Forever SK (prologue)
Edited: 2014.10.24
Title: Forever SK
Feature/Pairing: Arashi, Matsumiya, Sakuraiba, (Ohmiya, Sakumoto, Aimiya)
Rating: overall R (violence, language, sexual references)
Genre: au, modern, fantasy, friendship, action, romance
Summary: Of Earth and Core. Guardian Satoshi is closest to Kazunari, his twin. Yet he's been hiding something from his younger brother for 700 years.
Setting:
Earth
A world of Science, Faith, and Theories
physically limited by the Laws of Nature.
This is the land of past kings, dictators, and presidents,
where war is a timeless constant and peace is a dream.
Core
A world of Magic, Hope, and Traditions
where Spirits rule and Mages oversee.
This is the land of a Guardian who is much more than a king,
who is the Heart of this World and whose strength feeds and protects the Land.
They are One Life.
And it is this Guardian who holds the Key to other worlds... a world like Earth.
* * PROLOGUE * *
One divides into Two but share a core.
The day that Five Stars are born, the Storm will brew:
He who swallowed darkness keeps his silence,
and the World cracks slowly.
When Five reaches Three of Two pairs and One,
the silence becomes complete.
This World will Sleep.
Only Rebirth can break his eternal slumber.
SATOSHI:
Father, I remember. You said when I was born, you were so proud. You embraced me, the future Guardian, and sang. When you join our ancestors in the Counsel of spirits, I will become the new Heart of the Land. I was your hope.
But Father, you did not know. That same moment, five hundred miles away in the direction of the Rising Star, the Prophet made his prophesy.
And when you left me only twenty years later, and after living to be 300 alone, I became afraid. It started then. Because
Loneliness is the scariest feeling.
[ Core ]
"Masaki, there's another one!" Kazunari caught sight of a Mutant creeping up on his friend. Dammit! he mentally cursed. He was preoccupied with disposing of his own opponent; he could not help his friend.
An exhausted Masaki closed his eyes and summoned enough energy to call on the Land. From the ground sprouted roots and wood that covered him, shielding him from the oncoming Mutant's blow. Another root jabbed through the hard exterior of the creature and sprouted. It grew until the monster screeched and burst into pieces, innards scattering around in a rain of dark blood and organs.
"Damn you!" Kazunari cursed at his own Mutant. He gripped the monster's slimy head between both hands and screamed in his fury as strength flowed through him. Yellow sparks traveled down his arms like fire, creating a sphere of light and death from his hands. The monster shrieked and sizzled under the electrocution of his fingers. Its charred body dropped into the dirt and laid there, reeking of rot and smoke. Kazunari knew it was dead. He stepped back from the black remains, gasping for breath. It was over.
A man rushed up to his side and went down on one knee. "Prince, all the Mutants have been disposed of."
Ignoring him, Kazunari turned away and cursed. "FUCK! Where is Satoshi!?"
The shield of wood around Masaki unraveled to let him through. He stepped out, clutching his bleeding arm. Shadows rimmed the underside of his eyes. "I don't know. When we called the other Mages, he was already gone."
Kazunari snapped. "This is all his fault! It's the fifth time this Harvest that the Mutants have broken through. What is that freak doing!?"
"Don't talk about the Guardian that way," Masaki told him, ignoring the second man that had hurried over to tend to his wounded arm. "He's been very weak lately, Kazunari. That's why the Barrier's been down."
"Because he's not taking care of himself!" Kazunari retorted angrily, kicking at the ground and spraying a shower of dirt into the messenger's face. "Five hundred years ago, such a thing was uncommon. Is he stupid?"
"You're tired. Calm down," Masaki soothed.
Stubbornly, Kazunari glared into the distance and ran off in a flash of bright lightning.
To find Satoshi and yell at him, Masaki knew glumly. He turned to the man tending to his injury. "It's all right. I can fix the rest myself. You go aid the other Mages."
"But Caretaker, you're exhausted," the man replied. "You've just been in battle. You need to rest."
Masaki dismissed his concern with a sudden cheerful shrug. "I can sleep for a hundred years if I have to, but right now I need to see how the Guardian's doing. I'm not his Caretaker for nothing."
[ In the Courts of Core ]
A very frustrated Kazunari ran into the circular Great Hall and stopped in the dead center. He looked around and then up at the ceiling. The hall was empty, or it appeared to be. He knew better. Deep within his bones, he felt his brother's presence.
"Dammit, Satoshi! Come out now or when I find you I'll dump your ass in hot water!" Kazunari threatened.
Just as he finished shouting, a pool of crystal clear substance formed at his feet then rose to form a figure. It solidified. A thin, blond-haired man stood before the Prince with a weary expression.
"I was sleeping," Satoshi muttered, his eyes downcast.
