Chapter 8 “The Flip Side”

Chapter 8 “The Flip Side”

Kyoko’s heart was slamming in her chest as she reached for the maiden’s hand. Without missing a beat, she leapt into its depths, praying the momentum would speed up the process. An arm wrapped around her waist from behind and she knew Toya had followed her.

As soon as they touched down on the other side of time, she took off for her house, praying it was still standing. Her scenery changed quickly as Toya grabbed her up in his arms, and took off at break neck speed, to aid in the race.

Shinbe decided to try to take a bath while Kyoko was gone. He really didn't want anyone helping him bathe, so he waited ‘till everyone thought he had fallen asleep and left him alone in Kyoko’s room. He finally succeeded in drawing a bath after nearly scalding himself.

‘God, I really must have amnesia if I can’t even remember how to take a bath,’ he mused sadly.

Shinbe began peeling his clothing off, anxious to feel clean for the first time since waking up. Most of the pain came from the back of his head, but he found if he concentrated hard enough, he could almost ignore it. Wondering where he’d learned to do that, Shinbe felt like there was a huge, dark wall in front of him every time he tried to think about his past.

He watched the steam rise up from the water as he carefully stepped into the bath and slowly lowered his lean, muscular body into the hot water. Sighing as he laid his head back on the cool rim of the tub, Shinbe lowered his arms into the water only to jerk the left one back up.

He’d forgotten about the beads he was wearing. Bringing his hand up, Shinbe ran his long, slender fingers over the beads, frowning. The amethyst sutra beads wound around his wrist twice and then looped across the palm.

“Why am I wearing beads?” he mused aloud, startling himself as his voice echoed off the silent walls around him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, standing on end as he studied his hand. Hoping to rid himself of the disturbing sensation, Shinbe frowned at his hand and reached for the beads.

Loosening the leather string, he stopped mid-motion as the prickling feeling returned and spread up his neck and across his scalp. Ignoring it, Shinbe let the beads dangle from his palm. Slowly, very slowly, he started sliding the beads from his hand.

Shinbe felt his world tilt as all hell broke loose around him. The bath water rose up out of the tub, swirling and rushing towards him as if it had come to life. The water headed straight for his left hand, rushing into the black hole that now fluttered wildly around his outstretched palm. Shinbe panicked, gripping his other hand around his wrist, he held the demented hand away from him.

At that moment the bathroom door slammed open. The crashing door shattered what was left of his nerves and Shinbe bolted up as a scream ripped through the air. Jumping away from the storming water, he scrambled out of the tub, grabbing at the swinging beads as he slipped across the wet tile floor. Desperately wrapping the string of sutra around his hand, he shot a frantic glance at the door as the chaos around him suddenly stopped.

Kyoko’s scream died on her lips when the remaining water fell with a loud splash to the bathroom floor, leaving the tub with less than an inch of water sloshing in the bottom of it. Pushing away from Toya she ran to Shinbe, grabbing the offending hand in a death grip.

“Never take the beads off,” she cried out, her voice cracking as her pitch spiked. Behind her she could hear an angry growl.

Toya growled at Shinbe’s stupidity. The sound lowered to a warning as Kyoko continued to touch the naked guardian. He couldn’t stop the powerful, silver glow from entering his eyes, or the lengthening of his claws.

Shinbe was still in shock when Kyoko grabbed his hand, yelling hysterically. Blinking down at her, his eyes softened, and then darted up at the sound of growling coming from the doorway. On top of the freaky water, now a pissed-off, possessed-looking guy, in red and black, stood blocking the doorway. It all crashed into Shinbe’s battered senses, putting him on the defensive.

He grabbed Kyoko, reeling from the insane events whirling around him. With more strength suddenly racing through his blood than he thought he possessed, he pulled her against him protectively.

Turning sideways to keep her from harm, he drawled, “Don’t come a step closer, or I’ll suck you up, just like I did that water.” The horror of a moment ago forgotten as his entire mind focused on protecting Kyoko from this dangerous thing that had followed her.

