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Jun. 20th, 2010 11:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kat8chaThe glitter of the stars barely filtered through the dense foliage of the forest and certainly did not reach the ground below. The visibility at the foot of the trees was nil and in the branches it was limited. Still, Saeki could see everything, from the glitter of the stars above to the glowing runes on the side of Kite's air balloon and the curls of Mizuki's hair, Saeki could see dew collecting on leaves, and the tautness of Ryou's bowstring. He could see Itsuki sitting at his feet a small cup of water held between his large hands while he watched Saeki with worried eyes. And Saeki could see, far below in the dimness of the forest where only inhuman eyes could see, Ojii surrounded by a nimbus of light sitting in the hollow of a large tree.
Saeki could see it all but he could only communicate the sights of the forest with crude human vocabulary, so he tried to keep it simple.
"Mizuki is about to do some magic." Saeki can see the tips of Mizuki's fingers glow as he thrusts them at the sky, because he is focused on watching the villains above Saeki does not see Itsuki turn to communicate his information to Davide who nods and closes his eyes. Saeki knows that Itsuki does it however, just as he knows that Davide closes his eyes so he can focus and reach out to communicate Saeki's information to their teammates. Where their powers come from, whether they are magicians or psychics or otherworldly beings, none of them has bothered to wonder about for years. Not since puberty which was when their powers began. Saeki has always felt that it is Ojii's influence on their lives which causes them to gain such magical powers for indeed their powers are nothing like the magic worked by outsiders, and at no point can the science of the outside world explain their abilities either. It is simply a part of who they are.
Simply a part of Rokkaku. Saeki would not have it any other way.
Arrows spring forth from the forest, the taut bows of the archers twanging as the arrows are released. Saeki can see that some arrows glow red or blue or yellow, instilled with runes that glitter on the tip and are scattered down the shaft, a handful have a small rune inscribed on the nock to help them travel faster. That handful are the ones that reach the air balloon first and the magic that glows on their tips allowed them to puncture Kite's shield slightly, not far enough to reach the tender balloon being protected but enough that they are lodged in the shield. This weakens the shield slightly, as does each successive hit.
Ryou's arrows (distinctive for the type of feathers Ryou prefers for his fletching) are targeted at Mizuki and Saeki notes that he has managed to score several scrapes. Mizuki's hand is bleeding now but his eyes are filmed with white and not with pain. Saeki's never seen such a thing happen before.
He watches a second too long.
Lightening rips through the sky, striking a tree in the forest and splitting it straight down the middle, fire burns along the trunk. The flash of magic and light followed by a clap of thunder startles Saeki out of his trance, but not before he sees a wind pick Mizuki and Kite's air balloon up and carry them out of the range of Saeki's second-sight.
"Saeki?" A soft, warm, calloused hand cups his cheek, then slides around to cradle the back of his neck, cool bone is pressed to Saeki's lips and as his head is tipped back the cup pressed to his lips spills sweet water down his throat. Saeki, his eyes adjusting none too fast to looking at the real world, gulps greedily. Being in a trance drains him of his vitality, it makes him hungry and thirsty and tired. Half the glass drunk and his eyes finally able to focus Saeki pushes the cup, and Itsuki, away.
"Thank you." Saeki smiles at his erstwhile partner, a man who he had known when he was young and would no doubt know when he was old. Itsuki would probably still be watching over and taking care of Saeki then as well. "They're gone now."
Itsuki turned to glance at Davide who leaned in the opening to the room they called a 'doorway' even though there would never be a door there. Rokkaku believed in communal spaces. The chamber where Saeki lay was reserved for him when he needed it but it was also used for quiet meditation, magic practice, communion with the spirits, and other things. It was also not so much a 'room' as it was a rough conglomeration of branches, leaves, thatch, and the occasional softly glowing rune. Rokkaku lived in the forest and they lived with the forest, it was one of the things they were taught while young and was driven into them every day as they grew.
"Ryou says that they decided to make like a tree-"
Saeki groaned loudly before he wrapped an arm around Itsuki and tugged him a step back from the doorway. He had not acted a second too soon because a foot made contact with Davide's head and the tall man stumbled and then fell to his knees right where Saeki had been standing.
"Sorry!" Davide glanced over his shoulder, obviously completely unapologetic, "I won't say it again Bane!"
"You always say that." Bane was tall, taller than Saeki, and his tangled dark hair made him even taller. It was like a cumulous cloud rising up from Bane's head. "But you have yet to stop." Bane's form in the doorway was dark and shadowed, the light was at his back and the lighting inside the room was dim. "I'm wondering if your real parents didn't beat you stupid."
"I'm not stupid." Davide smiled goofily up at Bane from his hands and knees. "I'm just a fool for love!"
"…" The silence lasted three cricket chirps.
"That wasn't a pun, so I'll let you live." Bane gripped the collar of Davide's jerkin and pulled him to his feet. "Saeki, do you need anything? Everyone'll be coming back soon, you can get a shot at the first bath if you hurry."
Saeki thought about the steaming wooden tub carved out of a giant naturally occurring tree stump that they filled with captured rain water. The glyphs carved into the sides of the stump (and renewed daily) kept the water hot and clean, but it was still nicest to get into the bath first. The stump was, of course, big enough to accommodate more than one person and often they bathed in groups. "Not right now."
