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The Creed of the Hojonin
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The power of the universe held within my hands.
The chains of eternity bound to my ankles.
The rope of obedience tied to my neck.
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I must receive the punishment of my sins,
The unforgiving consequences of my crimes.
I must fulfill the eternal conviction.
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My Holder is my Master.
I follow the will of the Holder.
I must protect the Holder.
I am bound to the Holder.
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I am one of eternity's Lost Souls.
My power is not for myself.
My power is for my Holder.
My will is not my own.
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I am but a puppet with strings.
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---Ruby and Jade---
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By Isrea Ishiida
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Beginning Notes: Thanks for popping open my story to take the time to read it, it means a lot to me. The summary will tell you in more detail what the story will be about, if you want to know. The short description under the title really doesn't do it any justice I recommend reading the full one here..
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts in any way, shape or form and all characters are the property of Square-Enix and Disney respectively. I am not making money off of this fanfiction, and only write it for the enjoyment of myself and the enjoyment of others.
Story Warning: This story is Yaoi themed, which means guy-guy relations. If you are uncomfortable with that please do not read further, I have warned you. This story is also rated for violence and swearing, however light or extreme it may become. If this does not offend you, please enjoy the story. Make sure to check the chapter warnings each update, also. The current rating is for chapters in the future.
Summary of the Story:
Kingdome Hearts was sealed and everything was perfect. People retuned home as the different worlds returned, the Heartless disappeared, and peace was restored quickly. But more importantly the man named Cloud Strife, a warrior of considerable talent, had once again been connected with the people he cherished. However, Aerith, Yuffie, Leon and Cid had decided to stay behind in Traverse Town instead of returning home, so Cloud had chosen to stay too.
Cloud moves to Traverse Town to be near his friends, but he's got a serious case of homesickness.He even starts to hate and resent his new life in Traverse Town, and only wishes to go home to Hollow Bastion.
But one day Cloud finds this little red sphere the size of a golf ball that changes everything. It's made entirely of ruby and in it shines a sort of glittery red light that intrigues him. Much to his ire, however, this jewel contains a Hojonin (Limited Guardian) that binds itself to him upon activation of the jewel. But not just any Hojonin! No, this one is in the form of a cocky human man with long red hairnamed Reno! He is anything but what a Hojonin should act like; rude, sloppy, irritating, arrogentand cold hearted, this Hojonin drives Cloud to try and get rid of him. The only problem is there is no way to break a Sealing Bind, which binds the Hojonin and the Master together, until the Master himself dies! What's worse is that this Hojonin refuses to tell Cloud his name, and deliberately goes out of his way to irritate the blond to no end.
But as Cloud grows to tolerate and even somewhat like this Hojonin, something evil makes its move in Traverse Town. Little does either of them know that others are seeking the Hojonin trapped within the ruby sphere, intent on using him for their own dark and sadistic desires. Can the duo fight the darkness, or will they be swallowed up by its malevolence? Whatever happens, they'll be forced to do it… together.
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---Chapter One---
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---All that is gold does not glitter---
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It was early morning and the sun was just now peeking out over the tops of the buildings of uptown Traverse Town, casting its warm light upon the world below. The sky was already a bright blue and there were no clouds in the sky at all this day, promising fair weather.
A ruby sphere gleamed in the faint light of the alleyway as the sun's rays caught it, its smooth face unmarred by the dirt and the garbage littered about. The orb seemed to spark to life and glow from within, glittering a faint ruby light that shone against the sphere's walls in reply to the welcomed morning sun. With the way the red light flickered one might get the idea that the ruby ball was sentient, alive and aware of its surroundings, and that the sun had woken it. There even seemed to be a sentient aura of displeasure around it, like a feeling that pulsed from it, and right now it was irritation at its current resting place. It was resting atop the second bag of trash in a large pile at the side of an apartment, barely out of sight, pinched between the first bag and the second.
Suddenly off to the left there was movement as a large green truck pulled up to the curb with a squeal of well-used tires. A heavy set man jumped from the back of the truck when it came to a stop and landed with a thud nearby, his yellow and black uniform signaling that he was one of the garbage men that came around this block once a week. As he made his way over to the pile of black trash bags that the jewel was resting in, the light within the orb dulled and flickered out.
