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A Calm Hope (Pending)	By : Kakashifan727 Category: -Misc Video Games/RPGs > AU - Alternate Universe Views: 891 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own the Haruka series. It is owned by Ruby Party and Koei Tecmo. I do not own any of the characters or settings portrayed within. I do not make any profit off of this work.

Chapter List
- 1-Prolouge
- 1
Disclaimer: I do not own the Haruka series. It is owned by Ruby Party and Koei Tecmo. I do not own any of the characters or settings portrayed within. I do not make any profit off of this work.
Full Summary: (Mix of true route path with all chars routes; Kagetoki's taking some priority over the others. Ages of characters have been altered to suit my own preference.) Nozomi Kasuga is pulled from the modern world of Tokyo to the Heian period of Kyoto. It is a dark time of war, strife, magic and monsters. Losing her college friends in the jump, Nozomi suffers cruelty after cruelty until she is saved by pure chance. That chance is the young Genji commander and magic user named Kajiwara Kagetoki. He is only one who believes her story about being the White Dragon Priestess at first, being an Omnyoji and older brother to the Black Dragon Priestess. Feeling abandoned by her modern companions and distrustful because of the scars she received upon coming to the past, Nozomi is reluctant to use her powers and help people. Understanding what she is going through, being a magic user himself and having a few odd secrets of his own, Kagetoki helps her open up to her powers along with the guidance of her other Eight Protectors. As the years slowly go by, she grows accustomed to living in the past. The two come to rely on each other, getting through various obstacles together and deepening their bond into something special; much to the jealously of her modern friends. Can they stop the evil plot of the Heike before it consumes all of Heian Japan and the future as well?
A/N: We'll see how this goes. Only know about this from playing the previous games, the Ultimate demo, the small bits I could find with guides, most in broken english or webspeak, with no knowledge of Japanese. Gonna go more historical fiction maybe in that case; I dunno...Definitely changing some of the story to flow better along with character relationships etc. Depends what the internet will help me find. This ch is mostly info dump, sorry. Same with summary. Rest will be better I hope.
"Thank God...I thought class was going to drag on forever," I muttered, moving a few locks of my long purple hair out of my face. That class was grueling...I can't wait for Winter break. I think, quickly packing my bags and getting up from my desk. A familiar chuckle causes me to turn around. A smile dawns on my face as my best friend enter my view, his smiling face matching my own. His short blue hair almost blends in with my long purple locks, the two quite similar in color. I jump a bit, startled, when I feel his hand on my shoulder. It's so large and warm, in contrast to my small shoulder. I don't mind the feeling, but if someone sees us like this, what would they think? My mind wanders as I think of his younger brother, the green haired, glasses wearing boy one year my junior. As far as I know, he seems to have some kind of infatuation with me; probably because the three of us were childhood friends. I'm not really sure what to think of his feelings, though I do know he would be surprised if he saw us like this. I laugh nervously, brushing off his large hand.
"Masaomi-kun, what are you doing? What if someone sees?" I ask, looking into his blue eyes. They dazzle me, and my heart skips a beat as it thumps in my chest. My classmate only grins, his deep and soothing voice making me feel warm.
"Sorry, sorry. I just got a bit excited. I just can't wait for our break, you know?" He comments, his smile turning into a grin as he walks with me out the room and into the school hallway. I nod, his mood becoming infectious as I realize we have all this time off. No studying, no teachers, just time with our families and holiday cheer. This makes me wonder what I should do for Christmas...I'm nervous about getting everybody gifts. Even though I have a part time job after school, making enough money to buy something really nice would be difficult. I'll have to try though. I want to make everybody really happy for the holidays. Another voice jolts me out of my thoughts for a moment, as one of our juniors comes up to us. He smiles at me, his glasses reflecting the happy looks on our faces as he joins our little entourage.
