Side Story_ Aohiki’s Past Hana was on her way back to the United States from Japan in an airplane. With all the strength in her body, she fought the heaviness in her eyelids. She tried not to sleep, but the air pressure in the cabin always knocked her out. Mitsukai-chan would never forgive her if she gave up to sleep. At last, with one more futile attempt to not let it get to her, Hana was taken over by unconsciousness.
A pile of trash rustled in a dark alleyway of the greater part of downtown Los Angeles, United States of America. But it wasn’t trash, it was a small girl, no older than three. She stuck her thumb in her mouth, seeming oblivious to the garbage around her. Looking around, she spotted her pet on the ground; a cold and shaking bone-thin frog. "Aoi-chan," the girl said through her thumb as she picked him up. The poor frog had not eaten in at least two weeks, like the girl. No one seemed to want to feed an orphan with a monkey’s tail and her pet frog. She put her head against the cold cement wall and looked up at the polluted night sky. Even though she didn’t know the word for it, the girl thought of self-induced death so she wouldn’t have to see the world like this anymore. As always, the word came to her naturally from her small brain, suicide, as her eyes clouded and everything went black as something soft and red covered her shivering body.
The girl found herself running through the dirty streets of L.A. She was naked, very aware of her tail behind her, and trying feebly to hold Aoi-chan against her chest. Dark faces stared at her from the shadows. Their eyes glowered ominously, and their lips curved up in evil sneers shrieking death. She kept running and running until- She was now running through a long hallway. Even though she was inside, the dark marble walls and ground radiated cold like ice. The girl wasn’t naked, but wrapped in light, green cloth that still unveiled her tail. The dark faces that were on the sideline disappeared, but in their place were even more terrifying creatures with horns and snouts and other body parts she couldn’t describe. She didn’t want to describe them. She just kept running, tripping over her weak legs, praying the demons wouldn’t get her. Faster, faster, faster- And she wasn’t running anymore. Contently, she lay on her stomach in front of a lit fire place, Aoi-chan beside her. She watched the flames lick the side of the pit pleasantly as she took in the softness of the rug bellow her. This place, so peaceful, was her home she visited in her dreams many, many times. Only in her dreams. But even in this ideal building, something was missing. Not a family, who would no doubt shun her because of her tail. What she needed was someone she could love unconditionally, and who would love her back the same way. Someone who could protect her and talk to her. Someone she could protect. Suddenly, she was alert. There was something behind the girl. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted something fiery red. She spun around on her rug and-
The girl awoke, but did not open her eyes. She thought she felt something soft under her head and body; but it couldn’t be; but it was. A bed! Why was she in a bed? She opened her eyes quickly and analyzed her resting place. It was a large bedroom with the theme colors of ivy and white. There was a large cherry wood bookshelf in the corner of the room. That was good, because the girl had taught herself how to read on the street by practicing on window signs. But she had never known a home, much less a bed. Where was she? A teenage boy appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. His clothes looked majestic, red cape and all. Upon closer inspection, he had a pacifier in his mouth, and was slouching against the door frame. "Aohiki-sama," he said. The girl just stared up at him with a puzzled look on her face. Once again, her thumb went straight to her mouth. "I’m sorry," said the boy. "My name is Koenma-sama, the son the great Enma-sama." "Enma-sama?" the girl exclaimed, sitting up. Her thumb shot right back out of her mouth again. "Am I dead?" "No, you’re alive," Koenma said. "But you won’t be for long unless you eat." He handed her a plate piled with food. She took it gratefully and began eating, murmuring a thank you in between mouth-fulls. As she ate, the teenager continued explaining. "I’m glad you’re alive, too. The fate of the world rests on you, you know. Lee Hana is your name given to you by your parents." "Lee Hana…" the girl repeated. "But what does that have to do with the world?" she asked after she took a sip of apple juice. "You are also Kiragi Aohiki, the Goddess of Wisdom." With this, Hana’s felt dizzy. Lee Hana was dirt, not some goddess! Also, how could she be in the Other World without being dead? This was all too much. Koenma chuckled. "Just rest here, and I’ll explain it to you all tomorrow morning." Hana had just realized something though. "Aoi-chan!" "Is being taken care of in the room next door. Don’t worry. You’re safe here. Just rest for now." Koenma gave Hana a small smile. Hana grinned like she had never before. "Thank you, Oniisama!"
