Fushigi Yuugi: The Next Generation - Part 13
Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Yuu Watase does. I own all the new characters not from any of the series or the OVAs.
Author's Note: Yes. That was a dramatic cliffhanger. We're still in Konan. I should be heading over to Kutou in the next part. I am still drawing from the TV series. But, I did read the summaries for the OVAs, but I'll only borrow a little bit. Remember, the OVAs didn't take place. Tasuki and Chichiri are unaware that Sukunami Taka is Tamahome.
Mariko was on her knees. Her eyes were squeezed shut to keep the tears from flowing. Her hands were over her ears. She just didn't want to hear anymore. Sei stood behind her. He had a surprised look on his face.
"Dead," said Tasuki in a shocked quiet voice.
"Miaka…" said Chichiri. He took off his mask, and revealed his scar.
"No," whispered Tasuki. A tear crept down his cheek. Chichiri swallowed, and a tear came down his cheek, too.
Sei and Mariko didn't noticed that they were being watched. Sei was too focused on Mariko. 'I shouldn't have pushed her. I didn't think she'd snap like that. This isn't good for her. How could I just hurt her without thinking about it?' thought Sei.
Mariko was still stiff. Her body was starting to go limp. Sei came down to her. He hugged her from behind. He gave her a brotherly embrace. Mariko let go of her ears, but she didn't open her eyes. She whimpered. Sei started to rock her gently back and forth. They have know each other since she was born. They were playmates for as long as he could remember. Sei wondered how they stopped being friends for awhile.
Tasuki and Chichiri looked at Mariko. Tasuki wiped the tear off his face.
"No wonder she looks so familiar. She looks so much like her mother," said Tasuki in a soft voice.
Chichiri wiped the tear off his face. He didn't put his mask back on. He looked at Mariko. Another question came to his head.
"Who's her father, no da?" asked Chichiri in a normal voice.
"I don't know. What kind of man would Miaka marry? She loved Tamahome so much. I didn't think she would ever get married," said Tasuki. The pain in his chest hadn't subsided yet. There was now a void. Another missing piece.
"I still don't understand why Mariko didn't say anything sooner, no da," said Chichiri.
"I don't know," said Tasuki. He was getting angry at Mariko for not saying anything sooner. But, when he looked at her…he couldn't stay mad.
Sei continued to rock her back and forth. He began to soothe her with some words.
"I am so sorry, Mariko-chan. I never meant to hurt you. I didn't know you would get so upset. I promise I won't say anymore. I'll leave it alone. I promise. Please stop shaking," said Sei because he noticed that she wasn't crying. Her eyes were tightly shut. However, she was being soothed by Sei's words. Mariko stopped shaking. She kept her eyes closed.
"I miss my brother," whispered Mariko. Sei looked down at her. Mariko didn't open her eyes. "I miss Aunt Yui. I miss my Uncle Keisuke. I miss Uncle Tetsuya. I even miss Soki. I just want to do this and go home. I don't want any part of this world. I just want go home."
"We'll go home soon. I miss my mother, father, and brother, too. I wish I knew where Hoshi is. How he is. Just for you…I wish I knew. I am sure he's fine. He is your older brother after all. You two are made of tough stuff, Mariko-chan. Don't forget that," said Sei. He was trying his best to cheer her up.
"She has a brother, no da," said Chichiri in a whisper.
"Hoshi. That was Hotohori's character. But…she didn't say anything about her father," said Tasuki. The realization that Mariko was an orphan sank in.
"She has no parents. Miaka and her husband must have died," said Chichiri. He shook his head. It made him angry for some reason that he couldn't identify. It was an injustice.
"Keisuke. He's Miaka's elder brother. He was the one who told us to come to their world for the final battle against Nakago. Yui was saved by Miaka," said Tasuki.
"I wonder how long Miaka's been dead?" asked Chichiri.
Tasuki looked at him. They didn't know how long Miaka was dead.
Sei continued to stay with Mariko for the next few hours in the garden. They talked about what they had to do. Sei didn't leave her side for a moment. Something that Mariko was grateful for. Tasuki and Chichiri continued to watch them. They noticed some of her gestures that were like Miaka's. Whenever she smiled, both Tasuki and Chichiri sighed.
* * *
Later on that evening, everyone was having dinner in one of the formal dining room of the palace. Mariko was feeling much better. Sei was doing almost anything to keep her happy. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at her with concerned. They wanted to make sure that she was all right. Hono'o and Odayaka didn't seem to notice some of the tension in the room. Tasuki decided to start a conversation about Miaka to see what kind of reaction Mariko would give.
"The last Suzaku no Miko had a lot of trouble summoning the god. Then again, she was up against her best friend and Nakago. She was really something. Her will was surprisingly strong. She was also a bit of clumsy. But, she was always so bright and cheerful," said Tasuki fondly. He was looking at Mariko. She had stiffen slightly, and her eyes were devoid of any emotion. She didn't even look up from her food. She hadn't eaten much. 'She doesn't have Miaka's appetite,' thought Tasuki.
