone in this world did sleep for three days straight then?

"Why should we?" the others returned, perplexed. After all, it was the norm for them.

At their silly, confused faces, Sho smiled. He shrugged. No one knew he was not from Core and did not understand. "It's nothing." And then he clapped his hands. "So, what is the game again?"

*

That night, an exhausted Sho made his way to bed. He had spent hours with the children. They had found his stiffness amusing and would not let him go. Finally at nightfall (or so he thought it would be), Sho had refused to move anymore and that was when one of the adults had come to his rescue, telling the kids to enter their homes.

As Sho lay down on his pallet with a groan, he was surprised to find Masaki preparing to go out. Just when he finally knew where the man was. "Aren't you going to take a rest?" he asked because Masaki had not had his three days.

The other turned to him and grinned. "Have a good night, Sho. I'll be back in a bit."

That offered no explanation. Sho lay down on his pallet and stared up at the dark ceiling, feeling extremely curious but not eager enough to sneak around in the darkness. And too tired. Although he wanted to stay awake and wait for the latter, his eyes closed. Not even curiosity could keep them open.

It was dark out and those of the villagers who were not asleep gathered at the edge of the field. Masaki sat in the center of the vast field, hidden by the darkness and distance. The ground he sat on was dead. The plants ranging in neat rows around him were dead. Harvest Year and yet everyone's hard work had gone to waste.

He closed his eyes and delved into the depths of his soul. That morning he had promised to help them and even if that meant the majority of his energy, he meant to keep his word.

The villagers watched as the dead crops began to flesh out. Their drooping heads rose and color faintly returned. They stared in wonder even as Masaki strained and perspiration stood out on his forehead, dripping down the side of his face. He had done this before. The Green Gardens at the Palace was his personal garden that relied mostly on his strength. So he could do this now, for them, for the people of the Land. As the Guardian's Caretaker, Masaki should hold responsibility for Satoshi's bad condition, or he thought he should.

As the whole field bloomed and Masaki's breath ran short, he felt himself faltering. At that moment, something stirred at the back of his mind.

(( You should have been born as the Guardian. Someone not selfish like you. )) The words were a whisper, like feathers brushing up against his mind.

You're wrong, Masaki thought even though Satoshi could not hear him, even though the Guardian's voice faded away once more. Everyone loves you, Guardian. We want you to wake up soon.

The crops were full of life. They glistened in the darkness, vibrant. Once he heard them calling out to him, singing, Masaki released his hold over the plants. He fell back against the ground, perspiring and gasping for breath.

"MAGE!" he heard the voices call out over the field in the distance. "MAGE!"

"I'm all right," Masaki muttered in assurance, even if no one heard him.

After they had ventured out to find him and helped him back to the village, he moved on alone and stumbled into his shared cabin with Sho. He had refused help from the others. So as soon as Masaki crossed the threshold, he keeled over.

He laid there on the ground floor, exhausted but happier than ever. He had done something. He had been useful. Masaki had done a little bit of good. Too tired to move, he fell asleep as he was.

[ Earth ]

Kazunari tossed and turned on the bed. He wished the people in the white and pink colors wouldn't force him to sleep. He didn't need to. What's more, though they had taken the loud monster away, it's other arm still remained, keeping watch over him with one of its string still attached to him. That thing they called the IV drip.

And then his senses also told him those stupid men who pretended to be normal were still spying on him. They had come the day after Jun had stormed off during the investigation. Kazunari found their pretense irritating.

He gave up on sleeping and sat up, staring at the white wall. He wished Jun would come and visit him. Even if he was always annoying Kazunari with his questions, he was way better than anyone else and the monster-arm. He knew Jun was angry at him for what he had said to the investigators before he had gone into his little "coma" as the people in white called his sleep. How the heck was he supposed to know the men would come up with some crazy idea regarding what he said? Should he have gone with describing the Mutant then? As if they would believe.

Kazunari worked himself into a temper thinking about the person who now frustrated him, thinking that whatever he did, he would never get Jun on his side and the fellow would never be satisfied. Jun was just another enemy he had to use. Jun never liked him much anyway. But these thoughts didn't make him feel better. He didn't like the fact that Jun hated him and had left him alone. Kazunari had asked the women in pink and it seemed that Idol hadn't even bothered to visit while he slept.

