Something Real -- Chapter 12
Chapter: 12
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.
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Junichi gripped his arm as it bled, hissing as he glared at the intruder. “You,” He spat.
“Yes, me.”
Sho gasped at the voice, looking up.
“I thought I locked you away!”
Jun stood near the castle entrance with a murderous look on his face. With his eyes never leaving his brother, he walked over to where Sho lay in the snow. “Yeah, it’s called friends, Junichi.”
Jun offered a hand and Sho took it, standing. Still gripping his hand, Sho asked worriedly, “How can you stand? How are you okay after the state I left you in?”
Still looking at Junichi, Jun whispered, “You can heal, remember? After you kissed me, I could feel my strength coming back, and just a minute ago I felt strong enough to walk and come fight.”
“Oh. Right.” Sho was overjoyed that Jun was better, but was also a little upset - he didn’t want Jun to fight.
“Keep your eyes on the enemy, Sho.” Jun said, and Sho snapped his thoughts back to Junichi, as well as his eyes.
“I can’t believe it was you who was behind everything with Sho.” Jun said to Junichi sadly, disappointment and anger clear on his face. “You should have told me you were upset.”
Junichi began to laugh. “Really? You needed me to explain all that was wrong with mixing with the Light King’s son?!”
“No. That you felt abandoned.”
Junichi’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Abandoned? I never felt abandoned. I felt like my brother was a traitor!”
“A traitor? Because I stopped following you around? Do you want to know the real reason I stopped trying to be you? When I realized that you mean and cruel, and that you didn’t care about anyone but yourself.”
Junichi scoffed. “We’re Dark Fey, Jun! Hello! Get with the program! We aren’t supposed to be nice and kind and chipper!”
“I don’t know where it’s written that Dark Fey have to be cruel and mean. That’s your own idea of what a Dark Fey is. Mine is different.”
“That’s why you are weak.” Junichi sneered before sending a huge streak of lightning their way. Jun managed to block it, just barely, but he still wasn’t up to full strength. The power of the strike pushed the pair back, and Sho tried to retaliate with fire. His power was no match for Junichi’s super juiced up magic, though, and Junichi blocked it with ease, laughing.
“Really? That’s the best you can do?”
Junichi threw icy daggers toward Sho, which he tried dodging and Jun tried to help block. At the last minute, Junichi sent one flying towards Jun, and unable to block it quick enough, the dagger embedded itself into Jun’s side. Jun crumpled to the snow as Sho yelled his name, rushing to him.
“Jun! Jun!” Sho cried, cradling Jun in his arms.
Jun weakly pulled out the dagger and covered the wound with his hand, blood leaking through. “Let me help heal that.” Sho quickly moved to heal the prince’s side, but caught with his focus on Jun, he was quickly electrified in a sneak attack by Junichi.
Sho writhed in pain as he heard Junichi cackling. As the pain subsided, Sho rolled to his side, breathless and clutching his chest. His eyes immediately went to Jun as he tried to reach him again, but was once more knocked back with another explosion of pain. He lifted his eyes to find Jun again, and saw Jun with tears streaming down his face, blood still spilling from his side. Jun’s eyes met Sho’s immediately, charged with emotion, and it was like an unspoken conversation between them.
I love you.
Sho tore his eyes away from Jun to find Junichi still grinning with glee, and slowly, shakily stood. When Sho finally lifted his head, his eyes locked on his target in rage, and Ohno’s words rang through his mind.
“It seems your magic is tied not to your emotions, but rather to your relationships.”
He had to get to Jun. He had to heal him.
He had to end this. Now.
Sho could feel the magic flowing freely through his body. He didn’t know how he did it, but all he cared about was saving Jun just then. He pulled all the magic into him and then released it in a fury, its form taking shape as a giant ball of fire.
Junichi’s eyes went wide and jumped at the last minute to avoid the attack. Instead, the fire ball exploded in the woods, harming several of the Dark Fey watching. Angry, the Fey began stalking closer, intent on harming the Light Fey prince. Junichi grinned in response.
