I think this is going to be the final update for the night - I'll try and catch up later in the week, but I can not guarantee anything :/

Enjoy none-the-less!

Another Side

Chapter 36

Festival Lights

Miaka didn't sleep the entire night, snuggled into Igneous' lap as she stared into space, lost in her own thoughts. Igneous didn't speak to Miaka, allowing her to come to her when Miaka wanted to. Eventually, Miaka mumbled to Igneous what Tai-itsu told her, how she had to be pure in order for the ceremony to work, how Tamahome asked her to be his wife, and how she didn't know how she could go on after doing such a horrendous thing to Tamahome.

Igneous, after feeling sorry for Miaka, grew furious.

There was nothing more pure than true fucking love, and here was this stupid old hag telling a fifteen year old girl that she couldn't be in love with her fucking soulmate and -

Igneous had to stop her thoughts there, brows furrowing. How could she know that Tamahome and Miaka were soulmates? For all the redhead knew, this was a stupid fling that Miaka would forget about as soon as she was back home.

Who was she kidding with that kind of stupid thinking? The two idiots loved each other, like, really loved each other, and it was obvious to anybody that watched them. Igneous sighed a little bit more, her eyes half lidded as she petted Miaka's hair, trying to get her to go to sleep but knowing it was impossible now.

Her eyes strayed along Miaka's body line, seeing her tense and relax in reflection of the turmoil in her mind, idly following along the red string that wrapped tightly around her pinkie finger. By the time Igneous got to her hip, she had to blink and look again.

Yep.

The red string was definitely there, shining brightly around Miaka's slim pinky finger. It trailed out of the bedroom, but not loosely, but not taught either.

This… this was weird.

Igneous glanced down at Miaka, to see if she could see it as well, but there was nothing in Miaka's gaze that said she could see such a thing. Maybe this was another Suzaku thing that Igneous could do? Or was it just for Miaka?

Seeing as how there wasn't a second string trailing out of the room, Igneous figured that this was just a Miaka-only thing as well.

Whatever, not the weirdest thing that has happened lately.

Miaka left the room when the sun had been rising for an hour, her eyes blank but smile small. She thanked Igneous for comforting her, but also pleaded with her to make sure none of the others knew.

Igneous knew that Miaka specifically meant Tamahome, but didn't call her friend out on it – if Miaka wanted to work through this with Tai-itsu's 'warning' of being 'pure' or whatever, then Igneous would have to let Miaka do it her way.

Didn't mean that she would try and interfere, however. Igneous was willing to completely ignore the old woman to make sure her friend would be happy – and if that meant Tai-itsu's wrath would come down on the redhead? Well, the old hag could damn well fuck off.

Igneous sighed, getting out of bed and rubbing her eyes. She stayed up with Miaka, after all, and honestly she probably needed the sleep, but they had the time before heading to Hokkan for whatever they were grabbing for the ceremony. The redhead slipped on some clean clothes, traveling out of the room in search of some food.

Her task was sidetracked by finding both Tasuki and Nuriko with bruises on their faces, whining about friends not taking jokes or whatever it was that happened. Sighing, she knelt down and checked their heads, gently prodding and poking them. "I don't know what you two did, but don't provoke whoever it is anymore."

"I didn' provoke anybody! It was all Nuriko!" Igneous raised a brow at Nuriko, wanting an explanation.

"Yeah, the bandit's right. There just seemed to be this huge gap between Miaka and Tamahome earlier, and I thought that Tamahome did something to make her angry at him or whatever."

Igneous could only stare at Nuriko blankly. Nuriko laughed in response, though it was very nervous.

She helped the two men up, shaking her head. "Just… leave it be, alright?" As she led the two to Mitsukake, her attention was snagged by a bright red string. She was stealthy as she followed the string to Nuriko's ankle, the string slightly loose like Miaka's was.

Well…

Igneous furrowed her brows, her thoughts spinning millions of miles an hour. What was this weird thing she was seeing now? Suzaku didn't say anything about this particular power, and to be frank, it made Igneous kind of uncomfortable knowing she could find people's soulmates if she told anybody about them.

Another secret to keep then.

Igneous was beginning to become weary from carrying these secrets. She left the two idiots in Mitsukake's care, letting the man berate them in her place as she wandered off into the palace.

The palace, while extravagant and beautiful, was large and somehow easy to get lost into. Igneous scowled, her stomach grumbling softly.

It was weird – being in this world, Igneous didn't have to go hungry because focusing on a cramping stomach was so much easier than aching wounds, and she had gotten used to having food whenever she wanted it. Igneous decided then that she would just find some maid or something and ask them to bring her some food. That would be easier than wandering the palace like a simpleton.

