Author's notes: Wow…Last chapter… *gets all nostalgic and emotional* I can
remember when I first got the idea for this fic. It was a few months ago.
I was in school and… *looks around to see everyone around her falling
asleep* FINE! Be that way! But I will force you all to listen to it
eventually! *sticks out tongue* But anyway, I read the reviews. People
are getting worried about Chisa! I'm so touched! To me, it's a *really*
good sign when people get all sniffly over my fics. It's a sign that I'm
evoking emotion, and it makes me feel connected to the reader.
Hotohori watched in horror as Chisa fell to the ground. "Suzaku…Please…don't let her die before I can get her to Mitsukake. PLEASE, Suzaku!" Hurriedly, he tore strips from his robes and bandaged the girl. Weakened, he fell as well. The guard rushed over to help.
"Your Majesty! We must get you to a healer!"
"No. Take me to my chambers…as well as…the girl… Call for the seishi known as Mitsukake." He was barely conscious as the guard rushed him and Chisa to his chambers.
~**~
All of the Suzaku Seishi were in Hotohori's chambers, watching as Mitsukake healed Hotohori. "Jeez…why'd you let that little bitch do that to you?" Tasuki asked.
Tamahome, whose nerves were on edge already, had had enough out of Tasuki. "Shut up, you bastard! Don't you dare say things like that about Chisa! If you do, I'll kick your ass!"
"I didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't in her right mind, and besides, I love her," Hotohori informed them, wincing slightly as Mitsukake healed a nasty slice that went all the way through his cheek.
Tasuki looked at him, dumbfounded, and shook his head. "Whatever. You people are just nuts." (AN: He's hardly one to talk! ^_~)
Miaka spoke up, "Mitsukake, you already healed her, right? So when will she wake up?"
Mitsukake shook his head. "I've healed the wound in her body, but she's hurt in her soul as well. I can't do anything about that. It's all up to her now."
For the next few days, Hotohori stayed by her side, never leaving. He refused to sleep, and he only took food and water because of the coaxing and pleading of his friends. He would sit there all day, holding her hand, slowly stroking it with his thumb. Her hands… he loved her hands. They were large and strong, with calluses from training, almost like a man's, but at the same time, delicate and soft. A person's hands can be a reflection of a person's true self, and he felt that they truly were for Chisa.
~**~
Chisa felt warm and safe, like she was wrapped in a large, soft blanket. She was so cozy; she doubted she ever wanted to leave. She snuggled in deeper. She looked up, and saw a small patch of light, about the size of a silver dollar. From that light came voices. "Hotohori-sama…" "Heika- sama…" Ah. They were talking about Seishuku. As she listened, she heard some familiar voices, like the ones of Kishuku and Miaka. Then she realized: *That patch of light is life. It's consciousness. If I'm to return to consciousness, then I have to go to the light.*
She scowled. She didn't *ever* want to go back! What was life anyway? Nothing but pain and hurt, heartbreak and grief. Down here, she felt warm, and safe. This place was painless. Nothing could hurt her here. So why go back to the pain? She watched as the light shrank to size of a quarter.
*But what about the pleasure?* a voice inside of her asked. Her expression softened. *Yes, what about all the fun times? Those carefree childhood days with Kishuku, the love she shared with Seishuku? What about those parts of life in the light? Didn't they feel good?*
Yes, they were good. They were nice. She liked those. But still! The pain outweighed the pleasure by much too far! The light shrank to the size of a dime.
*The others endure their pain. What about you? Are you too weak?* This made Chisa think. It was true. Kishuku had endured just as much pain in his life, with the death of his mother and the poor health of his father. He had grown up far too fast, as do many children of poverty. And Seishuku – maybe it *was* unfair to blame him for his father's transgressions. The life of an emperor wasn't easy, after all. And it must be lonely, with no one seeing you as a human, only as an icon. And Miaka was the Suzaku no Miko. Torn away from everything familiar and thrown into an at times frightening, dangerous place.
*And what about the pain you are causing them right now?* Chisa lowered her head, feeling ashamed. How selfish she was being. They were probably so worried about her now. How could she just lie there, while the others wondered if she would ever come out to live with them again?
Those people…they all felt pain, but they managed to live and love. They cried and suffered heartbreak, but they could still laugh. Why should she just give in when things got tough for her? *That's it, I'm coming out!* Chisa thought. *I'm sick of this guilt trip. Everyone…just wait a little longer!*
~**~
Hotohori tried not to doze off, but he was so tired. *No! I must stay awake for Chisa!* But every second was a struggle for consciousness. His eyelids drooped shut. *No… Chisa…* He felt a cool hand on his cheek.
A voice whispered, "Seishuku-kun…"
"Chisa? I must be dreaming." Hotohori wanted to believe it, but couldn't. He looked at her, to see her with her eyes open, gently smiling.
"No, Seishuku-kun. You're awake…and so am I."
He pulled her to him. Tears were in his eyes. "Chisa…I love you. Will you please be my empress?"
