Chapter Text
“I want to find my brother!”
“At the break of dawn tomorrow, follow it, and you shall find him.”
“I don’t want this life anymore, I want to shine like my idols!”
“This gem shall guide you through your journey.”
“I want to escape…”
“Let him see if you could succeed in such.”
“Oh??? You grant wishes? Can you give me a month’s worth of food!?”
“...well, are you wishing for the ability to make food or the wealth to buy it?”
“I just want to reach my dreams without consequences, could you do that?”
“You are terribly lacking in knowledge of fate and destiny.”
The grandpa clock gently sways, creating a faint sound that breaks the quietness every once in a while. It was early in the morning, the sun was shining through the stained windows of the antique shop. It was a relatively peaceful day, customers weren’t in sight—
SLAM
The shuffling of papers that were disturbed by the sudden opening of the door broke the stillness of the shop. Metals clinked about and shelves with glassware shook along. A red mop of hair was shoved on the floor, unaware of where he had gone.
Raising his head, revealing blue piercing eyes, he peered at the towering items of the store.
Where am I?
Grunting as he stood, he looked around, finding himself in the place he least expected.
“Hello…?” He called, finding the place very lacking in people, as opposed to when he was outside.
He stiffened when he heard the sound of something clacking, of heels maybe, and immediately adopted a fighting stance. Eyes moving at the source of the sound, a silk curtain glittered with gems veils a person with a tall and broad silhouette.
“Who are you!?” The red one clenched his fist, his eyes were burning with hostility.
“He should be the one asking that,” a calm yet stern voice answered back. “What are you doing ruining the tranquility of this sanctuary in such an early time, young man?”
The intruder lowered his fist and stood upright, bowing his head politely. “I am deeply sorry, I… was running after… someone.”
Silence filled the room. “Unless he is the one you are seeking, the only missing figures you could find here are treasures abandoned by those who only desire them for their luster.”
“But I just saw him walking towards this alley and to this very door!” He returned to the door and opened it. He jumped when he was met by a brick wall, a sense of danger creeping up on him. He turned his back to the figure, his voice slightly cracking in fear. “You locked me here!”
The silhouette heaved a sigh, “He supposes you didn’t just stumble upon here by luck but by fate.”
“What do you mean?” The young one’s heart sank as he saw the curtain move, his eyes searching for anything to assault him with if he wasn’t as nice as he thought he was. The curtain revealed a man dressed elegantly, seemingly affluent with gems glittered on his robes. The crown sitting on his blue hair holding an amber accentuated his citrine eyes that were peering through his soul. The figure eyes him up and down before seemingly having his conflict resolved.
“Are you aware of your whereabouts?” The red one hesitantly looked around making the blue one heave a sigh, “He figures so.”
“I’m new to the city… I didn’t know the city could have such a storage room for… what is this… their own rituals?” He curiously peered through the clutters around the place, finding some odd things that were slightly familiar to him.
The face of the man in front of him didn’t change as he grabbed a box of trinkets, his fingers plucking them one by one to show it to his visitor. “Little swallow, you have stumbled upon his antique shop. A place where treasures that should have suffered the rot brought by the passage of time are brought back to their former glory until time itself allows it.”
After examining a small brooch, he set aside the box and looked back at the young boy. “Although, he doesn’t think ‘stumbling’ is the appropriate word…”
His eyes shifted to the door that was still blocked by a brick wall, which made the other one look at it as well. Seemingly reading his worries, he spoke. “Do not fret for your freedom, little swallow. You’ll be able to fly soon after he has done the wish of fate to you.”
“...wish of fate?”
The blue one sighs as he turns around, walking towards the glittered curtain. “You’re looking for your kin, aren’t you? A brother, perhaps?”
Even if his eyes weren’t on the younger one, he chuckles as he feels him pale at his words. “H-how did you know!? You said you didn’t see him!”