Igneous stepped outside, the sun shining brightly at this point. She smiled slightly, walking along the walkway towards the gardens. She stopped in surprise, blinking, as she saw Chichiri fishing in a pond and sitting on the highest stone above said pond.

She climbed over the railing, carefully making her way over to Chichiri and climbing up the rocks so she could sit next to the enigmatic man. "Hey Chichiri." Chichiri didn't say anything, just watching the pond before them.

It was still and silent, and Igneous didn't think that she could see any fish swimming through the waters. Igneous shrugged, figuring it was like a relaxing past time or something for the elder man. It wasn't her place to ask, and frankly, Igneous didn't really mind the weird habit.

Fishing wasn't necessarily hurting anybody, so Igneous let it be.

Soon, they were joined by Miaka, who sat on the other side of Chichiri.

It was silent between the three of them before Miaka nervously started with, "Um, are they biting?"

Once again, Chichiri didn't say anything. Igneous raised a brow, a bit confused at this turn of events.

"Hey, Chichiri? I've been curious about that mask you've always been wearing."

Good going, Miaka, Igneous thought, not sure if she wanted to be embarrassed for her or laugh with Miaka. Chichiri also seemed to be giving her a look of 'why did you ask me that' despite having no eyes to express.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to overstep! But I've been fascinated that you've always had a smile on your face..." Miaka turned away, her eyes dimming as she stared at the tree. "I would like one like that." Igneous stared in surprise at this; why would her happy-go-lucky friend need a mask with a smile when she always was smiling?

And yet… Miaka wasn't smiling now.

"When I heard that Yui loved Tamahome, I was ready to stay away from him for her, but well… He made that kind of hard, loving me over her." She leaned forward, both Igneous and Chichiri watching her closely now. "I… I love both of them. I thought that if I stayed out of the way, they could love each other and none of us would lose each other."

Igneous had to furrow her brow at that, trying to make sense of what she just said. Miaka's logic seemed to follow thus: Yui liked Tamahome, but Miaka liked Tamahome. However, since Miaka is completely self-sacrificing, she would step out of the way, and somehow, Tamahome would begin to like Yui and then they would be together?

Yeah, the redhead was missing the jump in logic there, but whatever.

"We're doing everything here for each other, and I thought it would be fair, ya know? To be frank with them… telling them that 'I can do this' no matter what." Igneous ached to reach across and gather Miaka into her arms, give her the comfort that her friend obviously sought from Tamahome but was now no longer able to receive. "Am I being silly? Or am I just thinking in circles?"

The chirping birds were their only answers for a bit, the wind rustling the trees that dotted the small garden the three of them sat in.

"Ya know… You're not to blame, neither is Yui." Both girls turned to Chichiri, wandering what it was that the man was going into. "You can't compare friendship and romantic love, though it is written already who you love and who you lose." Chichiri took off his mask, setting it gently in his lap as he pointed at the gnarled scar that disfigured his left eye.

"This scar," he said, a soft smile on his face. "Will always remind me of that lesson."

"What happened?" Igneous asked softly, brows furrowed in worry.

"I was much like Tamahome when I was younger. I had a fiance and a best friend – the three of us were nearly inseperable. I didn't think anything could divide us." Chichiri sighed. "But one day, everything was destroyed. My best friend loved my fiance, much in the same situation you are in now."

A shiver went down Igneous' spine as Miaka asked what had happened next.

"...I lost myself." His words were soft, full of self-loathing and guilt. "I killed my best friend with my own two hands."

There was nothing to be said to something like that – what could be said?

"During that time, I received a scar. It was as he was dying that I realized how much I still loved him. This scar will always remind me of what I had lost, and how much I loved him." Chichiri plopped the mask onto his face, the same cheery smile staring at them now.

Igneous decided then and there that she hated the mask with her very being.

"To most people, the sight of my scar is disturbing, so I wear this mask, where I am always smiling." Miaka took in a deep breath, looking as if she was starting to panic right then and there. "All I can tell you is this – Yui still loves you, but she has lost herself. Her feelings for you are very strong, and her hatred matches that love." His head moved between the two of them, speaking to both of the girls. "You two are the only ones who can help her."

Someone called for Miaka, probably for breakfast. Igneous' stomach growled, reminding her of her original intent of stepping outside that day. Miaka grinned, saying, "I'll think on your words – thank you for the advice, Chichiri!"

"Oh!" Igneous turned to see Chichiri pull up a small fish. Igneous couldn't help but smile, seeing the tiny thing wriggle. Seems like there are fish in the pond after all.

"Want to join us for breakfast, Chichiri?" Igneous stood up, lending a hand to help the man up. Chichiri tossed the small fish back into the pond, accepting her hand. "Thanks, by the way."

"For?"

"Easing her mind, at least a little bit. I try as much as I can, but Miaka doubts herself a lot, and I think it helps for her to look up to someone other than me." Igneous gave Chichiri a small smile. "So, ya know, thanks."

