the mathom box

Fic Rec Request [multifandom]

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 05:19:53 GMT

*pokes comm*

...Hrm, possibly I should make more of an effort to update this place more often than every couple of months??

Anyway, I am alive, for those who were wondering, just totally caught up in preparing for college in the fall. (ACK! 19 DAYS TO MOVE-IN!!!) Not quite ready to fully return to LJ just yet, but I would at least like to revive this place. And conveniently enough, I find myself in dire need of good genfic to read, so I have a legitimate request!

I am looking for good GEN fanfic of several different series, and as I'm so picky and short on time these days, I haven't even bothered trying to wade through all the rubbish on ff.net. But if anyone has a rec or two for even ONE of these requests I would be eternally grateful!! So here are the series and particulars I'm looking for:

+ Fullmetal Alchemist - preferably Roy-centric with Ed, Hughes and/or Havoc thrown in. I just finished reading a marvelous trilogy involving MUCH Roy torture and Roy-Ed gen bonding, but unfortunately I haven't been able to find anything else even close lately. (bakabokken, I forget, are you strictly Ed-whumpage? I haven't checked your stuff recently.)

+ Harry Potter - ANY good Remus Lupin-centric fics, preferably Marauder-era since I don't think I could bear reading anything post-book 5 (ESPECIALLY after book 7 ;_;). Sirius Black as a main character would be an added bonus, but some Remus-Harry bonding would be nice too, if any such fic exists.

+ Saiyuki - now that I'm bereft of GreyLily's amazing Keeping Face (and since nimblnymph's Dysphoria has long periods between updates), I haven't been able to find any good Sanzo-centric, well-written, in-character fic. I'm dying! I don't care what timeline or what other characters co-star (although if there is any good gen Sanzo-Hazel fic out there, I wanna know about it!!), as long as Sanzo can reasonably be called the leading character.

That's all I can think of for now. Again, if anyone has even one fic (preferably a longish one, since I'm seriously dying of fic-deprivation and want to enjoy any I find as long as possible) I will be undyingly appreciative.

Hope everyone's having an awesome summer!

MBAME Entry #6: Transformations (BKIroha, PG13)

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 15:10:59 GMT

Your username: senbongenma
Title of the work: Transformations Beyond a Butterfly's Dreams
Rating: PG13 for action
Genre(s): Angst, drama, action, adventure, romance*, fluff
Character(s): Akidzuki, Kakunojo, Sensei, OCs, historical people...
Summary: Akidzuki's voyage to the Western world not only shows him new cultures, ideas and beliefs - but also helps him to understand himself better. As he interacts with foreigners and their 'foreign' ways, memories are dredged up. Some he welcomes, some he wishes he could avoid. When he arrives back home, realizes that there is only one important truth for him.

Historical people mentioned or referenced:

Zhuang-zhi: philosopher around the 4th century BCE.
Thomas (and Emma) Hardy: famous British writer.
Wagner: famous opera composer etc.
Otto Von Bismarck: famous German leader
Queen Victoria: longest reigning British Queen.
Wilfred Owen: WW1 British poet who condemned war.
Horace: Greek poet who praised war.

-Transformations Beyond A Butterfly's Dreams-

Once Chuang Cho dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Chuang Cho. Suddenly he woke up, and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Cho. But he didn't know if he was Chuang Cho who dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Cho. Between Chuang Cho and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.
Zhuang-zhi. Chapter 2.

Weep [Not]

He who dreams of drinking wine may weep when the morning comes

He who dreams of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt

-

He opened his eyes and blinked hazily, for some reason, expecting to see...

See what? He groaned to himself, propping himself up on his elbows and rubbing his bleary eyes.

Kakunojo...

Akidzuki snorted softly to himself. Already it had been three months and he was dreaming of her.

Baka! He chided himself. This is your chance to see what Ryouma-sama saw! Although... right now.

The young man stretched, sat up, swung his legs over the edge of his small cot and sighed. Looking around the cramped quarters of the small cabin, Akidzuki scratched his head and yawned. Already the edges of the horizon were a light pink - any moment now the first mate would be calling them up. Shuffling into his uncomfortable sailor uniform, Akidzuki sighed.

What did you see, I wonder...

Ryouma-sama?

"We're almost there, sonny," grinned his chirpy roommate from above.

"Ehhh..."

"You unnerstand? In a coupla weeks we'll be in sight of the Suez Canal!"

"Suez Canal?" blinked Akizuki.

"You heard. You seen it - naw! What am I askin'? Course you've not! But it's a sight for sore eyes.
Just finished, y'know... It'll be my first time seein' the canal - not ol' Egypt though..."

"Egypt?"

"Egypt. A really old country. With pyramids and camels and loud buggers and voluptuous women in black, yeah..."

Akidzuki mulled over the strange words.

English was never my strong suit...

"You've been there?" the young man asked.

"Sure. But this time we've got a nice stop over in Alexandria - and before you know it - CIVILIZATION!!!"

"Civilization..."

Akizuki bent down to tie up the laces of his shoes.

Civilization... huh? Sensei... is this what you saw?

He could still hear the playwright's smooth voice -

To make Japan the greatest nation on earth....

-

Three weeks later, Akidzuki carefully found his land legs on the sagging docks of Alexandria. The air was hot - hotter than even Japan - just standing there, he could feel the heat pressing down.

Like that India... except no elephants... just...

He looked around at the trash, the filthy streets, the grubby vendors yelling, the silent women carrying pots, clothing, food baskets on top of their heads. Wild dogs ran in the streets - little children were running around as well... It looked chaotic. Turning away from the fly-covered slabs of meat, the heady sweet sticky smells of warm fruit and the fermenting smell of hot goat cheese, Akidzuki dove into the heavy crowds, wondering what to do for the four days he was stuck in the large city.

I thought that Tokyo was busy and run down... Akidzuki's neck hurt just from his head turning from left to right. It's so big here... and...

It kinda made him feel depressed.

"Pyramid! Pyramid! A trip to zee anshunt toombs of King Tut!!! Only for 10 dinar! On camel! 10 dinar trip to zee Pyramids!!! Pyramids!!!"

Akidzuki blinked, remembering the conversation he'd had with his roommate.

Pyramids, huh? Perhaps... I've certainly saved up enough.

Handing over the money, awkwardly climbing on to the back of a especially baleful camel, Akidzuki clung hard to the coarse hair, praying that he wouldn't die in a shameful manner - certainly not before seeing the pyramids

Or Kakunojo.

He blushed at the thought of the feisty actress.

She said she'd waaaiiiit-

Akidzuki's thoughts ended abruptly with a jerk as the camel rose smoothly and followed the camel master. Behind the young Japanese foreigner, a line of Europeans followed - loud and cheerful.

"Blimey! Lookit - them - whatchacallits -"

"Hush dear! That's not nice! Arabs they are..."

"Weird is wot they are - all dressed up funny like - and these beasts - camels, huh?"

"Dear..."

"Camels are a common transportation," a snotty voice said from the back of the line. "Not only can they go long distances without drinking, but they can reach quite amazing speeds and their meat and milk can also provide sustenance for travelers."

"Gor! Guess the professor knows what he's talkin' bout, eh?"

"Dear..."

-

By the end of the small trip to the pyramids, Akidzuki wanted to die. Not only because of the squabbling behind - between the Professor and some factory worker on vacation - but the heat seemed too unbearable. That and the endless sand stretched out before them....

It's so different, Ryouma-sama... who'd have thought that the world is so huge. And different? Well... I was always told that there are different lands with different wonders - but these...

"These are zee toombs of ze Pharoahs - anshunt kings of Egypt."

"Tombs?" Akidzuki whispered, eyes trying to gauge the height of the stone triangle.

"Made looong ago... by many, many slaves... inside were treasures for zee king dat died..."

"They believed," the Professor extrapolated haughtily. "That they would take their treasures with them to the afterlife. So even some retainers died with them - mummified of course - with cats and other things."

"Mummified?" asked the sweet housewife with horror.

"They would drain the body of all its liquids and bind it up and put it in special caskets. It's beautiful. You should see it ma'am - they've got a couple in London..."

The woman turned green.

Akidzuki's camel, following the guide, found a resting spot near a small pond with some surrounding trees. Finishing up the last of his water, the sweating ex-Eternal Assassin stumbled in after enthusiastic Arab guide. Inside the pyramid - it was cool, dark and almost...

It was beautiful.

Along the walls were pictures and fancy writing that brought ecstatic oohs and aahs from the group and more explanations from the Professors.

Akidzuki didn't even want to try saying 'hieroglyphic" out loud. The tomb didn't have any of its treasures in it anymore - but according to the guide, everything had been made out of gold and special wood. There was a museum in Alexandria that had some of it on display. Akidzuki decided to go there next.

Emerging from the cool dark, he sighed, feeling even more ignorant, small and alone than ever. Smacking himself on the forehead, Akidzuki shook his head.

