Towa no Mirai [Eternal Future] (2/3) PG-13
Mina-Clare Moseley (clare@DAYMEN.COM)
Wed, 21 Nov 2001 13:05:08 -0500
The Methos Chronicles: Towa no Mirai [Eternal Future]
By Mina-Clare Moseley
Synopsis: Episode 3 of "The Methos Chronicles". Methos must decide between
self-preservation and saving a friend when a mutual enemy comes to Oxford.
Rating: PG-13. Heavy language.
Archive: Seventh Dimension and anyone else who wants it.
Author's Notes: This is Episode 3 in the 13 episode season.
For more information on the Methos Chronicles series check out:
http://straykitty.com/deargirl/methos/fanfiction/chronicles
Disclaimer: Highlander belongs to Davis-Panzer Entertainment. This is
non-profit fan fiction.
Note: I apologize for the lateness of Episode 3. I was hoping to have this
out weeks ago. However, I struggled more with this one than I did with 1 or
2. Then my email went down. Big thanks to Susan for beta-ing ep 3 not once,
but TWICE. Also thanks to Daymen for supplying me with a new email.
On that note, clare@daymen.com is my new email address. If you wish to
contact me, do it here.
On the story, **..... ** denotes Japanese speech.
****
Methos slid the door open as the buzz filled his head. Misao spotting him,
walking slowly to the table. She knelt down beside him.
"**I'm glad you could come, Misao.**"
"**Why did you want to see me?**" Misao demanded, leaning over the table.
"**Who are you?**"
"**My name is Doctor Alexander Adams. I want to speak to you about this.**"
Methos took out a dagger. He held his hand out, palm up. Slowly, he slid
the dagger over his palm. Rich blood spilled out from the cut. He wiped the
blood away, revealing the healed wound.
Misao gasped, recoiling. "**It's magic!**"
"**I'm immortal. As you are. If you would let me, I will teach you all this
entails.**"
****
Misao looked up at Methos with wide brown eyes. "Adams-Sensei.... It has
been many years."
Methos attempted to swallow the lump in his throat. "Misao. Your English
has gotten quite good."
"Thank you. I have spent a lot of time learning," she replied, kneeling on
the ground. Methos sat down on the staircase. "I have been working for a
car co--"
"Why are you here?" He cut in, growling under his breath. "Is this about
Shinta?"
Misao lowered her head. "Hai."
"Why haven't you taken care of him?"
"I have tried, Sensei. Shinta defeats me every time."
"Then why aren't you dead?" Methos asked.
Rose put a hand on his shoulder. "Doc...."
"He leaves me alive, taunts me. Saying it's not time yet. He wants my
friends to suffer."
"Your friends as in us?" Methos turned his head away. "Did he follow you?"
"Sensei...."
"DID HE FOLLOW YOU?"
Misao nodded silently. "I did not think he would be able to."
"Obviously he was." Methos got off the steps, pacing the floor. Rose moved
back, flattening herself against the wall. She had seen Methos in a bad
mood and did not like it.
"Did I not teach you anything, Misao? If an immortal turns his back to you,
you take his head! I don't care if you see it as dishonorable. In our line,
there is no such thing."
Misao played with the hem of her shirt nervously. "I tried.... I'm so
sorry. I need your help."
"I taught you better than this."
****
1907, Japan
"**Please, Sensei.... It is too much.**" Misao dropped the sword, falling
to her knees. "**Let me rest.**" Her body was wracked with pain and
weariness. She felt naked, wearing a training uniform from the local dojo
instead of her kimono.
Methos pulled her roughly to her feet, placing his sword at her neck. "**An
opponent will not give you time to rest. You must put aside your weariness.
Fight through it or you will find your head separated from your body.**"
"**It is late, Sensei. The rest of the house has gone to sleep. Why must
our training take place at night? Why can't Shinta and Yui know?**"
Methos lowered his sword. "**Shinta and Yui are mortal. They will not
understand our world. They also do not think a woman should carry a sword.
I do not want to see you hurt by Shinta. He is of the old way. As his
fiancee, you are supposed to follow him. Being able to defend yourself will
be seen as a defiance.**"
"**It is not fair. We have been training every night for six months. I need
to sleep!**"
"**You were the one who insisted on staying here. I wanted to take you
West. Immortals rarely stay where they lived before their death.**"
"**I cannot leave Yui. She depends on me. And Shinta and I are to be
married within the year. We will carry on my family's legacy.**"
Methos touched her cheek. "**You will eventually have to leave this life,
Misao. It is the way of things. You will have to join the Game.**"
"**You and Miss Rosalyn will help, won't you?**"
"**Not always. One day, you will be on your own. You must fight your own
battles.**"
****
"You're being much to hard on her, Methos!" Rose hissed, shutting the door
to her room. "She came here for our help."
Methos placed his hand on his hips, eyebrow cocked in disbelief. "Was I
listening to a different conversation, Rosalyn? She led Shinta right to us!"
"Well, then one of us will have to kill Shinta." Rose shrugged. "If Misao
isn't strong enough, I'm sure one of us is."
Methos shook his head. "I had a completely different plan."
"Oh? And what is that?"
"I take a few days off work, we fly down to Rio and let Misao clean up her
mess." He drew Rose close. "Come on, Rose.... We could use a break. Just
you and me."
"As appealing as a long, dirty weekend is, this is a big deal!"
Methos let go of her. "I know this is a big deal. That's why I want to take
off."
"Shinta wants us all dead."
