Disclaimer:  No profit is made from this fiction.  OK, done.  These are getting tiresome. ~_~

Note: Uhh…ghosts and apparitions.  If you are deathly afraid of happy ghosts, then I'd advise you not to read this chapter. ^^;;  And sorry; it's a bit on the short side.

The Girl of Duty, by bashou-chan

Chapter 4: True Illusion, part 2 Lost was all that could describe her.  Miaka's face was a canvas of mixed emotions, swirling and mingling together to create a picture of complete and utter confusion.  She made no sign of movement, yet her eyes spoke a tale that could not be heard by ears.  They spoke of grief, unhappiness, and misery.  They spoke of challenge, struggle, and obstacles.  They spoke of friendship, joy and love.  Her eyes wove the saga that was theirs—the Suzaku no Sichiseishi.

Barricaded within herself, they could feel Miaka slowly being torn away from them, being torn away from them by the power of her love.  Miaka loved her Brothers to no end, and as a result, she closed herself up, thinking that it would end, or, if not, lessen the pain.  But this was not the case.  No, she had not made the right choice. 

And she knew, now.  She knew her mistake, her selfishness.  Now…but too late.  It was too late to save herself.  And that was how they knew.  That was how they she needed help.  She needed to be rescued from the prison that was her conscience, her love, and be brought back into the light of reality. 

Tamahome still stood where he had been standing for the past fifteen minutes.  Chichiri had gone back to camp to rouse the rest of the Seishi, and to lead them to this awesome sight.  They all stood, fixed and staring at Miaka, listening intently to their own chronicle.  Mitsukake could not think of what to do, nor could Chichiri or Chiriko.  Tasuki was the first to say something since their arrival at the particular spot where Miaka floated.

"We have to keep her."

Startled, Mitsukake shifted his gaze to his right, where Tasuki stood stiffly.  "Nuriko?  What do you mean?"

"Nuriko told me we have to keep her here."  Tasuki slowly turned to face Mitsukake, pain and sorrow evident in his features.  "Tonight, Nuriko told me that we have to keep Miaka here, on this world.  Chichiri…" he regarded the monk with questioning eyes, "you knew about this didn't you?"

"H-hai.  Of course, we need to find some way of keeping Miaka on our world, at least until she calls Suzaku.  But it isn't has easy as I put it, and the situation we are in now doesn't come to our advantage.  Tasuki, like I told you last night, her chi is waning." Chichiri addressed the whole group now, his voice hardening to confirm their disbelief.  "She is not dying, but she is disappearing.  And, as a result, we are disappearing too.  Our constellations are fading, leaving us little time to solve our dilemma, and to save the world and our lives." Choking slightly, Chichiri gestured towards the forlorn image of Miaka in front of them.  "This is a part of Miaka's soul.  It seeks out help in order the reclaim Miaka from the darkness that she is trapped by.  I think…I think that we have even less time now…since she is already sending help subconsciously.  When she has disappeared…it means that her soul is lost forever.  It does not mean she dies…but I think it's worse.  She would only remain to live a life that is emotionless, meaningless.  So we need to find her soon."

Tasuki looked up at Chichiri, seeing the pale faces of the other Seishi in his peripheral vision. "Nuriko…Nuriko said something about unbalancing the world.  What did he mean, Chichiri?"

"It would make sense, since Miaka is the Suzaku no Mik--"

A dark swirling blue effectively cut Chichiri off, surrounding and engulfing him and his fellow Seishi.  It seemed to trap them, overwhelming them easily, cutting off their vision of the forest.  For two or three seconds, each Seishi could feel and see nothing.  In an eternal abyss they stood, only blackness stretching out in front of them, and to the side and behind.  And it reflected the bleakness in their hearts.

~*~*~*~

"Miaka!  Where's Miaka?!"  Tamahome turned wildly, his eyes viscously trying to seek out her slim figure in the surroundings.  But it was vain, as it was impossible to see through the misty white than had emerged suddenly from the thick black.  Now the Seishi we engulfed by a misty white, the black trailing only in their hearts.  "Miaka!  Where did Miaka go?!"
"Tamahome…" came a voice, misty enough to challenge the cloud-like setting. 

"Miaka!"  Tasuki and Tamahome cried out simultaneously.

"Tamahome, Tasuki, let me talk…"

Tasuki recognised the words all too painfully, clenching his heart over the fact that he had lost two dear people in his life.  He laid a hand on Tamahome's arm, willing him to calm down enough to here Miaka out.

"Chichiri…you were right.  You were right about me; I am losing to myself.  But I just want you all to understand…I did it because I love you all.  I know it was selfish, but at the same time, I sincerely thought it would help you.  I came into this world, seeking all of you out to help me in my duty to save Konan.  But at the same time, I tore you from your happy and peaceful lives at home.  So I thought that doing this would bring the peace and light back into your hearts."

"You know that's not true, Miaka!" Chiriko exclaimed, tightening his hand into a tiny fist.

