|
|
Fuuko stared at a deep blue pond in between several tall trees as she walked by the park.
~^~ "I have to leave. I don't think I'll be back. Sayonara," Raiha said, looking at the water as if he was hypnotized by it. Fuuko was only able to see his profile. She couldn't tell whether he was sad or happy. Not that she could do so normally. The man was an enigma. ~^~
Fuuko swept strands of light brown hair out of her face as a light breeze passed. She stuck her hands in her jean pockets and exhaled slowly.
~^~ "Sayonara." ~^~
She shut her eyes and shook her head a bit, trying to shake the scene out of her head. {I need to find him. I need to know why!} She once again flashed back to the conversation she had with Raiha the previous night at that very pond. She found out from Koganei Raiha sometimes went there to think.
Ever since she met the mysterious ninja during the Ura Buto Satsujin tournament, he had always shown her he had feelings for her. Fuuko on the other hand, had a tiny inkling of what she felt for him. Nevertheless, after the tournament concluded, she didn't expect to see him again. He was loyal to the enemy, and it was rumored he simply disappeared. She unenthusiastically returned to her mediocre life in school. Unexpectedly new problems arose. There was still the matter of ending Kagero Houshi's curse, and it turned out the most powerful and dangerous madougu, heaven and hell, was the only solution.
During the
chase for heaven and hell, everyone got separated somehow. She ended up
captive in the cauldron of a madman and began to lose herself in there.
All of the sudden she heard a familiar voice, his voice. The next thing
she recalled was hitting Raiha because he fondled her breast. He explained
it was the only thing he could think of to bring her out of the deadly
trance. A couple of days later he trained and sharpened her senses for
another battle. He also revealed to her he had the main crystal of her
Fuujin that she had been looking for. When the heaven and hell madougu
ordeal finally came to an end, she didn't want him to disappear. This time
she wanted him to stay. She needed to tell him how she felt about him.
The realization of his importance to her came so quickly she didn't even
know when it happened. She just knew she wanted him to stay.
~^~ "Raiha?"
"Hai?" He responded at the sound of her voice. She could feel a tingle as she gazed at him. He wore his usual ninja outfit, a long light blue gi with mesh at the chest area and matching blue pants. His forearms were bound and he had a sword strapped to his back. His waist-length dark brown hair had its signature hair-tier at the end and his bangs fell over his headband.
Fuuko knew instantly something was wrong. There was a certain tension in the air and Raiha didn't greet her in his usual excited manner. No "Fuuko-san!" accompanied by a wide grin or arms waving wildly in the air.
{Something's wrong. . . but if I don't tell him now, I'll probably never be able to do it.}
"Raiha. . . I need to tell you that I have feelings for you, and that I-
"I have to leave. I don't think I'll be back. Sayonara." ~^~
Raiha said, not allowing her to finish her sentence. He continued to stare at the pond, purposely avoiding looking at Fuuko. Before she could say anything further, he left. What happened after that was a blur. Fuuko remembered staring at the spot Raiha once occupied, and then running home with tears welling up in her eyes. Luckily, Ganko was already in bed. She didn't need to explain anything as she cried herself to sleep.
Fuuko woke up cranky and tired. Last night felt surreal to her. But she managed to smother her negative feelings and acted like her usual self throughout the day. She knew she wasn't going to give up on him. Not without a clear response from him. It just wasn't in her nature to give up so easily. In the tournament she fought until her body gave out. And now, she'd do the same.
Raiha was full of mysteries. Fuuko doubted Kurei or Neon would know much about him either. That's when the idea hit her. When the heaven and hell madougu was destroyed, Kagero was finally able to die in peace. She gave Yanagi the Eikai ball since Yanagi seemed to be the only one that could use it as well as Kagero did. Fuuko thought the Eikai ball might have the ability to show her Raiha's past. Perhaps the knowledge could help her. She called Yanagi and asked if she could go over to her house right away.
"Fuuko-chan, come in," Yanagi said as she stepped aside.
"Thanks for agreeing to help me out, Yanagi-chan."
"Oh, it's nothing! You've always been a good friend to me! I have the Eikai ball in my room."
Yanagi led Fuuko to a quaint room with photos of their friends and paintings on the walls.
"I need the Eikai ball to show me the important events in his life, up until the Ura Buto Satsujin," Fuuko said.
"That's a difficult task, but I'll try. Do you mind telling me why you need this to be done?" Yanagi asked, giving her friend a trusting smile. Fuuko shook her head and told Yanagi everything, including how she felt. After hearing it, Yanagi promised she would do whatever she could to help. She placed her hands on the Eikai ball and began to concentrate her power.
"I think this'll work. I can feel it." She said as the ball's blue light illuminated the room.
"Good. This is important." Fuuko said anxiously.
Author’s Notes: This takes place after the ending of Flame of Recca (which hasn’t occurred yet, so it’s all in my head ^_^) Kagero rests in peace, Kurei and Neon are married, Recca and Yanagi are going out. & Fuuko is pining for Raiha. Raiha’s character always intrigued me. & who else better than our spunky heroine to find out the past (well supposed past) of our lovable & adorable ninja? I know the Eikai ball has powers to teleport and to see things, so I made a tiny adjustment to it, it can also view past events as well as the future’s.