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More 'Chosen' [long]
[Eventualy I'll post this stuff on a page somwhere]
Kaworu paused in passing the bed and looked down at Houjun sadly. He touched her cheek lightly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Then he went to the pile on the floor and lifted it gently. Clothing himself and his burden in the image of nothing, he made his way to his horse and started away.
Shin made a small noise of discomfort. "Ko... stop that..." he muttered, still half asleep, shifting slightly.
Kaworu's grip on the boy tightened, as he tried to make the ride smoother. "A boy," he murmured. "All this over a boy my age."
Slowly Shin's brain defogged and the memories of the previous day's events pointed out that it was highly unlikely Kosei was jumping on his bed trying to wake him. Giving a resigned moan that turned into a yawn, he opened his eyes and blinked at the grey-haired boy holding him. "Who're you?" he asked, voice still sleepy.
"Your protector," Kaworu answered shortly, looking at the other boy. "And you should be asleep." He reined the horse onto another road and kicked it into a gallop.
Shin sighed. "Another one. Great." His voice was slightly bitter. "And it's kinda hard to sleep on one of these things... too bumpy. Can I at least sit up so I don't get dizzy?"
Kaworu slowed to adjust their position, keeping a tight hold on the boy sitting in front of him and trying to ignore the contact, as he continued to the place he had deemed safe.
Shin was quiet a short while. "So where are ~you~ taking me...?" he asked softly.
"Someplace safe."
"Safe from what?"
"Everyone." Kaworu turned the horse onto a rougher path, keeping their headlong pace. He glanced down at the other boy again, and smiled slightly. "It's a shame you're not a kitten. You'd be easier to hide."
Shin blinked. "Probably... I just don't understand any of this. Maybe you can explain it, the other girl wouldn't..." He paused a moment. "Wait... she said she was my protector as well, so why did you take me from her?"
"They all have plans for you and she was bringing you to them." Kaworu's expression darkened. "Nobody should be used as a pawn," he muttered, "not even you."
Shin sighed, rubbing his palm into his forehead. "I don't see how I can be used as anything!" he said, voice slightly irritable.
Kaworu reined the horse next to a small, run-down hut and jumped off, lifting Shin down after him. He held the other boy's shoulders and looked heatedly into his eyes.
"Listen to me, Great One. No matter what plans, what purpose people have for you, I will not allow you to be used as a sacrifice or an icon to start a war." He turned and tugged lightly. "This place is safe. Only one other knows of it, and that one shouldn't think to look here."
Shin stared at him. "W-wait a second..." he stammered. "What-- what do you mean 'Great One?' Why-- why would I..." he trailed off, eyes disturbed and frightened.
Kaworu scowled. "Come inside," he ordered.
Shin hesitated a moment, then slowly obeyed, eyes nervous.
Kaworu started a small fire and remained watching it a moment, seeing Houjun in its dancing flames, before turning again to Shin. The boy was no larger than he was. "Your name, Great One?" he asked, his burning purpose seeping out of him and leaving only fear for their survival.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" the boy asked softly, looking uncomfortable. "My name's Shin..."
"Should I call you 'boy?'" Kaworu asked coldly, standing. "Are you hungry?"
Shin tensed, fists clenching at his sides a moment in frustration. "Why won't you just tell me what's going on?!" he exclaimed. "Ever since I woke up in that-- that temple thing, I've been dragged around like run away royalty, called by exalted titles and no one will explain anything to me!" He clenched his eyes before they could tear. "I don't know why I'm here, or even where here is, except that it's not anywhere near my home and probably not even in the same universe, and I can't-- I can't--- Goddamnit." He flopped down on the floor and buried his face in his hands.
Kaworu watched the display with pity and knelt in front of the other boy, close enough to touch. He took a deep breath. "I will try to explain." He closed his eyes in concentration. "There is a prophesy that in a time with the gods' Chosen, like me and," he paused minutely before saying her name, "Houjun, a being from another world will come and bring great change. That is all of the prophecy. Nobody knew who you would be, or what, or what it is you will do, so everyone has plans for what to do with you. It is our job to protect you." He opened his eyes. "And that is what I will do, no matter who it be from. I will not let another innocent be hurt."
