Fushigi Yuugi (sorta): Through the Looking Glass
by Kati d'Esprit and Half-Esper Laura
Based on Fushigi Yuugi by Watase Yuu
Worried for her friend Miaka's safety, Yui slipped away from her Seishi and traveled to Kutou, the hostile neighboring empire that was searching for the Seiryuu no Miko. With her Sei Chichiri's help, she entered the country and met the Shogun, Nakago, who took her to his emperor. In Kutou's royal court, Yui was reunited with Miaka, but in the process she dropped Suzaku's 'Universe of the Four Gods', which was picked up by Nakago.
Episode 10:
Seiryuu no Miko
Oh, crap, this is bad... Hiromasa thought, forgetting the age of the paper as he feverishly turned the page. "'Meanwhile, in Konan, the emperor prayed for the Suzaku no Miko's safety'!? What the heck is this!?" he shouted. "I want to know what happens to Yui!" He turned to the next page, intending to skip over the intervening scene, only to find the next page blank. "Shoot!" This had better be one quick prayer...
*******
Kneeling before the statue in the shrine of Suzaku, Hotohori looked up, his brows knit with concern. I feel that something bad has happened... He bowed his head again to pray. Suzaku, for my sake and for all of your empire, please keep Yui safe. Please use the power you have given me to protect her, even though I cannot be with her...
Rising, he sighed and looked at the stuffed Mokona again. Yui, I wish that I could be with you now. If I were free like Tamahome or Nuriko, I would never leave your side. If I had to give up my life to protect you, I would do so without hesitation or regret...
He turned as the door to the shrine opened and a messenger stepped in. "Your Majesty?"
"Yes?"
"Nuriko-sama is entering the city."
"I see. How many people are with him?"
"None, Sire. Not even the Suzaku no Miko."
Why would Nuriko return alone? Hotohori wondered. I feel uneasy... "Thank you. Prepare a welcome for him. I will join you shortly."
*******
Yui's heart pounded in her ears as she watched the shogun bend over and pick up the red scroll that had fallen from her bag. Each heartbeat measured off an eternity as he unrolled it and looked at it, then up to her. He knows, she realized with terror as she looked into his ice-blue eyes, like two deep oceans in his fair face. There was no doubt now, no rationalizing now; she could see it in his look. He knows I'm the Suzaku no Miko.
"What is it, Nakago?" the emperor asked.
"Nothing important, just a young girl's diary," Nakago answered, rolling it back up and putting it in her bag. He gathered the rest of Yui's things, then walked over to her. "I hope you'll forgive me for glancing at it," he said, holding them out to her. "You should be more careful with your belongings."
"I... um... Thank you," Yui said, taking them. She tried to hide her confusion as best she could, but it simply didn't make sense. This was the Shogun of Kutou, and he knew that she was Konan's Suzaku no Miko, so why would he lie to his emperor to protect her?
"Your Majesty!" a guard shouted, bursting into the room. "A suspicious man has passed the gate and is entering the palace!"
"What!?"
"Your Majesty," Nakago said. "I will see to this; only let me take the Seiryuu no Miko candidates to a safe place."
"Be quick about it," the emperor said. "I won't have any spies from Konan here."
"Yes, Sire." Nakago took each girl by the shoulder and led them out into the side hall through which Miaka had entered.
*******
"Tamahome, please stop it no da!" Chichiri begged, pulling him away from a door. "We'll be seen no da!"
"You can't just expect me to sit here and do nothing!" Tamahome hissed back. "Who knows what they're doing to Yui somewhere in this palace!?"
"How many times must I tell you, Nakago-chan won't let her be hurt no da! And we're not going to be much good in the dungeon no da!"
"Sorry, but I have trouble trusting the Shogun of Kutou. And I'd just dare them to try and throw me in their dungeon..."
"Do you think it'll do Yui much good if two Sei of Suzaku are found attacking palace guards no da?" Chichiri protested. Tamahome just sighed hotly. "I know you're worried, and your heart is in the right place, but you mustn't let it run off with your head no da! Please, just stay quiet and close behind me, and everything will work out no da." She turned and snuck down the hall a bit. "We need to find Nakago-chan or Soi-chan or Ashi-chan to see where Yui-chan is no da. They can get around easier than we can no da."
"Wait a--- How many people do you know here!?"
Chichiri paused and counted on her fingers for a moment. "No daaa... including servants and guards... a lot no da."
Tamahome sighed irritably. I doubt if she has that many friends in Konan...
"Now come on no da," she ordered, moving a bit further down the hall. She paused, and realized he wasn't following. "Tamahome-chan, come on no..." She turned around, and found herself in the hall alone. "Da," she finished with a sigh. Perhaps I should have let him be arrested at the border. I fear it would be easier to rescue both alone than just Yui-chan with his help...
*******
Hotohori rose to his feet as Nuriko came into the throne room, flanked by servants and guards. "Nuriko, what happened? Why did you return here alone?"