Just as he was preparing to imagine evil things to lighten his mood, the thought-of person strolled in. Kazunari took back his earlier wish for the man to come.

"What's with the face?" Jun asked, instantly observing the look of distaste. "I'm not a sour plum."

"Why are you here?" Kazunari threw back at him, though now after the initial feeling he actually felt relieved. Jun didn't really hate him. Or not that much.

The Idol crossed his arms standing next to the bed. "You didn't want me to come?"

Kazunari shrugged. "I'll never admit to anything."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jun asked.

"What you want it to," the latter replied.

As always within a moment in Kazunari's presence, Jun felt annoyed and maybe a little happy that the patient was still so full of life. Trust Kazunari to make him feel so complicated. Truth was, while angry and stubbornly holding out on seeing Kazunari, he had actually gotten himself frustrated for thinking about the man so much when trying to forget. As it was, Jun could not concentrate on his work. He hadn't even blinked when bowing his head to Sho's coworkers.

"Kazunari," Jun continued seriously. "I can't keep ignoring you. We need to do something. I can't stand those men following me around anymore." Because of course, while he had been busy thinking about Kazunari and running around for his schedule, the police had gone out of their way to ignore his wishes. They had been keeping an eye on him and it was quite noticeable in the studio.

"You think I like it too?" Kazunari retorted in answer to his complaint. "They've been peeking in every time they think I'm asleep."

The account troubled Jun more than he would like. They had been watching Kazunari sleep? It unsettled him and annoyed him more than it should. But it was not the problem at hand. Definitely not. He steered himself to focus. "Then what do you plan to do now? I don't think you'll be catching your Mutant anytime soon unless that monster comes to you."

"It'll come," Kazunari replied instantly. When Jun sought for words, he couldn't help feeling an urge to smile. "It will," he repeated.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it wants me more than any other living being. I'm from Core and a Mage."

Jun understood only half of it. He didn't want to show his confusion and cleared his throat. "Meaning that you're the main target."

"Correct."

"That won't put me in danger, will it?"

Kazunari shrugged again. "I'm not sure. Are you important enough?"

"You pompous, brat!" At his own outburst, Jun quickly clenched his mouth shut and went to the door to check if the men were listening. He returned to the patient, determination back.

Jun huffed. "All right," he conceded. "You get to leave the hospital in three days. We'll plan how to move then when we have some privacy."

The Prince sat up. "Hospital?"

Exasperated, Jun replied, "This place. It's a hospital."

Kazunari immediately processed the information and moved on. "Three? Why can't it be today?"

"Because the doctor said three. Even though you're healing quite admirably."

"I'll be asleep by then!" the smaller man complained. "You'll have to carry me out!"

Jun hadn't thought of that.

"They actually said I was in a small coma!"

The Idol frowned then. "All right. I'll ask them if you can leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!? Ahhh--" The patient flopped down on his bed and turned a cold shoulder to his visitor. Tomorrow was not soon enough. "This is the worst! I can't take it in here anymore. It's quiet and I can't do anything without having to drag this monster's arm around. And those men are always looking." He sulked.

Jun bore holes into his back and he felt like he was taking care of a child. "Stop the pouting, Kazunari. Successfully pass your tests tomorrow so that you can go home."

"Home is where Satoshi is," Kazunari muttered. "I really want to go home. Back to Core."

Kazunari coming right out to say it was deafening. Jun realized that "home" wasn't with him. To hide his uneasiness and an unmistakable ache in his chest, he said, "If you don't want me here, I'm going to leave. Have a safe night."

Immediately, the Prince turned around. "Wait! Is that all you came here for? You didn't come just to see me?"

There was no way Jun was going to admit to that. "No." Maybe it was just him thinking too much, but he thought he saw Kazunari's expression fall. "Why? Do you want me to care?"

This time, the latter gave a negative. He turned his back on Jun again and sighed.

For some reason, Jun's heart pounded in his ears. Too loud. Did that sigh mean something? The Idol clenched his teeth and grasped the Prince by his shoulders. He pulled the man around to face him with difficulty. Kazunari fought all the way and when he finally faced the Idol, the Prince glowered.

"Look here, Kazunari," Jun started. "Can't you be a little more tolerable? A little less selfish? Cooperate with me."

"I'm not selfish," Kazunari replied. "I told you that I do not want to be here. I'm just trying to find a way back and to get your precious Sho to return."