The look that crossed the angry man’s face was enough to give Shinbe courage as he pressed Kyoko closer to him. Holding his beaded hand out, as if ready to do what he had threatened, he smiled cunningly. “It’s alright Kyoko. I’ll protect you from this monster.”

Toya had had enough. His cursed guardian blood began to heat at an alarming rate as he watched Shinbe grab Kyoko and press her to his naked body. He could feel the rumbling in his chest grow as rage and adrenaline surged through him. Knowing Shinbe didn't remember the danger of his left hand, Toya didn't want Kyoko to get hurt because of the guardian’s ignorance.

“You die, guardian," he spat out, and prepared to lunge.

Kyoko’s mind had blown a couple circuits finding herself pressed firmly against Shinbe’s wet naked body. When her brain finally started working again, the first thing she did was turn red, from head to toe. Second was to try to push against Shinbe, hoping to at least turn her back to the wet and VERY naked guardian.

To her embarrassment, he wouldn’t loosen his grip on her. Suddenly finding her voice again she cried out, “Shinbe, no!” But it was too late as she heard Toya’s growl lower to a dangerous level. Looking up, she knew they were in trouble.

Toya’s eyes had already turned molten silver as he watched Kyoko struggle against Shinbe. Without thinking, he rushed forward, intent on ripping Kyoko from the arms restraining her.

Kyoko did the only thing she knew to do. Grabbing Shinbe’s left arm and twisting around, she slammed her body against Shinbe’s, trying to shove him out of Toya’s path. She screamed, “Toya stop it!” as loud as she could, casting the Taming spell.

Shinbe’s lips parted seeing the demon-man’s eyes change color. The sight made him loosen his grip in surprise. Before he could recover, he felt Kyoko throw herself against him as if she was trying to protect him from the psycho. Shinbe’s jaw dropped in shock as the snarling attacker slammed into the ground face first, only inches from him.

At this point, Shinbe really didn't know what to think. He lowered his eyes to the top of Kyoko’s head. Realizing she still had a death grip on his left wrist he frowned. “Kyoko?”

Kyoko stood shock still. She could hear the string of curses coming from Toya right behind her. She could also feel Shinbe’s eyes on her. Her gaze drifted from the wrist she was holding, to what was right beside it, ‘Shinbe’s bare hip.’ Feeling even more heat rush up through her cheeks, she shut her eyes and whispered, “Shinbe.” Her voice rising with each word, “Do not… ever… take your beads off.”

“Got it,” Shinbe nodded seriously. That was one thing he didn’t think he would make the mistake of doing twice.

Knowing everything had already gotten out of hand, Kyoko’s mind screamed for her to stop thinking about his wet body pressed to her now wet clothes. But even though she tried to push visions of ice cream, pizza, trees, and even butterflies through her head, the thought of his warm, lean body just wouldn’t go away. She could feel the ripple of his muscles through her thin shirt as he shifted slightly.

When she felt a hardening bulge against her belly, heat rushed through her body so violently it made her dizzy, making her think she had officially lost her ever-loving mind.

Shinbe took that exact moment to notice the same thing she had. Completely throwing the fact that he was naked out the window, he reached his hand up and softly gripped her chin. Pulling gently, he lifted her face to his, so his amethyst gaze could lock with hers.

“Kyoko, what’s going on?” his eyes softened as he watched the swirling emotions flicker through her stormy eyes. He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze away from their glittering, seductive depths. Something deep inside him knew it had always been this way.

It was all she could do to remember to breathe… much less put two words together that made sense. Hearing Toya struggle to get up snapped her mind back to the situation at hand. She jumped back from Shinbe only to stumble backwards across Toya. Feeling the angry guardian try to rise under her, Kyoko quickly looked up at Shinbe in alarm, only to clamp her eyes closed again.

