Fushigi Yuugi: The Next Generation - Part 25
Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. The original characters and story elements are borrowed from Yuu Watase. I own the new original characters that are numerous. So, please don't steal them. I don't own a lot of things as it is.
Author's Note: The torture continues for the Suzaku group. Zai Rei is using psychology on the group, especially Mariko. She's evil and manipulative. We'll be in Konan for a while. I have to admit my favorite group is the Genbu group, but my favorite seishi is Odayaka/Boushin. I also like Hono'o. I hope you are all paying attention to the clues that I've been dropping. I also have to say this is my favorite story so far out of all the ones I've done. Even though my Gundam Wing stuff gets more reviews. ^_^
Mariko watched as Taki said goodbye to his family. They had to move on to find the last seishi. They didn't exactly know where to find him. Mariko watched Taki and his family. She wondered if that was the way all families with mothers and fathers acted like.
"Goodbye, my Aya," said Taki as he took his wife into his arms.
"We'll see you soon. I just know that you'll succeed," said Aya as she hugged her husband. They shared a lingering kiss. Aya was close to tears. She would miss her husband during his absence. The village was close knit. The others would make sure that she and Cane would be safe.
"Bye, bye, Papa," said Cane softly. Taki picked him up. Odayaka was also watching this with interest.
"Be good for your mother. You're the man of the house while I'm gone, but you'll still have to listen to her," instructed Taki as he kissed his son.
Taki waved to his family one last time as they all took off by horseback towards the capital city of Konan, Eiyou. Mariko said the shinzahou signaled that the last seishi was headed for the capital. Zhenyou was still with them. Odayaka still couldn't shake that feeling he had about Zhenyou. Odayaka's doubts about Zhenyou didn't cease when he came back after the attack that killed Odayaka's guards. He wondered why.
* * *
"The other seishi is going to be hard to find. He sounds like a wanderer to me," said Hono'o out loud.
"Well, we'll find him eventually," said Mariko optimistically. She was so happy that they were close to summoning Suzaku. They had six seishi, the scrolls, and the shinzahou. It was nice to be headed back to Eiyou. Everyone had gathered around for a rest. They always told stories about themselves during the rest periods. It was a way to get to know each other better. Sei told the story of how he and Mariko would overpower Hoshi when they were younger. Odayaka told the stories about some of the last seishi. He was really careful not to say that he was Emperor of Konan. Shitsu told them stories about her family. Kawa revealed some of the gossip she heard in her village. Taki told stories about his family, too. Hono'o told stories about her father and brothers.
"Mariko, you haven't said much about yourself," said Odayaka quietly. Sei looked at him. He was going to stop Odayaka, but Mariko intervened.
"Oh. I didn't notice. I guess it's only fair. Hmm. I wonder what should say," said Mariko.
"You can say anything about yourself," encouraged Hono'o with a smile.
"I'll tell you the story of how my Uncle Keisuke would use me to pick up dates," decided Mariko with a smile.
~*~Flashback~*~
Mariko was four years old. Her Uncle Keisuke was always working at home, so he was a stay-at-home parent for his niece and nephew. While Hoshi was at school, Keisuke would take Mariko to the park. Yui and Sei would be there. They had a daily play date at the park. Mariko's hair was always put into a pair of buns on the sides of her head. Yui was the one who thought that they would look cute on Mariko. Mariko looked just like Miaka that Yui couldn't help it. Mariko didn't like having the buns in her hair, so she was always taking them out. Sei and Mariko would play in the sand pile together. Keisuke would be one of the few men in the park surrounded by lots of women. Some of who were single. Most of these women came to run or have lunch at the park.
"Hello, what are you doing here?" Keisuke asked a beautiful woman who was having lunch.
"I'm eating. What about you?" asked the woman.
"I'm here with my little niece," answered Keisuke as he pointed to Mariko. She looked at him and waved.
"Aww. She's so pretty. She looks like a living doll," complimented the woman.
"Come here, Mariko," called Keisuke. He had a plan. Mariko walked up to him. He picked her up. "Mariko, say hi to the nice lady. She said that you were pretty."
"Hi Nice Lady. Thank you," said Mariko with a smile. The woman smiled at Mariko. She was a cutie. The person who helped her uncle get dates. Mariko loved getting compliments from the women and she got ice cream if her uncle got a date. She was the perfect bait. Mariko showed off Keisuke's tender and responsible side. Yui was never happy when Keisuke used Mariko for such purposes. It so happened that Yui had come back and was holding Sei in her arms. She had a pissed off look on her face.
"YUKI KEISUKE!" exclaimed Yui. He snapped to attention when Yui used his whole name.
"What?" asked Keisuke.
"How dare you use your niece to pick up women?!" said Yui in an angry voice. There was a vein throbbing on her forehead. Sei looked up at his mother, and was sucking his thumb.
"Is this your wife?" asked the woman.
"NO!" exclaimed Keisuke in surprise, "She's my best friend's wife."
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" exclaimed Yui. She pulled Mariko into her free arm, and walked off with Mariko and Sei.
"Bye, bye Uncle Keisuke," called Mariko. She waved her little chubby hand.
"Bye, Mariko," called back Keisuke. He turned his attention back to the woman. "So, now that the kids are gone…" WHACK!
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! WHY DO I ALWAYS MEET WEIRDOS AT THE PARK?! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!" shouted the woman as she stalked off.