"That's not the point I'm getting at. I want you to be a little nicer. At least to me."

Kazunari glanced up and met Jun's eyes then, somewhat surprised. They froze, both staring at each other. In that heartbeat, Jun wondered and the question in his mind was far from normal. Horrified, amazed, more frightened, Jun pushed the smaller man away and he stumbled back, shocked at his thought: would Kazunari's lips be soft?

Kazunari did not even register the rejection. His own heart thudded in his ears and stammered, "N-no. I can't be nice to you. Especially you."

Those words hurt. Jun felt a pang and he couldn't deny it. "I see." How could he be so stupid? "I'm leaving then," he declared and not even waiting, walked out. He was in such a rush to leave, to find some place where he could calm down, that he did not notice Tohru who had moved back and pressed himself against the wall.

Watching Matsumoto Jun disappear down the hall, Tohru breathed out in relief. He thought he had been caught. Quickly, he moved to peer into the doorway again.

Kazunari flushed and hid his shamed face. Why had he thought of that? Why did he think of Jun? Because he didn't know that the same question had run through Jun's mind.

Tohru had heard the last few lines, but had been unaware of the feelings that went along. Now he wondered as he moved down the hall opposite to where the Idol had gone if instead of messing with Jun's cousin, he could get Kazunari on his side instead. If Kazunari hated Jun, and it certainly seemed so, he could use that advantage.

While walking in the other direction as Jun, Tohru thought he should revise his plan.

[ Core ]

Sho had woken and found Masaki on the floor. He then sighed and dragged the man up to his bed. It was already morning, maybe. Masaki would probably sleep for the next few days. What was Sho to do while he waited? Try to get along with the adults, he decided. Play some more with the kids. Try to be useful until Masaki woke up and they could move on. Get this thing over with.

He fixed the taller man in bed and left wondering where the Caretaker had gone to the night before, to have done something that exhausted him so much he collapsed on the floor.

He searched around the village looking for someone to talk to and found it nearly empty. Confused, Sho wanted to know where all the people had gone to. It was eerily quiet. Or was it still nighttime and he just miscalculated? Or this was a ghost town and there hadn't been anyone there really? No. He stopped a child running somewhere, relieved to find another human being, and asked her where the rest of the adults were (if they weren't sleeping anyway).

"Everyone's at the field!" she replied enthusiastically. "We're all helping! Come on!" Happily, she pulled on his arm. Sho willfully went along, wondering what the heck she meant.

He finally understood when he neared and saw the first green outside of the Green Gardens. Sho stared in shock at the edge of the field as the child ran along to call on her friends. Along the rows, the workers bent over picking up the rest of their harvest.

They were happy. They were laughing as they went on to reap their hard work, suddenly revived. The Idol gaped. This field had been dead when Masaki and he had seen it yesterday. Every once in a while, one of farmers wiped his or her eyes in tearful gratitude.

Sho knew what Masaki had done the night before.

He turned and ran back to the village. It was desolated and quiet as before, most of the people gone to the fields. He found himself at the door to their room, heaving for breath and staring at Masaki's sleeping form.

Miles away, Kenji was still lost in the throes of yet another nightmare. He squirmed, wanting to escape from his dream. He had killed a whole village because he wanted to be king and they laughed at him. He had to! He had to kill them! But he shuddered anyway.

Masaki sobbed. Sho neared while still trying to even his breath. The Caretaker could hear the screams of all the people he had failed. Guilt and grief wrapped around him and even in his sleep, tears slipped down the side of his face.

Sho bent down and reached out to touch the thin droplets. "You're so kind," he whispered.

They were searching for this intruder who had killed and Sho had been so reluctant before. He had wanted to go back home. Now, he realized it might be okay to do it for the sake of the people here after all. He would go back to Jun much later and bow on his knees willingly.

Masaki unconsciously reached for his warmth and pulled Sho in. The Idol thought nothing of it. Instead, he impulsively leaned forward and pressed his lips against the latter's wet cheek. Then he realized he had done something impossible and flushed. He had done something stupid. Insanely stupid. Sho felt himself heating in embarrassment and he was relieved that Masaki was still sleeping.

The man's arm tightened around him and had stopped crying, so Sho didn't dare break away. He hid his shamed face in the man's chest and now wondered if staying was too dangerous for him to be worth it.

Far in the distance, the Blue Lake was one-fourth's full.

* *

chap05