Twisted Nether
(Conclusion)
--------------------
This was it... the day they'd been dreaming of for months. Suzaku was going to be
summoned at last! "Then why the fuck am I not bouncing off the walls like everyone
else in this gods-cursed place?" Tasuki muttered to himself as he walked along one of
the garden paths. It was the only place he could get away from the others for a bit,
especially now. They'd just gotten back a few days ago, but the preperations were
already underway. Tensions were high, especially after what happened the last time.
Even Hotohori had dropped his normal aloofness and was getting his hands dirty the
same as anyone else. There was a thought that made him snort derisively. Things had
been on edge between the bandit and the Emperor ever since they'd met again. It
wasn't long after Nuri-... after Mount Black... that Hotohori had been called back
to Konan. It had taken several talks with Chichiri and nearly all of the two months
they were gone getting the other shinzaho for Tasuki to begin to forgive Hotohori.
It wasn't his fault he didn't know... not like Nuriko ever told anyone anything about
himself without pulling teeth. He was ready to apologize to the Emperor upon his
return... and then they were introduced to the Empress.
Whatever compassion Tasuki had held for the man, it was shattered the moment he laid
eyes on the woman who was all Nuriko should have been. At first, he had thought it
*was* Nuriko, and was ready to lay into the man for making them all think he was dead
like that. Miaka beat him to it, fairly pouncing the unsuspecting woman who was then
introduced as Houki... a maiden of the Court, and now Empress of Konan. Tasuki had
stormed out then, and hadn't laid eyes on Hotohori or his wife since. He wasn't sure
he could control himself... and while he had no reservations about giving Hotohori a
piece of his mind, he refused to stoop to the level of assaulting a woman, verbally
or otherwise. Yes, it was safest for him to just stay out here til the ceremony was
ready to begin... then call the Bird, get Konan's ass out of the fire, get Miaka home,
*then* he could return to Mount Reikaku and try to live a normal life again. Somewhere
away from Emperors and Mikos... and friends who had gone on to the heavens.
Almost before he realized it, he stopped himself from walking straight into one of the
duck ponds. The harsh cry of the birds startled from their swim made him recoil, his
eyes widening as he realized just how close to the water he'd gotten. This place was
familiar... Tasuki narrowed his eyes as he glanced around. There was a small stone
bench hidden just beneath the overhang of a cherry tree not far from where he stood.
His body and mind were numb as he walked over towards it, ducking beneath the spray of
blossoms and seating himself there quietly. His eyes caught a glimpse of fluttering
violet, his breath catching in his throat as one hand lifted to brush against the
silken strands of hair that were twined tightly around the branch. Swallowing hard
against the lump in his throat, he lowered his gaze, the memory coming back sharply in
his mind.
* * *
He'd been wandering the gardens, much as he had today... only then, his mind wasn't
clouded. The summoning had failed, and the seishi were preparing to travel to Hokkan
to get the shinzaho. He was already packed, and rather than have Tamahome try to
throw him into the bay again, he'd stayed behind while the others were readying the
boat. He had thought he was the only one. He'd reached this spot, not even noticing
the bench as he watched the fish in the water. The only thing that alerted him to it
was the muffled curse from behind him. Tasuki had turned to see Nuriko, standing next
to the bench with one hand holding the cherry branch, the other trying to work his
hair out of the knots it had gotten into. There was a white dove sitting on the
smaller seishi's shoulder, and he nearly burst out laughing as he heard Nuriko chiding
the creature.
"Curious little... now why in Suzaku's name did you think my hair would make good
nest material? It'll take me ages to get it untangled!" The dove peered around
Nuriko's chin at the tangled hair, cooing faintly as it fluttered over to the branch
and started pecking at the section of Nuriko's braid that was attached to the tree.
"Stop that! You're making it worse. Shoo!" Nuriko's voice was soft, however, and
Tasuki knew that he wasn't mad at the bird, more frustrated at not being able to free
himself. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. He walked towards the violet-
haired seishi, chuckling as he saw Nuriko's face turn dead white at his approach.
"You know... I never knew you were into bondage, Nuriko." He dodged to the side,
avoiding the swift kick that the smaller seishi made at him, then darted forward as he
saw the other foot slip, sending Nuriko crashing to the ground. The branch bent low
for a moment, then sprang up once more, eliciting a shriek from the fallen one.
"Nuri... are you alright??"
He was rewarded for his concern by a half hearted slap from the one he tried to help.
"BAKA!! Sneaking up on me like that, Tasuki, you're lucky I couldn't reach you!"
Nuriko hissed in pain, rubbing the back of his head and looking up at the branch where
a snarl of his own hair now sat wound around the blossoms. He glanced to the dove
once more, chuckling faintly. "Happy now? Take what I left behind, don't go trying
to steal my hair again!"
Tasuki grinned, getting to his feet and offering a hand to Nuriko. "Aw, she probably
had been sitting in your hair and thought it was soft. Can't blame her for having good
taste, now can you?" He wasn't sure what was more amusing... Nuriko muttering about
hair being yanked, or the look of shock that passed over his face at Tasuki's words.
* * *
He fingered the strands of hair, his other hand reaching up to wipe a bit of moisture
from his eyes. "We got them, Nuriko..." He whispered, gazing towards the physical
reminder of his fallen friend. "Thanks to you... we got them. We're summoning Suzaku
today. You should see the uproar this place is in." He glanced up towards the canopy
of the tree, narrowing his eyes against the bright sunlight. "Can you see it, Nuri?
We couldn't have done it without you, you know. You cleared the way for us... helped
us get the first one." He lapsed into silence then, his mind going back to Mount
Black...
It had been a struggle... convincing the Genbu seishi that they were worthy of gaining
the shinzaho of their Miko. But they'd done it. The trip to get the shinzaho of
Byakko no Miko was grueling as well, but again they'd gotten there one step ahead of
the Seiryuu. One of the Byakko seishi had died in the effort... but it hadn't hit
him as hard as he'd thought it would. He hadn't really known the guy, so how could it?
Once they had both, Chichiri had gotten Miaka away, shielding her and the shinzaho
from the Seiryuu until Tasuki and the others could get to them. By the time they had
gotten back to Konan, they were simply thankful that they hadn't lost anyone else to
death. Then came the news that the Emperor had finally married.
Tasuki shook his head slightly, letting go of the silken hairs, watching them flicker
in the breeze. "Have you seen her yet, Nuriko? She looks just like you. Maybe
Hotohori thought that with her he could be closer to you... I don't know. I'd like to
think that of him though. I can't face him right now... not without remembering that
afternoon in Tolan. Gods, if only he'd known..." He stopped himself before he started
crying once more. He'd shed the last of his tears long ago... no point in reliving
the past that couldn't be changed. He heard his name being called from beyond the
shelter of the cherry tree and stepped out into the sun once more. Chiriko was coming
down the path looking for him.
"Tasuki! It's time to start!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming... Che, could you yell a little louder, I don't think they
heard you in Kutou!" He grinned, walking up to the boy and heading with him towards
the Shrine.
* * *
Miaka was nervous... actually, that was an understatement. After the last time they'd
tried the summoning and failed, all of them were a bit on edge. Tasuki let his gaze
move around the Shrine, stopping on each of his fellow seishi in turn. Mitsukake stood
tall, silent as always and with a quiet resolve that the bandit truly admired in the
man. Chichiri was with Miaka, going over the ceremony with her and instructing her on
her actions. She was nodding softly, speaking with him in hushed tones... but it
didn't take a genius to see her wringing her hands slightly when she thought none
would notice. Chiriko was the most subdued, however his eyes blazed with a fierceness
that even surprised Tasuki. It was as if the boy were using this summons as a
culmination of everything that had happened until now. Hotohori was unusually still,
his hands clasped before him as he stared towards the flames flickering in the brazier
in the center of the Shrine. It was hard to tell just what was going through his mind
right now... and Tasuki felt a bit sorry for him.
The bandit wasn't certain just how he felt about all this himself, however... a bit
of elation at this finally being over... perhaps a bit of trepidation, this had failed
once before through their own arrogance. As his gaze moved across the others, he
stopped at the one spot which stood empty. His eyes closed then and he lowered his
head. *You should have been here, Nuriko... you should be here with us. We couldn't
have done this without you.* As he heard Chichiri remind them of their roles in the
summoning, he shook off the reverie, keeping his eyes on the leaping flames and
concentrating all his will on what they had come here to do.