“Shinbe, grab a towel to cover yourself please! Toya no!” Kyoko slammed down with Toya, and sprawled across him as they hit the floor, causing Toya to curse more loudly than before. With her face now buried in his back, Kyoko mumbled refusing to look up, “Shinbe, go get dressed in my room. Hurry!”

Shinbe narrowed his eyes not wanting to leave her with such an obviously unstable man. “Kyoko, come with me,” he insisted with worry in his voice. Somehow, he could sense the fury in the man, and Kyoko laying on him wasn’t making him feel any better about it.

Kyoko’s groan was muffled as she kept her face pressed against Toya’s back. “Shinbe, Toya will not hurt me. Now go!” She almost whimpered at the weirdness of the situation, sighing when she finally watched his feet step around her and go through the doorway.

She could feel Toya vibrating with anger under her and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him to her, hoping to calm him down. She knew sometimes she was the only thing, besides the power of the daggers, which could keep his inner, dangerous demon under control. Hyakuhei had gifted both the brothers with a curse. Shinbe’s would kill him one day, but Toya’s curse would kill many, if his demon blood ever took control.

“Toya, please! I’m here…” her voice lowered to a whisper, “Toya.”

Shinbe now stood on the other side of the door, his confusion mingling with anger as he recognized the name she gave the stranger. “Toya, is it?” he whispered to himself feeling his jealousy eating at him. She had said the name with affection … he’d heard it in her voice.

“That’s the guy she said I got into a fight with,” his eyes darkened for a moment. “Nothing about him feels like a friend,” he angrily mumbled to himself. His gaze sought his clothing he knew to be on Kyoko’s desk, and quickly shrugged into them, scowling at the headache that was returning, but unwilling to leave her alone for long.

Toya felt Kyoko’s arms around him, her warmth soothing the red-tinted anger as the spell wore off. He even lay there for a moment longer not wanting her to let go. He slowly shifted before she could catch on to his delay, and felt her hesitantly crawl off him. So she wouldn’t use the spell on him again, he kept his movements relaxed as he turned over and sat up beside her.

He almost fell backwards when she suddenly propelled herself forward and hugged him with a tight grip. Timidly, he placed his hand on her back and rubbed in small circles, hoping it would help. He closed his eyes the moment she started talking.

“Toya,” she whispered. “That scared the daylights out of me.” She couldn’t suppress the shudder as the shock finally caught up with her. “What if we hadn’t shown up in time? Shinbe could have lost himself to the cursed void!”

Toya frowned wondering why she was more worried about Shinbe than about her family and house. He decided he didn't want to be ‘tamed’ again, and kept the thought to himself.

“I think we need to have a talk with that idiot, before he sucks your family up,” he raised an eyebrow knowing he’d never been very good at listening to his own advice. He smirked to himself then he groaned inwardly when he smelled salt.

“Come on Kyoko, don’t do that,” his words were soft with a hint of hidden love.

“What?” Kyoko asked, detangling herself from him slowly, sitting back up beside him so she could see his face. She searched his eyes for the same feelings she had heard within his voice.

Toya frowned, gently reaching up and flicking a tear off her cheek with his thumb, “That,” he answered.

Kyoko nodded, becoming lost in his golden gaze, then jerked guiltily when the bathroom door swung open and her eyes locked with Shinbe’s questioning ones.

The last thing Shinbe expected to see when he opened the bathroom door was the strange man gently wiping a tear from Kyoko’s soft cheek. A surge of jealousy shot through him at the sight of Toya’s tender movement. Shinbe tried to squash the feeling, blaming it on the fact that Kyoko was the only thing that seemed solid in this amnesia-fogged world. He couldn’t stop the desire to grab her away from Toya. He didn’t want to share her with anyone else.

With one last pleading look to Toya, Kyoko willed him to behave. She stood up and walked past the still silent Shinbe and into her bedroom.

Toya watched Shinbe’s gaze follow Kyoko. He stood up just as Shinbe refocused on him. Seeing the jealousy in the guardian’s eyes, Toya bumped shoulders with him as he walked past Shinbe, intentionally trying to antagonize him.