"No problem, no da!"

The dresses were soft, swaying around her legs as they walked along the town at night. The lights were as bright as the laughter and conversation around them, the festival bringing a lightness to their days that had been sorely missed.

"The festival is so cool! Too bad Tamahome didn't come..."

Igneous frowned – there was so much about her heart that needed to be soothed.

Tasuki scoffed, eyes roving around the crowd as, nearby, Nuriko scarfed on something that looked delicious. "He's sulking." That… made sense, really. Tasuki brought an arm to lay across Igneous' shoulders, the two of them making sure they didn't stray too far from each other.

Nuriko seemed to finish whatever it was he was eating, as he joined the three of them saying, "well we can't stay too long anyways. Can't be too tired for the journey." He dragged Igneous and Miaka into his arms, all of them grinning.

"Let's go party then!"

The first thing that drew Miaka's attention was a crowd of people, ringing around a couple of people that looked to be lifting some items that looked to be easily twice their weight. Miaka, of course, pointed it out.

They all grinned at each other – this would be too easy.

Nuriko stepped forward, easily hefting both the muscled man and the large object he was holding up above him. The crowd cheered, all of them yelling and booing in turns. "And this goes to the young woman with the braid!"

Igneous had to grin, seeing Nuriko blush with pride at being called a woman and besting a man. That would probably never get old, really. The people gave him what looked like flowers and a bag that jingled. Igneous turned to Miaka, but stopped in her place, seeing her friend walk away to what looked like a bridge.

The redhead glanced behind her, a frown on her lips. She wanted to go and approach, but she saw a familiar man walk up behind her. Tamahome.

Where one was, the other wasn't far.

Igneous kept watch, seeing a shimmer appear and coalesce into a red line that pulled taut between Miaka and Tamahome. While the line was still wrapped around her pinky finger, the line led to Tamahome's ankle. Igneous frowned, wondering if that was significant or not.

Tamahome turned, and Miaka followed. Igneous could feel Miaka's trepidation, and it mirrored Igneous' uneasy feeling that filled her. However, it wasn't urgent like most of their other situations – it was just an uneasiness that made Igneous worry about her friend.

"Hey, Igneous?" She turned to look at Nuriko and Tasuki, who were looking at her with a worried expression. "Is everything okay, with you and Miaka?"

Sighing, Igneous ran a hand through her hair. "Me? I'll be fine – I'm more worried about Miaka and Tamahome."

"Yeah, what is up with that?"

Scowling, Igneous turned from Nuriko's question. "It's dumb and stupid and makes me want to kill someone."

"Hey, that ain't said lightly." Tasuki stepped in front of her, a frown on his face mirroring her own. "What's goin' on?"

Igneous wanted to keep her promise to keep it quiet, she really did, but she knew that she couldn't keep anything from Nuriko, least of all Tasuki. "Alright, hold on, let's find somewhere quiet to talk about this. I don't want this spreading around the empire."

The two warriors looked at each other, then nodded at her.

They went into an alley, where Igneous angrily explained Tai-itsu-san's words to Miaka, about how she had to be pure in order for the ceremony to work, how there had to be a line between the priestess and the warriors until Suzaku was summoned.

Igneous seethed, her good night ruined by Miaka's circumstances that felt more and more like bullshit the longer Igneous thought about it. An old woman with tons of magic and knowledge shouldn't dictate everything about the ceremony, least of all the love between Miaka and Tamahome!

Nuriko narrowed his eyes, sensing something about Igneous' words that seemed to be hiding a greater truth. "Tai-itsu-san has helped us out before, and her words had always rung true – why are you angry about this edict?"

Igneous bit her tongue, dropping her eyes in shame. She had to come p with something quick, otherwise the truth about her parentage was going to come out, and she was afraid that she would be ostracized, locked away. Igneous refused to be caged, not now that she found freedom in this strange and wonderful world.

"Miaka and Tamahome love each other so much, and since Suzaku is a god of love, I see no reason or logic as to why they can't love each other. The virgin thing I can somewhat understand, but not loving each other?" She looked up at Tasuki and Nuriko, the words the truth but not necessarily all of it. But Igneous knew, in her soul, that what she said was true. "Doesn't that go against Suzaku and everything he stands for?"

Neither man had an answer for her.

AND ANOTHER POWER EMERGES FOR IGNEOUS! I'm having way too much fun with this - I think this will be the last thing I will give Igneous as well, because I don't want to spend too much time keeping track of her powers - not like she has many anyways, but I don't want to overdo it.

Also, I just love all this bonding and shit. It's great.

I'm working on the next chapter as we speak, but like I said - don't count on it being later this week, it may be next week.

Anyways, enjoy and tell me what you think!

Tiryn