“That’s true. Why should I do all the work?”
With that, the Dark Fey began running with blood curdling screams toward Sho. Sho stood his ground, ready to fight, but was interrupted by a magnificent roar.
Off in the distance stood Ohno, Nino, and hundreds of Light Fey, all prepared to attack. Aiba, back in his dragon form, was leading the charge, stomping on anyone who got in his way. Sho smiled as Aiba gave a wave and a toothy grin, and the Dark Fey immediately changed targets. As the two forces rushed toward each other in an epic battle, Sho brought his attention back to the man who started it all.
“Now it’s just the two of us.”
In response, Junichi began angrily firing off everything he had. Filled with ancient magic, courtesy of the Light King, he was fast and deadly. Sho managed to land a few attacks on Junichi, but Junichi was better. Sho did his best to avoid the attacks, but couldn’t prevent a few from hitting him. Junichi ended it all with a massive icicle strike hidden in a blast of snow, and Sho felt his skin sear in pain. He crumpled to the ground, gripping his left arm, which had been mutilated the worst, his blood covering the white snow. Junichi curled his lip up in triumphant contempt, stalking casually toward Sho. He knew he had won - one more final push, and Sho would be dead.
Sho knew this as well. He couldn’t feel the left side of his body, knowing that it was probably dying, unable to take any more. But Sho pulled the last of the magic he had conjured, determined to save Jun even if it was with the last breath he took.
Junichi was standing right in front of him now, and Sho kept his head bent in order to hide the concentration on his face. He felt Junichi grip his neck hard, and Sho felt his magic reach its limit in his right hand. He lifted his head, ready to blast Junichi with the last bit of his magic, but what he saw shocked him.
Junichi still gripped him, but his eyes were wide in shock, no sound coming out. A sharp dagger protruded from Junichi’s heart, the point dripping red. He fell soundlessly, revealing Jun staggering behind him before falling himself.
Sho immediately reached for Jun, dragging himself closer, Junichi dead on his other side. Jun wasn’t responding, having given his last bit of energy to saving Sho. Tears began to stream down his face as he cupped his hand around Jun’s face.
“I’ll save you. I’ll protect you. Just like you protected me.”
Oblivious to everything else going on, Sho kissed Jun, pushing all the magic that he had stored in his hand into his lips and therefore into Jun. Feeling the last bit escape his body, Sho pulled away, dropping his head to Jun’s bloodied chest. A small “thump, thump” could be heard, and Sho sighed in relief. Jun would live.
He wanted to go check on his father, but Sho just didn’t have the strength. He could hear the distant sounds of battle from where his friends fought. He hoped they were okay. He wanted to do so much, but his body had given out. Sho could do nothing but lay there and hope.
He knew Jun would probably awaken and stand soon. He just had to hold out that long - long enough for Jun to get him to Ohno, to restore order, to save the Light King.
Then Sho heard a voice.
“…will forget.”
The voice coughed, and Sho realized it was Junichi speaking. He wasn’t dead like he thought…not yet.
Sho turned his head to look at Junichi, whose eyes were nearly lifeless. He couldn’t fight Junichi any more, but thankfully it seemed as though Junichi couldn’t either.
“I said, if you won’t die, you will forget.”
Sho didn’t understand, but Junichi suddenly lunged for Sho, the distance not far. Junichi grasped Sho’s shirt and gripped Sho’s face hard with his other hand. Sho resisted, not knowing what was happening, but it was too late.
Everything faded to black.
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Jun felt his heart beating and his senses returning to him before he could open his eyes. He couldn’t understand how he was still alive, but once his eyes did open, his mind leaped to one thought.
Sho.
He sat up quickly, healed and well, only to find Junichi gripping Sho’s inert form. Instantly, Jun summed up the situation. He swiftly shoved Junichi away, gripping Sho’s face in his hands.
“Sho? Sho!” Jun yelled, desperate.
Junichi tried laughing, but it was weak and he ended up coughing. Jun ran at him and landed on top of him, punching Junichi repeatedly.