Shin was quiet a moment. "Thank you," he said softly, lowering his hands to fold them in his lap. "So no one really knows why I'm here..." His expression was resigned and miserable. "Which means no one knows how to send me back... and if what you said is true, no one would want to."
Kaworu shook his head. "There's speculation that when your purpose is fulfilled you will return the way that you came, but nobody knows for certain." He hesitated. "I have some people I could talk to," he said diffidently, "to see if they have any ideas to try and send you home. If you want me to."
Shin looked up, eyes wide. "Truly?" he asked, voice hopeful. "I-- I would, I'd be incredibly grateful.... As-- as long as I know there's-- that there's a way... then I can... stick this out, un--until it's done." He took a deep breath. "I hope..."
Kaworu nodded in acquiescence. "I'll have to bring you with me so I can protect you," he said quietly. "We can go in the morning."
Shin nodded. "All-- all right. I-- I kinda don't want to be by myself too much anyway... This is... rather different then what I'm used to...." He paused a moment. "You never told me your name, what is it?"
"Kaworu," he said softly. He rose restlessly. "We should get some sleep."
Shin nodded. "Right..." he said softly. He paused a moment. "I won't have to dress in drag when we travel will I?"
Kaworu smiled. "No. I can provide disguises that are better."
Shin gave a small sigh of relief. "Good. I nearly fell on my face more times then I could count in that getup..." He got to his feet and dusted himself off. He paused a moment, looking at Kaworu. "Odd... she uses your eye colour when she's in public..."
Kaworu turned away abruptly. He closed his eyes, hands balling into fists as he fought for the control mention of Houjun deprived him of. "Not really," he said after a moment. "Her god is one of fire. Mine is water, so I make mine blue."
Shin was quiet a moment. "Should I not mention her?" he asked in a very soft voice.
"Please," Kaworu responded, tone practically pleading.
"Sorry, I didn't know...." Shin apologized, looking down at his folded hands. "I won't anymore."
"You couldn't know. It's not your fault. Just-- just get some sleep now, ok?"
Shin nodded again. "Sorry...."
Kaworu paused in passing the bed and looked down at Houjun sadly. He touched her cheek lightly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Then he went to the pile on the floor and lifted it gently. Clothing himself and his burden in the image of nothing, he made his way to his horse and started away.
Shin made a small noise of discomfort. "Ko... stop that..." he muttered, still half asleep, shifting slightly.
Kaworu's grip on the boy tightened, as he tried to make the ride smoother. "A boy," he murmured. "All this over a boy my age."
Slowly Shin's brain defogged and the memories of the previous day's events pointed out that it was highly unlikely Kosei was jumping on his bed trying to wake him. Giving a resigned moan that turned into a yawn, he opened his eyes and blinked at the grey-haired boy holding him. "Who're you?" he asked, voice still sleepy.
"Your protector," Kaworu answered shortly, looking at the other boy. "And you should be asleep." He reined the horse onto another road and kicked it into a gallop.
Shin sighed. "Another one. Great." His voice was slightly bitter. "And it's kinda hard to sleep on one of these things... too bumpy. Can I at least sit up so I don't get dizzy?"
Kaworu slowed to adjust their position, keeping a tight hold on the boy sitting in front of him and trying to ignore the contact, as he continued to the place he had deemed safe.
Shin was quiet a short while. "So where are ~you~ taking me...?" he asked softly.
"Someplace safe."
"Safe from what?"
"Everyone." Kaworu turned the horse onto a rougher path, keeping their headlong pace. He glanced down at the other boy again, and smiled slightly. "It's a shame you're not a kitten. You'd be easier to hide."
Shin blinked. "Probably... I just don't understand any of this. Maybe you can explain it, the other girl wouldn't..." He paused a moment. "Wait... she said she was my protector as well, so why did you take me from her?"
"They all have plans for you and she was bringing you to them." Kaworu's expression darkened. "Nobody should be used as a pawn," he muttered, "not even you."
Shin sighed, rubbing his palm into his forehead. "I don't see how I can be used as anything!" he said, voice slightly irritable.