"Nozomi-senpai, Masaomi, are you guys leaving already? You guys are quick. I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk home with you in time..." He mutters, his short, light green hair contrasting to my long purple and Masaomi's dark blue.
"We wouldn't leave you, Yuzuru-kun! We were just going to your class to find you," I answer, smiling back at the glasses wearing boy. Masaomi nods, grabbing the smaller boy by the shoulder.
"Hey, what kind of older brother would I be if I left you at school? On that note, we better get going, it looked like it was going to rain earlier," Masaomi comments, the three of us walking faster almost as in response to his words. We didn't want to get caught in the rain; I didn't bring an umbrella and I doubt those two did either. Well, this is what we get for not checking the weather I suppose. As we walk outside of the school building, dark clouds start to gather around us. Many other students are hurry along with their friends or rushing off alone on foot or on their bikes. Something seems strange to me, so I move ahead of Masaomi and Yuzuru. After a few seconds I spot it; a lone figure with its back turned to us, seemingly out of place in the crowded school grounds. I notice why almost immediately. They look like a small child, much too young to be at our university, their hair a strange silver color, almost white and so long it almost touches the ground. Who is this kid? He'll get sick if he's goes out like that...I probably should ask him to join us. No one else seems to care...I think, slowly walking toward the small boy. It is true, no one else, except maybe Masaomi and Yuzuru seem to notice the child, standing alone amongst the darkening sky.
"Huh? That kid...what's he doing here?" I hear Masaomi mutter, as I reach out my hand to touch him. Just then, a peal of thunder strikes the sky, starling me and making me pull my hand back. Rain starts falling almost immediately, first slowly and calmly, then a downpour. It was all so sudden, almost unreal or like magic. The child turns towards me in that moment, his large amber eyes trapping me. He's so small and cute; I feel bad for him being all alone in this coming storm. His eyes are filled with a warmth and kindness one would expect from a child, yet I sense something more deep within. Almost as if this child is hiding his true self from us. It makes a chill run down my spine, and the words the child say next only add to my confusion.
"My miko...I finally found you..." He mutters, his voice tiny and clear like a bell. It was hard for me to hear him, the rain drowning out his small voice as his eyes are still locked onto me. What did he say? I couldn't really make it out...was he calling for me? I move closer to the small child, my eyes still locked onto his small frame. I hear voices calling out for me in the back of my mind, probably my friends...
"Senpai! Are you worried about that boy? He is kind of small...but something about him..." Yuzuru comments, having walked up closer to me to get a better look at the child, Masaomi included. Another peal of thunder sounds out in the distance, the rain almost obscuring our vision it was becoming so dense. This weather is kind of odd...That thought crosses the back of my mind as I look at the boy, his mouth moving as he says something.
"My precious miko...Come with me," He commands, a strange power swelling from the boy. It makes me try to take a step back, but as I do, my feet are swept out from under me. I feel water soak my school clothes as I hit the ground, my body being pulled forward by a strong current that came seemingly out of nowhere. I know this isn't because of the rain. The boy himself almost glows with some sort of power, and he rises up in the air slowly, the concentration of water carrying me going faster and faster as I notice that the ground is no longer there. The sky is gone as well, just an odd black void that appeared out of nowhere. I look back and see the shocked faces of my two friends as they watch the scenery change around them. Yuzuru calls out for me, jumping out into the current himself, Masaomi doing the same. Can no one else see this? Are we the only ones that were pulled in? Probably because we were so close to the kid...Or he chose us, going by whatever he was trying to say. Or rather chose me. I wonder what he means...I'm brought back to my senses by the feeling of water filling my lungs, the current now pulling me under. I feel something grab onto one of my hands and look back to see Yuzuru-kun's hand holding my own. The current is too strong however, and we easily separate, my own body being pulled further into the black void. If I could scream I would, but that would only fill my lungs with more water, and they are burning heavily already. I can only watch as the horrified faces of my schoolmates waver and blacken before my hazy eyes as I feel more water filling into my lungs. The last thing I see is Masaomi-kun and Yuzuru-kun try to swim through the swirling current, desperately trying to reach me. I weakly attempt to offer my hand to them, but my strength is drained completely and I falter, my body feeling like it is falling through the air before I start to lose consciousness completely.
