Disclaimer: No one belongs to me! *sighs sadly*
A/N: AU POT story. Please note that there will be great historical inaccuracies and yaoi in this fiction. Glossary of some terms at the end of the story. (RK fans, do not kill me!)
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Prologue : Yami (Darkness)
"Continuing from the previous lesson on the Boshin War, I will be talking about the siege of Hakodate..."
Kikumaru Eiji was uncharacteristically still, his eyes wide with interest as he listened to Noguchi sensei's sonorous voice in rapt silence. Friends and acquaintances of Eiji would be highly surprised if they saw him: a quiet and attentive Eiji was a rarity. A quiet and attentive Eiji in Japanese History class was, quite frankly speaking, an aberration of nature to say the least.
But Noguchi sensei was hardly a conventional Japanese History teacher. To begin with, he was not even a teacher. Fresh out of college, with a burning ambition to become an actor, Noguchi Hirazawa was only teaching the class because his staid elder brother who was teaching at Seigaku had came down with measles, and needed a temporary replacement.
With the uncanny instinct of someone who was born to perform, Noguchi had taken one look at his 'audience' (a class of twenty-five pubescent, thirteen year old students) and decided that an account of the Meiji Ishin needed to be exciting: meaning an extra emphasis on the bloody events and numerous deaths. He was immensely successful: from day one, the students were enraptured by his lessons. Due in no small measure, Noguchi thought proudly, to his plummy and well-modulated voice, and his expressive face that mirrored myriad emotions, be it joy, anger or even sorrow, with practiced ease.
This afternoon, Noguchi was at his dramatic best. "He was a brave samurai, however, under the hail of bullets, he was, but flesh and blood!" His voice reaching a crescendo, " And so on May 11, 1869, second year of Meiji, Hijikata Toshizou was fatally shot and died in battle! Perhaps it is apt that a man whose hands were so stained with blood came to ..."
The harsh, grating sound of a chair been pushed backward rudely interrupted Noguchi in mid sentence. A wave of displeasure swept across his face as he turned to stare at the offender.
"Sumimasen, Noguchi sensei." Said the slight figure softly. He was standing behind his desk, his hands tightly fisted at his sides. His head was bent, his slightly long hair shadowing his face. "I am not feeling well. Please excuse me!" With these words, he bolted out of the classroom, overturning his chair in the process.
"Fuji!" Cried Eiji in alarm before he sprung from his seat and ran after his best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hands clutching the cold metal edges of the sink, Fuji retched violently as bile rose up his throat. It was a long while before he emptied all the contents in his stomach; exhausted and drenched in cold sweat, Fuji sank onto the cold tiles of the floor and buried his face in his arms.
The door burst opened as Eiji, followed by a panting Noguchi, rushed into the toilet.
"Fuji! What's wrong? Daijoubu?" Eiji was distressed. It was not like Fuji to run abruptly out of class: something had to be terribly wrong.
"I am fine, Eiji." Fuji lifted his head and smiled wanly. "My lunch probably didn't go down too well..."
"Kikumaru, it's best that you accompany Fuji to the sick bay to see the nurse." Noguchi said authoritatively. Then injecting concern into his voice, Noguchi continued compassionately: "Fuji, rest well and get better soon."
For a moment, Fuji stared at Noguchi, his azure blue eyes wide and unblinking. Cold contempt and some nameless emotions flashed briefly in his eyes before they became veiled. A pleasant smile on his face, Fuji nodded. "Thank you, Noguchi sensei."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Neh, Eiji. You really enjoy Noguchi sensei's classes." There was no inflection in Fuji's voice as he lay on the bed, staring at the yellowed and chipping ceiling.
"Nya! He really makes them so exciting! I feel as if I am a part of the action!" Eiji gesticulated wildly. "I wish I were born in those times!"
"Those were not happy times, Eiji." Fuji said gently.
"I know, Fuji. But it would have been so fun!" Eiji grinned irrepressibly. "Maybe I could have been a member of the Shinsengumi. A Miburo! Hmmm...I would make an excellent Shinobi!"