It was small and hardly noticed, so it was really no surprise that the man whose nametag read "Ralph" completely missed the extravagant little thing; and as Ralph hefted the first bag up and over his shoulder the orb was tossed free in a frenzy of movement and sent spiraling to the right, clanking rather unceremoniously against the sidewalk in a fit. It rolled for a short distance before coming to a stop in the middle of the path of oncoming people, and the red light within it flickered only once in response to the jarring toss. The sentient aura that surrounded it now was of faint nausea and dizziness.
Then someone kicked the jewel as they passed it by, their giant human figure dwarfing the red orb in size. It was sent rolling to the right again and out into the square, missing the city street by a mere few inches. This morning the populace was up early and the people of Traverse Town stampeded through the square in swift crowds, chatting and shouting to one another in loud or quiet voices that made up the dull murmur of city life. People bought groceries and stopped at shops, while even others jogged the square and teenagers sat about on benches and loitered in front of game stores.
This place was Uptown Square, District Six, the center of business and trade for all of Traverse. One side was lined with apartment buildings that reached high into the sky, their glass surfaces blinding, while next to them on the same side was a road leading into a parking lot. Every other edge of the square was nothing but a flurry of shops, buildings, businesses and walkways that lead to and from the square. Color and flare swept across the area in each direction, drawing one's attention in every which way. Benches littered the area and a large marble fountain filled the square with the sounds of running water. Carved into the form of a huge rose, the water tricked out of a pool in the center of the rose's pedals, while light shone in the water making it a sweet glittery silver.
The sphere continued in its frenzy of movement, barely missing getting stepped on any number of occasions. People kicked it this way and that, not bothering to notice the small ball rolling around under their feet, and soon it found itself rolling quickly across the opposite side of the square. It finally came to a stop in front of a large flower shop, the pink and purple sign reading "Daisies and Dandies" in fancy flowing cursive.
But what caught the orbs attention, if it had attention, were the two lone figures who stood outside it. One was a woman and had long flowing chocolate hair done up in a braid and green eyes. She was dressed in a pink dress and matching hair ribbon, while the other was male and had short but wildly spiked blond hair and piercing cerulean eyes. This man was dressed in a simple pair of cream khakis and a deep blue t-shirt, but it was clear from his muscle tones and posture that he was a fighter, a warrior, while the young lady with him was nothing of the sort.
They stood talking for a while then finally the man turned to leave, but as he did so he accidentally kicked over the large brown paper bag resting at his feet. It was obviously his, and the contents spilled across the cement in a frenzy. He cursed.
It was just then that someone kicked the little red orb watching this display and it was flung hazardously in the direction of the man and the bag.
The woman with the brown hair said something to the male with blond hair and just for a moment he turned to look at her, saying something back in reply. It was in this short time that the little red orb rolled hard into a can of soda that had spilled out from the bag and ricocheted right into the depths of the brown paper bag laying on its side. It rolled around in there for a second, hitting items that had not fallen out, until it settled into one of the corners.
The man with blond hair picked up the bag and his fallen items, placed them back into the bag without much thought to looking inside and stood up. Then, with a wave to his friend and a goodbye he turned and left for home.
So it was that the little ruby orb was carted off to the home of Cloud Strife.
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Cloud Strife walked the city sidewalks of uptown Traverse in a slow, unhurried gait that spoke plainly he wasn't in any real hurry to get home. With one arm supporting his groceries and the other swaying at his side, he allowed his gaze to sweep over the tall buildings of glass and marble that surrounded him on all sides, then let his eyes flicker across the people that either ignored his presence or waved cheerily at him as he passed by. This city world was still strange to him, as pretty and welcoming as it was - so much so that it actually kind of grated on his nerves. Call it homesickness, if you will.
Traverse Town – the city of Lost Souls. It was appropriately named, seeing as every refugee from the disaster caused by the Heartless came swarming into the place with no where else to go, lost souls riding the tide into what they hoped was salvation. They were lost and Traverse Town was their guiding light, a welcoming beacon of hope open to one and all…
Cloud didn't like Traverse Town.
It wasn't that it was a dirty or rundown place; in fact districts one through three were the crummiest in town but still managed to pull off a decent lifestyle. Uptown Traverse where he lived was like a dream come true; the streets almost seemed to be made of gold while buildings were made of expensive marble and etched glass, and the streets were clean and the shops orderly. The people were friendly, welcoming and kind, and there was plenty of work. … No, it wasn't the place that was the problem, it was him.
