Disclaimer: I don't own Tactics.

Ennabelle Mei: I own Kikuhime Ichinomiya and Kami Ichinomiya.

Emerge

~ Chapter Four ~

As soon as he exited the room, she glared at the closet. "Why don't you come out of the closet? Are you a coward, or just gay? How about both?" With a sigh, she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Jeez, what a bother.

The door swung open and slammed into the wall. Emerald eyes stared at her with evil. "Oh, shut up, skank!" You've got no right to speak when I saw you and Haruka kiss!

Confusion gripped her heart. What on earth…? "Who the heck are you?"

The young woman grinned from ear-to-ear. "So glad you asked. My name's Kami Ichinomiya!" GRRARR! How dare she kiss my beloved Haruka! "Give me back my beloved Haruka, you whore!"

She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "See? This is how it goes, Kami. Haruka belongs to no one. He is his own person." This isn't the real Kami Ichinomiya. Something's not right.

At that moment, Kami screamed. GRRARR! How dare she speak to me in such a rude manner!

Kikuhime grimaced as pain stabbed through the center of her head. "Knock it off!" You're giving me a headache!

Kami wielded an instrument she'd never seen and chanted words in a language she didn't recognize. Fire suddenly lit up the bedroom and heat surrounded the area.

Kikuhime gasped and her eyes widened. "Ah!" This is evil magic!

The bedroom door slammed open and Haruka, Kantarou and Youko rushed in to save her.

Kantarou quickly caught on to the situation. "Take her to safety! I'll handle Kami!" As he turned away, a yank on his sleeve stopped him. He turned back to see Kikuhime with a smile and tears in her eyes.

"Thanks, Kantarou. I apologize. Let's aggravate each other some more when this is all over." She playfully pulled him into a headlock. "What do you say?" Her arm fell limp and her eyelids closed. She began to fall backwards.

Haruka swept her into his arms and carried her from the bedroom. It's a good thing she wasn't standing, or she would've hit the back of her head pretty hard if I hadn't caught her in time.

Kantarou glared at Kami. "So, it was you." She was behind it all the entire time.

Kami grinned from ear-to-ear as if proud of herself. "Heh! I'm sorry, little boy. I have no clue what you're going on about over there." Oh, wow. He's impressive.

"What you had for Haruka was never love. You were jealous of anyone Haruka became fond of. You were selfish because you never allowed Haruka to fly free from his cage. You were never happy for him and you never wished him well. All you ever thought when it came to Haruka was his good looks and never his personality. Would you still love him if he were a human on his death bed? Would you love him if he remained a tengu with good looks?" This person has no right to call Kikuhime a skank, or a whore! That's my job! He held up his magical, beaded item and chanted. His chant bounced. Startled, he gasped and his eyes widened.

Behind him, a set of short, narrow arms wrapped around his shoulders. In front of him, a beautiful, bright pink rosary hung from small, pale hands. A determined voice not far from the back of his head whispered to him, "Hey, now, this is no time to flake out on me. Let's say it together. You know? 'Be gone evil spirit. I command you.'"

Hmmm…I feel something big and soft against my back. He caught himself and mentally kicked himself in the rear. Okay! Focus! This is no time to be fantasizing about her serious set of hooters! He sighed. "Okay."

I know I could end up hurt, or worse, dead. It doesn't matter. I just want to make myself useful and stop this murderer. "Okay. On three. One…Two…Three!"

Together, they demanded, "Be gone, evil spirit! I command you!"

The evil spirit screamed in agony and vanished. At the same time, an abrupt "Kyaaaaa!" pierced the air as Kikuhime's body flew across the room with the force of her and Kantarou's power.

Kantarou spun around and stared in shock. "Kikuhime!" Oh-no! Is she all right? He rushed to where she'd landed. "Hey! Kikuhime!"

She opened her eyes the slightest bit and stared up at him with blurry vision. Her head throbbed mercilessly and blood seeped out from under her. A peaceful smile spread along her lips. "I'm…happy." Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled along her cheeks.

Beside him, Haruka dropped to his knees. "Kikuhime?" She must've known.

She weakly reached for him. "Yeah…I'm happy."

Haruka took her tiny hands in his. "Oh, Kikuhime." He held the top of her hand up to his lips and lightly kissed it. "Rest in peace."

Her eyes closed and her body went limp.

Youko, who kneeled on the other side of Kantarou, stared at Kikuhime with a sad expression and wept. She'd been there all along, just ever so quiet, for once.

Kantarou playfully teased Haruka. "Haruka fell head over heels for her!"

Haruka didn't want to be messed with at the moment. "Oh, shut up, Kantarou!"

Kantarou felt yanks upon his hair and suspected who did that to him. Through his teeth, he told the mischievous spirit, "Cut it out."

A chibi Kikuhime spun about him and laughed. "Oh? Did I just hear him tell me to 'cut it out'? Do you mean that as in 'cut it off'? You desperately need a trim, dude."

Kantarou stared at Haruka with tears in his eyes. "Haruka! PLEASE, I beg you, get your girlfriend out of my hair! Her chibi spirit haunts me!"

THE END