Author's Notes: Well, I have quite a few this time, since it's the last
chapter. The last one had to be rather short so that I could wrap it up
this time. I don't know how you guys are going to like the ending, but I'll
explain why it had to end this way at the end. Another note: I don't know
if anyone was wondering, but I refer to Amiboshi as "Keika" when the story
is being told from his perspective, because that's how he thinks of
himself, whereas Yui and Suboshi both see him as Amiboshi. Also, I really
want to thank all of my loyal readers for waiting an excruciatingly long
time for every chapter and everyone who took the time to review the story.
It really helped to keep me going. Special thanks to KrissyTreat and B-chan
for sticking with me until the end. I tried to make it worth your while.
Also, thank you to Ames for helping inspire me to write this fic and to all
of the Seiryuu fans out there, this one was for you guys. Enjoy! ^.^
*****
Keika watched Yui walked out from under the trees, the sunlight illuminating her face. She smiled tentatively, and held her palm out, as though to catch a ray in her hand. Keika wondered at the sudden change that had come over her. Whatever revelation she had had in the forest, he was glad for it. Perhaps she was willing to be more reasonable about letting him take care of her.
"You probably have so many chores I'm keeping you from," Yui said suddenly, turning around to face him.
"Oh, I don't mind," Keika replied quickly.
"No, don't worry about it. I could use a little rest anyway," she replied.
"Uh – All right," he agreed. He really did have things he should be doing, but he felt very reluctant to leave her for some reason. "It won't take me that long. I'll come back and make you dinner later. I'm not that bad of a cook."
"All right," she smiled. "I might be staying here for a little while, if that's okay?"
"I've already told you you're welcome," Keika reminded her with a relieved smile.
"Thank you. I'll see you soon." She turned back toward the house without another word, walking in the strangely careful way she had about her. There was still an aura of sadness and regret and pain about her, but he thought it had begun to abate. He was going to do whatever he could to keep it that way.
"See you soon."
*****
Yui closed the door behind her, the light feeling of hope she had found wavered slightly when she remembered the pain it had caused her to make her first wish to the beast god. But it was worth it. She was going to wish Nakago out of her life, wish war out of her life, wish Miaka and Tamahome and Konan and revenge out of her life. She had made mistakes but she could end them all with just two wishes.
"One to protect Konan from Kutou and stop this war," she murmured. "And one wish to banish Seiryuu."
She would no longer be Seiryuu no Miko. Amiboshi would no longer be her Seishi. Most importantly, Nakago would lose his omnipotence. She couldn't kill him. He had manipulated her, she knew now, and used her, and her Seishi, but he had protected her and cared for her, if only as far as it served his own ends. She couldn't bring herself to kill him. So she would stop him from becoming a God.
Yui took a deep breath, ready to make her wish, when she heard the door open softly behind her. She turned around to see Amiboshi standing in the doorway, holding a cup. Evidently he had still been concerned she might try to leave.
"I'm sorry for bothering you, Yui," he said, "but I made you some tea, would you like some?"
"Sure," she said with a smile, taking the cup from him.
"It's good to see you smile, Yui," he said, his voice oddly soft. "You have such a beautiful smile."
"Thank you," Yui mumbled, taking a sip of tea to hide her frantic blushing. She could feel her face burning even as she drank. /One simple compliment and you blush like a little girl/ she scolded herself, but she was feeling lightheaded nonetheless.
Amiboshi was still regarding her with those deep, oddly troubled eyes.
"It wouldn't have worked," he whispered. "I need you to know that."
"What?" Yui asked, barely able to hang on to what he was saying.
"It would never have worked," he repeated. "You couldn't have stayed here. He would have found you."
Yui gasped at what Amiboshi was saying and suddenly realized that she was a little too lightheaded. And it wasn't just her face that was burning anymore, her whole body felt like it was on fire.
/It isn't him! It isn't him…/
"Su…bo…shi?" Yui gasped, grabbing onto the back of an armchair for support. The whole world was spinning.
"I need you to understand that," his voice was desperate now. "Please…there was no other way…you have to go back….there's no other way…"
"No…" she protested. "Seiryuu…I'm going to…wish…" She had to make him understand! He had to know! There was a way! She had found out how…but everything was getting so dark…
"I love you, Lady Yui," someone whispered.