“Amnesia, my ass,” he drawled, stalking into Kyoko’s room.

Kyoko sat on the edge of her bed, watching as the two men came in. Toya stalked directly over to her window seat and stared out into the yard with indifference while Shinbe examined his beaded hand with a frown. Closing her eyes, she sighed tiredly, wondering how she was going to be able to explain to the guardian about all the seemingly unbelievable events in his past.

Ignoring the jerk sitting in the window, Shinbe walked from the bathroom door and sat next to Kyoko on the bed. He laid his beaded hand out in front of her and asked, “Kyoko, what exactly is … this?” He watched her take a deep breath as she reached out and took his hand in both of hers, cradling it to her like something precious.

“Stupid guardian,” Toya mumbled, but the words held no fire. Even he felt sorry for Shinbe when it came to the curse, not that he would ever tell him that. After hearing Shinbe’s question, Toya took in his scent, truly testing it, and realized Shinbe really had lost his memories. He knew it was an honest question or he would have tasted the lie.

“Toya, please,” Kyoko whispered. Locking eyes with Shinbe, she took a deep breath. “Shinbe, do you trust me?” she asked nervously. “Because what I’m about to tell you is the truth.” She watched him nod, the look of pure trust in his amethyst gaze almost taking her breath away.

Shinbe focused on her lips as she began to hesitantly tell him his story, her voice echoing within his mind as he attempted to digest her words. He didn’t want to believe any of it, but hearing her description of the curses, Hyakuhei, and the demons… he knew amnesia would not save him.

***** Hyakuhei narrowed his dark eyes at the ghostly child standing before him. The emotionless demon child calmly gazed back at him. He returned his attention to the boy’s hands as he concentrated on the mirror held in front of him… the mirror of souls.

“The guardian has not returned,” Yuuhi’s deathly quiet voice floated to the demon lord.

Hyakuhei lowered his dark gaze to the glassy surface of the mirror, watching as the heart of time shrine and the clearing around it shimmered into sight. Frowning, Hyakuhei peered closely at the lustrous grass surrounding the maiden statue. A sickly purple-black aura shimmered faintly across the clearing within the garden.

‘So the spell is still active,’ Hyakuhei thought. His ebony hair spilled over his shoulders like liquid silk, making his pale perfection seem ominous. The mirror of souls knew his heart’s desire and a close-up of the maiden statue shimmered within the image as if haunting him.

“That’s enough, Yuuhi,” he snapped, spinning away from the small boy. Hyakuhei stood staring down at the softly glowing guardian heart crystal, resting on a silken pillow. With a growl, he snatched the nearly completed orb and lowered himself down onto the soft mat. Rolling the crystal across his palm, he went over the events of the past week wondering how his plan had gone off track.

The spell in place around the shrine had worked perfectly. Each guardian within Toya’s pathetic group was drawn to Kyoko as they encountered the spell. He’d watched the amethyst guardian through the mirror of souls as he stared longingly at the maiden statue. Shinbe had waited for the priestess as the spell wove itself around his heart, intensifying the love he already harbored for the girl he protected.

Hyakuhei had controlled the spell, warping the guardian’s love, stripping away the more gentle feelings, and heightening the lust and possessiveness deep within Shinbe’s heart. Knowing Toya would kill any other man who touched the priestess, Hyakuhei manipulated and pushed the amethyst guardian until his control was frayed, and he was easily influence by the spell.

With the stage set, all he had to do was wait for the girl to return from the other side of the shrine. When the priestess had shown up, only to fall into unconsciousness, he knew he could use the spell to connect their thoughts. All seemed to go according to plan. Shinbe’s tattered control had snapped within the realm of dreams. Hyakuhei had watched the shared dream’s image, as Shinbe pinned the priestess beneath him and ravaged her body.