All Keisuke could do was shrug his shoulders.
~*~End of Flashback~*~
Everyone was laughing hysterically at the story Mariko had just said. It was nice to be carefree for a moment. Zhenyou watched the group. He really didn't know what to make of Mariko at this point. She had some sort of hidden power within her, but Zhenyou couldn't figure it out. The bracelets that she had were powerful weapons.
Zhenyou had to move down to another plan. It was only a matter of time. They still didn't have the seventh seishi. There was no way of knowing where the last seishi was. He smiled at himself. Zhenyou had been taking power from the seishi. As a four elements witch in disguised, she wanted elemental magic. Odayaka was very powerful, and he would notice a decrease in his power. Shitsu's powers were metal/earth magic. However, she was very careful not to let Zhenyou near her. Hono'o was a different story. She was a confident and friendly girl. As the youngest seishi, she lacked discipline and her father kept her sheltered from danger. Hono'o was unaware of anything dangerous. Her powers were deliciously strong. Zhenyou had plans for Hono'o. She also had plans on how to take down Odayaka's confidence level. Zhenyou separated from the group again. He noticed that the group didn't seem to care where he went. Actually, Odayaka and Hono'o observed this. They didn't like it.
Everyone decided to do a little fishing for dinner. Sei was really impressed to see that Odayaka was a good fisherman.
"Where did you learn how to fish? I really don't know how because my family lives in a big city. My father is a busy man who doesn't have time to take long trips away from the city," said Sei.
"When I was younger, Chichiri and I would go fishing instead of doing some work in the palace," said Odayaka softly he looked around to make sure that no one could hear them. "Tasuki would make us go back when he found us." Sei laughed at this. Odayaka merely smiled.
Suddenly there came an attack upon the Suzaku seishi and their miko. Kawa got in front of Mariko and Zhenyou to put up a shield, but Zhenyou moved before Kawa could get in front of them. Odayaka got ready with his chi to defend himself and the others. Sei drew out his sword. Taki got into a battle stance and drew his sword. Shitsu took out her ninja stars that were especially created to come back to her like boomerangs. Hono'o drew out the tessen. They were all in a semi circle.
The first attacker went for Hono'o. She got ready with the tessen to counterattack him, but instead threw the tessen towards Odayaka.
"ODAYAKA! Catch!" shouted Hono'o as a ball of fire came out of her palm. "You didn't think I could do that did you? My powers are stronger if I concentrate." The ball of fire flamed the attacker.
Taki used his sword, but soon discarded it. He preferred his fists. He kicked one out attackers clear to the other side of the lake.
Shitsu launched a volley of ninja stars. This sent two men running into opposite directions to get away from them.
Seijitsu used his sword, but he wasn't well trained in the sword. He had to get some help from Taki. Who punched one of the attackers into a distance tree for Sei.
"Thanks, Taki," said Sei with a smile.
"That's all right. I was wondering when we'd get some action," said Taki returning a smile.
Odayaka held out both his palm outward, and place in his hands on top of each other on the wrists. A red aura built up around him. A red chi ball was released from his palms that sent the rest of the attackers off running. Taki and Kawa were impressed at the demonstration of Odayaka's powers. They knew that Chichiri trained him, but they had no idea how power he truly was. Odayaka tossed back the tessen to Hono'o who caught it.
"You have a nice sword, and yet you never draw it," said Sei to Odayaka as he put his sword back into the sheath.
"Magic has more finesse than sword fighting. I don't use my sword unless I have to. It's a last resort," said Odayaka simply with a shrug. Sei gave him a strange look. Hotohori was known for being one of the best swordsmen in the history of the world. It was as if Odayaka was avoiding anything that his father was associated with. Odayaka had a cut on the side of his right cheek that was bleeding. He didn't seem to notice it.
Zhenyou smiled because he was the one who sent those attackers. They were nothing more, but a well-made illusion. He noticed that Odayaka was careless in his actions. Zhenyou materialized a mirror behind his back. The blood was streaming down Odayaka's cheek. Zhenyou handed him the mirror. It was an enchanted mirror.
"You may want to tend to that cut, Emperor. You have such a beautiful face. Just like your father's. You wouldn't want any permanent damage on your face," whispered Zhenyou with a smile as he handed Odayaka the mirror.
Odayaka grabbed the mirror out Zhenyou's hand. He didn't want to be reminded how much he looked like his father. Odayaka was sick and tired of being always compared to his father. The last thing he needed was Zhenyou telling him how much he looked like Hotohori. Odayaka stalked off away from the group. He needed sometime alone.
Odayaka went off to another part of the woods by himself. 'I shouldn't do this. I know that it's probably smarter to stick together with group. Let's see. I have to take care of this cut. It's starting to sting,' thought Odayaka. He held the mirror in his left hand. Odayaka focused his chi in his right hand. The cut on the side of his face began to fade away. It looked like nothing had happened. Odayaka rested his hand on the spot that was just healed. He looked at his reflection on the mirror.
