Flame of Recca and its characters copyright Nobuyuki Anzai.

My first fic that does NOT specifically focus on Tokiya-kun ^_^ Keep the tranquillisers, I’m not out of my mind!! Really *cue angelic circle on top* I CAN write other charas too, it’s just the question of whether they’d be OOC or not *sweatdrop* Anyhoo, I wrote this fic because it was nagging at me like an itch that wouldn’t go away, and ultimately wouldn’t stop ‘till I actually put it on paper. This is a post-FoR fic, dealing with what Tokiya-kun and Mifuyu went through as they fought to lead a life on their own after the death of their parents. It’s mostly to do with Mifuyu, and what she went through just to keep her and her otouto alive, though Tokiya-kun does play a role in here…as the kawaii brat ^o^ I dunno how long it’ll last, but I’m hoping to at least go over three chapters ^.^

Gomen if I use way too many Japanese words here. I’ve been in a Jap. fetish ever since I found out ‘bout anime ^_^;; Translations are located at the bottom. As usual, anything between ‘{ }’ are thoughts.

SPOILER WARNING!!! Don’t read on if you don’t know who Mifuyu (or Nefumi as some would call her) is! And /especially/ don’t read on if you don’t know what happens to her!!

Broken Dreams
Chapter 1

Friday nights were always the best. Everyone loved Friday nights. How could anyone not? They were the gateway to the ever-beloved weekends, where the schools were empty and the shopping malls were full. Mostly. But Mifuyu wasn’t really the kind to window-shop. There were so many more beneficial things to do simply by staying at home, she didn’t see the point of wasting time and energy in a shopping mall. She told everyone so, and they would always give her in response a peculiar look. She couldn’t quite blame them though. Twelve year-old girls who preferred staying home rather than shopping with friends were quite a rarity in this ‘hip and happening’ part of Tokyo.

Even now, as she sat comfortably on the living room couch, Mifuyu felt more contented than she ever would be in a busy, crowded shopping mall. Her large, expressive brown eyes were glued to the TV screen before her, and she was clutching a Tuxedo Kamen plushie in her arms. A bag of potato chips lay beside her on the coffee table. Yup, this was life. Peaceful…Quiet…With only the sound coming from the TV and Usagi’s bawling to accompany her…
‘’NEEEEEEEEEECHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!!!” Mifuyu growled aloud. Why did this always have to happen just when things were getting interesting?!! Irately throwing down the plushie, she marched to the foot of the stairs. Looking up, she demanded, “What?!!” Normally, Mifuyu wouldn’t react so furiously to the call of her younger brother, but this was the FIFTH time tonight!
And it has to be when Mamo-chan’s just gonna kiss Usagi-chan too…

At the top of the stairs, five year-old Tokiya stood nervously, clutching a huge stuffed Pooh bear in his arms. His short, silver hair was ruffled beyond recognition, and his yellow-and-blue polka dotted pyjamas - complete with a picture of Pooh and his honey jar in the middle - were totally crumpled. His clear blue eyes were wide open, clearly showing that he wasn’t that ready to go to sleep yet. All in all, he was an adorable sight. Even Mifuyu’s girl friends from school thought so, and they weren’t exactly the fondest of children. Now, if only she wasn’t so irritated…
“’Neechan…Can I come down?”
Again? Don’t you ever get tired? “No.”
“’Neechan!!” Tokiya pouted, frowning at his sister below. How come SHE gets to stay up and he couldn’t? It wasn’t fair!
Mifuyu sighed, “Tokiya-chan…Shouldn’t you be sleeping right now?” And let me have some peace and quiet long enough to watch Mamo-chan kiss Usagi-chan??
Tokiya shook his head, “No…I don’t wanna sleep.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s boring!!!”
Mifuyu facefaulted. Boring? How could sleeping be considered ‘boring’? A tiny sweatdrop appeared above her as she got up. Giving Tokiya her best ‘big sister’ look, she said, “Tokiya-chan, didn’t ‘kaasan say that you have to be in bed by nine o’ clock?” Tokiya nodded. “You don’t want to get ‘kaasan mad, do you?” Tokiya shook his head. “Then be a good boy and go to bed.” Tokiya shook his head again, stubbornly refusing to oblige.
Mifuyu frowned, then decided to change tactics. Folding her arms in front of her, she said, “Well then. If you don’t go to bed, I’m just gonna have to tell ‘kaasan that you’ve been a naughty boy and she’ll have to punish you. You don’t want me to do that, do you?” To her delight, Tokiya seemed to actually ponder over that little threat of hers for a moment.
But only for a moment.
“You can always NOT tell ‘kaasan.”
“TOKIYA!!!!” Mifuyu scowled, wondering just where Tokiya got all his ideas. “How could you say something like that?! That’ll be lying!” Better keep him out of sight next time Kien and his gang come over…Bad influence.