She was falling…falling…
*****
Suboshi caught his priestess in his arms.
"Handy thing, these forgetfulness leaves," he told her, almost conversationally. "I can't allow you to remember that Amiboshi is still alive." He smoothed her hair back somewhat awkwardly. "I have to take you back now, but please don't worry. I'll protect you."
*****
"Mother, I'm home," Keika called, flinging open the door to the house.
"Take off your sandals, Keika," his mother's voice replied from the living room.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied automatically, kicking them off and practically running to the door to the room Yui was staying in. "Your dinner will be ready in about a half an hour, Yui," he called to her.
There was no answer.
/Maybe she fell asleep. She said she was tired/
"Miss Yui? I'm coming in," he called, opening the door slowly.
Still no answer.
He opened the door all the way, but the room was completely empty. The bed was neatly made. It looked like it hadn't been slept on since that morning. There was no sign that anyone had been staying there.
"Yui?" he called, his heart suddenly leaping in his chest. He ran to the door of the bath, flinging it open only to find that room deserted as well. Neat and ordered and completely devoid of life. He stood frozen, his hand clenched on the doorpost.
/She left…she went back…/
"But what about this afternoon?" he asked no one in particular. "She seemed so happy…why would she…why…"
/Perhaps the happiness wasn't for you. Perhaps it wasn't you she smiled for/
"She said that she'd be staying…she…"
/She's gone/
Keika shuddered as the truth came crashing down on him. She had left, not telling him most likely to avoid an argument. He would never see her beautiful, sad smile again. She had lit up his world, letting him forget about the dark, blank wall that separated him from his past. Now she was gone, and he felt the emptiness creeping back into his heart.
"Now I have no past, and no future," he whispered to the wind.
*****
Yui awoke slowly, opening her eyes cautiously. She was lying on a bed in a large room, that she recognized after a moment as her room in the Kutou palace. The window was shut tight and she could hear the muffled sound of rain striking the roof and ground. She could almost convince herself that she was back at home, except that Suboshi was asleep in a chair next to her bed, his head resting on his shoulder.
Yui smiled to herself. He was so innocent when he slept, his olive hair somewhat mussed and one arm falling carelessly across his chest. She couldn't remember what had prompted him to sleep in her room the night before, but it seemed natural. For a moment she was struck by an odd feeling of Déjà vu, but it passed as soon as it had come. Suboshi's eyes fluttered open slowly, and he turned to look at her.
"I hope you slept well, Lady Yui," he greeted her.
"I did," she answered, sitting up and letting her legs slip off the edge of the bed.
"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Suboshi asked, looking hopeful. Yui got up and crossed to where her outfit was folded and waiting.
"No," she replied, "Not yet, thank you." She stared down at the short blue kimono she had never seen before and tried to shake off the weird feeling that she was in some sort of dream.
"Can I get you anything at all?" Suboshi asked.
"Yes," Yui answered, unaware of Suboshi, who had brightened at her words. "You can go and find Nakago for me. We have to leave for Konan very soon and I need to talk to him before we leave. I have plans he should be made aware of as to what I'll do to that wretch, Miaka." Suboshi's face fell once more.
"Yes, Lady Yui," he replied. "I'll bring him right away."
"By this time tomorrow, it will finally be too late," Yui murmured.
*****
Suboshi listened to the hollow echoing of his footsteps as he walked down the strangely empty main corridor of the Kutou palace, heading once again toward the main chamber, where Nakago would be.
"Amiboshi brought you smiles and laughter, but all I could ever give you was violence and revenge and blood," Suboshi said ruefully. He looked back at Lady Yui's room and his fists tightened angrily. "But that's what you'll have, Lady Yui. I took your laughter from you to save my brother's life, but I'll give you all the blood in Konan."
*****
For some time after Yui had left their home, Keika and his family held onto the hope that she might be back. Their hearts would jump every time someone knocked on the door, only to be disappointed. After a while, Keika's parents and friends sadly admitted that the girl was not coming back.
But Keika could not bring himself to give up, could not bring himself to bury his last ray of sunshine. And even months and years after she had left him, he still would fancy he saw her sometimes, in town, or coming up the path to the meadow. He knew she could not have forgotten him...that someday she would come back. And always, he listened for her knock on the door.