'Do I really look that much like him? I am doomed to be always compared to him. I feel like I'm just following his footsteps. I can't even be myself. I have to be my father's son,' thought Odayaka. He hated mirrors because he didn't want to see how much he looked like Hotohori. It was difficult to be always compared to someone that he could never measure up to. Even though, Odayaka never doubted that his father loved him, Odayaka doubted if he was a good enough son for the great Hotohori. The man was dead, but Odayaka struggled to live up to Hotohori. The council always complained that he wasn't like his father. Odayaka's mother never said it out loud, but he could tell it in her eyes that she thought he looked like Hotohori. The only people who never said or compared him to his father was Tasuki and Chichiri. In fact, they loved him for himself. They were the ones who raised him to be his own person.
Odayaka gripped the mirror tighter in his hand. He hated to look at himself. His face betrayed a pain looked that he typically hid when someone compared him to his father. Odayaka threw the mirror against a tree trunk. The sound of the mirror shattering could be heard anywhere. Odayaka gave the shattered mirror a look of contempt. He was sitting against another tree trunk.
Mariko came up to see Odayaka sitting on the ground. He was gazing at the pieces of the broken mirror. She looked across from him, and saw the broken mirror.
"You know where I come from, it's seven years bad luck to break a mirror," said Mariko. She really didn't believe in such superstitions. She said it with a smile. Mariko was hoping that Odayaka would say some thing about it being a stupid belief.
"What does it matter? I'm cursed anyway," said Odayaka softly.
"Cursed? I don't think so. I mean you could have things worse," said Mariko. She didn't like seeing anyone in pain. It was obvious that Odayaka was in pain. Mariko placed her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. "Why did you break that mirror?"
"I hate mirrors," answered Odayaka simply.
"Well, I've never met anyone who hated mirrors before. Why do you hate mirrors?" asked Mariko.
"Because…I look like him. And I can't be him," answered Odayaka cryptically.
"Him? Who?" asked Mariko. She had no idea who he was talking about. Mariko thought about it. It had some thing to do with a mirror. What does one see in a mirror? A reflection. Mariko suddenly realized that Odayaka had spent his entire life being compared to his father. His father wasn't just the Emperor, but a seishi. Mariko knew what it was like, but she had to only live with it for a few weeks. Odayaka had his whole life. If Mariko couldn't stand it for the short time that she had to live with it…then, how could Odayaka stand it for so long?
"You said so yourself we shouldn't worry about what our parents did before us," said Mariko softly.
"I know what I said. But, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just leave me alone," said Odayaka. He meant it as an order, but Mariko shook her head.
"You maybe Emperor of Konan, but you are a seishi. You are MY seishi. You have to listen to me. I'm not leaving you," said Mariko in firm voice. She sat down on the foot of the tree truck next to Odayaka. She was sitting next to Odayaka. Odayaka let out a sigh. He couldn't tell her to leave. He had to follow her orders.
"You know we could sit here all day, Odayaka," said Mariko casually. Odayaka looked at her. He wasn't use to anyone caring about him that way. Mariko sounded like she knew what it was like to be him. "Do you think anything will ever be normal for people like us?" she asked in a soft voice.
"What do you mean?" asked Odayaka.
"I mean will we ever get over what we've lost. Will we ever get better?" said Mariko. Odayaka prided himself in not being normal. He never looked above his scrolls to see the things around him. Yes, he was observant about others, but not himself.
"I sure hope so. If not, then there's no point in living, Mariko," said Odayaka. Odayaka wasn't a dashing romantic like his father. He was fair too practically for that sort of thing. He didn't know about the strange feelings that he had around Mariko. They were happy feelings. They made him stronger. It wasn't magic. That much he knew. Odayaka didn't know that he was at the beginning stages of love.
"I would like to believe that someday everything will be all right. I still believe in lots of things. You just sound so jaded, Odayaka," said Mariko. She felt sorry for him because of his lack of faith in things that most people treasured. Things that magic couldn't possible stand up to.
"What kinds of things?" asked Odayaka. Mariko smiled. She remembered in his room that she was so desperate for answers. Now was his turn.
"I believe in love," said Mariko softly, "Not any kind of love in particular. I don't believe in romance. But, I believe in love. Just the idea of it makes me happy. That's all I want. Happiness," She smiled. Odayaka couldn't help, but smile back at her.
"I don't believe in romance either. If you do you're just setting yourself up for disappointment," commented Odayaka.
"There you go, sounding jaded again," said Mariko with a sigh, "But, I do agree with you. I don't believe in romance either. That's something for other people. Not people like us."
Odayaka stood up all of a sudden. He looked at the mirror again. His back was to Mariko. "Every time I look a mirror, I'm not sure if I'm seeing myself or him. How am I suppose to live up to him? I can't be him," whispered Odayaka.
"I know that, Odayaka. I never met him. All I know is you, " said Mariko. She walked up from behind him. Her arms encircled his waist in an embrace. Odayaka's eyes widened. He had never been touched like that before by anyone. No one ever hugged him like that. He didn't know how to react to such a display of affection. Mariko's face was pressed up against his back. Odayaka took a deep breath.
"Who am I? What do you see when you see me?" asked Odayaka desperately. It sounded like a plea. Mariko released her arms from around his waist. She forced him to turn and look at her. Odayaka gazed down into her greenish eyes. He saw a reflection of himself in her eyes. Odayaka looked away so that he wouldn't have to look. Mariko placed her hand on his cheek and gently stroked it.
"All I see is you," said Mariko softly. She gently lifted up his chin. Mariko could see her reflection in his eyes. "In your eyes, I see myself looking at you."
