If you recognize it, I don't own it.
10. When it rains it pours, part 2
"No Miaka!" Sen heard her own voice scream, and it seemed her feet moved on their own as she ran and jumped to the bubble. She had intended to pop it, but she miscalculated and ended up inside the damn thing. Her head collided with Miaka's knee and for a second she saw stars.
"Sen.." She heard the other girl choke. The metallic taste of blood invaded her mouth. Not again, Sen silently cursed, as she probed her lip with her tongue. Her hand slipped out of the sling and the barely healed bones cracked again, making her groan in agony.
"It the same water as last time!" She heard Tasuki yell.
"What's with this stuff...? Even I can't move in it!" Nuriko said as he fought the stream. Sen turned her gaze from Miaka to the fighting sheishi.
"Chichiri.." She couldn't find him anywhere. "Oh no.." Just then he surfaced in front of them. Sen gave a relieved sigh, but it was short lived when she felt the bubble move a bit. Her worried eyes went back to the girl sitting next to her. Wide green eyes stared back at her going down to her swollen wrist, "I'm fine," Sen assured her and with a nod the priestess turned again to watch the scene in front of them.
"Hikou!" He yelled. "Don't do it! Show yourself! HIKOU!"
"What the..?" Sen exclaimed as an image of two boys on a riverbank suddenly appeared. Her eyes went wide as she recognized the scene. I've been there, she thought with horror, it's his nightmare! "Why?" The boy in the illusion said. "Why did you betray me, Hikou?" "Give her back to me!" Sen turned away. Tears were forming in her eyes. She felt Miaka wrap an arm around her.
"Stop it . . ." Chichiri cried. He threw his head back in agony. "STOP IT!" Sen turned just in time to see a column of water hit him straight to the chest. He went flying backwards.
"Ch-Chichiri! No!" Sen hit the bubble wall, but no avail, it didn't even budge. "Chichiri get up!" She cried, thankful of the arm holding her from falling to the bottom of the bubble. "Get up." She whispered. "Please.."
"Chichiri." Said a deep voice. "No, Houjun." A man with ragged wing appeared behind the two girls. "Eight years ago, you killed me like that. Now, I will take everything away from you. Everything that you value." he smiled. I'll take Suzaku no Miko and the angel of Suzaku. If you want them back, come to me anytime."
Sen saw Taka fight his way closer. Maybe the boy could do it.
"Miaka!" He yelled, reaching out for them.
"Taka!" Miaka responded, just before water engulfed the bubble.
"No!" Sen screamed. She hit the wall of the bubble repeatedly with her good hand until she felt her knuckles crack. "No no no..." Tears were falling down her cheek, the blood from the cut of her lip was colouring her shirt pink.
"Calm down." She heard the girl say. Arms wrapped around her and she was pulled to a very wet embrace. "Calm down. It's ok. He's ok."
"How-How do you know?" Sen asked.
Miaka smiled as she pulled the sling back to its original place. "I'm his priestess. I'd know if something happened to him." It was then when Sen realised the little girl really was a priestess. She was her junior by many years, but she was calmer and more adult than her at that moment. Sen sniffled. Calm down, she urged herself.
It didn't work very well.
---
Tenkou sat bathing in a cave of blood. He laughed to himself, staring up at the ceiling. "Hikou seems to be doing well." He lifted his hand up, watching at the blood trickling down his arm. "Suzaku warriors . . . how pathetic they are. They can't compare to me."
He leaned to a square column.
"And the angel of Suzaku.." He smiled. "Could have stopped me once, but now.. Pathetic little girl. No match for me anymore."
---
Sen opened her eyes as she heard Miaka yell at someone.
"Be quiet. Soon your friends will come here to help you; unless, of course, they are cowards." Was the reply the priestess got.
"You're Chichiri's best friend, aren't you?" Miaka continued. "Why are you doing this?"
"I'm not his best friend." Hikou replied in cold voice. "I became a demon who governs rain or drought, by the god Tenkou. Take a look outside of this cavern and see the water I gave life to. Right now, that power is reaching your world." Miaka gasped. Sen leaned on to her knees, trying to sort her head out when the demon continued. "I captured you two, not only to lure Chichiri, but also to attack your world through your bodies. Water that is born from my wings makes people lose their reason and pull out their evil. You already know that by Tasuki."
Sen felt her anger rise up. "Fuck you!" She banged the wall of the bubble so hard that it made the demon below them jump. "Who the hell do you think you are? My friends will never be defeated by the likes of you!"
"Love between friends . . .Is nothing more than an illusion." He said. And with a wave of his hand an image appeared on the cavern wall. It was a young blond haired girl taking a bath.
"Well I would have never guessed you'd be a pervert.." Sen started to laugh, but turned to look at Miaka when the girl gasped.
"Yoi-chan.." Miaka whispered. "No! Yui-chan look out!"
"She can't hear you." Hikou smirked. "There is nothing more undependable than the human heart. Shall we peer in to this girl's true heart?" He grinned as the wings sprouted from his back. The water in the bathtub suddenly washed over the blond haired girl.
"What the..!" The girl cried.
"YUI!" Miaka screamed, making Sen jump to the end of the bubble.
"I wonder if she really was all that concerned about you." Hikuo smiled.
"Yui-chan! Fight back! Don't let the water beat you!"
"There's no shame in hypocrisy. People always put themselves first."
"Miaka?" They heard you whisper. Hikous eyes went wide with disbelief. "Is that you? It's ok, I'm right. Don't worry about me. Just do your best with Taka and the others. Believe in them and in everyone. I'll be alright here, praying for you."
