By: Arisasu
Summary: AU: A lost city, Angels, a forgotten past, a future unknown, and a love that will move both heaven and earth.
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is not mine. SOME names, characters, and places are not mine.
Borrowed Heaven: Chapter One
"There is a legend known through out the land of Sentra about
an ancient city called Empyreal. It was known for its Angels and peaceful days.
No mortal man or woman ever saw it, and could ever see it for there was a myth
that when a mortal sees it, they would be cursed. So they assumed it was like
paradise. The Angels lived their days in happiness and solitude from the rest
of Sentra, but one too many days of having perfect lives can be ruined.
A mortal man whose ambition and determination was stronger than that of the
Angels, set foot in Empyreal. He was awed by the amazing building made out of
white stones, unending fields of flowers, and the people with wings who
welcomed him. The man was happy and lived in Empyreal for some time. He had fallen
in love with the beautiful city and the winged people enjoyed his company.
One day, the man fell ill making his usual smile turn to a frown and his usual
hearty greeting to a scowl. The Angels did everything for him, but no medicine
would work. They rushed towards their queen asking for help to save the beloved
mortal. Although the queen and her people loved the mortal like a fellow Angel,
she saw that the only way of saving him was to bring him back to the mortal
world below.
The man was angry, how could they do that to him? His friends had betrayed him
by putting him back to the miserable world of the mortals. After he regained
his health, he came back to Empyreal. He told them he wanted to live with them,
but the Angels knew he would die. They told him they couldn't take another's
life, but the man argued saying that it would be worth it. Their answer was
final, and the man became very angry. The Angels gave him until the next day to
leave Empyreal forever, but the man could not and would not.
The mortal man then burned the city of Empyreal single handedly with anger
fueling him. Many died, some fled in time, but the queen stayed put watching
her city burn before her eyes. The mortal man came to the steps of her palace
and told her that what happened was payment for not letting him in and
accepting him. The queen casted a spell and the once tall buildings of Empyreal
started to crumble and burn. The mortal man gasped, no! His beloved city cannot
disappear! His paradise! His escape cannot leave him!
The queen told him it was for the good, but the man, possessive of his
paradise, slew the queen. He watched her blood flow out of her body as well as
his city die. He cried, where would he go now without Empyreal?
The queen who had little strength left whispered, "You should've left long
before, now you will be forever cursed. You will always long for Empyreal who
is now dead before your eyes, and you will slowly die. That is why no mortal
can ever enter Empyreal�you are bound to Empyreal and will search for her
forever�but she is dead�"
The queen died and the mortal man looked at his paradise once more. Burned to a
crisp by his hands and crumbled below him. The man then wandered the world and
in time found a new city called "Adel" which he tried to love as much
as the lost city of Empyreal�"
-==-
It was a dreary day, foggy, cold, and wet. There's a small village called Nibel
by Mount Peak, it was known for having Fallen descendants. It was said
that the Angels who survived the fire and crumbling of Empyreal came to this
village and started their lives over again. The mortal humans gladly accepted
them into their world. The Fallen Angels' blood was mixed with the human blood
as time passed.
In the small village of Nibel, there's only one bar called, "Heaven's
Gates." Owned by a former Yankee named Arisa Uotani. The bar stood near
the entrance of the village, behind it was a field of daisy. The bar had wooden
double doors and engraved on it was the name of the bar. There was a of course,
a gate before the wooden doors. The gate was painted gold, but over the years
it had belong to the Uotani family, it looked like dirty gold.
Inside it was medium sized. There was at least ten tables each having three or
four chairs. There was a counter with three chairs in front of it. Behind the
counter was a room where the drinks and the kitchen were. There were also
stairs leading to a room with two beds and bathroom.
"Ugh�those
damn Adels! They're ruining my business!" A tall blonde girl said as she
went down the stairs into the kitchen. A girl with dark long tresses of hair
followed behind her and nodded. She was wearing a long black skirt as well. It
seems to fit the weather quite nicely.
"Arisa,
they all have a point by keeping themselves in their houses." Saki
Hanajima replied.
"So
what if a bunch of Adel soldiers come here? It doesn't mean they should go
hiding and just put aside what they usually do�and they usually come here to
grab a drink or two!" Uo said as she wiped the counter top furiously.
Hana blinked, "Well they're not hiding from the Adel, it's just that
they're coming here, as in this bar. The only bar in Nibel."
"�Ugh
I forgot about that." Uo mumbled.
"I
really don't know why they want it. Doesn't it rightfully belong to us?"
Hana asked.
Uo stopped wiping the counter top and looked up, "It rightfully belongs to
us. I mean being a Fallen descendant and all�that pillar was part of our
city. But, you know how Adel was supposedly founded. So it's
theirs."
