Something Real -- Chapter 10
Chapter: 10
Pairing: Sakumoto, Ohmiya
Genre: AU, Fantasy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Plot = mine. Arashi = not mine.
Summary: Sho gets introduced into the dangerous world of the fey -- where not everything is what it seems.
----------------------
When Sho had told Jun that he remembered everything, he really meant it. Jun had focused on their relationship when Sho said that, happy to have Sho remember his love, but there was more than that, although loving Jun was an important part. Sho remembered some magic that Jun had taught him privately.
Most of what Jun had taught him all those years ago was simple magic - making light when it was dark, moving light weight items with his mind, and creating small fireballs. It was quickly discovered in these private sessions that Sho had a knack for fire magic. But what Sho had been best at (a surprise to both of them) was the illusion of invisibility.
Invisibility was a high level skill, but Sho had stumbled upon it in a game of hide and seek when they were 8 years old. He had been hiding from Jun and was such a competitive boy that he did everything he could to be hidden from view. Sho hadn’t even realized what he had done until Jun had given up and Sho had come out of his hiding place, only to discover Jun still couldn’t see him. Jun, having not learned the ability, had no way to teach him, but simply encouraged him, and soon Sho had mastered the technique. He could even turn others invisible, so long as he held onto them.
Now, so many years later, Sho remembered. He was still at no level to compete with someone like Ohno with most magic, but invisibility was something not even Ohno could do. It wasn’t enough to fight anyone, but it was enough to sneak into the castle unseen.
Sho explained his plans to Aiba, and the pair began practicing. Sho wanted to allow a couple days for Jun to return or send some kind of message before enacting the plan. It would be easier if Jun knew what they were planning.
But after 3 days, there was still no word from Jun. Sho had begun to get worried and restless, as did the others, and he just couldn’t wait any longer.
“It’s time.” Sho announced the afternoon on that third day to the rest of the group.
“It’s time for what?” Nino asked grumpily from Ohno’s lap.
“It’s time to go into the castle.”
Nino and Ohno stared at Sho like he’d gone crazy. Aiba shuffled his feet nervously.
“What are you talking about, Sho? Have you gone crazy from staying inside for too long?” Nino walked over to Sho to feel his forehead for sickness.
“No. Aiba and I have been planning, and I know how I can get into the castle undetected. I can make sure Jun is okay, and I can search for the King…I mean, my dad.”
Sho watched as Nino’s face went from blank with shock to rising fury, ready with some retort about his stupidity, when Ohno’s hand came to rest softly on Nino’s shoulder, stopping his reply.
“That isn’t possible, Sho. It would be a suicide mission.” Ohno said quietly.
“Normally, yes. But when my memories returned, I also remembered how to turn invisible.”
Ohno’s eyebrows came together in confusion as Nino’s face once again went slack jawed.
“Invisible?”
“Jun used to teach me, when it was just the two of us. I discovered how to turn invisible.” To prove it, Sho disappeared from their view.
Sho let a small smile out as his disappearance elicited shocked gasps. He reappeared. He watched Ohno and Nino’s reactions carefully but was unable to discern what they were thinking.
“I’m going to go anyway, even if you don’t like it. I have to do this.”
Nino moved to protest but Ohno held him back once more. Ohno nodded, but Sho could see the worry in his eyes.
“Just to discover a location, right? No fighting.”
“Right. Just to look.”
“Then let’s get you ready.”
An hour later, Aiba and Sho were ready to go. Nino was pleading to go along, but Sho kindly reminded him that it would be easier for him to move around if he was by himself - that, and it would be harder to go unnoticed with two people. Failing at convincing him, Nino hugged Sho and Aiba hard, nearly knocking the air out of their lungs.
“Remember, if anything goes wrong, get out of there immediately.”
“I know, Ohno.”
“Aiba, come back immediately.”
“Yes, sir!” Aiba did a salute, and it made everyone smile. Leave it to Aiba to break the tension, Sho thought.
