Author's Note: Mariko visits Shura's grave and due to being ill, she and Shigi actually ends up talking about the time that they had spent with Shura.
The young woman dressed very simply, but she seemed to be quite conscious of her dress as she was very careful in making sure that her cloak will not reveal it since she held onto the front very tightly.
She was also carrying some wild flowers in her hand and they were in a very bad state due to the weather. However, the fact that she managed to find flowers was very impressive and it would have taken her quite some time.
Takiko was still deciding what she should do when Uruki suddenly stepped in front of her.
"There is no need to worry, I am not here to do any harm." She told Uruki simply. "I merely wish to…to visit that person."
At this, her gaze rested on a particular spot.
"That person?" Takiko asked.
"…my younger brother died here." She said softly. "It has been a year since that day. A year since I left. Therefore, please allow me to do this."
"Are you really not here due to Shigi?" Uruki demanded again.
"Would it make you feel better if you know that he actually does not want me to be here?"
"Who are you?" Takiko asked.
A strange smile appeared on the other's face as she said her name.
"Mariko."
Without understanding why, Takiko felt a sense of nostalgia. However, she then decided that this was because "Mariko" sounded like a Japanese name.
"She is Shigi's woman." Uruki added.
A long silence followed before Tomite actually burst out laughing quite loudly.
"Shigi? That Shigi?" Tomite said between his laughter.
Mariko had to admit that she could understand their reaction because that phrase was really weird when it was applied to Shigi.
The problem was that she did not know a better phrase. They were not married and even though they were lovers, the word seemed too idealistic to describe them.
However, she believed that they could one day have a happy life...like that brief period when the three of them had been together. Even though she tells everyone that the one here is her younger brother, there were times when she felt that he was like their child more due to the way that he behaved around her and Shigi.
"…he disappeared, he is not here anymore." Shigi had commented when they finally mentioned this taboo topic.
"Yet he was once here!" she had yelled back. "As long as we remember him, then he would be here."
"Then you will have to be the one who remembers."
At this, she had been so angry that she actually slapped him. Later on, she would realise that she was probably one of the few who has done this and remained alive. Perhaps she was even one of the few who succeeded.
He did not even strike back. He merely turned away.
Ignoring the others, Mariko went to the place that she knew was Shura's grave and she knelt in front of it. It was his grave, yet he was not buried here.
There was no body to be buried.
"I will never forget Shura." She repeated those words again even as she began to cry. "You and Shigi are both the most important people to me."
After a while, she finally stood up.
"Mariko-san!" this was Takiko and she found herself automatically pausing even though she was in a hurry to get back.
"Why is it that you are with Shigi?" Takiko asked. "Do you not know what he has done?"
"…I know." Mariko admitted. "I know that Shigi is not a good man and he probably can be said to be a bad man. However…he is not an evil man."
It was evening when she headed back and even though Mariko knew that Shigi would definitely have discovered her absence, she was still looking around guiltily.
She felt a bit dizzy, but she naturally blamed it to exertion.
"…do I have to tie you up again?"
Shigi was in the middle of their tent with his arms crossed. His pleasant smile was there, but almost all those who had dealings with him would say that there were few things worse then that smile. In addition, when he smiled at you that way, it was often hard to list them.
"I told you that I was going to visit Shura's grave regardless of what you say." She said bluntly as she entered. She took off her cloak and the reason she had been so paranoid about revealing what it covered was because of her dress being in the fashion of Kutou.
"…it is dangerous." He said simply, and this could apply to many factors.
"They won't hold me hostage, they don't think the way you do." She said bluntly. "And even if they do, I can escape. The most they will cut off will probably be my hair, although I doubt that they would do such a thing."
He was actually silent for a while as he recalled the time she had accidentally see him 'work'. She ended up vomiting and wouldn't let him touch her for a few days.
She really was a strange girl. She accepted what he did without accepting it.
"…something is wrong with my head." She was saying.