Author's Notes: ::sniff:: The ending even gets *me* depressed. I know it seems very much along the lines of a Shakespearian tragedy, but I didn't want this to become an AU fic. I wanted it to be something that could conceivably happen within the storyline of the series, so I had to set the stage for later events. Thank you again for reading and for being patient with me. I hope you liked it.
*****
Keika watched Yui walked out from under the trees, the sunlight illuminating her face. She smiled tentatively, and held her palm out, as though to catch a ray in her hand. Keika wondered at the sudden change that had come over her. Whatever revelation she had had in the forest, he was glad for it. Perhaps she was willing to be more reasonable about letting him take care of her.
"You probably have so many chores I'm keeping you from," Yui said suddenly, turning around to face him.
"Oh, I don't mind," Keika replied quickly.
"No, don't worry about it. I could use a little rest anyway," she replied.
"Uh – All right," he agreed. He really did have things he should be doing, but he felt very reluctant to leave her for some reason. "It won't take me that long. I'll come back and make you dinner later. I'm not that bad of a cook."
"All right," she smiled. "I might be staying here for a little while, if that's okay?"
"I've already told you you're welcome," Keika reminded her with a relieved smile.
"Thank you. I'll see you soon." She turned back toward the house without another word, walking in the strangely careful way she had about her. There was still an aura of sadness and regret and pain about her, but he thought it had begun to abate. He was going to do whatever he could to keep it that way.
"See you soon."
*****
Yui closed the door behind her, the light feeling of hope she had found wavered slightly when she remembered the pain it had caused her to make her first wish to the beast god. But it was worth it. She was going to wish Nakago out of her life, wish war out of her life, wish Miaka and Tamahome and Konan and revenge out of her life. She had made mistakes but she could end them all with just two wishes.
"One to protect Konan from Kutou and stop this war," she murmured. "And one wish to banish Seiryuu."
She would no longer be Seiryuu no Miko. Amiboshi would no longer be her Seishi. Most importantly, Nakago would lose his omnipotence. She couldn't kill him. He had manipulated her, she knew now, and used her, and her Seishi, but he had protected her and cared for her, if only as far as it served his own ends. She couldn't bring herself to kill him. So she would stop him from becoming a God.
Yui took a deep breath, ready to make her wish, when she heard the door open softly behind her. She turned around to see Amiboshi standing in the doorway, holding a cup. Evidently he had still been concerned she might try to leave.
"I'm sorry for bothering you, Yui," he said, "but I made you some tea, would you like some?"
"Sure," she said with a smile, taking the cup from him.
"It's good to see you smile, Yui," he said, his voice oddly soft. "You have such a beautiful smile."
"Thank you," Yui mumbled, taking a sip of tea to hide her frantic blushing. She could feel her face burning even as she drank. /One simple compliment and you blush like a little girl/ she scolded herself, but she was feeling lightheaded nonetheless.
Amiboshi was still regarding her with those deep, oddly troubled eyes.
"It wouldn't have worked," he whispered. "I need you to know that."
"What?" Yui asked, barely able to hang on to what he was saying.
"It would never have worked," he repeated. "You couldn't have stayed here. He would have found you."
Yui gasped at what Amiboshi was saying and suddenly realized that she was a little too lightheaded. And it wasn't just her face that was burning anymore, her whole body felt like it was on fire.
/It isn't him! It isn't him…/
"Su…bo…shi?" Yui gasped, grabbing onto the back of an armchair for support. The whole world was spinning.
"I need you to understand that," his voice was desperate now. "Please…there was no other way…you have to go back….there's no other way…"
"No…" she protested. "Seiryuu…I'm going to…wish…" She had to make him understand! He had to know! There was a way! She had found out how…but everything was getting so dark…
"I love you, Lady Yui," someone whispered.
She was falling…falling…
*****
Suboshi caught his priestess in his arms.
"Handy thing, these forgetfulness leaves," he told her, almost conversationally. "I can't allow you to remember that Amiboshi is still alive." He smoothed her hair back somewhat awkwardly. "I have to take you back now, but please don't worry. I'll protect you."
*****
"Mother, I'm home," Keika called, flinging open the door to the house.
