I told you I'd get the next chapter up soon! This is really soon for me, considering I usually update once a week. I hope it isn't too rushed, and I hope you enjoy it. So please read and review! Especially review! Chapter 7: I Promise
Like they always have since the day they were joyfully reunited, Waka and Shiranui sat beneath the Great Guardian Tree. And like every day since then, Waka played his flute for Shiranui, and she reveled in the soothing melody.
"Mmm . . . how long has it been?" Shiranui asked, still half-lost in the music. "Since we've been together?"
Waka stopped playing for a moment to answer her question. "Well over ten years now, ma chérie."
"And still going strong," Shiranui added with a smile.
"And still going strong." Waka then drew her close to kiss her tenderly.
After the kiss ended, Shiranui asked, "And we'll always be together, right?"
"Always."
" . . . Promise me. Promise that you won't ever leave me."
Shiranui's words made Waka recall that day from so many years ago. We'll always be together, right? Shiranui had asked him. And, unknowing of the impending separation that was to come, he had said yes. How was he to know that he had lied to her? But still . . . that was no excuse. "I promise," he said with definite resolve. Never again would he let what happened all those years ago happen again. Never again would he lie to Shiranui.
All of a sudden, a nearby tree burst into flames. "AHH! What the—?" he cried out in surprise. He then looked over at Shiranui. She had long gotten rid of the wolf ears and tail that so easily gave her away, but the mischievous glint in her eyes was all he needed to figure it out. "Shiranui! What is the meaning of this?"
She giggled, reminding him of the young girl he knew so many years ago. Then the flames of the tree suddenly flared up, setting his clothes on fire.
"ACK! FIRE! PUT IT OUT!" Waka cried. It's like they were children all over again, innocently playing in the fields on the Moon.
Shiranui giggled again. "Okay. Whatever you say," she said in a singsong tone. A stream of water leapt from the nearby lake, dousing Waka.
"Merci, ma chérie," he said sarcastically. "That was rather unnecessary, don't you think?"
"I guess. But it was funny!" Shiranui said, now doubling over in laughter.
"Oui, hilarious. Ha-ha." He was still being sarcastic, if you couldn't tell.
"I'm sorry, Waka. I just couldn't resist. Ah, just like the good old times! Oh! I've got a present for you!" She held out a package wrapped in white paper, tied with a red ribbon. Typical Shiranui.
Waka took the package and opened it. Inside was a wig, composed of white feathers, obviously made to appear like wings. "And what is this?" he asked.
"Don't you know? It's a wig! You know, to hide that blond hair of yours. That way, no one will know you're from the Moon."
" . . . I think it's a little late for that, Shiranui."
Shiranui winked. "You never know! After all, you—oh!" She yelped as the ground suddenly started shaking. "Earthquake!"
Shouts and cries filled the air, and Waka felt a sudden, terrifying sense of foreboding. Looking up at the sky, which had abruptly turned pitch-black even though it was still daytime, Waka caught an all-too-familiar sight. "No . . . It can't be . . ." he whispered, his heart sinking.
Sixteen dots of crimson burned through the induced night. It was those eyes—the very same eyes that had overseen the attack on the Moon.
"Ma chérie! Run! You must get away from here!" Waka said to Shiranui. She had to get away at all costs. He wouldn't know what he'd do if she was lost . . .
"Huh? What are you talking . . . about?" Her voice grew soft with terror at the end, her golden eyes growing wide as she gazed upon the very beast that destroyed the Moon.
"I'll hold it off! Get away, Shiranui!"
"No! I'm staying! And I'm fighting!" A defiant gleam had appeared in her eyes.
Waka sighed. Once she gets an idea, there is no changing her mind. "Fine, you can stay if you think you can handle it." And he added silently to himself, Don't worry. I'll protect you.
Several of the Celestials—the angel-like beings Waka had encountered when he first came to the Celestial Plain—tried to fight off the attacking beast, only to be tossed aside like rag dolls. One of the Celestials still remained standing, though—Anjeru, one of the most loyal servants of Shiranui, also one of the greatest warriors. She noticed Shiranui's presence, stopping briefly to bow to her. "Lady Shiranui!" she said in salutation. "What are you doing here? You must escape while you still can!"
Shiranui rolled her eyes. "Anjeru, you sound like Waka." Waka was always a bit of a buzzkill. "I'm fighting. If anyone can defeat this thing, it's me, right?"
"I would suppose so, Lady Shiranui," Anjeru agreed.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go already!" Shiranui bounded towards the source of the attack, with Anjeru and Waka close on her heels.
As they drew closer, they finally caught sight of the terrible beast that dared to attack the Celestial Plain. It was a horrible creature, a serpent-like thing with scales of golden armor and eight heads, each more menacing than the last. All eight heads turned their attention to Shiranui and the others.
"Insolent fools!" it hissed in its horrific voice—or actually, voices, as all eight heads spoke in unison. "This land I claim for my own! You dare not defy me, the infamous Orochi! If you do, it will be the last mistake you will ever make."
"I'm not scared of you!" Shiranui shouted at the creature that calls itself Orochi.
"You should be, fair maiden." The closest head, the one of Fire, brought its head down to eye level with her, glaring at her with its blood-red eyes. "What could you possibly do to harm me? What are you going to do? Charm me to death?" This brought on a round of laughter from the other heads.
