Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King…Hiroyuki Takei does...but I wish I did. That would be kick azz.
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Mei Tao's body was buried in the grove near our house on the outskirts of the village Kiemi's empty grave right next to it. Word was sent to the Tao Family in China informing them of Mei and Kiemi's deaths at the hands of Shing and Jin Hu, the reputations of their families greatly decreasing as news of that spread throughout the country. Despite their violent profession, the Tao Family was greatly adored and respected.
"I am sure Chen Fai will do well as the head of the family," Kiemi said as we stood in front of her mother's grave.
"You never told me that he was to be the next head of the family," I said with a twinge of shock.
"He wasn't supposed to be," Kiemi said simply, "With the new law, there was one other before him."
"What happened to that person?" I asked with suspicion.
"Nothing important," Kiemi replied quickly.
"Kiemi," I said impatiently, "What are you hiding from me?"
"The new family law stated that the strongest of the generation would take over as head," Kiemi replied hesitantly, "For my generation…it was me."
"What?" I inquired, "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Would it have mattered?" Kiemi responded, "My decision would have been the same whether you knew it or not."
"But you could have done great things," I protested.
"It doesn't matter now," Kiemi pointed out, "It's too late."
"No, it's not," I protested, "We could tell them we made a mistake."
"No, Hao…after they heard the news of what happened, the family reverted back to the old way where the eldest son is the chosen heir," Kiemi explained, "So you see, even if you managed to change my mind, it's too late."
It was then that I fully understood all that she had given up for our love. She had given up being the head of the family; the first female in the history of the Tao Dynasty no doubt.
Is this what our love has to offer us? I pondered, Nothing but broken dreams?
"Don't feel sorry for me, Hao, because I don't," Kiemi said interrupting my thoughts, "It's what my mother would have wanted for me."
"What will you do now?" I asked.
"I think I know enough of herbs to continue what my mother and I were doing here," Kiemi replied, "That way I can at least pay your family back for letting me stay with them."
"You know you don't have to do that," I reminded her.
"I know, but I want to," was Kiemi's reply, "Besides, I have to gain your father's respect somehow."
"Don't waste your time on him," I said bitterly.
"Whether you like him or not, I still want his respect," Kiemi said, "I hope to be part of your family one day and for that to happen I want his approval."
For a while we just stood there staring into each other's eyes. I could see how important my father's approval was to her. Leaving the conversation at that, the both of us turned to her mother's grave and set down the flowers that we had brought for her.
"Ayame, a symbol of heroism," I said as Kiemi laid the flowers down, "For heraldry and royalty."
"Be at peace, mother," Kiemi added, "May you always watch over and protect us."
-#-#-#-
Soon forgetting about her former life as part of a prominent family dynasty, Kiemi did well to adapt to living in the village. The villagers were having trouble doing the same with her, though. But none of that mattered to Kiemi. Much like me, she had spent the majority of her life alone. And despite how the villagers felt about her, she never hesitated to help them whenever they needed it.
-#-#-#-
"This has been the worse winter we've ever had," my mother said with a little twinge of worry.
The wind made an eerie sound as it blew the falling snow about the area. Snow was not uncommon in the village, but this winter was greeted with an endless amount of snowfall that started as soon as the last leaf fell from the tree. It looked as if the snow wouldn't stop falling until the first flower of spring bloomed.
"If this keeps up, we'll run out of supplies," my father added, "The whole village will."
"What will we do then, if that happens?" my cousin, Yen, asked.
The winter weather was so harsh that it managed to destroy several smaller villages nearby; my cousin's being one of them. His house was in complete ruins and couldn't be fixed until the snow melted. His parents had sent him and his siblings to relatives who could spare room to wait out the winter in safety and warmth until the spring.
"We won't let it happen," Kiemi said with determination.
"What do you mean?" I asked inquisitively.
"We used to have winters like this all the time in China," Kiemi explained, "If it comes down to it, I'll go for supplies."
"No, it's too dangerous," I protested.
"Cheung will protect me, besides, what other choice do we have?" Kiemi countered, "The village can't withstand this storm for much longer."
"Why do you risk so much to help people who could care less about you?" I asked dumbfounded, "Those people would sooner see you die in this blizzard than help you."
"I'm helping them because it's what my mother would have done," Kiemi replied simply as she put on some warm clothes, "Show them some compassion, Hao."
"Why should I when they have shown none for us?" I said angrily, "They show us nothing but hate and fear."
"They fear and hate us because they do not understand us," Kiemi tried to explain. Then with an exasperated sigh she added, "We'll finish this when I get back."
"You're leaving now?" Yen asked.
"There's no better time than now before it gets worse," Kiemi said.
"At least let me come with you," I suggested.
"You're not used to this kind of weather, Hao," Kiemi pointed out, "You would only slow me down."
"She's right, son," my father agreed.
There's a first, I commented snidely to myself.
"Be careful, dear," my mother said as she opened the door.
"I'll be back soon," Kiemi said with a smile, "Don't worry too much about me."
And with that, she walked out of the door into the windy snow. Cheung was close by her side as we watched her trudge down the path and over the hills until she was out of sight.
"Come back to me safely," I said mostly to myself, "I love you, Kiemi."
-#-#-#-
"She's been gone for a long time," I said filled with worry, "She should have been back by now."
"Kiemi can take care of herself," Yen assured me, "I'm sure she's fine."
"I can still worry about her can't I?" I snapped.
"Asakura Hao, don't you talk to your cousin that way," my mother said sternly.
"I'm sorry, mother" I said apologetically, "I'm just worried about her."
"I know, Hao," my mother said sympathetically, "It's alright."
"I'm sure that even she can't go into town and back in this weather," my father added, "She may be a powerful Shaman but she's still human."
I hope she's alright, my father added in his mind, I promised Mei I'd take care of her.
He's actually worried about her? I thought to myself.
"Now I'm really worried," I said to myself.
As I looked out the window for any sign of my dear Kiemi, the snow began to fall even more, turning the harmless snowfall into a dangerous blizzard. Things didn't look too good for Kiemi. No matter how familiar she was to this kind of weather, she couldn't get back in that storm. This meant that she was going to be stuck out in the blizzard with no form of protection.
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TBC