by Jannah P.
"I am sorry. That is the one wish I cannot grant..."
The words felt like a tangible blow. My breath caught in my throat, and I heard a saddened gasp from the young woman seated near us. She looked to me almost immediately, her eyes glistening. She found herself unable to look into my eyes, and turned her head away, pale pink hair falling across her shoulder as she did so. The young man beside her wrapped a tanned arm around her shoulders; even Tokaki was unable to joke at such a time.
Gazing through the veil my dark hair formed over my eyes, I looked to the slim brown-haired girl standing beside me. She still held my hand tightly, unbelieving. She was clothed in the garb she had arrived in, which only seemed to amplify her sadness and mine at the moment. Silvery blue eyes found the courage to gaze up at me through thin lashes. Tears filled her eyes, brimming over to run down one cheek silently. Her hand tightened around mine.
"I.. I don't want to leave, now." Her voice was quiet, and I had a feeling the words were intended for the god residing in her body temporarily. Would he give her another wish, or had she just wasted her final one for my sake? It was Karasuki who replied to her words, though, not the god within her.
"Once the priestess summons the god from the heavens and makes her three wishes, her purpose in our world is over." He sounded matter-of-fact, as always - impersonal to the last. Yet, his voice softened somewhat as he watched my beloved Suzuno. "There's nothing that can be done to keep you here." He uttered a sudden exclamation of surprise mingled with pain suddenly, glaring at the girl seated on a table beside him. Her fist still hovered near his arm.
"Why can't you just shut your mouth before you think of speaking?" she demanded, eyes flaming. Karasuki rubbed his arm, unwilling to reply to Toroki's uncultured tongue. Subaru shot them both a look of daggers, although it seemed to have no effect on the pair.
"Tatara..." Her cheeks were soaked with silent tears, and her eyes pleaded with me to tell her something - anything - that could allow us to remain together. I knew of nothing, brushing pale brown bangs away from her forehead. She never once uttered a sound to reveal her utter misery at Byakko's unwillingness to grant the only wish she truly wanted. She released her hold on my hands and stepped into my arms, leaning her head against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her slim form in response, my eyes shining with tears as well. I could feel her body beginning to fade into transparency, returning to her world. Our hold on each other tightened; her tears darkened the fabric of my clothing. I lifted her chin, and we exchanged one final kiss before her body vanished entirely from my arms. I held only air, and the faded sound of her voice whispering my name.
"I never would have thought..." Subaru was unable to finish her sentence. She and Tokaki stood, preparing to leave me with my thoughts. She stopped beside me, wrapping her arms around me in a quick embrace before following her fiancee out the door. Karasuki left just as silently, with no sign of affection, support, or anything. He was never one for emotion. Little Toroki halted beside me as well, her eyes flaming once more.
"It's a lie, you know. Byakko is capable of anything. He could have found a way." Her voice was deadly-soft, a sign of anger in the girl. "Seems my lack of faith's been dead on, huh, Tatara?" She grinned mischievously. Then she, too, left. Alone once more, I found myself looking to the back of my right hand, where the white symbol of Byakko glowed occaisonally. It was absent at the moment.
The one wish I cannot grant...
Her sweet voice still rang softly in my ears; sitting down in the seat Subaru had vacated only moments before, I brushed aside the tears streaming down my cheeks. They were momentarily replaced by others. Perhaps Toroki had been correct. Byakko was a god. To a god, nothing was impossible. Suzuno's slim face framed by two pale brown braids floated before my tear-blurred vision; the times we spent together seemed to echo throughout the room.
"Do you take care of all these plants yourself?"
"It's not so difficult."
"They're so beautiful! It's like walking through
an indoor forest. I've never even seen some of these flowers before.."
"You're welcome to take one, if you'd like."
"But.. won't you miss one, if I take it?"
"Not at all."
"Then you're..."
"Byakko shichiseishi, Tatara."
"T-thank you for protecting me."
"That is what a shichiseishi is for, to protect
the priestess."
"You protected me before you even knew I was
the priestess of Byakko."
"I-"
"Thank you."
"The name's Toroki, and I'm the one you've
been lookin' for. You two a couple, or somethin'?"
"U-us?"
"Yea, tha's what I said."
"I-I don't know."
"Oi, you two are obvious."
"Sairou is really lovely this time of year.
There are actually flowers in bloom!"
"Some things are lovelier than Sairou's desert
flowers."
"T-Tatara.."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to embarass you, priestess."
"You can call me Suzuno. Please."
"That's - what my third wish will be, Tatara.
F-for us to stay together."
"You shouldn't waste your third wish on me,
Suzuno."
"I wouldn't be wasting it! I-I want to stay
with you. Forever."
My eyes glistened anew with fresh tears. "Suzuno... I wanted to stay with you, too. Forever..."