Idiot. This is what you're here for. To see the world - to explore the possibilities... to understand your place. So that when you go back - when you embrace Kakunojo - when you find that home in her arms, you will also know who you are. And what I should now do...

"That was amazing," the Professor said suddenly. "It makes me feel... No, it's euphoric to stand here with so much history under our feet!!!!"

Akidzuki blinked.

"I feel so close to the past in places like these!"

Akidzuki shivered.

The past...
The Head...

Some thing's are best left unremembered... but...

Kakunojo's face flashed into his vision.

Some things are best to look forward to...

"This world..." Akidzuki said slowly and carefully, trying to find the right words. "Came to being at the same time, yes?"

The Professor's eyes widened at the boy's accent.

"You -"

"So... does not everything have an ancient past? Even your home?"

"Y-yes... but..."

Akidzuki smiled.

Even we have history, and because we have a history, we have a future, as well. It is evidence we have lived, died and that others have gone before and have gone after us... right, Ryouma? Right, Kakunojo? This is no time to weep for what is done - but to bravely search for what is possible.

Watch me, Sensei... your butterfly dream has transformed into something even more beautiful...

Dream

While he is dreaming, he does not know it is a dream

And in his dream, he may even try to interpret a dream

Only after he wakes, does he know it was a dream

The clang of metal meeting metal - the clash of katana filled the air. It was euphoric, bringing blood to the head, vitality to the veins - and Akidzuki remembered the joy of battle.

I feel alive again... This is where I belong -

Shifting his grip on the familiar worn hilt, Akidzuki twisted his wrists down, pushing his opponent away. He looked up and froze.

It was Sensei.

Ibaragi Soutetsu - master playwright.

Master playwright –

But if so - why was HE on stage?

Beneath their booted feet, the floorboards creaked and Akidzuki stepped back, his sword wavering with uncertainty. Under the lights, the crowd seemed faceless - all that mattered was the playwright's katana before him, the longer scabbard now turned hilt.

Before him, the long-haired, dark-eyed writer smiled wryly, shifting his grip on the long blade, twirling it expertly. He lunged forward -

Akdizuki swung around, parrying his skilled opponent's blade, thinking furiously.

His weapon is long range...

This isn't –

This isn't right.

"Akidzuki-kun," the older man's voice cut into this puzzled opponent's thoughts. "Why so hesitant? With that sword, you cannot defeat me -"

Akidzuki shook his head, gritted his feet and lunged forward, dipping low and then sideways, barely grazing his cheek against Soutetsu's swinging blade. A little blood trickled down his cheek, but he ignored it - once again finding that close-range weakness -

This isn't right - but it is what I have to do.

Forgive me, Sensei.

Isn't this -

He was so uncomfortably close -

The long hair swirled around - a shield and a curtain - all he could see was a wry smile on the playwright's lips. Anticipation. As Akidzuki's body automatically followed through on it's thrust and upward swing, Sensei's sword slid past his shoulder. Small strands of dark chestnut wafted down, the steel skin slid against soft skin. Soutetsu jerked his head away.

Isn't this –

What I need -

What you -

Crimson red against the pale white skin flowed. Down the playwright's forehead.

No.

Over his chest, back, pooling around his head, shoulders and upper torso - staining the starched white color, the neat tie –

No.

Deja vu -

That was... all dissolving into nothing but butterflies...

We did it under the bright sky in the cold snowy winter of Hokkaido -

Hakodate - that place of death... Hijikata-sama. Ibaragi-san...

Akidzuki gritted his teeth and thrust his sword forward even faster - stronger - fueled by that knowledge of doom.

They marched with only one belief, and that was victory. A desire for honorable death.

And they who led them - Enomoto-sama, Ibaragi-sensei...

For you –

Just as you -

What you -

Slipping past Soutetsu' outer guard, Akidzuki's blade found the heart and pierced it.
But the man was already dead.

"Thank you," Soutetsu said softly. "For -"

Applause drowned out his voice. Akidzuki jerked back, dropping his sword.

No.

He didn't need to hear this again.

Thank you for freeing me of that destiny... I saw in you HIM.

Who did he see? He saw Sakamoto-sama. Sakamoto's vision of Japan and the world as a place of promise... And destiny disappearing into so many butterflies - into thin air...

Kneeling at Sensei's side, Akidzuki grapsed the man's hand, trying to will more speech. Trying to will a better reason -

For you –

Just as you wanted –

What you desired -

Okita-sama. Hijikata-sama. Ibaragi-san...

May you find some peace - let me be strong enough to - carry on your dreams...

Akidzuki closed his eyes in silent prayer.

Awake

And someday there will be a great awakening, when we know that this is all a great dream

Yet the stupid believe they are awake, busily and brightly assuming they understand things, calling this man ruler, that one herdsman - how dense!

When Akidzuki awoke, he sighed, blinked slowly and the hoisted himself up on his elbows. Above him, dark rafters stained with smoke and rainwater combined with the cracked window, the dusty floor and the sagging four-poster bed to make the run-down inn even more depressing. It had been recommended for its good food and cheapness.

Cheapness for sure, Akidzuki thought sourly, wondering if his back was ever going to be the same again. As for the food....

Downstairs, several of the inn's guests were already awake, digging into large platters of yellow, brown and red. Akidzuki's serving, when it came, looked just the same. Eggs, he knew - and had learned to identify toast, butter and bacon. Kidney beans were another matter. He poked his spoon at the mess and sighed.

Good food, huh...

"They say she's gonna be in town, y'see?" An American shoulder slurped down some egg and followed it by a burning, black mug of coffee. "Ya ever see t'lady?"

"Th'lady?" Blinked his British fellow sailor. "Yer meanin' 'er Majisty?"

"Yeah. Th'lady in mournin' - right?"

"Damn, y'aveta speak of 'em w'respeck!"

"I's excited is all!"

"Her Majisty Queen Victorya."

"Hm. Thas the one! She's comin' here, right?"

"Just for a small trip, gentleman," the innkeeper broke in, setting a platter before the British sailor. "Fresh air in Dover does wonders - even for the sick at heart..."

Akidzuki picked at the kidney beans for several more minutes before moving on to the scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. The eggs were amazingly light and fluffy. The bread toasted to perfection.

Butter...

Eying the butter bowl on the next table over, Akidzuki rose.

"Excuse me," he said carefully.

"Sure thing, mate," the Brit said cheerfully, handing over the butter and a rather crumby knife. "'elp yoursel'"

"Arig - Thank you," Akidzuki nodded and bowed, ever so slightly - catching himself rather late.

"You foreign or sumfin?" asked another morose sailor. "Y'LOOK foreign."

Akidzuki drew back, uncertain.

"Yer right there, Charlie..." the innkeeper nodded. "This is... A-kid-uki. All the way from that Asian island... Edo? No..."

"Whatever," sniffed Charlie. "Sounds fishy t'me. Ye seen t' Queen yet, sonny?"

"No."

"Nor me," put in the American. "I'm rarin' t'see her. She's covered in gold!"

The innkeeper snorted.

Akidzuki withdrew to his table amid a raging discussion over what monarchs REALLY wore while on tour. It was amusing for the young man - to see that even here in the great outer world, the rich and the poor still struggled alongside each other.

Ignorance, intelligence, rich, poor... it's the same everywhere...

"Y' got Queens like that over there, sonny?" asked Charlie.

"No," Akidzuki shook his head. "There is only -"

"The emperor," the innkeeper nodded. "I read it in the newspaper."

"Re-ally?" The American asked. "Wow."

"Robby... most anshunt countrees 'ave som' sort o' monarkee, ri'?" The Brit sailor turned to Charlie and the Innkeeper, scratching his greying head thoughtfully. "They jus' live different, ri'?"

Charlie sniffed.

"Different is right."

The innkeeper chuckled.

"Hmmmm... I'm sure Akiduki would tell you some interesting things."

Akidzuki blinked, thinking hard and long. Trying to remember that one far away glimpse of the Emperor - standing by Sakamoto...

So long ago... The pomp - the pageantry... He seemed so far away. But now the war has ended, the Shinsengumi obliterated... Hakodate and the Kingdom of Ezo finally recaptured... Japan will never be the same again, just as Sakamoto predicted. There is no going back, only forward...

A week later, watching the Queen of England and her Minister pass by in a carriage, Akidzuki watched with a critical eye. There was very little pomp or pageantry. She was in mourning, they said, for her dead husband.

It explains her black clothes, he mused. I guess... even the monarchs understand the meaning of loss.

I wonder how the Emperor felt... to watch tradition run through his hands like sand. Disappear into mere butterflies - making room for hope. The hope to make a better world and a stronger country...

Next to him, two couples were chattering.

"- and they say Bismarck is on the move... the bastard..."

"That's... bad for buisness, hm."

"I understand why, in a way - people who have long been crushed underfoot are rising. The world is turning upside down... but... will anything really change is the question."

Hugh, a tall lank man, chuckled.

"Thank God for Her Majesty! Without someone so level-headed at the helm - and the Prime Minister... God knows where we'd be now. In Bedlam, no doubt... what with the way this world is changing..."