"Where are you going to go first?" asked Chichiri diverting the conversation away from Miaka. He looked at Tasuki. Sei was looking at the both of them. He knew that they knew something.
"The first we need is to get some weapons. There's a blacksmith that we have to go hunting for, but it's a good place to start," said Odayaka.
"I think I know a good place to start looking for that blacksmith," said Hono'o confidently. Tasuki didn't catch the smirk his daughter made.
"Well, let's all get some sleep. It's been a very busy day," said Sei.
Everyone went their separate ways.
Odayaka and Sei walked Mariko back to her chambers. Tasuki told Hono'o to go home on her own. He said that he had some more business to take care off. Hono'o gave her father a strange look, but went on her way home. Chichiri and Tasuki walked down to Sei's chambers to intercept him, and get some answers to their questions. They were surprised to see Sei waiting for them outside his chambers.
"You two want to talk to me about my godmother, Sukunami Miaka. Come inside," said Sei. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at him. Sei opened the doors to his chambers, and they followed him.
"I heard you guys in the background. I didn't notice for awhile. But, I didn't say anything. Mariko was already upset to begin with," said Sei as he sat down in one of the chairs. Tasuki and Chichiri sat down in some other chairs.
"What happened to Miaka?" asked Tasuki.
"She died. A long time ago. Mariko was only a baby, and her brother was only three years old. Mariko has no memories of her mother. She's usually so happy and optimistic. My mother says that she gets it from Aunt Miaka," remarked Sei with a smile on his face.
"Her husband was with her, no da?" asked Chichiri.
"Yes. They were in a horrible accident. It was someone else's fault. Mariko and her brother, Hoshi, were left to their uncle, Yuki Keisuke. He's my godfather. My father and he are best friends," said Sei.
"Wait. This is confusing. Who's godparents to who?" asked Tasuki.
"They all are. My mother chose Aunt Miaka to be my godmother. My father picked my Uncle Keisuke. I also called my Aunt Miaka's husband, Uncle Taka," said Sei.
"Taka? Sukunami Taka," said Tasuki feeling out the name of Miaka's husband.
"He must have been something if Miaka married him, no da. She was so in love with one of her other seishi, Tamahome, no da," stated Chichiri thoughtfully.
Sei said nothing to this remark. He knew that Taka was Tamahome, but didn't want to say anything. 'Besides, they want to know about Aunt Miaka, not Uncle Taka,' thought Sei.
"I think being here is what is making Mariko doubt herself. She's usually so confident. In school, she's one of the smartest people in our class. We got in the school our mothers couldn't get into. She's an honors student. Her brother went to the same high school as our mothers. He's going to another school. A university. He is studying a foreign language. It's called English. Hoshi is a martial artist. He's a seishi, too," said Sei.
"A seishi?" asked Tasuki.
Sei smiled. He liked what he was about to say.
"He's a seishi for the Seiryuu no Miko," stated Sei simply.
"What the Hell?!" exclaimed Tasuki.
"He's on the wrong side, no da. Shouldn't he be a Suzaku seishi?," said Chichiri who was superdeformed.
"Like I should be a Seiryuu seishi?" questioned Sei with a smirk on his face.
"So, she's up against her own brother," said Tasuki rubbing his chin. "What did the gods do put all the names in a hat and drew them?"
"No. This is a whole new game. So, to speak. All the groups must eventually work together. We're just separated to gather up the seishi, shinzahou, and summoning scroll. There are no enemies here. We're all on the same side," said Sei.
* * *
Somewhere in the shadows, there is a tall woman standing on one of the tree branches in the gardens. She is encased in black cloak. Her face is hidden. She heard everything that Sei, Chichiri, and Tasuki discussed.
'So, the Suzaku no Miko has doubts. I have seen the other mikos. They are too strong to attack. I would have to directly attack them. But, with the Suzaku no Miko…I can get them from the inside. Her will is obviously weaker than the others. The Genbu no Miko may lack intelligence, but her will is the strongest. The Seiryuu no Miko is the second strongest. If I do anything to her, then her will might become stronger than the Genbu no Miko. The Byakko no Miko appears to be weak. Looks can be deceiving. I see potential in her. That leaves the Suzaku no Miko. How ironic…her mother was the strongest willed out of the four original mikos. Now, the new Suzaku no Miko has the weakest will. I'll exploit her weakness,' analyzed the woman. She teleported out of the gardens.
* * *
The night before they had to leave, Mariko was feeling restless. Her doubts were growing each day that they were there. Sei made her feel better. Mariko smiled about that. She wandered around the palace. It was pretty quiet. The guards were on alert. She didn't worry about that. By now everyone knew who Mariko was.
"Ah!" gasped Mariko. Someone had surprised her from behind.
"Sorry. I just saw you walking around by yourself. You looked like you could use some company," said Odayaka with a gentle smile. His gold-hazel eyes twinkled under the moonlight.
"I couldn't sleep. I always walk to calm myself down," said Mariko.
"Do you want me to walk with you, Mariko?" offered Odayaka.
