Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Aishiteru Means I Love You	By : MelissaMaxwell Category: +G through L > Gargoyles Views: 5298 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Gargoyles. Gargoyles belongs to Greg Weisman and Disney. I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
"Shouldn't we wait until sunset, Daichi-Kun?" asked Hiroshi as he and the judge walked down the corridor of the courthouse. "Most of the witnesses won't be awake until then."
"It would be good to hear the defendant's plea first." said Judge Kimura. "If he pleads 'not guilty', then we will recess until the witnesses are awake."
"Such a pity." Hiroshi sighed. "If only Kashi had been younger, or even just a bit larger, it would've taken more than one blow to kill him." Hiroshi entered the courtroom. "All rise for the Honorable Judge Daichi Kimura." he announced. "The court case of Charles Lumpkin versus the Township of Ishimura is now in session."
Judge Kimura took his seat. "Charles Lumpkin," he said. "You have been charged with the murder of a tengu named Kashi. How do you plea?"
Chaz smiled, making the scratches on his face look even more gruesome. "Guilty, Your Honor." he said proudly. "I did it and I'd do it again!"
"I see." Judge Kimura said plainly. "In that case, I hearby sentence you to a term of no more than five minutes...." /Minutes? Did he say minutes?/ "In a locked room with a tengu to be named later. As Kashi-San did attack you, you will be unfettered. The law also states that neither of you will be armed." Judge Kimura pounded his gavel. "Court's adjourned."
Hiroshi led Chaz away. "You should've tried to plea your case." Hiroshi sighed as he locked Chaz in his holding cell. "It might've bought you at least a few more days. Ah, well, best to get things like this over with quickly, I suppose."
"You can't lock me in a room with some monster!" yelled Chaz. "I want a lawyer! I want the U.S. embassy!"
"I want a grilled cheese!" Lou yelled from the next cell "But you don't hear me bitchin'."
"If you'll excuse me," said Hiroshi. "I have to prepare for a Wind Ceremony."
"This ain't fair!" Chaz yelled at the retreating officer as he rattled his bar. "If it don't legally exist, I can't be executed for killing it! Not like this! Not like this!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hiroshi walked into the temple where Kashi's body had been laid out, dressed in a crisp, white kimono and a formal dark hakama. Dr. Kimura was arranging the gargoyle's wings to be neatly tucked around his body. "Would it be foolish to ask 'How is he, Doctor?'?" Hiroshi asked.
Dr. Kimura smiled. "He would've appreciated the joke." he said. "His left arm was pulverized. I had to pin down his sleeve to keep his arms folded properly. Two left ribs were also smashed, piercing his lung. That combined with severe electric shock and age getting to him killed him." Dr. Kimura looked at Kashi's serene face. "Yet, with as much pain as he should've been in, he died smiling."
"Samurai pride themselves on being stoic in the face of pain." said Hiroshi.
"This isn't mere stoicism." said Dr. Kimura. "His brain must have created some image that shot a healthy dose of endorphins through him as he lay dying."
"I just returned from seeing your brother sentence Kashi's killer." said Hiroshi. "He'll get what he deserves."
"May Kashi as well." sighed Dr. Kimura as the woman who had insisted on giving Lex a seaweed scrub approached the body. She shook her head in sorrow and started applying rouge to Kashi's wan cheeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I want to thank the humans of Ishimura," said Kai as he stood in front of the pyre. "For building the pyre and preparing Kashi's body as we slept." Hiroshi lit a torch and gingerly handed it to Kai. "I have chosen Kaede to do the honors as she was a close friend and beloved sister."
Kaede grim-facedly bowed to Kai before taking the torch from him. She bowed deeply to the body lying on the pyre. "Sayonara, Onii-chan." she said in a voice that was both resigned and sad. She threw the torch onto the pyre, which soon burned brightly in the night. Everyone was silent. The only sound was the crackle of flames licking at wood, flesh and bone.
Staghart quietly turned and walked away. He was so unobtrusive, only Lex noticed he was gone. He caught up with him. "You OK?"
"I'm fine." Staghart sighed. "I-I just never cared for the smell of burning flesh." Lexington hugged him. Staghart put his arms around him. "How did it happen? I was knocked out. I don't remember."