“What did you do to him?!” Jun shouted.
Junichi simply smiled, even as his face dripped blood. “I took away his memories, like you did all those years ago.”
Jun’s blood froze. “What?”
“I learned it from you. You only have yourself to blame.”
“Bring back his memories or I swear I’ll kill you!” Jun said in his deadliest voice, shaking Junichi for good measure.
“I’m dead anyway, Jun. He’ll never remember you now.” Junichi gurgled with a maniacal edge to his voice. “You’ll never be happy, like I was never happy.”
Jun threw a few more punches in rage before grabbing an icicle that Junichi had thrown earlier and had landed in the snow.
“Kill me, Jun. It won’t bring his memories back, though. You’ll have forever lost him, and in a way, I’ll have won.”
Jun didn’t speak. He knew it was true, but it was all he could do to release his anger at the one person who took away his happiness. He gave Junichi one last horrible glare before stabbing him, silencing him forever.
Done with the deed, Jun dropped his weapon and dropped to his knees at Sho’s side, crying silently. Sho needed help, and quickly. Jun was so overwhelmed, and at such a loss, he didn’t know what to do.
“Not again. Please, not again.” Jun begged, wishing he knew how to undo this.
“Jun!” He heard a voice call from afar. “Sho!”
To Jun’s relief, Ohno quickly appeared, with Aiba and Nino not far behind, all of them looking terrible. It was clear that they had been in the midst of a hard battle, but they were still alive. Still alive, and would heal, Jun thought with happiness, before succumbing to Sho’s reality once more.
“Ohno! You have to heal him!” Jun cried, Ohno hurrying even faster at seeing Sho on the ground.
“His heartbeat is very faint. I’ll do what I can.” Jun could tell Ohno was incredibly tired and weary, but pleaded silently that he had what it took to save Sho. Nino and Aiba crowded around, worried looks on their faces.
Ohno worked his magic, and it was several minutes before Sho’s heartbeat returned to normal. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief except Jun. He knew that while Sho would live, he may not remember.
“He’ll wake up soon.” Ohno said.
While waiting, Nino and Aiba decided to go over to the nearby pillar to untie the Light King, who was apparently still alive but unconscious and in need of healing, and brought him closer to where Ohno, Sho, and Jun were. Ohno told Jun about the Light Fey overpowering the Dark Fey as Jun listened distractedly. Jun had been hoping Junichi’s trick hadn’t worked, being too weak, but as the time grew longer, Jun’s fears increased.
The minutes passed and Sho showed no signs of awakening. Ohno’s brow furrowed. “He should be awake by now. Something’s wrong.”
“Junichi took his memories.” Jun said in a wooden voice, unable to deny the truth any longer.
“What?” The other three asked, startled.
“His mind has been wiped. It was the last thing Junichi did before he died.”
“How did he…?” Nino began to ask, but Jun interrupted.
“He learned from me. I guess he was watching when I did it to Sho the first time.”
Aiba put a comforting arm around Jun as Nino laid a hand on Sho’s cheek, both with sorrowful faces. Nino began to cry.
“This isn’t how it was supposed to be. This isn’t what I saw in my vision!”
Ohno pulled Nino to him. “This isn’t your fault. Besides, this isn’t the end. Magic is always changing, always making up new rules. Let’s take him home and watch over him. For all we know, he’ll wake up in a week and be completely fine.”
They all knew Ohno was simply trying to make everyone feel better, but it didn’t help. With no other choice, the four headed back to Ohno’s cottage. Jun carried Sho, while Aiba carefully carried the Light King on his back.
Back at the house, Sho was kept in his original room and Jun never left his side. The Light King was then placed in Jun’s old room and Aiba took it as his special duty to nurse the old king back to health.
Jun talked to Sho as often as he could, just in case he could hear, hoping that it would help revive him.
“I’m the Dark King now, Sho. Can you believe it? I don’t want it. All I want is for you to wake up and remember me, to remember us. Why do I keep losing you, even when it’s finally all over?”
Sho never responded, except with the light rise and fall of his chest, and the quiet beating of his heart.