"Suit yourself." Bane nodded at Saeki and Itsuki as a form of farewell and proceeded to drag Davide out of the room by his collar.
"Bane!" Davide protested, his feet disappearing from the doorway and his voice becoming distant. "Quit jerkin' me aro- OW!"
"That," Bane said grumpily, "was a pun."
Saeki could see it all but he could only communicate the sights of the forest with crude human vocabulary, so he tried to keep it simple.
"Mizuki is about to do some magic." Saeki can see the tips of Mizuki's fingers glow as he thrusts them at the sky, because he is focused on watching the villains above Saeki does not see Itsuki turn to communicate his information to Davide who nods and closes his eyes. Saeki knows that Itsuki does it however, just as he knows that Davide closes his eyes so he can focus and reach out to communicate Saeki's information to their teammates. Where their powers come from, whether they are magicians or psychics or otherworldly beings, none of them has bothered to wonder about for years. Not since puberty which was when their powers began. Saeki has always felt that it is Ojii's influence on their lives which causes them to gain such magical powers for indeed their powers are nothing like the magic worked by outsiders, and at no point can the science of the outside world explain their abilities either. It is simply a part of who they are.
Simply a part of Rokkaku. Saeki would not have it any other way.
Arrows spring forth from the forest, the taut bows of the archers twanging as the arrows are released. Saeki can see that some arrows glow red or blue or yellow, instilled with runes that glitter on the tip and are scattered down the shaft, a handful have a small rune inscribed on the nock to help them travel faster. That handful are the ones that reach the air balloon first and the magic that glows on their tips allowed them to puncture Kite's shield slightly, not far enough to reach the tender balloon being protected but enough that they are lodged in the shield. This weakens the shield slightly, as does each successive hit.
Ryou's arrows (distinctive for the type of feathers Ryou prefers for his fletching) are targeted at Mizuki and Saeki notes that he has managed to score several scrapes. Mizuki's hand is bleeding now but his eyes are filmed with white and not with pain. Saeki's never seen such a thing happen before.
He watches a second too long.
Lightening rips through the sky, striking a tree in the forest and splitting it straight down the middle, fire burns along the trunk. The flash of magic and light followed by a clap of thunder startles Saeki out of his trance, but not before he sees a wind pick Mizuki and Kite's air balloon up and carry them out of the range of Saeki's second-sight.
"Saeki?" A soft, warm, calloused hand cups his cheek, then slides around to cradle the back of his neck, cool bone is pressed to Saeki's lips and as his head is tipped back the cup pressed to his lips spills sweet water down his throat. Saeki, his eyes adjusting none too fast to looking at the real world, gulps greedily. Being in a trance drains him of his vitality, it makes him hungry and thirsty and tired. Half the glass drunk and his eyes finally able to focus Saeki pushes the cup, and Itsuki, away.
"Thank you." Saeki smiles at his erstwhile partner, a man who he had known when he was young and would no doubt know when he was old. Itsuki would probably still be watching over and taking care of Saeki then as well. "They're gone now."
Itsuki turned to glance at Davide who leaned in the opening to the room they called a 'doorway' even though there would never be a door there. Rokkaku believed in communal spaces. The chamber where Saeki lay was reserved for him when he needed it but it was also used for quiet meditation, magic practice, communion with the spirits, and other things. It was also not so much a 'room' as it was a rough conglomeration of branches, leaves, thatch, and the occasional softly glowing rune. Rokkaku lived in the forest and they lived with the forest, it was one of the things they were taught while young and was driven into them every day as they grew.
"Ryou says that they decided to make like a tree-"
Saeki groaned loudly before he wrapped an arm around Itsuki and tugged him a step back from the doorway. He had not acted a second too soon because a foot made contact with Davide's head and the tall man stumbled and then fell to his knees right where Saeki had been standing.
"Sorry!" Davide glanced over his shoulder, obviously completely unapologetic, "I won't say it again Bane!"
"You always say that." Bane was tall, taller than Saeki, and his tangled dark hair made him even taller. It was like a cumulous cloud rising up from Bane's head. "But you have yet to stop." Bane's form in the doorway was dark and shadowed, the light was at his back and the lighting inside the room was dim. "I'm wondering if your real parents didn't beat you stupid."
"I'm not stupid." Davide smiled goofily up at Bane from his hands and knees. "I'm just a fool for love!"
"…" The silence lasted three cricket chirps.
"That wasn't a pun, so I'll let you live." Bane gripped the collar of Davide's jerkin and pulled him to his feet. "Saeki, do you need anything? Everyone'll be coming back soon, you can get a shot at the first bath if you hurry."
Saeki thought about the steaming wooden tub carved out of a giant naturally occurring tree stump that they filled with captured rain water. The glyphs carved into the sides of the stump (and renewed daily) kept the water hot and clean, but it was still nicest to get into the bath first. The stump was, of course, big enough to accommodate more than one person and often they bathed in groups. "Not right now."
"Suit yourself." Bane nodded at Saeki and Itsuki as a form of farewell and proceeded to drag Davide out of the room by his collar.
"Bane!" Davide protested, his feet disappearing from the doorway and his voice becoming distant. "Quit jerkin' me aro- OW!"
"That," Bane said grumpily, "was a pun."
