((This is an odd little one-shot. It's odd 'cause it's coming from me.
Mainly I wrote this to prove to myself that I could actually write angst.
Surprising, ne?
Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.
*means italics* ~means mental speaking~))
Dark Dream:
I screamed as the demon took me, unable to defend myself against this hostile being, this malevolent creature of darkness and hate. I had never come into contact with so much hatred in my life... Even my past anger at my father for leaving us could not compare!
My friends all turned towards me, I could see them even though I had been taken... They all looked so worried. I watch them through a haze as the evil creature uses my senses.
~You are mine now, weak child... You are my tool against your friends! Watch as they suffer!~
The voice... It was in my mind, jeering at every memory, reading my past like a book. How dare it?! I may be a child and easy to possess, but that did not mean that I was weak! Taking innocence for weakness is something everyone I've ever met seems to do. Why can't they see that innocence in itself is strength?
"Chiriko!!!" Chichiri cried.
A voice, not my own, slimy and filled with contempt replied. "I am not Chiriko. I am Seiryu no Sichiseishi Miboshi!"
The top in the fallen temple-master's hand began to spin, taking to the air to smack soundly into my palm. No. Not my palm. *His* palm.
I struggled to get through the black haze, to speak, but he held me back. Instead Miboshi spoke.
"... so very weak. The temple master is dead and I can control any living body in the room. He was so very easy to take..." Miboshi grinned, poking his cheek with the pointed end of the top tauntingly.
I could barely even feel the prod. The others were calling to me... I fought again, this time winning for a few seconds before he yanked me back down.
~Now, now, child. It wouldn't do to have you taking over before I've had my fun...~
Somehow he had divided his attention and kept speaking to my friends. "Lady Yui will be performing the ceremony soon... Until it is over I think you can play with my little... pets." He finished with a cackle as serpentine forms materialized around us.
The demons struck at the warriors, but they were deflected off a shimmering barrier. I silently cheered! Yes, that's it, Chichiri! Keep it up!
"CHIRIKO!!!!" Tamahome called.
Miaka stepped forward. Her foot slipped through the barrier and she was pulled out, black ki forming painful energy bolts around her. She screamed, and I screamed with her. Wordless rage at this abomination that had caused my Miko pain.
One of the serpentine demons dipped its head near her, huffing at her scent and flicking a slimy tongue against her leg. It reared back as if contemplating it's next move, then struck...
Miaka screamed again, this time she was joined by the other seishi shouting in almost perfect unison: "MIAKAAAAA!!!"
~Chi...ri...ko...~ The whisper in my head made both the evil presence and me jump.
I searched frantically for an opening in the barrier Miboshi had set up in my mind. And I found one...
I was once again seeing through my eyes for one moment. "Miaka..." I whispered.
Then, in a flash, the creature had taken over again. "No... How can this be?!" He seemed panicked. Could it be that I wasn't as weak as he thought?
A shock of white hair appeared in my vision. This man... Who was he? Where had he come from? I mentally shook my head. It didn't really matter, he had grabbed Miaka away from the demons, and she was safe.
"Who... are you? I did not see you before!!"
"That was a little trick called teleportation, specialty of Tokaki of the Byakko seven!" he said with a cocky grin before teleporting back into the safety of Chichiri's barrier.
"WHA??? That old man was this dude all along??" Tasuki cried with his usual tact. I almost started laughing, his face was so comical.
"M-Master?!" Tamahome asked disbelievingly.
Tokaki rolled his eyes as he handed the priestess back to the gaping youth. "You were a good student, but you were never the brightest..." he muttered.
A young woman, Subaru, I suppose, knelt beside the unconscious Miko. A white light spread from her outstretched palm. A few seconds later Miaka sat up with a cry of "DUMPLINGS!!!"
Subaru smiled happily at the hyperactive miko. I felt a sudden rush of relief at seeing her speak again.
Then Miboshi decided to do something that I will never forget, no matter how many reincarnations I go through. He became violently angry, the cool, detached interest melting away in that fire.
He summoned a huge demon to attack my friends, and I was helpless to stop him. For awhile all was black and darkness, and then... Then I heard them calling to me.
"...riko..."
"...chiriko..."
"CHIRIKO!! STOP!!"
'My friends... They're calling to me. I can't let the darkness take over! I can't!!!'
With that thought I began to fight again. He was strong, but in my heart I knew that I was more strong than he would ever be. Just as the behemoth that he had summoned was preparing to strike our Miko, I won. It was a temporary victory, I knew, but... I could do something to stop him.
I slammed the long spike of the top into my arm, watching as the blood created an intricate pattern as it flowed, screaming as I awakened to the full force of the pain. 'That's it... Focus on the pain...'