"You were not!" Kazunari grabbed Satoshi's elbow. "Where were you when we fought the Mutants?"
Satoshi turned his head away. "Sleeping."
"You're ill!" Kazunari accused, his concern turning into frustration. "Why won't you just tell me the truth!? Stop hiding these things from me. Both Masaki and you! There's something wrong with you. Your health's only been deteriorating these last hundred years." He grasped Satoshi's face and turned his brother to him. "Tell me!"
The Guardian stared blankly into his younger brother's eyes and lied, "It's nothing. I'm not sick."
"Liar!"
"I'm not sick, Kazunari," Satoshi repeated stubbornly.
And finally, Kazunari had enough. He dropped his arms to his side and his eyes fell down to the marble floor.
His sudden silence was unnerving.
Satoshi looked at the top of his bowed head and called out in worry, "Kazunari?"
The Mage Prince cut him off. Calmly. "That's why I can't stand you."
"Kazunari, there's nothing wrong with me," Satoshi tried to assure him. He knew this silence was just the beginning. The calm before the storm. However, he was not prepared to see what he did when his brother raised his head. The Prince's eyes were murderous, glaring straight at him. Satoshi warily stepped back. "I'm fine," he continued weakly.
"I can't stand you," Kazunari whispered.
He snapped his fingers. Sparks ignited. Lightning fizzled between the joined tips. A frustrated Kazunari aimed.
[ Earth, Tokyo ]
"Sakurai-san, wake up," Matsumoto Jun said from across their greenroom as he stood up from his chair and threw the magazine he had been reading down. "It's time."
On the couch, Sakurai Sho stretched lazily. "I'm still tired."
"That's why I tell you to sleep earlier. You always go out after work. Why don't you turn away your friends for once?"
"But I barely have time to see them," Sho mumbled as he sat up.
"You stretch yourself too thin in order to just meet all of them." Jun sighed as he went to the mirror to tidy his front. "We're a duo and yet you barely drink with me, you know."
At his response, Sho smiled.
Jun turned around and leaned back on the counter. He stared at his coworker and friend of many years. Inadvertently, he couldn't help grinning also. "Want to go shopping together this weekend then? You have no fashion sense anyway."
"And you have too much," Sho answered as he finally got up and stretched again while on his feet. "Yeah. Let's go."
Another knock came at the door. "Y.K., are you ready?"
"Oy!" Sho exclaimed, pretending annoyance. He turned to the closed door. "Don't call us that!"
The staff on the other side laughed. "Sorry. Come out when you're ready, Storm."
Jun straightened and quirked an eyebrow. "Yama, shall we?"
Sho suppressed a smile. "We shall, Kaze."
One after the other, they left the room.
*
Later that evening, after the filming drew to a close, they cheerfully bid each other goodnight outside the tv station. Before Sho disappeared into his car, Jun warned again, "Don't go out tonight, Sakurai. Get some sleep or the stress will build up."
"You're always so caring," Sho joked but his consent was implied. He waved to his friend who went on his way to his own vehicle.
*
That night, Sho followed Jun's advice and went to bed early.
In the morning, he woke refreshed. He even had the energy to cook his own breakfast instead of eating the usual toast. And even though his scrambled eggs had pieces of eggshell and were overcooked, he liked it very much indeed.
*
In the afternoon, Sho's great mood was noticed by all of the staff.
"You're in good shape today," an assistant told him.
"I am," Sho replied with a huge grin on his full lips. "Is it noticeable?"
The assistant nodded. "It is. You're practically glowing."
At the compliment, Sho chortled. "It's nice to get some real sleep."
"Hm. I understand," the other said. "Kaze and you overwork your bodies. We push you guys too hard."
"Not at all!" Sho exclaimed. "You guys work as hard as well."
At the humble statement, the assistant beamed. "Then let's work hard together today too, Sho-chan."
Sho-chan? Sho thought to himself, but he waved it away. Probably just a slip of the man's tongue. "All right," he answered.
*
On the other side of Tokyo, Jun was also in another studio. He posed and the camera flashed.
"Okay, that's good! Now move around a little more," the photographer advised.
Jun did. He took one step. Another. He twisted. Flashes filled the set. Behind the scenes, the staff and others gathered to watch.
"He's awesome," Mine whispered with her hands clasped together. Her eyes shone as she gazed at the star.
Jun's manager blinked and took a look again. "MINE-san!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here!?"
"Admiring Jun-kun," Mine breathed, her eyes never leaving the figure of the idol on stage.
The manager clicked her tongue. "I suggest you leave here, Mine-san. Before your boyfriend comes along. If he sees you ogling his enemy, there'll be another war."
Mine dropped her arms to her side and glared down her nose at Jun's manager. "You have no right to order me, and my boyfriend have no say in whatever I do. I can admire Kaze-kun all I want."