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.
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Junichi gripped his arm as it bled, hissing as he glared at the intruder. “You,” He spat.
“Yes, me.”
Sho gasped at the voice, looking up.
“I thought I locked you away!”
Jun stood near the castle entrance with a murderous look on his face. With his eyes never leaving his brother, he walked over to where Sho lay in the snow. “Yeah, it’s called friends, Junichi.”
Jun offered a hand and Sho took it, standing. Still gripping his hand, Sho asked worriedly, “How can you stand? How are you okay after the state I left you in?”
Still looking at Junichi, Jun whispered, “You can heal, remember? After you kissed me, I could feel my strength coming back, and just a minute ago I felt strong enough to walk and come fight.”
“Oh. Right.” Sho was overjoyed that Jun was better, but was also a little upset - he didn’t want Jun to fight.
“Keep your eyes on the enemy, Sho.” Jun said, and Sho snapped his thoughts back to Junichi, as well as his eyes.
“I can’t believe it was you who was behind everything with Sho.” Jun said to Junichi sadly, disappointment and anger clear on his face. “You should have told me you were upset.”
Junichi began to laugh. “Really? You needed me to explain all that was wrong with mixing with the Light King’s son?!”
“No. That you felt abandoned.”
Junichi’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Abandoned? I never felt abandoned. I felt like my brother was a traitor!”
“A traitor? Because I stopped following you around? Do you want to know the real reason I stopped trying to be you? When I realized that you mean and cruel, and that you didn’t care about anyone but yourself.”
Junichi scoffed. “We’re Dark Fey, Jun! Hello! Get with the program! We aren’t supposed to be nice and kind and chipper!”
“I don’t know where it’s written that Dark Fey have to be cruel and mean. That’s your own idea of what a Dark Fey is. Mine is different.”
“That’s why you are weak.” Junichi sneered before sending a huge streak of lightning their way. Jun managed to block it, just barely, but he still wasn’t up to full strength. The power of the strike pushed the pair back, and Sho tried to retaliate with fire. His power was no match for Junichi’s super juiced up magic, though, and Junichi blocked it with ease, laughing.
“Really? That’s the best you can do?”
Junichi threw icy daggers toward Sho, which he tried dodging and Jun tried to help block. At the last minute, Junichi sent one flying towards Jun, and unable to block it quick enough, the dagger embedded itself into Jun’s side. Jun crumpled to the snow as Sho yelled his name, rushing to him.
“Jun! Jun!” Sho cried, cradling Jun in his arms.
Jun weakly pulled out the dagger and covered the wound with his hand, blood leaking through. “Let me help heal that.” Sho quickly moved to heal the prince’s side, but caught with his focus on Jun, he was quickly electrified in a sneak attack by Junichi.
Sho writhed in pain as he heard Junichi cackling. As the pain subsided, Sho rolled to his side, breathless and clutching his chest. His eyes immediately went to Jun as he tried to reach him again, but was once more knocked back with another explosion of pain. He lifted his eyes to find Jun again, and saw Jun with tears streaming down his face, blood still spilling from his side. Jun’s eyes met Sho’s immediately, charged with emotion, and it was like an unspoken conversation between them.
I love you.
Sho tore his eyes away from Jun to find Junichi still grinning with glee, and slowly, shakily stood. When Sho finally lifted his head, his eyes locked on his target in rage, and Ohno’s words rang through his mind.
“It seems your magic is tied not to your emotions, but rather to your relationships.”
He had to get to Jun. He had to heal him.
He had to end this. Now.
Sho could feel the magic flowing freely through his body. He didn’t know how he did it, but all he cared about was saving Jun just then. He pulled all the magic into him and then released it in a fury, its form taking shape as a giant ball of fire.
Junichi’s eyes went wide and jumped at the last minute to avoid the attack. Instead, the fire ball exploded in the woods, harming several of the Dark Fey watching. Angry, the Fey began stalking closer, intent on harming the Light Fey prince. Junichi grinned in response.
“That’s true. Why should I do all the work?”