"You're the one who should be scared! I'm a goddess, and I have powers you could only dream of having!"
"Shiranui . . ." Waka warned her. He'd rather not have the eight-headed serpent angrier than it already was.
The head that had been glaring at Shiranui turned its attention to Waka. "And you . . . Do you think you could take me on, little Moon boy?"
Waka didn't answer. He wasn't going to dignify anything that murderous beast said with a response. Instead he glared back at Orochi, narrowing his silvery-blue eyes.
Orochi laughed maliciously. "Let's see how you stand up to this, boy!"
It lashed out with one of its heads, but Waka acted quickly, drawing his sword Pillow Talk and deflecting the attack.
Orochi now appeared slightly amused. "Oh, so the little Moon boy can fight, huh?" Its heads turned back to Shiranui. "Let's see what happens if I attack your girlfriend over here . . ."
"No!" Waka said. Just as another one of the heads was about to lunge at Shiranui, Waka moved in front of it. He successfully deflected that attack, as well.
"Waka . . ." Shiranui breathed, in awe of this heroic feat.
But then another head came in right behind the other, attacking Waka. It happened so quickly; Waka hardly knew what had happened. The head of Poison sank its venomous fangs into him. He felt a sudden wave of excruciating pain come over him as the Poison head sank its fangs even deeper. It finally released him, and he fell to the ground. Already the toxins took their toll on him, adding to his pain to the point where he could barely breathe.
It was right at that moment that Waka had a prophecy.
Being a prophet, Waka had the power to see into the future, but he had no control of when he'd get these visions. It was then he saw the only way to defeat Orochi. He had to let Shiranui know. Even if he didn't survive, Shiranui could live on and finish the job that he couldn't.
"Shiranui . . ." he whispered, barely able to say much more. But he had to.
"Waka!" Shiranui cried, kneeling at his side.
"You must . . . listen . . . ma chérie." His entire body hurt from the effort of speaking, but he had to say to Shiranui the prophecy. For the safety of the Celestial Plain . . . and possibly for the world as they knew it. "Only the power of the Chosen One can defeat Orochi. Ngh!" The pain was all the worse for his efforts, merely breathing a painful struggle. But at least Shiranui knows now. He could only hope she would wait for the Chosen One, the one that would finally slay Orochi.
"Pardon me, Lady Shiranui . . ." Anjeru started politely. Shiranui looked over at her. "Fighting a giant snake all by myself here! I could use a little help!"
"Oh! Sorry, Anjeru!" Shiranui said apologetically. "Okay, now . . . Let's get serious." She narrowed her eyes at Orochi. A blazingly bright halo of white light tendrils flared to life around her body as she prepared for battle.
Orochi laughed its horrible laugh again. "Oh, you're serious now, are you?" the Fire head responded. "Let's see just how serious you are!" It let out a stream of flames from its mouth, aimed directly at Shiranui.
"Lady Shiranui!" Anjeru cried, running to defend her. But she was too far away.
Then, out of nowhere, a strong wind blew through the Celestial Plain, harmlessly blowing away Orochi's flames. Shiranui smiled smugly. "How do you like that?" she asked mockingly.
"What is this?" Orochi demanded, roaring out its frustration. It examined Shiranui more closely. "Ah! A goddess! So you do have some fight in you. No matter," it said, running a forked tongue over its fangs. "That simply makes them all the more delicious!" It lunged one of its head at Shiranui again, its jaws wide open.
Shiranui stood there, making a point of not moving, the smug smile still on her face. Then, just as Orochi was about to swallow Shiranui whole, a large tree suddenly sprouted up, getting in its way.
"ARGH!" it cried, recoiling from the sudden impact on the tree. Once recovered, Orochi once more roared out its rage.
Shiranui smirked at the creature. "You're not going to get me anytime soon!"
"We'll see about that, goddess!"
Goddess and demon continued their elaborate battle dance of attacks and evasions. Little did either know they were gradually moving towards the edge of the Celestial Plain, where beyond it there was nothing but a drop into nothingness. Shiranui was the first to notice this fact, her smile growing even wider as a plan formed in her head.
She backed up and started running full-tilt toward Orochi. "Say goodbye, Orochi!" she yelled, crashing into the beast with all her might, her intention to send it over the edge into oblivion. Only thing was, this plan wasn't too well thought out. Orochi lost its balance on the edge, falling off the Celestial Plain . . . along with Shiranui.
"Shiranui! No!" Waka cried, forgetting his pain and rushing to save her. He caught her just in the nick of time, gripping her hand tightly as she did his. I won't lose you again, he thought.
Shiranui smiled up at him. And he wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a hint of sadness in that smile. "Waka . . . let go."
"What? No! I'll never let go!"
"Please . . ."
"But why?"
" . . . I'll be all right. You have to trust me on this!" Saying this, she released her hand from his.
In spite of her crazy words, Waka kept a tight grip on her hand. But without her holding on to him, she was slipping out of his grasp. "Please don't do this, ma chérie!"
"Waka . . . I love you. Don't ever forget that."
And then she fell.
. . . I'm starting to get a little irritated now. Wanna know why? Because none of you are reviewing, that's why! So please, please, please review! And if you don't, I swear I will go on a fanfiction hiatus! In other words, I won't be writing ANY more fanfiction until one of you reviews! That is all.
