Just There to Die
Chapter Five: Rami's Grief Nothing to Live For...
"Nani..? Wasn't Miboshi just...?" Tamahome asked.
"In the course of learning all of my spells I had to leave my old body behind. Now I just enter whatever body I choose. Children are especially easy to claim for they haven't got the will to resist me," Yunzie, now Miboshi summoned it's spell-casting item to it's hand. (Him/her?!?)
'She knew...' Chiriko thought in despair, 'She knew this was going to happen to her yet she shielded me from Miboshi... Why would she do such a thing?' Chiriko felt quite helpless. His mark was gone.
"We are in trouble, no da! Killing Miboshi could kill Yunzie, no da! And if we fight him, we may hurt Yunzie anyway, no da!"
"For now, you can play with my demon beasts until the Miko summons Seiryuu!" With that, Miboshi called forth eel-like demons. Chichiri called forth a barrier.
"It's too dangerous to leave the barrier, no da!" Chichiri cried. Miaka's foot accidentally exited the barrier and she was sucked out.
"Miaka!" Tamahome cried.
"Ah, you must be Tamahome. You're every bit as valiant as Nakago said you would be. Sadly, this child doesn't have the same will as you do," Miboshi poked Yunzie's cheek with the sharp end of his top, wincing slightly. An eel-demon suddenly clamped it's jaws down on Miaka's leg. Miaka cried out in pain as Rami fell on one knee, holding her hands over the wound. Blood seeped from beneath her fingers.
"Doushite?!" Rami cried, "Doushite, Yunzie?!?! DOUSHITE!?! Imoto..." Miboshi's eyes flashed green for a moment.
"My head feels like it's coming apart..." Miboshi moaned. In a flash of silver light, Miboshi's minions had been defeated and Miaka was safely in the arms of... Who?!?
"How did you get here?" Miboshi asked.
"Heh, you haven't been paying attention. I've been here all along." The young man smirked, "In simple terms, what you just saw was teleportation, the specialty of Tokaki, of the Byakko seishi." Tamahome and Tasuki flipped.
"Master?!" Tamahome screeched.
"Man, you sure are a lotta trouble for a student." Tokaki scoffed.
"Hey, old man, did you just keep that of face as a cover?" Tasuki asked. (lookie all the 'T' names)
"Of course not!" Tokaki snorted.
"I used a spell to turn our bodies back to what they were ninety years ago." a female voice called.
"I forgot, my dear! You're sexy!" Tokaki drooled over a younger Subaru. Subaru used her power on Miaka and healed her body and voice. Then they all turned their attention back to Miboshi.
"That is it!" Miboshi focused his power into his prayer wheel, the air around him turning dark shades.
"He's summoning a top-level demon, no da! One of the strongest, no da!" Chichiri cried in alarm.
".....oh shit....." Tasuki growled.
~¤Yunzie's POV¤~
No.... He's hurting everyone. I... He's right. I'm not strong enough... I can't fight him...
Doukun....
What would you do?
Yunzie watched helplessly as Miboshi continued his onslaught.
~¤~
"Yunzie! Yunzie, please!" Rami begged, tears streaming down her face. Nuriko half carried, half drug Rami along with the rest of the gang, Rami did her best to stumble along.
"Yunzie, why did you do that....?" Chiriko murmured as he looked over his shoulder. Suddenly, a yelp split through the chaos.
"Miaka!" Tamahome cried, Miaka had fallen.
"Miaka you idiot! Being clumsy at a time like this!" Rami cried with concern. Rami jumped out of Nuriko's grasp and teleported over to Miaka. A very stupid move in her weakened state. Even that small distance was a huge strain on her. Rami held Miaka's shoulders and she turned to the demon beast, "Yunzie, stop! You can't hurt us, please! This is your sister and Yui's best friend we're talking about! ....Wei.... Wei would be ashamed of you!"
~¤Yunzie's POV¤~
"Wei would be ashamed of you!"
Those words echoed in Yunzie's mind.
Yeah, 'neechan would be so ashamed... What
were the last words of her song...? Oh yeah.....
Please go on with hope in your hearts,
I will always be with you,
Please go on with the dream in your hears,
I will always be with you,
I remember! I remember! .....Doukun..... Help me.... You're
smart, I'm not. I wanna know what I can do to save everyone. To
save oneechan, to save Miaka-san...
Yunzie suddenly heard a soft voice echo in her mind.
'What could have been....'
It sounded like a voice she once knew, but since then forgotten. The voice belonged to..... Images flew through Yunzie's mind.
Chiriko, he was crying.
His left arm was bloody, as was his right leg.
"I AM STILL A SUZAKU SHICHI SEISHI!"
Then.....
Doukun!
The images suddenly stopped. Yunzie could feel her right hand grasping the prayer wheel tightly.
