Kida: Chapter two of the second story is up!
Kido: We can see that.
Kida: Party pooper.
Tamahome: He's just in a bad mood.
Kida: HE'S ALWAYS IN A BAD MOOD!
Kurama: Kida Tenshi doesn't own Naruto or Fushigi Yuugi, and she sure as hell doesn't own me! She only own Aika Hitsubasa and future OCs.
Inexperienced in his role as Warrior, Suboshi of the Seiryuu Seven turns his youthful grief into all-consuming rage and is driven to a sad and cruel course of action.
"Dad! It's me! Tamahome!" Tamahome smiled as he opened the door to his home. Inside, he stared in horror as he saw his family dead. "Dad…" he said seeing his father dead at the table. He looked over at a room. "Chuei…Gyokuran…Shunkei…" he murmured in shock. Aika was standing there frozen, her hand covering her mouth and Tamahome dropped the ball Nuriko had picked. The ball then bounced and rolled over to Yuiren. Yuiren's hand twitched as she sighed.
"Big…brother…" she whispered making Tamahome look at her quickly. "Big brother…" she smiled. Tamahome ran over to her.
"Yuiren!" Tamahome quickly picked her up into his arms. "Yuiren!"
"Brother…w-welcome home….You too…big sister…" Yuiren said seeing Aika. Aika leaned against the door trying not to let out a soft sob. She looked at Nuriko with tears. She started walking.
"Mitsukake…Mitsukake!" She called in hope that he would come to heal them. Nuriko held Aika while looking at the house with should. "Nuriko, hurry! Hurry! Please! You have to get Mitsukake! Please, Nuriko!" Aika pleaded for him to get Mitsukake.
"I made the Priestess…a present…all by myself, big brother. S-she…gave me a…pretty necklace," Yuiren said to her big brother.
"Yuiren, don't talk now. Just…lay still, okay?" Tamahome said with a small smile even though there were tears in his eyes. Yuiren groaned in pain.
"I've been….a good girl. I really have…just like I promised," she said making more tears come to Tamahome's eyes. She lifted her tiny hand up to his cheek. "S-so…so you'd stay," she said as Tamahome took her hand into his. "Please…don't leave us…big brother…"
"Yuiren, I won't leave you," Tamahome nearly sobbed. He pulled her into his arms and held her. "I'll never leave you, ever again. Your big brother will stay with you forever, Yuiren. Just please…" Yuiren smiled with her eyes closed. "Please!" Yuiren's head then slacked to the side making his eyes widen as her hand fell.
"It's too true! I know big brother is coming home soon! Last night I had a dream about it! He told me he would stay forever with us!" Yuiren smiled at her family who smiled back at her. "With me…forever…."
"Yuiren?" Tamahome whispered. His closed his eyes before snapping them open. "Yui…" his tears feel down from his wide eyes. "YUIREN!" Aika's eyes widened as more tears came. Nuriko gritted his teeth as he held Aika in his arms. Aika fell to her knees, crying into Nuriko's stomach while the purple haired man's hands rested on hers shoulders.
"Aika!" Kurama called running up. He made it beside her and heard crying, smelling everyone's tears and…blood. "Aika, Nuriko, what happened?" He asked afraid to know. When neither of them answered, he ran into the house and his eyes widened when he saw everyone dead. He slowly walked over to Tamahome to see him holding little Yuiren. He saw the blood on her chin and licked it away so she looked more peaceful. Like she was sleeping. He looked at Tamahome. "Kit…." He whispered putting a paw on Tamahome's hand.
"Who…who could do such a thing?!" Aika cried. 'Who could do this to children and no feel guilty? How can somebody be so cold as to do this? They didn't deserve this! They were just an innocent family!' She thought. Behind them was a young man who then began playing the flute. Nuriko's eyes widened and he turned.
"Flute?" He asked. Kurama had heard it and ran out to see.