Sho took Aiba’s hand, turning them both invisible. After making sure there was no one watching, they slipped out the front door quickly. Aiba transformed himself into a horse and Sho climbed on top, in order to avoid creating footsteps in the snow. A horse’s prints wouldn’t cause anyone any suspicions.
Aiba trotted quickly but quietly as Sho hung on for dear life, having never ridden a horse before. They didn’t meet anyone along the way, but as they neared the castle, the pair began to hear more movement in the trees. Once, a pair of trolls stomped by, and Sho and Aiba froze, but went unseen.
Reaching the edge of the trees with the castle in front of them, Sho slid off Aiba’s back.
“Are you ready, Aiba?” Sho asked, concern seeping into his voice. Aiba’s task was far more dangerous than his own, and he worried about his friend.
“No problem, Sho-chan! It’s about time I got some action around here!” Aiba whinnied at the end, and Sho had to struggle not to laugh. “Be careful, Sho-chan. I know you think it will be easy, but nothing is easy when it comes to Dark Fey.”
“I will, Aiba.” Sho gave Aiba a quick hug around the neck as Aiba nudged him with his horse nose. Sho kept his hand on Aiba, but stretched as far away as possible. Nodding to Aiba, the horse began to grow. Larger and larger, his body began to crush the trees, and Sho kept his hand on Aiba’s warm body for as long as possible. Once Aiba’s wings sprouted and right before anyone nearby would think it suspicious that trees were mysteriously being crushed, Sho removed his hand and ran away, releasing Aiba from the invisibility. Sho, still invisible himself, heard a cry go up from the castle guards as they discovered a massive green dragon appearing from the forest.
Sho couldn’t help but marvel at Aiba’s ability to transform. Not only did he look like a dragon, as all changelings would if they changed into one, but he also fully acted the part. Aiba’s eyes looked murderous as he let out a jet of fire from his mouth, roaring before taking flight. Sho was struck with fear for a moment before he remembered this was all a part of the plan. Aiba was supposed to attack the castle and draw out the Dark Fey that were currently there, leaving the castle empty for Sho to explore. No one was sure how long Aiba would be able to keep it up - he wasn’t supposed to actually battle anyone, just distract - so Sho had to be quick. Once Aiba flew back to Ohno’s cottage, the Dark Fey would return to the castle, and it would be tougher for Sho to go unnoticed.
Sho waited for a moment as Fey streamed out of the castle prepared to fight the mysterious dragon (or, in some cases, run away) before entering himself. Slipping inside, he prayed silently for Aiba to escape the battle unhurt.
Now deserted, Sho began to ascend to Jun’s room. He didn’t see Jun outside when Aiba attacked, so he hoped that Jun was inside and figured that he should start with his room. Turning the knob, the door resisted Sho’s attempt to enter. Locked.
Sho decided to knock, quietly, hyper aware of anyone possibly hearing him. Nothing. Jun wasn’t inside his room.
Sho thought for a moment. It would be a waste of precious time to run around randomly trying to find Jun. The only other place Sho could think of was the library, and so Sho made a decision. He would check the library, but if Jun wasn’t there, he would give up looking for Jun until he found the King. Although it killed him to not know where Jun was or if he was safe, Sho knew that Aiba was risking a lot to help him get inside to find the Light King. He couldn’t misuse it.
Unable to remember exactly where the library was, Sho headed in what he thought was the general direction. Sho heard a roar from Aiba, and hoped it wasn’t a roar of pain, silently thanking Aiba for giving him this chance. After a few wrong doors, Sho finally found the library and slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
Not wanting to attract attention, Sho stepped quietly in between the shelves, looking down each aisle for Jun. But no one was there.
Sho’s shoulders slumped a little in sadness. Where could Jun be? As he turned to leave, however, he noticed an object on the floor, near the back shelf in a corner. Picking it up, Sho inhaled sharply as he realized what it was - one of the bracelets from Jun’s drawer. It was Jun’s, the one that was red with a purple J.