Fuji quirked an eyebrow, amusement evident in his smile. "A Shinobi? You? Kikumaru Eiji?"
"Unnya! You are so mean, Fuji!" Wailed Eiji as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I know that I am loud and can't keep still and I have no patience..." Then he laughed merrily. "Nya! You are right. I have absolutely none of the qualities a Shinobi should have."
"A Shinobi is a creature of the shadows. Only in the concealing mantle of darkness can he find justification for his existence." Fingers lightly touching Eiji's cheek, Fuji looked somberly at his friend. "You, Kikumaru Eiji, are a creature of light. You are like the sun, bringing bright cheer to everyone."
"Nya, Fuji! Why are ..."
"Kikumaru! Go back to class and let your friend have a good rest!" Chided the nurse, interrupting Eiji's question. Looking at the boy's worried expression, she continued. " Fuji's fine. He just needs to rest without anyone disturbing him!"
"Fuji, are you sure you are alright?" Eiji was unconvinced.
"Perfectly alright." Fuji smiled and nodded. "Go back to class, Eiji!"
Finally assured of his friend's well-being, Eiji skipped jauntily out of the sick-bay.
The smile faded from Fuji's face as he watched his friend's retreating back. Staring bleakly out of the window, Fuji knew he was not alright. His mouth twisted painfully. He hadn't been alright since that day four years ago. The day when he discovered that, he too, belonged to the darkness.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Bakumatsu Late Tokugawa Bakufu period.
Meiji Ishin Meiji Restoration. A series of events that took
place from 1866 to 1869, leading to great political and
social changes in Japan. 1867 also saw the end of the
Tokugawa Bakufu (the Tokugawa Shogunate).
Hijikata Toshizou (1835-1869) Fukucho (Vice Commander)
of Shinsengumi. A great strategist and tactician. His cold
exterior and his ruthlessness earned him the nickname of
'Oni' (Demon).
Shinobi ninjia
A/N: AU POT story. Please note that there will be great historical inaccuracies and yaoi in this fiction. Glossary of some terms at the end of the story. (RK fans, do not kill me!)
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Prologue : Yami (Darkness)
"Continuing from the previous lesson on the Boshin War, I will be talking about the siege of Hakodate..."
Kikumaru Eiji was uncharacteristically still, his eyes wide with interest as he listened to Noguchi sensei's sonorous voice in rapt silence. Friends and acquaintances of Eiji would be highly surprised if they saw him: a quiet and attentive Eiji was a rarity. A quiet and attentive Eiji in Japanese History class was, quite frankly speaking, an aberration of nature to say the least.
But Noguchi sensei was hardly a conventional Japanese History teacher. To begin with, he was not even a teacher. Fresh out of college, with a burning ambition to become an actor, Noguchi Hirazawa was only teaching the class because his staid elder brother who was teaching at Seigaku had came down with measles, and needed a temporary replacement.
With the uncanny instinct of someone who was born to perform, Noguchi had taken one look at his 'audience' (a class of twenty-five pubescent, thirteen year old students) and decided that an account of the Meiji Ishin needed to be exciting: meaning an extra emphasis on the bloody events and numerous deaths. He was immensely successful: from day one, the students were enraptured by his lessons. Due in no small measure, Noguchi thought proudly, to his plummy and well-modulated voice, and his expressive face that mirrored myriad emotions, be it joy, anger or even sorrow, with practiced ease.
This afternoon, Noguchi was at his dramatic best. "He was a brave samurai, however, under the hail of bullets, he was, but flesh and blood!" His voice reaching a crescendo, " And so on May 11, 1869, second year of Meiji, Hijikata Toshizou was fatally shot and died in battle! Perhaps it is apt that a man whose hands were so stained with blood came to ..."
The harsh, grating sound of a chair been pushed backward rudely interrupted Noguchi in mid sentence. A wave of displeasure swept across his face as he turned to stare at the offender.