Jun's manager fumed. She wished she could shout at this stupid girl and tell her it was her fault in the first place that Matsumoto Jun and Fuji Tohru hated each other.
Tohru and Mine were childhood friends before debuting together in a band. They were already dating when Mine first set sight on the youngest member of the Storm duo. The singer's infatuation with Jun had eventually caused Tohru to confront Jun out of jealousy. Thus began their infamous rivalry.
"All right, we're done for today!" the photographer cut in and shouted above all the background noise.
On the set, Jun relaxed.
His manager glared one final time at Mine and rushed to meet her idol. She pulled Jun off to the side and quickly whispered to him, "Matsumoto, hurry and go change. Don't linger."
Jun was surprised. "Why? I thought I was done for today. I want to talk to the photographer about my shots."
"Never mind," she told him. "Just hurry."
He sighed and straightened. "Fine." He went straight to his dressing room thinking he'd make her explain later.
*
At the same time, Sho had just finished with his meeting and walked out of the building towards his car feeling fully contented with his progress.
"Sh-Sakurai-san!" someone behind him called and Sho turned to see the assistant he had been chatting with earlier that day rush over to him.
He smiled and bowed slightly. "Good work today."
The assistant returned the bow. "Yes, good work today. Sakurai-san, are you already going home?"
Sho shook his head. "I have another job before I go."
"You have so much to do," the assistant said.
In response, Sho shrugged. "It's work and I don't hate it." He then looked at his watch. "I have to leave now or I'll be late."
"W-wait, Sho-chan!" the assistant shouted in a frenzy.
Sho-chan? He did it again, Sho thought, a bit more irritated than the first time. Should he allow the informality from this person he didn't even really know pass again? But after he struggled to contain his strict sense of propriety, when he raised his eyes a box was shoved into his hands.
"Eh? What's this?" He looked down at the wrapped object.
The assistant beamed. "I heard you get really hungry and you don't cook. I did something extra this morning."
"You didn't have to," Sho muttered, disturbed. What was going on? He knew he wasn't good friends with the assistant. "But thank you," he added, because he could not reject it.
*
That night, Sho phoned Jun for the first time in a while.
"This is unusual," Jun said over the line. "You usually only have time for texts."
"I want to complain," Sho told him, ignoring the comment. "But I'll wait. We're still meeting tomorrow?"
"Sure. At the mall. Make sure to wear a disguise," Jun warned him.
"And you, don't go all out," Sho replied. "Or else yours will never work."
Somehow, when Sho hung up the phone afterwards, he felt a little better. Speaking to someone who would understand his troubles was important; Jun was really a life saver.
*
The next morning, his positive feelings changed. Sho woke with his head hanging off the bed and he groaned once he realized that again he had moved in his sleep.
He ran a hand through his messy brown hair and sat up frowning. His line of vision met the lunchbox he had received yesterday. The memory of the assistant's ecstatic face when he had handed it over returned.
Great. A terrific day I'm having.
How could it get any worse?
*
A few hours later, Sho parked his car and walked into the mall. He looked around uncomfortably. Act normal, Sho told himself. Where is Matsumoto anyway? He tucked one hand into his pocket and the other traveled up to pull down his hat even lower than it already was.
A person fell into step beside him. "Yama-sama, you're acting suspicious," Jun whispered at his side.
Sho laughed quietly, or with as little noise as he could. "Kaze-san, when did you get here?"
"Half an hour ago."
"We're not on a date. You didn't have to impress me," Sho whispered back.
"Of course we're not," Jun replied. Then he grinned. "But it's nice to be one step ahead of you."
Sho snorted. As expected of his partner.
*
Later as they leisurely took their time down the walkway between rows of shops, Jun asked his friend while concentrating on the display windows, "You wanted to complain?"
Sho sighed wearily, reminded of his present concern. "Our line of work puts us in strange situations. I just don't understand it."
"What don't you understand?"
Again, the image of the assistant popped into Sho's head. "Someone's actions. I wonder if he wants something from me. Does he want me to introduce him to his favorite female idol?"
"You're not even friends with the popular ones," Jun stated out loud.
"I'm not offended," Sho replied. Then he added just because he had to, "But that's because my solo work involves something of a more serious nature."
"You didn't have to say it. I know more than anyone."
They walked on for a few more seconds in silence. Jun decided to speak of his own worries. "Mine-san continues to bother me. My manager hates her guts. She was at my photoshoot yesterday and my manager tried to tell her off. With no success."
Now, it was Sho's turn to comment. He whistled. "Life doesn't come without its obstacles." He added a second later, "Aren't we just blue today? Let's shape up, Kaze."
Both did. Or tried.