"How
sad." Hana replied.
Uo nodded and then realized, "Hey! Where is Tohru?" She asked,
"That girl is supposed to be cleaning up the tables right about now."
"Tohru
has a daily routine remember? She's probably out in the back." Hana
replied.
-==-
The car made an abrupt stop, "Ow! What the hell kind of driving was
that?!" an orange headed teen yelled as he knocked on the window
separating the passenger seats behind the drivers' seat.
"Sorry
sir, but the Virtues leader said we stop outside the village."
Kyo rolled his. Their stupid leader was nonetheless Yuki, his silver haired
cousin. Did that mean they have to walk? How stupid was this? He crossed his arms
and looked at Haru in front of him who returned an empty expression.
"It
was orders from your fianc�e." Haru replied nonchalantly.
"Will
you shut up? She is not my fianc�e!" Kyo said.
Everything was pissing him off. Not only was the weather foggy and wet, but it
also seems like it was going to rain. Everyone knew what it did to him. He
became extremely moody, stressed, and so tired.
"Dammit!
I�want to go home!" Kyo said, "What kind of a mission�is this?"
He said.
"Kagura
said it was important. It seems a pillar has fallen in the village of Nibel.
That pillar was from the ancient city of Empyreal. Akito wants it." Haru
said as stretched his legs out hitting Kyo on the shins.
"Watch
it, punk! Don't hit the goods." He hissed, "Why didn't we just stay
at Adel then? It's just a piece of stone that fell from who knows where. That
stuck up Yuki could've gotten it himself." Kyo said as he dusted his pants
where Haru had left a dirt mark.
A younger blonde boy popped his head out from Kyo's side, "That's exactly
what Yuki is doing now! He went ahead when the car stopped. He said he'll call
us with the PHS if everything is clear." Momiji said with a smile.
Kyo rolled his eyes once again, "That show off." He mumbled as he
leaned back on his chair. They were part of Virtues, the top group of
mercenaries in Adel or maybe even the whole of Sentra. They had a reputation
for being heartless, perfectly skilled in combat, and notorious. There were
four of them, Yuki, Haru, Momiji, and himself.
Each of them represented a Virtue, hence the name of the group. Kyo was known
for being Fortitude. He was strong, and even stronger when danger faced him.
Momiji was known for being Justice. Momiji had a sound decision all the time.
Haru was Prudence, he knew when to speak up and tell everyone what's on his
mind. The only problem with him was that he loses his title when he becomes
Black Haru. Nonetheless, Haru was mostly White Haru.
Out of all them, their leader was Yuki. He represented Temperance for having
such a strong self-control. The people in Adel Centra respected him and were
afraid of him.
That cold bastard, he'd better hurry up. Kyo thought as he closed his
eyes.
-==-
Yuki walked towards the village. It was cold and a little foggy. Not to mention
it was wet. His black trench coat was becoming heavy. His black heavy boots
were getting mud on them. He looked around; it was a good thing he wasn't like
his cousin, Haru. If he was, he'd probably be lost the moment he stepped out of
the car.
He kept walking; this mission wasn't like any other. It was just to attain a
pillar structure. It may not even have come from Empyreal. He furrowed his
brows together in frustration. After being in Virtues his whole entire life,
this had to be the stupidest out of them.
Didn't Akito know there were fiends to kill? Why didn't Hatori try to change
Akito's mind? Yuki couldn't believe Kagura agreed to such a senseless mission.
Yuki found himself staring at a vast field of daisies. It was foggy, but it
wasn't thick enough. He walked on being careful not to step on any of the
flowers, but he did anyway. It was impossible not to with his boots and everything.
The metallic I.D. necklace around his neck jingled. It had been with him ever
since he could remember. On it was his name, his rank, and the word
'Temperance.'
He saw a shadow move. Instantly his hands went on his gun, next to it was a
pocketknife given to him by Shigure. When he heard a feminine humming, he
sighed and dropped his hand to his sides and continued to walk.
The fog started to clear a little, and he saw a girl picking daisies and
placing them in her basket. She had long brown hair falling down to the side of
her face. She was smiling and her green eyes sparkled.
She was definitely a Fallen with her features. He slowly walked towards her.
She turned her head to his direction with a frightened look on her face. She
gasped and dropped her basket.
"Wait�"
Too late, she had run towards the village. Yuki picked up the basket and took
out his PHS, "Momiji? All's clear let's get a move on and go home. Meet me
at their only bar called, 'Heaven's Gates'." He said and hung up without
giving Momiji a chance to respond to his orders.
Yuki followed the girl and found a clearing. He must be in the right place, the
village of Nibel.