Nuriko paused, and took a deep breath. "Terrible news, your majesty. Yui heard the rumors of the Seiryuu no Miko in Kutou, and thought perhaps it was the friend she came here looking for. We tried to keep her from going, but..."
"What?" Hotohori said, in a half-whisper that betrayed more shock and horror than any shout could. "Yui..."
Nuriko looked at the steps below the throne. "She went to Kutou alone, Sire."
A heavy silence descended over the room, settling like dust for a long moment.
"Prepare my horse!" Hotohori commanded.
"Your majesty, what are you thinking!?" an advisor cried. "The Emperor, going into enemy territory!? It's unthinkable!!!"
"I am a Sei of Suzaku. For me not to be at the Miko's side at a time like this is unthinkable!" he countered. "I am going to bring Yui back!"
"Your majesty, please! Think about what you're saying!" another minister cried. "Is it your wish to start a war!?"
At the word "war," Hotohori froze, and stood for a moment. Nuriko had to wonder if the ministers around the room actually didn't see how shaken and vulnerable he was in that moment, or if they would just pretend.
"I see. Forgive my outburst; I was mistaken." He took the few steps back to the throne as though under a tremendous weight, and when he sat down, his head was low, his shoulders sloped.
"Your majesty, please put yourself at ease," an advisor said, trying to be formal and reassuring at the same time. "We'll send our fastest messengers. Our agents in Kutou will do whatever they must to bring the Suzaku no Miko back safely."
"Yes, make it so. I will pray for their success," Hotohori said. He closed his eyes and managed a tight, sad smile. "That is all I can do."
Nuriko noticed a slight strain in his voice that not even the Emperor's practiced composure could conceal. It must be terrible for him, to hear such news about his Miko, the hope of his country, the love of his life, and to be unable to act, to cry, or even to appear upset. But here, all Nuriko could say to him was "I'm sorry."
*******
Nakago took Yui and Miaka out of the garishly decorated main rooms into a plainer part of the palace where there were few people. There wasn't even a guard at the door of the room he led them to. Miaka just walked on in silence; Yui wanted to say something, but thought it was better to wait until they were alone. "Wait here," Nakago said, opening the door of a small spare room.
Yui looked around; there was no one else in the hallway; no reason not to ask... "Wait a minute," she said. "Miaka, go on in, I'll be right with you."
"What is it?" Nakago asked as Miaka went into the room to wait.
"You know who I am," she said. "Why did you cover for me back there?"
"I do know who you are. I know that you're Miaka's friend. She would be hurt if something happened to you, and I won't let that happen."
"But... you want her to become the Seiryuu no Miko..."
"I believe that she is the Seiryuu no Miko," he said. "And I have waited for her for a long time."
Yui gasped; as he spoke, a blue character---"heart"---began to shine in his forehead. He's a Sei of Seiryuu! she realized. Waiting for his Miko, like Hotohori was waiting for me...
"I must go and meet our 'intruder,'" Nakago said. "I feel the chi of your Seishi from them. I brought you to this secluded part of the palace so I can let them take the two of you back to Konan secretly."
Yui's heart soared to hear that. "But, if Miaka... Why would you send the Seiryuu no Miko to Konan?"
"If she stays here, the Emperor will most likely try to force her hand and make her oppose a friend against her will. I don't want that to happen. Since you risked yourself for her sake in this way, I will trust you with her safety." As he walked away, he turned over his shoulder. "Please, try to cheer up your friend. She's had a difficult time in this world."
"I will," Yui said, pushing the door open and entering the spare room. Miaka was sitting silently at a plain wooden table, looking away from her. "Miaka, are you all right? Usually you're the talkative one."
"Why did it take you so long to find me?" Miaka asked simply, not turning around.
Yui took a chair on the other side of the table; at least this way she could see her friend's face, even if Miaka still didn't look at her. "Time moves differently between our world and this one. Remember, when you were reading, you only read for a few hours, but you read about several days of events."
"I guess that's true..."
"I only left the book for a few hours. When I realized you were here, I came back as soon as I could, but when I got here, I found out three months had passed. I've only been back for a few days."
"Mm."
"Cheer up, Miaka." Yui shifted uncomfortably; usually it was Miaka who made her laugh when she was feeling down, not the other way around. "You know what? Nakago told me the 'suspicious person' in the palace is a Sei of Suzaku, and he said we could go back to Konan together with them."
"But I want to be the Seiryuu no Miko," Miaka argued.
"You will be. Nakago said he wants it this way so you'll be safe and we won't have to be enemies. See, we can still be friends, and maybe we can bring peace between Konan and Kutou. Won't that be good?"
"I don't know, Yui..."
"Come on. I've told everyone so much about you. I know Hotohori and Tamahome and everyone will be happy to meet you."
"You really think they will?" Miaka said, seeming a little happier.
"I'm sure of it!" Yui reached across the table and took Miaka's hand, then looked down and noticed a pale line---a scar---across her wrist. "Miaka, what's this?" she asked with concern.