With that, the Dark Fey began running with blood curdling screams toward Sho. Sho stood his ground, ready to fight, but was interrupted by a magnificent roar.
Off in the distance stood Ohno, Nino, and hundreds of Light Fey, all prepared to attack. Aiba, back in his dragon form, was leading the charge, stomping on anyone who got in his way. Sho smiled as Aiba gave a wave and a toothy grin, and the Dark Fey immediately changed targets. As the two forces rushed toward each other in an epic battle, Sho brought his attention back to the man who started it all.
“Now it’s just the two of us.”
In response, Junichi began angrily firing off everything he had. Filled with ancient magic, courtesy of the Light King, he was fast and deadly. Sho managed to land a few attacks on Junichi, but Junichi was better. Sho did his best to avoid the attacks, but couldn’t prevent a few from hitting him. Junichi ended it all with a massive icicle strike hidden in a blast of snow, and Sho felt his skin sear in pain. He crumpled to the ground, gripping his left arm, which had been mutilated the worst, his blood covering the white snow. Junichi curled his lip up in triumphant contempt, stalking casually toward Sho. He knew he had won - one more final push, and Sho would be dead.
Sho knew this as well. He couldn’t feel the left side of his body, knowing that it was probably dying, unable to take any more. But Sho pulled the last of the magic he had conjured, determined to save Jun even if it was with the last breath he took.
Junichi was standing right in front of him now, and Sho kept his head bent in order to hide the concentration on his face. He felt Junichi grip his neck hard, and Sho felt his magic reach its limit in his right hand. He lifted his head, ready to blast Junichi with the last bit of his magic, but what he saw shocked him.
Junichi still gripped him, but his eyes were wide in shock, no sound coming out. A sharp dagger protruded from Junichi’s heart, the point dripping red. He fell soundlessly, revealing Jun staggering behind him before falling himself.
Sho immediately reached for Jun, dragging himself closer, Junichi dead on his other side. Jun wasn’t responding, having given his last bit of energy to saving Sho. Tears began to stream down his face as he cupped his hand around Jun’s face.
“I’ll save you. I’ll protect you. Just like you protected me.”
Oblivious to everything else going on, Sho kissed Jun, pushing all the magic that he had stored in his hand into his lips and therefore into Jun. Feeling the last bit escape his body, Sho pulled away, dropping his head to Jun’s bloodied chest. A small “thump, thump” could be heard, and Sho sighed in relief. Jun would live.
He wanted to go check on his father, but Sho just didn’t have the strength. He could hear the distant sounds of battle from where his friends fought. He hoped they were okay. He wanted to do so much, but his body had given out. Sho could do nothing but lay there and hope.
He knew Jun would probably awaken and stand soon. He just had to hold out that long - long enough for Jun to get him to Ohno, to restore order, to save the Light King.
Then Sho heard a voice.
“…will forget.”
The voice coughed, and Sho realized it was Junichi speaking. He wasn’t dead like he thought…not yet.
Sho turned his head to look at Junichi, whose eyes were nearly lifeless. He couldn’t fight Junichi any more, but thankfully it seemed as though Junichi couldn’t either.
“I said, if you won’t die, you will forget.”
Sho didn’t understand, but Junichi suddenly lunged for Sho, the distance not far. Junichi grasped Sho’s shirt and gripped Sho’s face hard with his other hand. Sho resisted, not knowing what was happening, but it was too late.
Everything faded to black.
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Jun felt his heart beating and his senses returning to him before he could open his eyes. He couldn’t understand how he was still alive, but once his eyes did open, his mind leaped to one thought.
Sho.
He sat up quickly, healed and well, only to find Junichi gripping Sho’s inert form. Instantly, Jun summed up the situation. He swiftly shoved Junichi away, gripping Sho’s face in his hands.
“Sho? Sho!” Jun yelled, desperate.
Junichi tried laughing, but it was weak and he ended up coughing. Jun ran at him and landed on top of him, punching Junichi repeatedly.
“What did you do to him?!” Jun shouted.