The night sky is dark and I feel a chill as I sweep aside the cloth covering my tent. The winter night air is cold, the small dusting of snow blanketing the ground making my feet freeze in their sandals. I should have brought a better outfit...Oh well. Can't be helped! Besides, this coldness is refreshing in its own way. I think, looking up at the sky to see the stars above the encampment. They twinkle softly in the darkness, a soft illumination against the harsh red fires leaping out of their torches on the ground. It's so peaceful, and yet something about it makes me nervous. I know well the reason why.
We have been fighting for the past few hours now, and the tide does not seem to be turning in our favor. I had hoped we could get the fighting over and done with quickly, but this seems to not be the case. The enemy was skilled, though I fancied myself a good commander as well, but there was something most definitely off about our enemies strength. According to the reports, some of the troops had reported seeing some sort of 'monsters' during the last engagement. I had also seen them, feeling their dark aura in various places around the battlefield. Those Heike scum were up to something nefarious; the Taira clan's heirs would do anything to regain their lost glory. So they've stooped to using black magic, eh? As if they weren't enough trouble for Lord Yoritomo, they now throw demons into the mix. I knew better; they weren't just monsters but something far worse. Their very presence shifted the air around us, making it a dark and choking miasma. They were evil spirits, summoned from some unholy godforsaken place to corrupt the earth itself. Human weapons could not completely destroy them, something we learned the hard way. The spirits just reformed into new bodies somewhere else like nothing had ever happened. Just when you think you've beaten them, they come back somewhere else and in larger numbers. It only seems magic and some sealing spells are effective; and the sealing spells need to be quite powerful. At least the human opponents we could take down; you can tell when a person dies. And these things often took the form of humans, though not always. Sometimes they were outright ogres and demons, or some sort of mythical beast or humanoid form. The worst was when they mixed within the human ranks, making them more difficult to tell apart.
That was what seemed to be happening now, and our forces were suffering because of it. The mere thought of watching our soldiers die on the battlefield, their screams of terror as they died, made my body shake. I didn't like watching people die; I honestly hated violence. What could I do about it? Ever since I had been eighteen years old and the gods had embedded this sea green jewel into my chest everything seemed to be decided for me. I had been good at fighting, as most men my age were, but to earn the attention of someone like Minamoto Yoritomo was something else. This was my lot in life and I had to accept it. Besides, if Lord Yoritomo heard that we had retreat at such a critical juncture he'd have my head. I shuddered at the thought of his cold, fierce eyes staring me down, his intense gaze radiating his feeling of disappointment. He was quite a scary man, having the command some of the more powerful sects of the country under his thumb. Then again being one of the famed Minamoto clan, he was destined for greatness, just like his younger brother. He was known for his relentless tactics, superior strategizing skills and ruthless nature. I saw him fight on the battlefield once; it was terrifying. He just left a mound of corpses in his wake. My family would be ostracized if I disobeyed him. I couldn't afford that, not while taking care of my aging mother and little sister. They need the money and fighting was the only way I could earn it. The house, our food and most of everything else was because I had been promoted to commander because of my potential at only twenty three years of age. Even with my good poetic and scribing talents, I couldn't earn a living with that. So...Here I am. Fighting in this godsforsaken place, innocent lives being lost, my own heart being torn in twain. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I wanted to be done with it, and just live peacefully with my family, maybe make use of other talents that didn't invovle martial prowess, but...I'm too weak. I couldn't go against Lord Yoritomo. Besides, the people need fighters like us in times like these. I don't like it, but I am fighting for my mother and younger sister too. If I think about it that way, it's not as bad.