I know what to do.... Thanks, Doukun.... And thanks..... Wei, 'neechan.
Yunzie poured her heart and soul into a final attempt.
~¤~
Miboshi's eyes suddenly turned green, the expression on Yunzie's face twisted to one of pain. Yunzie forced a smile and stopped the attack on Miaka and Rami.
"Thank you, Doukun. Don't worry, 'neechan. I know what to do now....." Yunzie let out a girlish giggle, relaxing, almost letting Miboshi take control again, "Iie! No you don't, Miboshi!" Yunzie thought for a moment, for something special to say, just like Chiriko in her vision did.
"Never think little kids aren't strong! Yunzie isn't afraid. Yunzie will never be afraid." Yunzie lifted the prayer wheel high above her head. She then uttered the one thing she her Nakago say most. "Miboshi, shi-ine!" With that, Yunzie plunged the prayer wheel downward.
"W-what are you doing?!" Miboshi stammered, "You'll kill us both!" The end of the sentence was snarled.
"Exactly." Yunzie smiled in triumph moments before the sharp end of the prayer wheel embedded itself in her heart. Yunzie's eyes opened wide in pain, she blinked and tears flooded down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and let out a scream, "RAMI!!!"
~¤~
""Iie, 'neechan. D-daijoubu, daijoubu, 'neechan. Go on.... With hope.... And dreams.... We'll always be with you." Yunzie whispered to her sister.
"Yunzie... Yunzie..." Rami cried, "Yunzie no baka."
"I-itai, 'neechan.... It hurts..." Yunzie began to cry again.
"I'll heal her right away." Mitsukake declared.
"No." Yunzie choked out.
"Nani?!" Mitsukake asked.
"Wei says no. Wei wants Miaka-san to hurry and leave. Tatara-san says to save Yui and Miaka's friendship. There's a lady with Tatara-san. She says she misses Subaru-san and Tokaki-san." Yunzie smiled up at people only she could see.
"Suzano-sama...." Tokaki whispered.
'If only I could let Miboshi leave her body. Then Mitsukake could heal her... All I have to do is distract her, for just one second....' An idea popped into his head. A crazy idea, one that would more than likely get him killed, but an idea all the same. Chiriko rushed over to Yunzie's side.
"Nani?" Everyone asked. Chiriko didn't answer. Instead, he leaned down and planted a kiss on Yunzie's cheek.
"NANI?!?" Rami screeched.
"D-doukun?!" Yunzie asked in surprise. Miboshi took this chance to leave Yunzie's body, but found himself too weak to enter anyone else, Miboshi's spirit floated away into oblivion.
"Mitsukake-san, quickly!" Chiriko exclaimed. Mitsukake nodded and got to work. Soon Yunzie sat up, good as before. She blinked and rubbed her eyes, then touched the place where Chiriko had kissed her lightly. Instead of blushing like Miaka would have, Yunzie made a face.
"Eeeeewwwie!" Yunzie look up angrily at Chiriko, "Whadidja do that for!?" Rami was looking as if she were ready to strangle Chiriko.
"....anou....anou...." Chiriko smiled sheepishly, "I guess I just was not thinking...." He giggled.
"CHIRIKO! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU WHEN THIS IS OVER!!!" Rami hollered.
".....doushite, Rami-san?" Chiriko asked.
"You kissed my sister!" Rami advanced on Chiriko, hands position to strangle the you seishi.
"......let's get going, no da!" Chichiri called.
"Hai!" Everyone chorused.
"...." Rami growled at Chiriko. "Just wait until this is over."
~¤~
Rami's Thoughts: (AKA: What-TDP-Does-When-She-Gets-Too-Lazy-To-Write-A-Scene.)
Successfully was succefully summoned. Our efforts were in vain. Yunzie, Nuriko, Miaka, and myself.... We all suffered for little to nothing. We do not know what to do now. Luckily, no one was killed in this process. The bad thing? There's always a bad thing. The bad thing is.....
Konan is going to war.
I have a feeling, just this nagging feeling that something terrible is going to happen. That I'm never going to see someone again.
It's almost like someone has died and I haven't been told.
....damn Kutou. Damn Nakago. Damn them all.
~¤~
Rami was in the garden with Yunzie at the time it happened. They were sitting by the lake on a stone bench.
"...so then what did Wei say?" Rami asked, finishing Yunzie first braid and getting ready to secure it with a red ribbon.