"That sound…and that song…." Aika whispered with wide eyes. She looked up to see a man wearing a black cloak, playing a flute. She then saw his face, blood splattered on it. "Amiboshi!"
"It's you! But you can't still be alive!" Nuriko exclaimed. Kurama's eyes glared fiercely.
"Kit, look at what's one his face!" He called making Aika look up.
"That blood…You…you did this?! This massacre?!" Aika glared with hate. The young man stopped playing.
"That's right. It was me, I was the one who killed them because…" he removed his cloak. "This is my rightful revenge on you for murdering my brother!" Suboshi glared.
"Aika, be careful! This guy isn't Amiboshi," Nuriko glared at Suboshi.
"You're right. I am Suboshi of the Seiryuu Seven. Amiboshi was my twin brother and you killed him! Murders!" Suboshi yelled.
"Listen to me! You've got it all wrong! We didn't kill Amiboshi! It hap-it was an accident!" Nuriko told him. Suboshi spun on of the balls on his weapon, Ryuseisui.
"Fell into a river that had rough currents! I tried to save him but he let go of the flute when I was pulling him up!" Aika shouted with a glare.
"There's no use talking to him, Aika. Think, who acted the same way when his elder brother massacred his own family?" Kurama asked making Aika's eyes widen.
"Sasuke," she whispered before looking up at Suboshi.
"Exactly, there's no talking him out of it until he learns the truth from his own eyes or hear it from someone he can trust," Kurama stated.
"Enough of your excuses! It's time for you to die!" Suboshi shouted going to attack them. Nuriko quickly grabbed Aika and jumped out of the way. The Ryuseisui bounced off the ground and hit a tree that made the tree break and collapse into the house. Nuriko covered Aika from the collapse. Kurama made his tails grow to block the two from the any other attack. "Are you duly impressed by the power of my weapons?"
"So that's what did it," Tamahome said from the door making Suboshi look over. Tamahome's symbol was glowing. "You used those on my father…and family….AND RIPPED THEM ALL APART!" He shouted with a glare. The smoke disappeared from around him. Suboshi went to attack him.
"Ryuseisui!" Suboshi shouted with his attack. Tamahome blocked the attack with his arms in an X formation. He received some cuts.
'It must have hurt…dad…you guys, you must have suffered so much,' Tamahome thought before glaring. It's then the weapon cut off his ponytail. Aika, Nuriko, Nuriko looked up at him to see his hair was now short as Tamahome glared up at Suboshi. "So that's it. That's all the power you've got?" He sneered.
"Take this!" Suboshi glared back before attacking again. Tamahome's symbol glowed brightly and a red light engulfed him, his hair now up as well and his mark had changed, his skin also a bit red
"Oh no, he's pissed. Beyond pissed," Kurama muttered. The ball came at him and Tamahome caught it. Tamahome then jumped up with a battle cry as Suboshi's eyes widened. Suboshi jumped away as Tamahome had destroyed a house. He then saw Tamahome come at him and he was punched. He flew back, skidding on the ground here and there. Tamahome came up and brought his elbow down which got Suboshi again. After a couple more hits, Suboshi crashed through a wooden fence. Suboshi laid on the ground, Tamahome standing over him still engulfed in red light. He had tears in his eyes.
"For all you've done here…I will never forgive you."
"So she did…Taiitsukun did give Tamahome more special Warrior power too. He's much more power than he was before, but all for this?" Nuriko asked staring at Tamahome.
"His power was awakened through pain….She's lucky she's not here right now….or I'd kill her," Aika said glaring at the ground.
"Aika…" Nuriko whispered with shock.
"Well, wouldn't you?! What if it had been someone you love who had to go through this, huh?!" Aika asked with glare full of tears. Nuriko looked down.
"I'd want to kill her with my bare hands too," he replied.
