The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten (complete)

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Asoko_Desu
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The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten (complete)

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Story Title: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten
Link to the first post: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten
Author: Asoko_Desu
Type: Epilogue: post-Rin’s `Good` Ending - A journey through the 'Rinverse'
Status: Complete
Word count: ~8,800
First Post: 2023/01/04
Last Post: 2023/01/08
PoV-character: Hisao, Rin, Emi, mostly
Pairings: Rin x Hisao, mostly
Begins: After `Proof of Existence`
Warnings: Adult themes - pregnancy, sexual situations, depression, abandonment, mental illness, despair, grief, death
Remarks: You could live happier without ever reading this, but it has its place.

-

Contents

One Special Day
And All the Days That Follow
Time Passes
-
So It Goes
-
Making Plans
Observations
Kenji on Kenji
-
Sakura Season
Rainy Season
Monsoon Season
-
Hisao
Emi
-
Homecoming
March 13, 2008
-
Happy Birthday
-
Later Days
Six Metres Farther from Heaven
-
Leaving View
-
Tezuka Aiko
-
Hisao Alone
Aiko and Hisao I
Aiko and Hisao II
-
Last Winter
-
The Years the Locusts Have Eaten


Last edited by Asoko_Desu on Sun Sep 10, 2023 7:57 pm, edited 19 times in total.
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Asoko_Desu
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re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

One Special Day

Perhaps in a symbolic connection, by the time the dandelions were ready to spread their seeds over Yamaku, Rin was already several hours pregnant.

“This is good” she thought to herself when she found out, and looked forward to a future with Hisao and raising their child together - children possibly. What exactly that future looked like, she didn’t know, but she did know it would be warm, bright, full of joy and full of love.

--
Last edited by Asoko_Desu on Wed Jan 04, 2023 2:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
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Asoko_Desu
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re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

And All the Days that Follow

After summer break, Rin and Hisao kept mostly to themselves; their participation in the art club ended by mutual unspoken agreement - after Rin’s catastrophic experience at the art gallery, Nomiya barely acknowledged her or Hisao’s presence.

If he were a man given to self-reflection, Nomiya would have acknowledged that he despised Hisao for not managing Rin better - as much as he loathed Rin for not succeeding in enabling him to live out his failed dreams through her success. That said, he was not, so he simply sublimated his self-loathing into a palpable air of hostility towards them both.

It would have been hard for Rin’s attendance in class to be less than it was, but now the number of classes she attended dropped from `some` or `a few` to `zero`. This didn’t bother Rin much, as she carried her inspiration with her.

Hisao’s physical attendance in class remained acceptable, but his attention was generally elsewhere. Where, exactly, he couldn’t say - it just wasn’t on the coursework dolled out by Mutou-sensei. Hisao listlessly did the work - eyes moving over the readings, not really taking much in; all in all just generally coasting.

He and Rin spent most of their free time in the fading days of summer under the tree by the mural. What time they didn’t spend outdoors they generally spent alone together in Hisao’s dorm room, reliving that first rainy day they’d spent together.

--
Last edited by Asoko_Desu on Wed Jan 04, 2023 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
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Asoko_Desu
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re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Time Passes

Autumn arrived with the changing of the leaves, days getting shorter, nights getting cooler, and Rin looking noticeably rounder as she entered her second trimester.

Rin’s pregnancy was pretty much openly commented on amongst the student population by now - people who knew Hisao had stopped calling him `Hichan` and started calling him `Baby-daddychan` - cruel, but no matter; he just avoided them and spent all the more time with Rin.

As Rin’s pregnancy proceeded, she kept more to herself, preferring only Hisao’s company. Emi and Rin had exchanged words in the aftermath of the gallery showing - Rin couldn’t forgive, or respond to Emi’s pointed criticism; feeling betrayed, she had essentially shut Emi out of her life.

So it became - always Hisao and Rin, off to the side, keeping to themselves; never interacting with anyone, or even each other so it seemed. Their main activities continued to be sitting and staring at nothing in particular - now indoors more often than not - or going for walks in the woods around Yamaku; Rin would lead and Hisao would follow.

On such trips, Rin would look at Hisao with an angelic smile and Hisao would give her his smile back. She would never complain about his laconic conversation or ask for more - she was happy just being with him, day after day.

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
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Mirage_GSM
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Mirage_GSM »

Some interesting stylistic choices there.
Though pregnancy works a bit differently in the real world than in your story...
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

re: pregancy - I've tried to be vague enough to disguise any ignorance I may have on the subject (or any other subject for that matter!), or perhaps I'm just not communicating well .. obviously I've failed either way 😅

[checks reasearch notes] I don't think I've pushed the boundaries of 'noticability', but at 12 weeks people should be able to notice something's happening - feel free to DM me any hints; I'm not talking full-blown lordosis, mind - just something that would be noticable on someone who's got little body fat and strong core muscles (which I take, in part, from the impact of Rin kicking Emi that one time, and my own headcannon as to how Rin keeps herself fit and limber - see Mountain Pose )

Or did you mean something else? I don't think they used contraception in Rin's route. And [checks notes again] impregnation can happen in "15 to 45 minutes", so I don't think I'm off on that part - although there appears to be a variety of opinions on that matter.