"She said she really misses us, but doesn't want to see either of us anytime soon." Yunzie giggled, "Wei-'neechan was crying because she thought I was going to die. Don't you think she should have been happy? I was, sort of. I wanted to stay with her, but 'neechan said, 'Stay, Rami needs you more.' Whydaya think she said th- 'Neechan? 'Neechan?!" Yunzie asked, frightened. Rami stared blankly ahead, dropping the ribbon in her hand. The ribbon floated down into the lake and was swept away. Rami fell backwards on the bench, her eyes sliding close as she fell, she landed in a heap on the ground, fiery locks sprawled like a halo of fire around her, ruby dust floated up from her body only to disappear. Rami's body arched upwards and lifted her up until she was floating in the air, as if being held around her waist. Red light continued to escape her body and dissipate. Abruptly, the light faded and Rami was dropped to the ground.
"Rami...?" Yunzie asked in her little-girl's voice, "Rami?" But call as she might, Rami would not stir. "RAMI!!"
~¤~
"I can't believe I'm just a normal person now!" Nuriko sobbed.
"....as if yah were ever normal!" Tasuki snickered. "Nothin' Suzaku can do'll make you normal!"
"Why you...!" Nuriko punched Tasuki into the nearest wall. "Whaaaat?" Nuriko asked as everyone gaped at him.
"Are you sure he's lost his powers?" Tasuki complained. "I sure as hell don't see a difference.... Itai...."
"RAMI!!" a child's scream echoed through the palace.
"That's Yunzie's voice!" Chiriko gasped. Tamahome nodded to Hotohori who nodded back. They ran out the door, everyone else took a hint and ran after.
~¤~
"What happened to her?" Tamahome asked as he did his best to calm Yunzie down.
"T-there was all this red light and....and-and.... it was coming from Rami-'neechan , th-then Rami-'neechan fell and she won't wake up!" Yunzie whispered between sobs.
"Hey, Rami. Rami?" Nuriko bent down to scoop her up, but the moment Nuriko touched Rami, red light flared all around them and Nuriko suddenly felt something burning on his chest. Nuriko looked down and saw that his mark was shining again, "Nani?" Nuriko asked. Rami's eyelids fluttered as she awoke.
"....huh?" Rami asked. Yunzie suddenly stopped crying.
"Hey... I remember Nakago saying something.... Um...." Yunzie thought hard.
~¤~
"Yunzie." Nakago stated.
"Hai, Oniisama?" Yunzie asked.
"If..... If Seiryuu is ever sealed away, don't touch anyone except for myself."
"Doushite?"
"Touching a seishi will revive their powers, but you can only do it once, so make it count."
"Hai, Oniisama! I know you're the strongest Seiryuu seishi."
~¤~
"So that's it, eh?" Nuriko asked, picking up a large rock just to make sure her powers were back.
"I think. I'm happy Oneechan is okay." Yunzie smiled.
"Why the hell does Nuriko get his powers back?! It's not fair!" Tasuki growled.
"Well I was the only one that was worried enough about Rami to try and help her!" Nuriko said with a smug smirk.
Everyone then left except Chiriko and Mitsukake, Tasuki grumbled about the unfairness of Nuriko being the special one until he was out of earshot. Mitsukake took Rami away for inspection, just to be safe. This was when Chiriko walked up to Yunzie.
"Yunzie, after this is over, let's go into the town and buy some candy!" Chiriko smiled at Yunzie.
"Okay! I'm sure Hotohori will let us have a little bit of money for candy!" Yunzie replied, then her expression grew thoughtful, "Isn't there a recipe for candy anywhere in all of those scrolls you read?"
"Come to think of it, I'm sure there is! But my mark...." Chiriko's face fell.
"What about it? As long as you can read, I think I can figure the rest out. I'm, okay at cooking, not reading." Yunzie shook her head sadly, "I wish I could study hard like you and stuff. I can't read Chinese at all...."
"Maybe I can try to teach you later, right now, let's make candy for everyone!" Chiriko laughed.
"Yep! We'll have to make a lot for Miaka-san or else no one else will get any." Yunzie replied.
~¤~Later that day....~¤~
(We are at the scene where Tamahome is about to make Miaka his bride..... *snorts at the memory*)
"Hey... What's that smell?" Miaka asked suddenly.
"What smell....?" Tamahome asked, looking a bit confused.
"I smell something yuuuuummy...." Miaka's stomach rumbled loudly as if on cue.
"...." Tamahome was about to tell Miaka that he didn't smell anything when....
"Minna-san! Come, hurry! Yunzie and I have a surprise for you all!" Chiriko's voice called down the corridor.
"....let's get going Miaka." Tamahome sighed.
"I hope they have food!"
"...."
~¤~
"What is it Chiri-" Nuriko broke off into a yawn, stretching like a cat.
"Yeah Chiriko. What's up with wakin' us up? Isn't it past your bedtime?" Tasuki asked.
".....but look!" Yunzie protested. "We both worked really hard on it!"
"Wow, no da! You made that all by yourselves, no da?" Chichiri asked.
"Hai!" Yunzie and Chiriko piped in unison, then the looked at each other, smiled, and laughed.