"Huh? Oh, that!" Miaka quickly withdrew her arm and gave a nervous laugh that sounded almost like Yui's old best friend, but not quite. "It's just a scar, no big deal. I landed kinda hard when I came to this world, and I guess I hurt myself."
Miaka was hiding something, Yui could tell. A scar, in that place... "Well, it's all right now that we're together again, isn't it?"
"I guess so..."
*******
"Quick, we've found the intruder! He's in this courtyard!" a guard shouted to his compatriots running out of the palace behind him. Tamahome took a deep breath before launching himself into the small group of soldiers. The fight was short; after a few minutes he quickly surveyed the damage to make sure none of them would wake up in time to stop him, then scanned the palace, trying to figure out where inside it Yui would be. Chichiri may be a Sei of Suzaku, but I'm not going to hand myself over to the Shogun of Kutou on the say-so of someone I just met a day ago. He had trouble thinking it when she was actually present, but sometimes he was still unsure whose side she was really on.
"That was rather excessive, don't you think?"
Tamahome whipped around as Nakago descended the stairs on the opposite side of the courtyard.
"The guards were only performing their duty, after all," Nakago said. "You are Suzaku's Sei, correct?"
"Where is Yui?" Tamahome demanded, his character flashing brightly. At that exact moment, a roll of thunder ripped across the sky as though accenting his words.
Nakago raised an eyebrow and glanced at the suddenly-stormy sky, then chuckled. "You'll have to forgive that. My fiancée has a... unique sense of humor."
Tamahome opened his mouth for a moment. "Fiancée?"
Nakago nodded, raising his left hand to show a silver band on his ring finger. "Lady Soi. She has power over the weather."
"She... does...?"
Nakago nodded again.
This is not good, if Kutou has people who can do stuff like that this easy... Still, nothing's going to keep me away from Yui. "Where is Yui?" Tamahome repeated.
"Don't worry, she's safe."
"And I'm supposed to take your word for that, huh?" Tamahome said, glancing past him to the door he had entered from. He probably came from where Yui is. If this smug jerk did anything to her, I swear I'll kill him...
"Only for a moment. Is Chichiri with you? I would like to do this with a minimum of fuss if at all possible."
"I'm sure," Tamahome growled. He noticed a human-shaped shadow appear on the palace roof behind Nakago, and watched as it solidified into Chichiri.
At the same time, Nakago seemed to sense something. "Ah, there she is," he said, turning and raising a hand.
Tamahome seized the opportunity and dashed forward, taking advantage of the distraction to get into the palace. Nakago heard the motion and whipped around, swatting him aside. Tamahome hit the ground and rolled a few feet.
Ah, he thought, touching his shoulder where he'd been hit. It wasn't broken, but any more force and it would have been. He barely touched me! He's as bad as Nuriko!
"I'm sorry, you startled me," Nakago apologized, taking a step towards him. "Are you all right?"
"Back off," Tamahome warned, rolling to his feet.
Nakago sighed. "We're not back to that again, are we?"
"Tamahome-chan, please stop it no da!" Chichiri chided, vanished from the roof and appearing at Nakago's side a moment later. "This isn't accomplishing anything no da."
"Is he always like this?" Nakago asked.
Chichiri sighed. "No, I don't think so no da. He's worried about Yui-chan no da."
"I can understand that."
"Where is she?" Tamahome demanded yet again.
"As I was going to say had you simply answered my question," Nakago answered, "if you'll come with me, I'll take you to her and Miaka."
"Oh." Tamahome paused, then regarded Nakago suspiciously. "Why should we trust you?"
"Have you any better ideas or any reason not to no da?" Chichiri asked. "He's my friend; it's safe no da." Tamahome grumbled softly. Something told him that arguing with Chichiri about one of her 'friends' would be like arguing with a brick wall.
"If you'll come with me?" Nakago prompted, leading them through the door into a less-used section of the palace. "It's that door, the third on the left," he said softly, pointing down the stone hallway. "Tamahome, is it?"
"Yeah..."
"Please, go ahead. Chichiri and I will be with you shortly."
With one last suspicious look over his shoulder, Tamahome took Nakago's offer.
"Nakago-chan, I'm sorry no da," Chichiri said. "He really does mean well, and I suppose you would seem to be an unlikely ally no da."
"I don't doubt it, on either count," Nakago agreed. "I suppose it's natural for him to be suspicious. Still, I wouldn't want to send my Miko off with you without letting you know what I have planned, and I'd rather deal with you than him."
Chichiri glanced at the door after Tamahome, then sighed. "I can respect that no da..."
*******
"Nakago isn't from around here, is he?" Yui asked, continuing a mostly frustrated effort to make small talk.
"Why do you want to know about Nakago?" Miaka asked.
"He's been kind enough to help us, and he doesn't have the features of a native of ancient China. He looks like a Kojin."
Miaka looked at her quizzically. "He's not dead*, Yui. C'mon, he's not that pale."
"No, I don't mean 'Kojin' as in 'deceased'. I mean someone from the West."
"Oh, yeah. That's true. He once told me his family came from somewhere in the far west before he was born."