"Yui-chan." Miaka whispered. Then she turned to Hikou in fury. "Let my friend go! LET HER GO!"
The image vanished from the wall. Sen stared eyes wide at the priestess, then her face softened. You really love them, don't you, she thought, your friends.
"Hikou." Miaka said in sad voice. "Do you... Do you really mistrust friends and human hearts so much..? But... Someone who gives up that hope and belief, and gives into hatred the real loser! You really prefer to live with that sort of hatred forever?"
"Miaka..." Sen whispered. And then the water started to rise. "No!" She yelled, turning to look at Hikou." You bastard, stop it!" The water reached the end of the bubble.
"Suffer." They heard him say. "The same way I suffered when I died, by the hands of a man I thought was my friend." As he finished the sentence, the rock at the end of the caver crumbled. He turned surprised to see a wave wash over him. And when the water went down, Chichiri was standing there, holding his staff in front of him. Behind him stood the two remaining warriors of Suzaku.
"Miaka." Taka called. Sen could feel the girl next to her tense up. She was running out of oxygen. What ever you do, do it quickly, she silently begged.
"Let Sen and Miaka go." Chichiri said with stern voice. "Or else I'll.."
"Or else you'll what?"
"… I'll kill you. Again." Chichiri answered.
"Fascinating." Hikou smirked. "Then you'll have to do it before they drown."
"Chichiri, we'll handle Hikou. You save Miaka and Sen!" Taka yelled, just then Tasuki thrust his tessen top the water. A wall of flames engulfed and Hikou was just able to raise his water wall to save him. With a laugh he called out for his powers, sending an attack to the two warriors. The water hit them, sending them flying down. Chichiri called out for his friends.
Sen watched with horror as the demon and the monk collected their chi for an attack.
"Chichiri No!" She heard Miaka scream. How can you scream underwater, she thought briefly. "Don't fight your friend!"
The powers hit, making water splash all over the place.
"Hikou, stop this!" The priestess begged. "Can't you see how much he still loves you! Can't you see how much this is hurting him!"
"SILENCE!" Hikou yelled at the girl.
"If you were his friend, you would understand that!" Sen continued what Miaka had started.
"Hikou." Chichiri whispered. "I swear I will save you." And vanished in front of the surprised Taka and Tasuki. His kesa flared and covered the demon out of sight. Oh no, Sen thought banging her fists to the bubble walls again. Oh no, he's going to...
"Tasuki!" They heard him yell. "Use your fan to burn my kesa! You can break the water barrier, and your flame will reach inside!"
"Whatta hell are ya saying?" Tasuki snapped. "If I do that, ya will also...!"
"Hurry up! Before Sen and Miaka...!"
"B-but.."
"No! Tasuki!" Sen yelled. "Don't! You'll kill him!" The oxygen had burnt out with her scream. Her chest felt like it was burning, black spots danced in front of her eyes. "Chichiri!" She screamed just before the darkness over took her.
"I will die from the pressure, anyway!" Chichiri cried. "Do it! Tasuki! DO IT!"
"That time.. That other time..." Tasuki muttered, an image of the dying Chiriko danced in his mind. "Shit! It's the same! SHIT!"
"Taka!" Miaka gasped, she was out of oxygen too. "Please, save Chichiri! Taka . . ." Her eyes closed and she slumped on top of Sen.
All he could do was stare at the girls. Then, without waiting for another moment, he quickly spun. "Tasuki! Do it!"
Tasuki turned to look at his friend. Takas eyes were dark and filed with determination. He nodded an encouragement, bringing Tasuki to a decision. Holding the Tessen in front of him, he yelled. "Run, Tama! REKKA SHINEN!" Fire rose from the blue cape, it reached the water barrier quickly.
"What?" hikous eyes went wide. "my barrier.. Is collapsing..?"
"Don't be afraid Hikou." Chichiri smiled, holding his friend down. "You won't be alone this time. This time, I'm not letting go of your hand." The tears were going down his face as he whispered. "The three of us will be reunited in heaven."
"Let me go.." Hikou whispered. They heard Taka running at them. "Let me go! LET ME GO HOUJUN!" He cried, just second before Takas fist collided wit his chest. Flames burned him down. With his last remaining force he pushed Chichiri away from him. "How..? How can I be destroyed by these.. Fools..?"
"Hikou.." Chichiri choked. Behind him the bubble burst, letting the two girls fall. Taka ran to capture Miaka, but Sen splashed in to the pool of water. She coughed for few times and then went silent.
"Miaka is alright!" Taka yelled before turning to look at the other girl.
"Yer crazy! All of you!" Tasuki cursed as he made his way to the girls.
"Sen." Miaka choked. "Sen wake up."
Sen's eyes fluttered open. "Is he..?" She whispered tiredly.
"Chichiri's fine, oneesan." Tasuki smiled as he gathered her to his arms. "It's ya that I worry."
"You know me, little sleep and I'll be good as new." She managed to smile, she leaned on to his soaked clothes.
"Even with that awesome power or yers, with all this shit ya'd hafta sleep fer a year to get well." He laughed.
"I intend to do just that."
"It's over no da. Hikou's dead no da." They turned to look at the monk who was wiping his face. His clothes had shredded so that there was more skin visible that fabric. Sen had to mentally slap herself to quit staring. Tasuki set her down on wobbly legs and went to help his friend.
The tired group made their way out from the place, never looking back.
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TBC
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AN: Ok, I'm done with the copycat act (eek, copying a storyline from the OVA, bad me, BAD). No more go with the storyline stuff.. Not because I'm high on moral or anything, it just harder to write than original fanfiction.. Err.. You know what I mean.. Right? Next chapter will be here soon!