Why on earth was it here, on the floor? Sho immediately had a feeling that something wasn’t right. Looking back at the bookshelf, Sho noticed a book slightly out of place. It was old - older than anything Sho had ever seen, with a cover so worn and bare that he probably would have never even noticed it if it hadn’t been sticking out a little. Sho heard a small click, and suddenly the bookcase shifted sideways to reveal a small, hidden passageway.
Replacing the book, Sho stepped into the hallway. A tiny button was on the wall, and Sho pushed it, watching the bookcase slide back into place.
It was dark, so Sho created a small light in his palms to show the way - just enough to know where to step, but not bright enough to attract attention. If anyone saw the light, anyway, they would have no idea where it was coming from, as he was still invisible. His heart beat fast and he could feel his palms get sweaty. Where was this leading? Was it an unknown hiding place? Or could it be that he was walking right into the heart of the Dark Fey?
Sho could tell he was headed down, deep underground. The air grew colder and the passage was gently sloping down. Eventually, Sho reached the end, which opened into a brightly lit room. Sho put out his light, and despite being invisible, cautiously peeked around the corner.
The stone walls were lined with torches and the half the room was covered in iron bars. It’s a dungeon, Sho thought. A dungeon with no guards, he added with surprise. Sho quietly walked past the different cells, peeking into each one, hoping to find his father.
In the very last cell, he found a crumpled, bleeding figure curled into a ball. His clothes were ripped and torn, it was clear that he had been in some kind of fight and had not been treated well. Sho’s heart beat even faster. Was this his father? Had he finally found him? Sho looked around and found the keys hanging on a nail on the opposite wall. He briefly thought that was odd, considering that most who could use magic would easily be able to pull the keys to the cell door, and his father would certainly have been able to do that, being the Light King. Too worried about the poor prisoner, Sho pushed the thought from his mind, unlocking the door to the cell quickly.
As the door opened with a loud creak, the figure on the floor trembled and curled even more into himself. It broke Sho’s heart, as the man was obviously frightened, and Sho made himself visible once more.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” He spoke softly and kindly.
The man froze, and carefully lifted his head to look at Sho, finally giving Sho a glance at his father’s face.
Sho gasped. It wasn’t his father.
It was Jun.
Pairing: Sakumoto, Ohmiya
Genre: AU, Fantasy
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Plot = mine. Arashi = not mine.
Summary: Sho gets introduced into the dangerous world of the fey -- where not everything is what it seems.
----------------------
When Sho had told Jun that he remembered everything, he really meant it. Jun had focused on their relationship when Sho said that, happy to have Sho remember his love, but there was more than that, although loving Jun was an important part. Sho remembered some magic that Jun had taught him privately.
Most of what Jun had taught him all those years ago was simple magic - making light when it was dark, moving light weight items with his mind, and creating small fireballs. It was quickly discovered in these private sessions that Sho had a knack for fire magic. But what Sho had been best at (a surprise to both of them) was the illusion of invisibility.
Invisibility was a high level skill, but Sho had stumbled upon it in a game of hide and seek when they were 8 years old. He had been hiding from Jun and was such a competitive boy that he did everything he could to be hidden from view. Sho hadn’t even realized what he had done until Jun had given up and Sho had come out of his hiding place, only to discover Jun still couldn’t see him. Jun, having not learned the ability, had no way to teach him, but simply encouraged him, and soon Sho had mastered the technique. He could even turn others invisible, so long as he held onto them.
Now, so many years later, Sho remembered. He was still at no level to compete with someone like Ohno with most magic, but invisibility was something not even Ohno could do. It wasn’t enough to fight anyone, but it was enough to sneak into the castle unseen.
Sho explained his plans to Aiba, and the pair began practicing. Sho wanted to allow a couple days for Jun to return or send some kind of message before enacting the plan. It would be easier if Jun knew what they were planning.
But after 3 days, there was still no word from Jun. Sho had begun to get worried and restless, as did the others, and he just couldn’t wait any longer.
“It’s time.” Sho announced the afternoon on that third day to the rest of the group.
“It’s time for what?” Nino asked grumpily from Ohno’s lap.
“It’s time to go into the castle.”
Nino and Ohno stared at Sho like he’d gone crazy. Aiba shuffled his feet nervously.