"Sure," answered Mariko with a nod.
The two of them walked through the palace together. Odayaka talked about the arrangements. He kept reassuring her that everything was taken care of. Mariko said that she wasn't worried about that.
"Come with me," said Odayaka. He lead her to a pair of large doors. He opened them, and let her through. The room was large and magnificent. There was cushions on the floor, a fireplace, and a large canopy bed. Mariko realized that this was Odayaka's personal chambers. She blushed slightly. But, Odayaka didn't notice, or didn't seem to care either way.
"Have a seat," said Odayaka kindly. Mariko sat on one of the cushions near the fireplace. Odayaka poured some tea for both of them. He handed Mariko a cup, and their hands brushed together for a moment.
"It's a very nice room you have," complimented Mariko as she looked at the high ceilings and pillars.
"Thanks. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something," said Odayaka as he sipped his tea. He sat across from her on one of the other cushions. There was a table in the room with chairs, but it was more comfortable on the floor.
"What about?" asked Mariko quietly.
"About your world. Sei told me a little bit. I find it so interesting. Of course, I've always been the type who always wants to know more," Odayaka answered with a soft smile.
"There really isn't much to tell. At least not from my point of view," said Mariko, "Let's see I go to school. I spend time with my family. My brother teaches me self-defense. I sometimes help my uncle with his research. Or I proof read something he writes."
"You have a brother?"
"Yes. He's a little older than you. He's tall and has dark hair. His eyes are sort of hazel. My uncle and godparents always say that he looks like my father."
"What about your father?"
"He's dead. So is my mother," whispered Mariko. She looked at her tea cup.
Odayada's eyes widened. He didn't know that her parents were dead.
"My father died. Before, I was born," said Odayaka. He looked at her.
"My father and mother died when I was a baby. I don't remember my parents at all," whispered Mariko.
"I have something that belonged to my father. I used to play with it when I was younger," said Odayaka. He stood up and put his cup down. He went to one of the closets and came back with a teddy bear. Mariko's eyes widened. It was impossible for anyone in this world to have a teddy bear.
"This belonged to the last Suzaku no Miko. She gave it to my father to remember her by," said Odayaka. He handed the old teddy bear to Mariko. Mariko took the teddy bear into her arms.
"Do you ever wonder if your father loved you before he died?" asked Mariko. It sounded like she was in desperate need of answers. She was clutching the teddy bear. It had belonged to her mother once. Her eyes were closed. Mariko felt someone's touch on her shoulders. She opened her eyes, and found him on his knees looking at her with concerned eyes.
"I never wonder if my father loved me or not. I know that he loved me. That he still loves me," said Odayaka confidently. Mariko looked at him.
"How do you know that?" asked Mariko.
"Because my father's spirit asked Lord Tasuki and Chichiri-sensei to watch over me," said Odayaka simply. He stared straight into her eyes. 'They're almost green. Green and sad,' thought Odayaka. He let his arms dropped to his sides. He didn't know what to do to make her feel better. Actually, Odayaka really didn't have much experience with girls. He was always doing his studies and work. He was too busy to care. Not that he thought of Mariko that way. He just wanted to feel better. Mariko bit her lower lip. Odayaka sighed. He felt awful that he couldn't do much else to make her feel better.
"Here is your bear," said Mariko softly breaking the silence. He looked at her, and took the bear back. She stood up to leave.
"Mariko…I think your parents loved you very much. I believe that all the people who have left us in death still watch over us. I know that it sounds strange that I would believe something like that, but I do believe that," said Odayaka solemnly.
Mariko left, but as she did she gave him a smile. Odayaka smiled back. He got ready for bed. It was a dreamless night for both of them.
* * *
It was earlier in the morning when everyone got up to get ready to leave. Odayaka insisted on providing horses for the journey. They had packed lightly for the journey. Odayaka picked two of the imperial guards to take with them. He picked guards that would listen to his orders, and report nothing to the council. Odayaka selected guards he could trust. Their names were Shen Tannai and Zhu Mingkai. Unfortunately, they had to travel in full uniform even though Odayaka was going to wear the clothes that Sei had selected in the market.
Odayaka had to admit he felt more comfortable in the new clothes than he did his regular clothes. 'Sei does have excellent taste. He thought of everything even the boots and cloak,' mused Odayaka.
Sei was watching the grooms bring out the horses. They were very large horses. Sei wondered if he could still ride one. He knew that Mariko knew how to ride a little bit. The horses had royal straps on them. Sei shook his head.
"What's wrong, Sei?" asked Odayaka. He had teleported into the stables. He usually walked, but today he felt like teleporting.
"AH! Don't scare me like that!" exclaimed Sei in surprise.
"Sorry," said Odayaka. He was superdeformed.
"I was thinking about the horses. Look at all the royal junk on them. You must as well say 'Look at me! I'm the Emperor!'" remarked Sei.
"You're right. This won't do. I wanted to travel incognito. Get some of the older saddles out from over there," ordered Odayaka as he pointed to the storage room, "I'll take off the straps."