Yui started up as the door opened. "Tamahome!" Miaka whipped around to look at him.
"Hello, ladies," Tamahome greeted, coming in and closing the door behind him. "Miaka, is it? It's been awhile."
"Oh, you remember me?" Miaka said, her face lighting up with a smile for the first time.
"Come on, let's get out of here quick."
"How? Did you talk to Nakago?" Yui asked.
"Not really. I don't trust him, though. I'd just as soon leave without his help."
"I don't think he's our enemy, Tamahome. It's the Emperor here who wants Konan. Nakago knows I'm the Suzaku no Miko, and he hasn't given me away to the guards."
"Look, Yui, I know you haven't been in this world too long, but trust me, he could have done that for any number of reasons. He strikes me as the scheming type."
Yui bit her lip at the insinuation of ignorant naivete on her part.
"Nakago's nice," Miaka put in. "He helped me when I was in trouble. I can't just leave without saying goodbye to him..."
Tamahome looked at her for a moment, then sighed heavily and put up his hands. "All right, you girls win. You go do that, we'll wait here. But try to hurry, all right?"
"Do you think that will work?" Nakago was saying to Chichiri as Miaka slipped out of the room.
Chichiri nodded slowly. "Hai; that's very clever of you no da."
"Thank you. It might be better if you wait for your friends by the back gate. I'm certain Tamahome is planning to slip out behind our backs, anyway. I'll tell Miaka which way to go to avoid trouble, so there's no sense in depriving him of the satisfaction."
"You're certain they'll be all right no da?" Chichiri asked.
"I think the Lady Mikos will keep him out of trouble," Nakago said with an amused smile.
"I know Yui-chan can handle herself; I just hope she can handle Tamahome-chan, too no da," Chichiri said. "Thanks, Nakago-chan; see you soon no da!" With that, she vanished into the shadows.
Nakago looked up. "Miaka. Are you ready for your journey?"
Miaka nodded, walking up to him.
"I know how you've felt about your friend these past few months, but she's finally come. She still cares about you, just as I said."
"I know. I'll be okay," Miaka said. "And besides, I saw Tamahome once a long time ago, and I've heard about Hotohori and the other Sei of Suzaku. I want to see them."
"I'm sure they're all good people who will be very kind to you. Now, I believe Tamahome is a good man, but he's quite a brash fellow. You'll have to go out by the back gate and keep him away from the guards or there will be trouble. . . ."
*******
Yui sat back down at the table. She was still a bit cross with Tamahome for brushing off her judgment. She would admit to being many things, but never stupid.
"Yui, what's the matter?" Tamahome asked, noticing her expression.
"Why are you acting like this?" Yui asked. "I'm not a child, you know. You've always protected me, but you don't have to go this far."
"I just want what's best for you. I lost you for three months; I don't want to lose you again."
Yui remembered Nuriko's description of how Tamahome had missed her, and, on a cynical note, couldn't help but wonder about the chemical properties of the dyes in those plates he had consumed. "Why are you so upset about it? I know it was three months, but Hotohori and Nuriko aren't acting like this. Why does it matter this much to you?"
Tamahome smiled in a way that implied some special meaning in his words. "Don't you have any idea? Do I just have to spell it out for you?"
Yui raised an eyebrow. "What are you---" Then, she remembered. Surely he isn't...
"Don't you have any idea!?" Yui demanded. "Do I just have to spell it out for you!?!?"
"Wouldn't hurt," Tamahome said.
"It matters to me because I love you!!!"
"Wouldn't hurt..." Yui said numbly.
"It matters to me because I love you," Tamahome said, leaning close to her face.
*******
Miaka froze just before the door. Tamahome... is in love with Yui...? Quietly, she leaned against the wall. But he said he remembered me...
*******
Yui turned her face away from him and got up from the chair, taking a few steps away. "Tamahome, no, I..."
"Yui, what's wrong? What could possibly be wrong?" Tamahome asked. "You told me you loved me. No one had never said something like that to me before, and I never expected it. I never thought of anything but making money and providing for my family, so I didn't know what to do and I pushed you away, but having to be without you, I realized I love you, too." He paused. Yui didn't look happy; she looked rather stricken, actually. He took her hand comfortingly. "Isn't that what you wanted? In all that time, didn't you want to see me again, too?"
"Yes, I did---" Before she could get any further, he smothered her words with a kiss.
*******
"In all that time"? Miaka thought. How could she say that if it was just a few hours? All those things she said that made me trust her... She took off running down the hall until she thought she was out of earshot of the room. "Nakago!!!"
*******
This kiss wasn't like her first kiss with Hotohori. It didn't feel good at all... She pushed Tamahome away and backed off again.
"Yui, what's wrong?"
"I didn't mean it like that! Time moves differently in my world; to me it was just a few hours! I barely had time to miss you. And..." She stopped. This was so hard to say. She didn't know how he would react, and for the first time since she met Tamahome, she was afraid of him, but he had to know... "I... That was the first time I'd ever told someone I loved them. I didn't know what I was doing, and I didn't understand what I was feeling. I made a mistake..."