“What are you talking about, Sho? Have you gone crazy from staying inside for too long?” Nino walked over to Sho to feel his forehead for sickness.
“No. Aiba and I have been planning, and I know how I can get into the castle undetected. I can make sure Jun is okay, and I can search for the King…I mean, my dad.”
Sho watched as Nino’s face went from blank with shock to rising fury, ready with some retort about his stupidity, when Ohno’s hand came to rest softly on Nino’s shoulder, stopping his reply.
“That isn’t possible, Sho. It would be a suicide mission.” Ohno said quietly.
“Normally, yes. But when my memories returned, I also remembered how to turn invisible.”
Ohno’s eyebrows came together in confusion as Nino’s face once again went slack jawed.
“Invisible?”
“Jun used to teach me, when it was just the two of us. I discovered how to turn invisible.” To prove it, Sho disappeared from their view.
Sho let a small smile out as his disappearance elicited shocked gasps. He reappeared. He watched Ohno and Nino’s reactions carefully but was unable to discern what they were thinking.
“I’m going to go anyway, even if you don’t like it. I have to do this.”
Nino moved to protest but Ohno held him back once more. Ohno nodded, but Sho could see the worry in his eyes.
“Just to discover a location, right? No fighting.”
“Right. Just to look.”
“Then let’s get you ready.”
An hour later, Aiba and Sho were ready to go. Nino was pleading to go along, but Sho kindly reminded him that it would be easier for him to move around if he was by himself - that, and it would be harder to go unnoticed with two people. Failing at convincing him, Nino hugged Sho and Aiba hard, nearly knocking the air out of their lungs.
“Remember, if anything goes wrong, get out of there immediately.”
“I know, Ohno.”
“Aiba, come back immediately.”
“Yes, sir!” Aiba did a salute, and it made everyone smile. Leave it to Aiba to break the tension, Sho thought.
Sho took Aiba’s hand, turning them both invisible. After making sure there was no one watching, they slipped out the front door quickly. Aiba transformed himself into a horse and Sho climbed on top, in order to avoid creating footsteps in the snow. A horse’s prints wouldn’t cause anyone any suspicions.
Aiba trotted quickly but quietly as Sho hung on for dear life, having never ridden a horse before. They didn’t meet anyone along the way, but as they neared the castle, the pair began to hear more movement in the trees. Once, a pair of trolls stomped by, and Sho and Aiba froze, but went unseen.
Reaching the edge of the trees with the castle in front of them, Sho slid off Aiba’s back.
“Are you ready, Aiba?” Sho asked, concern seeping into his voice. Aiba’s task was far more dangerous than his own, and he worried about his friend.
“No problem, Sho-chan! It’s about time I got some action around here!” Aiba whinnied at the end, and Sho had to struggle not to laugh. “Be careful, Sho-chan. I know you think it will be easy, but nothing is easy when it comes to Dark Fey.”
“I will, Aiba.” Sho gave Aiba a quick hug around the neck as Aiba nudged him with his horse nose. Sho kept his hand on Aiba, but stretched as far away as possible. Nodding to Aiba, the horse began to grow. Larger and larger, his body began to crush the trees, and Sho kept his hand on Aiba’s warm body for as long as possible. Once Aiba’s wings sprouted and right before anyone nearby would think it suspicious that trees were mysteriously being crushed, Sho removed his hand and ran away, releasing Aiba from the invisibility. Sho, still invisible himself, heard a cry go up from the castle guards as they discovered a massive green dragon appearing from the forest.
Sho couldn’t help but marvel at Aiba’s ability to transform. Not only did he look like a dragon, as all changelings would if they changed into one, but he also fully acted the part. Aiba’s eyes looked murderous as he let out a jet of fire from his mouth, roaring before taking flight. Sho was struck with fear for a moment before he remembered this was all a part of the plan. Aiba was supposed to attack the castle and draw out the Dark Fey that were currently there, leaving the castle empty for Sho to explore. No one was sure how long Aiba would be able to keep it up - he wasn’t supposed to actually battle anyone, just distract - so Sho had to be quick. Once Aiba flew back to Ohno’s cottage, the Dark Fey would return to the castle, and it would be tougher for Sho to go unnoticed.