"I repeat...."
Rose pursed her lips, shutting her eyes. "You know how bad I feel about all
of this."
****
1908-- Japan
"**How old are you?**" Misao asked, looking up her from her flower arrangement.
"**Older than I look,**" Rose responded casually, picking up a petal that
had fallen off.
"**And Sensei?**"
Rose smiled. "**Older than that.**"
"**Where is Sensei?**" Misao whispered, lowering her head. "**Why hasn't he
been coming to train me. Is he angry?**" She had taken her first head.
Since that night, Adams-Sensei had not come by.
Rose laughed softly. "**Misao, dear.... Your training over. You are ready
to join the Game.**"
"**I am? But--**"
Misao cut herself off as Yui stumbled into. The younger Hino sister was
dripping from head to toe. Tears flooded her eyes as she fumbled out
explanations. "**Misao.... The river.... Shinta.... Oh, Shinta!**"
Rose took charge. With gently hands, she grasped Yui's shoulders. "**Yui.
Calm down. What has happened?**"
Yui shut her eyes, breathing deeply. She tried to halt her tears. "**I was
walking by the river with Seiya. Shinta insisted on chaperoning. I fell in
the water. Shinta dove in after me. I got to safety, but Shinta... Oh,
Shinta!**" She began to weep harder.
Misao covered her mouth, feeling her stomach clench. "**He can not be....**"
Rose nodded. "**You two stay here. I am going to get Adams-Sensei.**"
****
Methos wrapped his arm around Misao's shoulders as she wept. "**I am so
sorry, Misao. I know what Shinta meant to you.**"
"**My father selected him just for me. Shinta was the only one he wanted me
to marry. And Shinta wanted me. He knew I would be a loyal wife. And I have
betrayed him with our training!**"
Hours had passed since Shinta's drowning. Yui was sent to the doctor's.
Methos had said he didn't want her getting sick. In truth, he didn't want
her there when the newly immortal Shinta returned.
"**There is something you should know about Shinta, Misao,**" Rose started.
Methos looked up, shaking his head.
Methos, Misao and Rose became alert to the immortal presence. The door slid
open and Shinta entered. He was soaked to the bone.
"**SHINTA!**" Misao cried. "**We heard you had died!**"
"**I did.**" Shinta whispered. **I was dead. I am sure of it. I drowned.
Yet I still breath.**"
Rose moved away from the wall. "**Shinta, I can explain.**"
"**THIS IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!**" Shinta roared, hitting Rose. "**This is
a matter between myself and my family. Why are you two Westerners here?**"
"**They are my friends,**" Misao whispered. "**They came to comfort me.**"
Rose got to her feet. "**Shinta, I know what--**"
Methos touched Rose's arm. "Don't. He won't listen to you. He can't be
trained. Not by us."
"He needs us."
****
Methos and Misao stood next to the door, listening to the conversation Rose
was having with Shinta. They could not hear Rose, as she was too
soft-spoken, but Shinta's words came through clearly as he screamed at the
Westerner.
"**You expect me to believe this legend? You're mad!**"
"**A game? That is a GAME to you? It is honourable combat!**"
"**How dare you suggest that? I would never let a WOMAN train me. I am the
best fighter in Tokyo. There is nothing you can teach me.**"
Methos pulled out his sword. Shinta was getting angrier by the minute. It
was even worse now that he knew what immortals were. If he had to, he would
step in. He hadn't faced anyone in nearly one hundred years, but he would
not let this one get Rose.
"**MISAO IS ONE?!?!? YOU TRAINED MY BETROTHED?!?! YOU HAD HER DISHONOUR
ME?!?!**"
Methos threw open the door when he heard the sword come out. Shinta's eyes
were burning. Rose pulled out her sword, preparing to fight.
"**NO!**" Misao cried. "**You cannot fight him, Miss Rosalyn!**
She jumped between Rose and Shinta. "**PLEASE! Shinta has protected me
since my father's death. You cannot kill him.**"
Shinta dropped his sword, raising his hand and slapping Misao. She covered
her stinging face.
Methos picked up the fallen Misao. He backed away. "Rose! RUN!"
The three immortals started running from the Hino home. They could hear
Shinta's vow as they went. "**You betrayed me, Misao. I swore on my life in
front of your dying father I would protect you. You did not believe I
could, so you went behind my back. You trained in the ways of the sword.
You have dishonoured me. I shall kill all three of you for what you have
done.**"
****
"We were cowards, Methos. We RAN! I could've faced the sonabitch, but
instead we turned tail! Now you want to do that again." Rose covered her
face, cheeks red in anger and embarrassment. "No, I couldn't have just
lured him outside and taken his head. I had to do the mothering thing and
told him what we were. How could I be so stupid? We knew how angry Shinta
was going to be about Misao knowing how to fight. But NOOOOOOOO..... I just
HAD to see the good in everyone. Why do you put up with me, Old Man?"
Methos smiled softly. "Because you do stuff like that. You.... You have
faith in people. In a way I've long since forgot."
Rose shook her head. "I'm not going to leave. I won't abandon Misao. We all
are in this mess. You can take off if you want, Methos. But I can't ignore
this. This is as much my mess as it is her's."
"I'm sorry Rose. I won't do it. I can't put my head on the line just
because some former student tracked me down. I sympathize with Misao....
But she's the one Shinta followed. Not us. There's no use getting dragged
into this. I'm giving you one last chance. Are you going to come with me?"
****
TO BE CONTINUED....