"I know…I know Chiriko.  I know, now.  But it's too late, so I need you to find me—bring me back so I can fulfil my purpose!"

"Tell us where you are!" Tamahome cried painfully.

"I'm with a kindred spirit…from beginning to end…a kindred spirit …find me…" Miaka's voice gradually vanished, leaving those lasting words imprinted in the minds of her Celestial Warriors.  And as quickly as the vast plain had overcome them, it vanished, and the forest materialised into solidity ahead.

~*~*~*~

"Tasuki-chan!" sang a soft, lilting voice, as Tasuki whirled around in response to a slight tickle to his sides.  His eyes widened at the sight in front of him: large, violet eyes, an endearing little mole, and an overly friendly smile.  "N-Nuriko…?"  Tasuki ventured tentatively, not sure if his eyes were playing tricks or not. "Hai, bakaaaa!" Nuriko smiled widely, bopping Tasuki on the head affectionately.

"Nuriko!" Tasuki sobbed wildly, throwing himself at the smaller Seishi, only to find himself hugging the ground in a futile attempt the touch Nuriko.  "Nuriko…?"

"Baka Tasuki." Nuriko whispered, the happy, mocking, joyful voice gone. "You can't touch me…I've passed on, remember?"

"Nuriko…" Nuriko turned around, to be faced with four happily and tearfully shocked faces.  "Nuriko…" Tamahome walked slowly towards Nuriko's ghost, one hand outstretched and fingers vying for human touch.  His hand passed unobstructed through Nuriko's arm, triggering a sad look to overcome the violet-haired Seishi's features.

"What's…what's going on, Chichiri-san?" came Chiriko's small, confused voice.

"I'm not sure…first Miaka's image, then the odd journey to an abyss…now Nuriko.  My guess is as good as yours, Chiriko-kun."

"I can tell you." Nuriko walked calmly away from Tamahome's still outstretched hand, sitting himself down cross-legged on the lush, green grass.  "Now…if you'll all wipe those stupid looks of your faces long enough, I have something to say." His eyes danced merrily; there was not a trace of the sadness he had moments earlier.

The Seishi sat down numbly, forming a crude half-circle in front of Nuriko.  "Well…actually, there's nothing much to tell.  So I'll just give you the short story, ne?"  Nuriko smiled at Chiriko.  "Basically…I came down to help you!"  Blank looks were directed at Nuriko from all sides.  "What?  I just thought you needed my help!"

Chichiri cleared his throat lightly, then quickly unmasked his face.  "Nuriko…tell us the truth.  There is no way that you can come down to help us without sacrificing something."

Nuriko's eyes clouded over, turned into him in thought.  "N-no…I couldn't Chichiri.  But I'm not allowed to tell you either.  So don't ask about it, ok?"

A troubled look came over Chichiri's face before he sighed.  "And, anyway," Nuriko's voice brightened instantaneously again, "we have more pressing issues at hand.  Like finding Miaka."

The Seishi nodded dumbly again, still in shock over seeing two ghosts in one night.  Chichiri was the first to gain his senses.  "The meeting was confusing."
"She wouldn't tell us where she was." Tasuki added.

Mitsukake spoke up; his voice deep and textured.  "No, I don't think it's like that.  Chichiri said that what we saw, was a part of her soul.  Souls do not deal with the physical world, therefore, I don't think that Miaka's soul knew exactly where she was."

"But she did give us a clue!" Chiriko piped up, receiving more blank stares.  "If Mitsukake-san is correct, then souls deal with the spiritual world.  Therefore, Miaka's soul can tell us where she is by giving us clues about her feelings.  She gave us a clue along the lines of…a kindred spirit…from beginning to end.  But I don't understand it."

The Seishi shook their heads remorsefully.  "I don't quite understand it either." Mitsukake mumbled.

"Cryptic…it's a very cryptic clue, no da."

~*~*~*~

The Seishi decided to rest for what was remaining of the night, settling, once again, uncomfortably into their bedrolls.  Nuriko floated near the rock where Chichiri stood watch hours earlier.  As Nuriko did not need rest, he volunteered to watch for the rest of the night.  He passed an innocent, slumbering Chiriko, who was curled up against Tasuki much as a younger brother would.  Kneeling, Nuriko swept a baby-fine piece of hair from Chiriko's face, smiling as he did so.  It made him happy, inside, to see his Brothers like this.  We share such an indescribable bond, he thought.  I know…because of that bond…we'll win.  It's something that Nakago—or the fates—do not have.  We'll win this fight.

TBC…

Author's Note: ~sigh~  Ahh…sap at the end.  Sap is not me…I like to think of myself as emotionally inept as my favourite blonde shogun is. ^^;;  Ok…maybe not that bad, but you get my point.  Anyway, this story is going as I want it…but to tell you the truth, I never planned to write Nuriko in.  But…then…he kinda wrote himself in.  You fellow authors'll know what I mean. ^_~  Nuriko is just way too fun to pass up!

Anyhoo, that's it for now!  I hope you liked, and go leave a review! ^____^n Ja, minna!