Junichi simply smiled, even as his face dripped blood. “I took away his memories, like you did all those years ago.”
Jun’s blood froze. “What?”
“I learned it from you. You only have yourself to blame.”
“Bring back his memories or I swear I’ll kill you!” Jun said in his deadliest voice, shaking Junichi for good measure.
“I’m dead anyway, Jun. He’ll never remember you now.” Junichi gurgled with a maniacal edge to his voice. “You’ll never be happy, like I was never happy.”
Jun threw a few more punches in rage before grabbing an icicle that Junichi had thrown earlier and had landed in the snow.
“Kill me, Jun. It won’t bring his memories back, though. You’ll have forever lost him, and in a way, I’ll have won.”
Jun didn’t speak. He knew it was true, but it was all he could do to release his anger at the one person who took away his happiness. He gave Junichi one last horrible glare before stabbing him, silencing him forever.
Done with the deed, Jun dropped his weapon and dropped to his knees at Sho’s side, crying silently. Sho needed help, and quickly. Jun was so overwhelmed, and at such a loss, he didn’t know what to do.
“Not again. Please, not again.” Jun begged, wishing he knew how to undo this.
“Jun!” He heard a voice call from afar. “Sho!”
To Jun’s relief, Ohno quickly appeared, with Aiba and Nino not far behind, all of them looking terrible. It was clear that they had been in the midst of a hard battle, but they were still alive. Still alive, and would heal, Jun thought with happiness, before succumbing to Sho’s reality once more.
“Ohno! You have to heal him!” Jun cried, Ohno hurrying even faster at seeing Sho on the ground.
“His heartbeat is very faint. I’ll do what I can.” Jun could tell Ohno was incredibly tired and weary, but pleaded silently that he had what it took to save Sho. Nino and Aiba crowded around, worried looks on their faces.
Ohno worked his magic, and it was several minutes before Sho’s heartbeat returned to normal. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief except Jun. He knew that while Sho would live, he may not remember.
“He’ll wake up soon.” Ohno said.
While waiting, Nino and Aiba decided to go over to the nearby pillar to untie the Light King, who was apparently still alive but unconscious and in need of healing, and brought him closer to where Ohno, Sho, and Jun were. Ohno told Jun about the Light Fey overpowering the Dark Fey as Jun listened distractedly. Jun had been hoping Junichi’s trick hadn’t worked, being too weak, but as the time grew longer, Jun’s fears increased.
The minutes passed and Sho showed no signs of awakening. Ohno’s brow furrowed. “He should be awake by now. Something’s wrong.”
“Junichi took his memories.” Jun said in a wooden voice, unable to deny the truth any longer.
“What?” The other three asked, startled.
“His mind has been wiped. It was the last thing Junichi did before he died.”
“How did he…?” Nino began to ask, but Jun interrupted.
“He learned from me. I guess he was watching when I did it to Sho the first time.”
Aiba put a comforting arm around Jun as Nino laid a hand on Sho’s cheek, both with sorrowful faces. Nino began to cry.
“This isn’t how it was supposed to be. This isn’t what I saw in my vision!”
Ohno pulled Nino to him. “This isn’t your fault. Besides, this isn’t the end. Magic is always changing, always making up new rules. Let’s take him home and watch over him. For all we know, he’ll wake up in a week and be completely fine.”
They all knew Ohno was simply trying to make everyone feel better, but it didn’t help. With no other choice, the four headed back to Ohno’s cottage. Jun carried Sho, while Aiba carefully carried the Light King on his back.
Back at the house, Sho was kept in his original room and Jun never left his side. The Light King was then placed in Jun’s old room and Aiba took it as his special duty to nurse the old king back to health.
Jun talked to Sho as often as he could, just in case he could hear, hoping that it would help revive him.
“I’m the Dark King now, Sho. Can you believe it? I don’t want it. All I want is for you to wake up and remember me, to remember us. Why do I keep losing you, even when it’s finally all over?”
Sho never responded, except with the light rise and fall of his chest, and the quiet beating of his heart.