Anticipation of her crying out for help, and Toya tearing the deranged guardian to pieces had disappeared from his thoughts as Hyakuhei watched the two lying within the tainted grass. Confused by her silence, Hyakuhei wondered why she hadn’t cried for her beloved Toya. His eyes flashed crimson at the thought of Kyoko maybe harboring true feelings for the amethyst guardian with the cursed void.

Had she seen through the spell and known it was only a dream? Even so, the guardian had not seen through the spell, and still believed the events were true. So why had he not spoken up and confessed his crime? His night with her had been a sin! Finally, Hyakuhei was sure Toya had found out the lover’s secret, as Yuuhi had shown him the mirror, revealing the bloody fight between the two brothers.

Knowing Shinbe would never be able to survive Toya’s true anger, Hyakuhei was certain that his plan to weaken the group had succeeded. Either Toya's demonic side would surface and he would not be able to stop himself from killing the one who had defiled his priestess, or Shinbe would open the void and banish his brother. He had thought that… until the pair of guardians had disappeared with a brilliant flash into the heart of time.

When Toya returned alone with only a small amount of blood on his hands, Hyakuhei became enraged. The strength of the group was unchanged and he knew Shinbe still lived. The tangy taste of power still surrounded the guardian as he raced into the forest.

Hyakuhei roared as he leapt to his feet. Flinging the unfinished crystal across the room, he paced its length, his eyes bleeding red with his instant anger. With a snarl, he snatched up the powerful jewel and teleported to the shrine.

The cool night air slid over his face causing the black silk he wore to ripple in the moonlight. Hyakuhei concentrated his will on the fractured jewel. Calling on a language that had long been forgotten his eyes glowed for a moment as he hissed, “ShanChaMaliCon… Nish… PsySheee!”

“I will find you priestess!” he growled as poisoned, purple light flashed around him strengthening the spell around the shrine. “You cannot hide from me no matter where or WHEN you are.”

A blast of wind gushed out around the maiden statue in a shock wave, bending the blades of grass within the clearing before splashing up against the tree line. The nightlife became silent as everything froze hoping to remain unnoticed by the eerie wind. Hyakuhei’s lips spread in a malicious smile as the deafening silence pressed in on him. Above, the moon’s glow waned, unable to penetrate the deadly aura as it blanketed the area.

“With denial and pain, let the heart’s desire gain control,” he whispered as he vanished. Unsure of his departure, the night remained silent as the black feathers swam in the air, raining down around the shrine.

***** It only took a few minutes to tell Shinbe everything that Hyakuhei had ever done to him and his brothers. Minutes to tell him that his hand was the most dangerous thing on the face of the earth, that it would one day claim his life… sucking him into the never-ending void where all things ceased to exist. Everything she said sounded far-fetched and unbelievable, but in his soul, Shinbe could feel the truth in her words.

His amethyst eyes darkened as a power called to him, inviting him deep inside the part of his mind that he’d forsaken. He felt the spiritual power wrap around him, sending flashes of visions dancing before him. Instinctively, he began to deepen his breathing, easily falling into a light trance. Intent on finding out what his subconscious was trying to tell him, Shinbe reached for the flashes of light before him and the gnawing headache Toya had caused vanished completely.

Feeling he needed space, Kyoko walked over to stand near Toya. Noticing Shinbe sinking into a meditative state, she motioned to Toya indicating that they leave the guardian alone for a little while.

Toya didn't need to be asked twice. He reached out and grabbed Kyoko around the waist. Without warning, he quickly jumped from the window and landed softly in the grass below. She wiggled against him to get him to let her down. For a moment, Toya tightened his arms around her, unwilling to let her go. After a few heartbeats, his thoughts cleared. With a quick growl, he let her go and took a step back.

Kyoko frowned, wondering at Toya’s ‘Jeckle and Hide’ act he’d been pulling lately. She sighed, too drained to try to decipher the mixed emotions raging around them at the moment. Knowing she’d just told one of her best friends he had a curse on him, and would die soon if they didn't find a way to kill Hyakuhei or remove it, made her chest hurt.