"We all would. After all, Tamahome's been through, losing his family is the last thing he needed," Kurama said growled. Suddenly a cloaked figure appeared on the roof of the house behind them. Tamahome grabbed Suboshi by the throat and pinned him to the wall of a house.
"No die!" Tamahome growled before he was going to punch him. Suddenly a blue light came down like lightning. Nuriko covered Aika. The cloak figure who now had blue light around them was holding an unconscious Suboshi in their arm.
"A difficult lesson, but that's what you get for acting like such an amateur, Suboshi," a woman's voice said from the cloak. Tamahome glared up.
"Another Seiryuu intruder?" He snarled, lightning sparking off him.
"A Celestial Warrior of Seiryuu! Soi!" She said revealing her grey eyes. "For now I've only come to introduce myself. Tamahome, is seems like you've gotten a little bit stronger! Is that because your family has been killed?!" She provoked. Tamahome's eyes widened and he went to attack her until Nuriko grabbed him.
"Tamahome!" He shouted as he tried to hold the man back. Soi laughed.
"You better make sure you keep that power handy for the next time we meet," she said before disappearing.
"COME BACK HERE!" Tamahome shouted.
"No! Tamahome! Your body can't take much more of this!" Nuriko shouted as Tamahome's hair and eyes became white.
"Let me go! LET ME GO!" Tamahome shouted as he struggled, elbow Nuriko in the face.
"Look at yourself! What you are!" Nuriko shouted before Tamahome let out a scream. "So Kishuku!" He cried. "Suzaku Champion! You have been chosen to protect the Priestess!" He said making Tamahome start to turn back to normal. "One of the Celestial Warriors Aika depends on!" Nuriko cried. Aika was in shock with tears over the power Tamahome had and how it was affecting him. Kurama ran up in front of Tamahome.
"Tamahome of the Suzaku Seven! Please, Kit…can't you see? It's hurting Aika to see you like this," he stated before Tamahome turned back to normal. Tamahome looked over to see Aika shaking with tears running down her cheeks.
"Aika…" he murmured before looking away. "Nuriko, Kurama, it's all right. I…I understand now," he said before gently removing Nuriko's arms from his waist. He then made his way back to the house as Nuriko fell to his hands and knees. Aika ran over to Nuriko and held him as Nuriko cried into her neck. Aika had silent tears running down her cheeks as she rubbed Nuriko's back. Kurama placed his paw on Nuriko's before the purple haired man picked him up and hugged him. Tamahome made it back to the house and looked at his dead family. He walked over to little brother and knelt down, bringing him into his arms. "Chuei…" he whispered. He then saw the knife in Chuei's hand. Tamahome felt tears in his eyes again. "I see…I do….You tried…you tried to save them," Tamahome choked out as he imagined it. He smiled a bit. "Chuei…I'm so proud of you, Chuei," he said hugging his little brother before he sobbed. Kurama soon got out of Nuriko's hold and went to go check on Tamahome. He found the boy holding Chuei. The fox walked over.
"Tamahome?" He asked.
"Chuei, he protected them. He tried to protect Shunkei and Gyokuran," Tamahome said to him, tears streaming down his face. Kurama gave a small smile.
"He was a brave kid to do that. Of course I'm not surprised, he's a lot like you," he said sitting beside the blue haired man. Tamahome smiled a bit at that.
"How are Nuriko and Aika?"
"Worried about you," Kurama said before sighing. "You're stronger now and you need to learn to control it. Otherwise if you don't, you might kill someone, Kit."
"How do you know?" Tamahome asked as he wiped his eyes, a bit offended.
"You're speaking to someone who used to need a host to live. Before I became who I am today, I was seen as a monster. You already know Naruto, he was my host. Before he gained control of my powers, whenever he became angry beyond belief, he would lose control. He would change until his sense of mind was gone. He almost killed a man he thought of as a father, and he's hurt some people on accident because of it," Kurama stated. "I know the signs, Tamahome. You lost control. When it comes to these powers, you can't let your rage blind you. Yes, your anger is what triggered it. But you must find a new link into being able to have this power while being able to control it."