Sei smiled and went to the storage room. He really liked Odayaka. Sei expected him to be snooty and full of himself. But, Odayaka was far from that. He was so causal and easygoing. He didn't act like royalty. Odayaka was a hands on sort of person.
The horses were prepared and brought to the front courtyard. Odayaka and Sei saw that Tasuki's family was there. Chichiri and his cat was there. Shen and Zhu were also waiting. Mariko came out of the palace she was were some cotton dress with some pants underneath. Hono'o was wearing pants and boots. She usually dressed in dresses, but preferred pants. All of them bowed when they saw Odayaka.
"We're ready to go," announced Odayaka. Someone came running to the front courtyard carrying something. Odayaka's eyes widened when he realized it was his mother.
"Mother?" asked Odayaka. Empress Houki was dressed in sweeping purple and white robes. She gazed at her son. She knew from the first day the miko had arrived, and saved her son. She knew that he was a seishi.
"Take this with you," said Houki softly. She handed him a sword. Odayaka took the sword from her. "It belonged to your father. It's the Deity sword."
Odayaka stood there speechless. He had never really heard her talk.
"Thank you, Mother," said Odayaka. Before he could do anything his mother had locked him into an embrace. Odayaka hugged his mother back. Houki pulled back from him. She stood on her toes to give him a kiss on his cheek. Odayaka lowered himself to receive it.
"Come back in one piece, my son. I'll shall pray for you, Boushin. Odayaka. I'll pray for all of you," said Houki as she looked at all Mariko, Sei, and Hono'o. "Thank you for saving my son," added Houki as she looked at Mariko. Mariko's cheeks went red.
"You're welcome, your Highness," stammered Mariko as she bowed to her. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at this with some interest. They had almost forgotten that Mariko had saved Odayaka's life earlier. Sei knew about it, but he didn't have such a hard time about it. He knew that it was a way for a seishi to be found. Hono'o knew nothing about it. So, she gave them a strange look.
"Well, let's get going," said Tasuki. Odayaka helped Mariko onto a horse. Sei got on his horse without trouble. Odayaka bowed to Chichiri. He gave a reassuring look to his mother.
"Your training and apprenticeship has concluded. May Suzaku go with you," said Chichiri.
"Thank you for every thing Master Chichiri. Thank you also, Lord Tasuki," said Odayaka as he bowed. He mounted his horse.
"This is for you, Hono'o," said Tasuki. He brought out his tessen. Hono'o looked at her father surprised. Only her father could use the tessen. She didn't think she could. Tasuki placed her hand on the tessen. She could feel the energy on it. It was a tingle.
"Father, are you sure she can use it?" asked Wangshi.
"Yeah. We don't know if she can use it," agreed Lingsu.
"Besides, she's already can set things on fire, Father," added Tiaowo.
"LEKKA SHINEN!" shouted Hono'o as she flamed her three brothers at once. She didn't even use her powers. It was the iron fan.
They were now all black and superdeformed.
"I guess she can use it," coughed Wangshi.
"That's just great," intoned Lingsu.
"Wonderful…ah," added Tiaowo. All three of them sank to the ground.
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" shouted Tasuki happily.
Everyone else was sweatdropped.
"Be careful. Do everything that your miko tells you, Hono'o," said Tasuki in a serious tone. Hono'o hugged her father. He held her tightly, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Hono'o let go, and went to go hug her mother. Ling gave her daughter a firm embrace, and a kiss on her other cheek.
"We love you," said Ling.
"Yeah. You come back in one piece, baby sister," remarked Tiaowo. He was the first one to recover from being flamed by Hono'o. He hugged her.
"I'll help you get on your horse," said Lingsu. Hono'o let him pick her up and set her on her horse. He kissed her on her forehead when he picked her up.
"We'll wait for you right here at home. Come back soon," said Wangshi as he made sure that the saddle was on properly. Hono'o lowered her head, and Wangshi gave her a kiss on the cheek.
The four of them rode off with the two imperial guards. Everyone else waved until they were no longer visible.
~*ClareBear's*~
I have special guest star.
Tamahome: Who was that woman in the garden?
Miaka: I don't like this. She's an enemy.
Nuriko: But, why?
Hotohori: I thought it was in everyone's best interest to save our world.
Mitsukake: They better be careful.
Chiriko: She knows them pretty well.
Tamahome: But, why did she wait until now to show up?
Nakago: Because we villains like to show up fashionable late.
Tamahome: Nakago!
Hotohori: What are you doing here?
Nakago: I was supposed to be here earlier for my guest appearance, but I decided to come now. Remember, I didn't show up until a little later.
Nuriko: That's right! Get out of here.
Tamahome: YES! STOP AND GET OUT OF THIS OMAKE! RIGHT NOW!
(Nakago throws a blue spirit ball at them.)
Hotohori: How is that possible?
Tamahome: I can't throw a spirit ball.
Nakago: It's very simple.
Everyone: What?
Nakago: ClareBear let me. She likes me better than you.
Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. Yuu Watase does. I own all the new characters not from any of the series or the OVAs.
Author's Note: Yes. That was a dramatic cliffhanger. We're still in Konan. I should be heading over to Kutou in the next part. I am still drawing from the TV series. But, I did read the summaries for the OVAs, but I'll only borrow a little bit. Remember, the OVAs didn't take place. Tasuki and Chichiri are unaware that Sukunami Taka is Tamahome.
Mariko was on her knees. Her eyes were squeezed shut to keep the tears from flowing. Her hands were over her ears. She just didn't want to hear anymore. Sei stood behind her. He had a surprised look on his face.
"Dead," said Tasuki in a shocked quiet voice.
"Miaka…" said Chichiri. He took off his mask, and revealed his scar.
"No," whispered Tasuki. A tear crept down his cheek. Chichiri swallowed, and a tear came down his cheek, too.
Sei and Mariko didn't noticed that they were being watched. Sei was too focused on Mariko. 'I shouldn't have pushed her. I didn't think she'd snap like that. This isn't good for her. How could I just hurt her without thinking about it?' thought Sei.
Mariko was still stiff. Her body was starting to go limp. Sei came down to her. He hugged her from behind. He gave her a brotherly embrace. Mariko let go of her ears, but she didn't open her eyes. She whimpered. Sei started to rock her gently back and forth. They have know each other since she was born. They were playmates for as long as he could remember. Sei wondered how they stopped being friends for awhile.
Tasuki and Chichiri looked at Mariko. Tasuki wiped the tear off his face.
"No wonder she looks so familiar. She looks so much like her mother," said Tasuki in a soft voice.
Chichiri wiped the tear off his face. He didn't put his mask back on. He looked at Mariko. Another question came to his head.
"Who's her father, no da?" asked Chichiri in a normal voice.
"I don't know. What kind of man would Miaka marry? She loved Tamahome so much. I didn't think she would ever get married," said Tasuki. The pain in his chest hadn't subsided yet. There was now a void. Another missing piece.
"I still don't understand why Mariko didn't say anything sooner, no da," said Chichiri.
"I don't know," said Tasuki. He was getting angry at Mariko for not saying anything sooner. But, when he looked at her…he couldn't stay mad.
Sei continued to rock her back and forth. He began to soothe her with some words.
"I am so sorry, Mariko-chan. I never meant to hurt you. I didn't know you would get so upset. I promise I won't say anymore. I'll leave it alone. I promise. Please stop shaking," said Sei because he noticed that she wasn't crying. Her eyes were tightly shut. However, she was being soothed by Sei's words. Mariko stopped shaking. She kept her eyes closed.
"I miss my brother," whispered Mariko. Sei looked down at her. Mariko didn't open her eyes. "I miss Aunt Yui. I miss my Uncle Keisuke. I miss Uncle Tetsuya. I even miss Soki. I just want to do this and go home. I don't want any part of this world. I just want go home."
"We'll go home soon. I miss my mother, father, and brother, too. I wish I knew where Hoshi is. How he is. Just for you…I wish I knew. I am sure he's fine. He is your older brother after all. You two are made of tough stuff, Mariko-chan. Don't forget that," said Sei. He was trying his best to cheer her up.
"She has a brother, no da," said Chichiri in a whisper.
"Hoshi. That was Hotohori's character. But…she didn't say anything about her father," said Tasuki. The realization that Mariko was an orphan sank in.
"She has no parents. Miaka and her husband must have died," said Chichiri. He shook his head. It made him angry for some reason that he couldn't identify. It was an injustice.
"Keisuke. He's Miaka's elder brother. He was the one who told us to come to their world for the final battle against Nakago. Yui was saved by Miaka," said Tasuki.
"I wonder how long Miaka's been dead?" asked Chichiri.
Tasuki looked at him. They didn't know how long Miaka was dead.
Sei continued to stay with Mariko for the next few hours in the garden. They talked about what they had to do. Sei didn't leave her side for a moment. Something that Mariko was grateful for. Tasuki and Chichiri continued to watch them. They noticed some of her gestures that were like Miaka's. Whenever she smiled, both Tasuki and Chichiri sighed.
* * *
Later on that evening, everyone was having dinner in one of the formal dining room of the palace. Mariko was feeling much better. Sei was doing almost anything to keep her happy. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at her with concerned. They wanted to make sure that she was all right. Hono'o and Odayaka didn't seem to notice some of the tension in the room. Tasuki decided to start a conversation about Miaka to see what kind of reaction Mariko would give.
"The last Suzaku no Miko had a lot of trouble summoning the god. Then again, she was up against her best friend and Nakago. She was really something. Her will was surprisingly strong. She was also a bit of clumsy. But, she was always so bright and cheerful," said Tasuki fondly. He was looking at Mariko. She had stiffen slightly, and her eyes were devoid of any emotion. She didn't even look up from her food. She hadn't eaten much. 'She doesn't have Miaka's appetite,' thought Tasuki.