My mind turned back to the battle at hand, my eyes tearing up as I hear the sounds of more of my men howling in pain, knowing they were hurting from today's battle. I'm angry, both at my own powerlessness and at the situation before us. Maybe if I was a better commander...I've only fought a couple battles, and I'm still quite green. If only I could do something to help...These monsters were definitely pushing this battle in the Heike's favor. Our troops would kill what they thought was a human, only for it to stand right back up and continue fighting. It certainly wasn't helping our morale any, for sure. I had to do something; our men were becoming nervous and thus affecting our combat potential. I tried to ignore the lurching feeling in my stomach, the guilt at losing so many of our troops, even though I knew I wasn't truly at fault. We were dealing with something supernatural here, and despite my own experience with magic, I was not sure how to handle it. My own skills were more suited to breaking barriers and laying traps, maybe a few offensive spells here and there. It certainly wasn't enough to turn the tide that severely. Though maybe setting a few magical traps and enhancing the soldiers weapons with magic could help a bit...maybe there was something I could do. With this thought in mind, my head turned upwards to the sky, the dark night strangely calming as I watched the stars sparkle. Just then, a star larger than the others caught my attention; it was quite bright and almost seemed to be moving. It seemed like an omen, almost as if I could feel a strange power from it. I closed my eyes, focusing on the bright star, and concentrated deeply on the feelings deep within in my heart...
I want the fighting to end. I just want there to be peace; no more death, no more fighting with minimal bloodshed.
Cold. Cold and wet. These are the first sensations I am aware of as I slowly open my eyes. I blink, not sure of what to make of the scenery before me. Am I dreaming? This...this can't be real. I think, my body feeling very sore as I attempt to get up off of the cold ground. My hands are freezing, probably because of the snow coating the ground, and that my body is still wet from nearly drowning. Even though I'm wearing my school uniform and a good pair of shoes, they are all soaked through to the bone, and it makes the coldness of the snow all that more apparent. I ache all over, and I feel very tired...It would be nice to fall asleep right now, but...where are the others? I don't see much in this frozen landscape, just a sea of white snow amid a pink sky. It must be late in the afternoon, or possibly even early dawn. I'm not sure when I regained consciousness. All I know is that I am alone, and my friends are nowhere to be found. Shaking as I stand up, my body tired and freezing, I desperately try to call out in a weak voice.
"Masaomi-kun, Yuzuru-kun, where are you? Are you alive? Please, answer me!" I shout, my voice sounding feeble in the white space. A few seconds pass and yet there is no response. Nothing. I strain my ears to listen, trying to find any trace of their voices that I know so well. I do hear something, almost like a shout or cry. My mind thinks back to that little boy, whoever or whatever that was. Could it be him? If that's so, I should find him...Even if he probably brought us here, he's still just a small child. I can't leave him to freeze to death. I shake again, my body shivering as I huddle in my snow covered school uniform. I start moving, trying to find some way to keep the warmth in my body and look for the source of the sound I heard. Or that I thought I heard. My senses could be playing tricks on me, I think as I walk forward slowly. I do feel a bit disoriented and my body is cold and wet; I'm not sure I'm fully aware of what is going on right now. My feet crunch in the snow, small footsteps leaving a trail behind as I walk in no direction in particular. I just follow the sound of the wind, the odd screams coming closer as I walk forward. I blink as I notice a change in the scenery, no longer just a white wasteland of snow. My heart pounds in my chest as I look upon this sight, my brain taking a while to register everything at once.