Odayaka looked into her eyes. All he could see was himself looking at her. With some awkward movement, Odayaka embraced Mariko. He rested his chin on top of her head. Mariko could hear that his heartbeat was slowing down to a nice steady rhythm.
"Thank you, Mariko," whispered Odayaka. They stood alone in the forest in the embrace. It was like an eternity.
* * *
Hono'o was watching Zhenyou. She saw Zhenyou materialize the mirror with the palm of his hand. She and Odayaka were the only ones in the group who had any suspicions about Zhenyou. Hono'o looked around to see where Odayaka had gone off to. She noticed that he was gone.
"Sei, where's Odayaka?" asked Hono'o.
"He went off somewhere. Mariko went to go talk to him. What's up?" asked Sei.
Hono'o spotted Zhenyou running off into the woods another way besides the way that Odayaka and Mariko went. Hono'o ran off to after Zhenyou. Sei looked at her.
"Hey! Where are you going?! Don't wander too far, Hono'o! We've gotta go soon!" called Sei after her. Hono'o took off running. She didn't hear him.
Hono'o ran through some thicket. The leaves and bare branches of lower tree limbs scraped against her skin. She found Zhenyou in a glade. He was pacing back and forth.
"DAMMIT! I WAS SURE I COULD GET SOME OF HIS POWERS!" ranted Zhenyou. He had to get away from the group. It was too much of an energy cost to launch that earlier attack on the seishi and to keep up Zhenyou. Zhenyou had hoped that Odayaka would have kept the mirror. Odayaka breaking the mirror so suddenly caused an energy surge that Zhenyou hadn't anticipated.
Hono'o realized that the mirror that Zhenyou gave to Odayaka was a magical talisman used to take power from a source. That source was Odayaka. Hono'o's eyes widened in alarm. Odayaka was in trouble, if this man got anything from him.
'Wait! He looks mad. Odayaka must have stopped him,' thought Hono'o. She smiled. That meant that Zhenyou couldn't have taken much from Odayaka. Hono'o came out of the bushes.
"I knew there was something up with you," said Hono'o with a smile.
"YOU!" growled Zhenyou. He didn't expect her. Zhenyou realized that she was alone. 'Foolish girl,' thought Zhenyou as he annoyed scowl was replaced with a smile.
"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," said Hono'o as she narrowed her amber eyes. She placed her right palm over her left palm. A fireball was getting ready to discharge. Zhenyou teleported behind Hono'o. She didn't have time to react. Zhenyou grabbed her arms. He pinned them down on her side. Hono'o gasped and tried to struggle. He was too strong for her.
"Let me go!" whimpered Hono'o loudly in a panicked voice. Zhenyou spoke in an ancient tongue. Hono'o's limbs went limp. She could still move, but she couldn't fight him off. Zhenyou had activated a barrier when he first realized that Hono'o was alone. No one would be able to her screams.
"STOP IT!" screamed Hono'o at the top of her lungs.
"No one can hear you," said Zhenyou. He tipped Hono'o's head to the right. Her kanji was glowing. She was discharging heat in her body with hopes of burning him with her skin. She couldn't lift her arms. Her legs were useless. Zhenyou saw that her kanji was glowing brightly. He clamped his mouth over her kanji on her neck behind her right ear. Zhenyou sucked power from her directly. The kanji was like an opening in the skin that allowed for the easiest access.
Hono'o could feel his lips over her kanji. It was making her skin to her stomach. Hono'o felt her powers being sucked out of her body. Her powers were part of her chi. Her life force. Zhenyou was literally sucking the life out of her. Hono'o could feel pain shooting out throughout her body in protest to the attack on her chi.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" shrieked Hono'o in agony. Tears formed in her eyes. Her eyes became heavy. The rest of her body became limp. Hono'o passed out. Zhenyou let her body crumple down to the ground. He had no real intention of killing her. He got what he wanted. Zhenyou could feel the new powers coursing through his body. Zhenyou created a small fireball in the palm of his left hand. He changed back to Zai Rei.
"I didn't know such a little girl like you would have so much power," said Zai Rei. She teleported out of woods.
Hono'o laid on the grass face down. There were tears stream down her cheeks.
~*ClareBear's Omake*~
Hotohori: My son hates mirrors. Now I know why he doesn't look at himself. I didn't know he felt that way. The only people who didn't make him feel that way was Chichiri and Tasuki.
Tamahome: At least, they didn't use him to get dates. Like someone I know.
Miaka: Stop talking about my brother like that. Yui stopped him. I just thought of something.
Nuriko (with dreamy eyes): How much Odayaka looks like Hotohori? But, he's so much cuter and vulnerable.
Miaka: Yes! Odayaka and Mariko look cute together!
Nuriko and Miaka are holding hands and jumping up and down.
Tamahome: I don't like it! I don't like it!
Hotohori: I don't think they care. (he points at the very happy Miaka and Nuriko) Wait! You said that he was cuter than me?!
Chiriko (talking to Mitsukake): What do you think will happen when Tasuki finds out what happened to Hono'o?
Mitsukake (after much consideration): He'll kick Zai Rei's ass.
Tamahome (to Nuriko and Miaka): Will you two stop being happy about those two being together?!
Miaka and Nuriko are superdeformed with a dreamy, bubbly background. They have large dreamy eyes.