"Sumimasen, Noguchi sensei." Said the slight figure softly. He was standing behind his desk, his hands tightly fisted at his sides. His head was bent, his slightly long hair shadowing his face. "I am not feeling well. Please excuse me!" With these words, he bolted out of the classroom, overturning his chair in the process.
"Fuji!" Cried Eiji in alarm before he sprung from his seat and ran after his best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hands clutching the cold metal edges of the sink, Fuji retched violently as bile rose up his throat. It was a long while before he emptied all the contents in his stomach; exhausted and drenched in cold sweat, Fuji sank onto the cold tiles of the floor and buried his face in his arms.
The door burst opened as Eiji, followed by a panting Noguchi, rushed into the toilet.
"Fuji! What's wrong? Daijoubu?" Eiji was distressed. It was not like Fuji to run abruptly out of class: something had to be terribly wrong.
"I am fine, Eiji." Fuji lifted his head and smiled wanly. "My lunch probably didn't go down too well..."
"Kikumaru, it's best that you accompany Fuji to the sick bay to see the nurse." Noguchi said authoritatively. Then injecting concern into his voice, Noguchi continued compassionately: "Fuji, rest well and get better soon."
For a moment, Fuji stared at Noguchi, his azure blue eyes wide and unblinking. Cold contempt and some nameless emotions flashed briefly in his eyes before they became veiled. A pleasant smile on his face, Fuji nodded. "Thank you, Noguchi sensei."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Neh, Eiji. You really enjoy Noguchi sensei's classes." There was no inflection in Fuji's voice as he lay on the bed, staring at the yellowed and chipping ceiling.
"Nya! He really makes them so exciting! I feel as if I am a part of the action!" Eiji gesticulated wildly. "I wish I were born in those times!"
"Those were not happy times, Eiji." Fuji said gently.
"I know, Fuji. But it would have been so fun!" Eiji grinned irrepressibly. "Maybe I could have been a member of the Shinsengumi. A Miburo! Hmmm...I would make an excellent Shinobi!"
Fuji quirked an eyebrow, amusement evident in his smile. "A Shinobi? You? Kikumaru Eiji?"
"Unnya! You are so mean, Fuji!" Wailed Eiji as he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I know that I am loud and can't keep still and I have no patience..." Then he laughed merrily. "Nya! You are right. I have absolutely none of the qualities a Shinobi should have."
"A Shinobi is a creature of the shadows. Only in the concealing mantle of darkness can he find justification for his existence." Fingers lightly touching Eiji's cheek, Fuji looked somberly at his friend. "You, Kikumaru Eiji, are a creature of light. You are like the sun, bringing bright cheer to everyone."
"Nya, Fuji! Why are ..."
"Kikumaru! Go back to class and let your friend have a good rest!" Chided the nurse, interrupting Eiji's question. Looking at the boy's worried expression, she continued. " Fuji's fine. He just needs to rest without anyone disturbing him!"
"Fuji, are you sure you are alright?" Eiji was unconvinced.
"Perfectly alright." Fuji smiled and nodded. "Go back to class, Eiji!"
Finally assured of his friend's well-being, Eiji skipped jauntily out of the sick-bay.
The smile faded from Fuji's face as he watched his friend's retreating back. Staring bleakly out of the window, Fuji knew he was not alright. His mouth twisted painfully. He hadn't been alright since that day four years ago. The day when he discovered that, he too, belonged to the darkness.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Bakumatsu Late Tokugawa Bakufu period.
Meiji Ishin Meiji Restoration. A series of events that took
place from 1866 to 1869, leading to great political and
social changes in Japan. 1867 also saw the end of the
Tokugawa Bakufu (the Tokugawa Shogunate).
Hijikata Toshizou (1835-1869) Fukucho (Vice Commander)
of Shinsengumi. A great strategist and tactician. His cold
exterior and his ruthlessness earned him the nickname of
'Oni' (Demon).
Shinobi ninjia