He barely heard Miaka's voice, intoning the spell that would bring Suzaku to them. He
closed his eyes, reciting the prayer that they all had been instructed for and lowering
his chi almost to the point of passing out. Tasuki kept his concentration on his task,
but couldn't stop his mind from picturing the empty spot in the circle... the place
where his friend would have stood if only they hadn't gotten to Mount Black too late.
Gods, how he'd hated himself for that. He had been emotional enough already... and
then he'd seen Hotohori being pulled away from Nuriko. That was when something inside
of him snapped.
A single tear traced a burning track down his cheek, but he barely noticed it. There
was the thrum of energy in the air, crackling almost audibly, and he heard Miaka's
voice raised to a pleading cry. The sudden energy drain made him gasp, opening his
eyes as the brazier's flames seemed to burst outward, illuminating the entire Shrine
with their light. Awestruck, the bandit watched as the flames grew, then coalesced
into the shimmering image that could only be the Phoenix God. Pale skin that seemed
nearly translucent covered the finely boned face, and piercing eyes fixated themselves
on Miaka, who stood motionless before him. Upswept flame-red hair appeared soft,
almost like feathers, perhaps... fitting for the god of the South.
Tasuki was entranced, and could barely move. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw
his fellow seishi in much the same condition, and suddenly didn't feel so bad. He
barely heard Miaka's voice as she uttered the words of her first wish... The drain on
his power nearly brought him to his knees, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself
to remain upright, feeding Miaka the power that she needed to withstand the force of
that which she had summoned. Now he understood why the other Mikos had gone back to
their world... why they hadn't stayed. After this, they would be lucky to survive.
He froze at that thought, bringing his gaze to his Miko once more, seeing her lips move
as she commanded Suzaku, although he couldn't hear through the pounding of his own
heart. What if she died? What if...
*NO* He stopped those thoughts before they even took hold, shaking his head and
clearing it of the very idea that another of their ranks would fall. It wouldn't
happen... not now. Not after all they'd been through. By the gods, whether they
happened to be standing in front of him or not, he would NOT allow it to happen again.
As Tasuki brought himself upright once more, he heard Miaka's voice echo through the
room once more. He felt his breath catch in his throat and heard the answering gasps
from the other seishi as well as her words sunk into his mind.
"I want to be happy... and for that to happen, each of my seishi must be happy as well."
She'd... she'd given her second wish to them... to each of them. He watched,
dumbfounded as the god turned to each of the others in turn. Nothing was spoken
aloud... the bandit could only wonder what was transpiring between them. Only when
the piercing gaze caught his own did he take an instinctive step back, hearing
Suzaku's voice in his mind.
*What do you wish?*
*What... do I...*
*Your happiness is her request. What will make you happy, my seishi?*
*I... I want...* He bit at his lower lip, one sharpened canine tearing through the
skin there and making a trickle of blood trace down his chin. Lowering his gaze, he
couldn't stop his body from trembling. *I want my friend back.*
There was no need to mention the name. Tasuki felt the soft whisper of air churning
around him as the one he faced stepped closer.
*She has asked for all her seishi to be happy. Which means there is a chance that the
fallen one will choose to stay where he is. Are you ready to accept that, should it
happen?*
The golden eyes flew open as he looked up to the god he'd been born to serve. He'd
never thought of that... why would Nuriko want to stay gone? What was there that
would keep him... Tasuki's hands tightened as he remembered them talking in Tolan.
Kourin... his sister. The one that he'd become to try and give her the life she'd
never have. He had said that his sister lived through him... All he could do was nod,
praying to anyone who would listen that Nuriko would choose to come back.
Tasuki held his breath, watching Suzaku move towards the brazier once more. If he'd
expected an incantation or a showy display of magic, he was going to be disappointed.
He watched in silence, as did the rest of the seishi, as the flames began to roar
higher, their light flickering over the porcelain skin of Suzaku. A deep crimson light
flared around the figure and the fire, extending to the point where the seishi had to
shield their eyes from the glare. When it began to fade, they looked up, Tasuki's
eyes widening as the tears threatened to spring forward once more.
* * *
There, at the feet of Suzaku... lay a small form partially curled against the floor.
The long violet hair was unbound, as it had been not long before that fateful trip to
Mount Black. Pressing shaking hands against the floor, Nuriko pushed himself up to
sit, his legs curled beneath him. It was then that he and the others realized that
his hair was all that covered his body, the flames lending their heat to the pale skin.
He brought his arms around himself, shivering faintly and looking up towards the one
who stood before him. The flash of recognition shot across his face a moment before
he brought his hands down against the marble floor... he remained sitting, his body
bowed forward as his gaze dropped to the ground. His heart nearly skipped a beat as
he heard a gentle voice within his mind.
*I pose to you the same question as I have to your comrades. Your Miko has asked for
you to be happy. What is your wish, Nuriko?*
He looked up then, his body still shaking from the sudden re-emergence to the realm of
the living. He couldn't speak... but realized that he didn't have to. He turned his
gaze to one who stood off to the side, behind Suzaku himself. Nuriko met the soft
hazel-gold eyes that he had looked into moments before he left this world so long ago.
He remembered the words that he had spoken. And he remembered the caring that he had
seen on Hotohori's face in those last few seconds of his life. A soft smile crossed
the kneeling seishi's lips as he brought his gaze back to his God, his wish becoming
plain in his mind.
* * *
Tasuki fought the urge to keep from running to Nuriko's side. Gods, he looked so small.
.. and cold. He was already stripping off his coat, meaning to put it around the
smaller seishi's shoulders, when he saw the silent exchange take place. He followed
Nuriko's gaze, noticing that the Emperor appeared almost in shock that he would come
under scrutiny so quickly. The bandit idly wondered what the hell Nuriko could be
doing, then looked back and saw the faint smile form on the other's face. Suzaku
raised his arms, and there was a shimmer that surrounded himself and the one who knelt
before him. In that instant, Tasuki knew full well what was happening. Hadn't he
heard it before, when they were going to summon Suzaku the first time? Before they'd
known that there were only three wishes, they had all asked Miaka for favors... and
Nuriko's echoed in his mind. Before he realized it, he had bolted forward, slamming a
fist against the barrier that now seperated him from Suzaku and his brother seishi.
"Nuriko, NO! You don't know!" He shouted, feeling at least one of the others behind
him, trying to pull him away. "Let me GO! He's making a mistake!"
Chichiri held him back, trying to calm him as he looked towards the two within the
shield. "What are you talking about, no da? He's getting the same chance we all did!"
Tasuki whipped around, pulling his arm free from the monk's grasp. "You don't fucking
understand!" He saw Chichiri back away and could only imagine the crazed look in his
eyes at the moment. He didn't care... all he knew was that his friend was making a
wish for happiness that would only drive him farthur into the despair he'd known his
entire life. "All he ever wanted was HIM!" He brought up one hand, pointing towards
Hotohori, who stepped back in amazement at the outburst. "The only way he could ever
have a chance with the Emperor was to become what he pretended to be for all those
years." Tasuki's voice dropped and he slanted his gaze to the side as the recognition
began to sink in with the others. "He doesn't fucking know about Houki! It's going
to kill him all over again!"
Hotohori looked as though he'd been struck and darted foward towards the shield,
trying to gain the attention of the two within. Tasuki did the same, but neither
Nuriko nor their god appeared to notice. The slender seishi's head was bowed once
more, hands braced against the marble floor as a bright crimson light surrounded him.
* * *
The first thing he felt was warmth spreading slowly over his body. The red light
seemed to make everything fade until the only beings in his existance were himself and
Suzaku. Nuriko was frightened, to put it mildy. He knew what it was he had wished
for and wasn't quite certain what it would entail. He felt a soft touch within his
mind then, and his eyes drifted closed.
*Prepare yourself.*
A few seconds later, his body went rigid as pain seared its way through every nerve.
He arched up, his mouth open in a silent scream, his eyes tightly closed against the
waves of power that coursed through him.
