The cough wracked through Mikki's small frame. The boy, so unaccustomed to being 'ill' was finding it hard to focus, despite his desperate rush to return to Migoya and hopefully for the Myakashi leader to cure whatever stupid meatbag illness now plagued him. Mikki had been feeling odd for the past few hours of flight. A dullness in his head that wasn't there the day before. It had been the first time Mikki could ever remember feeling any kind of sickness. As an experiment, he'd made himself feel sick once, by eating something foul, but this was not the same. It felt as though he had no energy. Even flying felt difficult and the boy found himself taking a long route, stopping often to rest, a sensation that was alien and frightening. His chest hurt. His legs hurt. And now he couldn't see properly.
As he walked through the desert that was called Godsfall or something, Mikki could feel his body growing weaker. His stomach rumbled, though he had eaten plenty, and a headache throbbed at the back of his skull. The boy could barely keep his eyes open. Ok, it was rather stupid for him to go into the desert, alone, with little water and food, but it was about learning how to survive or something! Yes, he had been bitten by some weird creature, was dehydrated, sunburnt and had a rash that was in his nether regions, but as Migoya would say, hardships would make him stronger. If only hardships didn't include chafing.
It was then that his head decided that it was time to have a nap. Falling to the sand, Mikki realized that if he simply fell asleep he probably wouldn't wake up, and as such he desperately tried to stand. It took the boy several attempts to get to his feet and the moment he did, the ground rushed towards him as his legs gave way and the child fell into the sand. He knew he was going to die. Bloody typical. When he met Yong and Hisao in the next life he was definately going to tell on Migoya for making him a meatbag and letting him wander in the desert alone.
Blackness came upon him.
A pair of arms slid under him, lifting him, cradling him as though he was a baby.
"I am so sorry Mikki," whispered the Myakashi leader and the boy looked up to see tears falling down his face."I tried to get to you, but I couldn't."
"Is this what dying feels like?" he asked and was rewarded with a laugh and a sob from the man.
"You're not dying,you idiot"he told him, pushing brown hair off the boys' forehead.
"Am I sick?" Mikki asked, his voice growing weaker.
"In a way. You need food, water, rest. Just like a human. But there is something a bit more serious. The body I put you in... I thought I had cured the particular blood disorder that had claimed the boys life. Its clear now that, without my bloodline's abilities, I cannot maintain the purity of your blood"
"But...but..." Mikki stuttered.
"I know, Mikki-kun. You're a tsukumogami, you shouldn't need any of those things, but you do. You are part of both worlds. Your body needs to adjust to this, or it will fail."
"How?" the boy asked, and the leader lifted the boy in his arms, the strange coldness of Migoya's body seeping through his black robe.
"I'll explain later," he told him, just as Mikki faded into unconciousness.
It took several days for Mikki to recover, the Myakashi leader keeping him fed and watered, but not talking about what had happened to the boy. He wanted to ask but was too afraid. What if he had to do something horrible to be well again?
It was then that he heard the words, words that he knew one day would come. Now they came, he had mixed feelings.
"I think its time we moved you back into a proper body, Mikki-kun", Migoya said, his tone serious. "I... I prepared for this. I made a body for you - similar to your old one. I owe you that much and more".
"Why?" Mikki asked.
"I'm so sorry, Mikki. You were supposed to be perfect. To be able to bridge the past and provide the knowledge that was lost there. There was supposed to be no difference in your memories, and I failed. I have a lot to answer for, but please know that I am truly, truly sorry. I... need to repent. To put you back where you belong".
The boy thought about the offer.
"I can still eat?" he asked.
"Yes, and everything else. You'll just have to be more careful that you were before. Your old skills as a tsukumogami will not return to you directly, but I'm sure that you will be able to learn far more than you did before. You already have if Yong's reports are correct." Migoya said as he placed his hand on Mikki's chest.
"I will make you a new heart. I can make you a perfect body. I just... I can't make you a perfect tsukumogami, Mikki," Migoya replied."That is your job, my friend".
"But I didn't want this," the boy complained. "I wanted a human body. To grow old and stuff and learn. I dont want my old one back just yet."
"I know, Mikki. And I would give it to you in a heartbeat, if I could. But... but this body was broken in the transference. I dont want to risk placing you into another mortal form as you lost so much memory the last time. I... I am so sorry for what I have put you through".
Mikki nodded slowly.
"So I get a new body?" he asked Migoya, a small smile playing on his face. Obviously he was trying to cheer Migoya up.
"Yes. Yes, you do," the leader of the Myakashi nodded. "Would you like to see it?"
"Sure!" the boy grinned.
Migoya, waving a pale hand, opened what appeared to be a portal into the darkness. Carrying Mikki in his cold arms, Migoya stepped through the portal and appeared in one of the hidden Myakashi outposts.