"Where are you going to go first?" asked Chichiri diverting the conversation away from Miaka. He looked at Tasuki. Sei was looking at the both of them. He knew that they knew something.
"The first we need is to get some weapons. There's a blacksmith that we have to go hunting for, but it's a good place to start," said Odayaka.
"I think I know a good place to start looking for that blacksmith," said Hono'o confidently. Tasuki didn't catch the smirk his daughter made.
"Well, let's all get some sleep. It's been a very busy day," said Sei.
Everyone went their separate ways.
Odayaka and Sei walked Mariko back to her chambers. Tasuki told Hono'o to go home on her own. He said that he had some more business to take care off. Hono'o gave her father a strange look, but went on her way home. Chichiri and Tasuki walked down to Sei's chambers to intercept him, and get some answers to their questions. They were surprised to see Sei waiting for them outside his chambers.
"You two want to talk to me about my godmother, Sukunami Miaka. Come inside," said Sei. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at him. Sei opened the doors to his chambers, and they followed him.
"I heard you guys in the background. I didn't notice for awhile. But, I didn't say anything. Mariko was already upset to begin with," said Sei as he sat down in one of the chairs. Tasuki and Chichiri sat down in some other chairs.
"What happened to Miaka?" asked Tasuki.
"She died. A long time ago. Mariko was only a baby, and her brother was only three years old. Mariko has no memories of her mother. She's usually so happy and optimistic. My mother says that she gets it from Aunt Miaka," remarked Sei with a smile on his face.
"Her husband was with her, no da?" asked Chichiri.
"Yes. They were in a horrible accident. It was someone else's fault. Mariko and her brother, Hoshi, were left to their uncle, Yuki Keisuke. He's my godfather. My father and he are best friends," said Sei.
"Wait. This is confusing. Who's godparents to who?" asked Tasuki.
"They all are. My mother chose Aunt Miaka to be my godmother. My father picked my Uncle Keisuke. I also called my Aunt Miaka's husband, Uncle Taka," said Sei.
"Taka? Sukunami Taka," said Tasuki feeling out the name of Miaka's husband.
"He must have been something if Miaka married him, no da. She was so in love with one of her other seishi, Tamahome, no da," stated Chichiri thoughtfully.
Sei said nothing to this remark. He knew that Taka was Tamahome, but didn't want to say anything. 'Besides, they want to know about Aunt Miaka, not Uncle Taka,' thought Sei.
"I think being here is what is making Mariko doubt herself. She's usually so confident. In school, she's one of the smartest people in our class. We got in the school our mothers couldn't get into. She's an honors student. Her brother went to the same high school as our mothers. He's going to another school. A university. He is studying a foreign language. It's called English. Hoshi is a martial artist. He's a seishi, too," said Sei.
"A seishi?" asked Tasuki.
Sei smiled. He liked what he was about to say.
"He's a seishi for the Seiryuu no Miko," stated Sei simply.
"What the Hell?!" exclaimed Tasuki.
"He's on the wrong side, no da. Shouldn't he be a Suzaku seishi?," said Chichiri who was superdeformed.
"Like I should be a Seiryuu seishi?" questioned Sei with a smirk on his face.
"So, she's up against her own brother," said Tasuki rubbing his chin. "What did the gods do put all the names in a hat and drew them?"
"No. This is a whole new game. So, to speak. All the groups must eventually work together. We're just separated to gather up the seishi, shinzahou, and summoning scroll. There are no enemies here. We're all on the same side," said Sei.
* * *
Somewhere in the shadows, there is a tall woman standing on one of the tree branches in the gardens. She is encased in black cloak. Her face is hidden. She heard everything that Sei, Chichiri, and Tasuki discussed.
'So, the Suzaku no Miko has doubts. I have seen the other mikos. They are too strong to attack. I would have to directly attack them. But, with the Suzaku no Miko…I can get them from the inside. Her will is obviously weaker than the others. The Genbu no Miko may lack intelligence, but her will is the strongest. The Seiryuu no Miko is the second strongest. If I do anything to her, then her will might become stronger than the Genbu no Miko. The Byakko no Miko appears to be weak. Looks can be deceiving. I see potential in her. That leaves the Suzaku no Miko. How ironic…her mother was the strongest willed out of the four original mikos. Now, the new Suzaku no Miko has the weakest will. I'll exploit her weakness,' analyzed the woman. She teleported out of the gardens.
* * *
The night before they had to leave, Mariko was feeling restless. Her doubts were growing each day that they were there. Sei made her feel better. Mariko smiled about that. She wandered around the palace. It was pretty quiet. The guards were on alert. She didn't worry about that. By now everyone knew who Mariko was.
"Ah!" gasped Mariko. Someone had surprised her from behind.
"Sorry. I just saw you walking around by yourself. You looked like you could use some company," said Odayaka with a gentle smile. His gold-hazel eyes twinkled under the moonlight.
"I couldn't sleep. I always walk to calm myself down," said Mariko.
"Do you want me to walk with you, Mariko?" offered Odayaka.
