Subject: [KFFDISC] [Fic] A Starry Night's Deja Vu: Chapter 2 Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 05:56:14 -0700 (PDT) From: Honjou Mizu Reply-To: kffdisc@nabiki.com To: kffdisc@nabiki.com "A Starry Night's Deja Vu: Chapter 2" By Mizu_Onna Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, so please don't sue. Author's Pre-Fic Note: Why I am working on more series fics, I have no idea. ~_~ Please, comments would be encouraging! ** Thought [] Flashback Oh, minnasan, if you wanna see the html version instead, here's the link: http://www.geocities.com/unspoken_devotions/starry2.htm If you guys just wanna read the text, then...here it is! ^_^ ~*~*~ "Aoshi-sama..." The whisper was sweet, loving, almost palpable. Its complex form swirled around him, embracing him in words of tenderness and devotion. "Aoshi-sama..." It repeated, making the name sound like a caress. "Doko wa anata?" Kodama didn't want to wake from this dream, if it was one. Such strong emotion shouldn't ever be unheeded again. It washed over him like waves upon the sand, and it soothed his fears and coaxed him away from the shadows that haunted him. But who exactly was this Aoshi-sama? It felt so right to have the voice address him, despite the fact that she was calling for someone else. "Misao." This time a man's voice spoke, wisdom and perhaps a bit of tiredness wrought in its tone. Both presences speaking seemed to beckon to Kodama from eons, reaching back to when the world was still quite young. Kodama stirred from his slumber. The man sounded fairly familiar... Then it occurred to him that the person speaking the name "Misao" had the same voice as he did. "I'm right here, Misao." His eyes snapped open, and he glanced around almost frantically. The teacher was still droning on during orientation, and the class was still there. Exhaling softly, he bent his head and rubbed his nape idly. He tried to recall his dream, but much to his frustration, the details were floating away from his grasp. Guiltily he fished them back, but only a few fragments remained, those being his voice speaking the name "Misao" and a girl murmuring "Aoshi-sama". "Kodama," Miryoku's voice broke into his thoughts gently. He turned to face his girlfriend, and she was regarding him with an expression of utmost concern. "Daijoubu desu ka?" She mouthed. "Hai." He whispered back somewhat dazedly. "I'm okay..." He faltered as the teacher turned his beady eyes to him. This professor had never been famous for keeping his temper. "Ikari Kodama!" He barked. "I would've expected better from you on orientation! Now show a little respect towards the people here." The professor commanded harshly, before returning to his monotonous speech. Kodama slouched in his seat and rolled his misted blue eyes, retreating back to his thoughts and ignoring the snickers that came his way. "Too bad first period got into such a bad start." Miryoku shook her head exasperatedly as the students filed out of their seats, hastily proceeding to their next class with the hopes that it would be much more interesting than their last. "Yeah." Kodama replied shortly, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he strode the corridors more swiftly than he had done before, his memories of the visions flashing through his head fueling his adrenaline. Exasperated that they kept on pestering him, repeating themselves over and over in his head, he hurried even more, as if speeding up would make them stop or would leave them behind. Miryoku had to hurry to catch up with him. "Kodama, relax." She crooned to him, catching his uniform's sleeve and gently tugging on the material to slow him down. "You can't start the year in such a foul mood." She teased, reaching up to tweak his nose. Kodama smiled slightly and brushed his lips upon her fingertips to reward her for her endurance to his moods. Just as he was about to kiss her, someone abruptly interrupted. "PDA." A male voice announced behind them. "Akuji!" Miryoku admonished laughingly, swatting the arm of the classmate who had spoken earlier. "Kodama and I have been together since high school, so therefore we have a right to some public display of affection." She kidded lightly. The boy sniggered. "You got that right. I've already had around ten girlfriends and you guys are still together. Don't know how you can survive." Akuji stated dryly. Coffee-colored eyes flickered with amusement behind strands of chestnut brown hair as he smirked at them. "Just because you've been my friend since elementary it doesn't mean I'll tolerate your teasing." Miryoku shoved him