Blots of brown, red and other stark colors contrast with the blinding white of the snow. Odd colored lumps of various sizes dot the white space, my brain not wanting to register exactly what they are. The smell is horrendous, like that of old meat being out too long. It makes me want to puke, but I try my best to remain composed. Something in me realizes what is gong on, a small scream stuck in my throat. I focus on something else, the planks of brown wood diverting my attention. They look like barricades, some of them painted the same odd red color as the snow and the lumps. No. Not painted...Stained. I think, my brain slowly registering that the crimson stains are blood. Those lumps on the ground are corpses, their bodies stained with their lifeblood as it drips out onto the snow. I can't count how many there are; from my vantage point it could be only these few or many more. I can't see too much beyond the horizon. I don't want to see. My stomach churns as my nose detects the stench of the dead bodies, the dried blood and smell of death making me want to vomit. What nightmarish place is this? This isn't our university...It's some kind of battlefield. I can understand that much. Only death lingers here. It's somewhere I should not be.
I shiver again, this time for a reason other than the cold. I subconsciously backpedal, my feet moving more of their own accord. I really, really shouldn't be here. It's scary. I'm scared. I think of my friends; what if they are here? I can't leave them.
That thought alone causes me stop retreating, my feet becoming colder as they dig deeper into the snow. I have to find them and that small child too. He must be more scared than I am, no matter what kind of thing he did to get us here. I gingerly move my freezing feet, being careful not to step on any of the dead bodies. Now that I examine them more closely, they seem to have died from various types of wounds. Arrows pierce through the armor and into the soft skin, dried blood crusted to the corpses. Sword slashes and some other type of gashes run across another corpse, it organs failing to stay out of its body. I try to resist puking or screaming; these corpses look kind of fresh and I don't want to come across whatever did this. It's not like I want to see this, but I can't help looking at them as I walk ahead, my brain automatically focusing on these colored lumps in the white snow. They all appear to be wearing armor, like samurai did back in the Heian period of Japan. I remember seeing pictures of them at my textbooks at school, and I've always had a bit of a soft spot for history. Some of them are wearing armor in a different style and color, though it is hard to tell from the blood on them. They must have been fighting each other, my brain reasons. My heart skips a beat as I hear an odd noise; the sound of something moving. I blink a few times, still walking through the corpse strewn battlefield, trying to see anything out of the ordinary. It's not my footsteps, as it sounds farther away. I am however, able to feel a sort of...presence, my head feeling a bit dizzy for some odd reason. I do notice a new smell, this one oddly sickeningly sweet, and not in a good way. I just try to keep walking forward, though it has become harder than before, and I think I'm starting to pass out, as the clear white of the snow isn't as pure as before. No, I'm not blacking out...I realize as I put my hand in front of my face to gauge this theory. It too is cloaked in a black sort of mist, my pulse quickening as I realize the whole area has become saturated. This must be the cause of the unease I felt earlier, along with the odd dizziness. Getting the feeling of being watched, I turn around to check, my body shaking a bit with fear. My eyes nearly bulge out of my head at what I see, and I resist the overwhelming urge to scream out.
"O spirits of vengeance, come forth! I, your summoner, compel thee! Feel the hatred coursing through mine veins, this ancient grudge! O demons of hell, I command thee, come forth and wreak havoc on the world of the living!" A man shouts, his unnaturally pale arms waving and gesturing wildly. His beautiful face is distorted by a grimace of hatred, his almond shaped eyes narrowing on the small clearing below him.
"Yes, yes! Splendid. The summoning has succeeded. I can feel it; the evil energies of hell themselves are here to do my bidding. Tch. What a messy affair. What does father take me for, some lowly servant? He should be able to do this himself! I'd much rather be in battle myself, than doing these menial tasks." The young man complains, snapping his ornate folding fan shut with a loud clap. He sighs, looking down at his handiwork one last time, a smug smile on his face as he walks away from the cliff edge.
"Those Genji bastards! Let's see how they like dealing with the Taira clan now! Hahahahaha!"