"What?"
Yui looked at the floor. She couldn't face him...
"What do you mean?" he asked again.
"I don't have those kinds of feelings for you. Tamahome, please. I am very fond of you. You're very important to me, and I care about you very much, but not that way...
"Remember when you said you'd be my brother, free of charge?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, that's what I want you to do," Yui said, still not daring to look up at him. "That's how I feel about you."
"Feelings can change," Tamahome argued. "You said yourself, this time we'd start with a clean slate. Now that you're back it can be different between us."
Yui shook her head. She supposed she had been wrong not to let Tamahome know how she really felt back then; he might have felt bad inside, but he would have shrugged it off... Now she felt like a criminal being interrogated, with one painful confession after another being forced from her... "There's something else," she admitted. "I... I love someone else."
*******
"Nakago!" Miaka cried.
He turned and met her as she came running down the hall, and held her as she started to cry into his cape. "Miaka, what's wrong?"
"It's Yui. When she said she came back in just a little bit to find me... it was a lie..." she sobbed. "She's just like what I told you she was! I wanted to believe you were right and I was wrong, but I wasn't!"
"Miaka, are you sure? How do you know?"
She nodded against his chest. "I heard her say so to Tamahome. They're still in that room where we were waiting. Just go and listen to them!"
Nakago sighed. "Very well." He'd half expected something like this to happen. In the past three months he couldn't count the number of times Miaka would overreact to something, and he would have to look at it and set it before her and say "See, there's nothing to cry about," like shining a candle under a bed and telling a child, "See, there's nothing to be afraid of." In a crucial moment like this, it would only be natural.
He walked back with Miaka to the room where he had told the Mikos to wait and patiently set his ear to the wall. But what he heard was not at all what he would have hoped for.
*******
"It's Lord Hotohori, isn't it?" Tamahome demanded. Yui nodded. "Is that why you came back? Because of him!?"
She shook her head. "He is a good man," she said, a little sadly. "I think I'd like to be his Empress..."
*******
"Is that why you came back? Because of him!?"
"He is a good man. I think I'd like to be his Empress."
"See?" Miaka sniffled. "She didn't come back for me..."
Nakago remembered glancing at Suzaku's 'Universe of the Four Gods'. Even in that moment, he had read bits of it, phrases found their way into his mind. "Hotohori---Prince Swordsman" The Emperor of Konan? Is that what she came back for? "But Miaka," he said in a hushed tone, pulling her down the hall a bit, "Yui came here to enemy territory and risked herself to find you. Why would she do that if she didn't care about you?"
"As the Seiryuu no Miko, I might get in her way," Miaka said. "She's very clever, you know. She probably had this all planned, knowing I'd go with her to Konan and walk right into her hands. I'm not going with her!"
"What do you want to do then?"
"You see what she's like, don't you?" Miaka sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "What she's really like? Everyone thinks she's so sweet and shy, but really she's not! She fools everyone! She didn't care what happened to me until I was in her way. She told Tamahome she loved him and then tossed him aside. She's using Hotohori so she can be an Empress... Do you really want someone like that to have the power of Suzaku?"
Nakago studied the girl for a long moment. She seemed so sincere, so genuinely hurt and worried, horrified by what she was thinking but convinced of its necessity nonetheless. "Miaka, are you completely certain about what you're saying?"
"I thought of Yui as my best friend for a long time," she said. "It hurts to give up on her, but... I know what to do."
*******
"But I told you, it was just a few hours to me," Yui continued. "I thought about him, and all of you, but I wasn't away long enough to miss anyone that much. If I hadn't found Miaka missing and come back to find her, there's no telling how long I might have been gone."
"I would have waited as long as it took, Yui," Tamahome said.
She sighed. In a way it was ironic, but now that Tamahome had told her he loved her, it felt as if she had lost him. She was afraid she could never have that 'sisterly' relationship with him again... There was a time when it would have made her so happy, but now it would only cause problems. "Tamahome," she said. "You and Hotohori are the two people in this world I care about most. Please don't make me choose between you..."
He paused for a moment, then smiled at her. "I wouldn't do that to you. I love you, remember?"
Yui sighed again. That wasn't quite what she had in mind...
There was another moment of awkward silence. "He can't do anything, you know."
"Hm?" Yui asked.
"Hotohori. He might be the Emperor, but he's still your Seishi. He can't punish you if you tell him you don't care for him."
"What do you mean?" she queried.
"You don't have to say yes to him if you don't want to. I thought maybe you just did because... you know, he's the emperor and if you were anyone else he could have whatever he wanted done to you. But you aren't, so he can't, so you don't have to let him scare you into saying yes."
Yui turned her head away from him and put a hand to her mouth. He could hear her breath coming in short, soft bursts.
"Oh, you're crying..." Tamahome said, putting his arm around her. "That's it, isn't it?"
Yui turned back to him; a smile was peeking out from behind her hand, and her eyes were closed in arcs like Chichiri's. "No, it's funny...!" she said, giggling softly. "I'm sorry to laugh at you, but... Hotohori's not like that! In three months I'd think you'd know him better."