Quickly looking at the wall clock, she saw to her horror that it was nearing nine ten. The Sailor Moon marathon ends at nine thirty!! She couldn’t actually miss the most exciting part of the show, could she? Looking at Tokiya who still hadn’t budged, she pleaded, “Tokiya-chan…Please? Just go to bed like a good little boy??”
Tokiya carefully put down his Pooh bear and sat on the carpeted stairs. Sticking his thumb into his mouth, he pondered, “Um…no.”
“ARGH!! Okay!” She’d more or less given up by now. “Okay…What do you want?! How can I get you to go to sleep?!!!” Mifuyu was willing to try anything at this moment. She only hoped Tokiya wouldn’t ask her to sing the lullaby her mother always used to lull him to sleep. Her singing had the uncommon power to shatter the very windows of their house. Tokiya grinned. Things looked good on his side. “’Neechan…”
A tired sigh. “Yeah…?”
“Can you…” Would that be too mean?…Nah. “I want you to sing for me. ‘Kaasan always sings to me before I go to bed.”
Mifuyu deadpanned, “Tokiya.” He knew she couldn’t sing.
Tokiya sweatdropped, “Oh…okay then.” Turning around, he ran back to his playroom, his quick, sure feet thumping loudly on the floor above. In a matter of minutes, he reappeared at the top of the stairs, holding a large book in hand. “Then read me a story! This one!” He held the book up, enabling Mifuyu to see the title.
Oh, that one.

It was a story about this brave knight who had to go fight many, many mean ol’ dragons who kidnapped his sister, and save her from an evil sorcerer who planned to use her as dragon bait. The knight was helped by a pretty princess who had magical powers, and a tiger that loved to eat lasagne. Tokiya loved to envision himself as the knight, and Mifuyu as the sister.
“Your favourite book again, Tokiya-chan? But didn’t ‘kaasan read it to you earlier?”
“No, she didn’t.” He was kind of sad, because it was a nightly ritual for his mother to read him a story, be it this one or another. Mifuyu smiled gently up at her disappointed brother, and said, “Ne, don’t look so glum. I’ll read it to you, okie?” Their parents had gone out to a company dinner that night, leaving only Mifuyu and Tokiya alone in the house.
A beam instantly lit up his face, and Tokiya cheered, “Sugoi, ‘neechan! But you better read it like ‘kaasan does, okay?” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed his Pooh bear and ran to his room, calling out, “Come up, ‘neechan! I’m waiting!!”
“Yeah, yeah.” She smiled when Tokiya’s cheerful attitude came back, and gave the TV a quick glance. There was only about ten minutes of Sailor Moon left to watch, so there really was no hope left for her to catch the ending, considering how long Tokiya would probably make her stay up there to read him his story.
Oh well. There’s still Fushigi Yuugi to look forward to. Enlightened by that thought, Mifuyu made her way to Tokiya’s room, amidst the latter’s cries to hurry up.

Translations:
‘Neechan = older sister
‘Kaasan = mother
Kawaii = cute (something like that…)
Sugoi = cool/great (something like that too… ^^;;)

On to the Next Chapter