MAY SERIES

ISHIDATE

Author: Returquoise
Status: Complete
Genre: Gen, Friendship
Rated: T
Pairing: None

Summary:
The first thing he noticed was that he felt heavy. He hadn't felt heavy for a long, long time.

Preview : 

He watched, silently, holding the fan in his hands, as Hikaru sleepily placed his black stone on the goban. The boy yawned every few minutes and every time Sai's hold of his fan tightened marginally. He understood that Hikaru was tired but didn't he feel something weird in the air? Why couldn't his pupil feel it?

Sai himself couldn't think anything else but that feeling. Something was going to happen, something that would turn Sai's life (or afterlife as the case may be) upside down.

Sai didn't like that feeling at all. It made him uneasy, the feeling of the impending change. He was happy with Hikaru despite not being able to play his own games, or, indeed, to play against anyone else but Hikaru.

He pointed out his next move and Hikaru placed the white stone obediently.

Sai followed Hikaru's glassy, green-eyed gaze over the board. He was of course thankful of the chance to remain on Earth after his death some thousand years earlier. But that still didn't change the fact that he had to depend on others to place his moves. First it had been Torajirō who all but threw his own existence away to a ghost, and then it had been Hikaru whose attitude was the complete opposite.

Hikaru placed his next move and Sai felt proud of Hikaru. The boy may not have been as accommodating as Torajirō but his skills had grown more. Hikaru had started learning Go from scratch two years ago and here he was; a professional Go player already at the age of fourteen.

Sai tapped the board quietly and went back to watching his pupil.

140 years ago, he thought. Torajirō lent me his body.

Hikaru hadn't given up his own existence but instead, in a way, he had given Sai an existence, one completely separated from Hikaru himself. He had found a way to play people with those magic boxes and in this internet-thing (though Sai had never seen any nets, fishing or otherwise) Sai had been able to use his own name. People had known about his existence (and still knew especially after his game with that man, Tōya Kōyo); he hadn't had to hide so much. He hadn't needed to steal anyone else's name or face. He hadn't been confined in his nonexistence.

If Torajirō existed for my sake, then I existed for Hikaru's sake.

He was thankful to Hikaru for that chance. He was also thankful for that game with that man few weeks ago.

Hikaru played his next move and yawned mightily.

Then Hikaru too will exist for someone else.

Sai bit his lower lip, not because the move was particularly challenging, but because his thoughts moved back to the feeling he had been having since that game.

That person will also… for someone else.

He closed his eyes, gripping the fan tightly.

A thousand years, two thousand years accumulates like that.

The long path that continues to the Hand of God…

He couldn't feel the gentle spring wind through the open window but he knew it existed. He wanted to feel it again; it had been so long since he last felt the wind…

My job is done.

… the feeling that he would disappear.

Sai's eyes widened as he felt faint tingling all over his body. His gaze moved to his hands in his lap and Sai saw they were glowing softly.

"Oh yes, Hikaru", he said, trying to get his student's attention, wanting to say one last thing to him before...

He knew his time was up.

The boy didn't raise his sleepy gaze from the goban.

"Hikaru. Hey Hikaru! Hey?"

He felt tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Can you hear me? Hikaru…" Sai asked, his heart clenching. He knew Hikaru couldn't hear him but he felt he should say it nevertheless.

"It was fu -"

Sai couldn't see clearly anymore, Hikaru's room around him was fading.

Hikaru was fading.

He couldn't feel his lips moving anymore.

He couldn't see or hear anything anymore.

Everything was light.

Sai was light.

And Fujiwara no Sai knew no more.

Link: www.fanfiction.net/s/5874502/1/Ishidate

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MYŌSHU

Status: Complete
Genre: Gen, Friendship
Rated: K+
Pairing: None

Summary:
An unexpected member of the audience in the Hokuto Cup reveals the truth behind Shindō Hikaru's Go skills.

Preview : 

He feels his heart beating in excitement as he clenches his hands tightly in his lap. He can see it; the path to victory. He leans forward in his seat, biting his lip, eyes glued to the screen in the other end of the room.

I know you can see it, Hikaru. Just calm down and play.

9-8

His lips curve into a victorious smile. Hikaru saw it and attacked. Now the young pro just had to follow through with it and he knows it will be hard; this Ko Yeoung-ha is a strong opponent but he isn't too worried. He has complete confidence in Hikaru.

You've grown, Hikaru. He smiles. Your Go has grown as well; I can't wait to play you again.

He lets his gaze follow the stones placed on the goban and he has a hard time trying to keep himself from jumping up and down. His fingers twitch in anticipation and he stills them with a stern thought. Not yet. This is Hikaru's game, Hikaru's Go.

Hikaru is catching up to the Korean with a rapid pace but the other pro isn't giving in at all. The goban is turning into a bloody battlefield and he knows it will be close game. He cannot see who'll emerge as a winner but he knows it will be a well-earned win, no matter whom the victor is.

13-2

He stills and his eyes widen. This is a strong move and extremely hard to counter, at least in this particular situation. It will go into atari if Hikaru tries to retrieve it… and white can use that time to secure territory… It seems Ko Yeoung-ha is a tricky opponent.

He leans back in his chair, lips pursed, contemplating the move.

After that move game turns into the Korean's advantage but it doesn't make the game less interesting. On the contrary, the game moved into a completely different level. He frowns softly. Hikaru is clearly struggling but the game is nearing its end.

He can already see the end result. He smiles softly and feels warmth spreading through him. It's a beautiful game, Hikaru. Sadly, it won't be enough.

His gaze flickers to the other two boards. Tōya Akira's opponent, Irufhang (he really can't keep track of all these weird, foreign names...) resigned and on the third board Yashiro Kiyoharu lost to young Hon Su-Young by 3,5 moku. He remembers clearly the game between young Korean pro, then Kenkyūsei, and Hikaru. It is one of the most beautiful games Hikaru has ever played.

His gaze moves back to Hikaru's game. He flicks open his fan, hiding his smile as the players start to count the territory. Half a moku… You did well, Hikaru.

He can feel the tension among the rest of the audience; he can hear the whispers, asking who won.

"Is it enough? Shindō?"

"How is it going to end?"

He recognizes Hikaru's friends and his lips twitch. He can tell they're awed at their friend's skills in this game and he has the urge to gloat that he had taught Hikaru to play, that Hikaru is his student. But he doesn't, and just smiles behind his pale yellow fan, listening to audience's clapping and exclamations of awe.

It's time we meet again, Hikaru. He chuckles as he rises to his feet, ignoring the more disappointed and annoyed comments from the audience. Besides, Kawai-san is keeping them in control.

Link: www.fanfiction.net/s/5152363/1/Myōshu