"I'm ready to go," Miaka said, coming in the door to find Tamahome with a somewhat horrified look on his face, and Yui, having just broken his heart, laughing slightly. As she closed the door behind her, she had to swallow her anger.
"Good, let's get out of here," Tamahome agreed, gently taking Yui's shoulder. "This place is giving me the creeps the longer we stay here. Any idea where Chichiri got to?"
"No," Yui said, moving away from him slightly. "Do you have any idea where you're going in here?"
"I know which way to go," Miaka offered.
"Ah, good, Miaka. I'm sure Chichiri can take care of herself." Tamahome rolled his eyes. "She's got friends here."
Miaka led them out of the room and down the hallway, to a walkway on the back side of the palace, overlooking the gardens like in Konan. Yui looked up and realized that the walkway came to a dead end in front of a huge blue doorway with the gilded image of a dragon on it. "Miaka, are you sure this is the right way?"
"This isn't the way out, but I had something I wanted to show you," Miaka said. "Don't worry, we won't get caught here. I don't think... Tamahome, why don't you stay outside and make sure?"
"I hope this is important," Tamahome warned.
"Oh, really, really important," Miaka assured him, pushing one of the doors open. "Come on, Yui."
Yui paused. Something about this didn't seem right. Surely showing her something could wait until they weren't in danger, but that did seem like Miaka. She was always so scatterbrained, but sweet nonetheless. They said God looked after the innocent; surely a moment would be all right, if it'd make Miaka happy. "All right," Yui said, following her in.
Yui gasped as the door closed behind her. "What's the matter, Yui?" Miaka asked in a strangely unnerving tone. "Look around. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Who's afraid?" Yui said, trying to sound brave as she looked around the large, dim room. There were columns all around, and streams of water flowing out from a huge golden statue of a dragon, surrounded by golden clouds. This must be the Shrine of Seiryuu, she thought. In her mind, she knew there was nothing to be afraid of, but just as something about Suzaku's Shrine always made her feel comfortable and at ease, something about Seiryuu's made her tremble inside, and feel sick and unsteady. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through her. With a cry, she fell to her knees. "Miaka, what---?"
"Hurts, doesn't it, Yui?" Miaka taunted, kneeling beside her. "Like it hurts to think someone is your best friend for years and find out you were wrong!"
"Wha...? What are you talking about?" Yui managed, clutching her stomach against the pain.
"I heard you talking to Tamahome. How could you say 'I missed you in all that time' if it was just a few hours!? Everything you told me to make me trust you, to make me believe you cared and you'd finally come for me was all lies!" Miaka accused.
"I can't believe you fooled me for ten years, but now I can finally see what you're really like, Hongou Yui. You always wanted people to like you, but you didn't want to work at it, so you needed me. Every friend you ever had I introduced you to. Then you came here and people liked you without you having to do anything, so you didn't care about me until you realized the Seiryuu no Miko would get in your way. You told Tamahome you loved him because he protected you and made you feel important, but you dropped him as soon as you realized you could have someone rich and powerful instead. When you're an Empress and it's all set in stone, you'll toss poor Hotohori aside like the rest of us!"
"No!" Yui cried. "It isn't like that!!" She didn't know what hurt more, Miaka's anger, or the hint of truth that made her accusations almost plausible. This was some kind of nightmare, it had to be!
"It is like that!!" Miaka screamed. "And I'm not going to let you get away with it anymore! I'm not going to let you do to Tamahome and Hotohori what you did to me!" She got to her feet and chuckled a little, softly, as though she were trying to keep from crying. "All these years you pulled the wool over my eyes. All this time, you thought you were so smart. Well, this time, I've outsmarted you!" She turned over her shoulder. "Nakago!"
Yui looked up as the kojin stood above her. "I'm very sorry about this, Yui," he said, his voice thick with regret.
*******
Chichiri leaned against the wall beside the palace gate, crossing her arms for a moment. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I thought Tamahome would be here by now. He can't possibly be delaying now, can he? She toyed with the idea of looking for him, but that would only be tempting fate. Most likely they would miss each other. Where is he? Maybe I can find him with my powers. She drew a deep breath, feeling her character appear, Suzaku's power flow through her.
An instant later, her back hit the wall as her blood turned to ice, cold flowing through her veins. The gardens in front of her were bathed with blue light, slowly fading into another place. She felt pain, cold; her skin crawled with the feeling of a giant snake's scales sliding around her. She could see a golden dragon statue, Nakago standing with his hand out and his character shining, a feeling of regret mixed with obedient determination floating around him like mist. Behind her, she caught sight of Yui's friend from the other world, the brown-haired girl she'd glimpsed earlier. A swarm of emotions darted around Miaka like moths around a torch; fear, regret, anticipation, relief, gratification... Slowly Chichiri felt herself floating, being lifted. A breath passed, and then she was flung by an invisible force, and the vision vanished.