* * *
Tasuki flinched as the light flared, narrowing his eyes as he watched. He felt as
though his heart were trying to wrench its way out of his chest as he saw Nuriko's
reaction. Pain... again... oh gods, how much pain would he have to go through in his
life? He glanced to his side, looking to Hotohori, whose hands were tightened into
fists. The look on his face was one of utter hopelessness... something Tasuki had
never seen in the man before. He couldn't even be angry... the Emperor had no idea
of what Nuriko was planning, nor did he have time to explain about Houki. Tasuki
didn't even want to know what was going through the man's mind right now.
Hotohori himself was simply stunned. He hadn't expected Nuriko to go this far. If
only he'd been able to tell him... if only he'd spoken up that day in Tolan... if
only he hadn't met the gentle maiden who had reminded him so much of his brother
seishi. His fist pressed against the barrier as his head bowed forward, the tears
falling unbidden from his closed eyes. He never meant to hurt Nuriko... but it
seemed that was all he did. Even now... he was watching his friend make a move that
would change his life forever... all because of his love for his Emperor. A love that
Hotohori was more than willing, although unable, to return.
Both of them darted forward as the shield lowered and Nuriko fell to lay on the ground.
The sound of their footsteps was all that was heard in the dead silence, save for the
crackling of the flames. Tasuki brought his coat around Nuriko's still form, bringing
his friend to rest against his chest. He looked up to Hotohori then, who knelt beside
them, his eyes locked to Nuriko's form as his expression shattered into near grief.
Tasuki looked down then and blanched. Good gods... this is how he looked... He
squeezed his eyes shut, blocking that thought from his mind as he heard Miaka issue
her last wish to Suzaku.
It was a blur in Tasuki's mind... he knew what was happening... Miaka was going home
and Tamahome was going with her. He heard something about rebirth, about them being
together in the future... but he couldn't quite make it out. Yui was going as well,
apparently, and he brought himself up to hug the girl who had brought peace to Konan
once more. Neither she nor Tamahome expected much from Tasuki and the Emperor at the
moment. Hotohori couldn't even stand, but he managed to wish them well, clasping
Tamahome's hand and bringing Miaka into an embrace. It seemed to go by too quickly in
the bandit's mind... but all he could see was his friend laying in his arms and he
wondered just what the hell they were going to do now.
* * *
Peaceful... Nuriko looked so content, laying in his... her... bed. Tasuki reminded
himself of what he had realized the moment that he'd picked her up in the Shrine to
carry her to her quarters. Nuriko was most definately female now, thanks to Suzaku.
He'd offered to take her to rest as Chichiri had moved to the Emperor's side, leading
the man away. Hotohori was an emotional nightmare at the moment, and wanted no one
near him at all. Chichiri, however, had a habit of remaining with those who needed
his help and had refused to be swayed. Mitsukake and Chiriko had followed Tasuki as
he walked towards Nuriko's former quarters, cradling her close to him.
He had laid Nuriko on the bed, bringing the quilt over her and sliding his coat free
as he did so. The healer was there, making certain that no physical damage had been
done during the transformation, and Chiriko simply watched, clinging to the edge of
the bed, his eyes filled with concern for his friend.
"Tasuki?" Came the soft whispered voice. "Will he-... will she be alright?"
Tasuki brought his hand down on the boy's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Yeah,
she'll be fine, Chiriko." His trademark smirk came to his face as the youngest seishi
looked up at him. Somehow, seeing the bandit like that made a faint smile come to
Chiriko's face as well. After all, if Tasuki wasn't worried, he shouldn't be either.
"She's faced a lot worse than this, she's probably just exhausted."
Mitsukake nodded softly in agreement, getting to his feet slowly. "She'll be fine,
she's resting. I don't expect her to wake for quite some time, however. You might
want to think about eating, Tasuki. It's been a long day and all of us are worn out."
The healer walked over to the two, bringing one arm around Chiriko and looking to the
redhead. "Myself included... and I won't treat anyone for stupidity. Get something
to eat and drink, then come back, if you want to watch over her."
Tasuki nodded, turning towards the door with the other two and stopping to glance
towards Nuriko's sleeping form once more. *I won't let you go on like this... you
thought you hurt before, it's going to be nothing when you see what's happened while
you were gone. But I swear to you... you won't be alone.* The three left then,
sliding the door closed.
* * *
Warmth... the familiar scent of lavender in the air...
Nuriko opened her eyes, blinking slowly as her vision focused. Yawning, she sat up
slowly, half wondering why she felt so drained... and why Tasuki was sleeping in a
chair next to her bed. She was about to reach over to wake him when the quilt slid
down around her waist and the inside of her arm brushed against something that made
her freeze. Looking down at her exposed chest, she gasped, grasping the quilt and
yanking it up nearly to her shoulders as her eyes widened. It wasn't a dream... it
had happened... all of it. Fighting to keep her excitement down, she slipped from the
bed, dragging the quilt with her as she tiptoed over behind the dressing screen and
quietly opened the doors to the wooden chest that held the clothing she had put aside
so long ago... when she'd begun dressing more male to be able to protect Miaka.
Miaka... oh Suzaku, she'd be ecstatic! Unable to subdue the grin that crossed her
face, she slid on the underdress, then carefully pulled out a deep indigo robe, laying
it over her shoulders and cinching the waist with a long pale lavender sash that
doubled about her hips gently. Slipping her feet into a pair of soft shoes, she fairly
glided over to the sitting table with an oval mirror behind it. Pinching her cheeks to
give them a bit of colour, her eyes fell on a small arrangement of deep red flowers
that sat on the table. She picked up the thick brush from the stand and gently pulled
it through her long hair, then brought it up into a knot at the crown of her head,
leaving a single long braid down her back. It was much the same as she'd done before
her 'secret' became known. As she brought her fingers into a small jar of powdered
lavender and brought the tinge of colour across her eyelids, she smiled. Nuriko
brushed the excess off onto a cloth laying on the table, then plucked one of the petals
from a flower, crushing the fragrant softness and brushed it across her lips. Smiling
towards her reflection, she stood once more, careful to make as little noise as
possible as she moved towards the door, sliding it open. She stepped out, then turned
to close it once more, peering inside to smile at the sleeping Tasuki. He looked
exhausted... and not wanting to disturb him, she pushed the door closed once more and
walked towards the Court, where she knew the others would be.
* * *
Hothohori tried to keep himself still, not liking the trivialities of Court to begin
with, let alone this soon after the Summoning. So much had changed, and he felt more
caged now than ever as he was forced to sit through the rumblings of those who were
still not convinced that Kutou was no longer a threat. He felt a soothing hand on his
shoulder and smiled faintly, not even having to turn around. Houki knew his feelings
about all of this, and had reminded him that she would be there to support him.
Somehow, it made everything seem better. His gaze flicked to the seishi who were still
present... Mitsukake standing stoically along the wall of the Court, Chiriko and
Chichiri by his side. Tasuki was conspicuously absent, but the Emperor had been told
that the bandit was still holding vigil at Nuriko's bedside. Nuriko... gods how he
wished he could go to her... and he would, as soon as he could slip away from the
duties that fell upon his shoulders. He had to tell her, before...
The Emperor's eyes widened as he saw a slender figure slip in and stop beside Chichiri,
tapping him lightly. From the monk's reaction and the grin on Chiriko's face, there
was no denying who the dark haired beauty was... he froze as she looked towards him,
that energetic smile upon her face, the rose-tinged eyes carrying her joy even within
their depths. So that was what Nuriko looked like when not hiding anything. His blood
ran cold then, as the soft gaze shifted... and he saw Nuriko's expression shatter.
Glancing over his shoulder, Houki was returning the woman's gaze curiously... most
likely wondering who the maiden was that so resembled her. Hotohori brought his eyes
back towards Nuriko and saw Chichiri approaching her, speaking so softly that the
Emperor couldn't hear. As soon as the monk's hand touched Nuriko's shoulder, however,
it was as if the reverie was broken, the woman turning towards the doors and bolting.
The swish of silk was the only sound that came from her... barely enough to make anyone
turn. But the sound echoed in Hotohori's ears long after Nuriko had vanished.
Inwardly he cursed, vowing to find her as soon as he could break free of the Court.
* * *
"NURIKO!!"