"I see. I understand, Kurama," Tamahome nodded.
"Good. I'll leave you with your family. You know where to find us when you're ready," Kurama said before going out to Aika and Nuriko. "Hey, Kits. You doing okay?" He asked them as he walked over to the two who were sitting against the tree.
"I've been better," Nuriko replied.
"Me too. Where's Tamahome?" Aika asked.
"He's…he's burying his father and family," Kurama replied crawling into her lap.
"H-how could this happened? Just as we're about to set out for Hokan. And what about the villagers here? Didn't anybody notice the attack?" Nuriko asked looking around. Aika sighed a bit as she pet Kurama.
"Even if they did they didn't come, they couldn't. They're just normal people here. I'm sure they were afraid. They couldn't anything except run away and save themselves," Aika said to him.
"They didn't have the abilities to go up against a Celestial Warrior, not unless they wanted to die. Some people can only run away while some stand strong," Kurama said to both of them. After all, that's why he's seen.
~0~
Tamahome was in the forest, just finishing burying his family as Aika watched him. He then buried the ball by one of the graves.
'What should I do? I should say something…after all, I know his pain,' Aika thought sadly. "T-Tamahome?" She asked. Then what she saw broke her heart. She saw his tears streaming down his face when he looked at her. He looked back down.
"I can't stop. I just can't seem to stop. Strange, isn't it?" He asked.
"Tamahome…" Aika whispered stepping up to him.
"I'm sorry, c-could you just leave me alone?" Tamahome asked making Aika stop.
"Tamahome…I-I understand," she whispered sadly. She walked away from him, before she knew it, she started running. She needed to run. She kept running until she saw Nuriko who was carrying bed mats. She ran to him and hugged him. Nuriko had dropped the item and hugged her back. Kurama frowned at them. He saw her shaking and knew she was trying to hold back her tears.
"Just let it out, Aika. Don't bottle it all in," Nuriko said before Aika finally let her tears fall. She cried for everything. For Tamahome's father…for Chuei…for Gyokuran…for Shunkei…for Yuiren…and for Tamahome. She knew Tamahome's pain all too well.
~0~
Aika listened to the crackling of the fire as she laid in her bed mat that was next to Nuriko. Kurama was between the two.
"Hey, Aika, do you think maybe Tamahome shouldn't come along with us on this trip? I mean, in his condition," Nuriko said to her.
"Maybe not…" Aika replied. Though a part of her was saying it might be a good distraction for him.
"Let's go back in the morning, just the three of us," Nuriko said meaning him, Aika, and Kurama.
"Yeah," Aika whispered. She tried to fall asleep, but ended up staying up the whole night. She sighed quietly to herself. 'I should go see how Tamahome is doing. I don't want to have to leave him here, but if he wants to…' she thought until she heard crunching. "Huh?" She hummed as she looked up to see Tamahome standing over her, smiling.
"Hey, how long are you gonna sleep? Time to get up. We gotta get back to the capitol," he said to them.
"Tamahome…" Aika murmured a she sat up with Nuriko.
"Eh? What's happening? Did my beef run away? I swear I locked that pig for breakfast," Kurama mumbled sleepily making Tamahome chuckle. "Wait…there wasn't a pig!" He said before seeing Tamahome. "Uh…yo," he said embarrassed.
"W-we were gonna go but…" Nuriko trailed off.
"But? But nothing. We leave for Hokan today, don't we? So come on, rise and shine. Hurry up, let's get ready," Tamahome smiled at them.
'So, he wants to come with us…good,' Aika thought with a slight smile.
"Uh, Aika…this is yours," Tamahome handed her a necklace that had tiny acorns and a feather on it. "Yuiren made it for you. According to custom, they're given as gifts for brides to be. This one was put together by a five year old so…it's not that great, but please take it," Tamahome said with a small smile. Aika took it and held it close.