She blinked for a moment, her mind flying to sort it out. "Nai no da," she whispered, darting across the palace gardens. The ground raced beneath her feet, flowers and trees whirling by in a blur of color. She grabbed a tree trunk to turn quickly, and a blue building came into view, a familiar form leaning against the golden door. "Tamahome-chan no da!"
Tamahome turned as Chichiri leapt up onto the walkway. "Where's Yui-chan no da?" she gasped, cutting him off before he could say anything.
"Miaka said she wanted to show her something in here," Tamahome answered. "But they've been in there too long. I've tried knocking, but---"
"Please, Suzaku, nai no da!" Chichiri gasped. "That's the Shrine of Seiryuu no da! We have to get Yui-chan out of there, or she'll be killed no da!"
"WHAT!?"
"This is Seiryuu's sacred place no da! For the Suzaku no Miko to be inside it... That's as good as an attack to him no da!"
"That's stupid!" Tamahome argued. "The Seiryuu no Miko invited her in there!"
"Please, you have to believe me no da! If we don't rescue her, the Seiryuu no Miko will have her killed no da!"
"That's impossible! They're best friends!"
"It's true, I swear no da! We have to get her out no da!" Chichiri turned and put her hands out to shove open the door, then screamed. A moment later, she was dashed across the walkway by an invisible force.
"Chichiri!" Tamahome shouted.
"There's a barrier up no da," she breathed, picking herself up.
"Barrier?" Tamahome blinked for a moment; this couldn't be happening. "Come on, we have to get through it somehow!" he shouted, pushing against the door. He could feel energy coursing beneath his hands, throbbing like a heartbeat; no matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't give. "Chichiri, help me!"
Chichiri took a deep breath and closed her eyes, joining her hands and steepling her index fingers. "Suzaku, please, give me your power to protect your Miko. Help me defeat Seiryuu and save her, I beg of you. . . ."
*******
"No! Please, you don't understand!" Yui pleaded.
"I'm sorry," Nakago said again. The character in his forehead glowed brilliantly as he raised his hand, and a ball of blue energy danced on his fingertips for a moment before flying toward her.
Yui tried to dodge, but she could barely move in her condition. The blast caught her in the side, and a wave of pure force tore through her, so powerful she thought it would rip that side of her body away as it sent her tumbling across the floor. She clutched her side, her body burning with pain. Probably some ribs were broken, at the very least. "Miaka!" she screamed. "Why!?"
Miaka buried her face in Nakago's cloak. "Miaka?" he queried. "It isn't too late to stop this, or for you to leave."
She shook her head. "Do it."
Nakago sighed heavily and held out his hand. An instant later, Yui felt herself floating off the floor. "Please don't," she whimpered. "Please, let me explain."
Nakago closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was an agonizing eternity of a pause, and then Yui was flung forward, straight towards a wall. I'm going to die, she realized, squeezing her eyes shut in that agonizingly long split-second before impact.
Suddenly, she felt herself slowing to a gentle stop, and being turned upright, cradled like a baby. She clung to her rescuer, and felt a tail of hair, and beads. Chichiri! she realized, with an incredible surge of relief. She opened her eyes as the air around her darkened and solidified into Chichiri, the laughing eyes of the mask surprisingly motherly.
"It's all right now no da. I'm here; I'll protect you no da," she said softly.
I'm safe. Yui closed her eyes and let herself lean against the monk. Chichiri and Tamahome will protect me. After those last few minutes of terror, Chichiri's arms felt warm and safe, like her mother's when she was little. I can't let myself fall asleep, she thought, leaning her head on Chichiri's shoulder. I'm badly injured. If I let myself lose consciousness... but it was so comfortable, and she so didn't want to deal with the waking world just now. Surely, just for a moment...
Chichiri soothed Yui for a moment, then looked up at Nakago. "Why, why no da?" she demanded. "Why are you attacking a child no da?! I don't understand no da."
"No, I don't suppose you do," Nakago answered. "You always think the best of everyone, despite their true nature. I know she's your Miko and you're sworn to protect her, Chichiri, but that girl cannot be allowed to summon Suzaku. I respect what you want to do for her as a Sei, but she will put you on the wrong side of history."
"You're wrong no da. Yui's a sweet girl, there's no reason for this no da." Chichiri looked down at Yui again, and bit her lower lip. "It's finally come down to this, hasn't it no da?" she murmured.
"Both of us on opposite sides," Nakago said, nodding. "We knew it might one day. My half of our promise still stands. I won't blame you for what a Sei of Suzaku must do."
"Nor I you no da."
Nakago took a step towards Chichiri, and she quickly retreated backwards, her back hitting the wall of the shrine with an electric crackle from the barrier. "Let us out of here no da."
"No. You can leave, but not that girl."
"I won't leave her no da. Let down the barrier, or I'll take it down no da."
Nakago continued to advance on her. "You're not strong enough to break my barriers, especially here. You know that."
"Do I no da?" Chichiri asked, lifting her arm under Yui's knees and making symbols with her hand. A sphere of glowing red energy slowly grew from her fingers.