So, they get together, go out to see the dandelions after a certain amount of time passes, and some unspecified time later (see above re: `vague`) Rin realizes something's happened - and she's delighted. Skip forward to (probably late) October when `Time Passes` happens.

Or have I entirely, utterly missed what you were getting at? Certainly a non-zero probability of that.


re: Style - Yeah, that.

This whole story is a rolling shit-fire of grief that only picks up speed as it goes downhill - a bit of a gift, I suppose, to those who liked the `bad` endings.

All I can promise is that it's not gratuitous - the whole thing's already written and context becomes clear at the end. What I am doing is posting it in installments for exactly this kind of feedback so I can course-correct before I completely embarass myself in public - so thank you for helping me (mostly) avoid that.

Other than that, since it's inspired by Rin's route, it's unavoidably laconic. From my perspective that route lacked the sparkle of Emi's route, or the raw emotion that Hanako's had, for example (YMMV, of course).

--
Last edited by Asoko_Desu on Sun Jan 08, 2023 5:18 pm, edited 4 times in total.
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

So It Goes

Rin, in her essential stubbornness, didn’t allow herself to miss Emi’s friendship and anyhow - Rin had Hisao; who else did she need?

Hisao had moved into Emi’s spot as Rin’s caregiver - looking after her personal needs, such as they were. Rin was overjoyed that she’d stopped menstruating, with only the lightest of spotting during the early days of her pregnancy. Rin and Hisao would shower together in the early morning hours before the men’s shared shower got busy - not that Kenji would have recognized Rin as a girl anyhow.

And Hisao was frankly glad to have an excuse not to talk to Kenji, who he had always found annoying; “Sorry - gotta run; meeting up with Rin”, then Hisao would be off, not waiting for a response.

..

The other students took note of Hisao and Rin’s solitary relationship. Occasionally Shizune would shoot Hisao odd looks in class then talk to Misha in conversations Misha wouldn’t interpret, or Miki might look at him and snort before going back to playing with her hair.

Every so often, which wasn’t often, Hisao would cross paths with Emi, who’d make comments like “I guess you finally found a form of exercise that you enjoy,” before she ran off somewhere to do something terribly time-sensitive. Other than that, not inviting comment nor giving any, Rin and Hisao were mostly ignored and left to go about their business.

Outside of their relationship, the only appreciable perturbation of the student landscape was Kenji joining Emi on the roof for lunch. They’d met accidentally - he’d been scouting for places to hide from the administration; a chance comment by Emi about his friendship with Hisao led them to finding a shared font of derisive humour. They had, perhaps, the ache of a friendship lost in common.


Their lunches on the roof eventually progressed to time spent in Emi’s room -

“I’m not looking for a relationship - just so you know,” said Emi.


“Who said anything about a relationship?”

“Suits me. My - I can see where you get your attitude from.”

“Less talking ok?”

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Mirage_GSM
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Mirage_GSM »

Asoko_Desu wrote: Thu Jan 05, 2023 10:10 pm [ checks reasearch notes ] I don't think I've pushed the boundaries of 'noticability', but at 12 weeks people should be able to notice something's happening - feel free to DM me any hint...
Sure. You've got mail :-)
Emi > Misha > Hanako > Lilly > Rin > Shizune

My collected KS-Fan Fictions: Mirage's Myths
griffon8 wrote:Kosher, just because sex is your answer to everything doesn't mean that sex is the answer to everything.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Making Plans

As fall progressed to winter, Rin had developed a very noticeable baby belly and walked with a noticable waddle. Her school uniform no longer properly fit, so she’d taken to wearing her pants under her expanding stomach; her belly-button creating a noticeable bump in her school-issued shirt, which she’d had to upgrade as her original one had stopped fitting some time ago.

..

“What should we do?” Asked Hisao.

“About what?”

“I don’t know .. things?”

“People wanted me to try - Nomiya wanted me to try. You wanted me to try. Emi wanted me to try. But what?”

“I can’t explain.”

“That’s ok - neither can I.”

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Observations

“So, Rin, ah - looks like you’re going to be a mom.” Emi observed. “How does it feel?”

“Feels like it’s Hisao’s”

Rin and Emi had been close - that was until the art gallery showing, Rin’s breakdown, and Emi’s subsequent tearing a strip off of Rin. If this was Emi’s attempt to patch things up .. it wasn’t going well.

Emi didn’t feel like she knew Rin any more - had she ever? Emi couldn’t say. They were physically compatible roommates (“A complete suit of clothing” as they’d put it), but had there ever been a real connection? Despite Emi having a superficially outgoing nature, both Emi and Rin played their cards very close to their chests. As a result, no one at Yamaku really knew either - each other included.

Emi shrugged, at a loss for a response, turned and walked away.

..

Still, Emi felt something - curiosity? Nostalgia? She couldn’t quite define why she’d try to check in on Rin and Hisao occasionally.

“Hisao - You’re going to be a dad. How’s that going?”