"Gregory! Emma, Thomas... You must forgive my hot-headed husband," sighed Hugh's wife.

"Lizzy, there is no problem," laughed Emma, shifting her small purse from one hand to the other. "I understand - Thomas is quite bad as well. Look at them! Like naughty children."

"Politics..." Lizzy sighed. "But you know, Gregory is right - the world is changing."

Her eyes flickered over Akidzuki.

"Everyone -"

"People are coming here from all over -" She smiled. "America is getting stronger and more diverse, I hear, everyday. Even Canada has become a dominion!"

"It's exciting isn't it?" Lizzy's voice faded as they moved away, arms linked closely. "Hugh says that this is our great chance. We're going to take it."

"Seems like the young ladies are optimistic about opportunities," Thomas remarked with a sigh.

"And why not, Thomas? Cheer up, old fellow, not everything is doom and gloom. You writers are always sighing over melodramas," Hugh turned away.

Akidzuki watched the men trail after the chattering women.

Taking the chance, huh. Opportunities for all...

The black carriage was fading into the distance, some people following the procession with interest. Some with adoration. Some with curiousity. Some with scorn.]

Bismarck. Queen Victoria. Thomas. Emma. Clara. Hugh. Kakunojo. Sakamoto-sama. We are all part of this race. It's exciting to think about what this future holds.

Swindle

"My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory
The old Lie: Dulce et Decorum Est
Pro patria mori." - Wilfred Owen

Confucius and you are both dreaming!

And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming too

Words like these will be labelled the Supreme Swindle

Years later, when he was an old man, Akidzuki wondered. He wondered especially as he watched the young ones march off to war, laughing and singing.

Do they not know what it meant?

"It's Germany," Kakunojo sighed, shuffling slowly in with a small tray of tea and biscuits. "Again?"

"Hm." He turned stiffly, and watched her set it down - and pour it out with shaking hands. "It reminds me of old times. Zagashira. Genma... Sensei... Hijikata-sama. Okita-sama..."

"Makes me feel old," she sighed.

"You ARE old!" He laughed at his ancient wife. "You're getting near 60, aren't you?"

"What does that make you?" the ex-actress cackled with glee at her husband's stunned face.

"You're no spring duck either!"

"It's 'spring chicken'..."

"Hmph... you know what I mean!"

There was a thoughtful moment, filled only the faraway sounds of boots on the dusty road, a bird trilling on a nearby tree branch - and the soft pok of the bamboo spout in the garden. The ex-samurai sipped his tea and, from his comfortable seat on the porch, watched the young men pass by the front gates of the small house. He knew alot of them - many of them were as old as his sons. Most of them were as young as his grandchildren. He could see young Gen-kun, the grandchild of Genma - and beside him, his own grandchild - Ryo.

All going off to an honorable death –

All going off on what they saw as an glorious adventure...

But -

"It brings back memories -"

-

"You're looking for a job?" asked the German innkeeper thoughtfully. "There's not much to offer in this small town - but if you go south you might get something. Just leave on the main road."
Akidzuki nodded with a small bow.
"Thank you."

In one week, with four free rides, the young man walked into a town called Beyreuth, rather hungry, tired and wet from the constant rain.

A bath, a bed and then a job... preferably in that order... Akidzuki sighed. If I can afford it.... German currency is almost as confusing as the British...

Sure enough, the young Japanese found a small inn with a cheap room. Inquiries the next morning led him to a theatre site. It was a mass of confusion, workers running around - supervisors glaring at maps morosely in the drizzle and blueprints. Eyes narrowed, they measured the rather short Akidzuki up and down, and then snorted.

"Just run errands," they said. "Carry stuff... We'll see what you can do. Sailing, eh? Well then... Follow Hans here, he'll tell you what to do."

Akidzuki was given a hammer, an apron full of nails and the direction to start nailing some of the frame.

Tired and aching that night, Akidzuki the newest member to the German crew, flopped down on his bed with a soft moan.

Who knew that building a theatre was so hard?

Closing his eyes he remembered the happiness of the Yuyama Troupe as they banded together to build their simple, canvas outdoor tents. Ebisu and Kakashi had spent quite some time out in the harbour stringing together candles - supervising some of the firemen to help lash the boats together for a new pier. As per Sensei's careful instructions.

Kakunojo had just shook her head, murmuring that it was Sensei's best idea yet. Akidzuki had looked on with misgiving - and wistfulness.

My life was only focussed on one thing... He mused wisely in retrospect. So I missed out on all that camaraderie. When I get back - I wonder if it will be the same? Will she still be traveling? Or will Kakunojo find a spot to rest?

-

"It's for the famous composer Wagner," explained Hans one day at lunchtime.

"Vagner?" asked Akidzuki carefully.

"He's coming here - to stay, they say. To set up a theatre suited best for his operas."

"Operas?" Akidzuki echoed, feeling rather stupid.

"Operas. You probably have never heard of them before. People sing in them. Stories in song. Very boring."

"You've seen one."

"My missus and I went to see one. I fell asleep," the gigantic Hun grinned. "But she liked it well enough."

"Hm... so it's a play with singing?"

"More singing than play."

"I see."

Akidzuki couldn't really visualize it, but he fell silent at the memory of Kakunojo in her costume, looking faraway and suave under the makeup. The men catcalling her as she extended a stockinged leg, her kimono tastefully arranged to attract - Her fan, fluttering down to hide her smile, but still revealing her twinkling eyes...

Is she really waiting for me?

"You have to see his stuff to understand what I mean," Hans was rambling on, disregarding his spaced out partner. "He's the genius of all opera. No. Of all German music! He is what this country needs to remember what we all stand for. We are a proud country, with a great tradition, honorable and one day, we'll be the greatest on this earth."

Akidzuki nodded affably.

"Hm."

"In his operas, they say that there is a call to another world order - a chance for us to grasp what we desire."

And yet you fell asleep, Akidzuki chuckled softly to himself.

"Hans is right," the Head Supervisor sat down beside the two men, opening up his lunch basket. "When you hear Wagner, you don't just see a myth - you see tradition and beauty in battle, honor in the fight for one's country and ideals. Great stuff. I'm honored to work for such a great man."

"See, Ruegen knows what he's talking about, right?"

"Indeed. In fact," the tall skinny German turned to smile down at Akidzuki (who was eyeing his sausage with a curious look). "If you hang around, he'll be here in two weeks time! You'll see the great man himself! He's going to be at the Margrave's Opera House for a small special concert. They say that even the Prince will be there! The Prince and Wagner! Beyreuth is blessed!"

"Yes!" Han wolfed down his remaining sandwich. "That's something we've been looking forward to for the past few months. Have you seen the Prince, Akid-zukee?"

"The Prince?" blinked the young Japanese.

"Otto von Bismarck."

"Hm. No. But he sounds familiar. He must be famous!"

"Ha! That's the Prince for you! Known to even the foreigners!"

"Wagner. Bismarck," murmured Akidzuki. "Such great people here..."

"Yes... and you know, both the same," Reugen confided in the young worker. "Both are going to lead us - to freedom."

Two weeks later, Akidzuki left town - at the same time that Bismarck entered. Watching the commanding old gentleman pass by on a sedate, proud, high-stepping horse, Akidzuki couldn't help but be reminded of Katsu-sensei and Sakomoto-sensei... and the stories he had heard from Okita-sama of the Shinsengumi in the old days. People who had lived and breathed for that thrill of battle. Who had fought and died to hold onto tradition -

No.

Not so glorious really...

They fought because they had something to protect -

And they couldn't live without the sword in their hands...

And so they died...

He thought of the proud, beaked nose of Wagner, his hair styled back artistically, his long fingers guiding the opera to its triumphant conclusion on the opening night.

Is this the story you want us to remember, Wagner-san?

The dead only know the truth...

-

"Dulce et decorum est..." Akidzuki said softly to himself, his lax fingers on the book's open page.
Kakunojo, glanced down at the unfamiliar English letters - and then away.

"It is part of a famous poem from an ancient Greek poet," Akidzuki explained, in response to the unspoken question. "I don't know this old language, but according to the translation, the sentence means... 'It is good and proper to die for one's country'."

"I see." Kakunojo's hands clenched. "But I worry for Ryo. He's so excitable - he never knows when to stop."

"Genma is there with him. He'll be a good stabilizing force. Besides, there is not much action expected. Tsingtao will not be a bloody battlefield... from the looks of it, the conquest will be easy. Ryo will come back fulfilled and confident. I'm sure."

"You never know -"

"No. I know. It is always uncertain. And the battlefield is always in flux. Anything can happen -"

Hijikata reeling away from Kanna - a bullet in his spine -

Goodbye, Okita.

"This war in Europe does not look so good," the old man continued on, his voice almost overpowered by the creaking trees. "It will destroy many for nothing - but that eternal illusion of power..."

"And it won't be beautiful," sighed his wife, shifting a flower to a more artistic position on the porch.