Tasuki nearly fell to the floor as the sharp cry startled him awake. There was the
sound of footsteps rushing by, then a few moments later a similar noise, only softer.
He looked towards the bed and cursed loudly, darting towards the door just as Chiriko
ran by. He saw the boy skid around the corner, then stop, trying to catch his breath,
tears streaming down his cheeks. "Chiriko... what the hell happened. Where's Nuriko?"
The youngest seishi looked up to him, shaking his head as he tried to regain enough
composure to speak. "She came to Court... she saw the Emperor and Empress and then
when Chichiri tried to talk to her, she ran. I lost her..."
The anguished tone in the boy's voice made Tasuki nearly cringe. He walked over to
Chiriko and patted his shoulder lightly before vaulting the railing to land in the
grass below. "Don't worry, Chiriko... I know where she is. You go back to Court and
tell the others I'll find her." With that, the bandit walked off down one of the
garden paths, his destination clear in his mind.
* * *
Nuriko ran through the garden, tears obscuring her vision. Twice, she tripped over
the long hem of her robe, stumbling to the ground and picking herself back up once
more, scooping the front of her robe to keep it from happening again. She knew where
she was going... only one other knew of her 'hiding' place, and he was asleep. She
pushed through the branches of the cherry tree, falling to her knees beside the small
bench and letting her had fall into folded arms on the stone. Her body shook with the
force of her sobs, her hands tightening on the silken sleeves hard enough to bring
small tears to the fabric. She didn't notice... nor did she hear the soft footsteps
that approached from behind her. Nuriko cringed, pulling away as she felt a gentle
hand upon her shoulder, even though she never looked up.
"Nuriko?" Came the hushed whisper... a voice that she'd never heard before. Taking
a deep ragged breath, she turned and gazed into a face so strikingly like her own that
it made her senses reel. The woman stepped forward, dropping to her knees despite the
ornate finery of her Court dress. She reached up, bringing the gilded headdress down,
the long violet hair spilling over her shoulders. Her intent was obvious... for this
moment, she wasn't the Empress... simply a woman who was concerned for another. "I
had thought that was you... forgive me for following you, but you seemed so upset.
And the Emperor himself was unable to pull himself away from the Court."
The seishi winced, looking away at the mention of Hotohori. Even that vague reference
was enough to make her think that her heart was tearing through her chest. "I... No,
I should ask forgiveness. I had no right..." She was silenced by the fingertip of
the Empress pressing lightly against her lips.
"No... you had every right. What you did, you did out of love for him, and it wasn't
fair that no one was able to tell you about me before you made your decision." She
smiled softly, placing her hands in her lap. "I am Houki... I came to the Court while
the Emperor was away. It wasn't long after he returned that I was brought before him
and found myself made Empress." Her gaze found the dampened eyes of the seishi once
more and she sighed softly. "There are those who said that it was to ease his loss of
you. If that is true, then it is I who should apologize... since it is my fault that
he was unable to go to you when you returned."
Nuriko couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Empress... apologizing to her?
"But... that couldn't be it. I wasn't...." She glanced down at herself, half closing
her eyes. "I wasn't like this before..."
"I know."
The seishi lifted a widened gaze to Houki, her lips moving as if to speak.
Houki brought up a hand and the gentle smile returned once more. "He spoke of you
often... and told me his feelings for you. He loves you, you realize... he had been
going to tell you after the seishi had returned from gathering the items for the
Summoning. He knew that his advisors were pushing for him to marry... but he wanted
you to be with him, even if it was only in the position of consort." She raised one
finger, stopping Nuriko before she could speak. "I... I'd like to finish. For a long
time I didn't understand how he could marry one he didn't love... but when I found
out about you, it all seemed to fall into place."
Nuriko pulled back slightly, looking away in shame. How could she be angry at either
of them? Houki loved Hotohori, that much was plain to see. Even if appearance alone
had brought them together, there was something more there now... she heard it in
Houki's voice... and she'd seen it when Hotohori had realized that she'd seen the
Empress.
"I love him, Nuriko... and I think that in the time we've been together, he has come
to love me for who I am, not who he thought I was when we first met. But seeing your
face when you realized who I was... I had to follow you, to make certain that you
were going to be alright." The Empress looked to her with concern and a touch of fear
in her eyes.
The violet-haired seishi looked up fully then, smiling softly. "I'll be alright,
Houki-sama. It was a shock... but I'll be alright. You are happy with him and he is
happy with you. That is all that matters, ne?" The anger and pain were pushed away...
all she'd ever wanted was for Saihitei to be happy. Now, it appeared that he was.
Houki beamed a smile of relief, leaning forward and embracing Nuriko tightly. She was
pleased to find the gesture returned, and smiled to the seishi as she moved to stand
again. "Gomen nasai... I have to return or they'll wonder where I went." She
extended a hand to Nuriko then as the other scooped her headdress into it. "Onegai...
join us for dinner tonight? He wants to see you so badly."
Nuriko swallowed hard, but hid her discomfort behind the bright demeanor that she
always had. "Of course, Houki-sama. I will be there."
The Empress nodded, turning then and moving back towards Court, disappearing into the
foliage of the garden. Nuriko watched her go, holding herself steady until even the s
ound of Houki's footsteps had faded. Only then did she release her breath, her body
curling forward faintly as she fought back the tears once more.
"You're a lousy fucking liar when one knows what to look for."
Nuriko started, her back straightening as she looked around wildly. Rose-tinted eyes
locked with heated gold, both pairs narrowing as the contact was made. "You..." She
nearly scooted back as the bandit stepped out of the bushes nearby, his strides taking
him to the bench within a few steps. She gasped aloud as he reached down, grabbing
hold of her wrist and pulling her to her feet. "Tasuki! What are you..." She was
silenced then as he brought her close, his arms around her.
"Damnit, Nuriko..." He whispered. "You don't have to lock it all away. I'm your
friend and I won't watch you kill yourself again." Tasuki smiled faintly as he felt
her tremble, her arms moving around his sides and holding him close. "Friends watch
out for each other... you taught me that. If you have to cry, I'll be here."
She didn't know how to respond to that... without warning, all the pent up anger,
frustration and loss seemed to burst through the barriers she'd erected around her
emotions, and she could only bury her face against his chest, crying.
Tasuki stayed there, not letting go of his fellow seishi. His cheek rested against
the top of Nuriko's head as he held her, letting her work out everything that had been
building over the past few hours. He should have stayed awake, then he would have
been able to stop her. But it was too late to wonder what would have happened if
things had gone differently.
* * *
It was well after dark when the two of them headed back towards the palace proper.
Nuriko had cried until the tears just wouldn't fall anymore, and then they had sat
under the tree, just talking. Nothing was forbidden, it seemed... they talked of
everything from the Emperor to the Reikaku bandits that Tasuki had left behind when he
was still known as Genrou. Afterward, Tasuki felt as though no matter what he should
or shouldn't have done, it was well worth it. Nuriko smiled to him as they walked back,
and for the first time he could remember, it seemed that it was hiding nothing...
that perhaps she would finally find happiness. They stopped just outside of Nuriko's
room, the silence broken as she spoke.
"Tasuki... thank you. You helped me more than you know today." She brought one hand
forward, catching his own within it and squeezing his fingers gently.
The bandit smiled, shaking his head softly. "Nan da... I look after my friends, and
you're the closest one I've got here. Now... I'm going to go find something to eat,
and you accepted a dinner invitation, I believe." He grinned, performing a mock bow
towards Nuriko before turning away. "If you ever get the urge to ditch palace life,
let me know... I'm sure Kouji wouldn't mind formally meeting you. Last time you blew
through there, we didn't have much time for introductions."
Chuckling faintly, Nuriko shook hear head. "We'll see... one day at a time, right?"
She stepped within her room, pulling the door closed and beginning to get ready for
her meal with the Emperor and Empress.
"Right..." Tasuki glanced towards the closed door, smiling. Things were working out,
finally. From what he'd seen in the garden, Nuriko and Houki would become good friends,
and that was likely just what they both needed. Whistling faintly, he headed towards
the kitchens, letting himself relax for the first time that day.
High above, seven constellations wheeled through the sky, the Phoenix God keeping
watch over his own.