Miaka and Nuriko: SIGH!
Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi. The original characters and story elements are borrowed from Yuu Watase. I own the new original characters that are numerous. So, please don't steal them. I don't own a lot of things as it is.
Author's Note: The torture continues for the Suzaku group. Zai Rei is using psychology on the group, especially Mariko. She's evil and manipulative. We'll be in Konan for a while. I have to admit my favorite group is the Genbu group, but my favorite seishi is Odayaka/Boushin. I also like Hono'o. I hope you are all paying attention to the clues that I've been dropping. I also have to say this is my favorite story so far out of all the ones I've done. Even though my Gundam Wing stuff gets more reviews. ^_^
Mariko watched as Taki said goodbye to his family. They had to move on to find the last seishi. They didn't exactly know where to find him. Mariko watched Taki and his family. She wondered if that was the way all families with mothers and fathers acted like.
"Goodbye, my Aya," said Taki as he took his wife into his arms.
"We'll see you soon. I just know that you'll succeed," said Aya as she hugged her husband. They shared a lingering kiss. Aya was close to tears. She would miss her husband during his absence. The village was close knit. The others would make sure that she and Cane would be safe.
"Bye, bye, Papa," said Cane softly. Taki picked him up. Odayaka was also watching this with interest.
"Be good for your mother. You're the man of the house while I'm gone, but you'll still have to listen to her," instructed Taki as he kissed his son.
Taki waved to his family one last time as they all took off by horseback towards the capital city of Konan, Eiyou. Mariko said the shinzahou signaled that the last seishi was headed for the capital. Zhenyou was still with them. Odayaka still couldn't shake that feeling he had about Zhenyou. Odayaka's doubts about Zhenyou didn't cease when he came back after the attack that killed Odayaka's guards. He wondered why.
* * *
"The other seishi is going to be hard to find. He sounds like a wanderer to me," said Hono'o out loud.
"Well, we'll find him eventually," said Mariko optimistically. She was so happy that they were close to summoning Suzaku. They had six seishi, the scrolls, and the shinzahou. It was nice to be headed back to Eiyou. Everyone had gathered around for a rest. They always told stories about themselves during the rest periods. It was a way to get to know each other better. Sei told the story of how he and Mariko would overpower Hoshi when they were younger. Odayaka told the stories about some of the last seishi. He was really careful not to say that he was Emperor of Konan. Shitsu told them stories about her family. Kawa revealed some of the gossip she heard in her village. Taki told stories about his family, too. Hono'o told stories about her father and brothers.
"Mariko, you haven't said much about yourself," said Odayaka quietly. Sei looked at him. He was going to stop Odayaka, but Mariko intervened.
"Oh. I didn't notice. I guess it's only fair. Hmm. I wonder what should say," said Mariko.
"You can say anything about yourself," encouraged Hono'o with a smile.
"I'll tell you the story of how my Uncle Keisuke would use me to pick up dates," decided Mariko with a smile.
~*~Flashback~*~
Mariko was four years old. Her Uncle Keisuke was always working at home, so he was a stay-at-home parent for his niece and nephew. While Hoshi was at school, Keisuke would take Mariko to the park. Yui and Sei would be there. They had a daily play date at the park. Mariko's hair was always put into a pair of buns on the sides of her head. Yui was the one who thought that they would look cute on Mariko. Mariko looked just like Miaka that Yui couldn't help it. Mariko didn't like having the buns in her hair, so she was always taking them out. Sei and Mariko would play in the sand pile together. Keisuke would be one of the few men in the park surrounded by lots of women. Some of who were single. Most of these women came to run or have lunch at the park.
"Hello, what are you doing here?" Keisuke asked a beautiful woman who was having lunch.
"I'm eating. What about you?" asked the woman.
"I'm here with my little niece," answered Keisuke as he pointed to Mariko. She looked at him and waved.
"Aww. She's so pretty. She looks like a living doll," complimented the woman.
"Come here, Mariko," called Keisuke. He had a plan. Mariko walked up to him. He picked her up. "Mariko, say hi to the nice lady. She said that you were pretty."
"Hi Nice Lady. Thank you," said Mariko with a smile. The woman smiled at Mariko. She was a cutie. The person who helped her uncle get dates. Mariko loved getting compliments from the women and she got ice cream if her uncle got a date. She was the perfect bait. Mariko showed off Keisuke's tender and responsible side. Yui was never happy when Keisuke used Mariko for such purposes. It so happened that Yui had come back and was holding Sei in her arms. She had a pissed off look on her face.
"YUKI KEISUKE!" exclaimed Yui. He snapped to attention when Yui used his whole name.
"What?" asked Keisuke.
"How dare you use your niece to pick up women?!" said Yui in an angry voice. There was a vein throbbing on her forehead. Sei looked up at his mother, and was sucking his thumb.
"Is this your wife?" asked the woman.
"NO!" exclaimed Keisuke in surprise, "She's my best friend's wife."
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" exclaimed Yui. She pulled Mariko into her free arm, and walked off with Mariko and Sei.
"Bye, bye Uncle Keisuke," called Mariko. She waved her little chubby hand.
"Bye, Mariko," called back Keisuke. He turned his attention back to the woman. "So, now that the kids are gone…" WHACK!
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! WHY DO I ALWAYS MEET WEIRDOS AT THE PARK?! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!" shouted the woman as she stalked off.