Her gaze lifted to the window they’d just come from. “I wonder if he even believed me,” she whispered. Remembering the look in his eyes as she’d told him the truth, she gave a sad smile, “I think maybe… he did.”

Toya followed her line of vision to the window shaking his head, “Maybe he won’t even want to come back with us.” He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but this was all his brother’s fault anyway. If he hadn’t tried to come between him and Kyoko, none of this would’ve happened, and they would still be looking for the last few talisman.

“Kyoko, we need to go back and find the rest of the shattered crystal before Hyakuhei does.” He pointed up at the window. “He looks healed enough to come back now, so let’s just get him and go,” he huffed as he started for the window intent on ending this waiting game, only to halt when he felt Kyoko’s hand on his arm.

Kyoko’s eyes grew stormy because of Toya’s insensitivity toward Shinbe. “Ok, Toya. Spit it out. What the hell is wrong?” her tone of voice meant she demanded an answer. “I know something is wrong with you.” She scowled at him when he jerked his arm away from her grip.

“I don’t know what the hell you are talking about!” Toya growled at her turning away, not wanting her to press him for an answer. She really didn’t want to know what was going through his mind right now. Toya’s thoughts darkened. She might not like what's crawling around in there.

He could still hear what Kyou had said to him ringing in his ears. “You failed to claim the priestess as your mate? How foolish of you to allow our brother to try and claim her.”

Upstairs in Kyoko’s bedroom, Shinbe was deep within himself when it happened. The fog around his past cleared and he could feel a chill crawl up his spine. Like a raging storm, the memories blew across his mind, crashing into him relentlessly. Shinbe steadied himself, mentally bracing against the currants, trying to find what he was seeking… trying to find the truth.

His mind’s eye widened when he realized he had not lost his memory due to the fight. It had been his own powers that had sealed the memories away, daring him to come for the answers. Drawing him closer to the truth it wanted him to see… Shinbe could see himself now, and he could remember it all.

He was standing on the outskirts of the clearing, lost in thought. Like a ghost he’d returned to the same night Kyoko had come back, the same night he had taken her innocence. Shinbe tried not to flinch as he watched. Out of the corner of his eye, something pulled at his attention. The grass surrounding the shrine glowed with a dark, demonic aura.

His lips thinned in anger seeing the haze hovering within the grass. Its dark light flittering through the dew covered blades, waiting for him to step within its glittering trap. Shinbe’s breath caught in his throat as he tried to cry out to himself, but it was too late. He had already stepped into the surrounding evil, unaware of the danger.

His gaze wavered knowing what would happen when Kyoko came back through the heart of time. He could feel the shift once he had walked within the grass. It had all been a trap. He could see the evil magic and his guardian powers could sense Hyakuhei’s taint behind it all. That’s what his psyche had wanted him to know. Hyakuhei specialized in deception. Shinbe closed his eyes not wanting to see the rest of his crimes relived and let himself slowly resurface from his meditation.

Looking around, he noticed Kyoko and Toya were gone. He took the time to place his hands in front of his face, giving into the one weak instant of wishful denial he had. He rocked back and forth for a moment, forgetting to breathe as an anguished whimper was torn from his chest.

Kyoko didn't know, she couldn’t remember what he’d done to her. The innocence in her eyes was too true for her to have realized that night’s events were real… not a dream. Wrapping his arms around himself for comfort, Shinbe took a deep breath and forced himself to stand up to his full height.

Taking a couple more harsh breaths through his nose, seeking to calm his shattered spirit, he knew something had to be done. His body was healed and he was ready. He had to find a way to fix what he’d done. Wondering where Toya had gone with Kyoko, he walked over to the window and looked out, hoping he could see them and get their attention. His amethyst eyes narrowed when he found them standing so close to each other just below the window.

Kyoko stamped her foot in frustration, “Come on damn it. Don’t make me,” her eyes widened when Toya turned and grabbed her so fast, she didn't know what was happening, ‘till she felt his lips slash across hers.