* * *
~Owari
(Conclusion)
--------------------
This was it... the day they'd been dreaming of for months. Suzaku was going to be
summoned at last! "Then why the fuck am I not bouncing off the walls like everyone
else in this gods-cursed place?" Tasuki muttered to himself as he walked along one of
the garden paths. It was the only place he could get away from the others for a bit,
especially now. They'd just gotten back a few days ago, but the preperations were
already underway. Tensions were high, especially after what happened the last time.
Even Hotohori had dropped his normal aloofness and was getting his hands dirty the
same as anyone else. There was a thought that made him snort derisively. Things had
been on edge between the bandit and the Emperor ever since they'd met again. It
wasn't long after Nuri-... after Mount Black... that Hotohori had been called back
to Konan. It had taken several talks with Chichiri and nearly all of the two months
they were gone getting the other shinzaho for Tasuki to begin to forgive Hotohori.
It wasn't his fault he didn't know... not like Nuriko ever told anyone anything about
himself without pulling teeth. He was ready to apologize to the Emperor upon his
return... and then they were introduced to the Empress.
Whatever compassion Tasuki had held for the man, it was shattered the moment he laid
eyes on the woman who was all Nuriko should have been. At first, he had thought it
*was* Nuriko, and was ready to lay into the man for making them all think he was dead
like that. Miaka beat him to it, fairly pouncing the unsuspecting woman who was then
introduced as Houki... a maiden of the Court, and now Empress of Konan. Tasuki had
stormed out then, and hadn't laid eyes on Hotohori or his wife since. He wasn't sure
he could control himself... and while he had no reservations about giving Hotohori a
piece of his mind, he refused to stoop to the level of assaulting a woman, verbally
or otherwise. Yes, it was safest for him to just stay out here til the ceremony was
ready to begin... then call the Bird, get Konan's ass out of the fire, get Miaka home,
*then* he could return to Mount Reikaku and try to live a normal life again. Somewhere
away from Emperors and Mikos... and friends who had gone on to the heavens.
Almost before he realized it, he stopped himself from walking straight into one of the
duck ponds. The harsh cry of the birds startled from their swim made him recoil, his
eyes widening as he realized just how close to the water he'd gotten. This place was
familiar... Tasuki narrowed his eyes as he glanced around. There was a small stone
bench hidden just beneath the overhang of a cherry tree not far from where he stood.
His body and mind were numb as he walked over towards it, ducking beneath the spray of
blossoms and seating himself there quietly. His eyes caught a glimpse of fluttering
violet, his breath catching in his throat as one hand lifted to brush against the
silken strands of hair that were twined tightly around the branch. Swallowing hard
against the lump in his throat, he lowered his gaze, the memory coming back sharply in
his mind.
* * *
He'd been wandering the gardens, much as he had today... only then, his mind wasn't
clouded. The summoning had failed, and the seishi were preparing to travel to Hokkan
to get the shinzaho. He was already packed, and rather than have Tamahome try to
throw him into the bay again, he'd stayed behind while the others were readying the
boat. He had thought he was the only one. He'd reached this spot, not even noticing
the bench as he watched the fish in the water. The only thing that alerted him to it
was the muffled curse from behind him. Tasuki had turned to see Nuriko, standing next
to the bench with one hand holding the cherry branch, the other trying to work his
hair out of the knots it had gotten into. There was a white dove sitting on the
smaller seishi's shoulder, and he nearly burst out laughing as he heard Nuriko chiding
the creature.
"Curious little... now why in Suzaku's name did you think my hair would make good
nest material? It'll take me ages to get it untangled!" The dove peered around
Nuriko's chin at the tangled hair, cooing faintly as it fluttered over to the branch
and started pecking at the section of Nuriko's braid that was attached to the tree.
"Stop that! You're making it worse. Shoo!" Nuriko's voice was soft, however, and
Tasuki knew that he wasn't mad at the bird, more frustrated at not being able to free
himself. It was too good an opportunity to pass up. He walked towards the violet-
haired seishi, chuckling as he saw Nuriko's face turn dead white at his approach.
"You know... I never knew you were into bondage, Nuriko." He dodged to the side,
avoiding the swift kick that the smaller seishi made at him, then darted forward as he
saw the other foot slip, sending Nuriko crashing to the ground. The branch bent low
for a moment, then sprang up once more, eliciting a shriek from the fallen one.
"Nuri... are you alright??"
He was rewarded for his concern by a half hearted slap from the one he tried to help.
"BAKA!! Sneaking up on me like that, Tasuki, you're lucky I couldn't reach you!"
Nuriko hissed in pain, rubbing the back of his head and looking up at the branch where
a snarl of his own hair now sat wound around the blossoms. He glanced to the dove
once more, chuckling faintly. "Happy now? Take what I left behind, don't go trying
to steal my hair again!"
Tasuki grinned, getting to his feet and offering a hand to Nuriko. "Aw, she probably
had been sitting in your hair and thought it was soft. Can't blame her for having good
taste, now can you?" He wasn't sure what was more amusing... Nuriko muttering about
hair being yanked, or the look of shock that passed over his face at Tasuki's words.
* * *
He fingered the strands of hair, his other hand reaching up to wipe a bit of moisture
from his eyes. "We got them, Nuriko..." He whispered, gazing towards the physical
reminder of his fallen friend. "Thanks to you... we got them. We're summoning Suzaku
today. You should see the uproar this place is in." He glanced up towards the canopy
of the tree, narrowing his eyes against the bright sunlight. "Can you see it, Nuri?
We couldn't have done it without you, you know. You cleared the way for us... helped
us get the first one." He lapsed into silence then, his mind going back to Mount
Black...
It had been a struggle... convincing the Genbu seishi that they were worthy of gaining
the shinzaho of their Miko. But they'd done it. The trip to get the shinzaho of
Byakko no Miko was grueling as well, but again they'd gotten there one step ahead of
the Seiryuu. One of the Byakko seishi had died in the effort... but it hadn't hit
him as hard as he'd thought it would. He hadn't really known the guy, so how could it?
Once they had both, Chichiri had gotten Miaka away, shielding her and the shinzaho
from the Seiryuu until Tasuki and the others could get to them. By the time they had
gotten back to Konan, they were simply thankful that they hadn't lost anyone else to
death. Then came the news that the Emperor had finally married.
Tasuki shook his head slightly, letting go of the silken hairs, watching them flicker
in the breeze. "Have you seen her yet, Nuriko? She looks just like you. Maybe
Hotohori thought that with her he could be closer to you... I don't know. I'd like to
think that of him though. I can't face him right now... not without remembering that
afternoon in Tolan. Gods, if only he'd known..." He stopped himself before he started
crying once more. He'd shed the last of his tears long ago... no point in reliving
the past that couldn't be changed. He heard his name being called from beyond the
shelter of the cherry tree and stepped out into the sun once more. Chiriko was coming
down the path looking for him.
"Tasuki! It's time to start!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming... Che, could you yell a little louder, I don't think they
heard you in Kutou!" He grinned, walking up to the boy and heading with him towards
the Shrine.
* * *
Miaka was nervous... actually, that was an understatement. After the last time they'd
tried the summoning and failed, all of them were a bit on edge. Tasuki let his gaze
move around the Shrine, stopping on each of his fellow seishi in turn. Mitsukake stood
tall, silent as always and with a quiet resolve that the bandit truly admired in the
man. Chichiri was with Miaka, going over the ceremony with her and instructing her on
her actions. She was nodding softly, speaking with him in hushed tones... but it
didn't take a genius to see her wringing her hands slightly when she thought none
would notice. Chiriko was the most subdued, however his eyes blazed with a fierceness
that even surprised Tasuki. It was as if the boy were using this summons as a
culmination of everything that had happened until now. Hotohori was unusually still,
his hands clasped before him as he stared towards the flames flickering in the brazier
in the center of the Shrine. It was hard to tell just what was going through his mind
right now... and Tasuki felt a bit sorry for him.
The bandit wasn't certain just how he felt about all this himself, however... a bit
of elation at this finally being over... perhaps a bit of trepidation, this had failed
once before through their own arrogance. As his gaze moved across the others, he
stopped at the one spot which stood empty. His eyes closed then and he lowered his
head. *You should have been here, Nuriko... you should be here with us. We couldn't
have done this without you.* As he heard Chichiri remind them of their roles in the
summoning, he shook off the reverie, keeping his eyes on the leaping flames and
concentrating all his will on what they had come here to do.