"Yuiren…" she whispered.
"Oh and I thought you might like this. You gave me the necklace your mother gave you so….I thought you might like Yuiren's, the one you gave her," Tamahome said putting the pink rose stone around Aika's neck. Aika bit her lip as she remembered when she gave that to Yuiren.
"Yuiren, I will come back to see you all, but I have some things I have to take care of. Just like your big brother does when he has to go. I promise I'll be back to see you and your family, okay?" She said before softly kissing her forehead. "Just to seal this promise, I made something for you," she said before pulling out a necklace. It was a rose stone with a Hidden Leaf symbol on it. "I made it just for you, Yuiren, so you would know I would be back," she said putting it around Yuiren's neck.
"Pinky promise?" Yuiren asked holding her pinky out.
"Pinky promise," Aika smiled softly as she hooked her pinky with Yuiren's. Aika now looked over the village from a cliff. 'Why? Why did those children have to die? They never did anything to anyone. Innocent little kids, they couldn't even fight back! They were killed like…like bugs! Revenge for Amiboshi? But why Tamahome's family? Yui…no, she'd never allow it,' Aika thought with closed eyes, scowling. She then thought of Nakago and opened her eyes with a glare. 'I won't forgive this, I won't. I'll fight him even if it means I have to fight against Yui. I swear. I won't let those people summon Seiryuu,' she vowed. She didn't know that Tamahome was watching her and Kurama walked up with Nuriko.
"You know, if you need to confide in someone about what happened, you can always talk to Aika," Kurama said jumping into Tamahome's arms.
"What do you mean?" Tamahome asked him.
"I mean that Aika knows your pain better than you know. Remember, her mother was killed and her father died in a hospital bed," Kurama stated.
"Her father died of an illness," Tamahome retorted.
"No, he didn't. Aika says it was an illness because she doesn't want to believe someone could kill her father. He was poisoned," Kurama said surprising the two Warriors. "Aika knows how you feel. She wanted to kill the guys who did that to her parents, but she stood strong. I think losing you family made that wound reopen a bit. She cared about your father and siblings so much. That necklace Yuiren wore was hand made by Aika."
"I remember that. Aika said it was a way to seal the deal that she would be back to see Yuiren and the others," Nuriko murmured. Tamahome looked at Aika and frowned before smiling a bit.
'You kept your promise, Aika. You came to see Yuiren and the others.'
~0~
Hotohori frowned and looked down. Aika, Kurama, and Nuriko told Hotohori what happened when they got to the dock of the vessel.
"It is beyond comprehension. Those poor children," Hotohori said sadly.
"Hey, hey, Tama-home boy! You look exhausted! Whatchya been doin', huh? Having a little too much fun?" Tasuki laughed as he and Tamahome were on the boat. Tamahome picked him up again and repeated the process of threatening to throw him over the boat. Tasuki spazzed down, flailing his arms and legs. "No, no, no! Wait! Please! I take it back! No, no, no water! Don't put me down! Let me down!"
"Let them be for now," Hotohori said as everyone watched them.
"I'll tell Tasuki about it a little later, ya know. I think Tamahome likes his reckless cheerfulness," Chichiri mused.
"I suppose. That's fine," Hotohori agreed.
"Hotohori," Aika said getting his attention. "Please be careful, Hotohori. We don't know what the enemy will show up here again. I'll be damned if anyone else, especially you, gets hurt," she said, her eyes narrowed at the ground.
"Don't worry about me, Aika. You must all stay alert and on your guard," Hotohori replied.
"I'll be fine now. I've finally decided to fight," Aika stated with a slight smile.
"Aika…" Hotohori said shocked. He then sighed with a smile. He then handed her his sword. "Take this sword with you, Aika."
"What? But that's the sword Taiitsukun gave to you," Aika frowned.
