KagaKuro AU Collection

Day 4: True light and fated shadow - Destiny

"Your fate is written in the stars," Midorima lectured sternly. "You cannot alter the course of your fate, but you can change it slightly to suit you. Say, for example, that you were going to die. By being extremely careful, you may delay your death, but eventually, you will die.

"As long as you take every available path to make your fate more favourable for yourself, you will have good luck and a peaceful life. The course of your destiny is set in stone, just like the stars are set in the heavens. But as the stars move along the sky, so can your destiny move with it. If that is too complicated for your young minds, think of this instead: Others will always try to make you do what they want, but it is by your will that you change your life.

"Class dismissed."

Kuroko shook himself out of his stupor and stepped around his sleeping classmates to talk to Midorima, the village astrologer.

"Midorima-sensei! Is what you said true?"

"Of course." Midorima pushed his spectacles up his nose bridge. "The stars do not lie."

"Could you show me how you read the stars?" Kuroko begged, his eyes wide. "Please!"

Midorima's gaze softened marginally. "Perhaps one day when you are older, Kuroko. Come to me again when you are of age to be apprenticed. I can see that you are serious about the art of reading the heavens."

"Thank you, Midorima-sensei!"

Kuroko ran out of the cool house, into the hot afternoon sun. How exciting it was, that your life was already ordained by the stars! Would his fate have adventure written in it? Or perhaps he would be a teacher, like Midorima! There were so many possibilities to explore, he felt giddy just thinking about it.

Just then, he heard a feral snarl from the forest, followed by a pitiful mew. Kuroko cocked his head to the side. The sounds came again, and the mewling was weaker this time.

Kuroko hesitated. Should he get an adult? It sounded as if the animal was being attacked. But the elders always taught them that in the animal kingdom, it was kill or be killed, and they should leave them be.

He was about to turn away when he heard a scream from the forest. It was distinctively human, and the person sounded like he was in great pain. This time, Kuroko didn't hesitate. He dashed into the forest, grabbing a large branch he saw on the ground for protection.

He followed the sounds of the animals until he saw some movement between the trunks of trees. From his position, the sound of frightened whimpering was louder. Kuroko crept closer, careful to avoid dry leaves and twigs, shielding himself behind the trunk of a tree. He peeped round the side of the trunk and blinked. And blinked again.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

There was a large wolf right in front of him, and it was snarling angrily, its hackles raised. From his point of view, it seemed like a monster, but he could see its ribs poking out from beneath its coat, giving it a rather emaciated look. Backed up against a tree was the object of its dissatisfaction, a small tiger cub, whimpering and mewling. What's a big wolf like that scared of a cub for? Kuroko wondered. Squinting into the dim light, he saw something else that shocked him.

Every few seconds, the fur on the cub's face would ripple, showing a human countenance underneath. It was like watching a chameleon change the colours of its skin, except on a wholly different level. Those sort of mystical creatures actually exist? Wow. Kuroko couldn't read animal expressions very well, but the child under the tiger skin looked terrified.

He felt scared himself, but he knew what he had to do. Tiger or no, it was also a human child (in some form), and it needed saving.

Letting out a loud roar, Kuroko rushed out from behind the tree, bringing the stick down on the wolf's back. The wolf yelped and jumped back, but its expression soon grew fierce again as it realised its new opponent was only a child. It peeled its lips back, baring its teeth, saliva dripping from the corners of its exposed mouth. Kuroko's lip quivered, but he raised the branch again, shouting loudly as he swung it.