After an hour, as they sat in the foodcourt and talked over some snacks, the earlier conversation continued.
"Whatever happens, let's just take it as the difficult path to success," Sho advised his partner, trying to lighten the oppressive atmosphere. He sat on the other side of the small table and carelessly sipped his drink. "There's definitely going to be more occurrences in our future. Bizarre ones."
"Don't curse us, Yama," Jun replied. His heart lightened nonetheless. "Guess you're right. I'll eventually learn how to deal with Mine and Fuji."
They sat in silence before Sho decided to change the subject. He took a small look around the area and leaned in closer to his friend. "But don't you think there's a lot of people here today?" he whispered.
Jun leaned in also. "It's the weekend. It's to be expected, right?"
Sho fixed his eyes on a mother holding the hand of her child. The little boy was making a mess out of eating his cone. His mother stopped to scold him and wipe his mouth. Sho couldn't help feeling sentimental while he watched. "It's nice to be observing normal everyday lives of others once in a while. It's refreshing."
"You're such a creeper," Jun teasingly muttered under his breath as he fell back into his chair, but he was intentionally loud enough for his partner to hear.
Sho moved in closer. "I'm no--!" A great roar thundered over their heads and cut him off.
The ground shook. The whole building creaked.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" All around them, shoppers screamed.
"What the heck?" Sho and Jun leaped to their feet, their pulse pounding in his ears.
Another explosion erupted, thunderous and deafening. The empty air between roof and food-court spun and rippled, distorting reality.
"GYAAAA!" Chaos broke out and everyone ran in different directions. Terrified screams filled the court.
Jun quickly grabbed Sho's sleeve. "Come on! Let's go!"
They turned, but then another explosion accompanied with a tremendous gust of wind blew everyone off their feet. Some crashed against the tables or columns. Jun fell against Sho and when he heard a loud crunch followed by a cry of pain from his friend, he knew Sho had broken a bone. He cursed. Others around him groaned.
Jun scrambled upright and moved to encircle his arms around a pale faced Sho. "Where--?" he started.
"DAMN YOU, SATOSHI! DAMN YOU!" A new voice amplified across the room.
Jun and everyone else looked up to see the source of the angry voice.
Two strangely dressed men hovered in midair where the space had distorted a moment ago. They stood supported by nothing, the dark-haired one viciously pounding his glowing fists at the other. Vast amounts of energy radiated off them in waves. Shoppers gagged from the humid and suffocating atmosphere.
The dark-haired man threw his companion forcefully into the wall and his victim crashed through the solid bricks.
Jun shielded his eyes as debris scattered throughout the large hall.
"I can't stand you! DON'T FUCKING LIE!" Kazunari followed and grabbed a dazed Satoshi by the collar. He drew his fist back. Lightning crackled and sizzled, emboldened in his hand. It sparked with the intent to inflict pain. "I CAN'T STAND YOU!!" He swung at his brother's face.
Satoshi forced himself to move. He disengaged himself from his brother's grip and expelled himself back against the wall. The already crumbling exterior gave way, leaving an opening in which he could escape through to the outside. In that second that he had his distance and Kazunari attacked, Satoshi drew in a shallow breath and clapped his hands together. A wall of water formed between them.
"Don't fuck with me!" Kazunari screamed. Water could not stop him.
But his fist slammed into solid wood. A discernible crunch followed. The lightning in Kazunari's fingers sizzled and died. "Ah!" He clutched his broken left hand and fell back.
Satoshi opened his eyes to find Masaki blocking him.
Kazunari gaped. "Masaki," he breathed, disbelief mixing with pain on his face.
The wall of wood surrounding the Caretaker and his Guardian vanished. Masaki moved forward. "Kazu, get a hold of yourself!"
Around Jun, panicked screams picked up again and those who could still move ran. Others dragged their companions. But Jun continued to hold on tightly to the injured Sho and watch the situation in front of him unfold. He did not even notice that he and his partner were now the only conscious two in the court.
Finally, Kazunari blinked and realized where they were. He looked around. "Where...is this?"
His eyes searched the chaotic mess of the destroyed mall until it fell on a striking man sitting still among the commotion; a man holding on to another person.
Masaki supported the pale Satoshi and he turned to look where Kazunari did.
Sho, pale from the loss of blood, stared straight ahead in complete, utter fear.
Kazunari's eyes met Jun's. Masaki's met Sho's.
A second of wonder, confusion, heartache, and fear passed between them; of piercing glares, hot and cold.
Masaki broke the deafening silence. "Come on, let's go Satoshi," he whispered to the smaller man and tightened his grip.
Satoshi coughed tiredly and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and summoned the last of his energy to turn the Key. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.
In Jun's arms, Sho burst into laughter. "What the fuck..." Then his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He fainted.
* *
Forever SK 01