"I cannot go alone with you on this quest. So I am committing my strength into this sword and entrusting it to you. If anything should go wrong use it to save yourself," Hotohori said as he gave her the sword.
"Thank you, Hotohori. Thank you. I promise to take good care of it," Aika vowed.
"Take care of yourself," Hotohori added. Soon they were all on the boat and ready to set sail. Aika held the sword close as she watched Konan and Hotohori disappear from view.
'Until we meet again,' Aika bid her farewell. Tamahome walked up.
"Aika, I-I've lived my entire life for the sake of my family, but I…I wasn't able to save them," he said making Aika look down a bit. His symbol glowed a bit on his forehead. "That's why I swore a solemn oath on my father's grave that I'd protect you. I'd protect you with all my strength, and heart, and soul. I won't let you die. We're going to get the Shinzahou and come back from this alive," he promised.
'I have something to protect also. I swear that I will summon Suzaku. I will redeem Tamahome and save all the people of this land,' Aika silently made her promise. "You're right, we will. But if anyone else gets hurt because of Yui and the Seiryuu Seven, then this is only the calm before the storm," she stated as she looked out at the ocean.
~0~
"Their journey's begun, Sire," the councilor said as they and Hotohori watched the boat leave for Hokan.
"It is," Hotohori said as he held a dagger in his hand. A dagger that Aika had given him.
"Your Highness, what would you like me to do with that dagger at this time?" The councilor asked.
"Nothing. Leave it," Hotohori replied as he looked at it. It had a black handle with a red sakura print on it. On the end was a small red tassel and the other end had a short blade that in the shape of a katana, a little ruby on the gold between the handle and blade.
"My father made this dagger with his own bare hands. He had given it to me as a way to protect myself. I wish for you to keep it. It's a promise that we'll be back and ready to summon Suzaku," Aika smiled as she gave him the dagger.
~0~
"Why am I not surprised she took that dagger? Then she gave it to the Emperor," Naruto chuckled a bit.
"It was a beautiful dagger though. I guess she didn't want to leave him unprotected," Sakura smiled. Naruto nodded and turned the page before blinking.
"Aika's hair. It must have gotten caught there the last time she went back," Naruto smiled as he looked at it. The hair suddenly burned making Naruto yelp and drop the book. "What is going on?!"
~0~
"Ow! That's hot," Aika mumbled as a piece of her bangs suddenly burned.
"Aika! You're getting in the way! Go on! Get lost, would ya?!" Nuriko told her.
"Ouch, snappy," Aika muttered before leaving with a bun for Kurama.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going with that bun, huh?!" Nuriko called after her. He then sighed and smiled. "No doubt Kurama asked her to get him one."
~0~
"What? Aika's already left for Hokan?" Yui asked as she and Nakago stood in the Seiryuu Shrine.
"Yes. Do you understand now, Lady Yui? The Priestess of Suzaku is not troubled with the thought of making you her enemy. She's willing to go into battle in order to gain possession of the Shinzahou before we do," Nakago said, knelt down in front of her. Yui's fist clenched.
"We are going to Hokan. Make preparations at once," she ordered. Nakago smirked and stood, Suboshi and Soi appearing behind him.
"As you wish. We of the Seiryuu Seven will protect you. All our power and might, we commit loyalty to your service. We will crush the Priestess of Suzaku and the Seven Suzaku Warriors as well. I will guarantee you victory. The Shinzahou, Lady Yui, is yours," Nakago promised.
'Aika, if this how you feel then I will not retreat. If you want to fight then I'll fight too.'
Kida: Someone let me kill Nakago. He's hot but a complete ass!
Naruto: You just realized that?
Kida: Shut up! I was blinded by his hotness!
Tamahome: He's not all that great.
Kida: No, you're a lot better. He was just a pretty face to look at.
Tamahome: Okay, I feel better.
Kida: Good! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please favorite and comment!