Chisa smiled into his shoulder. "Yes, I will. Gladly, Seishuku-sama. Gladly."
~**~
Chisa looked in the mirror. "I'm beautiful," she whispered in awe. She had spent hours being poked and prodded by seamstresses, forced to stand sta
Hotohori watched in horror as Chisa fell to the ground. "Suzaku…Please…don't let her die before I can get her to Mitsukake. PLEASE, Suzaku!" Hurriedly, he tore strips from his robes and bandaged the girl. Weakened, he fell as well. The guard rushed over to help.
"Your Majesty! We must get you to a healer!"
"No. Take me to my chambers…as well as…the girl… Call for the seishi known as Mitsukake." He was barely conscious as the guard rushed him and Chisa to his chambers.
~**~
All of the Suzaku Seishi were in Hotohori's chambers, watching as Mitsukake healed Hotohori. "Jeez…why'd you let that little bitch do that to you?" Tasuki asked.
Tamahome, whose nerves were on edge already, had had enough out of Tasuki. "Shut up, you bastard! Don't you dare say things like that about Chisa! If you do, I'll kick your ass!"
"I didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't in her right mind, and besides, I love her," Hotohori informed them, wincing slightly as Mitsukake healed a nasty slice that went all the way through his cheek.
Tasuki looked at him, dumbfounded, and shook his head. "Whatever. You people are just nuts." (AN: He's hardly one to talk! ^_~)
Miaka spoke up, "Mitsukake, you already healed her, right? So when will she wake up?"
Mitsukake shook his head. "I've healed the wound in her body, but she's hurt in her soul as well. I can't do anything about that. It's all up to her now."
For the next few days, Hotohori stayed by her side, never leaving. He refused to sleep, and he only took food and water because of the coaxing and pleading of his friends. He would sit there all day, holding her hand, slowly stroking it with his thumb. Her hands… he loved her hands. They were large and strong, with calluses from training, almost like a man's, but at the same time, delicate and soft. A person's hands can be a reflection of a person's true self, and he felt that they truly were for Chisa.
~**~
Chisa felt warm and safe, like she was wrapped in a large, soft blanket. She was so cozy; she doubted she ever wanted to leave. She snuggled in deeper. She looked up, and saw a small patch of light, about the size of a silver dollar. From that light came voices. "Hotohori-sama…" "Heika- sama…" Ah. They were talking about Seishuku. As she listened, she heard some familiar voices, like the ones of Kishuku and Miaka. Then she realized: *That patch of light is life. It's consciousness. If I'm to return to consciousness, then I have to go to the light.*
She scowled. She didn't *ever* want to go back! What was life anyway? Nothing but pain and hurt, heartbreak and grief. Down here, she felt warm, and safe. This place was painless. Nothing could hurt her here. So why go back to the pain? She watched as the light shrank to size of a quarter.
*But what about the pleasure?* a voice inside of her asked. Her expression softened. *Yes, what about all the fun times? Those carefree childhood days with Kishuku, the love she shared with Seishuku? What about those parts of life in the light? Didn't they feel good?*
Yes, they were good. They were nice. She liked those. But still! The pain outweighed the pleasure by much too far! The light shrank to the size of a dime.
*The others endure their pain. What about you? Are you too weak?* This made Chisa think. It was true. Kishuku had endured just as much pain in his life, with the death of his mother and the poor health of his father. He had grown up far too fast, as do many children of poverty. And Seishuku – maybe it *was* unfair to blame him for his father's transgressions. The life of an emperor wasn't easy, after all. And it must be lonely, with no one seeing you as a human, only as an icon. And Miaka was the Suzaku no Miko. Torn away from everything familiar and thrown into an at times frightening, dangerous place.
*And what about the pain you are causing them right now?* Chisa lowered her head, feeling ashamed. How selfish she was being. They were probably so worried about her now. How could she just lie there, while the others wondered if she would ever come out to live with them again?
Those people…they all felt pain, but they managed to live and love. They cried and suffered heartbreak, but they could still laugh. Why should she just give in when things got tough for her? *That's it, I'm coming out!* Chisa thought. *I'm sick of this guilt trip. Everyone…just wait a little longer!*
~**~
Hotohori tried not to doze off, but he was so tired. *No! I must stay awake for Chisa!* But every second was a struggle for consciousness. His eyelids drooped shut. *No… Chisa…* He felt a cool hand on his cheek.
A voice whispered, "Seishuku-kun…"
"Chisa? I must be dreaming." Hotohori wanted to believe it, but couldn't. He looked at her, to see her with her eyes open, gently smiling.
"No, Seishuku-kun. You're awake…and so am I."
He pulled her to him. Tears were in his eyes. "Chisa…I love you. Will you please be my empress?"
Chisa smiled into his shoulder. "Yes, I will. Gladly, Seishuku-sama. Gladly."
~**~
Chisa looked in the mirror. "I'm beautiful," she whispered in awe. She had spent hours being poked and prodded by seamstresses, forced to stand sta