For the next three years, Koenma taught Hana all she needed to know about her powers. As it turned out, Hana could control all knowledge and wisdom on earth. Rigorous training and hours of studying packed Hana’s days to the brim. But she didn’t mind. She also got use to the demons and other spirit creatures of the Other World calling her Kiragi Aohiki-sama, and she took it on as just another name for herself. Still, in her easy life in the Other World, something was missing. Something important. Some kind of connection, maybe. Aohiki was again in the room that she always dreamed of. Again, she lay in front of the warm fire place on her belly. She was almost content. Almost. Something caught her eye behind her. Aohiki spun around. A pale girl with red hair stood there, her brown eyes cold and sad. Aohiki tried to reach out to her to help her, but-
Aohiki woke up with a start. Koenma stood above her, shaking her shoulders hard. "Wake up. We have a special assignment." "What? Now? Why?" Aohiki said groggily as she slowly sat up in her bed. "There has been a mysterious murder of a yokai in Living World." Aohiki was awake and alert.
It was dawn in the large town of Tokyo, Japan. The red sun burned the bottom of the dark clouds. The perfect setting, Aohiki thought. She and her Oniisama, Koenma, walked up to a boxy two-story building. Aohiki sensed a dark aura around it, as if warning her not to go in. However, she also knew something else was there, too. Something good. Koenma opened the door and stepped inside, Aohiki at his heels. Six-year-old Aohiki was not prepared for what she saw as she walked in. Three people, a woman, man, and teenager were sprawled out on the floor in unnatural angles, blood covering the floor. She turned away. Koenma sensed her uneasiness and told her to check upstairs for anything suspicious. Aohiki nodded. The small girl climbed the stairs with some difficulty because the stairs were too wide for her small legs, but she managed. Right at the top of the stairs, Aohiki saw another body. She didn’t turn away this time, though. There was no blood around this one. Aohiki jogged to kneel down next to the body- a girl with red hair. "Oniisama!" she called. "She’s still alive. This girl is still alive!" Aohiki saw the girl’s chest go up and down in shallow breaths. "Let me see," Koenma called back. "These other three are dead." Duh, Aohiki thought. As the girl with red hair sat up Aohiki called again, "She’s coming to!" "Who are you?" the girl said with blurry eyes. "I am Kiragi Aohiki, Green Goddess of Wisdom," she said, not knowing what else she could say. The other girl’s eyes widened but did not focus. "D-did you say goddess?" "Oh, yes…" Aohiki said bashfully. She forgot goddess weren’t that common in the Living World. Koenma came up beside Aohiki and stated proudly, as he always did "I am Koenma-sama! Son of Enma-sama of the Other World!" The girl’s eyes cleared with horror. She wiggled back into a wall. "Son of Enma-sama, and a goddess?" She looked between them in plain confusion. Aohiki was now worried about this girl. What had she just been through? What did she see? She do? How is she alive when the rest of her family is dead? "Can you please tell us your name?" "M-my name is Takai Mitsukai," she stuttered. Then she squealed in a high-pitched, frightened voice, "What are you doing in my family’s house?" Aohiki regretted it, but she got right down to business. She didn’t want to cause this girl any more pain, but she didn’t want to prolong it, either. "A yokai was killed here, along with three humans. Do you know how?" The girl was hesitant, but she looked up into Aohiki’s eyes. "Yes. That yokai killed my family, so I threw him out the window… sort of…" Now it was Aohiki’s turn to be confused. "How did you throw a yokai with a Jagan Eye out the window?" "What’s a Jagan Eye?" the girl asked ignorantly. Jagan Eyes were rarer than goddesses it seemed. Aohiki pointed to her forehead, trying to explain the best she could. "He had a third eye on his forehead that could control people’s minds." "Why didn’t it control my mind?" A vague smile appeared at the corners of Aohiki’s mouth. This girl has