Sho waited for a moment as Fey streamed out of the castle prepared to fight the mysterious dragon (or, in some cases, run away) before entering himself. Slipping inside, he prayed silently for Aiba to escape the battle unhurt.
Now deserted, Sho began to ascend to Jun’s room. He didn’t see Jun outside when Aiba attacked, so he hoped that Jun was inside and figured that he should start with his room. Turning the knob, the door resisted Sho’s attempt to enter. Locked.
Sho decided to knock, quietly, hyper aware of anyone possibly hearing him. Nothing. Jun wasn’t inside his room.
Sho thought for a moment. It would be a waste of precious time to run around randomly trying to find Jun. The only other place Sho could think of was the library, and so Sho made a decision. He would check the library, but if Jun wasn’t there, he would give up looking for Jun until he found the King. Although it killed him to not know where Jun was or if he was safe, Sho knew that Aiba was risking a lot to help him get inside to find the Light King. He couldn’t misuse it.
Unable to remember exactly where the library was, Sho headed in what he thought was the general direction. Sho heard a roar from Aiba, and hoped it wasn’t a roar of pain, silently thanking Aiba for giving him this chance. After a few wrong doors, Sho finally found the library and slipped inside, closing the door behind him.
Not wanting to attract attention, Sho stepped quietly in between the shelves, looking down each aisle for Jun. But no one was there.
Sho’s shoulders slumped a little in sadness. Where could Jun be? As he turned to leave, however, he noticed an object on the floor, near the back shelf in a corner. Picking it up, Sho inhaled sharply as he realized what it was - one of the bracelets from Jun’s drawer. It was Jun’s, the one that was red with a purple J.
Why on earth was it here, on the floor? Sho immediately had a feeling that something wasn’t right. Looking back at the bookshelf, Sho noticed a book slightly out of place. It was old - older than anything Sho had ever seen, with a cover so worn and bare that he probably would have never even noticed it if it hadn’t been sticking out a little. Sho heard a small click, and suddenly the bookcase shifted sideways to reveal a small, hidden passageway.
Replacing the book, Sho stepped into the hallway. A tiny button was on the wall, and Sho pushed it, watching the bookcase slide back into place.
It was dark, so Sho created a small light in his palms to show the way - just enough to know where to step, but not bright enough to attract attention. If anyone saw the light, anyway, they would have no idea where it was coming from, as he was still invisible. His heart beat fast and he could feel his palms get sweaty. Where was this leading? Was it an unknown hiding place? Or could it be that he was walking right into the heart of the Dark Fey?
Sho could tell he was headed down, deep underground. The air grew colder and the passage was gently sloping down. Eventually, Sho reached the end, which opened into a brightly lit room. Sho put out his light, and despite being invisible, cautiously peeked around the corner.
The stone walls were lined with torches and the half the room was covered in iron bars. It’s a dungeon, Sho thought. A dungeon with no guards, he added with surprise. Sho quietly walked past the different cells, peeking into each one, hoping to find his father.
In the very last cell, he found a crumpled, bleeding figure curled into a ball. His clothes were ripped and torn, it was clear that he had been in some kind of fight and had not been treated well. Sho’s heart beat even faster. Was this his father? Had he finally found him? Sho looked around and found the keys hanging on a nail on the opposite wall. He briefly thought that was odd, considering that most who could use magic would easily be able to pull the keys to the cell door, and his father would certainly have been able to do that, being the Light King. Too worried about the poor prisoner, Sho pushed the thought from his mind, unlocking the door to the cell quickly.
As the door opened with a loud creak, the figure on the floor trembled and curled even more into himself. It broke Sho’s heart, as the man was obviously frightened, and Sho made himself visible once more.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” He spoke softly and kindly.
The man froze, and carefully lifted his head to look at Sho, finally giving Sho a glance at his father’s face.
Sho gasped. It wasn’t his father.
It was Jun.