He turns to him again, slightly setting himself aside to show the curtain masking the other side of the entrance. “You have stumbled in his antique shop, yes. However, none of these treasures are what you desire, correct?”
The young man could only nod his head.
“Then he might interest you what’s beyond the antique shop, little swallow.” He pulled back the curtains to reveal pure darkness which only confused the red one. “Where does that go…?”
“The path to answers you seek.”
“...that doesn’t tell it all.”
The blue one nods, “He understands your hesitation.” He offers his hand, a small gentle smile flashing on his face. “However, he will not lead you astray nor he wish to do so. He feels your longing for your brother and it is not by chance that you have found his antique shop.”
The red one gulped, his blue eyes intensely looking at the figure. Something inside him tells him that it might finally help his mission to get his brother back and even though he hesitates, he doesn’t feel any hostile aura around him. He’s confident he could take him if push comes to shove.
He takes a deep breath, he gives in.
He put his hand onto his and was led to what was behind the curtain. Darkness is immediately filled with light as it reveals a high-ceiling room, higher than the previous room and coated with gold on every corner. The walls were decorated with stained glass with pictures the young one couldn’t discern. In the middle was a floating ball glowing blue, surrounded by multitudes of rings. It was sitting on a floor with Roman numerals on the outside rings and three arrows pointing at it, while the rest of the room was filled with trinkets and seemingly apparatuses cluttered around.
“W-where are we?” His eyes bolted around and even back from where they came from. He can’t see the antique shop from here. It was just the curtain acting as the door of an archway filled with symbols he couldn’t understand.
“The place where stars unveil their mysteries and fate reveals its plan to us.” The taller one went behind the big mechanism in the center, operating it seemingly without touching it. The rings rotated as he gestured his hand, following like a puppet to his master. The younger one was just in awe at the place, albeit overwhelmed with the sudden amount of information being thrown at him.
The blue one looked at him and chuckled, “Ah, how impolite of him.” He gestured to a seat not far from the center which was also glittered with gems and embedded with beautifully embroidered pillows. “Take a seat, however, this will not take too long.”
A click was heard that halted the rotation of the rings, and the fog in the blue orb seemingly dissipated. A hazy image of a figure appeared, donning red hair. The young one that was just seated immediately bolted up and ran to the orb quite in a hurry. An arm blocked his path and slightly shoved him away, meeting the intense gaze of the stranger.
“Not too excited now.” The red one looked again and immediately bolted, “But there he is, my brother!”
“Of course, that is your brother.” He gestured at the mechanism which moved to position its rings to focus on the blurry face of his visitor’s brother.
“W-where I can find him!? Tell me! I want to find my brother!” He was on the verge of pouncing at the orb, but seeing the sight of someone he had been searching for months gave him a jump.
“An impatient little swallow…” He shakes his head as a red gem appears on his hand, surrounded by a gold trim that resembles the rays of the sun. He walked to the end of the room where a symbol of a moon rests on the glass wall. The gem floated up in the air, aligning itself with the moon. As the gem spun, the wall glowed bright. The symbol, the moon it once was, turned into a sun. The background turned into a hue of yellow and orange instead of the starry blue and purple it was before. The lustrous gem stopped spinning and returned to his palm. Its glow dissipates, revealing now a compass glittered with gems once more.
He returned to a very distressed young boy as he watched his brother in desperation. “Here, take this, little swallow.”
The latter accepted it hesitantly due to the confusion. “A… compass? For what?”
“It shall lead you to your brother whom you have been seeking for. At the break of dawn tomorrow, follow it, and you shall find him.”
The young boy examined the compass curiously. The gem he had seen earlier was inside the device now, the rays of the sun acting as the cardinal directions with the Ruby gem acting as the hand.
“I… I just need to follow it and I’ll find my brother?” He raises his head, his eyes both filled with hope and doubt.
“Yes. However, as soon as you find him, the compass will disappear as it has done its purpose to you. After that. your fate is in your hands.”
