[Shaman King] Hoshi ga Hoshii desu * chapter 21: reality

[lucathia]

Title: Hoshi - ga - Hoshii - desu
Chapter: 21/45

Author: lucathia_rykatu
Email: rykatu@yahoo.com
Series: Shaman King
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Feedback: will be highly appreciated
Spoilers: end of anime
Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to its rightful owners (which does not include me!)
Archive: livejournal / fanfiction.net

Summary: "I want the stars" -- An amnesic Hao only remembers that the word "Hoshi" is special to him. Found unconscious in America, Hao takes on the name of Hoshi and eventually returns to Japan. This is his story after the anime.

-----chapter 21: reality-----

Manta closely watched the other boy’s reaction to his words. The other boy’s eyes remained closed for awhile, as if letting the words sink in.

Finally, after an almost unbearable silence for Manta, the other boy opened his eyes. Still, he did not look in Manta’s direction. Instead, he focused his attention on his clothes. Manta felt like he was being ignored. The other boy held his clothes in mid air, indecisive about what to do with them. Finally, after another long pause, he gradually stuffed his clothes back into his closet. Then, after all that, he finally glanced at Manta.

“Do you expect me to say something to you?”

Manta blinked and then nodded slowly. “Of course...I just told you something really drastic!” And there he was, acting as if nothing had happened.

The other boy smirked. “Well, you can call me Hoshi, or Hao, whichever you prefer.”

Manta fell over. That wasn’t what Manta expected him to say. Not at all.

Hoshi...er...Hao...er...Hoshi...Manta couldn’t decide what he would rather call the other boy.

Seeing the confusion on Manta’s face, the boy smirked once again. “Can’t decide? Well, call me Hoshi...for now.” His expression softened. If it was up to him to decide...he wished he could hold on to this name for a while longer. But that wasn’t the way reality worked, for by now, Sora kaasan...he shook his head...Sora surely met Asakura Yoh already. And he knew that once she met him, nothing would ever be the same again.

At least he had the chance to learn his identity before that...at least he wasn’t as shocked as how Sora must be right now...

“Tell me more about myself,” said Hoshi suddenly.

Manta blinked. “Um...” He wondered how he should begin telling Hoshi about his past. Should he say, “You’re a crazy shaman who wants to kill all the humans” or “you’re Yoh’s twin brother” or “I think you’re wrong?”

Hoshi glanced at Manta with an inquiring stare.

Manta sighed. Here goes nothing...

-----0-----

A trickle of water ran down Sora’s cheeks. Her adopted son Hoshi...and her mysterious ancestor...the murderer of her son and her husband...were all the same person! She didn’t want to believe it...how could the innocent boy who smiled so warmly at her ever be a murderer?

She first laid eyes upon him on that fateful morning. She had been outside admiring the bright sunshine. It was kind of lonely living in the countryside since no one else lived close to them. She only had her son while her son only had her. She had been thinking then...about how nice it would be to have some more company. However, her son, Tsuki, had never complained about being lonely. That day, as always, Tsuki gazed at his namesake, the barely discernable moon. It was daylight, and the sun overshadowed the moon in those times. In Tsuki’s gaze, Sora could detect a slight twinge of loneliness that Tsuki kept hidden deep within.

The twinge of loneliness disappeared quickly as Tsuki ran around the open field, enjoying the slight breeze. Sora enjoyed the day as well, but not as much as she enjoyed the night. It was during the night time that both the stars and the moon came out. She loved the night sky, which was home to both the stars and the moon. Her children. Hoshi and Tsuki.

Suddenly, Tsuki gave a little “Eep!” as he tripped and fell flat on his face.

Sora got up quickly, afraid that something had happened to Tsuki. She was relieved when she saw Tsuki on the ground, rubbing his nose. He was okay.

Sora came closer to Tsuki to help him stand up. It was then that she noticed the reason for Tsuki’s fall.

She most likely forgot to breathe when she first laid her eyes upon him. For his appearance...it was just that stunning. He didn’t look as if he was part of this world. Laying there in the tall grasses with the sunshine shining through the leaves of a nearby tree...she almost mistook him for a fallen angel. His long hair splayed around him, the wind gently playing with the silky tendrils. His expression was so peaceful that Sora almost didn’t want to disturb him, until Tsuki snapped her out of her trance.

“Ne, Kaachan, why is he sleeping on the ground?” After Tsuki rubbed his hurt nose, he finally noticed that he had tripped over a human being.

Sora blinked and glanced at Tsuki and then at the boy. What was she doing, just standing here gawking at the boy? She had to check to see if he was all right.

She carried him back home and tended to his injuries. When he woke up...he looked at them blankly, before telling them that his name was Hoshi...Sora had cried then...because he reminded her so much of her older son. Sora had thanked whatever deity that was watching over her and Tsuki...for granting her wish...for giving her another son...for brightening their future...

Now, Sora wished she hadn’t found him on that day.

For Hao’s twin was standing right before her, and that was the reality she had to accept. There was no doubt that Yoh and Hoshi looked exactly the same.

Why did Hoshi...no...Asakura Hao...had to come into her life? Why?

Sora closed her eyes. She wished, over and over again, that she had never found him. For it wasn’t a gift from God. The boy she had found that day wasn’t an angel. He was the exact opposite of her first impression of him...and that was what was scary...the way he manipulated her into thinking that he was innocent...

“Kaachan, why are you crying?”

She was suddenly jerked back into reality. She had once again been lost in her thoughts...reminiscing about times that were better forgotten. She glanced at Tsuki’s alarmed face, wanting to reassure him with a smile. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t smile. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t smile.

She was still looking down at Tsuki, unwilling to look up at her nephew. If looking up meant that she’d see a replica of him standing in front of her...then she didn’t want to look up. She would rather never look up than to accept that he wasn’t the boy she thought he was.

But alas...that wasn’t the way reality worked.

Sora felt gentle hands wipe away her tears. The hands slowly tilted her head up, forcing her to gaze into the dark, penetrating eyes of Asakura Yoh. His solemn expression was more befitting of a mature young man, rather than the young boy that he was. It reminded Sora so much of him that Sora’s heart clenched once again.

“Does he live with you?”

Sora nodded slowly, still unable to speak.

Yoh’s mouth quivered slightly as he quietly uttered his next words.

“Will you take me to him?”

-----to be continued-----

Next chapter: Gone