"I know that." He said absently. "That is why you are here."
"That is not what I mean. My head feels really strange…I don't feel well." She said. However, she quickly shook her head. "I will feel better after I sleep."
"…I have to attend another meeting. Do not sneak out again or I will really tie you up." He warned her.
However, Shigi need not have worried about this because she was in no condition to do such a thing.
Upon returning, he found her unconscious on the floor, a few steps away from their bed. When he picked her up, he was to discover that her body seemed to be burning.
She was sick and he realised that he shouldn't really be surprised at this. After all, she had wonder around outside in such a weather. But then, she has always failed to look after herself properly even though she was fairly good at looking after other people.
Mariko felt someone's hand gently dabbing her forehead the moment she woke up. Even though her body still seemed to be really hot, it was no longer burning. Opening her eyes, she saw that Shigi was sitting right beside her, and his other hand was holding onto her hand.
"Are you feeling better?" unlike usual, there was actually concern in his voice.
She gave a nod and was going to speak, but found her throat really dry.
"Is there anything you want?" he offered. "I can order someone to find it."
"…orange jelly." Without thinking, she muttered the first thing that entered her mind.
"…jelly? What is that? As for oranges, this is probably not possible given the weather."
Seeing that he was actually seriously thinking about how to grant her wish, she laughed softly.
"…a glass of water." She corrected. "A glass of water."
The drink was soon brought and it did make her feel much better. She then sat up, and this was only allowed after Shigi draped a robe over her.
"…do you remember the first time that you captured me? You got sick and I looked after you with Shura." She said softly.
"I do." He admitted- a rare act of reminiscence from him. "He kept on screaming 'don't die'. I also…I was really surprised at you as well. I thought you would try to strangle me or hit me with a chair or kick me a few times at the very least."
At this, Mariko could understand why he had thanked her for looking after him. After all, given what he would do…
"I was really surprised that night too. You see," Mariko said this very bluntly and frankly. "I thought you were a woman until then."
A silence of sometime followed before it was broken by Shigi's loud laughter. Shigi almost always smiled, just as he almost never laughed. In addition, this was a laughter that was actually the result of joy.
"You really are an amazing person." Shigi said. "To make me feel like this. However," at this he placed his face very close to hers, "Should I spend tonight proving to you about my gender?"
She naturally blushed at this, but then she smiled again due to the memories of that day.
"Shura had been so happy when you recovered. He really cared for you so much. Like a younger brother that worships the elder brother."
Strange as it was, she could smile at the memories that could only be memories.
"…he liked you too." Shigi suddenly said softly. "I actually woke up and heard him talking about you."
"…you remember everything as well, do you not?" she said seriously. "Shigi, I will not ask you to talk about him or cry with me, but I want you to tell me that you remember him as well. What I cannot stand is you pretending that nothing has happened."
"That is how I survive." Shigi said before he admitted. "Mariko, I have never forgotten about what happened and I do not intend to. But I…I don't like to speak of what cannot longer happen."
"That is good enough for me." She assured him. "Shigi…I will promise you this: I will never leave you."
The time that the three of them spent together had been very happy and she knew that this was one of the few times when he allowed himself to be happy- to just enjoy what he has instead of thinking about how he would serve Hakei as well as avenge himself against the whole world.
Shura was gone, but she was still here, and she knew that by being here, she was actually a reminder for Shigi that there were still times when he could just be truly happy.
Therefore, she will never leave him.
However, she would not leave him anyway, even if he ended up having an ordinary life, after all, he was someone who she wished to be with no matter what.
Author's Note: I was re-inspired to do a ShigixMariko fan fiction again after I replayed the game. I really do see ShigixMariko with Shura as a son/little brother. I wanted to have Mariko visiting his grave, and then have Mariko being sick so I can link it to how she looked after him. But after looking at the scenes, I think Mariko did initially thought that Shigi was a woman as she was really shocked when she looked after him.