Disclaimer:

I'm just going to refer you to the blanket disclaimer in the first chapter.

Warnings:

None, really. Overall rating of PG-13.

Notes:

Here's the last chapter of this post. I hope I don't disappoint anyone! ~Sapphire

Oracles of the Four Gods

Oracle's Destiny

By: Sapphire

Part Ten ~ Revelations

The trio stayed in the cave three days. The rest did them all good, and though two of the three believed they should stay longer, the other insisted he was up to traveling. The going was slow as they resumed their journey. The stops were more frequent, and they made camp earlier in the evening than they had before the encounter with Sekihei. Still, they made enough distance to make it bearable.

The stars of the Four Gods were drawing closer together. Aneko noted their progress in the night sky as time passed. Each night the worries nagging at the back of her mind grew louder while the pressure she felt to accomplish her goals became stronger. Neither Tasuki nor Chichiri seemed to feel it, and that bothered Aneko all the more.

Worse, as she worried over the aligning stars, dreams of Minoru and Marise came frequently. Some were like that passionate night with the stars shining down on them through the open window. Some were of happy moments; dancing, strolling, laughing, and love. Others were tinged with sadness, though Aneko never really remembered those dreams when she woke. She only remembered the sadness they left in her heart, and that the sadness she was feeling had belonged to Marise.

One night, standing on an open hilltop in the light of the full moon, Aneko gazed up at the sky, worry lines etched across her forehead, as she studied the heavenly lights above her. She figured the stars would align at the new moon. That gave her just two weeks to figure out what Suzaku had told her. She hoped it would be enough.

"Thinking about the star alignment again, no da?" Chichiri asked. Aneko wasn't surprised he'd followed her. Either he or Tasuki usually did when she strayed on her own.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm running out of time."

"If you're right about the alignment," Chichiri pointed out. "Suzaku didn't mention the alignment at all." Aneko responded with silence. They'd been through this more than a dozen times. Chichiri stepped closer. "If Suzaku didn't mention it-"

"Why would Suzaku tell you everything?" Aneko cut him off. "He's a god. He can tell you as much or as little as he wants."

"We don't have any good reason to believe the alignment is important, no da," Chichiri tried to reason. "It could just be a coincidence."

"It's an awfully big coincidence," Aneko said in a cold tone. "I can't explain how I know. I just do." She walked away from him, angry, and found a place to sit in the lush meadow grass. "Why won't he just listen to me?" She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, then bent her head down, resting her forehead on her knees.

Chichiri instantly regretted not listening to Aneko the moment he realized she was crying. He hadn't realized she was so certain about those four stars. Things had been awkward between them ever since they'd been on Mt. Daikyoku. They were steadily getting worse. He had to fix it, he realized, and now was as good a time as any. Quietly, he followed after her, and stood beside her. She didn't make a sound, but the slight shudder of her shoulders told him she was still in tears.

"Aneko," he whispered, taking his mask from his face and stowing it among the folds of his kesa. He waited patiently for her to acknowledge him. When she looked up, her eyelashes were still damp with tears, though she'd composed herself enough to face him. "Do you feel that strongly about those stars?"

"Yes I do," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life, and neither you nor Tasuki will take me seriously."

"I'm sorry. I should have listened to you, no da," Chichiri said. "We'll figure everything out before the alignment." Aneko managed a half smile and he held out a hand to help her up. She accepted. "I want to apologize for something else while I'm at it, no da."

"If you want," Aneko allowed.

"That night on Mt. Daikyouku- If I-"

"I'm the one that should be sorry for that," Aneko said quickly. "I should have known the difference. I can't tell you how sorry I am. It was a terrible way to repay all your kindness, mistaking you for someone else like that; someone who's dead."

"No, it's not your fault, no da," Chichiri countered. "You didn't do anything, no da. I'm sorry if I made you think you did." She seemed surprised by his words.

"But it is my fault," she argued. "You're so good and decent, you pretended it was nothing. It was no use. I saw the look on your face... Not even your mask could hide it." Two tears escaped her rapidly blinking eyes. Chichiri just shook his head, then pulled her into a half embrace with one arm.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yes I did. I saw your face. All because I was too absorbed in myself to realize-" She was silenced with a kiss. At first Aneko was so surprised she froze, but when Chichiri pulled away, she reached up and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him back to return his kiss. She didn't know why she never realized before that moment that she had feelings for him. She supposed she'd been too self absorbed to notice. Maybe she'd been in denial. Whatever the reason, she couldn't avoid the truth anymore.

To Chichiri, it felt so strange. It had been so long since he'd kissed a woman, but somehow it felt very right. He had loved Tenmei, he had no doubt of that, and he still did, but she was gone. He'd been attracted to Aneko from the beginning. He was a man, and she was an attractive woman, it was natural that he was drawn to her. Now, he realized, he was beginning to love her. Chichiri wanted to forget what had happened on Mt. Daikyoku. He held her tight, forgetting everything but her, and that moment. He didn't release his hold even after their lips parted. She rested her head on his shoulder, her arms loose about his waist. Time seemed to stand still, waiting for one of them to move and set it in motion once again.

Eventually Aneko untangled herself from his embrace and they stood facing each other in an awkward moment. Chichiri half expected Aneko to slap him. Even if her fiancé was dead, he really hadn't any right to kiss her like that. He wasn't even sure what had possessed him to do it. All he knew was that he didn't regret it, and never would.

"Chichiri," she whispered. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze, afraid she might be upset with him. "Chichiri?" she tried again, this time quieter. "Will you kiss me again?" Chichiri looked up sharply.

"You're not angry?" She shook her head.

"Are you sorry?" Chichiri shook his head. She smiled softly and slipped her hand into one of his. As far as he was concerned, there was no reason to deny her request.

~~~~~

To be continued…

End Notes:

Feel free to review! ~Sapphire