He barely heard Miaka's voice, intoning the spell that would bring Suzaku to them. He
closed his eyes, reciting the prayer that they all had been instructed for and lowering
his chi almost to the point of passing out. Tasuki kept his concentration on his task,
but couldn't stop his mind from picturing the empty spot in the circle... the place
where his friend would have stood if only they hadn't gotten to Mount Black too late.
Gods, how he'd hated himself for that. He had been emotional enough already... and
then he'd seen Hotohori being pulled away from Nuriko. That was when something inside
of him snapped.
A single tear traced a burning track down his cheek, but he barely noticed it. There
was the thrum of energy in the air, crackling almost audibly, and he heard Miaka's
voice raised to a pleading cry. The sudden energy drain made him gasp, opening his
eyes as the brazier's flames seemed to burst outward, illuminating the entire Shrine
with their light. Awestruck, the bandit watched as the flames grew, then coalesced
into the shimmering image that could only be the Phoenix God. Pale skin that seemed
nearly translucent covered the finely boned face, and piercing eyes fixated themselves
on Miaka, who stood motionless before him. Upswept flame-red hair appeared soft,
almost like feathers, perhaps... fitting for the god of the South.
Tasuki was entranced, and could barely move. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw
his fellow seishi in much the same condition, and suddenly didn't feel so bad. He
barely heard Miaka's voice as she uttered the words of her first wish... The drain on
his power nearly brought him to his knees, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself
to remain upright, feeding Miaka the power that she needed to withstand the force of
that which she had summoned. Now he understood why the other Mikos had gone back to
their world... why they hadn't stayed. After this, they would be lucky to survive.
He froze at that thought, bringing his gaze to his Miko once more, seeing her lips move
as she commanded Suzaku, although he couldn't hear through the pounding of his own
heart. What if she died? What if...
*NO* He stopped those thoughts before they even took hold, shaking his head and
clearing it of the very idea that another of their ranks would fall. It wouldn't
happen... not now. Not after all they'd been through. By the gods, whether they
happened to be standing in front of him or not, he would NOT allow it to happen again.
As Tasuki brought himself upright once more, he heard Miaka's voice echo through the
room once more. He felt his breath catch in his throat and heard the answering gasps
from the other seishi as well as her words sunk into his mind.
"I want to be happy... and for that to happen, each of my seishi must be happy as well."
She'd... she'd given her second wish to them... to each of them. He watched,
dumbfounded as the god turned to each of the others in turn. Nothing was spoken
aloud... the bandit could only wonder what was transpiring between them. Only when
the piercing gaze caught his own did he take an instinctive step back, hearing
Suzaku's voice in his mind.
*What do you wish?*
*What... do I...*
*Your happiness is her request. What will make you happy, my seishi?*
*I... I want...* He bit at his lower lip, one sharpened canine tearing through the
skin there and making a trickle of blood trace down his chin. Lowering his gaze, he
couldn't stop his body from trembling. *I want my friend back.*
There was no need to mention the name. Tasuki felt the soft whisper of air churning
around him as the one he faced stepped closer.
*She has asked for all her seishi to be happy. Which means there is a chance that the
fallen one will choose to stay where he is. Are you ready to accept that, should it
happen?*
The golden eyes flew open as he looked up to the god he'd been born to serve. He'd
never thought of that... why would Nuriko want to stay gone? What was there that
would keep him... Tasuki's hands tightened as he remembered them talking in Tolan.
Kourin... his sister. The one that he'd become to try and give her the life she'd
never have. He had said that his sister lived through him... All he could do was nod,
praying to anyone who would listen that Nuriko would choose to come back.
Tasuki held his breath, watching Suzaku move towards the brazier once more. If he'd
expected an incantation or a showy display of magic, he was going to be disappointed.
He watched in silence, as did the rest of the seishi, as the flames began to roar
higher, their light flickering over the porcelain skin of Suzaku. A deep crimson light
flared around the figure and the fire, extending to the point where the seishi had to
shield their eyes from the glare. When it began to fade, they looked up, Tasuki's
eyes widening as the tears threatened to spring forward once more.
* * *
There, at the feet of Suzaku... lay a small form partially curled against the floor.
The long violet hair was unbound, as it had been not long before that fateful trip to
Mount Black. Pressing shaking hands against the floor, Nuriko pushed himself up to
sit, his legs curled beneath him. It was then that he and the others realized that
his hair was all that covered his body, the flames lending their heat to the pale skin.
He brought his arms around himself, shivering faintly and looking up towards the one
who stood before him. The flash of recognition shot across his face a moment before
he brought his hands down against the marble floor... he remained sitting, his body
bowed forward as his gaze dropped to the ground. His heart nearly skipped a beat as
he heard a gentle voice within his mind.
*I pose to you the same question as I have to your comrades. Your Miko has asked for
you to be happy. What is your wish, Nuriko?*
He looked up then, his body still shaking from the sudden re-emergence to the realm of
the living. He couldn't speak... but realized that he didn't have to. He turned his
gaze to one who stood off to the side, behind Suzaku himself. Nuriko met the soft
hazel-gold eyes that he had looked into moments before he left this world so long ago.
He remembered the words that he had spoken. And he remembered the caring that he had
seen on Hotohori's face in those last few seconds of his life. A soft smile crossed
the kneeling seishi's lips as he brought his gaze back to his God, his wish becoming
plain in his mind.
* * *
Tasuki fought the urge to keep from running to Nuriko's side. Gods, he looked so small.
.. and cold. He was already stripping off his coat, meaning to put it around the
smaller seishi's shoulders, when he saw the silent exchange take place. He followed
Nuriko's gaze, noticing that the Emperor appeared almost in shock that he would come
under scrutiny so quickly. The bandit idly wondered what the hell Nuriko could be
doing, then looked back and saw the faint smile form on the other's face. Suzaku
raised his arms, and there was a shimmer that surrounded himself and the one who knelt
before him. In that instant, Tasuki knew full well what was happening. Hadn't he
heard it before, when they were going to summon Suzaku the first time? Before they'd
known that there were only three wishes, they had all asked Miaka for favors... and
Nuriko's echoed in his mind. Before he realized it, he had bolted forward, slamming a
fist against the barrier that now seperated him from Suzaku and his brother seishi.
"Nuriko, NO! You don't know!" He shouted, feeling at least one of the others behind
him, trying to pull him away. "Let me GO! He's making a mistake!"
Chichiri held him back, trying to calm him as he looked towards the two within the
shield. "What are you talking about, no da? He's getting the same chance we all did!"
Tasuki whipped around, pulling his arm free from the monk's grasp. "You don't fucking
understand!" He saw Chichiri back away and could only imagine the crazed look in his
eyes at the moment. He didn't care... all he knew was that his friend was making a
wish for happiness that would only drive him farthur into the despair he'd known his
entire life. "All he ever wanted was HIM!" He brought up one hand, pointing towards
Hotohori, who stepped back in amazement at the outburst. "The only way he could ever
have a chance with the Emperor was to become what he pretended to be for all those
years." Tasuki's voice dropped and he slanted his gaze to the side as the recognition
began to sink in with the others. "He doesn't fucking know about Houki! It's going
to kill him all over again!"
Hotohori looked as though he'd been struck and darted foward towards the shield,
trying to gain the attention of the two within. Tasuki did the same, but neither
Nuriko nor their god appeared to notice. The slender seishi's head was bowed once
more, hands braced against the marble floor as a bright crimson light surrounded him.
* * *
The first thing he felt was warmth spreading slowly over his body. The red light
seemed to make everything fade until the only beings in his existance were himself and
Suzaku. Nuriko was frightened, to put it mildy. He knew what it was he had wished
for and wasn't quite certain what it would entail. He felt a soft touch within his
mind then, and his eyes drifted closed.
*Prepare yourself.*
A few seconds later, his body went rigid as pain seared its way through every nerve.
He arched up, his mouth open in a silent scream, his eyes tightly closed against the
waves of power that coursed through him.