Kaworu reined the horse next to a small, run-down hut and jumped off, lifting Shin down after him. He held the other boy's shoulders and looked heatedly into his eyes.
"Listen to me, Great One. No matter what plans, what purpose people have for you, I will not allow you to be used as a sacrifice or an icon to start a war." He turned and tugged lightly. "This place is safe. Only one other knows of it, and that one shouldn't think to look here."
Shin stared at him. "W-wait a second..." he stammered. "What-- what do you mean 'Great One?' Why-- why would I..." he trailed off, eyes disturbed and frightened.
Kaworu scowled. "Come inside," he ordered.
Shin hesitated a moment, then slowly obeyed, eyes nervous.
Kaworu started a small fire and remained watching it a moment, seeing Houjun in its dancing flames, before turning again to Shin. The boy was no larger than he was. "Your name, Great One?" he asked, his burning purpose seeping out of him and leaving only fear for their survival.
"Why do you keep calling me that?" the boy asked softly, looking uncomfortable. "My name's Shin..."
"Should I call you 'boy?'" Kaworu asked coldly, standing. "Are you hungry?"
Shin tensed, fists clenching at his sides a moment in frustration. "Why won't you just tell me what's going on?!" he exclaimed. "Ever since I woke up in that-- that temple thing, I've been dragged around like run away royalty, called by exalted titles and no one will explain anything to me!" He clenched his eyes before they could tear. "I don't know why I'm here, or even where here is, except that it's not anywhere near my home and probably not even in the same universe, and I can't-- I can't--- Goddamnit." He flopped down on the floor and buried his face in his hands.
Kaworu watched the display with pity and knelt in front of the other boy, close enough to touch. He took a deep breath. "I will try to explain." He closed his eyes in concentration. "There is a prophesy that in a time with the gods' Chosen, like me and," he paused minutely before saying her name, "Houjun, a being from another world will come and bring great change. That is all of the prophecy. Nobody knew who you would be, or what, or what it is you will do, so everyone has plans for what to do with you. It is our job to protect you." He opened his eyes. "And that is what I will do, no matter who it be from. I will not let another innocent be hurt."
Shin was quiet a moment. "Thank you," he said softly, lowering his hands to fold them in his lap. "So no one really knows why I'm here..." His expression was resigned and miserable. "Which means no one knows how to send me back... and if what you said is true, no one would want to."
Kaworu shook his head. "There's speculation that when your purpose is fulfilled you will return the way that you came, but nobody knows for certain." He hesitated. "I have some people I could talk to," he said diffidently, "to see if they have any ideas to try and send you home. If you want me to."
Shin looked up, eyes wide. "Truly?" he asked, voice hopeful. "I-- I would, I'd be incredibly grateful.... As-- as long as I know there's-- that there's a way... then I can... stick this out, un--until it's done." He took a deep breath. "I hope..."
Kaworu nodded in acquiescence. "I'll have to bring you with me so I can protect you," he said quietly. "We can go in the morning."
Shin nodded. "All-- all right. I-- I kinda don't want to be by myself too much anyway... This is... rather different then what I'm used to...." He paused a moment. "You never told me your name, what is it?"
"Kaworu," he said softly. He rose restlessly. "We should get some sleep."
Shin nodded. "Right..." he said softly. He paused a moment. "I won't have to dress in drag when we travel will I?"
Kaworu smiled. "No. I can provide disguises that are better."
Shin gave a small sigh of relief. "Good. I nearly fell on my face more times then I could count in that getup..." He got to his feet and dusted himself off. He paused a moment, looking at Kaworu. "Odd... she uses your eye colour when she's in public..."
Kaworu turned away abruptly. He closed his eyes, hands balling into fists as he fought for the control mention of Houjun deprived him of. "Not really," he said after a moment. "Her god is one of fire. Mine is water, so I make mine blue."
Shin was quiet a moment. "Should I not mention her?" he asked in a very soft voice.
"Please," Kaworu responded, tone practically pleading.
"Sorry, I didn't know...." Shin apologized, looking down at his folded hands. "I won't anymore."
"You couldn't know. It's not your fault. Just-- just get some sleep now, ok?"
Shin nodded again. "Sorry...."