A blue butterfly rose up gracefully. Akidzuki's failing eyes focussed on the delicate blue fading now into the sky - as those million dreams had done so long ago.

"It never is. Horace-san lied. I hope someone tells them this..."

A silence.

"You never wrote a play about them."

"About who?" asked Kakunojo, gathering up the tea things.

"About Ebisu, Genma, Hijikata-sama - all those others... Our story."

Kakunojo rose slowly and sighed.

"Our story was written already. Clearly. Starkly. Real as the day - with no hesitation. With all that truth you speak of. Let the curtain stay down at the end of Sensei's play."

Meaning

Yet, after ten thousand generations, a great sage may appear who will know their meaning, and it will still be as though he appeared with astonishing speed

Akidzuki never pretended to understand everything. Since he had been young, he had been told he was 'The One'. It sounded grand - and scary at the same time. The full weight of the truth not yet settling on his shoulders like the heavy burden it became. A glorious destiny for ignorant youth...

But as the years passed by, The One wondered about the 'why' behind it all. Watching people die, holding his hands - watching his dear mentor and guide fall before his eyes - blood spurting from his chest -

No.

So many people had died.

Akdizuki saw them pass on - and then, one day, almost too suddenly, it ended. And in the cup of relief, there were large portions of regret and grief.

All he could think was "It's over...".

"It's over - and what do I do?"

"See the world, Akidzuki-kun," he could hear Sakamoto's chuckle. "It'll do you good. Expand your horizons -"

It'll help you understand Japan - and yourself better... What you truly need and want...

The unasked question rang in his mind even now, as he looked over the wind-swept ocean, his brown hair blowing into his eyes.

How can I help others if I don't know even myself?

Now that the journey was over, Akidzuki thought he understood. Listening to the sailor's talk, the people chattering - enjoying the uplifting music, visiting ancient places, fingering old histories he could never imagine... Watching men go to war for tarnished ideals -

Akidzuki thought he understood.

Perhaps.

Maybe.

Maybe not....

The horn blared cheerfully - the passengers cheered as one passenger ship passed by the other, close enough to clearly see the other passengers waving their arms exitedly.

"We're all in this together," Akidzuki murmured to himself.

Two months later, a blur appeared on the edge of the horizon. All the sailors and weary, sea-sick passengers rushed to the fore of ship, leaning out as far as they could go to catch a glimpse of their destination. A ragged 'hurrah!' rose up. Akidzuki couldn't help but smile.

At last.

-

It was summer in Japan. The sun shone down cheerily through a clear blue sky, as Akidzuki made his way carefully through the mixed crowd of Japanese and foreigners. His brown hair, tanned skin and dark blue-green eyes made him feel odder than usual.

No man for no land... Not able to be a part of anything...

Just himself.

It made him nervous.

-

Three days later, still dressed in his casual western suit, feeling more like Ibaragi-sensei than ever, Akidzuki treaded the familiar paths of the Japanese capital. Many faces were different, the stores had changed - but the air of excitement, chaos and tension was the same. As if a puppet, Akidzuki's feet led him on a familiar path to a now brightly painted theatre house.

It had changed for the better.

Bright banners flapped in the wind - bold red letters on a yellow background proclaiming the exciting continuation to the recently successful play put on by the famous Yuyama Troupe. He knew by the time of his pocket watch that the Troup would most likely be in the middle of rehearsal.

If nothing has changed....

Opening the side door unobstrusively, Akidzuki slipped in unnoticed, feeling like a thief. Somewhere to the back, voices cattered - new and old mingled in excitement over the new play.

"How about this?"

"Amazing!"

"Wonderful!"

"That'll cost too much, Genma -"

"But the ladies will LOVE it!"

"I don't think we should forget our other customers."

"The Chief's right."

"Chief's always right!"

"Always right! Always right! Stupid Genma!!!"

He drew closer - the voices getting louder.

"How about this then?"

"No. That won't work - look here..."

"Benimaru. Don't."

"Don't touch that! No! Oh -"

CRASH!

"Benimaru!!! What did I say?"

"Apologize!"

"AHHHHH!!!!! It's all over me! BEENNIIMMARRRUUU!!! I'm going to KILL YOU!!!"

"Genma, calm down. It's only flour. I'm sure you can find something else to wear for Kotoha tonight. Besides... pink does NOT suit you."

Everyone laughed.

Akidzuki's heart jumped.

Kakunojo clapped her hands.

"Everyone to their positions!"

"But what about Mabou?"

"Well..."

"We can't do much without him!"

"Didn't you find ANYONE in the auditions good enough, Chief?"

"Nope," Kakunojo sighed. "Incompetents, all of them. some looked good. Some acted well. Some had the right sword technique... but none had it all together..."

"Who would?" Zagashira grumbled.

Kakashi grunted.

"Acting?" Genma blinked. "Mabou doesn't hardly say anything!!!"

"Just get a swordsman," put in another unfamiliar voice. "Any will do. Really."

Akidzuki stepped into the room.

A floorboard creaked under his feet.

Everyone whipped around and stared.

"I heard a swordsman was needed," he muttered lamely, scratching his head with a nervous chuckle. "Since I laid mine down, it has gotten rusty - but will it do?"

"Akidzuki-kun!" gasped Kakunojo, tears in her eyes.

She ran forward, arms open.

They embraced tightly.

"You've come back," she sniffed, her breath tickled in his ear.

"As I promised," he kissed her softly on the cheek, drawing back to look her over. To take stock of change.

She looked the same - her brown hair neatly tucked away under a dark wig in a fancy hairstyle. Her kimono artfully placed just so - the color of the silk bringing out the color of her eyes. And over it, sakura blossoms and purple-blue butterflies. It took his breath away.

His gaze dropping to her feet, shifted over to his booted ones. And suddenly, he felt self-conscious behind the tie.

What do I look like to her?

Their eyes met. Love shone back at him and Akidzuki thought he finally understood. What the world couldn't offer - the place he needed to be - who he was - where he was to be...

Sakamoto-sama, I went to see a larger world - to understand our - my place on this earth. What we fight for, hope for, compromise for -

It's not a butterfly's dream, Sensei, after all - it's right here -

He smiled down at her again, finding her hands in his and squeezed them tight.

"I'm home."

-End-

* I almost didn't post this, since romance doesn't really belong in a genfic (not in large doses, anyway). However, I decided that while the romance does hold a large part of the story's attention, more is given to more general themes. So it stays, but I thought I should warn any readers who (like me) aren't big fans of romance. ^^;;

And senbongenma, I'm sorry for taking so long to post this! I had to mess with the spacing so that it was formatted the same way as the others, and that took a while since it was so long. (Which is not at all a criticism, by the way!) ^^; Thanks so much for your patience!

MBAME Entry #5: Fragile Things (xxxHOLiC, PG)

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 05:07:37 GMT

Your username: zephyr_design
Title of the work: Fragile Things
Rating: PG
Genre(s): Drama, Comedy
Character(s): Watanuki, Yuuko
Summary: Yuuko's darker than any monster lurking in the corners.

-Fragile Things-

A rainbow flutters in the sky. In the early morning, sunshine passes through the dew, little raindrops crystals making a kaleidoscope out of colors and geometric, perfect shapes of nature around them.

Tiny blue and violet triangles sparkle within delicate wings and disappear into a brighter ray of sun that blinds Watanuki, making him lost the trace of the butterfly.

“Very poetic.” He mutters to himself grumpily, getting back to the task of every morning, taking the dust out of Yuuko’s shop with an old-looking broom. Today there’s no reason to hurry, since it’s Sunday and the whole street is asleep.

Except by that little butterfly.

Cursing himself, Watanuki decides there’s no problem in giving just one more look, since Yuuko drank too much sake the night before and won’t wake up before twelve, asking for a bottle of Eki Kyabe. It’s a rare thing a butterfly passing by when they aren’t part of Yuuko’s carpet decoration anyway, so he might go as well and watch.

Watanuki is hit by the sudden realization that it's beautiful.

Not just the little fragile thing coloring the sky. It had been years since he last looked at the world not expecting a shadow lurking in the corners. It had been hard, he mutters to himself, and it was even harder to know he had been overcame by his fears enough to forget how beauty was ethereal, and how it would disappear if he didn't look for it. Life passed, and he had spent much time looking for darkness instead.

And he fears the deformed, wicked creatures he sees there, because they would eat him and make him be like them too. They crawl in his shame for not being like others, they breathe his desire of not being him.

Watanuki wishes, and where are wishes, there is someone who can fulfill them at their own price.

It's not that difficult to relate the butterfly to Yuuko, really.

Saving him from the darkness?

Watanuki decided he was easily inspired in the morning...

But, he thought, Yuuko is not even half as pretty. And, well, sparkly would not be a word he could easily relate to her.

Plus, the woman was much darker than any monster.

And when he heard a groan from inside the shop, a half-moan, half-scream of his name, asking for help, but demanding it at the same time (and Watanuki knew it would hurt him more if he didn't obey), his thoughts about butterflies vanished in a moment.