All Keisuke could do was shrug his shoulders.
~*~End of Flashback~*~
Everyone was laughing hysterically at the story Mariko had just said. It was nice to be carefree for a moment. Zhenyou watched the group. He really didn't know what to make of Mariko at this point. She had some sort of hidden power within her, but Zhenyou couldn't figure it out. The bracelets that she had were powerful weapons.
Zhenyou had to move down to another plan. It was only a matter of time. They still didn't have the seventh seishi. There was no way of knowing where the last seishi was. He smiled at himself. Zhenyou had been taking power from the seishi. As a four elements witch in disguised, she wanted elemental magic. Odayaka was very powerful, and he would notice a decrease in his power. Shitsu's powers were metal/earth magic. However, she was very careful not to let Zhenyou near her. Hono'o was a different story. She was a confident and friendly girl. As the youngest seishi, she lacked discipline and her father kept her sheltered from danger. Hono'o was unaware of anything dangerous. Her powers were deliciously strong. Zhenyou had plans for Hono'o. She also had plans on how to take down Odayaka's confidence level. Zhenyou separated from the group again. He noticed that the group didn't seem to care where he went. Actually, Odayaka and Hono'o observed this. They didn't like it.
Everyone decided to do a little fishing for dinner. Sei was really impressed to see that Odayaka was a good fisherman.
"Where did you learn how to fish? I really don't know how because my family lives in a big city. My father is a busy man who doesn't have time to take long trips away from the city," said Sei.
"When I was younger, Chichiri and I would go fishing instead of doing some work in the palace," said Odayaka softly he looked around to make sure that no one could hear them. "Tasuki would make us go back when he found us." Sei laughed at this. Odayaka merely smiled.
Suddenly there came an attack upon the Suzaku seishi and their miko. Kawa got in front of Mariko and Zhenyou to put up a shield, but Zhenyou moved before Kawa could get in front of them. Odayaka got ready with his chi to defend himself and the others. Sei drew out his sword. Taki got into a battle stance and drew his sword. Shitsu took out her ninja stars that were especially created to come back to her like boomerangs. Hono'o drew out the tessen. They were all in a semi circle.
The first attacker went for Hono'o. She got ready with the tessen to counterattack him, but instead threw the tessen towards Odayaka.
"ODAYAKA! Catch!" shouted Hono'o as a ball of fire came out of her palm. "You didn't think I could do that did you? My powers are stronger if I concentrate." The ball of fire flamed the attacker.
Taki used his sword, but soon discarded it. He preferred his fists. He kicked one out attackers clear to the other side of the lake.
Shitsu launched a volley of ninja stars. This sent two men running into opposite directions to get away from them.
Seijitsu used his sword, but he wasn't well trained in the sword. He had to get some help from Taki. Who punched one of the attackers into a distance tree for Sei.
"Thanks, Taki," said Sei with a smile.
"That's all right. I was wondering when we'd get some action," said Taki returning a smile.
Odayaka held out both his palm outward, and place in his hands on top of each other on the wrists. A red aura built up around him. A red chi ball was released from his palms that sent the rest of the attackers off running. Taki and Kawa were impressed at the demonstration of Odayaka's powers. They knew that Chichiri trained him, but they had no idea how power he truly was. Odayaka tossed back the tessen to Hono'o who caught it.
"You have a nice sword, and yet you never draw it," said Sei to Odayaka as he put his sword back into the sheath.
"Magic has more finesse than sword fighting. I don't use my sword unless I have to. It's a last resort," said Odayaka simply with a shrug. Sei gave him a strange look. Hotohori was known for being one of the best swordsmen in the history of the world. It was as if Odayaka was avoiding anything that his father was associated with. Odayaka had a cut on the side of his right cheek that was bleeding. He didn't seem to notice it.
Zhenyou smiled because he was the one who sent those attackers. They were nothing more, but a well-made illusion. He noticed that Odayaka was careless in his actions. Zhenyou materialized a mirror behind his back. The blood was streaming down Odayaka's cheek. Zhenyou handed him the mirror. It was an enchanted mirror.
"You may want to tend to that cut, Emperor. You have such a beautiful face. Just like your father's. You wouldn't want any permanent damage on your face," whispered Zhenyou with a smile as he handed Odayaka the mirror.
Odayaka grabbed the mirror out Zhenyou's hand. He didn't want to be reminded how much he looked like his father. Odayaka was sick and tired of being always compared to his father. The last thing he needed was Zhenyou telling him how much he looked like Hotohori. Odayaka stalked off away from the group. He needed sometime alone.
Odayaka went off to another part of the woods by himself. 'I shouldn't do this. I know that it's probably smarter to stick together with group. Let's see. I have to take care of this cut. It's starting to sting,' thought Odayaka. He held the mirror in his left hand. Odayaka focused his chi in his right hand. The cut on the side of his face began to fade away. It looked like nothing had happened. Odayaka rested his hand on the spot that was just healed. He looked at his reflection on the mirror.