Cloud blamed the town though, and he knew he was being stupid in doing so. He just didn't like it simply because it wasn't home. It wasn't Hollow Bastion. It didn't have the gorgeous falls or the epic cathedrals, and he could not get up every morning to watch the dawn reflect upon the mist of Hollow Bastion's waters, standing atop the highest battlement to survey the land in all its majesty. He missed Hollow Bastion and longed for its familiar countryside.
But that was not his chosen path. Hollow Bastion had no place in his immediate future. Maybe someday… but not now.
As for Cloud's immediate future, well…
Kingdom Hearts had been closed, the worlds had all returned and everyone was at peace. In one great swoop all was right in the world, for Good had triumphed over Evil in this strange game of Fate. Seemed simple enough, didn't it? Unfortunately that wasn't true, for it's impossible for any one thing to be so black and white. At least that had been what Cloud had thought for the longest time, unable to simply accept the peace that had been thrown upon the universe so suddenly.
One day everything just seemed to… stop. The heartless were gone, the planets returned, and everyone was happy. He should have been happy too, but there was this nagging feeling in the back of his mind - a feeling that told him it had all happened much to abruptly. There had been no… closure, for lack of a better word. Cid said that it was just his soldier's blood unwilling to let the battle die, and that he should get some rest. Maybe he was right and Cloud's mind was just trying to justify what he felt? After all what is left to a soldier, one who knows only the battlefield, when the war finally ends?
Nothing but cursed memories and sleepless nights, and Cloud had plenty of those.
A few months had passed and nothing happened. Then a year went by, and nothing happened. A year and a half… nothing. So, with a final shrug to the thought, he pushed it aside and continued on with his life – or, as much of a life as he had.
Cloud had come to Traverse Town a year and a half ago when Kingdom Hearts had been closed and had been reunited with Aerith, Yuffie, Leon and Cid by a stroke of good luck that had crashed his Gummy ship on the world. He'd been searching for them, thinking that they all might have died when Hollow Bastion was taken by the darkness, and hoping that for once he was not right in his assumption. Luckily that was not so and he'd found them all in relatively good health. He'd thought that they would all go home together, back to Hollow Bastion, but no…
None of them really wanted to go back to Hallow Bastion, probably because of all the bad memories there, and had set up different shops or worked back in Traverse. Cid still ran his Gummy business, while Leon had become the Chief of Police in Traverse Town and had made it his personal mission to destroy the criminal populace. Yuffie worked part time at a bar called the Seventh Heaven, though she showed up more often than not late for work, and had moved in with Leon. Aerith even had a job as a florist, making flower arrangements and selling them, and owned her own flower store called "Daisies and Dandies". They had lives here in Traverse and were happy with them.
And Cloud? Cloud just couldn't bare the thought of leaving them again. They were the best of friends, the five of them, and had been since they were very young. When it came down to it, they were more important to him than Hollow Bastion was. So, instead of once again being separated from the only people in the world he cared about, relied on, and trusted… he stayed in Traverse Town and started his own life – a new life.
And how he hated it.
Sure there were the good moments, and oft times he found himself enjoying this new life. When he was with Yuffie, Leon, Aerith, and Cid he couldn't care where in the universe he was because they brightened every place for him, made it a sort of home. But then he would return home to his apartment in District Five of uptown Traverse, and he'd look out over the City of Lost Souls, and he'd go from being happy to miserable. This place… it just wasn't his home. He hadn't been stranded there for months like the others had so he didn't know the place like they did. He didn't have any kind of sentimental attachment to it… It was just another place to him… He didn't have the attachment to Traverse Town that he had to Hollow Bastion.
But if they called it home, so would he…
So caught up in his own thoughts Cloud hadn't even noticed that he was already home. He had been staring at his apartment door for nearly a whole minute before he snapped back into reality, slowly realizing where he was as the haze of thought fled his mind. He turned his head from side to side and looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one had seen him, then sighed in relief when he found that he was alone. The sight of him staring at his own door dumbly probably would have been just a little creepy to any one of his neighbors, who already made it a note to keep their distance. Cloud supposed it was because of the obvious warrior-like appearance and the foreboding aura he had, though some people on his floor had managed to gather enough courage to talk to him - others would have nothing to do with him.
People these days were easily spooked.