The red one pressed the compass on his chest and bowed repeatedly. “Thank you! Thank you!” Albeit, he stopped at a realization, “Does this have any… payment?”
The taller one returned his attention to the symbol just behind them. “Come,” he gestures to his side, the boy following suit.
“The sun is a pillar of light, the one who guides us through the day. The payment it asks is for you to be alike it, especially those who couldn’t see the light it brings.” The stranger puts his hand on the glass, the slight touch makes the surface glow bright. His palms were still glowing as he moved it at the back of the hand of the young boy. A symbol of the sun was revealed as he lifted it up, glowing brightly before slowly dimming.
“Like the sun, shine for those who are lost.”
The boy’s eyes filled with confusion, contrasting with how he willingly nodded. His eyes stared at the mark on the back of his hand, “W-what is this for…?”
“You are blessed with the grace of the sun as you have sought aid from it. It also marks your promise to carry on its wishes.” He patted the back of his hand, “Are you still doubting, little swallow?”
The boy sighs, “As long as this will really help me find my brother, I will be forever in your debt.” The taller one shakes his head, “He is only the mediator, you should save your thanksgiving to the sun, little swallow.”
“Right!” The boy sets aside the compass and looks around, “Is… everything done now?”
“He believes so,” the stranger turned towards the way they entered, the red one following suit. He stopped just before the curtain and looked back at his visitor, “He wishes you safe travels, little swallow. The southeastern winds blow with you.”
He pushed back the curtain, leading him back. As soon as they stepped foot out of the room, they were met with the same antique shop that they were in before. The door that was left open now revealed the alleyway where the red one found it, no brick wall in sight.
Blue eyes sparkled as he turned to thank the owner of the shop but he found no one beside him. He turned back to the curtain from where they went, finding it led to nowhere but a wall. He immediately patted his pockets and was relieved to find the compass, albeit the hands moving very chaotic and all over the place. The back of his hand still possesses the mark he had gotten.
He looked around once last time and shouted at a very cluttered yet void of people's antique shop, “Thank you, Mr. Stranger!” Finding no one answering him, he stepped out of the shop, coming back from where he was.
✵✵✵
“A younger brother finding his older brother…? An interesting story, HiMERU-san.”
His head turned to the glass wall, the symbol of the sun is now replaced with a figure, his purple eyes staring at him. His citrine eye slightly squinted due to how brightly shining the figure was.
“I must have startled you, a pleasant morning, HiMERU-san.”
“Good morning, Tatsumi-sama.” He approached his astrolabe and returned it to its resting position.
“I must say, you seem to find a lot of lost souls these past few days. Well, more than I remembered catering along with you.”
His figure slightly stiffened as he huffed, “He thought they seek for him, instead of him seeking for them?”
A fond chuckle rings in the room, “Ah, of course, you’re still as meticulous with your vocabulary as ever.”
“Is there any reason for your apparition today? He thought that you’d be quite sapped of the energy after you have met… with the moon.”
An awkward silence filled the room, only being broken by the sounds of glass clinking that was being organized by HiMERU.
“Ah, yes, an eclipse has happened.”
HiMERU’s eyebrows raised, “Aren’t you delighted that after a decade of running after him, you have met him again?”
“It’s quite… more complicated than that.”
He sighs, “He figures so.” He turned again to the glass wall, “He will not poke his head into your… situation with the… goddess… of the moon.”
“Thank you for your understanding, HiMERU-san. Ah… I shall go now. You were right, this is taking away my energy quite a bit. I’ll check on that boy once in a while. Again… thank you.”
He bowed at the glass wall before turning around to go back to his shop. A clink was head behind him. Checking on it, a blue gem was sitting in the middle of a crescent moon fell on the floor. A bitter bile rose to his throat that he immediately swallowed. He pocketed the gem in an instant and speedwalking out of the room.
And he shall not know.