*************Chapter Two**************
Tamahome's Fight with the Unparalleled
**************************************
"You are all very lucky that I decided to turn back and give you a
hand. Only two real fighters here, and a priestess who knows nothing of
the world; who only cares to be protected as she stuffs her face.
Pitiful. I wonder why Suzaku has even allowed her to be his priestess.
I offer Suzaku my highest sympathy. He deserves it with a no Miko like
this!" The man turned to return to his horse.
Tamahome looked over at Miaka. She looked so hurt; she was looking down
with a shocked and reality-stricken look on her face. Tamahome felt the anger
in him rise as a tear slid down Miaka's face.
"How dare you!" he shouted at the retreating figure. All the other
seishi were completely taken aback by Tamahome's outburst. "She is the
priestess that will save you, and you dare insult her?!"
He turned around sharply. You could tell that he was angry, and that
this wasn't going to result in peace.
"I never said I was loyal to Konan!" the man snapped. His voice was
cold and cruel.
"Tamahome should really stop," Tasuki thought. "He's gonna get himself
in some really deep shit! And he's gonna cause all this trouble just
because he loves her. Ara! I pray to Suzaku that I never go insane like
that! Especially over a woman!"
But Tamahome didn't cease to criticize the powerful stranger.
"Do you see how you've hurt her? No one should treat young girls like
that. Especially the priestess of a God! And you call yourself a man!"
Tamahome was fuming.
"That's ENOUGH!" the man shouted. The long sword was at Tamahome's
throat in a second. "You dare call me a coward when I save all your lives? I will have to teach you a lesson in respect!"
The man sheathed his sword and took a fighting stance. "I know that you
won't stand a chance against me while I'm armed with a sword, so this
way you an I are more equal. You may even live."
Tamahome thought, "What have I gotten myself into? I may die tonight!"
But he showed none of it and took his fighting stance, an agreement to
the fight. His symbol from Suzaku was glowing brightly on his forehead
as he tried to give the first punch.
The fight went on for almost half an hour. The mysterious fighter dealt
a few blows that hit home hard, but for the most part, most of his and
all of Tamahome's missed. Tamahome knelt after trying a high kick,
breathing hard. The man showed almost no sign of tiring.
"This guy's good," Tamahome thought. "Why did I ever get myself into
this?"
"Shall we continue," the man said, "Or will you forfeit?" When Tamahome
didn't answer right away, the man continued. "A forfeit then? The list
is long with the names of those who have forfeited to me, I shall have
to add two names tonight."
He turned towards his horse. Tamahome rose with new determination and
rage. "I. Never. FORFEIT!" he cried, as he ran into a high-kick aimed right
for the man's head.
The man couldn't dodge the blow completely, and he fell forward.
Tamahome caught the long, concealing cloak with his kick, tearing the
mask from the man's face with an audible rip. Tamahome landed in a
crouched position and looked at his opponent in shock. Already rising
was a strikingly beautiful woman, the most beautiful he had ever seen.
Tamahome's Fight with the Unparalleled
**************************************
"You are all very lucky that I decided to turn back and give you a
hand. Only two real fighters here, and a priestess who knows nothing of
the world; who only cares to be protected as she stuffs her face.
Pitiful. I wonder why Suzaku has even allowed her to be his priestess.
I offer Suzaku my highest sympathy. He deserves it with a no Miko like
this!" The man turned to return to his horse.
Tamahome looked over at Miaka. She looked so hurt; she was looking down
with a shocked and reality-stricken look on her face. Tamahome felt the anger
in him rise as a tear slid down Miaka's face.
"How dare you!" he shouted at the retreating figure. All the other
seishi were completely taken aback by Tamahome's outburst. "She is the
priestess that will save you, and you dare insult her?!"
He turned around sharply. You could tell that he was angry, and that
this wasn't going to result in peace.
"I never said I was loyal to Konan!" the man snapped. His voice was
cold and cruel.
"Tamahome should really stop," Tasuki thought. "He's gonna get himself
in some really deep shit! And he's gonna cause all this trouble just
because he loves her. Ara! I pray to Suzaku that I never go insane like
that! Especially over a woman!"
But Tamahome didn't cease to criticize the powerful stranger.
"Do you see how you've hurt her? No one should treat young girls like
that. Especially the priestess of a God! And you call yourself a man!"
Tamahome was fuming.
"That's ENOUGH!" the man shouted. The long sword was at Tamahome's
throat in a second. "You dare call me a coward when I save all your lives? I will have to teach you a lesson in respect!"
The man sheathed his sword and took a fighting stance. "I know that you
won't stand a chance against me while I'm armed with a sword, so this
way you an I are more equal. You may even live."
Tamahome thought, "What have I gotten myself into? I may die tonight!"
But he showed none of it and took his fighting stance, an agreement to
the fight. His symbol from Suzaku was glowing brightly on his forehead
as he tried to give the first punch.
The fight went on for almost half an hour. The mysterious fighter dealt
a few blows that hit home hard, but for the most part, most of his and
all of Tamahome's missed. Tamahome knelt after trying a high kick,
breathing hard. The man showed almost no sign of tiring.
"This guy's good," Tamahome thought. "Why did I ever get myself into
this?"
"Shall we continue," the man said, "Or will you forfeit?" When Tamahome
didn't answer right away, the man continued. "A forfeit then? The list
is long with the names of those who have forfeited to me, I shall have
to add two names tonight."
He turned towards his horse. Tamahome rose with new determination and
rage. "I. Never. FORFEIT!" he cried, as he ran into a high-kick aimed right
for the man's head.
The man couldn't dodge the blow completely, and he fell forward.
Tamahome caught the long, concealing cloak with his kick, tearing the
mask from the man's face with an audible rip. Tamahome landed in a
crouched position and looked at his opponent in shock. Already rising
was a strikingly beautiful woman, the most beautiful he had ever seen.