"Sure," answered Mariko with a nod.
The two of them walked through the palace together. Odayaka talked about the arrangements. He kept reassuring her that everything was taken care of. Mariko said that she wasn't worried about that.
"Come with me," said Odayaka. He lead her to a pair of large doors. He opened them, and let her through. The room was large and magnificent. There was cushions on the floor, a fireplace, and a large canopy bed. Mariko realized that this was Odayaka's personal chambers. She blushed slightly. But, Odayaka didn't notice, or didn't seem to care either way.
"Have a seat," said Odayaka kindly. Mariko sat on one of the cushions near the fireplace. Odayaka poured some tea for both of them. He handed Mariko a cup, and their hands brushed together for a moment.
"It's a very nice room you have," complimented Mariko as she looked at the high ceilings and pillars.
"Thanks. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something," said Odayaka as he sipped his tea. He sat across from her on one of the other cushions. There was a table in the room with chairs, but it was more comfortable on the floor.
"What about?" asked Mariko quietly.
"About your world. Sei told me a little bit. I find it so interesting. Of course, I've always been the type who always wants to know more," Odayaka answered with a soft smile.
"There really isn't much to tell. At least not from my point of view," said Mariko, "Let's see I go to school. I spend time with my family. My brother teaches me self-defense. I sometimes help my uncle with his research. Or I proof read something he writes."
"You have a brother?"
"Yes. He's a little older than you. He's tall and has dark hair. His eyes are sort of hazel. My uncle and godparents always say that he looks like my father."
"What about your father?"
"He's dead. So is my mother," whispered Mariko. She looked at her tea cup.
Odayada's eyes widened. He didn't know that her parents were dead.
"My father died. Before, I was born," said Odayaka. He looked at her.
"My father and mother died when I was a baby. I don't remember my parents at all," whispered Mariko.
"I have something that belonged to my father. I used to play with it when I was younger," said Odayaka. He stood up and put his cup down. He went to one of the closets and came back with a teddy bear. Mariko's eyes widened. It was impossible for anyone in this world to have a teddy bear.
"This belonged to the last Suzaku no Miko. She gave it to my father to remember her by," said Odayaka. He handed the old teddy bear to Mariko. Mariko took the teddy bear into her arms.
"Do you ever wonder if your father loved you before he died?" asked Mariko. It sounded like she was in desperate need of answers. She was clutching the teddy bear. It had belonged to her mother once. Her eyes were closed. Mariko felt someone's touch on her shoulders. She opened her eyes, and found him on his knees looking at her with concerned eyes.
"I never wonder if my father loved me or not. I know that he loved me. That he still loves me," said Odayaka confidently. Mariko looked at him.
"How do you know that?" asked Mariko.
"Because my father's spirit asked Lord Tasuki and Chichiri-sensei to watch over me," said Odayaka simply. He stared straight into her eyes. 'They're almost green. Green and sad,' thought Odayaka. He let his arms dropped to his sides. He didn't know what to do to make her feel better. Actually, Odayaka really didn't have much experience with girls. He was always doing his studies and work. He was too busy to care. Not that he thought of Mariko that way. He just wanted to feel better. Mariko bit her lower lip. Odayaka sighed. He felt awful that he couldn't do much else to make her feel better.
"Here is your bear," said Mariko softly breaking the silence. He looked at her, and took the bear back. She stood up to leave.
"Mariko…I think your parents loved you very much. I believe that all the people who have left us in death still watch over us. I know that it sounds strange that I would believe something like that, but I do believe that," said Odayaka solemnly.
Mariko left, but as she did she gave him a smile. Odayaka smiled back. He got ready for bed. It was a dreamless night for both of them.
* * *
It was earlier in the morning when everyone got up to get ready to leave. Odayaka insisted on providing horses for the journey. They had packed lightly for the journey. Odayaka picked two of the imperial guards to take with them. He picked guards that would listen to his orders, and report nothing to the council. Odayaka selected guards he could trust. Their names were Shen Tannai and Zhu Mingkai. Unfortunately, they had to travel in full uniform even though Odayaka was going to wear the clothes that Sei had selected in the market.
Odayaka had to admit he felt more comfortable in the new clothes than he did his regular clothes. 'Sei does have excellent taste. He thought of everything even the boots and cloak,' mused Odayaka.
Sei was watching the grooms bring out the horses. They were very large horses. Sei wondered if he could still ride one. He knew that Mariko knew how to ride a little bit. The horses had royal straps on them. Sei shook his head.
"What's wrong, Sei?" asked Odayaka. He had teleported into the stables. He usually walked, but today he felt like teleporting.
"AH! Don't scare me like that!" exclaimed Sei in surprise.
"Sorry," said Odayaka. He was superdeformed.
"I was thinking about the horses. Look at all the royal junk on them. You must as well say 'Look at me! I'm the Emperor!'" remarked Sei.
"You're right. This won't do. I wanted to travel incognito. Get some of the older saddles out from over there," ordered Odayaka as he pointed to the storage room, "I'll take off the straps."