"He...he died a hero." said Lex. "This one Quarryman was going to bring his hammer down on both of us and Kashi just tackled him. He got in a few good scratches before...." Lex couldn't finish.
"Both of us?" said Staghart.
"I wasn't about to leave you, Amp." Lex said, stroking the bare line of skin on Staghart's arm where the fur had been shaved off.
"Is that how you hurt your shoulder?"
"It wasn't anything the sun couldn't cure." Staghart held him tight and stroked his scalp. He looked up when four other gargoyles joined them. It was Brooklyn, Katana, Broadway and Angela.
"You two will be at the Wind Ceremony, right?" asked Brooklyn.
"There will be many human mourners." said Katana. "They will require gargoyles to bear them."
"We won't miss it." said Lex. He figured he could carry Yoshimi if she rode on his back. "Amp just doesn't like the smell."
"It's not so bad once you get used to it." said Brooklyn. "Smells like McDonald's."
"You've been inside a McDonald's?" asked Broadway. "I'm lucky if I can get take-out!"
"Yeah." said Brooklyn. "Me and Nick would go there a lot for lunch."
"Who's Nick?" asked Broadway.
"Uh, forget I said anything." said Brooklyn. "I've said too much already." It had been agreed that Brooklyn would not reveal too much of the future.
Broadway broke the silence that followed. "Remember the Wind Ceremony we had for Hudson's mate? I think that's the only time I remember seeing him cry."
"I remember him nearly squeezing the life out of me." said Lex. "I was only 13, so I barely understood what was happening."
"I didn't understand either." said Broadway. "For several nights, I was asking where she was. I just couldn't comprehend it when Hudson said she was gone forever. She was always so good to me. She let me help her in the kitchen, even if I did just make a mess and eat the ingredients rather than use them. I should've said something like that at the Ceremony, but I was just too confused."
"She's part of us forever." said Brooklyn.
"We left Magus on the bier that King Arthur had slept on." said Angela. "It was the first time any of us really knew what death was. Many of us from Avalon hold out hope that he will be revived one day, like Arthur was. But, it may not happen in our lifetime, if at all."
"I was four when Old Cam became one with the wind." said Staghart. "I don't remember much, but I've seen pictures of her holding me and my siblings. She liked being a rookery grandmother. A few more of the elderly naturally bought it over the years. Old Pog's the last of his generation. Then, Columban was shot by poachers. It happened so quickly, so unexpectedly. We didn't have time to prepare ourselves as with the elderly. I sang 'Bright Eyes' at his Ceremony. I have a feeling Yuri and Shinju might do something similar."
"The Old Temple needs to be redecorated." said Angela. "In Japan, they use white instead of black. I'm going to go give them a hand." She turned back. Broadway took her hand and went with her. Lexington and Staghart followed.
"I'll catch up with you later!" Brooklyn called. He turned away and opened his gPhone.
"What are you looking for, Kojii?" she asked.
"A photo." he said, pressing keys. "I put it on a file marked 'private' and protected by password. It's saying something about Lex that he never even tried to override it." Brooklyn opened the folder and clicked on the photo. He showed it to Katana. The photo showed Broadway, Angela, Staghart and Lexington together. Angela was in a white gown with a veil and was brimming with cheer as she held hands with Broadway, who was wearing a tuxedo jacket, shirt and tie and a gray kilt with green, blue, brown, red and purple stripes. Lex was dressed much the same and holding hands with Staghart who was wearing a deep blue and grey suit with a white satin cravat.
"I remember the first time Samson showed me this pic." said Brooklyn. He had found that seeing Angela as Broadway's bride didn't make him as sad as he thought it would. At that point, he was just glad they could find happiness together. "I was happy for all of them, though I had no idea who the white deer dressed like Jareth from /Labyrinth/ was. I fibbed a little about the Hittites. /This/ is when I learned about Lex being gay. A bit of a shock, but, hey, he's my brother. As long as he was happy."
Katana looked at the photo. "They do look happy." she said. "You've told me different human clans in Scotland had their own tartans. Which one is this?"
"Don't know." Brooklyn said with a shrug. "We'll find out soon." He smiled. "I also saw some videos Lex made of his first attempts at creating the LXM droids. I think Staghart was the one filming. Lex kept calling the camera operator 'Amp'. Never saw him, just heard his voice once in a while."