'Do I really look that much like him? I am doomed to be always compared to him. I feel like I'm just following his footsteps. I can't even be myself. I have to be my father's son,' thought Odayaka. He hated mirrors because he didn't want to see how much he looked like Hotohori. It was difficult to be always compared to someone that he could never measure up to. Even though, Odayaka never doubted that his father loved him, Odayaka doubted if he was a good enough son for the great Hotohori. The man was dead, but Odayaka struggled to live up to Hotohori. The council always complained that he wasn't like his father. Odayaka's mother never said it out loud, but he could tell it in her eyes that she thought he looked like Hotohori. The only people who never said or compared him to his father was Tasuki and Chichiri. In fact, they loved him for himself. They were the ones who raised him to be his own person.
Odayaka gripped the mirror tighter in his hand. He hated to look at himself. His face betrayed a pain looked that he typically hid when someone compared him to his father. Odayaka threw the mirror against a tree trunk. The sound of the mirror shattering could be heard anywhere. Odayaka gave the shattered mirror a look of contempt. He was sitting against another tree trunk.
Mariko came up to see Odayaka sitting on the ground. He was gazing at the pieces of the broken mirror. She looked across from him, and saw the broken mirror.
"You know where I come from, it's seven years bad luck to break a mirror," said Mariko. She really didn't believe in such superstitions. She said it with a smile. Mariko was hoping that Odayaka would say some thing about it being a stupid belief.
"What does it matter? I'm cursed anyway," said Odayaka softly.
"Cursed? I don't think so. I mean you could have things worse," said Mariko. She didn't like seeing anyone in pain. It was obvious that Odayaka was in pain. Mariko placed her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. "Why did you break that mirror?"
"I hate mirrors," answered Odayaka simply.
"Well, I've never met anyone who hated mirrors before. Why do you hate mirrors?" asked Mariko.
"Because…I look like him. And I can't be him," answered Odayaka cryptically.
"Him? Who?" asked Mariko. She had no idea who he was talking about. Mariko thought about it. It had some thing to do with a mirror. What does one see in a mirror? A reflection. Mariko suddenly realized that Odayaka had spent his entire life being compared to his father. His father wasn't just the Emperor, but a seishi. Mariko knew what it was like, but she had to only live with it for a few weeks. Odayaka had his whole life. If Mariko couldn't stand it for the short time that she had to live with it…then, how could Odayaka stand it for so long?
"You said so yourself we shouldn't worry about what our parents did before us," said Mariko softly.
"I know what I said. But, I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just leave me alone," said Odayaka. He meant it as an order, but Mariko shook her head.
"You maybe Emperor of Konan, but you are a seishi. You are MY seishi. You have to listen to me. I'm not leaving you," said Mariko in firm voice. She sat down on the foot of the tree truck next to Odayaka. She was sitting next to Odayaka. Odayaka let out a sigh. He couldn't tell her to leave. He had to follow her orders.
"You know we could sit here all day, Odayaka," said Mariko casually. Odayaka looked at her. He wasn't use to anyone caring about him that way. Mariko sounded like she knew what it was like to be him. "Do you think anything will ever be normal for people like us?" she asked in a soft voice.
"What do you mean?" asked Odayaka.
"I mean will we ever get over what we've lost. Will we ever get better?" said Mariko. Odayaka prided himself in not being normal. He never looked above his scrolls to see the things around him. Yes, he was observant about others, but not himself.
"I sure hope so. If not, then there's no point in living, Mariko," said Odayaka. Odayaka wasn't a dashing romantic like his father. He was fair too practically for that sort of thing. He didn't know about the strange feelings that he had around Mariko. They were happy feelings. They made him stronger. It wasn't magic. That much he knew. Odayaka didn't know that he was at the beginning stages of love.
"I would like to believe that someday everything will be all right. I still believe in lots of things. You just sound so jaded, Odayaka," said Mariko. She felt sorry for him because of his lack of faith in things that most people treasured. Things that magic couldn't possible stand up to.
"What kinds of things?" asked Odayaka. Mariko smiled. She remembered in his room that she was so desperate for answers. Now was his turn.
"I believe in love," said Mariko softly, "Not any kind of love in particular. I don't believe in romance. But, I believe in love. Just the idea of it makes me happy. That's all I want. Happiness," She smiled. Odayaka couldn't help, but smile back at her.
"I don't believe in romance either. If you do you're just setting yourself up for disappointment," commented Odayaka.
"There you go, sounding jaded again," said Mariko with a sigh, "But, I do agree with you. I don't believe in romance either. That's something for other people. Not people like us."
Odayaka stood up all of a sudden. He looked at the mirror again. His back was to Mariko. "Every time I look a mirror, I'm not sure if I'm seeing myself or him. How am I suppose to live up to him? I can't be him," whispered Odayaka.
"I know that, Odayaka. I never met him. All I know is you, " said Mariko. She walked up from behind him. Her arms encircled his waist in an embrace. Odayaka's eyes widened. He had never been touched like that before by anyone. No one ever hugged him like that. He didn't know how to react to such a display of affection. Mariko's face was pressed up against his back. Odayaka took a deep breath.
"Who am I? What do you see when you see me?" asked Odayaka desperately. It sounded like a plea. Mariko released her arms from around his waist. She forced him to turn and look at her. Odayaka gazed down into her greenish eyes. He saw a reflection of himself in her eyes. Odayaka looked away so that he wouldn't have to look. Mariko placed her hand on his cheek and gently stroked it.
"All I see is you," said Mariko softly. She gently lifted up his chin. Mariko could see her reflection in his eyes. "In your eyes, I see myself looking at you."