He stepped up to his apartment door and slid the key into the lock, turning the silver piece of metal slowly before pushing open the thick oak wood door that read the number "67." It slid open silently at his gentle push of hand and Cloud stepped inside his place, the fresh and clean smell of his near spotless apartment greeting his nose – it sure beat the hot and sweaty smell of the square.
What was Cloud's apartment like? It was huge.
The door to Cloud's apartment immediately opened up to the royal blue carpeted and white walled living room, which took up the majority of the lower right corner of the apartment. It was furnished with a black leather L couch that was settled against the back right corner, and a large flat screen television took up a spot on the south wall directly opposite it. Below it sat an extravagant movie stand and two game consoles (they'd been Yuffie's idea) and a DVD player. Before the couch was a small coffee table stained a dark cherry wood and trimmed in a white-silver. Two black leather lazy boy recliners were set off to the left of the couch and the coffee table but were turned toward the couch, creating a semi-circle design of all the furniture so that friends could sit around and talk. On the east wall was a sliding glass door that opened up to the balcony, while on the west wall was an open archway that lead to the kitchen. The living room had a lot of open space. Cloud like open space.
The kitchen was obviously meant for a family of four or five. Cloud liked it because it was large and open, like the living room. The cupboards and counter that ran along nearly all the north wall were also pure cherry wood and trimmed with silver edging. The kitchen table and chair set was also of the same dark cherry wood, stationed in the exact middle of the room and seated six people. To the east wall was the open arched doorway that lead to the living room, and on the west was the fridge, stove and dishwasher. All of Cloud's appliances were the newest models of everything and easily extremely expensive. The walls and ceiling were painted a sort of calming sky color, and the tiling was white.
Directly north of the living room was the door to the spare room and from there a roomy hallway lead both left and right, walls protruding to close off the hallway from the rest of the apartment. On the right side it took you behind the living room to Cloud's personal study, while going to the left would take you too a roomy bathroom and Cloud's master bedroom.
All in all, huge and expensive looking. Cloud had a lot of money to burn these days.
Kicking off his shoes Cloud turned to his immediate left and passed through an open archway that lead to the kitchen and set the brown paper bag down on the table. He started to empty the contents one by one and as he pulled out his groceries and the items he'd picked up here and there, he put them away accordingly. Bread – on top of the fridge. Soup – cupboard. Milk – Fridge. Meat – Freezer. This continued for about five minutes before he finally got to the last item in the bag he remembered buying – a bag of chips. However, as he pulled the chips out something red glinted and caught his eye. Turning his attention from his food and to the little object, Cloud frowned.
"What in the world…?" he questioned himself and reached into the bag, pulling out the little red orb a moment later. The thing was about the size of a golf ball, Cloud supposed, and it was obviously made of pure ruby. The gem was easily worth a fortune, and for a moment he wondered just where the hell he'd picked it up. Had it fallen into his bag? Had someone put it there? He certainly hadn't picked it up anywhere.
Taking the bag of chips and the jewel along with him Cloud turned and made his way out into the living room, plopping down on his sofa the minute he got there. Setting the chips on the sofa he held the little orb up to his face and frowned at it, examining its perfectly smooth, unblemished surface questioningly. Maybe someone had dropped it in his bag? But why?
Thinking he'd simply give it to Leon later and explain how he'd found it, Cloud went to set the jewel aside. However, he never got the chance.
Something flickered inside the ruby sphere and Cloud paused, taking a moment to look closer. As he did so a light sparked to life in the gem and it flared wildly like a rekindled flame, shinning quietly from the depths of the sphere. Cloud jumped back in his seat and nearly dropped the orb when it happened, but managed to keep a hold of it in fear that it would break.
And, for a brief moment, Cloud got this gut wrenching feeling that spread like ice through his veins and nearly made his heart stop dead. This little ruby ball… hated him. No... not him in general, it just hated something. It held within it so much hatred and anger that Cloud was nearly overwhelmed by the sensations, and for a moment his brain was assaulted with alien feelings and emotions that weren't his. It hurt so much he was forced to toss the ruby ball across the room just to make the feelings stop.
The minute it left his fingers, however, the red light brightened until it was a blinding flare and Cloud was forced to cover his precious eyes. For long moments the light filled his apartment and he could do nothing but blink against the harsh ruby light and peer over his upraised arms at the jewel.
And then, quiet suddenly, the light died and flickered out. The blond blinked rapidly to clear his vision of those annoying light spots, then nearly fell off the couch at what he saw.