Katana ran a hand over Brooklyn's hair. "Come. Let us help them get everything ready."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Old Temple was quickly redecorated. The bright red roses and the indigo and silver bunting was replaced by white flowers and white crepe. The altar that Dingo and Robyn had been wed at the previous night now held several votive candles, a framed daguerreotype of Kashi made when he was in his prime, and a vase of sakura blossoms. Yama stood to the side, having volunteered to translate for anyone who wanted to say something. Kai approached the altar and put an urn next to the picture.
"Kashi always loved attending weddings." Kai spoke in English out of courtesy for their guests. Yama translated for those who only spoke Japanese. "He said that he loved the hope and happiness that surrounded them. It didn't matter to him if it was a western style ceremony, gargoyle commitment ceremony or the San San Kudo ritual. All that mattered was that the love of two beings was being celebrated. Some months ago, he lost his beloved mate, Riku. May they find happiness together in the next life."
"He always loved a good laugh." said Sora. "There was this one time, when I was very young that a thief came into town thinking he could steal some artifacts from the Temple. I was frightened. Everyone was jumping over themselves trying to catch him. Kashi then jumped down from the rafters and threw a pickle barrel over the thief's head. The thief was fumbling around, distracted, and Kashi just grabbed onto his back and shoulders and yelled 'Ride 'em cowboy!' like in the movies." There was a brief chuckle of uneasy laughter as many gargoyles remembered that time. "When I took down a thief myself with a basket, Kashi told me I did him proud. I miss him."
"His kindness will always be remembered." said Kaze. He felt more comfortable with Japanese, so Yama translated to English. "There was this time some tourists from New Zealand stumbled into our area. They were frightened because for one they were lost in the dead of night, and for another, they never met a real tengu before. Kashi gave them directions to Tokyo and they took their picture with him."
"He was my father." Yama said simply. "Not in blood, but in spirit. I loved him and I will miss him." He repeated his short but heartfelt sentiment in Japanese.
"I'd like to say something." Vinnie volunteered. Yama looked over at Kai, who nodded in acquiescence. Anyone could speak at a Wind Ceremony. "Well, he was real good at ducking. I don't think Kata San hit him once." Uneasy chuckles again.
"He was one of my favorite brothers." said Kaede. "Many of the gargoyles from our generation were named after trees. I was named after the Maple to remind me to be sweet. He was named after the Oak to remind him to always be strong. Our elders knew he would always be small in stature, but that he had a spirit as strong as the mighty oak." She smiled at the flowers by his picture. "He loved sakura. It's good that we could find a sprig of it this far into summer."
"I'm very sorry I couldn't get to the sorry son of a bitch who killed Kashi before he did it." said Dingo. "But, rest assured, Kashi will be avenged."
"He saved my life." said Lexington. "And my fiance's. At the time, I didn't even know his name. I can't think of the words to express my gratitude. I heard his last words. Unfortunately, they were all in Japanese, so I didn't understand them. I did hear him say the word 'Riku' a few times. His last thoughts were for his mate." Lexington got choked up and could say no more.
"I didn't know Kashi for very long." Staghart admitted. But, during the time I knew him, I learned from him. I'd like to play some video footage I made with him. Lexington wheeled out a TV/DVD player. Staghart played the footage he made of him and Kashi talking together in the memorial garden. "Love doesn't know gender." said Staghart. "Nor does it know time." He wheeled the A/V equipment away as many tried to dry their eyes.
Shinju and Yuri approached the altar. Shinju carried a bamboo flute while Yuri carried an acoustic guitar. "Kashi always told me," Shiju said in Japanese. "That I should always be myself and follow my heart. I will honor his advice."
"I would like to sing a song for Kashi." said Yuri. "As Shinju accompanies me on flute. The song is called 'Raspberry Heaven'. I can think of no greater tribute to Kashi." The two played a song that seemed a bit too perky for a funeral. Yuri sang the Japanese lyrics sweetly, but almost mournfully. She took on a more hopeful tone when she got to the chorus.
Raspberry heaven