"Its dark," the boy muttered.
"Oh, but there is beauty in darkness, Mikki. Your eyes are those of a human, but soon... soon they will be more."
Placing the boy down, Migoya pulled a torch from the wall and lit it, revealing a long tunnel.
"Come, Mikki. Follow me."
The boy walked down the tunnel, following his leader, his mentor, his friend.
They arrived at the end of the tunnel, in a large circular room. In the center of the room was a large black pool. Suspended above it was what appeared to be a small, wooden mannequin, floating as if flying. It was very similar to Mikki's original form, but for some reason it had been carved out of a strange, glowing white wood.
"You made my body out of wood from the spirit tree?", Mikki gasped.
"Of course. Nothing but the best for my best friend", Migoya responded with a small measure of emotion to his otherwise emotionless voice.
"Whats all the black gunk?"
"This is one of the hidden gateways to the spirit world. This is where our bodies were made. I want you to stand in the middle of the pool, Mikki."
"Why?" the boy asked.
"Because that is how you will be made anew," Migoya replied, smiling, his red eyes glinting in the flickering torchlight.
The boy walked into the pool, the water up to his chest.
"Now, Mikki. Just close your eyes and go to sleep,"Migoya whispered, and the boy obeyed.
Migoya raised his hands, a blue fire igniting at his palms and he began chanting. Mikki could feel a warm feeling in his chest. It was nice. Soothing. The warmth grew, becoming a heat and the boy could feel his whole body glowing.
Mikki was not scared. He had done this before. Migoya had done this many times. To Kiko. To himself.
The light grew in intensity, the pain increasing, and the boy could no longer feel the water, could no longer hear the chanting. All he could hear were the screams.
His screams.
Mikki's new body opened his eyes. It was not the first time that Mikki had woken in a new body. Perhaps it wouldnt be his last.
"You were perfect, Mikki. I don't know what happened, but you weren't the same," Migoya spoke, his voice sounding hollow.
"I feel different, not like before" Mikki said.
"You are not a true tsukumogami, like I hoped, but I still hope that you can continue to help the Myakashi. Your body is the same, but your powers are not. You can still eat. You can still sleep. You can still die."
"But I'm still strong," the boy said.
"Yes, Mikki. You are still strong. Perhaps stronger than before."
"Maybe."
The boy stood, looking at the body he had been given. He could feel the energy coursing through his body.
"It isnt a true tsukumogami vessel, Mikki-kun, so you will have to get used to it. Ive added some tricks for you, but Im sure you can add more," Migoya said sadly.
"Thank you," Mikki said and then paused. "I have to ask you a favour."
"Anything," Migoya said, and the boy could feel his friend's sadness.
"Can I have a chainsaw?"
[WC: 1522]
As he walked through the desert that was called Godsfall or something, Mikki could feel his body growing weaker. His stomach rumbled, though he had eaten plenty, and a headache throbbed at the back of his skull. The boy could barely keep his eyes open. Ok, it was rather stupid for him to go into the desert, alone, with little water and food, but it was about learning how to survive or something! Yes, he had been bitten by some weird creature, was dehydrated, sunburnt and had a rash that was in his nether regions, but as Migoya would say, hardships would make him stronger. If only hardships didn't include chafing.
It was then that his head decided that it was time to have a nap. Falling to the sand, Mikki realized that if he simply fell asleep he probably wouldn't wake up, and as such he desperately tried to stand. It took the boy several attempts to get to his feet and the moment he did, the ground rushed towards him as his legs gave way and the child fell into the sand. He knew he was going to die. Bloody typical. When he met Yong and Hisao in the next life he was definately going to tell on Migoya for making him a meatbag and letting him wander in the desert alone.
Blackness came upon him.
A pair of arms slid under him, lifting him, cradling him as though he was a baby.
"I am so sorry Mikki," whispered the Myakashi leader and the boy looked up to see tears falling down his face."I tried to get to you, but I couldn't."
"Is this what dying feels like?" he asked and was rewarded with a laugh and a sob from the man.
"You're not dying,you idiot"he told him, pushing brown hair off the boys' forehead.
"Am I sick?" Mikki asked, his voice growing weaker.
"In a way. You need food, water, rest. Just like a human. But there is something a bit more serious. The body I put you in... I thought I had cured the particular blood disorder that had claimed the boys life. Its clear now that, without my bloodline's abilities, I cannot maintain the purity of your blood"
"But...but..." Mikki stuttered.
"I know, Mikki-kun. You're a tsukumogami, you shouldn't need any of those things, but you do. You are part of both worlds. Your body needs to adjust to this, or it will fail."
"How?" the boy asked, and the leader lifted the boy in his arms, the strange coldness of Migoya's body seeping through his black robe.
"I'll explain later," he told him, just as Mikki faded into unconciousness.
