Disclaimer: Map Writers do not possess the copyright to the Harukanaru Toki no Nakade franchise, or any of its components or companion works. They are the sole property of their original artist and author Mizuno Touko, and the companies Ruby Party, Koei and VIZ Media. This manga series has been licensed by VIZ Media; please support the author by purchasing the official publications.

Note: Eisen’s story, continuing from my oneshot Hachiyou no Nozomi, posted under the Map Writers account. This story will not really make sense until you read that short prologue. Please do, and vote on what other stories in this series catch your particular interest.

Thicker than Water

20FacesChizu

Chapter 1- Introducing Sound

All who know even a bit about the teachings for Buddhist monks know that silence is a virtue.

Therefore, you can imagine how loud a scream sounds in the early dawn hours. It simply echoes across the monastery like a wave walks across the surface of the seas.

Currently, Eisen was back-to-wall in his room; his sheets straggled out across the floor from bed to feet as he looked in comical horror to his futon.

The reason being that there was currently a young lady, a few years younger than him, by a random guess, that was stretched out across his bed, only an inch from where he’d been sleeping not a moment before. A mess of silvery-blue hair shifted, accompanied by an irritated groan as the figure shifted haphazardly, her hand randomly reaching out and feeling for something, what he wasn’t sure, but when it met the pillow her long nails dug in and picked it up, throwing it with surprising power in his direction, though she managed to miss his head by a foot or two. And with that, she turned over and nuzzled into the sheets, hand flopping onto the back of her head in a very chaotic and uncomfortable-looking position.

“It’s too early for me to bother with you, Daichi…”

Well, the curious little mumble he managed to hear was quickly interrupted by the sounds of footsteps, approaching at alarming rates before his door was flung open. The head priest of all people was already here! The young man’s mouth worked wordlessly, his deep purple eyes flickering back and forth between the unknown form in his bed and his superior standing in the door.

Less than five minutes. Less than five minutes, and his morning was already in chaos.

Blushing madly and wishing he could curl up into a ball and disappear anywhere, Eisen sat at attention before the elders of the temple. At his side, a nonchalant and still half-asleep girl was sprawled irreverently across the floor, her hand covering up a wide yawn.

“Who are you, young lady?” The prince thanked the elder mentally for noting that this was not something he understood, either. The girl blinked once and then examined their clothes with a slightly uneasy manner.

“I could ask you the same thing. I never really thought priests were into kidnapping, though you’re more than welcome to keep me. It’s better than sending me back to the hell-hole I came from.”

The priests flinched at the rough language she used, but it appeared that she paid the reaction no particular attention.

“We have no idea what you mean by kidnapping, miss. We would never do such a thing. Now please, tell us who you are.”

“Kyouhakusha Arisa. First year, class A from Kita High.” She dragged her fingers through her hair roughly, looking up at the head priest with a kind of lethargy mixed with aggravation. “Speaking of school, I don’t know what time it is, but honestly? I’m gonna be late for classes if you don’t let me go. Just tell me where this is and I’ll go ahead and head to the nearest train station, mmkay?”

“T-… tra-?”

“Train. Station. Right. You guys are Japanese, right?”

“Of course!”

“Then don’t act like a train station is so odd. Unless you’re rich, most everybody rides the train anyway.” She examined their reactions this time, watching as two of the monks turned to each other with uneasy whispers and confused looks. For the first time that morning, she turned and examined the boy next to her. Unfortunately, Eisen was still too horrified with the first five minutes of his morning that he hadn’t even registered the conversation from the last few minutes. She reached up and tugged lightly on a small lock of hair that hung unevenly down his back, causing him to startle and look at her in embarrassed shock. “Why is everyone acting so weird? I know this is a monastery and all, but you do know what a train station is, right? You can’t be that out-of-touch.”

“I- I’m afraid we don’t.” He noticed right away that she looked irked, though he couldn’t begin to understand why.

“What’s your name?”

“E- Eisen.” Another irked look.

“Eisen, what prefecture is this?”

“Prefec… ture?”

“Yes. What prefecture? What city?”

“This is K- Kyou.” She looked at him fiercely, and for the first time, he noted that her eyes were quite reminiscent of a great, predatory feline. He resisted the urge to break posture and scramble away from her displeasure.

“Where is Kyou?”

At that, no one seemed to know what to tell her. But after everyone in the room measuring everyone else for lies for a good five minutes, there was a knock at the door. With permission given, a messenger entered, glancing around nervously before kneeling next to Eisen and handing him a letter, his voice failing him except for croaking out a few words.

“The samurai Minamoto no Yorihisa left thi- this message for Eisen-sama.”

He cowed immediately at the dirty look the unusual visitor shot him, and skittered out the door without even waiting for a word of dismissal. Eisen opened the short message dazedly.

You have likely encountered an odd guest this morning, Eisen-sama. Akane-dono stepped into our world this morning and notified me that these girls are, according to Ryuujin, our soul mates. Please act accordingly. If the lady is worried about returning home, please inform her that the spell to bring them here will release and send them back in two weeks’ time.

Minamoto no Yorihisa

The young monk reread the note again. And again. And finally, Arisa snatched it from his hand and read it, struggling over the handwriting here and there, but eventually coming to the end, and setting it down, her eyes saying that she was confused enough for the both of them.

“Soul mates.”

“It… would seem that way.”

“Who is Akane?”

“The Priestess of the Dragon God.”

“And you’re sure she’s right about this?”

“Decidedly.”

He looked at her now, and examined her features. Silvery-blue eyes stared into space, proof that she was warring within herself over this particular development. Her olive-colored skin was slowly changing colors, ranging from pink to red, and purple to blue, depending on whatever thought was apparently in the lead of her battling thoughts. Finally, her eyes closed as she seemed to settle on something. Turning to him, she looked him straight in the eye.

“Well then, I guess I’ll be in your care, Eisen.”

AN: Wow. I'm FINALLY getting them up. 8D Anywhosit, this story is a continuance of the beginning prologue "Hachiyou no Nozomi"; if you haven't read it, it's under the penname "Map Writers" on here. If you like Eisen, this story is for you; if you like any of the other Hachiyou, all of them will be getting their own stories, so please put me on alert and keep an eye out for them~.

Next Chapter: Kaguya's Robes