mukae ni kita no yasashii yume no heaven

Raspberry heaven, I'm coming back to you

rakuen no hana saita hi ni

kimi to futari...

futari de aimashou
Kai took up the urn. "If everyone would follow me up to the roof please." After Yama translated, everyone silently followed Kai up the staircase that led to the roof of the Old Temple. "All humans wishing to take part in the next part of the ceremony must find a gargoyle to bear them." Kai stepped to the edge of the roof and opened the urn, releasing the ashes to the air. "Hai wa hai ni, chiri wa chiri ni. Sekaijuu kaze to sorotte."
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Yama translated as many gargoyles picked up a human and spread their wings to glide. "Everything is at one with the wind." He picked up Hiroshi and glided out behind Kai, only then allowing himself to weep silently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Look at it this way, Charles." said Reverend Walters, cradling his bandaged hands in his lap as he sat in his cell. "You'll be a martyr for the cause! You will be remembered always as the man who did what he must to save humanity, even as humanity spit upon him and embraced their sins."
"Shut up, Rev." Chaz sighed.
"And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha," Walters recited. "They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him...."
"I said SHUT UP, Rev!" Chaz yelled.
"I am only trying to comfort you, Charles." said Walters. "Would you like to pray with me?"
"Fuck that." said Chaz. "Prayer ain't gonna do nothin' for me." /It never has before./
"Then I will pray for you." said Walters. "Dear Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name we commend the spirit of our brother Charles Lumpkin to Your loving arms. As your son once did, Charles wonders why you have forsaken him. Please reveal your love to him...." /Just shut up, Rev./ Chaz thought as Walters droned on. /I almost want them to come for me now so I don't have to hear your mumblings! God won't reveal his love to me. Never has. Dad always told me God didn't love sissy boys. Are you looking now, Dad? I tried to kill a couple of gargoyle fags. Sorry all I did was kill some old fart of a gargoyle. You're still proud of me for trying, right? I ain't no sissy. I proved that./ "...In Jesus name, Amen." Walters finally said.
"Guess it's back to Riker's with us." sighed Jackal, looking at his reflection in the metallic muff his hands were stuck in. "Assuming my sister doesn't get the chair!"
"Relax, Bro." said Hyena. "I'll just plead insanity, act that way and get off like I always do."
"You were acting?" chuckled Jackal.
"I was actually starting to miss Riker's a bit." said Wolf. All members of the pack were wearing Matrix's restraints. "Tomorrow's taco day."
"You won't be going to Riker's." said Hiroshi, who had entered just in time to hear Wolf's remark. "When the US Embassy comes for you tomorrow morning, you will be taken to the United States Maximum Security Installation for the Incarceration of Superhuman Criminals."
"The Vault?" said Jackal. He smiled a bit. "Hey, maybe I'll meet Magneto in the rec room!"
"Looks like we made it in the super villain world!" Hyena said proudly. "Goin' to The Vault!"
"They got tacos?" asked Wolf.
"I think tomorrow night is meat loaf night, actually."
"Meat loaf...." Wolf growled.
"Alright, Chaz." Hiroshi unlocked the cell. "Time to go."
"Hey, Chaz?" said Lou. "Umm....I'll miss ya, buddy."
"Yeah. Same here." said Chaz, knowing he'd never tell Lou what he really wanted to tell him.
"Dead man walkin'!" shouted one of the captured Quarrymen.
Hiroshi led Chaz to a small room that looked like an interrogation room. A tall, gray gargoyle leaned casually against the wall next to a stereo. "Here he is, Yama." said Hiroshi, unlocking Chaz's cuffs. "Mind turning the radio on to drown out his screams?" Chaz looked at the gargoyle. He was tall with a slender build, muscular, but not bulked up like that big purple one. Unarmed. He also seemed eerily calm. Chaz wondered if he had a chance. "What is it they say in American movies?" asked Hiroshi. "Ah, yes. 'May God have mercy on your soul'." He bowed and left.
"Hello." the gargoyle said simply. "My name is Yama. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
"Oh really?" Chaz smiled and swaggered, displaying his bulk, a move that always intimidated back in the Labyrinth. "Why don't I send your bitch ass to join him?"
Yama flipped on the CD player on the stereo. Elton John's "The Bitch is Back" started to play. "Normally, I loathe rock and roll, but this seems appropriate somehow." Chaz barreled toward him. As Yama took a second to turn up the volume. As soon as Chaz was within reach, Yama let out a ki cry and palm struck Chaz in the chest hard enough to knock him backwards.
Chaz got back up. "I'll fuck you up like I did your old man!" he threatened.
"A thousand years too early!" Yama said before delivering a roundhouse kick to Chaz's head. "You can fight and die or lay on the ground and die! The last thing Chaz heard was ki shouts, blood curdling roars and his own terrified screams, only barely drowned out by Elton John and his back-up singers belting out "Bitch...bitch...the bitch is back!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: The song Yuri sang, "Raspberry Heaven" is from the anime /Azumanga Daioh/ and was originally performed by Oranges and Lemons. The lyrics translate thus:

Raspberry Heaven!

We'll meet again in the gentle dreams of Heaven

Raspberry Heaven, I'm coming back to you

When the flowers of Heaven have bloomed

You and me

Together we'll be

Special thanks to Ryoga 1326 for help with the Japanese.

"The Bitch is Back" is property of Elton John and Bernie Taupin.

Also, I hope Chip doesn't mind me borrowing Cam's name. I love his stories published under the name Gryphinwyrm7. Now if only he'd finish them....
- 23
- 24
- 25
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Aishiteru Means I Love You