There was one chance. And one chance only. "Tasuki! Use your fire on me!"
The bandit stopped dead in his tracks, staring at me with dawning comprehension. "No! I could never do that! Not to you!!"
"Onegai! It's our only-"
...And the demon won over again. I screamed at it in fury, angered beyond belief at the loss of that one chance.
"H-How..." His voice rasped from my throat.
I fought again, noticing with grim satisfaction that he was weakening. Perhaps I wouldn't have to die... Perhaps...
I drove the spike through my thigh, reveling and being repulsed at the same time by the sight of my own blood. I tried calling out to them again, to argue my point of view.
"Tasuki, please... It's our only chance." Tears streamed down my face from the pain, and I felt the demon inside fighting to get out once more...
"No Chiriko! I won't... I can't do it!"
'Then I will...'
I saw the looks of horror on their faces as I drove the spike deep into my chest. I had missed my mark, but it had been a fatal blow. The demon crumbled as the dark life force within me weakened. I felt my own life slipping away as I fell to the ground. I looked around blearily at the tear-streaked faces of my companions. Not just companions. These people had become a second family to me... And now I had to leave them...
"Chiriko..." Chichiri whispered.
"I... won... didn't I?
Mitsukake, the kind, gentle healer, one of my best friends, nodded solemnly. "Yes... Let me heal your wounds."
"I-Iie! If you heal me this... thing... living inside of me will be healed too."
Tasuki smiled his fanged smile from out a veil of tears. "Chiriko... you're such a brave little kid..."
I smiled back at him, then gasped in pain. I could feel my own pulse slowing...
I turned my head to see Miaka and Tamahome standing nearby. She was crying into his shoulder, then she turned and knelt beside me.
"Chiriko... Thank you."
I nodded wearily up at her. How she had grown up since we had first met! All of us had...
Subaru stepped forward, placing a hand on the Miko's shoulder. "Miaka, you have a summoning to stop. You should go now."
"H-Hai."
I watched as they left, lids growing heavy. Soon... Soon it would all be over. I had helped them to finish their task.
Chichiri waited a moment longer, offering a silent prayer for me before standing to leave. I watched him go with a slight pang. I was going to miss him, just as I would miss all of the warriors...
"Yer such a special kid..." Tasuki muttered.
I smiled, eyes sliding shut. I would always remember that phrase. Even as I sank into my eternal dark dream...
Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.
*means italics* ~means mental speaking~))
Dark Dream:
I screamed as the demon took me, unable to defend myself against this hostile being, this malevolent creature of darkness and hate. I had never come into contact with so much hatred in my life... Even my past anger at my father for leaving us could not compare!
My friends all turned towards me, I could see them even though I had been taken... They all looked so worried. I watch them through a haze as the evil creature uses my senses.
~You are mine now, weak child... You are my tool against your friends! Watch as they suffer!~
The voice... It was in my mind, jeering at every memory, reading my past like a book. How dare it?! I may be a child and easy to possess, but that did not mean that I was weak! Taking innocence for weakness is something everyone I've ever met seems to do. Why can't they see that innocence in itself is strength?
"Chiriko!!!" Chichiri cried.
A voice, not my own, slimy and filled with contempt replied. "I am not Chiriko. I am Seiryu no Sichiseishi Miboshi!"
The top in the fallen temple-master's hand began to spin, taking to the air to smack soundly into my palm. No. Not my palm. *His* palm.
I struggled to get through the black haze, to speak, but he held me back. Instead Miboshi spoke.
"... so very weak. The temple master is dead and I can control any living body in the room. He was so very easy to take..." Miboshi grinned, poking his cheek with the pointed end of the top tauntingly.
I could barely even feel the prod. The others were calling to me... I fought again, this time winning for a few seconds before he yanked me back down.
~Now, now, child. It wouldn't do to have you taking over before I've had my fun...~
Somehow he had divided his attention and kept speaking to my friends. "Lady Yui will be performing the ceremony soon... Until it is over I think you can play with my little... pets." He finished with a cackle as serpentine forms materialized around us.
The demons struck at the warriors, but they were deflected off a shimmering barrier. I silently cheered! Yes, that's it, Chichiri! Keep it up!
"CHIRIKO!!!!" Tamahome called.
Miaka stepped forward. Her foot slipped through the barrier and she was pulled out, black ki forming painful energy bolts around her. She screamed, and I screamed with her. Wordless rage at this abomination that had caused my Miko pain.
One of the serpentine demons dipped its head near her, huffing at her scent and flicking a slimy tongue against her leg. It reared back as if contemplating it's next move, then struck...