easily, and he just took a step back to avoid her hand and guffawed. "That's some girlfriend you got there, Kodama." He admitted, by way of greeting to his friend. "Thank you." Kodama inclined his head to indicate that he had heard. "Anyway, I'd better get goin' to class. See ya." With a casual flick of his wrist, Akuji saluted them goodbye and went off on his way. "So..." Miryoku whispered, linking her arm in Kodama's. "Where were we?" She chuckled, earning a quiet laugh from her boyfriend "Right about here." He murmured, capturing her lips in his. Midori prowled the halls, already panicking as she scanned the rooms hastily. She had nearly been late for the first subject; luckily the teacher was a pleasant one, and she had let her go. But she was afraid that she might not be as lucky if she were delayed for the second period, and so she sprinted down the aisles, dreading the ringing of the bell. As she rounded a corner, her eyes fell on a sight that tore through her. It was Kodama and Miryoku, and they were in a very interesting situation indeed. He was kissing her, pushing her to the lockers, and she seemed to be enjoying it. Why it bothered Midori she didn't know. But all she cared about was the searing sensation that spread across her chest, cutting off her air and circulation. She already knew that Kodama had a girlfriend, but she supposed that she was just hoping for a miracle or something to occur so he would lavish the affection to her. But why? Their display was enough to make her lose all hopes of ever reaching out to him. Whirling around, she ran down the opposite length of the corridor, tearing her sight away from the vision that taunted her mercilessly. Kodama saw a flicker of raven hair to his left, and broke his kiss to see what it was exactly. His eyes widened as he spotted Midori's form sprinting off in a different direction, until the tail of her ubiquitous braid floated behind a door and was gone. He scrunched his forehead in puzzlement at why the sight of her looking so bedraggled piqued his attention. Suddenly, a flash of white assailed his senses, nearly sending him staggering. ["If you're not on my side, then I don't ever want to see you again, Misao." A tall man was walking away from the frail looking form of a young woman, whose eyes shone brightly with tears. "Aoshi-sama..." She whispered.] "Kodama!" Miryoku's voice pressed into his thoughts. He lifted his head groggily to focus upon his girlfriend, who looked at him as if he had collapsed or done something really irrational. "Hai?" He slurred, sounding as if he'd drank a bit too much. He felt his head throb, and he winced and rubbed his temples dejectedly. "Daijoubu?" Miryoku asked, concern surfacing upon her features. "Hai." Kodama replied mechanically. "Daijoubu." He repeated needlessly. He shook his head as if to clear the sensation, then attempted to steer Miryoku away. "Come on, we're going to be late for our next classes." "Uh, yeah, I guess." She responded somewhat tentatively. Reluctantly he pushed all reminisces of what had happened just a few moments ago to the back of his head, deciding that he was going to ponder them on some less interesting situation. Midori clutched her desk table tightly, clenching her fists so rigidly that her knuckles were white. Why she was so bothered by that kiss was beyond her. It was just a _kiss_, for heaven's sake. It wasn't even that big. She shut her eyes against the strain she felt against her chest. *What is happening to me?* Just then, a wave of pristine whiteness engulfed her, sending her senses crashing into something akin to a memory... ["Aoshi-sama! Doko wa?" A young girl was prowling the halls of an old Japanese building frantically, scouring the rooms and searching for something. "You won't find him here in the Aoiya, Misao." An elderly man spoke gently, resting his hand upon the girl's shoulder. "He's left." "Doushite?" She demanded, her eyes wide and shimmering with tears at their lashes. "I don't know." The old man sighed, looking ragged and disheveled. "I don't know." He muttered, and strode off, leaving the child to stare at his disappearing form.] As soon as it had come, it vanished, leaving Midori cold and empty. *What is all this?* ~*~*~ Author's Note: Comments would be lovely. ^_^ Oh, and I _will_ clarify why Kodama was distant to Midori (I actually have a good reason). Notes on the names: Akuji (Sano) = evil ^_^ (I just couldn't resist.) ===== "...it seemed as if we were the only people alive between the silky water and the silvery, moonlit sky." --Da Chen in "Colors of the Mountain"