* * *
Tasuki flinched as the light flared, narrowing his eyes as he watched. He felt as
though his heart were trying to wrench its way out of his chest as he saw Nuriko's
reaction. Pain... again... oh gods, how much pain would he have to go through in his
life? He glanced to his side, looking to Hotohori, whose hands were tightened into
fists. The look on his face was one of utter hopelessness... something Tasuki had
never seen in the man before. He couldn't even be angry... the Emperor had no idea
of what Nuriko was planning, nor did he have time to explain about Houki. Tasuki
didn't even want to know what was going through the man's mind right now.
Hotohori himself was simply stunned. He hadn't expected Nuriko to go this far. If
only he'd been able to tell him... if only he'd spoken up that day in Tolan... if
only he hadn't met the gentle maiden who had reminded him so much of his brother
seishi. His fist pressed against the barrier as his head bowed forward, the tears
falling unbidden from his closed eyes. He never meant to hurt Nuriko... but it
seemed that was all he did. Even now... he was watching his friend make a move that
would change his life forever... all because of his love for his Emperor. A love that
Hotohori was more than willing, although unable, to return.
Both of them darted forward as the shield lowered and Nuriko fell to lay on the ground.
The sound of their footsteps was all that was heard in the dead silence, save for the
crackling of the flames. Tasuki brought his coat around Nuriko's still form, bringing
his friend to rest against his chest. He looked up to Hotohori then, who knelt beside
them, his eyes locked to Nuriko's form as his expression shattered into near grief.
Tasuki looked down then and blanched. Good gods... this is how he looked... He
squeezed his eyes shut, blocking that thought from his mind as he heard Miaka issue
her last wish to Suzaku.
It was a blur in Tasuki's mind... he knew what was happening... Miaka was going home
and Tamahome was going with her. He heard something about rebirth, about them being
together in the future... but he couldn't quite make it out. Yui was going as well,
apparently, and he brought himself up to hug the girl who had brought peace to Konan
once more. Neither she nor Tamahome expected much from Tasuki and the Emperor at the
moment. Hotohori couldn't even stand, but he managed to wish them well, clasping
Tamahome's hand and bringing Miaka into an embrace. It seemed to go by too quickly in
the bandit's mind... but all he could see was his friend laying in his arms and he
wondered just what the hell they were going to do now.
* * *
Peaceful... Nuriko looked so content, laying in his... her... bed. Tasuki reminded
himself of what he had realized the moment that he'd picked her up in the Shrine to
carry her to her quarters. Nuriko was most definately female now, thanks to Suzaku.
He'd offered to take her to rest as Chichiri had moved to the Emperor's side, leading
the man away. Hotohori was an emotional nightmare at the moment, and wanted no one
near him at all. Chichiri, however, had a habit of remaining with those who needed
his help and had refused to be swayed. Mitsukake and Chiriko had followed Tasuki as
he walked towards Nuriko's former quarters, cradling her close to him.
He had laid Nuriko on the bed, bringing the quilt over her and sliding his coat free
as he did so. The healer was there, making certain that no physical damage had been
done during the transformation, and Chiriko simply watched, clinging to the edge of
the bed, his eyes filled with concern for his friend.
"Tasuki?" Came the soft whispered voice. "Will he-... will she be alright?"
Tasuki brought his hand down on the boy's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "Yeah,
she'll be fine, Chiriko." His trademark smirk came to his face as the youngest seishi
looked up at him. Somehow, seeing the bandit like that made a faint smile come to
Chiriko's face as well. After all, if Tasuki wasn't worried, he shouldn't be either.
"She's faced a lot worse than this, she's probably just exhausted."
Mitsukake nodded softly in agreement, getting to his feet slowly. "She'll be fine,
she's resting. I don't expect her to wake for quite some time, however. You might
want to think about eating, Tasuki. It's been a long day and all of us are worn out."
The healer walked over to the two, bringing one arm around Chiriko and looking to the
redhead. "Myself included... and I won't treat anyone for stupidity. Get something
to eat and drink, then come back, if you want to watch over her."
Tasuki nodded, turning towards the door with the other two and stopping to glance
towards Nuriko's sleeping form once more. *I won't let you go on like this... you
thought you hurt before, it's going to be nothing when you see what's happened while
you were gone. But I swear to you... you won't be alone.* The three left then,
sliding the door closed.
* * *
Warmth... the familiar scent of lavender in the air...
Nuriko opened her eyes, blinking slowly as her vision focused. Yawning, she sat up
slowly, half wondering why she felt so drained... and why Tasuki was sleeping in a
chair next to her bed. She was about to reach over to wake him when the quilt slid
down around her waist and the inside of her arm brushed against something that made
her freeze. Looking down at her exposed chest, she gasped, grasping the quilt and
yanking it up nearly to her shoulders as her eyes widened. It wasn't a dream... it
had happened... all of it. Fighting to keep her excitement down, she slipped from the
bed, dragging the quilt with her as she tiptoed over behind the dressing screen and
quietly opened the doors to the wooden chest that held the clothing she had put aside
so long ago... when she'd begun dressing more male to be able to protect Miaka.
Miaka... oh Suzaku, she'd be ecstatic! Unable to subdue the grin that crossed her
face, she slid on the underdress, then carefully pulled out a deep indigo robe, laying
it over her shoulders and cinching the waist with a long pale lavender sash that
doubled about her hips gently. Slipping her feet into a pair of soft shoes, she fairly
glided over to the sitting table with an oval mirror behind it. Pinching her cheeks to
give them a bit of colour, her eyes fell on a small arrangement of deep red flowers
that sat on the table. She picked up the thick brush from the stand and gently pulled
it through her long hair, then brought it up into a knot at the crown of her head,
leaving a single long braid down her back. It was much the same as she'd done before
her 'secret' became known. As she brought her fingers into a small jar of powdered
lavender and brought the tinge of colour across her eyelids, she smiled. Nuriko
brushed the excess off onto a cloth laying on the table, then plucked one of the petals
from a flower, crushing the fragrant softness and brushed it across her lips. Smiling
towards her reflection, she stood once more, careful to make as little noise as
possible as she moved towards the door, sliding it open. She stepped out, then turned
to close it once more, peering inside to smile at the sleeping Tasuki. He looked
exhausted... and not wanting to disturb him, she pushed the door closed once more and
walked towards the Court, where she knew the others would be.
* * *
Hothohori tried to keep himself still, not liking the trivialities of Court to begin
with, let alone this soon after the Summoning. So much had changed, and he felt more
caged now than ever as he was forced to sit through the rumblings of those who were
still not convinced that Kutou was no longer a threat. He felt a soothing hand on his
shoulder and smiled faintly, not even having to turn around. Houki knew his feelings
about all of this, and had reminded him that she would be there to support him.
Somehow, it made everything seem better. His gaze flicked to the seishi who were still
present... Mitsukake standing stoically along the wall of the Court, Chiriko and
Chichiri by his side. Tasuki was conspicuously absent, but the Emperor had been told
that the bandit was still holding vigil at Nuriko's bedside. Nuriko... gods how he
wished he could go to her... and he would, as soon as he could slip away from the
duties that fell upon his shoulders. He had to tell her, before...
The Emperor's eyes widened as he saw a slender figure slip in and stop beside Chichiri,
tapping him lightly. From the monk's reaction and the grin on Chiriko's face, there
was no denying who the dark haired beauty was... he froze as she looked towards him,
that energetic smile upon her face, the rose-tinged eyes carrying her joy even within
their depths. So that was what Nuriko looked like when not hiding anything. His blood
ran cold then, as the soft gaze shifted... and he saw Nuriko's expression shatter.
Glancing over his shoulder, Houki was returning the woman's gaze curiously... most
likely wondering who the maiden was that so resembled her. Hotohori brought his eyes
back towards Nuriko and saw Chichiri approaching her, speaking so softly that the
Emperor couldn't hear. As soon as the monk's hand touched Nuriko's shoulder, however,
it was as if the reverie was broken, the woman turning towards the doors and bolting.
The swish of silk was the only sound that came from her... barely enough to make anyone
turn. But the sound echoed in Hotohori's ears long after Nuriko had vanished.
Inwardly he cursed, vowing to find her as soon as he could break free of the Court.
* * *
"NURIKO!!"
