[drabble] To Freedom (Haruka2)
Title: To Freedom
Fandom: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Owned by Mizuno-sensei, Koei, and Ruby Party.
Notes: For flight_of_ideas' request made on this post. It's set during Yume no Ukihashi, I hope that's not a problem.
To Freedom
Isato sat atop the wall that encircled the gardens of Nantokyuu, his unfocused eyes turned toward the north. What was taking everyone so long? The party of Hachiyou he had gone out scouting with had long since returned after defeating the onryou that surrounded the three southern gateways. Surely the other three groups didn't need to take this much more time to complete the same task?
He sighed, frustrated, and fought the urge to pace around the well-manicured grounds. The one era of Hachiyou probably didn't feel the same urgency that pushed him to move faster. They had their Miko with them, even if her sealing powers had been locked away. But Karin... Another loud sigh escaped him. Karin was still stuck in that cold, unfeeling tower with an even colder and more unfeeling Hokutosei-kun keeping track of her every move. His legs knocked the back of his geta against the wall in a mismatched rhythm, and the wooden thunks echoed his growing despair.
"...Isato?" The concerned voice broke through his fretting. When Isato looked down behind him and saw Akifumi a stone's throw away he nodded briefly then faced front again and resumed sulking. Footsteps came across the gravel and stopped at the wall. "Isato." A vaguely scolding inflection crept into the fair-haired young man's tone.
"I know!" Isato pounded the side of his right fist down against the wall. "I know, all right?" The rest of the reply came out muttered rather than spoken clearly, but Isato couldn't bring himself to care. He had caused a scene inside the palace upon their arrival some time ago after finding none of the rest of the Hachiyou there. The different looks from his companions, some angered, some pitying, some disappointed, caused him to beat a hasty retreat to the garden.
Silence fell with tension between them for a short time. Isato squirmed in place. Guilt slowly crept up his back and he could imagine the hurt look on his fellow Suzaku Hachiyou's face at his snappish words. "...Sorry, Akifumi. It's just..." He ran a hand over his face. "She's stuck in there all alone, and we're just sitting here!" Anger bubbled up again and threatened to explode forth with the power of one of his fire spells.
"Isato." How could Akifumi convey so many things just by saying his name? The gentleness granted forgiveness and helped push his frustration back. For a while neither spoke, until finally the Crown Prince called up to him again. "What would you do instead?"
The redhead blinked and carefully turned so that one leg hung on each side of the wall. "What?"
Akifumi gazed up at him earnestly. That look had a way of tugging the truth out of people. "You might feel better if you did something other than wait. What would you rather do?"
"Isn't that obvious? Go get Karin out of that jerk's palace." A frown accompanied his answer. Akifumi should want the same thing, so why did he even need to ask?
His partner shook his head. "You know we aren't ready yet. It might put Karin-san in more danger to try something before everyone finishes preparing."
Isato swung his other leg over to face Akifumi fully and glared down at him. "Then what the hell are you asking me what I want to do for? You knew that's what I'd say."
Oddly enough the younger man smiled back. "Isato," his tone now soothed, "There are always other things we can do to help. What do you say we go out to meet one of the other groups and join them in fighting the onryou?"
The way he said it made Isato wonder why he hadn't already set off to do just that. "But... we can't just go off by ourselves. Nanto's practically forbidden it with all the onryou around, and you've seen what he can do when people go against him!"
Akifumi's grin turned decidedly mischievous. "Not if a few of the other Hachiyou decide to come with us. As it turns out, they have already agreed."
It took a few seconds for Isato to catch on. "You set this all up to make me feel better."
"Not entirely," Akifumi answered demurely, "because it's true that the sooner we get rid of the onryou the sooner we'll be able to free Karin-san from Hokutokyuu. Everyone will be in higher spirits once that happens."
Isato shook his head, a hint of a smile finally returning to his face. After bracing himself he jumped down from the wall and landed near Akifumi. "All right, then," he began as he dusted himself off, "What are we waiting for?"
"Yes," Akifumi answered with a nod and a smile. They turned and headed back inside to collect their companions.
-------------------
Translations:
Nantokyuu - Nantosei-kun's palace in the heavenly realm
Hachiyou - the guardians of the priestess (8 for each)
onryou - vengeful spirit
Miko - priestess (in this case of the Dragon God)
Suzaku - the southern god, a red phoenix
Hokutokyuu - Hokutosei-kun's palace in the heavenly realm
Fandom: Harukanaru Toki no Naka de 2
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Owned by Mizuno-sensei, Koei, and Ruby Party.