Nakago stopped. "Chichiri, this is foolish. You won't destroy the barrier, you'll only destroy what's within it, this shrine."
"I have to try, unless you lower the barrier first no da."
"I won't do that," Nakago warned, taking another step towards her. "I don't want to hurt you, Chichiri. Just surrender the girl."
Chichiri closed her eyes and drew an almost-ragged breath, the sphere still growing before her. "Four gods, forgive me no da." she said.
Nakago's eyes widened for a moment, then he dashed back to Miaka, pushing her to the floor as the glow from Chichiri's hand flashed brightly, then exploded. Columns crumbled before the shockwave of blazing red energy, walls gave way, candles disintegrated. Nakago huddled over Miaka, shielding her from the falling debris with his body.
When the smoke and dust cleared, all that was left standing was the statue of Seiryuu, its blue eyes radiant with such fury that the very air of the shrine rang with it. The fountain itself had been demolished, and water lapped in waves at the Seishi's ankles.
She did it, Nakago thought, glancing back at Chichiri huddled around Yui. She actually destroyed the shrine to protect that girl!
Tamahome, outside, started back as the walls of the Shrine of Seiryuu crumbled in on themselves; even the huge blue doors toppled, and he could see inside. "Yui!" he cried. She was huddled in Chichiri's arms like a baby, and one side of her uniform was soaked with blood. I can't believe I just stood here and let this happen! "Yui, I'm coming!!" he shouted, throwing himself against the barrier. It lit up brightly with energy to resist him, throwing the contours of his face and clothing into stark shadows of black against white, but the character in his forehead shone just as brightly, and he held his ground.
"Nakago, stop him! He's going to break through!" Miaka screamed. Nakago held out his hands, trying to strengthen the barrier, but still Tamahome pressed on, gaining inch by precious inch.
"Quick, kill Yui now, before he rescues her! We might not get another chance before she summons Suzaku!" Miaka shouted.
"He'll break through if I do that! There won't be time!" Nakago grunted, trying to hold the barrier up under Tamahome's onslaught.
Tamahome gritted his teeth with the effort of pushing through the barrier. "You're not going to stop me that easy!" he said with a strained laugh. An eerie silence settled over them as they both concentrated on their efforts, and suddenly there was a huge sound of air, rushing in like seawater claiming a doomed ship. The barrier shattered like a dome of glass and Nakago collapsed forward as Tamahome staggered a few steps, then ran to Chichiri. "Yui!"
Miaka stared wide-eyed, still clinging to Nakago. For Yui, he would go that far? Even after what she did to him...
"Take her; she'll be all right if we hurry no da," Chichiri ordered, quickly handing the girl off, then leaping to her feet and throwing down her hat before putting up her hands. A sphere of light grew from her fingertips, surrounding them and shielding them---a barrier of her own. "Quick, get into my hat no da. With Seiryuu's barrier down, it'll come out through someone else's no da."
Tamahome blinked for a moment. Still, anywhere was better than here... "What about you?"
"Yui's more important; hurry no da!"
"Nakago, do something!" Miaka screamed. He pushed himself up and held out his hand, the light of Seiryuu's anger gathering in a sphere around his fingers.
With no time to ponder the task of fitting himself and Yui into the fragile straw hat, Tamahome put his foot in experimentally and found a dark gap inside it somehow big enough to accommodate him with Yui in his arms. As he felt himself sink into it, Nakago's sphere of energy blew the red barrier apart, sending Chichiri and the hat skidding across the floor, and Tamahome and Yui plunging uncontrollably into the darkness.
In another second, Chichiri scrambled for her hat, and Nakago gathered another sphere of Seiryuu's power, a moment-long race with the tension of being stretched over an eternity. Chichiri had just lay her hand on the hat when she felt the energy drawing out of the air come to a stop and looked up. Nakago was standing over her with more than enough of Seiryuu's anger in his hand to destroy her.
"Nakago-chan no da..."
He stood motionless, the silence broken only by his breath and the lapping water.
"Nakago, do something!" Miaka urged.
"Leave," he growled, his eyes fixed on Chichiri. "Leave now while I'll still let you."
Without another word, she placed the hat on her head and let it sink to the floor, consuming her entirely.
"Nakago..." Miaka started as the blue light faded.
He took a deep breath, and let it out through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry, Miaka, I failed you," he apologized, holding out a hand to help her up. "I'll do better next time."
*******
Hiromasa sat still, staring in shock at the book. "Miaka... tried to kill Yui? No way!" He shook his head. Just a couple of days before, they were going places together; when they came home they were laughing together... Why couldn't she just stay away from this book like I told her...?
To Be Continued...
PREVIEW
As she and her Seishi recover from the battle in the Shrine of Seiryuu, Yui must grapple with the dilemma of opposing her best friend for the sake of Konan and her Seishi. Searching for explanations in this darkness, she discovers more pain and more purpose than she has ever known.
NEXT TIME:
Asking Why
*In Japanese, "kojin" can mean "deceased" or a Westerner.