How I Can't Let Go
By: Skuldchan

'The air and the frigid atmosphere are harsh. A shock ran though my body sending a cold and rather disturbing feeling though my entire soul. Something was wrong with one of the Seishi, I can just feel it eating away at me. In the distance, is that smoke? A signal. It must be.'
Tasuki stumbled in the freshly fallen snow. Quickly he pulled out his fan and sent a blazing path of fire in front of himself. The snow melted away leaving a clear path back to his horse.
'But is it really a good thing to go towards the signal. What if it was one of the Seriyu? Or even worse.'
An image entered his mind. Quickly he blocked it out.
'The cold air. It is so harsh. I can't imagine even living in this kind of condition. It's too cold, even for me.'
Tasuki quickly mounted his horse and rode to Mount Black where he saw the signals. Since he was quick footed he easily scaled the trails leading to the top. On his way he met up with Chichiri, Mitsukake and Chiriko. They had all felt it too.
"Nuriko!", a shrill voice echoed though the entire mountain sending a chill down Tasuki's back.
'Was that Miaka? Is something wrong with Nuriko?'
Tasuki quickly began climbing faster, but he was not ready for what he was about to see.
As Tasuki reached the top of the mountain he stopped short, soaking everything in. There was blood on the snow that was now stained crimson.
'Heh it must be the blood of a warrior of Seriyu. I'm sure Nuriko really kicked his ass.'
In the distance Tasuki saw Miaka and Tamahome leaning over a body, which was now stiff and still. Tasuki neared the others. He in took a sharp gasp as he saw who it really was. Nuriko was lying still in the snow, a wound in the left part of his chest.
"Tamahome what the hell happened here?", Tasuki yelled angrily. "What's wrong with Nuriko. Why isn't he moving!"
"He came up to Mount Black by himself to look for the Shinzaho and a warrior of Seriyu attacked. He must have been too strong because Nuriko... couldn't beat him", Tamahome choked back tears.
"You idiot. Why did you come up here on your own! Nuriko!", he yelled at Nuriko's body . "Wait a sec I know. Mitsukake you can heal this loser can't you. I mean just use your powers and bring him back to life."
A sadness filled Mitsukake eyes and he turned away. Tasuki ran to Mitsukake and grabbed him fiercely.
"You can heal him right? Can't you just please heal him so he's back to his own self? Mitsukake? You...you can't heal him?", tears ran down Tasuki's face as he found...it was too late. Nuriko was gone.
Miaka suddenly stood up. "Nuriko is NOT dead. He was just here, laughing and talking with us. HE'S NOT DEAD!", she screamed as she began running away. Nobody stopped her. Nobody could, everyone was frozen in that spot. Even Tamahome couldn't move a muscle. Chichiri slowly and sternly took off his mask and lowered his face. Tasuki sank down and slumped against a rock. Chiriko was shedding mournful tears as any thirteen year old would.
'Why? Why did he have to die? I wish I would've instead. I feel so worthless right now. I can't even bear to live anyone'
Tasuki turned his gaze away from Nuriko's body. Tears gently streamed from his eyes causing them to turn cold on his face.
"We should at least give Nuriko respect and bury him. Will someone get Miaka?", asked Chichiri sadly.
"I will", Tamahome volunteered. Clumsily he stood up and walked down the path to find Miaka. Time passed slowly. Nobody could bear to look at Nuriko, his beauty now faded and paled.
"Stop it Tamahome. That hurts. Stop it! Let me go! Nuriko is not dead!", Miaka's voice pierced the silence. Tamahome was dragging Miaka over, tears flowing freely down both their faces.
"Miaka. You have to face it Nuriko is dead. There's nothing we could do about it. Stop being so stubborn. He would've wanted you of all people to be happy! Don't you know that he loved you! He wouldn't have wanted you to be sad like this. Look at him!", Tamahome yelled at Miaka and jerked her forward.
"No! I won't!" Sobs echoed their voices.
"I know that it's hard to accept it, but Tamahome is right. He knows that Nuriko would have wanted you to be happy. Can't you at least be happy, for him?", Mitsukake calmly led Miaka over to where Nuriko lay. "I can only restore his beauty to what it used to be and make him as lovely as ever".
Mitsukake used his power to fix everything about Nuriko, except for his health. That was something no one could change.
"You know I never could figure out what Nuriko was about. Hell. I couldn't even tell if he was a girl or a guy most of the time. And he kept smacking me into walls!", said Tasuki while trying to remember vague moments of the time they spent together.
"Nuriko wasn't exactly like a girl or a guy. I mean he wanted to be a girl, but he was just.....Nuriko.", replied Miaka.
'Burring Nuriko is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. For Suzaku's sake why couldn't we have just summoned Suzaku and not had to have gone though with this. Why?'
"Here Miaka, I think that Nuriko would've liked you to have these", said Tamahome while handing Nuriko's bracelets to her. The others began walking over to the cave and the Shinzaho, Tasuki stayed back and said a final goodbye.
"I will really miss you Nuriko. You were the only one who truly understood me. So maybe if I die and join up with you, you might want to beat me up? I'd just want to be around you again so I wouldn't mind."
Tasuki pulled a bead off one of his earrings and placed it in the snow where Nuriko laid.
"Oh god I'll miss you so much." Tasuki held back tears that were destined to come anyways. "Well I have to leave you now. But you'll have a piece of me to keep you company, forever. Farewell Nuriko, my brother and friend." Tasuki slowly walked away, but in his mind he knew they'd meet again.


*Could I be any less depressing? Probably not. I hope you enjoyed it. Can you please r+r? thanx.
~Skuldchan*