Half a man. Or more accurately a floating, glowing half a man. Right above where the ruby jewel was resting in the center of the room a body was starting to materialize, his figure covered in a red light that shone up from the jewel. From the head it started and then worked its way down, long flowing flame colored hair and hard, rigid facial features the first to appear. The most prominent features of the man's face were the twin scars planted expertly upon his high cheekbones. His eyes were closed and a peaceful expression was across his face, though his jaw was clenched tight.
The image continued downward, like water the red light flowed and formed a man before his very eyes out of thin air. Next were the shoulders, arms and torso that appeared, wrapped in a navy dress jacket and a sloppy white button up shirt. Then down more the light continued and more of the body appeared, navy dress pants covering long and lean legs. Finally it ended with a pair of scuffed yet sharp looking men's black dress shoes.
And when it was done the fully completed man in the navy suit touched down, his feet connecting with the floor, and the light died completely from the room.
Cloud was silent a long moment, speechless as he stared at the unconscious man standing upright in his living room. What the hell had happened!? A guy just materialized out of thin air – right into his living room! Just as the thought entered his mind Cloud suddenly yelped and looked down as he felt a searing pain spike up his arm.
In horror he watched as black ink carved itself into the back of his hand, lines etching something into his very flesh. The black ink lines twisted and spread across his skin, leaving a dull pain and a tingly feeling in their wake. When it was completed Cloud studied his hand and winced at the feeling, but was surprised to find that the black lines had formed the picture of a thick black, morbid looking chain across the back of his hand. The black chain continued around the edges of his flesh and to the underside of his hand so he turned his hand over and examined his palm. The chain continued to the center of his palm, where it was locked around what looked suspiciously like a double layered Star of David, only it didn't have a circle around it.
He stared at his palm in somber silence for a long while before he looked up and slowly realized that the same star was etched onto the forehead of the red haired man standing in the center of his room – the same black inky lines used to make it. Though, that one didn't have the chain around it… What did this mean? Why was the star bound on his hand, but not on the man's forehead?
When he looked back down at his hand Cloud's eyes widened as the black ink that had carved the chain and star into his flesh slowly dissapeared beneath his skin, soaking into the very pores of his flesh. A second later it was gone, leaving nothing but a lingering feeling of slight pain and an itch where it had been moments before. His eyes traveled up to the red head's forehead and he watched as the star there also dissapeared, hiding itself under the other man's skin.
He couldn't explain it but Cloud could tell that the marks were not gone from either of them, that both still had the double layered stars, only they were hidden from veiw now. He couldn't describe how he knew that they were still there, he just did.
Just who the heck was this guy? How had he just appeared like that!? It didn't make any sense! Looking around wildly Cloud tried to find something that would explain this phenomenon, but there was nothing…
Then Cloud was suddenly aware of eyes watching him with carefully guarded neutrality and he snapped his gaze back to the red haired man standing in his living room. Cloud's cerulean gaze slowly met the man's deep jade eyes, awake jade eyes, and he paused only momentarily. The red head looked confused for all of maybe two seconds before his mind cleared and Cloud was instantly on edge against the man's sharp and intelligent stare. Cloud felt as though the man was looking right through him and he was forced to change his earlier assessment. The most prominent features of the red head's face were his eyes. Definitely his eyes… The man's dangerously unemotional gaze brought Cloud abruptly to his senses, throwing off the shock as quickly as possible in order to deal with what was going on.
Cloud found his voice immediately and spoke with the cold indifference that he was known for, intent in yielding no ground to the man. "Who the hell are you?"
The man brushed one hand through his hair slowly and then smirked an arrogant smirk that looked good on his handsome face. He finished by setting his sharp eyes on the blond warrior – eyes that still pinned Cloud to the spot, though the blond would never let him know that- and grinned.
"I'm your new source of entertainment."
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To Be Continued
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Author's Notes:
1. Short, I know, but I felt that it needed to cut it there for effect and what-not. The next one will be longer, I promise. Bah, really didn't like the way the chapter felt rushed, you know? I don't know, I took my time and everything, but it still feels rushed, like things happened too quickly. Meh. Sorry it's not all beta-read, but I couldn't find my beta-reader in time to post it.
2. Reviews are encouraged, both good and bad. Criticism is welcome and I wouldn't mind getting some. I like to hear what my readers have to say, good and bad! Please don't flame though, its only counter productive.
That's about it. I hope you have fun reading this!