Odayaka looked into her eyes. All he could see was himself looking at her. With some awkward movement, Odayaka embraced Mariko. He rested his chin on top of her head. Mariko could hear that his heartbeat was slowing down to a nice steady rhythm.
"Thank you, Mariko," whispered Odayaka. They stood alone in the forest in the embrace. It was like an eternity.
* * *
Hono'o was watching Zhenyou. She saw Zhenyou materialize the mirror with the palm of his hand. She and Odayaka were the only ones in the group who had any suspicions about Zhenyou. Hono'o looked around to see where Odayaka had gone off to. She noticed that he was gone.
"Sei, where's Odayaka?" asked Hono'o.
"He went off somewhere. Mariko went to go talk to him. What's up?" asked Sei.
Hono'o spotted Zhenyou running off into the woods another way besides the way that Odayaka and Mariko went. Hono'o ran off to after Zhenyou. Sei looked at her.
"Hey! Where are you going?! Don't wander too far, Hono'o! We've gotta go soon!" called Sei after her. Hono'o took off running. She didn't hear him.
Hono'o ran through some thicket. The leaves and bare branches of lower tree limbs scraped against her skin. She found Zhenyou in a glade. He was pacing back and forth.
"DAMMIT! I WAS SURE I COULD GET SOME OF HIS POWERS!" ranted Zhenyou. He had to get away from the group. It was too much of an energy cost to launch that earlier attack on the seishi and to keep up Zhenyou. Zhenyou had hoped that Odayaka would have kept the mirror. Odayaka breaking the mirror so suddenly caused an energy surge that Zhenyou hadn't anticipated.
Hono'o realized that the mirror that Zhenyou gave to Odayaka was a magical talisman used to take power from a source. That source was Odayaka. Hono'o's eyes widened in alarm. Odayaka was in trouble, if this man got anything from him.
'Wait! He looks mad. Odayaka must have stopped him,' thought Hono'o. She smiled. That meant that Zhenyou couldn't have taken much from Odayaka. Hono'o came out of the bushes.
"I knew there was something up with you," said Hono'o with a smile.
"YOU!" growled Zhenyou. He didn't expect her. Zhenyou realized that she was alone. 'Foolish girl,' thought Zhenyou as he annoyed scowl was replaced with a smile.
"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," said Hono'o as she narrowed her amber eyes. She placed her right palm over her left palm. A fireball was getting ready to discharge. Zhenyou teleported behind Hono'o. She didn't have time to react. Zhenyou grabbed her arms. He pinned them down on her side. Hono'o gasped and tried to struggle. He was too strong for her.
"Let me go!" whimpered Hono'o loudly in a panicked voice. Zhenyou spoke in an ancient tongue. Hono'o's limbs went limp. She could still move, but she couldn't fight him off. Zhenyou had activated a barrier when he first realized that Hono'o was alone. No one would be able to her screams.
"STOP IT!" screamed Hono'o at the top of her lungs.
"No one can hear you," said Zhenyou. He tipped Hono'o's head to the right. Her kanji was glowing. She was discharging heat in her body with hopes of burning him with her skin. She couldn't lift her arms. Her legs were useless. Zhenyou saw that her kanji was glowing brightly. He clamped his mouth over her kanji on her neck behind her right ear. Zhenyou sucked power from her directly. The kanji was like an opening in the skin that allowed for the easiest access.
Hono'o could feel his lips over her kanji. It was making her skin to her stomach. Hono'o felt her powers being sucked out of her body. Her powers were part of her chi. Her life force. Zhenyou was literally sucking the life out of her. Hono'o could feel pain shooting out throughout her body in protest to the attack on her chi.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" shrieked Hono'o in agony. Tears formed in her eyes. Her eyes became heavy. The rest of her body became limp. Hono'o passed out. Zhenyou let her body crumple down to the ground. He had no real intention of killing her. He got what he wanted. Zhenyou could feel the new powers coursing through his body. Zhenyou created a small fireball in the palm of his left hand. He changed back to Zai Rei.
"I didn't know such a little girl like you would have so much power," said Zai Rei. She teleported out of woods.
Hono'o laid on the grass face down. There were tears stream down her cheeks.
~*ClareBear's Omake*~
Hotohori: My son hates mirrors. Now I know why he doesn't look at himself. I didn't know he felt that way. The only people who didn't make him feel that way was Chichiri and Tasuki.
Tamahome: At least, they didn't use him to get dates. Like someone I know.
Miaka: Stop talking about my brother like that. Yui stopped him. I just thought of something.
Nuriko (with dreamy eyes): How much Odayaka looks like Hotohori? But, he's so much cuter and vulnerable.
Miaka: Yes! Odayaka and Mariko look cute together!
Nuriko and Miaka are holding hands and jumping up and down.
Tamahome: I don't like it! I don't like it!
Hotohori: I don't think they care. (he points at the very happy Miaka and Nuriko) Wait! You said that he was cuter than me?!
Chiriko (talking to Mitsukake): What do you think will happen when Tasuki finds out what happened to Hono'o?
Mitsukake (after much consideration): He'll kick Zai Rei's ass.
Tamahome (to Nuriko and Miaka): Will you two stop being happy about those two being together?!
Miaka and Nuriko are superdeformed with a dreamy, bubbly background. They have large dreamy eyes.
Miaka and Nuriko: SIGH!