Yuuko's a bat, he decided, biting his lower lip and abandoning the broom in the outside, running towards the voice as fast as he could. She's going to suck my life out of me until there's nothing, nothing!

The female's voice grew a little bit stronger.

"Watanukiiiiiiiiiiii!

Yup.

Definitely a bat.
-End-

Gomen, zephyr_design! You sent this to me ages ago and I forgot to post it. X_x

MBAME Entry #4: Makoto (Peacemaker Kurogane, PG)

Mon, 21 May 2007 14:37:51 GMT

Your username: shimizu_hitomi
Title: Makoto
Rating: PG
Genre(s): drama, angst
Character(s): Hijikata, Soutetsu, Tetsunosuke, the Head
Summary: Hijikata doubts. And a confrontation, or two.

-Makoto-

"I am not going to battle to win. With the Tokugawa government about to collapse, it would be a disgrace if no one is willing to go down with it. That is why I must go. I will fight the best battle of my life to die for the country."
- Hijikata Toshizou to Matsumoto Ryoujun

"I don't trust him," said Hijikata, his voice harsh and abrupt, breaking the fragile silence.

Tetsunosuke, who had been staring outside at the swirling white flakes and endless snowfields, tinged an eerie pale blue beneath the night sky, turned around. "Hijikata-san?"

But Hijikata kneeled, still as stone in the darkness of the room, and did not reply. Tetsu, used to his master's ways after nearly two years of loyal service, did not press the issue. A good boy, Hijikata thought, then remembered that the boy was nearly a man now, and felt a hint of pride, tainted with regret.

Hijikata sighed. There was a faint rustling as he shifted, then stood, his back outlined in a sliver of moonlight. Tetsunosuke watched him carefully, bewildered.

"We are not fighting for the same ideals," Hijikata said to the drifting snow.

But the words sounded strangely hollow to him.

- - -

His dreams were haunted by a skull. Red, glowing, filled with hatred and resentment and despair.

It spoke to him in Kondou's voice, though the words themselves were for the most part indiscernible. Hijikata had dreamed of the head in the days after Kondou's execution as well, of eyes staring blankly at him, pleading, accusatory. But then it had still retained recognizably human features -- straggly dark hair, a familiar wide mouth, a face square and stern, but kind. Now it was as if everything had rotted away, leaving only black bone and blazing core.

Why have you come north? asked the Kondou-skull. What are you fighting for?

And though he could have easily recited the goals and ideals of the so-called Republic of Ezo, item by item, line by line, he did not.

Instead, he thought of the Shinsengumi. Makoto. Truth. Sincerity. Devotion. Kondou had believed in and upheld it even to the end, and what good had it done him?

"Kondou-san," he said, stiff and formal, the comfortable old nicknames from their youth feeling awkward and inappropriate on his tongue. "You were wrong. There is no honor left in this world."

What he meant to say was, It's not fair, it's not fair at all, Kat-chan, but he could not bring himself to rail any longer against the loyalist dogs whose ambition and corruption had never been in doubt, nor the ineffective noble fools whom he had served and would serve to the last. The choice had been their own, and it was not a choice they were ashamed of. They had all known it would come to this.

But the skull whispered of vengeance and bloodshed, and the demon within him was excited.

He awoke simmering with a wild, uncontrollable fury. His fingers itched with an urge to kill, to destroy -- though they had ever been fighting to defend, to protect a crumbling old regime... As he grabbed for his sword, an icy breeze passed through his room, and he returned to his senses with a jolt.

Shoving away his anger, he looked outside and clung instead to the cold, bleak Hakodate landscape.

- - -

"Do you doubt Enomoto's ability, Hijikata-san?" asked the slimy noble bastard. Hijikata could tell, could hear it in the smooth, refined eloquence of the other man's speech. No mere playwright, this Ibaragi Soutetsu. Some retainer's son, perhaps. A second son, or a third son, else he would have confined his machinations to court, instead of playing at kings and assassins in this barren wasteland.

"If I doubted, I would never have joined you," Hijikata replied coldly. And it was true, for he had witnessed with his own eyes what Enomoto could accomplish, could indeed almost envision victory in their grasp, and a future where everything was made right, though deep inside he knew better than to believe in such impossibilities.

"I wonder."

"Do you doubt my word?"

"Of course not. A samurai's word is his honor, is it not?"

Hijikata bristled almost imperceptibly at the shadow of mockery he heard in the man's voice, but Ibaragi continued as if he did not notice. "I am merely concerned... that you are perhaps not here for the right reasons."

He thought of Kondou, and of shame and pride. He remembered, too, that Kondou had always loved the story of the forty-seven ronin. He will never forgive me, he thought. How can I face him like this?

"The pieces are beginning to move, Hijikata-san," said Ibaragi, interrupting his thoughts. "I know you to be a man of conviction, but it would not do for you to stumble now."

Hijikata stared incredulously at the other man. "This isn't some game of shogi!"

"No. It is no game." Ibaragi smiled faintly. "I am glad you understand that. There are many who do not."

His fists clenched at his side. I may be a farmer's son, but I am a truer samurai than any of you! he almost shouted, but did not. Samurai, farmer, honor and pride. It seemed suddenly to him so petty, so terribly empty.

But he still had loyalty. He was not like them. Greedy, self-serving cowards, who treated fate and human lives as mere toys... He believed. Even now, he believed. He had to.

So instead, he said, "You have no need for concern," and turned to leave.

Ibaragi simply continued to smile.

-End-

Only a few more left to go! ^0^

MBAME Entry #3: More Fun With Two

Mon, 21 May 2007 01:56:17 GMT

Your username: arahyacinth
Title of the work: More Fun With Two
Rating: G
Genre(s): Fluff. With a side-helping of mild, introspective angst.
Character(s): Sheldon, Kyoko
Summary: Sheldon makes a space in his schedule to take Kyoko to the carnival. Minor AU, due to living arrangements that never happened.

-More Fun With Two-
The streets were crowded today, Sheldon observed with mild interest, wending his way through the hubbub and taking it all in with his usual contemplative glance. There was a celebration of some kind taking place in the city, and he had gotten the impression from his coworkers that it was the sort of event which came around yearly. It intrigued him a little. Not for his own sake - he wasn't much of a one for parties of any kind; but Kyoko loved everything about parties, especially big, open-air fairs like this one. She reveled in the bustle, the street vendors, the silly little game booths whose owners were always so shocked when she inevitably won. He and his bubbly housemate hadn't been in this area long enough to understand the whys and wherefores of local tradition, but for Kyoko, just knowing that it was a celebration was enough. She had no need for trivial information, such as what exactly she was supposed to be celebrating.

That was why he was going to her school to pick her up today instead of letting her walk home as usual. Kyoko had been working hard at her studies lately and deserved a treat, and Sheldon, his head as level as ever, thought that they might as well make use of the entire afternoon if they were going to do this at all. He could survive through a few extra hours in the sea of humanity; and to Kyoko, who took her greatest pleasures in the little things, those few hours more would mean the world.

They were a good balance of personalities, and though Sheldon usually preferred solitude over companionship, he was enjoying life with Kyoko. She was loving and friendly, yet fully independent, and indestructably cheerful in counterpoint to his own solemnity... she breezed into the small spaces of his existance, opening up doors he had closed long ago with the staunchness of logic and reason. She made life fun.

Today, he wanted to give her a little of the same. He knew that she enjoyed his company (although he didn't know why), and also that his necessary preoccupation with his true work of late had left her rather disappointed - perhaps even a little lonely. There would be more of that to come in the future, he had no doubt, but for this moment in time, he wanted to take his chance and express his gratitude to her for putting up with him through it all. A street carnival, he thought, would be the perfect occasion. After all, wasn't Kyoko always saying that outings were more fun with two?

There had been a parade of floats, dancers, musicians, and merrymakers winding their way through the streets since early that morning, and everyone who had any chance of doing so had put off their business until another time, rendering the flow of traffic almost nonexistant. Sheldon followed the sidewalks in contented invisibility, allowing the crowds to wash over and around him as they would, the waterfall sounds of hundreds of happy beings filling his ears and going, for the most part, unheard. Colours dazzled the eye in every direction: the whirling skirts of the dancers, the bright toys which served as prizes in the carnival games, the softer tones of traditional food and drink in the tiny vendors' carts. The tall city buildings rose to towering heights above the gaiety, trapping the sounds, the sights, and the smells within their own contained little world. To Sheldon, it was like viewing art.

To Kyoko, he knew, the same scene would mean playtime.

He arrived at her school just as the last bells finished ringing. The sidewalk in front of the double doors was already flooded with rapidly escaping teenagers, most of whom were in a state of high excitement probably related to the carnival not ten yards away, and the sheer volume of the girlish voices as they blended was both astounding and painful. Sheldon found himself ducking instinctively out of the way of the whirl of youthful riot, not overeager for a trip to the hospital. He settled in the shadow of the arched stone entryway and made himself small there, keeping an eye out for Kyoko in the thickest parts of the action.

