When we last left them, Raiha had exacted a promise from Tokiya. Tokiya had to return to Raiha's side. Now, we see them... at the final match of the Urabatousatsujin.
"Ne, Mi-chan. Where were you the entire night?" Fuuko asked immediately upon his appearance in the Hokage suite.
"Out on my own," Mikagami mumbled as he walked past her into the vast sitting room where the rest of Hokage waited.
"The entire night?" Kagerou asked doubtfully. The Ensui master shrugged, his chill blue eyes unmoving.
Recca threw his hands up in exasperation. "I don't care. Let's go."
Raiha faded into the shadows at the VIP balcony reserved for them at the final arena. Neon was there, in a new black dress. Joker and Jisho were lounging at the chaises, chatting softly among themselves. But as Raiha stepped forward, their conversation dwindled to silence.
"You're late." Neon accused sharply.
Raiha shrugged and moved smoothly to lean against one of the pillars. He had more things on his mind at the moment to think about as compared to time.
Jisho and Joker shot each other looks. "Eh, Raiha... you feeling okay?" Joker ventured.
Neon narrowed her eyes at Raiha. "Remember what you said a few days ago to me and Kurei-sama, Raiha. You said 'It's not as if I'll be cheering Hokage at the finals'. Those were the exact words you told me."
The look at Raiha gave her was enough to send her stumbling back, and sitting down heavily into a cushy sofa with a startled yelp.
"I can remember perfectly well, Neon-san," Raiha said, in a cold polite voice that sent mild shivers down their spines. His gaze flickered to the other two men who quickly started another loud mindless conversation before returning to the arena. Forgive me, Kurei-sama. I fear I must break that promise.
"From the north entrance, of Team Hokage, Mikagami Tokiya!" Demi announced spiritedly into the microphone. From all about them, screaming fangirls cheered as their idol walked through the door. But he had only eyes for someone at the south. The blue eyes met amber ones, and in that split second, a flood of emotion swept through to them. Mikagami had to look away, and Raiha shook his head to clear his thoughts.
You promised to come back, Tokiya. You must.
I promised I'd return, Raiha. I will.
Listlessly, Raiha watched as Noroi defeated Domon. Somehow, fights didn't excite him so much anymore. Not when the next fight would be...
"The next match! Mikagami Tokiya, and Kai!"
At the balcony, Jisho could sense a change in Raiha. He hadn't moved from his position, but it was as if Raiha was now filled with awareness... and his eyes were glinting in a dangerous manner. Slowly, Jisho edged away from him, a slow step at a time.
Raiha knew it would happen. With a growing dread, he watched as Kai told Mikagami just who had ordered the murder of Mikagami Mifuyu.
"It was our teacher. Meguri Kyozan." Kai said, a feral grin on his face.
Raiha could see the shock take over Mikagami. His movements, once so fluid like his element of water now became leaden and heavy. He dodged blows a beat too slow, causing himself to be weakened... bit by bit.
The entire arena was silent as Mikagami tried, futilely, to fight back.
"I am your superior, Mikagami." Kai exulted as he raised the Ice Sword. "And Meguri himself told me so!"
For Raiha... time slowed. The scene played sluggishly, as if the fighters on the screen were underwater. In horror, he watched Kai charge towards Mikagami. In horror, he watched Mikagami realise Kai's move a split second too late. Mikagami tried to jump away, but his leap was agonisingly slow...
"No... Tokiya!" Raiha heard a voice call brokenly and ring out in the still air as he ran towards the railings. It wasn't till later that he realised the despairing cry was his own. In the stunned silence, his amber gaze fell upon the bloody scene.
"Kami-sama..." Raiha squeezed his eyes shut and slid to his knees. His worst nightmare had come true.
Impassively, Kurei stood on the platform. His stony gaze never faltered as Kai ran Mikagami through with the Ice Sword.
Neon gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes staring at the unmistakable piercing of the Ice Sword through Mikagami.
Joker and Jisho bowed their heads, as they watched their colleague clutching at the metal bars of the railings, disbelief in his gaze.
Raiha pushed Joker and Jisho away from the doorway as he raced down the stairs to the arena. Suddenly, he didn't care if Kurei were to kill him later. If it meant seeing Mikagami for the last time... it was worth it.
He appeared by Mikagami's side, after pulling aside Recca and Fuuko, who weren't really helping much by floundering by Mikagami's side.
"Where's Yanagi?" Raiha said tersely to the gaping Hokage as he gently cradled Mikagami's head.
"What the hell are YOU doing here?" Recca blustered.
"Shut up. I asked you a question. Now can you get your girlfriend here before MY boyfriend dies?" Raiha snapped back.
That threw them off track for a while. While they stood there like goldfishes, Raiha spoke again. "Demi, get the stretcher. Yoko, the next match is to WAIT until Mikagami is safely off the platform. The rest of you, stay back and give him some air. Recca, if you will stop goggling, I ASKED YOU A BLOODY QUESTION."
"Yanagi... she's... up there."
"Doing what?"
"She used up all of her energy healing Domon just now... so she's... asleep."
For the first time in his life, Kurei saw his ninja close his eyes in a look of utter despair.
"Tokiya... Tokiya, can you hear me?"
Mikagami arose from a drowsy stupor to look up into amber eyes.
"Hello Raiha."
"Hello Tokiya." Raiha's answer was gentle, and Mikagami could feel himself in Raiha's strong embrace.
Mikagami looked down at himself. Saw the blood. Saw the gaping wound. Saw his inevitable death.
"I think I'll have to break my promise, huh? Raiha?"
"Shut up, you silly thing. You will live until the stretcher comes and brings you to the arena hospital so that the doctors can sew you up and I can whisk you off to my room again. This time we'll stay inside the entire day and to hell with the world. You hear me? You will live and you will keep your eyes open. Talk to me. Talk to me, Tokiya."
"You know... I never told you in so many words... but Raiha..." Mikagami coughed and Raiha held him closer.
"What is it?"
"I love you. Kiss me, you fool. Stop crying."
Mikagami reached up and touched Raiha's face, flicking away a solitary tear that rolled down Raiha's cheek. A ghostly smile wavered at the corner of Mikagami's mouth, and as he leaned up to Raiha, Raiha closed his eyes and waited for the kiss that would never come.
want full notes? check out the link. but i guess this one is gonna acquire much hate mail thanks to OOC-ness as well as the death of Mikagami... Don't flame me, I love Mikagami as much as you guys do, but well. When you feel like the world is one big blah, you do stupid things like write death fics.
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