just suffered the death of her family, and she did not know why, or what was going on. "That’s what we’re trying to figure out." She sighed. "Now, please, can you tell us how exactly you threw the yokai through the window?" The girl started muttering as if to recall the event. "I held up my hands, and I felt… this power. I felt like I could control things with my mind. So I picked him up and kind of strangled him, and then threw him into the widow." Koenma looked down at Aohiki and gave her a knowing glance. He went back down the stairs and pretended to study the bodies of Mitsukai’s dead family again. "Mitsukai, you have telekinesis, I believe," Aohiki said turning back to her. "What’s telekinesis?" "It means you can move things with your mind, like," Aohiki looked around the hallway to try to find a good example. "that book on the table. Try to bring it over here without moving. "I can’t see the book." "You don’t have to." Mitsukai closed her eyes, and within seconds, the book on the table had floated through mid-air, into her arms. "How did I do that?" she asked, bewildered. "You have telekinesis and telepathy. That’s why you could move the book without seeing it. That is also why the Jagan Eye had no effect on you." Aohiki silently marveled at the powers this girl had. She was even more amazed by the fact that this girl had only discovered it just now in her most desperate time of need. Indeed, Mitsukai was one to be admired. Aohiki thought for a moment Mitsukai would collapse. Her eyes had closed and she was breathing deeply and slowly. When she reopened her eyes suddenly, she turned to Aohiki. The same deep depression in Mitsukai’s eyes Hana had seen in her dream was here again, but it wasn’t a dream. "I’m not dreaming, am I?" Aohiki, Hana, wished she could have said yes. She wished she was still sleeping. She didn’t like the sadness she could see in Mitsukai’s soul. She hated it, despised it. Hana, Aohiki, shook her head, fighting back tears. "That also means my parents and Oneesama are dead," Mitsukai declared quietly to the floor. "I’m sorry Mitsukai," Aohiki said, and truly meant it. She sighed and stood up. She had made up her mind, weather Oniisama liked it or not. "Where are you going?" Mitsukai asked in alarm. "The Other World. And you’re coming with me. Since your family is dead, you are going to be staying with me. But we need to go to the Other World first." Aohiki stretched her arm out, and Mitsukai took it. Warmth washed all over Hana’s body. I will be your family, now, and you will be mine. She led her down the stairs and out the front door, quickly followed by Koenma. The sun was now higher in the sky, and all of the clouds had gone away. All that was left was a cheerful blue. A good sky for a good outcome.
Within the next six months Hana, Aohiki, found the connection she was craving for; in Takai Mitsukai. She had found someone who she could love, who loved her back just as much. She talked to her about anything and everything on her mind, and also listened when Mitsukai did the same. They worked together and laughed together. Someone who could accept her, even though she had a tail. Aohiki, Hana, promised herself that she would always protect Mitsukai. Never again would she have to go through the pain she had suffered in her childhood. Hana, Aohiki, was willing to give up her life for her. Mitsukai was the only person she would give her life for. After a long plain ride to the U.S., they lived in what peace could be for a goddess and a girl who was set on killing all yokai in the world for the next eight years.
The sleeping Aoi-chan nudged against Hana’s shoulder as if fluffing a pillow. The touch woke her up, and she mentally cursed her pet frog. But, she couldn’t be mad at him for long. Hana turned her head side-ways to look at her traveling buddy, Mitsukai-chan. She wondered how her friend was doing, leaving bad memories behind in Tokyo for the second time. Mitsukai was leaning against the window and appeared to be deep in thought, but she was holding a red rose in her hand. Hana smirked as she fell asleep again, dreaming of the yokai she would almost die for, but not quite. The end |
