Disclaimer: The characters used in this story are copyright of Yu Watase and are just being borrowed for this brief interlude.

Why not?
By: Arysa
Chapter 3: Deciding Destiny

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Chichiri and Ayn were sharing a companionable silence only broken here and there by soft snaps coming from the greedy blaze in the hearth before the couple. Relaxing, Chichiri sighed contentedly, removed his mask and turned to smile at Ayn.

The firelight outlined the harsh scar on the left side of his face, which warred with the overall serenity of his features. He sat cross-legged and had his hands on his knees with thumb and middle finger forming a circle. From Ayn's point of view, it seemed that his body was one continuous line. She could easily imagine how he had commanded the energy running in currents through his body to light the wood.

Chichiri stood up and walked towards Ayn. Ayn trembled as she watched him approach. He sat beside her and gently kissed her lips. She had dreamed of this moment for so long! Ayn moved closer to Chichiri and their kiss slowly deepened. Chichiri moved his arms around Ayn and pulled her even closer causing Ayn to moan against his lips.

Suddenly, the fire snapped loudly and the room grew deadly cold. Chichiri stood up from the bed and grabbed his staff resting against the doorframe. The air grew still and strange as the fire began to glow blue. Chichiri moved between Ayn and the mysterious flames. "Identify yourself!" he commanded.

A low laugh that was almost a lament came from the very wood being consumed by the peculiar blaze. "I need no introduction." continued the alien presence. "I have been summoned."

"You were not summoned." stated Chichiri. "Begone!" he spat as he brought the staff in front of his body and his arms in front of his face to cast a spell.

The blue light from the fire melted into the laughter of the voice and formed a handsome man in front of the monk. "You seek to banish a God?" he asked and laughed harder.

"You were not summoned." repeated Chichiri.

"Ai, but we exist where our seishi gather." The God Seriyuu looked long and hard at the monk before him, "did you think that our powers were dependent on our miko?" he laughed again and continued, "If so, would I have chosen such a weak vessel?"

"Yui was strong no da" replied Chichiri. "We all have our own destiny."

"And that destiny will be decided here." stated the God as he fazed out of sight leaving the now normal fire to valiantly fight the waves of cold left in his wake.

"Here?" asked Chichiri. Ayn stood from the bed and hugged Chichiri from behind. Absentmindedly Chichiri put his hands on either of her arms and stared at the fire. He was filled with an overwhelming desire to protect Ayn and his wards. Were the events of this evening related? What in the name of Suzaku did the God Seriyuu mean by deciding destiny!

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To be continued ...