Sei smiled and went to the storage room. He really liked Odayaka. Sei expected him to be snooty and full of himself. But, Odayaka was far from that. He was so causal and easygoing. He didn't act like royalty. Odayaka was a hands on sort of person.
The horses were prepared and brought to the front courtyard. Odayaka and Sei saw that Tasuki's family was there. Chichiri and his cat was there. Shen and Zhu were also waiting. Mariko came out of the palace she was were some cotton dress with some pants underneath. Hono'o was wearing pants and boots. She usually dressed in dresses, but preferred pants. All of them bowed when they saw Odayaka.
"We're ready to go," announced Odayaka. Someone came running to the front courtyard carrying something. Odayaka's eyes widened when he realized it was his mother.
"Mother?" asked Odayaka. Empress Houki was dressed in sweeping purple and white robes. She gazed at her son. She knew from the first day the miko had arrived, and saved her son. She knew that he was a seishi.
"Take this with you," said Houki softly. She handed him a sword. Odayaka took the sword from her. "It belonged to your father. It's the Deity sword."
Odayaka stood there speechless. He had never really heard her talk.
"Thank you, Mother," said Odayaka. Before he could do anything his mother had locked him into an embrace. Odayaka hugged his mother back. Houki pulled back from him. She stood on her toes to give him a kiss on his cheek. Odayaka lowered himself to receive it.
"Come back in one piece, my son. I'll shall pray for you, Boushin. Odayaka. I'll pray for all of you," said Houki as she looked at all Mariko, Sei, and Hono'o. "Thank you for saving my son," added Houki as she looked at Mariko. Mariko's cheeks went red.
"You're welcome, your Highness," stammered Mariko as she bowed to her. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at this with some interest. They had almost forgotten that Mariko had saved Odayaka's life earlier. Sei knew about it, but he didn't have such a hard time about it. He knew that it was a way for a seishi to be found. Hono'o knew nothing about it. So, she gave them a strange look.
"Well, let's get going," said Tasuki. Odayaka helped Mariko onto a horse. Sei got on his horse without trouble. Odayaka bowed to Chichiri. He gave a reassuring look to his mother.
"Your training and apprenticeship has concluded. May Suzaku go with you," said Chichiri.
"Thank you for every thing Master Chichiri. Thank you also, Lord Tasuki," said Odayaka as he bowed. He mounted his horse.
"This is for you, Hono'o," said Tasuki. He brought out his tessen. Hono'o looked at her father surprised. Only her father could use the tessen. She didn't think she could. Tasuki placed her hand on the tessen. She could feel the energy on it. It was a tingle.
"Father, are you sure she can use it?" asked Wangshi.
"Yeah. We don't know if she can use it," agreed Lingsu.
"Besides, she's already can set things on fire, Father," added Tiaowo.
"LEKKA SHINEN!" shouted Hono'o as she flamed her three brothers at once. She didn't even use her powers. It was the iron fan.
They were now all black and superdeformed.
"I guess she can use it," coughed Wangshi.
"That's just great," intoned Lingsu.
"Wonderful…ah," added Tiaowo. All three of them sank to the ground.
"THAT'S MY GIRL!" shouted Tasuki happily.
Everyone else was sweatdropped.
"Be careful. Do everything that your miko tells you, Hono'o," said Tasuki in a serious tone. Hono'o hugged her father. He held her tightly, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Hono'o let go, and went to go hug her mother. Ling gave her daughter a firm embrace, and a kiss on her other cheek.
"We love you," said Ling.
"Yeah. You come back in one piece, baby sister," remarked Tiaowo. He was the first one to recover from being flamed by Hono'o. He hugged her.
"I'll help you get on your horse," said Lingsu. Hono'o let him pick her up and set her on her horse. He kissed her on her forehead when he picked her up.
"We'll wait for you right here at home. Come back soon," said Wangshi as he made sure that the saddle was on properly. Hono'o lowered her head, and Wangshi gave her a kiss on the cheek.
The four of them rode off with the two imperial guards. Everyone else waved until they were no longer visible.
~*ClareBear's*~
I have special guest star.
Tamahome: Who was that woman in the garden?
Miaka: I don't like this. She's an enemy.
Nuriko: But, why?
Hotohori: I thought it was in everyone's best interest to save our world.
Mitsukake: They better be careful.
Chiriko: She knows them pretty well.
Tamahome: But, why did she wait until now to show up?
Nakago: Because we villains like to show up fashionable late.
Tamahome: Nakago!
Hotohori: What are you doing here?
Nakago: I was supposed to be here earlier for my guest appearance, but I decided to come now. Remember, I didn't show up until a little later.
Nuriko: That's right! Get out of here.
Tamahome: YES! STOP AND GET OUT OF THIS OMAKE! RIGHT NOW!
(Nakago throws a blue spirit ball at them.)
Hotohori: How is that possible?
Tamahome: I can't throw a spirit ball.
Nakago: It's very simple.
Everyone: What?
Nakago: ClareBear let me. She likes me better than you.