It took several days for Mikki to recover, the Myakashi leader keeping him fed and watered, but not talking about what had happened to the boy. He wanted to ask but was too afraid. What if he had to do something horrible to be well again?
It was then that he heard the words, words that he knew one day would come. Now they came, he had mixed feelings.
"I think its time we moved you back into a proper body, Mikki-kun", Migoya said, his tone serious. "I... I prepared for this. I made a body for you - similar to your old one. I owe you that much and more".
"Why?" Mikki asked.
"I'm so sorry, Mikki. You were supposed to be perfect. To be able to bridge the past and provide the knowledge that was lost there. There was supposed to be no difference in your memories, and I failed. I have a lot to answer for, but please know that I am truly, truly sorry. I... need to repent. To put you back where you belong".
The boy thought about the offer.
"I can still eat?" he asked.
"Yes, and everything else. You'll just have to be more careful that you were before. Your old skills as a tsukumogami will not return to you directly, but I'm sure that you will be able to learn far more than you did before. You already have if Yong's reports are correct." Migoya said as he placed his hand on Mikki's chest.
"I will make you a new heart. I can make you a perfect body. I just... I can't make you a perfect tsukumogami, Mikki," Migoya replied."That is your job, my friend".
"But I didn't want this," the boy complained. "I wanted a human body. To grow old and stuff and learn. I dont want my old one back just yet."
"I know, Mikki. And I would give it to you in a heartbeat, if I could. But... but this body was broken in the transference. I dont want to risk placing you into another mortal form as you lost so much memory the last time. I... I am so sorry for what I have put you through".
Mikki nodded slowly.
"So I get a new body?" he asked Migoya, a small smile playing on his face. Obviously he was trying to cheer Migoya up.
"Yes. Yes, you do," the leader of the Myakashi nodded. "Would you like to see it?"
"Sure!" the boy grinned.
Migoya, waving a pale hand, opened what appeared to be a portal into the darkness. Carrying Mikki in his cold arms, Migoya stepped through the portal and appeared in one of the hidden Myakashi outposts.
"Its dark," the boy muttered.
"Oh, but there is beauty in darkness, Mikki. Your eyes are those of a human, but soon... soon they will be more."
Placing the boy down, Migoya pulled a torch from the wall and lit it, revealing a long tunnel.
"Come, Mikki. Follow me."
The boy walked down the tunnel, following his leader, his mentor, his friend.
They arrived at the end of the tunnel, in a large circular room. In the center of the room was a large black pool. Suspended above it was what appeared to be a small, wooden mannequin, floating as if flying. It was very similar to Mikki's original form, but for some reason it had been carved out of a strange, glowing white wood.
"You made my body out of wood from the spirit tree?", Mikki gasped.
"Of course. Nothing but the best for my best friend", Migoya responded with a small measure of emotion to his otherwise emotionless voice.
"Whats all the black gunk?"
"This is one of the hidden gateways to the spirit world. This is where our bodies were made. I want you to stand in the middle of the pool, Mikki."
"Why?" the boy asked.
"Because that is how you will be made anew," Migoya replied, smiling, his red eyes glinting in the flickering torchlight.
The boy walked into the pool, the water up to his chest.
"Now, Mikki. Just close your eyes and go to sleep,"Migoya whispered, and the boy obeyed.
Migoya raised his hands, a blue fire igniting at his palms and he began chanting. Mikki could feel a warm feeling in his chest. It was nice. Soothing. The warmth grew, becoming a heat and the boy could feel his whole body glowing.
Mikki was not scared. He had done this before. Migoya had done this many times. To Kiko. To himself.
The light grew in intensity, the pain increasing, and the boy could no longer feel the water, could no longer hear the chanting. All he could hear were the screams.
His screams.
Mikki's new body opened his eyes. It was not the first time that Mikki had woken in a new body. Perhaps it wouldnt be his last.
"You were perfect, Mikki. I don't know what happened, but you weren't the same," Migoya spoke, his voice sounding hollow.
"I feel different, not like before" Mikki said.
"You are not a true tsukumogami, like I hoped, but I still hope that you can continue to help the Myakashi. Your body is the same, but your powers are not. You can still eat. You can still sleep. You can still die."
"But I'm still strong," the boy said.
"Yes, Mikki. You are still strong. Perhaps stronger than before."
"Maybe."
The boy stood, looking at the body he had been given. He could feel the energy coursing through his body.
"It isnt a true tsukumogami vessel, Mikki-kun, so you will have to get used to it. Ive added some tricks for you, but Im sure you can add more," Migoya said sadly.
"Thank you," Mikki said and then paused. "I have to ask you a favour."
"Anything," Migoya said, and the boy could feel his friend's sadness.
"Can I have a chainsaw?"
[WC: 1522]