Notes: For flight_of_ideas' request made on this post. It's set during Yume no Ukihashi, I hope that's not a problem.
To Freedom
Isato sat atop the wall that encircled the gardens of Nantokyuu, his unfocused eyes turned toward the north. What was taking everyone so long? The party of Hachiyou he had gone out scouting with had long since returned after defeating the onryou that surrounded the three southern gateways. Surely the other three groups didn't need to take this much more time to complete the same task?
He sighed, frustrated, and fought the urge to pace around the well-manicured grounds. The one era of Hachiyou probably didn't feel the same urgency that pushed him to move faster. They had their Miko with them, even if her sealing powers had been locked away. But Karin... Another loud sigh escaped him. Karin was still stuck in that cold, unfeeling tower with an even colder and more unfeeling Hokutosei-kun keeping track of her every move. His legs knocked the back of his geta against the wall in a mismatched rhythm, and the wooden thunks echoed his growing despair.
"...Isato?" The concerned voice broke through his fretting. When Isato looked down behind him and saw Akifumi a stone's throw away he nodded briefly then faced front again and resumed sulking. Footsteps came across the gravel and stopped at the wall. "Isato." A vaguely scolding inflection crept into the fair-haired young man's tone.
"I know!" Isato pounded the side of his right fist down against the wall. "I know, all right?" The rest of the reply came out muttered rather than spoken clearly, but Isato couldn't bring himself to care. He had caused a scene inside the palace upon their arrival some time ago after finding none of the rest of the Hachiyou there. The different looks from his companions, some angered, some pitying, some disappointed, caused him to beat a hasty retreat to the garden.
Silence fell with tension between them for a short time. Isato squirmed in place. Guilt slowly crept up his back and he could imagine the hurt look on his fellow Suzaku Hachiyou's face at his snappish words. "...Sorry, Akifumi. It's just..." He ran a hand over his face. "She's stuck in there all alone, and we're just sitting here!" Anger bubbled up again and threatened to explode forth with the power of one of his fire spells.
"Isato." How could Akifumi convey so many things just by saying his name? The gentleness granted forgiveness and helped push his frustration back. For a while neither spoke, until finally the Crown Prince called up to him again. "What would you do instead?"
The redhead blinked and carefully turned so that one leg hung on each side of the wall. "What?"
Akifumi gazed up at him earnestly. That look had a way of tugging the truth out of people. "You might feel better if you did something other than wait. What would you rather do?"
"Isn't that obvious? Go get Karin out of that jerk's palace." A frown accompanied his answer. Akifumi should want the same thing, so why did he even need to ask?
His partner shook his head. "You know we aren't ready yet. It might put Karin-san in more danger to try something before everyone finishes preparing."
Isato swung his other leg over to face Akifumi fully and glared down at him. "Then what the hell are you asking me what I want to do for? You knew that's what I'd say."
Oddly enough the younger man smiled back. "Isato," his tone now soothed, "There are always other things we can do to help. What do you say we go out to meet one of the other groups and join them in fighting the onryou?"
The way he said it made Isato wonder why he hadn't already set off to do just that. "But... we can't just go off by ourselves. Nanto's practically forbidden it with all the onryou around, and you've seen what he can do when people go against him!"
Akifumi's grin turned decidedly mischievous. "Not if a few of the other Hachiyou decide to come with us. As it turns out, they have already agreed."
It took a few seconds for Isato to catch on. "You set this all up to make me feel better."
"Not entirely," Akifumi answered demurely, "because it's true that the sooner we get rid of the onryou the sooner we'll be able to free Karin-san from Hokutokyuu. Everyone will be in higher spirits once that happens."
Isato shook his head, a hint of a smile finally returning to his face. After bracing himself he jumped down from the wall and landed near Akifumi. "All right, then," he began as he dusted himself off, "What are we waiting for?"
"Yes," Akifumi answered with a nod and a smile. They turned and headed back inside to collect their companions.
-------------------
Translations:
Nantokyuu - Nantosei-kun's palace in the heavenly realm
Hachiyou - the guardians of the priestess (8 for each)
onryou - vengeful spirit
Miko - priestess (in this case of the Dragon God)
Suzaku - the southern god, a red phoenix
Hokutokyuu - Hokutosei-kun's palace in the heavenly realm