To his mild chagrin, the horde of schoolgirls seemed to slow and clot around his position as he stood waiting, and every time he chanced to glance at one of them he found her staring surreptitiously back, usually followed by a nudge to the girl beside her and a whispery conversation half-drowned in giggles. Such close notice always made him feel uncomfortable. His line of work and his personal preferences both leaned towards blending in, becoming invisible. He found himself fronting a falsely serene smile as a shield against the stares, wishing childishly that Kyoko would hurry up and save him before someone took it into their heads just to eat him where he stood.

Sure enough, before long one of the girls (with the help and encouragement of her friends) had worked up the courage to approach him, and began her trembling journey toward his feeble refuge. He could see her testing opening lines in her head as she walked. His smile faded a little as he worked to suppress a heartfelt groan.

He was so preoccupied with not looking like a harried animal that the tremendous blow which caught him across the side nearly knocked him from his feet. Kyoko graciously gave him a moment to recover from her full-body tackle before latching onto him once more, bouncing joyfully on her toes.

"Sheldon!" she squealed right in his ear, nearly deafening him. "You came to walk Kyoko home!" Twining herself around Sheldon's arm, she graced the world at large with a broad, cheerful, and proprietary grin, and the crowd began to melt reluctantly away. The approaching girl, looking half-disappointed and half-relieved, scampered back to her friends and vanished with the rest of the students in the direction of the nearest festivities.

Sheldon breathed a sigh of relief, casting a warm look at his saviour.

Kyoko relaxed herself a bit, but kept one arm hooked loosely to Sheldon's elbow with an air of the princess escorting the prince. She smiled brightly back at him, her eyes lit and glowing.

"Did you see the festival? Everyone from class says there are parades and games and special food all over town! Kyoko's been wanting to see it all day, but the teacher said to settle down and do our schoolwork." The girl pouted indignantly, lifting her chin. "Kyoko thinks that's not fair. Playing is important too!"

"Well, I suppose that's true," Sheldon agreed thoughtfully. He began to propel them away from the school at a gentle stroll, and Kyoko amiably followed his lead. "There are times set aside for each, I think. Everything can't be play... but everything can't be work either.

"That's why I came to meet you here, Miss Kyoko," he informed her, smiling a little at the expectant expression on her upturned face. "I know I've been very busy with work lately, and I haven't been able to make much time to relax and enjoy your company.

"So. How would you like to spend the rest of the day enjoying the festival together?"

Kyoko's eyes became as wide as saucers. "Together, with Sheldon? Really?" She squealed again and hugged him with all the enthusiasm of a small child.

"And," Sheldon added, feeling better already, "I'll treat you to a festival dinner."

"Yay!"

Although the entire city was brimming with activity, Sheldon and Kyoko didn't have to walk far to find plenty to keep them occupied - in fact, they quickly found all that they wanted already set up and waiting between Kyoko's school and their apartment six blocks away. Six blocks might have seemed a dangerous distance for a young woman to walk every day by herself, but not for Kyoko; in spite of city crime rates, Sheldon never had to worry whether she would make it home. She had given up her life of violence, but that didn't mean that she couldn't protect herself. He had been proud to discover that she had quickly become the champion of her school, for the simple fact that it had never occurred to her to be anything else. In Kyoko's mind, bullies deserved what they got.

Sheldon sometimes wondered if it occurred to her what most people considered him.

Sheldon had not given up violence. He had left the Hoshi no Shito behind him, as Kyoko had, but while he had encouraged her to rejoin the path which the masses called 'normalcy', they had both understood that he could not and would not do the same. And while they rarely spoke about his nightly activities - his after-hours job - it wasn't because it was a secret between them. She knew when a report came on the nightly news whether or not it was his work, and sometimes she even commented on how much of a success it had been. He liked that about her: that, even while she had taken on a new view of life through her hero-worship of the Black Cat, she respected his own differences of opinion and happily went her own way.

But it was difficult sometimes to juggle, in essence, two separate lives - the front he put on in order to stay with her, and his real calling always hovering behind the scenes. Though Kyoko made wide allowances for him, Sheldon didn't think that she really understood. Even during her days with the Hoshi no Shito, she had never bothered to hide herself behind an act, and he knew that she thought he was strange for trying; he himself couldn't honestly say why he did. Except that Kyoko was the first person in his life who had cared to call herself a friend, and the only person who had ever accepted him at face value. She deserved a real life, not one spent flitting from shadow to shadow with no sense of rhyme or reason. And in giving her that life... perhaps he had discovered that he wanted some semblance of one, too.

Even if it was only taking Kyoko out to play.

The afternoon went by too fast, but for all its fleetness of foot, it was certainly full enough. They spent the first hour just walking, drinking in all of the colours and the hustle and attempting to get an itinerary in order. For a while Kyoko was content to watch the passing parade, fascinated by the myriad floats, the bold movements of the dancers, and especially the lush, elaborate costumes, which she spent the better part of a second hour critiquing enthusiastically.

Then there were the games. Kyoko loved games; video games were her specialty, but really, she could find enjoyment in any one so long as it didn't depend too heavily on chance (chance, she said, ruined the fun). In half an hour she had defeated two card players, three ring/small object tosses, a shooting gallery, and one game of logic, and sported a new keychain, a cute hat, impressive amounts of candy, two dollars in quarters, and a medium-sized stuffed animal of uncertain breed with a rather skewed face. Sheldon didn't go in for carnival games himself, but he had to admit that it was fun watching Kyoko win them. She went at them with such deep intensity... fire, if one could pardon the pun. He had never seen anyone who gave their battles and their games equal status, and it was strangely refreshing.

She quibbled with herself over the goldfish game, stopping often to ask his advice. She wanted badly to try her hand at dipping one of the chubby, 'adorable' orange fish out of the water, and of course, she had no doubts about winning; but she worried over the fate of her prize if she were to take it home.

"He's a good kitty," Kyoko explained with eager anxiety, referring to her stubby black kitten, "but he likes to catch things too..." Rocking on her heels like an expectant father trapped in the waiting room, the girl cast her companion another pleading glance.

"Does Sheldon think it's okay...?"

After a few minutes of this back-and-forth banter, it was decided that the goldfish would live a long and happy life under Kyoko's loving care as long as she put it on the wall shelf in her bedroom, where the kitten couldn't reach; and sure enough, in the twinkling of an eye, Kyoko was the proud owner of a ten-cent goldfish. To Sheldon's mild embarrassment and ill-concealed amusement, she immediately christened the fish 'Maro'.

"Because he looks fat, but he's not," she announced with complete sincerity, peering into the water-filled plastic bag which was the fish's temporary home. "Mr. Maro would like that!"

Sheldon had his doubts, but said nothing.

For an additional two dollars, the enterprising game-owner was also selling small glass fishbowls, so Sheldon purchased one to put the fish in; then, he and Kyoko walked home to get it settled, and to deposit her many winnings.

"Ah!" Kyoko cried when the fish was at home in its new bowl and they were ready to go out again. She skipped quickly to her wardrobe and threw open the doors, searching for something inside.

"Kyoko has a festival kimono she just got a little while ago! Sheldon, you go wait out there," she commanded in excitement, spinning from her work with a forefinger outstretched. "Kyoko will be out in just a minute!"

Sheldon went obligingly into the corridor. From within Kyoko's room came a muffled cry of discovery, then strains of satisfied humming, mingling with the opening of drawers and closets; still, Sheldon waited. With Kyoko, exercising patience was always best.

At last, this patience was rewarded as the door swung open to reveal Sheldon's roommate in full, very becoming Japanese festival regalia.

"There!" the girl exclaimed, and twirled on sandal-clad feet into the center of the hallway, her black hair swinging around her shoulders. Her expertly glossed lips traced an expectant smile, which extended, sparkling, into her dark eyes, and Sheldon couldn't help but smile back at the picture she made.

"How does it look? Is it pretty?"

It was pretty, so telling the truth was no difficulty at all. "It's lovely, Miss Kyoko," he assured her, and the calm sincerity in her voice stilled any further questions she might have had. She giggled, twirling again just for the fun of it.

"Good. Now - Sheldon promised a festival dinner! Kyoko wants cotton candy!"

Sheldon swallowed laughter.

"Cotton candy it is," he agreed; and together, they made their way down the apartment stairs and waded a path back into the crowd.

-End-

The last one for now! Still waiting for the others, which will be posted as I receive them. Who got what will be revealed once all the fics are posted! ^^

MBAME Entry #2: Cautious Smile (Black Cat, G)

Mon, 21 May 2007 01:50:40 GMT

Your username: bowsergal
Title: Cautious Smile
Rating: G
Genre(s): slight(maybe?) angst.
Character(s): Sephira Arks
Summary: Sephira both looks out over the city and in, towards herself.