“Good, I guess .. it’s scary, but .. good. Right? Rin’s not as flexible now that she’s carrying, so I have to help her out a lot more with her personal care, but .. we’re together; it’s good.” Hisao replied with something less than his usual lack of enthusiasm.

Emi shrugged - what kind of response had she been hoping to get? She couldn’t say.

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Kenji on Kenji

“Tried to warn you man - that’s how they trap you. Say good bye to the next twenty years of your life, if not longer,” prophesied Kenji.

“Kenji - can you please just piss off. I don’t need this right now.”

“Hey man - anything you want. I’m just your only friend is all; the only one who ever told it to you straight. I’ll go away now if that’s not good enough for you.”

..

Hisao reflected - had Kenji really been his only friend? Perhaps. Probably. Well, not any more. Of all the people at Yamaku that Hisao had met, only Kenji was still talking to him - had still been talking to him. Well, there was Rin, but Rin passed her days mostly just sitting with Hisao staring up or out at the sky, depending on the weather; for all her creative talents, conversation wasn’t one of them.

When Rin’s condition had become obvious to the administration, the both of them were placed on special ‘supervisory’ parole, intended to insure neither had so much as a minute of unsupervised time together. Even during their idle times out of doors a prefect was present in the background. Not that it made much difference, thought Hisao - “What am I going to do, get her double pregnant?”

In light of developments, Hisao’s mentor, Mutou-sensei, had grown distant. Once Mutou’s star pupil, Mutou exuded a palpable aura of disappointment towards Hisao. Not that Hisao cared much - he spent his days now in a sort of torpor, thinking about his life before Yamaku and how much things had gotten away from him - how he seemed to have lost all agency since his `accidents` - plural. So many `accidents`, so many opportunities lost - he would ruminate, then try to think about nothing at all, staring at his school work like it was just so many hieroglyphs thrown randomly on a sheet of paper.

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Sakura Season

Throughout it all, Rin had been content only to spend what little free time she had with Hisao; her assigned prefect made sure to keep her busy with academic busy-work, which she loathed and mostly ignored.

Whether she looked forward to giving birth or had any image of what her life would be like with Hisao afterwards, she didn’t say and no one could guess. All that could be said is that she only seemed alive and truly happy when she was with Hisao. They would still sit outside on occasion under the tree by the mural - regardless of the worsening weather - saying nothing, just sitting as close as their prefects would allow.

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Rainy Season

Nomiya and the Principal met in the Principal’s office with a now heavily pregnant Rin -

“We feel you need to focus on .. what’s immediately at hand and give some thought to going on to graduate study when matters are more settled.” The Principal had said.

Rin wasn’t sure what she’d thought she’d hear - her brain was more foggy than usual these days, and the baby kicking inside her didn’t help her sleep - but she was sure this wasn’t what she’d been hoping for; it felt like the Principal and Nomiya-sensei were closing the door on her future. It was pretty obvious that there would be no recommendation to art school - or any school - from either of them. She could continue to do her art - she might even graduate - but she was strictly on her own. That was fine - that’s how it had always been.

“We’ve contacted your parents - they’re coming to pick you up. They should have your belongings packed by now - you can leave directly with them.”

This news hit Rin like a punch - weren’t they even going to let her say goodbye to Hisao?

“But .. Hisao?”

“You’ll have to talk to your parents about that. Yamaku wishes you all the best in your future endeavours.” With that, the Principal and Nomiya stood up, bowed perfunctorily and exited, letting Rin’s parents into the room.

“Rin darling?”

Rin looked down at the ground in her mother’s direction.

“We’ve come to take you home.”


That was it then - no graduation, not that it mattered, and no Hisao either.

Rin was beset by a deep sense of unfairness - she couldn’t even visit the worry tree to say goodbye. Well, she would find another. There were plenty of trees and there would be plenty to share with them.

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
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Asoko_Desu
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Asoko_Desu »

Monsoon Season

Hisao woke up to find Rin wasn’t at their usual haunts - even his prefect wasn’t around. He stopped by Rin’s room and found it empty.

..

“She’s gone - parents came by yesterday and packed all of her stuff up,” said Emi.

“What about her art in my room?”


“I guess they didn’t want it?”

“She went with them?”

“Presumably - she’s not here. She got called to the Principal’s office just before her parents arrived.”

“But where ..” Hisao was even more at a loss for words than usual.

“They live in Osaka - not sure where. Anyhow - gotta go; meeting Kenji. Bye!” And she was off.

Tezuka .. he had their name; he could look them up - but what would be the use?

--
"So much to do, so little time."

Asoko Desu's one-shots and short pieces - and assorted tie-ins.
Two Body Problem - "Adventures in the 'Emiverse'"; Emi’s path from Rin’s perspective ..
The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten - Post-Rin’s good ending - a journey through the 'Rinverse'

+++
Silentcook
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Re: The Years That the Locusts Have Eaten

Post by Silentcook »

These barely count as drabbles. They could have been one single post instead of a mass of tiny posts.
Shattering your dreams since '94. I also fought COVID in '20 and '21, and all I got was this lousy forum sig.

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