Miaka screamed again, this time she was joined by the other seishi shouting in almost perfect unison: "MIAKAAAAA!!!"
~Chi...ri...ko...~ The whisper in my head made both the evil presence and me jump.
I searched frantically for an opening in the barrier Miboshi had set up in my mind. And I found one...
I was once again seeing through my eyes for one moment. "Miaka..." I whispered.
Then, in a flash, the creature had taken over again. "No... How can this be?!" He seemed panicked. Could it be that I wasn't as weak as he thought?
A shock of white hair appeared in my vision. This man... Who was he? Where had he come from? I mentally shook my head. It didn't really matter, he had grabbed Miaka away from the demons, and she was safe.
"Who... are you? I did not see you before!!"
"That was a little trick called teleportation, specialty of Tokaki of the Byakko seven!" he said with a cocky grin before teleporting back into the safety of Chichiri's barrier.
"WHA??? That old man was this dude all along??" Tasuki cried with his usual tact. I almost started laughing, his face was so comical.
"M-Master?!" Tamahome asked disbelievingly.
Tokaki rolled his eyes as he handed the priestess back to the gaping youth. "You were a good student, but you were never the brightest..." he muttered.
A young woman, Subaru, I suppose, knelt beside the unconscious Miko. A white light spread from her outstretched palm. A few seconds later Miaka sat up with a cry of "DUMPLINGS!!!"
Subaru smiled happily at the hyperactive miko. I felt a sudden rush of relief at seeing her speak again.
Then Miboshi decided to do something that I will never forget, no matter how many reincarnations I go through. He became violently angry, the cool, detached interest melting away in that fire.
He summoned a huge demon to attack my friends, and I was helpless to stop him. For awhile all was black and darkness, and then... Then I heard them calling to me.
"...riko..."
"...chiriko..."
"CHIRIKO!! STOP!!"
'My friends... They're calling to me. I can't let the darkness take over! I can't!!!'
With that thought I began to fight again. He was strong, but in my heart I knew that I was more strong than he would ever be. Just as the behemoth that he had summoned was preparing to strike our Miko, I won. It was a temporary victory, I knew, but... I could do something to stop him.
I slammed the long spike of the top into my arm, watching as the blood created an intricate pattern as it flowed, screaming as I awakened to the full force of the pain. 'That's it... Focus on the pain...'
There was one chance. And one chance only. "Tasuki! Use your fire on me!"
The bandit stopped dead in his tracks, staring at me with dawning comprehension. "No! I could never do that! Not to you!!"
"Onegai! It's our only-"
...And the demon won over again. I screamed at it in fury, angered beyond belief at the loss of that one chance.
"H-How..." His voice rasped from my throat.
I fought again, noticing with grim satisfaction that he was weakening. Perhaps I wouldn't have to die... Perhaps...
I drove the spike through my thigh, reveling and being repulsed at the same time by the sight of my own blood. I tried calling out to them again, to argue my point of view.
"Tasuki, please... It's our only chance." Tears streamed down my face from the pain, and I felt the demon inside fighting to get out once more...
"No Chiriko! I won't... I can't do it!"
'Then I will...'
I saw the looks of horror on their faces as I drove the spike deep into my chest. I had missed my mark, but it had been a fatal blow. The demon crumbled as the dark life force within me weakened. I felt my own life slipping away as I fell to the ground. I looked around blearily at the tear-streaked faces of my companions. Not just companions. These people had become a second family to me... And now I had to leave them...
"Chiriko..." Chichiri whispered.
"I... won... didn't I?
Mitsukake, the kind, gentle healer, one of my best friends, nodded solemnly. "Yes... Let me heal your wounds."
"I-Iie! If you heal me this... thing... living inside of me will be healed too."
Tasuki smiled his fanged smile from out a veil of tears. "Chiriko... you're such a brave little kid..."
I smiled back at him, then gasped in pain. I could feel my own pulse slowing...
I turned my head to see Miaka and Tamahome standing nearby. She was crying into his shoulder, then she turned and knelt beside me.
"Chiriko... Thank you."
I nodded wearily up at her. How she had grown up since we had first met! All of us had...
Subaru stepped forward, placing a hand on the Miko's shoulder. "Miaka, you have a summoning to stop. You should go now."
"H-Hai."
I watched as they left, lids growing heavy. Soon... Soon it would all be over. I had helped them to finish their task.
Chichiri waited a moment longer, offering a silent prayer for me before standing to leave. I watched him go with a slight pang. I was going to miss him, just as I would miss all of the warriors...
"Yer such a special kid..." Tasuki muttered.
I smiled, eyes sliding shut. I would always remember that phrase. Even as I sank into my eternal dark dream...