What is this? I think, my mind in a daze. I can hardly process what is happening before me. The corpses from before are moving, rising up out of their prone state. No, this isn't happening. They are dead! I panic, my mind frozen as I watch a couple of the nearest corpses shamble on their feet. They smell awful, and what is left of their skin is hanging off of their bodies, having nothing to attach it to. Where there should be eyes, if the real eyeballs weren't in their sockets and rolling around crazily, was just a hollow black socket with a dim light in the center. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, my legs shaking as they are too scared to move. The reanimated corpses are moving toward me, their dim red lights that served as eyes honing in on me like a beacon. I feel myself starting to run, adrenaline pushing me farther than I figured I could go. I don't care where, just get me away from this awful place! I just keep running, the shambling noises of the bodies slowly getting further and further away. I don't stop when I notice the sounds have receded; I just keep going, my body powered by adrenaline and fear. Tears blanket my eyes as I feel the wind in my face, obscuring my vision. I only stop when I feel my legs give out from under me, my body tripping on the snow covered ground as I skid in the dirt, my long socks tearing in places from the hard impact and friction. Owww... I look at my scabbed hands and legs, now covered in dirt. My clothes and hair were dirty as well, my longer tresses having rubbed up against the ground when I tripped. There is a dull pain spreading throughout my body, and it compounds with the aches I already have from before. I just want to rest for a bit...Then again, what if Masaomi-kun and Yuzuru-kun are in a similar predicament? I need to find them! But...where am I? I ran for so long I thought my lungs were going to explode. I breathe heavily as I look around, the scenery once again unfamiliar to me. It's similar to where I was, the same wooden barricades and even some flags flying on top of them.
Yet it was different; there were signs of life here. I think I can see movement far away, blurred figures that are pacing back and forth. My heart catches in my throat as I pray that they will help me. I have to try, for my friends sake! I get up slowly, my body tired and achy as it struggles to move forward. They aren't that far away but it feels like an eternity for me to get closer to the moving shapes, the two figures stopping as I come into their field of view. They look like soldiers to me, wearing the same type of armor as the corpses from before. I tense up at seeing the weapons at their sides, which they grip tentatively as their eyes widen in surprise. One of them finally starts to talk, his voice low and stern.
"Tis a lone maiden? Hold! Who art thou? Friend or foe?" His speech is weird, some sort of odd dialect that I've only read in old stories. It's nothing like the Japanese I'm used to, and it takes me a moment to respond. The other man points at me, his finger stopping on my clothes and long purple hair.
"Hark! What garb is that? Never seen the likes of it before...The hair, as well, is an odd hue. Our lord has a different sheen, but this...shade of violet is unsettling. Mayhaps she be a demon or the like?" I open my mouth at that statement, wanting to refute his claim, but the two give me no chance.
"Don't believe so. Those monsters are only wont to strike our foes. I'd rather chance she was a witch or some sort. Only reason she ain't been ripped to shreds," His companion gawks at this, his arms flailing wildly. The other one only sighs, brandishing his sword as he walks toward me. I raise my hands in surrender, and he points his blade at the tip of my thirst. He's much too fast for me; these are trained warriors and I'm just a simple girl. Although I did practice kendo for a long time, even becoming the head of my university club. For women of course, but I was still proud of it. I babble out words, something, anything so they don't cut me down on the spot.
"P-please! I'm just a college student. I'm lost and looking for my friends. We were separated-" I barely get the chance to finish my sentence as the other man shouts at my words, his helmet covered face stricken with panic from what I could see of it.
"Her speech! What dialect does she spout? It sounds almost like a foreign tongue, yet the same like as ours. This is the truth of it; she is a witch!" I just stand there at the man's outrageous accusation, not really wanting to argue with a sword pointed at my throat. His companion nods, one of his hands gesturing to his worried fellow. He looks at me, his black eyes stern as he stares into my purple ones.
"Stay still. Anything out of sorts, and you will be cut down. Understand?" I nod, and I hear the heavy clang of armor as the other manwalk walks behind me, his hands rough as he grips mine and pulls them behind me. I am pushed along by the two of them, the sword still pointed at my side, ready to skwerer me if I made a wrong move. This is insane...What the heck have I gotten into? I just hope my friends are okay...
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A Calm Hope (Pending)