Tasuki nearly fell to the floor as the sharp cry startled him awake. There was the
sound of footsteps rushing by, then a few moments later a similar noise, only softer.
He looked towards the bed and cursed loudly, darting towards the door just as Chiriko
ran by. He saw the boy skid around the corner, then stop, trying to catch his breath,
tears streaming down his cheeks. "Chiriko... what the hell happened. Where's Nuriko?"
The youngest seishi looked up to him, shaking his head as he tried to regain enough
composure to speak. "She came to Court... she saw the Emperor and Empress and then
when Chichiri tried to talk to her, she ran. I lost her..."
The anguished tone in the boy's voice made Tasuki nearly cringe. He walked over to
Chiriko and patted his shoulder lightly before vaulting the railing to land in the
grass below. "Don't worry, Chiriko... I know where she is. You go back to Court and
tell the others I'll find her." With that, the bandit walked off down one of the
garden paths, his destination clear in his mind.
* * *
Nuriko ran through the garden, tears obscuring her vision. Twice, she tripped over
the long hem of her robe, stumbling to the ground and picking herself back up once
more, scooping the front of her robe to keep it from happening again. She knew where
she was going... only one other knew of her 'hiding' place, and he was asleep. She
pushed through the branches of the cherry tree, falling to her knees beside the small
bench and letting her had fall into folded arms on the stone. Her body shook with the
force of her sobs, her hands tightening on the silken sleeves hard enough to bring
small tears to the fabric. She didn't notice... nor did she hear the soft footsteps
that approached from behind her. Nuriko cringed, pulling away as she felt a gentle
hand upon her shoulder, even though she never looked up.
"Nuriko?" Came the hushed whisper... a voice that she'd never heard before. Taking
a deep ragged breath, she turned and gazed into a face so strikingly like her own that
it made her senses reel. The woman stepped forward, dropping to her knees despite the
ornate finery of her Court dress. She reached up, bringing the gilded headdress down,
the long violet hair spilling over her shoulders. Her intent was obvious... for this
moment, she wasn't the Empress... simply a woman who was concerned for another. "I
had thought that was you... forgive me for following you, but you seemed so upset.
And the Emperor himself was unable to pull himself away from the Court."
The seishi winced, looking away at the mention of Hotohori. Even that vague reference
was enough to make her think that her heart was tearing through her chest. "I... No,
I should ask forgiveness. I had no right..." She was silenced by the fingertip of
the Empress pressing lightly against her lips.
"No... you had every right. What you did, you did out of love for him, and it wasn't
fair that no one was able to tell you about me before you made your decision." She
smiled softly, placing her hands in her lap. "I am Houki... I came to the Court while
the Emperor was away. It wasn't long after he returned that I was brought before him
and found myself made Empress." Her gaze found the dampened eyes of the seishi once
more and she sighed softly. "There are those who said that it was to ease his loss of
you. If that is true, then it is I who should apologize... since it is my fault that
he was unable to go to you when you returned."
Nuriko couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Empress... apologizing to her?
"But... that couldn't be it. I wasn't...." She glanced down at herself, half closing
her eyes. "I wasn't like this before..."
"I know."
The seishi lifted a widened gaze to Houki, her lips moving as if to speak.
Houki brought up a hand and the gentle smile returned once more. "He spoke of you
often... and told me his feelings for you. He loves you, you realize... he had been
going to tell you after the seishi had returned from gathering the items for the
Summoning. He knew that his advisors were pushing for him to marry... but he wanted
you to be with him, even if it was only in the position of consort." She raised one
finger, stopping Nuriko before she could speak. "I... I'd like to finish. For a long
time I didn't understand how he could marry one he didn't love... but when I found
out about you, it all seemed to fall into place."
Nuriko pulled back slightly, looking away in shame. How could she be angry at either
of them? Houki loved Hotohori, that much was plain to see. Even if appearance alone
had brought them together, there was something more there now... she heard it in
Houki's voice... and she'd seen it when Hotohori had realized that she'd seen the
Empress.
"I love him, Nuriko... and I think that in the time we've been together, he has come
to love me for who I am, not who he thought I was when we first met. But seeing your
face when you realized who I was... I had to follow you, to make certain that you
were going to be alright." The Empress looked to her with concern and a touch of fear
in her eyes.
The violet-haired seishi looked up fully then, smiling softly. "I'll be alright,
Houki-sama. It was a shock... but I'll be alright. You are happy with him and he is
happy with you. That is all that matters, ne?" The anger and pain were pushed away...
all she'd ever wanted was for Saihitei to be happy. Now, it appeared that he was.
Houki beamed a smile of relief, leaning forward and embracing Nuriko tightly. She was
pleased to find the gesture returned, and smiled to the seishi as she moved to stand
again. "Gomen nasai... I have to return or they'll wonder where I went." She
extended a hand to Nuriko then as the other scooped her headdress into it. "Onegai...
join us for dinner tonight? He wants to see you so badly."
Nuriko swallowed hard, but hid her discomfort behind the bright demeanor that she
always had. "Of course, Houki-sama. I will be there."
The Empress nodded, turning then and moving back towards Court, disappearing into the
foliage of the garden. Nuriko watched her go, holding herself steady until even the s
ound of Houki's footsteps had faded. Only then did she release her breath, her body
curling forward faintly as she fought back the tears once more.
"You're a lousy fucking liar when one knows what to look for."
Nuriko started, her back straightening as she looked around wildly. Rose-tinted eyes
locked with heated gold, both pairs narrowing as the contact was made. "You..." She
nearly scooted back as the bandit stepped out of the bushes nearby, his strides taking
him to the bench within a few steps. She gasped aloud as he reached down, grabbing
hold of her wrist and pulling her to her feet. "Tasuki! What are you..." She was
silenced then as he brought her close, his arms around her.
"Damnit, Nuriko..." He whispered. "You don't have to lock it all away. I'm your
friend and I won't watch you kill yourself again." Tasuki smiled faintly as he felt
her tremble, her arms moving around his sides and holding him close. "Friends watch
out for each other... you taught me that. If you have to cry, I'll be here."
She didn't know how to respond to that... without warning, all the pent up anger,
frustration and loss seemed to burst through the barriers she'd erected around her
emotions, and she could only bury her face against his chest, crying.
Tasuki stayed there, not letting go of his fellow seishi. His cheek rested against
the top of Nuriko's head as he held her, letting her work out everything that had been
building over the past few hours. He should have stayed awake, then he would have
been able to stop her. But it was too late to wonder what would have happened if
things had gone differently.
* * *
It was well after dark when the two of them headed back towards the palace proper.
Nuriko had cried until the tears just wouldn't fall anymore, and then they had sat
under the tree, just talking. Nothing was forbidden, it seemed... they talked of
everything from the Emperor to the Reikaku bandits that Tasuki had left behind when he
was still known as Genrou. Afterward, Tasuki felt as though no matter what he should
or shouldn't have done, it was well worth it. Nuriko smiled to him as they walked back,
and for the first time he could remember, it seemed that it was hiding nothing...
that perhaps she would finally find happiness. They stopped just outside of Nuriko's
room, the silence broken as she spoke.
"Tasuki... thank you. You helped me more than you know today." She brought one hand
forward, catching his own within it and squeezing his fingers gently.
The bandit smiled, shaking his head softly. "Nan da... I look after my friends, and
you're the closest one I've got here. Now... I'm going to go find something to eat,
and you accepted a dinner invitation, I believe." He grinned, performing a mock bow
towards Nuriko before turning away. "If you ever get the urge to ditch palace life,
let me know... I'm sure Kouji wouldn't mind formally meeting you. Last time you blew
through there, we didn't have much time for introductions."
Chuckling faintly, Nuriko shook hear head. "We'll see... one day at a time, right?"
She stepped within her room, pulling the door closed and beginning to get ready for
her meal with the Emperor and Empress.
"Right..." Tasuki glanced towards the closed door, smiling. Things were working out,
finally. From what he'd seen in the garden, Nuriko and Houki would become good friends,
and that was likely just what they both needed. Whistling faintly, he headed towards
the kitchens, letting himself relax for the first time that day.
High above, seven constellations wheeled through the sky, the Phoenix God keeping
watch over his own.
* * *
~Owari