"Take off your sandals, Keika," his mother's voice replied from the living room.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied automatically, kicking them off and practically running to the door to the room Yui was staying in. "Your dinner will be ready in about a half an hour, Yui," he called to her.
There was no answer.
/Maybe she fell asleep. She said she was tired/
"Miss Yui? I'm coming in," he called, opening the door slowly.
Still no answer.
He opened the door all the way, but the room was completely empty. The bed was neatly made. It looked like it hadn't been slept on since that morning. There was no sign that anyone had been staying there.
"Yui?" he called, his heart suddenly leaping in his chest. He ran to the door of the bath, flinging it open only to find that room deserted as well. Neat and ordered and completely devoid of life. He stood frozen, his hand clenched on the doorpost.
/She left…she went back…/
"But what about this afternoon?" he asked no one in particular. "She seemed so happy…why would she…why…"
/Perhaps the happiness wasn't for you. Perhaps it wasn't you she smiled for/
"She said that she'd be staying…she…"
/She's gone/
Keika shuddered as the truth came crashing down on him. She had left, not telling him most likely to avoid an argument. He would never see her beautiful, sad smile again. She had lit up his world, letting him forget about the dark, blank wall that separated him from his past. Now she was gone, and he felt the emptiness creeping back into his heart.
"Now I have no past, and no future," he whispered to the wind.
*****
Yui awoke slowly, opening her eyes cautiously. She was lying on a bed in a large room, that she recognized after a moment as her room in the Kutou palace. The window was shut tight and she could hear the muffled sound of rain striking the roof and ground. She could almost convince herself that she was back at home, except that Suboshi was asleep in a chair next to her bed, his head resting on his shoulder.
Yui smiled to herself. He was so innocent when he slept, his olive hair somewhat mussed and one arm falling carelessly across his chest. She couldn't remember what had prompted him to sleep in her room the night before, but it seemed natural. For a moment she was struck by an odd feeling of Déjà vu, but it passed as soon as it had come. Suboshi's eyes fluttered open slowly, and he turned to look at her.
"I hope you slept well, Lady Yui," he greeted her.
"I did," she answered, sitting up and letting her legs slip off the edge of the bed.
"Do you want anything to eat or drink?" Suboshi asked, looking hopeful. Yui got up and crossed to where her outfit was folded and waiting.
"No," she replied, "Not yet, thank you." She stared down at the short blue kimono she had never seen before and tried to shake off the weird feeling that she was in some sort of dream.
"Can I get you anything at all?" Suboshi asked.
"Yes," Yui answered, unaware of Suboshi, who had brightened at her words. "You can go and find Nakago for me. We have to leave for Konan very soon and I need to talk to him before we leave. I have plans he should be made aware of as to what I'll do to that wretch, Miaka." Suboshi's face fell once more.
"Yes, Lady Yui," he replied. "I'll bring him right away."
"By this time tomorrow, it will finally be too late," Yui murmured.
*****
Suboshi listened to the hollow echoing of his footsteps as he walked down the strangely empty main corridor of the Kutou palace, heading once again toward the main chamber, where Nakago would be.
"Amiboshi brought you smiles and laughter, but all I could ever give you was violence and revenge and blood," Suboshi said ruefully. He looked back at Lady Yui's room and his fists tightened angrily. "But that's what you'll have, Lady Yui. I took your laughter from you to save my brother's life, but I'll give you all the blood in Konan."
*****
For some time after Yui had left their home, Keika and his family held onto the hope that she might be back. Their hearts would jump every time someone knocked on the door, only to be disappointed. After a while, Keika's parents and friends sadly admitted that the girl was not coming back.
But Keika could not bring himself to give up, could not bring himself to bury his last ray of sunshine. And even months and years after she had left him, he still would fancy he saw her sometimes, in town, or coming up the path to the meadow. He knew she could not have forgotten him...that someday she would come back. And always, he listened for her knock on the door.
Author's Notes: ::sniff:: The ending even gets *me* depressed. I know it seems very much along the lines of a Shakespearian tragedy, but I didn't want this to become an AU fic. I wanted it to be something that could conceivably happen within the storyline of the series, so I had to set the stage for later events. Thank you again for reading and for being patient with me. I hope you liked it.