-Cautious Smile-

The chill air blew in through the open balcony window, making the cream-colored curtains flutter, like forgotten ghosts on a faraway moor, lonely and sad. Pushing past the French doors inlaid with glass, a tall, imposing woman leant over the black steel railing. Her blonde hair lifted into the night wind, looming around her expressionless face. Sephira sighed, strong fingers twisting on the rail, nails tapping on the cool metal. It had been a long day.

Of course, all of her days were long, but this one particularly so, and it put her in a peculiar, tired mindset. Fierce, powerful, the woman hadn't fought --physically, at least--, but even paperwork and planning for the Chronos Numbers was ridiculously exhaustive. She was the sole negotiator between the Numbers and the Elders, and had even dared to disagree with the aforementioned Elders --challenged them-- and managed to convince the three men to change their plans. The decision to comply with her demands pleased Arks, but she knew, somewhere deep inside, the detail was minor and they gave in like a parent to a child, because, ultimately, it was unimportant.

Sephira had dedicated herself to the organization. She'd given up all that made her human, all her morals, all her goals, to better please the Elders. The perfect weapon, the most skilled assassin, and the very noblest of ambassadors, that was all she'd become; Sephira didn't have a self anymore. An overwhelming sense of justice and authority, with a strong sword arm -- that was Sephira.

Only in her private moments could she ever relax, enjoying quiet, peaceful pastimes, in contrast to her turbulent occupation. When Sephira was alone, not on-edge as the rest of her life demanded, she could bask in the calm. Every once in a while, she could even be happy.

Her cellphone rang, the tinny jingle snapping the woman out of her reverie. The smile she'd been nursing evaporated. Just like that, her peace was gone. But Sephira had to sacrifice herself. It was for the good of Chronos, and thus, the world. The ends justify the means.

...Right?

-End-

MBAME Entry #1: "Fishing" (Tsubasa, G)

Mon, 21 May 2007 01:48:48 GMT

Your username: rhap_chan
Title: Fishing
Rating: G
Genre(s): humor, friendship
Character(s): Fai, Syaoran mostly
Summary: But the feather was being elusive and Syaoran was beginning to wear under the strain. Fai saw the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, so before dawn on a rest day, he woke the boy quietly and used gestures to get him to come outside.

-Fishing-

The worlds were all beginning to look alike to Fai, the grasses of one universe blending into the grasses of another. The birds sung sweetly and Sakura was sweeter as she slowly began to regain her strength and her core.

Fai put great stock in the core of a person, not that he ever quite thought of people in terms of their souls or their centers. He simply saw right through Syaoran's desperation to an unstained heart, through Kurogane's flinty eyes to his admirable determination. It was the center that mattered, when it came to people. That's why he was careful to keep his own hidden.

They'd been in this particular world for a couple of weeks now and they were firmly settled into a small cottage overlooking the village lake. Fai had gone down there the first day and thought about pushing Kurogane in, just for fun, but he figured that ninjas could probably swim, considering.

But the feather was being elusive and Syaoran was beginning to wear under the strain. Fai saw the wrinkles in the corners of his eyes, so before dawn on a rest day, he woke the boy quietly and used gestures to get him to come outside.

"What's going on?" Syaoran said as soon as they had left the cottage and he could speak without waking Sakura. Clearly Syaoran thought that Fai had had an epiphany of sorts, or that Mokona had woke Fai with news about the feather. He was ready for action, not even rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing," Fai reassured cheerfully. He reached down and picked up a long pole, handing it to Syaoran, who held it, looking quizzical.

"Do you want to train, Fai-san?"

"Actually," Fai said, picking up a pole of his own, "I thought we could go fishing. You've never done that, have you?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Sometimes you have to take breaks, my friend. You don't want Sakura worrying over you, do you? This will be an adventure!"

"Have you ever been fishing?" Syaoran asked, letting Fai propel him down to the lakeside.

"Ice fishing," the blonde replied with a wink, "and since we won't be sitting around a hole in the ice hoping for a miracle, I think we'll do fine."

It wasn't as easy as Fai thought it would be, having carefully observed the village boys one afternoon, but eventually they got their poles in the water. After that, it was a waiting game. Fai leaned back in the grass and let the early dawn light warm his face. Grass was a good thing. He was glad to have grass while he was running desperately from Ashura.

Syaoran sat up stiffly. The boy was always stiff, Fai thought. Losing years of history with Sakura had made less approachable than he had been, though Fai imagined that he'd never been quite approachable. The boy with one blind eye, who struggled to see even more than people with two. He had the determination to reach the goal.

Honestly, Fai thought Syaoran was stronger than he was, magic be damned.

Fai fell asleep on the shore and after a while Syaoran drifted into a contemplative doze. It was Kurogane that found them hours later. He nudged Fai roughly and the wizard's eyes popped open.

"What are you doing?"

"We're fishing," Fai said, gesturing grandly at the pole he had wedged between two stones, so that a fish wouldn't disturb his rest. Kurogane blinked a couple of times and pulled the line from the water.

"You have to use bait, fool," he said dryly, pointing to an empty fishhook. Syaoran jerked in his doze and woke up, grabbing the pole reflexively. He pulled it out of the water and a small fish came with it, a creature with green scales and a stupid look.

"Apparently not, hmm?" Fai said. Syaoran carefully pulled the fish from the hook to toss it back into the lake. He seemed to understand that catching something wasn't the real point of fishing.

"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura said then, emerging from the house and scurrying down the slope to where the group was gathered. "What are you doing?"

Syaoran looked furiously guilty and threw the fish in the water. Fai laughed and handed Kurogane the fishing pole.

"Kuro-pii was teaching us how to fish, Sakura-chan! It's great fun if you don't catch anything."

"But it hurts the fishes..."

"I didn't--" Kurogane said, also looking furiously guilty. Fai smiled widely and walked past the group into the house. Of course, Mokona's internal alarm was going off. They'd be gone from this place within a day.

Maybe Fai would see if he could keep the fishing poles.

-End-

MBAME: Extensions, anyone?

Fri, 18 May 2007 02:57:03 GMT

Okay.... Less than two days to go before the deadline, does anyone need an extension? I know of at least two participants who might, and I'm about to send out the reminder emails to everyone else still unaccounted for.

If you need one, please don't hesitate to ask for it! It's really not a big deal. What I'm going to do is post the fics I do have as scheduled, and then post the others as I receive them. I won't reveal who for whom until all fics are posted, though. Some will probably be able to guess, but hopefully it will still be exciting. XD

So let me know! And seriously, don't feel bad. Life happens - I should know, since I'm one of the participants needing an extension. (How sad is that?) X_x

Anime/Manga Genfic Exchange ~ Reminder!

Fri, 11 May 2007 02:40:28 GMT

Okay, just wanted to check - did everyone get my reminder email? The deadline is coming up and so far I've only received one entry. I'll give everyone until the 18th before I send another reminder to those who have yet to send in theirs, if there are any. (Hopefully there aren't.)

The deadline, for those who've forgotten, is the May 19 @ 11.00 pm EST. Oh, and I keep forgetting to mention this, but when submitting your fanfic(s), please remember to fill out and attach the little submission form from the sign-up post. It makes my job a little easier. ^^;;

And once again, feel free to comment or email me with any questions/problems/concerns/whatever! :3

The First-Ever MathomBox Anime/Manga Genfic Exchange!

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:59:35 GMT

Geez, what a mouthful. Maybe I'll just call it TFEMBAMGE for short. ;) Or maybe MBAME. That's a bit easier.

Anyway, assignments are finally out! My apologies for the delay - as I said in the emails, last week was extremely hectic and I didn't get a chance to go through and match everybody up until today. *sigh* The trials of RL....

If you did not receive your assignment, or if you have a serious problem with it, let me know! My email address is in my userinfo. Also, I forgot to mention this in the email, but if you're feeling bummed that you and your recipient only have one fandom in common, you might want to try asking them (through me) what their other favorites are. Just about everyone listed quite a few fandoms that they would write for, so you may find that you have more in common than it seems.

HOWEVER, if you do discover that you have, for example, the series Saiyuki in common and want to write something from that series for your recipient, I would have to ask that you only do so in addition to your assigned fic. That is, you have to write at least one fic from one of the three fandoms your recipient listed. If afterwards you still want to write one from another of your recipient's favorite series, you can submit both together. I do ask that you still keep to the series that were listed in the sign-up post though, just to keep things fair.

Okay, did that make sense? I've been at this too long. Almost four hours it took me to sort through everyone's sign-up forms and pair people up! Ack. Time for lunch now. :P

So yes, any questions, comments, complaints, problems, whatever - email me! I'll be happy to help. This should be a great exchange, everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing all the fanfics! :D

Affiliate post

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:47:22 GMT

Because I didn't think to do this earlier.