On a plate in the center of one of Hotohori's larger tables sat a giant platter of sparking candies. They were small squares of an amber, glass-like candy that glistened in the light of the candles that were lit.
"Mmmmm!" Nuriko squealed as she popped one in her mouth, "These are good! How did you make them?"
"That, Nuriko-san, is a secret." Yunzie and Chiriko chorused at the same time. They took a small glance at each other and burst into giggles.
"Actually, Nuriko-san, all we did was boil honey until it was very, very thick. Of course, we kicked all of your cooks out, gomen Hotohori-sama. Anyway, after that, we poured the honey into a long, square pan you use to serve fish and let it cool. After it was reasonably cool, soft still, but not so soft as to it would stick to the knife, we cut it into the squares you see now. Then we left it to finish cooling. We then strategically placed them on the platter so they would all balance and brought it out here. We ate a few ourselves to test it," Chiriko smiled at Yunzie who's guilty expression disappeared at once and was replaced by a wide grin, "and then we called you all here."
"Oi, Chiriko...." Tasuki called.
"Yes, Tasuki-san?" Chiriko asked.
"I thought we all lost our powers."
"But we did, Tasuki-san." Chiriko replied, confused.
"Then ya gotta be just a smart kid. Heh, yah don't need no stinkin' mark." Tasuki smirked at Chiriko.
"A-arigatou gosaimasu...." Chiriko stammered, blushing.
"Let's eat!" Miaka cried, inhaling a handful of candies before she even finished her statement. Everyone else sweatdropped.
"Hotohori-sama?" Chiriko asked, hesitation laced his voice.
"Yes?" Hotohori asked, setting the candy he had in his hand down.
"...I was wondering if you would allow me to be your strategist. I may not be as smart as I was before, but reading many scrolls has taken it's toll on me. I may be able to help."
"Of course!" Hotohori replied, smiling, "I feel you shall do a fine job, Chiriko."
Everyone settled down around the table. Hotohori had tea brought in for everyone and Tasuki had sake brought in for Nuriko, Tamahome, and himself. Actually, Nuriko squeezed Tasuki's arm until Tasuki added, 'For Tamahome and Nuriko too,' but that's aside from the point. Chiriko wrapped a big cube of candy that he had made specially for himself. He stuffed it into his pocket and began to leave.
"Doukun? Where are you going?" Yunzie asked.
"I am going to bed early." Chiriko replied.
"Okay..." Yunzie replied, not quite believing Chiriko but not having any reason to think otherwise
~¤~
"Alright people, let's get going. We have an empire to save!" Nuriko declared, clasping her hands together.
"Yeah, I want to fight to!" Tamahome cried.
"Hai! I'm still the Miko, I'm helping too!"
"...I shall do my best with the strategy field." Chirko nodded.
"I've got a god to guard," Rami grinned.
"I'm going out there as a traitor and proud of it." Yunzie grinned.
"Yeah!" Tasuki whooped.
"Yeah!" Everyone else chorused.
~¤~Yunzie's Thoughts~¤~
Mitsukake-san gave his life to save many people. Chichiri-san says he just pushed every ounce of life-force he had into a final healing spell.... I felt it too. It was warm, like a hug. We all miss you, Mitsukake-san.
Ja ne.
~¤~In the middle of the battle~¤~
(I skipped a bit so sue me.)
"Nakago-sama!" Soi's voice cried.
"Eh?" Nakago turned to see Soi shielding him with her own body.
"K'so," Tasuki cursed.
"N-nakago-sama...." Soi whispered.
"Soi.." Nakago jerked the sword from Soi's body and his features grew hard, he looked in Yunzie's direction and muttered something. "Restore her, her powers." A blue haze hit Yunzie. Yunzie cried out in pain and she was slammed to the ground.
"Yunzie!" Rami cried. "I-i though Seiryuu's power had left her!" Chichiri bent down next to Yunzie, checked her vital signs, then looked up sadly, shaking his head.
"No!" Rami shouted. She turned to Tasuki in rage. "You killed my sister!" She took the sword from the place Nakago had flung it.
"I-i wasn't aiming for her! I didn't mean it! Rami, stop! Damnit, Rami!" Tasuki tried to reason, but Rami was beyond reason. Far beyond reason. Rage lit her eyes ablaze as she slashed Tasuki across his chest. Tasuki jumped back but the blade caught his arm. Rami didn't even wince as the wound appeared on her own skin. She caught Tasuki on the back with the sword, and his cheek. Each time the wound flared upon her own skin. Everyone saw what she was doing, she was killing herself.
"Rami, stop!" Nuriko cried. But there was nothing anyone would do. Nothing. All they could do was watch as Rami continue to attack Tasuki.
Finally, Rami collapsed on the ground from blood loss after slashing Tasuki across the chest. She looked up at Tasuki with hatred.
"Murderer."