If you'd like to affiliate, please leave a comment here with your journal/community(ies)'s name(s)! It need not be exclusively gen, but please no communities or journals that are specifically dedicated to slash or het. Otherwise, anything goes! :3

All affiliates will, for the moment, only be added to the userinfo, simply because it is too much work to keep up with the list in more than one place. ^^;

ANIME/MANGA FIC EXCHANGE! >>RULES & SIGNUPS<<

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:11:21 GMT

Okay, so there are only three members right now, but hopefully the word will get out soon. ^^;

Anyway, since I have been bemoaning the lack of good genfic in some of the lesser known fandoms of late, I thought that I should do something about it. :P So, anyone up for a genfic exchange?

I'll go ahead and post the rules and explanations now, since eventually we will have enough people to participate in a good exchange. I'm hoping to get up to at least 12, although I realize that that may be too optimistic.

Sign-ups so far: o6

This will be a simple exchange, really. I only ask that you copy and paste these forms into your reply to this post and when sending me your completed fic for the sake of organization and efficiency.

SIGN UP FORM
Please put this in your reply to this post... comments are screened.

SUBMISSION FORM (to be used when emailing me your completed submission)

And for those I've just thoroughly confused, here's:

FOR THE FIC YOU WILL GIVE
>>SERIES: Select all titles from the list below which you are familiar with and/or would be willing to write for. As many as you wish!

>>CHARACTER(S): Specify which characters you like/dislike and/or would be willing or unwilling to write. That is, if you're fine with writing any character from the series you can just leave this blank. If you have a definite favorite few or a few that you write particularly well, mention them. If there is a character(s) that you just don't like and/or don't want to write, list them here. Make sense?

>>GENRE(S): Specify genre(s) if there are any you particularly like, dislike, or write well or badly. Optional, but it helps me narrow things down.

>>RATING: All fanfics must conform to community rules, so they can't be higher than an R rating. If you have a specific rating that you would rather not write, please mention that as well.

>>ANYTHING ELSE: Things you absolutely don't want to write or really do want to write, etc. Whatever else you think might be useful. This is optional, though.

FOR THE FIC YOU WILL RECEIVE
>>SERIES: Select your FAVORITE THREE titles from the list. That will help me narrow it down.

>>CHARACTER(S): Mention any favorite or least favorite characters, if you have a strong opinion about them. Since this is a genfic exchange, no pairings please. But favorite characters help immensely.

>>GENRE(s): again. Specify if there are any you really don't want to read, or really do.

>>RATING: If you are uncomfortable with a PG13 or R rating, please say so. Also mention if there is something specific that you don't want to read (i.e., profanity, violence, sex, etc., although there shouldn't be any of the latter O_o).

>>ANYTHING ELSE: Anything else you think your giver should know! You can be as specific as you like. Plots, events, whatever. If you've got a very specific story idea in mind, let 'em know!

Again, sorry, but these are just the ones that I'm familiar with. If this is a success, we might be able to expand it more next time 'round.

07-Ghost
Amatsuki
Bakumetsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto
Black Cat
Bus Gamer
Busou Renkin
Cafe Kichijouji de
D.Gray-man
DNAngel
Gankutsuou
GetBackers
Gintama
GUN SWORD
Honey & Clover
Le Chevalier d'Eon
Matantei Loki Ragnarok (Mythical Detective Loki)
Meine Liebe
Mozart Doesn't Sing Lullabies
Nabari no Ou
Peacemaker Kurogane
Saiunkoku Monogatari
Samurai 7
Scrapped Princess
Shounen Onmyouji
Trinity Blood
Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRONiCLE (because there's almost NO good genfic!!)
Whistle!
xxxHOLiC
X/1999

Whew, that's a lot of stuff. Hopefully I didn't completely confuse everyone. I will post submission info and deadline once sign ups are closed.

The deadline to sign up is TUESDAY 10 APRIL @ 9.oo pm EST. If you have any questions at all, please comment or shoot me an email!

Misery Loves Company :: Amatsuki :: One-shot

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 02:54:33 GMT

Another request fic, this one for infinite_beauty! I love Amatsuki, but it's been a while since I last really read the manga so I'm not sure how I did on the characterization of the trio. I tried, though, so hopefully they're not too off.

title :: Misery Loves Company
series :: Amatsuki
author :: elevenses / Tath-chan
rating :: G/K
genre(s) :: humor, friendship
summary :: "This is your fault, Toki." In which Toki and Kon get sick, Kon blames Toki, and Toki takes offense. And Kuchiha tries to deal with both of them.

HERE.

To be posted on FFnet sometime this weekend. I've got a fever of 100.2 right now and cannot be bothered with the formatting changes necessary for it. >.

Murphy's Law :: Cafe Kichijouji :: chapter 3/3 (Finished!)

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 01:01:22 GMT

Here we come at last to the end of my little CKD saga. Ah, what fun it was...

title :: Murphy's Law
series :: Cafe Kichijouji de
author :: elevenses / Tath-chan
rating :: G/K
genre(s) :: humor, slice-of-life
summary :: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. - Murphy's Law

links ::
Chapter One :: LJ // FF.net.
Chapter Two :: LJ // FF.net.
Chapter Three :: LJ // FF.net.

Okay, things are too quiet around here. I'm going to have to start contacting all the dozens of authors on my favorites list...

Tea Ceremony :: PeaceMaker Kurogane :: One-shot

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:58:10 GMT

Another - but considerably longer - PMK fic. This one was a request from jinsai. :3

title :: Tea Ceremony
series :: PeaceMaker Kurogane
author :: elevenses / Tath-chan
rating :: G/K
genre(s) :: friendship
summary :: It was an odd thing, really, Tatsu thought as he watched Souji’s face easing with genuine mirth, the way their friendship had sprung up since he and Tetsu had joined the Shinsengumi.

links :: LJ // FF.net.

Not on MediaMiner yet because frankly I cannot be bothered. :P

And yes, I am now officially late with the last chapter of Murphy's Law. *shot* Gomen! This week's been rather stressful, and I haven't had much time (or will X_x) to work on it. But it shan't be delayed long, I promise! ^^;

Brush Strokes :: PeaceMaker Kurogane :: Drabble Collection

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 05:49:11 GMT

Whoops, forgot to post these earlier. Just a bit of PMK drabbling by yours truly. :3

title :: Brush Strokes
series :: PeaceMaker Kurogane
author :: elevenses / Tath-chan
rating :: G/K - PG/K+
genre(s) :: angst, humor, introspection
summary :: A collection of drabbles varying in length, characters, and genre. In-progress, albeit with very irregular updates.

links ::
Drabble o1 :: Contradictions :: LJ // FF.net. [Shinpachi, Sano ; friendship]
Drabble o2 :: Stubborn :: FF.net. [Shinpachi, Tetsu, Saizou ; introspection, humor]
Drabble o3 :: Duty :: FF.net. [Okita, angst - SPOILERS for vol 2]

Author/Fanfic Rec :: arahyacinth :: Multi-fandom

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 04:31:29 GMT

arahyacinth is my newest favorite author. She's written a bunch of stories - mostly oneshots, but a few are multi-chaptered - of just about every genre and a variety of fandoms. She runs the genfic archive Creative Genius, which is relatively small now, but is growing daily. I'd highly recommend it if you're looking for some quality genfic to browse!

I've loved everything of read of hers, but I do have a few favorites that I'd like to especially recommend.

Purposeless :: Matantei Loki Ragnarok :: G :: angst, fluff, slice-of-life :: Days pass, and still Yamino doesn't understand. What could Loki-sama have wanted with him?

Twilight :: D.Gray-man :: PG13 :: angst, drama, AU, deathfic :: Komui already knows when he wakes up that morning that something isn't right. The feeling distracts him all throughout the day... His conscious mind is a million miles away, but he doesn't know quite where it is until the telephone rings.

Life After the Break :: Black Cat :: G :: slice-of-life, introspection :: Kyoko had thought he would be lonely without her, and to a certain degree, he was. But long before Kyoko, Sheldon had been well acquainted with the art of surviving alone; it was an older friend than she, and he was only slightly sorry to have to return to it.

Fanfic Rec :: Wills & Wishes :: Saiunkoku Monogatari

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 04:09:42 GMT

Yay, our first fic rec! I stumbled upon this lovely little Saiunkoku oneshot featuring Kouyuu and Reishin today, and I'm happy to share it with the permission of its author, katharos_8. :3

Title :: Wills and Wishes
Series :: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Author :: katharos_8
Rating :: G/K
Genre(s) :: introspection, angst, fluff (er, sort of)
Summary :: Shortly after the new governors leave for Sa Province, Kouyuu learns of the death of a stranger who was once something more. Reishin is there to help. In his own way.

HERE.

Please drop by and leave a review if you get the chance! ^____^

Got a link?

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:38:04 GMT

Do you have a link you think I should include? A community, archive, author's page? I'd be more than happy to add it! Just leave a comment here with the link and its description, and I'll look into it right away. :3

Again, just two requirements:

>>> Your link need not be purely genfic, but I would prefer it to have at least a fairly large gen collection and be clearly labeled (i.e., slash or smut should include warnings).

>>> Your link must NOT be a community, archive, or author's page that is primarily slash or smut. By primarily I mean that slash or smut fics outnumber genfics.

Thank you in advance!